Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2014

Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2014

As every year comes to an end, I like to reflect on the past year.  2014 was an incredible year!  2014 marks the first full year of Rochester’s Real Estate Blog.  With the help of other great real estate bloggers and social media experts throughout the world, I’ve been able to see some great growth in not only the Rochester Real Estate Blog but also my writing ability and blog graphic design.

A huge thank you to all of you who have helped me grow this past year.  I cannot thank you enough for all the tips, pointers, and guidance you’ve been gracious enough to share and help grow the Rochester Real Estate Blog throughout the year!

I thought it would be a great way to close out 2014 with the Top Real Estate Blog Posts from this year!  These top real estate blog posts include tips for sellers, tips for buyers, mortgage tips, social media tips for real estate professionals, top real estate professionals to follow on social media, and more.

Top Real Estate Blog Articles For Home Sellers

10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Selling Your Home

Selling a home can be stressful but doesn’t have to be.  Selecting a great real estate agent can really make a difference when it comes to the process.  There are certain things that you should expect from your real estate agent when selling a home.  Simple things such as being a professional, being on-time for appointments, and honesty are just 3 of the 10 things to expect from your real estate agent when selling your home.  If you are thinking of selling or are in the process of selling your home, check out 10 expectations you should have of your real estate agent.

The complete list of the 10 things to expect from your real estate agent can be found here on our blog.

How To Make Your Property More Appealing

The next article from the blog of top selling Warner Robins, GA real estate agent, Anita Clark, was written by Bill Gassett.  When selling a home, it’s crucial that the home appeals to the masses.  A home that is messy, cluttered, and dark has less of a chance it will sell in a timely fashion.  When selling a home it’s important to emphasize things such as the storage space.  Bill gives some great tips for sellers in his article on how to make their homes more appealing.

Make sure you check out the complete article on making your property more appealing over on Anita’s blog.

20 Cold, Hard, Facts in Real Estate Home Selling

One of my favorite “series” of real estate blog in 2014 was written by Lynn Pineda, a top selling Coral Springs, FL real estate agent.  Lynn’s “Cold, Hard, Facts” articles were packed with 20 awesome tips for home sellers (and buyers which is listed below).  Many of Lynn’s tips were things that many sellers do not want to hear and many that some real estate agents won’t point out to a seller.  Lynn does an excellent job of being clear, concise, and certainly “doesn’t beat around the bush” with her 20 Cold, Hard, Facts in real estate home selling.

One example is the fact that if a seller overprices their home, it will actually sell their neighbors faster for them.  You don’t want to miss out the other 19 Cold, Hard, Facts in real estate home selling, so check them out.

10 Tips For Selling Your Vacant Home

It’s unfortunate, and rare, that while a home is for sale that it is vandalized or damaged, but it can happen.  The probability increases when a home is vacant.  The next article comes from the Rochester Real Estate Blog and provides some excellent tips to keep a vacant home safe.  Simple tasks such as alerting local law enforcement, neighbors, and regularly retrieving mail can all help keep a vacant home safe while it’s for sale.

If you’re selling a vacant home or know someone who is, be sure to check out the complete list of tips for selling a vacant home. 

How To Avoid Seller’s Remorse When Selling Your Home

The next top real estate blog post for home sellers is from top selling Las Vegas, NV real estate agent, Debbie Drummond.  Most people have heard of buyer’s remorse when purchasing something.  Most people do not hear about seller’s remorse though.  Debbie does an excellent job in her article explaining how seller’s can make sure they don’t have any remorse when selling their home.  She explains that it all begins with hiring a great real estate agent and ends with being ready to move.

There are many things in between to ensure seller’s remorse is avoided when selling a home and can be found over on Debbie’s blog.

Top Home Seller Mistakes When Selecting a Realtor

Selecting a great Realtor when selling a home is so important.  Unfortunately it does happen and quite honestly, too frequently.  There are many mistakes that sellers make when selecting a Realtor.  This article written by Bill Gassett, a top selling Hopkinton, MA real estate agent, points out where sellers go wrong when selecting a Realtor to sell their home.  Bill explains that picking an agent based solely because they’re a family member or because they offer the lowest commission could be a huge mistake.

Don’t make the same common mistakes when selecting a Realtor to sell your home by checking out the complete article over on Maximum Real Estate Exposure Blog.

5 Common Reasons Why Your Home Isn’t Selling

“Why isn’t my home selling?”  This is a common question that seller’s ask real estate agents.  The number one reason a home isn’t selling is because it’s overpriced, bottom line.  There are other reasons though that are commonly seen by real estate agents.  This article found here on our blog provides 5 common reasons why a home isn’t selling.

The complete article and the other common reasons why a home isn’t selling is worth the read.

How To Sell A Home In The Winter

The next article written by Bill Gassett is one that I can absolutely relate to seeing as I reside in the Northeast and experience some brutal winters.  Certainly the winter time may not be the most ideal time to sell a home, there are certainly homes being sold 12 months a year.  Bill gives some excellent tips for making a home sale during the winter a success.  Tips such as making a home feel warm and cozy can be the difference between it selling or not.

The detailed guide to selling a home during the winter is one to read in its entirety if you reside in a cold climate.

Tips For Selling A Waterfront Property

Selling a waterfront property is not the same as selling a center entrance colonial in the suburbs.  There are different steps that should be taken to prepare a waterfront home for sale and also different qualities to look for in the real estate agent.  A real estate agent must know how to sell a lifestyle, know how to sell a property with words, and many other qualities.

The entire article on selling a waterfront property can be found here on our blog.

Should I Sell My Home Now or Wait Until The Spring?

Another common question during the fall and winter months is whether waiting until the spring or selling now is better.  I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to write a guest blog over on RISMedia’s HouseCall Blog on this topic.  There are certainly pro’s to selling a home during the fall and winter months and it’s possible it maybe a better time to sell than waiting until the spring.

Should you sell now or wait?  Check out the entire article over on the HouseCall Blog to help weigh the pro’s and con’s.

2014 Top Home Buyer Blog Articles

Top Real Estate Blog Articles For Home Buyers

First Time Home Buyer Tips and Advice That Must Be Read!

In 2014 there were lots of great articles written for first time home buyers.  This article provides some extremely important tips and advice that first time buyers cannot overlook.  Tips such as selecting a great real estate agent, knowing all the expenses involved in home ownership, and knowing whether or not first time home buyer grants are available are just a preview of what this article provides for first time buyers.

All of the tips and advice for first time home buyers can’t be missed, so check it out!

First Time Home Buyer Tips: How To Buy Your First House

Looking for a step-by-step guide to buying a home for the first time?  Look no further than top selling Colorado Springs, CO real estate agent, Andrew Fortune’s, article.  Andrew does an awesome job providing a detailed explanation of the process as well as providing a very appealing infographic regarding the process.

Learn how to buy your first home over on Andrew’s Great Colorado Homes Blog.

20 Cold, Hard, Facts in Real Estate Home Buying

If you enjoyed reading Lynn Pineda’s “Cold, Hard, Facts” of home selling, then you’ll certainly enjoy her home buying edition!  If you didn’t read her home selling edition, scroll back up and do so otherwise you’re missing out.  Lynn does an awesome job pointing out 20 facts in home buying for any potential South Florida buyer.

Check out all 20 Cold, Hard, Facts, in real estate home buying over on Lynn’s Imagine Your House Blog.

How Much House Can I Afford To Buy?

It’s extremely important for home buyers to know what they can afford before house hunting.  One of the biggest mistake a buyer can make when purchasing a home is overextending themselves.  The next article written by the Highland Group, top producing Frederick, MD Realtors, is a great article for any home buyer wondering how much of a house they can afford to buy.  The article does an excellent job pointing out many things that buyers may not conventionally think about when buying a home.

Be sure to check out the Highland Group’ article answering the common question on how much of a house a buyer can afford.

First Time Home Buyer Tips

Another Bill Gassett article and another First Time Home Buyer Tip article, but be sure not to overlook this one.  Anytime Bill writes an article, you should be confident it will be top quality and this one doesn’t disappoint.  Bill explains in this article the importance of outlining what you want in a home, hiring a good inspector, and the importance of getting pre-approved for a loan.

There are several other great first time home buyer tips in Bill’s article so be sure to go check it out over on his blog.

Five Mistakes To Avoid When Buying A Home

Mistakes can happen but with the proper preparation, they can be avoided.  When buying a home there are common mistakes that are made by buyers.  Things such as hiring the wrong real estate agent or having unrealistic expectations are just a few that come to mind.

Don’t make the same mistakes as others when buying a home and be sure to check out these five common mistakes to avoid when buying a home.

50 Home Buying Tips From The Top Real Estate Experts In The World

This article is a must read for any home buyer.  What do you get when you get tips from 50 top real estate experts in the world?  Pure gold.  Many of the authors on this list of the best 2014 real estate blog posts were included in this compilation of home buying tips.

Check out the 50 home buying tips over on the San Diego Mortgage News blog.

Five Things To Consider When Buying A “Flipped” Home

During a transaction in 2014 in which the buyer was purchasing a “flipped” home, it was problem after problem.  The buyer never ended up closing on the house because of many problems that were discovered during the inspections and were not being addressed in a timely fashion.  This lead to this next article on considerations that should be made when buying a “flipped” home.  Things such as researching the “flipper” and having inspections are very important.

The other considerations to make when buying a “flipped” home should be read if you’re considering the purchase of a “flipped’ home.

Ten Tips for Buying Luxury Homes

If you’re buying a luxury home than you need to read this article written by Debbie Drummond.  Debbie gives ten very important tips for buying a luxury home.  The tips range from finding the qualified real estate agent to protecting your privacy are just a couple examples of what to expect in her article.

The complete list of ten tips for buying luxury homes can be found on Debbie’s blog.

The Best Real Estate Pricing Articles of 2014

Top Blog Articles Relating To Real Estate Pricing

The Many Risks of Pricing Your Home Too High

“One part art, one part science” is how Bill Gassett explains the task of determining the correct selling price of a home.  There are many problems that can arise from overpricing a home.  Perception, stress, and appraisal problems are just a few of the problems that overpricing can create.

Bill’s article on the risks of pricing a home too high is one of the best 2014 blog posts relating to pricing and shouldn’t be missed.

Real Estate Pricing Mistakes That Seller’s Need To Avoid

Just like there are mistakes that sellers and buyers make, there are pricing mistakes that are made when selling a home.  Pricing a home incorrectly can be a critical mistake.  Leaving room for negotiations or pricing a home high because there is no “rush” can end up costing a seller thousands of dollars.

These are just a couple common real estate pricing mistakes that need to be avoided and be sure not to miss the other common pricing mistakes.

How To Determine List Price?

Having the correct “price tag” on a home from the beginning is crucial.  A properly priced home should sell relatively quickly (3-4 weeks).  So how is a proper list price determined?  This article also comes from the Highland Group on this exact topic.  Making sure a home is not priced solely on an online estimate is one important thing that the Highland Group explains should be avoided in their article.

If you’re wondering how a list price is determined, make sure you check out this great article.

What Is A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) In Real Estate?

One of the most common ways a real estate agent will determine a listing price is by complete a comparative market analysis aka a CMA.  What exactly is a CMA?  This article is an in-depth explanation of what a CMA is in real estate and what is taken into consideration.  Square footage, bedrooms, location, and amenities are just a handful of the items a real estate agent should use when completing a CMA.

The entire explanation of a comparative market analysis can be found here on the Rochester Real Estate Blog.

Top Real Estate Blog Articles For Interviewing Realtors

How To Interview A Realtor When Selling Your Home

Interviewing is a step in the home selling and buying process that is often overlooked.  When a seller skips this step, it can lead to lots of frustration down the road.  Questions such as the number of houses sold as a seller’s agent, is the Realtor part-time or full-time, and whether the Realtor utilizes social media are a few questions that should be asked during an interview.

This article on properly interviewing a Realtor when selling a home should be read if you’re going to be selling a home and interviewing prospective Realtors.

How To Interview a Buyers Agent When Buying a Home

Buying a home is not the same process as selling a home.  This means that a real estate agent will need to have different skill sets when representing a buyer or a seller.  There are lots of articles on interviewing a Realtor when selling a home but not when buying a home.  This article provides some excellent things to consider when interviewing a buyers agent who will represent your home purchase.

If you’re buying a home these interview questions for a buyers agent need to be read.

Top Blog Articles Relating To Mortgages & Financing

Top 10 Mortgage Mistakes to Avoid

Anyone who is in the real estate business has heard horror stories about a buyer purchasing a new shiny car a week before closing on their home or even worse, has experienced it.  This is a huge no-no and a mortgage mistake that needs to be avoided.  To no surprise, Bill Gassett has included not applying for new credit as one of the mortgage mistakes that need to be avoided in this excellent article.

If you are or will be buying a home soon, you must read these 10 mortgage mistakes to avoid.

When & Why I Should Get Pre-Approved For A Mortgage?

Many home buyers don’t understand when or why they should get pre-approved for a mortgage.  In this article featured here on the Rochester Real Estate Blog, I point out that it’s critical to get pre-approved for a mortgage before looking at homes.  In addition to when, I also point out several reasons why it’s important.

Make sure not to miss the many reasons why getting pre-approved for a mortgage is so important when buying a home.

6 Tips When Mortgage Shopping

Janis Borgueta, a top selling Hudson Valley, NY real estate agent, provides 6 killer tips for mortgage shopping in this well written article.  Janis points out the fact that banks don’t always give the best deals to their clients.  These 6 tips are extremely important for a first time home buyer to read before committing to a lender for their financing needs.

All 6 tips for mortgage shopping can be found on Janis’s My Hudson Valley Properties website.

Student Loan Debt and Mortgage Qualifying: What You Need to Know

Student loans are a major reason why today’s buyer is having difficulty getting qualified for a mortgage.  California Mortgage Consultant, Brad Yzermans, put this awesome article detailing all you need to know about student loan debt and mortgage qualifying.  Not only does Brad do an excellent job explaining how student loans impact qualifying but also guidelines for different mortgage products.

Check out Brad’s article on student loan debt and mortgage qualifying over on his blog for a complete understanding of this topic.

Top Blog Articles Relating To Home Inspections

Home Inspection Problems The Inspector May Not Find

Home inspectors are not magicians and they cannot be expected to discover every problem a home may have during a two-hour inspection.  Failing air conditioners, cracked heat exchangers, and internal chimney issues are three of the several problems that Bill Gassett discusses in his article that may be missed by a home inspector.

There are other problems too, so be sure to check out all of the possible home inspection problems that may not be discovered during the inspection.

Top 10 Common Home Inspection Findings

Believe it or not, there are certain issues that are discovered inspection after inspection.  Real estate agents who have been in the business for any significant amount of time can name several issues that are found commonly.  Issues such as double taps, frayed electrical riser cables, and grading issues are just a few listed in this article.

Check out the complete list of common home inspection findings right here on the Rochester Real Estate Blog.

Inspect Your Home A Little Closer, Before Selling

If you’re interested in getting some insight from actual home inspectors, than you must check out this article on Lynn Pineda’s blog.  Two home inspectors, Mike Chamberlain from MC2 Home Inspections and Fred Hagey from Aries Home Inspection Service, give some insight into inspections.  Mike discusses in this article common inspection issues he comes across and Fred discusses electrical panels in homes.

This article is a must read if you’re looking for some insight directly from a professional who is in the field on a daily basis.

Real Estate & Social Media – The Best Articles of 2014

Top Blog Articles Relating To Social Media & The Real Estate Industry

Myths About Real Estate & Social Media Marketing

Real estate and social media can be a great pair if they are used correctly.  There are a lot of myths out there and a lot of real estate agents who make sellers believe that blasting their home on social media will be the reason it sells.  The Highland Group does an excellent job debunking some common myths about real estate and social media in this article.

Find out why a real estate agent who Tweets your homes information is not really helping sell your home and also learn about other myths relating to real estate and social media.

How Can The Mortgage Industry Succeed on Google+

There are many mortgage professionals who don’t believe social media is important for their business.  This is false and this article on the Veteran’s United blog is a great explanation on why Google+ can be a great tool for the mortgage industry.  Building relationships and trust are just a couple reasons why mortgage professionals should be using Google+.

What other reasons?  Check out all of the reasons why the mortgage industry can succeed on Google+.

Why Google Plus is Invaluable For Growing Your Real Estate Business and Brand

Many real estate agents will say Facebook is the ultimate social media website.  Not so fast!  This article featured on the Inman News explains many reason why Google Plus may actually be a better social media website to focus on.  One reason Google Plus is invaluable for real estate agents is the ability to show up higher in search results.  This is something that should be in the forefront of every real estate agent.

Why else is Google Plus invaluable for growing a real estate business and brand?  Go read this article to find out!

Pinterest: The Perfect Tool for Real Estate Marketing

Pinterest is still a fairly new social media website but certainly should not be overlooked by real estate professionals.  It can be a great place for real estate agents to educate and showcase their local communities.  It is even more powerful for real estate agents who create great real estate content, since the potential traffic it can generate, is very high.

Not convinced?  Before you decide whether Pinterest is for you, read the entire article on why Pinterest maybe the perfect tool for your real estate marketing on the Placester blog.

18 Real Estate Professionals Discuss The Internet’s Influence On The Real Estate Industry

There is no doubt that the internet has had a huge influence on the real estate industry and it continues to influence the industry.  This article provides some excellent insight on how the internet has changed the real estate industry from 18 top real estate professionals.  Many of the real estate bloggers whose articles are on this best of 2014 list are included in this discussion.

You can find this discussion regarding the internet’s influence on the real estate industry on Andrew Fortune’s real estate blog.

6 Twitter Rules for Real Estate Agents

Technically speaking there are no set rules for Twitter.  There are some “rules” though that real estate agents should follow to be successful on Twitter.  Many real estate agents don’t understand why Twitter can be such a powerful social media tool for their business.  This article is a straight to the point article explaining the rules real estate agents should follow on Twitter.

The entire article can be found on the National Association of Realtors, YPN Lounge Blog.

Top Real Estate Professionals To Follow On Social Media

The “Who’s Who” of the Real Estate Industry to Follow on Social Media – Google Plus

The “Who’s Who” series were some of my favorite articles to write in 2014.  It is great to recognize other top real estate industry professionals and the work they do on social media.  The Google Plus edition features 25 of the best real estate industry professionals to follow on G+.  Bill Gassett was gracious enough to give some recommendations of top professionals.

Check out these 25 real estate professionals who you circle on Google Plus, if you haven’t done so already!

The “Who’s Who” of the Real Estate Industry to Follow on Social Media – Pinterest

Many of the real estate industry bloggers whose articles were among the top 2014 real estate articles are also great at creating eye appealing graphics.  Not many are better than Lynn Pineda when it comes to creating graphics for her blog articles.  Selecting only 25 professionals for the “Who’s Who” was not easy, but with the help of Lynn, we were able to find the best of the best.

Check out who 25 of the best real estate industry professionals are on Pinterest to follow!

The “Who’s Who” of the Real Estate Industry to Follow on Social Media – Twitter

There are tons of real estate industry professionals on Twitter.  Selecting 50 of the top real estate industry professionals to feature in the “Who’s Who” to follow on Twitter was a difficult selection.  Who better to turn to for some recommendations than Bill Gassett, who boasts over 20,000 Twitter followers.

Check out the entire list of 50 real estate professionals on Twitter who understand how to use Twitter to benefit their business.

The above real estate blog articles from 2014 are all worth of the read.  There certainly were other articles in 2014 that were excellent but this list could go on and on.  In 2014, I’ve built some incredible relationships with many top professionals across the world.  Again, Thank you all for your support in 2014 and I look forward to your continued support in 2015.

About the authors:  The above article “Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2014” was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise.

We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY.

Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.