Do I Need Professional Listing Photos?

The answer to this question is almost always YES. When the typical buyer looks at your listing, the first thing that will draw their attention is the photos you have chosen to represent your home. Listing photos can either encourage more offers, or inhibit them. With an increasing number of buyers turning to online listing services to shop for homes, …

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What to Expect for Closing Costs as a Buyer

Closing costs are the fees paid at the end of a real estate transaction when the title is transferred from seller to buyer, which are usually required to be in the form of a cashier’s check. According to federal guidelines, all closing costs associated with residential transactions financed by a mortgage must be documented within an HUD-1 form, a standard …

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Choosing the Right Home Insurance

The first thing you’ll want to do before shopping for homeowner’s insurance (ideally before even buying the home) is review the home’s insurance claim history report, which can either be obtained from the seller or one of the two largest insurance databases: CLUE and A-Plus. This is the best way to evaluate previous damages you may not have been aware …

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2016: A Great Year to Purchase a Home

There’s more to choose from Home prices are expected to rise only 3.5 percent by the end of 2016, which is at a slower rate of increase compared to what the U.S. economy has seen in previous years. Because sellers have experienced price appreciation, they may be more likely to put their homes on the market sooner in order to …

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Even More Ways to Compete with Multiple Offers on Your Dream Home

  Avoid too many contingencies The best way to explain a contingency is an “if/then” statement- “Only IF these conditions are met, THEN I will go through with the purchase”. One of the most common contingencies found in buyer offers is an inspection contingency, which requires a thorough home inspection before any closing documents are to be signed. Although this …

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Competing with Multiple Offers on Your Dream Home

Have a Great Realtor on Your Side Before you make an offer on a home, it’s important to consider both sides of the transaction. What do you want? What does the seller want? What does their listing agent want? The first question is a pretty simple one to answer: you probably want to get the lowest price possible, along with …

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Highlights from This Month’s HOME Survey

Yesterday, the National Association of Realtors released their quarterly household survey tracking current real estate trends. The Housing Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) survey can be viewed in full here; below are some of the most interesting highlights about homeowner attitude, expectations for the real estate market, and more.   Half of surveyed American households believe the economy is currently …

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Stage Your Property Like a Pro

Staging: another word for preparing your home for showings, open houses, or private walk-throughs. Even if the price is right, first impressions are crucial in order to show off your home in its best possible light to appear attractive to buyers. Below are a few tips to help you do just that! Even if Your Bed is Gone, Fake One …

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Real Estate Terms You Need to Know

Appreciation: When the value of a property increases over time. This may be due to the location, market changes, inflation, or a number of other factors. Inversely, depreciation refers to when a property’s value decreases over time. Appraisal: A written estimate of a property’s value given by an individual who is authorized to do so. Appraisals can be conducted to …

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