Posts with tag 'Shopping for Home '

With the housing market in Southwest Michigan (and elsewhere) starting to settle down, buyer and seller behaviors are also returning to normal. For the past year plus, sellers unequivocally had the upper hand, and everyone knew it. Low interest rates and a shortage of homes for sale resulted in multiple offers within days of listing, driving prices well above asking, and causing buyers to resort to desperate measures in order to secure their purchases.

Escalation clauses. Bridging the appraisal gap. Seller rent-back agreements. Waiving inspections. These tools became commonplace as buyers had to fall all over themselves to get their offers accepted. Sellers expected top dollar for every property and were usually able t...

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Are you ready for the holidays? They'll be here before you know it, and they just might bring you a house full of guests. Undoubtedly you'll dash around cleaning the house and shopping for extra food before company arrives, but don't overlook these basic maintenance tasks. Checking them off your to-do list ahead of time will add to your guests' comfort and allow you to relax a bit more, knowing you won't need to tackle them later.

• Air Quality: Changing your furnace filter and having your ducts cleaned will improve the quality of the air in your home, helping everyone to breathe – and probably sleep – better. If it's been a few years since you've had this done, and especia...

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With home sales playing a big part of our economic recovery, especially here in Southwest Michigan, more people than ever are curious about the real estate market and what to expect in the coming year. With all the uncertainty, a lot of people remain on the fence about putting their homes up for sale. Here, I address four questions which have come up again and again:

1. IS NOW A GOOD TIME TO SELL?

In short, yes. Housing inventory is still at record lows. Buyer demand is still at a record high. And sales prices on existing homes are also high. Many people want or need to move. Putting your home on the market now will maximize your chances of selling quickly and for a higher price.

2. WHAT IF I SELL MY HOME BUT CAN'T FIND A NEW ONE T...

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Seller's market though it is, the buyers are the ones spending the money. Unless they're in a position where they must purchase quickly, most buyers will hold out for a home with the features they really want. Does your home have any of the most popular buyer requests? Based on recent personal experience working with buyers (giving feedback) and sellers (receiving feedback), as well as conversations with colleagues, these are the ten most sought after features in a home:

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BATHROOM SPACE. If a home doesn't have an adequate number of bathrooms, one of the most important considerations will be whether, and where, another one can be added. Is there a place where one would make sense? The size of the room is also important – more often than not, buyers will regard a "shoe...

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A new home in your price range hits the market, so you rush to see it immediately, well aware others will be doing the same. There's no doubt this is the place you've been looking for, so you make an offer the same day. Unfortunately, so do five other people who also loved it. Facing a host of competitors did not factor into your daydreams of a new home! What can you do?

First things first. Were you prepared for this situation, both financially and intellectually? Choosing the right lender is a key factor in a successful purchase, so you want to make sure you're comfortable with their level of experience and responsiveness. You should not be shopping for homes until you know your buying power and hav...

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