You’ve found the home of your dreams, the paperwork is signed and the keys are in hand. What do you do if your new home was once shared with a four-legged friend that you or one of your family members are allergic to? Read on for tips and ideas to help everyone in your household breathe a little easier.
What’s the difference between a real estate agent and a REALTOR®? Or a buyer’s agent and a listing agent? Having a glossary of real estate professionals to refer to as you navigate the home buying or selling process should come in handy.
Here’s a list of professionals that you’re likely to encounter:
Realty Executives agent Ben Loates was trying to come up with ways to keep his four kids occupied on a Saturday when he came up with a great idea: A park crawl. Meet up at a park with family and friends, rake some leaves and jump around in them, grab a snack, and then pack up and move on to another park where they’d do it all over again.
He decided to make a video and post it to Facebook, inviting his neighbors in Spruce Grove, Alberta, to rise to the challenge. Four parks, 30 minutes at each stop, with free food and prizes donated by local business. He called it The First Annual Spruce Grove Fall Park Crawl.
To his surprise, the video went viral. Continue reading
Ramon Cardenas was studying finance at California State University when he discovered real estate. “My goal was to be a stock broker or personal banker,” he says.
“I was introduced to real estate during my last year at college, so I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and a minor in Real Estate.” He graduated top of the real estate class of 2007 and went on to become a top-performing agent, continuously placing in the top 20% of REALTORS® in Los Angeles County when ranked by sales volume.
Cold weather can wreak havoc on your home. According to the Insurance Information Institute, losses from winter weather average around $1.2 billion a year in the U.S. The best way to avoid problems caused by winter weather and precipitation is to prevent them before they happen. Here are five common problems that occur and some tips on how to prevent them: Continue reading
For many home buyers, purchasing a basic home warranty for around $350-500 annually is a cost they are willing to incur in order to protect themselves from expensive repairs or appliance replacements. First-time home buyers in particular should not overlook the advantages of investing in a basic or upgraded home warranty, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
Whether you are considering your home warranty options now or are already covered, you can take simple steps to fend off appliance breakdown. While “DIY” major repair attempts can actually void your warranty, keeping up a regular maintenance schedule will extend the life of your appliances and improve performance.
Check out these recommendations from the experts at Reviews.com:
According to the National Association of REALTORS® Research Division, 48% of homebuyers in 2015 purchased a home because it was the right time and they were ready to buy a house. But how do you know when you’re ready to buy a home? Take our quiz to find out.
What can homeowners, buyers and sellers expect in 2017? Real estate experts have a positive outlook for 2017 and are predicting continued growth. “Opportunities in the Canadian market continue to be abundant but no two markets are the same,” says Frank Magliocco, partner and national real estate practice leader at PwC Canada.
Commenting on the U.S. market, National Association of Home Builders Chairman Ed Brady said, “Ongoing job growth, low mortgage rates and rising incomes are contributing to a firming housing market and economy.” He added, “Though some areas are recovering faster than others, the overall trend is positive.”
Here are three trends that are expected to have a significant impact on housing over the next 12 months:
Questions about how the 2016 presidential election is going to affect the housing market have been top-of-mind over the last 12 months. And with real estate magnate Donald Trump being voted into office as America’s 45th president, experts are taking a closer look at his policies and campaign promises.
However, the answer to this question is different depending on your location, so we reached out to real estate professionals across the country:
Working with families as a professional organizer, I’ve learned that needs are different for a family with teens. With little ones, you want a bedroom close by your own room and a big yard where they can run and play. With older kids, your shopping list becomes an interesting combination. You want and need space to be together and interact. And at the same time, your teen needs space to be alone and to grow.
Here are some different factors to consider if you’re house hunting with teens or soon-to-be teens.