Does owning a vacation home make sense in today’s market? Or is this a practice of a bygone era?
Category Archives: Home Buyers
Is buying a starter home a good idea?
Is it worth buying a starter home? Or should you be prioritizing your long-term needs and searching for a “forever home” instead? Here are some things to consider before you take the homeownership leap:
How March Madness can help you find the perfect home
Every year during March Madness we’re completely engrossed in the NCAA’s giant 63-game basketball tournament, analyzing every piece of data to make sure our final picks are perfect. But how can we apply this data-driven thinking to house hunting and perfect both picking a bracket and finding a home?
Here are five things to consider:
Features that pet owners should look for when house-hunting
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, there are 70-80 million dogs and 74-96 million cats in the United States. And the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association reports that approximately 35-38% of Canadian households have a dog or a cat. So, it’s no surprise that home designers and builders often plan homes with pet amenities in mind.
“It’s not just a matter of being pet-friendly, but rather a question of giving your pets environmental enrichment,” say The Cat’s House authors Bob Walker and Frances Mooney. Here are some pet environmental enrichment features to look out for:
16 Things a real estate agent can do for you
Curious about what real estate agents actually do and how they can help you buy or sell a home? Here’s a brief look at how they can help you through a real estate transaction:
How to navigate an open house with kids in tow
You’ve decided to take your kids along with you to an open house and want to make sure they’re engaged, feel included and don’t distract you from the task at hand. Here are some tips to help you achieve these goals:
Who do you work with when buying or selling your home?
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:
Quiz: Are you ready to buy a home?
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.
House hunting with teens: What to put on your “must-have” list
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.
Quiz: How to tell if a real estate agent is right for you
Hiring the wrong real estate agent could significantly impact your experience as a buyer or a seller. The right real estate agent will not only have a great resume and be genuinely committed to helping you meet your needs, but he/she will “click” with you too.
“Real estate is a people business. You have to like and understand people if you want to succeed in real estate,” says Matt Williams, Broker/Owner of Realty Executives Williams Sykes Realty.