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Found 46 blog entries tagged as "home".

Savvy sellers, take note! There are many small things you can do to make your home sell faster. Check our our top six best-kept secrets for selling your home quick. 

  1. First Impressions 

Your home may be amazing from the inside, but most buyers judge a home before they even walk in the door. If your home doesn’t appear welcoming from the street, buyers might even pass it by without going inside. Clear any yard clutter—kids’ toys, mower, etc.—and store them away out of sight. Give your front door a spruce with a fresh coat of paint and a wreath. Trim shrubbery and plant colorful flowers. With these small changes, you can make a great impact on how quickly your home sells. 

2. Declutter the Closets

We know what you’re thinking……

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You’re building your dream home! Or at least buying one that is customizable to make your dreams a reality. You might think you know what to expect, but there are several common mistakes people make when looking to buy new construction. 

Mistake #1: Not using a realtor

There’s a sales agent on site at the new construction, so you don’t need a realtor of your own, right? Not so much. Consider whose side the sales agent is on. When you’re buying a home, you want someone to advocate for you and your needs. If the seller’s agent is working for the neighborhood, they have the developer’s best interests in mind—not yours. Choose a realtor who will work for you to negotiate the terms of the sale and advocate for you.

Mistake #2: Not asking what’s…

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Your offer might have been accepted, but don’t clink your champagne glasses just yet! It’s exciting to become a home owner, but every house will have it’s issues. 

The prospect may seem daunting at first, but a home inspection is a necessary evil to make sure you know all of the home’s problems up front. You may even be able to negotiate that the seller cover the cost of some of the repairs. 

Here’s everything you need to know about home inspections:

  1. Here’s what home inspectors cover:

A home inspector will look through a house with a fine-toothed comb to point out any issues there might be. Some of the things they check include:

  • Indoor electrical systems
  • Heating and cooling systems
  • Leaky plumbing
  • Structural…
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First impressions mean a lot when it comes to a home. Whether you’re looking to sell or just want to make your home appear more inviting to guests, check out these small changes that can make a big difference…without breaking the bank!

1. Be bold with door color

Don’t be afraid to express yourself with a unique door color. A pop of yellow, teal or robin’s egg blue can be just the small touch your home needs to stand out. If these colors go a bit too far out of your comfort zone, try a classic glossy red or a deep navy. 

2. Replace door hardware

If you’re already repainting, why not go for the gold. Doorknobs get scratched by keys and worn by weather, and that can take away from the overall appearance of your entry. It’s a small change, but…

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Think you want to try selling your home yourself? Let us try to change your mind with these top six reasons why you need an agent: 

  1. Agents can get your home more exposure.

As a “For Sale By Owner,” you don’t have access to the MLS (multiple listing service), which is the main source for realtors looking for homes for their clients. A realtor has the opportunity to put your home on the MLS and also has a large network of potential buyers that they know personally. A small sign in your yard can only reach a fraction of the homebuyers in town, while a realtor has access to their buyers, their colleagues’ buyers and anyone searching for homes online. 

2. Many FSBOs are priced incorrectly.

Most of the time, FSBOs are…

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Now that the threat of frost is behind us and the heat of summer isn’t in full force quite yet, there’s no better time to grab your tools and get your hands dirty in the garden. 

Not only is gardening a proven stress-reliever and an outlet for creativity, but whether you’re living in your dream home or are looking to sell, good landscaping adds property value. 

Here are a few budget-friendly landscaping tips to get you started: 

  1. Touch up the mulch

It’s amazing how easily a new batch of mulch can make a garden bed look refreshed. Although it won’t cost you much, this is an easy step to create contrast and make all of the plants pop. A layer of mulch protects the soil from the sun—just be sure to make it about two inches deep. We…

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Children thrive on routine. Most parents will tell you that even small changes can be a major hiccup for a little one’s schedule. With this in mind, the prospect of moving—whether its just to a new home or a new city entirely—can be really daunting. Here are a few tips to make this process easier:

1. Discuss the move with the kids

The most important part in making kids comfortable with the idea of moving is by talking about it. Call a family meeting and give them as much information about the move as soon as possible. Explain to the kids the reasoning behind it and how excited you are about the changes. Although the response from them may be negative, be receptive to their feelings and try to explain to them the positive aspects of the move.…

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There are a lot of common misconceptions surrounding real estate agents and real estate in general. Let us set the record straight by debunking these 7 common real estate myths: 

Myth #1 — Agents get incentives to recommend lenders/title companies/inspectors.

This is definitely untrue—against the law, actually—thanks to the 1974 instatement of RESPA: the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. This law prevents any type of kickbacks or favors to real estate agents from vendors which means that any recommendation from an agent is typically based on his/her experience with that particular individual. By recommending them, the agent is only trying to make sure you have an efficient process. 

Myth #2 — Real estate agents try to upsell you to make…

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Great staging is so important to the home selling process. If you want to sell your home quick, a little bit of effort can go a long way. Check out our top 5 tips for staging your home:

1. Banish the Clutter

One of the most important parts of home staging is decluttering and organizing. Having too many items filling a room makes your space look small and chaotic. One creative way to declutter is to try your hand at the 12-12-12 Challenge. Every day up until the home is officially on the market, make it your mission to locate 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate and 12 items to be returned to their proper home. By completing this challenge, you’ve quickly organized 36 things in your home without it feeling as much like drudgery. Try to…

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You have your closing date scheduled, and it’s almost time to sell your place or get the keys to your new home! Here’s a few things to expect as you’re making your way to the closing table:

Be Adaptable

Even though the date has been scheduled, there are often delays that are out of yours or your Realtor’s control. With your paperwork filtering through the hands of the lender, the underwriters and/or the closing attorney, there are many opportunities for hiccups along the way. Although this can be inconvenient with scheduling your move, be sure to have a back-up plan of a place to stay and know the cancellation policy of your moving company in the event that there’s a slight delay in your closing day.

What to Bring

Your title company,…

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