What Steps Should You Take Before Trying to Buy or Sell?

Buying a Charleston home? Get a full home search

Selling your Charleston home ? Get a free home value report

Today we've got great news for you! The market is getting hot and you've got equity in your home. We are talking about the four things you have to know before you put your house on the market and consider buying another one.

1. A professional evaluation from a Realtor.
   This is the only thing that will tell you exactly what your house will sell for. I can tell you exactly what your home will sell for in the current market and how much money you will have in your pocket when all is said and done.
2. A visit to a lender.
   Once we know how much your home is worth, we can take that information to one of our lending partners to talk about how much you can afford to spend on a new home by looking at the numbers from your sale.
3. Do a market analysis.
   This will help you find the perfect home. It's your chance to get acquainted to the available inventory out there. There may be 2 homes, there may be 20, we will help you find the perfect one regardless.
4. An implementation plan.
   When we get ready to sell your home and purchase a new one, we will have a plan A and a plan B. We will walk you through every step of the process so you can sell your home and buy a new one in comfort, and you don't get stuck owning two homes, or none at all.

If you have any questions for us about buying or selling in Charleston, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Beware of Zillow's Charleston Home Estimates

Buying a Charleston home? Get a full home search

Selling your Charleston home ? Get a free home value report

We recently did a case study about Zillow, and we found that Zillow underpriced homes that we had sold by an average $9,000. That's a ton of money to leave on the table!

It's been estimated that Zillow's home estimates are only right 7% of the time. That means that they are wrong 93% of the time! That is a terrible success rate.

Remember, Zillow can't take features or upgrades on your property and compare them to other recently closed homes in your area, even though doing so gives you a more updated value on your property. Zillow doesn't walk through your home, and that's where my team can come in and place an accurate value on your home.

Ultimately, if you want the most accurate price for your home, make an appointment with a real estate professional. We will go over your home and the local market data in order to give you the most accurate home value. You can also use our free home evaluation!

If you have any questions, or if you're interested in a home valuation, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

What Do Interest Rate Increases Mean for You?

Buying a Charleston home? Get a full home search

Selling your Charleston home ? Get a free home value report

Today we're talking about what the recent rise in interest rates means for you as a home buyer or home seller. 

The Fed has recently raised interest rates, and while they are still at an all-time low, we are starting to get concerned with future affordability. An interest rate rise of 1% cuts affordability by approximately 10%.

That means if you were looking to buy a $200,000 home, a 1% increase in rates would mean you could only afford a home that cost $180,000. When you are able to get ahead and start shopping while rates are as low as they are now, you've got to be ready to begin the process right away.

As a seller, this means that there are less potential people that may be able to afford your price range, the longer you wait until selling.

If you're interested in learning more details about how this may affect you, reply to this email or give us a call. We would be happy to give you a free consultation.