Michelle Mohr-JB Goodwin REALTORS

Curb appeal is crucial for several reasons, particularly when it comes to selling a home:

1. First Impressions: Curb appeal is the first impression potential buyers have of a property. A well-maintained exterior can create a positive initial impact, making the home more attractive and inviting.

2. Increased Value: Homes with strong curb appeal often have higher perceived value. Buyers are willing to pay more for a property that looks well-cared-for from the outside, as it suggests that the home has been maintained throughout.

Investing time and effort into improving curb appeal can significantly impact the attractiveness and value of your home, making it a worthwhile consideration for both sellers and homeowners looking to enhance their property.

Successfully managing the sale of your current home and the purchase of a new one requires careful planning and coordination. By understanding these aspects and seeking professional help, you can make the process smoother and less stressful. Know that you’re not alone: 71% of buyers are also, simultaneously, sellers. The key to success on both ends of the deal is having a realtor to guide you through. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or uncertain, the best thing to do is to talk to a pro who can ease your worries. We are here to help you through every step of the journey - let’s talk today!

Skipping a home inspection can be risky for several reasons. Home inspections reveal potential problems that may not be visible during a casual walkthrough. This can include structural issues, electrical or plumbing problems, and issues with the roof or foundation. Identifying issues before purchasing helps you avoid unexpected repair costs. If major problems are found, you might be able to negotiate repairs or a lower purchase price with the seller. Overall, a home inspection is a crucial step in the home-buying process that helps protect your investment and ensures you’re making a well-informed decision.

Preparing your kids for a big move can help ease the transition and minimize stress. Here are some tips to help your children adjust to the change:

• Communicate Early: Let your kids know about the move as early as possible. Use age-appropriate language to explain why you’re moving and what they can expect. This helps them process the information gradually.

• Involve Them in the Process: Give your children a sense of control by involving them in the moving process. Let them help with packing their belongings, choose colors for their new room, or even select new furniture if possible.

By addressing your children's needs and feelings during the move, you can help them transition more smoothly and start enjoying their new home.

Home buyers often place a high value on storage for several reason. Ample storage helps keep a home organized, reducing clutter and making it easier to find and access items. Buyers appreciate the ability to neatly store personal belongings, which enhances the home's overall functionality and appeal. Good storage solutions maximize the use of available space. Features like walk-in closets, built-in shelves, and cabinets make a home feel more spacious and efficient, which is particularly appealing in homes with limited square footage. Overall, ample storage enhances a home's functionality and livability, making it a highly sought-after feature for many buyers.

There are several myths about buying a home that can mislead prospective buyers. Some of the most common are listed here. While the internet is a great source of information, it will always serve in your best interest to check in with real estate professionals when you aren’t sure. Being aware of these myths can help you make more informed decisions and avoid common pitfalls in the home-buying process.

The time it takes for a home buyer to find a house can vary widely depending on several factors. These can include market conditions, location, price range, and certain personal circumstances. On average, in a balanced market, buyers might find a home within a few weeks to a few months. In highly competitive markets, it might take longer as buyers need to act quickly and may face multiple offers on desirable properties. It’s also not uncommon for buyers to take several months or even over a year to find the right home, especially if they have very specific requirements or are waiting for market conditions to shift.

An expired listing isn’t entirely unusual, and some properties may go through more than one listing period before selling. If you’re a seller, an expired listing can be an opportunity to reassess and refine your approach to getting your home sold. If the property is re-listed, there will be a review of feedback from the previous listing period and suggested changes to improve the property’s appeal or pricing. An expired listing often prompts a reassessment of the property’s value and strategy. The seller might need to consider market conditions, buyer feedback, and potential improvements.

Lenders use your credit score to assess your creditworthiness. A higher credit score indicates to lenders that you are more likely to repay your loan on time. This can improve your chances of getting approved for a mortgage. Generally, borrowers with higher credit scores qualify for lower interest rates, which can save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. By understanding the role of your credit score and taking steps to maintain or improve it, you can enhance your ability to qualify for a mortgage with favorable terms when you're ready to buy a home.

Getting final loan approval means you need to keep your finances and credit in line during the underwriting phase. Don’t open new credit lines or make any major purchases until the paperwork is signed, and avoid changing jobs before closing too, if possible.

Viewing listing photos online is helpful, but isn’t a substitute for visiting homes in person and getting to know the area and its amenities. In some cases, the right neighborhood might be even more important than the home itself. Be specific with your agent about exactly what kinds of homes you want to see, so they can more effectively find options that meet your criteria. And keep an open mind: You may not be able to check off everything on your wish list, so prioritize must-haves over things that are nice to have but not crucial.

The down payment is often considered the biggest home-buying expense, since it’s a large amount that the buyer has to actually pay upfront. But homeownership involves plenty of additional costs that you should be ready for. Before you even close on the purchase, you’ll need to make sure you have enough money set aside to cover closing costs. These fees will vary by state and by individual transaction, but they will almost certainly range into the thousands of dollars.

Shopping for a mortgage means finding financing for your home purchase with a lender that may offer the best rate, loan options or customer experience. Often, affordability is a major factor in finding the right lender. Your interest rate, fees, closing costs and down payment influence how expensive your mortgage will be and can be influenced, in part, by the lender you choose.

To calculate how much house you can afford, lenders take into account a few primary items, such as your household income, monthly debts (for example, car loan and student loan payments) and the amount of savings available for a down payment. As a home buyer, you’ll want to have a certain level of comfort in understanding your monthly mortgage payments. Depending on your credit score, you may be qualified for a payment that is greater, but housing expenses exceeding 1/3 of your monthly income should be avoided as a rule of thumb.

Choosing the right agent for you is one of the most important steps of the home buying and selling process. When trying to decide who might be the best choice, you should consider their market experience, previous client experiences, and compatibility with you and your needs. We would love to check those boxes for you - let’s talk today!

We want to hear from you - what perks of homeownership are you looking forward to the most? Whether you are tired of paying off someone else’s mortgage, you’re ready to have more design freedom, or you are ready to start building home equity and personal wealth - there are endless reasons to look forward to owning a home.

More than half of home buyers say finding the right home is the most challenging step of the home-buying process. But don’t let that get you down. If you stay focused, you’ll find the home of your dreams! It’s okay to ask questions, take your time, and not settle too early in your search. We are here to help!

You may be eligible for widely-available first-time homebuyer programs, such as FHA, VA and USDA loans, that can make it more manageable to buy a home even if you don’t have a 20 percent down payment. Government-backed programs like these can also be easier to qualify for than other mortgages, and many mortgage lenders offer them. Some first-time buyer programs might include grants, down payment or closing cost assistance, deferred payments, subsidized interest rates or loan forgiveness after a certain period of time, as well, which can further save you money.

To make the most of your time and increase your chances of finding your dream home at an open house, approach it with a game plan:
1. Research the property ahead of time�
2. Sort out your finances - if you can get pre-approved, that is a great start!
3. Be prepared to make an offer if you love the house�
4. Keep expectations realistic

Digital curb appeal is the first impression a potential homebuyer will have of a property when browsing for homes online. 97% of homebuyers start their search for a new home on the internet. That’s why it’s crucial for sellers to have great digital curb appeal to make their property stand out. There are several ways sellers and agents can use digital curb appeal to help sell a home faster and for top dollar. We would love to help you maximize your digital curb appeal as your agent!

Limewash is making a comeback as natural design continues to maintain popularity in the home trend space. While it looks organic and can even been done as a DIY project, you typically can't wipe it clean like you can with painted walls so it might not be ideal for high-traffic areas in your home. Do you love the limewash look or will you sit this one out?

Getting pre-approved gives you a solid understanding of what you can afford, what you’ll be able to borrow, and your overall budget.
You’ll gain a competitive advantage when making an offer - get a step ahead of other buyers by securing a mortgage pre-approval.
You’ll be alerted to potential financial problems that can all be taken care of before making an offer on a home.
Lastly, you’ll accelerate the home-buying process!

Today is the best day to decide to start saving for a house. Saving for a down payment can take time, depending on how much you’re able to save each month. If you’re not able to save as much, starting sooner will ensure you have enough time to save up for your down payment to buy a house when you want or need to.

Selling a house as-is can come with advantages. When you sell a home in its current condition, you don’t need to make any home improvements. Since you’re not making repairs, you can list your home sooner. An “as-is” property has a greater chance of receiving an all-cash offer. These offers let you skip the mortgage approval process and speed through a closing. Selling a home as-is can reduce contingencies and typically lowers closing costs. With that in mind, you can’t command market value for a home that needs work. You’ll have to reduce your price to compensate for necessary repairs. Not every buyer wants a project. Some want a move-in ready home, but your property may not fit the criteria.

Wondering what your home is worth? An agent can look at the current housing market and use a comparative market analysis to assess your home’s valuation. Having an agent assess your home’s value is less detailed than what you’d receive with a professional appraiser, but it’s still a good option to get an idea of what your home would sell for. Real estate agents can make recommendations, like ways to improve the aesthetic appeal of your house, in order to increase the value of your home.

While sometimes professional staging isn’t needed, it can often make the difference between a fast sale with competitive bids, and stale listings that force price reductions to stimulate action. Realtors and homeowners share a common goal: sell for the highest price, in the shortest time. Staging is one way to stack the odds in your favor, in both seller’s and buyer’s markets.

To calculate your equity at any given time, you’ll need to know the value of your home. Only a home appraisal can determine what your home is worth in today’s market. You can also estimate your home’s value by looking at comparable home sales in your area or by checking with online real estate listings that provide home value estimates.

If there is one thing that is consistent about the housing market, it is that it is constantly changing. If you’re a homeowner, we want to hear from you. When did you buy your home and what was the market like? Are you happy with your purchase?

Return on investment (ROI) is a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment. Ask any real estate expert what the #1 upgrade with the greatest return is, and the answer will be the kitchen. The average recoup? 81-93%!