Our Room by Room Review Can Tap Into Any Home's Potential

These tips will keep money in your pocket, just watch this short video! Save thousands by using this one strategy, Room by Room Review. Give your home the opportunity to work for you! Go to www.FreeRoomByRoom.com. 

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search 

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Call me at (215) 576-8666 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

It’s almost the end of the year, and many of you may be thinking about the possibility of selling your home in 2018. 

So, what can you do right now to prepare? What I recommend is to get a room-by-room review. Doing this will help you to have a quick, lucrative, and stress-free transaction. 

A room-by-room review is a free 30-minute appointment where we send out a listing specialist to evaluate your home’s current saleability. The agent will be able to give you tips on staging, paint colors, and decluttering. 

This review is like having a real estate doctor make a house call for your home. Some home seller seminar graduates aren’t aware of how important it is to take advantage of this opportunity months or even years ahead of when they plan to sell. 

Some people may think their home isn’t ready for this sort of room-by-room review, but the point is that it doesn’t have to be. This review can help sellers put together a plan of action. The agent who assists you will look past any clutter to let you know where you should begin, and how to concentrate your efforts moving forward.

Give your home a chance to shine and get top dollar by scheduling your free room-by-room review. We’ve been doing this service for years, and we have tons of testimonials from seller seminar graduates who were able to sell within 26 days or less. 

“

Give your home a chance to shine and get top dollar by scheduling your free room-by-room review.

”

Pat Ingram is one of these happy sellers. She initially didn’t quite agree with some of my ideas, but once she implemented them she was able to sell in just three days.

To see just how well this service can work for you, go to www.FreeRoomByRoom.com to schedule an appointment.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email.

This Market Report Is Hot off the Press

This market report is hot off the press! Learn about what the increase in homeowners recently means for buyers and sellers.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search 

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Call me at (215) 576-8666 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

I am back with the September edition of the hot-off-the-press market report!

Summer’s over and homes are still flying off the market. More and more people are jumping into homeownership. Market Watch quotes consumer confidence rose in July to the second-highest level in 16 years.

Americans shrugged off all the drama of President Trump’s Washington, and took heart in the best labor market in a decade. Homeownership rates in the US actually went up 63.7%—the highest rate in three years.

The bottom line is that the economy is strong and improving. Interest rates remain low, and employment is high. When combined with the coming demographic shift as more millennials enter the prime household creating years, this suggests that the housing market is on a steady course for the foreseeable future.

As a matter of fact, people were surveyed with this question: “What would be the best way to invest your money—money that you wouldn’t need for 10 years or so?” Sure enough, real estate was the No. 1 answer.

Another reason why more and more people are becoming homeowners is wealth. According to state representative Loretta Sanchez, homeownership is the first rung on the ladder of wealth creation in our nation. The average worth of a family that owns a home is $225,000, while that of one who is renting is only $5,000. This means that the net worth of a homeowner is 45 times more than a renter.

“

This means that the net worth of a homeowner is 45 times more than a renter.

”

Of course, because more people are becoming homeowners, the supply of homes continues to be very low. This makes the current market an even better time to sell. That’s why my coming-soon listing program is so vital in this new market.

Check out these next stats:

• Homeowners who sold in the second quarter realized an average price gain of $51,000 since the purchase—the highest average price gain for home sellers since 2007.
• This represented an average return of 26% on the previous purchase price of the home.
• Homeowners who sold in the second quarter of 2017 had owned an average of 8.05 years.

Additionally, mortgage rates are projected to go up by next year, which could cause some buyers not to be interested in moving anymore. Waiting will cost more in price and interest rate for the buyer, making your home less affordable for buyers, and possibly lowering the value of your home.

These next statistics always make me chuckle. The difference between what a homeowner believes their house is worth and what the appraiser thinks its worth is just short of a 2% difference. When selling, I run the home through my pinpoint pricing analysis to make sure that we get the price that the home will appraise for, and save thousands for my clients.

If you’re thinking of selling in the next three months or three years, come to one of my home selling seminars—the next one is January 20th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fort Washington. It’s a great way to get information and tips on how to sell your home, and I’ll give you my eight secret strategies guaranteed to save you thousands on buying a home. Visit HomeSharkSeminar.com or give us a call.

Unlock Your Success With 3 Tips for Getting Top Dollar

Today I’ve got three great tips on getting top dollar for your home. But if you want to hear my full advice, join me at my upcoming seller’s seminar.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search 

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Call me at (215) 576-8666 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

Today I want to go over the three things you need to do to get top dollar for your home. Low inventory means that homes are selling quickly and sellers have the advantage, but why not aim for getting even more money in your pocket?

When you’re thinking of selling one, two, or even three years from now, there are three things you can do to ensure your success down the line. 

1. Start way earlier than you think. Consider Noah when he was building the arc. When he was building the boat and gathering the animals, he did so well in advance. This is exactly the mindset you need to apply to selling your home. Come to one of my home seller seminars, where we’ll teach you eight secret strategies to getting you top dollar. This will guarantee you a quick sale and more money in your pocket. People who come to our seminars are getting their homes off the market in just seven days and for at or above list price. 
2. Crush the competition. Imagine a sports game where the final score ended up being something like 101 to three. This would make for an amazing win and an amazing story, and that’s exactly what you should aim for in your transaction. Having a competitive mentality will help put you far ahead of the competition. There are other homes out there that want to sell too; you need to make sure that your home is better than the rest. 
3. Have buyers lined up outside of your door. This is something that happens at every one of our open houses. If you follow these first two steps, this is going to be the result. If you have this vision and follow through, it can come true for you too. 

“

Having a competitive mentality will help put you far ahead of the competition.

”

You can learn all of these things at my upcoming Home Selling Sharks Seminar on October 7th at the Hilton Garden Inn. Free breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the seminar will start at 9:30 a.m. There will also be a meet and greet with various speakers during the breakfast. 

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What's Going On in Our Local Market?

What is going on in our local market? Today, I’m bringing you an update of the latest numbers for the suburbs of Philadelphia. 

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search 

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Call me at (215) 576-8666 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

While today’s market may have cooled off slightly from previous years, demand is absolutely hot. 

As someone who has been in real estate for 25 years, I can say that I’ve never seen an August with demand quite like what we’re seeing right now. Buyer demand is far outpacing our supply.

“

I’ve never seen an August with such high demand.

”

Financing is still available, which is great news. Even though prices continue to rise, homes are actually becoming more affordable.

Contrary to what many people tend to believe, renting can actually be much more expensive than buying. For example, the percentage of income needed to afford median rent is now 29.2%. The percentage of income needed to buy a median home is actually much lower—just 15.8%. 

As more and more renters become buyers, demand continues to rise. The share of home shoppers who are renters has gone up from 45% in the first quarter of 2015 to 55% in the first quarter of this year.

Now is a great time to buy. This is especially the case since Freddie Mac is projecting that mortgage rates will increase. 

Additionally, high demand and rising home values mean that there are also a lot of opportunities for sellers in today’s market. Homes are selling very quickly. I’ve personally helped many sellers to obtain top dollar by using two of my websites: www.ComingSoonListings.com and www.PreHouseInspection.com. 

Many owners are finding that they are able to get more than they expected from their home. The more equity you have, the better position you’ll be in when it comes time for you to make your move. 

Whether you’re thinking of selling now or later, we hope you’ll join us at our Home Selling Sharks Seminar on October 7th, 2017 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. and the seminar will begin an hour later at 9:30 a.m. For more information on that, you can visit www.homesharkseminar.com. 

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Prices to RISE in 2018 - GET PREPARED!

Using this one strategy, sellers can feel confident that they are getting the most money in the least amount of time.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search 

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Call me at (215) 576-8666 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

When it comes to selling a property, it is never too early to get a jump start on the process. Today, we want to let you in on a secret that can save you thousands: a pre-marketing home inspection. 

We teach future home sellers each month at our seminar how to sell for up to 18% more. One of the ways to do this is by fighting off the “staging shark.” Real estate is a new world these days, and it’s a world where differentiating your home from the others is essential. 

I’ve taught over 1,000 home sellers so far, and from doing so I’ve learned that most sellers want three key things. They want to sell for the most money, in the least amount of time, and they want to sell hassle free.

Having a pre-marketing home inspection takes care of all three of these points. When you get your home inspection taken care of prior to listing, you’re saving yourself a lot of money. If you discover anything in your property that needs a repair, you can choose from Cardano’s List—a compilation of business contractors my team and I trust to meet your needs. 

When you have your inspection done in advance, you can have repairs done at your own pace and with your own preferred contractors instead of ones chosen by the buyer. 

Additionally, buyers love being able to read home inspection reports as well as any receipts from the repairs you’ve made. This makes buyers more comfortable and will let them make you a clean offer at top dollar. In fact, a recent statistic says that 100% of home buyers feel more comfortable buying a pre-inspected home.

“

100% of home buyers feel more comfortable buying a pre-inspected home.

”

A pre-home inspection also saves you time, since most buyers won’t feel the need to perform another after seeing your report. This eliminates the 14 to 21-day contingency period, and offers tend to be submitted in just days. 

This strategy means home sellers don’t need to worry about a buyer backing out because of a home inspection. All cards are on the table. Sellers will be able to put their market on the home feeling confident that they’ve already taken care of all repairs. 

So make sure that when you’re listing your home, you choose an expert advisor who utilizes this strategy.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What Do Rising Home Prices Mean for You?

Home prices are continuing to rise. What does that mean for you?

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search 

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Call me at (215) 576-8666 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

Today I’ve got the July edition of the Hot Off The Press Market Report. It’s real juicy this month, and we’re going to focus on pricing because prices continue to be an issue.

Prices are continuing to rise, and we’re going to see more and more headlines about prices as we move through the rest of the summer. However, they’re going to be talking more about the challenges of these rising prices. 

Right now, interest rates are said to be rising, so buyers are a little nervous. This is not just the first-time homebuyer that’s nervous, but the trade-up seller that’s also being affected. Prices are higher than they were during the housing boom in 2006. 

Some people are saying that this is evidence of the housing market heading for another crash. That is not the case. When you compare the current price increases with what normal appreciation would have looked like if there wasn’t a bust in 2008, then we’re right on track with current prices. 

Home values are where they should be, and now is the time to sell. In the last 12 months, prices have gone up 6% nationally and, in most markets, the level of appreciation is actually accelerating.

“

Home values are where they should be, and now is the time to sell.

”

There will be a surge in prices in this fall market, so get me to your home right now so we can get your home ready to sell by the time fall comes. 

We offer a free room-by-room consultation online at FreeRoomByRoom.com, and if you’re thinking of selling in 2018, come to our next Home Selling Sharks Seminar. Our next seminar is October 14, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fort Washington, PA.

If you have any other questions or you’re looking to buy or sell your home, give us a call. We’d be happy to help!

Home Values Up in 2nd Quarter 2017

Our spring season was crazy—but why? Homeowners are realizing the tax advantages of owning a home.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search 

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Call me at (215) 576-8666 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

Thank you for joining me for another Hot Off the Press market report. We had an incredible spring, where 90% of the metro areas are boasting year-over-year gains. Why is this happening?

Buyers are starting to realize the tax advantages of homeownership right now. I looked at the four major tax advantages of home ownership, according to the Tax Policy Center’s Briefing Book.

1. Mortgage Interest Deduction. “Homeowners who itemize deductions may reduce their taxable income by deducting any interest paid on a home mortgage.”
2. Property Tax Deduction. “Homeowners who itemize deductions may also reduce their taxable income by deducting property taxes they pay on their homes.”
3. Imputed Rent. “The return on homeownership is excluded from taxable income.”
4. Profits from home sales. “Homeowners may exclude from taxable income up to $250,000 of capital gains on the sale of their home.”

Americans still think that real estate is the American Dream. 34% believe that real estate is the best long-term investment. 

Why are prices going up? It is generally a result of supply and demand. As a nation, we are at 3.8 months of inventory. That’s nothing! That’s what’s driving prices up, but not in every price range. 

Right now, we have way less than six months inventory for first-time buyer homes, so we have a seller’s market. A little more inventory for move-up homes will bring it closer to a neutral market. In the premium market, we’re in a buyer’s market because we have more than seven months of inventory and in our area, more than nine months of inventory.

“

Inventory is historically low compared to the last six years.

”

June is our “Celebrate National Homeownership Month.” Homebuyers want more privacy, a place for their family to grow, some stability, control over their future, and putting their hard-earned money to work for them. 

Homeowners: if you have any thoughts about moving, you need to get started now. There’s not a lot of inventory on the market. In the next few weeks, we’ll talk about some great tips for homeownership.

If you have any questions or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, give me a call. I’d be happy to help!

Why You Should Avoid the Traditional Real Estate Process

The traditional real estate process is no longer a method that works for sellers, and I’ll tell you why.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search 

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Call me at (215) 576-8666 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

The traditional real estate process is lengthy and confusing for sellers. The first step that agents usually take is the listing interview, where they may be afraid of giving staging suggestions to the owner of the property for fear of insulting the owner. They’ll suggest a starting price and put the house on the market immediately without taking the time to adequately stage the home.

The seller will sign a long-term listing contract with no “easy out guarantee” in case they aren’t satisfied, and after a month on the market they’ll put the price reduced sign out on the front lawn. Does that sound like a successful process to you?

The average traditional Realtor lists one to two homes a year. They might not own a digital camera. The photos on the MLS may not be updated as the seasons change. They don’t do premarketing or a pre-inspection on the home, and one broker monitors hundreds of agent’s listings in those large corporate real estate offices you think of. There are no systems for monthly marketing meetings, either.

There are so many unstaged homes with ineffective pictures online that a well-staged home will stand out from the competition and be noticed. Something as simple as updating photos to match the current season will make a world of difference to potential buyers.

“

There are so many unstaged homes with ineffective pictures online that a well-staged home will stand out from the competition and be noticed.

”

In my next video, I’ll take you through the four steps in what I like to call the new world of real estate. These steps will help you list your home for the price you want and sell it quickly.

If you have any questions about real estate or you would like to know more on this topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help.