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‘Tis the Season: 5 Reasons Why Winter is a Great Time to Buy or Sell a Home

‘Tis the Season: 5 Reasons Why Winter is a Great Time to Buy or Sell a Home It’s a common misconception that you shouldn’t try to buy or sell a home during the fall and winter months.  This is generally considered the “offseason” in real estate. Many sellers mistakenly believe that the cold weather will keep buyers away and that no one is looking over the holidays. Unfortunately, many real estate professionals perpetuate this myth by advising their clients to “wait until the spring” to list their home.  The truth is, homes are bought and sold year round. And while the market is typically quieter during the fall and winter, savvy buyers and sellers know how to use this slow down to their advantage. In fact, depending on your circumstances, now may be the  ideal  time for you to purchase or list a home. If you’re in the market to buy or sell, there’s no need to wait for the spring. Read on to discover the top five reasons that it can pay to buy or sell a home durin
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4 Signs It’s Time To Find A New Real Estate Agent

Buying or selling a home is a huge life event, and your real estate agent is the most important person you’ll work with during the transition. A great real estate agent is an invaluable resource; they can help break down complex real estate concepts, walk you through the logistics of buying or selling a home and can help move the process along, saving you time, money and energy in the process. But unfortunately, not all real estate agents are created equal. And while a great real estate agent can make the buying or selling process a breeze, the wrong agent can leave you feeling frustrated with a far too long, expensive and overwhelming real estate experience. Here are four signs it’s time to cut your current agent loose and find a new real estate agent: 1. You just don’t vibe Just because a real estate agent is competent and capable of helping you buy or sell your home doesn’t mean they’re the right agent for you. Sometimes, no matter how experienced or skilled they are

Do Old Property Reports Have To Be Disclosed?

Any real estate transaction contains lots of paperwork, much of which are disclosures. A “disclosure” is a fact about a property. A property seller has an affirmative duty to disclose anything and everything that they know about the home and neighborhood. In case you are wondering, there is really no standard of reasonableness for disclosures – if you are convinced your home for sale is haunted, disclose it. Your buyers will probably buy it anyway. So if a seller has property condition reports on their home from when they bought it 20 years ago, those reports must be given to the buyer, too, right? (Yes, some home sellers keep absolutely every piece of paper for every single little thing involving their house, no matter how old it is.) Ethically, yes. Legally, no. And do agents have to disclose that there may be old reports on the home? Same answer. Surprising, right? Here is the “how and why” of the legal part. Contractual legalese in almost all states says the seller only di

How To Handle The Biggest Real Estate Deal Killers (Well-Intentioned Parents)

Your parents want the best for you. And buying a home is one of the major investments you will make in your lifetime. So, of course, your folks want to be by your side and offer you the benefit of their wisdom and counsel. Unfortunately, a lot of their best advice can be misguided, and can cause your good home choice to slip away. Most parents will want to see you get your home for the least amount of money and may even advise you to make a low offer. That may be what they did when they last bought a house. It will not work in a seller’s market, and may not even work in a buyer’s market. Make your offer based on the comparable neighborhood sales, the condition, and your Realtor’s advice. If you are getting a loan, remember that the price you pay is amortized over 30 years as well. Mom and Dad may advise different “deal points” than are standard in your locality. Recall that each state and area have different customs, disclosures and laws. What may be common in M&D’s area may

5 Adjectives You Should Look For In Your Real Estate Agent

Who you choose to represent you when you buy or sell your home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make during your move. Your real estate agent can make the process easy, quick, and painless – or long, expensive, and painful. Here are 5 adjectives you should for in your real estate agent if you want to get the most out of your sale or purchase: 1. Tenacious Real estate is a tough world. There are seemingly endless challenges to navigate: the house you love was snatched up by someone else, someone put a bid in on your home and then pulled out at the last minute, there’s issues with the neighbors or zoning or construction. That’s why you need a real estate agent who is tenacious, never gives up, and doesn’t stop until you have successfully bought or sold your home. If you work with a real estate agent who gives up when things don’t go as planned, you’re never going to buy or sell your home. The best real estate agents are the ones who not only have plan B, but plan C, D, a

4 Tips For Buying A Home From A Distance

Chances are, if you’re looking for a new home, you’re ready for a change of scenery. And while that might mean just a new property or a new neighborhood, for many potential homebuyers, that often means a new city. And if you’re considering buying property in a city other than the one where you currently reside, you probably have a lot of questions about the process. Will you have to fly to your new city every weekend to look at properties? Will you miss out on hot properties? Is it even possible to buy without physically being in your city? Buying a home from a distance certainly presents its own set of unique challenges, but by no means is it impossible. Here are four tips for buying a home from a distance to make the process easier, faster, and less stressful for you and your family: 1. Gather information When you’re buying property in an unfamiliar city, the first thing you need to do is educate yourself. Gathering information on the city, the neighborhoods, the cost of liv