Why You Should Have A Home Inspection Before You List
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

Why You Should Have A Home Inspection Before You List One of the largest home sale killers is the home inspection. Nearly one-third of all terminated real estate contracts fall apart because of the inspection results. Inspections also ranked as the number three cause of delayed settlements, accounting for 13 percent. For some reason - and I’ll never get it - a home inspection that comes back with anything less than a perfect report strikes fear into the hearts of buyer agents and...
Read MoreYour home is under contract, what’s next?
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

Your home is under contract, what’s next? Great news, you’ve put your dream home under contract and you’re excited to move in one day soon. That said, there’s a lot that has to happen before you can take occupancy: home inspection, appraisal, financing paperwork, contingencies and other requirements necessary to close. Here’s what you can expect to happen over the coming weeks. Due Diligence Now that the home is yours to negotiate...
Read MoreWhat will be your payment on your new home?
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

What will be your payment on your new home? Buying a new home can be overwhelming. Between understanding the financial aspects of your loan and all the paperwork required to buy your home, things can get a little crazy. One of the biggest parts of getting a new home is figuring out the terms and conditions of your mortgage. Two of the biggest areas that impact your loan are your credit and your down payment. In this post, we’ll cover both and also explain how to determine the...
Read MoreWhat is the Interest write off deduction?
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

What is the Interest write off deduction? Tax deductible interest is a borrowing expense that a taxpayer can claim on a federal or state tax return to reduce taxable income. Mortgage interest for both first and second (home equity) mortgages, mortgage interest for investment properties are among the list of deductions you can take on your taxes. This is another reason why owning a home is more favorable than renting. In addition to building equity in a home that you can call yours, you...
Read MoreWhy landscaping can make your home sell faster and for more money
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

Why landscaping can make your home sell faster and for more money Plain and simple, the quality of your landscaping determines whether or not your home feels inviting from the outside. Curb appeal is what people call it and it’s a key ingredient in the decision to buy a home to more than 71 percent of homebuyers. As you know, landscaping plays a huge role in the curb appeal that you present to prospective buyers for your home. The first impression is key: if buyers don’t like...
Read MoreWhy you should make a list of the top 20 features you love about your home when selling?
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

Why you should make a list of the top 20 features you love about your home when selling Who knows your home better than you? The short answer is: nobody. And because of that, you should take the time to make a list of the top 20 features you love about your home before you put it on the market. You see, if you like those things about your house, then so will someone else. And, in an effort to help your agent get your home sold faster and for more money, it will help if you point out...
Read MoreMarketing Strategies: Luxury homes vs average priced homes
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

Marketing Strategies: Luxury homes vs average priced homes As you can imagine, driving up demand for a luxury home takes a uniquely different approach than does selling a regular home. From the word go, you need a strong, clear and focused strategy that details how it will position your luxury home above the ordinary, illustrating and marketing its unique features in the proper manner to the perfect buyer at the perfect price. There are some very different ideas, thoughts and...
Read MoreOwning vs. Renting
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

Owning vs. Renting Making the decision to own a home versus renting one is no small decision. Not only does it affect your expendable cash, but it also has a huge impact on your lifestyle and how much money you’re able to save over time. Sometimes, the goal to achieve the “American Dream” of owning a home clouds some people’s vision for the future and they buy a home when they should really be renting one. Similarly, there are people who continue to rent for the...
Read MoreProperty tax assessment too high...what you can do about it?
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

Property tax assessment too high...what can you do about it? An increase in home values is great because it increases the equity in your home without you having to invest more money in making it happen. Unfortunately, as the price of your home increases, so does the perceived value of your home in the eyes of your local tax assessor. When that happens, your taxes also go up. The bad news is that your tax rate - the annual percentage of your home’s value that you pay - is fixed...
Read MoreHow to handle a multiple offer situation
by Rebecca Broich-Ragsdale

How to handle a multiple offer situation Over the last few years, buyer’s hunger for properties has been insatiable. As a result, properly priced homes were fetching multiple offers on a consistent basis. Though things have settled a bit recently, we’re still in a seller’s market, and that means the chance your listing will receive multiple offers on it is still very much a reality. But, as exciting as having a bidding war on your property is, it can also provide for...
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