Open houses are a debatable topic with real estate agents. Some say they aren't necessary in the age of the internet when options can be narrowed online. Others argue that closing yourself off will limit the number of possible buyers. What everybody agrees on is that hosting a successful open house is an art that requires some tricks to pull off. Here are five to try out. Choose Wise Hours Find out the most popular hours for open houses in the neighborhood and coordinate around those times. If most open houses end at 4 p.m. then consider ending an hour later at 5 p.m. This extra hour will … [Read More...]
Solar-powered homes are becoming more commonplace, and are an excellent step in the right ecological direction. That said, there are some aspects to consider if you're thinking about investing in solar energy. Read on for some salient points about living by the sun. The Sun And The Economy As solar power has grown in popularity, the government has introduced incentives to help homeowners combat the once-high costs of purchasing and installing solar panels. And companies are springing up to rent you panels and cover the cost of installation. This means that your initial costs are smaller, but … [Read More...]
Other than a release on construction spending, last week's economic readings were dominated by labor and employment data including ADP Payrolls, Non-Farm Payrolls and National Unemployment. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released. Construction Spending Drops in August Commerce Department readings on construction spending indicate that overall spending fell in August to -0.70 percent; this reading was lower than the expected positive reading of 0.10 percent. July's reading showed a drop of 0.30 percent in overall construction spending. The decrease in August … [Read More...]
Buying a home is an ideal investment for many people because not only is it a place that belongs to them, it can also be very beneficial financially. While you may be strongly considering buying a home for these reasons, it's also important to be in good financial health so that your ideal home purchase is within reach. If you're currently perusing the market for prospects, here are some reasons you should pay down debt before taking the leap into home ownership. Good Credit History The amount of your debt load and whether or not you're paying off your minimum monthly payments has a … [Read More...]
Home prices dipped slightly in July according to the S&P Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index. Year-over-year, home price growth dipped to 5.00 percent from June's reading of 5.10 percent. The Pacific Northwest led the nation in home price appreciation. Portland, Oregon had the highest year-over-year home price growth with a rate of 12.40 percent. Seattle, Washington posted year-over-year home price growth of 11.20 percent. Denver, Colorado was third with a year-over-year home price growth rate of 9.40 percent. Home prices in San Francisco, California slowed; year-over-year, home prices … [Read More...]
Most sellers focus on finding the right furniture to stage their home, but they never consider how the placement of that furniture can undo all their hard work. It's a subconscious thing, but the arrangement of items in the home can really make a difference with buyers. Be sure to not make some of these common mistakes when arranging furniture to sell a house. Keep The Traffic Flowing A proper furniture layout should serve to guide the flow of traffic from room to room and make it easy to move freely. When furniture is placed without foot traffic in mind it can lead to blocked pathways and … [Read More...]
