Local Real Estate News & Market Trends

You’ll find our blog to be a wealth of information, covering everything from local market statistics and home values to community happenings. That’s because we care about the community and want to help you find your place in it. Please reach out if you have any questions at all. We’d love to talk with you!

April 2, 2021

Special Benefits of the VA Loan

 

Our military veterans have given so much to this country. To make it easier for these special families to qualify for and purchase a home, Veteran Affairs has a unique loan offer reserved only for retired and active military. 

The VA loan offers mortgage options unavailable to the general public:

  • No Down Payment – While zero down loans disappeared in the real estate bubble of the last decade, VA loans
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March 26, 2021

Selling The Family Home

 

Family is important, and your decision to sell your home may be difficult for those closest to you. Moving can create mixed emotions, and it’s important to help your family understand how and why you made your decision. Including family members in the process can prevent strong emotions from potentially sabotaging the sale. 

As soon as you decide to sell your home, set aside time to have a serious conversation with the rest of your family. If

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March 19, 2021

5 Tips to Create a Home Bar

So many businesses have been affected by the events of 2020, causing permanent and temporary closures of many of our favorite spots—including the corner bar. The local watering hole has always been a great place to meet friends, watch sports, and unwind after work. 

Many homeowners have used this time at home to work on home improvement projects. Why not consider adding or

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March 12, 2021

Starter Home Tips

New homebuyers often tell their agents that they are looking for their “starter home.” Several factors go into this approach. These are typically younger buyers, often without children. They may be looking for a maintenance-free home, like a condo, or they might assume that starter homes are more budget-friendly. There are plenty of good

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Posted in Home Buyers
March 5, 2021

Avoid These Common FSBO Mistakes

There are many reasons homeowners decide to forgo the real estate agent and list their home for sales as an FSBO (For Sale by Owner). FSBO sellers can utilize many of the same national real estate websites used to showcase property online. 

Most homebuyers start their house search online, so the online listing must showcase the home to generate offers. To sell quickly, one must avoid the common mistakes home sellers make online:

  • Cell Phone Photos – Invest in professional photography. Pictures are the first thing buyers notice and poor-quality shots will prevent the buyer from noticing the home, or even setting up a showing.
  • Responding Slowly – When a potential buyer reaches out, they expect a prompt response. Catching buyers
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Feb. 26, 2021

Mid-Century Modern vs.-Contemporary

There has been a great deal of excitement in the design field concerning the Mid-Century Modern style. This ’50s and ’60s home décor trend is evidenced in every furniture store as more brands are incorporating the vintage look with modern lines. Yet what differentiates a Mid-Century Modern style from one that is merely Contemporary? 

Both styles tend toward the minimalist look, but Mid-Century often features more color. Colorful carpets, walls, and

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Feb. 19, 2021

Bring Restaurant Design to Your Dining Room

Remember the feeling of walking into your favorite restaurant and looking forward to a nice meal in a great atmosphere? With the shutdown of indoor dining around the country, social media has been flooded with beautiful pictures of homemade food. Now it’s time to bring that same enthusiasm to your dining room décor and complete the

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Feb. 15, 2021

Why did my home not sell? The Tale of an Expired Listing

Listing agreements all have an expiration date. No one wants to think about what happens when the listing expires; both the seller and agent hope the home will sell long before that time. But it does happen. An expired listing means two things; first, the home is now off the market, and second, you as the seller are no longer under contract with your agent. 

Now you have some decisions to make. The most important question is to decide if you still want to sell the home. Let’s face it, it’s a challenge to have your home on the market; the home must always be kept show-ready and the last-minute scramble to accommodate a potential buyer is tiring. You should also consider the real estate market and

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Feb. 5, 2021

Try Color Blocking to Update a Room

Repainting a room is one of the easiest ways to freshen the décor while changing the feel of the room. The hottest design trend this year takes this to a whole new level. Color-blocking techniques are dominating magazines and social media with vivid color palettes and bold geometric patterns, turning the traditional painting project into something special. 

Color-blocking takes many forms—everything from a simple way to differentiate one space from another by changing the wall shade, to artistic pairings that would feel at home in a modern art gallery. Your style most likely falls

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Jan. 29, 2021

5 Tips to Organize Your Kitchen Pantry

The kitchen pantry is one of those areas that can quickly become a mess. Older cans and boxes keep getting pushed to the back and forgotten. How many of us have found cans of green beans dating back a decade or two during a spring cleaning? Or a box of crackers that went stale because you forgot (or didn’t know) it was opened? 

If you have a free weekend and are looking for a satisfying project, consider a pantry clean-out and reorganization. It’ll eliminate some stress if you can actually see the groceries and supplies you have, and make sure they’re fresh! 

Here are a few quick ways to bring order to your food pantry:

  1. Use Clear Storage Containers – Using clear and stackable storage containers with simple labels will not only

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