You've toured through a number of listings, attended all the open houses and have found your potential new dream home. Now the hard part begins, especially if you're working against other buyers who are keen on getting the same home as you. Let's take a look at three tricks that you can use to make sure the bid you submit on a home is the one that wins. Don't Start With A Lowball Offer First, it's important to note that the offer itself needs to be a fair one. If you approach a home seller with a low offer, you'll likely discover that they're not too interested in accepting it. Even worse, if … [Read more...]
Archives for August 2017
Case-Shiller Home Price Index: National Home Prices Reach Pre-Recession Level
According to the Case-Shiller National Home Price Index for June, Seattle, Washington continued to lead home price growth for the tenth consecutive month with a June reading of 13.40 percent growth year-over-year. Portland Oregon held second place for home price growth in the 20-City Home Price Index in June but trailed Seattle by 5.20 percent with 8.20 percent year-over-year home price growth. Dallas Texas held third place with a year-over-year home price growth rate of 7.70 percent. The 20-City Home Price Index increased by 5.70 percent year-over-year and was unchanged from May's reading. … [Read more...]
Itching to Start a Project? Don’t Forget These Four Key Tips to Avoiding Renovator’s Remorse
Take a look around your home. Do you feel that burning desire to renovate or upgrade certain areas? Perhaps it's the kitchen countertops or the décor in the master bedroom. Whatever the case, if you're itching to take on a home renovation project you'll want to ensure it's one that makes your life better – not worse! Let's take a look at four tips that will help you to avoid experiencing "renovator's remorse." Ask Yourself: Will This Project Add Value? If you're renovating to build equity in your home, you'll want to determine if the project is worth undertaking. There are many … [Read more...]
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 28, 2017
Last week's economic news included readings on sales of new and previously-owned homes, Weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released, along with coverage of Fed Chair Janet Yellen's remarks at a conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Home Sales Lower in July According to the Commerce Department, new home sales fell to a seven-month low in July; 571,000 new homes were sold on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis in July. This reading fell short of the expected sales rate of 608,000 new home sales and June's reading of 630,000 sales. This was unwelcome news for … [Read more...]
Staging Small Spaces: How to Highlight Your Outdoor Areas Even If They’re Not That Big
If you're planning on selling your home, you've probably already started to consider how you're going to stage it. Staging is one of the most important parts of the selling process. The way you present your home is key to leaving a positive impression on a potential buyer. Let's explore a few ways that you can stage smaller outdoor spaces to make them feel like they're much more than they are. Go With Smaller Furniture Options If you're trying to stage a small patio, deck or yard area, you'll want to stick with smaller furnishings. Yes, that means packing up the enormous hammock or chaise … [Read more...]