Why landscaping can make your home sell faster and for more money
by Anne Thomas

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 Anne Thomas

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 Anne Thomas

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 Anne Thomas

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 Anne Thomas

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 sell a home that didn't sell
by Anne Thomas

How to sell a home that didn't sell The real estate market has been a little crazy lately. Despite that, we’re still looking at homes selling for a great price when they are priced properly based on current market conditions. So, if your "for sale" sign has been sitting on your front lawn a lot longer than you expected, you might be wondering how to sell your home that didn’t sell when you thought it would. As a best practice, it is ideal to consult your real...
Read MoreTo Stage or Not to Stage Your Home for Sale
by Anne Thomas

To Stage or Not to Stage Your Home for Sale Up until the early 2000’s, most home buyers would have only experienced the eye-popping appeal of home staging if they went and visited a model home at a new construction site. Builders know that it’s much easier for people to make a home-buying decision when they see a home decorated beautifully and set up like someone lives there. These days, staging is highly recommended whether the home is brand new or currently occupied because...
Read MoreWhat's the right amount of money to spend in upgrading your home?
by Anne Thomas

What's the right amount of money to spend in upgrading your home? You’re wanting to freshen up your house a little bit and you’ve already determined what you think you should do to make it amazing for you to really enjoy it. Before you jump into your renovation project, make sure you set a budget so you can spend the right amount of money upgrading your home. Without a plan and a budget, you can spend tons of money on all kinds of neat options — from a new marble island-top...
Read MoreWhen is the Best Season of the Year to Buy to get the Best Deal
by Anne Thomas

When is the Best Season of the Year to Buy to get the Best Deal The housing market here in the United States has been moving at a blistering pace for a while now. On the whole, home prices increased more than 33% from February 2020 to June 2022. What’s even better news is that It’s expected that the housing market will continue to climb in the future — albeit a little more slowly now — due to the changes that were made in the lending market coming out of the mortgage...
Read MoreHow much you should put down to purchase your new home?
by Anne Thomas

How much should you put down to purchase your new home? Historically, home buyers seek to put down 20% when they purchase a home. However, according to a recent survey by The National Association of Realtors (NAR), the actual national average is much closer to 10%. When it comes to first-time homebuyers, the average down payment is at 4% as per the same survey. While down payment requirements vary based on the lender you choose to work with, the amount required will usually depend...
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