ThisIIn my experience, there’s one fundamental truth about haters: you can never fully escape them. The only way to live a 100% hater-free life is to never stick your neck out, and never do anything because, as the saying goes, you simply cannot please all of the people all of the time.
And this is particularly true with real estate and putting your home on the market … (0 comments)
spring: Top Ten Things You Need to Know About the 3.8% Investment Tax on Home Sales
- 01/15/13 12:24 AM
This article was published today in the Houston Association of REALTORS weekly newsletter. Just thought everyone might be interested to know what's in store for the 3.8% investement (including real estate) tax for 2013: "Top Ten Things You Need to Know About the 3.8% Investment Tax on Home Sales David Mendel, January 14, 2013 Almost immediately following passage of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, a series of emails began circulating around the Internet, most with a kernel of truth but largely made up of misinformation. A new round … (2 comments)
spring: 6 Unexpected Advantages of Having the Right Agent
- 11/23/12 04:40 AM
I once worked with a buyer who had to fly to the other end of the world within a couple of days after we placed her offer. Needless to say, she was agitated and anxious about the prospect of being so far away during inspections and contingency removals, especially since I’d earlier stressed how important it was for her to be present. Rolling with the punches and poor timing, we sat down just before she left and talked through the timeline, including which events would take place on every day of her absence - including some harmless glitches that commonly arise … (0 comments)
spring: The 5 Most Expensive Ways Buyers & Sellers Sabotage Themselves
- 11/15/12 05:32 AM
It’s easy to see the experience of buying or selling a home as an adversarial one: you vs. the people on the other side of the bargaining table, with one chess move by your opponent potentially costing you thousands of dollars. In my experience, though, the average real estate consumer’s biggest potential enemy is him or herself. Buyers and sellers routinely take approaches, make moves and make omissions that cost themselves much more than anything the other side could ever do. The first step of any cure is diagnosis. Here are some clues to detecting the costliest cases of real estate … (0 comments)
If you're selling your house, it's what's outside that counts. Prospective buyers can’t immediately see what's inside, but one thing they will notice right away is your landscape. That same landscape can ultimately spark a buyer's interest or send them running in the opposite direction. The good news is that many landscape renovations are affordable and far from impossible. Not only will they enhance your selling opportunities, but they can also provide a significant investment return.
As your property value increases, so does the return on your renovation investments. For landscape renovations, payback … (1 comments)
spring: 5 Real Estate Rules of Thumb: Fact or Fiction?
- 03/23/12 04:19 AM
"We humans have a natural craving to simplify the complex. This same instinct, which explains why legends, films and fairytales from every culture tend to boil down to heroes vs. villains, also explains why so many buyers and sellers desperately seek rules of thumb for making the often scary, rarely simple decisions they face. Reality check: your real estate transaction is not a children’s story. Grown-up life is complicated, as are money matters and relationships. Since real estate involves all three (being a grown up, money and relationships), smart buyers and sellers should cast a suspicious eye at super simple real … (0 comments)
spring: How to Find an Agent You Love
- 03/15/12 02:35 AM
Re-blogged from Tara-Nicole Nelson, Trulia "My adventures in business of late have caused me to believe that, contrary to popular opinion, many entrepreneurs and companies are inspired to do what they do out of a passion for their customers. I'm also aware that the feeling is not always, or even often, mutual. In a recent survey, only 20 percent of Americans said they trusted real estate agents as a profession. But here's the good news, for buyers, sellers and agents: though people seem to distrust agents as a group,nearly 90 percent of buyers and sellers liked their individual real estate agent … (2 comments)
spring: 6 Keys to Having a Zen Home Buying Experience
- 03/09/12 09:18 AM
Re-blogged from Tara-Nicole Nelson, on Trulia Your home is the largest purchase you’ll ever make. So it might seem that emotional side effects like panic and fear are inevitable. But they’re not. You do have the power to manage your emotions and have a relatively blissed-out home buying experience. And you should seize that power; doing so will not only minimize the discomfort, it will also keep panic and fear from fouling up your decision-making.
Let me hand you some keys - the keys to having a Zen home buying experience:
1. We fear what we don’t understand. … (0 comments)
spring: Short-sale Help for First Time Homebuyers
- 03/06/12 05:44 AM
Many people in the market today are first-time home buyers who would not have been able to buy when home prices were higher. Enticed both by lower prices and bank promotions, these eager hopefuls are have taken the signs of deals as the best chance to make their first real estate move . While all home buyers need help with the short sale process, it’s especially challenging to address the needs and concerns of a first-time home buyer who has decided a short sale is the home for them. Here’s how to get answers to first-time home buyers’ top three … (0 comments)
spring: 6 Ways to Turn Off Your Home's Buyer (or Seller!)
- 02/09/12 05:39 AM
6 Ways to Turn Off Your Home's Buyer (or Seller!) In the wild world of dating, when you encounter a “turn-off,” you can just pack it in and not to go on another date with that guy or gal again. But turnoffs can be much more detrimental when they come up in the realm of your real estate goals. Indeed, turn a buyer off, dear sellers, and you risk not selling your home - period - or getting a lower price than you might have otherwise. And, contrary to what you might assume, the same goes for buyers. Even in today’s ‘buyer’s … (1 comments)
spring: Five Reasons to Buy a Home in 2012
- 01/16/12 02:37 AM
The American dream of homeownership is a very feasible aspiration for 2012. There are many benefits of owning a home. Yet some first-time buyers are skeptical of purchasing with the uncertainty surrounding the housing market. The uncertainty many reference when speaking about the housing market involves a specific date when home values will increase. Since no one can pinpoint this date, the word uncertainty (when paired with the housing market) often reveals a negative connotation. There are some factors we can be certain about in this housing market such as home values rebounding. This is true; the housing market often moves … (1 comments)
spring: 4 Insider Secrets for Avoiding Surprises at the Closing Table
- 08/04/11 09:23 AM
I used to pass a mortgage company billboard on the freeway every day that read: “Surprises are for birthday parties.” (Implied: surprises are usually unpleasant when they arise in the context of real estate transactions.) The worst case scenario that looms large in the minds of buyers, refinancers and sellers alike is that they’ll get to the close of escrow and some big glitch will arise, coming between you and your home – or your cash. Here are 4 key need-to-knows to help you avoid getting a nasty surprise at the closing table. Read my lips: no new bills (or other … (0 comments)
spring: 5 Questions to Ask Your Mortgage Lender
- 07/22/11 04:38 AM
This article is right on the money. No pun intended! Home buyers and those re-financing their homes to take advantage of today's generational low interest rates need to read this. "Everyone knows you’re supposed to be proactive and assertive when you take out a mortgage, carefully collecting and evaluating all sorts of information before you make the biggest deal of your life. But when the mortgage broker starts shooting sheaves of papers (OK, PDF documents) at you, it’s easy for your eyes to glaze over at the sight of so many zeroes, and tempting just to start signing whatever it takes … (2 comments)
spring: Tips for Buying Foreclosures
- 01/26/11 05:59 AM
Tips for Buying Foreclosures RISMEDIA, January 25, 2011-The McCarty Group, a Florida real estate team specializing in Marco Island properties, has released a "Top Tips" list for buying foreclosures. Mike and Wendy McCarty of Keller Williams Realty say the tips apply to virtually all markets in the U.S. and that while many buyers have heard that there are many foreclosures on the market, most don't understand these practical rules they can follow to save money. Here are some tips to consider: 1. Work with an agent who has access to foreclosure information. Many home buyers assume that all agents have … (0 comments)
spring: Four Steps toward Preparing Your Home for a Hurricane
- 07/22/10 09:21 AM
4 Steps toward Preparing Your Home for a Hurricane By Stephanie AndreRISMEDIA, July 22, 2010--It's hard to believe that it's already been five years since Hurricane Katrina devoured the Gulf Coast. While hurricanes are not preventable, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your property should disaster strike. Here are four important steps to consider, according to the Insurance Information Institute: STEP #1: Review Your Insurance CoverageBe sure you have the right kind and amount of insurance, enough to rebuild your home and replace your belongings. Ask about flood insurance, which is not covered under a standard homeowners … (1 comments)
spring: Have You Thought About an Outdoor Kitchen?
- 07/08/10 02:28 AM
Have You Thought About an Outdoor Kitchen? By Jean PattesonRISMEDIA, July 8, 2010--(MCT)--The outdoor kitchen is rapidly becoming the social hub of the home, much as the indoor kitchen is the favorite gathering place for family and friends. The trend is especially strong in areas where the climate favors outdoor living almost year-round."It's a hot item," said Scott Redmon, owner of Alfresco Living in Maitland, Fla. "And the outdoor kitchen is becoming a lot more than a grill and a sink in the corner of the porch. It's a whole entertainment system. People have a higher expectation for their exterior spaces … (1 comments)
spring: Simple Tools to Do a Home-Energy Audit, and Save
- 06/26/10 11:52 AM
Simple Tools to Do a Home-Energy Audit, and Save By Liana B. BakerRISMEDIA, June 26, 2010--(MCT)--For many homeowners, electricity use is highest during the summer - that means steeper energy bills are just around the corner.But a lot of the energy you're paying for is squandered through air leaks around doors and windows, or through cable boxes and appliances that sap energy when no one is around. Before you shell out the cash for a professional home-energy audit, however, here are some do-it-yourself ways to measure - and then curb - your energy use.MEASURE ITThe average household will spend about $2,140 … (0 comments)
spring: Tricks to Keep Your House Cool this Summer
- 06/17/10 04:15 AM
Tricks to Keep Your House Cool this Summer By Paige Tepping Rismedia, June 17th, 2010RISMEDIA, June 17, 2010--As the temperatures continue to rise this summer, so does the cost of keeping your home cool. While homeowners across the country come to depend on air conditioners to keep the temperature down during the warm summer months, there are other options that will keep you cool while keeping your energy bill low. Fans and ceiling fans-If you're looking for ways to beat the heat, a ceiling fan can be a great investment for your home. This one appliance can make a room feel … (3 comments)
4 Ways to Hater-Proof Your Home, Before You List It
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