Top Reason To Own Your Home

The Top Reasons To Own Your Home [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights June is National Homeownership Month, and it’s a great time to consider the benefits of owning your own home. If you’re considering homeownership, know that it can give you privacy, comfort, and a place to express yourself. It can also provide financial stability and help you grow your net worth. Are you ready to experience all the great benefits that come from purchasing a home? Let’s connect to begin the process today.     Tatyana Grigoryan 850 591 1433

Best Options When Buying

What Are the Best Options for Today’s First-Time Homebuyers? If you’re looking to buy your first home, you’re likely balancing several factors. Because both mortgage rates and home prices have risen this year, it costs more to buy a home than it did even just a few months ago. But that doesn’t mean you have to put your plans on hold. If you partner with a trusted real estate advisor and hone your strategy, you can navigate today’s market and find the home you’re looking for. Here are two tips to help you get started. Work with a Professional To Prioritize Your Wish List If you’re having trouble finding a home in your budget that checks all the boxes, it may be worth taking another look at your lists of what you want and what you really need. According to the latest First-Time Homebuyer Metro Affordability Report from NerdWallet, your wish list can have as much impact on your search as your finances: “Your budget isn’t all that you need to be concerned about; your wish list and desired location may carry just as much weight.” It’s all about prioritization. If you’re serious about purchasing your first home soon, be flexible in what you're looking for to open up your pool of options. Partner with a local real estate professional to better understand what’s available in today’s market and reprioritize your wish list. Remember, making a concession now doesn’t mean you’ll never have everything on your list. After you’ve moved in, you can always add certain features to make the home your own. Increase Your Search Radius To Consider More Locations Some areas may have more homes within your target price range than others, but it may require you to be flexible on your location. For example, if you’re a remote worker, you may be able to expand your search radius. As Fannie Mae explains: “. . . continued remote work flexibility is likely giving many the ability to live farther away in more affordable areas." The decision to search in places with a lower cost of living could help you find a home that fits your budget and checks the most boxes off your wish list. Bottom Line If you’re serious about purchasing your first home this year, revisiting your wish list and desired location can help. Let’s connect to explore all the options in our local market – and beyond – so you can achieve your homeownership dreams.       Tatyana Grigoryan  850 591 1433                                    Century 21 First Story Real Estate                                                  

You Might Be Loosing Money

  Why You Need an Expert To Determine the Right Price for Your House If your lifestyle has changed recently and you’re ready to make a move, taking advantage of today’s sellers’ market might be just the answer for your summer plans. With homes continuing to get multiple offers, this could be your moment to get the contract you’re looking for on your house if you’re ready to sell. And here’s the thing – you need an expert on your side to ensure you make all the right moves when you do, especially when it comes to pricing your house. Even in this competitive market, you can’t stick just any price tag on your home and get the deal you want. A key piece of the puzzle is setting the right asking price so you can help buyers notice your home (and get excited about it) from the very first time they view the listing. That’s where a real estate professional comes in. Why Pricing Your House Right Is Important The price you set for your house sends a message to potential buyers. Price it too low and you might raise questions about your home’s condition or lead buyers to assume something is wrong with the property. Not to mention, if you undervalue your house, you could leave money on the table which decreases your future buying power. On the other hand, price it too high, and you run the risk of deterring buyers. When that happens, you may have to do a price drop to try to re-ignite interest in your house when it sits on the market for a while. But be aware that a price drop can be seen as a red flag for some buyers who will wonder why the price was reduced and what that means about the home. In other words, think of pricing your home as a target. Your goal is to aim directly for the center – not too high, not too low, but right at market value. Pricing your house fairly based on market conditions increases the chance you’ll have more buyers who are interested in purchasing it. That makes it more likely you’ll see multiple offers, too. And if a bidding war happens, you’ll likely get an even higher final sale price. Plus, when homes are priced right, they tend to sell quickly. To get a look into the potential downsides of over or underpricing your house and the perks that come with pricing it at market value, see the chart below: Lean on a Professional’s Expertise There are several factors that go into pricing your house, and balancing them is the key. That’s why it’s important to lean on an expert real estate advisor when you’re ready to move. A local real estate advisor is knowledgeable about: The value of homes in your neighborhood The current demand for houses in today’s market The condition of your house and how it affects the value A real estate professional will balance these factors to make sure the price of your house makes the best first impression and gives you the greatest return on your investment in the end. Bottom Line If you’re thinking about selling, pricing your house appropriately is key. Let’s connect to make sure your house is priced right for the local market, for your home’s condition, and to stand out from the competition.           Tatyana Grigoryan Century 21 First Story Real Estate 850 591 1433  

Benefits Of Working With An Agent

    The vast majority of people hire a real estate agent to help them sell their homes. In fact, 92% of homes sold in the U.S.in 2021 were sold using an agent or a broker. Of course, most people know how invaluable and helpful a real estate agent is during the selling process. But most people don't realize that real estate agents are extremely helpful to you before, during, and after the sale goes through. Want to learn how to maximize the benefits of working with an agent? Check out these often-forgotten ways we can help throughout the entire home-selling process — from point A to point Z. Before the Sale of a Home Before selling your home, your real estate agent can help you determine a listing price. Based on an assessment of the market and competition, your agent can help you find a reasonable and competitive price to offer your home at. Correctly pricing a home is one of the most critical things in producing promising results for the sale of your home — getting it to sell fast and for a price that makes you as much money as possible.  In addition to pricing your home correctly, an agent can help you stage your home for prospective buyers looking at the house. Staging is important for buyers to visualize the property as their future home. Research has consistently shown that well-staged homes sell faster. Ask your real estate agent for suggestions to help stage your home well. They often have connections to other helpful resources, including professional stagers. During the Sale of a Home Once you’ve listed your home for sale, your real estate agent's talent gets the chance to shine by marketing your home and attracting as many potential buyers as possible. Your agent's role is vital in promoting the house on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). In addition, they can list it on their website. Your agent should help promote the property for sale through personal connections, blogs, social media sites, and many other avenues and relationships they've made through the years. An essential component of effective marketing of your home is photos. Photos often attract a buyer to want to learn more or run the other way! Bad pictures can seriously hurt your chances of selling your home. Be sure to select an agent experienced in many avenues of helping you market your home, including one who has connections with top-notch photographers who specialize in real estate listings. An experienced real estate agent can also help you find a qualified buyer. With years of experience comes the ability to vet candidates properly. Your agent should be helping you look through prospects and offers, answer any questions you may have throughout the process, and choose the best candidate and offer. After the Sale of a Home Congrats! Your home has sold! If you’re asking yourself, “now what?” you’re not alone. Your real estate agent still has a job to do, even after you’ve identified a buyer and accepted an offer. Your agent can help you negotiate any terms with the buyer. For example, if the buyer asks for an allowance to replace the roof, your real estate agent will help you negotiate a price that doesn't drain your wallet. Other things can get complicated when selling a home, such as closing dates or contingencies. Many sellers often think that the agent's job is done once a buyer has been found. However, this is simply not true! An agent has an important role right up until the sale is finalized. Other things they should help you with after the offer has been accepted are scheduling the inspection along with any necessary repairs and scheduling the appraisal.         We'd Love to Help Are you listing or planning to sell your home soon? From start to finish, a good agent has many roles throughout the process. Consider these important tips for selecting a qualified agent. Before the sale of your home, they should help you determine a fair asking price and aid in preparing the house for listing. During the home sale, their role is to market your home well to attract buyers. Lastly, once a buyer has been identified, they should help you throughout the closing process. We'd love to tell you more about our team of experienced and helpful real estate agents.     Century 21 First Story Real Estate Realtor® 850 591 1433 Website ⎸ Instagram