As a homeowner, you shouldn't ignore curb appeal.

Keep it in great condition, and you’ll likely see high property values and serious marketability when it comes time to sell. Let it slide, and the opposite could happen. 

Even if you’re not planning to sell anytime soon, refreshing your home’s exterior can add value or give you a head start if you choose to sell later.

It just takes a little effort and a touch of creativity.

Here are four ways to up your curb appeal:

Plant a garden.
A pop of color goes a long way, so plant a few flowers or a flowering bush in front of your home. Opt for perennials, which can last more than two years.

Upgrade your mailbox.
Forget the standard old mailbox that came with the house. Try a brick model — or revamp your existing one with a fresh coat of paint or a new post.

Make your front porch more inviting.
If you’re looking for an easy project with a big impact, add some charm to your porch. Get some potted or hanging plants, a brand-new welcome mat and a couple of cozy chairs.

Freshen up your door.
Give it a new coat of paint, add some new fixtures and a kickplate, and maybe update your address numbers, too. They might seem like small fixes, but they can make a big difference in your home’s overall appearance.

Curb appeal matters — especially if you’re considering selling your home soon.
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Looking for more tips on boosting the value of your home? Get in touch today.

With much of the country mostly staying home, it's not your typical spring homebuying season. 
You might think social distancing has made it difficult to meet with lenders, view properties and sign paperwork, but fortunately that's not the case. 

In fact, prospective buyers and sellers continue to move forward with their housing needs and doing so with safety in mind.

While the process may look a little different, modern technology is making it possible and, in some ways, more convenient.

So how does it work?
​

• Virtual Open Houses and Showings: Facebook Live, FaceTime and Zoom are all being used to show properties. And many listings include a prerecorded tour of the home.
  
  
• 3D Floor Plans and Interactive Walk-Throughs: Online tools make it easy to create interactive 3D walk-throughs and even allow for decor and furniture placement to give buyers a more lifelike feel of the space.
  
  
• Electronic Signatures and Deed Filings: E-signing technology means there’s no need to meet in person to sign offers, contracts or any other paperwork needed in the process. 
  
  
• Desktop and Drive-By Appraisals: If sellers are hesitant to have an appraiser visit their property in person, desktop and drive-by appraisals are a good alternative. These use city data, prior appraisals and comparable sales information to assess a home’s value. Homeowners can video chat with the appraiser to show them the interior and exterior elements of the property.

The way we buy and sell homes may have changed for now, but it’s still an active and essential market. If you have any questions about making a move, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

​It’s easy to focus on what you can’t do while you’re stuck at home these days. But here’s something you can do: Show thanks to the essential workers in your life. 

Health care professionals, grocery store employees, first responders, mail carriers and many others are still going to work every day. They’re risking their health to help our community.

We might not be able to spend time together in person, but we can still be there for our friends and neighbors.

So how can you show your appreciation? Consider sending one of these gifts.
​

• Gift Cards: Essential workers might not have as much time to cook for themselves, so give them gift cards to local restaurants or food delivery services.
  
  
• Entertainment: They could probably use an escape now more than ever. Help them take a mental break with a streaming subscription, a book or a preloaded e-reader.
  
  
• Home Essentials: Your favorite frontline workers are also braving the grocery store for the basics. Gift them a healthy stash of hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and other must-haves to save them a trip.
  
  
• Self-Care Items: Everyone deserves a few minutes to relax each day, no matter how busy work might be. Help local essential workers take a load off with soothing soaps, lotions and bath bombs.
  
  
• Thank-You Note: Sometimes the best gifts are the simple ones. You can leave a handwritten thank-you card, send a friendly text message or write a thoughtful email.

Remember: We’re all in this together, and supporting each other is important during these uncertain times. For more ideas on celebrating the amazing people in our community, get in touch today.

​The Office of Inspector General is alerting the public about potential fraud schemes related to economic stimulus programs offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19). Fraudsters have already begun targeting small business owners. Be on the lookout for grant fraud, loan fraud, and phishing.

​Grants:
SBA does not initiate contact on either 7a or Disaster loans or grants. If you are proactively contacted by someone claiming to be from the SBA, suspect fraud.

Loans:

• If you are contacted by someone promising to get approval of an SBA loan, but requires any payment up front or offers a high interest bridge loan in the interim, suspect fraud.
  
• SBA limits the fees a broker can charge a borrower to 3% for loans $50,000 or less and 2% for loans $50,000 to $1,000,000 with an additional ¼% on amounts over $1,000,000. Any attempt to charge more than these fees is inappropriate.
  
• If you have a question about getting an SBA disaster loan, call 800-659-2955 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
  
• If you have questions about other SBA lending products, call SBA’s Answer Desk at 800-827- 5722 or send an email to answerdesk@sba.gov.
  

Phishing:

• Look out for phishing attacks/scams utilizing the SBA logo. These may be attempts to obtain your personally identifiable information (PII), to obtain personal banking access, or to install ransomware/malware on your computer.
  
• If you are in the process of applying for an SBA loan and receive email correspondence asking for PII, ensure that the referenced application number is consistent with the actual application number.
  
• Any email communication from SBA will come from accounts ending with sba.gov.
  
• The presence of an SBA logo on a webpage does not guaranty the information is accurate or endorsed by SBA. Please cross-reference any information you receive with information available at www.sba.gov.

Report any suspected fraud to OIG’s Hotline at 800-767-0385 or online at: https://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/oversight-advocacy/office-inspector-general/office-inspectorgeneral-hotline

But tracking the possible spread of COVID-19 will require resources, sensitivity and an openness to new ideas and technology.

By Civil Beat Editorial Board  / April 25, 2020

Imagine this: A person with COVID-19 attends a party. If patient zero infects three other people, it could — because it is more contagious than seasonal flu — lead to 12 cases total.

“If that scenario plays out just 10 times, the first case will have led to more than 59,000,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) wrote in a proposal released Wednesday.

The lawmakers, worried about the lack of a coordinated national effort on contact tracing, are proposing a “coronavirus containment corps” to assist state and local health departments with tracing potential coronavirus victims.
​
As NBC News reports, Warren and Levin represent states that have among the highest number of cases. Warren, the former presidential candidate, lost her oldest brother to the disease on Tuesday.

With much of the country mostly staying home, it's not your typical spring homebuying season. 

You might think social distancing has made it difficult to meet with lenders, view properties and sign paperwork, but fortunately that's not the case. 

In fact, prospective buyers and sellers continue to move forward with their housing needs and doing so with safety in mind.

While the process may look a little different, modern technology is making it possible and, in some ways, more convenient.
​
So how does it work?

• Virtual Open Houses and Showings: Facebook Live, FaceTime and Zoom are all being used to show properties. And many listings include a prerecorded tour of the home.
  
  
• 3D Floor Plans and Interactive Walk-Throughs: Online tools make it easy to create interactive 3D walk-throughs and even allow for decor and furniture placement to give buyers a more lifelike feel of the space.
  
  
• Electronic Signatures and Deed Filings: E-signing technology means there’s no need to meet in person to sign offers, contracts or any other paperwork needed in the process. 
  
  
• Desktop and Drive-By Appraisals: If sellers are hesitant to have an appraiser visit their property in person, desktop and drive-by appraisals are a good alternative. These use city data, prior appraisals and comparable sales information to assess a home’s value. Homeowners can video chat with the appraiser to show them the interior and exterior elements of the property.

The way we buy and sell homes may have changed for now, but it’s still an active and essential market. If you have any questions about making a move, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Are you wondering how to avoid getting into a fast and furious bidding war once you find your dream home? Even if you can afford to pay more, it’s not always the best move.

Money is one thing that turns sellers’ heads, but it's far from the only incentive when you’re competing with other buyers. So why raise the ante with more money?

If you want to offer your seller something they can't refuse, try offering a flexible closing date.

Why is the closing date important?

On closing day, the home’s sales documents are signed and ownership changes hands. In most cases, that’s about 30 to 60 days from when your offer is accepted.
 
But what if that doesn’t work with the seller’s timeline?
 
How can a flexible closing help you?

Some sellers need to get out fast. They could be relocating and need to move immediately. Maybe they already bought a new home. By offering a fast closing, you can help them to avoid paying two mortgages.

Other sellers need more time. Maybe they're building their dream home and hit an unexpected construction delay. Your flexibility with a delayed possession date offers them the security of having their new home lined up before they have to move.

How else can we sweeten the deal?

Let’s say the best bid you can make is a bit lower than the listing price. Offering a seller rent-back might encourage them to choose your offer over others that are less accommodating. This lets the seller rent the space from you for a set amount of time until they’re ready to move.

To make a flexible closing date work for you, remember to go on a month-to-month lease or have alternative housing options ready. 
When you’re ready to make an offer on a home, keep in mind that understanding what motivates the seller is how we’ll get your offer accepted.

Ready to start your search? Reach out today.

Are you wondering how to avoid getting into a fast and furious bidding war once you find your dream home? Even if you can afford to pay more, it’s not always the best move. 

Money is one thing that turns sellers’ heads, but it's far from the only incentive when you’re competing with other buyers. So why raise the ante with more money? 

If you want to offer your seller something they can't refuse, try offering a flexible closing date.

Why is the closing date important?
On closing day, the home’s sales documents are signed and ownership changes hands. In most cases, that’s about 30 to 60 days from when your offer is accepted. 

But what if that doesn’t work with the seller’s timeline? 

How can a flexible closing help you? 
Some sellers need to get out fast. They could be relocating and need to move immediately. Maybe they already bought a new home. By offering a fast closing, you can help them to avoid paying two mortgages. 

Other sellers need more time. Maybe they're building their dream home and hit an unexpected construction delay. Your flexibility with a delayed possession date offers them the security of having their new home lined up before they have to move. 

How else can we sweeten the deal?
Let’s say the best bid you can make is a bit lower than the listing price. Offering a seller rent-back might encourage them to choose your offer over others that are less accommodating. This lets the seller rent the space from you for a set amount of time until they’re ready to move.

To make a flexible closing date work for you, remember to go on a month-to-month lease or have alternative housing options ready. 

When you’re ready to make an offer on a home, keep in mind that understanding what motivates the seller is how we’ll get your offer accepted. 

Ready to start your search? Reach out today.

Like many homeowners, you might be hoping to capitalize on the hot summer homebuying season to sell your house for a pretty penny. Who knows, maybe you’ll even make enough for the beach house you’ve been eyeing or for a long summer getaway.

But first, you’ll need to get your home ready to sell. And getting a home inspection may be one of the best ways to do that.
​
Inspections can shed light on potential issues and help you make necessary repairs before listing your home. It might even help you fetch a higher asking price if the inspection shows that your home is in better condition than others in the area. 

All in all, an inspection can:

1. Alert You to Issues Before Going Under Contract
A home inspection can highlight issues that might concern potential buyers. 

Pro tip: You should fix any issues that pose a safety hazard. And your inspection report can serve as a repair guide before listing.

2. Gauge Your Pricing Expectations
Inspections help you get a handle on what condition your home is in and what price it might fetch. 

Pro tip: A clean inspection report, or proof of recent repairs, can help buyers feel more confident in making an offer.

3. Prevent Closing Delays
If issues crop up during the buyer’s inspection, it could delay closing due to repairs or prolonged negotiations. The buyer could even pull their offer altogether.

Pro tip: Fixing issues before listing the home can improve the outcome of your buyer’s inspection. And that could mean less negotiation on the whole.

Keep in mind that inspections come with an upfront fee, and you’ll be legally required to disclose any issues the inspector finds. However, we can discuss the inspection report to see how repairs could affect your home’s market value. 
​
Are you considering selling your home this year? Want to know what it’s worth or what you can expect in today’s market? Reach out today for a free local market report and see how your house measures up.