Wholesale Birch Ave, Glen Burnie
We have a wholesale offer you won't want to miss in Glen Burnie, MD for $116,000!
Pre-Market Fayetteville NC
We have another home we are in the process of rehabbing in Fayetteville, NC that will be available for purchase on August 1st as well!
Say hello to this adorable three bedroom, two bathroom home with an expanded great room, home office / gym, fenced in back yard, fireplace, and garage:
We'll update with more pictures as the rehab comes along!
Property Address: 1520 Palmer, Fayetteville, NC 28303
Offered at $142,500
Melbourne NC Rehab!
Check out the latest home we've been working on! This lovely three bedroom and two bathroom home has a fenced back yard, garage, and fireplace and has been getting a little TLC from us!
With some new paint on the walls and trim this place just got a lot brighter!
New floors are making their way in as well.
This fireplace makes a huge statement in this room and I am absolutely loving it!
This leads out the great deck on the back and a completely open yard.
What do you think?
This home is on pre-market sale at $84,000 and will be listed on August 1st!
If you need some reasons to move to Fayetteville, NC - check out our previous post on why it's a great place to be!
Gables is Under Contract
We are so excited to announce that Gables is Under Contract!
Congrats to the lucky family!
Home Inspiration: Open Shelving
When moving into a home, each little bit of square footage can make a difference! Something you might want to consider is open shelving.
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Having open shelves can give you that sense of extra space since your eyes aren't blocked. The extra depth can go a long way in making a room feel open and airy!
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Not only does it create storage in places that might not currently have storage but it also keeps you from hanging on to cluttered items that are so easy to hide behind doors. Starting out clutter free when you move into a new home can really make it easier to stay clutter free as you enjoy it!
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You'll also be right on trend with open shelving. Industrial and mixing vintage with modern these days are really taking off.
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Could you picture open shelving in your space?
Winning A Bidding War
These days, winning a bidding war isn't about who has more money! If you are entering a bidding war with that attitude you may just lose out before you know it. "What sellers really don't want to do is waste time," said John Walsh, Total Mortgage.
via frankbetz
Reconsidering how you bid could get you the home you've been dreaming of! Most sellers these days know if they bought at the high end of the market and are selling now, that they aren't getting back what they put in. It's mostly about the efficiency of time.
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Whether they have a new home they are waiting to move into, or are just ready to get out, time is of the essence! Not to mention time also costs money these days.
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So how do you save these sellers time? Make sure you are going into your contract with an open mind. If you can let them be the deciding factor of the move in date, and show flexibility they'll be more likely to choose you over someone with high demands even though they may have a higher bid!
via cityfarmhouse
I hope that's a helpful hint to those of you who are buying!
Enjoy The Day
Wishing everyone a wonderful July 4th!
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Becoming Mobile
Most websites these days also have a mobile site to make it easier for everyone to stay in touch. It's gotten to the point now where if you aren't mobile friendly you are behind the times! With tablets and phones taking over the internet since we are all on the go, it's those companies that have the mobile sites down to science that are succeeding in more ways then one!
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This is no exception when it comes to real estate and getting your home out there for all to see! You want to be using the marketing system to benefit you and if viewers can't see what you are offering from all sorts of media than you are at a loss!
Top 15 real estate networks by Web traffic, May 2014
| Real estate network | Total unique visitors in March | Desktop unique visitors | Mobile unique visitors |
| All real estate sites | 94.0 million | 64.3 million | 54.7 million |
| Zillow (Yahoo) real estate network | 53.8 million | 32.3 million | 30.6 million |
| Trulia (RentPath) network | 30.8 million | 17.7 million | 16.8 million |
| Move Inc. network | 23.7 million | 13.1 million | 13.4 million |
| Homes.com (ForRent.com) network | 10.6 million | 5.9 million | 5.3 million |
| Redfin | 5.9 million | 3.0 million | 3.2 million |
| MSN Real Estate | 5.4 million | 4.9 million | 0.6 million |
| Apartments.com sites | 4.9 million | 2.9 million | 2.2 million |
| Coldwell Banker Real Estate | 4.3 million | 3.0 million | 1.5 million |
| Movoto | 4.2 million | 2.4 million | 1.9 million |
| Century 21 International | 3.5 million | 2.2 million | 1.4 million |
| LoopNet sites | 2.5 million | 1.7 million | 0.9 million |
| U-Haul | 2.5 million | 1.2 million | 1.3 million |
| NCI Interactive | 2.1 million | 1.2 million | 1.0 million |
| Internet Brands Real Estate | 1.6 million | 0.9 million | 0.7 million |
| Apartment List (formerly Vertical Brands) | 1.5 million | 1.0 million | 0.5 million |
Source: comScore
The numbers don't lie! Have you considered taking your business to mobile friendly site?
Big Homes Getting Bigger
According to CNN - America's homes are getting EVEN BIGGER! With the younger crowd getting pushed out of being able to buy new homes, the record high for larger homes being sold can pretty much be accompanied by the fact that previous home owners are still upgrading.
In some places like DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia, mini mansions are still popping up all over the place!
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So if you aren't one of these previous home owners that can afford an upgrade at the moment, what are you supposed to do? Our suggestion - find that gem of a home that might not be a new build, and might need a little TLC but can still give you exactly what you are looking for.
Home Inspiration
One thing that I absolutely love about older homes is finding those built in shelves that have been a part of the homes character from the beginning! Although some might not be as stunning when you see them at first, it doesn't take much to make built in's stand out and shine!
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You'll notice most placements of built in's in older homes have amazing placement like the one above. It's a great use of what might otherwise be a wasted space.
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At first glance those built in's might not seem as amazing as they are cracked up to be, but a quick coat of paint can make an amazing difference.
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They also serve an awesome purpose as well! Although it may not seem apparent that open shelving great storage, there are great ways to store items without them being a distraction to an eye. A cute basket can be great visually and also hide away things!
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Zillow Pocket Listings
Zillow is at it again! Finding great ways to make life a little easier and a lot more fun when it comes to home searching. They have a "coming soon" feature for brokers and agents that you won't want to miss!
"Agents can manually upload their coming soon homes to Zillow while brokerages and MLSs can opt in by adding a “Coming Soon” field to their current feeds or building out a separate, new feed dedicated to coming soon listings. Agents can renew a coming soon listing for up to 30 additional days." - Paul Hagey
This is going to give Zillow the upper hand of having a look out at what's to come in the market prior to being on the MLS. I am loving this new idea and hoping it sticks around.
Florida is Hitting the Map!
With the summer sunshine out and about, people are packing up there things and heading to the beach! This year, Florida is the place to be. So much so that you might not want to just pack a suitcase, but consider packing up all your things! Realtor.com just confirmed that there are some seriously great hot spots for purchasing a home in Florida and we are loving the idea.
via bestbeaches
So to go along with the theme, here are a few reasons we think you should be keeping your eye on Tampa this year:
1. The Food Is Spectacular!
They have some of the most amazing locally owned restaurants you won't find anywhere else. Don't just limit yourself to seafood either! There's a wide variety of choices from Hawaiian fusion at Roy's to Greek at Dimitri's on the Water that will make your mouth water.
via tripadvisor
2. The Attractions:
The Lowery Park Zoo was rated in Business Journal as 2013's best Non-Profit. Parents magazine also raved about this being the place to take your children! There's a long list of things to do in Tampa as well like: Busch Gardens, Tampa Theater, Bayshore Boulevard, Steinbrenner Field, Henry B. Plant Museum, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Raymond James Stadium, Florida Aquarium, and Adventure Island to name a few.
3. The Weather
The fact that it's pretty much summer year round really makes an outdoorsy person happy! Constant sunshine, random rain showers that only last a few minutes at a time, and a great breeze off the beach - what more could you ask for?
4. Financial Freedom!
The cost of living is fairly low with a lovely no state tax! You can easily find a gorgeous home for under $250,000 and still be able to afford all those restaurants, attractions, and events happening around you.
via zillow
5. The Obvious Reason - The Beaches!
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Home Inspiration
One of the things we look for in a home is outdoor space. Having indoor square footage is almost as important as outdoor! There are times we have built a deck or added a fence onto a home to give that extra space a little updgrade and show off all it has to offer. Here's some ideas for some outdoor space that might just inspire you to enjoy a little extra square footage:
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via pinterest
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House Flipping Facts
We love what we do, but we also know there's a chance we have to take with each home we flip. It's fun to look at a home and see it's full potential and know you can give back the life it always wanted, but it does come at a cost. Is the cost worth it in the long run?
According to Housing Wire there are some great profits to be had in certain areas! Even with the market being slow and the values of homes taking a while to appreciate, if you are smart at what you are doing and staying ahead of the game, you have a shot.
RealtyTrac made a list of places that are hitting the market with great potential.
"To make the list, counties had to have at least 100 single-family homes flipped in the last 12 months (April 2013 through March 2014), see an average gross return of 30% or more on flips during that time period, have an unemployment rate below the national average of 6.7% in March, and have an increase in foreclosure activity in the first quarter of 2014 compared to a year ago." - Housing Wire
It's nice to know that we make the cut in one of the best markets to flips homes so we can continue to do what we love!
Can you afford a new home?
There's been news around the world stating that it's too hard for the Millennials to purchase a home because of debt, not having enough credit, and/or not being able to come up with the heft down payment it takes to get your foot in the door! Many of these young buyers are being squeezed out of the market by those who have what it takes to impress the banks and the sellers. Even though many people state that the Millennials enjoy renting instead of buying due to constantly being on the go and moving around often, according to a Fannie Mae survey - 90% say they'd rather own then rent!
via cooprealty
So can you afford a new home? The best place to start is by gathering up your finances. Make a spreadsheet of what goes in and what comes out. Figure out how much you are paying for rent and see if that's enough to cover your monthly payments for a home. If you're not sure how to figure out what home you can afford there are plenty of mortgage calculators online to help you out with that.
via If you feel like you can't come up with a hefty down payment, there are options! There are plenty of government programs that will get you into a home with a low down payment or no down payment cost! Do your research and come prepared when talking to a bank about a loan. Look up sites like FHA and HAMP to see what they can offer you when purchasing your new home and know that just because you are getting an FHA approved loan does not limit you to what neighborhoods or areas you can purchase in.
via loanforfha
Most Millennials debt is due to student loans which can get pretty large if you went for your masters. Don't let these debt's hold you back from owning a new home. While the Real Estate world is working on a system to make this process a little easier to get a loan without crashing the market, there are also government programs to help consolidate and loan forgiveness options to make sure you aren't paying more than what your income can handle. Although this won't take the debt away, it will help lower your payments which can give you a little more room in your monthly payments towards a new home.
via iheartorganizing
If you are one of these young buyers who is interested in purchasing a home, don't let this process scare you out of purchasing. Get organized, get informed, and be one step ahead of the banks. A new home might not be that far away!
Thanks to CNN Real Estate for information on this post!
Home Inspiration
Getting neutral colors to work for you! When we are updating a home we love to chose paint colors that a neutral to give you a great feel for what the room could be. Since color choices are often very personal, here are some great ways you can work with the neutral paint if you aren't looking to paint when you move in!
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via Making Credit Better
via trulia
With the signs of the housing market finally recovering, there are still some issues that seem to be facing home buyers that might soon be fixed! It might not be as a hard as it has been to access the credit you need to purchase a home, which has been holding back a lot of activity in the real estate world as well as other parts of the economy.
"Moody suggests that if the acceptable credit score reverted to more traditional and sustainable standards that existed prior to the housing bubble, then the pool of potential mortgage borrowers could increase by more than 12.5 million households." - CNN
via housingwire
According to CNN the FHA and FHAH took important steps to make sure responsible credit worthy homeowners were able to obtain a loan without repeating history where home buyers were given credit they shouldn't have been approved for.
This isn't going to be a short process, it's going to need a lot of work to make sure everything is done appropriately this time around, but it's looking good for those who should be able to purchase home will be actually be able to!
Dressing Up A Fireplace
When we walk into a home and see a fireplace that has been ignored, there are always so many options to consider when fixing it back up to the centerpiece it was made to be.
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Some fireplaces aren't usable anymore, and the best thing to do is make them a place to display a little of your personality into the home. Giving it a great mantle piece can really add some character and make it shine.
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Others just need a simple paint to bring it back to life! Picking a neutral color is a great idea so you can change pretty much anything around it and it still looks amazing.
via A pricey but gorgeous option is dressing it up from head to toe! Making it really stand out as the place to be in the room makes it really feel like home.
via livebeautifully
Sometimes a little stone can go a long way. Giving that that classy timeless feel can make a huge difference in the way it fits in the room.
via Tile is another great affordable option that can give a little character to the room without breaking the bank account.
Which is your favorite look?
Hardwood vs Laminate
One of the must haves on our list when we are updating a home is hardwood floors. If the home currently has hardwood floors than it's just an easy refinish, but if it doesn't then it's on our list o be put in! While most renovators would choose a laminate due to it being budget friendly, we prefer hardwood. Here's a few reason's why:
via Although laminate is cheaper and easier to install, hardwood floors are easier to repair. So if any damage were to happen afterwards, it's not the end of the world! It's a pretty easy fix and most homeowners can easily do it themselves which will save some money when it comes to labor.
via macwoods
It will last you a lifetime. Literally, hardwood floors life expectancy is up to 75 years where laminate may last you about 20. For a difference in around $3 per square foot, I think it's worth the end result to put the extra money out there and get hardwood upfront. It'll help with resale value as well.
via decorpad
They are beautiful! Even the cheaper hardwood floors are gorgeous and there are plenty of choices. You can choose between solid wood, engineered wood, unfinished, prefinished, and that doesn't even cover the types of wood.
via mydesignchic
You can hear it in the footsteps. Most laminates, even with padding, make creaking plastic noises. Older homes with hardwood floors have the possibility of noise as well but when you are walking across it, you can definitely feel and hear the difference.
Pre-Approval Importance
Today I wanted to share some tips with you I found from Zillow on why it's so important to get a pre-approval and how it's going to keep you from getting in the front door without one!
Fast paced market:
via usatoday
With everything online and so many resources available, like social media, it's not hard to get find properties anymore! You can even text a realtor on the spot and see homes within that same day! Home shopping has become a lot easier and a lot more efficient which means a home can be listed for sale, and sold within that same day before you even got a chance to notice it.
What you can afford vs. what you think you can afford:
via eldarrodo
It used to be that you planned on staying in a home for a while, but with moving around often becoming more typical these days people are less focused on long term investments and more focus on the here and now, meaning they want the lowest monthly payments as possible. Knowing all your options and what monthly amount you can afford really makes it easier to know your over-all limit on a home.
Competition can be rough:
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Now a days if you don't have a pre-approval in hand, your offer might not even be looked at! Most sellers don't want to take a chance on an offer falling through because you don't really know what you can afford, plus that's extra time after of the offer is accepted that you'll have to take to get pre-approved and get the process moving. Time means everything in the housing market and being ahead of it makes you a better buyer.