Are you looking to sell a home? At times, it may seem like you are adrift on an endless sea of paperwork. So many documents are required during the sale of a home that it can be confusing and worrisome. It’s easy to become overwhelmed, which is why I’ve put together this brief primer to help you navigate the process. This isn’t an exhaustive list of all the documents you might need during a sale, but it should help you get the ball rolling. 1. Pre-listing paperwork. This is possibly the most paperwork-intensive portion of the process. Put simply, this is when you need to gather all of the docu ..read more

Do you know what things a home inspector looks for when they visit a property? Home inspectors will investigate every nook and cranny from the foundation to the roof to find anything that might affect the property’s value. Here are the main things that they will check: 1. Roof. Inspectors look for leaks, damaged or missing shingles, and moss growth. They also look for any problems with the flashing, gutters, vents, attic ventilation, and skylights, if your home has them. Make sure everything is watertight to avoid any major issues. “Home inspections reveal the current condition of the home.” 2 ..read more

Have you ever thought about investing in a rental property? Real estate investments can be a great way to earn passive income, but you need to be careful. Not all rentals are the same, so you need to know how to identify which ones make sense financially. That can change based on various factors, but the main way to determine if an investment will be a good one is to run the numbers. Whether or not you like math, that step is crucial to finding an excellent real estate investment. However, this is challenging and daunting for many people, so I’m here to simplify it for you.  The first thi ..read more

When preparing your house for sale, you may be led to believe that the more upgrades you make, the higher the price you can list for. However, not all home upgrades are created equal; some will have you pouring money down the drain, while others will get you immediate resale value. Understanding which projects to take on can help you make thousands of dollars more. So, what home improvements should you do if you want to get a fantastic return on your investment? To answer this question, we have to take into consideration the changes that happened in the past few years. Our homes were recently ..read more

It is crucial to thoughtfully prepare your home before you put it up for sale. A home that is correctly staged and prepped will sell for thousands of dollars more. However, how do you know where to start? There are a lot of things you could prioritize, and you don’t want to put your time and money into the wrong things. That is why I have created a list of three things to focus on when preparing your home:  1. Do the three d’s. They are: declutter, depersonalize, and deep clean. These are the basics that shouldn’t be overlooked. Move as much of your stuff as you can into a storage locker ..read more

Do you need to sell your home ASAP? There are plenty of reasons why a homeowner might need to sell their home immediately, whether they changed jobs, need their equity, or just want to skip the hassle of a sale. Whatever your reason is, what can you do to spend as little time selling your house as possible?  Home sellers who need to move quickly have two main options: using an all-cash offer program or listing with an agent who knows how to sell fast.  All-cash offer programs have no strings attached; they’ll take your home off your hands before you can blink. You don’t have to worry ..read more

Three creative ways to finance a purchase if you can’t go to a bank. Oftentimes, homebuyers have enough cash saved up for a down payment but don’t have good credit, which means obtaining financing through a regular bank isn’t an option. In these cases, we use some pretty creative financing strategies. Here are three alternative routes you can take if you find yourself in a similar situation:  1. Lease purchase. When your credit isn’t good enough to qualify for financing but it’s just a matter of time—say, six months to a year—until you can repair it, this option may be one of your best ..read more

These tips will help you when a buyer starts making repair requests. In nearly every home sale, buyers make repair requests to sellers. As a seller, here are three tips that will come in handy when a buyer you have under contract starts making repair requests: 1. Try explaining to the buyer the difference between repairs and improvements. Repairs are for when something is broken, and the whole purpose of a buyer’s home inspection is to find items that are broken and need to be repaired—not search for improvements that might increase the home’s value. A leaking roof, for example, is something ..read more

Today I want to tell you about two home improvements that will not bring value to your home prior to selling it: 1. Swimming pool. Spending the money to add a pool to your property will cost a minimum of $30,000, but will probably improve the home’s value by no more than $15,000. 2. Solar panels. If you plan on staying in the home for at least seven to 10 years, they’re a good long-term investment and will save you money on your energy bills each month. However, if you’re adding them right before selling in the hopes that they will improve your home’s resale value, that’s not going to happen ..read more

Here’s what you should be focusing on when buying an investment property. How do you pick the right investment property?  There’s a lot that goes into the decision, but one key factor stands above the rest.  Let’s say you have to pick between two properties. One is a new-build property on the outskirts of the city. You can begin renting right away, and it probably doesn’t need too much maintenance for 10 years. The other property is older and will need continuous work, but it’s located in the center in the city. Which do you choose?  “In the center of cities, there isn’t a lot ..read more