Are You Looking for a More Fulfilling Career?

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

Today, I want to explain why I love coming into work every day, and why now is a great opportunity to join our firm. Here are just a few of the many reasons to consider working with us:

Accountability: We fine-tune our metrics. We know that our 500 to 600 inbound leads every month will ultimately convert into about $4 million to $5 million in listings and purchase transactions. This is because of the four refined ISAs we have constantly working leads.

Daily collaboration with the team: There are no closed offices here. Everyone works together and cooperates so that no one is left in the dark. It's a great team environment that will allow you to do what you do best.

Dual income opportunities: If you're a loan officer who wants to break into real estate, you can do that here. If you're a Realtor who has always wanted to make a little bit more per purchase transaction, you can do loans here too.

If you're interested in learning more, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're always looking for great talent and would love to sit down with you to see if you're the right fit for our team. We hope to hear from you soon!

What Raised Interest Rates Mean for You

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

On December 15th, the benchmark interest rate went from a range of 0-0.25% to 0.25 to 0.5%. In the last two years, the big price changes have already happened, it’s already built in. Today, we can say rates haven’t changed.

What impact has it had on the markets? As of December 17th, the stock market went up in the U.S. The rest of the world experiences this, too, because we’re coming out of a recession. The biggest economy in the world is showing confidence with unemployment at 5% and low inflation.

What does this mean for you, the consumer? Rates will go up, but only slowly. Don’t panic because it’s not urgent to refinance your loan or buy a home within the next sixty days. However, this would be a good year to do it. With a recovering economy, you can earn top dollar for your home and get a superb interest rate on your next one.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, please reach out to us! We’d be happy to serve you in 2016.

*Due to fluctuating market conditions, information is subject to change

Thank You for an Incredible Year

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

Today I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your support over the last year. We have been able to help over 100 families in 2015, and it’s all thanks to you.

While the market may slow down a little bit during the holiday season, there are still tons of buyers out in the market right now. We’ve got a motivated crowd of buyers that we’re working with and they’re looking for good homes. If you’ve been thinking about selling, this might be a great opportunity for you to sell while inventory is limited.
 
 If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. Happy Holidays!

Being a Smart Consumer During The Holidays

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

A lot of people use their credit card when they do their holiday shopping for their families. It's tempting to sign up for the store credit card when they offer a major discount, but the truth is that these cards usually max out instantly, and your score will then drop 30-40 points.

If you have to use a credit card, it's best to use multiple cards and keep each card below 30% of the balance. This will help to keep your risk low.
 
Using your equity line is another risky thing to do. Your line of equity is the same thing as a credit card that you use against your home, so you're not really getting anywhere by doing this.

I recommend taking out a small loan against your car because that won't hurt your credit. You can buy plenty of Christmas gifts with that money, and it won't hurt your credit because it's backed by collateral.

If you have any questions about buying or selling this holiday season, please don't hesitate to contact me. I look forward to speaking with you!

What's Happening with Foreclosures and Short Sales in the Rochester Area?

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

Can you still snag a deal on foreclosures and short sales? From 2008 to 2012, many of my closings were foreclosures or short sales.

More recently, only 5% to 10% of transactions include foreclosed homes. Most foreclosed properties need repairs, and many buyers don't want to deal with them. Other properties have been repaired by banks. These specific properties are priced correctly for the market, so buyers can't get as much of a deal on those properties.

Deals are still out there, but those properties may be in remote or undesirable locations. Ultimately, foreclosures and short sales are not as popular today comparatively. Most deals are gone.

If you have any questions, please give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Do You Know the Role of an Appraiser in a Home Purchase?

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

When a loan is involved, the appraiser is chosen randomly from a pool. When an appraisal is turned in, it goes through an audit process with a management company. In theory, appraisers are supposed to be unbiased.

There are two kinds of appraisals: refinance and purchase. A refinance appraisal doesn’t account for the value you want, but a purchase appraisal requires a look at the purchase agreement.

These days, in either case, an appraiser is not afraid to appraise your home short. That’s why it’s important to understand the steps an appraiser takes. Here is what an appraiser actually does:

1. Inspects the property. Take measurements and photographs of your property. 

2. Compares similar homes. An appraiser looks at similar properties to determine the value of yours.
 
3. Makes adjustments to:

• Date of sale time 
• Location
• Site
• View
• Design
• Construction quality
• Condition age
• Square footage
• And more 

When you work with my team, we have banking experience and knowledge of how the appraisal process works. Don’t find yourself in a contract that won’t appraise! We can help you save time and money.

When Is the Best Time of Year to Sell a House?

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

A lot of people have been asking me, "When is the best time of year to sell my house?" Unfortunately, that question is tough to answer, especially when the weather in our state tends to be colder. As a seller, it really depends on what you're selling.

If you live in a lake house, it may be more difficult to sell in the winter because people cannot see the lake. That particular situation is pretty obvious, but for other properties, it's not so clear.

If you're in a neighborhood and you've made a lot of updates to the interior of your home that sets you apart from other properties in the area, then you can sell at any time of the year.
 

You should also consider how many homes are on the market. In winter, there is less competition, which could be better for you. Buyers also have more competition in spring or summer, so if you buy in winter or fall, multiple offer situations are less common. Also, sellers may be more motivated in the winter. Maybe they've been relocated and have to sell their home within a certain timeframe.

The best thing for you to do is consult a real estate professional, like myself, who can help you examine the market and make the best decision for you. Give me a call or shoot me a quick email if you need help with anything real estate related. I would love to hear from you!

How Can You Maximize Your Rochester Home's Sale Price?

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

If you want to sell your home quickly and for top dollar, what's the best strategy to follow when pricing your home?

That's a great question, and I believe that I have the answer. About two weeks ago I listed a ranch-style home at $200,000, and then the neighbors (who owned a replica home) listed their property at $209,000. So we had two identical homes, but one was $9,000 more than the other.

What happened?

In less than two weeks we received multiple offers and ended up taking $204,000 for the home. The neighbor got one offer and sold for only $200,000.

The neighbor's strategy didn't work because home buyers are savvy and they know when they're getting a good deal. They can see that the home isn't really worth the extra $9,000, and they'll go on to the next one (which happened to be my listing).

The first two weeks that your home is on the market are extremely crucial to the overall sale. You want to create a buzz in the market with an attractive sale price. The best thing to do is price your home right at or right below the market value. This will open up the largest pool of buyers, and you'll have the best chance to get top dollar for your home.

If you have any questions or concerns about this issue, or if you'd like to talk about real estate in Rochester, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Should You Make an Offer on a New Listing?

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

In this market, a lot of people are wondering, "Should I put an offer on a new listing?" When people ask this, they are mostly concerned about overpaying. However, I think you absolutely can make an offer on that new listing, and there are a few simple things you can do to make sure you get a good buy.

First of all, make sure you hire a local real estate expert. My team shows homes every day here in Rochester. We know the market trends, and what homes are selling for.

Second, make an offer based on market value. We can certainly help you with this. Ignore the list price - the seller might be hoping to get higher offers. Oftentimes, I see a home sell for 5% or 10% less, and then go to pending in two days. Your agent can help you make sure that you make a good offer.

If you have any questions about today's video, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help you!

Is it Better to Have Bad Credit than No Credit?

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.

Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

If you're going to obtain mortgage financing, which is worse: no credit, or bad credit?

The short answer is that having no credit is worse. You'll have a hard time getting a credit card or a mortgage because you have no history to present to a creditor or a bank.

You have to start somewhere to build credit. You need to build installment credit with things like car loans or mortgages, and you need to pay off credit cards. Ultimately, having no credit makes it tougher to get a loan.

If you have bad credit, you can get a loan, but you will pay more on interest.The best thing to do is take care of bad credit. Pay down your cards to 25%, make your payments on time, and stay away from bankruptcy or foreclosures.

If you have a low credit score but can make mortgage payments on time, we can cut into the credit cards and get you a better credit score, which will get you a better interest rate.

If you have any questions, please give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help you!

How to Win a Bidding War on a Rochester Area Home

Want to sell your Rochester Area Home? Get a FREE home value report.
Want to buy a Rochester Area Home? Search all homes for sale.

Today we're going to talk about how to approach a bidding war if you're a buyer. Usually a bidding war starts because the home itself is a good investment. The home could also be in a good neighborhood, or near a school that everyone is trying to get into. Basically, it's a result of supply and demand.

If you find yourself in a bidding war, how can you win? The best thing to do is hire an agent who knows the pulse of the local market. They are usually connected with other agents, other agents trust them, and they know a good lending company.

Another strategy for winning a bidding war is making a cash offer, or offering a large down payment. You could also offer a few thousand over list price, and guarantee any appraisal gap coverage - meaning, if you offer $3,000 over list price and it doesn't appraise, you will pay up to $3,000 over the appraised value, not to exceed the contract price. You'd be surprised at how often that works, and the home does appraise.

Ultimately, a home is in high demand because it's a great investment. You don't want to buy a home that's been on the market for three months and there's no demand for it, because when it's your turn to sell, you might have a problem.

If you have any other questions about today's topic, or about real estate in general, please give me a call or send me an email. I'd love to hear from you.