Getting a home sold takes more planning and savvy today than in the past. It is more important than ever to find ways to make your home stand out and get the attention of serious buyers. You may think a few worn out or broken things shouldn’t make a difference, but everything matters to a buyer. Anything that causes a buyer to think there may be MORE things that need repair, updating or remodeling takes them one step further from making [...]
In keeping with the spirit of the holidays and the winter solstice, the National Association of Realtors issued a news release yesterday announcing a continuing rise in the sale of existing homes in November 2011. We can all hope that the housing market may at long last be moving in a positive direction. Challenges lie ahead for certain, but a bit of good news is as welcome as a sunny day in December like we are having today!
Here’s a portion [...]
Recently Whidbey Island Realtors received an email from the Whidbey Island Board of Realtors alerting us to a new ordinance regarding Ebey’s Reserve. Here’s an excerpt from a letter from Island County, the Town of Coupeville and the Manager of Ebey’s Reserve that was addressed to all “Whidbey Island Real Estate Professionals.”
On 10/3/2011 the Board of Island County Commissioners adopted the new Unified Code and Design Guidelines for all development within Ebey’s Reserve. The Code and Guidelines become effective 1/1/2012.
The [...]
When homeowners becomes sellers, they put their major focus on being sure the house is clean, clutter removed, walls freshly painted and the lawn mowed. The photographer then comes in and takes photos of the house. They get posted on the company website, and the property is good to go.
This is all fine and is the way things have been done for many years, but there is more to selling your home today. With all the homes on the market, [...]
You’ve decided you want to sell your home. The process can be daunting, from finding the right Broker to getting your home in tip top shape. All of a sudden everywhere you look in your house there is chipped paint, loose door knobs, creaking hardwood, stains on carpet. The gardens need pruning, and you haven’t taken down the Christmas lights yet.
Not only that, every single one of your friends knows a real estate broker who is the best, and [...]
In doing research about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, I came across something buried in the Federal Housing Finance Agency website that blew my mind. Called the House Price Index (HPI), it measures geographic (region, state, city) home price trends. It took about 5 minutes to realize that I just discovered the proverbial “Canary in the Mineshaft” when it comes to predicting real estate values in WA.
The HPI is defined as follows:
The HPI is a broad measure of the [...]
It is not unusual in my business for a client to make a political comment to me during a conversation, especially in the heated political environment we are in today.
Over the years I have decided that it is best to not acknowledge in any way these comments beyond a smile. Even that can be dangerous. It is not that I do not have opinions. Just ask my family. It is just that I believe as a [...]
I have always felt it was important to be associated with the best company in any market segment. So when I got out of college I went to work for one of the best restaurant chains in the west. After that I sold incredibly good food service products to those fine restaurants with Carnation, the best food service company in the US. Decades ago, when I decided to work in real estate full time, I looked for [...]
You are the source. What does this mean? It means that your knowledge, your emotions, your photos are what create the personality of the home you have lived in and are selling. Sharing these brings your home to life. So tell me your story. We have the time, and it does make a difference.
All homes have a story. Sometimes it is about the history of the people who have lived there, and many times it [...]
Most of us today are concerned about our environment, and recycle paper products with enthusiasm. We try to not use paper products when we can avoid it, and we read our magazines and newspapers and then recycle them too.
That is why it is a mystery to me why some sellers insist on having a flyer box. Granted, not everyone wants one, but if you drive around you will see that many people have them, and they [...]
Pricing your home right in the beginning can make the difference between a long time on the market and a short time. How do we price right?
You must price it right when when your home 1st goes on the market. You have about 21 days to be “new”. After that you are just another home in the ever increasing inventory that we are all seeing now. I can show you comparatives, we can review the numbers, the days on market etc, I can provide good photos, but if you are not priced very competitively you will not sell your home.
It is a good time to buy on Whidbey Island. Interest rates are low, and there is excellent inventory.
The catch phrase has been around for some time, and can be used to describe homes without any real substance behind it. In the last few years it has taken on a new definition with the public’s concerns about energy costs and global warming.
But buyers do need to beware of the loosely used marketing term “green”. There are now third party certifications that can be included when sellers put their homes on the market. The [...]
Get your eggs lined up
Bank of America announced a new program for their mortgage holders who are upside down in value on their current mortgages with B of A. Borrowers must demonstrate a hardship in making current payments, and be at least 60 days delinquent on the loans and owe at least 120% of the current home value. Borrowers with second mortgages or home equity lines of credit will not qualify in certain cases. The bank looks first [...]
You may want to consider investing in some improvements to your current home as spring approaches. Before beginning, it is wise to see if the home improvements you are contemplating are eligible for a home improvement tax deduction.
What is important to do, and what is not, for properties I represent for sale? In my profession I must ask this question for each of the properties I represent every day.
First and foremost, it is important that I make sure that my clients properties are being presented in an inviting way to the buying public. This means that I have the highest quality photos and marketing text. This creates for the buyer [...]
Looking at Whidbey Island Real Estate Statistics ending Dec 2009, our year to date sold homes finished ahead of last year. Active listing inventory is down but I think that may have more to do with it being December, and we will need to see what happens in the early months of 2010 to give any weight to this statistic. The year to date sold prices is down ( -11% ) on South Whidbey. [...]
It’s a fact, if you are a seller, and someone wants to buy your home, they will need an appraisal for their loan. Much of the time they will also want to have an inspection on the property as a contingency. The inspection usually comes before the bank gets around to ordering an appraisal. Most inspections cost the buyer $500 to $550. They usually pay before the inspection, or at the time of [...]
There are many changes happening in the way lending institutions are having to do business. Some of these are now affecting the appraisals on your home if you are selling and if you are buying the one you may want to purchase. Please read the article below and if you would like to discuss it, please do call.
Appraisal Industry Gets Shaken Up Written By the Demco Law Firm, P.S.
Recent changes to federal regulations that [...]
So you are thinking about selling your house or property and you have made the decision to use the services of a professional realtor to help you. Congratulations on that good decision – to not use one could end up costing you money and time. So which realtor should you pick? Here are some suggestions about which realtors NOT to select as your listing agent.
1) Don’t Pick An Out of Area Realtor – [...]
