You have questions and we have the answers. If you’re considering selling your home, read on. Is one season better than another to sell a home? I know – it seems like summer only just started and here we are on the cusp of autumn (it starts September 23). And, while we’re all trying to wring out every last drop of this glorious summer, I am starting to get what I call the “seasonal selling” questions from homeowners. Long ago, “Spring is the best time to sell a home” became the media’s mantra. And, to be fair, they’re partially correct. The media are also fond of telling us that winter is a te ..read more

When it comes to giving your home a fresh new look, few things can make a bigger impact than a fresh coat of paint on the exterior. Hiring a professional exterior home painter can save you time, avoid the hassle of doing it yourself and give you peace of mind that the job was done right (or a warranty in case it wasn’t!). However, not all painters are created equal, and making the wrong choice can lead to costly mistakes and disappointment. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when hiring an exterior home painter to ensure a successful painting project and a beautiful, long-lasting finish. M ..read more

The news of quite possibly yet narrowly escaping a nationwide recession was eagerly accepted by most Americans. The problem is, however, that while the S&P is up and jobs are being added, “… millions of individual recessions are playing out all across America,” according to Andrew Lisa at Yahoo Finance. These mini “recessions” include the nearly-17 million folks who have lost their jobs since the beginning of 2023, according to research at Statista.com. Then, there are those Americans who were on the margins financially, now paying inflated prices at the gas pump, facing huge grocery bills ..read more

Like any other service, when you enlist the services of a real estate broker or agent, there will be a fee. In the real estate industry, this fee is known as the “commission.” Some real estate consumers don’t believe that professionals are worth their fee so they attempt to sell the home themselves. They typically end up losing more money on the sale than they would have paid for professional representation. “FSBOs typically sell for less than the selling price of other homes; FSBO homes sold at a median of $225,000 last year [2022], significantly lower than the median of agent-assisted homes ..read more

The one thing that many of our first-time homebuying clients worry about is whether or not they qualify for a home loan. The reason for this is the dreaded credit score; those three numbers can make or break the dream. The worry is overblown for the most part. Yes, lenders rely heavily on the potential buyer’s credit score. After all, it is typically an indication of whether or not the borrower uses credit responsibly, if he or she pays bills on time and how much of a risk the borrower presents to the lender. There are loans available to folks with less-than-perfect credit. The downside is tha ..read more

Buying a house is a big deal – it’s like reaching for the stars and finally touching one. But before you reach Sirius, you have some work to do. One of those is critical to your future use and enjoyment of that home you want so badly: hiring a home inspector. These professionals are like the superheroes of home buying, ensuring your dream home is in tip-top shape. Let’s dive in and discover how to find the perfect home inspector and what questions you should ask to make the best decision. Why a home inspector is your hero Picture this: you’ve found the house of your dreams – cozy, charming, an ..read more

A 1031 exchange, also known as a like-kind exchange, is a tax-deferred real estate transaction authorized by the Internal Revenue Code. In fact, it takes its name from a section of the IRS Code – you guessed it, Section 1031. The IRS, by the way, refers to it as a “like-kind exchange.” Here’s why: The 1031 Exchange allows Americans who own investment properties to sell them and use the proceeds to buy another property while deferring capital gains taxes on the sale of the first property. Let’s learn some 1031 Exchange lingo   Like the home purchase and sale process, a 1031 Exchange transa ..read more

It’s no secret that the internet has become an integral part of our lives, offering convenience, connectivity, and a wealth of information. However, along with its many benefits, the online world is also rife with scams and fraudulent activities that can pose a significant threat to unsuspecting Americans. Today, we’ll take a closer look at some of the more common tactics used by scammers. If you have been a victim of a scam, at the end of this post, we’ll offer up a list of assistance organizations you might want to contact. Student Loan Forgiveness Scam By late 2022, about 43.5 million Amer ..read more

Have you ever noticed how the longer you live in a home, the less you notice or the more you can tolerate stuff that’s wrong with it? It starts feeling less like an investment and more like your territory. When you decide to sell the home, common sense hits. The faucet drips, the oven doesn’t heat properly and the paint is 20 years old. Your home’s value becomes top-of-mind. While there may be a lengthy list of tasks you’d like to perform before putting the home on the market, and it may seem overwhelming, relax. Some tasks take priority. Others are more cosmetic in nature. Let’s take a look a ..read more

Here’s a scenario. You receive a notice of violation from your HOA regarding weeds in your front yard. Since your property lines aren’t clearly delineated with fencing or anything else, how are you to know that the property on which these weeds are growing is yours and not your next-door neighbor’s? The answer can most likely (but not always) be found in that big packet of documents from the closing process. You still have that, right? For many homeowners, trying to decipher closing documents is akin to attempting to get a sip of water from an open fire hydrant. That’s ok. We’ll walk you throu ..read more