REALTOR® Mag recently posted an illuminating article that shows that the real estate market is currently in a good position for future house sales. The article gives key information about a few important statistics as reported by the National Association of REALTORS®. For example, existing-home sales, including houses, townhomes, condos and co-ops, were 8.8 percent higher in September than they were one year prior. Here in the Midwest, that translated to a sales increase of 12 percent since … [Read more...]
5 Reasons Fall is the Best Time to Buy a Home
October 22, 2015 by
Fall usually signals the beginning of the slow season in real estate. But that could actually work to your advantage if you’re in the market to buy a home this fall. A Zillow article published this week highlights five reasons why now could be the best time to buy a home. According to the article, one cost-saving benefit of autumn house hunting is that overpriced homes listed during the busy spring season typically undergo a series of price reductions by fall making them more affordable for … [Read more...]
Home Selling Tips: The Psychology of Selling Your Home
October 20, 2015 by
Did you know that 80 percent of home buyers know within seconds whether or not they want to buy your home? It’s one of the home selling tips your real estate agent knows all too well, and it’s why they encourage you to put your home’s “best foot forward” immediately at the curb. What you may not know is the science behind this industry secret. According to a recent Realtor.com article on the science of home selling, our minds actually process information more quickly than we perceive. From the … [Read more...]
14 Smart Moves to Make After Attending an Open House
October 16, 2015 by
For many potential homebuyers, attending an open house is a pressure-free way to start gauging the price of homes they may want to buy. But, what happens next? According to Trulia, that depends on how you feel about the home. In a recent article, Paula Pant offers 14 helpful next steps for open house attendees to take based on whether they love the home, are on the fence, or hate it. If you love the home and want to make an offer, get an experienced real estate agent involved immediately. If you … [Read more...]
Buying a Condo: 5 Reasons it’s Smart for Millennials
October 14, 2015 by
With rents rising at twice the rate of income, many millennials are wisely beginning to explore the prospect of buying a home for the first time. According to Zillow, the affordability of buying a condo may make it the smartest way for millennials to enter the realm of homeownership. Because location is often a major selling point for millennial buyers who want to be close to work, night life, and other social settings, buying a condo often offers more bang for the buck than buying a … [Read more...]
The Process of Buying a House: 5 Fears You Can Let Go
October 12, 2015 by
If you’re considering going through the process of buying a house, especially for the first time, it’s normal to feel intimidated by the whole system. After all, the process of buying a house is probably the biggest financial investment you will make. But if your fears are keeping you from taking the plunge into homeownership, real estate expert Brendan Desimone offers some advice that can help give you peace of mind. In a recent Zillow article, he explores the top five fears homebuyers face and … [Read more...]
American Apparel Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
October 8, 2015 by
Made-in-America clothing retailer American Apparel filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week in the wake of poor sales and pending litigation. According to USA Today, the retailer has reached debt restructuring agreements with the majority of its secured debt creditors. The company, who has 8,500 employees who work in six factories and 230 stores worldwide, told the court it plans to close unprofitable stores as part of its restructuring plan. At the time of filing chapter 11 bankruptcy, the … [Read more...]
How to Make Your House More Appealing to Autumn Buyers
October 6, 2015 by
When it comes to attracting buyers for your home, spring and early summer are typically the most popular shopping months for families. After the school year begins, families are less willing to uproot the family with a big move. What does that mean for you if you’re putting your house on the market this autumn? Well, you may need to shift your focus to attract different kinds of buyers. According to Zillow, millennials and empty nesters are more likely to be looking for a home in the fall. To … [Read more...]
Russia Gets First Wave of Personal Bankruptcy Filings
October 2, 2015 by
A new law that allows individual Russian citizens to file personal bankruptcy took effect this week resulting in a wave of filings in courts throughout the country. According to the Associated Press, nearly half a million citizens are now eligible to file for personal bankruptcy under the law’s provisions. Prior to this week, only legal entities were permitted to file bankruptcy, which left individuals without any legal means of debt relief. Based on reports from Russia’s central bank, … [Read more...]
6 Ways New Homeowners Waste Money
October 1, 2015 by
New homeowners may be highly tempted to go on a shopping spree to decorate, landscape, and fill every room with furniture all at once. But, not so fast. Buying a home is an expensive purchase on its own. You don’t want to make the mistake of overextending yourself (or your credit cards) with additional purchases right away when you can more easily tackle them later on down the road. In a recent article, Realtor.com cautions against six cash-draining mistakes new homeowners make. One mistake is … [Read more...]
