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Video

An Easy Method to Prepare Your Home for the Market [VIDEO]

If you’re preparing your home for the market, you need to follow the three D’s. Here’s how doing this will get your home show ready.

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When getting ready to list your home, the best way to prepare it for the market is by remembering the three D’s: declutter, depersonalize, and damage.
What do I mean by these three terms?
Declutter: When going through your home, look for any clutter that’s laying on the floor or anything that’s out of place. Your kitchen and bathroom countertops especially should be free and clear of any personal items. Getting rid of those things makes it easier for buyers to look at clean, clear spaces.
Depersonalize: Along with the clutter, look for personal items and mementos like photos to remove from the walls and countertops. You want buyers to be able to envision themselves in the home—not you.
Damage: Look for anything that needs to be repaired within your home. I’m not saying hire an inspector to inspect your home for things that aren’t clear; I’m saying look for things that are obvious so you can get them repaired before any buyers can spot them.
If you need any help or have any questions about getting your home on the market, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you!

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March 27, 2017 · 5:08 pm
Video

Here’s Where to Start the Homebuying Process [Video]

Where does the home buying process truly begin? Your first step should be finding out home much you can afford.

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If you’re thinking about buying a home, your first step shouldn’t be looking at homes online. There are a few reasons for this.

First, you could fall in love with a home and later find out that you can’t afford it. Secondly, you might become discouraged if you don’t find anything that you like, or you might even find out that you can afford more.

Naturally, the first step in finding a home is finding out how much you can afford. You want to be sure to talk to a lender (we actually recommend talking to at least three lenders) to see what they offer in terms of closing costs, interest rates, and the different financing packages you can use.

After you talk with a lender, they may actually tell you that you can afford more than you’re comfortable with. Be sure to sit down and figure out with your lender what you’re truly comfortable with. Even if you can afford a massive home, the higher payment might leave you in a bind and unable to spend your money on other things like vacations or other big expenses.

The next thing to focus on with your lender is actually becoming a qualified buyer. This means getting written documentation that says you’re qualified to buy a home. When you make an offer on a home, you can present this letter to a buyer to show them that you’re qualified, putting you in the best position to close the deal.

Finally, you need to speak with a real estate agent, of course. Remember that the seller pays the real estate commission, so make sure the agent represents you as a buyer at no expense.

If you have any questions or comments or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in the area market, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help!

 

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March 3, 2017 · 2:30 pm
Video

A Valuable New Real Estate Resource for You [Video]

I’d like to welcome you to my new YouTube Channel.

On my channel, you’ll find tips for both buyers and sellers in the real estate market, as well as updates on what’s happening in our local market. The real estate market affects all of us!

I really want this page to be a valuable resource for you. If you have any questions about our market or about real estate in general, send me an email. Odds are good that if you have a question about a topic, someone else does as well, so send your questions my way and we’ll make an educational video.

Take a look around the channel and subscribe. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

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March 3, 2017 · 2:16 pm
Video

Why You Should Sell Before the Spring Market Kicks in [Video]

Many people wait for April or May because they think it’s the best time to sell their house. The truth is, it really isn’t.

 
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A lot of times, people wait until March, April, or May to put their homes on the market because they think it is the absolute best time to sell. The truth is that we don’t have a lot of seasonality here.

While it’s true that those months are the busiest time of year to sell, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best time. While there are many more buyers on the market, there are many more sellers as well. It’s actually better to be on the market earlier in the year than the peak time of late spring.

When people wait until late spring to list their home because they are under the impression it’s the best time, that gives you the opportunity to list your home earlier and sell without a whole lot of competition. Since we’re not in an overly cold climate like Minnesota or Delaware, you don’t have to worry about hitting the market right when spring hits.

You can get a headstart on the market now. If you’re thinking about selling this spring, you want to get your home on the market as quickly as you can and as soon as you’re ready.

Things don’t have to be absolutely perfect in terms of staging. When you don’t have much competition like there is right now, the key is urgency. You want to get ahead of that competition and make them set their price based on your sale, not the other way around.

If you have any questions about this topic or if you’re looking to sell your home in the near future, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.

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March 3, 2017 · 12:55 pm
Video

What Can We Learn From the 2016 Market? [Video]

Today we’re taking a quick look back at the 2016 market to see what we can expect moving forward in 2017.

 
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Today we’re taking a quick look back at the important things from the 2016 real estate market and what you can expect going forward.

In 2016, we had a great year in real estate, but sometimes buyers had a bit of challenge finding homes thanks to low inventory. Sellers, on the other hand, were able to get their homes sold very effectively. Inventory is at an all-time low. Homes in the $150,000 to $200,000 range are selling the quickest, but homes priced above $300,000 can take up to a few months to sell. If you’re planning to sell your home that’s valued in this range, you can expect to wait a little bit.

This is because we ended up having such a low overall inventory that builders came in wanting to make the most money possible, so they built on the higher end of price ranges. That left us with a higher supply in the higher price ranges.

If you’re thinking of selling, though, right now is a great time regardless of your price range due to low inventory. As we move into the spring and the rest of the year, we will see more and more people who wanted to wait for after the holidays start listing their homes for sale. Some will go under contract quickly, but overall, you’ll face more competition as a seller.

If you can help it, don’t wait for the spring to sell.

If you have any questions for me, you have any topics you’d like to learn more about, or you’re thinking of selling your house soon, give me a call or send me an email today. I’d love to help you!

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March 3, 2017 · 12:52 pm