Blog

02
Jun
By Jim Hasek
Financial Reports, ,

Case-Shiller: Home Price Growth Expands to All Metro Areas

March home prices were again dominated by the Northwest with Portland, Oregon posting a year-over-year gain of 12.30 percent followed by Seattle, Washington's year-over-year gain of 10.80 percent. Denver, Colorado rounded out the top three cities with a year-over-year gain of 10.00 percent. San Francisco, California, which consistently posted double-digit gains in recent months slipped to a year-over-year gain of 8.50 percent. This may indicate that prices in high cost metro areas are nearing their peak. S&P Dow Jones Chair David M Blitzer attributed outsized price gains to the shortest supply of available homes since the mid-1980s. Homes for sale…
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01
Jun
By Jim Hasek
Home Seller Tips,

3 Ways to Add Emotional Cues to Make Buyers Feel at Home for a Quicker Sale

There are a lot of ways you can effectively stage your home to snag the attention of potential buyers, but there are often a few extra things you can do to really engage the senses of your guests. If you're hoping for an instant offer and are pulling out all the stops to sell your home, here are some ways you can emotionally engage with visitors to your home. Carefully Choose Your Color Scheme You probably already have a fairly distinct color palette in your home, from the couch you've purchased to the tone of your paint, but that doesn't…
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31
May
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage Rates, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – May 31, 2016

Last week's economic reports included new home sales, pending home sales along with weekly mortgage rates and new jobless claims. New Home Sales Surpass Expectations Sales of new homes surpassed expectations and the prior month's reading. April's reading of 619,000 sales exceeded expectations of 523,000 new homes sold and 531,000 new homes sold in March.  New home sales rose by 16.60 percent on a seasonally adjusted annual basis, which was the highest increase in 24 years.  Analysts said that April's new home sales indicate that builders are increasing production of new homes to meet high demand for homes. Short inventories…
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27
May
By Jim Hasek
Home Seller Tips, ,

How Offering Buyer Incentives Will Get Your House Sold Faster

Why The Added Incentive? It may seem like keeping your home in good condition and pricing it according to its market value is good enough, but in more difficult market times many people have opted for extras that may boost the appeal of their home. While the wrong incentive strategy can make it look like you have a home that is not worth the asking price, there are classy ways value can be added that can still engage the right buyer. Determine Your Ideal Buyer If you've already decided that your ideal offer is a perfectly fair deal, you'll want…
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27
May
By Jim Hasek
Home Seller Tips,

4 Tips to Staging Your Home on a Budget

Many people think that staging a home effectively is a matter of money, but there are easy ways to dress it up and make it shine that don't come with a high cost. If you're looking for some economical tips that will go a long way in making a positive impression, here are a few ways to get your home prepared. Pack Away The Personal There are certain unique features in any house that can have a positive impact on potential homebuyers, but personal items will actually make it harder for guests to imagine themselves in your home. For a…
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26
May
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

Did You Know?: 4 Ways That a Real Estate Attorney Can Make Your Home Purchase Easier

It is common for home buyers to take steps to keep their out-of-pocket expenses to a minimum, and many will try to avoid paying for optional services for this reason. While you may not want to pay for all optional services, there are some that can be truly beneficial to you even if they are not required. After learning more about the services provided to you by a real estate attorney, you may be ready to seek out these professional legal services for your upcoming purchase. Explaining the Contract A real estate sales contract can be confusing to understand because…
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