Real Estate Podcast with Brian Lessinger

When it comes to navigating today’s complex real estate landscape, having a trusted advisor by your side makes a world of difference.  Our goal as real estate experts is to fill this role for you. We want you to feel comfortable coming to us with any questions you might have about buying or selling a home, or even just homeownership in general. More than that, we want you to be able to do so knowing we won’t pressure you into buying or selling before you’re ready.  “We would never give you advice we wouldn’t offer our own families.” Whether it’s recommending a plumber, discussing your home’s value, or anything else, we simply want to be a local resource for you. We would never give you advice we wouldn’t offer our own families. And, of course, if anyone in your family is thinking of buying or selling, we’d love to offer them that same level of care and guidance, too.  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.

When people are trying to figure out the value of their home, they’ll tell me about their home’s Zestimate. What they don’t realize is that this Zestimate is based on an algorithm. I personally don’t think it works very well for those of you who want an accurate valuation of your home.  All of the information that you see on Zillow’s website is information that is pulled directly from our Multiple Listing Service. Zillow then operates by selling advertising to Realtors and trying to drive traffic to their site with features like the Zestimate. They’ll be the first ones to admit that these Zestimate are not overly accurate. “Zillow never sees a home in person.” When I get a phone call from a home seller about their home’s value, the first thing I want to do is take a look at the home in person. Zillow never goes out and see any houses.  If you live in a neighborhood like Double Diamond where most of the homes are pretty similar, your Zestimate will be more accurate than most. However, if you’re in a neighborhood with homes of different ages, styles, and sizes, Zillow has no idea what your home’s true value is. If you’re trying to figure out the real value of your property for a refinance or a home sale, don’t hesitate to reach out and  give us a call today. We’d be happy to help you out and answer any other questions you might have.

I’ve talked to a number of my Realtor friends who work in various markets across the country, and they all agree: If you’re a homeowner, you should be talking to your mortgage insurance company at least once a year to ensure you have proper coverage. Why is this such a vital part of homeownership?  Well, let’s say you haven’t talked to your insurance agent since you bought your home and homeowners insurance 10 years ago. In all likelihood, your coverage amount wouldn’t be enough to rebuild your home if a disaster were to strike.  “If you’re a homeowner, you should be talking to your mortgage insurance company at least once a year to ensure you have proper coverage.” I’ve had personal experience with this: My sister owned a home in Santa Rosa when the wildfires tore through the area, and the entire neighborhood, including her home, went up in flames.  Fortunately, her plan covered the costs of rebuilding her property and that process is currently underway. Some of her neighbors weren’t so fortunate, though, and are left with no home and a lack of coverage to repair the situation.  This ties right back into our recent discussion of money, and it highlights how important it is to know the extent of your insurance coverage and protect your largest asset.  If you have any questions or you’re in search of a new mortgage insurance company, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our aim is to be your most trusted resource for more than just helping you buy and sell a home. We look forward to hearing from you soon!  

We’ve been hearing a lot from homeowners who want to sell their current home, take advantage of the equity they have, and then go out to purchase a new one.There are a couple of good ways to do this. First, we should talk about the options you have for your new home. Then we’ll have you speak with a lender to see if you can buy your new house before you sell your current one. This is the easiest way to go about it, but most people can’t afford two mortgages at once. What usually happens is that you need to sell your current home in order to buy a new one. There are a lot of different ways we can do that. I’ve had clients who have closed both transactions on the same day, but that’s often difficult to coordinate.  “Every case is different, but the process isn’t as complicated as you might think.” An easier way to do this is to get a rent-back from your buyer after you sell your home. You’ll have access to your money to buy a new home while you become a tenant of your home for a month or two. It gives you time to close on your new house and set up your move. Every case is different, but this process isn’t as complicated as you might think. If you or someone you know needs help with a situation like this or you just have any other real estate-related questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email today. We look forward to hearing from you soon. 

A lot of people would like to be a millionaire, but not everyone has the right idea about what this actually means. Being a millionaire doesn’t necessarily mean you have $1 million in cash somewhere in a bank. All it really means to be a millionaire is that you have a net worth that meets or exceeds that amount.  The key to obtaining “millionaire” status is knowing the right way to spend, save, and earn money.  Unfortunately, though, the majority of people in our nation live paycheck to paycheck. This is largely because we live in a system designed to make you fail. All you need to do to see that this is true is to turn on your television or radio and pay attention to the kinds of commercials you’re bound to hear. There’s a good reason there are so many ads out there that claim to help soothe your fiscal woes. And the ads that aren’t trying to sell you quick fixes to your financial struggles will try to sell you expensive products or emotional “bandaids” like fast food and alcohol.  “All it really means to be a millionaire is that you have a net worth that meets or exceeds that amount.” As someone with a degree in finance, I’m very passionate about helping as many people as I can to escape this reality and achieve financial comfort. If you’re interested in working toward a more financially stable future for yourself, please reach out to me. I would be happy to give you a few books on the subject of finance for free, as well as give you a few of my own thoughts on how to manage money well. To give you a hint, owning property is a great way to build wealth. The average net worth of homeowners, after all, is 46 times greater than that of the average renter. 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.

As someone who’s always meeting with buyer and seller clients, it should come as no surprise that their financial situation pops up in conversation. I’d like to address the topic of money a little further today.  I’m often saddened to learn that many older couples and first-timers to the market don’t have a strong financial footing. This is partly attributed to the fact that a basic, introductory conversation about money never takes place in some households. Without any guidance, it’s tough to ever develop an understanding of finances and budgeting.  I was fortunate to be exposed to the basics of money from an early age, I went on to earn a degree in finance, and I once worked as a bank teller. On the Lessinger Team, we view our role as going above and beyond just helping you buy and sell homes: We want to help you learn about and ask the right questions about money.  “On the Lessinger Team, we want to help you learn about and ask the right questions about money.” My favorite author on the subject is a guy named David Bach and, by the time you see this video, his new book, “The Latte Factor,” will have hit the shelves. In it, he tells the story of a young woman as she journeys through and learns the ropes of managing money. For those looking for a little guidance, this is a great place to start.  In addition to his new book, his other work includes “The Automatic Millionaire” and “Smart Couples Finish Rich.” I have dozens of copies of each, and I’d be happy to meet with you and give you with your very own copy at no cost. Two others that I recommend you check out are “The Richest Man in Babylon” and “Think and Grow Rich.”    Ultimately, I want my role to extend past that of the guy who simply helps you buy and sell homes. If you’re interested in buying one of these books yourself, click on one of the links I’ve provided. After all, it is graduation season and any one of these books would make a great gift.   If you’d like to meet and talk further about this, I’d be more than happy to do so. Just reach out to me and we can schedule a time to talk soon. I look forward to it! 

How can you avoid being scammed in a rental transaction? To answer that, I’ll explain how this scam works.  First, scammers will find a home for sale or for rent that’s vacant, then they’ll post an ad for it at a much-reduced price in the hope that they’ll be able to convince you to send them a check in the mail. They’ll then send you the “keys” in return without ever having met you in person.  I’ve had clients who’ve found themselves in this type of situation before, and fortunately, they called me before they could be scammed. If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to give me a call as well. I’d be happy to look into it for you.  If you have any other questions about this or any other real estate topic, feel free to reach out to me as well. I look forward to hearing from you. 

The proposed changes of SB256 would affect laws for tenants and landlords in a few different ways.  These changes are not yet laws, but lawmakers are trying to revise some current landlord and tenant laws in order to make them more tenant-friendly. Right now, if a tenant moves out, the landlord has 30 days to return their portion of the deposit. After the change, landlords would only have 14 days to do so. We can barely get it done in 30 days already—we never know what kinds of repairs need to be done. “Lawmakers are trying to change some current landlord and tenant laws in order to make them more tenant-friendly.” In addition, changes to eviction timelines and rent control are being discussed as well. I know a lot of people want to live here in Nevada instead of California because we don’t have or want rent control. I’ve always said that if you want rent control, it’s better to buy a home instead of rent one anyway.  Here’s what will happen if SB256 is passed: Landlords will charge higher rents More lawsuits will occur between tenants and landlords There will be overall less housing as more property owners close up shop If you’d like to learn more about what would happen to you specifically, feel free to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

At the beginning of the year, interest rates were expected to rise numerous times in 2019. Now, however, it’s safe to say that things have changed.  Over the last month or so, rates fell hard, and they’re currently at the lowest point they’ve been in a couple of years. This is good news for both buyers and sellers.  If you’re a buyer and you can lock in a 30-year rate, you’ll get a nice, low rate. If you’re a seller, a lot of buyers who were on the fence about buying will now be out in full force.  “It’s safe to say that things have changed.” If you’re a homeowner looking to refinance, this is also good news. If your current mortgage rate is in the 5% range, it might make sense for you to spend the money to refinance so that you can save on your monthly mortgage cost. We’d be happy to advise you on this and we know plenty of great lenders we can put you in touch with, so don’t hesitate to give us a call. In the meantime, we’ll be covering more important financial topics in the near future and giving away some free books, so stay tuned.  If you have any more questions about interest rates or any other real estate topic, feel free get ahold of me any way you can. 

Now that we’re into April, what’s the latest news from our Reno/Sparks market as we look back on the first quarter? In terms of sales and new listings, the first quarter of 2019 was probably the slowest market we’ve seen in a long time. The primary reason for this is the November/December time frame leads into our first quarter, and for the first time in a long time, we had an actual winter. Lots of bad weather seemed to constantly occur on the weekends, and many buyers opted to stay home rather than go out and look at homes.  “I predict that home prices and interest rates will increase at a slow, steady pace that’ll be beneficial no matter what side of the transaction you’re on.” That being said, now that the weather is warming up, I think our market will start going gangbusters. Our team has a ton of buyer and seller clients who’ve been waiting for winter to end so they could enter the market, and because of this, we’ve been very busy these past few weeks listing properties, which is good news for both buyers and sellers.  Over the next three to six months, I predict that home prices and interest rates will increase at a slow, steady pace that’ll be beneficial no matter what side of the transaction you’re on. Especially if you’re thinking of buying, now is a great opportunity.  If you’re buying or selling, or if you have any other questions about our market, don’t hesitate to reach out to me so I can help you achieve all of your real estate goals. I look forward to hearing from you.

  I think that spring of 2019 is going to be a great year for Reno homebuyers. Here are my reasons why: 1. We’ll see more listings come on the market. I’ve had a lot of clients who would normally list their homes in January or February, but are instead waiting for the spring. For one thing, their landscaping will look much better with some spring green in it. 2. Prices won’t likely decrease any time soon. Prices are still going up, but much more slowly than they were. In my opinion, they’re not likely to drop in the near future. For those of you waiting for this price decline, I just don’t see it happening; all the economic indicators are showing that our market will continue to rise. “For the first time in a long time, this spring will be a busy time for the Reno market.” 3. Interest rates will likely increase over time. For a while last year, interest rates skyrocketed into the low- to mid-5%-range, but they’ve come back down this year. I believe that they’ll slowly trickle upward as 2019 progresses, though. As interest rates go up, your buying power goes down, meaning that sooner is better than letter if you’re buying a home. 4. There will be lots of new inventory on the market soon. Over the next couple of months, we expect to see a massive influx of properties being listed. For the first time in a long time, this spring will be a busy time for the Reno market. If you have questions or are thinking of buying a home this spring, by all means, reach out to me. It’s time to get out of the rental market and start looking for a home.

If you were to open up the Google homepage right now and search “Realtors are…” you would be amazed to see what the most common search results are for that phrase. Suggestions like “Realtors are scum,” “Realtors are a joke,” and even “Realtors are liars,” will all pop up as you type. At the Lessinger Team, we take this very seriously. We do everything in our power to subvert these negative stereotypes and hold ourselves to a higher standard. We believe that Realtors exist to serve communities—to help families buy and sell homes. We operate under a strong code of ethics because we truly care about serving our clients. “We are here for you.” No matter if you refer us to a friend or family member who’s just looking around, or if you yourself task us with the job of selling your own home, we are here for you. We will never pressure you into something you don’t want. We just want to provide you the information and resources you need. If you have any other questions, would like more information, or would like to learn more about what sets us apart as real estate agents, feel free to give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

We’ve officially started our new charity program, which means with your participation, your favorite charity might receive $1,000. Here’s how it works: For every 10 transactions we close, we’ll throw the names of the people involved in those transactions into a hat and pick a name. This includes the buyers, sellers, and/or the people who referred them to us, so we could have up to 20 names for each drawing. For whoever’s name we pick out of the hat, we’ll donate $1,000 to the charity of their choice. “Your charity of choice might receive $1,000.” So if you buy or sell a home with us or send us a referral, you have a chance to win. If you know anyone who’d like to participate in this program or who could benefit from receiving our newsletters or watching our video blog, don’t hesitate put them in touch with us.   If you have any other questions about this program, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We’d love to help, and we look forward to making some donations!

With all the talk out there about the “demise of the real estate market,” many people are wanting to know what their homes are worth. Whether you’re worried about recent headlines or you’re wanting to jump into the market, reach out to us and we can find out your home’s value. Having an idea of what your home is worth is perfect for when you’re looking to refinance or wanting to know how much equity you have. “We’ll give you a much better idea than Zillow and other real estate websites ever could.” When you ask us to evaluate your home, we’ll typically take a look at your house in order to find comparable homes. We can look at the sales of these similar homes to accurately find your own home’s worth. If you’re worried about how clean your home is, don’t be! We understand there may be toys on the floor, kids running around, and so on. None of it goes into consideration during a valuation because, after all, you’re not trying to sell it yet. Again, if you’d like to know the value of your home, reach out to us—we’ll give you a much better idea than Zillow and other real estate websites ever could. Also feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need more information. In the meantime, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you plan on putting your home on the market soon, there are a few things you need to prepare so that it sells quickly and for top dollar. First, since it’s winter and your home might be covered in snow or its landscaping might not look the best, try using exterior listing photos from a different time of year. Otherwise, shovel the snow off your driveway and all your walkways, polish up your landscaping, and make the outside look as approachable as possible. “Shovel the snow off your driveway and all your walkways, polish up your landscaping, and make the outside look as approachable as possible.” On the inside, make your home look like a model home. This means cleaning, decluttering, and packing up anything you don’t need to make it look more spacious. Depending on how long you’ve lived in your home, you might want to consider doing a presale inspection or deferred maintenance. If you have any repairs that you’ve been putting off, you want to get as many of those done as possible before the buyer does their home inspection. If you’d like to know what else you can do to prepare your home for the market or you have any other real estate needs I can take care of, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

As we enter 2019, we at the Lessinger Team plan on doing things a little differently this year than we did in past years, and our goal is a little loftier than what we’ve done before, too. Our goal is to help 10 families a month buy and sell real estate. We’d love your help in achieving this goal, so if you know anyone looking to buy or sell a home, go ahead and send them our way. “We’ll still have a strong market moving forward, but it will look a little different than what we saw the past five or six years.” How we generate our business and how we take care of our clients will remain the same in 2019, but we’re making some changes to our marketing. As we mentioned in our last video, the market is changing here in Northern Nevada. We’ll still have a strong market moving forward, but it will look a little different than what we saw the past five or six years. That being said, we’d love it if you got in touch with us so we have your best and most accurate contact information. Whether it’s addresses, phone numbers, emails, or social media, we plan on interacting with our friends and clients more often. We look forward to hopefully seeing you in person this year, and we hope you have an amazing start to 2019. As always, if you ever need help with any real estate needs at all, don’t hesitate to call or email me. I’d be happy to help you.

In taking a closer look at the year-end market, you’ll notice that we’re in the course of a shift: Homes are sitting on the market for longer and the power seems to be in the hands of buyers for a change—a change that hasn’t occurred in the last six or seven years, actually.   Despite the doomsday commentary you see or hear from various media sources, the reality is that the market is doing well. Sellers will certainly need to step up their game and be sure that they’re pricing appropriately, but we’ve moved into what I like to call a “professional real estate market.” “We’ve moved into what I like to call a ‘professional real estate market.’” In other words, those not working in real estate in a full-time residential capacity will not fare as well under these conditions due to their inexperience with homes sitting on the market for longer periods or working with homes whose listing prices have fallen a bit. So it’s all the more reason to place your trust in the skills of professional agents with a strong grasp of our Reno/Sparks market.   If you want to know what your home or rental property is worth or about the state of our market in greater detail, please call or email us today. We’d love to get you any and all information that you need to make informed decisions now and into 2019. Happy Holidays and see you in the new year!

Today we’ll be looking at how to get your mortgage to a manageable position. When you have a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, you’re paying a lot more in interest during your initial payments. It’s not a situation where the same amount goes to your principal and your interest each month over the life of the loan. On average in 2018, people are only putting about 5% down on their homes. Most people are only staying in their homes for five or six years before moving; the payments made during those years are mostly going toward interest instead of the principal. “You may be surprised at how much less interest you’d pay and how many fewer payments you’d make by adding some money to each monthly payment.” We have some tips to help you get a bigger amount of the principal when you go to sell or refinance your home. By following this Excel tutorial for a loan amortization schedule, you can see for yourself how much interest you’re paying versus principal, as well as the difference that extra payments could make. You may be surprised at how much less interest you’d pay and how many fewer payments you’d make by adding some money to each monthly payment. You can find some great ideas on lowering the interest you pay from Brian Buffini’s podcast. People who buy and own real estate are 44 times wealthier in the long run, so you definitely don’t want to spend years and years paying interest instead of building equity. If you’d like to see how we can save you thousands in interest payments, feel free to reach out to us. We can walk you through the process and help you find the perfect plan for conquering your mortgage.  

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and now is the perfect time for us to tell you how grateful we are for everything you’ve done for us. It was great to see everyone who came to pick up a pie at our recent pie giveaway, and if you missed out on the chance to swing by, don’t forget that we’ll be hosting a “Photos With Santa” event on December 1. We wish you a happy Thanksgiving and hope you share a great time with good friends, good family, and of course, good food.  

Recently, many listings are tending to spend more time on the market before being found by a buyer. And until that perfect buyer comes along and closes on the property, sellers need to make sure their listing is in perpetual show-ready condition. This way, they’re always ready to make a great first impression. So how can you achieve this? It actually depends on whether you’re still living in the home. If the home is vacant, keep the utilities on and hire landscapers to take care of the property. Depending on how long the home sits vacant on the market, it may also be a good idea to hire a housekeeper to do some periodic cleaning. If you’re still living in the home, though, you will need to be even more vigilant in keeping your home tidy and ready to show. Even after the home is under contract, you need to keep it looking like a model home until the buyer takes possession. “Even after the home is under contract, you need to keep it looking like a model home until the buyer takes possession.” Our team understands how frustrating and difficult this can be. So if you would like any recommendations for landscapers, housekeepers, or any other professionals who might be helpful in keeping your home show ready, please reach out. And, as always, 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.  

When I first got into real estate, our communication with our clients was pretty basic and mostly consisted of phone calls and emails. These days, there are a million different ways you can communicate and it can seem overwhelming. I would love to hear about what your favorite way to be communicated with is. Whether it’s by phone, text, email, Facebook, Instagram, or some other app or service, I want to know. “What’s your preferred method?” As a team, we’re making a big push going forward to reach out to all of you and find out what your preferred communication method is these days. Whether you’re 20, 50, or 80, we want to know how you communicate because everyone communicates differently. So reach out to us today by giving us a phone call or sending us an email, and we’ll be sure to note your response and make sure that we communicate in the way you want. If you have any other real estate needs or real estate questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.  

Scamming attempts are becoming more and more frequent these days. Any way people can try to get your money, it’s been tried, and there are so many ways it can happen—yes, even to you. Today I want to discuss one of the more common scam tactics so that you can stay on your toes and avoid becoming a victim. Sometimes, scammers will find a vacant house and look for someone who will pay them to rent it. It’s possible to look up people’s names in the tax records, so these scammers will use that information to create an ad for a house for sale or rent. They’ll collect unwitting applicants’ personal information in the process, and have them send money to their own accounts.They’re very thorough, as well; they’ll create believable logos for the emails they send, and create stories about being a member of one’s church or something similar. People who don’t know otherwise are often ready to send checks to the scammer. “You should never send money for real estate purposes to anyone you’ve never met in person, especially if you’ve never even set foot in the property.”You should never send money for real estate purposes to anyone you’ve never met in person, especially if you’ve never even set foot in the property. One of my clients who had fallen for this cruel trick called me in a panic, as he’d already sent the scammer his personal information—Social Security numbers, bank account information, a copy of his credit card, his driver’s license information, etc. I figured it out for him relatively quickly, but it’s still a scary situation; I was less concerned about the prospect of my client sending him money than I was about the fact that the scammer now had his private information. The moral of the story is to always make sure you’re reaching out to a professional if you’re looking to rent or buy. If you’re suspicious about an interaction you’re having with a renter, or if you’re just looking for a property rent, reach out and give us a call. We’ll be able to help you figure out whether or not the person you’re contacting is trustworthy and we can put you in the right place. Hope to hear from you soon!  

I was watching TV the other day and a commercial came on saying that they could get me approved for a home loan in as little as eight minutes. Well, I’ve been working in real estate for a long time and I am here to say that this is not possible. If someone tells you that they can get you approved in eight minutes, that means that you’re just calling an online lender and they are taking your word as fact. I always advise my clients to speak with an actual lender either on the phone or sit down with them in person and provide them with all the information that they need to get you qualified. Doing this will actually let you know what you can afford. Sometimes you can be approved for a loan for much more than you really want to spend. This lets you know what your monthly payments will be as well as your property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, etc. “We recommend that you meet with an actual lender before you start looking for a home if you know you’ll need a loan.” We recommend that you meet with an actual lender before you start looking for a home if you know that you’ll need a loan. I promise it will take more than eight minutes, but it will be worth it. If you would like us to refer a lender to you, reach out and give us a call or send us an email. We’d be happy to put you in touch with a great lender who can help you get qualified and approved smoothly. If you have any additional questions about this, or if you’re interested in speaking about buying or selling, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.  

Most of you who are reading this are already a part of our client appreciation program. However, for those of you who aren’t, we wanted to explain what this program is and the benefits you’ll see from joining if you haven’t yet.First, we send a piece of mail each month about a real estate-related topic, which also includes information about houses we’ve listed or an event we have coming up. Then, we send out a video email in the middle of the month that is related to that same general topic.In addition, we also send out blog articles like this one that cover questions that we get from people most frequently. If you have friends, family members, or co-workers who you think might be interested in receiving some of this information we are providing, we’d be happy to add them to our client appreciation program. “This program allows us to stay in touch with you regularly.”Another huge benefit of joining our program is that you can reach out to us for almost anything. We work in property management as well, so we know roofers, plumbers, electricians, and any other kind of service provider you might need in your home. We can also give recommendations for things that don’t even have to do with real estate. We know the best restaurants, dentists, babysitters, and more in Reno. I’ve lived here for 29 years now and know the area very well.This program benefits us because it allows us to stay in touch with you regularly and help you with any problems you have in your home. If you or someone you know might be interested in joining our client appreciation program, all we need is a phone number, an email address, and a home address. We will take it from there.If you have any real estate-related questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.  

I’m only licensed to assist with real estate transactions in Nevada, but that doesn’t mean that I still can’t help you if you’re out of state. I’m often asked if I’m able to assist clients in out-of-state areas like Lake Tahoe and cities in California. Now, my team and I are licensed to operate in the state of Nevada, so I can only personally help you if you’re in the state. For those of you who want to buy a rental property in another state or have family members out of state who don’t have real estate representation, you can still reach out to me. We can help you find someone to assist you in your future transactions. I have access to a great network of agents all over the country. “We can find you a real estate agent pretty much anywhere.” I’ve helped a family in New York this way, and I’ve also helped a family member move to Virginia. We can find you a real estate agent pretty much anywhere. If you ever have the need to find an agent out of the state or if you have any real estate questions for me, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you out.

Most of the time, my clients are looking for appreciation, cash flow, or both. Today we’re back with No. 5 in our six-part series discussing the advantages of owning real estate. This time, we’re discussing the advantages of owning rental properties. When people purchase rental properties, there are two things that they’re usually trying to accomplish: Appreciation. This involves buying a property that’s either in need of work or in an up-and-coming area where we think prices are going to appreciate. Monthly cash flow. A lot of this depends on the age and overall goals of the investor. “WE CAN EVEN MANAGE THE PROPERTY FOR YOU.” I’m always playing this game with my clients of appreciation versus cash flow. If you’re lucky, you can get both, but most of the time you’re looking for one or the other. I have plenty of clients who we help that end up managing their own properties. However, if you don’t want to do that, my team can certainly help with property management and still get you that appreciation or cash flow that you’re looking for. If you have any questions about your specific situation and how owning rental property might help you, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Is it better to rent a property or own one? We will discuss this today in the fourth installment into our six-part series on the advantages of owning real estate. Today marks the fourth installment of our series on the advantages of owning real estate, and, this time, we will be going even deeper into the subject. Specifically, I would like to share some advice about when purchasing a home is the superior option to renting. If you plan on living in a property for at least five to seven years, I highly recommend ownership over the rental lifestyle. Renting can be a good, non-permanent living situation, but it is far better to have a home of your own if you are staying put for some time. As you may remember from previous installments in this series, buying a house is the best way to control your living situation and leverage your money into building up a long-term asset. If you pay down the mortgage on your house and achieve a lower debt ratio, the property’s value will steadily increase. “RENTING CAN BE A GOOD, NON-PERMANENT LIVING SITUATION, BUT IT IS FAR BETTER TO HAVE A HOME OF YOUR OWN IF YOU ARE STAYING PUT FOR SOME TIME.” There will be some maintenance-related expenses, but homeownership is, overall, a worthwhile investment. So, if you have been renting for some time and are ready to make the transition into owning real estate and want to know more about the home buying process, feel free to reach out. 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.

Today I am continuing my series about the advantages of owning real estate by discussing the third advantage: appreciation. Today I continue my series on the advantages of owning real estate. The benefit we’ll be discussing today is appreciation. Let’s say that you go out and buy a $300,000 house today. You do not actually need $300,000 if you use a lender and get a mortgage loan for this purchase. Based on your credit score and what your lender allows, you may be able to put down anywhere from 5% to 20% on that $300,000 home. The best part about this is if your home appreciates 10% to 20%, you will get the appreciation from that entire $300,000 sum. If you wanted to invest $300,000 in the stock market, you would need that money in your pocket to invest it. When buying a home, you can leverage a smaller amount of money and still earn the appreciation from that entire $300,000. “BASED ON YOUR CREDIT SCORE AND WHAT YOUR LENDER ALLOWS, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN ANYWHERE FROM 5% TO 20% ON A $300,000 HOME.” There can be huge benefits when you own actual, tangible property. The biggest benefit is you can buy even more property and you do not have to have all the money in your pocket to do so. Leveraging your money long term can definitely work for you. After 30 years of owning the property, you’ll have a good investment that brings in money just like investing in the stock market would. If you have any additional questions or you are interested in buying or selling, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

How can making improvements to your property benefit your overall personal wealth? Today let’s discuss this question in the second installment of our six-part series on the advantages of property ownership. Today marks the second installment of our six-part series on the advantages of owning real estate. Let’s dive right in. This time I’d like to discuss how improving your property can serve as an investment in your own personal wealth. Painting, upgrading landscape, or replacing systems and appliances are all ways to make your property more valuable. And these are just a few of the many projects you could take on. “IMPROVING YOUR PROPERTY CAN SERVE AS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL WEALTH.” Unlike investing in the stock market, the benefits and results of investing in improvements to your property are much easier to understand. As someone who does invest in stocks and who has a degree in finance, I can say that even I find real estate to be more comprehensible. Purchasing property also protects you in the long-term, as any property you obtain now would surely be more expensive in the future. 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.

Today I will be discussing the first of six advantages to owning real estate. Today’s video begins my six-part series about the advantages that come with owning real estate. The first advantage I thought of was the fact that it is easier to understand and control your real estate investment—be it your primary residence or a rental property—than, say, an investment in the stock market or retirement account. “IF YOU OWN YOUR PROPERTY, YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENT, LOCATION, AND MORE.” I always tell people this: You have to live somewhere. If you own your property, you have control over your monthly payment, location, and more. If you are renting out a property you own, you can always hire a property manager. The downsides to renting are the complications that arise when you want to sell the property, not to mention that rents are rising dramatically, especially in the Reno-Sparks area. Over the course of this series, I will explain other advantages of owning real estate. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to me. Otherwise, until next time!

Inventory is low and prices have been increasing in our market, so if you’re thinking about buying, you should do so sooner rather than later. What’s the latest news from our first quarter market? Everyone’s been hearing that it’s seller’s market, there’s not a lot of inventory, and it’s hard for buyers to find a home, but how much of that is true? Speaking for myself, I’ve had success helping both sellers and buyers lately. If you’re a buyer, the trick is you have to be willing to be more open than you might’ve been before. There are still a lot of good, affordable homes available out there, especially if you’re buying for the long haul. With that being said, inventory has been and will continue to be on the low side in both the lower price points and the higher, more luxury-oriented price points. With so many people moving here from California because of all the job opportunities, prices have been increasing. The market correction this time, though, is completely different from the market correction of 10 to 12 years ago. There are a lot of cash buyers and buyers with big down payments who don’t have to concern themselves too much with appraisals. “IF YOU’RE A BUYER, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER DOING SO SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.” In general, I don’t see prices decreasing anytime in the near future. They might flatten a little bit, though. As I mentioned in my last video, interest rates are climbing a bit, so that will put a little downward pressure on pricing. If you’re considering buying a home, this means you might want to do so sooner rather than later. Even if prices flatten, your monthly mortgage payment will increase if interest rates rise. If you have any more questions about our market or your specific area or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home soon, feel free to reply to this email or give me a call. I’d love to help you.

Why is it so important to boost your credit score? Sign up for my monthly mailer to get more information. For those of you who receive the item of value that I send out each month, I’ve recently sent out a letter detailing the importance of having a good credit score, indluding tips you can use to boost yours if it isn’t where it needs to be. By now, most everyone has heard about how the Fed has increased interest rates. That means when you’re getting a loan for a home mortgage or if you have a credit card, costs and payments could become more expensive. This is why it’s so important to have a good credit score, because there are some perks to simply having a higher score. For example, you can get better home loans and a lower interest rate on a car loan or student loans. The benefits remain even if you’re not planning to apply for a loan. Additionally, a good credit score can also make it easier to get hired for certain jobs. “A GOOD CREDIT SCORE CAN ALSO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET HIRED FOR CERTAIN JOBS.” If you haven’t received my mailer yet and would like to be added to my list, we’ll need your home address, email address, and the best telephone numbers to reach out at. If we have that information, we can also send this information to you electronically. If you have specific questions or if you’re looking for information, feel free to reach out to us. We would be happy to help you.

If you’re in a position of leadership, no matter what type of position that is, I believe it’s important that you be a positive person. Anyone who spends time with me either at home or at work knows that I’m an upbeat, positive person most of the time. Why do I think this is so important? Let me give you an example. “IF YOU’RE IN A POSITION OF LEADERSHIP, IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE A POSITIVE PERSON.” My son just finished his third year of playing college basketball, but he decided to give up his scholarship and his basketball career because the environment around that career was very negative and the leadership aspect at the head it of wasn’t fantastic. If you’re in any type of leadership position and you’re struggling with how to handle it, I recommend you read “The Energy Bus” and “The Power of Positive Leadership” by Jon Gordon. These two books are great resources for the topic of leadership and I believe they can help you a lot. If you’d like a copy of one of these books, give me a call and I’d be glad to send you one and talk to you about leadership. If you have any other questions about this topic or you have any real estate needs I can assist you with, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

There are many ways you can use my team and I as a resource. It seems like recently, we’ve been helping a lot more people make their move here from another state. I wanted to let all of you know that you can call us for things other than real estate. Over the years, people have called us for a number of things, even where to find a babysitter, where to find a dentist, and where to go for a great meal out. “WE WANT TO BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU IN TERMS OF YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS AND ALSO IN YOUR DAILY LIFE.” Whatever you need to know about our Northern Nevada area, reach out and we would be happy to help. One more thing I want to make you all aware of is that we’ll be giving away some things this month. Ultimately, the bottom line is this: We want to be a resource you in terms of your real estate needs but also in your daily life. 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.

Today, I’d like to continue answering some questions about our market that I’ve been hearing. Recently, I attended the Builder’s Association forecast for 2018. Based on what was said there, I can say that the outlook for the coming year is good. People are concerned that the prices in the area have gone up the past few years, and we’re getting close to the peak of the market like we saw around 10 or 12 years ago. However, this is a completely different market than it was then. We have people moving to the area for good economic reasons, like the new companies and new jobs developing here which draw people in. Because of that, inventory has been really tight. This is especially true for low-end price points. For example, there are only currently 58 homes available that are under the $300,000 price point and only five homes under $200,000. What’s more, only 11 of those 58 homes were built more recently than 1990, so if you’re looking for a newer home, they’re getting harder and harder to find, and almost impossible if you’re looking under $300,000. “RENT RATES HAVE GONE UP IN THIS AREA OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE UNITED STATES” Despite this, it’s only January, so by February, we should start to see more homes coming on the market. If you’re a buyer, though, you’ve got to be ready ahead of time. Get pre-approved now so that you’ll be able to react more quickly when a home does appear. It’s still a seller’s market, so there isn’t a whole lot of room for negotiation due to the lack of inventory. There are a lot of people who are being forced to buy a house and find roommates to help pay for the expenses or go back to renting a home or apartment. Rent rates have gone up in this area over the past two years more than anywhere else in the United States. In response, more and more apartment complexes are being built, which gives people a place to live, but if you’re looking to building long-term wealth, renting is not the way to go. If you want to know more specific details about the state of our market and what we can expect from the year ahead, feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to sit down with you and talk about your situation.

Do you plan on buying or selling a home in 2018? If so, the Lessinger Team is here to help you reach your real estate goals. If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in 2018, it’s important that you work with an experienced real estate team. We work with a lot of people who were referred to a different Realtor or worked with an agent that was a friend or family member. Whatever the case may be, in today’s market, you need an agent or team that has experience. In addition to helping people buy and sell real estate, our team also handles property management. Between everyone on our team, we have 70 years of combined experience in real estate. Why is experience so important? There are a number of different steps and factors in any real estate transaction. We can help you price your home to sell, figure out how much to offer on a home, and guide you through negotiations and repairs. There are a number of details to keep track of, not to mention mountains of paperwork. Thanks to our experience, we know exactly what needs to be done. “WE HAVE 70 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN REAL ESTATE.” We also understand our local market conditions. We can help you through a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. Reno has had a lot of growth over the last five years, and we get a lot of questions from people who are concerned that prices are too high. We can sit down with you and help you decide if now is a good time to buy or sell, or if you would be better doing so later on. Our goal is to give you the information you need to make a good decision, whether you buy or sell in 2018 or down the road. We want to do what’s best for you. If you have any questions or would like to sit down and talk with us about your real estate goals, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. If you know anyone who is thinking about buying or selling a home in 2018, we would love to meet them and give them the information they need to make the right decisions. Just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

The Lessinger Team had an amazing year and it’s all thanks to you. 2017 was an amazing year for us here at the Lessinger Team. Today, my team and I want to thank you for that. I was lucky enough to meet many of you in person this year at our various client appreciation events, which was truly a great experience. “THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.” As the year draws to a close, I want to remind you all that I’m always here for you. I can’t wait to continue bringing you updates and valuable information in the new year. And, again, thank you so much for your support. I hope you all have a happy holiday season. If you have any real estate questions, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

I want to discuss two topics today: property management and referrals. Today’s topic is actually about two separate things: property management and referrals. I wanted to educate you a little bit about some things we do in our property management business that you might not be aware of, as well as about how referrals work since our business is based on them. Property Management: For those of you who don’t know, The Lessinger Team does do property management. We manage mostly single-family homes, but for local owners and those who are more experienced in property management, we also do what’s called a tenant finder. This means we find you the tenant for the property and you manage the property on your own. Referrals: We let all of our clients know that any referrals needed don’t necessarily have to be related to the house; we can get you a referral to a dentist or even something like a babysitter. Feel free to give us a call if you need anything, especially if you’re new to the area. “WE CAN REFER YOU TO DENTISTS, BABYSITTERS, CONTRACTORS, AND MORE.” On the other side of the referral coin, our business is based on referrals. Most of our clients are referred to us. The best way for you to refer us would be to call or email us directly with the contact information of the person that might be looking to buy or sell a home. That way, we can reach out to them. Whether it’s property management or buying or selling a home, we want to be here to help you get all the information you need. If you do have any questions or need information, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

When it comes to deciding whether to buy an existing home or building a new one, there are a lot of variables to think about. Here are my thoughts about choosing what to do. Today’s topic is two-fold: I’m asked all the time if it’s cheaper to buy or build a house, and also whether it’s better to buy a new or existing home. I’ll be discussing the answers to both of these questions. “Is it cheaper to buy a house, or build it from scratch?” A pro of building a house from scratch is that you are allowed to pick the details and features that you want, such as the floor plan and certain other amenities. I always think it’s a little more expensive to build a home, and I myself wouldn’t look forward to picking from the thousands of little details necessary when building a home. With the events that happened recently in Florida, Texas, and California, I believe hiring people to do the work will be more expensive than normal, as will the cost of materials. So many people need to have their houses rebuilt due to hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. “Is it better to buy a new home, or an existing home?” New construction is a little like buying a new car. You’ll have to pay a premium because it’s a brand-new property, no one has lived in it, and projects like landscaping will need to be done after the fact. If you can find a similar home that’s maybe three to five years old in a similar neighborhood, you’ll find a lot of those things have already been taken care of. “IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS ARE AND WHAT YOU’RE WILLING AND ABLE TO PAY FOR.” There are a lot of variables to consider when you’re thinking about buying versus building, and new versus existing homes. It all depends on what your specific needs are and what you’re willing and able to pay for. If you’re trying to weigh the options for these scenarios, let me know. I know a bunch of people who have recently built homes from scratch. I’ve also got clients that are buying existing homes. We’ll always give you advice on which option is best for you. Give us a call, send an email, or make an appointment and we can walk you through those different topics. Hope to talk to you soon!

If you’re not sure you have the right homeowners insurance, talk to your insurance agent immediately and get that corrected so if disaster strikes, you don’t make a bad situation worse. Today’s topic hits somewhat close to home for me. The topic I’m talking about is making sure you have the right homeowners insurance in case disaster strikes. My sister-in-law lives in Santa Rosa in Northern California, and her entire neighborhood burned to the ground recently due to the wildfires. I also have a cousin who lives in Tampa who had to deal with effects and aftermath of Hurricane Irma. “MAKE SURE YOUR POLICIES ARE PAID, UP TO DATE, AND IN PLACE.” Between the wildfires in California, the storms in Florida, and the flooding in Houston, I figured now is as good of a time as any to remind you to talk to your insurance agent about your homeowners insurance policy and make sure you have the protection you think you do—whether that’s for earthquakes, flooding, wildfires, etc. Many times, certain things aren’t covered that you think might be. Also, make sure you have enough insurance so that if your house is destroyed, you have enough money to rebuild it, repair it, or have a place to stay in the meantime. I’ve watched so many horrendous things happen over the last few months, so make sure your policies are paid, up to date, and in place so that you have what you think you need. If you don’t have the homeowners insurance you think you need, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be glad to help you.

Today I want to go over a few things I think could be helpful to you and your business. These are the same resources I’ve utilized myself and I want to share them with you. Today’s topic is going to be a little different. I’d like to take some time to talk about coaching, mentoring, and also some books I think could be helpful to you. Here at the Lessinger Team, we work closely with the Buffini Company. Through them, I have my own real estate coach. Most of the systems I use come from them. These same systems and tools would likely be beneficial to you, whether your business is real estate or something else. You can find information about these systems in Brian Buffini’s book, “The Emigrant Edge.” This book has been a valuable resource to me and my business, and I want to share it with you. I’ve got 20 free copies that I’m giving away. To secure your copy, give me a call or send me an email. “THIS BOOK HAS BEEN A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO ME AND MY BUSINESS, AND I WANT TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.” You can also find and buy this book, which is now a bestseller, on Amazon. I also have another book recommendation for a different topic I often get questions about. If you need financial planning advice, you may want to take a look at “The Automatic Millionaire” by David Bach. This book is a great wealth of information for those who don’t know much about finances right now. If you are a little more advanced in your knowledge, I’d be happy to recommend some other books to you as well. Just like “The Emigrant Edge,” I also have copies of “The Automatic Millionaire” that I would be more than happy to give you. 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 want to sell your home this fall or winter, there are a few things you should do to prepare your property for the market. If you plan on listing your home anytime between October and March, there are a few things you should do to prepare for the market. Depending on the weather, you may want to take photos of your home now. Your yard looks great when the grass is green and the trees and plants are in bloom. Right now, your landscape looks great, so take listing photos before the snow comes. As we approach Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, a lot of homeowners will start decorating. If you plan on selling your house though, I recommend dialing it back a bit on the decorations. You want people to focus on the positive features of your house, not all the seasonal decor. “YOU WANT BUYERS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR HOUSE, NOT YOUR DECORATIONS.” Also, since the weather is colder, things like extra blankets and pillows start to come out of storage. It’s important to stay warm, but don’t let your house get too cluttered with extra blankets and such. You don’t want to have so much stuff around that the space is cluttered. If you are lucky enough to have a gas or wood burning fireplace, make sure that it is in working order and looks great. A fireplace can be a nice selling point for your property. If this winter is like last winter, now is the time to prepare your house for the market. After all, you don’t want to take your listing photos under a couple of feet of snow. Hopefully, these tips will help you. If you have any questions about selling your particular house this fall or winter, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Our market cooled off a bit during the summer, but now that that’s ending, things should get back to normal. If I haven’t spoken to you recently, I’m sure you’re hearing all sorts of things about our market. Here’s what’s really going on, though. Over the summer—just like the last four or five years—the market cooled off a bit. Kids are only out of school for about eight weeks now, so a lot of people prefer to go on vacation during June, July, and August. This means houses that have been hitting the market have been taking a bit longer to sell. “NOW THAT SUMMER’S ENDING, WE SHOULD SEE OUR MARKET GET GOING AGAIN.” To me, that’s not a market correction. That just means things have calmed down a little bit. Now that kids are back in school and people are back into their normal routines and looking for houses again, the market should get going again. We literally just listed two houses that both received offers within the first 48 hours of being on the market. Home prices have elevated, but in general homes are still priced pretty well. Since rents have gone up so much, you can still buy a house for a lower payment than if you decided to rent. If you want to know the value of your home or you’re thinking of buying or selling in our market soon, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help you.

Here’s a quick reminder about some of our upcoming events. This year, we’ve got a lot of great things planned, including our annual Great Reno Balloon Race. Today I’ve got a quick reminder for you about some of the events we have coming up in the near future. For one, we’ve got the Great Reno Balloon Race—which we have been holding the past few years on a Friday. This year, however, we’ve moved the date by request to Saturday, September 9th. But that’s not all. For every person who comes out for a free tether balloon ride, we’ll make a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network. “THIS YEAR, WE’RE TRYING OUT SOME DIFFERENT THINGS—SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR DETAILS.” I’ll be out at this event early, so be sure to come find my team and I so we can help you take advantage of this fun chance to give back. While things may, of course, change due to weather, the tether balloon rides should start between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Remember to come early, since lines tend to form and there are waivers to sign. On top of that, we will also be having some more events in October and November. This will include our pumpkin patch event, pie giveaway, Santa Claus photos, and more. This year, we’re trying out some different things—so be on the lookout for details. 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.

Many people decide to rent a home instead of buying one because they don’t know enough about the process. We hope to shed some more light on this today. In the last week, I’ve probably talked to three or four different agents who are looking for a home for their clients. They aren’t looking for a home to buy, though- they are looking for a home to rent. The rental market is as good as it has ever been for investors. Rent is at an all-time high and people are having a difficult time finding a place to rent, especially under $1,000. If you’re in the market for a new place to live, you might want to consider buying a home as an option. A lot of people are hesitant about buying because they don’t know how long they will be in the home for. However, even if you’re only there for a few months, we can still get you a home where your monthly payment will likely be cheaper than what you would be paying in rent. If you end up needing to move, we can just rent the house out and cover your payment with that rent. “EVERY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT.” When someone is unable to buy a property in our current market for whatever reason, they turn to renting. However, you won’t be able to control your situation unless you buy. Rent keeps going up each year, but locking in a rate for a 30-year mortgage now means that your monthly mortgage payment will remain flat for the next three decades. Think about it. Every situation is different. If you have any questions for us or you’re not sure if you can afford to buy a home, we’d love to sit down with you and have a conversation to flesh things out. If you have any other questions for us about real estate, I’m always here to answer them. Just give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.

There’s been some confusion lately about what appraisals are and who they’re for. Today I’d like to clear that up. I’ve seen many people confused about what appraisals are and what they’re meant to do. Generally, an appraisal is seen as the final word on a property’s value. Sometimes you don’t even need an appraisal. This is especially true for buyers who are paying in cash. The appraisal is needed so that the lender in that potential transaction can see the value of the home. This way, they can be sure they don’t feel like they are lending too much money to the buyer for the purchase. The reason that appraisals and the values they give really matter is this: When someone gets qualified for a home loan, the lender will only loan them a percentage of the purchase price based on the appraised value of the home. “SOMETIMES YOU DON’T EVEN NEED AN APPRAISAL IN A HOME SALE.” So what happens if the appraisal comes in below the agreed upon purchase price? In this case, it becomes a negotiable thing between the buyer and the seller. The buyer doesn’t have to proceed with buying, and the seller doesn’t have to agree to sell at the appraisal instead of the higher purchase price. Sometimes the price gets lower, and sometimes the buyer makes up the difference. As prices have increased in our area over the last couple of years, appraisals are not always coming in at value. That doesn’t mean that the house isn’t worth it, it just means that we have to figure out a way to make up that difference if there’s a problem. If this happens to you, we’ll walk you through it and figure out the best solution for you. If you have any additional questions or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, give me a call. I’d be happy to help.