Friday, January 14, 2022 / by Nicole Solari
Preparing your home for sale might feel like a huge undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. Sure, there’s going to be some work involved. But by starting early and tackling sections of your house at a time, you can ensure that when your house finally does hit the market, buyers are both impressed and interested. Plus, according to the National Association of Realtors, 62% of agents say that homes that are staged and spotless spend less time on the market.
So what are the things you should do to get your home ready? In this article we’ll cover exactly that, telling you what to fix, what to clean, and how you can ready your home step by step.
Instead of trying to get it all done at once, a great strategy is to start from the outside and work your way in. Starting from the home’s exterior guarantees that you catch everything a buyer will notice on their first visit, and it also allows you to tackle these items in the order they’ll be s. ...
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Monday, January 10, 2022 / by Nicole Solari
Some Highlights
If you’re looking to buy a home, you may want to put these items on your to-do list to ensure you hit your goals.
It’s important to start working on your credit and saving for a down payment early. When you’re ready to begin your search, work with a real estate professional and get pre-approved so you know how much you can borrow.
Connect with a real estate advisor so you have the guidance you need to achieve your homebuying goals this year. ...
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real estate, the solari group, level up realty, home ownership, homebuyers, buying, real estate agent, first time home buyer
Wednesday, January 5, 2022 / by Nicole Solari
Are you one of the many renters thinking about where you’ll live the next time your lease is up? Before you decide whether to look for a new house or another apartment, it’s important to understand the true costs of renting in 2022.
As a renter, you should know rents have been rising since 1988 (see graph below):
In 2021, rents grew dramatically. According to ApartmentList.com, since January 2021:
“. . . the national median rent has increased by a staggering 17.8 percent. To put that in context, rent growth from January to November averaged just 2.6 percent in the pre-pandemic years from 2017-2019.”
That increase in 2021 was far greater than the typical rent increases we’ve seen in recent years. In other words – rents are rising fast. And the 2022 National Housing Forecast from realtor.com projects prices for vacant units will continue to increase this year:
“In ...
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real estate, the solari group, level up realty, homebuyers, for buyers
Monday, January 3, 2022 / by Nicole Solari
As you set out on your home buying journey, you likely have a plan in place, and you’re working on saving for your purchase. But do you know how much you actually need for your down payment?
If you think you have to put 20% down, you may have set your goal based on a common misconception. Freddie Mac says:
“The most damaging down payment myth—since it stops the homebuying process before it can start—is the belief that 20% is necessary.”
Unless specified by your loan type or lender, it’s typically not required to put 20% down. According to the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median down payment hasn’t been over 20% since 2005. It may sound surprising, but today, that number is only 13%. And it’s even lower for first-time homebuyers, whose median down payment is only 7% (see graph below):
What Does This Mean ...
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real estate, the solari group, level up realty, homebuyers, finances, home buyer tips
Friday, December 31, 2021 / by Nicole Solari
Selling your house is no simple task. And when you sell on your own – known as a FSBO (or For Sale by Owner) – you’re responsible for handling some of the more difficult aspects of the process without the expert guidance you need.
The 2021 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) surveys homeowners who recently sold their house on their own and asks what difficulties they faced. Those sellers say some of the biggest headaches are prepping their house for sale, pricing it right, and handling the required paperwork.
Working with an agent is the best way to ensure you have an expert on your side to guide you at every turn. Agents have the skills and knowledge that are essential to navigating each step with ease, efficiency, and accuracy. Here are just a few things a real estate agent will do to make sure you get the most out of your sale.
1. Make the Best First Impression
Selling ...
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real estate, the solari group, level up realty, home ownership, homes for sale, selling, selling myths, selling your home, sellers, fsbo
