Buying & Selling Homes with The Collura Team

Empty Nesters: Best to Remodel or Time to Sell?   Sell your house and purchase the perfect home Based on the record of dollars spent on remodeling and renovations, it appears that many homeowners are deciding on number one. But, is that the best long-term solution? If you currently live in a 3-4-bedroom home, you probably bought it at a time when your children were the major consideration in determining family housing needs. Along with a large home, you more than likely also considered school district, the size of the property and the makeup of other families living in the neighborhood (example: you wanted a block with other kids your children could play with and a backyard large enough to accommodate that). Remodeling your home to meet your current needs might mean combining two bedrooms to make one beautiful master suite and changing another bedroom into the massive walk-in closet you always wanted. However, if you live in a neighborhood that historica...

For Sellers ,  20 Tips for Preparing Your House for Sale          The Collura Team  Call or Text 352-279-0899 Some Highlights: When listing your house for sale your top goal will be to get the home sold for the best price possible! There are many small projects that you can do to ensure this happens! Your real estate agent will have a list of specific suggestions for getting your house ready for market and is a great resource for finding local contractors who can help!

Millennial Homeownership Rate Increases Recent headlines exclaimed the homeownership rate, as reported by the Census Bureau , rose again in the second quarter of 2017. What didn’t get much attention in the reports is that the homeownership rate for American households under the age of 35 increased a full percentage point from last quarter’s 34.3% to 35.3%. Millennials proved to have the highest increase of any age group. This came as a surprise to some considering Millennials have come to be known as the “renter” generation. However, a new study by First American , 6 Trends Poised to Reshape Homeownership Demand , revealed reasons why homeownership numbers will continue to increase for Millennials. Millennials are the most educated generation in the U.S. Why does that matter? First American explains: “Our model shows that, all other factors being equal, the likelihood of homeownership increases by 3 percent for those that earn a bachelor’s degree over those wi...

3 Tips to Succeed in Today’s Real Estate Market   In today’s highly competitive real estate market, where inventory levels are not keeping up with the constant stream of buyer demand, there are steps you can take to ensure you are most prepared for success when buying a home. The 3 tips we are going to expand on today come from a recent blog by Trulia entitled, The Skinny on Skinny Inventory.   1. Be Prepared “Homebuyers should talk with a lender, real estate agent, and a home inspector BEFORE finding a home to make an offer on.” Being intentional, pre-approved, and prepared will set you up for the accelerated time tables that come with a highly competitive market. If you are the most prepared buyer interested in a home, if you have already secured financial approval, and if you are ready to move fast, your bid will be that much more attractive to a seller. 2. Think Strategically “Starter homebuyers don’t have a home to sell and can be flexible...

Pending Home Sales Sluggish as Low Supply Rears Its Head Pending home sales were sluggish in April as low supply reared its head, down 1.3 percent in the National Association of REALTORS ® (NAR)  Pending Home Sales Index  (PHSI). The PHSI posted 109.8 in April, down from 111.3 in March. The Index is based on contract signings. "Much of the country for the second straight month saw a pullback in pending sales as the rate of new listings continues to lag the quicker pace of...

Your Opportunity to Achieve the American Dream Keeps Getting Better! Forbes.com recently released the latest results of their American Dream Index , in which they measure “the prosperity of the middle class, and…examine which states best support the American Dream.” The monthly index measures several different economic factors, including goods-producing employment, personal and commercial bankruptcies, building permits, startup activity, unemployment insurance claims, labor force participation, and layoffs. The national index score was rounded out to 100.0 in January as a baseline for comparison and it rose the fourth straight month in a row to 101.8. Alaska, coming in at 89.4, represented the lowest score on the index due in part to the recent collapse in oil prices. In contrast, Wyoming came in with the highest score at 115.1. The full results can be seen in the map below. Forbes Senior Editor Kurt Badenhausen explained why many states saw a boost i...

Renting or Buying… Either Way You’re Paying a Mortgage   There are some people who have not purchased homes because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s. As Entrepreneur Magazine, a premier source for small business, explained this month in their article, “ 12 Practical Steps to Getting Rich ”: “ While renting on a temporary basis isn’t terrible, you should most certainly own the roof over your head if you’re serious about your finances. It won’t make you rich overnight, but by renting, you’re paying someone else’s mortgage. In effect, you’re making someone else rich .” Christina Boyle, Senior Vice President and head of the Single-Family Sales & Relationship Management organization at  Freddie Mac,  explains another benefit of securing a mortgage vs. paying rent: “With a 30...