Real Estate Realness: Protect Your Home This Summer
Phew! Is it getting hot out there or what? While applying and reapplying sunscreen, be sure to protect your home from the summer heat, too!
Here are 5 ways to keep your home cool this summer:
1. Cover your windows with UV protection film and opt for light-colored curtains
2. Plant shrubs and ground cover to keep your yard shaded and cool
3. Seal your home with insulation, weather stripping, and caulk
4. Have the air conditioning unit professionally serviced to prevent issues
5. Add a pergola or umbrella to your backyard for extra shade
Real Estate Realness: Next Steps
Congratulations, you’re under contract on a home! Now what?
Well, now there’s some work to be done to get to the closing day when everything’s official. There’s the payment of any earnest money owed, discussions with your lender (and potentially an attorney), scheduling the inspection and appraisal, finding the best home insurance coverage, and setting up the utilities. Then it’s time to make final payments, sign documents, and get the keys. Now you’re officially closed on your new home and can move in!
Real Estate Realness: Home Ownership
Does buying a home sound like an overwhelming process? Then this post is for YOU!
Cleaning up your credit, saving for a down payment, choosing the right mortgage, and looking for the best home is certainly a long to-do list. But it’s definitely worth it when you consider the advantages!
3 Major Advantages of Home Ownership:
1. It’s your house, you can do what you want to
2. Your monthly mortgage payments build equity
3. You can use your home equity to build wealth
Real Estate Realness: Buyer Costs
It’s summertime and everyone’s moving! Are you?
If so, there could be a few surprises you aren’t aware of. For example, did you know that you’ll most likely pay for more than your down payment during the homebuying process? That’s right! There are additional costs depending on your financing, the type of home you’re buying, and the professionals you work with.
What are some upfront buying costs you can expect?
1. Earnest money
2. Down payment
3. Home inspection fee
4. Escrow fees
5. Prepaid taxes & insurance
6. Agent fees
Speak to your real estate agent and your lender about a “buyer’s net sheet” for an estimate of closing costs based on your specific financing situation.
Real Estate Realness: Open House
Are you looking to sell your house? Hosting an open house is one of the best ways to attract more buyers and better offers, where everyone can see the house looking its absolute best! Potential buyers have the opportunity to get answers to their questions right away, and they can see how many other people are interested. Open houses can create a higher sense of urgency to take action if they’re thinking about making an offer.
3 Open House Tips:
1. Have the house professionally cleaned and staged
2. Display info sheets with photos and details about the home
3. Interact with visitors and get feedback, but don’t overcrowd or hover
The best way to host a successful open house? Work with a REALTOR®!
Real Estate Realness: Post Move
Moving can be a stressful experience that seems like it will never end. Packing all the boxes, hiring movers, switching the utilities – it adds up! But once you get to the new house, the work still isn’t done yet. What comes next? The unpacking and setup!
Here’s a Post-Moving Checklist to make your life a little easier:
1. Change the locks on all the doors
2. Clean the new space before unpacking
3. Inspect the home’s condition and make sure everything you need is included
4. Install a security system
5. Unpack the necessities first
6. Arrange furniture and larger items next
7. Unpack the rest by priority – bathrooms, closets, office, and so on
8. Have a housewarming party
Real Estate Realness: Comps
It’s Q&A time! Today’s question is: “What are comps?”
“Comps” is short for comparable sales, which are basically properties similar to a specific property being listed for sale. They’re used to find an appropriate price point for a home, relative to the housing market it’s in at the time. The value of the comps is adjusted up or down based on the differences with the unsold property. For example, if a nearby comp has an additional bedroom, that comp’s value is adjusted down. Do this with multiple comps and we can now get a more accurate picture of how the unsold property might be priced!
Real Estate Realness: Offers
Did you know? The highest offer doesn’t always get the house. Now, this sounds shocking but if you look at why, then you might agree.
Putting an offer on a house isn’t just about the money. The seller may also care about how the buyer is paying and when the buyer wants to move in. Maybe the buyer with the highest offer needs to sell their own home first. The seller may not be able to take on that risk and would rather accept a lower offer instead. This is why it’s important to understand a seller’s motivation to sell! Don’t be afraid to ask this question.
Real Estate Realness: Flowers
April showers brought us May flowers
The most popular flowers this season are:
– Carnations
– Tulips
– Peonies
– Geraniums
– Lily of the Valley
Search your local nurseries and garden stores for these beautiful blooms and bring the lovely smell of fresh-cut flowers into your home. Or make someone’s day with a bouquet! You know, Mother’s Day is coming soon
Real Estate Realness: Resale Or New Build
Should you go with a new build or a resale home? There are pros and cons with each, and it’s up to every homeowner to decide which is the best choice for them. Check out this quick comparison of the two and see what you think!
New Build
Pros: there’s potential to customize, they’ve never been lived in, they rarely need repairs or maintenance right away, most come with a builder warranty, and they have more modern finishes and appliances.
Cons: they can cost more, the build time can be long, landscaping is sparse at first, the neighborhood may be unfinished, and property taxes are sometimes higher.
Resale
Pros: they’re move-in ready, the neighborhood is already established, there are more options for different budgets and locations, and they can have a historical charm that can’t be replicated.
Cons: there’s less opportunity to personalize, they have more visible wear and tear, require more maintenance, and appliances and fixtures can be outdated.
Real Estate Realness: Roof Maintenance
A home is many things, but most importantly (and literally) it’s a roof over your head. So, it’s important not to neglect it!
Here are 5 homeowner tips for roof maintenance:
1. Replace damaged materials, such as broken tiles, missing shingles, and rusted metal.
2. Check flashing and replace roof sealant occasionally to prevent leaks.
3. Beware overhanging branches! Trim them so they aren’t touching the roof.
4. Keep your gutters clean so water doesn’t get under the roofing and cause leaks.
5. Have a professional roofer check it every 5-7 years.
Real Estate Realness: Talking to a Lender
Are you considering buying a house but don’t feel prepared yet? You know that you’ll need to speak to a lender soon about your financing options but it seems silly to do so when you can’t even make any moves yet. So, you figure it’s best to not worry about that now and just wait until you’re ready to buy a house. But, it’s a wise strategy to plan ahead.
Here are 3 reasons to speak to a lender now (even if you’re not ready):
1. A lender can advise on how to improve your credit before buying.
2. You can take the time to find a lender you really trust.
3. You might be ready now and not even know it!
Do you think you’re ready now? Then call your favorite lender and start planning your financing strategy now so you can be in your new home sooner rather than later.
Real Estate Realness: Pools
Pool or no pool? How many times have you asked yourself that question?
Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of owning a pool:
Pros
– Pools can improve a home’s resale value.
– They’re a quick way to cool off on a hot day.
– Pools are useful for low-impact exercises.
– They’re great for entertaining and hosting parties.
Cons
– Pools reduce the usable yard space.
– Installation & maintenance can be costly.
– Safety is always a concern for people and animals.