How location can affect home value
The factors that can influence the market value of a home are myriad, but one of the most influential is going to be its location. What the home is close to, and far from, can have a powerful effect on [...]
The appraisal process: How does it work?
When you want to set the asking price for your home you can either have the bank appraise it, have your real estate agent help you, or both. Regardless, arriving at an accurate price is absolutely vital. Too high and [...]
Earthquakes and fires and floods, oh my!
It’s always sad to see a story on the news about catastrophic floods or fires destroying neighborhoods and leaving people homeless. Some of these folks will have insurance policies with companies that aid them in purchasing a new home, [...]
Sell your home faster by “going green”
In the past, home sellers have highlighted features like walk-in closets, modern kitchen appliances, and spacious bathrooms in order to entice prospective buyers. This day and age, these features are still big sellers, but the increased attention on “going [...]
Improvements that increase your home value
Sometimes, a new home is desired but moving just isn’t in the cards. Maybe you don’t have the money to buy a new house, or perhaps the market isn’t right. In situations like this, homeowners often turn to remodeling; [...]
Multiple offers: Where are they?
When the housing bubble burst back in ’08, selling a house was nigh impossible. Over the next few years, the tepid market and high unemployment made home selling a difficult and arduous process. While the housing market may not [...]
The nitty-gritty on vacation homes
Owning a vacation home is the aspiration of countless American homeowners. Doesn’t it sound nice to have your own home-away-from-home, set in a glamorous location that you can escape to whenever your schedule permits? Buying a vacation home can [...]
A few points on multi-family homes
What if there was a way to not only purchase a home to live in, but one that can help make you a bit of money, too? There is, and it’s been a growing trend in real estate the [...]
Swimming pools: Are they worth it?
When searching through home listings, those with swimming pools are almost always listed for higher prices than the pool-less homes around them; often leading to the belief that a swimming pool will net the seller a better price. In [...]
Why hire an appraiser?
When determining the asking price of your home, you absolutely need to know its exact value. A big mistake that home-sellers sometimes make is to estimate the value of their home based on the prices of other homes in the [...]