Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2015

Kyle Hiscock

Kyle Hiscock | Greater Rochester NY Real Estate | Pittsford NY Realtor at RE/MAX Realty Group

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Tips, Tricks, & Information From The Best 2015 Real Estate Blog Articles

Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2015

Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2015

Everyday there are articles being written about real estate.  Whether it’s social media tips for Realtors or tips for buyers and sellers, there is truly never a shortage of great real estate blog articles.

Last year I recapped the best real estate blog articles from 2014 and the response was absolutely incredible.  The article was shared all over the internet and in fact is still being shared to this date.  The articles I highlighted in my recap of 2014 real estate articles should have seen a nice boost in traffic due to the year end review from last December!

Since the response was so monumental last year, I’ve decided to do another recap of the top real estate blog articles from 2015.  Grab an large cup of coffee or your favorite holiday cocktail, sit back and enjoy reading some incredible real estate articles!

Below are some brief recaps of the best real estate blog articles from 2015 regarding home selling, home buying, mortgages, home improvement, social media, and much more!  You can conveniently jump to the various real estate blog article topics by simply clicking the links below.

Top Home Selling Articles From 2015

Selling a home is like solving a puzzle.  If one piece of the puzzle is missing it can be impossible to finish.  Over the past year, there have been some incredible real estate blog articles written for home sellers.  Below are some of the best real estate articles for homeowners who are selling their home or who are thinking about it!

Top 2015 Real Estate Blog Articles For Home Sellers

Top 2015 Real Estate Blog Articles For Home Sellers

Tips & Tricks For First Time Home Sellers

There are lots of great articles and advice on the internet for first time home buyers. The reality is that there isn’t nearly as much advice for first time home sellers. Selling a home for the first time can be as tricky as buying a home for the first time.

One of my favorite articles that I wrote in 2015 was regarding first time home sellers. In this article I provide some excellent tips for first time sellers such as the importance of hiring a top producing real estate agent, preparing a home for the market, and the importance of understanding the local real estate market.  This article is not only helpful for those in the Rochester real estate market but applies to any real estate market across the world!

Overpricing Your Home Will Net You Less Not More

Earlier this year Bill Gassett, a well know Franklin Mass Real Estate agent and top blogger asked me to write an article on home pricing a home properly for his Maximum Real Estate Exposure site. Most Real Estate agents understand the concept of how important pricing a home is coming out of the gate. Many home owners mistakenly believe that a higher list price leads to a higher sale price. Unfortunately the opposite is true. Many Realtors struggle with getting this message across to their clients every day.

For this reason it is important for sellers to understand how to know a home is overpriced. When you see the common characteristics associated with an overpriced property, you can quickly make adjustments that in the long run will lead to a more successful conclusion.

Selling Your Home and the Buyer Cancels

Once a seller accepts an offer, it’s important that everyone stays on track to bring the deal to a successful conclusion. There are obstacles along the way. Inspection issues, financing and appraisal issues are a few of the problems that can derail the sale of your home.

No seller wants to move out of their home only to find that the buyer has changed their mind. At the same time, the buyer is entitled to do a final walk thru after the seller has moved and before the Title is transferred. Coordinating it all can be tricky.

“Selling Your Home and the Buyer Cancels” by Top Vegas Real Estate Agent, Debbie Drummond, looks at some of the problems that can prevent a home from closing. It gives useful tips to keep the deal on track from accepting the offer to turning over the keys.

10 Really Smart Ideas about Selling a Home

Having game plans is just as important when selling a home, as it is during a football game. When it’s time to sell a home it’s imperative that you have a strategy, a plan to carry it out in order to sell your home fast and for top dollar. In her article 10 Really Smart Ideas About Selling a Home, Lynn Pineda, a top Realtor in Southeast Florida serving customers from Coral Springs to Boca Raton, Lynn details some really smart game plans that you won’t want to miss learning.

She’ll get you to cross that closing, finish line to get your home sold. Just as she quotes Vince Lombardi below, the same holds true to how a home sale is decided:  “ A few plays decide each football game ” – Vince Lombardi

Read the article to know what game plans you need to play out to win at the game of selling a home. From pricing your home right to sell, to not brushing anything under the rug, you’ll discover the right strategy to get it sold.

Nine Reasons Listing with a REALTOR beats FSBO

Thinking of listing your home?  Trying to decide between listing it yourself or hiring a Realtor?  Before you do anything, read this article first.  Jeff Knox wrote a very strong piece about nine reasons why listing with a Realtor beats FSBO.

Highlights of the article include the following points – you can sell faster with a Realtor, you can sell for more money with a Realtor, Realtors provide unbiased opinions, Realtors save you time, Realtors don’t waste time with tire-kicking buyers, avoid hosting a 24 hour open house, Realtors help you negotiate from a position of strength and Realtors guide you through the entire process.

My Home Listing Expired, What Are My Options?

The biggest challenge for home sellers is recovering from a home that expired without selling.  If the home expired because the buyer’s offer fell apart at the last minute that is a different story since the fact you got an offer shows that someone was interested and ready to buy your home.  Those whose homes have expired without any offers have different issues to look into.  

In this article, My Home Listing Expired, Now What? written by Top Cincinnati Realtor Paul Sian, he explores the areas where home sellers should look into to figure out where to improve the next go around.

Paul points out that a homeowner should not be overly frustrated that your home did not sell as there are always buyers looking for a new home.  Instead homeowners need to look at the issues that may have caused their home to not sell in the first place.  

  • Were the issues leading to the lack of any offers within your control?  
  • Did you price your home correctly?  
  • Did you properly declutter, paint and fix up your home so it showed nicely to the buyers?  
  • What was the buyer feedback and can you use that feedback to make improvements the next time you list the home for sale?

 

Paul mentions in his article that if the issues preventing your home from selling were not in your direct control then it may be time to consider hiring another real estate agent or hiring a home stager to help bring your home to another level.  Paul believes a real estate agent should have been using great marketing techniques to make sure your home gets in front of buyers.  Techniques like high definition video and photography, active social media/blog promotion of your home, and more.  

If you were lacking any of those features mentioned, Paul suggests that a seller interviews an agent the next time and find out if they can provide those great features!

How To Sell A Home With Pets

Selling a home can present a fair share of challenges.  Homeowners who understand what challenges to expect during the sale put themselves in a much better position than those who don’t have a clue.  One of the most difficult situations that homeowners face are those who have their beloved pets.

Selling a home with pets can create a whole new set of tasks that need to be completed, both pre-sale and during the sale.  Sellers who know what to expect and know how to overcome the challenges pets can create during a home sale greatly increase the chances their home is going to sell.

Another one of my favorite articles from the past year is one I wrote relating to selling a home with pets.  In this article you will find some excellent tips and information, so be sure to check it out!

What Should Seller’s Disclose to Buyers?

When selling your home, you naturally want to highlight the benefits the home offers.  The neighborhood’s great and it’s the nicest home on the block. That’s a great attitude when describing your home.

Once you’ve accepted an offer, you’ll need to provide the buyers with Seller Disclosures. Sellers often find themselves in a dilemma when it comes to disclosing any negatives about their home. Do you really need to disclose that roof leak you repaired yourself? What about the dishwasher that keeps leaking?

In today’s world, those secrets you don’t disclose have a way of coming back to bite you. Check out this excellent article from Las Vegas Realtor, Debbie Drummond, “What You Should Disclose When Selling Your Home.”  Bottom line, it’s always best to disclose.

4 Methods to Selling A Home – Which Works Best?

Know that the process of selling a home can be a favorable experience. Educate yourself on your options so you indeed make the right choice: a choice you’ll be glad you made. Education is always key so you know what to expect. Afterall, selling a home should not be taken lightly, at a whim.

Here in her article 4 Methods to Selling a Home – Which works best?, Lynn Pineda, a top Realtor in Southeast Florida serving customers from Coral Springs to Boca Raton, informs you of your home selling options, so you can decide for yourself. For example, selling a home by yourself – is that really your best option?

Lynn will dig into that so you can determine if that’s really the best for you. Don’t delay, read Lynn’s article to find out all about the 4 methods to selling a home. You’ll be glad you did.

Top Home Buying Articles From 2015

Over the past year, there have been some incredible articles written with the purpose to help home buyers with one of the biggest purchases of their lives.  Below you will find some absolutely top notch articles that are geared to help home buyers!

2015 Top Home Buyer Blog Articles

2015 Top Home Buyer Blog Articles

What Happen’s After Your Offer Is Accepted?

Buying a home can be an exciting whirlwind of emotions and choices. By the time you have found the right house and got it under contract, you may feel that your work is done. That is certainly not the case. There are still many steps that need to be taken to make sure your closing actually happens.

In this article, you’ll find a step-by-step guide for each item required after you have a house under contract. This helps to take some of the pressure off of home buyers by giving them the info upfront and helping to avoid confusion. Delayed closings are a big problem in real estate. This guide helps to avoid that problem.

What Happen’s After Your Offer Is Accepted?” was written by Andrew Fortune. Andrew is a Realtor in Colorado Springs who enjoys writing real estate articles to help make the process easier for home buyers and sellers.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Bought My First House

Advice on buying a home can easily be found online. Seems that as soon as you mention to friends and family that you want to buy a home advice flows from many sources. Some good, and some not so good. Hard to know what is best for you, and you want to get it right the first time.

Buying a home is the single most important financial decision a person makes in a lifetime, so mistakes are not an option. Hiring the right agent that can provide you with relevant information on how to make choices about size, style and pricing and knows the local market is the key to your success. Since the process of buying a home is ever changing and because hindsight is 20/20 and that can cost you  money in the future, you want to learn from, and work with a pro.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Bought My First House written by Janis Borgueta is sure to provide you with some great information on how to start the home buying process, what is important to know, and how to reach your real estate goals. Knowledge is power when buying or selling a home. Make sure you are an educated buyer when it is your turn to buy.

The Process Of Buying A House And The Checks You’ll Be Writing

Before you sit down at the closing table to sign the documents making you the owner of your new home there are a number of checks you’ll write first.

The process of buying a house involves some steps you need to take and doing your due diligence before you decide to move forward is crucial. The folks that help you to make that decision need to get paid so you’ll be writing them checks before you get to the settlement office.

Depending on where the home is located and what age and type of home it is you are buying will determine who you need to hire and who you’ll need to pay.  

Below is a recap regarding some the common checks home buyers write when buying a home which, written by North Carolina Real Estate Agent, David O’Doherty.

  • Home Inspector – When buying a home one of the first things you should do is schedule a home inspection or have your real estate agent schedule it. The home inspector will run tests on the HVAC unit, the plumbing, and appliances. They inspect the roof, crawl space and look for any structural defects, water damage etc. This is one of the first checks you will write.
  • Termite Inspector – Termites can wreak havoc on a house if left unchecked, especially in older homes so its very important to have a termite inspection done before you buy. This is not an expensive item but not having one done could be very expensive down the road.
  • Home Owner – In North Carolina the home owner may get a check as a due diligence fee which essentially means you are paying them an amount of money to give you time to do your due diligence.  This is a negotiated figure and is applied to the sale price when you close.
  • Appraiser – Unless you are paying cash then an appraiser will need to appraise the house to determine its value. When you apply for a loan the mortgage broker will explain the costs of your loan and will more than likely ask for a check to pay the appraiser.

The process of buying a house is not cheap and many home buyers are unaware of just how much money is needed and how many checks they will need to write before they can call that house their home.

These are some of the services you’ll need when buying a house and some others include.

  • Septic Inspection
  • Radon Inspection
  • Survey

15 BS Facts About Home Buying Everyone Thinks Are True

“I saw it on the Internet, it must be true!” This has become a familiar sarcastic punchline to all of us as we cruise around the World Wide Web. I am repeatedly amazed how, in the course of a typical day, I can find several conflicting articles, all by supposed experts on the topic, particularly when the topic is real estate.  I call these “B.S. Facts”.

When it comes to real estate, the only real fact is that all real estate is local. The market trends, real estate laws and customs, housing trends…all of these aspects are nuanced in different areas of the country, and even in different cities within a county. What’s trending in New York City is definitely different than the norm in Podunk City. But for some reason, we all gravitate to sweeping generalizations about real estate.

Unfortunately, those sweeping generalizations, or B.S. Facts, lead many buyers and sellers to make unwise and uninformed decisions. Here are a few I’ve heard recently:

“I read that it’s a buyer’s market, so I’m going to offer 20% less than the seller is asking. I’m not paying more than I think it’s worth!” [insert Realtor eye-rolling here]

“That house across town sold in two days. I think that justifies pricing my house higher than your recommendation!” [insert Realtor clenched jaw here]

“But my Zestimate on Zillow says…” [insert Realtor counting to 10 here]

In this article, 15 B.S. Facts about Homebuying Everyone Thinks are True written by Karen Highland from Frederick Real Estate Online, she has taken a fun poke at several of these myths that survive, no matter what’s happening in your local market. And now that the new year is around the corner…Karen better start working on an entire new set of B.S. Facts that have circulated around the www! The mythbusting seems to never end!

Advice For Buying Your First Home

Buying a first home is an adventure that can be both exciting and frightening at the same time. Buying a home comes with tremendous responsibility so it is no wonder their is the full gamete of emotions involved. Like anything else doing something for the first time can lead to mistakes. As a first time home buyer it is the mistakes that can lead to a very stressful transaction.

By following some simple first time home buyer tips making mistakes can be avoided. Some of the absolute best advice for first time home buyers is having their financial house in order. Getting your finances squared away well in advance of a purchase is always important. Getting yourself pre-approved for a mortgage and finding a top notch Realtor are also important steps in the home buying process. Have a look at the article for additional sound first time home buying advice.

Signs That You Are Ready To Purchase A Home

Buying a home feels like a passage from young person into full-blown adulthood. Unfortunately, there is no official test, like a driver’s license exam, to let a person know if they are truly ready to make that leap. Thankfully, if you can answer yes to the following list, then it is time to add homeowner to your list of accomplishments.

Good Credit Score

If you have a good credit score then you have passed the biggest hurdle in qualifying for a mortgage. Between FHA loans, USDA mortgages, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the VA, there is a wide range of credit scores that can be approved for a loan.

Solid Work History

Having an income high enough to cover your current obligations and a home payment is the next major accomplishment on this list. It is not as important to prove that you have worked at the same place for any length of time, as it is to show you have worked in the same type of industry. It is even better if you have either increased your income over time or increased your responsibility and value within your field of work.

Your Nest Egg is Finally Complete

Although some loans allow people to buy a home with minimal upfront costs, it is a wise move to save up for a home purchase. Having enough funds to cover some closing costs, a bit of down payment and even some cosmetic improvements will make the process a lot smoother.

You have a Complete Financial Plan

If you are paying your bills on time, saving a bit for retirement and you have been at the same line of work for some time now, then it sounds like you are well on your way to becoming a homeowner. Managing your finances wisely will help you prepare for buying a home and help you maintain the home in the long run.

Be sure to check out signs that you are ready to purchase a home, written by Luke Skar of Inlanta Mortgage, for additional signs!

Eight Articles That Every Buyer Should Read

With so much information available online it is important to be careful of what literature you take in and take advice from. In this article you will find a compilation of the Top Real Estate articles for home buyers gathered all into one post!

Taking the time to do your own due-diligence before beginning the home-buying process and educating yourself could help prevent you from ending up in a financial mess. In this real estate blog article from Nathan Garrett, you will find some of the most popular and information packed content into one article.  All from some of the top real estate professionals within the industry.

This article by Nathan covers many topics from the step-by-step process to buying and selling a home at the same time to the in-depth process of buying a home and how issues can take place and how to help protect yourself along the way.

Find out about the importance of getting pre-approved and not making any major purchases from the very beginning all the way to the closing table.  The home-buying process at times can be overwhelming. Beware of red flags that can be very costly when buying a home and major issues that may come up and catch you off guard.

To read more you can find the entire article at Garretts Realty Group: Top Eight Real Estate Articles: Every Buyer Should Read

How to Buy a Home from Start to Finish (Infographic inside)

First time home buyers and seasoned home buyers alike, take notice.  Jeff Knox has penned one of the great home buying articles for 2015.  The article includes a killer infographic inside which illustrates, step-by-step, how to purchase a home from start to finish.

Highly suggest you study this guide and even reference it from time to time as you work your way through the steps of the home buying process.  The article includes over thirty links to articles from some of the leading real estate bloggers across the nation.  This is not only a must read, but also a “must reference” as you journey through the process.

How to Buy a House for Sale Mistake-Free!

Ryan Fitzgerald from Raleigh Realty set out solve this year was the frustrations of buyers. Buying a house is something that involves knowledge, patience, and a great local Real Estate Agent.

Ryan states that typically, a home for sale in Raleigh, NC will not last long on the market, or it will be in a multiple offer situation. This lead Ryan to write an article about how to buy a house for sale mistake-free!

Ryan shares 5 of the common problems buyers have:

  • Hiring the wrong Real Estate Agent
  • Not Getting Pre-Qualified First
  • Not Knowing the Neighborhood
  • Becoming Overly Emotional
  • Not Having a Proper Plan

These are typical mistakes buyers make and Ryan does an excellent job helping those seeking information. Some of the best information comes from experience, and learning from the mistakes of others can help you avoid those bad experiences… especially when there is a large financial investment involved!

The Smart Steps For Locating And Purchasing Your Perfect New Home

Buying a home is a life changing event, period.  There are many decisions that go into buying a home from deciding on the location of the home to deciding how much to offer for a home.

Location, location, location is a common saying in the real estate world.  Buyers need to determine what their desired location is and whether or not they can afford to purchase a home in that area.  If a buyer is able to afford a home, then it’s time to discover the home, do some research, and have fun while doing so!

Check out this article from Wendy Weir, a Michigan Real Estate Agent, that provides some excellent tips for locating and purchasing the perfect home!

10 Things to Consider About a Neighborhood When Buying a Home

Most consumers know about price, location, and condition, but nearly as important, and certainly an influence over those 3 conditions, is the neighborhood buyers will be living in. The handy tips about things consumers need to consider when looking for a neighborhood provided in this article by Anita Clark, a Top Warner Robins GA Realtor, are practical examples of how consumers can find their forever home and ensure the things important to them are covered as well.

Whether you are interested in schools, want to be close to nearby amenities, have a love or dislike for homeowners associations, are concerned about taxes, or several other important factors, this article provides quality advice to get your compass pointed in the right direction. Also included are several secondary factors that may or may not be important considerations.

The important take-away is there are numerous things worth considering when trying to determine if a neighborhood is right for your family. While you are looking for a home now, there is always the possibility you will move again in the future, and consumers who are out looking will be going through the same mental checklist you are using. Buying based on your needs and desires with an eye for what others may want in the future will give you peace of mind and allow you to enjoy all your new home in your new neighborhood has to offer.

Top General Real Estate Blog Articles From 2015

From time to time, you will come across a real estate blog article that is written for both buyers and sellers.  There are many scenarios and topics that do indeed apply to both.  Below are some of the best general real estate blog articles from the past 12 months!

Why Awkward Situations Happen Between Real Estate Agents and Clients

Picking up clients at the gym, showing them dozens of properties in one day, looking at a door knob for a very long time to decide whether it will go with their furniture may sound like a normal thing to do for a client if theyre going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars.

But when a real estate agent needs to keep his scheduled appointment with the home sellers, work with multiple clientsschedules and make decisions thats going to satisfy everyone he ever comes in contact with may not be an easy task to do.

No matter how much a real estate agent tries to go out of his way to help, some clients just arent able to contain their level of expectations of the service being provided. Can you blame the clients for it? Most of the time its not their fault as they may not have known what to expect from a Realtor.

Top real estate agents on the other hand always push themselves to the limits to come up with new ideas of how to bring extraordinary value to their clients as they recognize the privilege of being able to help someone with their lives biggest investment.

At the end of the day, both parties want the same thing. They all want to feel like they care and have respect toward each other.  With proper communication the awkward real estate moments can be avoided and turned into a success story.  

Joe Samson, a top Calgary Realtor, does an excellent job providing many examples of some sizzling situations between real estate agents and clients, while also providing some ideas to lead to compromises.

How To Sell And Buy A Home At The Same Time

One of the trickiest scenarios that exists in real estate is buying and selling a home at the same time.  There are lots of moving parts in a normal real estate transaction without having to buy and sell a property simultaneously.  When you add this into the equation, it can get extremely confusing.

Anyone who is buying and selling a home at the same time needs to understand what their options are.  Another top real estate blog article regarding this topic from this past year comes from my site, Rochester’s Real Estate Blog!  In this article I give some excellent information to those who are attempting to not only sell their home but also buy another at the same time.

Top Articles Relating To Mortgages From 2015

One of the most important steps in buying a home is making sure finances are in order.  Buyers should have a strong understanding of what the most common mortgage FAQs are a good start!  Below are some of the best articles relating to mortgages from 2015. 

Top Notch Mortgage Articles From 2015

Top Notch Mortgage Articles From 2015

Reasons Why Real Estate Agents Request Mortgage Pre-Approvals

One of the first steps that a buyer should take when buying a home is getting pre-approved.  A top notch real estate agent is going to ask a buyer if they’ve been pre-approved or not before hopping in their car and showing them dozens of houses.  If not, they are not only potentially wasting their own time but also the time of the buyer and seller.

There are many reasons why real estate agents ask for a pre-approval before showing houses to a buyer.  Arguably the most important reason is for their own safety.  A Realtor who shows up at a home before finding out some information about a buyer is a way to potentially put themselves in danger.

There are many other reasons why real estate agents request a pre-approval before driving buyers around town.  In this article here on Rochester’s Real Estate Blog, I tackle many of the top reasons why top real estate agents request this.  It’s important for home buyers to understand why agents are asking.  It’s not because they like to make prospective buyers lives difficult!

Reasons A Mortgage Pre-Approval is Pulled

Did you know that when you are purchasing a home one of the most important steps is getting a pre-approval letter? Many educated buyers understand this is a key part of the home buying process. There are however some folks who have no idea that their pre-approval can get revoked! Yes you heard that correctly. You can be well on the road to purchasing a home only to find out your mortgage pre-approval has been denied.

There are six common reasons why this can happen. The most common being people going out and spending money on a large purchase that changes their qualifying ratios. A good mortgage broker of course should be informing all borrowers of this at the time of the application. As we all know there are some who are pro’s and others who are not. It is important for all borrowers to understand the mistakes that can be made with their financing so they are avoided.

100% Financing Home Loans

According to a recent report, 36 percent of consumers think they need 20% down to buy a home. Many more think they need between 5 and 20 percent down. This article highlights loan programs that need absolutely no down payment. About 1 in 6 homes were purchased with a zero-down loan program in recent years, and these loans are only growing in popularity.

Tim Lucas of MyMortgageInsider.com breaks down the different 100% financing home loans available today in this eye-opening article.

INSANE But True Facts About The USDA Mortgage

While some mortgages allow buyers to pay only a small percentage of the home’s asking price as a down payment, the USDA is one of only two mortgages that truly have a zero down requirement. But that is not the only reason people should consider this program for their next home loan.

No Limit on Loan Amounts

Nearly every kind of mortgage places some kind of ceiling on the amount borrowers can get. USDA does not. Instead of focusing on the size of the loan, USDA focuses on the borrower. The loan is only limited by the person’s income and specific debt ratio calculations. As long as the person is approved, loan size does not matter.

Mortgage Insurance is Favorable

Although it is unavoidable, mortgage insurance premiums for USDA are lower than the FHA mortgage insurance. Even better, the mortgage insurance drops each year because the calculations are based on the remaining loan balance.

Credit Scores do NOT have to Be Perfect

Like the FHA lending guidelines, borrowers with slightly lower credit scores have been approved for a USDA mortgage. USDA will also allow people without typical credit lines to qualify for a loan. Alternative items, such as utility payments, regular savings, and payments made to car insurance can qualify an individual if they have a steady and strong track record.

Closing Costs can be Paid by the Seller

As long as the seller and buyer agree to the terms in the sales contract, it is possible for the seller to pay all the closing costs on the home. There is a caveat that the appraised value of the property must be high enough to include the costs along with the actual asking price.

Be sure to check out INSANE but True Facts about the USDA Mortgage, again written by Luke Skar of Inlanta Mortgage for more USDA Rural Housing mortgage information!

Top Remodeling & Home Improvement Articles From 2015

There is certainly no shortage of home improvement and remodeling articles available on the internet and social media.  I happen to know many excellent writers who are in the home remodeling and improvement field.  Below are some killer articles from 2015 on remodeling and home improvement.

14 Remodeling Ideas to Increase Your Homes Value

It is bound to happen. If you own your home, at some point you will need to consider updating the property. Whether the improvements are for your own pleasure or to give your home its best opportunity to sell, the outstanding advice in this article by Anita Clark provides solid remodeling tips to your increase your homes value.

I think most consumers understand that updates made to the kitchen are warranted, but did you know you can get decent return-on-investment from several other updates too? Projects like replacing your garage door, updating the decking, bathroom additions, attic conversions, and even major renovations like adding a second story can bring a good return. The key is to not over-improve your property beyond comparable homes in your neighborhood.

If you have the skills to perform the tasks yourself, ensure the project has the proper inspections and is approved. If you prefer to let someone else do the work, make sure they are a reputable and verified source. Whatever you decide to do, and however you decide to do it, follow these 14 remodeling tips to maximize your ROI.

Over Improving Your Home – What Are The Dangers?

Homeowners can find themselves walking a fine line between not keeping their home up to par and pouring too much money into it.  When the time comes to consider a home improvement project, there are tons of options.  Some home improvement projects costs a few hundred dollars and others can be thousands.

One thing is for certain, there are many dangers of over improving a home and it is something that all homeowners need to avoid.  In this article, Debbie Drummond discusses some of the best areas to focus on when improving your home.  You’ll find good info about keeping your home from becoming “dated” without breaking the bank.

10 Hardwood Flooring Trends For 2015 (and Beyond)

When it comes to homes, flooring has a big impact on the home’s value and aesthetics. These top 10 hardwood flooring trends, written by Debbie Gartner aka The Flooring Girl, include styles, colors and finishes.  

Debbie’s article is packed with excellent information for anyone looking for information on the current trends for hardwood flooring!  This article will be extra helpful if happen to be buying or selling a home so you know what to be on the lookout for.  

Top Articles Relating To Social Media, Blogging, & Real Estate 

Successfully using social media and a real estate blog can make a huge difference for real estate professionals.  The power of the internet is huge in real estate.  Below are some of the best articles from the past year relating to social media for real estate as well as real estate blogging.

Social Media, Blogging, & Real Estate Articles From 2015

Social Media, Blogging, & Real Estate Articles From 2015

How to Have Success as a First Year Real Estate Agent

Another excellent article that was written by Ryan Fitzgerald of Raleigh Realty relates to helping new Real Estate Agents find information online that will help them in their career. With such a large percentage of first year Realtors® failing to make it in the industry Ryan wrote this great article to help!

Ryan reached was able to put together an amazing article with interviews from 17 of the top Realtors® around the county, on “First Year Real Estate Advice: 17 Realtors® go back in time!”

In this article, you will find information, tips, and stories from veteran Real Estate Agents who have set out to help those starting new today. Some of the best tips in this article are to start a real estate website, find mentors, and start blogging! Prospects are constantly searching for information that will help solve their problems and if you can get out in front of these people you’ll have some local fans!

Here is a video that Ryan Fitzgerald from Raleigh Realty did with Tyler Zey from EasyAgentPro.com that helps Real Estate Agents starting today:

This article truly helps solve the problem for first year Real Estate Agents who are probably overwhelmed after receiving their real estate license.

How To Promote Your Content Like A Pro

When you are trying to build a profitable real estate business, creating great real estate content is just one part of the puzzle. In order to maximize your reach you need to promote the content you create.

It may be hard to believe, but this is more important than the content itself. Bill Gassett, one of the best in the industry when it comes to content marketing for real estate, shares his secrets on how to promote content like a pro in this guest article for the RESAAS Blog.

16 Hacks For Real Estate Websites That Drive More Leads And Listings

Building your real estate business requires a ton of work!  You have to build lead generation funnels, follow up systems, worry about transactions, and more. The hardest part is keeping up with all the changes in tech that impact these various aspects of selling real estate.

One of the avenues to getting leads is through your website.  Tyler Zey from Easy Agent Pro, has broken down 16 different ways for real estate agents to drive more traffic, leads, and business with their real estate website in this article.  Tyler examines how to structure blog posts and content to get higher SEO results as well as the various lead capture techniques agents can use to collect both leads and email addresses.  

One of Tyler’s favorite techniques for capturing leads that he talks about in this article is the free upgrade lead capture.  You can offer your website visitors a free download of your content via your sidebar.  Tyler suggests having a buyer and seller targeted offer on your sidebar that links to a landing page for that content.  Simply setting up that alone will help you boost the number of leads you get from your real estate traffic by 2-3X.  

How To Succeed In Real Estate With Online Content

If you want to generate leads in today’s online world, then look no further than online content. It won’t cost an arm and a leg and has proven results.

But the best part?

Hardly any real estate agents have taken advantage of this channel.  The folks over at RESAAS reached out to me to share some of my experience in online content.  I walk you through the steps on how to succeed online in real estate in this guest article I wrote for the RESAAS Blog.  

Final Thoughts, Recap, & Recognition

2015 was an incredible year and was filled with tons of excellent real estate content.  The above article are just some of my favorites from this past year.  Thank you to all of the top professionals that wrote these excellent articles.

If you’re looking for top quality real estate industry blogs, information, and articles, be sure to check out and follow the professionals who are listed below.  I promise that you will not be disappointed!

Bill Gassett – Maximum Real Estate Exposure1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Anita Clark – Selling Warner Robins1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Ryan Fitzgerald – Raleigh Realty1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Karen Highland – Frederick Real Estate Online1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Jeff Knox – Knox & Associates1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Debbie Drummond – Las Vegas Luxury Home Pro1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Andrew Fortune – Great Colorado Homes1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Paul Sian – Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Real Estate1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Luke Skar – Madison Mortgage Guys1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Lynn Pineda – Imagine Your House1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Nathan Garrett – Garrett’s Realty Group1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Joe Samson – Joe Samson Realty1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Tim Lucas – My Mortgage Insider1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Wendy Weir – Wendy Weir Relocation1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Debbie Gartner – The Flooring Girl1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Janis Borgueta – Hudson Valley Real Estate1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
David O’Doherty – Clayton NC Real Estate1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
Easy Agent Pro – Real Estate Agent Lead Sites1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
RESAAS – Real Estate Social Network1393492789_Twitter-21393492691_Google-Plus
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About the authors: The above article “Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2015” 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.

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