Last time, my guest Bree and I discussed multiple-offer situations and what constitutes a “highest and best” offer. Lately, Bree has been hearing the term “escalator clause,” and today she had a few choice questions to ask me about what they are and why both homebuyers and sellers should know about them.So what is an escalator clause?An escalator c…

As the market heats up, homes that are priced well and are in good condition tend to attract buyers like bees to nectar. This is generally good news for sellers, since it means that they can get a good price for a home, but these scenarios can also become overwhelming to navigate.Today, my special guest Bree is here to ask a couple of key questions…

Hello everyone and welcome back to another segment of “Facebook Live Friday!”I’m joined again today by my friend Bree to answer some questions on “debt-to-income ratio,” which is a term that buyers should become familiar with before setting out on the home buying process. Q. What is debt-to-income ratio? Debt-to-income ratio is what your lender wil…

In the latest edition of Facebook Friday, I answered some questions about our current market, how things look for buyers, and how they can win:What do you do to help buyers win in this competitive market?One of the most impactful things we like to do is reach out to listing agents to find out exactly what their seller is looking for and what we nee…

Against the backdrop of our challenging market right now, I’ve been asked this question time and time again: How do I buy and sell a home at the same time? Today I’ll go through a few steps that should be helpful for those looking to sell their current home and buy a new one all at once. Before you do anything else, you need to obtain a pre-approva…

Hello everyone and welcome back to “Facebook Fridays!” Today’s focus is on homebuyers’ requests for remedy repairs, and I’ll be answering a few pressing questions from Bree on the topic. Q. What types of questions should a buyer ask their agent when requesting remedy repairs? A. When requesting remedy repairs, the first thing a buyer should aim to …

If you’ve been thinking of selling your home, take note: Today I’ll be sharing the top five reasons to put your home on the market right now. 1. Low inventory levels won’t last forever. Those who list right now have the chance to stand out above the crowd. There aren’t many listings available right now, but this will change soon, so don’t delay if …

Have you received a property valuation in the mail from the Franklin County assessor recently?Every five years or so, the county assessor takes a look at your home’s condition and the condition of the surrounding area and gives an estimation of its value. If your property’s value has gone up, your property tax will also go up. If your property’s va…

It’s very important to fill out a residential property disclosure if you’re a homeowner. If you’re planning on selling, you should fill it out yourself and disclose anything that has happened to the property in the last five years.For example, it’s important to explain any major issues, such as pipe bursts or remodels, and make sure you have the pr…

On today’s episode of “Facebook Live Friday!” I’ll answer a few mortgage questions homebuyers might have when closing on a home.After purchasing or refinancing a home, who do you pay?Typically, you pay your mortgage company. Before you do so, though, contact your loan officer to make sure you have the right billing instructions. Mortgage scammers a…

Once you’ve found the house of your dreams, you’ve made an offer, and you’ve been through the inspections, it’s time to go through the mortgage process. However, you should keep these tips in mind in order to avoid derailing your transaction:1. Don’t apply for additional credit. I know it’s tempting to buy appliances or furniture at this time, but …

Welcome to the latest episode of “Facebook Live Fridays.” This time, we’re answering a few common questions about selling your home during the holiday season.Are fall and winter good times to put your home on the market?Absolutely. Things have slowed down in our market a little bit, but buyers are still looking and inventory is still a little light…

Today I’d like to talk with you about how to sell your home during the fall season. There are six things you need to do to sell your home for the highest price possible.1. Clean up your yard. Make sure your leaves are raked and that your trees and bushes are trimmed. Also, if you can, plant fall foliage such as mums or cabbage. These can provide gr…

I recently sat down for an interview on Facebook Live, during which I answered a few common questions about the real estate market. I wanted to share those questions and answers with you today.What type of properties are hot right now and what’s driving that demand?Right now, homes that are priced under $300,000 are pretty hot, as well as homes tha…

Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, knowing how to navigate a multiple offer situation is very important in our current market. Here’s what I had to say about this topic in a recent Facebook Live interview.In your current market, are you seeing a lot of multiple offer situations?Yes, we are seeing quite a few multiple offer situations. Right now, w…

Today I would like to talk to you about what to do if an appraisal gets cut or comes back lower than expected. In today’s market, there are more buyers looking for homes than there are properties available. Because of this, there are a lot of competing bids for homes, with many of them reaching above asking price. Unfortunately in this situation, s…

Today I want to quickly review the market from the first part of the year, January 2018 to May 2018, as well as where we are today.Back in January, we had 3,410 homes on the market with a median sales price of $172,500. Homes were selling for about 97.6% of their list price, and we had roughly 1.2 months of inventory.In February, there were 3,376 h…

Today I’d like to talk about the current value of your home. In Central Ohio, values have been changing dramatically over the last year or so. You’ve probably even looked up your home on a site like Zillow or Redfin to see what your home is worth in today’s market.However, those algorithms just give you a general estimate of your home’s value. To f…

I’ve had some great clients over the years who I’ve been able to help buy, sell, and invest in real estate. I wanted you to hear from them about what their experience working with us was like. Here are their stories:“I’ve been working with Vision Realty for the last couple of years. They sold a couple of properties for us and we were very pleased w…

Let’s talk about taxes. In particular, I’d like to talk about property taxes and property tax valuation.In 2017, the Franklin County auditor reassessed the value of all parcels.If you feel your property was overvalued, you can file a complaint.To do this, locate the 100% valuation and the 35% valuation on your property tax bill. The 35% valuation i…

Today I’d like to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart, which is how to tell if your aging parents can live on their own.One of the things you can do is to drop in and visit your parents on a regular basis. This will give you a good idea of how well they are handling their current living situation.Also, make sure that your parents…

Oftentimes, home sellers aren’t sure if the time is right when it comes to selling their house. Here are three key questions you can ask yourself that will help you make the right decision:1. Why now? Do you need the money? Is it because of current market conditions? What’s motivating you to put your home on the market? Could your reason for sellin…

If you plan on selling your home, then it needs to look its best. Here are five ways to dress your home for success:1. Curb appeal. It’s very important that buyers get a good first impression of your home. The yard needs to be manicured. In the spring and summer, make sure there are flowers in the yard. In the fall, rake the leaves. Make sure every…

The year is drawing to a close, so I’d like to thank each and every one of you for your support in 2017. I would also like to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. As we prepare for a prosperous 2018, I hope you are able to take some time to enjoy the end of the year with your loved ones. To hear my full holiday message, watch this…