Best Real Estate Articles for June 2020

As we are entering the summer, we are continuing with many restrictions on how we live and how we are adjusting to the "new normal". Real Estate bloggers continue to share information with you as if you are in a position to purchase a home, now is a great time to take advantage of low-interest rates. This month's top articles include information for first time home buyers, lease option agreements, what a seller needs to disclose, and much more. We hope you will take the time to read these articles and reach out if you have questions about any topics!

Simple Steps Before Buying Your First Home

Buying a home is a process. is a process. A home purchase can be exciting, exhausting, and overwhelming. Karen Holt Highland has written an excellent article about Steps to Consider Before Purchasing Your First Home. In the article, she discusses how best to prepare before embarking on the home buying process. Steps to consider include ensuring that you have good credit if you are obtaining a mortgage. Other important factors are to create wants and needs list before you start looking at homes. Find great information in this article about home buying and how to prepare.

The Pros and Cons of a Rent-to-Own Home!

Are you interested in purchasing a home but don't have enough for a down payment? Or you just are not ready to commit? Petra Norris has written a detailed article about the Pros and Cons of a Rent-to-Own Home! In the article, she discusses what rent-to-own homes is and it is referred to as a lease option. This has definite risks for both the buyer and the seller. The risks include that all parties are agreeing to a price at a particular time frame in the future. Well, what if the prices have dramatically increased, and then you will have the seller trying to get out of the deal. Or the inverse where the property declines in value, and now the buyer is not able to obtain a loan due to the decline in value. This is a detailed article about what you can expect with a lease option.

Renting a Truck from U-Haul

When you are considering making a move, you may be wanting to do it yourself to save money! Bill Gassett has put together an excellent post about Renting a Truck from U-Haul.  In the article, he discusses how to find a U-Haul truck to move, and you will find other detailed information about how to select the size of the moving truck you will need. He discusses the fees that U-Haul charges so you can anticipate what you will be paying with your budget. Other important factors include when you are renting a U-Haul truck, you will need to be 18 years of age and a valid driver’s license. Excellent information about renting a truck from U-Haul.

10 Valuable Tips For Adding Value To Your Home

If you have recently purchased a new home, then you may want to consider investing in these home improvement projects in order to add value to your property. Paul Sian has put together an excellent post about Valuable Tips for Adding Value to Your Home.  In this post, Paul discusses that updating a bathroom will definitely add value. Other ways to update your home include updating the kitchen and new flooring. Other ways to improve value include changing new interior doors and consider changing the floor plan. These are excellent tips on how to improve the value of your home!

The Truth Every Home Seller Should Know About Open Houses

In light of the Covid-19 Pandemic, some states are not allowing open houses at all unless they are virtual. To have an in-person open house may put you and your family at risk from potential exposure to the coronavirus. However, in some areas, agents are still having open houses. Kevin Vitali has written an excellent article about the Truth Every Home Seller Should Know About Open Houses. In the article, he discusses that the people who attend these open houses may be just looky-loos or a neighbor trying to get design ideas for their upcoming remodel. He explains the reasons for open houses are for exposure or oftentimes agents use the house as a marketing tool to pick up buyers for their next deal! An excellent read!

Buying a Zillow Pre-Foreclosure Home

Most buyers in today's times are looking to get the best "deal" they can. And buyers will often think that just because a property is a foreclosure or pre-foreclosure, then they will be able to purchase it under market value. Bob Gordon has written an excellent article about Buying a Zillow Pre-Foreclosure Home. In this post, Bob explains how homes end up on Zillow's pre-foreclosure list and how that list can fluctuate daily. The vast majority of  Zillow pre-foreclosure houses generally do not come close to having to be sold. Most owners will get current with their house payment. A must-read about Zillow pre-foreclosure lists!

Why Pressure Washing Your Asphalt Shingle Roof is a Bad Idea

If our asphalt shingle roof looks like it needs cleaning, be sure NOT to power wash it.  The temptation may be there to "clean" it, but by doing so you can damage the roof and reduce the remaining life of your asphalt composition roof. Conor MacEvilly has written an excellent article about Why Pressure Washing Your Asphalt Shingle Roof is a Bad Idea. In the article he definite what asphalt shingles are made up of and how when they are new, they feel like coarse sandpaper. He explains the purpose is to prevent the UV deterioration of the roof, protect the core of the asphalt core, and it adds color to the tile. Further, Conor explains why someone "may" want to clean the roof as there are times that moss and algae may grow on the roof giving it a discolored appearance. This may happen in very wet environments. This is an excellent article and may save you money.

Eight Things That Increase Home Property Value

If you have wondered what your single biggest investment is, it is likely your home. Michelle Gibson has written an excellent post Eight Things That Increase Home Property Value. In the article, she explains the importance of creating a list of the areas that you want to improve. Other recommendations include completing one room at a time as opposed to ripping the entire house apart. The home will start to take on a new fresher feel. And be sure to be mindful of your expenses before you begin construction and during the process. Having new paint, window coverings and more will enhance the feel of your home. And since everyone is at home more these days, why not update your biggest investment while enjoying it!

What Must Be Disclosed When Selling

When selling a home, the sellers need to disclose information about the condition of the property to the buyer. This information is utilized by the buyer to determine if they want to proceed with the purchase or not. If a buyer finds something in the disclosures that is a deal-breaker for them, they have the right to cancel the sale. Sellers use property questionnaires and disclosure statements to disclose information to the buyer.

If there are material facts that affect the condition of the home, then this information should be disclosed to the buyer. It is advisable for the seller to disclose all information that is pertinent to the property. And a buyer should thoroughly review the disclosures when utilizing your home buyer checklist It is very important that disclosures are provided to buyers so that they understand and are knowledgeable about the condition of the home. The only time that an owner would not have disclosed information is if they never lived in the home because it was an investment property.

Buyer Feedback Can Help Sell Your Home

Whether you are a buyer's agent or a buyer, it is not uncommon to have a request for feedback on a property that you have viewed. Of course, no one wants to hurt anyone's feelings, but in general, feedback can help to sell a home. Joe Boylan has covered this topic in his recent post Buyer Feedback Can Help Sell Your Home. Joe discusses what buyer feedback is and questions that you may be asked after viewing a home. An important question about how the property compares to others that they have seen will help the listing agent to work with the seller, so they understand the competition. Buyer feedback helps a seller to address items in the house that someone viewing the property noticed or stood out to them, such as a noxious smell. Other important feedback includes if the buyer's agent or the buyer feels the property is overpriced in comparison to the competition.

Final Thoughts

We hope that you enjoyed the Top Real Estate Articles for June 2020 as these are our favorite suggestions and advice from the past month. We hope we continue to provide you with value and to prepare you for your next real estate transaction. We are definitely in changing times, and it is important that you stay on top of local trends in the real estate market. Let us know what you would like covered in the future!

About the Author

The above real estate article “Best Real Estate Articles for June 2020” was written by Sharon Paxson of Newport Beach Real Estate. With experience since 2005 representing clients with their real estate transactions, we welcome the opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise and guide you through the home selling or buying process.

If you are considering selling your home, we welcome the opportunity to work with you and list your home with a top Newport Beach CA Realtor.