What to Consider When Buying a Fixer Upper
Buying a home that needs some work can be a savvy move to help you save money. If you don’t have experience flipping houses, you’ll need to be careful not to go over your budget with repairs. There are things you should keep in mind to decide if the house you’re considering will be worth the time, money, and effort you’ll need to invest. Here are factors you should consider when buying a fixer-upper. Location Picking the right location for buying a fixer-upper can create [...]
Buying a House Sight Unseen? Avoid These 8 Mistakes
From grocery shopping to home buying, it seems like almost everything can be done completely online now. The idea of buying a house without seeing it is less daunting these days with all the new technologies and ways to buy a home virtually, and it’s becoming more common. In fact, 20% of homebuyers recently made an offer sight unseen, meaning they made an offer on a home without ever seeing it in person. Maybe you’re currently living in a condo in Chicago, but have to [...]
Relocating After the Loss of a Loved One: Saying ‘Yes” to Your Future
Losing a loved one is at the top of the most stressful events you’ll ever experience, according to the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory. Moving to a new home is another stressor, but some find it to be a constructive way to move toward healing. While there is no escaping from the grieving process, moving can offer a sense of renewal along the way. Below are some of the benefits of moving, along with tips to manage the actual move itself. Moving On An [...]
HVAC Tips for Homeowners: How to Make Repairs and Troubleshoot
HVAC systems can be difficult to understand for the average homeowner; even if you’re relatively handy, it can be overwhelming to deal with repairs and maintenance on a system that has so many complicated parts. Yet, it’s important to know what to do when your unit requires service, as in the dead of summer it can be very hard to get a professional out to take a look without a long wait. In some cases, there are simple things you can do to troubleshoot and [...]
Why Winter Is a Great Time to Sell Your Home
Photo by Nathan Wolfe on Unsplash Everybody knows spring is the best time to sell a house. Or is it? Here in the Upper-Midwest, it might be easy to believe buyers aren’t as interested in trudging through snow and ice so they can look at homes. According to the National Asociation of Realtors, for the past three winters, existing home sales during November and December increased by an average of 4.5%. Here are a few reasons why winter might be a great time to put [...]
Tips for Staging Your Home for the Holidays
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash The holidays are a great time to sell your home! You may have less competition and buyers tend to be highly motivated (read our next post to find out why). Staging your home during the holiday season is a little different than other times of the year. Consider these tips when preparing your home for showings. Curb Appeal Keep the blow-up characters in storage. Santa and Frosty may be a distraction from the beauty of your walkway and lawn. Dim the lights [...]