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.
[Estimated read time: 6 minutes] - Originally posted May 23rd, 2017
What is Staging a house?
Staging a house is when you prepare the interior of the home so it is ready for the market and exposure. Transforming the house so it is appealing to a larger group of buyers and not one's specific taste. There are many different tips, tricks, and techniques for staging a house. Below we will go through some easy tips on how to stage a house. These steps will help you successfully get your home ready to sell.
Staging by Category:
Living Room Dining Room Kitchen Bedroom Bathroom Entryway
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Not all firewood is created equally! Find what firewood is best for your home.
Cold weather is officially here and it looks like it will be sticking around for a while! This is the time of year when people enjoy staying inside and relaxing next to a warm fire. Before stocking up on firewood and lighting that fire - let's look at some of the best firewood for your home!
Choosing the Best Firewood
The drier the firewood the better! Fresh cut wood, also known as “green wood” is not ideal. Unseasoned firewood smokes a lot more and is also a leading cause to creosote buildup - which can lead to chimney fires.
Different types of Firewood
Not all firewood is created equally. Understand what you are
Determining how much house you can afford can be tricky!
Many different things factor into the equation. Some of the most obvious are things like your income, how much of a down payment you'll need, your debt to income ratio, and of course your credit score. Below we cover a long list that highlights some of the other factors that help determine how much home you may be able to purchase. This can especially be helpful to first-time homebuyers who might be unsure what their budget may be.
How much home can I qualify for?
Looking further into the most important factors when it comes to how much house can you afford. Some people begin there search online maybe months, if not years in advance. So these numbers, of course, will
Pricing a home can be tricky and can cost a homeowner thousands if not done correctly. Below we will quickly highlight some strategies to help you get started to help you understand how a professional may price your home correctly.
From searching for good comparable properties to using a specific pricing strategy. There are many different ways to find the market-based value of a home. Most homeowners do a pretty good job at keeping up with the activity in their neighborhood.
Heres how you can effectively price your home like a pro!
Getting Started: Home Pricing Strategies
Below is an easy-to-follow guide to help you find solid comparable homes. However, since you may not have access to the
Moving can become hectic and stressful fast! Be sure not to procrastinate and get the process started as early as possible.
The average real estate transaction can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks. To help, we wanted you to get a head start! Below is an easy to follow infographic to use as a guide so you can have a successful moving day.
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Typically the real estate market will see a slight dip in the colder months. However, homeowners can still experience success when selling their home in the winter.
So how can you achieve your real estate goals this winter?
As for Sellers, you can take advantage of the winter months by following some of the tips below and making sure your home stands out from the competition. Increase your sale price as if you were selling your home in the spring!
Tips to Selling Your Home in the Winter
Here in our local area, we always see a slow downturn for Louisville real estate in the winter. As a homeowner, you want to take the extra steps to prepare your home so it stands out from the competition.
Must Read: Easy to follow house hunting tips and tricks for homebuyers.
Every day there are countless homebuyers actively scouring neighborhoods looking for a new home. Often only noticing the homes general layout and appeal.
And possibly overlooking costly repairs that the home may need.
This is easy to follow guide will help point out what to look for when viewing a house.
When working with Buyers and viewing houses here in Louisville, KY and homes in Oldham County, KY - we always try to be observant of the less obvious things that can be easily missed when house hunting.
Of course, most of these things will be seen and recorded by the home inspector but pointing it out early leaves
With unlimited access to new listings, valuable sold data, innovative online tools, and FAQ that can be found on Google -- the general public is now equipped with a wealth of information that they certainly deserve when making such a large purchase.
But is that enough?
Buyers can comprehensively get a good pulse on the local market but could mistakenly fumble through a transaction.
Why do I need to hire a Buyers agent?
Buying a home is a long process with many moving parts. If you're not careful - it could quickly become a disaster. The average American will move 11.7 times in their lifetime - or once every seven years. An established agent will easily sell 20+ homes - in a single year!
Summertime is one of the most popular times of the year for travels. Many families pack it up and head south for their annual summer vacation.
However, this could be a great time for Murphy's Law to pay you a visit.
Murphy's Law: “If something can go wrong, chances are, it will... and usually at the worst time.”
Below are some of the proper steps to take as a homeowner so your house is in better hands while you are away.
Checklist: How to Prepare Your House for Vacation
1. Put lamps on timers
Leaving the house dark all week may not be a good idea. If you haven't already, consider buying a couple timers for the lights in your house and have them set to automatically turn on at
