The season you sell your home can have an impact on how much you get for your home and how quickly it sells. The season that has the most success in selling homes is spring. This is a good time of year for families moving to new school districts and is also more convenient weather for moving. Because of this trend, most people will recommend waiting to list your home until after the winter is over. Avoiding the winter is a huge misconception in the housing industry and can cause homeowners to miss out on opportunities. Selling in the winter can give you a few advantages. There will be fewer h ..read more

Spring is here in Cleveland! If you’re ready to sell, now is the perfect opportunity to clear the clutter and get your house ready for staging. Try these 6 staging tips for picture-perfect listing photos and open houses. 1. Curb Appeal Matters. Rent a power washer to clean up your home’s siding, roof, gutters, and even driveway of winter grime. Fill flowerbeds with fresh mulch and greenery, and give that mailbox a fresh coat of paint! 2. Remove the Clutter - That Means Furniture, Too! While you don’t want to empty your home to the point that it looks bare, less is more whe ..read more

How Long Will The Market Be This Hot?  By Mike Vonderau, Lead Agent The Vonderau Team at Howard Hanna  “How much longer do you think the market is going to keep going like this?” Lately that is one of the most common questions I receive from friends and neighbors. While no one knows the answer to that question with complete certainty there are some indicators that give us an idea of where the market is heading.  How we got here in the first place  Most people are aware that real estate markets across the country have posted record high sales prices, though many people aren ..read more

Potential homebuyers are always cautioned to be aware of mortgage lending standards and the difficulty they might face when trying to obtain a mortgage. Credit availability is expanding, making it easier to get a mortgage now than it was a year ago. The market is still tight however, and homebuyers should be prepared to shop around until they find a lender who is offering something that will meet the needs of their family. Mortgage lending companies have high standards so it is important to make sure you and anyone else who will be included on the mortgage have their credit in check. The mort ..read more

There has been some discussion recently on home prices in relation to mortgage rates. Some believe if there is a rapid rise of mortgage rates, home prices should decrease. Logically it makes the most sense for the price of the house to drop when interest rates are rising, but this is not always the case. This theory of home prices decreasing is typically discussed by future home buyers. As a buyer you would like to think if you are paying higher rates on your mortgage, you should be able to see a decrease in cost somewhere else. Unfortunately, these rates are rising because the economy is in ..read more