As the dust settles and the smoke clears from the holiday season, you may think this is a horrible time to have your home on the market. This is actually one of the best times of year to list your home for sale for several reasons: 1) Inventory is usually at its lowest level at the beginning and end of the year, 2) access for buyers to see your home is also easy… much easier than in the summer months; and 3) many potential buyers receive holiday bonuses from the employers or gifts from family members.
How Hurricanes Affect Home Sales
Every year hurricane season rolls up on us fast and furious. No the dates don’t change, they are standard from June 1st through November 30th. But, until one is looming or on a path headed our way we seem to “conveniently forget” the ramifications they have in closing on the buying or selling of a home.
Your REALTOR® and Their Value To You
Value. How often do we hear this word in a Real Estate transaction? Most of the time it is being used in the discussion of a property of interest or after an appraisal of your home. But, have you considered the Value your REALTOR® holds in the transaction of buying or selling property? If not you should!
Marriage, Surfing and Real Estate
Marriage, surfing, and real estate. You ask, what do these three things have in common? You can read all of the books, watch all of the instructional videos take surfing lessons, get pre-marriage counseling, hire a real estate coach, but with all three you have to actually get in the water, walk down the aisle or sit at a closing table to get the full experience. With all three it takes perseverance, patience and commitment.
Listing Assistance and Advice
The main objective when listing a home on the market is to sell it at the highest possible price based on current market conditions in as few days as possible. One of the main factors would be the competition in the market place for a home similar to yours whether it be in neighborhood, size, price range. There are a few factors that can always help place you one step ahead of the rest and hopefully capture the eyes of buyers in a timely manner:
Curb Appeal—It Matters!
Like it or not, many buyers make a decision about a home before even walking through the front door. It’s not unusual for me to take buyers to see several homes, and when we drive up to a home on their list of showings, they tell me to drive on– they don’t even want to bother seeing that particular home. How do you boost your home’s curb appeal and create a great first impression with potential buyers? Here are a few ways:
Outer Banks Beach House: Time to Buy or Sell?
Before I jump right in with a resounding “yes” I hope to answer more than the question of whether it is time to buy or sell an Outer Banks beach house. I want you to see the positive outlook for both buyers and sellers alike. I would like to think that anyone will do well from either side of the [negotiating] table as prices have not skyrocketed like the early-to-middle years of the previous decade. Given the current economic conditions and financial policies in place we should not see a bubble like that again in our lifetime, hopefully. Either way, the year-over-year gains is a confidence booster for all parties.
REALTOR® Designations and You
As you know from reading REALTORS® e-mails, websites, bios and such there is an alphabet soup that we REALTORS® love to share with other clients and the public. These letters correspond with certain “designations and certifications” offered by the National Association of REALTORS® in order to expand our knowledge base and continue our education. The following is a description of each REALTOR® Designation and what it may do for you or someone you know:
The Outer Banks in the Fall is Awesome
Fall is an awesome time of the year in the Outer Banks for visitors and for real estate.
During September and October, the Outer Banks transforms back to what I consider paradise. The weather is pretty much perfect, as the water is still warm and the air temperatures are too. The humidity drops off for the most part and you begin to get some of those mornings where the air is crisp. The stop and go traffic on 158 is just a thing of the past. Even left turns are possible again onto the big road. You typically don’t have to wait in long lines at the grocery stores, restaurants, or any of the other local establishments. It’s that time again for oysters, the return of tuna season, football, and long sleeves in the evenings. There is plenty to do without feeling crowded. The schools hold their annual pumpkin fairs. There are Halloween parties and the annual seafood festival, and the sound-front site in Nags Head has been recently, gorgeously transformed. Do yourself a favor and come out this October 17 for a great gathering of local restaurant owners who will be showing off their finest vittles. And don’t forget, you can still go anytime and enjoy our greatest asset – the beach!!
Changes To Flood Insurance As Of April 2015
Well ladies and gentlemen, watch your flood renewals, because as of April 1, 2015 FEMA began the implementation of the congressional mandated reforms to the NFIP – National Flood Insurance Program. Based on the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (HFIAA) which was enacted to repeal and modify the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012. These new laws will slow some of the rate increases and offer some policyholders relief that saw gigantic rate increases in 2013 and 2014 based on the prior storms. The flood insurance rates and other charges were revised for new and existing policies on April 1, 2015.