Take Advantage of Your Home Equity
February 15, 2020
Homeownership offers many advantages over renting, including a stable living environment, predictable monthly payments, and the freedom to make modifications. Neighborhoods with high rates of homeownership have less crime and more civic engagement. Additionally, studies show that homeowners are happier and healthier than renters, and their children do better in school.1 But one of the biggest perks of ...
2020 Outlook: Real Estate Market Forecast
January 15, 2020
We’re in the midst of the longest economic expansion in U.S. history, and economists think there’s still room to grow. A recent survey by the National Association for Business Economics found that experts believe the U.S. economy will remain positive throughout 2020.1Still, given that recessions are a natural (and necessary) part of a business ...
Gifts and Gadgets for Every Room in the House
December 15, 2019
Are you searching for new and innovative gift ideas this holiday season? If so, check out our list of the hottest home technology offerings. We’ve selected a few of our favorites for every room in the house.These smart systems and devices add comfort, convenience, and a “cool factor” that will delight your friends and family. ...
5 Steps to Finding Your Next Home
November 15, 2019
5 Steps to Finding Your Next Home01 Nov 2019 by Gerald J. RichardsonWhether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned homeowner, shopping for a new home can feel daunting. In fact, 56% of buyers said that “finding the right property” was the most difficult step in the home buying process.1Buying a home is a significant ...
National Snapshot: What’s Ahead for Real Estate
October 15, 2019
The U.S. unemployment rate is at a 50-year low, and consumer confidence remains high. In fact, the University of Michigan’s latest Surveys of Consumers found that Americans have their most positive personal finance outlook since 2003.1However, if you follow national news, you’ve probably heard speculation that we could be headed toward a recession. Global trade ...
6 Things to Know Before Buying a New Home
September 15, 2019
One of the biggest mistakes new homebuyers make is assuming that everything in their house will work perfectly because it’s brand new.No matter how precise and careful builders are, there is no such thing as a perfect house, asserts Diane Saatchi, a senior vice president at real estate firm The Corcoran Group’s East Hampton, N.Y., ...
What to Ask When Choosing a Lender
August 13, 2019
AboutTiffany Howard of Nicole James Real Estate Group is a top 1% agent and has participated in a variety of real estate transactions, including residential properties in the secondary home, REO, new construction markets in both the Triangle and Atlanta areas. Tiffany prides herself on maintaining a high level of professionalism and being a tireless advocate of her ...
14 first-time homebuyer mistakes to avoid
July 15, 2019
Buying your first home comes with many big decisions and can be as scary as it is exciting. It’s easy to get swept up in the whirlwind of home shopping and make mistakes that could leave you with buyer’s remorse later.If this is your first rodeo as a homebuyer or it’s been many years since ...
Serious About Selling?
June 15, 2019
We all want to be good neighbors. But when it comes to selling your home, it’s not just about “keeping up with the Joneses.” It’s about outshining them at every opportunity!If you’re looking to sell your home fast and for the most money possible, you’ll need a strategy to set it ...
Top 6 Home Organization Upgrades that “Spark Joy” for Buyers
May 15, 2019
Thanks to Marie Kondo and her hit Netflix series “Tidying Up,” home organization is a hot topic right now. Marie encourages her viewers to minimize their possessions and keep only those items that “spark joy.”With spring in full bloom, now is the perfect time to do some spring cleaning and add organizational systems to ...
Top 10 Myths That Trip Up First-Time Home Buyers
April 15, 2019
If you’re thinking about buying a home, you’ve probably received your share of advice from family and friends. Add to that the constant stream of TV shows, news segments, and social media posts that over-simplify the home buying process for easy entertainment.With so much information to sift through, it can be tough to distinguish fact from ...
What’s Your Home Actually Worth?
March 15, 2019
It’s easy to look up how much money you have in your savings account or the real-time value of your stock investments. But determining the dollar value of a home is trickier. As a seller, knowing your home’s worth helps you price it correctly when you put it up for sale. If you price it too ...
How Long Will Your House Last?
February 15, 2019
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What causes a low appraisal?
January 15, 2019
What causes a low appraisalShort appraisals are common in declining housing markets because the lack of recent comparable home sales in the area, or “comps,” make it hard for appraisers to determine the current market value of a property.When home sales slow down, good comps “age” quickly. Add foreclosures and short sales to the mix ...
What does it mean seeing pre-foreclosure auction
December 14, 2018
I briefly spoke with another Realtor about pre-foreclosures/auctions on Zillow. We’re actually noticing more of these coming up on Zillow. Maybe its because our market has so little inventory and our buyers are becoming more “aggressive” in their search. Potentially in my opinion I think this is a leading indicator of a shift in the real ...
Role of the Realtor
November 15, 2018
A REALTOR, whether acting as an agent for the Seller or the Buyer, is bound by the Code of Ethics to give fair and honest treatment to all parties in the transactionThe goal of the REALTOR and the buyer is to find a property which meets the buyer’s needs, within his/her budget and time frame and bring the ...
Top 10 Myths about Realtors
October 15, 2018
1) Real Estate Agents are Always Late for AppointmentsFalse. There is no excuse for habitual tardiness among professionals. None. I don’t care if it’s your doctor, your cable TV installer or your Realtor.Every person deserves respect, and respect is earned by providing what is promised and being on time.2) The More You Pay for ...
5 Home-Selling Tips Everyone Hears—and Should Ignore
September 15, 2018
One of the hardest parts of selling your home is all the unknowns: Who will buy your place, and for how much? How long will it take? That uncertainty might make you particularly eager to soak up advice from just about anyone who's willing to share. Problem is, just because your sister or co-worker swear by ...
15 Secrets of Home Staging
August 14, 2018
15 Secrets of Home StagingHighlight your home's strengths, downplay its weaknesses and appeal to the greatest possible pool of prospective buyers with these home-staging tips. Bye, Bye ClutterThe most important thing you can do to prepare your home for sale is to get rid of clutter. Make a house rule that for every new item that comes ...
17 Things to Never, Ever, EVER Do to Your House
July 15, 2018
What may seem like a good idea, often isn’t. Here are 17 common mistakes new homeowners often make. #1 Get Rid of Your Only TubIf resale value is important to you, don’t get rid of your only bathtub no matter how dreamy that walk-in shower looks.It will make it harder to sell when ...
Five tips for first-time buyers
June 15, 2018
No matter how much time you spend on researching and educating yourself about your home purchase, it’s hard to cover every detail. Here are a few tips for avoiding rookie mistakes with your first home purchase. 1. Save as early as you can: Even if you think you’re years away from buying your first home, try ...
Why Do Real Estate Agents Ask For A Pre-Approval?
May 15, 2018
One of the most common home buying myths that exists is that when buying a home, you should find a home before getting a pre-approval. There are some real estate agents who will show a home, or several homes, to a buyer without knowing whether a buyer is pre-approved or not. This is a trait that you ...
Why Do Real Estate Agents Ask For A Pre-Approval?
May 15, 2018
One of the most common home buying myths that exists is that when buying a home, you should find a home before getting a pre-approval. There are some real estate agents who will show a home, or several homes, to a buyer without knowing whether a buyer is pre-approved or not. This is a trait that you ...
How to Buy a Foreclosure
April 12, 2018
How to Buy a Foreclosure: The Foreclosure ProcessLearning how to buy a foreclosure is not all that different from buying any other home – but the small differences can make the difference between getting the property you really want and be left with nothing. This post will walk you through the process of buying a foreclosure for either your ...
How To Get Ready To Sell Your Home
March 12, 2018
How To Get Ready To Sell Your HomePrepping your home. Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it’s not luck that makes that happen. It’s careful planning and knowing how to spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. ...
