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By Danica A 01 May, 2022
You’ve spent months searching for the perfect home, and you think you may have finally found it. But when you hop online to do some additional research, the home’s status is listed as “sale pending.” Are you entirely out of luck? It doesn’t say “sold,” after all. Find out more about what “pending” means on a house for sale, and what your options are if you’re interested in it. What does sale pending mean in real estate? A pending sale in real estate simply means that the seller has received and accepted an offer on their home. However, the deal is not yet finalized — hence “pending” and not simply “sold.” If you’re interested in a pending property, your agent should consult with the seller’s agent to learn more about the status. You may still have a chance, though it is likely slim. Can you make an offer on a house that is pending? In short, yes. But it may not be worthwhile. A pending deal is not set in stone, but it’s not exactly open for discussion either. Unless the pending deal falls through, you can’t simply win over the seller by offering more money or waiving certain contingencies. In fact, most sellers are contractually obligated to honor the current offer, even if a higher bid comes in. Still, if you’re really interested in the home and counting on the current deal to fall through, you do have the option to submit a backup offer. Be sure to consult with your real estate agent for advice on the best way to move forward in this situation. Reasons a pending sale may come back on the market It is possible, if not likely, for a pending sale to come back on the market. There are many reasons why this could happen: Below are some common reasons why real estate purchase transactions sometimes fall through.
By Danica A 01 Apr, 2022
You might already know for a fact that you’re ready for a new home. But before you pull the trigger on selling your current home, you want to know that you’ll get top dollar and be financially secure for the long haul. Here are four signs that there’s no time like the present to put your home on the market. 1. You Don’t Need Any Big Repairs or Remodeling Sure, upgrading a bathroom sink might make you feel better about what potential buyers see when touring your home. But don’t sweat the small stuff. You aren’t likely to recoup the expenses you put into most home improvement projects, much less turn a profit . The important thing is that your home doesn’t need some type of major overhaul that sends buyers running for the hills – something like a leaky roof or cracked foundation. Barring any such severe flaws, just double check with your real estate agent to make sure there aren’t any renovations that would significantly raise your home’s value. If there aren’t, then you should consider your home ready to hit the market. 2. You Have Positive Equity to Avoid Out-of-Pocket Costs Equity is the difference between what your home is worth and what you owe on it. Say your home is worth $100,000. If you only owe $50,000 to pay off your mortgage, that means you have $50,000 in positive equity. Ideally, you’d like to have enough equity to cover closing costs and put some money down on your next home. At a minimum, you want to have enough to cover the current balance of your mortgage, so you can avoid paying out of pocket. As long as you have even a small amount of positive equity, that’s a positive sign that you’re ready to transition to a new home.
By Danica A 01 Feb, 2022
Selling a home with an electric, lime-green living room is going to be more difficult than you originally anticipated. In fact, your home might sit stagnant on the market for quite some time. The reality is that paint color packs a serious punch in the real estate game. So, which colors are going to sell your home? A home remodeling guide and contractor liaison website, surveyed 200 leading interior design experts and influencers to uncover the upcoming paint trends for owners to keep in mind before selling their home. We’re armed with Fixr's Paint & Color Trends Report and ready to dish on the hues to use and hues to lose before putting your house on the market. (Hint: Lime green didn’t make the list.) The Kitchen: White or Warm Gray Design pros believe that warm gray or classic white tones are best for painting interior rooms like the kitchen. Some of our favorite white and warm gray paint colors to check out for your kitchen include Revere Pewter and Simply White by Benjamin Moore or Pure White and Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams. The Living Room: White When in doubt, white it out. Surveyed pros believe white paint will sell your home because not only does it provide future buyers with a blank slate, but it gives living rooms a fresh, well-kept appearance that appeals to the masses. Our tried-and-true white paint colors include Snowbound or Greek Villa from Sherwin Williams or White Dove and Chantilly Lace from Benjamin Moore.
By Danica A 01 Jan, 2022
These days, we’re all in on guilty pleasures. In search of dreamy real estate, we cast our eyes to the apex of the market—the rare air of America’s most expensive homes on the market right now. When we last looked in summer 2019, the nation’s most expensive home was Chartwell, the renowned Bel-Air estate, priced at $195 million. However, it’s no longer on our list, thanks to its $150 million sale late last year. It’s a new cast of eye-popping places, with a few familiar faces from our sojourns into seriously expensive mansions. And while it may seem counterintuitive to have a $100 million-plus listing on the market at this moment in history, the time might be exactly right for a rarified group. Major pieces of property with lots of land and high-end amenities are quite appeal ing in this era of sheltering at home. And what better way to encase yourself in a bubble than in one of these 5 regal residences? Scroll on down for a full look at the priciest properties for sale in America.
By Danica A 01 Dec, 2021
Between preparing to host family and friends for Thanksgiving and making gift lists and checking them twice, the whirlwind of activities during the busy holiday season can feel more like a blast of arctic air than a hint of festive cheer. Kitchens are put through the ultimate stress test on Thanksgiving, with every appliance and inch of countertop space pushed to the limit. However, certain kitchen features are not only better equipped to handle the pressures of entertaining a crowd, they could increase a home’s sale price when it comes time to move. The kitchen has long been the heart of the home and it’s become even more important this past year. As a result, pandemic-era home buyers appear willing to pay a premium for high-end kitchen amenities. Homeowners who plan to put their home on the market would be wise to flaunt these features if they’ve got them. But resale aside, these value-boosting features also increase a kitchen’s functionality, especially during the holidays. Steam oven  Of the more than 220 features or design elements researched, steam ovens topped the 2021 list of home features that sell. When this trendy appliance is mentioned in listing descriptions, those homes can sell for 4.9% more than similar homes without one. “Steam — usually combined with convection — fuels a powerful cooking appliance that can enhance a kitchen designed for wellness. A combi-steam oven offers health benefits and functionality. It cooks food with reduced fat and better-preserved nutrients, and allows home cooks to multitask and get food on the table quickly. This popular appliance type will perfectly cook protein, vegetable sides and pie at the same time.
By Danica A 01 Nov, 2021
As you prepare to finalize a home purchase, there’s an important step to take before the closing: the final walkthrough. This personal inspection helps ensure that the home you committed to on paper is in relatively identical condition to when you first visited, and that the seller is compliant with the terms of your real estate contract. What is the final walkthrough before closing? A final walkthrough is an opportunity for you, as the homebuyer, to visit and assess the property you’re purchasing before the closing. The goal of the visit is to ensure the home is in the same condition it was when you agreed to buy it. It’s also an opportunity for you to ensure that the seller has moved out or substantially moved out, and that the seller did not cause any damage during the move-out. This visit is important, as it allows you to assess whether the seller has met your interpretation of the purchase agreement and removed all their personal property. This is also the time to confirm that non-subjective contractual obligations of the seller, such as specific repairs, have been met.
By Danica A 01 Oct, 2021
What do excellent tenants look for in a rental property? To answer that question, I would like to provide you with the ultimate checklist for finding great investment properties—a lens you can use to filter properties, attract excellent tenants, and make more money with your real estate investments. Fortunately, over the last decade, we have worked with hundreds of tenants on behalf of our clients. Many were “just OK” tenants, some were trouble, and some were excellent. Instead of guessing, we surveyed them and asked about what matters to them most. The checklist you are receiving today contains the top 10 factors that excellent tenants look for in a great rental property, in order of importance. 1. School Quality The quality of schools zoned to the property was the primary deciding factor for over 85 percent of great tenants we interviewed. Schools are extremely important to families and single parents with school-aged children, and those tenants use this factor as an acid test. To these prospective tenants, if schools aren’t good, it’s as if your rental property didn’t exist. Furthermore, school quality is the best predictor of neighborhood quality—something ALL great tenants seek (even those without children). Therefore, to ensure your success, only purchase properties zoned to high-performing, desirable schools. 2. Safety Safety is our most basic human need and a powerful motivator for excellent tenants. One of the main reasons why your prospective tenant decided to spend more to lease a home (as opposed to an apartment) is to provide a safe environment for themselves and their family. Therefore, research crime statistics and only purchase properties in safe neighborhoods.
By Danica A 09 Sep, 2021
Freshly painted and updated and ready for you to call it home. Versatile floor plan with 2 master suites, one upstairs and one down, offers multi-generational living opportunities. The 4th bedroom, upstairs, can easily be divided. This Orcutt home on a quiet cul-de-sac, 1 block from Ralph Dunlap school, has been refreshed outside with new landscaping including a back yard with easy maintenance artificial turf. colorful planters, established trees and a tiled patio provide a comfortable location for lazy afternoons or evening barbeques. RV parking onsite behind gates offers storage for your toys. RV hookup in drive with 50 amp service in garage. The updated kitchen with new microwave, oven and hood plus a newer electric cook top and dishwasher make it easy to cook for family and friends. Cabinets have been given a contemporary look and new finish. A breakfast nook adjoins the kitchen. The family room with its fireplace, gas log lighter included, opens to the patio through sliding glass doors. Clean and sparkling on the inside with dual pane windows and sliders throughout.New Paragraph
By Danica A 01 Sep, 2021
Find out the best interior and exterior paint colors to sell your home in 2021. Selling a home with an electric, lime-green living room is going to be more difficult than you originally anticipated. In fact, your home might sit stagnant on the market for quite some time. The reality is that paint color packs a serious punch in the real estate game. So, which colors are going to sell your home?
By Danica A 01 Aug, 2021
Efflorescence is a crystalline or powdery deposit of salts often visible on the surface of concrete, brick, stucco, or natural stone surfaces. It occurs when water leaves behind salt deposits on the masonry surface. The word efflorescence means "to flower out" in French, but this flowering leaves an unattractive residue behind. It sparkles; it's white, sometimes with a grayish tint; and flakes off the masonry surface. Learn what causes this unsightly occurrence and how to prevent or remove it. What Is Efflorescence? You can easily recognize efflorescence on walls, floors, retaining walls, and other surfaces made of brick, stone, concrete, or stucco. It's often a white, powdery substance when seen on unsealed surfaces. If a floor or other concrete surface has been sealed, you may see efflorescence as a white blush under the sealer. This can be especially concerning for homeowners who have sealed concrete floors. If you're a homebuyer, a real estate home inspection would reveal whether your soon-to-be home has efflorescence. Some astute real estate agents might note efflorescence in the home, most likely to be prevalent on basement walls. Wet basements, especially, are the perfect environment in which efflorescence can grow. Note: Efflorescence is composed of a variety of water-soluble salts. Different surfaces and different areas of the country are more likely to have particular combinations, which lead to a variety of colors.
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