Richmond Real Estate Podcast with Joey Schlager

There are a lot of mistakes you can make when selling a home. Here are seven specific mistakes to avoid.Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. Selling a home is a complicated process. If you aren’t careful or you don’t have the right person guiding you through the transaction, it can lead to a lot of headaches. Here are seven mistakes that you should avoid when selling to ensure a successful transaction:1. Don’t take your own photos. We hire a professional photographer to come out and take pictures of our listings. It’s so important to have good photos, so that’s an expense we take on ourselves.2. Don’t try to sell your home by yourself. You hire a professional Realtor to sell your home because they know that homes sell for more with an agent than you would save on commission if you didn’t hire one.3. Don’t argue with your agent about price. Although you have the final say on price, you should use the data and information your agent gives you to make an informed decision.4. Don’t trust Zillow as the word of God. We use an equity evaluation, among other models, to see four different angles of your market value and decide what the best price is. Don’t take Zillow too seriously.5. Don’t be present during a showing. We highly suggest you get away while the home is being shown.6. Don’t refuse to negotiate. Buyers have a tendency to lowball you and it might hurt your feelings. Don’t take it personally, use it to start the negotiations.7. Don’t ignore your agent’s requests for repairs or cleaning. I’m a big advocate of putting your best foot forward when selling. If there are any small repairs or extra cleaning that could be done, you should do them if your agent recommends it. The more work you put into staging your home, the more it will attract buyers.Paying special attention to these seven things can make or break your home sale. If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

We get asked about buying new construction homes all the time. We’ve got some tips to share today that will help make the process easier.Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. The holiday season is upon us and boy are we excited. We are thankful to have had an outstanding 2016 and to have helped as many families as we did. We are looking forward to another outstanding year in 2017.We got a bunch of responses from our previous video asking for questions and topic suggestions. One of the most frequently asked about topics was new construction homes. They are becoming a larger part of the inventory around the country and we thought it would be a good idea to cover a few basics about buying newly-built homes today.One common mistake that buyers purchasing new construction homes make is paying full asking price. If you have your own representation when you look at these homes in the form of a buyer’s agent, there is no reason you should pay full asking price. A lot of buyers think if a home is brand-new that they must pay the full asking price.This is almost never the case.Another question we get asked a lot about is whether or not an inspection is necessary for a brand-new home. The builders offer a one-year warranty (which they are required to by law), but we have found over the past few years, a home inspection is a smart idea. We’ve been able to uncover problems in brand-new homes that may not have been revealed otherwise until it was too late. Most builders will come out and fix things, but we don’t think it’s a bad idea.“One common mistake is when buyers pay full asking price. ”If you’re looking to buy or sell a home, we’re always willing to help you out and give you some free advice. If you have any questions, we’d be glad to answer them too. Just give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Now is a great time to buy a home in Richmond. Inventory is on the low side, so you need to work with a trusted partner to make an effective strategy to compete for the home you want.Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. Is now a good time to buy a home in Richmond? The answer is absolutely yes.First of all, interest rates are still very low. And while inventory is still a bit low, we're seeing that sellers tend to be a little bit more motivated to sell this time of year. When inventory is low, it's critically important to have a strategic buying plan. That's something our team puts a lot of emphasis on.“We like to develop a strategic home buying plan with our clients. ”Rather than having us show you dozens of homes only to leave you frustrated, we like to sit down with you for 10 or 15 minutes to develop our strategic home buying plan. That way, we're able to get to properties early, which is so important when inventory is low.As we move forward, I'll introduce you to some of our buyer specialists who do nothing but help buyers through the process. This will help you understand the competitive advantage we offer. Also, keep in mind that we have a 24-month buyer satisfaction guarantee.If you'd like any more information about this program or about anything related to real estate, don't hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We'd love to help you!

Right now is a great time to put your home on the market. Not only is inventory down, but interest rates are ridiculously good. Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. Fall is my favorite time of year, but is this a good time of year to sell? Since my last video, this is the question I’ve been getting asked most frequently.Right now is an excellent time to sell. If you’re contemplating putting your home on the market, do not hesitate. We’re seeing a very low number of days on market and inventory is down by almost 18%.“If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, strike now while the iron is hot. ”Additionally, interest rates are also ridiculously good right now. There have been hints that interest rates might go up in December. I don’t know if this is true, but what I do know is that we have a lot of buyers looking for homes right now.If you decide that you do want to sell or you’re wondering what your home might be worth in today’s market, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a free consultation. Also, if you have any other real estate questions you’d like to see me discuss as a video topic, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

I have good news to share about the market here in the RVA metro. Sales are up, and inventory is down. What does this mean for buyers and sellers, though?Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. What’s the condition of the market here in the RVA metro? Here are some quick numbers to give you an idea:For the metro as a whole, pending sales are up 14.01%. Our sales success index is around 75%. In case you forgot, the sales success index is a comparison or ratio between the newly listed homes versus the homes that have already gone under contract.Prices are up 4.5%.Inventory is down 18%. If you’re a seller, that last figure is especially good news. That means that options are limited for all the buyers out there, and they’ll be much less picky about choosing their home. Now is the time to get that home sold.“Pending sales for the RVA metro area as a whole are up 14.01%. ”If you have any questions you would like answered in a future video, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I would be happy to help!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. Hello, and welcome to Part II of our foreclosure series! Today, we share more tips on how to buy a foreclosure property.Be aware of title issues when purchasing a foreclosed property. HOA title issues are common on these properties, to say nothing of the many other title problems that can arise. Working with a competent closing agent who will do a title search on the property before you commit will help you avoid any unexpected problems.The banks selling foreclosed properties will often want you to live in the home for one year before selling. If you intend on buying a distressed property, plan on being there for at least a year! The bank will make you sign an occupancy affidavit, which will place a restriction on the deed. If you try to sell the property before occupying it for a year, they will fine you!If you have more questions about buying foreclosed properties, or if you need any real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you! 

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. Recently, many people emailed us asking for tips about buying foreclosure properties. Since we could talk about this for days, this is Part I of a two part-series. If you're looking to buy and you come across a foreclosure, know that it's not a good deal simply because it's a foreclosure property. You need to work the numbers to find out if the home is truly a good deal, and you need to make sure that there are no defects that will cost you a lot of money down the road. Some people think that foreclosed property prices are fixed, but this is not true. In fact, the price of a foreclosed property is negotiable. Make sure you have a good agent in your corner negotiating on your behalf to ensure you get a good price on the property.A lot of people think that they can't do a home inspection on a foreclosure, but that's not true either. Home inspections can be negotiated into the contract when buying a foreclosed home, so be sure to work with a real estate professional who knows the ropes. If you are looking for an agent who is very knowledgeable about foreclosures, or if you have any real estate questions of any kind, give us a call or shoot us an email. Keep an eye out for Part II of this foreclosure series! We look forward to hearing from you soon! 

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. In a previous video, I mentioned that if you sent me a question, I would answer it here on the blog. Well, today I want to answer a user-submitted question: What keeps a home from selling? We get this question a lot, so I want to share three reasons why you might have trouble selling.Improper pricing strategy: This is something we can dive into deeper with a one-on-one meeting. The right strategy is dependent on your specific situation.Improper condition and showability: There are some things we do to ensure your home is in tip-top condition and ready to sell! Improper marketing strategy: The home must be properly marketed with a proven strategy to ensure your home is going to sell.You need to focus on these three things if you want your home to sell quickly and for top dollar. If you have any questions about this topic, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are always here to help!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. Lately, many people have asked what the signs are that they need a new roof. Your best option is to consult with a roofing contractor, but since I work with homeowners on a regular basis, I would love to share what I know. Now that the weather is getting nice here in Richmond, there is no better time to share the 3 signs that you need to replace your roof!Water spots on ceiling: It's pretty obvious, but if you see water stains on your ceiling, there is a good chance there is something wrong with your roof!Missing shingle granule: If granules from the face of your shingles are missing, you may want to consult with a contractor to see what the life expectancy of your roof is and whether now is the time to fix it.Curling shingles: When your home gets to the end of its life expectancy, the shingles will start to curl at the ends. You'll even see them start to lift off the shingles underneath, and it's a sure sign that your roof is at the end of its run.I hope you found these tips helpful! If you have any of these problems, give me a call and I'll put you in touch with a trustworthy roofing contractor who will help you out. As always, if you have any real estate questions or concerns, we would love to hear from you! 

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. With the spring selling season in full swing, we thought we should address a few common questions we've received lately. Today, we'll address these two questions: If you're selling your home, can the buyer charge you a fee to remain in it after closing? If so, how much?If you're still looking for a new home, but you've closed on your current one, you can have the buyer of your current home rent it back to you until you are able to close on your next home. This is done on a per diem basis; if the new buyer's mortgage payment is $1,500 per month, we'll break that down into a per day cost. If you have any questions about how to make this happen or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. I would love to give you a hand! 

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. Many homeowners in Richmond think they can sell their home without an agent. Today, I explain why that's not always the best strategy for a successful home sale!We never try to discourage people from selling their home without an agent; in fact, we'll send you a document that will help you do so! Here at the Richmond Realty Team, we pride ourselves on not painting anyone into a corner. If you want to sell your home yourself, we would love to help you be successful! When it comes to selling without help, putting a price on your time can be a helpful way to determine whether it's worth it. There are a few things to think about before you decide to sell by yourself: Did you know homes listed with an agent sell for more money? Do you know contracts? Are you patient?Are you fully committed to the process?If you can answer these questions confidently, reach out to us and we'll send you our FSBO home selling packet to help you reach your selling goals. If you aren't so sure, give us a call or send us an email so we can discuss your situation. As always, our expertise and resources are at your disposal! 

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. As the spring real estate season moves into full gear, there is no better time to discuss pre-listing home inspections and how they can benefit your home sale. First, what exactly is a pre-listing home inspection? If you have ever purchased a home, you had a home inspection done as part of your due diligence before purchasing. The goal of the inspection is to find any structural defects with the home, the repairs of which are discussed during negotiations. While it's not all that common for sellers get an inspection done on their home before listing it, we highly recommend it. Typically, buyers will go out and pay their own contractor to give them what's called a cost-secure for any defects that are identified by the inspector. We have found that it's much more cost-effective for the seller to hire their own inspector and contractor. Fixing the problems found in the home inspection just prior to or just after listing will save you money, plain and simple. In fact, we've found that in many cases, you can fix problems for half the cost of what the buyer would have you spend.In general, a pre-listing inspection gives the seller a good deal of leverage when it comes time to negotiate with a buyer. The pre-listing inspection is part of our home selling package, and we have seen great results with it! If you have any questions about this topic, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you! 

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. Hello, and welcome back to the blog! The Richmond market continues to heat up, so we feel it's a good time to offer some advice to sellers. We often get asked whether it's best to sell a vacant property or one that is still occupied. Today, we answer that question and more, so you can get the best results when selling your home this spring! We ALWAYS recommend that you sell your home with an occupied appearance. Often, buyers feel they have leverage with you as a seller if your home has a vacant appearance. We think this is due, in large part, to the number of distressed sales we've had over the past 4-5 years. When someone goes into a vacant home, they automatically associate it with a distressed sale. It then has a psychological impact on the offer you end up getting. Every time we list someone's home, we pay for a staging consultation. While we understand it's not always an option, we highly recommend taking advantage of a professional stager if you have the option. On average, homes sell for between 6-8% more money when they are staged. It's clear: buyers prefer homes that have an occupied appearance!If you have any questions about staging, or if you would like real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to help you have a smooth and successful real estate experience!  

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. As the spring selling season comes into full swing here in Richmond, I thought I'd offer some advice to home buyers. Purchasing a home is not a complex process, but many different things can go awry. If you can steer clear of these road bumps, you should have a rather painless real estate experience.Moving too fast: Don't jump on top of the first home that you see. At least take a look at all of the properties that match your purchasing criteria before you commit to a single home. Also, setting your heart on a single home can cause disappointment down the road if your offer is not accepted. It's best to keep your options open.Not researching the neighborhood: You should know about the neighborhood, the schools, and the amenities of different neighborhoods before you commit to buying a home. This can certainly affect your future, so don't let this slip past you while you're busy looking for properties.Skipping a home inspection: We would never let our clients do this, but it still happens every now and then. This is an absolutely disastrous decision, and we would never recommend foregoing a home inspection on any property.Making an unconditional offer: Making a sale contingent upon something else is a good way to protect your own interests. If you need to sell your home before you buy another, then let the seller know this. It might put some people off, but we don't want to risk your well-being.Not getting pre-approved or pre-qualified: Sellers like to see serious buyers that have been approved for a loan, and this will help you immensely in a competitive housing market such as the one here in Richmond. This also gives us a lot of leverage when we negotiate a good deal for you.If you're looking to purchase a home this spring, please get into contact with my team. We're full of good advice and would love to assist you in any way possible.We're your #1 resource for real estate in Richmond!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Selling your Richmond area home? Get a free home value report  Buying a Richmond area home? Click here for full MLS access. It doesn't feel like spring is anywhere near, as we continue to have unseasonably cold weather here in Richmond. However, it will be here before you know it, so I thought I would take the time today to share some tips on how to add value to your home once the spring selling season arrives.Appliances: Updating your appliances is the number one way to add value to your home. Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes - making sure they look nice will go a long way toward getting you top dollar. Painting: Adding a fresh layer of neutral-colored paint to your walls will make a huge difference when showing your home.Staging: Homes that are professionally staged sell for 3%-6% more money on a national level. Here at the Richmond Realty Team, we pay to have a staging consultation done for all of our clients. It's a very effective way to draw buyers to your home, and we strongly encourage it. Depersonalize: Sometimes it's hard for buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. We recommend taking personal pictures and items off the walls and surfaces.If you have any questions about how you can add value to your home, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to help you out!