Too much stuff? Moving into a smaller home? Or simply trying to declutter before you list your home for sale? Consider these five tips by the downsizing and estate sale experts: 1. Write a list of all the items you love and can’t part with; it will help you to discard the things that didn’t make…
One of the most important things a potential seller can do is get a full home inspection prior to putting the house on the market. Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers points out that even if there is a meeting of the minds between the buyer and seller as to price, and bank approvals are…
If you have your home on the market, you may have received a “too low” offer where it didn’t even seem worth responding with a counteroffer. Let’s say, for example, you’re asking $250,000 for your home and you receive an offer of $200,000…. Yikes! Unfortunately, this scenario isn’t terribly uncommon. Some buyers will deliberately submit…
Joe & Nick Santoro are the experts when it comes to painlessly downsizing your home! In fact, they founded Personal Property Managers as a one-stop solution for clients needing to downsize and selling process, including estate sales and clean-outs. Whether you’re staging your home to sell, or simply trying to spruce up before the holidays, Joe…
It’s hard to decide whether or not to love your current home and renovate it to fit your lifestyle, or list it and start fresh in a great new space. HGTV’s hit show, Love It or List It, features interior designer Hilary Farr and showcases her amazing ability to beautifully remodel a family’s existing home….
It’s no secret that the housing market continues to improve, and a recent report from the National Association of Realtors suggests that Americans are more optimistic than ever about the future of real estate. In fact, more than eight in ten Americans think that purchasing a home is a good financial decision! Additionally, 61% of renters…
The National Association of Realtors recently released their 2015 Home Buyer & Seller Generational Trends Report, and its chock full of interesting info and data. Here’s what homebuyers (ages 18 to 89) considered to be the three most important factors for choosing an agent: Agent is trustworthy and honest (we agree!) Reputation of agent Agent…
We love finished basements, and it’s not uncommon for clients to question whether or not a basement is “finish-able.” After all, this extra square footage can add a ton of living space and increase your home’s value (but please note that some finished basements count towards your home’s official square footage, and some do not. Ask…
Unfortunately, it’s no secret that you often have to shell out a pretty penny to live in one of the state’s top-performing districts. But did you know that there are quite a few local school districts that consistently rank among the top in the state and offer affordable home prices? It’s true! Here are our favorite…
It’s not uncommon for homeowners to set an initial listing price for their home, and acknowledge to their agent that “while it might be a little high, we can always reduce it.” This might be a great philosophy when it comes to selling furniture on Craigslist, but unfortunately it simply doesn’t hold true in the…
Under contract on the home of your dreams? Congratulations! One of the next steps is securing a home inspection, and it’s a great idea to consider the following when choosing a home inspector: First and foremost, you’ll want to ensure that your home inspector is a member of a reputable professional inspection organization and has…
Ever wonder what your real estate agent is really thinking? Here are the five things that we hope to instill in every client: Not all $200,000 homes cost the same! Instead of thinking about your budget in terms of the sales price, consider the amount you’ll pay monthly. A home’s affordability can be greatly affected by…
Have you heard of “dual agency”? This real estate word refers to a transaction in which the buyer and seller are represented by the same agent. In other words, the agent who is negotiating on behalf of the buyer is really working for the seller! Since the agent’s original contract is with the seller and…
PA Real Estate Market Report. The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors recently released housing statistics for the second quarter of 2015, and the market continues to steadily improve. Perhaps most notably, the median sales price increased 3.3% over this time last year to $175,500. Sellers are also benefiting from quicker sales; the average Days On Market decreased…
There are still plenty of short sales and foreclosed homes on the market, despite the housing market being largely recovered. While the bank is involved in both short sales and foreclosure, it’s important to know that these two terms are very different– and result in a far different buying process! Here’s how these distressed properties work:…