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NO Property Ownership without Heroes
This is the time of year when we as Americans remember the men and women who gave their lives to protect our freedom. What we now celebrate as Memorial Day was once known as Decoration Day. It was established just after the civil war to commemorate the lives lost in that bloody battle. Memorial Day gives us all a chance to remember and thank our true heroes. It also allows us to reflect on the freedoms these brave selfless individuals gave their lives for. One of these freedoms is the right to own Property. The right to own Property is instrumental in our ability to pursue our unalienable rights as set forth in the Declaration of Independence… "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain … [Read More...]
Do Buyers Hear What Your Home is Saying
Before a Berks County real estate home buyer enters a home that is for sale their senses are already at work. Sight is normally the first sense used. Second is hearing, unless there is such a rancid smell outside the home it cannot be ignored. Some of the sounds around a home can be controlled by the owners, some cannot. Read on for important home staging tips. There are many Berks County homes for sale so it’s important that your home looks and sounds its best before it goes on the market. Things like trains close by the home cannot be controlled. This is similar to living next to a busy road or highway. Loud music and barking dogs coming from the sellers home likely can be controlled. In this article I will point out items relating to a Berks County home buyers sense of … [Read More...]
Offensive Odors Can Mean No Home Sale
I remember when I first started my real estate career. It was autumn 1993. I was eager to gain all the information and experience I could. I took every opportunity that came my way. One day I received a call from a prospective home seller. He invited me over to preview his home. I studied everything I could get my hands on relating to the home. I was about to embark on a great journey. I was excited and ready. On my way to the home I thought about all I had learned about homes in Berks County. I was ready. All I had to do was be myself, share information I had amassed as it related to this particular home and not say anything that may upset the home owner. It was go time! I knocked on the door and was greeted by the owners. Upon entering the home I was also greeted by an … [Read More...]
Berks County Home Buyers Need to See the Light
Selling a home can be difficult. This is especially true if it cannot be seen. I am not referring to a preview or showing. I am talking about lighting. It’s important that your home is illuminated in the best possible way to attract prospective buyers. During a home showing it is important to have all the interior and exterior lights on (Yes…Even in the daytime). It is a proven fact that abundant home lighting helps with mood. It is important that a prospective buyer is in a good mood when previewing your home. Besides setting the mood and accentuating your house’s best features, good lighting not only brightens a room, but can also make it appear larger. Remember, the buyer is in a foreign space. Lighting helps them find their way around and increases visual acuity. As the … [Read More...]
Soooo What is a Zestimate Again?
I remember when Realtors® learned how to do a Comparable Market Analysis, Broker Price Opinion and an Appraisal when estimating the value of a property. We used phrases like comps, variables, CMA and BPO. That was then. Now we have words like “Zestimate®” and spend more time telling prospective Berks County home buyers and sellers what it is and is not. And why they should not fear it. A Zestimate® is the brain child of the real estate search site known as Zillow.com. It is Zillow’s preferred method of estimating the value of property. You see, when Zillow was in its infancy they an attention getter. Few things draw more attention in real estate than getting an estimate of your properties value. It certainly did its job. As the site grew in popularity the Zestimate® was … [Read More...]
De-clutter ~ De-clutter ~ De-clutter!
The mantra of real estate value has always been “Location ~ Location ~ Location”. While this is still true De-clutter ~ De-clutter ~ De-clutter may now be running a close second. It is no mystery that people everywhere have more stuff than ever before. This is especially true in Berks County where we tend to keep things we know should have been discarded years earlier. Now it is time to sell that Berks County home but there is one problem…You cannot find it through the clutter. What to do? Well, if you are a true Pennsylvania Dutchman it is time to “RED UP”. If you are not, then de-cluttering will have to do. After you have disposed of all the things you can bear to part with, moved some furniture around and done some sprucing up it is time to call the … [Read More...]
What is Happening With Home Appraisals?
This is a very interesting time in the Berks County home marketplace. We have a unique situation that continues to unfold. The inventory of available homes has declined. This is creating an imbalance in the buyer to seller ratio (Supply & Demand). The effect of this normally raises the price of homes. While we are seeing some value increase it has been somewhat subdued by an unforeseen force….The Lender Appraisal! How can the value of a home go up when a home appraisal uses trailing information to substantiate that value? This becomes even more of an issue when the last 6 to 12 months of home sales reflect lower prices. Hmmm… In past years new home construction was the tide that raised all boats. When there is a new home subdivision in a community the seller/builder sets a … [Read More...]
The COST FACTOR of a Berks County Home Purchase
How much does a Berks County home cost? The question seems simple enough. The answer is not that easy. The answer is even more complex if there is a mortgage involved. The National Association of Realtors states that approximately 65% to 70% of all buyers obtain a mortgage to purchase their home. The first thing we need to find out is the interest rate and term of the mortgage. For this example I will use a mortgage amount of $100,000(easy math). Our interest rate will be 3.75% and the term of the mortgage will be 30 years. The principal and interest payment is $463.00. What this means is for every $1,000 borrowed the cost is $4.63. This is the “COST FACTOR”. Ok, just to make sure this is clear…If you take a mortgage of $250,000 at 3.75% interest and 30 year term the … [Read More...]
Berks County Home Sellers Should Think More like Buyers
In past articles I have laid a solid foundation of ideas for someone who plans to sell their home. I used the five senses to show how home buyers will value your Berks County real estate. If you have not read the articles yet here are the links: SIGHT- Berks County Home Buyers Need to See the Light SMELL- Berks County Home Buyers can Smell a Good Deal HEARING- Berks County Buyers Hear What Your Home is Saying to Them TOUCH- Simple Touches Can Lead to a Successful Berks County Home Sale TASTE- Taste Affects The Intrinsic Value of a Berks County Home The most important sense to a Berks County home seller is the sense of VALUE! “What is my home worth?” This is often the most requested piece of information most Berks County home sellers want. Yes, they want to hear what I … [Read More...]
Why Buyer’s Agents Shouldn’t Sell Their Customer a Home
Real Estate in Berks County - The Responsibility of a Buyer's Agent So you’re a buyer looking to purchase a home in Berks County. Locating real estate in Berks County has become easier than ever before. There are literally thousands of web sites with home search tools for you to utilize. Some have more reliable information than others. You look at some real estate in Berks County and a home catches your eye. You would like to know more about it. Maybe even schedule a preview. Some web sites make it easy for you to contact the Listing Agent of the real estate. They supply phone numbers, email addresses, information buttons and even forms for you to supply your contact information so the Listing Agent can reply. Sometimes you are given a choice to contact one of several Buyer … [Read More...]
The DEAL!
Buying a Berks County Home
Essential Steps for Buying a Berks County Home Every Berks County home buyer wants to feel confident about their home buying experience. They want to have things unfold smoothly and culminate in a successful outcome within a sensible amount of time. If buyers simply follow some standard steps, they will find these expectations met and… {Read More}
Selling Your Berks County Real Estate
Important Steps in Selling Your Berks County Real Estate Sellers want their Berks County home selling experience to be an uncomplicated, successful one. Selling a Berks County home, like any other involves some important, standard steps. If sellers follow these steps, they should have no trouble seeing their expectations met. If you are going to… {Read More}
Financing Your Berks County Real Estate
Important Steps In Berks County Home Loans and Mortgages Most of us agree the right financing arrangements matter hugely with one of your most important investments, a home. Everyone wants the best possible outcome and peace of mind when it comes to home loan and mortgage options. There’s no replacing the best handling and best… {Read More}
