Gone are the days of contracts being written without inspection contingencies. As the housing market continues to cool, more and more homes that were once in contract are now “back on market.” The main driver of this latest trend is the impact higher mortgage rates are having on affordability. Higher rates can add hundreds of extra dollars to a monthly loan payment. In addition to higher mortgage rates, many buyers are questioning the timing of their purchase and some are looking for any excuse to get out of the deal. Following are tips on how to avoid buyer back-outs in a cooling housing market. These practices will help eliminate surprises and keep your deal moving forward to closing. … [Read more...] about How to Avoid Buyer Back-Outs in a Cooling Housing Market
Realtor Resources
Make the Most of a Home Warranty with “Options”
If you’re an experienced real estate agent, then you are well aware of the incredible value a home warranty offers to your clients. In addition to being a great closing gift, a home warranty protects your clients. It also helps to protect you if anything goes wrong after closing. Want more reasons to "touch" clients? A home warranty provides numerous opportunities to stay front and center of your clients. This ensures you will be the first one they go to when they are ready to buy or sell again. And as we all know, repeat business and word of mouth are what separate highly successful agents from agents that barely get by. With that in mind, go one step further and make the most of a home warranty with “options.” … [Read more...] about Make the Most of a Home Warranty with “Options”
Be the Local Market Expert
As real estate agents enter an increasingly tight market, learning what it takes to be the local market expert will set you above the fray. Inventory is up, there are more real estate agents than ever, and qualified buyers are more able to pick and choose. Be the local market expert, and the buyers that are still looking and able to purchase will pick you over the rest. … [Read more...] about Be the Local Market Expert
Master the Basics of Real Estate Marketing
In the month of June 2022, just under 50 percent of home offers written by Redfin agents received competing offers. Compare this to the start of the year when January’s bidding-war rate reached 70 percent. As the market continues to shift, agents must master the basics of real estate marketing to maintain business. Following is a reminder course on what those real estate marketing basics are. … [Read more...] about Master the Basics of Real Estate Marketing
Catering to Millennial Buyers
A whopping forty-three percent of potential real estate buyers are made up of this group we call Millennials– the most of any generation. And this pool of buyers has increased from 37% as of just last year. It is estimated that Millennials represent almost 24% of the world’s population, much more than Generation X (19.5%) or Baby Boomers (17.0%). Truly, Millennials represent a force to be reckoned with. As a real estate agent, you need to understand what your Millennial buyers are looking for when it comes to the purchase of a home. Indeed, your business will depend on catering to Millennial buyers. … [Read more...] about Catering to Millennial Buyers