Charlotte Real Estate Podcast with Dan Jones

You will likely not make as much money when selling to a cash-offer site. If you're thinking about selling your home for a cash offer, stop! We're seeing hundreds of people around the Charlotte area selling their house for cash and thinking that they're getting the best terms, price, and conditions. If a cash offer works best for you, that's fantastic. However, you're likely leaving money on the table. We just sold a house for $70,000 more than what the major cash-offer sites would have given. If you don't want to show your house and you're willing to get $70,000 less, call me, and we'll make sure your house sells with no showings. Don't believe the hype these cash offers advertise. Let's see what your house would can actually sell for in this market. If you have any questions, reach out to us by phone or email. We look forward to making sure your home sells for top dollar in this crazy market.

Inflation in the marketplace could affect your plans in the Charlotte area. How does inflation impact the housing market? Inflation is a simple equation of supply and demand in our real estate world. Supply has been incredibly low, and demand has been extremely high. Another way inflation has worked its magic into the real estate market is that money has been cheap with low interest rates. Until interest rates rise to where they were about a year and a half ago, we'll see prices increase, which is good if you're thinking about selling your house. However, some people will be priced out of the market, and a lot of them are continuing to rent. Three things could happen in the market moving forward: 1. The market could flatten. Interest rates would need to jump dramatically and quickly to put some people on the sidelines and level out the supply and demand. “Real estate is a good way to hedge against inflation.” 2. Prices could decrease dramatically. If this were to happen, which isn't likely, banks have learned from the pandemic and the 2008 recession, and they are willing to work with buyers and homeowners with late payments, lost jobs, etc. 3. Continued drastic price increases. We hope we don't see this. In North Carolina, we saw 21% gains in home values last year. Our advice for this market is still to purchase, especially if you'll be in your house for more than six years. Since the 1970s, inflation has chased home values, not the other way around, so real estate is a good way to hedge against inflation over the next few years. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us by phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Our real estate market is desperate for more homes to sell to buyers. Let's make it rain listings! Our real estate market needs more homes to sell, so if you're considering selling, give us a call. We have hundreds of buyers waiting to buy your house. Whether you're thinking about moving out of the area, living in a different part of the area, downsizing, or upsizing, let us know.  Last year, we hit a 15-year record for the number of homes sold. In 2021, we sold over six million homes compared to the roughly five and a half million in the last two years. However, the number of listings we have is decreasing monthly. If you're interested in selling your house or have any questions, give us a shout via phone or email. We would love to help you.

Despite some concerns about a bubble, it's still a good time to buy a home. 77% of consumers and 44% of real estate agents believe that we're in a housing bubble, so there's skepticism that it's not a great time to buy a home, but there's still potential in our market. We believe that we'll see a slight shift in the market within the next 12 to 24 months. We don't expect any wild changes because people still have plenty of equity in their houses that they can use toward a down payment for another.  Even though we're in a wacky real estate market right now, it's still a good time to buy a house. Here's a little math for you: Let's say you pay $2,000 per month in rent for the next four years. That's $96,000 that could have been paying down a mortgage, where you'd also get a tax deduction for your interest payments. If you bought a house instead, you would have made that much money unless home prices dropped by $100,000, which I just don't see happening. “We believe that we'll see a slight shift in the market within the next 12 to 24 months.” Remember that there's a chance our market remains stable; many more people have excellent credit scores now than they did during the last bubble. Yes, we may see a bit of a bubble within the next year or two, but it still makes sense to purchase a house in this market and hedge against inflation. Buying now and riding the wave still beats throwing money away on rent, so if you find a house you love, by all means, go after it. If you have any questions about buying a home or real estate in general, call or email us. We would love to help you.

These are the pros and cons of 1031 exchanges as a real estate investor. Today I'm sharing the pros and cons of a 1031 exchange for those of you who own a rental property or are considering buying one. Let's say you buy a rental property for $200,000, and in a few years, it's worth $300,000. You're ready to sell it and want to keep that extra $100,000, but you'll have to pay income taxes on the money it earned over time. However, with a 1031 exchange, you'll buy a similar property to the one you're selling with the money you earned from the sale. (Though, the property can be a little smaller or larger than the first one.) When you move those funds with a 1031 exchange, you avoid paying taxes on them. I'm currently doing a 1031 exchange where I'm selling one property and putting the proceeds into two different properties. That allows me to get a very low interest rate on the two new properties because I've split the proceeds from the first property and have $125,000 to use as each new one's down payment. I'll have a 3.5% interest rate over 10 to 20 years, which means my money is working hard for me twice. Of course, I'll also avoid taxes because I rolled those dollars into like-properties. “Investing in real estate is always a good idea, whether you're doing it short or long term.” However, there is a negative side to 1031 exchanges. Eventually, you'll have to pay taxes on the income you're making from these properties unless you keep making 1031 exchanges. If that's the case, it'll likely be a family member down the line that will benefit from the money you're making from your investments, not you. Of course, you can always pay the large amount of money you'll owe for taxes and keep whatever's left. Keep in mind that if you decide to do a 1031 exchange, you only have 45 days from the moment you sell one property to identify the next one you're purchasing. Then once you close on the first property, you have six months to close on the second one. Remember that investing in real estate is always a good idea, whether you're doing it short or long term. If you have questions about 1031 exchanges or any other real estate matter, call or email us. We would love to speak with you. We're also never too busy to help someone you refer to us.

Discussing our bold predictions for the 2022 real estate market. What is going to happen in our market this year? That's the question on everyone's minds, so we want to talk about our bold predictions for our 2022 real estate market. If you've followed my video blog, you'll know that we've been calling for rates to increase little by little as the economy recovered. Over the last two years, they've actually dropped, and that's raised prices through the roof. Sellers got to enjoy high prices, and buyers could lock in a low rate. In 2022, our team boldly predicts that interest rates will eventually go up. Hopefully, that will relieve the pressure on pricing and we can avoid a bubble. We aren't in one right now, but if we continue at this pace of 15% appreciation for a few years, we would be headed to doomsday.  The Federal Reserve won't let us get to that point. Keep an eye on interest rates. By the end of the year, we'll probably be at 3.75% or even 4%, depending on some other factors. “Interest rates will eventually go up this year.” If you're thinking about selling your house, there will still be plenty of buyers. A lot of people still have equity in their homes, but if we don't increase interest rates, something is going to have to give. If you're a buyer, this will be a great year for you. You need to take advantage of the interest rates before they get to 3.75%. Your monthly payment will go up as rates rise, and it'll take a while for prices to adjust to the new interest rates.  Expect prices to increase this year as well. However, they won't go up 16% like they did the last few years; look for a moderate increase.  The bottom line is that if you're not planning to stay in the property long term, be cautious of where and with whom you buy. If you're not planning to live in the home for four to five years or use it as a long-term rental property, then it might not be a great time to buy. You need the low interest rate to work hard for you over the years to make sure you get a good deal. As always, if you have any questions about our predictions or real estate in general, feel free to call or email us. We look forward to hearing from you.

We've partnered with Movement Mortgage to create CLT Mortgage. Today we want to introduce you to CLT Mortgage. CLT Mortgage is a joint venture with Movement Mortgage who we've partnered with. They're one of the top mortgage companies in the area, and we are going to be doing business as CLT Mortgage going forward.  If you need anything in regards to mortgage services, getting your house sold, finding your first house, or buying and selling at the same time, keep us in mind. We're here to make this process easy for you and ensure you get the best terms and conditions as part of your real estate experience. To get qualified for a loan, contact Truman Pennington at (704) 550-6199. If you have any questions or if you would like to refer a family member or friend, don't hesitate to reach out to our team. We look forward to hearing from you.

Here are the latest numbers and news in Charlotte real estate. The latest data is in for the Charlotte real estate market, and I'm here today to break it all down for you.  Let's start with the average number of offers received per home. As you can see at 0:23 in the video above, the number of offers has fallen a little from its peak in April 2021, but it's way up from where it was in 2017. This is the national average too, so you can bet that the average in Charlotte is higher. Is the market softening? At 1:00, you'll see a measure of our inventory levels from January 2011 to January 2021. Back in 2011, we were up around 9.5 months of inventory, but now we're back down to 2.6 months. If you're thinking about selling, this year and next year will give you a pretty good window. “Nearly half of all homes sold over list price last month.” If you're a buyer, are homes affordable compared to the past? Historically, the percentage of your income that you'd need for a mortgage payment is around 21.2%. Over the last few months, we've seen that number rise from 14% to around 17%.  For everyone who thinks the market is softening up, take a look at the percentage of homes selling over list price. Nearly half of all homes that are sold are selling over list price, and if you list and price your home correctly, yours will too. If you think the market is still softening, I invite you to check out those charts in the video again. If you still have questions or need anything at all, don't hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What's going to happen to home values over the next three or four years? If you think your home value is going to drastically go up or down over the next three or four years, it's actually probably going to be somewhere in the middle. I predict that we'll see a price increase here in the Charlotte area, so let's talk about the how and the why. Tons of people are still relocating to the area, and for the next 12 to 24 months, I don't foresee interest rates rising too much. If they stay around 3.5% to 4%, that still leaves a lot of margin for those who buy houses to rent out. It may even be cheaper than actual rent payments. “We'll see more moderate changes (3% to 4%) as more inventory comes on the market.” How high are home prices going to go in 2021? Well, we did see an increase similar to what we saw back in 2006 through 2008. During those years, we saw growth rates between 10% and 12% year over year. This year, it looks like we're on pace for around a 9% increase in the Charlotte area. However, don't expect to have another 10% increase from last year to this year. We'll see more moderate changes (3% to 4%) as more inventory comes on the market. Home sales are still up, but as more homes come on the market, some buyers are getting discouraged and don't want to buy anymore. Over the next two or three years, the supply and demand in the market will become more stable than it is now, where there's way more demand than supply. If you have any questions about our predictions or would like to talk more specifically about your home values, don't hesitate to reach out to us via phone or email. We'd love to help you.  

Here's a quick update on our crazy Charlotte real estate market. The market here in Charlotte is hotter than a wig in August! Homes that would typically never sell are leaving the market within a week.  If you are a buyer, please get in touch with our team. We can inform you about houses as soon as they hit the market. In fact, we can sometimes let you know about a house before it hits the market. You won't have to compete with so many other buyers, and your offer could get a leg up.  Meanwhile, if you're looking to sell, don't underlist your house. Our team can help you price and market your home properly so you don't end up leaving money on the table. We are living in one of the hottest markets in recent memory. Make sure you take proper advantage and get in touch with us.  If you are looking to buy or sell, there isn't a better team in the Charlotte area. We look forward to helping you!

Here are some key numbers to know if you're planning to buy or sell a home. I have a quick update for you on the Charlotte real estate market as we head toward the end of summer. We'll take a closer look at the latest numbers, inventory levels, and what's going on with monthly mortgage payments as prices increase. In the chart at 0:19 in the video above, we didn't quite see the 40% increase in inventory that we usually see between March and April. We did see a spike in May, which are the most recent inventory numbers to come out. That's good news for buyers because more inventory means less competition for you. The average mortgage rate right now is 3.17%. By the end of the second quarter of 2022, we may see an average of 3.57% according to industry experts, which will still be a great number to lock in if you're in the market to buy. “This is still a crazy-hot market if you're looking to sell.” As far as monthly payments are concerned, homebuyers were paying an average of $1,184 per month on their mortgage payments in May. This figure is slightly up from right around $1,000 in May 2020. If we wind the clock back to 2008, that average payment was closer to $1,500. We're still well over $300 below the average payment from that time. This is still a crazy-hot market if you're looking to sell. There is also more inventory coming your way if you're a buyer. If you have any questions about the market or real estate in general, don't hesitate to reach out via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

These two examples show why pricing is so critical for today’s home sellers Today we want to talk about what it might cost you if you choose the wrong agent to help you sell your home. Here are two examples that perfectly illustrate the point. The first example was a property that was listed for $400,000. We looked at it and said there was no way it could be a $400,000 house; we thought it was worth a lot more. We looked into it, and we followed the sale until it closed at $515,000.  With all its upgrades, I think this home easily could have been listed and appraised for $545,000. The house was vacant and in really good condition. It was listed for tens of thousands less than it should have and sold for that much less. “When a home sits on the market, buyers start to wonder what’s wrong.” Another example is from a seller who was on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to pricing. The agent they were working with initially gave them a price that was way higher than they should have listed at. They ended up having to drop the price three times, and at that point, people started to think there was something wrong with the house. When a home sits on the market, that’s what happens.  After 80 days, we got a call asking for our help. We got the home back on the market and every agent who showed the property gave the feedback of “there must be something wrong.” By the time this thing closed, the sellers had five extra months’ worth of payments to make on this home plus the mortgage payment on their new home. They ended up spending an extra $25,000 just because they priced their home in hopes the market would chase the property, not the other way around. Pricing is essential in today’s market. It’s not a one-size-fits-all answer, and each property is different. If you have any questions about selling your home or anything else related to real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Here’s the evidence to prove that our market is red-hot these days. Just how hot is our real estate market? If a listing that’s priced well and in reasonable shape comes onto the market, it’s gone almost immediately. We’re seeing between 10 and 20 buyers for every listing, so if you’ve been considering selling, now is the time. The other day we listed a home at $265,000, but we already received four offers in just the coming-soon stage—they hadn’t even seen the house in person.  All that means we need inventory. Nearly every property listed at $350,000 and under will draw multiple offers, and homes above that price point still have multiple-offer potential. If you’re thinking about selling but are concerned about where you’ll move afterward, you need a team of agents who will prospect in every neighborhood you’re interested in to find the right house. “Get the best deal possible while interest rates are still very low.” We need to establish a game plan. We’ll take photos, do 3D imaging, and make a Matterport virtual tour so people can walk through your home virtually. We need to have all that ready so that you’re prepared to sell when we find the right house for you to buy. You’ll likely get a better deal, sell your property in a more reasonable amount of time, and the transition will be simple. Get the best deal possible while interest rates are still very low.  If you know anyone looking to buy or sell real estate, keep us in mind. Also, if you have any questions about the market or real estate in general, call or email us. We look forward to speaking with you.

Here are the topics that everyone is discussing in today’s real estate market. Today we’re discussing four different topics that all connect to tell the story of our real estate market: 1. Forbearance/foreclosures. At 0:15 in the video above, you’ll see a breakdown of all the homeowners in forbearance and where they are in the process. More than 50% of them are caught back up with their payments, and only 1.8% of properties are in short sale or foreclosure right now.  2. Mortgage rates. At 1:05 in the video above, you’ll see a graph showing how mortgage rates have changed since January 2020. As you’ll see, there was a steady decline until about February of this year, then rates have picked up and now sit around 3%. This is still a much lower figure than we had at this time last year, so there is still a great opportunity for buyers to lock in their rate or homeowners to refinance to a lower one. “Certain markets have overvalued homes while others don’t.” 3. Inventory. At 1:30 in the video above, you’ll see how existing homes have been trending since September 2019. Inventory dipped last January, rose again in the summer, but has since dropped down to less than two months. This is great news for sellers, but they also need to have a strategy to buy in a market with this little inventory. 4. Overvalued homes? According to Mark Fleming, the Chief Economist at First American, they’re not. He said, “Nationally, house-buying power continues to exceed the median sale price, and that implies housing is not overvalued today.” In certain markets, that’s true, but in certain markets it isn’t. Reach out to me to figure out where values are in your neighborhood. If you have any questions for me about these or other real estate topics, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Here’s your update on the real estate market for the month of September. For today’s market update, let’s first take a look at the national changes we’ve noticed with respect to showing traffic. When COVID-19 first hit, pretty much everything slammed on the brakes. However, since that shock in spring, we’ve seen an increase in showing traffic, which tells us that houses are still being shown and are still going under contract despite the pandemic. Next, the data shows us that from mid-March to late May, purchase applications slowed down year over year. After that period, they began to surge again. Since interest rates are so low, people in the market are still looking to buy homes—now is a killer time to do it. The number of newly pended deals spiked by up to almost 17% year over year. Part of that is due to the lack of home sales for the six weeks that they dipped, but the numbers don’t lie—houses are moving. “The number of mortgages in active forbearance is leveling off, meaning that people are starting to pay their mortgages again.” Let’s take a look at the projections for future home prices; many of those who thought there would be a lot of foreclosures and short sales in the future were not totally wrong, but rather just off by potentially 12, 24, or even 36 months. Here’s how the major institutions project home prices to increase: Fannie Mae: 4.4% National Association of Realtors: 4.3% MBA: 4% Zillow: 3.6% Zelman: 3% Reuters’ Poll: 3% Freddie Mac: 2.3% CoreLogic: 0.6% Haus: -1.1% I personally predict they’ll rise by 4% or possibly even 5% over the next year. That’s good if you’re thinking about selling your house, but on the flip side, if those rates continue to increase at that frequency, what’s going to happen in 36 months? When interest rates start to come back down, prices will at least level off, or maybe dip down just a little bit. If you’re buying a house, you need to hire an agent who knows the market, is able to get you the best possible price, terms, and conditions on the property, and can help you get the cheapest money possible so that you can be secure in the short and long term if you purchase within the next 12 to 24 months. I also have some good news regarding forbearance: The number of mortgages in active forbearance is leveling off. That means that people are starting to pay their mortgages again. The banks were sweating bullets earlier in the year, but now people are getting back in the game. Finally, let’s look at the percentage of distressed property sales going back to 2012. Back then, around one out of every three properties sold was a distressed property. Over time, that percentage dropped drastically. This year, foreclosures and short sales represented less than 1% of sales in July. That could rise to 1.5% or 2% over the next 12 months, but that’s still drastically low compared to 2012. If you have any questions about the market or are looking to buy or sell real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you.

You can help CREE Cares give back to those in need. Today we want to spread the word about CREE Cares, our team’s compassion program dedicated to assisting those in need.  If you know anyone in our community who’s been struggling financially due to COVID or any other factors, we’re here to help. For every transaction a member of our team makes, a portion of our company commission will be allocated to an anonymous donation fund for those in need. “If you know anyone in our community who’s been struggling financially due to COVID or any other factors, we’re here to help.” All you have to do is visit creecares.com and fill out an application for anyone you know who could use our assistance. Their information will be kept strictly confidential. If you’d like to donate to this fund, send us an email and we’ll get back to you with further instructions.  As always, if you have questions about this subject or there’s anything else we can help you with, feel free to reach out to us as well. We’d love to hear from you.

Enter one of our two current contests for the chance to win stellar prizes! We have two contests happening right now! First, if you have a wig at your house, put it on, and the first 10 people to text us with a of photo of themselves in it at (704) 724-3418 will win a $25 gift card to either BP, Amazon, or Target.  The second is a referral contest. The first three people who send a referral to our team at refercree.com will receive an excellent prize. However, we’re keeping the prize a secret! If you know someone who is looking to buy or sell real estate in our area, please send us that referral. “Win a $25 gift card or a secret prize!” Even when a contest isn’t going on, we would love to be your high-performing real estate team. Let us know if your friends or family are looking for top agents to assist them with their goals.  Thank goodness for the current low interest rates! Now is the time to buy and sell, especially if you’re looking to be in your next home for the next six to 10+ years.  If you have any questions about these contests or real estate in general, reach out via phone or email. Hope to speak to you soon!

Here are the stats behind our market’s astonishing recovery as we push into Q3. In April, market activity came to a screeching halt, as evidenced by the graph at 0:25 in the video above; by the second week of that month, the number of people applying for a loan decreased 30% from what it was the year prior. However, as we reached mid-May and carried on through late July, purchase applications increased year over year as cabin fever spread. Those 11 consecutive weeks of year-over-year purchase application increases were a big driving force for the market, especially our local market; this buyer demand doesn’t seem to be slowing down, either.  At 1:02 in the video you can see a graph displaying the year-over-year change in listings. Though new listings reached a peak in early July, then dipped down, we’re now seeing them sneak back up slightly. A lot of folks are still hesitant to put their home on the market given the uncertainty around finding their next home. If you’re a homebuyer, we understand your struggle to find a property right now. This difficult market is precisely why you need a top agent on your side helping you get an edge and source better deals amid our low inventory. “A healthy high-end market is indicative of a healthy overall housing market.” Check out the surge in urban high-end listings charted at 1:43 in the video. People are fleeing densely populated urban areas right now, and cities like Chicago and Indianapolis are seeing a 45% and 40% year-over-year increase in these types of listings respectively. Folks are looking to capitalize on the low interest rates to buy property in which they can sprawl out and comfortably spend the next eight to 15 years. A healthy high-end market is indicative of a healthy overall housing market. Despite recession fears, this sector is holding up remarkably well.  Larger real estate companies and market research firms typically known for their reluctance to comment or speculate have been uncharacteristically expressive about our current market; here’s what some had to say about it:   “Shockingly strong” - HousingWire “[Our market] has been nothing short of remarkable” - Meyers Research  “[It] stared the pandemic right in the eye and hasn’t blinked’ - Zillow “An astonishing rebound” - Realtor.com  There’s a ton of active buyers who still need options, so if you or someone you know is thinking about selling soon, contact us. We’d love to be your referral source for life. As always, reach out to us by phone or email if you have other real estate questions or needs. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Here’s a quick rundown of how our economy has affected the housing market. In the wake of COVID-19, how has the economy affected the housing market? Since it’s been such a big topic lately, we’ll first address forbearance. It’s worth noting how much equity people have in their homes right now. Even if they don’t go back to their jobs after being furloughed, they have the option to sell their property and rent for several months while they look for a new job.  At 0:12 in the video above, you can see that roughly 59% of all homeowners in America have at least 30% equity in their home, and 18% of all homeowners have at least 20% equity. Those who anticipated a wave of short sales and foreclosures failed to consider just how much equity American homeowners really have right now. “The economy is back on the upswing, and people are going back to work.” What about the unemployment rate? At 1:14, you can see the percentage of jobs that were lost and not coming back during various periods over the last decade: April 2010: 10.5% February 2017: 5% December 2019: 3.7% April 2020: 4.6% May 2020: 5% June 2020: 5.9% As you can see, even though the unemployment rate rose as high as 15% after COVID hit, only about a third of those jobs aren’t coming back. The really good news, however, is that 3,000,074 jobs were predicted to be added back to the economy in June, and we exceeded that number. In total, over 4.8 million jobs were added.  If you haven’t reviewed your goals for the second half of 2020 in a while, now’s the time to revisit them. The economy is back on the upswing, and people are going back to work. Some are choosing to work from home, but jobs are still coming back.  As far as the housing market goes, interest rates are still at an all-time low. We just locked in a refinance for a property at a rate of 2.75%. That’s cheap money, and if you’re thinking of buying a home, you can get a similarly low rate too (depending on your credit score and how much you’re willing to put down). The economy has impacted the housing market slightly, but it’s coming on strong again and the numbers are starting to look similar to what we saw last year.  If you’re thinking of selling, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Inventory is extremely low; there are hundreds of buyers out there, and we need sellers. If you’re thinking of buying, feel free to reach out to us as well. We can direct you to listings that haven’t even hit the market yet. We look forward to meeting you at the closing table.

I’m letting the data speak for itself as I address fears of a housing crash. The next time someone brings up their concerns about COVID-19 triggering another housing crash like what we experienced in 2008, you can ease their nerves with these five facts:  1. Supply. In 2007, when the housing market started to crash, there was 8.2 months’ worth of inventory nationwide. Today in our Charlotte market, the average days on market for all price points is around 45 to 60 days. We simply don’t have a crazy amount of homes competing against each other, and we also aren’t seeing nearly as many foreclosures.  2. Affordability. In 2006, 25.4% of peoples’ income went toward their monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home. Today, mortgages are hardly as burdensome on the American family as they once were—only an average of 15.5% of a family’s income is going toward payments on a median-priced home.  3. Equity. In 2005 through 2007, people treated their homes like an ATM machine, taking out equity to buy boats, take extravagant vacations, or launch a lofty remodeling project. During those years, we totaled $824,000,000,000 in equity lines out on properties (yikes, talk about a red flag). From 2017 through 2019, we’ve only totaled less than half of that, with $232,000,000,000 out on properties—people have gotten wiser with their assets.  4. Appreciation. From 2000 to 2005, we witnessed an insane and unsustainable jump in home price growth across the nation. Around 2004, we saw double-digit increases! From 2014 to 2019, however, we saw moderate, steady growth. As of late, appreciation simply hasn’t been ballooning wildly, which is a good sign.  5. Lending. Looking back on 2006 through 2008, it seemed as though anyone with a pulse could qualify for a stated income mortgage. Lending practices were irresponsibly lax. In today’s market, however, it is extremely tough to get a loan; if you’ve recently applied, you know that the parameters for qualifying are much, much tighter than they were leading up to the ‘08 housing crash.  Now, I understand that unemployment is up drastically, but a lot of those numbers will be curtailed once the economy starts to reopen. Historically speaking, the housing market has actually been able to withstand most recessions; the Great Recession just happened to be an instance where factors in the housing market specifically led the entire economy downward. Thankfully, there’s plenty of reason to believe this current situation won’t lead to that same result.  If you have questions about anything I discussed, or are interested in buying or selling soon, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I’d love to hear from you!

Here’s why selecting experienced, knowledgeable representation is invaluable. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, working with the wrong agent can cost you thousands, and today I’ll share a couple of recent examples that demonstrate why. We’re working with a group right now that needs to relocate, and as we looked up their property to begin the selling process, it was evident that these folks paid $260,000 back in 2017 for a home that was only worth around $238,000 to $242,000 back then.  I don’t know how it appraised, but I know now that we cannot sell it; the market has increased 2% to 3% every single year since 2017.  In another recent scenario, an individual had listed a property (their first time selling) for $160,000, and guess who put an offer in? Yours truly. It was worth every bit of $180,000. We put an expiration date, nailed it down within an hour, and walked into a lot of money in equity because someone underpriced the home.  “The market has increased by 2% to 3% every single year since 2017.” So if you’re in the market looking to buy or sell a home, I can’t overstate the importance of hiring someone who has tons of experience, sold a lot of houses, knows the market inside and out, and will ensure your $700,000 purchase is good not just now, but well into the future.  As always, reach out to us with any questions, referrals, or topics for future videos. We love hearing from you, and we’re here to help with whatever you may need.

We’re on track to hit our 2020 goals, and we couldn’t do it without you. In December 2019, we set a goal of 125 referrals for 2020. Now, near the end of March, we’ve reached 38, meaning that we are indeed on pace to meet our goal for the year. We don’t have a topical real estate post for you today, but we want to extend a deep, heartfelt thank you for all of the referrals you’ve given us thus far.  We’re grateful for everything you’ve done for us and all of the wonderful people you’ve introduced to us—your friends, family members, coworkers, etc. It’s an honor to provide a high level of service to our community. Nothing is more rewarding than helping families invest in something that will move their lives forward positively.  Our goal for April is 20 referrals. I’d love to be able to report back to you on Cinco de Mayo with great news of us having once again nailed our mark. Until then, be safe, and reach out to us if you have any questions, or if you or anyone you know is thinking of buying or selling a home. Keep those referrals coming; we sincerely appreciate your support!

Here is how low interest rates are impacting our market. Why are interest rates so low? To tell you the truth, we don’t know, so the real question is this: Is it a good time to buy or sell real estate? Along with interest rates, inventory is still low across the board. If you’re looking anywhere under $200,000, good luck. Between $200,000 and $350,000, there’s a little inventory available. From $350,000 to $500,000, there’s some available as well. Above that, there’s some too, but not a lot.  When interest rates are low, buyers’ purchasing power increases and so do prices. In certain parts of Charlotte, you have to be careful about your next purchase if you want to take advantage of these low interest rates. “Along with interest rates, inventory is still low across the board.” If you’re not looking to stay in your next house for at least five years, it might not be the best time to buy. With prices sneaking up, interest rates may creep up over the next few years to level out the market. If you do plan on staying in your next home a minimum of five years, you should put at least 10% down to play it safe and keep your mortgage payment low in case the market shifts.  If you’re thinking of selling, 2020 could be your year. Even if buyers aren’t “in the market,” they’re still watching what’s happening. If the right house comes on the market, it’ll be gone the next day.  As always, if you have questions about this or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to help you.

We’re excited to announce that we can now help you with property management as well as with real estate. We have some exciting news for you today! We’ve been leasing and managing properties for a long time, and now we’re ready to open it up to all our friends, family, and the public. If you’ve been considering renting out or investing in a property but you don’t want to manage it, we have your solution. Property Management Solutions of the Carolinas is officially open! Also, during the month of February, we’re offering six months of free property management services.  If you’re interested or have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to speak with you.

Referrals are the lifeblood of our business, and we want to serve even more of them in 2020. Here’s how we plan on doing that. First off, I wanted to say happy New Year and I hope your 2020 gets off to a great start. As you can see in the video above, I’m wearing my curly wig once again. Why? Because I need your attention. In 2020, we have a goal to serve 125 referrals. I’m so serious about this goal that I’m also wearing my 80s hair band wig.  If you have friends, family, or coworkers who are looking to buy or sell a home this year, we would love the opportunity to be able to serve them at a high level and make their transaction as smooth as possible.  “We really want to serve 125 referrals in 2020.” Once we reach that 125 referral marker, I’ll even consider wearing a Mickey Mouse head, which you can get a peek of at the end of the video above. So let’s make 2020 an awesome year.  If you have any questions for us or any referrals that we can help out with, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to talking to you soon.

Here’s how you can attract multiple offers as a seller and avoid multiple-offer situations as a buyer. A multiple-offer situation is something sellers want but buyers want to avoid. Depending on your circumstances, there are a few tips you need to remember to either attract or avoid a multiple-offer situation.  How do you attract multiple offers for your home as a seller? Right now, there’s low inventory in the $300,000 to $500,000 price range, so your first task should be to make your home stand out. It takes thousands of dollars to market your property and make sure everyone knows about it.  “You need priority access to all the good deals.” When it comes to getting people inside your home, that requires an agent with a team behind them who are willing to reach out to buyers before your home even hits the market. During open houses and showings, the interior of your home should be cozy and well lit. If you can put some music on, do that as well. It also doesn’t hurt to have a TV or two going, and as far as family pictures go, having a couple hanging from the walls will actually make your house feel good.  The bottom line is, you need to have your home marketed appropriately and priced correctly. There’s a reason why our homes average between 25 and 28 days on market, whereas the city-wide average for Charlotte is between 75 and 80 days.  Now, if you’re a buyer and you want to avoid a multiple-offer situation, that requires one thing: priority access to the MLS. In other words, you need priority access to all the good deals, which means you need to network with other agents to know about homes before they come on the market. If you’re just scrolling Realtor.com and asking your agent to see various homes, those homes have probably already been on the market for several days.  If you don’t get priority access to better deals, you’ll miss out on the home you want and end up overpaying for another home.  Whether you’re buying or selling, make sure you work with a real estate team who can guide you through the transaction and apply these tips and tricks. If you have any questions about this or any other real estate topic, feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to help you. 

Are you nervous about your home’s price or condition before selling? Here’s how we can help. Today I want to speak to you about what sellers are thinking before they put their home on the market. It boils down to three things: They don’t want to overprice their home, underprice their home, or overimprove their home. Here’s why. We see a ton of sellers these days overimprove their homes because of what they see on HGTV. That’s not a good idea. HGTV will tell you to remodel your whole house for six months, but you don’t need to do all that in this kind of deep seller’s market. Let us know when you’re thinking about selling and we’ll give you our advice on what improvements you should and should not make. “Underpricing can leave a lot of money on the table.” As far as overpricing goes, a lot of sellers think that it’s a no-risk solution to “see what happens” if they list their home for far more than it’s worth. I’ll tell you what’s going to happen. Your home is going to sit on the market for a long time and you aren’t going to get any full-priced offers. You want to get as close to your sale price as possible because we have to sell your home to every agent, their clients, and the bank. You’ll probably take a 5% to 15% discount if you overprice from the start. Finally, we don’t want to see you underprice either. You’ll leave a lot of money on the table. Don’t be that person who gets taken advantage of on the sale of their home by working with an inexperienced agent. You want the best of the best working with you so you don’t leave any money on the table. Any seller in this market should be mindful of these three things. If you have any questions for me in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

How have interest rates been lately? Find out with this quick message. A couple of years ago, any mortgage, finance, or real estate expert you would have spoken to would have told you that interest rates were about to rise. And while this was temporarily true, the overall trend of interest rates since then has actually been at a steady decline. For anyone thinking of purchasing or refinancing a home, now is the best time to do so. Our team would be happy to help you with any of your real estate goals. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Depending on the type of seller (and person) you are, 2019 might be your year to sell your home. Find out what I mean in today’s message. Is 2019 the best year to sell your home? I was recently asked this question, and since I know there are some would-be sellers out there wondering the same thing, I’d like to share my thoughts today.  Even though predictions of a market shift have come true, interest rates have dropped once again. Homes are indeed staying on the market a little longer, but prices continue to increase and our ratio of homes sold to homes listed is keeping pace with that increase. What does all of this mean for you as a seller? Well, if you’re one for gambling, you might want to bet on 2020 being your year—interest rates could very well drop further. If and when that happens, buyers will have that much more purchasing power, which, in turn, raises your home’s value. “No matter the type of seller you are, we look forward to seeing you at the closing table.” If you’re hesitant to take a gamble and you’d rather extract the value out of your home sooner rather than later, 2019 is your best bet. Interest rates are amazingly low right now, and with 2020 being an election year, the present poses far more certainty.   The bottom line is if you’re looking to play it safe and you’d like to cash out on your property, there’s no time like the present. If you’re less risk-averse, home prices are trending in the right direction.  No matter the type of seller you are, we look forward to seeing you at the closing table. If you have any questions related to real estate, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email at Dan@MyHomeCarolinas.com or give me a call at 704-800-6459. Talk to you soon!

Buying and selling a home at the same time can be tough, but there are plenty of solutions to help make it easier. In order to buy and sell a home at the same time, the one thing you need is a game plan. If you need to sell your current home first to be able to make a purchase, you’re probably going to end up making a contingent offer. New construction might be a good solution if you’re in this situation. Most builders in the area will work with a contingent offer if you’re represented by a reputable real estate agent. If you’re looking for a resale property, on the other hand, the contingent offer might be your only move. If that’s the case, there are some things you can do to make this contingent offer more enticing to a seller.  Making your home a “coming soon” listing is a good way to do this. It draws more attention to your home before it even hits the market. When you do find your perfect home to buy, we can show the seller that your home is 100% ready to list and all you need is seven to 10 days to accept an offer. “New construction might be a good solution if you’re in this situation.” If you haven’t had our team come by, walk your property, and set up a game plan, don’t sell your home. To get this process started or if you have any questions for me, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Here’s what you should know about new construction—especially if you want to get a great deal. Today I’ll be going over five things you should know about new construction: 1. New construction is not always in the MLS. You often need someone who knows local builders and the area itself. This way, you can get access to all the options available. 2. New homes are often already purchased. There are some builders that have inventory houses you can move into, but it usually takes about four to six months. “It’s important to use the guidance of an experienced real estate agent when dealing with new construction homes.” 3. Builders are willing to negotiate. New developments want to start construction on new homes quickly, so there’s definitely some room to negotiate. Don’t be afraid to be aggressive—ask for upgrades, discounts, closing costs, and more. Builders want to get their neighborhoods started, so you have some leverage. 4. Builders don’t have personal ties to the properties. They have a margin they have to make, but you don’t have to worry about a seller’s emotions getting in the way of the process. Builders just want to make a sale. 5. You have to use a team of aggressive agents. We see a lot of people leave money on the table because they simply don’t know how to negotiate a new construction purchase. Even if they feel like they are negotiating, the final terms and conditions don’t match what they can actually get.  Again, it’s important to use the guidance of an experienced real estate agent when dealing with new construction homes. We’d be more than happy to help you if you’re looking to get the best deal on a new home. If you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Ask a potential mortgage lender these questions to ensure that you’ll get the very best rates, terms, and conditions on your next loan. Here at California Real Estate Experts, we strive to help our clients find the best rates, terms, and conditions possible. However, there are a few questions that need to be addressed before settling with a lender—especially if they’re an online lender. First, is shopping online the best way to get a mortgage? To be sure, you certainly can shop online for mortgages. They can pull your credit to get a copy of your report, and we can share it with our in-house lenders to see if there’s anything we can do to bump up your score between now and the time you actually purchase the house. However, what online companies don’t tell you is where they’re located—they could be in Michigan, California, New Mexico, or Florida. This means that it’s a real crapshoot as to whether you’ll be able to close on time. I will say, though, that the online lenders we’ve found have actually been really good at refinancing; there’s a lot less work involved, and a lender doesn’t have to be present to do a high-level job. For those who prefer to use a local lender, it’s worth noting that doing so isn’t a guarantee to get the best rates, terms, and conditions. We choose our in-house lenders based on their ability to give our clients the best, as well as their flexibility with down payment requirements. “It’s absolutely critical to ensure that you’re getting the best rates, terms, and conditions possible.” Second, what are the fees? A lender might want to charge you for application fees, credit fees, and a number of others until you’re paying $2,000 or $3,000 in fees! Be sure to ask about fees before settling with a lender. Third, ask if they’ll help you build up your credit score. Having a good score will allow you to get the best interest rate on your loan. Overall, you need to be careful when using online lenders. They may not communicate very well, they probably don’t have the motivation to get you to the closing table on time, they may charge you triple or even quadruple the amount an average local lender would, and you won’t have a physical, go-to person to speak with if you have any questions.  It’s absolutely critical to ensure that you’re getting the best rates, terms, and conditions possible. Failing to properly vet your lenders could set you up for stress and, ultimately, failure to purchase a home. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We’d love to help and advise you about meeting your real estate goals.

What can you do to save time and money when it comes time to sell your home? A pre-listing inspection is a great first step. I was recently joined by Kris Brown from Five Star Home Inspections to talk about the great benefits of getting a home inspection done before you put your home on the market for sale. According to Kris, there are three key benefits that home sellers should pay attention to: 1. It saves time. You will have plenty of time to research, compare, and find the best service providers to help you make repairs before you get your home listed. “The more marketable your house is, the more money you’ll get for it.” 2. It saves money. You’ll be able to competitively shop and not have to pay what the buyer is asking, which is usually a lot more. 3. It makes the house more marketable. The buyer will get a great feeling when they come in and will be much less worried about any repairs or improvements they had to make. This pre-listing inspection is becoming more and more popular these days, and a pre-inspection is going to save you a lot of time and money in this type of market. If you need to get in touch with Kris about getting a pre-listing inspection done, give him a call at (855) 500-3744 or visit him online at fivestarhomeinspections.us. If you have any other questions for me in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Here are three ways you can get your home show-ready for the upcoming spring market at little cost. The spring selling season is upon us, and if you’re looking to get in on the action during this high-activity time, here are three simple, yet effective, ways you can prepare your home for the market.  1. Clean up your yard and exterior. It’s probably the No. 1 most important thing you can do for your home’s outward presentation. The cheapest way to make your home sparkle from the outside is to powerwash it, along with your driveway, and mow the lawn to ensure a freshly cut, clean look. After all, 80% of buyers make their decision within the first 10 to 15 seconds based on the appearance of the front yard and exterior of the home.  2. Declutter. We, as homeowners, often fall into the habit of amassing too many items in our home, and tidying up will give your property a cozier feel as buyers walk through. Some ways to achieve this include holding a yard sale or donating some of your needless clutter to GoodWill. And it’s worth mentioning that we have professional stagers who can assist you in decorating your property once it’s clear of all that extra stuff. “80% of buyers make their decision within the first 10 to 15 seconds based on the appearance of the front yard and exterior of the home.” 3. Touch up some of the paint in and around your home. Contrary to what you might hear from some, you don’t need to repaint your entire house. Instead, focus on commonly touched spots in the home—your doors and the trim along your walkways, for example. Sure, you may have a wall here or there that could use a fresh coat of paint, but this doesn’t require repainting every inch of every wall.      We expect to be in a definite seller’s market this year, so I caution you not to put a lot of money into preparing your home for sale; you’ll run the risk of overspending, without much promise for a return.  Before you spend more than a few hundred dollars getting your home ready for the spring market, we encourage you to reach out and give us a call. We’ll fill you in on the do’s and don’ts and walk you through the process so you don’t leave money on the table.   As always, we’re never too busy for a referral of a friend or family member of yours, and we look forward to seeing you at the closing table!

If you have to wait until springtime to list your home, there are a few tips you need to remember if you want to list at the most opportune time within the season. Are you putting your home on the market this spring?  A lot of sellers believe that spring is the best time to sell their home, but because so many people think this, everyone puts their home on the market at the same time once spring actually does arrive, which creates a lot of competition.  As I’ve said before, the best time to put your home on the market is when inventory is low. Here in Charlotte, buyers are looking for homes year-round. The number of sales usually drops a little in November, December, and January, but the number of buyers in the market doesn’t.  If circumstances are forcing you to sell during springtime, though, I have a few tips to help you know the best time to list within that season.   First, look at the history of home sales in your area for the previous six months to a year. This means homes in your price range, zip code, subdivision, and any nearby new construction subdivisions. Look at the market’s absorption data to know how many homes sold versus how many didn’t at any given time.  With that in mind, look at when the market will be the least competitive. In new construction subdivisions, builders often offer promotions and price reductions for their spec homes, and you don’t want to compete against that kind of thing. “Look at the history of home sales in your area for the previous six months to a year.” However, if you can find a way to list your home now in February or in early March, I recommend doing so. Inventory is low, as are interest rates. Not only will you deal with less competition, but you also won’t have to deal with any tire kickers. As always, if you have any questions about this or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Before you hire any agent or team to assist in the sale of your home, there are certain questions you must ask them. Before you hire an agent or team of agents to assist you with your home selling experience, you’ll need to make sure they’re the right fit for the job. The best way to determine this is by simply asking the right questions.  To help you do this, our team recently put together a guide on the top 10 questions you must ask before hiring a listing agent to sell your home. We would be happy to send you a free copy of this guide by mail or email, but, for now, we’d like to give you a preview of just a couple of these questions.  The first (and potentially most important) question you should ask any agent before you hire them is: “Can I fire you if I’m not satisfied?”  No one wants to be stuck working with a professional who they aren’t happy with. Any listing agent you work with should be willing to let you walk away if they aren’t delivering the results you want and deserve.  The second question in this guide is: “Do you have actual results?”  “The best way to determine if an agent or a team of agents is right for you is by asking a few key questions” Anyone can talk the talk, but only truly qualified agents will be able to back their claims up with a proven track record of success. Our team, for example, has a full list of statistics pertaining to our past and current success in the industry. 96% of our team’s listings are successful. The average success rate of other agents in our market, meanwhile, is just 61.6%. Our team also maintains a 98% list-to-sales price ratio. This is 4% higher than the 94% list-to-sales price ratio held by the average agent in our market.  Part of the reason for our success is our team structure, which brings me to another important question: Is the agent you’re thinking about working with part of a team or are they working alone?  Whereas a team structure allows each of its agents to focus their energy into specialized tasks, solo agents are left to handle everything on their own. As the old saying goes, “A Jack of all trades is a master of none.”  The questions and tips we’ve shared today are just a small preview of the wealth of information that’s available in our full guide.  If you have any other questions, would like more information, or want a copy of this guide for yourself, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today I’m answering a question that’s probably on every buyer and seller’s mind: When is it too early to take action? The real estate market can be likened to Black Friday pandemonium: You want to beat the rush. We’re approaching that time of year when leases will be ending, and people will be looking and relocating in every area of our market.  So when is the best time to beat the real estate rush?  You can count on both the buyer and seller crowd storming onto the market in April and May, and even as early as March, but that doesn’t mean there will be a lack of activity in January and February. Actually, people are buying and selling in the winter months.  As a buyer, being early will help you avoid multiple-offer scenarios that you may have encountered in last year’s market. If you’re tied to a lease for a little longer, pay your two months and close on the first of the month so you can stay in front of the busy season.  Come April and May, the market will be inevitably flooded with thousands of properties. If you’re a seller, listing now will give you a decisive advantage and ensure that your home stands out.  “As a buyer, being early will help you avoid multiple-offer scenarios that you may have encountered in last year’s market.” If we can assist you with your real estate needs in any way, please reach out and give us a call. We’re never too busy for you. We look forward to meeting you at the closing table!

Will you be among the lucky few who receive some Dan Jones Team apparel? Email us and see! We have some new apparel we’ll be giving away for clients’ home closings, but we’d love to give you the chance to get some of these great clothing items in the meantime. The first 10 people to email Sold@MyHomeCarolinas.com with the subject line “I love Carolina Real Estate Experts” will receive their choice of a red or blue hat (one size fits all) or a grey or blue t-shirt (tell us your preferred size). We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Merry Christmas to you! The holiday season has officially arrived. We hope you enjoy this wonderful time of year and make some fantastic memories with your family and friends. We just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your continued support. We love helping people make their real estate dreams come true, so thank you for working with us. This may be a busy time of year, but we are always here to help you and answer any questions you may have. Just give us a call or reply to this email. And in case we don’t hear from you, have a happy New Year as well!

What’s the best way to present an offer? Let’s discuss this crucial question. After you’ve found the perfect home, what’s the best way to present an offer? The first thing to consider is the price. If the list price is appropriate from the get-go, then some of the work has already been done for you.  A lot of people want to submit offers below what the seller is asking, but proceeding this way doesn’t give you any leverage as a buyer. If the home is priced at $400,000, why not appease the seller and offer $395,000? Many other buyers will be making offers around $380,000 and $385,000, so submitting an offer that comes close to what the seller wants will make you stand out. Coming in strong is key—even if you eventually negotiate a higher price as the result of a bidding war.  Once you’ve submitted an offer with a competitive price and made a substantial earnest money deposit, ask the seller to cover closing costs. This isn’t necessary, but they may agree to handle this expense given the strength of your offer. Make sure, though, that your offer comes with an expiration date. You want the seller to realize that you won’t wait around forever. In addition to asking for the seller to pay the closing costs, you may also choose to ask for some personal property, like the refrigerator. People tend to assume that appliances like this come with the home, but this isn’t always the case. If the home was shown with patio furniture, you could ask for that to be included as well. Sellers will occasionally be willing to part with large furniture items. “Your price, terms, and conditions must be attractive to the seller, but they should also help you secure a great deal.” Finally, don’t forget about home warranties. Many sellers will be willing to pay for a one-year home warranty policy to give their buyer peace of mind about proceeding with the purchase.  The items we’ve covered are just a few of the things you can and should ask for when presenting an offer. Your price, terms, and conditions must be attractive to the seller, but they should also help you secure a great deal.  So if you have any other questions, would like more information, or are curious how we can help you succeed with your real estate goals, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today, I’ll go over three important marketing strategies to help you sell your home for top dollar. If you plan on selling your home, it’s very important that it’s marketed correctly. There are three ways to market your home:  1. Agent networking. There are 27,000 properties on the MLS. It’s impossible for agents to keep up with every single one of them. That’s why it’s your agent’s job to let other buyer agents know that your property is available. Your agent needs to have a networking system in place to tell 13,000 agents in the area about your new listing. Agents have to know about your house; that’s 70% of the reason your home will or will not sell. 2. Paid advertising. When you put your home on the market, it automatically goes on Realtor.com and Zillow. However, they will be on the last page. It costs a lot of money to have your home featured on those websites. Your agent needs to spend a couple thousand dollars a month on marketing on those websites, or your listing will live on the last page. “Agents have to know about your house; that’s 70% of the reason your home will or will not sell.” 3. Yard marketing. We don’t just stick a For Sale sign in the yard and call it a day. We provide four ways for a buyer to contact us about your house. We have the traditional yard sign, an information sign, an “Open House Every Day, Call for Times” sign, and a “Buy This House and We’ll Sell Yours for Free.” We have 24-hour tracking so we can capitalize on every buyer who called one of those four numbers. We also have a team of agents to capture, return, and answer those calls at a high level so that you get maximum exposure for your property. If you have any other questions about marketing your home in today’s market, just give us a call or send us an email. My team and I would be happy to help you!

We’re still in a seller’s market, but there are signs out there that we could be seeing a shift soon. Here’s what you need to know. A lot of people have been asking me about the market lately. The one question I keep hearing constantly is, “Was 2018 a seller’s market or a buyer’s market?” When looking at all the numbers across the board, I lean toward saying 2018 was more of a seller’s market. Although interest rates have been creeping up and we have a feeling we are going to start seeing a shift in the market, I don’t think it will be anything crazy. At the same time, things will certainly change. Back in 2008 and 2009 we saw the bottom of our market in the Charlotte area. This is also when we saw a huge increase in short sales and foreclosures. After that, we saw a steady increase that takes us to where we are today. We’re on about a nine to 10-year increase in home prices right now. As most people know, real estate tends to operate in cycles that are usually about this long. What are some signs out there of this shift? For starters, we’ve seen about double the amount of expired listings compared to last year. Home sales are still about equal and pricing has continued to go up for the time being, but in some areas, days on market are starting to creep up.  “Our expired listings have nearly doubled this year.” With homes staying on the market a little bit longer and expired listings on the rise, it doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll see a heavy shift. 2018 was and is still a fantastic seller’s market with fantastic interest rates and continually increasing home prices. If you have any questions about the market or about how you can take advantage of the current conditions before they possibly shift, give me a call or send me an email today. I would love to hear from you soon.

Don’t look to the seasons for when to sell—look to the market. What is the best season for selling your house? The quick answer is: none of them. The best time could be any time of year, but it’s always when inventory is low and there is still a high demand from buyers.  Keeping up with the current market is vital. If you’re in a price range with 100 comparable homes for sale in your area when there are usually around 50, it might be best to wait. Seasons do have some influence—buyers are looking around in the summer and spring while in the fall, people are looking for a new-year home. The good thing is, people are moving to the Carolinas all year long. People often wait to sell in the spring, meaning lower inventory during other seasons. This is when we sell. Other companies often slow down during the winter months, while we speed up and sell many homes in the fall and winter seasons. We find that a lot of buyers say the same thing: “There’s no inventory, I’m just going to wait until spring.” There’s no need to wait, as we can connect those buyers directly to the sellers. All it takes is putting homes up for sale in the late fall. “The good thing is, people are moving to the Carolinas all year long.” I’ve helped countless homeowners take advantage of these opportune times, and I’m more than happy to help you as well with the home selling process. Please contact me if you would like my guidance, have any questions, or would simply like some information. I look forward to hearing from you.

Most of you have probably seen advertisements for companies claiming they’ll buy your home for cash. They make it sound so easy, but is it really? Are the results worth it? Here’s the truth: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. One of our clients recently met with one such company. Over the phone, they had priced her home at $308,000—but this client’s home is actually worth about $330,000. When they visited her property, they started making price reductions based on things like the fact that she didn’t have granite countertops. And these deductions made no sense. Even though it only would have cost this client about $2,800 to install granite countertops, the company chopped $4,000 off of their offer because her home lacked them. The company made deduction after deduction like this until she was left with an offer of about $290,000—$18,000 less than what they had originally said they’d pay. “In addition to making such low offers, companies like these also charge a fee that knocks the price down even further.” So instead of working with this company, this seller decided to come to us. Within the first week of having her home on the market with our team, she received an offer of $327,000. If our client would have proceeded with the company she’d been speaking to before, she would have been in for yet another nasty surprise. In addition to making such low offers, companies like these also charge a fee that knocks the price down even further. In the case of our client, she would have been asked to pay a 7% fee to sell her home to this company and ultimately earn less than she could (and did) on the open market. So if you have $60,000 or $70,000 to lose to a dishonest company, by all means reach out to them. But if you want to sell your home quickly and for top dollar, call us. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

There are a few key questions you should be asking any potential agent before you hire them. Here are just three of them. If you want to hire the best agent to help you with your real estate transaction, there are a few questions you need to be asking before you hire one. 1. Ask how many homes they’ve sold this year. It’s good to be even more specific by asking how many homes they sold in a particular area, or how many homes they didn’t sell. If you hire someone with a track record of 10 listings in which only three sold, that’s a problem. 2. Ask about their list-to-sales ratio. If an agent is consistently selling houses for less than what they’re listed for, you may want to reconsider hiring that agent. You want to get the most money that you can for your house, don’t you? 3. Ask about their marketing plan. The average agent in the area spends a maximum of $300 per month on true marketing systems to get homes sold. However, $300 doesn’t get you very much exposure for your listing—the Dan Jones Group spends over $20,000 a month in marketing to generate buyers for our listings. “If an agent is consistently selling houses for less than what they’re listed for, you may want to reconsider hiring that agent.” If you’re in the market to buy or sell a home, please reach out to us. We’re prepared to answer these questions and more if you consider hiring us for your transaction.

Today I want to discuss some of the risks of selling your home as for sale by owner. FSBO sellers are probably having more success now than ever. In fact, The National Association of Realtors says that a little over 5% of FSBO properties are successful. Although they are selling successfully, most of them are selling for 5% to 10% less than they would have if they were sold by an agent who could’ve marketed the home and generated foot traffic.  Most FSBO properties attract unqualified buyers, which means you’ll have people who are not pre-qualified walking through your home. They also attract tire-kickers and people who are looking for owner financing. Or, you could just attract people who will steal your things. “Although FSBO properties are selling successfully, most of them sell for 5% to 10% less than if they would if they were sold by an agent.” Recently here in Charlotte, we had a home seller who let a random couple come and see their house. During their time in the house, the couple unlocked a couple windows. They later broke in and robbed the owners when they were out of town, stealing all of their valuables.  If you’re selling your home as for sale by owner, congratulations on taking the initiative to do it by yourself. But, be careful not to leave 10% to 15% of the purchase price on the table, because it could end up costing you $20,000, $30,000, or even $40,000+ depending on the price range.  If you love the idea of getting your home sold in a reasonable amount of time for top dollar, give us a call. We would be happy to help you sell your home and give you the comfort of allowing us to handle everything for you.

What makes our team different than the rest? Here are five advantages that we offer to our clients. There are a lot of real estate agents out there, so potential clients always want to know what makes us different. Here are five reasons why our team stands out: 1. Negotiating. Most new or inexperienced agents aren’t good negotiators. From the price, to closing costs, to repairs, they are unsure what to do, what to ask for, and when to ask for it. Choosing the right agent can give you a $10,000 to $15,000 swing on your final price. 2. Knowledge. If you are buying or selling a house, you need to be with someone who is working consistently in the market and knows the trends, when to buy, and how to buy it. You want to avoid neighborhoods that might lose value in the future–we are tuned into that. 3. Lenders. Knowing the best local lenders are huge. We stopped working with a local group a few years ago because they almost doubled their rates. The preferred lenders we use don’t charge those same fees, but do just as good of a job. There are hundreds of agents still using the company that we used originally, and they’re simply passing the extra cost along to their clients. “We know the market inside and out, including the best local lenders to work with.” 4. Marketing. It all starts online, and continues with aggressive yard-marketing from a full team. We make sure that your home is shared with all agents around the Charlotte area, while most agents will just list the home on the MLS and leave it at that. That’s not the best way to get your home sold. Our method is. 5. Being full-time. There are so many part-time agents out there who really don’t know the market and frankly, the business in general. If you don’t work with someone who is full-time, you could be leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table. If you have any questions for us about how we do business or if you need any advice about buying or selling a home in Charlotte, please feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon

Instead of talking about real estate today, I wanted to introduce you to our newest team member: My 6-month-old daughter, Charlotte. I just wanted to show you one of the biggest reasons why we’re in business: my 6-month-old daughter. She may have many things to learn from us, but hopefully she will be answering some of our phone calls in the near future. “Charlotte’s only 6 months old, but she’s going to be with us for a very long time.” She is my big reason why we do all that we do for our friends, family, and clients. To see her full debut, watch this short video. In the meantime, if you have any real estate-related 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 soon.

There are a lot of misconceptions about the real estate industry out there. Today I’ll be tackling three common myths, in particular. There’s a lot of confusion about what’s true and false about the real estate industry, so today I wanted to address and debunk three common myths people believe about this business. 1. Real estate agents are paid a salary. The truth is that real estate agents unfortunately don’t earn a salary. If we do, then something is seriously wrong with my payroll. We actually work on commission. “While Zillow has a lot of good, fun information, its Zestimate tool is not an accurate way to determine home value.” 2. Zillow is a reliable real estate tool. People often cite Zillow Zestimates as a basis for home value, but the estimates produced by this online algorithm can be 50%, 60%, or even 70% off. So, while Zillow has a lot of good, fun information, its Zestimate tool is not an accurate way to determine home value. 3. Inspections work on a pass/fail system. In the state of North Carolina, home inspections don’t operate on a pass/fail system. Instead, home inspections simply outline any issues that have been found with the property. Buyers have the right to walk away from a contract if the inspection report comes back with information they find to be unacceptable, but properties undergoing a home inspection don’t receive a pass/fail grade. 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 soon.

If you are planning an open house, you should reconsider. Today I will explain the risks. Today I want to talk to you about open houses. There are a lot of people who think open houses are the best thing ever. They think that they will get a lot of qualified people walking through their house on a Saturday and end up with offers on Sunday morning.  Unfortunately, this is wrong.  In general, open houses do not work. Usually, the people who come into an open house are nosy neighbors who want to peek around and see what you have done to your house. Unqualified buyers are also a risk. Many people go to an open house with a lower budget than what your home’s price range is in.  There are people who have been looking for a home for five to eight years. They are known as “true tire kickers” and when they see an open house sign they coming running in, but are more interested in free food and drinks than in purchasing a home.   Theft is also a risk during an open house. With so many people walking through a home, valuables could wind up missing. Monitoring every single person in attendance simply isn’t possible. So, with all the risks, why do we still do open houses every day?  “I am hesitant to do an open house because it is difficult to watch multiple people as they walk through a home at the same time and valuables could wind up missing.” Because we hold open houses for qualified buyers only. Before we do an open house for you, we make sure that every buyer who walks through the door has a loan approval. We will work hard to get qualified people through your door, not your nosy neighbors.  If you have any additional questions about this or are interested in selling with us, please feel free to contact me anytime. I would be happy to help.

The market is currently going strong, but how long can we expect that to last? The market right now is on fire—but how long will the market remain hot? Inventory is generally low, so we are still in a seller’s market. In the higher-end price ranges (above $750,000), things are stabilizing, but for anything under $400,000, inventory is still scarce. For the low-end price range, you would be lucky to find anything to choose from at all. For those homes that do appear on the market, you better be prepared to put out an offer fairly quickly because homes are receiving multiple offers more often than not. Around 40% to 43% of all properties in the Charlotte area that are priced above $750,000 or $800,000 are selling, which is an all-time high for us. But with around 50% of those homes not selling, like I said, the market is stabilizing. Hopefully that bleeds over into the mid- and lower-range markets. Interest rates have crept up a little bit, and they are expected to continue to do so throughout the year. Despite that, I do not think that will slow anything down much; we still have low inventory and the economy is still generally hot. “I do not see this red-hot market slowing down.” With the exception of mid-range properties, which have begun to plateau a little, home prices have increased dramatically over the last three or four years. However, it is not as drastic as it was three or four years ago, which is a healthy sign that we will, hopefully, avoid another real estate bubble in the near future. In summary, I do not see this red-hot market slowing down. Even if interest rates are creeping up, they are still extremely low compared to historical averages of the past 30 to 40 years. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I would be happy to help you however I can.