Many people are looking for ways to increase their retirement income. For most of these individuals, their homes are the greatest asset. A large portion of the aging population has failed to plan effectively in order to have sufficient savings at retirement. We always think we have time. They now are looking to real estate [...]
Enhancing the curb appeal look of your home from a street perspective is a great way to attract potential buyers. After all, the appearance of your home is like a major plus for people driving through your neighborhood or who see your house in a real estate magazine. By putting in a little extra effort, [...]
Selling a house has many facets. But there is one room in a home that will sell a house faster than any other. This particular room is considered the heart of the home and is most often the focal point of any activity. This is the place where you sit early in the morning with [...]
If you are at the stage of signing a contract with a real estate agent you are probably wondering about the differences of them or thinking they are all the same. They are different and have different values to you. Most real estate agents have three contracts. They are: Open Listing – A non-exclusive contract [...]
How many times have you seen the most delicious, juicy hamburger on television and thought, “ooh, I want that!”? Visual images go a very long way in touching our senses so that we want what we see. The exact same thing can happen when you sell your home. Lots of images. If you are thinking [...]
On the bright side, consumer confidence is better than it has been since 2008 but home prices continue to fall and are only slightly higher than in 2008. This coming year may prove to be the worst on record, according to The New York Times. With home prices continuing to fall, there is a real [...]
The Washington, DC area is experiencing a yo-yo effect when it comes to the real estate markets. The average price per square foot is approximately $441. That is an increase of 28% compared to the same time last year. However, at the same time, home sales decreased 7.5% for the same time period compared to [...]
Upward mobility is a growing trend in the United States. Not many people live and work in the same area for years and years like our parents and grandparents. Most of us were raised in the same home growing up. Today, most people move for that better paying job. Especially in this economy, you sometimes [...]
Today’s economy is not a bowl of cherries. The nation has suffered a severe hardship the last few years and we are not out of the woods yet. Did you know that home prices have dropped more in this current depression than they did during the Great Depression of the 1930′s. That is staggering. This [...]
Everyone believes their property is worth more than others may think. This is because you pay for it, you live in it and it is worth a lot to you. But, these factors aside, do you really know what it is worth if you decide to sell it? Or, if you are looking to buy [...]
It’s hard to sell a home in the current market so sellers are loathe to spend too much money. One area that is worth looking at is a pre-listing home inspection. I know some sellers will question this wisdom, especially since a buyer will request a home inspection as part of the settlement process. Therein [...]
With mortgage interest rates at almost record lows, it is tempting for some home owners to reconsider their current home finance strategies. There are a number of options available to home owners including refinancing at lower rates, selling and buying a better home, or just hanging in there and doing nothing. The latter option is [...]
Home buyers are embracing the Internet like never before, and for good reason with online sites helping them to quickly find and view suitable properties without even leaving home. Being able to send links to suitable properties also helps and while not yet reaching anywhere near its potential, social media is also playing a role. [...]
Home staging has become very popular, especially in situations where a seller is getting viewers, but no offers. Staging is an art in which a professional stager presents the home in the best possible way. This may include rearranging furniture, taking out old furniture and bringing in more modern furniture, and make little alterations that [...]
One area of a home sale that is often misunderstood is the term “ratified contract.” Unfortunately, when it comes to real estate law, this term can mean different things to different people. In law, the term “ratified” means the contract is binding on all parties. However, we know that in home sales contingencies such as [...]
If you are in the process of looking to buy a new home, prepare yourself for some interest rate shocks. That will be one of the first effects you’ll feel if Congress fails to reach any sort of agreement on extending the national debt limit. While an increase in interest rates will hurt, and it [...]
While home sales are languishing and home sellers are struggling to get people to even look at their home, let alone buy, the rental market is exploding. It is estimated that 10 million home owners will move into the rental market by 2015, and the market is running out of suitable homes to rent. Rents [...]
The second biggest group of home buyers (behind investors) in the market today are, believe it or not, single females. They make up 20% of all sales at present. Single males make up 12%. Both still way behind investors at 32%. Other groups include couples with no children, families, and retirees. For home sellers, there [...]
Home buyers have three separate opportunities to look at your home, and each needs to be looked at carefully if you want a quicker sale. The first are the photos you have placed alongside your MLS listing. The second is what a potential buyer can see in a drive by, while the third is what [...]
The real estate market is inundated with new statistics almost daily. Some are well worth looking at while others only serve to confuse both buyers and sellers. One set of statistics that is worth taking note of is the current rental market. While real estate home prices have been either falling, or remaining stable, rental [...]
Real estate agents are often faced with home buyers looking to buy in a hurry. In most cases, these are the buyers who have sold and settled their home, often at a low price, and are faced with limited funds. Having moved out of their former home, the last thing they want is to use [...]
One of the most important contingencies in a real estate sales contract is that of the home inspection. Contracts have been cancelled based on poor home inspection reports while other sellers have had to pay considerable sums to bring their homes up to acceptable standards. In years gone by, while home inspectors were generally trusted, [...]
When you place your home on the market, it will be competing against hundreds of other homes – if not in your area, then certainly in your state. If it doesn’t look its pristine best, all it will do is help to make other homes look good. As people pass through your homes, they are [...]
Before listing your home in Virginia, consider switching hats for half a day. Older homes in Virginia tend to be ignored by many home buyers in the current market. With home prices deflated, home buyers can afford to shop around and to find the home that best suits their needs. The easiest way to sell [...]
If you’re in a situation where your monthly mortgage payments are putting stress on your finances, you have a number of choices. The most obvious is to sell your home and to buy into a cheaper property. However, that isn’t a practical solution for most people. You could try to refinance your home, however, you [...]
Motivation is an important factor when determining a list price for selling your home. It becomes an even more important factor when deciding whether or not to accept an offer from a buyer. What do I mean by motivation? The reason behind your sale in the first place. If you have put your home on [...]
Home sellers often complain that their real estate agent is busy showing prospective buyers other homes and not theirs. This can be a common situation, however, it is wrong to blame your real estate agent for this situation. There are a number of possible reasons for this to occur. Some of these reasons include: Buyers [...]
Real estate has become a fairly volatile market in recent years with different areas subject to violent activity when it comes to demand and price. A lot of this has to do with a certain herd mentality that overcomes buyers. It can be a real trap to be caught in and the result can be [...]
If you are selling your home and you are aware of certain issues with your home, should you disclose them? This question becomes even more important if a buyers home inspection misses them. Does the fact you know about these issues make you liable at a later date, especially if someone is injured or killed [...]
Almost every home has an issue of some description and, in most cases, these issues can be ‘hidden’, or at least are not evident under normal circumstances. When selling a home, these issues can return to bite you hard. Don’t try to hide them as this can be construed as being deceitful. Just as importantly, [...]
