February 28, 2017
Real Estate Buyer Tip: How to Find a Deal

Posted in Buying and Video Tips by Tara Sharp
If you are ready to buy a home in a seller’s market, don’t despair. Windermere Real Estate agent, Michael Doyle, shares how you can find a good deal on a great home, even in the hottest housing market.
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February 21, 2017
New Features vs. Character

Posted in Buying by Tara Sharp
We are often asked, “Which is the better buy, a newer or older home?” Our answer: It all depends on your needs and personal preferences. We decided to put together a list of the six biggest differences between newer and older homes:
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October 24, 2016
Make Your Move

Posted in Buying, Selling, and Living by Tara Sharp
Moving is stressful, whether it is across town or cross-country. Once you have closed on your house, the reality of packing, moving, and setting up a new home can become overwhelming. While no list can make a move “stress-free”, planning ahead and staying organized can help make your move a little smoother. Here is our list of tips:
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October 06, 2016
Should I Move or Remodel?

Posted in Buying, Selling, and Living by Tara Sharp
There are a number of things that can trigger the decision to remodel or move to a new home. Perhaps you have outgrown your current space, you might be tired of struggling with ancient plumbing or wiring systems, or maybe your home just feels out of date. The question is: Should you stay or should you go? Choosing whether to remodel or move involves looking at a number of factors.
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September 07, 2016
Investing in Rental Property: The Risks, Rewards, and Benefits of Owning Rental Property

Posted in Buying by Tara Sharp
One area of the real estate market that is thriving right now is rental property. All indications suggest that the rental market will continue to improve because of low vacancy rates and rising rents. In fact, the demand for rentals is predicted to far exceed supply through 2016, with 4.5 million new renters expected to enter the market in the next five years.
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August 29, 2016
Relocating Your Home to Advance Your Career

Posted in Buying, Selling, and Living by Tara Sharp
Many of us dream of getting a better job. But when a promotion or new job opportunity comes with a request to relocate, the result can be very disruptive to your home life. There’s a lot to consider when making this kind of move...
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August 19, 2016
Why So Many Americans Are Either Upsizing or Downsizing

Posted in Buying, Selling, and Living by Shelley Rossi
According to two recent surveys that took industry watchers by surprise, many family homeowners are putting frugality aside and upsizing to new houses that average as large as 2,480 square feet (an increase of as much as 13 percent from the year before), and sometimes exceed 3,500 square feet in size.
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July 20, 2016
Planning for the Future: Housing Options to Consider

Posted in Buying and Selling by Tara Sharp
It should come as no surprise that 75% of the senior citizens polled in the latest AARP Preferences survey strongly agreed with the statement, “What I’d like to do is stay in my current residence as long as possible.” After all, home is where the heart is; and the longer you live in a place, the stronger your attachment to it becomes.
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July 08, 2016
How the Neighborhood Impacts a Home’s Value

Posted in Buying and Selling by Tara Sharp
The “estimated” home prices you see posted online can be off by tens of thousands of dollars—not because they are dishonest, but because the computer programs generating these guesstimates don’t take into account the current condition of a house, the amenities that are included, the qualities of the surrounding neighborhood, and so much more.
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June 24, 2016
Perspectives: Buyer Fatigue

Posted in Buying and Perspectives by Jill Jacobi Wood, OB Jacobi & Geoff Wood
Buyer fatigue. It’s a very real thing and we’re seeing it in cities all up and down the West Coast. What’s causing it? Intensely competitive market conditions in which bidding wars and properties selling for significantly more than asking price are the norm. It’s tiring for buyers. It’s tiring for agents. And it’s emotionally draining when you continue to find, and then lose, the perfect home...
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