It’s happening all around the country. You’re hearing the phrase “seller’s market” mentioned in conjunction with many of the real estate markets in the U.S. today.
Indeed, it’s a good time for sellers to capitalize on the fact that there are lots of folks hoping to buy a home but not enough homes to fulfill all those needs. That leaves sellers with a smile on their face and buyers wondering whether or not they’re going to be able to buy an affordable home in this tight market.
As a buyer, you’ll especially feel the crunch if you’re looking for a home in a first-time buyer’s typical price range for your area AND if you’re looking for a home that doesn’t require that you go in and do a lot of repairs or updating. If you are a bit more flexible on
If you’re a real estate agent, chances are you’ve had your share of sellers who’ve hounded you to hold an open house – or two or three – at their property. Or, if you’re a seller, maybe you’ve been the hounder – convinced that the only way you’re going to sell your property in a timely manner is to show it to the world via a Sunday open house.
Facts show, however, that an open house isn’t really necessary in precipitating the sale of a particular home, especially if the home is already priced right, is clean and attractive, and is readily available for showings.
However, realtors often have different reasons for hosting open houses. Such events can help the listing agent gain more clients by allowing him/her to prospect visitors that come into
When a buyer considers the purchase of a home, they are buying not only a house but the neighborhood in which it sits and the neighbors surrounding it.
So, when you’ve got a problem neighbor that makes your home and other homes in the vicinity look less than desirable, what do you do? After all, your home is lovely, as are the others around it! It’s just that one inconsiderate or sloppy neighbor that’s giving your street a black eye!
How do you conquer this situation and still come out with the best sale price possible and a buyer that’s assured they’ll be happy with their new purchase?
Well, a lot of it will depend on what kind of problems the errant neighbor is creating as well as the type of community in which you live.
So, you just bought a new house, but it needs a little work. You got it for a good price, but you know you’ll need to put some dollars into a renovation that will make you happy.
You’re especially eager to tear out that old shag carpet or to rip up those outdated vinyl tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms. But when you head to the home improvement store and browse through the flooring department, the choices are a little overwhelming. You were adamant about hardwood, but now you think laminate is okay. And what about bamboo? What the heck is that and why would you use it on your floors? And there’s always the carpet route.
Consider your Lifestyle
How you live, who lives in your house, and what you can afford will largely determine in which
In the real estate world, we’d like to think that every transaction will go off without a hitch. But if you’ve been a realtor for a while – or if you’ve been a home buyer or seller – you know that it’s often not the case. While stress-free deals are what we all hope for, the proverbial monkey wrench is usually thrown into the mix and – boom! – there’s trouble up ahead.
When you’re new to the real estate world, and you’re working on one of your first transactions, breaking the bad news to your clients becomes a thing of great fear. You’re not sure how they’re going to react about the news and – worst of all – you believe they’re going to think it’s your fault, even if that’s far from the truth. You worry about losing commission, losing the customer,
Ah, autumn! It’s that time when everything seems to taste like pumpkin or smell like cinnamon and apples. Summer is over. Beach days are a thing of the past. The kids are ready to go back to school, and it seems as if life gets a little more serious. Christmas is just around the corner and, before you know it, the weather will turn colder (depending on where you live) and the leaves will start to fall.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about selling your house soon, and now that summer vacations are out of the way, and you’re getting down to business as usual, perhaps it might be the right time to list. But maybe you’ve heard it said that fall isn’t a great time to sell and that you missed the golden opportunity to unload your house once the summer set
Millennials – or members of Generation Y – are heading into their home-buying years. Many have graduated from college and found success in the workforce, with salaries that support their desire to own their own place. Others went straight from high school into trades or other jobs and have now amassed enough money for a downpayment on a starter home and are eager to start shopping.
This generation, however, say the experts, is definitely different than generations before when it comes down to what they are seeking in the home of their dreams or – at least – the home that will eventually lead to the home of their dreams. It’s not necessarily the big back yard for the dog and the kids those baby boomers sought or the sprawling house in the suburbs
Technology has changed the face of real estate and the role of a real estate agent, especially when it comes to buyers. With tools such as Trulia and Zillow, most potential home buyers now turn to the internet to “see what’s out there” rather than stopping by your office and asking for an overview of what’s on the market. (Remember the old days when you would pull out the most current MLS and thumb through it together?)
As real estate agents, we know, of course, that that internet real estate sites are far from accurate. In many cases, the homes advertised have long been sold or have been removed from the market. The chances are that the buyer is probably wasting lots of time surfing through the pages of that site, only to be disappointed when
Putting your house on the market is a big deal. Whether you’ve been thinking about it for quite some time or even if you made a quick decision to sell, you’ll want the process to run smoothly and not drag out forever. After all, who doesn’t wish their house would sell in just a few days?
Luckily, for some individuals, that sometimes happens. For others, it takes much longer. So, when you’ve found the perfect realtor, and you’re ready to sign that listing contract, how many months should you give that agent to sell your house?
What’s Average?
Most agents are encouraged by their brokers to propose a 6-month listing to their seller. This is the national average and one that seems to work for most people.
You’ve probably heard that ages-old answer to the question about the three most important things a property should possess if you’re considering its purchase. Of course, that answer is “location, location, location.” And while that response may elicit a chuckle from most people, the fact remains that this is undoubtedly the best advice a homebuyer can receive as they ponder which house will soon be theirs.
But why does location matter so much? If it’s a great house on a so-so block, isn’t that a good deal? After all, you’re getting the best house available? And shopping isn’t all that far away, right? And it’s only a 30-minute bus ride for the kids to get to school! Sounds like a good choice, correct?
