Cedar Valley Real Estate Podcast with Amy Wienands

Should you put your home on the market during the winter? Isn’t winter a bad time to sell? Actually, winter may be the ideal time to sell your home for a couple of reasons. Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleThis time of year, a lot of people are saying, “I want to put my house on the market, but isn’t winter a really bad time to sell?”Depending on your home, winter may be the ideal time for you to be on the market. “You will face less competition and your home will be more appealing to buyers. ”The best part is that homes look incredible right now because they are decorated for the holidays. Buyers make their decision based on how warm, inviting, and cozy a home feels, so now is a great time to be on the market.By listing during the winter, you will also face less competition. Most people wait to list their homes in the spring and summer. However, we still have active buyers out there. In this market, buyers are extremely motivated to get into a home. Since there is less inventory and fewer options for buyers to choose from, your home is a perfect candidate to become their home.If you have any questions about preparing your home for the winter market or about real estate in general, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Amy Wienands Real Estate is moving to a new location, and we’re excited to see the chances that being in a new space will bring.Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleAs of Monday, July 24th, my team and I at Amy Wienands Real Estate will be in a new location.We’re excited to have found this new home for our office, which will be located at 1730 West Ridgeway Avenue—right across from the Medical Park.This new space is phenomenal, and the whole team is looking forward to seeing what we can create here for our clients.As we transition from our old location to the new location, we will be closing the office on Friday, July 21st at noon, in order to make the big move. If you need assistance during this time we are closed, you will still be able to reach your designated realtor on their cell phone.“The whole team is looking forward to seeing what we can create here for our clients. ”We’re always obsessively working for you, so we hope you’ll come see us at our new location soon.If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email.I look forward to hearing from you.

With these tips, you can sell your home quickly and for top dollar.Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleEvery home seller wants to sell their home for top dollar and get the quickest deal possible, right? It’s pain-free and hassle-free, but does that deal really exist in the real estate world? Actually, yes it does. Here are three quick tips you can use to sell your home for the most money possible in the shortest amount of time:Utilize our Coming Soon program. This is an awesome way to attract as many buyers to your home as possible before it has an active live date. Use the right kind of photography. A lot of people start out with the intention to hire a professional photographer to photograph their home, but does that person specialize in real estate photography? Real estate photographers know how to shoot the best angles and get the right views.Use video. Did you know if your listing doesn’t have a video attached to it, 29% of the market won’t even look at it online? Remember, it has to be the right kind of video. If you have any questions about this topic or any other real estate topics, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would be happy to work with you.

Open houses are making a comeback in the real estate world, and buyers are making offers almost on the spot. I’ve put together a seller’s guide to open houses to help you seal the deal.Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleOpen houses are making a huge comeback in terms of success rates. Buyers are walking into homes and making offers practically on the spot. So how can you make sure you’re prepared for an open house as a seller?First, make your home as inviting as possible. Make sure the outside areas have been spruced up and make sure it smells amazing when buyers first walk inside.“It needs to smell fresh and crisp when a buyer first walks inside. ”Next, countertops need to be clear. This means no clutter! You can even play a little music. It’s all about creating an inviting energy. Buyers want to fall in love with a home, so you might as well help them fall in love with yours! After all, they came to look at your house for a reason, so seal the deal!If you have any questions or would like so more tips, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We’re always happy to help!

Interest rates have gone up recently, and today, I'll discuss why that's actually a good thing. It also means that if you're thinking about buying a home, the time to act is now.Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleHow will rising interest rates impact you as a home buyer, home seller, or homeowner in the Waterloo market?Rising rates can strike a bit of fear into us. However, rates are just over 4% right now, which is still a phenomenally low rate. It means that we have a stronger economy, and that's a good thing. A bump in interest rates means that there is confidence in the marketplace.Not only are interest rates higher, our stock market is at some of its highest levels ever. This means that there are strong economic indicators that things are looking really good for the future. Higher rates are actually a positive thing.The buyers who have been sitting around thinking about buying a home should know that every time your interest rate rises by 0.5%, you lose about $25,000 in buying power. Now is the time buy! Rates have been predicted to rise every year, but they've been dropping lower and lower until this year. In fact, rates are up about 0.5% over the last six weeks.“Higher interest rates are actually a positive thing. ”If you're thinking about buying a home, there isn't time to wait—I would do it now. The energy in the Cedar Valley is awesome and the market is really hot. January is an active month, and part of it is due to the consumer confidence in our market. Time to jump off the fence and buy a home!If you're ready to buy a home, give me a call or send me an email today. I hope to hear from you soon!

A holiday greeting from Amy Wienands!Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleI just wanted to take a moment to wish our clients and our community Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We have had a wonderful, blessed, and awesome year.“Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”We are excited to do what we do, and it’s a joy to come to work because of you, the clients. So, to all of our clients, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Remember, the gift is in giving, and we are always working for you. 

Don’t wait until spring to put your home on the market just because everyone else is doing it. I think that fall is actually the best time of year to sell your home. Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleIs fall a good time to put your home on the market, or should you wait until spring? People constantly ask me that question, and I’m here to tell you that fall is a great time to put your house on the market. In fact, fall could be the best time to put your house on the market. I think it is good sometimes to be a contrarian. Right now, everyone puts their house on the market in the spring and summer. Homes that didn’t sell over the summer are expiring now, so if you put your home on the market, you will have a lot less competition.You should also know that there are still serious buyers out there. A lot of these buyers have been looking throughout the spring and summer but haven’t found that perfect home yet. Still, they want to be in their new home before the holidays.When you list in the fall, your home will spend fewer days on the market, which will bring your home price up. Statistics show that homes listed in the fall sell quicker than homes listed in the spring or summer, and they also sell for 1% more. I’ve always thought that fall was a good time to sell. In fact, I put my own home on the market right before Thanksgiving. If I had listed in the summer, I would have been competing with new construction and I knew that I would be competing with them again if I listed in the spring.That said, there are a few things you will have to do differently if you sell in the fall. For example, your house has to be warm. There is nothing worse than walking into a cold house in the fall. Remember to replace your furnace filters before you turn the heat on.“Make sure your home is clean, warm, and cozy. ”You should also keep your yard well-maintained. Even though leaves are dropping everywhere, your yard still needs to look great. Get the rakes out and clean everything up. You may have to do that every week for a few weeks, but keeping your yard clean will boost your curb appeal.There is nothing like walking into a warm home on a fall day and being greeted by the smell of pumpkin spice or an apple pie. You need to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. If your home is vacant, we can add some Scentsy candles or aromatherapy to create that atmosphere for you. Put pumpkins on your front steps and plant some mums. People are compelled to buy your home when the curb appeal pops. When they walk in and your home looks great, feels great, and smells great, they will think, “I can be in this home before the holidays? Great!”If you have any other questions about selling in the fall or getting your home ready for the fall market, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleDecluttering your home is an easy thing to do, but could cost you thousands if you fail to do it properly. It’s the number one mistake home sellers make when listing their home.In today’s market, 97% of buyers start their home search online. That’s where your first showing is. If your home is cluttered when it’s photographed, buyers will quickly pass by it. “ Decluttering your home makes it more appealing to buyers. ”The first thing we do when we walk into a seller’s house is have them declutter. Start with clearing off the counters, fridge, and other furniture. Take the knick knacks, books, and all other personal items out of the room to give it a more neutral feel.You’ll be amazed at how your home looks after a bit of elbow grease and decluttering. It won’t look like your home anymore, but you’re moving anyway, right? Preparing your home in this way will help you fetch the highest offer possible.If you have any other questions about getting your home ready for the market or real estate in general, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you! 

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleIf you’re a seller, you might be frustrated if you’re not seeing the activity you were expecting to get from the summer selling season. There are a few things to keep in mind:The summer is spotty. People take vacations, get ready for the upcoming school year, play in sports tournaments, and travel all over the place. To put it simply, it’s easy for potential buyers to become distracted. “We’ve got a strong season ahead of us. ”The good news is that school is starting soon. At this point in the season, the market will begin to pick up and continue to remain strong throughout the remainder of the fall season.So if your house is struggling a bit on the market right now, take heart because we’ve got a strong season ahead of us.For more information about your real estate needs, give us a call or send us an email today. We’re always obsessively working for you.

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleToday, I want to discuss a few Cedar Valley buying trends that I've noticed lately. All over the country, millennials are entering the market - but "what are they buying?" and "how are they buying?" are questions on everyone's mind.It's a fact: the millennial buyer thinks and acts differently than all other buyers. If you're selling, the key is to eliminate maintenance, as this is the biggest objection millennial buyers will have. If you don't understand that, it could cost you thousands!Millennials subscribe to the "less is more" philosophy. They prefer white woodwork, high ceilings, gray tones, and other neutral features. Millennials, generally, would rather have more quality and less space. A big house that needs a lot of work is something they simply aren't interested in.  If you would like more tips about how to sell your home to millennial buyers, we would love to help. We have some younger agents on our team who help keep us current with the latest trends, so we know exactly what you have to do to get your home sold! Give us a call or shoot us an email for the service you deserve! We would love to hear from you!

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleI occasionally get people in my office who want to buy a home, but they have no credit history whatsoever. This leads me to a good question: is it better to have bad credit or no credit?From the perspective of a lender, it is riskier to lend to someone with no credit history at all than someone with bad credit. They have no way of telling if you are good at making payments or not. When you have bad credit, we can fix it. But if you have no credit at all, there is no way of telling what kind of borrower you might be.A lot of the time, no credit ends up getting you no mortgage. This is why it's not a terrible idea to start building credit now. You can buy a credit card and put a very small balance on it, and pay it off month to month to build a little bit of consistent credit history.It's surprising to most people, but it is better to have bad credit than no credit at all. If you want to buy a home in the future, I highly suggest that you begin to build credit now.If you need help buying or selling in Cedar Valley, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleIf you list your home in the winter, you need to prepare adequately. Living in a snowy area during the colder months means all landscapes are hidden beneath blankets of snow.During the holidays, put a wreath on your door. Make it warm. Add lights. Play up your front door. When a prospective buyer pulls into your driveway before touring, they should feel welcome. They should be able to picture themselves in your home. Decorations add pizzazz to attract potential buyers through curb appeal.When a house is vacant, it needs to feel warm. It shouldn’t feel empty or abandoned, even though no one is currently living inside of it. It needs to feel like a home more than just a house. Keep your heat up and warm the property up, even when you are not there. Additionally, you’ll need to stage your home minimally if it’s vacant.The biggest piece of advice I can offer is to keep your sidewalk, driveway, and other paths plowed of snow. Walkways should be clear and easily accessible. Plus, do some decorating inside and outside of your home. These strategies pay off when bids start flowing in!If you have any questions about this topic or more, give us an email or call today. We’d be happy to hear from you.

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleGetting an offer on your home right after listing it is a great problem to have. Should you accept it? Or is it a sign that there are better offers to come?I've been in the business 22 years, and the old adage that says the first offer is the best is true 99% of the time! I recently had a client who listed their home and received an offer within $9,000 of their list price. They ended up countering the offer for $2,000 and ended up losing the buyer. Nine months later, they sold their home for $60,000 less. You don't want this to happen to you!The longer your home sits on the market, the less negotiating power you have; if your home has been sitting on the market for a long time, many buyers have seen it and there isn't a sense of urgency about it. When your home has been on the market for only a few days or a few weeks, on the other hand, there is a lot more urgency because buyers aren't sure how long it will be available for.For more real estate advice and assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleIt’s an exciting time to be alive, and an exciting time to be in the Cedar Valley. It’s holiday time, people are cheery, and all the holiday hoopla is starting up.Today we just wanted to take a moment to tell you about a special event that we are sponsoring this holiday season. The Brazilian 2wins is a great band, and we are hosting a concert series with them this holiday season.The first show is Friday, December 18 at Independence High School. The shows on Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20 will be at the Oster Regent Theatre right here in Cedar Valley.To get more info on the event, head on over to our Facebook page. If you have any other questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We can’t wait for you to see the shows!

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleToday we are going to talk about something that your homeowner’s insurance policy may not cover that could greatly affect you, especially here in Cedar Valley.Just last week, we had a situation where we found bat droppings in an attic during an inspection. This has happened about 20-25 times over the past year, even though most of the homeowners have no idea they have bats. Brown house bats are becoming an epidemic in our area. The ridge vents that are on our houses to keep ventilation flowing are the perfect housing space for brown house bats. Most insurance policies cover bats, however, not all of them cover the bat droppings.Bat droppings are considered pollutants on certain policies, and they are an expensive fix. This particular seller had about $5,000 worth of expenses that they had no idea about. Double check your homeowner’s policy that it covers things like this, because it can be an expensive fix, up to $20,000 in some cases. You never know what’s happening in the places you don’t see every day, and it's better to be safe than sorry.If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleToday we are going to talk about the pitfalls of hiring a friend or family member as your Realtor. Most people’s homes are one of their biggest assets, and one that must be protected. We recently had a situation where a home had been sitting on the market for the past 6 months without selling. We took a look at the listing online and the first thing we saw were some truly awful photographs of the home. When I met with the sellers, I told them their pictures and marketing materials weren’t up to par, and it was no wonder their home hadn’t sold.The big mistake they made was feeling like they owed it to their friend to hire them to sell their home. The lack of knowledge and experience demonstrated by that friend ended up costing them about $20,000 on the value of their home because it sat on the market for so long. After we got this listing, we had to spend a lot of time repositioning the home at a time of year when homes don’t sell as easily as they do in the spring and summer. Homes still sell, but the colder temperatures bring fewer buyers to the market.If they had to start over, they told me they wouldn’t have made the decision to hire their friend. When you hire a friend, you can’t have those honest conversations about how you want them to sell your home because you don’t want to ruin that relationship, and that’s understandable. So do yourself a favor and hire a full-time Realtor with a full-time team. You owe it to yourself to hire someone who is going to do the best possible job selling your home. If you have any questions, or are looking to sell your home quickly and for top dollar, give us a call. We would love to help you out!

Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value reportBuying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for saleDoes the millennial buyer pool affect you? If so, what can you to do to cater to it? You might think that because your home is worth $200,000, anyone between 18 and 34 won’t be interested in it. Maybe it’s your second or third home. However, the economy has changed and college graduates earn more than in the past. Additionally, interest rates are historically low at 3.5%. Check out these tips on how to cater to millennials.Millennials hate maintenance. Get it taken care of ahead of time, before you even list!Millennials love grey! It’s the most popular neutral color out there. They love darker floors and white trims.Millennials make decisions quickly! Within the first thirty seconds of walking into your home, they most likely have already made their decision.Millennials want to see quality content on the online listing. Add engaging photos and detailed information to spark interest in buyers.If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the area this year, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!