Podcasts about considering selling

P.M. Edition for Jan. 21. The Trump administration is considering selling most of the offices maintained by a federal agency known as the General Services Administration. WSJ real estate reporter Deborah Acosta joins to discuss what the impact might be. Plus, more than a dozen attorneys general sue to stop President Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship. And after a difficult few years, some Hollywood workers are being pushed out of the industry due to the wildfires in Los Angeles. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hour 3 - Equity Bank looking at buying the rights. Wind Surge agree, now it goes before the Wichita City Council.

Chinese officials consider the sale of TikTok's U.S. operations to Elon Musk to prevent a potential ban. TikTok denies any discussions regarding the sale, labeling these claims as "pure fiction." Reports indicate internal discussions about this acquisition, which may allow Musk to manage both TikTok and his X platform together, and potentially use TikTok's data for AI development through his xAI startup. Musk, as Tesla's CEO, maintains a strong presence in China, and previously expressed that banning TikTok contradicts free speech values. The anticipated ban arises from legislation requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to divest to continue operating in the U.S. While ByteDance prefers to shut down the app over selling it, TikTok's legal strategy involves an appeal to pause the ban, citing free speech concerns. A court decision on this matter is pending, and TikTok reports approximately 170 million users in the U.S., highlighting potential losses for creators and businesses if banned. Learn more on this news visit us at: https://greyjournal.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News broke yesterday that there is a rumor that Sony might be trying to sell the rights for Spider-Man back to Marvel. This could be a reaction to Kraven performing poorly and more. Is i the right move? Should Marvel spend the cash to do it? Mufasa reviews are in. Kristian gives his thoughts. TV picks and more on this episode! #spiderman #mufasa #disney #review #mcu #marvel  JOYMODE:  If you are looking to take your game to the next level, visit http://www.TRYJOYMODE.COM and use code [BIGTHING] at checkout for 20 PERCENT OFF! . That's http://www.TRYJOYMODE.COM and use code BIG THING for TWENTY PERCENT off your first order. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP Visit http://www.BetterHelp.com/BIGTHING today to get 10% off your first month. AG1: AG1 is oering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You'll get a Welcome Kit, a bole of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your rst box. So make sure to check out http://www.DrinkAG1.com/BIGTHING to get this offer!  

Listen for the latest from Bloomberg NewsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guy Leitch, aviation analyst weighs in on the probability of SAA selling its Heathrow landing rights as it hopes to continue being debt free.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chicago Tribune columnist Paul Sullivan joins Bob Sirott and Dave Eanet to talk about the report that Jerry Reinsdorf is open to selling the White Sox. Paul shares his thoughts on the veracity of the report and whether there may be an agenda behind the leak. Later on, Bob, Dave, and Paul discuss potential buyers […]

Welcome solo and group practice owners! We are Liath Dalton and Evan Dumas, your co-hosts of Group Practice Tech. In our latest episode, we chat with Gabrielle Juliano-Villani, LCSW of Medicare Consulting for Therapists about what to consider if you're thinking of selling your group therapy practice.  We discuss Gabrielle's personal experience selling her practice; how the market for selling a practice has changed since 2021; what types of practices are getting a lot of interest currently; who is buying group practices right now; what the process of selling looks like and where to start; valuing your group practice; working with a broker and an attorney; staying on during the transition; costs to keep in mind when selling; and questions to ask yourself if you're considering selling your practice. Listen here: https://personcenteredtech.com/group/podcast/ For more, visit our website.   Resources: Connect with Gabrielle Juliano-Villani for consulting and support around scaling & selling a group practice   PCT Resources: On-demand trainings (not designated as CE) presented by Gabrielle: Introduction To Medicare And Medicare Credentialing and Medicare Billing Group Practice Care Premium for weekly (live & recorded) direct support & consultation, Group Practice Office Hours, with the PCT team + Eric Ström, JD PhD LMHC (monthly) HIPAA compliance, risk management, and practice optimization resources and support from PCT for mental health group practices

Jeff Grubb and Jan Ochoa chat about the PlayStation's hardware sales declining but the software on the steady uptick, Warner Bros. considering selling stakes in its video game business, Balatro updates, and even more!

News broke earlier this week that the Big 12 was exploring selling the naming rights to a sponsor and considering private equity investment of up to $1 billion for as much as 20% of the conference. Would this be a good move? Mitch Harper and Matt Baiamonte break it all down here.

-It was a big news day for the Big 12 yesterday, as the conference is apparently considering selling the naming rights to generate millions of dollars into the conference; the first of its kind in college sports-Conference USA is apparently looking for a similar type of deal; also, the Big 12 is exploring a $1 billion deal with a private equity firm.-Also, ROLL CALL (sponsored by Madsen's Bowling & Billiards): where are people listening from today?Show sponsored by GANA TRUCKINGAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Kendall Jenner is trolled for her Gucci commercial. Zayn Malik teases new song and Billie Eilish announces new album. New World's Oldest Man enjoys weekly fish & chips dinner. Tiffany Haddish considering selling her underwear to raise money for charity foundation. First look at Lady Gaga in ‘Joker' movie. Plus, a man has been caught making love to woman's car. 

- "A Mainline Denomination is Considering SELLING its CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS. Why is This Move So Significant?" - GREGORY JANTZ: Here Today, Ghosted Tomorrow: When Someone Disappears from Your Life - "Initial Tax Filings with the IRS Indicate that the Average Taxpayer is Seeing 33 PERCENT LESS in Refunds Than in the Previous Year"

Melissa Wallace was joined by Emmie Flaherty, full-time Realtor at Boston Connect Real Estate on Talk Real Estate Roundtable to give a market update for those considering selling. Podcast & Live Radio Show on WATD 95.9 The McNamara Horton Group Boston Connect Real Estate Sharon McNamara | Melissa Wallace Facebook Live every Tuesday at 6:15 pm & Saturday at 8AM @ facebook.com/McNamaraBrokerTeam Follow our team on Instagram @TheMcNamaraHortonGrou

Cash is coming for vandalized Vancouver businesses, but some say it's too late. The federal government is launching a three-year pilot project aimed at addressing shortages for employers who hire migrant labourers. The Fraser Valley Chambers of Commerce is urging the province to Speed Up the Expansion of Highway 1. The Vancouver School Board reveals it's considering selling a prime piece of land. 

Ste was joined by Goal's Neil Jones to discuss all the latest Liverpool news from the past week, including reports linking Diogo Jota with a move away from the club. With the news of Roberto Firmino departing in the summer, surely Liverpool won't look to move on Diogo Jota as well? Ste & Neil discuss the possibility of it happening and how Liverpool's attacking options will look moving into next season.Watch the full show HERE: https://theredmentv.com/liverpool-linked-with-mac-allister-after-his-agent-is-spotted-at-anfield-journo-insight-w-neil-jones/Use the code 'JOURNO' for 99p for 3 months NOW!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/redmentv. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry Caruso, founder and CEO of Car Wash Advisory discusses the many considerations owners should be mindful of when considering selling their business.

Hour 1 - 00:00 - Chase Young Is Back At Practice 20:15 - JP's Interview With Ron Rivera 33:07 - REPORT: Dan Snyder Is Considering Selling The Team

Victoria Collier joins our show today and gives us her tips on how to avoid mistakes, and headaches, later if you are considering moving away from your practice.

Guest Jim Barton and Host Isaac Smith discuss what it was like to sell Isaac's eCommerce store.  They get into the details, and the emotional journey that it was.Jim (Isaac's long time mastermind buddy) is a Seller Advisor with Empire Flippers, the online business broker that Isaac sold his business through.  He and Isaac go through everything you need to be thinking about if you're considering selling your business.Jim also talks about what attracted him to the apprentice model, after having been his own boss for a couple of years.This is a can't-miss episode, so just click play to listen!Show notes can be found at:http://nextlevelecommerce.coWant help acquiring a cash flowing eCommerce site?Contact Ian Bond - ianbond@professionalwebsiteinvestors.com

The Wellington City Council's library saga has taken an unexpected turn - councillors are considering selling part of its ownership of the quake-prone library to private investors. On top of that, the council is considering slashing the library collection's budget by 40 percent. It comes after a long debate about the future of the library, which has been closed for almost two years. City councillor Rebecca Matthews is fuming at the thought of privatising any part of the public library. She spoke to Susie Ferguson.

GUEST: David Ridley, Executive Director of the Edmonton Heritage Council. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Lisa and George this week as they talk with full-time RVer's Jim and Deb Stephenson who are also owners at the Hilton Head Motorcoach Resort in Hilton Head Island, SC. Jim and Deb have been full-time RV's for over 5 years and they've never looked back. They will share tips, ideas and what it takes to make it work. Jim and Deb answer questions like, how much does it cost to live in an RV for a year and travel? What are your favorite places you've been? What's your biggest piece of advice for someone looking to go full-time in an RV? Contact The Stephensons: DEBLSTEPHENSON@gmail.comwww.RViewPodcast.com

#015 - Guest Jim Barton and Host Isaac Smith discuss what it was like to sell Isaac's eCommerce store. They get into the details, and the emotional journey that it was.Jim (Isaac's long time mastermind buddy) is a Seller Advisor with Empire Flippers, the online business broker that Isaac sold his business through. He and Isaac go through everything you need to be thinking about if you're considering selling your business.Jim also talks about what attracted him to the apprentice model, after having been his own boss for a couple of years.This is a can't-miss episode, so just click play to listen!Links:Drop Ship LifestyleHow to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott AdamsEmpire FlippersEmpire Flippers Valuation ToolJim's article about 3rd Party Fulfillment (3PL)Jim on InstagramSchedule a call with Jim

In this podcast I go over 10 helpful tips to get your home ready to sell, if you’re in the market, soon to be or know someone feel free to stare!

Considering Selling in 2018: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2018: Get Gateway Access to the MLSThe leaves are changing, the holidays are approaching, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Right now is the perfect time to reflect on what you’re thankful for. That said, I would also encourage you to reflect on the trials you’ve faced this year and those you anticipate moving forward. And as you consider these challenges, don’t allow the opinions of those who would say you can’t overcome them drag you down. Prove naysayers wrong. Don’t let past obstacles deter you from future successes. Also, while you strive to improve your own lives, do the same for those around you. Make someone’s day whenever you have the chance. Your continued support has certainly been a positive force in my life, and today I’d like to challenge you to continue spreading positivity wherever and however you can. “Don’t let past obstacles deter you from future successes. ”There is so much hostility and negativity pervading our current culture. Let this holiday season be a reminder that we are all humans. Whatever differences we may have, we should all strive to build one another up. Once again, I’d like to thank you on behalf of my entire team for the great year we’ve had. May your holiday season be filled with joy and positivity. If you have any questions for me or my team, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Do you want to sell your home in today's market? You should know that we specialize in helping clients downsize from large homes to smaller. Selling your DuPage home? Get a free home value reportBuying a DuPage home? Search all homes for saleWhy would anybody want to sell their home in today's market—in particular, sellers who are looking to downsize or relocate?One of the challenges of preparing big houses for sale is decluttering. Paring down to the essentials and finding a smaller or “right-sized” home is difficult as well. I have helped many people move from big family houses into more affordable and lower-maintenance homes. We actually specialize in helping homeowners with that shift from a large home to a smaller home.“Paring down to the essentials and finding a smaller or “right-sized” home is difficult. ”In our current market, another challenge we run into involves inventory. With so many people moving from higher-end homes to lower priced midsize homes, there is an inventory shortage. We are able to access properties that are not even on the market. These homes are specifically for you in neighborhoods that you choose.If this is a service that interests you, please call or email me. I would love to speak with you soon about your buying and selling needs.

Considering Selling in 2018: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2018: Get Gateway Access to the MLSRight now, we’re in the prime selling season here in Chicago. But, if you have plans to put your home on the market, there is one mistake you must avoid. Many sellers hire the agent who estimates the highest price for their home. If one agent tells them they should list for $550,000 and another tells them they should list for $500,000, most sellers will, unfortunately, choose the agent who gave that higher price. However, this is actually the No.1 listing mistake a seller could make in our market. The market, not your agent, dictates price. Instead, sellers should hire an agent they like and trust. They should hire an agent with whom they have a good rapport and who has a proven marketing strategy. On top of working with the right agent, it’s also important to be informed about our current market. One of the most important things to understand is how current supply impacts the traction you’ll have as a seller in our market.A market with more than seven months of supply is a buyer’s market, a market with five or six months of supply is an even market, and a market with between one and four months of supply is a seller’s market. “The market, not your agent, dictates price. ”Another way to gauge the market is by examining the list-to-sale price ratio in your price range. This is important because while your area might be a seller’s market, your specific price range could still be favoring buyers. In general, the spring market is a great time to sell. So if you have been thinking of listing, now is the time to do so. I recommend you start interviewing agents as soon as possible. Also, if your home is already on the market, the next 90 days are vital. You should ideally have your home under contract before July. If you have any other questions, would like more information, or want help with your home sale, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Considering Selling in 2018: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2018: Get Gateway Access to the MLSToday, we’re sharing “aha!” moments from the last day and a half of the Luxury Listing Specialist Certification (LUXE). We are here in Orlando with 23 of the top luxury agents in the area. If you know someone looking to buy or sell in Orlando, make sure that you private message me so I can put you in touch with the best agent. Here are some of the top “aha!” moments: Market research is the bad guy.The match pair concept, when you have a pre-appraisal done so that sellers understand what their competition is. Using the script “I am the most expensive agent and let me tell you why.” If you’re a great agent, you don’t compete by being the cheapest. You bring value to the table. Google is our friend, so video, video, video. Video is not going away. Event marketing. Position or stage your listing so that buyers can mentally move in. Only 10% of buyers can mentally move in and visualize the home. 90% only see the home as-is. Showcase the lifestyle when marketing a listing. Let potential buyers know what kind of lifestyle they will enjoy if they live there. Educate buyers and sellers by using short videos on YouTube. This is a great way of giving value to your clients. Incorporate virtual staging vs. actual staging in circumstances where sellers might not have the investment dollars as a way to promote their lifestyle.How to leverage your resources and network with a luxury club. If you hang out with nine top producers, you’re bound to be the 10th. The difference between being a marketing agent and a listing agent. How DISC personalities give you a better understanding of who your seller is and how they like things done. Sending a gift after the listing appointment so you’re not out of mind.“Only 10% of buyers can visualize what it’s like to live in the home. ”As you can see, we had a lot of “ahas!” in Orlando. If you have any questions for me, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Ron Siegel discusses local and national current events, politics, personal and business finance with a few mortgage tips along the way. A Southern California mortgage expert and bonafide political junkie, Ron Siegel delivers intelligent, entertaining radio that makes the hard news of the week easy to understand! Ron Siegel is joined by Ron Siegel will discuss: Here's your 2018 estimated tax refund schedule; If You're Considering Selling, ACT NOW!!; Self Directed IRAs – Best Practices; Real Time Real Estate; Your Credit Matters; Mortgage Minute; Word on Wealth; and so much more. Ron Siegel, consumer advocate and mortgage lender, discusses anything that affects the roof over your head, your bank account or other items that will benefit you / your family. Reach Ron Siegel at  800.306.1990 Ron@RonSiegelRadio.comwww.RonSiegelRadio.comwww.SiegelLendingTeam.com your Anaheim Mortgage LenderMortgage Calculator: www.MBELinks.com/RFToolKit  Your Anaheim Mortgage Lender offers: Conventional Loans, FHA Loans, USDA Loans, Refinancing, and Reverse Mortgages

Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSToday, I’d like to talk to you about a very special property. Architectural Digest chose the most beautiful home from each of all 50 states, which you can take a look at here, and this property was actually named one of the most beautiful homes for sale in Illinois. I’m proud to announce that I’m representing this gorgeous home in Barrington Hills. You may have seen it before on Wednesday nights, since it is featured during Fox’s hit series “Empire.”  Sitting on an approximately eight and a half acre lot, this home features five bedrooms, nine full baths, two half baths, and is over 17,000 square feet. There is also an in-ground pool, a full wet bar, and a theater. You can check out some great photos of this home as well as the lifestyle video we shot here. “Architectural Digest named this property the most beautiful home for sale in Illinois. ”If you or anyone you know is looking to put your home on the market, don’t keep us a secret. My team and I service all kinds of properties, and would love to help you 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. Click here to read NBC ChicagoClick here to view our listingsClick here to view 45 Lakeview LaneClick here to read Architectural Digest

Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSToday I’d like to talk about the importance of taking photos of the outside of your house now if you’re thinking of selling in the winter or the Spring of 2018.If you want to sell your home in the spring as many sellers do, I recommend you get your exterior photos taken now while there are still some green leaves on the trees.Recently, I was contacted by a homeowner that listed with another agent in March of 2017. Their contract was up, and they were unhappy with their agent, so they interviewed me. Taking a look at the photos they’d had, I noticed they hadn’t been updated from March when they were originally taken. It was a gloomy day, and there were no leaves on the trees.Being proactive, I quickly had photos taken of the home with a drone, even though their home wasn’t going on the market right away. However, you only get one chance to make a first impression, so exterior photos are really important. If the exterior photos are drab and dreary, buyers may not want to see the photos of inside and ultimately move onto a different listing.“You only get one chance to make a first impression, so exterior photos are really important ”If your home isn’t currently on the market, or if it is but you plan to make changes to your listing, be proactive. Interview your agents now, and take your photos now. I talk about this among many other things in my new book “Luxury Listing Specialist”. This fall we attended many conferences where we were rubbing elbows with some of the top agents from around the world, so I could come back to my marketplace to serve my clients more effectively with cutting-edge marketing, both online and offline.If you need a second opinion on your real estate transaction, you’re thinking of selling, or you have any real estate questions at all, please reach out to us. Let’s keep up the momentum and finish 2017 strong.

Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSInstead of waiting until spring or summer when everyone else is selling their homes, it might be smarter for you to sell your home in the fall in our Chicagoland market. Real estate is all about supply and demand, and many sellers typically take their homes off the market in the fall months with the intent of relisting in the spring or summer. The downside to that is if a buyer is looking for homes on the market during fall, they won’t find yours. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “You always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”If you keep your home on the market during fall, the lack of supply will drive up demand and increase the likelihood that your listing will see activity. Because there’s less overall activity during the fall, you may have fewer showings, but the ones you do have will be of a much higher quality. If a buyer is willing to trek through rain, snow, and freezing temperatures with their agent to look at homes, you know they’re serious about buying. The other benefit of listing while supply is low is you will receive better offers. Buyers can’t afford to throw out a bunch of lowball offers during fall. If they have to move during these times, they’ll come at you with a stronger offer. “Real estate is all about supply and demand. ”Remember these factors, but keep in mind that you must also be patient. If your home is currently on the market or you’re thinking about selling your home and aren’t sure whether to do it now or in 2018, now is a great time to reach out to me so I can provide you a fresh analysis. I’d also be happy to advise you on which parts of your home you should invest in to improve its resale value, such as cosmetic improvements like wallpaper and paint. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Our team continues to knock it out of the park when listing luxury homes. Here’s our latest success.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSOur team has made two record-breaking sales in Chicagoland over the last month. Here’s how we did it.The first home was out in Ancient Oaks in West Chicago. There had only been two sales in West Chicago listed in our MLS over $1 million since 2008. I’m proud to report that there are now three of them. After investing over a month of painting, landscaping, decluttering, and staging the home, it was finally ready for market. It ended up selling for a record price of $1.3 million. My clients were fired up, and so were we. We love proving people wrong.The second property was a gorgeous home right on 8th St. in Geneva. Even though there hadn’t been a sale over $2.3 million in the entire county for two years, we proved people wrong again. We sold the home for a record $2.4 million in a record time of 30 days.It’s Not The Market, It’s The Marketing. Click here to view one of our recent sales Click Here To Watch How Accurate Are Online Price Valuations for Luxury Homes Click here to view one of our recent sales If you or someone you know has a luxury home and is sick and tired of the lame excuses they keep getting from their agent, reach out and give us a call. It’s not the market, it’s the marketing. Our system has been proven in many different markets and many different price points and we would love to put it to work for you. If you are thinking about selling, the fall is still a great time to put your home on the market as many sellers remove their homes for the fall and winter seasons and the competition drops after the school year has started.If you have any other questions for us or any real estate needs we can help with, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Online home evaluations have been criticized pretty widely in recent times. Today, I decided to put the feature to the test and show you what I found out.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSIn recent times, a lot of negative things have been said about online home evaluations. Many real estate agents can’t stand online home evaluation tools, simply because they are not accurate.Personally, I don’t think online home evaluations as a whole are entirely bad. However, what can we find out about their accuracy is by looking at 10 of the highest-priced homes in Illinois? How does online home evaluations tools compare to real world list price?Well, after reviewing the numbers, the owners for some of these homes may not be too happy. In today’s modern world, a lot of buyers look online for the supposed "Kelley Blue Book" of real estate. But the truth is that online home estimate tools simply aren't accurate enough for this to be the case.At the end of the day, the market determines value—not online home evaluation tools. Seller’s should always rely on an appraisal for the most accurate information possible.But let’s get back to those 10 properties I mentioned earlier. As it turns out, 9 out of the 10 were priced well below asking price. This doesn’t entirely surprise me.What did surprise me, though, was that 8 of the 10 properties had an online value that came up to just 43% or less of the true asking price.“8 out of the 10 properties were valued at or below 43% of the asking price. ”Also, only 1 of the 10 online home evaluation's had a home at just 1% of its asking price. That’s a huge difference.Of the 10 homes we looked at, only 1 actually had a favorable online based value which was above asking price.So, at least in the case of high-end homes, do not rely on internet based home value tools to determine the value of your property. They are simply way off.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. Click here to watch the lifestyle film for 205 E. Prairie Ave, Wheaton IL Click here to view Michael's current listings Click here to watch the lifestyle film for Lionhead Farm

Marketing luxury homes is a different animal entirely. Here’s one of our newest techniques that has been seeing great results.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSIn the video above which is geared more towards real estate agents, you will see an amazing property that we are marketing right now at just under $3 million. It has some amazing features such as an indoor saltwater pool, but we wanted to make these features pop on camera and video.To do that, we decided to showcase some amazing artwork from IKONICK, and these big canvas portraits are all over the property catching the eyes of buyers and their agents.  This artwork company took several professional photo's and leveraged those photo's on social media which lead to an online spike in activity for this particular home.“As you can see, the artwork is visually stunning. ”As you can see, the art is visually stunning. Time is money, and with marketing like this, we decrease the time a luxury home spends on the market before selling. Adding this beautiful art to an already beautiful home really brings it all together and shows prospective buyers the unique features of the home by tying in the artwork.As we’ve seen time and time again, marketing your luxury home properly will lead to more offers, higher offers, and a quicker sale. It might take a bit of an investment, but that investment will be worth it when the deal is closed and you no longer have to worry about selling or even maintaining the property.If you have any questions for me about how to successfully market your home for sale, don’t hesitate to give me a call or sending me an email. I would love to hear from you soon. Click here to view the artwork pictures displayed at the photo shoot Click here to watch the lifestyle film for 831 Diane Lane Click here to view pictures of 67 Laurel Ave, Highland Park

Are you a seller who is working with a relocation agent to sell your home? Today I’m talking about a few downsides to this situation.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSIf you’re a seller and you’re relocating to another area, and you have one of these big relocation companies involved, this is for you.The problem with our industry is if you’re a seller who’s relocating and your employer brings in a relocation company, you’re limited in what you can and can’t do. Most recently, I was interviewed by a homeowner who was selling a $1.8 million home who was ready to hire me, and their company told them they needed to use a relocation agent.Because our company wasn’t in their network, the relocation company essentially told them that if they went with me, they wouldn’t buy the home in the chance that it didn’t sell. So now their home is on the market, and their agent is probably a competent woman, but I did some research and she’s NEVER sold one home over $900,000 in her entire career.In last year alone, we had eight sales above $880,000. This home was priced to twice that amount. It reminds me of the old adage: generalists get paid, and specialists get wealthy. This agent did not specialize in high-end and upper-end homes, which is frustrating because this homeowner wanted to hire me and was forced to go with a different, less experienced agent.“Relocation agents often make up to 45% less but do way more work. ”When you’re dealing with relocation agents who represent sellers, many times they’re making 45% less because those relocation companies take a percentage. They also make you do a lot more paperwork and online reporting, making the process lengthier and more frustrating.Keep in mind that just because an agent specializes in relocation doesn’t mean that they have the experience needed to sell your home quickly and for the right price.If you have any questions about relocation or you’re looking buy or sell a home, give me a call. I’d be happy to help! Click here to view pictures of 831 Diane Lane, Naperville Click here to watch the lifestyle film for 831 Diane Lane Click here to view pictures of 67 Laurel Ave, Highland Park

When preparing to market a luxury property, first impressions are essential to getting a good sale.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSIn previous videos, I talked about first impressions and what cosmetic versus substantial improvements on homes can do to the marketplace. You can watch last month’s video here where I go into more detail about that.My favorite phrase these days is “Prove them wrong.” I’m proving naysayers wrong all the time. The multi-million dollar marketplace is very challenging in Chicagoland, and I love proving them wrong.I recently just listed a property in Geneva, Illinois. There hasn’t been a sale above $2.15 million in multiple years. As a matter of fact, there has only been one sale above $2.15 million in all of Kane County in the last two years. Happily, there were multiple offers on that property. This was not only due to it being a wonderful property, but the sellers were also open and receptive to our ideas.“I believe in readying a home so anyone who walks through can visualize themselves there. ”The home I am sitting in front of in my video above is listed around $6 million, and it took us almost five months to go to market. I’m a big believer in readying a home so that anyone who walks through it can visualize themselves in the home. We toned some of the features of the home down, like repainting kitchen cabinets that were painted a vivid color, replacing some of the furniture in the home theater, and carpeting over the lower level tile floors to a more neutral shade.Be willing to do the exact opposite of your competition. Your competition wants to list the property as quickly as possible in order to get it seen during the prime season. We missed much of the prime season readying this home for market, but as you can see by the before and after photos, we transformed this home into a much more appealing space to the masses that most likely don’t share the owner’s personal taste.Remember, it’s not the market, it’s the marketing. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so taking the time to ready the home for market is essential. Take the time to do the things that your competition doesn’t do.If you have any questions on this topic or anything else related to real estate, please shoot me an email or give me a call. I’d love to hear from you. Click here to view 67 Laurel Ave, Highland Park Click here to learn more about matched pairs

The Katy real estate market has come alive! There is good news for both buyers and sellers, and I’m happy to report that we are in a balanced market. Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeReal estate in the Katy area has come alive since the middle of January, and there is a lot of good news for buyers and sellers alike. Interest rates have gone up about four or five times since the beginning of the year and are expected to continue to rise. While that’s not so great for buyers, the good news is that interest rates are still below 5%. The number of home sellers continues to decline, and there is less pressure from other sellers in the market. We still have about three to four buyers for every seller on the market, so there is still pressure on home prices. You have to be competitive when you put your home out there on the market or it’s just not going to sell. Some houses are getting multiple offers & selling above list price.We are seeing some fluctuation in home prices. It’s getting to the point that whenever a seller puts a home on the market at a price point that the buyer agrees upon, we’re seeing multiple offers again. In some cases, homes are selling above list price, which is great since they were selling below list price for the last five or six months. Ultimately, we have a balanced market right now. We are extremely excited about what’s happening in 2017, so if you have any questions about navigating our real estate market, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

If you’re a home seller, accepting a contingency purchase means you have to take certain things into consideration you otherwise wouldn’t have with a normal offer. Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeToday I want to cover the basics of a contingency purchase and how it differs from a regular purchase if you’re a home seller. A contingency purchase is when a buyer for your home has a home they have to sell before they can close on your home. There are both good contingency purchases and bad contingency purchases, but I would never recommend that you accept a contingency purchase as long as your buyer’s home is not on the market. If their home is on the market, I usually investigate the buyer of the home they’re selling and their qualifications and advise my client on how to proceed from there. After you accept a contingency purchase, you have the right to accept other offers, but that typically doesn’t happen very much. Buyers tend to shy away from homes if they’re already under some kind of contingency agreement. By accepting a contingency purchase, you’re basically taking your home off the market. By accepting a contingency purchase, you’re taking your home off the market somewhat.If you’re considering accepting a contingency purchase, there are many different aspects you must weigh. If you find yourself in this situation or you have any other real estate questions you’d like to see me discuss in a future video, please don’t hesitate to call me or send me an email. If I use your question, you will receive a gift card to Fleming’s Steakhouse. I look forward to hearing from you!

Professional photography is an important part of marketing your home for sale. Here are how we use photos to enhance your home’s online presence.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSWhen trying to market and sell your home, you obviously need to hire a professional photographer to take photos of the property. Not just for the quality, but for the experience they bring. Professional photographers know which angles work best in the eyes of buyers and compare different photos to see which are best.Professional photography is the way to position the property most effectively. Having good photos is a must when it comes to selling your home online and I’m a perfectionist when it comes to these photos. As you can see in the video above, we put a lot of work into our photography and editing by enhancing a bunch of tiny details that add up to create breathtaking images.“Photography is the best way to position your home for sale. ”We took one picture during the day, for example, and replaced the blue day sky with an evening magenta sky. It’s a lot of little things like this that help your home stand out among other homes online. Look at the before and after pictures to see what we mean. A few of our luxury properties, including the 20-acre Lionhead Farm, are featured in the video above.If you know of anyone who is looking for a second opinion or sick and tired of the results they are getting, we would be glad to help. We’re in the month of May now, so the next 75 to 80 days is the prime time to sell your home. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out. Remember, it’s not the market, it’s the marketing. I look forward to hearing from you. Click here to view  540 South 8th Street, Geneva Click here to view 3s345 Hart Road, Batavia

Do you need a survey when buying a property? I’ll go over the answer today. Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeRecently, a client of mine asked, “Do I need a survey when I’m buying a property?” Need is a strong word, but I highly recommend getting a survey. In today’s market, you’re actually able to obtain a past survey from a seller. The seller has to sign a T-47 affidavit, which states that nothing has changed or been added since the last survey. Unfortunately, sometimes a change or addition can slip the seller’s mind, like replacing a fence. In my opinion, it’s always best to get a new survey done with every new transaction. A survey is not required unless you’re obtaining a mortgage to purchase a property. If you pay cash, a survey is not required, but the boundaries of the property are still mentioned in the title commitment. The survey must coincide with the boundaries mentioned in the title commitment, so whether you are getting a mortgage or paying with cash, getting a survey done will make things go much smoother. When a surveyor goes out to measure a lot, they make sure the building lot has not been encroached, the fence is on the property lines, and they make sure that any additions such as a pool or covered patio are not encroached on the easements. Always get a new survey to make sure you don’t run into any issues down the road.Although many agents recommend using an old survey, I’m not one of them. Always get a new survey to make sure you don’t run into any issues down the road.If you have any questions about this topic or if you’re curious about a different real estate topic, feel free to reach out. If I choose your question to answer in a video, I’ll send you a gift card to Fleming's Steak House! As always, if you’re looking to buy or sell a home, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

Home improvements are important before selling. These numbers tell the truth about how much you should invest.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSMatched pairs is a term you probably haven't heard of. If you’re thinking of selling your home, it’s always wise to consider making improvements and upgrades.  However, you’ve got to know where to spend your money in order to get the highest possible return. Recently, I had a client who spent about $20,000 on leaf guards that were nice but didn’t really add any value to his home. The first thing to do when selling your home is to consult a professional like myself who knows what they’re doing. That being said, it’s always best to do a few cosmetic improvements at least. For unique properties or properties where there aren’t a lot of comparables, we recommend an appraisal prior to going on the market as well.I work with one of the best appraisers in the Midwest, and he recently put together a thorough report about matched pairs. He wrote a report that compared five properties to five similar properties. That brings us back to the term matched pairs. These “matched pairs” were then compared to each other.“The properties that invested in repairs ended up reaping the rewards. ”Half of the properties had minimal fixes. The other half were situations where the owner put in a significant amount of money to improve the home before selling. Some of the owners put in as much as $25,000.The homes that had money put in to make significant improvements ended up selling a lot quicker and for a lot more money.  Some owners invested $25,000 and ended up selling the home for $50,000 more than the owner who only put $5,000 into their home. A lot of those homes that weren’t invested in too much probably sat on the market for quite a while due to price adjustments.If you have any questions for me or you’re thinking of putting your home on the market anytime soon, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I would love to hear from you soon.Click Here to view the full document

The next 100 days are absolutely vital for anyone buying or selling a home in the Chicagoland market. We have some research to explain why.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSWhether you're buying or selling a home in the Chicagoland market, the next 100 days are vital.By the end of those 100 days, it will be mid-July. If you're thinking of selling your house, you really want to get it on the market in the next 30 days because if it's not on the market by the first week of May, you could miss out on a lot of prime buyers who were looking in April or before. If your home isn't under contract by mid-July at the latest, you shouldn't necessarily hit the panic button, but you should be concerned.Our company has done a lot of research and found that two-thirds of homes that sell in the prime season by the end of August are already under contract going into Memorial Day weekend at the end of May. If your home has been on the market and you haven't seen the activity you want or you're buying a home and you want a second opinion, keep us in mind.Also remember that if you're selling a high-end property ($500,000 and above) you need to have realistic expectations; you're probably not going to get three or four showings a week. You might get one or two.“Whether you're buying or selling, the next 100 days are vital. ”I recently had a client who lowered his home's asking price by $4,900 and was frustrated to not get any activity the first week after. Adjusting your price isn't like opening a faucet where a lot of opportunities pour out in many cases.When selling a high-end home in Chicagoland, you need to be patient and you need to communicate with your agent. Again, if you'd like a second opinion, don't hesitate to reach out to me. Lower-end homes tend to get more activity, but with high-end homes, it's about quality over quantity in showings.If you're buying or selling a home and you'd like a second opinion or you need an agent to work with, give me a call or send me an email today because the next 100 days are vital. I hope to hear from you soon!

Technology in your home can go a long way in helping get it sold. Here are four ways to easily upgrade your home tech to appeal to more buyers. Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSTechnology can go a long way in attracting buyers when selling your home. If you're thinking about selling your home, I have four ideas on how to incorporate technology and get more buyers through your door, no matter your home's price.Smart thermostat: When you're away from your home—especially if you have multiple heating or cooling units—it helps with climate control.Surveillance: I'm talking about cameras and security systems to keep your home secure while you're away. There are some dated security systems out there that you can't turn on or off remotely, which can be an inconvenience when selling your house.High-tech kitchen appliances: For example, you can get no-touch faucets or a refrigerator with low grocery indicators. Can you imagine having a smart refrigerator that tells you that your milk is getting low? Maybe your Coors Light is running low and you need to make a beer run. Upgraded entertainment systems: You can get a Savant system to control TV, music, and security all from your smartphone. I hope you learned something new today that could help you sell your home. If you have any questions I can answer or you're thinking about selling your Chicago house, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help. Click here to view  831 Diane Lane, Naperville Click here to view 28w660 Perkins Ct, Naperville Click here to view 45 Lakeview Lane, Barrington Hills

Today I wanted to quickly address two topics: a new luxury listing of ours in Naperville and some interesting data in luxury price points. Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSI have a couple of topics that I want to cover today: a high-end property we're marketing in Naperville and some data in the $3 million to $6 million price point.First, we're really excited about 831 Diane Lane in Naperville, a gorgeous property built in 2007 that has that old-world feel and has more than 10,000 square feet. Three unique features of this home that we're getting a lot of feedback on include an indoor pool that is the best I've seen in the entire Midwest, a two-story master bedroom closet, and a two-story home office with a fireplace, tons of built-ins, and a second-floor library with a spiral staircase. It's an amazing property, and you can see some photos here.“It's not the market, it's the marketing. ”Secondly, I want to address some data from the $3 million to $6 million price point over the last five years. The bottom line is that there were fewer properties selling at that price point in 2016 than in 2015, and even fewer than there were five years ago. Remember, regardless of whether you're selling an entry-level home or a luxury home, it's not about the market, it's about the marketing.If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you. Click here to view  831 Diane Lane, Naperville Click here to view 28w660 Perkins Ct, Naperville Click here to view 45 Lakeview Lane, Barrington Hills

I’ve got two exciting announcements to share today. Here’s the big news.Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeI’ve got a few exciting pieces of news to share with you today. First, I have partnered with a vendor who will allow you to make upgrades and updates to your home before selling and you won’t have to pay until after closing. Let’s say you want to replace the paint in a room, the flooring in another, or do a complete remodel of a bathroom. With this program, our vendor will let you defer paying for those repairs (which will increase your home’s sale price) until the home is sold. It’s a very exciting program.The next thing I want to talk about is a new product that is coming out to replace heavy, expensive granite and marble. It’s pretty incredible. This product is man-made out of organic materials. It’s recyclable and doesn’t need to be re-sealed because it’s not porous. You never have to polish it either and two men can carry a slab of it easily. It’s harder than granite, won’t ever chip, and it’s basically heat proof.This new synthetic porcelain is better than granite in every way.This product is being manufactured in Europe right now and I imagine it will make its way here soon. It’s actually a synthetic porcelain, but it can be made to look like several different types of marble. The only difference, besides all the reasons we mentioned above, is that this product is much more inexpensive and much more effective.If you have any questions for me about either of these topics or anything else relating to real estate, give me a call or send me an email. I would love to hear from you.

Tired of always having to physically go to the title company to sign the paperwork when buying a new home? This pilot program might interest you. Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your home I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been invited to be a part of a new national pilot program. What is this new program? How does it work?Instead of you having to physically sign paperwork at the title company to purchase your home or have a power of attorney sign for you, this program allows you to sign via the Internet. All you need is a Wi-Fi connection and a computer and you can sign from anywhere in the world whenever you purchase a home.Now all you need is a Wi-Fi connection to sign for a home.This program is just getting off the ground, but I’m very excited about it and I’m privileged to be a part of it. I’d love nothing more than to tell you more about it, so if you have any questions about this program, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. I look forward to speaking with you!

Recently, our area board of more than 16,401 agents revealed some statistics that show how not all agents are created equal.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSAs someone selling their home, beware that not all agents are created equal!Recently, our real estate board—one of the top five boards out of more than 16,401 agents in North America—released some statistics that were shocking, and not in a good way.First off, we found that 54% of the agents on our board of more than 16,401 agents sold zero homes last year and 15% only one home. That’s not good, folks. We can also see that only 1% of agents sold 26 homes or more last year. I’m proud to be in that 1% when it comes to selling homes.“If you’re thinking of selling your house in 2017, don’t hire somebody just because you like them. ”If you’re thinking of selling your house in 2017, don’t hire somebody just because you like them, they work out at your health club, or because your husband or wife works with them. Do your due diligence and keep in mind that only 1% of us sold 26 or more homes last year, while 69% sold just one or zero homes.These agents aren’t making a lot of money, so they’re not spending a lot of money to market your home. Remember, it’s not the market, it’s the marketing.Last year, 73% of people polled said they would hire an agent who uses video to market homes versus an agent who doesn’t. If you’d like a second opinion on your home, I’ll be honest with you and tell it like it is.If you have any other questions about selling your home this year in the Chicagoland market, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help.

I’m so excited to tell you all about a new purchase program called the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage! Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeI just learned about a new program called the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), and I’m excited to share the details with you today. HECM is a purchase program that enables those of retirement age, 62 or older, an incredible opportunity to purchase a very nice home and never have to make a mortgage payment. Let’s say you’re 68 years old and selling your home to move to a different one, and now that your home sold, the different home you want to purchase costs $175,000. That would require an $84,836 premium to close. With HECM, you could purchase that $175,000 home with just $84,836 and never have to make another mortgage payment. This is the best program for the retirement age group I have seen to date.As another example, if you were 78 years old and wanted to purchase a $400,000 house, it would require just $159,013 and you would never have to make a monthly mortgage payment. There are no income requirements for this program, and it’s one of the best I’ve ever seen for people of this age group in all my years of experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me with a phone call or a quick email. I look forward to hearing from you!

Today I wanted to discuss some of the most important things going on as we head into February.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSToday I wanted to talk a little bit about goals. We're into February, which means we're already 1/12th of the way into 2017. How are you doing with your goals?A goal of mine this year is to have coffee with an average of three different people each week, whether it be real estate-related or not. I want to be around people who want to get better because iron sharpens iron. We'll address that in a moment.With everything going on right now and everyone being so frustrated, I think it's important to talk about tone in 2017. I think if we come from a position of understanding and caring and tone, we'll be better off. Let's be good role models. We can disagree on things, but my goal is to come from a place of understanding and tone, and help more people in 2017.For instance, we're helping someone right now with a $179,000 condo. We don't just do luxury listings—if my team takes you on as a client, you have my team's all. We help the big and the small. I don't want you to think we're too busy or that we're not interested in helping anybody out.With it being February, I hope you're pacing your goals. It's hard to believe Super Bowl Sunday is just a couple days away, but that's when many people believe the 'official' buying and selling season starts. If you're thinking of selling your property, let us know, because there might be 30 to 60 days of work that you need to do. Don't wait until the last second!“We are already into February, how are you doing with your goals? ”I'd also love to hear what your big goals are for 2017, whether they're personal, business-related, religious, or family-related. As I mentioned, I want to meet with an average of three people per week for coffee and hear more about how I can help you. Accountability is important; most people don't share their goals with other people, but accountability is what helps you get to where you want to be. Don't be shy—I'd love to hear your goals!I also wanted share a little bit of information about our networking group, which is growing. We meet monthly, and we'll be meeting the fourth week of February. If you know of a business owner or someone that caters to high net worth individuals and you're interested in hearing more about our networking group, you can nominate them or yourself. We only have one person per field, so we have one men's clothing designer and one kitchen remodeling guy, for example. We'd love to hear from you and to grow that group.In closing, I think 2017 will be a great year no matter who the president is, no matter what interest rates do, etc. You choose to be successful. Don't rely on the government, because you control your outlook. I want to be around positive people no matter what, so let's make the world better as we head into February.If you have any questions for me, you can always give me a call or send me an email. I'd love to hear from you!

When buying a brand new home, it’s best to hire a Realtor to represent you. Here’s why. Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeIt’s always best to have a Realtor represent you when selling a home, but what about when buying one? There a few reasons why you want a Realtor representing you while looking to purchase a home. First, here are a few facts on what you are getting into when buying a brand new home. Whenever you buy a brand new home, the salesperson is not a licensed Realtor, so they are not obligated to abide by any laws or code of ethics that Realtors have to. New home sales agents are representing the seller and the seller only. The builder of the new home might also have a stake in the mortgage company that you get referred to, and the builder might also own a piece of the title company you go through. So, throughout the entire transaction, the builder has total representation in every aspect of that transaction. Now, when you have a Realtor representing you, the first thing they are going to do is get the builder to disclose all the information so you have that going forward. For example, there may be things that will end up costing you money down the road that may make you want to back away from that property. If you’re looking to buy a home, hire a Realtor to represent you.A Realtor is also going to know things that are negotiable in a contract. There are things the builder would try to put all on you and see what they could get away with if you lacked representation. If you are not aware of some of the expenses that come with this kind of transaction, you would be the one paying them. That’s why it’s so important to have a Realtor representing your transaction, not to mention they can usually get you a better price. A Realtor will know the builders, and will know that some of them negotiate better than others. Another thing to keep in mind is that when buying a brand new home, the builder’s attorneys write the contract, so the contract is tilted in the buyer's favor. Having representation will help to rework the contract to be more in your favor. If you have any questions about buying a new home or a resale home, please give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help!

If you’re selling a home, a home inspection might turn up some code violations. I’m here to tell you how to handle that situation. Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeWhen a buyer gets a home inspection done, is a seller required to fix code violations? Recently, a buyer did an inspection on one of the homes that we sold, and my seller asked me that question. The answer is no. A code violation is basically a safety update regarding your plumbing, electrical work, installation of appliances, etc. that have been updated since the home was built or since the last code update.You don’t have to automatically correct code violations unless you have agreed to do so for the purchaser. Some code violations are more important than others, but most buyers will want electrical issues taken care of especially. Some code violations are more important than others.If an inspection is done and that report is presented to you, if the sale falls through, for the next four years you are required to provide any potential buyers with a copy of that report. That’s why it’s best to always disclose everything you know about the property, as it will show up in the inspection report. If you decide to correct the code violations, but for some reason the transaction doesn’t go through, keep your receipts and make notes on the inspection report to show what you have corrected. If you have any further questions about inspections or repair issues, please feel free to reach out to me with a phone call or by shooting me an email. As always, please keep sending me your questions. If I use your question for my video blog, I will send you a $50 gift card!

Timing is everything in life, and the same holds true for real estate. Today, I wanted to take a moment to explain when the best time to list your home will be in 2017.Considering Selling in 2017: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2017: Get Gateway Access to the MLSTiming is everything in life, and it's important in real estate, too. When should you sell your home if you're thinking of doing so in 2017?Nobody has a crystal ball, but historically, it's always been better to sell your home early in the year rather than later. Just recently I had a client tell me they would put their house up for sale in April since that's when everyone else does. However, that's exactly why you don't want to put your house on the market during these months.If you're thinking of selling in the Chicagoland market in 2017, I recommend putting your house on the market in January or February.Four years ago after the election, January 2013 was one of our busiest months all year. We anticipate the same in 2017 due to the post-election fervor. This may not be because of the results, but more so the fact that people finally know what we'll be dealing with for the next four years. We already see indications that the market is rebounding, with properties that weren't seeing much interest starting to get showings. We think 2017 will be a better year than this year, particularly January and February.“Nobody has a crystal ball, but it's always better to sell your home early in the year. ”Why these two months?First, there will be a limited supply of homes due to sellers continuing to think they should wait until the spring to sell. Limited supply drives up demand, which means better offers and better prices for you as a seller. Secondly, interest rates are supposed to creep up a bit, bringing buyers to the market.We don't just list Mansions and high-end homes, we also list small and cute homes as well!Finally, I wanted to let you know about a new property we've just listed. This home is located in Naperville, just over 17,000 sq. ft. with a 9-car garage. You can see photos of this stunning home and the lifestyle film here.If you know of anyone we can help or you're thinking of selling your Chicago home, think of us! I hope you have an awesome holiday season. We'll talk soon! Click Here To Take VirtualTour  of 28w660 Perkins Court Naperville, IL Click Here To Watch Perkins Court Lifestyle Film Presented by Michael Lafido 

Thinking about selling your house this winter? There are a few extra steps you need to take to get the most out of your sale this time of year that I wanted to share with you.Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeSince winter is nearly here, it’s important to remember that the winter market in Houston is still very good—it always has been and it always will be. In fact, December is often the second-highest closing month of the year in real estate here. Why?People want to buy a home and be living in it by January 1st to take advantage of the homestead exemption. If you buy a house any later, you may not realize the tax exemptions for that particular year. Another important thing to consider is your landscaping, especially since we have a lot of grasses here that tend to go dormant in the winter. There are several ways to work around grass turning brown. For starters, you could just leave it as is because you’ll be on even footing with just about everyone else on the market right now. Another option is to buy winter grass or rye grass, which is very inexpensive. It’s a grass you can seed now that’s very hearty throughout the winter months. When the heat comes, it dies off, so you don’t have to worry about it coming back ever again. You can pick it up at Lowe’s or Walmart. Homes are sold first on emotion.If we have a hard freeze and your landscaping isn’t protected, it’s bad news. If you’re thinking about selling in the winter, I recommend that you watch your plants very closely. If they die or get freezer burn, replace them with something that won’t freeze as easily. It may be easier to cover your plants initially to prevent this.On cold days, make sure your thermostat is set at 72 degrees. This is just a little bit warmer than the outside most of the time, and people tend to like walking into a home with a warm feeling. If you have a fireplace, lighting a fire is a great way to add a homey feel, too.Remember, homes are sold first on emotion, and second by logic. That first emotional step is the most important step. If you have any other questions about selling your home in the winter, give me a call or send me an email soon. I look forward to hearing from you!

2016 has been an amazing year. To celebrate, we’re throwing a client appreciation party at The Palace Royale, and you’re invited.Considering Selling in 2016: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2016: Get Gateway Access to the MLSAre you ready for a party? I hope so, because you are hereby invited to my client appreciation party and open house.This has been an amazing year, and I can’t thank you enough for helping us make it happen. Whether you’re a repeat client, you’ve referred us business, or you’re one of our close friends or family members, we want to extend our deepest gratitude.The party is on Thursday, December 15th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Palace Royale. To view pictures and videos of this amazing mansion that we currently have listed on the market for $10.9 million, please visit www.thepalaceroyale.com.To RSVP, either reply to the original email or send me an email at Mike@thelafidoteam.com.“I can’t thank you enough for making 2016 an amazing year. ”There will be plenty of free food and entertainment. In addition to our friends and colleagues, we also have a lot of nonprofits coming to this party. We believe in creating awareness and raising funds for causes we’re passionate about, so if you’re passionate about them too, that’s one more reason to attend.We’re looking forward to an exciting 2017, but before then, we want to celebrate 2016 with you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me, text me, or shoot me an email. We hope to see you there!                     

Considering Selling in 2016: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2016: Get Gateway Access to the MLSThe holiday season has officially begun! We hope you are as excited as we are.We’d like to take a moment to express our gratitude to all of you this Thanksgiving. Over the years, we have met some truly wonderful people, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without all of your support.“We have met some truly wonderful people. ”Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner with all of your family and friends—that’s what we plan to do!In the meantime, if you have any real estate questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would be happy to help you.You can also watch our most recent articles by clicking on the images below! How Will the Election Affect Our Real Estate Market?  Comparing Our Market Today With the Real Estate Peak In 2006

 Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeI wanted to take a minute to talk about the three types of appraisals we have in the real estate world. You have the tax appraisal - which really should be called an assessment, because it is not an appraisal where someone comes out to look at your home to determine its value. Then you have the market value appraisal; typically a mortgage company will come out and make an appraisal for them to be sure they're safe in lending money to a buyer. Then, you have the refinance appraisal, which has nothing to do with the value of your home, but has everything to do with how much the mortgage company can lend you and still feel safe. These typically come in much higher than a market value appraisal. The property tax appraisal can be challenged every year in Houston, and I recommend that you do so every year, even if your value does not change. It'll prevent future excessive increases if you protest every year. The market value appraisal can sometimes come in below market value. That doesn't necessarily mean the home is "worth" less. It only means that the mortgage company is only comfortable loaning up to that certain amount on the property."Refinance appraisals have nothing to do with a home's value." The third type - the refinance appraisal - the gloves come off so to speak, because the rules are stretched. Typically by the time a refinance appraisal comes up on your home, the mortgage company has run your credit and they know it's good, and they want to lend you as much as they possibly can, because they get paid a percentage of what they lend you. They have nothing to do with real value. Whenever you're in a situation with an appraisal, it must have a specific purpose. The purpose will make a difference in the validity of the appraisal. If you have more questions about appraisals or are interested in a free home valuation, please don't hesitate to contact me. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you!

What’s happening in the South Katy real estate market? I’ll go over all of the details today. Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeToday I’m here with a snapshot of what’s going on in the South Katy area. As of right now, there are 1,286 properties for sale and 342 of those are under contract. On a monthly basis, we’ve had anywhere from four to nine sellers for every buyer on the market; right now, we have four or five sellers for every buyer on the market.  There is a decent number of buyers out there, but since there are so many sellers, home prices are being forced downward. Homes that are priced properly and marketed correctly should still sell between 14 and 21 days, though. As for the rental market, there are 641 properties for lease; out of those, only 51 homes are currently under contract. We are approaching the point where there are 13 rental homes for every tenant in the market. A lot of people are hoping to lease their properties right now so that they can wait and sell them when the market improves. Unfortunately, with these numbers, I think that lease prices will fall pretty dramatically. In fact, they may drop as much as 35% over the next year. Part of that is because of the 1,100 empty apartment units in the same area; new apartments are popping up all over the place. The 77450 zip code is the healthiest market in Katy.The good news is that interest rates are at historic lows, which is great for home buyers. We have never seen so many mortgage rates this low. As a result, a lot of people are moving out of apartments and buying homes, which further hurts the rental market. The people who came to the area during the petroleum bubble just aren’t there in big numbers anymore. If you are in the 77450 zip code, that is a great area to be in. It’s just about built out, so there isn’t a lot of new construction in that area. The people in the petroleum industry who had bought property further out are now selling to move closer in; a lot of them are ending up in the 77450 zip code. In fact, this zip code has the healthiest market in Katy. As many of you know, Westpark Tollway is still under construction, so the amount of traffic in Katy is crazy right now. That indicates that we still have a very robust economy here in Katy. There are also a lot of new companies like Dick’s Sporting Goods coming into the area, which shows that Katy is still growing. If you have any further questions about what’s happening in our market, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

We're seeing a lot of vacant homes for sale in our market since things have slowed down. Is it OK to showcase your home on the market with photos of it without furniture, though? Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeIn our market, homes are selling a little bit slower, causing many homes to go vacant before they sell. For this reason, I recently had a customer ask whether a home that's for sale will show better furnished or unfurnished.The most important thing is that the photographs used to showcase your home are taken while the home is furnished. Whenever your home is displayed online with photos, if it doesn't show furniture, it doesn't show scale. If you look on the MLS, you'll see a lot of listings that don't have professionally-shot photos. The listing agent will go in and take a picture of an empty room, and really, all you see is the corner of an empty room. Sometimes, even when homes are furnished, you'll still get bad photos if you don't use a professional photographer. Furniture in your photos will help show scale.In our case, we want rooms to be furnished when the pictures are taken for scale, but also for the sales brochures that we produce for each home. Another step that I personally take (that I don't think most agents do yet) is virtual staging. If you've already moved out of your home, I have the photographs staged virtually with furniture that will show the scale of the room, even though there's not actually furniture in the room. This allows the home to show better online and in our sales brochures. Showing a home in-person without furniture is not a big deal, but taking photos of a home without furniture is a big deal.If you have any questions about staging or photographing a home, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help you out.

Open houses aren’t what they used to be. Our team, though, has created a system that results in hosting the perfect open house.Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeDo open houses even work anymore? That’s not an easy question to answer. With the abundance of homes we have in this market, open houses are a dime a dozen. The other thing to consider is that the way most agents conduct open houses doesn’t really work anymore. We, on the other hand, have developed a system called ‘market launch.’ Our market launch is similar to an open house in that the end result is the open house. However, we do many things in advance to make the open house an event and create an abundance of interest in your home before it ever goes onto the market.  How successful are our market launches? We’ve had as many as 52 people at an open house before, and we ended up getting 20 offers for that particular home. We’re still generating multiple offers on some of our listings using this program, so whenever you get ready to sell your home and your agent says that they do open houses, have them explain to you what their open house process is really like. If it’s just an everyday open house, call us and we’ll compare it to our market launch. We’ll show you how we can bring lots of buyers to your home as soon as it comes on the market and get it sold for the highest price. It’ll be our little secret. If you have any more questions, please feel free to email me or give me a call. I look forward to hearing from you!

What are the chances of your home selling in this market? Right now, the reason so many homes are not selling is that there are, on average, six or seven sellers for every buyer. In order for your home to sell, then, it has to be perfectly positioned in every way. The best thing you can do to stack the odds in your favor is to choose the right agent. To know what it means to choose the right agent, watch this short video. Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeWhat are the odds your home can sell in the current real estate market? We still have a pretty good number of buyers in the market right now. The reason you see so many homes not selling is because we have between six or seven sellers for every buyer. In order for you to sell your home, then, it has to be perfectly positioned in every single way. In order to set yourself up for success, you need to choose the right real estate agent to market your home. Most agents have been in the market for 10 years or fewer, which means they’ve never seen a market like this. They’ve only seen the really good times for sellers - they’ve never seen the challenging times. "Choosing the right agent will determine whether or not you’re successful." The chances of your home being the one that sells out of six or seven other homes depends on how well your Realtor positions your home in the marketplace. By “positions” I mean everything from staging to preparation to marketing. Many agents that have been in the market for a short period of time don’t advertise very broadly because they don’t know how or they don’t have the resources. Thus, choosing the right agent will determine whether or not you’ll be successful.  When you’re ready to talk about selling your home with an agent, please include me in your list. I would recommend you interview at least two or three agents so you can find the one that’s been in the business long enough to have the knowledge of the market we’re in. The last time we saw a market like this was in 1988, which means anyone with fewer than 30 years of experience has never seen these conditions before.   To find out how much your home is worth, go to myvalue123.com for a free market analysis, or just give me a call. I’d be happy to chat with you about the value of your home or any other real estate concerns you may have. See you soon!

 Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeA lot of people have been asking us lately about how long homes are taking to sell in Houston. We measure this statistic by looking at the average days on market. However, there are actually two numbers to look at. One is the average days on market for all homes, and the other is the average days on market for homes that actually sell.  In the Houston area, homes that are priced properly in the first place typically sell in 14 days or less from the first day the home is put on the market to the seller accepting an offer from a buyer. However, most homes aren’t priced properly from the get-go. The overall average days on market in Houston is 48 days. Many sellers are unrealistic at first about how much they can get for their home, then the home sits on the market for longer than need be. These sellers will eventually reduce their price and when they do, the home will sell much quicker. When overpriced homes are reduced to what buyers think they are worth, they sell in under two weeks. That’s why it’s so important to price correctly from the beginning. Your home sale will be much quicker, and you won’t have to deal with the uncertainty that comes with overpricing and having your home sit on the market for months. This will help it sell for the most money possible. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

What is a property tax certificate and why do you pay it every time you sell a home? Today we're discussing the finer points of why a title company orders this certificate.Looking to buy a home in the Houston area? Get full MLS accessConsidering Selling your Houston area home? Get a market analysis of your homeA customer recently asked me about property tax certificates and why you have to pay them every time you sell a home. It's a great question, as not many people know exactly what a property tax certificate is.Basically, whenever you sell your home, the title company will prorate taxes from the beginning of the year up through the closing date, and as a seller, you're responsible for those property taxes. The buyer, then, is responsible for taxes moving forward. The title company will actually hire a property taxes certificate company, who will then determine exactly what the property taxes were for the previous year and certify the number. This gives the title company a hard number to use for prorating the taxes. The certificate ensures you've paid property taxes up to the point of sale.At the end of the year, the taxes could have increased or decreased. If they increased, the seller may actually owe the buyer a little more money for the time frame in which they owned the home. On the other hand, if the property taxes decreased, then the buyer may owe the seller some money based on the tax amount. The property tax amount for a house is set every year on January 1st. I hope this clears up any confusion you have about property tax certificates. If you have any more questions about this topic or there's another topic you're interested in learning more about, give me a call or send me an email. I'd love to answer any questions you have!

The upcoming presidential election has left a lot of questions up in the air about our economy. Here is the effect I think it will have on the market.Considering Selling in 2016: Click here for a Free Price EvaluationConsidering Buying in 2016: Get Gateway Access to the MLSI’ve got two things that I’d like to talk to you about today.First, I’d like to tell you about an exciting property we recently listed: The Cloverleaf Ranch. You may have read about it in Crain’s Chicago Business because it’s the highest-priced single-family home in Illinois at $18.9 million. Of course, it’s not your typical home; it is actually a hunting lodge.The ranch is located near Princeton, Illinois on more than 1,217 acres of land. The property includes an FAA grass runway, a shooting range, in addition to a 34-acre lake stocked with walleye, muskie, large and smallmouth bass that some have called “the best fishing in the Midwest.” Check out the pictures and video to see all that The Cloverleaf Ranch has to offer.Secondly, I’d like to talk about a topic that’s obviously on everybody’s minds: the upcoming election. With such a major election coming up, I’ve been asked many times how I think that the presidential election will affect the stock market and the real estate market, so I’d like to break that down for you today.“The stock market does well under split governments. ”Though some may have you believe otherwise, the stock market is not always affected by presidential approval ratings. The market may be hot when a president has a low approval rating, or it may be cold when a president has a high approval rating.In addition, though we have a split government right now with a democratic president and a republican house and senate, the stock market actually benefits from the checks and balances required to run the government. In fact, under split governments, the stock market has averaged a 7% annual increase historically, versus a one-party government when the stock market only sees a 4.6% annual increase.Keep this in mind during this upcoming election because split governments do not necessarily have a negative impact on the economy. Either way, we’re expecting to see a major spike in activity on the real estate market after the election, so be prepared!If you have any other questions about how our market may be impacted by the election or anything else related to real estate in the Chicagoland area, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help you!

Considering Buying? Click here to search all homes in your area    Considering Selling? Get a Free Home EvaluationDivorce is an unfortunate life event, but it's certainly not uncommon. Because of this, I've received many questions about how to sell a house while going through divorce proceedings.The house is usually the last thing dealt with in a divorce, and it is typically the most emotionally charged aspect of it as well. If one of the parties involved can afford to, they can buy out the other party with cash or by refinancing. The second option is to sell the property, and it's up to the owners, and possibly the court, to determine how the proceeds of that transaction will be divided among the parties. If the property is under water and there is more owed on the property than it is actually worth, a short sale can be conducted with the cooperation of both parties.  Regardless of what you choose to do, we recommend finding an experienced agent to guide the process. Open and transparent communication between the agent and both parties involved with the property is absolutely crucial in this situation.If anyone you know is going through a divorce and needs help buying or selling a property please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We have been through this process many times before and would love to help! !function(e,t,i){for(var a=t.getElementsByTagName("iframe"),o=0;o0){var r=l.height/l.width*100;l.style.position="absolute",l.style.top="0",l.style.left="0",l.width="100%",l.height="100%";var d=t.createElement("div");d.className="fluid-vids",d.style.width="100%",d.style.position="relative",d.style.paddingTop=r+"%";var n=l.parentNode;n.insertBefore(d,l),d.appendChild(l)}}}(window,document);

Considering Buying? Click here to search all homes in your area    Considering Selling? Get a Free Home EvaluationToday we are excited to bring you the second half of our two-part series on the tax benefits of owning real estate. Last time, we talked about the advantages of owning and living in a home as far as your taxes are concerned. Today we are talking about even more tax benefits, but this time from an investor’s perspective. Here are some of the best benefits. First off, you can sell your investment property without having to pay capital gains via a 1030 exchange into another investment property. This allows investors to continue to take out their equity, and re-invest it in something bigger and better.Let’s say you start off by investing in a single-family home. As it goes up in value, you can sell the property, do a 1031 exchange, and buy a better property with the equity. Some other tax benefits that home investors can take advantage of include deducting property taxes and depreciating the value of a home over 27.5 years. These are just a few of the ways you can save on your taxes and protect your real estate investments. Before making any moves, however, we advise you to reach out to your tax professional and see what works best for you. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Considering Buying? Click here to search all homes in your area   Considering Selling? Get a Free Home EvaluationEvery day here in Los Angeles and Orange County, there are hundreds of homes that exit the market because they just didn't sell. I recently met with someone who had listed with an agent. The agent was a friend of theirs, and the home did not sell.   All real estate agents differ. Just because someone has a real estate license doesn't mean they are a true professional! It's crucial to work with a professional real estate agent in order to sell your property. Here's why.1. Ask for testimonials. When hiring an agent, you should see proof of their success. 2. Ask for their marketing plan. Are they just going to put your house up on the MLS and run an open house or two? Your agent should have a cohesive marketing strategy to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible.3. Are they using technology to target buyers? Make sure your agent is up to date on the latest technological trends. They should be able to track results and show you how your home is being advertised online. 4. Are they an expert on the local market? Do they know the average number of days a home spends on the market? Are they up to date on supply and demand? Market conditions majorly impact the price of a property, so you need an agent who knows what's going on. 5. Do they give you the ability to fire them? A good agent should allow you to stop working with them at no cost or penalty to you. 6. Do they use a professional photographer? The quality of your home photos is critical to how your property shows online. 7. What is their strategy to maximize how well your home shows? In other words, do they have a stager or stylist to prepare your home for buyers? Statistics prove that staged homes sell for 6% to 8% more than non-staged homes.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!

Considering Buying? Click here to search all homes in your area    Considering Selling? Get a Free Home EvaluationOur next two videos will explain the tax benefits of owning real estate. In the next video, we’ll discuss the benefits of owning real estate as an investment. Today, we'll cover how home ownership can save you money on your taxes.Homeowners are able to receive a number of tax benefits. When you go to sell your home, you can take up to $250,000 in tax re-profit as an individual. As a married couple, you can have up to $500,000 of tax re-profit when you sell.What does that mean for you? Let’s say you own a home as an individual. You bought the property for $300,000, but now it’s worth $550,000. When you sell the property, you have $250,000 in profit, and you’re able to keep that profit tax free. The only requirement is you have to have lived in the property for 2 of the past 5 years. If not, you might be able to get a partial reduction. Owning a home also gets you certain tax write offs. For instance, you can write off interest on your loan, as well as the money you pay every year in property taxes. Plus, if you take out a home improvement loan, the money you pay in interest is tax deductible. There are a number of tax benefits to owning real estate. If you have any questions, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you! 

Considering Buying? Click here to search all homes in your area   Considering Selling? Get a Free Home EvaluationRecently, I talked with a past client and they asked an important question: "How do you sell a property occupied by tenants?" Today, I'll share a few tips on selling a tenant-occupied property for a premium price.Identify if you need to disturb the tenant at all. If the property is a single-family home, condo, or townhouse, and you expect that the buyers will want to live in the property, then yes, you will need to work with the tenants.My team and I make this process a win-win situation for you and your tenants. We don't want to hassle the tenants, but we want to we show the property to all interested buyers in order to get the highest price.For example, we recently listed a condo where both tenants worked during the day. We had showings on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and then for a two-hour block on Saturdays. The tenants didn't have to keep the house ready for showings every day, and we still showed the property to all interested buyers. In fact, we got three offers that Wednesday, and another three on Thursday. Even though we had limited showings, this property will be the highest sale in its building. Being tenant occupied did not affect our ability to sell the property for the highest price.If the property is a multi-unit property, such as a duplex, and we expect the buyer to be an investor, we may not need to disturb the tenant at all. We price the property on the market and let potential buyers know that the property is being offered subject to inspection. Once we receive an offer, we will open up the property for a showing.This is a common way to sell multi-unit properties. Once all the offers are in, we schedule a time for the buyers to walk through the property. You still need to communicate with the tenants, but it's only to set up one showing.We recently sold a five unit property with multiple offers. We only disturbed the tenants once, and ultimately, the property sold above asking price.As you can see, selling a tenant-occupied property is not as difficult as it may seem. If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Considering Buying? Click here to search all homes in your area   Considering Selling? Get a Free Home Evaluation2015 has come and gone, so let's go over the housing market forecast for the market in 2016.In LA County, the average price for a single family home was $540,000, which is a 4% increase for the year. Homes in LA County are selling for 98.8% of the asking price.In Orange County, the average price for single family homes was $695,000, which is a 2% increase. Homes in Orange County are selling for 97% of the original asking price.We have particularly low inventory in Orange County and LA County currently. In fact, both counties have 2.6 months of inventory, which is the lowest inventory we've seen in the past ten years. We expect this to set us up for a very strong 2016.We are currently experiencing interest rates between 3.75% and 4%. In mid December, the Fed increased interest rates by 0.25%. Although this seems like a slight increase, it profoundly affects your mortgage payments. Additionally, we might experience rate hikes again in 2016.We expect that the market in Southern California will go up 3% to 5% for 2016. Keep a lookout for affordability. Right now, only 30% of the population in LA County can afford the median sales price. In the OC, only 22% can afford to pay the median sales price. That's why we're not seeing the major increases in price that we saw in 2012 and 2013. Affordability has hit a bit of a plateau.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!

Considering Buying? Click here to search all homes in your area   Considering Selling? Get a Free Home EvaluationToday we just wanted to reach out for a moment and wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season from our entire team here at Tim Majka Real Estate Experts. We are very appreciative of all the support you have shown to us this past year and because of that, we were able to help over 30 families buy or sell a home. We are looking forward to another great year in 2016, helping even more families realize their dreams of home ownership.Have a safe, happy, and fun holiday season, everyone! If you have any questions for us, or are interested in buying or selling a home in the near future, give us a call or send us an email. We can’t wait to hear from you!

First, let’s talk about the cons. The biggest one is that no one wants to spend the time during the holidays to show their home. That is a valid concern, but there are ways you can limit when your home is shown to potential buyers. We can reduce the number of days your home is available for showings, and can even make certain days throughout the holiday season “off-limits” for showings. The other big con that this presents is moving during the holidays. We can help reduce this problem for you. If your home is for sale in December and scheduled to close at the end of the year, a lot of times we can negotiate either a delayed closing or a 2-4 week rent-back period, so you don’t have to add that stress on your plate until after the holidays are over.While there are a few drawbacks to listing your home on the market right now, there are also plenty of advantages to selling now that you don’t get at other points in the year. The biggest pro to selling during the holidays is the low inventory. Right now, we have the lowest level of inventory that we’ve seen in the last 10 years all over Orange County. With less homes to compete against on the market, your home stands out more to buyers.Another great reason to list right now is because of all the serious buyers out on the market right now, looking to close on a deal before the end of the year, either for personal or tax reasons. A lot of times these buyers don’t mind allowing a rent-back for the holiday season, because they don’t want to move then either. These are just a few of the pros of selling during the holidays. We have found that this time of year is a great time for home sellers to list their homes and get back the equity they have gained in recent years. If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!Considering Buying? Click here to search all homes in your area Considering Selling? Get a Free Home Evaluation