The real estate industry constantly stays in a dynamic state and undergoes fluctuation throughout the year. Making an assessment, evaluation and forecast of your local real estate market might be a tedious task, due to the ongoing market fluctuations. Here we share some essential tips to make a smart analysis of your local real estate market. Observe the Pricing Trends A...
Many homeowners have heard that homeownership is a great investment. However, knowing why and how is a different story. This is especially pertinent when it comes to home equity, which is often a homeowner’s largest financial asset, and can make up over half of their net worth. But how can you use your equity to your advantage? Seeing as April is financial literacy...
Whether it’s a bad storm or a downed utility pole, power outages can strike at any time. While most only last for a couple of hours, a prolonged power outage presents a whole host of obstacles. Here’s how to make sure your home and your family stay safe next time you lose electricity. - Stay far away from downed power lines and any debris those power lines are...
In a bold move—and likely a surprise to the 89,000-plus real estate professionals presently paying for its services—Zillow Group announced today its intent to launch a new consumer real estate search portal, RealEstate.com. The portal is “designed for millennial homebuyers,” according to a release about the launch, and will source listings directly from brokerages,...
By Jessica Thiefels It’s an amazing neighborhood, the price is right, but is the house your dream home? That’s the ultimate question and there’s no one correct answer or even a single way to determine that. Ultimately, a mix of listening to your emotions and turning to the facts will help you paint a clear picture of what life would be like in this new house....
By Ryan Tyson If you own some property that you are not actively living in, you might be thinking about renting the property out and becoming a landlord. Renting usable property is a great way to make some extra money, but if not done carefully, it can turn into a disaster. Here is a list of some of the most important things to learn before taking the plunge. Study...
By Cary Teller There is something awesome about buying a fixer upper and doing the renovations yourself. Some people fix them up a bit at a time, using cash as they have it available. If you want to make a big impact by doing small things, here are 10 things you need to include. 1. Change Out the Lighting Nothing says outdated like an old-fashioned gold chandelier....
Too many mortgage lenders played it fast and loose in the lead-up to the crash, then wound it up tight when the inevitable struck—and in roughly the decade since, too few have loosened their grip. A research paper recently published by the Urban Institute classifies today's credit environment as "extraordinarily tight"—so tight, in fact, that more than one million...
By Dixie Somers Being a first time homebuyer can be an intimidating prospect; it seems like there's so much to learn! The process doesn't get less challenging the second or third time around, but here are five tips to help you research and prepare for your next home buying experience. Location, Location, Location It's a cliché but it's true: location really is the...
In recent years, there’s been a lot of talk about the importance of appraisers and all that they do for the housing industry. Despite this, the number of appraisers continues to dwindle and the turnover time between when appraisers enter and exit the field has slimmed. These trends beg the question – why are we seeing less of them and is this a concern? To address...
