realtor: What Does Your Personality Say About Your Home buying Future?
- 01/26/16 04:43 AM
You found what you think is the right house. The bank approved you. The lender secured your loan with just five percent down. You've got your closing costs together and you've lined up your movers. But are you really making the right move?
Turns out, a simple personality test might help you figure it out.
A study titled "Real Estate and Personality" from the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics shined a light on the relationship between personality and buyer decisions, suggesting "that a person's personality traits are predictive of his or her real estate decisions" said Lakeside Real Estate Group. "Researchers gave … (0 comments)
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realtor: Capital Gains: The Stepped Up Basis
- 01/25/16 11:53 PM
If you are married, and file a joint income tax return, the tax laws allow you to exclude up to $500,000 on any gain you make on the sale of your principal residence. There are some basic rules (conditions) which must be met, the most important is that you must have owned and lived in the house for two out of the last five years before the sale. This is referred to as the "ownership and use" test.
If you are single -- or widowed -- you can only exclude up to $250,000 of your profit.
At first blush, this seems unfair -- … (2 comments)
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realtor: Does Having A Gym In Your Home Add Value To Your Home?
- 01/25/16 11:04 PM
It's that time of year of again. Seemingly everyone is dedicating the next few days, weeks, and months to getting in better shape. That being said, traditional gyms are absurdly crowded right now and will most likely be for the next few months.
So how about just building one in your home? Sounds expensive and it probably will be as exercise equipment is both pricey and difficult to move. That being said as a society we are very unhealthy and many of us are overweight. To combat this there has been a plethora of movements to help prevent obesity. One such movement … (3 comments)
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realtor: 20 Tips To Get Your Credit In Check In 2016
- 01/20/16 12:54 AM
Struggling to get your credit cards paid off? Juggling balances between several cards? Just plain tired of paying interest? Make this the year you get your credit in order. Whether your goal is to buy a new home, become debt free and raise your credit score, or just make your payments more manageable, these 25 tips for handling your credit can help get you there.
1. Talk to a lender - If you're planning to buy a home anytime soon, a call to a lender can clarify what you'll need to do in order to qualify (and qualify for the best rates).
2. … (0 comments)
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realtor: Is 2016 The Year Millennials Will Start Buying?
- 01/20/16 12:43 AM
Millennials. They're the ever-frustrating group that's been making the real estate industry quiver for years. Where are they? Why aren't they buying homes? What's going to happen to the market if they don't step up? What is going on here?!
Every blip, bump, and bounce has been microstudied, overanalyzed, turned into an infographic and used to define an entire generation whose buying habits don't seem to behave.
"The lack of buying among first-time buyers in the wake of the economic crisis has had the industry biting its nails wondering if young adults would ever give up renting or move out of their parent's … (2 comments)
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realtor: 7 Rules for Choosing The Right Area Rug
- 01/08/16 10:00 AM
You just moved into your new home. You've purchased the perfect furniture and accessories. You even found the perfect area rug to add to your hardwood floors, but you're totally stumped on which size to buy.
There are so many questions: Should the furniture be placed on or off the rug? Does the rug go underneath or next to the bed? How big should a dining room rug really be? It can seem overwhelming, but here are seven simple tips to help you choose wisely. After all, a good rug is an investment, and you don't want to make any costly mistakes.
Rule … (0 comments)
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realtor: Three "Fresh Thinking" Starts For 2016
- 01/08/16 08:40 AM
Do you start each New Year full of great intentions only to discover, before January ends, that you've slipped back to "always done it that way" behavior and thinking?
To kick 2016 into high gear without changing where you do business and what you sell, first take stock of where you're starting from:
*Seemingly small changes to thinking can have significant impact on your established sales and business patterns. To be powerful, this fine-tuned fresh thinking must be applied consistently and with creativity and commitment. How conscious are you of what differentiates your work and of who values the services you offer?
*Begin by … (1 comments)
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realtor: How To Choose a Standby Generator For Your Home
- 01/04/16 02:51 AM
Approaching bad weather always produces a run on certain items. Incoming blizzards empty stores of snow blowers; heat waves have air conditioners flying off of the shelves; the threat of power outages makes it difficult for retailers to keep portable generators in stock.
But many homeowners - especially those in parts of the country that have experienced storm-caused power outages - have started taking a closer look at permanent home generators. That's with good reason: Power outages are not only inconvenient, but they also can be dangerous and expensive. An outage during cold weather can lead to frozen or burst water pipes. … (1 comments)
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realtor: 16 Ways To Make Your Home Look New For The New Year For Under $1,000
- 01/04/16 02:47 AM
It's common to start thinking about a new house in the New Year. We all do it (in fact, we're doing it right now). But if it's not a practical time to but (or sell) or you're not in a financial position to make that kind of change, you can still make your house feel like new. Make one big change or a couple of smaller ones to breathe new life into your home. In honor of the coming new year, we've got 16 ways to go about it, and you can do them for under $1,000.
1. Paint!
You won't find a … (1 comments)
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realtor: Top Interior Design Trends For 2016
- 12/30/15 09:47 AM
Getting the itch to redo your house? Truth: We have it all year round. But, there's something about the ushering in of a new year and the literal renewal it brings that makes the idea of a fresh look even more inviting.
Check out a few of the interior design trends for 2016 for some more inspiration and a little direction.
French Country
For some, this French country design motif never went out of style. But the influence of shows like HGTV's popular "Fixer Upper" have brought it to the forefront. Waxed and weathered paint on furniture, shiplap treatments, and accessories bearing the show's … (2 comments)
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realtor: Written Real Estate Contract Is Required To Buy A House
- 12/29/15 04:37 AM
There is a very ancient legal concept called the "Statute of Frauds". Oversimplified, and as it applies to real estate, this means in order to have a binding contract to purchase (or sell) real estate, there must be a written document. Oral contracts will usually not be enforced by the Courts.
In most jurisdictions in the United States, when a potential buyer makes a written offer to purchase a house, the seller has three options:
*the offer can be accepted, in which case there is a contract;
*the offer can be rejected, or
*the offer can be met with a counter-offer.
This means that while the … (0 comments)
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realtor: Important Clauses In Your Real Estate Contract
- 12/28/15 06:39 PM
You have just found your dream house, and would like to buy it. What to do now?
When dealing with real estate matters, the law is clear: everything has to be in writing. Thus, you will need a sales contract, which will spell out all of the terms, conditions and special requirements you may (or will) need in order to conclude the transaction and go to closing (settlement) on the house.
If there is no real estate agent involved, your attorney should be able to assist you in preparing the contract offer. If there is a real estate agent, you can get a … (0 comments)
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realtor: Real Estate Moves To Make Before The End Of The Year
- 12/14/15 10:20 PM
Many of us know about some end-of-the-year financial tips we can use to lower our tax obligations - maxing out our 401(k), funding an IRA, and making charitable donations. But there are several real estate-related actions that can also help. With time ticking down before the calendar rolls over to a new year, jump on some of these smart strategies that can help you hold on to more of your money.
1. Buy a house
With a quick escrow, you can close before the end of the year, which will mean you can take a nice deduction on your 2015 taxes. "We calculated … (3 comments)
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realtor: Zombie Apocalypse,Earthquake:Managing Risk In Canada's Housing Markets
- 12/09/15 04:45 AM
Canada's housing market is actually made of many regional markets, going through very different cycles. Most of the publicity is centred on the big cities and particularly in Vancouver and Toronto, where prices continue to rise to record levels.
Organizations ranging from the International Monetary Fund to the Bank of Canada have suggested the market is overvalued. The Economist magazine recently said it was "scarily overpriced."
But most economists in Canada think that fears of a housing crash are overstated and that a "soft landing" -- a gradual stabilizing of the market -- is more likely to happen.
"High prices and overvaluation will not … (0 comments)
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realtor: Real Estate Gifts Can Disrupt Family Harmony
- 12/09/15 04:39 AM
When unresolved family issues and ingrained family dynamics stand between you and your real estate goals, you won't get far by pretending family influence doesn't exist or by returning to old behavior patterns and squabbles.
When giving a gift of real estate, the giver expects a happy ending for receivers, but within families, problems can arise. From the start of a gifting project face relevant family issues and dynamics head on. Work to transform them in the context of current issues and constructive dynamics so you'll enable achievement of the desired real estate outcome[—]the happy ending.
The problem can distract you from the … (0 comments)
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realtor: Dealing With Powers Of Attorney
- 12/07/15 06:32 AM
You and your spouse own your home and you would like to sell it. However, your spouse is currently unable to sign the sales contract. This is because he is either out of the country in some exotic far-away-place where fax and overnight delivery is unavailable, or because he is physically and mentally unable to make decisions or sign legal documents.
What to do?
There is a document called a "power of attorney", whereby your spouse signs a legal document authorizing you to act on his/her behalf. The giver of the power of attorney is called the Principal. The receiver is generally called … (0 comments)
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realtor: Home Sellers: How Your REALTOR Does It Better
- 12/07/15 01:08 AM
As you think about selling your home, it may have crossed your mind that you should just sell it yourself. In 2015, approximately 89% of home sellers hired a REALTOR®. What do they know that you don't?
To sell your home yourself, you'll be competing against experts who have more tools and connections than you do. In addition to multiple listing services, broker Websites, real estate Websites, personal Websites, and professional-grade videos and photos, real estate professionals network with each other to sell many homes before they are introduced to the marketplace.
You'll have to perform all the jobs a professional would do … (0 comments)
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realtor: Understanding Smart Home Technology So You Can Explain It to Buyers
- 12/03/15 06:37 AM
The Internet of Things is quickly becoming a reality, and there's no place where this is more obvious than in our homes. According to predictions from market researcher MarketsandMarkets, the global smart home market will grow to about $58.7 billion by 2020, fueling a 17 percent compound annual growth rate and creating a significant consumer market for smart homes. Buyers know the benefits that come with these systems, and they want them in their homes — do you know how to sell it to them? Here are a few of the more common smart home features real estate agents should be … (0 comments)
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realtor: 10 Tips For Creating a Chic Home Office
- 12/02/15 08:12 AM
Who says a home office has to be boring? Not this fashion blogger, who's been turning Instagram upside down with pics of her impossibly chic space.
"When you're a fashion blogger, your good taste is everything, so it's no surprise that Christine Andrew of Hello Fashion and POPSUGAR Select took her time perfecting every detail of her home office," said POPSUGAR. "After months of trial and error, she's just revealed her stunning home office - and it was definitely worth the wait!
Done up in pink and white with flashes of blue and green and feminine touches throughout, this home office breaks a … (2 comments)
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realtor: Should You 'Park' Yourself In a National Park?
- 12/01/15 10:42 PM
Are you so obsessed with the interior details of your "dream home" that you've overlooked how important a "dream location" is to real estate value and your enjoyment of property ownership?
If a natural setting is a vital element of your dream location, but you lack the finances or land-management skills to own significant rural acreage, the National Park System may offer a viable alternative. Does your idea of a perfect vacation include a trip to a National Park? If so, perhaps you should explore the possibility of living within a National Park.
"I'm fortunate to live where others want to visit," said … (1 comments)
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You found what you think is the right house. The bank approved you. The lender secured your loan with just five percent down. You've got your closing costs together and you've lined up your movers. But are you really making the right move?
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