Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Four Reasons Eugene Homes Sit on the Market


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Some homes sell quickly, but others sit on the market for a long time. How come? Here's why.
  1. Curb appeal. When you list your home, it's like entering a beauty contest. If the home doesn't attract buyers immediately with a good first impression, it will most likely get passed over.
  2. Poor marketing. Maybe the photos online aren't high quality or the house isn't being marketed aggressively enough.
  3. Condition of the home. If you didn't prepare the home for market ahead of time by fixing repairs, that will certainly impact the buyer. Your home needs to be in tip-top condition in order to sell quickly.
  4. Accurate pricing. Price trumps all. If you haven't priced the home to appear as a reasonable purchase for the buyer, the home will sit for months.

The longer a home sits on the market, the less appealing it becomes to buyers. Buyers may think something is wrong with your home, and that it's not a good purchase. If you want to sell quickly, make sure you avoid these four mistakes.

If you have any questions for me, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

Why Do You Need a Home Inspection Before Buying in Eugene?


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Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.

Today we’ll discuss why it’s essential for you to have a home inspection before buying a home. A good inspection will investigate all the major systems of the home, including the electrical, plumbing, roof, and heating/air units to make sure the home is in a condition that will not cause immediate issues upon purchase.

Having a full inspection is critical, and it’s important to know of any and all potential issues that come with the home. An inspection will reveal issues that are undetected by the naked eye. An inspector will also crawl under the home to inspect for pests, termites, and potential rot issues.

A good agent should always recommend to have an inspection done once the buyer’s offer is accepted. The cost ranges anywhere from $350-$550, but the ability to alert you to major problems within the home makes it well worth the price.


 
Many times, a responsible seller will have an inspection done prior to putting their home on the market just to ensure the home is in good working order. Doing so also gives the seller the opportunity to fix any potential problems before a buyer can even find them.

If you’re looking to purchase a home at any point, make sure you get a home inspection! If you don’t, it could end up costing you thousands in repairs and improvements.

If you have any questions about home inspections, or anything else real estate related, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Monday, November 23, 2015

What Are the Pros and Cons of Homeownership?


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Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale.

There are advantages and disadvantages of homeownership. Today, we take a look at both.

Disadvantages of homeownership
:
  • The potential for the value of the home to go down. I've only seen this happen twice in my lifetime: once in the early '80s and again between 2006-2009.
  • Maintenance costs. This could be anything from roofing to water heater issues to painting, among many other things. You can imagine all the things that could go wrong that you would have to pay people.
  • Flexibility. When you own a home and you have job changes, especially when you move from town to town, it can be costly and difficult to sell your home.

Advantages of homeownership: 

  • Personal freedom and pride of ownership. You can do anything you want to your home, within reason. You can't paint your home any way you wish and remodel, if you so desire, without having to ask permission.
  • Sense of stability. You know you are not going to be moving often and it gives you a sense of security.
  • Wealth building. You have the ability to gain value in your home every single year. As you pay down your mortgage, you build equity in your home. The other big picture is, most of the time, your home appreciates in value! This will give a certain amount of financial freedom in the future -- it will allow you to finance college, retirement, or handle financial hardships you may encounter down the road.
  • Tax breaks. You get to use your interest and your taxes that you pay each year to deduct from your income taxes at the end of the year. You don't get to do that when renting a home.
If you have any questions about home-ownership, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Where Is the Lane County Market Heading?


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We’re always asked, “Are we in a buyer’s or seller’s market?” Well, today, we experience a shift towards the seller’s favor from low inventory. We currently have about three months worth of inventory for sale.

This year, home sales were up 31% compared to last year, which has lessened inventory significantly.

Additionally, the average sales price also increased 3%. We have an average sales price of $244,000 compared to last year’s $235,000.



The average time on the market has decreased from 86 days to 71, so homes are flying off the market!

We’re expecting a similar market in 2016. The experts credit the improving economy to consumer optimism.

However, interest rates are still unpredictable!
Recently, we experienced a quarter of a perfect increase in October’s interest rates. This continued low rate remains a home run for buyers and sellers in the near future
.