Responding to Low Ball Offers

After all the hard work it takes to ready a home for sale, it can be so discouraging to find the first offer you get is a lowball offer. Regardless of the market, there are buyers who write offers 10%, 20%, even 30% below list price. While most of these offers are just “throw-aways,” it’s still possible to turn it into a successful sale.

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Seven Common Homebuyer Regrets

Most homebuyers don’t regret becoming homeowners. In fact, owning a home is one of the biggest contributors to lifestyle satisfaction. But this doesn’t mean that these homebuyers don’t have regrets about their buying choices. Most new homeowners will happily share some of the mistakes they made and how they could have avoided them.

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Supplemental Income and Loans

A divorce is an emotional upheaval regardless of how amicable the parties try to be. One important factor is housing as at least one party will be moving out of the home, and maybe both people will be looking for new, more affordable living arrangements. During the divorce, it’s common for one person to owe the other some form of alimony (spousal support) and/or child support. So, in the search for a new home, how does alimony and child support affect the ability to qualify for a new mortgage? Can a spouse with no income other than alimony and child support buy a home?

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Buyer’s “Love Letters” – Should You Read Them When Selling Your Home?

Selling a home can be an emotional experience. As the seller, you want to make sure that the buyer loves the home as much as you do and will take care of it. In other words, you’re looking for the perfect buyer with the perfect offer. Home buyers understand this, and in the recent seller’s market, some buyers have written heartfelt letters to the sellers about how much they love the home, hoping it will tip the scales in their direction. But as a seller, making decisions based on these “love letters” could cause problems, leaving us with the question, “should you read them?”

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Tips to Create an Amazing Gallery Wall

A gallery wall is a quick and easy way to add visual impact to any room. Adding art and photography to a wall showcases your personality, interests, and style. Merging art with interesting articles, a gallery wall instantly adds depth to a living room or other space. Set against a strong color, the impact is even greater, and the time commitment is minimal, making it a great weekend or evening project.

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Prioritizing Lifestyle Amid Rising Interest Rates

The real estate market has changed over the past year. One of the biggest issues facing anyone considering a home purchase or sale is rising interest rates. After enjoying years of mortgage rates in the 2-3% range, many borrowers are shocked to see a conventional 30-year fixed loan offering rates as high as 7 percent. While historically reasonable, this increase is having an impact on the real estate market. If you are considering a move, it’s important to remember that your lifestyle still needs to take precedence over these temporary changes.

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How to Make the Most of a $1000 Bedroom Makeover!

Surprisingly, the primary bedroom is the most neglected room in the house. It gets overlooked because only the owners typically see it, regularly at least. Since it’s such a private space, a closed door can hide a multitude of bad designs – along with an unmade bed. But it’s also the room that starts and ends your day. Doesn’t it make sense to splurge a little?

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Preparing for an Appraisal in Today's Market

Preparing for the home appraisal is always an important step when selling your home. In a declining market, it becomes critical. When home prices are rising or steady, one can expect the comps (comparable properties) will justify the sales price you negotiated. When prices are falling, this becomes less sure. Since appraisers use the most recent closed sales in their comparisons, a new sale with a lower price can affect the value of your home.

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Important Considerations When Choosing the Right Neighborhood

Most people know that choosing the right neighborhood is one of the most important aspects of a great lifestyle. When buying a new home, this becomes even more important. While everyone knows that property values, safety, schools, and commute rank high in importance, there are some considerations that are not commonly thought about in advance yet make a huge impact on satisfaction.

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