Greater Louisville Real Estate Blog

What is a Home Appraisal and How Does it Work?

When it comes to the value of a home, it may seem pretty straightforward. There may be some negotiating back and forth between a Buyer and Seller, but once both parties agree on a price, that should be it, right? Unfortunately, most of the time a contract is contingent on an appraisal. Especially when there is financing involved. Some buyers and sellers may even be surprised to find out that an appraiser must give their "stamp of approval" on the purchase price before moving forward.

Key Takeaways

• An appraisal is typically paid for by the buyer in a real estate transaction.
• Appraisers review the exterior and interior of the home. Measuring the square footage while looking at features of the home and possibly any safety concerns.
• Common…

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Do you Need a REALTOR to Buy a House?

This is a common question that runs through the minds of many homebuyers. Some may have even heard from either a family member or friend that they have purchased a home in the past without a Buyer's agent.

How is that possible?

Well, that's because you don't actually have to use an agent to purchase a property. In fact, every day people decide to navigate the home search, contract negotiation, appraisal, inspection, and all the nitty gritty details on their own. Truth be told, you can actually forgo using a buyer's agent. But as a Buyer, do you feel comfortable enough to go about it all on your own?

The expertise that an experienced and professional Buyers agent can bring to the table can be the difference between signing the dotted line on the…

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How to Measure Square Footage for a Home

[Estimated read time: 4 minutes]

Calculating Your Square Footage

There could be a variety of reasons why you might want to know the square footage of your house. Whether it be for a potential construction project, a home addition, or just out of curiosity, finding out the real square footage of your current home, or perhaps of the home you are interested in buying, can be very valuable. Believe it or not, there is actually no universal standard for measuring square footage in a residential property. This could mean your home or the one you are looking to purchase, may not actually be as large or small as you may think.

Why is Square Footage So Important?

You may be thinking that it can’t be that important to know the exact square footage of a…

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How much is the Simpsons House Worth?

742 EVERGREEN TERRACE: Beautiful two-story home with basement. Through the arched, front door you are welcomed into the foyer. To the left is a cozy sitting room with a bay window, and to the right, is the dining room that also features a nice bay window. Towards the back of the home, is the living room and kitchen. The second story features four bedrooms! A master bedroom that offers a nice ensuite bathroom. There is also an additional bathroom upstairs. The backyard is surrounded by a wooden picket fence and a low box hedge. Also a patio and a custom treehouse!

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16 Questions You Need to Ask Real Estate Agents

Buying and selling property and homes is a massive financial and often personal undertaking. Depending on which state you live in, the process can vary in how easy or difficult it may be. But what remains the same regardless of your zip code is how great of an asset working with a qualified real estate agent can be as opposed to navigating things all by yourself. Some real estate agents do a great job of marketing themselves through television, local ads, and the radio, but that does not mean that they are necessarily the most qualified or most skilled for the specific transaction you need them to assist you with. When looking for the best realtor for you, it is critical that you approach them very similar to how a prospective employer approaches a…

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Is Credit Karma Accurate (vs actual score)?

Credit Karma vs Actual Credit Score

When it comes to buying a home and getting pre-approved, one of the most important numbers is our credit score. This little three-digit number carries a world of importance and can have an impact on many things in our lives. Surprisingly, millions of adults do not actively monitor their credit scores and millions more don’t understand the importance of having a good score. If you are looking to develop solid financial habits and improve your financial health, learning where and how to monitor your credit score is an important first step in accomplishing these goals.

Credit Karma ranks towards the top of the list year after year when we discuss free services that allow users to monitor and help to understand…

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The Perfect House Hunting Checklist (Printable)

Purchasing a home is one of the largest decisions we can make in our lifetime. While it’s certainly an exciting experience, it can quickly feel a bit daunting if you haven’t done your homework before you set out on your house-hunting expedition. You’ve probably imagined your dream home numerous times before, size, rooms, the size of the room! Maybe you’re even so detailed that you’ve thought of what type of backsplash you’d like in your future kitchen. While all of those are important details to consider when beginning your home buying journey, we’ve compiled a list of the most important items that should go on anyone’s house hunting wishlist.

A helpful checklist to use when out viewing homes.

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Top 36 Best Things to do in Louisville KY

[Estimated read time: 10 minutes]

Louisville is an amazing place to visit with so many things to do. Below is a great list of things to do in Louisville Kentucky. If you are planning a visit to the area or have just moved here from out of town, there are plenty of attractions and activities for everyone. Click on one of the categories below to jump to the section and discover the many different things to do here in Louisville.

Things to do by Category:

Active Lifestyle Arts & Theatre Entertainment Family & Kids Historical & Museums

Active Lifestyle: Things to do

Beckley Creek Park

A new park system that stretches alongside the Gene Snyder Freeway and Floyds Fork. A collection of four different, unique parks with plenty of…

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Under Contract vs Contingent vs Pending: What does this mean?

With so many people searching for homes online it can be confusing when you see the same home listed on multiple sites but somehow they show a different status.

Leading to why one of the most common questions people searching for homes ask...

...is this home still available?

In real estate, some of the terminology can be used interchangeably which can just add to the confusion. One real estate website may have a home listed as Contingent and then another may have it listed as Pending. Leaving consumers questioning - What is going on with this home??

What does Active Status mean?

When a homeowner decides to sell their home and they list with a licensed real estate agent their home will be posted with the local MLS that the agent is…

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10 Things to Know BEFORE Moving to Louisville KY [2020 Guide]

Nathan Garrett February 21st, 2020

[Estimated read time: 8 minutes]

Are you thinking about moving to Louisville, KY or do you know someone that is making the move? Here is a great guide to share with them so they can see first hand what it is like living in Louisville.

Louisville has continued to grow at a rapid pace over the last decade. Experiencing a sustainable economy and in return, great growth for Louisville real estate.

Living in Louisville, KY

When relocating to Louisville KY, at first you may not know what to expect. Below we will help you discover what makes the city of Louisville so great. We will uncover why residents love living in Louisville and learn more about attractions that take place throughout the year.

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