How to Know When to List Your Home

You want to get the best price possible when you list your home for sale. With an up and down housing market, it can be difficult to know the best time. However, the financial aspect is only one factor in deciding when and if to sell your home. You have to consider your own needs. Here are some signs to help you know when it is the right time.

Lack of Space

One of the biggest reasons people have for selling and buying a new place is that they have outgrown their current homes. Many people buy starter homes with plans to live in them for five to seven years and then move on. Once you have reached that point, you know it is time to find a new place and put yours on the market.

You Have Equity

If you have been planning to sell for some time but held out because of the poor housing market, you may be ready to take the next step once you have equity in your home again. Do your research to determine if your home is worth more than what you owe. If so, you may be ready to capitalize on it and list your home.

More Sales in Your Neighborhood

If you are seeing the Sold sign more often in your neighborhood, it may be a sign that now is a good time to sell. Certain neighborhoods are booming with growth and buyers are desperate to get into these areas. That often means a higher price for you.

Less Time for All of the Work

You may have gotten to the point in your life when you don't have time or energy for the upkeep of your home. Rather than letting things fall apart and causing your home to lose value, consider selling it and buying something with less work involved.

Where You are in Your Life

As your life changes, so does what you need in a home. Maybe you have more kids now or they are growing up and moving out. You may have switched jobs and now have a longer commute or you may be looking at retirement. If your house no longer fits in with your current life, it may be tie for a change.

When you are ready to sell your home, give me a call. I can help you list your house and sell it quickly so that you can move on to the next stage in your life.

Tips for Getting the Best Mortgage

You will find numerous products when you are shopping for a mortgage. Some are geared towards first-time home buyers while others focus on people shopping in specific areas or with certain terms in mind. It can be overwhelming to try to decide which product is the best one for you.

It Starts with the Lender

Before making any decisions about the loan product, you should decide on the lender. You will receive a lot of advice in this area from family and friends who have the perfect recommendation. How do you determine if the person they recommend is right for you?

First, remember that they have been through this and now own a home. (If they don't, beware of their advice.) You must also realize that the person that was right for them may not be right for you. Personalities and needs differ, and you must find someone you feel comfortable working with.

Do your research about any lender you consider. Find out how much experience he or she has and if the lender has any complaints against them.

Review All Terms

Once you have a couple of lenders that you like, compare products and terms. Don't just look at the interest rate or even the APR. Compare closing costs and other factors that will determine how much you will pay for your loan.

Contact the lender and see how you like this person. Ask if the stated rate is the best he or she can give you. You may be surprised at how much you can negotiate. After all, it never hurts to ask.

Once you have narrowed down your choices, make a decision. If you are still unsure, then you have not really come to a decision. You either need to find more options or you to need to figure out why you are hesitating.

Don't forget to include your realtor in the process of finding a lender, particularly if you have any special issues or are looking for a specific loan. A realtor will have the inside scoop on many lenders in your city or county and will be able to provide valuable insight on how is good to work with.

If you are looking for a home or a lender, contact me. I can show you houses for sale in your preferred area and help you begin the process of finding a home. Give me a call to get started on the path to home ownership.

With Low Interest Rates Is Now the Time to Buy?

If you have been renting with the dream of buying someday, you may be watching the news about the housing industry. With low interest rates keeping homes affordable, maybe now is the time to make the leap from renter to homeowner. Several factors play into that decision to help you know which is right for you.

Future Plans

You must consider where you are going in the next few years. How long you stay in your home will help determine if you should continue renting or buy your home now. Part of this decision will depend on your job. If your current job is unsteady or there is a likelihood of being relocated, you may want to hold off on buying. You don't want the headache of trying to sell a home while being transferred to another city or state, especially with very little equity in the property.

Consider the Down Payment

Before deciding to buy, you have to figure out if you have enough money for a down payment. This means more than just meeting the minimum required by the lender, but as much as you want to put into the house to give you some equity to start out. On the other hand, you may not want to put all of your savings into the down payment and have nothing left for maintenance and repairs.

Know Your Finances

Beyond having good credit and a steady job to be able to qualify for a home loan, you also want to know that you have money saved for other expenses and that you are ready to take on the challenges that come with being a homeowner.

If you feel prepared to face the headaches along with the joys that homeownership brings, now may be the right time to transition from renter to owner. If you want to find out what is available in your price range and location, give me a call. I can help you become a homeowner with a property that fits your needs.

Tools to Help You Boost Your Real Estate Leads

Getting more leads is essential to growing your real estate business. In today's world where more people do their research and part of their shopping online, that means driving more visitors to your website. However, they must be quality leads who actually spend time on your site and follow up. Here are a few tools to help you get more leads.

Sidebars

Create widgets along the sides of your content to get people to click for more information or to sign up for a newsletter. Experts estimate that these widgets can convert about 1-2 percent of your visitors. They are in plain sight right next to the content your visitors are reading and make it easy for them to take the next step.

Pop-ups

Not everyone likes pop-ups, but they are effective when done right. They have a decent conversion rate of about 5 percent of your visitors. Make sure they are interesting and capture the attention of your audience. SumoMe is one option that is free and comes with tools to help you customize for your audience.

Calls to Action

Catch people's attention while they are reading the content with a call to action plug-in. If they are ready to make the decision right then, you don't want to wait until later. Call to Action is a plug-in you can use for WordPress sites that will improve your conversion rate without distracting your readers.

Opt-ins for the End

When people finish reading your content, they are more likely to take the next step. That is why adding an opt-in at the end of your page or blog post has the best effect. Set up a box where people can subscribe to your list for more information. Optin Forms is a free option that has special features that you pay for.

With numerous options available, you have to figure out which ones work best for you. Make the right choices and you will get your audience's attention and help you sell more homes.

Glenmoor

Enjoy life in the middle of everything when you live in the Glenmoor neighborhood of East Lansing. You are within walking distance of the Frandor Shopping Center and plenty of places to eat and hang out.

This is the area to choose if you want a place that is walkable. With numerous retail, shopping and dining establishments, you are close to it all. However, you are also not far from Highway 127 and East Grand River Avenue if you want to venture out to other communities.

Glenmoor has numerous apartments that are affordable for those just starting out in their careers. Condominiums are another option if you are ready to buy but don't want the upkeep of a detached home.

Ranney Park provides the natural green space for the outdoor lovers and runs along East Morgan Lane. It even includes a skate park on the south end for great winter fun. Visit Altu's Ethiopian Cuisine if you want something unique and local or try one of the many chain restaurants like Panera's. Hang out with friends at Woody's Oasis Bar & Grill for an evening of fun.

If you are looking for a vibrant, exciting community that has all of the amenities you could need, consider Glenmoor for your new home. I'll be glad to show you what is available in this young, trendy neighborhood. Give me a call and I can help you find a great new place to live.

Tricks to Help Sellers Market Their Homes

It takes a complete strategy to market a home successfully. When applied correctly, they get the results that you want in the shortest time frame. Here are the strategies that seller's agents employ.

Know the Right Price

Realtors must know the art of pricing to ensure that the home appeals to the most buyers. This means understanding appraisal techniques, and then choosing a price point that works for the high and low ends. For example, many people begin or end their price at $250,000. Agents make the mistake of appraising a home at $250,000 and then pricing it a little lower. They miss out on the segment of buyers that would be interested in $250,000 or higher.

Know Your Product

Instead of randomly selling any property that comes to you, choose the homes that fit your brand. If you focus on one area or price point, don't accept a property that doesn't fit in with that group. Another benefit is that you will be an expert in your area. You will know the average days a property sits on the market, the competition and the turnover rates for the neighborhood.

Know How to Promote

While you may want to focus on one area of selling, you don't want to be one-dimensional in your promotion. Be willing to experiment and always monitor the results. Know which methods of marketing work best, but don’t stop there. As you learn more about your target buyers, you will find out where they go to search for homes. This gives you an edge on the next property you sell. As you sell homes fast and at a good price, you become recognized as the expert.

When you set the right price on listings that you know well, you will have no trouble promoting your listings and selling the properties. It takes more than entering a property in the MLS listings or placing a sign in the yard to sell a home. Knowing how to price and promote your brand ensures your success.

Chesterfield Hills

Enjoy the distinct design of a modern, upper-class subdivision with Chesterfield Hills in East Lansing. This lovely neighborhood is blessed with native trees that offer natural beauty for the area. Winding roads frame irregular shaped lots to give each property a unique appearance.

Sprinkled among the newer homes, properties from the early beginnings of the area provide an interesting contrast and add character to Chesterfield Hills. A drive through the neighborhood and you might assume that home prices are beyond your reach. However, you will discover a wide range of homes for sale, with affordability for many budgets. Homes begin at around $100,000 and go up to well over $200,000. They also come with a wide range of features and styles with two, three and four bedrooms.

This neighborhood might be a historic area of East Lansing, but it is close to the modern amenities that matter to today's homeowners. It is just a short walk to Michigan State University as well as numerous restaurants, shops, parks and open-air farmer's markets. A community center with a pool enhances the neighborhood.

While this area offers a quiet location for families, it offers easy access to other areas because of its nearness to East Michigan Avenue and Highway 43. Several parks are within walking or driving distance, including Ranney Park and Municipal Park. It is also near to the East Lansing Public Library, East Lansing High School and Glencairn Elementary School.

Enjoy a cup of coffee at the Grand River Coffee Café or grab a pizza from Goombas Pizza. A gym is located nearby and you aren't far from Jet's Pizza, a delicious place that is known for its flavored crusts.

If this neighborhood sounds like a place you could call home, give me a call. Let me know what kind of home you are looking for, and I'll help you make Chesterfield Hills your neighborhood.

Harrison Meadow Park

Harrison Meadow Park is a great place for young professionals. Located close to many amenities and featuring affordable housing, its population is made up of both families and single professionals.

It is located near Henry Fine Park and Whitehills Park and offers a range of housing options. One of the reasons it appeals to younger demographics is due to the affordability of living here. Find single-family homes and condominiums priced under $100,000. Of course, those who are looking beyond starter homes will also find a selection of properties. Homes include two, three or four bedrooms and offer from less than 1000 square feet to well over two thousand square feet of space.

Enjoy your morning coffee at BIGSBY COFFEE or check out the East Lansing Farmer's Market. A night out is as close as Dublin Square or the East Lansing Film Festival. Tamarisk Park is located within the Harrison Meadow Park while Business 69 runs along the southern edge for easy access to other areas. Harrison Avenue and Abbot Road border the neighborhood along the eastern and western sides. It is also not far from Highway 127, which runs north to south.

The East Lansing Public Library is within walking distance and so are the nearby schools, Glencairn Elementary and East Lansing High School. Enjoy fun activities within the neighborhood at Tamarisk Park. It features benches for relaxing, a grill and picnic tables for outdoor picnics, and a basketball court. This small 1.5 acre park has a play field and playground with a soccer field and nature areas for the outdoor enthusiast. One of the highlights is a lovely weeping willow tree that stands in the center of the park.

With a mix of quiet and nearby amenities, Harrison Meadow Park is the ideal place for anyone looking to buy a home. If this neighborhood sounds perfect for you, give me a call and I can show you what is available.

Avondale Square

Tucked away in a quiet area not far from major highways and restaurants, shopping and other businesses lies Avondale Square. It is just a short distance from Business I-69, Abbot Road and East Lake Lansing Road. It is within walking distance of Whitehills Park, which offers a baseball field and another field that is ideal for soccer or football.

Not far away is Patriarche Park. The neighborhood is also close to downtown. With a walking and bike path along East Saginaw Street, residents have easy access to many other nearby areas.

Avondale Square is part of a community revitalization project to replace old, empty houses with new buildings to attract families and breathe new life into the area. The homes are being built by Mayberry Homes and feature a wide range of styles, sizes and price ranges. They start at around $144,000 and include 3 and 4 bedrooms. If you choose to buy a new-build, you can select colors and other options to make the house look and feel like home.

This area has been designed to be a walkable community close to the East Lansing Public Schools. It is also nearby to the Michigan State campus with a small pocket park inside the community and child care facilities and a library for convenience close to the area. A community center is also part of the neighborhood. In addition to the single-family homes, you can find townhouses to fit in your price range.

If you are interested in looking at homes and models in Avondale Square, give me a call. I can tell you all about the area to help you decide if this is the right location for you and your family. Contact me if you are ready to start looking for your new home.

Abbott Parkside Neighborhood

If you are looking for a lovely neighborhood to call home, you may want to consider Abbott Parkside. Bordered by Abbey Road, Audrey's Way and Harrington Lane, this community is not far from US 127 for easy access to work or other places in the area.

The neighborhood is located near many amenities with plenty of shopping and dining places nearby. Healthcare facilities are also within a short drive, making this a wonderful retirement community. Numerous apartments and condos are available with features that are unique to each one. They may offer covered parking, on-site gym, a pool or other bonus features that will capture your attention.

The Crossings is one such association located in this area. They offer single-family homes that may run around $200,000. They were built in 2000 and often come with garages. Another option is Park Place Condos. This place is known for its low fees and offers beautiful features such as a nice deck that overlooks the woods and custom kitchens. These condos come with inside parking and many other nice bonuses.

Enjoy a slower pace in life when you live in Abbott Parkside. It is a short distance from the Falcon Golf Course where you may want to spend a few afternoons every month perfecting your golf swing. Spend time enjoying the great outdoors at Henry Fine Park or grab a cup of coffee at the Biggby Coffeehouse. You are also not far from a dog park to make your canine friends happy.

Coolidge Road lies right outside of the neighborhood to make it easy to get to all of your activities and appointments. If you have a young family, you will be concerned about the schools in the area. Pinecrest Elementary School is located nearby along with East Lansing High School. In addition, numerous private schools and secondary schools are within a short drive from Abbott Parkside.

If this sounds like a community you would like to know more about, please call me. I can help you find your next home in this wonderful neighborhood.