Real Estate: A Port in the Storm! I have blogged extensively about how well the real estate market has been holding up in our region. Here's an excellent article about some of the underlying reasons for that. Look for my regular posts that discuss up to the date information on the local market [...]
Selling real estate? Know your stuff with Capital Gains Taxes Most (though not all) people who sell a principle residence that they have lived in for at least the last two years don't have tax consequences when they sell, but what if your property and situation doesn't fit into that nice little box? [...]
The economic hits just keep on coming!! These days when I go to post it's not about whether there is good economic news to share, but about which indicator of it to choose from! Nice problem to have. Rates continue to hover near historic lows which all of my buyer clients are loving, [...]
Forget the Spring Market....get in the hunt NOW! Historically low local inventory levels combined with historically high local employment conditions have leveled out the traditional seasonality of the real estate market. If you have a place to sell, you have no competition. Get to the market! If you are buying don't wait until [...]
15 or 30? How long should your mortgage be? I love this topic because it is definitely not a one size fits all topic and because it actually has significant financial, and perhaps just as importantly lifestyle implications. I talk OFTEN about this topic with clients and friends. The answer at the end [...]
"Assessed Value"...does it have any value? Does what your local jurisdiction thinks of your properties value have any relevance to buying or selling a home? The short answer: No. Remember that real estate assessments are a funding tool and not really much more and one of two components that make up your tax bill [...]
We move into the final part of our series on potential housing solutions. We've already mined the positives and negatives of buying new and moving up/down into a resale so it's time to address doing additions. Sometimes we just need to blow out a kitchen, or add a sun room to the existing [...]
Don't feel too bad if you see some stuff in your house on this list! I actually love honey oak cabinets but this is a post about what is not in demand right now in the marketplace (and conversely what is). We often have things in our homes that we like and enjoy [...]
Build New, Buy Resale, or Renovate in Place This is the first in a series of posts I'll be doing discussing the pro's and con's of all of these various options. The decision metrics on which path to choose has a lot to do with your housing goals, market forces and what stage [...]
Don't neglect your garage! If you are a garage snob like me you know how important this often overlooked structure is. I've seen first hand the impression a well maintained and utilized garage can make on prospective purchasers. Storage, work space, show place for that treasured automobile or motorcycle, guest or office space [...]