When you hire an appraiser, you are hiring someone to provide their opinion. Granted this is an unbiased and professional opinion based on analyzing data and forming that opinion, but it is an opinion, nonetheless. To find a good home appraiser you should consider their experience, credentials, references, speed and cost, complaints […]
How to Build Equity in Your Home
Originally Posted on Redfin by Lexi Klinkenberg Building home equity is one of the many financial benefits to homeownership, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Increasing your property value through renovations or home additions, and paying off your mortgage, seem like the most straightforward ways to build equity. But there are […]
What’s the difference between using a custom home builder vs a production builder?
It’s time to move and you and your family have reached the decision that you know you want a new home. The resale market just won’t do this time! You want something bigger, more modern, more energy-efficient… Great! So, now what? How do you decide between a custom builder vs a production builder? What […]
What To Know Before Getting Pre-Approved For A Mortgage?
Just the thought of the mortgage process is often intimidating to some people, and understandably so. Even if you have been through the pre approval process before, chances are things have changed a lot since that last time you obtained a mortgage. I’m going to give you some basic information everyone should know […]
Does a Messy House Affect an Appraisal ?
Appraisers often get asked by homeowners, “Does a messy house affect an appraisal?” Of much more concern to an appraiser then a messy home would be any physical, functional or external obsolescence. A messy home should not affect value. Appraiser’s focus on the quality of construction, functionality, condition, amenities, external factors and more. […]
How long does it take to sell a house?
When contemplating selling your home you will soon enough ask the question, how long does it take to sell a house? Location, condition, pricing, economic conditions and even seasons can affect that answer. It mostly depends on your micro-market. The typical number of days it should take to sell your house is rather […]
7 Critical Things Realtors Wish Sellers Knew
When a seller first lists a property, often they unintentionally, or intentionally, fail to disclose all facts to their own Realtor. This can cause a huge problem later which could even cause legal proceedings against the Seller and the unknowing Realtor. Follow these real estate tips for sellers to alleviate some potential problems. […]
5 Killer Secrets to Selling your Home at the Highest Price
You most likely purchased your home for stability and equity. When it’s time to move on you rightfully are ready to capitalize on your investment, years of hard work, timely mortgage payments, sweat equity, maintenance and other improvement costs. Here’s some advice on how to get the highest price for your home with […]
Remodeling and Expanding Your Home
You love your location, but you are growing to dislike your home. It is simply too small, awkward and out of date, so you consider moving. Remodel Your House After looking at what is available, and the hassle of picking up to ready your house for sale, let alone finding a suitable […]
10 Pros and Cons of Building a Home
It is said that one of the top 5 most stressful life events a person can endure is purchasing their home. Considering that a home is, most likely, the single most expensive purchase a person will make in their lifetime, and that they will probably be taking out a 30-year loan to complete […]
30 DIY Home Staging Tips
Your home is your castle, but putting it on the market requires a paradigm shift: it is now a commodity to be sold. And, it is going to be in competition with others on the market. You must begin the process of detaching which includes depersonalizing and viewing it as objectively as possible. […]
What is the effect of railroad tracks on home values?
Originally Posted at DW Slater Company Appraisal Blog Are you considering buying a house near railroad tracks? or Are you already living near railroad tracks? How does this affect the value of your home? When appraising real estate, location is always a factor that is considered. If a property is located next […]
5 Top Flooring Options Explained and Compared
Hardwood, laminate, tile, carpet, or luxury vinyl? How does one know which are the best flooring choices? “Start with the end in mind — what is your vision for your home?” suggested Creswell Rozario, owner of The Floor Hut in Plano, Texas. “There are many options available to suit your lifestyle incorporating […]
Top 12 Best Home Builders in America in 2019
Building a new home is one of the most exciting and terrifying choices you can make. As the most expensive investment most people will make in their lifetime, choosing to buy a house can be a very taxing experience, and trusting a company to build that home requires a lot of thought and […]
Downsizing a Home with Less Stress
At different seasons in life many of us will face the need to downsize to a smaller home or apartment. Maybe you’re an empty nester or there are other circumstances that have changed. Perhaps you just want to declutter your current space. In this post, we’ll tackle some ways to deal […]
4 Reasons to Buy a Home in the Fall/Winter
Real estate markets are seasonal. For families with children, the optimal time to move is when kids are out of school. Spring-time is when homes first come on the market and buying and selling reaches a frantic pace by summer time. The first day of school usually lines up with a sudden drop […]
Beware of Over-improving Your Home
Originally Posted at Riverfront Appraisal Blog Owensboro’s most expensive home has sold: 16 Stone Creek Park. And it sold at almost a $2 Million loss. According to MLS records, the home located at 16 Stone Creek Park in Owensboro sold in May for $2.2 Million to a local businessman, making it the most […]
Fall Home Maintenance Tips
Depending where you live, autumn signals cooler temperatures and a reminder that winter is around the corner. It’s a great time to perform seasonal maintenance on your home. Here’s a fall home maintenance checklist to help you get started: Safety Maintenance • Check for burned out […]
10 Important Mortgage Acronyms For Homebuyers
Source: Freddie Mac® PITI, ARM, LTV, FRM… homebuying acronyms making your head spin? We’ve got you covered. Like every other industry, the mortgage world has a plethora of acronyms. And if you’re in the process of buying a home, knowing the terminology is important to help you understand what you’re agreeing […]
5 Things Appraisers Wish Sellers Knew
When you want to sell your home, one of the first considerations is usually, “What should the list price be?” This critical and often under analyzed price can leave your home sitting on the market too long or cost you thousands by leaving equity money on the table. This is when an […]
How to Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets, Part Deux
In our last episode, our slightly-manic, reluctant, do-it-yourselfer, finally started the process of painting kitchen cabinets. That worried painter was me, and I began the process of painting my cabinets 27 days ago. I’m embarrassed to say that they still aren’t done. Here are my excuses: During one of the […]
How to Prepare Your Cabinets for Paint
Woo hoo! I have finally started the process of painting my kitchen cabinets. Here is an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide on how to prepare your cabinets for paint. Be warned. The first step is a doozy. Step 1. Worry and fret over whether or not to paint your kitchen cabinets. Estimated time: two […]
5 Signs You Need New Windows
I’m keeping a secret from my husband. I feel bad about it, but I just can’t get up the nerve to tell him. First, let me tell you the back-story. We’ve been doing a lot of home renovation lately. It started when I, on a whim, decided to scrape the popcorn […]
Why Can’t I List My Property As High As Possible
Originally posted at Herring Consulting Co Blog on September 13, 2018 You should never leave money on the table. Unless you’re at a restaurant, in which case you should always leave a little on the table for your server. But when we’re talking Real Estate, you should work to protect value. […]
Working With Builders – 10 Things To Know Before Signing a Contract
In the Real Estate World, this time of year is also known Selling Season! With kids out of school families are ready to move over the summer break. To new construction builders, this means that they will make at least 75% of their projected income, if not more, between the months of March through […]
How I Handled 15 Showings in 3 Days with 2 Kids and 2 Dogs
Once upon a time we were a family of four living in Houston. At that time, our brood was 1 sleep deprived stay-at-home mom, 1 overextended dad, a calm and compliant 4 year old son, a rowdy mess making toddler, and 2 large heavy shedding, but mostly well behaved dogs. We found ourselves thrust […]
An Honest Review of Opendoor
Opendoor seems to be quite the topic of conversation these days. Is this the stress-free real estate model of the future? Or is the ibuyer model simply a gimmick? There are many Opendoor reviews online which are not favorable. I felt compelled to investigate further. The big sell of Opendoor is the […]
How My Flip Went Flop
A decade ago my husband and I purchased our first home together in Austin. It was 1800 mostly well configured square feet with a decadent 3 full baths, 2 of which were en suite. Located in a sought after zip code, we were able to afford it because it’s chopped up […]
My First Rental House – Heaven or Hell??
I was 30 years old. My house was paid off, I had $90,000 in cash, and I was ready to step foot in the real estate market and buy my first rental house. “Don’t do it. Renters will tear up your house and you’ll lose your shirt.” was the advice of the […]
The 6 Best Uses of Coconut Oil for Skin and Hair
When I was a little girl in India, we had coconut trees on our property and ever so often a man would come by, climb up the tree and bring down some coconuts. It was fun to watch, and little did I know then that it would play such an important role in helping me […]
Home Pricing Strategies
Pricing a home is tricky business. There are multiple factors that go into pricing a house for sale and there a few ways you can go about it. As the seller you know how much you’ve put into your home in terms of dollars, creativity, strategy and sweat equity and you would […]
