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Showing posts from January, 2021

February 2021Calendar

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What’s the Difference between an Appraisal and a Home Inspection?

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  If you’re planning to buy a home, an  appraisal  is an important  step  in the process. It’s a professional evaluation of the market value of the home you’d like to buy. In most cases, an appraisal is ordered by the lender to confirm or verify the value of the home prior to lending a buyer money for the purchase. It’s also a different step in the process from a  home inspection , which assesses the condition of the home before you finalize the transaction. Here’s the breakdown of each one and why they’re both important when buying a home. Home Appraisal The  National Association of Realtors  (NAR)  explains : “A home purchase is typically the largest investment someone will make. Protect yourself by getting your investment appraised!  An appraiser will observe the property, analyze the data, and report their findings to their client. For the typical home purchase transaction, the lender usually orders the appraisal to assist in the lender’s decision to provide funds for a mortgage.”

Why Moving May Be Just the Boost You Need

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  As we look back over the past year, we’ve certainly lived through one of the most stressful periods in recent history. After spending so much more time at home throughout the health crisis, some are wondering if they should move to improve their mental health and well-being. This is no surprise since the  U.S. Census Bureau  reported an increase in the percentage of adults with symptoms of anxiety and depression in a recent  Household Pulse Survey . There’s logic behind the idea that making a move could improve someone’s quality of life. When people change their scenery, they often feel happier. Catherine Hartley, an  Assistant Professor  at  New York University’s Department of Psychology  and co-author of a  study  on how new experiences impact happiness, mentioned: “Our results suggest that people feel happier when they have more variety in their daily routines—when they go to novel places and have a wider array of experiences.” If you’re looking for a new experience, planning a mo

What Experts Are Saying about the 2021 Job Market

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  Earlier this month, the  Bureau of Labor Statistics  (BLS) released their most recent  Jobs Report . The report revealed that the economy lost 140,000 jobs in December. That’s a devastating number and dramatically impacts those households that lost a source of income. However, we need to give it some context. Greg Ip,  Chief Economics Commentator  at the  Wall Street Journal  (WSJ),  explains : “The economy is probably not slipping back into recession. The drop was induced by new restrictions on activity as the pandemic raged out of control. Leisure and hospitality, which includes restaurants, hotels, and amusement parks,  tumbled 498,000 .” In the same report, Michael Pearce,  Senior U.S. Economist  of  Capital Economics,  agreed: “The 140,000 drop in non-farm payrolls was entirely due to a massive plunge in leisure and hospitality employment, as bars and restaurants across the country have been forced to close in response to the surge in coronavirus infections. With employment in m

6 MARKETING TIPS FOR NEW REAL ESTATE AGENTS

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  6 MARKETING TIPS FOR NEW REAL ESTATE AGENTS So, you just became a real estate agent. Congratulations! You now have one of the most exciting and important jobs in the country. The beauty of real estate is there is no ceiling to your salary or success. Your potential lies 100% in how hard you work. The downside is it requires the persistence of an entrepreneur to make an impact in today’s competitive market. Not only do you need to know the profession and the process, you need to have a marketing strategy that gets you in front of potential clients. The good news is…it’s not as difficult as it sounds. Whether you’re a new agent or experienced veteran, here are some great tips for building or expanding your real estate marketing strategy. Stay Up to Date on the Market If we learned one thing from 2020, it’s that if you’re going to be an agent your clients trust, you have to stay on top of the latest real estate news. Many of the questions home buyers and sellers ask depends on you knowi