An open house is a powerful tool to sell a home, yet some agents dismiss it as an old method that’s used only to satisfy the seller. They feel that the full day of work that’s required, which includes marketing, creating pamphlets, preparing the home and showing it, may not be worth their time.However, many agents feel just the opposite and continue using this method as a means to help their clients sell their homes.If you’re a real estate
One of the most stressful aspects of retirement can come down to real estate. Many retirees face several choices, like deciding whether to downsize, buy a second property, keep the family home, or move to a senior community. Realtor.com® recently featured some of the biggest mistakes experts say retirees most often make with real estate matters, including:Holding off too long on moving.If a retiree wants to purchase a second property, real estat
In the high-end market, more properties are lingering. Some sellers are having to reduce their prices in the ultra-luxury market, in the hopes of getting a quicker sale. Otherwise, those hoping to hold out for a higher price are finding they’re waiting not months but years to make a sale.For some, the waiting game is fine, though.“In most cases, my sellers don’t have to sell,” says Ann MacQuoid, a real estate professional with Berkshire H
Photos of your listing are crucial when selling a home and presenting it online to potential suitors. The New York Times recently featured several suggestions from professional stagers and interior photographers on how to achieve a picture-perfect home, including:Trim the belongings. “Instead of having lots of little things along a countertop or table, have one bold vessel or large plant, or a trio of objects that read as one whole,” says Lau
Whether you're selling an oceanfront property in Miami Beach or a Colorado mountain escape, a home's outdoor space is often key in the potential homeowner's willingness to say, "We'll take it!" With property values on the rise, it’s important to create additional living space by bringing the indoors out.No matter the size, creating an inviting area for entertainment and daily living doesn’t have to be a massive construction ordeal. Instead, j
Some of the hottest rental markets in the country may have finally hit their peak. For example, markets like San Francisco and Manhattan are posting some of the highest year-over-year drops in average rents by 4.3 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.Nationally, rents are remaining stable. The average apartment rent is $1,312, according to data from Yardi Matrix. Rents across the country are rising, but only slightly now—by just $6 from Februa
You can’t solely blame the millennial generation for the delay into homeownership. In other parts of the world, like China, 70 percent of young adults are homeowners, according to a new survey by HSBC, which evaluated homeownership rates of 9,000 people born between 1981 and 1998 in nine countries.The homeownership rate of Chinese millennials is nearly double the global average of 40 percent. Following China, Mexican millennials came in second
Fewer foreclosures are on the market. First-quarter foreclosure activity has fallen below pre-recession levels nationwide in 102 out of 216 metro areas analyzed, according to ATTOM Data Solutions. Still, a few markets are showing elevated levels of foreclosures.For example, first-quarter foreclosure activity levels were still above pre-recession averages in Philadelphia (97 percent above); New York (80 percent above); Washington, D.C. (64 percent
Homeowners say their homes are worth more than what appraisers say they’re worth, and the gap between the values is growing, according to Quicken Loans’ latest Home Price Perception Index reading for March.Appraisals, on average, were 1.77 percent lower than what homeowners expected, according to the index. This marks the fourth consecutive month in which the gap between homeowner estimates and appraiser opinions has widened.That said, apprai
A new realtor.com® survey reveals the top desires of home buyers today: Ranch-style homes, big backyards, and updated kitchens.More than half of home buyers say they’re on the hunt for a three-bedroom home, and 75 percent want a two-bathroom home as well, according to realtor.com®’s home buyer survey. The survey also showed a strong demand for townhouses and row homes among younger home shoppers, as 40 percent said they are looking for a to
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