You may have heard the good news making its way around the local and national media these days; the real estate market health is improving. In some areas, it’s not only improving but also exploding! As agents right here in the Central Susquehanna Valley we can attest to this. Our area is seeing a continuing trend that began about 6 to 8 months ago of a steady increase in buyer traffic, reducing number of days on market, and higher…

I am often asked by people interested in getting into Real Estate “What does it take to become an agent?” The first thing you need to do is take and pass two pre-licensing courses. Once you complete those courses you must pass the state issued exam. Once you pass the exam you are licensed and ready to practice real estate. This is the point where most agents will begin to fail.

They fail because the courses do not teach you…

2013 brought some major changes to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). FHA does not offer loans, but rather they insure qualified lenders against losses if borrowers (single family homes or multifamily homes) default. It is the largest insurer of mortgages in the world, insuring over 34 million properties since its inception in 1934. The system is relatively simple: Since its creation in the early 1930s, it has collected fees from borrowers to pay lenders for loans that go awry.

The…

If you’re on the fence about listing your home, you’ll be pleased to discover that in Central PA, we’re currently experiencing a low inventory of homes and increased buyer traffic. In fact, many homes in our region are receiving multiple offers in a short amount of time. The time to act by listing your home is now.

The same is true across the country.

The raw number of homes for sale is now at its lowest level in over 13 years,…

After months of endless open houses, property walk-throughs and online searching, you’ve found a home that meets your needs and is within your budget. The search has resulted in a home that you can picture your family enjoying for many years.

You’ve had an inspection done and are at ease with the results.

The seller and their agent have accepted your offer and the bank approved your home loan.

You’ve settled on a closing date and a move-in date.

At long last, you’re…

Spring is quickly approaching and many of us are getting the “spring cleaning bug”. If you’re thinking about listing your home, make sprucing up your home a priority this season. It’s true that we all have too much stuff, so keep this rule in mind: If you haven’t used it in a year, it’s probably time to either move it to storage (so the new potential buyers don’t have to see it) or donate it to a family who…

It’s spring cleaning time! Whether you’ve lived in your home for 1 year, 10 years, or 20+ years, there is always room to touch up, clean up, and minimize clutter.

Let’s go room by room and share a few spring cleaning tips:

1. Kitchen – Wipe down the cabinets, drawer pulls and appliances. Clean off fingerprints and oily smudges on doors, but don’t use anything too abrasive or you could damage the finish of stainless steel. Clean out the fridge and…

Now that we’ve turned the clocks forward, spring is definitely in sight. If you’re getting ready to list your home, this is the time to tackle those small outdoor projects that make a big impact on potential buyers. Fortunately, you don’t need to invest huge amounts of time or money to make a difference.

It can be hard to know where to start, but from our experience, we suggest concentrating on the following three areas: landscaping, the entryway, and outdoor…

According to the Daily Real Estate News, the best time to list a property is the month of April. And the best day to sell is Friday. Homes listed on a Friday sell for 99.1 % of their original asking price. Learn more by reading this informative article.

While there isn’t a magic formula to pricing a home, sellers can save themselves a lot of frustration and disappointment by doing some homework about their home and their neighborhood before putting their home on the market.

It’s also important to manage your expectations – while there are things about your home that you may love for their quirkiness or because you spent an entire summer on a pet project, those things may not appeal to every buyer.

As always and…