Price slashed to $179,000 on this 4 bedroom home that offers 2800 sq ft, plus an unfinished basement.
https://youtu.be/hIs6nGMVY9k
Sunset Bay – Norris Lake
Category Archives: Home Selling
Does Moving Up Make Sense?
These questions will help you decide whether you’re ready for a home that’s larger or in a more desirable location. If you answer yes to most of the questions, it’s a sign that you may be ready to move.
- Have you built substantial equity in your current home? Look at your annual mortgage statement or call your lender to find out. Usually, you don’t build up much equity in the first few years of your mortgage, as monthly payments are mostly interest, but if you’ve owned your home for five or more years, you may have significant, unrealized gains.
- Has your income or financial situation improved? If you’re making more money, you may be able to afford higher mortgage payments and cover the costs of moving.
- Have you outgrown your neighborhood? The neighborhood you pick for your first home might not be the same neighborhood you want to settle down in for good. For example, you may have realized that you’d like to be closer to your job or live in a better school district.
- Are there reasons why you can’t remodel or add on? Sometimes you can create a bigger home by adding a new room or building up. But if your property isn’t large enough, your municipality doesn’t allow it, or you’re simply not interested in remodeling, then moving to a bigger home may be your best option.
- Are you comfortable moving in the current housing market? If your market is hot, your home may sell quickly and for top dollar, but the home you buy also will be more expensive. If your market is slow, finding a buyer may take longer, but you’ll have more selection and better pricing as you seek your new home.
- Are interest rates attractive? A low rate not only helps you buy a larger home, but also makes it easier to find a buyer.
Source: National Association of REALTORS®
What’s a Home Warranty?
What’s a Home Warranty?
A home warranty is a service contract, normally for one year, which helps protect home owners against the cost of unexpected covered repairs or replacement on their major systems and appliances that break down due to normal wear and tear. Coverage is for systems and appliances in good working order at the start of the contract.
Check your home warranty policy to see which of the following items are covered. Also find out if the policy covers the full replacement cost of an item.
- Plumbing
- Electrical systems
- Furnace
- Water heater
- Heating ducts
- Water pump
- Dishwasher
- Garbage disposal
- Stove/cooktop/ovens
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Washer/dryer
- Swimming pool (may be optional)
Source: American Home Shield, www.ahswarranty.com, REALTOR® Benefits Partner
How to Improve the Odds of an Offer
- Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range.
- Prepare for visitors. Get your house market ready at least two weeks before you begin showing it.
- Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have a house ready to show at the spur of the moment. But the more amenable you can be about letting people see your home, the sooner you’ll find a buyer.
- Anticipate the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms you’ll find acceptable.
- Don’t refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer, you should be prepared to at least consider lowering your asking price.
Source: National Association of REALTORS®
8 Reasons Why You Should Work With a REALTOR®
Not all real estate practitioners are REALTORS®. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Here’s why it pays to work with a REALTOR®.
- Navigate a complicated process. Buying or selling a home usually requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes.
- Information and opinions. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They’ll also be able to provide objective information about each property. A professional will be able to help you answer these two important questions: Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?
- Help finding the best property out there. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your REALTOR® to find all available properties.
- Negotiating skills. There are many negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession, and inclusion or exclusion of repairs, furnishings, or equipment. In addition, the purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.
- Property marketing power. Real estate doesn’t sell due to advertising alone. In fact, a large share of real estate sales comes as the result of a practitioner’s contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family. When a property is marketed with the help of a REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.
- Someone who speaks the language. If you don’t know a CMA from a PUD, you can understand why it’s important to work with a professional who is immersed in the industry and knows the real estate language.
- Experience. Most people buy and sell only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you have done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS®, on the other hand, handle hundreds of real estate transactions over the course of their career. Having an expert on your side is critical.
- Objective voice. A home often symbolizes family, rest, and security — it’s not just four walls and a roof. Because of this, homebuying and selling can be an emotional undertaking. And for most people, a home is the biggest purchase they’ll every make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on both the emotional and financial issues most important to you.
Source: National Association of REALTORS®
When Do Most Real Estate Closings Occur?
The most common days for real estate closings are Fridays and the last working day of the month.
Here were the most popular days in 2014:
•June 30th (Monday)
•May 30th (Friday)
•August 29th (Friday)
•April 30th (Wednesday)
•July 31st (Thursday)
As you can see from the list, the spring and summer months are the most popular.
Source: National Association of REALTORS®
Think Again Before Selling Your Own Home
Using an agent can net you 13% more studies have shown: FSBO $208K versus agent assisted $235K.
How do buyers look for a house: 88% search on-line, 21% newspaper ads.
How do buyers find the house they buy: 43% on-line, 9% yard sign, 1% newspaper.
Here are the people that you’ll have to negotiate with to sell your house: the buyer, the buyer’s agent, the buyer’s lender, the inspection company, the appraiser, the title company, plus possibly others.
Before you decide to take on the challenges of selling your house on your own, sit down with a real estate professional to see what they have to offer you.
Source: Keeping Matters Current
Housing Expectations for 2015
Stronger economy and soild job growth expected to boost home sales in 2015:
Tips for Selling Your Home
•Don’t overprice – This will only lead to disappointment and your house will get “market worn”.
•Take care of needed renovations – In today’s market most buyers are looking for a move-in ready home and not a fixer upper.
•Make sure general maintenance is done – Taking care of the details will help your home to shine and stand out from the crowd.
•Remove the clutter – Pick-up and clean-up. You want your home to have a clean and spacious feel for the prospective buyers.
•Leave for showings – Buyers will feel more comfortable looking at your home if your not around, plus you will not be put on the spot with questions that you might handle differently if asked through your agent.
10 Tips for Staging Your Home
•Remove the clutter – put small things away
•Brighten areas up with light – open drapes and blinds, add lighting
•Re-purpose rooms – add some new furniture and paint
•Vary wall hangings – try different groupings
•Bring nature inside – add plants and fresh cut flowers
•Group in threes – odd numbers are preferred when grouping accessories
•Give areas a face lift – add new counter tops or cabinet doors if dated
•Add some color – paint with warm tans, honeys and soft blue-greens
•Beware of layout – pay close attention to the traffic flow of each room
•Clean – this is the cheapest and easiest way to improve the look of your home