Buyer Information
May 2, 2017
Obviously, all sellers want to get the best price for their home, but knowing when the time is right to get top dollar can be pretty tricky. In reality, there are two key factors you need to balance: a frank and honest assessment of both the market and your personal situation. From my experience, here are a few tell-tale signs that you’re ready to make the move. You Have Equity The reason that you often hear that you should stay in your home for five to seven years before you consider selling is based on the amount of equity homeowners (with a mortgage) have built in that timeframe plus market appreciation. Equity refers to your home’s value minus any outstanding […]
April 4, 2017
When you put your home on the market, you want it to get as much attention as it can. One timeless way to get noticed and let potential buyers connect with your home is by holding an open house. Today, most homebuyers start their search online, but that doesn’t mean that an open house is no longer a valuable sales tool. A National Association of Realtors survey found that 45% of homebuyers said they used open houses as a major source of information as part of their home search. If you decide to hold an open house, these tips can help ensure that it’s a success. Market the Open House If you’ve driven through Pinecrest on a Sunday recently, you’ve […]
March 29, 2017
So much attention surrounds first-time homebuyers, but selling a home for the first time is an equally daunting task and is completely different from buying. Sellers sometimes incorrectly believe that because they have been through the buying process, they know how to sell their home. In fact, there are many intricacies to selling a home that you don’t experience when you buy. If you’re a first-time home seller, these five tips will help you make the most of your sale: 1. Hire an Experienced Realtor. This should go without saying, but hiring an experienced realtor is the most important selling decision you will make. We’d encourage you to interview a couple rather than going with the part-time realtor that you […]
February 28, 2017
Kitchens are the heart of a home. It’s where families gather for meal times and where celebrations are typically held. And if you do any entertaining, you know that everyone ends up in the kitchen no matter what. When you’re staging your home for a sale, help potential buyers visualize themselves in your beautiful kitchen. You want to show off a fresh, clean, and spacious area. They will create an emotional attachment to your home — and, hopefully make an offer. To get your kitchen ready and looking its best for a showing, use these 10 staging tips: Get the kitchen professionally cleaned. Obviously, you want an immaculately clean kitchen to show off. A worthwhile investment is to hire a professional cleaner. Professionals will make […]
February 21, 2017
When you’re selling your home, there’s so much to do. But, a seller’s top job is to make their home looks as presentable as possible to attract buyers. Properly staging your home is one of the best ways to help your home sell as quickly as possible. Staging shows off your home’s best features and helps potential buyers imagine their families living there. However, some sellers fail to put their best foot forward when staging their home for a sale. Here are the top six staging offenses that we have seen sellers commit: Lingering around when buyers come. Homeowners sometimes choose to linger around when agents bring potential buyers by to see the house. This can lead to some awkward encounters. We ask our sellers to step out so we can […]
February 14, 2017
Many millennials choose to rent because they think buying a home is out of their reach. In reality, there are many opportunities for millennial-age first-time homebuyers out there. Buying a first home at any age is a great investment. It gives you the chance to begin building equity and take advantage of tax deductions on mortgage interest and other benefits. It also provides a sense of accomplishment. If you’re a millennial and thinking about buying a home, these tips will help: Don’t assume you can’t afford it. Buying a home is a major expense, but it’s also a big investment. For some millennials, it may sound little daunting. But, in many cases, buying a home is actually cheaper than renting. In Miami-Dade and Broward […]
February 7, 2017
As a renter, you live by your landlord’s set of rules, and you won’t see a return on your investment of all those rent checks you’ve sent over the years. When you’re ready for a little more freedom in your living space and the chance to build some equity, it’s time to consider buying a home. Buying a home is an important financial milestone for most adults. If you’ve been thinking about making the big step from renting to buying, consider these five signs that it’s time to buy: You want more control over your environment. Do you constantly think about knocking down a wall to make your bedroom bigger, adding a swimming pool, or converting your garage into a man cave? If the answer is yes, you […]
January 31, 2017
Buying a home for the first time can seem incredibly intimidating. It is not a process that should be taken lightly or without the guidance of a professional. Selecting a realtor is an essential part of the home-buying experience, but this is also an important decision in itself. Real estate agents take a lot of work off of you and can help you get a better deal on your home. A good place to start is asking family and friends for referrals for the agents they used when they purchased their home. Searching for a realtor is really no different from choosing a doctor or accountant. You should identify two or three agents to interview and evaluate their qualifications, professional […]
January 24, 2017
When it’s winter and ‘Polar Vortex’ becomes part of your everyday vocabulary, dreaming of owning a vacation home on the beach becomes particularly appetizing. Trust us, we get it: we live down in South Florida where we have many-a winter’s day 70 degrees warmer than Chicago. And we see plenty of out-of-state license plates start arriving this time of year. But instead of just escaping the frozen tundra, a (carefully selected) vacation home can also be a fantastic long-term investment. If you find yourself visiting the same place over and over, consider buying a house or condo there so you’ll always have a home to come back to. But before you make that big purchase, consider these things. Find the […]