If you are making a particular meal for the first time, it is essential to have a recipe so that it turns out the way it should. Knowing the ingredients and preparation can guide you through the process. Buying a home is really no different than making a new recipe. There are certain things that need to be done, many of which should occur in a particular order to save time, money, effort and...
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We are all spending more time at home and will probably need to continue to do so for a while longer. Depending on the makeup of your family, your home is now a home office, a gym, a virtual classroom and considerably more meals have been prepared in your kitchens in the past six months than normal. Some businesses have undergone a metamorphosis that has shown them that maybe they do not need the big...
Selling a home and buying a lower priced home that meets your current needs can be to your advantage in an "Up" market like the current one with low inventory. The advantage is that you can maximize the price for the home you're selling and not have to reinvest it all in your replacement. Just to illustrate the point, let's say there is a 10% premium in the sales price of a home currently. If you're...
Cutting the price will generally bring buyers of anything out of the woodwork that were not serious before. Some renters could easily lower their monthly cost of housing by half or more by purchasing a home with all the financial benefits that come with it. The most obvious thing in today's market is that the mortgage payment could be less than the rent the tenants are paying. With mortgage rates...
Banks are concerned about making loans that will be repaid not about making loans that are tax deductible for homeowners. It is good business for the bank but how is the homeowner supposed to know? Most homeowners and potential homeowners are aware there are tax benefits associated with ownership. For instance, mortgage interest and property taxes have been deductible expenses from federal income tax...
The concern today when putting your home on the market should not be whether you'll get a contract; it's whether you are going to recognize the majority your net proceeds without any unnecessary delays. What you realize from the sale of your home has to do with maximizing the sales price while minimizing the sales expenses. Interestingly, the buyers will be trying to minimize the price they have to pay...
Just like buyers should be pre-approved before they begin to look at houses, Sellers should have their home pre-approved. The reasons are similar: appeal to the "right" buyers, discover issues with the home early, improve marketability, increase negotiations position and close quicker. For the seller, there are few things that need to be done before the sign goes in the yard and definitely before...
More and more homeowners are employing smart home technology within their homes. It may start with a video doorbell or lights and progress to other devices. The smart-home device market is rapidly growing and Forbes research expects it to grow from $55 billion in 2016 to $174 billion in 2025. The popularity of these high-tech features will require a few additional steps to consider when selling a home....
It seems like most homes have sprinkler systems and if they do, they have some form of controller to automatically turn the water on and off for the time and days you feel necessary. It seems like basic functionality and if it isn't broken, you may not feel the need to replace it. Today, there are so many smart home devices that are not only convenient, but they'll end up saving you enough money to pay...
People are always looking for a "down and dirty" way to determine the value of a home and square footage seems to be one of the most common things used by people whether they are buyers, sellers or real estate agents. While it seems straight forward, there are several variances that can lead to inaccurate determinations. The market data approach to value uses similar properties in size, location,...