Podcasts about 2bpull

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today I have Angel Orozco from Skyline Security and he’s going to be talking about home security systems and how they can actually help your home sell in Silicon Valley. Skyline Security has been around for fifteen years and they specialize in all of the newer and more advanced security systems. Many of these are controlled via smartphones and they can be used commercially or residentially. Technology is huge in security and Skyline offers fully automated technology. Using your phone to set your alarm is extremely convenient, and you can even lock doors with their app. You can secure your entire home from your phone. Motion sensors can detect movement and they also have sensors to detect glass breaking.   We have just formed a partnership with Skyline Security and anyone who buys a home from us will get a free installation from Skyline Security. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Angel.We look forward to hearing from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Whether you’re a flipper, an investor, a builder, or a property manager, buying appliances can be a real drag. Today, Scott Mace is here to discuss the Bulk Appliance Purchase program, a great option if you are in a situation where you need to buy a handful of appliances at once. The Bulk Appliance program allows housing manufacturers or builders to purchase bulk appliances at wholesale prices. It allows any combination of appliances, including refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, dishwashers, as well as washers and dryers. This program is great for people who own rentals and property managers who have to replace appliances in properties every so often. If you’re going to be in the industry for some time, this could save you a lot of cash down the road. All you have to do is apply for a bulk account by reaching out to Scott. He will get you a quote and help you set up packages of exactly what you need. The process is pretty quick, as Scott can manage the packaging, the delivery, and the install because he is a certified project manager.Instead of just having the stuff delivered to the garage, Scott and his team can install the appliances for you. There are many teams that don’t include these other services, but Scott’s certification as a project manager allows him to help with the entire process. This takes unnecessary stress off of the builder’s, the property manager’s, or the landlord’s shoulders, and allows them to focus on other aspects of their jobs.  If you would like to reach out to Scott to get more details about the Bulk Appliance program, you can reach him as Scott@MaceCompanies.com or (303) 663-5977. Of course, if you need help on the real estate side of things, feel free to reach out to us at any time. We would love to hear from you! 

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Chuck Roundy bought and sold a home with me, and he was impressed with the promptness in communication, as well as the minor adjustments in staging and landscaping that made a big impact.Gary Meyer worked with me in 2008 when his wife was hired as a teacher in Castle Rock. They had a very complicated move because his mother was ill, and his father had a hard time moving around. He was very impressed by the fact that I pre-screened houses for him while he was taking care of his father in North Carolina. He says I went way above and beyond any real estate agent that he'd ever met.  Crystal Stratton wanted to build her dream home but had trouble with the builders. She was impressed by how I handled the builders and was able to help push things along to make the process go more smoothly.John Lynch liked how I negotiated during the closing period and he found me extremely helpful and knowledgeable throughout the entire process.Stu Boulter says he "is always impressed" by my professionalism and the depth of my knowledge in real estate. He calls me a "big picture thinker" and likes how creative I am in the marketplace.I truly have some really awesome clients and thank them for all their kind words. If you need to buy or to sell a home in the Denver metro area, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.What does the real estate market look like in Santa Clara County? Currently, there are just over 1,000 active homes on the market. The average sales price is $860,000, and homes spend an average of 69 days on the market. In more desirable areas, homes are on the market for one or two weeks!Inventory is extremely low right now, with about one month of inventory on the market. Since there is a shortage of inventory, home values are going up. Many sellers are receiving multiple offers, especially in desirable areas with good schools and great amenities nearby.Interest rates remain at all-time lows, hovering in the high threes and low fours for a 30-year fixed mortgage. Buyers have a lot more purchasing power right now, so take advantage of these low rates.What does this mean for you? If you're looking to sell, you can get top dollar for your home so long as you are priced correctly and have an aggressive marketing plan.For buyers, the market is quite competitive. It might take a little while to get you into a home, but we can come up with a plan to get you to the closing table. Plus, those interest rates are fantastic!If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.When it comes time for you to hire a real estate agent, you have almost too many options. Today we are going to discuss the top 5 questions you should be asking any real estate agent before you hire them, so you can filter through the plethora of agents out there in order to find the right one for you. 1. Are you a full-time agent? There are a lot of part-time agents out there; unfortunately, they don't have the necessary time or experience to provide good service. Here at PRG Real Estate, we are all full-time agents, and we are always working our hardest to give you the best service possible.2. What kind of operation do you run?A lot of agents attempt to do everything themselves. This is not an efficient process, which is why many solo agents aren't able to give their clients the service they deserve. We have a team of specialized individuals that is designed to make your transaction one smooth process. Our support staff is in place to free up time for our agents so they can spend that time helping you buy or sell a home.3. Do you have client testimonials?We survey all of our clients each year and ask their honest opinions about working with us. We appreciate all the feedback that we get, positive or negative, and use it to improve our business. Any agent you hire should be doing the same.4. Do you have a marketing plan?Marketing listings is crucial in our market, and we know that. That's why we have our own personalized marketing plan which details our proven strategies and cutting edge marketing techniques that will net top dollar for your home.5. What percentage of your business comes from referrals?A good agent should have happy customers that want to come back and do business again, or refer their friends and family members. About 30-40% of our business comes from referrals and previous clients, and we take great pride in that.Thanks for joining me today. If you have any questions about this topic, or are looking to buy or sell in Silicon Valley, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale. If you plan on selling your current house and buying a new one, there are a few things you need to take into consideration. The first question to ask is whether you need the equity from your current property in order to purchase a new property. If the answer is yes, we suggest you list the property you’re living in first, in order to have the purchasing power necessary to buy your next home.If you have the cash in the bank to buy your next home without having to sell, it’s a great position to be in. In that case, you can go ahead and start looking at properties before you even list. However, you should be aware of the possibility that you might have two mortgages at the same time. Regardless of what you end up doing, it’s crucial to be aware of market conditions. Here in Silicon Valley, it’s a very competitive market; there is a lot of inventory and there are a lot of buyers. In this situation, putting an offer on a home that is contingent on you selling your current home is not going to make you look as powerful as someone else who has already sold their home and has some money in the bank. In this market, sellers need to be aware of something called rent-backs. Basically, a rent-back is a situation in which the seller asks the buyer to rent back the property from the new buyers. This agreement extends the closing so that sellers can remain in their house, while paying rent to the buyer, as they finalize their new living situation. Many sellers have found this to be a great way to purchase a new home without having to move more than once. If you have questions about how you can make your move as smooth as possible, or if you have any questions about our local market, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to give you a hand! 

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.  Typically, when we work with buyers, many assume that the down payment is the only money they will need to pay out of pocket for the property. These buyers get a rude awakening when they realize there are other costs. That’s why today, we’re talking about closing costs. First of all, there’s the down payment. There are some loan programs that don’t require any money down. In Tucson, there’s even a down payment assistance program. If you don’t want to pay any money out of pocket, you will still need a savvy agent to negotiate closing costs. Closing costs include loan origination fees and other fees. If you are working with a DPA program, you can probably come in with a 3% down payment. If your agent doesn’t negotiate the closing costs, however, you will actually need to pay 6.5% out of pocket.  In our current market, homes priced around $250,000 are in a strong seller’s market. That said, sellers are still paying closing costs. You may have to offer closer to the asking price in order to make that happen, but it will mean less money out of pocket at the end of the day. There are other fees that a buyer needs to be aware of as well. We always recommend that buyers conduct a home inspection. These usually run around $300 to $350. For smaller properties like townhouses and condos, a home inspection might only cost $280. This is a small investment to make in order to know everything about the property before you buy it. On top of the regular home inspection, you should also get a termite inspection. Termite inspections only cost $40 to $60. It’s important to make sure that the property doesn’t have any termites because banks won’t finance your home purchase if there are termites. As you can see, there are many costs involved in buying a home. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.As a buyer in the Tucson housing market, there are a few things to keep in mind when considering your buying power. Check out these four important factors below!Your credit score is the most basic way for a lender to know where you stand financially. This also accounts for your ability to pay back each loan every month. Your initial down payment is important. The more money you’re able to offer upfront, the more purchasing power you have. Next, there’s always the debt-to-income ratio to keep in mind. Although you might have a steady income, any remaining debt can decrease your purchasing power. Lenders want to be reassured a buyer has the assets to pay back loans. This can include money coming in the future, such as rent from tenants, or any investments.If you’re thinking about buying or selling in the surrounding area, give me a call or email! I’d be happy to answer any questions you have.

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Before listing your home, do a walkthrough of your own house as if you were a buyer. Look for leaks around toilets and sinks. See if you can spot any problems that need to be addressed sooner than later. Buyers will most likely see these problems if you can.You can always contact a home inspector, too. They can perform a pre-inspection for your property. This can cost around $300 to $400, but it is worth the investment. After the inspection, they will give you a report with repairs and problems to fix. If you contact us, you can ask our recommendation for a local inspector. Our office maintains relationships with contractors in the area.Many people also ask if it’s wise to remodel their home (specifically the kitchen or the bathroom) before listing it. Generally, I advise against this, because you don’t always see that return on the investment. For instance, if you replace appliances and it ends up costing you $50,000, don’t expect your listing price to increase by that amount.If you have any questions at all about pre-inspections, please don't hesitate to ask!  

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.When buying a home, should I get a home inspection? In Tucson, when you go under contract, you have ten days for due diligence. Due diligence allows you to inspect the property. Recently, many clients have asked if a home inspection is worth the fee. We always say yes!Generally, home purchases are the most costly transactions you’ll make in your lifetime. You want to get what you bought. Make sure you know what you are getting into. Home inspections usually cost between $300 and $400. They’re definitely worth the price, too. Any skilled inspector knows what to look for, from plumbing to electrical repairs to the roof. They will give you a report on what needs to be fixed, updated, or addressed soon. They will tell you what to look for. The extra expense of hiring a home inspector is well worth it.If you have any questions about inspections or real estate in the Tucson area, give me a call or send me an email today. Please reach out!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.In Atlantic County and the shore communities, it's unclear whether or not it's a buyer's market or a seller's market. Ocean City home values actually stayed relatively flat last year, but there was a major increase in the number of homes sold. On top of this, there was a 13-15% increase in price.The southern half of Cape May County in the Jersey Shore area saw an increase in home sales and a small increase in home prices. In some areas, sales prices rose as much as 6%. Depending on which area of Jersey you live in, your market may be relatively flat, or it could be peaking. There are many micro-markets in Jersey, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you want to know how your locale is performing.We look forward to hearing from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Our topic today is the first quarter statistics for the South Jersey marketplace. We are going to touch on a few different towns today in the area, but first, here are some statistics.In the first quarter of 2016, we had 1,400 new properties come on the market. That’s about the same amount as we did last year, but there were certain areas where we saw significant increases in the previous year’s numbers. In Cape May County, we sold over 400 properties in the first quarter of this year, up 5% from last year. The Cape May Court House area saw its average sale price increase by 3%, and residents of North Cape May saw their average sale price go up 6%. The average time on the market in North Cape May decreased by an average of 1-2 months. In the lower part of Cape May, more properties went on the market, and the days on market increased by about 25 days.In other areas like Ocean City, we’ve seen inventory levels remain steady the last few years. We are currently back over 900 properties on the market, which has gone up. At the same time, the number of homes that have actually sold has gone down a little bit. We are seeing a  downward trend in regards to pricing in Ocean City, as it’s down for the third straight year.One positive sign we saw was the number of homes sold. Although not as many sold, they were selling at a pretty good pace, indicating buyers in the marketplace are making quick decisions.Next, let’s take a look at Sea Owl City. This place has an interesting dynamic. Home sales have decreased by about 33% in the last year, but the average sale price was up 11%. Like we said, it’s an interesting market.Finally, we take a look at Upper Township. Right now, it’s as robust an area as it could be. We’ve seen a 27% increase in home sales and an 11% increase in average sale price. This is a very strong market right now.  There you have it, our stats for the first quarter of 2016 in South Jersey. If you have any questions at all, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today, we’re going to discuss interest rates, where they are now and where they are headed. Interest rates have really taken a turn for the better in the last month or so. In March, rates have been fantastic and same into April. Recently, rates have dropped from 4.25% and I’ve seen two closings with interest rates at 3.625%. We have not gotten the huge bump that was expected at the end of the last year. Why not? There are a few factors, such as the global economy, oil prices, and fears of a stock correction. Also, this upcoming election has people worried. The Fed continues to keep mortgage rates low, and, as a result, it’s helping the mortgage market out. What does that mean for you? 2016 is going to be a great years for rates, and many people expect that we will hit new historic lows. It hasn’t been this good since 2012, so for a buyer, that can have a lasting effect on your purchasing power. Let’s say you purchase a house at $300,000 with a 3.5% interest rates. If rates go up by a full percent, you’ll only be able to afford a $270,000 house. Usually a 1% increase leads to a 10% decrease in purchasing power. For sellers, that same buyer that can afford your $300,000 home today might not be able to afford that home a year from now. If you’ve been on the fence, get off the fence. This is a great year to buy, and if you’re a seller, there are going to be a lot of buyers out there with more purchasing power, which makes it a great year to sell. 

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.If you plan on making a move-up purchase you have a few different options. Today, I briefly discuss them so you can make an informed decision when the time comes for you to make your move. One option is to sell your current home first. This can be a scary proposition because you run the risk of having your home sell and not being able to find something. When doing this option, you should take a look at some homes first. Get an idea of where you want to move and how much you can afford to spend. Make sure it’s realistic: see if there are any homes available that meet your specific criteria. Bottom line: Do some research on the market before selling your home. The time just may not be right. Another option is to ask for a longer term once you sell your home or do a leaseback. You could ask for a 90-day closing period, instead of a 40-60 day period, in order to give yourself more time to find a home. If that doesn’t work, you could ask the seller to do a leaseback, where you pay the buyer to live in the home while you search for another one. Keep in mind that not all buyers will be willing to make these arrangements.One of the safest, and most commonly used, options you have is a home sale contingency. While it does give you a bit less negotiating power, it is a much less risky proposition. In this situation, you would find a home, make an offer on it, and go under contract with that new home with the contingency that you can’t close until you sell your current home. The problem with this is that most sellers don’t want to see a home sale contingency and it may limit your buying power. If you can make this option happen, it would be the most convenient route, as it allows you to buy a new home and sell your current home without having to move more than once. You have other options available to you, but they're essentially just variations on the ones mentioned above. If you would like to discuss which option is best for you and your particular situation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.When we prepare our listings for the spring market here in the Jersey Shore, we utilize a to-do list of important questions. Check them out below!How old are the appliances and other features of your home? How old are key items such as the furnace, roof, appliances, etc.?  When was the last time you had these items professionally inspected? Have they had a chance to expire functionally?What things do you notice as potentially problematic to prospective buyers? Do a walkthrough of your own home as if you were a potential buyer. Are there rings by your sink or toilet? Are there cracks in your tile floors?Ultimately, you want your property to look its best. Do all you can to prepare your home before you list! This time especially is a great opportunity to bring in the professionals. Time is of the essence.We can provide a consultation to access the value of your home. Additionally, it’s financially wise to hire an inspector to inform you of any problems. After you’ve had professionals, including us, take an inside look at your home, we can discuss renovations. Certain upgrades and updates can add value to your property and earn you an admirable return on investment. Let’s maximize your profit!If you’re thinking of buying or selling in the Jersey Shore this spring, reach out to us by phone or email today! We’d be happy to serve your real estate needs. We can also provide a free real estate evaluation!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today I want to discuss four important things to consider when you list your Jersey Shore home for sale. Sellers often become enamored with all of the moving parts involved in a transaction, but remember to focus on these four:Price: Your price will be your number one point of marketing and advertising. It says everything about your home, and it needs to be attractive to buyers. They must see a value in it, and this will encourage them to offer more in order to fend off other eager buyers. Staging: Staging your home lets buyers see your home at its best. Staged homes often sell quicker and for more money, so it’s a worthwhile investment to hire a professional to do this work for you.  Timing: When do you want to sell your home? Different seasons will affect our approach to selling your home. Spring and summer are traditionally the best times to sell. Interest rates: They are near historic lows, so buyers will be eager to purchase knowing that they can save quite a bit of money over the course of their loan. This will be pushing a lot of extra buyers onto the market. If you have any questions about how to sell your Jersey Shore home in 2016, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today, Todd Gydesen of Guild Mortgage joins us to share a few tips for those who are looking to purchase their first investment property. The minimum down payment required by Fannie Mae on an investment property is 15%. The problem with that is the difficulty of obtaining the mortgage insurance needed to make that happen. The standard down payment, then, is 20% down. If you put 25% down, that extra 5% down will improve your interest rate by almost half a point due to the Fannie Mae adjustments for risk level. In the long run, that lower interest rate will make a huge difference with what you’re trying to do! Once you have the down payment ready, you need to prepare your reserves. Essentially, your reserve is the amount of money you have left in your possession after the transaction is closed. Fannie Mae simply wants you to have a certain number of monthly payments for all the properties you have financed. In most cases, you can use rental income to qualify for this sale. When you’re buying an investment property that already has a tenant in it, that’s the easiest way to go. You can use 75% of what the monthly rent is to count against the new monthly payment. If the home is empty, all you need to get is a lease agreement and a deposit check that’s cleared your account. This is a great way to buy an investment property without having to qualify for all of the payments!If you would like to reach Todd directly to discuss your options, give him a call at (503) 312-4686 or visit him at www.GuildMortgage.com! If you would like assistance finding a great investment property, or if you have real estate questions of any kind, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time! We would love to hear from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.If you plan on selling your Pittsburgh home this spring, there are a few things you need to do in order to get the best results. Here are four tips to help you accomplish your selling goals this spring:Get a pre-inspection. This will save you the trouble of dealing with minor repairs once you already have a buyer on the line. A pre-inspection will tell you everything you need to know about your home so you aren’t taken by surprise later in the process. Also, it’s cheaper to do repairs up front than to wait until later!Meet with your agent upfront. Do a quick walkthrough with a real estate professional. They will give you tips for how to make your home more appealing to buyers. They’ll tell you whether you need to replace carpet, repaint some walls, or make other minor changes.Declutter and depersonalize. This is probably the #1 thing you need to do when getting your home ready to sell. Get some boxes and pack up anything you don’t need or won’t use in the coming months. You also want to make sure your countertops are clear and free of debris. Curb appeal. The exterior of your home is the first impression a potential buyer gets of your house. Freshen up your landscaping, mow the yard, and trim your plants and bushes in order to make your home look pristine. If you have patches of grass that are missing, you need to replace them now so the new grass has a chance to grow in. These four tips should help you to get the best results when selling this spring. If you would like additional tips, or if you have real estate questions of any kind, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.In a strong seller's market, there are two different types of exposure. One has to do with marketing and the other has to do with time. We'll dive into both of these to ensure you understand the best strategies you can put in place to make sure you get the most amount of money for your home with the least amount of stress.We put a home on the market Thursday of last week. We had 10 showings and two contracts the first day. Both the buyers who submitted an offer tried to pressure us into accepting it within 24 hours. We decided to let the property sit on the market for the entire weekend, which resulted in a total of nine contracts and even some cash offers. The seller was able to leverage all of these buyers against each other and get the best possible offer.If we would have done this the old school way and accepted the first offer, the seller would have lost out on $11,000 and the chance to rent back the property, which turned out to be a huge bonus for this particular seller. This allowed them to buy their next home while living in their current home after they had closed. Marketing is also extremely important, even in a strong seller’s market. If we can draw a lot of people into your home in the first couple of days that it’s on the market, we’re going to have a better chance of getting these people to bid against each other. This results in more money in your pocket, better terms, and your choice of financing.If you have any questions about how our team can use time and marketing to get the best possible results when selling your Denver home, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to help you take advantage of this strong market! 

Want to sell your home? Find out what your home is worth.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today, we’re here with a few tips for buyers to make your offer more attractive in a multiple offer situation. Of course, raising the price is one way to go, but there are a few small things that will set you apart as well. The first and easiest thing you can do is write a personal cover letter to the seller and submit it with your offer. Explain who you are, why you love their home, and maybe talk a little bit about how you see you and your family growing into that home. Believe it or not, sellers want to know that their home will be in good hands. They have raised families in that property and invested a lot of money, sweat, and tears into maintaining it. A personal letter really appeals to sellers. Another thing you can do is tighten up the option period. The option period consists of those first few days under contract that you have to do your due diligence. Typically, the option period runs between 7 and 10 days and costs $100. Make the option period 7 days and offer $200 or $250 dollars. That shows you’re committed to going through with the offer. If you don’t go through with the offer, the seller gets to keep that money. If you get the home, that money is credited to you at closing. Ultimately, tightening up the option period is a win-win. It can really make your offer stand out for a minimum investment. A shorter option period shows that you’re not dragging your feet, and you are really serious about buying the property. If you have any questions about today’s video, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you! 

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today we are beyond excited to introduce our amazing new website, TheTorranceGroup.com.Our new website is absolutely amazing, and your go-to choice for the latest and greatest in South Florida real estate. Why visit our site? Because you want to search like a professional and get immediate results.Time is money, and you want to be able to do the most comprehensive search possible when it comes to buying a home. Forget about Zillow and Realtor.com. Our site is the best one money can buy, and we guarantee you’ll be impressed. It feeds directly from our local MLS, and everything is up-to-date. If you like TheTorranceGroup.com, share it with your friends and recommend us! Most importantly, have a blast with it. We are here to help protect your money, and the tools on our site will help to do that. If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send a quick email!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Often, clients ask us whether they should rent or buy a home. If you’re looking to rent a home in South Florida, the landlord will want a minimum three months worth of rental payments from the start. Don’t forget about that security deposit, either. It’s a high rental market right now. Landlords charge an outrageous amount to their tenants every month.That tells us that it’s a great time to buy, instead of rent! Some programs offer down payments with as little as 3% -- none at all. These down payments could end up significantly less than the minimum landlords ask. Reach out to us if you’re thinking about buying or selling in South Florida. We can help you find your dream home, or ideal buyers. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today, we want to introduce PPM Realty's newest offer: the Home Sales Services Program designed for sellers.One of the biggest issues we run into with our home sellers is their inability to make the preparations, repairs, and updates needed to get a home listed for sale. It’s one the biggest hurdles we come across, and usually one of the biggest hassles for the sellers themselves. The kind of things that might need to be done include painting, making updates, roof repairs, and electrical updates.Getting the home ready is a huge hassle for people for two reasons. First, it’s either a DIY job the seller takes on in their free time and on the weekends. If the seller opts to hire someone else to do it, they end up taking on extra costs and the stress of juggling multiple contractors. At PPM, we have a lot of resources that we use and recommend to our selling clients to make their lives easier. As part of our Home Sales Services Program, we put together a point person and a program to help all of our sellers take care of all these tasks that need to be done prior to listing their homes. The program is designed to help you fix any repairs and give you a point person who will prioritize the items necessary to get your home prepared to sell, deal with contractors, and take care of the work so you can get your home on the market quicker and sell your home for more money!If you’re thinking about selling, give us a call to learn a bit more about how this program will benefit you. We would love to hear from you! 

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Real estate transactions can turn dicey quickly when you’re trying to buy and sell a home simultaneously. However, you do have some options and this is something that we do for clients fairly often.Your first strategy is making a contingent offer on a home that you want and then selling your home. The only thing wrong with this is that sellers will probably not take a contingent offer. Our market is simply too hot for this strategy right now, but it could work on homes that have gone stale. Your second option is to get your home market-ready and then hopefully get it sold in a week or two. At this point you can go in and make an offer on a home you like, and you don’t have to put in a contingency. You do run the risk of having to find temporary housing, but it will be a better option right now with our current market climate. A lot of people don’t understand that they can go out and make an offer on a home and then begin to sell their own home. This takes some planning, but it’s entirely possible. You can take the time to find the property you want, and it will not be contingent. This may take more time to get your finances in order, but this is probably your best option if you can afford it.If you need help buying or selling in Portland, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Want to sell your home? Find out what your home is worth.Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.If you've been thinking about buying a home lately, I'm sure you've been getting a lot of advice from friends and family. I'm sure they want what is best for you, but they're not in your shoes, and they're not licensed real estate agents. Consider these three things when you buy a home:Why are you even buying a home? Is it for financial reasons or do you want your own space? Where are home values headed? You want to make sure your home is going to appreciate in value. A home is a major investment into your future. In 2016, homes are expected to appreciate by 4%. Where are mortgage rates headed? It looks as if they're rising, so I suggest you buy a home as soon as possible.  Ultimately, only you and your family will know when to purchase a home. If you think the time is right, please don't hesitate to contact me. It's going to be a great year to buy a home!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Check out this graph. It examines showings to active listings over the past five years. From 2009 to 2012, there weren’t major changes in trends. However, up until around spring 2013, we experienced a slight change in the market. Around this time, interest rates started to kick up with a high level of demand and low inventory. This repeated in 2014, and again, more powerfully, in 2015.Shortly after January 2015, we still had a huge level of showings on average per listing. This remained true until the end of the summer market. We believe buyers tried to get ahead of the herd in the summer at the same time. We expect this boom to happen again this spring! It’s going to be extremely competitive.If you’re looking to buy or sell a home, now might be the best time to do it. You might want to get ahead of the other buyers and prepare your home for an influx of showings. For instance, we did sixty showings the three days recently! We can help you sell quickly and for top dollar.Give us a call or send us an email today. We’d be happy to talk about the opportunities available in the surrounding Denver area.

Want to sell your home? Find out what your home is worth.Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.The purpose of me reaching out to you today is to share my real estate expertise with you! Each month, we'll send out two emails addressing trends in our market, changes to the local lending world, as well as tips for navigating the world of real estate.All of these industries are intertwined, and to take full advantage of the real estate market, you need to know about all of them. Rather then guess what's on your mind, we want to reach out to you to learn what questions you have. Are there concepts that confuse you or are you curious about the market in your particular area? We would love to answer your questions on video so that other people with similar questions can benefit from them! Thanks for tuning in! Don't hesitate to reach out to us with any of your real estate needs -- we would love to hear from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today, I want to share some of the 2015 numbers for the residential home market here in Pittsburgh. Spoiler alert: it was one of the best years ever! Last year, we had a record number of home sales and big increases in home sales throughout the region. As a whole, home values rose 6%, which is one of the biggest gains the Pittsburgh market has seen in a long time.A few factors attribute to this surge in market values. First-time home buyers were very active in our market, as we saw the highest amount of activity from that group since 2010. In addition, historically low interest rates brought a lot of people into the market who might have otherwise been on the fence. Here in 2016, we’re currently in a seller’s market, but we’re unsure how much longer this will last. The market may slow down a bit as rising interest rates put more pressure on buyers and sellers alike. We’ll have to just wait and see how the market reacts.As it stands, we still have some very hot markets in Pittsburgh. Lawrenceville has a lot of rehabs and new construction, and it’s currently the hottest neighborhood in the area. Right behind that is the Highland Park and East Liberty areas, where home values are rising quickly. As far as suburban markets are concerned, Mount Lebanon had one their best years ever, with 515 homes sold and $136 million in sales volume in 2015! Inventory levels are very low in that market, and those conditions are likely to continue. If you are looking to take advantage of these great market conditions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Are all real estate agents equal? The answer is no. It’s important to interview more than one real estate agent. Today, I want to share some good questions you should be asking a real estate broker before you hire them. Do you work with a team or are you an independent agent? If you work with a solo real estate broker, there’s a high chance they will have a conflict in their schedule when you’re looking at homes. Homes are selling incredibly fast in today’s market, so missing a showing could mean missing out on your dream home. With my team, you have 6 agents available to show you a home whenever you want. How many properties have you sold in the last 12 months? Here in Denver, there are 16,000 licensed agents, and 8,000 of them have never sold a home. The average real estate broker should sell at least four homes a year. When you hire an agent, you’re getting more than their experience; you’re also getting their connections. An experienced agent who sells more than 4 homes a year will know inspectors, title company reps, structural engineers, and attorneys. The more sales an agent has, the better he or she can navigate tricky transactions. Can you provide me with references or testimonials from previous clients? Is there a website where you can see that past clients had good experiences with this agent? You also need to look for recent testimonials. It doesn’t matter if a client had a good experience with this agent 15 years ago.Follow your gut. Work with the person you think understands your needs best and will work on your behalf to accomplish your goals. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. My team and I would be happy to help you! 

How is the Real Estate Market? The Answer in 60 Seconds.Today, we're going to talk about two quick tips to inspire buyers to work with you.Talk about real product.When someone asks you about real estate, that is what they want to hear about. They don't want to hear, "Let me do some research and get back to you." They want to hear about product, homes, land, and the market.You need to study, understand the market consistently, and preview a lot of homes. That way when you have those conversations with prospective buyers, you can communicate about the market from a position of knowledge. You will do your research and your due diligence, but it is important to make a good first impression in order to inspire the buyer to work with you.Be excited about the industry!If you want your buyers to be excited about real estate, you must be excited about real estate. As you go over the properties with the buyers, be passionate. Let them know that you believe they will love these properties! Doing so tells them that you're listening to their wants and needs. They will feed off of your positive energy, and be excited to work with you!Those two simple tips will inspire buyers to work with you. Let's have a great spring selling season.

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report. Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.There are three very important things we do here every time we represent a buyer during the purchase of a home.1. We want to make sure you don't miss out on a property. In the event that I'm unavailable to show you a home when you want to see it, I have a team of agents willing to get you into the property you want to see. We're working on your time, not our time!2. We want to make sure you do not overpay on a property. If you find a property you think will be the right fit for you, the first thing we do is a CMA, a competitive market analysis. We take a look at comparable homes in the area to give you an idea of the home's fair market value so you can make a reasonable offer on the home.3. We want to make sure there are no surprises after closing. We have a great team of referral partners (inspectors, electricians, plumbers, etc.) who are the best at what they do in their respective industries. These professionals will help ensure you do not close on a home with any issues that are going to cost you a lot of money down the road. If you have any questions about this or any other real estate topic, we're always available to chat. We would love to hear from you soon!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Today, we want to share some strategies to help you get your home looking its best when you go to sell this spring.One of the easiest things you can do is take a look at all the major systems in your home to see how long ago they were installed. The National Association of Home Builders has a measurement that tells homeowners how long these systems should be good for in your house. Here's a list of a few of the biggest items and how long they typically last:- Wood shingle and shake roofs: 20-30 years.- Central heating and air: 15 years.- Water heaters: 12-15 years.- Gutters: 30 years (checked periodically!). After taking a look at these items, take a walkthrough of your home as if you were a buyer. Look for discoloration in your hardwoods and bumps in your floor. Walk around, look at the floors, walls, and ceilings, and try to identify water damage. Often, you can see these things with the naked eye, which will allow you to get them fixed before a buyer spots them.Lastly, if you want to be 100% sure your home is ready for the market, bring in a professional home inspector before listing. They offer a pre-listing home inspection, which costs about half as much as a regular inspection. They'll look over all the major systems and give you a great report!If you would like more insights into how to get your home ready for the spring market, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to help you get your home ready to sell quickly and for top dollar! We look forward to talking soon!

How is the Real Estate Market? The Answer in 60 Seconds.As a listing agent, the greatest weapon that you have is your listing presentation. It's how you win listings, sell homes, earn a living, and build a customer for life. So, is your presentation serving you well? Are you winning listings?Your presentation should focus on 3 critical elements:Securing the listingPricing the home accuratelyMinimizing objections and questionsYour listing presentation should communicate and leave no doubt that you are the subject matter expert. You must be prepared, confident and knowledgeable. This requires a consistent, premeditated process that you use every time. You'll fall into the middle of the pack if you refuse to do this.Do not misunderstand what I am saying, there is a difference between process and presentation. Your presentation will be and should be unique each time given the unique circumstances, needs and wants of your customer, but your process can be exactly the same each time. Aim for a dependable, consistent and effective process.

How is the Real Estate Market? The Answer in 60 Seconds.I think a lot about performance gap. The principle of the performance gap is relevant to all businesses. The single biggest gap in business performance today is the gap between what we know and what we do.We all have high expectations of ourselves this year and beyond, and this is a great principle to ask ourselves about throughout the course of the year. Asking yourself those questions will keep you on the path that you started on, the path that will lead you to the results you want to achieve by the end of the year.Ask yourself this question, "I know based on my strategic plan that I need to be doing X, Y, and Z. Am I doing those things consistently?"If you are, great. If you're not as consistent as you need to be, that performance gap widens. Asking yourself that question gives you the opportunity to refocus, recommit, shorten the gap, and stay on the path to your year-end goals.The best way to keep that gap from widening is to focus on today. Focus on your daily progress. Focus on the present. I heard a great saying that you should keep in mind: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That is why it's called the present."The hard part is not living in the rear view mirror, not dwelling in the past. We get bogged down by what we could've, should've, or would've done to make things different now. You might also find yourself spending too much time worrying about tomorrow.So live today, focus on the present and monitor your performance gap. My hope for everyone is to give our perfect effort today, and if we do, tomorrow will take care of itself. Continued Success!

Want to sell your home? Find out what your home is worth.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Seller lease backs are becoming more and more common in the Austin real estate market.  Today, we'll discuss what they are, and how you can use a seller lease back to your advantage.First of all, we know it can be difficult to be buying and selling a home at the same time. A seller lease back is part of the contract that lets the seller rent the property back after the property has been sold to the buyer. The lease back starts on the closing date and can run 2 weeks, 30 days, or 60 days from the sale of the home. The lease back includes terms just like a regular lease. Essentially, the seller becomes a tenant and the buyer becomes a landlord. You don't have to sell your home and close on your new home within a short amount of time. The lease back allows you time to find that perfect home, whether you're moving up, downsizing, or looking in a certain school district. If you have any questions about today's video or about real estate in general, give me a call or send me an email. We would be happy to help you!

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report.  Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.Let’s cover the basics of credit scores. There are three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. All of these institutions put together credit reports, which can vary.These unions put together a credit report known as a FICO score. The big things to remember are payments and amounts owed. Those individually weigh a third of the total weight. Your FICO score is also based on new credit, credit history, and a mix of credit. Ultimately, they focus on purchase and payment history. You really need to pay attention to your spending over time to get to the bottom of this one. Bankruptcy and civil judgements are also kept on record. Liens on your property also come into effect. A lien is a public record saying you owe a creditor money, which makes your title unclear.FICO scores range between 301 and 850. In the United States, the average is 723. Anything in the mid 700s to 800s is considered excellent credit.However, sometimes there are errors that are not your fault. They come up! There are a lot of clerical errors. To catch errors, monitor your credit report at least yearly. We even recommend quarterly! You can pull your free yearly credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com. Sites like this one can alert you when there are changes within your report. Be sure to talk to credit bureaus and let them know what’s going on if you come across these errors as you monitor. Be proactive!  How can I keep my credit score as high as possible? First, when you have open accounts, think twice before closing an account, even if they are not very active. I’m talking about that Macy’s credit line you have. One-third of your credit score is the amount you owe versus the available credit. Now, the rule of thumb in the industry is to use 30% of available credit. Additionally, small balances on multiple cards are better than one large balance on one card.If you’re thinking about buying a home, or changing jobs, try to stay within the same industry. Even switching industries can create obstacles. You can discuss this with your trusted lender.When you’re browsing listings, try not to build up credit once you start seriously considering a new home purchase. Credit has the potential to negatively affect your chances of getting the loan you want and need. Give me a call or email if you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the Portland area. We can talk about your real estate needs and how I can best serve you during a free consultation!