Hoodle Blog

Between the tiny-house craze and bestselling books about minimizing your life, we’ve probably all thought about downsizing at one point or another. But is it really the right move for you at this moment in time? Before you decide to move forward with downsizing, it’s smart to spend some time thinking about the possible repercussions and what it’s going to mean for your life so that you can do it the right way — without regrets.

Buying and selling real estate can be a long and involved process or it can be smooth and quick. As with most any situation in life, you get out of it what you put into it.  I would like to share with you some thoughts from both sides of a real estate transaction and why it’s important to do your homework, make no assumptions, and be prepared for anything.

“Is this a good time to sell my house?” That’s one question that real estate agents are used to fielding, but as a homeowner, the answer might not be quite so obvious. Whether or not you should sell your house now or wait a few months (or years) depends on a number of factors, including the current market where you live, but there’s a lot that you can do to help educate yourself about the best time to sell a house and when to make a move.

I gathered seeds in my garden today, carefully removing each one from the dried out pods encasing them. It’s hard to imagine something so small and withered holds so much hope and promise for next year.

We have all heard this as being at the heart of real estate. Location is vital to the decision making process for buyers, realtors, companies, and communities.  This is the number one phrase in real estate and is repeated three times for emphasis of how important it is.

I think we all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing that day. As if it were a slow-motion video playing over and over again in our minds.

Selling your house can be an intensely emotional experience in any market, but it’s particularly nerve-wracking when it seems like other homes are going under contract in a matter of days while your listing lingers. In that situation, sellers can’t help but wonder if there might be something wrong with their place.

Building a new home is a perfect opportunity to customize your space according to your own needs and wants — and it can also feel completely overwhelming. Many homes built from the ground up will require the new owner to make more than one thousand decisions about everything from paint color to what fixtures you want in your kitchens and bathrooms.

Buying and selling can be a very stressful time for many because it involves change. Most of us are not fans of change and more so are creatures of habit. When one changes their surroundings or is in the process of change, it is easy to become overwhelmed and frustrated. With all of the mixed emotions, this may seem like an emotional rollercoaster. These feelings can lead to losing focus on what is important.

As a buyer begins the process of checking in to building a new home, it is easy to get caught up in the moment of emotions. This is where your realtor can be a great asset. Your realtor can help take the emotion out of the equation and focus on getting answers to these questions and others. I have listed some questions that have been asked before or during the process from buyers. It is important to collect as much information upfront as you can, as knowledge is power.

In today’s world of technology and just ever-changing techniques, buyers need to be aware of what is happening as they start the home-buying process. Here are just a few points to make note of and may want to discuss with your agent.

Your home is newly listed. You have worked hard to make it show-ready in a hot buyers’ market. Buyers and their agents are scheduling showings at a rapid pace and, as expected, multiple offers come in. With the help of your listing agent, you compare offers and select the most qualified buyer(s) with the highest price. Ready to go to the closing table, right? Not so fast! Well-represented buyers are going to do their own due diligence and request a property appraisal. Bottom line, your home needs to meet or beat the agreed-upon selling price of the property.

What is the difference in an inventory home, spec home, and presale? All of these are common questions potential buyers may ask as they educate themselves in the home buying process. My goal with this blog is to help readers understand the difference so they know what they are looking at to make the decision that best fits their needs. 

As a buyer, what do you need to know about new construction? While there are many reasons for buying new construction, the popular responses are no one has ever lived in the home so buyers are not dealing with previous owners’ choices and issues; and, buyers have the opportunity to personalize aspects of the home from the beginning instead of going back and retrofitting, updating, or rehabbing. However great the benefits of new construction are, there are a lot of considerations! Where do you begin?

There are many questions that come up in regards to making a move. Many times the question is the price, location, size of the property, needs versus wants, and the list goes on. One question I often hear clients debate in their mind, and in some form of question ask me, is it better to build or buy resale? There is no easy answer to this question as everyone’s circumstances are different. However, I hope to give you some things to think about as you move forward in this process.