Best of Google+ Real Estate Jan 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another year has started and all over the country real estate buyers, investors, and sellers are gearing up for what they hope is a fantastic year. Buyers and investors want a great deal with plenty of built-in equity in a superb location and sellers want a large return on their investment so they can move on and perhaps buy a home elsewhere.

It is a cycle that gets played out daily around the nation. Often times those same consumers find themselves looking online for real estate information to help educate, guide, and provide insight into both the national and their local real estate market.

Fortunately, there is an incredible amount of quality online content being produced by real estate professionals who want to help better educate the general public on real estate terms, practices, and a host of other topics. Such is the case yet again this month as I found several articles on Google Plus that are sure to pique consumer interest and are definitely worth sharing.

Let’s jump right in and check out the top real estate articles in January 2016 on Google+.

Programs for First-Time Home Buyer

Did you know there are programs available that do not require you to put 20% down to become a homeowner thereby avoiding private mortgage insurance? Some of these programs require no down payment at all. There are even grants available that can assist with your closing costs or help ease the financing burden. The point is there are numerous options available to assist consumers who are ready to take the next step and own their own home, they just need to know what is available and where to look.

For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a program that brings 100% financing to home buying in selective areas. Another quality option that also requires no down payment is available to active duty military, those who have been honorably discharged, or those who retired from a military service. This is a Veterans Administration Loan and is available wherever you decide to settle down in the states. There are even local grants (often state run) in many areas with special options to encourage consumers to join the ranks of those who call themselves homeowners!

These are just a few of the available programs for first-time home buyers to help them go from renters to future homeowners. Ryan Fitzgerald did a fantastic job in this article of outlining several options that potential buyers around the country as well as in the Raleigh NC area have available to them. If you are looking to buy or invest in a home, and want to know the grants and programs you may qualify for, this article will get you started on the right track.

Tips For Buying a Vacation Home

If you have the means to purchase a vacation home, you will find this article incredibly helpful as you begin the process of looking to purchase a vacation home. Kyle Hiscock outlines the necessary steps to assist in determining if you can afford a vacation home, provides food for thought as to whether or not it will be visited and utilized, poses questions that need to be considered when looking for vacation home locations, and prompts consumers to review what they plan on doing with the property when not actively staying in it.

Another covered consideration in this article is the impact owning a vacation home can have on your taxes. While owning a property near the beach, in the mountains, or a hide-a-way elsewhere sounds ideal to most people, understanding the tax implications of owning a vacation home is an important consideration. Should you rent the property out? What other tax considerations need to be fleshed out? A key takeaway is to make sure you discuss your options with a tax professional before making a move.

Lastly, Kyle lays out the pros and cons of renting vs buying a vacation property. He gives those interested in becoming a vacation home owner plenty to think about as he expertly covers both sides of the fence. Finally, he smartly ensures consumers are left understanding the best approach if they decide to buy is to find a top real estate agent to assist with their real estate needs.

Should Sellers List Now or Wait Until Spring

By all accounts, it has been a very mild winter thus far. Certainly much tamer for many parts of the nation than in recent years. With milder temperatures, many sellers are having to decide whether they should list now or wait until Spring. Of course the best option for potential sellers is always the one that works best for your schedule and your needs! There is no telling what type of home buyers will fall in love with, or when, but there are definitely several things worth considering as you decide if listing now or waiting for warmer weather is the right move for you.

It is a misnomer that homes do not sell in the winter time. Statistics bear out that buyers are motivated, out looking in all types of weather, in search of their perfect home. As you would expect in colder weather, consumers who brave the elements to view homes, are often very serious about finding a property. Why else would they leave behind their creature comforts and go looking at properties with their family and real estate agent in tow! Often those buyers have less inventory to peruse because many sellers decide to wait until warmer weather before putting their home on the market.

Bill Gassett at RE/MAX Executive Realty in Hopkinton MA goes on to provide more solid examples letting sellers know that listing your home in winter can be a great idea. Whether it is having more control over showings or playing on the emotions of buyers during the holidays, if your home is well maintained and ready to be shown, there is every opportunity you can have a Spring closing instead of a Spring listing. Personally, I think the best time to list your home is when it is ready to sell and that includes the dead of winter!

Reasons Why Buyers Need Their Own Agent

It is blogged about, talked about, and well advertised everywhere, yet some real estate buyers continue to decide to go into one of the most important decisions of their life without adequate representation. In my latest article, I share 10 reasons buyers need their own real estate agent, in the hope buyers will not foolishly attempt to purchase a home alone but will instead utilize the services of a local real estate professional. Utilizing the skills of an agent who fully understands the real estate market, has your best interest at heart, and will keep their cool during the inspection and negotiation process makes good sense!

Also discussed are the myriad of other important things your agent will do for you including navigating through all the potential hazards and glitches that are bound to come up during your real estate transaction. Because you have other important things to do, like prepare for your upcoming move, they will also expertly handle the paperwork that always accompanies a real estate deal. is while helping take much of the emotion out of the buying process.

It stands to reason the more they do on your behalf the lower your stress level will be as well. Moreover, the last thing you want is a bad real estate experience so find and hire a top local agent and let them do what they do best. As you prepare for closing, there is no substitute to having peace of mind knowing your agent has done everything in their power to make the home buying process as successful and pleasant as possible.

Investment Property Buying Tips

This article comes to us courtesy of Paul Sian, a Cincinnati Ohio Realtor® who provides sage advice for buyers who are in the market for an investment property. The process of purchasing an investment home is slightly different than buying a primary residence, as are the financing options, and Paul does a great job of spelling that out. While flippers make the process look sexy on television, it is vitally important to have a clear plan when venturing into the purchase of rental properties or when your intent is to flip homes.

Tips on a fix and flip investment include visible and hidden repair issues, the importance of proper permits, and the use of home contractors to perform additions, remodels, and major repairs. Flipping a home can be lucrative, and that is certainly part of the allure for many buyers, but you need to go into the proposition with your eyes wide open to ensure you stay on time and on budget.

Also included is an exceptional section that discusses purchasing an investment home for the purpose of turning it into a rental property. One of the key components is whether you want to deal with tenants yourself or hire a property management team to take care of that responsibility on your behalf. Only you can determine which of these two courses of action best suites your needs and goals.

A Listing Process Guide for Sellers

The prospect of listing your home can be overwhelming, especially if you have never sold a property before. Where do you start? What are the key things you should focus on? Is the best move to hire a local real estate expert or try to sell the home yourself? In my experiences, it is overwhelmingly the best move to hire an agent to list, market, and get your home sold in any market!

In this fantastic offering, Teresa Cowart, a Savannah GA real estate professional does a great job of walking sellers through the listing process once they have chosen an agent to list their home. There are things that need to occur before the listing appointment, during the meetup, and after all the documentation has been signed. It starts with right pricing the home so ensure your agent comes prepared to provide you with a detailed comparative market analysis so you know the price range your home is likely to sell in.

During the appointment having open communication to discuss existing issues with the home, possible staging options, the marketing your agent will be doing to get your home seen, and a full explanation and understanding of all the paperwork you will be signing to put your home on the market. Once listed, ensure your agent does everything they said they would during your appointment, including periodic communications to alleviate any stress you may feel if your home does not find a buyer straight away.

A Home Buyer Checklist

There are many consumers who go into the home buying process with rose colored glasses on, oblivious to the many things that can turn their joyous property search into a full fledged five-alarm disaster. That is why it is very important to make sure you know what to check for when you are viewing a home, which systems are critical to have in working condition, as well as important outside influences that can affect whether you are willing to make an offer on a home or keep looking.

Clearly, it is important to thoroughly review all the major systems such as the heating and air system and the roofing for any defects. It is equally important to analyze any intangible items like homeowner association restrictions, permits for any additions or changes made to the property, the area schools, existing and future amenities in the area, neighborhood pet restrictions, and the future potential resale value. When you take the time in the beginning to look with a critical eye the home you eventually choose should be void of any major concerns when you get the keys at closing.

Andrew Fortune circled the wagons and expertly covered all the key things buyers should check out when viewing homes in his latest article. With this home buyer checklist in hand, consumers now have a blueprint they can follow to avoid pitfalls and reap the rewards of owning their own home.

The Best Real Estate Blogs to Read in 2016

Last but not least is one of my favorite articles to start the year off right. Xavier De Buck has put together a mega post featured 40 of the best real estate bloggers on the planet. Many of these exceptional writers have been featured right here on Mass Real Estate News over the last year and a half. Xavier does a nice job not only featuring each blogger by pointing out their site but also sharing one of his favorite articles these real estate experts have written. If you want to find a ton of great content all in one place be sure to have a look at this article!

If you found this information useful, please take a few minutes and review previous G+ real estate articles below. As always, share this information via your social media channels so others can benefit from the quality content.

Previous G+ Real Estate Article Recaps

Anita Clark Realtor About the author: The Top Google+ Real Estate Articles in January 2016 was written by Anita Clark, a top Houston County GA real estate agent with Coldwell Banker SSK Realtors. Anita has been helping buyers, investors, and sellers in the middle Georgia area since 2007. If you are considering moving to Warner Robins GA, contact Anita with your residential real estate needs needs.