Four tips to increase your house’s value before putting it on the market

Whether the housing market is good or bad, there are a number of things you can do to increase the value of your house if you are thinking about selling.  Most of the value of your house has to do with location and square footage, but they do not make up the entire formula.

When selling, you obviously want to maximize the final sale price in order to turn a profit on your investment, add to your savings, or to free up money to make a larger down payment on your next house.

 Here are four tips to help you do just that.

 1) Start early and plan strategically

 Unless you have tens of thousands of dollars in savings that you can use to hire an army of professional

What Is Mortgage Insurance and Do You Need It?

Buying a home is an expensive process.  You will have a mortgage.  You have to pay your realtor.  You have closing costs, moving costs, and the home needs improvements.  You buy home owner’s insurance. 

 The costs seem endless.

 So what is mortgage insurance?  Well, it’s another cost.

 Mortgage insurance is a policy that pays the lending institution in the event of a mortgage default.  If a homeowner is facing a foreclosure, short sale, or other mortgage default, mortgage insurance helps the lending institution to recover some or all of the money it would otherwise lose.

 Is it mandatory?

 Whether obvious or not, mortgage insurance plays a part in almost every home purchase.  It is typically

Housing Inventory Shortage: Why Fewer Homes are on the Market

 Across the nation, real estate experts and investment analysts are discussing the consistent housing inventory shortage. However, very few have tried to explain the reasons why there are fewer homes on the market, and understanding these reasons is key to predicting long-term inventory levels and future investment potential.

 Inventory of Homes for Sale

There are an array of conditions that have played a role in the continued inventory shortage. Each factor is contributing to an overall dynamic that limits available homes for sale.

 The Capital Gains Exclusion

 Before May of 1997, many Americans followed the “move up” mentality when it came to homes, partly as a result of

What It Takes to Flip a House

 Buy a house at a bargain price, make a few improvements, and sell the same house for more money.  Flipping houses is easy, right?  Wrong.

 Flipping houses takes money, market knowledge, time, physical skills, and patience.

 Buy low, sell high… and be wary of costs

 It takes some combination of real estate experience, in-depth research, quick decision making, and luck to find a house that is on the market for less than market value.  Potential owners, real estate agents, and others looking to flip jump on under-valued houses quickly.

Houses that have been poorly maintained or have outdated features are common targets for people looking to flip.  In order to compensate for the run-down or outdated features of

Old Houses and New Houses: What should you buy?

You’ve done it!  You have saved enough money to make a good down payment on a house, your credit is strong, and you’re excited to buy.

Or perhaps your job has relocated you to a new city requiring you to sell your old home and find a new one in an unfamiliar location.

Whatever the scenario, if you are looking to buy a house, one of the many variables you have to deal with is whether to buy an older house or a newer one.  Both options have many pros and cons.

Charm, Flexibility and… Nightmares?

It is often the case that the older parts of a city are its most charming when it comes to the architecture of the houses.  Most of the houses were built before anyone knew what a “cookie cutter” home

How The Real Estate Business Has Changed

 You are not reading this in the newspaper or in a magazine.  You’re reading it on a computer, tablet or phone.

Likewise, if you’re in the market for a house, chances are you don’t spend as much time as you sued to scanning through the classified ads in the newspaper.  If you decide to use a real estate agent you probably won’t look through a phone book to find one.

Looking for open houses? These days most people locate a handful online that may interest them, and visit accordingly.  Gone are the days of driving up and down the streets of neighborhoods keeping an eye out for an open house sign.

Do agents and brokers still matter?

At first glance, many factors point to a decline in relevance of the

How a Lower Offer Can Still Get the House

The Reno Real Estate market is recovering at an amazing pace, you’re likely competing with other buyers for your dream house, all you need to do is ensure that your offer is the highest, right? Although most people would think that, in a situation like this, the party who offers the most money will get the house, this is often not the case. Being personable and helping to ensure a smooth transaction can go a long way.

A high offer definitely helps your cause, but the total dollar amount is just one part of a complete offer package. Your real estate agent can advise you on the different ways to make your offer more attractive, but here are a few ideas to get you started.

Cash is King!

Those who can pay

Home Buying 101: The Importance of School Districts

When you’re searching for the perfect home, there are seemingly endless factors to consider. From square footage to pricing, neighborhood, lot size, number of bathrooms/bedrooms, condition and more, it can be very overwhelming. However, each of these factors may play a crucial role in finding the right home.

The local school district represents one of the most important considerations for potential home buyers. Whether you ever plan on having children in school or not, the quality of the school district will be a major factor when it comes to your purchase price and what you can sell your home for years down the road.

It costs more to buy in a quality school district.

Most parents who have or

Buying vs. Renting a Home

Everyone needs a place to live.  What is the better option—buying or renting a home?

There are benefits to both

Buying a home, especially a first home, is a source of pride for many people.  It allows a great deal of freedom when it comes to decoration, maintenance and adding space.  At the same time, it also limits the freedom to easily move locations that renters enjoy.

Owning a home is also a much bigger responsibility than renting in many ways.  When looking at where to buy, there is more to consider than convenience, amenities and affordability.  It is important to consider the quality of the area schools, the financial health of the local municipality or county, current trends in the local real estate