As we are winding down the summer months, top Real Estate bloggers across the country continue to share their knowledge expertise in the real estate industry. Bloggers share this information so that consumers can be educated when going through the home buying or home selling process.
Interest rates remain low, and it is a great time to purchase a home. You will find recaps of some excellent real estate related tips from top bloggers for August 2019.
18 Tips for First Time Home Buyers
When you are purchasing a home for the first time, it is imperative to have a buyer's agent. There may be some people who are under the impression that an agent who has listed a home for sale will work just as hard for the buyer. This is not always the case. Luke Skar has written an excellent article about Tips for First Time Home Buyers. In addition to obtaining your own buyer's agent, there are many factors to consider. Obtaining a mortgage pre-approval is a must as you will need this to accompany a purchase offer. He provides great recommendations including to remember it is a business transaction and to make rational decisions versus emotional decisions.
10 Things to Consider When Buying New Construction
Are you interested in building your dream home? If so, this article Things to Consider when Buying New Construction is a must-read. Building a brand new home gives you the opportunity to create your dream home. There are many factors to consider when considering new construction including affordability of building. Other factors to consider include building a custom home versus a tract home. You will also want to consider the lot size and location within the area.
Dual Agency
Dual agency can be controversial amongst real estate agents. Some real estate agents are completely against it and other agents have no problem with it. Bill Gassett has written a very informative article about Dual Agency: The Departure From The Normal Duties of a Real Estate Agent. When dual agency comes up, many real estate agents either tend to ignore the laws in their state or don’t understand the laws. There are some states which have banned dual agency and those states include Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Texas, and Vermont. Check out this great resource about dual agency.
3 Pillars to Selling Your Home
Are you interested in selling your home? Then be sure to read Jeff Nelson's article 3 Pillars to Selling Your Home. Jeff discusses the importance of pricing your home correctly right from the start. Overpriced listings sit on the market, however, pricing the home is not the job of the listing agent. A seller needs to consider what homes have actually closed escrow when determining the price. Other important factors include the condition of the home and how well it presents. The third pillar to sell your home is the exposure. Be sure to hire an agent who has a dominant internet presence and one who leverages social media to maximize exposure.
How to Design and Landscape a Small Yard
Is the outdoor space at your home very small? Check out Eileen Anderson's post about How to Landscape a Small Yard. She discusses how to transform your yard into a beautiful outdoor living space. She discusses how to landscape for privacy in your yard and utilizing hardscape. You will find information about how much maintenance will be needed, and there are plants listed which do require more maintenance. Find excellent tips and Eileen states landscape should be functional and aesthetically pleasing.
11 Ways to Secure Your Home
There are approximately 2.5 million burglaries a year. Police only solve a small percentage of them due to a lack of physical evidence. Wouldn’t it be great if there was more evidence that the Police could utilize to charge these criminals? Check out the latest post about 11 Ways to Secure Your Home over at Newport Beach Real Estate Cafe. You will find tips to protect your family and your home from potential theft. Other recommendations include getting a safe for valuables. Rekeying a home is an imperative step when moving in as you will not know how many keys the prior owner handed out. Additionally, re-program your garage remotes to protect your home.
How to Create a Backyard Oasis
When you are considering landscaping your backyard, you will want to look at your yard with a critical eye and decide what elements you want to change. Anita Clark has written a very detailed article about How to Create a Backyard Oasis. She discusses the DIY route or hiring a landscape architect, which will have a bigger impact on your budget. There are elements of a yard which should not be overlooked and adding lighting can have a big impact on the yard. Other factors include utilizing plants for shade or utilizing umbrellas.
Does a Fixer-Upper Save You Money?
Tips for Creating a Better Landscape
If you are considering updating your landscaping or re-landscaping your home, then be sure to read Paul Sian's article Tips for Creating a Better Landscape. A beautifully landscaped yard provides a homeowner with an enjoyable experience. Whether you are landscaping to enjoy the outdoors for leisure activities, or if you are landscaping for an upcoming event, landscaping can add so much to a home. Paul discusses staging the landscaping and adding flowers to bring in color.
Benefits of Solar Panels
The benefits of solar panels are simple to understand. First, they lower your carbon footprint just by owning them. This is beneficial to our earth. John Cunningham has written an excellent post about the Benefits of Solar Panels. John discusses how to obtain them and whether or not to lease them, the tax incentives if your state provides them. Additionally, he states solar-generated power are less expensive than power provided by the utility companies. Great way to save money and lower your carbon footprint.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed The August 2019 edition of the Best Real Estate Articles. There are some great articles with a few on landscaping, solar panels, cost of purchasing a fixer-upper and how to secure your home. If you have suggestions on what information you are seeking, we welcome your suggestions!
About the Author
Top Newport Beach Real Estate Realtor, Sharon Paxson has written Top Real Estate Articles for August 2019 at Newport Beach Real Estate. With experience since 2005, we represent buyers, sellers, and landlords with their lease transactions. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and Instagram.
We work in the following Orange County CA areas including Corona del Mar, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Santa Ana, Sunset Beach, Tustin and more!
