Best Real Estate Articles Found on Google Plus

Google+ Real Estate December 2017 It’s that time of the month where the best of the best real estate articles are searched and found on Google+. As we say thanks to all our clients for the past year we’ve got one last hurrah of handing out the best advice possible.

Take a look as multiple experts share their top advice on a wide range of topics from home improvement, home buying, home selling, social media and more!

I hope you enjoy all this fantastic advice!

Simple DIY Home Maintenance Tips

Debbie Gartner has branded herself as The Flooring Girl. She shared ten simple home maintenance tips on Paul Sian’s www.cincinkyrealestateblog.com. It’s only fitting that Debbie started the article with tips for protecting hardwood floors. For those with tile, she teaches readers how to seal their grout. She recommends sealing it once a year. Other suggestions include checking windows for drafts and adding a fresh coat of paint.

Taking Your Home’s Curb Appeal to The Next Level

Dan Barcelon provides ten ways to maximize your home’s curb appeal. Not only are his tips excellent, he includes gorgeous photos to inspire readers. Starting with the front door and working up to the roof, your home will look its best if you follow his suggestions.

First impressions of a property start at the outside. You can influence a buyer before they ever walk through the door when your home looks exceptional.

Home Remodeling – Upgrades That Add Value To Your Home

Maria Mastrolonardo pinpoints five upgrades that will add value to your home. She has suggestions for the kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, exterior, and insulation. Her article also incorporates beautiful pictures to prove her points.

One of the things she cautions against is over-improving your home. You should pay attention to home values in your neighborhood. You don’t want to improve your home so much that it becomes the most expensive in the neighborhood.

Many home sellers believe that every improvement leads to a one of one increase in home value. Unfortunately, this is far from accurate.

Steps To Selling Your Home – How To Negotiate Offers

This is the 7th in Jeff Nelson’s blog series of selling a home from contract to closing.

This one looks at how sellers should negotiate offers. He reminds us “a successful negotiation is when everyone gets something they want.” On top of the offered price, he looks at all the issues involved in a sale. From closing date to how much time is negotiable. All the moving parts must be considered when evaluating the offer.

Take a look at all of the home selling articles in his serious of posts. You will really enjoy the advice.

Why You Need To Get a Home Inspection

This one would seem to be a “no-brainer”. It’s surprising how often buyers will consider skipping an inspection to save a few bucks. As Mark Brian points out, that’s not a wise choice. You should always get a home inspection. Even the best-maintained homes can have problems. Often, even the seller may not be aware of an issue. Hiring an inspector can save tens of thousands of dollars if it does uncover a severe problem.

There are many cases when buyers skip the home inspection, only to discover a major flaw they weren’t aware of later on.

Why Your Real Estate Agent Should Attend the Inspection

It isn’t unusual for Real Estate agents to skip the home inspection. Bill Gassett’s recent article for Realty Times explains why the agent should be there. As he says, “it’s their job”. Not all home Inspectors are created equal. If your Realtor attends the Inspection, they can evaluate whether the Inspector. It’s also harder for Realtors to negotiate repairs if they didn’t show up for the inspection.

One of the primary excuses Realtors use for skipping an inspection is the liability. Yes, Realtors have been sued and lost. Accountability, however, applies when agents make comments that are outside their area of expertise. This can be avoided by letting the inspector do their job and as Gassett says, “keeping their mouth shut.”

Real Estate agents should NEVER point out flaws in a property at a home inspection. Always let the home inspector do their job.

202 Must-Follow Real Estate Professionals on Twitter in 2018

As Xavier De Buck points out, unless you’re a well-known politician, the “half-life” of a tweet is only 20 minutes. He gives tips to help promote your blogs on Twitter and an action plan to get started on Twitter.

So once you set yourself up on Twitter, how do you know who to follow? If you want to keep up with Real Estate, he gives 202 Pros that are Must Follows for 2018.

His list includes a breakdown of how many followers the person has. He adds their location and a snippet from their bio. Most of his suggestions are individual Realtors and Mortgage Professionals. If you are looking for some pros who are active on social media, you’ll love this post.

The Pros and Cons of For Sale By Owner (FSBO)

Everyone likes to save money when possible. This includes trying to save on commissions when selling your home. Eileen Anderson gives useful tips for home sellers who want to go it alone. She then looks at some of the pitfalls for those who go it alone. She includes her own story of attempting to sell an out of state property as a FSBO.

Most people believe they will save lots of money when they decide not to use a real estate agent. Many folks find out the hard way that this is not always the case. Failure rates are very high when it comes to selling for sale by owner.

4 Things You Didn’t Know About Zillow & Trulia

Zillow is the number 1 Real Estate Search Engine in the U.S. It’s followed by Trulia which it owns. That doesn’t mean Zillow is trustworthy. There are four things you should know about Zillow & Trulia.

As Ellen Pitts points out in this blog, Zillow is not a licensed agent. Zillow isn’t a member of the National Association of Realtors. Since Zillow isn’t an agent, it has no responsibility to the consumer. As she points out, Zillow is in the business of advertising. They advertise properties so that consumers give them their contact info. Zillow, in turn, sells the info to agents who are looking for clients.

The article includes resources from Paul Sian, Rochester’s Real Estate Blog, and Karen Highland.

Pros and Cons of Buying a Home in a Gated Community

Michelle Gibson explores the advantages and disadvantages of living in a guard-gated community. It can create a quieter atmosphere with less traffic. It can improve security.Unfortunately, it can also create a false sense of security, and the HOA fees can be excessive. And some of the rules and regulations can be stifling for the free spirit homeowner.

Buyers need to understand all the rules and regulations before jumping into a gated community.

Laying the Groundwork: Tips for Buying a New Construction Home

Most home buyers contemplate the question of whether they should buy new or resale. There are advantages to both options.

In this article, Debbie Drummond explores the pros and cons of buying a new construction home. She also gives tips for handling the process of having your home built. You’ll find new construction much less stressful if you lay the groundwork before signing the contract. You’ll find links to resources from Inman News and HGTV.

Relocating With Pets

Are you going to be moving in the near future? Do you have pets? One of the more stressful parts of selling a home when you own pets is the move! We need to be considerate of our furry friends and their needs. In her very helpful article, Sharon Paxson provides some great tips when you need to move with a pet. Take a look at Sharon’s guidance on making your move easier for you and your pets.

First Time Home Buyer Tips From Future Realtor

Conor MacEvilly looks back in time to the first home he purchased, five years before he became a Realtor. His Realtor self-offers useful home buying advice to his younger self. MacEvilly has an amusing way of bringing “Back To The Future” into this article.

His mistakes in buying his first home included hiring the wrong Realtor. His Realtor wasn’t a strong negotiator and even let him skip an important inspection.

Unfortunately, his Mortgage Broker wasn’t any better than the Realtor he picked. And the market adjusted four years after he bought, but his home has proven to be an excellent long-term investment.

Along with humor, you’ll find some excellent graphics and GIF’S.

Selling to Millennial Home Buyers

Did you know that Millennial home buyers make up a significant percentage of those who are purchasing properties? It’s true! As a home seller it is important to understand what appeals to this segment of the market. The chance are pretty good that quite a few may show up at your doorstep.

In her article, Petra Norris, explains what Millennial buyers are looking for in a home. Take a look and educate yourself on their goals and desires. It might help you make a sale in the coming year.

Final Thoughts

This wraps up the best of Google+ for December and also the year 2017! We all look forward to another great year in real estate for 2018. Make sure you keep up with the best of what’s going on in the world of real estate in our monthly round-ups!

Other Best Of Google+ Real Estate Roundups

Take a look at these previously published articles for more helpful information on buying and selling a home.

Debbie Drummond About the author: Debbie Drummond is a full-time Las Vegas Realtor with over 14 years experience in the Las Vegas luxury homes and high rise market. She’s worked through the boom, the bust and now the recovery. During that time she’s earned numerous designations, including the CRS, CNE. Debbie and her team have sold homes that ranging from entry level to multi-million dollar luxury homes.