How Do You Know When to Buy a Home?

Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or you are looking to downsize, it’s incredibly important to ask yourself these five questions when coming up with your home search plan.

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If you want to buy a home, what is your plan? Right now, there are a lot of buyers coming into the market. There are a number of first-time homebuyers as more and more millennials enter the market, and there are also many baby boomers looking to downsize. No matter what walk of life you are from, there are a few things you should consider if you want to buy a home: 1. What are your goals for the next five to seven years? Figure out what your long-term plans are. 2. Are you financially prepared? A lot of baby boomers are able to use equity from their current home to finance the purchase of their next home. Reverse mortgages are also on the rise. Millennials need to have their down payments ready. 3. Are you emotionally ready? Millennials may be moving out of their home for the first time, while baby boomers may be selling the home that they raised their families in. We are here to talk you through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Obviously, there are many advantages to buying a home right now, especially if you are a first-time buyer. Owning a home is one of the best investments you can make. For millennials, owning a home is the first step toward financial independence. Baby boomers need to consider where they want to spend their time and money during retirement.

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Has your lifestyle changed recently?

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4. Will owning a home pay off in the long run? Without a doubt, owning a home is a good financial investment. You don’t get a return from renting, but there will always be a return if you own. 5. Has your lifestyle changed? Obviously, millennials and baby boomers are going through a change. Move-up buyers may need more room than they have in their current homes. Whether you are having a baby or your kids are leaving the nest, you may need to make a move. Many baby boomers are leaving their 3,000 sq. foot houses with an acre of yard to mow for communities with amenities and restaurants within walking distance. Asking yourself these five questions will help you figure out your home buying plan. If you have any other questions for us, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Where's the Raleigh Market Headed in 2017?

The Raleigh market proved to be great in 2016 and 2017 looks like it could be just as good. Conditions are slightly different this year, though, which could have an effect on you if you're looking to buy or sell a home this year.

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Today I wanted to take a moment to discuss how 2016 ended in the Raleigh market and how 2017 is shaping up so far. The 2016 market turned out very well in the Triangle area. We ended the year with the average sale price for homes up over 5%; of course, this varies by area. My hometown of Garner for example, saw a gain of 9.1%, which is incredible. Closings ended up 10% higher than last year with Johnston County leading the race, averaging 19.4% higher than last year. Chatham and Johnston led for the most new construction, which isn't surprising with all the new homes we're seeing coming up. And still, we ended the year 16% below average for inventory. I know we keep telling you that we need inventory—we're not kidding! We're already starting to see some sellers come off the fence in 2017 after seeing that the equity is proven to be there for their homes. We've been really thrilled about the money we've been able to get for our sellers' homes so far this year. Buyers are really excited too because we're seeing a lot of unique homes coming on the market and some really interesting neighborhoods are coming up. I think 2017 will be a great year for both buyers and sellers.

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I think you'll be surprised how much equity your home has gained, especially if you bought it five to 10 years ago.

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If you're on the fence, let us give you a free equity evaluation. I think you'll be surprised how much equity your home has gained, especially if you purchased your house between five and 10 years ago. This year has really jumped out so far, and my Realtor friends would agree that we haven't seen much of a winter slowdown. If you have any questions or you'd like a no-obligation equity evaluation on your home, give me a call or send me an email soon. I'd be more than happy to help!

Fall Cleaning and Home Staging Tips

It’s a great time to do some fall cleaning. What you do now can help you sell next year.

With the holidays approaching, it’s a great time to get some fall cleaning done. If you’re thinking about selling your home after the new year, it’s also a great time to do some prep work so that your move isn’t so much of a hassle when the time comes. There are a lot of decluttering and staging tips you can institute now that will pay off later. Here are our four best tips: 1. Tackle those closets. Decluttering your closets is a great way to make some extra room for out-of-town guests as well as Christmas presents. When the time comes to clean those closets out, things will be much easier. 2. Get a storage unit. If there is additional furniture in your home that you need to move out to make room for guests, putting it in a storage unit is a great idea. It’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about decluttering from your house when it comes time to list. 3. Clean your home for the fall season. Do a deep clean for the holidays just like you would in the spring. When you’ve got your home sparkling clean, you’re halfway there when it comes to listing and staging in the new year. 4. Hire movers. People are always looking to make a little extra cash this time of year. Have movers help you get things out of your home you know you won't need after the holidays.

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Following these tips will get you ahead.

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If you follow these tips, you will already be one step ahead of the market when the new year comes. 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!