Posts by : Tiffany Hereda

When homeowners are preparing to put their properties on the market, one aspect is usually foremost in their minds: money. Setting the asking price accurately can mean the difference between getting an offer quickly and having a house languish for months, drawing little interest. With that in mind, it's important that potential sellers block out a lot of the noise that often surrounds the intricate art and science of pricing. There are plenty of myths that may cause sellers to lose sleep at night as they attempt to separate fact from fiction. The following are statements that can stand in the way of a successful sale.

1. 'If we keep waiting, a better offer will come along!'

via GIPHY

Thanks to record low inventory and heated competition, home values have been rapidly rising in markets across the country. But according to recent data, it looks like home price growth is finally showing signs of slowing. According to recent research from Redfin, home sale prices increased just 4.7% in August, capping off six straight months of declines and delivering the lowest price growth in four years.

The Takeaway

If you've been putting off buying a home because of the intense seller's market in the US, this is great news—low price growth means you won't be seeing the dramatic price jumps that have become commonplace in recent years. And as more inventory hits the market (accordi...

If you're thinking about putting your house on the market, obviously you want to do everything you can to increase the value before you sell. And if you want to add to that value without breaking the bank? Try a little paint.

According to Zillow's 2018 Paint Colors Analysis, which analyzed the effects different paint colors had on home values, choosing the right paint colors—and incorporating those paint colors in the right way—can make a huge difference when you list your home.

Which colors will give you the most bang for your buck? According to the analysis, painting your door black can boost your home's sales price by 2.9% while covering the bathroom walls in a periwinkle blue can ad...

A lot of people think the best time to buy a house is during the Spring market. And, it is... ...in the sense that more houses are listed for sale in the Spring. But, there's also a heck of a lot more buyers trying to buy those listings. The thing is, some of the houses listed back in the Spring don't end up selling. (Usually just because they were overpriced.) Now, it isn't like new listings don't happen in the Fall. There's always new listings coming on the market. But it's not like, just because it's Fall and not Spring, prices are necessarily going to fall. In other words, new listings aren't likely to list for a lot lower than you would have seen in the Spring. However, the homeowne...

True or False?

When you’re selling a house, you should bake cookies before a showing or an open house.

I guess you could say the answer is a hard and fast “true” because, after all, it can’t hurt. Who doesn’t like the smell of freshly baked cookies? But it’s also kind of false… It isn’t like you can Betty Crocker your way to a sale, let alone at the highest price possible. Your entire house still needs to be appealing. A batch of cookies isn’t going to hide bad odors enough or divert people’s attention from a messy house that needs repairs.

If only it were that simple...

Picture (and smell) this — a buyer shows up to a house and the homeowner has:

• Two dogs laying on the sofa (wet f...

1. Be flexible with your closing date.

This sounds so easy and simple. And it is. Many buyers simply cannot be flexible with their closing date. T...

When homeowners are preparing to put their properties on the market, one aspect is usually foremost in their minds: money. Setting the asking price accurately can mean the difference between getting an offer quickly and having a house languish for months, drawing little interest.

With that in mind, it's important that potential sellers block out a lot of the noise that often surrounds the intricate art and science of pricing. There are plenty of myths that may cause sellers to lose sleep at night as they attempt to separate fact from fiction. The following are statements that can stand in the way of a successful sale.

1. 'If we keep waiting, a better offer will come along!'

via GIPHY...

When you sell your home, you want to make sure you’re getting the best price for your property. The best way to do that is to sell when demand is high and supply is low. And if you look at supply and demand, there’s never been a better time to sell your home.

According to the most recent Home Price Insights Report from CoreLogic, there are four times as many renters looking to purchase a home in the next twelve months than there are homeowners looking to sell. And as rents continue to rise around the country, the number of renters looking to transition to ownership will only increase.

(According to Realtor.com’s most recent Market Outlook Report from Q4 2017, rents rose in a whoppin...

According to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors, home values are at an all-time high in 64% (or nearly two-thirds) of the markets across the United States. Single-family home prices increased in an astonishing 92% of markets, with 15% of metro areas seeing an increase of 10% or more.

While these price increases are clearly bad news for buyers, they're excellent news for sellers—especially sellers who struggled with negative equity after the recession.

According to a recent CoreLogic report, Evaluating The Housing Market Since The Great Recession, the average house price is now 1% higher than it was at the peak of the real estate market in 2006, which means even ho...

There’s no denying that it’s tough out there for buyers. The inventory shortage has created a market that’s more competitive than normal. As a potential buyer, you might be thinking “I should probably wait until next year to make a move.”

But if you want to get the best deal on a home, you should probably rethink that idea.

According to the most recent US Home Price Insights from CoreLogic, home prices are expected to rise 5.7% year-over-year—meaning a house you might be considering buying today will be 5.7% more expensive if you wait until this time next year to make a purchase.

What does that look like? Let’s say the house you’re considering making an offer on today is priced at $...

There are millions of homes bought and sold every year, most of them with the help of a real estate agent. However, there is still a segment of the population that chooses to go it alone when it comes time to sell or buy a home. There are different reasons for this, many of which aren't very good. The only good reason might be if you're an agent yourself, and even then, it might be better to work with another agent so that you're not letting your own emotion cloud your judgment. Here are some of the worst reasons for not hiring a real estate agent:

1. To save some money

You might think you're guaranteed to save yourself money by not hiring a real estate agent, but that's not true. It's ...

If you're planning to sell your home, you probably have a figure in mind you're hoping to fetch. But, if you thought buyers would be willing to go above (and well beyond) that number, it certainly would make prepping your property for sale and boxing up your belongings for a move more palatable. In May, inventory fell for the third straight month, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), driving up the month's median price for a single-family home to $252,800, a 5.8 percent increase from the year before. While supply and demand might be on your side at the moment, it's great to have a few strategies up your sleeve that'll bring in bids even when the economy isn't working w...

Buying a home is about to get a lot more expensive.

According to a recent report from Freddie Mac, mortgage interest rates are predicted to rise in 2018. The rate for a 30-yr fixed-rate mortgage was 3.9% in Q4 of 2017, and it is forecasted to jump an entire percentage point to 4.9% by the end of 2018.

A percentage point might not seem like much, but it makes a huge difference in how much you'll pay for your home over the length of your mortgage. If you took out a $350,000 30-yr fixed rate mortgage, your monthly payment at 3.9% would be $1650.84. At 4.9%, it would be $1857.54 - and you'd pay a whopping $74.413.73 more in interest over the course of the loan.

If you're thinking about buy...

Finding the house of your dreams might seem pretty easy. You know what you want and like. You feel like you will know the perfect house when you see it. The minute you find “the one”, it will be love at first sight. It will just feel right, like it was meant to be. Kind of like the notion of finding your soulmate. Back in the day, finding your ideal house or soulmate was a lot trickier. Until...the Internet. Nowadays, there are tons of websites for people to find the love of their life...and just as many to help people find the home of their dream. The Internet has made it easier to find “the one”...in love, and housing. But just because it is easier for you to find your soulmate, or ...

Warning: As the texturing may have been applied before the ban on asbestos in 1978 (Clean Air Act—a United States Federal Law), its removal should only be done by a licensed professional or after testing of a sample by a qualified laboratory has ruled out asbestos content. For more information on asbestos, visit the EPA website.

Oh popcorn ceilings, bless your heart. Your day has come and gone. Yesterday’s standard in residential construction is today’s eyesore. Such is life in the world of home design. Are you the owner of a popcorn ceiling? If so, don’t fret because the Internet is chock full of DIY popcorn removal tutorials. There's even a nifty alternative to traditional popcorn ceil...

We all know the premise of home-flipping shows: An investor buys a veritable dump and then, with the help of a team of ready-and-willing contractors and landscapers, transforms it into the best-looking home on the block. Next, that intrepid buyer turns around and sells it for a hefty profit. Sounds like a straightforward formula for financial success, right? Well, not quite. What makes for entertaining television doesn't always translate into a win beyond the high definition flat screen. The following are nine ways home-flipping shows mislead viewers. So, if you're considering turning this into your next career or even a side gig, you may want to separate fact from fiction first.

1. Tigh...

What you need to know:

According to Realtor.com’s recent Housing Shortage Report, the US is experiencing the worst inventory shortage in two decades. And while this presents a definite challenge for people looking to buy a home, it creates the perfect storm of opportunity for those wanting to sell. According to Realtor.com’s research, the housing shortage can be attributed to the baby boomer generation being unwilling to sell in the current market. In fact:

• 72% of existing homeowners over the age of 55 feel their current home fits their needs
• 85% of those baby boomers don’t plan to sell their home in the next 12 months

Boomers are keeping approximately 33 million properties of...