home buying

May 30, 2017

Should You Hire a Professional Home Stager? Probably.

When you’re selling your home, you want to get the best price possible. And, the best way to get top dollar is to put your home’s best foot forward to attract buyers. Often, this means hiring a professional home stager. Many sellers may not want the extra expense of home staging, but it’s actually a worthwhile investment. Sellers that hire a home stager can often expect to get at least $10,000 more for their homes than those who don’t. In addition to a larger sales price, there are several other reasons why you should consider hiring a professional home stager. Buyers Can Visualize Themselves at Home Professional home staging shows off a property in its best light, which is a […]
May 23, 2017

Are You a Second-Wave Baby Boomer? Look for These Things in Your New Home

It seems like every article I read about homebuyers these days is written about millennials: are they buying, are they not buying, what do they want to buy, et cetera. To a much lesser degree, there are articles about boomers and whether they want to move for retirement or stay-in-place. But I haven’t seen anything on ‘second wave’ boomers, who tend to be in a unique situation. Who is the Second Wave? There are more than 76 million baby boomers nationwide. The younger boomers are often referred to as “second wave” because they have different lifestyle needs than their older counterparts. Many second-wave baby boomers are increasingly feeling like their current homes no longer fit their needs. Odds are you […]
May 16, 2017

How to Stage Your Home When You Have Pets

Pets are essential members of the family and make any home feel, well, homey. But, trying to sell a home with a pet around can be headache and definitely takes a few extra steps when staging and showing your home. Not everyone is an animal lover. Sometimes potential buyers would prefer not to see, smell, or find any evidence that your beloved pet exists. When you’re staging your home (where your pets also live) to sell, these tips will help: Fix Up Your Yard Back yards are many pets’ favorite places. The back yard serves as a personal bathroom for many, and some dogs like to dig holes. As you’re preparing your home for sale, clean up any poop or […]
May 9, 2017

Listing-Photo Mistakes That Could Kill a Sale

Cozy bedrooms, bright kitchens, and immaculate spaces. This is what buyers want to see when browsing for a new home. So, sellers need to take beautiful photos to show off their home’s best assets. The quality of listing photos is a sure way to sell a home. While you don’t necessarily need to hire a professional, it may be something to consider. Homes that have been photographed with a professional digital single-lens reflex camera get 61 percent more page views than other properties and have a 47 percent higher asking price per square foot. No matter whether you decide to hire a professional or take the photos yourself, be sure to avoid these mistakes with your listing photos: Blurriness: Out of […]
May 2, 2017

Signs You’re Ready to Sell Your House

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 11, 2017

Why You Should List Your House in the Spring

Spring kicks off one of the busiest times for home sales. The holidays are over and most buyers want to be settled into a new house by the next school year. No matter what the state of the market looks like, there is usually an increase in inventory during the spring, creating an exciting time for buyers. If you’re ready to sell your home, get ready to list it this spring. Prices Are Usually Higher In some industries, increased inventory lowers prices, but the opposite can be true in real estate. Prices tend to be higher in the prime season, when the most homes are listed. Even though buyers will have more options during the spring, the better homes on […]
April 4, 2017

Do Open Houses Really Help You Sell Your Home?

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

5 Tips for First-Time Home Sellers

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 […]
March 21, 2017

How Sellers Can Enhance a Home’s Curb Appeal to Lure Buyers

Everyone knows the importance of making a good first impression. Well, the same is true for your home. The front yard, front door, and drive way can make a major impression on buyers, so if you’re selling your home, make sure it has excellent curb appeal. Curb appeal is important in luring buyers who are driving around a particular neighborhood looking for a new home or those browsing for homes online. The National Association of Realtors estimates that 63% of homebuyers will stop by a home that they like online. But it doesn’t just get people to stop and look. It also encourages offers. Once they’ve decided they like how the home looks, buyers are more likely to overlook something they don’t like (like the size of […]