Our Real Estate Blog

You know that you want to buy a house, but you also don't want to break your day-to-day budget to acquire a residence. As such, you're in the market for inexpensive housing – something that can be tough to find in any real estate sector, at any time.

Buying a house can be difficult, especially if you're operating on a tight budget. Fortunately, we're here to help you take the guesswork out of finding an inexpensive house that matches or exceeds your expectations.

Let's take a look at three tips to help you streamline your search for an affordable residence.

1. Evaluate How Long a Home Has Been Available

When it comes to finding an affordable house, it pays to check out how long a residence has been available. By doing so, you may be able to discover a bargain, even in a highly competitive real estate market.

If a home that has been available for many weeks or months, a seller may be more motivated than ever before to accept an offer that falls below his or her initial expectations. Thus, if you submit an offer below a seller's initial asking price, the seller may accept your proposal in the hopes of getting rid of his or her residence quickly.

Of course, you should always ensure that a home offer is competitive based on a house's age and condition, along with the current state of the real estate market. Because if you submit a "lowball" proposal, a seller likely will respond with an immediate "No" to your offer.

2. Look at Fixer-Uppers

A fixer-upper is unlikely to have everything that you want in your dream house. On the other hand, a fixer-upper likely is more cost-effective in comparison to a new house.

If you're on the lookout for affordable housing, you should consider fixer-uppers. These houses may require some work, but buyers who are willing to allocate the necessary time and resources to perform myriad home repairs can transform these properties into dream homes.

3. Collaborate with a Real Estate Agent

For homebuyers who want to acquire a house without spending too much, it usually helps to hire a real estate agent. In fact, by working with a real estate agent, a homebuyer can streamline the process of acquiring an affordable residence.

A real estate agent first will meet with a homebuyer and learn about his or her homebuying goals. Then, this housing market professional can tailor a home search to complement a buyer's budget.

Let's not forget about the support that a real estate agent provides throughout the homebuying journey, either. A real estate agent will set up home showings, negotiate with a seller's agent on your behalf and do whatever it takes to help you purchase an inexpensive house.

Ready to find a cost-effective house? Use the aforementioned tips, and you can accelerate the process of discovering an affordable home that you can enjoy for years to come.

As anyone up-to-speed on technology knows, social media is everywhere. And it’s a powerful tool—if used properly. You can share information in real-time and receive real-time responses and reactions. Therefore, you should be using social media to your advantage when selling your home. You’re probably wondering what social media has to do with selling a home, right? Well, let’s take a look at a couple ways where social media will not only come in handy, but might just help sell your home in real-time.

1. Post your listing

It’s very likely that your listing will be posted on many real-estate sites and even on social media. This is your opportunity to capitalize on that posting and post on your own social media channels.  Consider posting to Facebook, Twitter and even Instagram. By doing this you are increasing the views that your listing will receive and increasing the likelihood that the right buyer will see your home. And all it takes is one person to love your home for it to sell.

2. Ask your friends to share

Word of mouth goes a long way. Technology’s way of word of mouth is through sharing on social media. And if you want to maximize the amount of people who will see your listing, ask your friends to share the posting—they may even add a little note to their share, which (if positive, hopefully) will only help.

3. Give them a reason to love your home

Add a personal message when sharing your listing. Tell the story of how your daughter took her first steps in the family room or how you felt the first time you walked through the front door. Giving that personal touch will bring positive feelings of your home. It will give the potential home buyer the thoughts of all the firsts that they could experience in that home.

Of course, social media will not sell your home. You should be taking the proper steps suggested by your realtor to get it in optimal shape for selling such as making small updates, decluttering, and removing overly personal items. You should also have great photos of your home for the listing. The photos will make a world of a difference when buyers are looking online. It could make or break whether they even consider your home or attend a showing.

If selling your home is timely then social media should bean important component to your selling strategy. It’s the age of technology and every generation is on social media in some respect, especially the millennial generation. And it’s important to pay attention to the millennials as more and more will begin the home buying process. It’s essential to be where they are and for most, they’re on social media.

Is there anything more classic and charming than an old house? One aspect of older homes that make them so cozy is all the built-in shelves, drawers and other nooks and crannies that make each house one of a kind. While houses that have been more recently built usually lack these features, it doesn’t mean you can’t add them yourself.

Today I have six custom cabinetry ideas for you to create your own charming abode, even if it’s builder-grade.

When creating faux cabinetry the only limit is your imagination. Search home magazines and Pinterest boards for inspiration. Save ideas you love to a gallery on your phone or print out in one document. With inspiration in hand head out to your local home improvement store to find millwork options that match your vision.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Install floor to ceiling bookshelves with a bench tucked in between to create a cozy reading nook. Add molding and other decorative millwork to take this D.I.Y. to a true polished built-in look.

Capitalize on any empty corners by adding corner shelves or a corner cabinet. Adding beadboard before installing the shelves and finishing off with molding. There are also many corner cabinetry options on the market to choose from today. Choose one that fits the height of your room in a color that matches the molding in your home.

For cabinetry with drawers and doors add charm by replacing with reproduction brackets, knobs and pulls. Or if you love the thrill of the hunt check out your local yard sales and flea markets for vintage sets. Sites like Ebay and Etsy are another great way to find matching sets of vintage finds.

Add personality with splashes of bold color. Blues, greens, and yellows are popular hues for a pop of color while maintaining classic old home character. Paint on of your new custom pieces a charming shade to bring a room to life. Alternatively, installing cabinetry with glass front doors allows you to put bright decor on display without committing to one particular color. Add vintage books, glassware, and small paintings to shelves for smaller doses of color.

For a luxurious touch, stained glass windows look stunning in a bathroom and allow for privacy while still allowing light shine through. Adding custom sized stained glass windows to the upper portion of a wide doorway works well in homes with higher ceilings and will have guests in awe.  

When house shopping sometimes we have to make compromises when it comes to our wants to prioritize our needs. But that doesn’t have to mean you can’t have your cake and eat it too. With a little bit of creativity and a few D.I.Y. projects, you can add a dose of old home charm to any house to make a cozy, welcoming home.

For home sellers who want to accomplish the optimal results, it is important to remain open to negotiations with buyers. There are many reasons why home sellers should negotiate with buyers, and these include:

1. You can accelerate the house selling journey.

If your mission is to sell your house as quickly as possible, you should be open to negotiating with a buyer. Because if you can negotiate a home purchase agreement, you can move one step closer to concluding the house selling journey.

As you enter a negotiation with a homebuyer, it is important to keep your house selling goals in mind. At the same time, you should be willing to adjust your goals as needed. If you maintain flexibility throughout a negotiation with a homebuyer, you may be better equipped than ever before to enjoy a fast, profitable house selling experience.

2. You can reach an agreement that works well for both a seller and buyer.

If you find a buyer's initial offer to purchase your house falls short of your expectations, you can open up negotiations with this individual. Then, you and a buyer can work together to come to terms on a home sale agreement that suits both parties.

Of course, a negotiation with a buyer does not guarantee instant success. If you and a buyer cannot reach a home sale agreement, there is no need to worry. Even if negotiations with a buyer fail, you can wait for another offer to purchase your home that falls in line with your expectations.

3. You can get the best price for your house.

As a home seller, it is important to do everything you can to optimize your house sale earnings. If you negotiate with a buyer, you can increase the likelihood of getting the best price for your house.

Furthermore, home sellers should keep in mind that they have options during a negotiation with a buyer. If you are not satisfied with the progress of a negotiation, you can walk away from the negotiating table.

When it comes to negotiating a home sale, you may want to hire a real estate agent, too. A real estate agent understands the ins and outs of home sale negotiations and will do whatever it takes to help you achieve the best-possible results.

Typically, a real estate agent can handle a negotiation with a buyer on your behalf. This housing market professional will continue to provide status updates throughout a negotiation and do what it takes to streamline the house selling cycle. Plus, if you ever have concerns or questions during a home sale negotiation, a real estate agent can instantly respond to them.

Don't stress about negotiating the sale price of your home. If you are open to negotiating your house's sale price with a buyer, you may be able to speed up the home selling journey. Best of all, you could maximize the profit from your home sale.