The idea of selling a home without ever listing it can be appealing to many. Similarly, ringing the doorbell on the “perfect home” and finding an owner willing to sell can put a broad smile on a buyer’s face.
The risks, however, routinely make buying and selling “pocket listings” dangerous to a person’s financial well-being — particularly for sellers.
If you’re entering into the real estate market for the first time, you’ll hear the old adage: location, location, location. That’s three of the key factors… I’m kidding but, location is, indeed, a very important concern.
However, many buyers think location is most important because of the surrounding area. So, if the neighborhood is nice, with parks, good schools, retail stores nearby, and somewhat close to freeways, it’s a good location. But what also makes it a good location is how close it is to your work.
Falling in love can be wonderful—and finding the perfect house can make a house-hunter weak in the knees.
A survey by Realtor.com shows that falling head-over-heels for a house is fairly common—69% of respondents reported that they have had a home crush. House-hunters with a “home crush,” as defined in the survey, are drawn to the same house again and again. Realtor.com surveyed 1,082 individuals from Jan. 9 to Jan. 20 who reported having had a home crush.
Many brave buyers hope to find a diamond-in-the-rough area that will quickly turn from iffy to spiffy, teeming with new businesses, new residents, new life — and newly increased property values. Here are seven ways to sniff out the next big thing before property values shoot through the roof.
More home buyers use a mobile device, such as a smartphone, as a primary information-gathering tool. More than half of all page views of listings nationwide now occur through a mobile device, as opposed to a desktop computer, according to an analysis by Realtor.com. Of mobile searches, more than twice as many listings are viewed via iPad and iPhone than via Android devices. Searches with iPhones are nearly three times as high as Android searches.
There’s no such thing as a perfect house. Whether you’re spending millions on an insane estate or starting out with a 5-figure tract home, there will undoubtedly be something you feel like you’re missing. Compromise is part of the game. That said, there are some items that buyers shouldn’t budge on, period. Here are Trulia’s top three.
With fixed mortgage rates rising by more than a full percentage point since May and more likely to go higher than lower, homes are becoming significantly less affordable for those not buying with cash. That means homebuyers still trying to take advantage of still-low mortgage rates might have to set their sights a little lower when shopping for what they can afford.
Here’s a look at seven smaller housing markets that would be quite affordable for those who don’t have to live in a major metro area.
If you’re trying to grab a good house for sale before someone else does, does it help to get up early?
That’s hard to say. But an analysis of when would-be buyers are perusing listings at HomeFinder.com at least tells you when your fellow shoppers are online.
There are night owls and there are early birds, the company found.
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Do you prefer to surf the web in the early morning or late at night? Leave a comment here and let us know!
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