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Popular online real estate marketplaces often offer some sort of home valuation tool that tells you what your house might be worth. You might not know it as a home valuation, but maybe by a catchy name for their estimates (hint: put a Z in front of estimates). We, as real estate agents, often get asked about these estimates whether it is listing their house or they’re looking to purchase a house. We understand that real estate is a large financial investment and you want to make sure you’re getting the best price possible whether that is buying or selling. We are here to help you filter through what’s accurate and what is not.

To start, let’s make sure we understand what a home valuation is. Home valuations take the facts about your home (square…

As 2022 comes to an end, so does this historical time in real estate. As the market shifts, it’s important to talk about where we have been, where the market is headed, and what that looks like for you. There is a good chance you’ve seen something come across your TV, phone, or computer screen that can make you feel a little nervous about what is to come. Let’s break it down into facts and see what it actually means for you.

Where we have been

Even if you were not interested in buying or selling real estate over the past few years, you might have seen segments on the news, read an article, laughed at jokes on the internet, or screamed in frustration over the real estate market. To sum it all up, the market was crazy! We were in an incredibly…

Colder temperatures have officially hit Chattanooga and the North Georgia area. While you may or may not have been prepared since the temperatures have been back and forth, there is no time like the present to prepare your home for the temperature drop. 

Colder weather means higher risks for your home and potentially higher costs. As we are turning on heaters and dealing with freezing temperatures, the risk of fires or water damage increases significantly.  We've put together a list of ways to help you protect your home and wallet throughout the fall and winter seasons. 

1. Cover spigots & drain the hoses 

Now that the temperature has dropped, you won’t be needing much accessible water outside the home. Be sure to cover all of your spigots on…

Over the past couple of years, interest rates on home loans have been historically low and you may have heard a lot of talk about how it was a great time to refinance your home. In today’s market, with interest rates rising, you may hear less about refinancing now and more about buying now and refinance later. If you are wondering, what does it mean to refinance and how will it help me later, we are here to help! 

What is refinancing?

Simply put, refinancing is changing your current loan terms. Common goals for refinancing are to lower one's fixed interest rate to reduce your monthly mortgage payments, change the duration of the loan, switch the type of loan you have, or cash out on your home equity. Many people recently refinanced their…

Buying a house is an exciting time in your life regardless of if you’re a first-time home buyer or purchasing your fifth house. There are a lot of things to consider when buying a home like location, how many bedrooms you need, if are you looking for more storage space, if a yard is important, etc. While purchasing a home is a process, we feel that it is important to understand the upfront costs as you begin the process to help eliminate any surprises. 

To start, it is important to understand these costs are going to be separate from your downpayment. For example, if you’re preapproved for $350,000 and plan to put down 10%, the total amount that you are paying is $35,000 (10% of your loan) plus the following costs. It is also important to note…

In the recent months, the real estate market has begun to shift. What does that mean for you as a buyer? Should you wait for rates to go back down? Should you wait for house prices to drop? Here is what we are seeing in this market shift and why it is a good time to buy. 

1. Housing prices are starting to balance

You may have noticed some homes sitting on the market longer than 48 hours or sellers are dropping their prices in order to sell. This does not mean that the value of the home is decreasing. It means that we have reached the peak of this crazy, rapidly climbing market. Over the past few years, housing prices have increased faster than we've ever seen before. House values were increasing tens of thousands of dollars if not more in just a…

Summer time is the perfect time to plant a beautiful garden, entertain family and friends, or just relax outside. Our front porch is the first thing we see when we home and truly sets the tone for guests entering our house. Updating your curb appeal with a few simple fixes can make all of the difference to your house. Here are our top 5 tips for updating your front porch. 

1. Define Your Focal Point

Chattanooga is lucky enough to have a lot of unique styles of houses throughout. From historic to modern homes, the exterior of each home will have a different focal point. For example, if you have a beautiful staircase leading directly up to your front door, your focal point will most likely be your stairs or front door. Or maybe your front porch…

We are half way through the year 2022 and it has already proven to be one for the books in real estate. We have continued to see multiple offers with competitive bids including above asking prices and little to no contingencies. However, is all of that about to change? 

Based on the market statistics from Greater Chattanooga Realtors, the average from the first half of this year are as follows,

• Median sales price=$295,625
• Days on market=19
• Inventory=850

• Closed transactions per month=912

If we take a look at the end of 2021, the median sales price was $265,000, days on market was 22 days, and inventory ended with 903 properties for sale. In just 6 months, the average median price has increased by $30,000. What this means…

Getting your house ready for summer doesn't just mean uncovering the pool and prepping the grill. It also means checking off a few to do items to make sure your home is ready for the summer season. By keeping up with regular maintenance, it helps to protect your home and can prevent costly repairs down the road. Here are our top 10 items for you to check off your summer to do list.

1. Service & repair your HVAC

As the temperature rises, it is incredibly important to make sure your air conditioner is ready to take on the hot days of summer. While it is recommended that you service your HVAC annually, the weather changes can take its toll on your unit. Having a licensed technician inspect your HVAC can help you beat the heat this year!

2.…

Is moving into your new home on your to-do list? Not just I-have-never-lived here-before new, but no-one-has-ever-lived-here-before new? Whether you're a current homeowner or a first-time home searcher, a newly constructed home could be just what you need to make your property dreams a reality this year. Here are four reasons why new builds could be worth your downpayment and/or putting your current living space on the market.

1. Unleash Your Creativity

If you've ever played the popular computer game The Sims, you know how much it is to design your own space. Depending on when you enter the building process, new home construction can be just like that, but in real life! Whether you're working with a contractor to fill an empty plot or you're…