Whether you bought a starter home or what you hoped would be a forever home, circumstances change. One thing that doesn’t change though, is the inevitable expansion that occurs when you become a homeowner. As time goes on, you acquire tools that need to be used just once or twice a year, like step ladders and extension ladders, lawn mowers, edgers and leaf blowers. When it’s time to sell, you may find you’ve expanded just a bit too much. Getting rid of clutter is the first thing you need to do when you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, and sadly, unless you move frequen ..read more

In today’s real estate market, prospective home buyers can’t afford to be too picky. The reason? There’s very limited inventory to go around. In fact, a lot of buyers today have to compromise on upgrades to break into the housing market. And some are even going as far as to purchase fixer-upper homes. If you’re considering this route, you’re in good company. A good 42% of potential buyers are interested in purchasing a fixer-upper, according to Bank of America’s 2021 Homebuyer Insights Report. In fact, many younger buyers say they’d prefer to purchase a fixer-upper rather than ..read more

After a record-setting year of home sales in 2020, the housing market still shows no sign of cooling off. U.S. housing gained about $2.5 trillion in value in 2020 — the most in a single year since 2005, according to a new Zillow analysis. The full stock of U.S. housing is now worth $36.2 trillion. Strong demand drove intense competition among buyers, causing homes to fly off the market at the fastest pace Zillow has recorded and pushing prices higher. Housing demand was already strong coming into the year with the large Millennial generation aging into prime first-time home-buying age and ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a mainstay for the better part of 2020, affecting nearly every aspect of daily life as we know it. Our housing choices are no different. Record-breaking unemployment — with more than 11 million Americans still jobless — along with an exodus from major cities with dense populations, such as New York, and a desire for more living space are all factors motivating Americans to reevaluate priorities for their next home purchase or lease. A new LendingTree survey finds that close to half of Americans have a move on their minds in the not-too-distant future. T ..read more

As we roll into December and reflect on this crazy year, I want to take the time to say thank you. As much of the world slowed down, the real estate market sped up. Home sales have been up, and interest rates have been at historic lows. Many of my clients in 2020 came via referrals from my family and friends.  There is no greater compliment than a referral.  As a way of reminding you how much you’re appreciated, I am sending you new Yeti tumblers.  If you connected me with a new client, and you haven’t received your tumbler, watch for it in the mail.   With gratitude ..read more

If you’re in the house hunting process right now, there are a lot of things you can do to make sure your new home is a smart one as soon as you move in. But a home can only become as smart as its WiFi is fast. And with many of us working from home, and WiFi built into everything from fridges to doorbells, the availability of high-speed internet is a major selling point when it comes to finding your next place. So the first essential task is to ask about connectivity before you even step foot in the home. 1. Start with the bandwidth Whether you’re looking at a condo, co-op, or house ..read more

Buying a home is quite different from refinancing one. Indeed, buying a home is a highly emotional and transformational experience. When you buy a home, you feel secure and confident about the future. Mortgage rates have fallen to record lows. As a result, this summer applications to purchase a home surged to the highest level since 2009. New house sales have also jumped to the highest level since 2007. Low rates have resulted in an increased volume in refinancings, which is on track to grow to the highest level in 17 years. For a lender, purchase loans are a more stable and pre ..read more

Lauren and Mike Browne are in the process of moving from New Jersey to North Carolina, and they signed a contract on their new home without visiting it in person. nstead, the couple relied on a FaceTime tour hosted by their real estate agent. Reflecting the pandemic-era reality of homebuying and selling, the Brownes were as thorough as could be from afar — the virtual tour lasted for an hour. “It’s definitely nerve-wracking,” Lauren Browne says of making a major purchase from hundreds of miles away. When the Brownes got a chance to tour the property, the Asheville home was almost precise ..read more

Making the decision to sell your home may be a tough one – there is a lot of paperwork involved, but also a lot of preparations. While a lot of people put their house on the market and simply let it sell itself, it’s proven that making a property “sale friendly” will raise the price and make it easier to stick to the price you want. Making your house have more curb appeal doesn’t have to look like an episode of the Extreme Makeover, but there are a few tricks that you can use to make your property look better in just a few days of work. Upgrading the house doesn’t necessarily mean spending th ..read more

Essential for New Homeowners Locate the Gas and Water Shut-off Valves For a new homeowner, a bust pipe burst or the smell of gas in the house can cause a panic. Not knowing how to shut off your water and gas only compounds your stress. (It could also majorly damage your home and your family’s health.) Invest the time to locate your gas shutoff valve and your water shutoff valve before an emergency strikes. File Away Home and Mortgage Documents Definitely hang on to any documents related to your home for as long as you own it. This includes the deed, mortgage (or deed of trust) and pr ..read more