Uncategorized Preserving the Past: The Charms and Challenges of Historic Homes When it comes to real estate, there’s a category of homes that exudes a unique charm and an undeniable sense of history. These are the historic homes, steeped in stories and architectural splendor, offering a glimpse into the past while beckoning us into a timeless journey. For those with a penchant for nostalgia and a […]
Uncategorized What to expect from your home inspection Welcome to the exciting journey of buying or selling your home! In this blog post, we’ll dive into the essential world of home inspections. They’re like the health check-up for your home – a crucial step for confident home buyers or sellers. Before we reveal a valuable bonus tip, here’s a quick peek at what […]
Uncategorized Everything Home Buyers Need to Know About Furnaces When you’re in the process of buying a new home, the last thing you want is unexpected surprises. That’s where understanding the furnace comes in. Evaluating a home’s furnace is a critical part of ensuring you make a smart investment. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through what to look for when checking out […]
Buyer Education Water heaters for home buyers   Water Heaters for Home Buyers: Everything You Need to Know Introduction Buying a home is a big decision, and there’s a lot to think about. One of the things that can make first-time homebuyers nervous is the mechanicals. After all, most of us don’t have the experience or confidence to evaluate the condition of […]
Uncategorized Roofs for home buyers- a comprehensive guide   The Homebuyer’s Comprehensive Guide to Roofs Welcome to your journey as a first-time homeowner! As you embark on the exciting adventure of purchasing your new home, there’s one critical aspect you shouldn’t overlook: the roof. Your roof plays a vital role in protecting your investment and ensuring your family’s safety, so making the right […]
Seller Education Home sellers! This menu will help maximize your profits! Making home improvements before selling your house is one of the best ways to maximize your profits. When buyers see a home that has been well-maintained and updated, they are more likely to make an offer and be willing to pay more for it. A study by the National Association of Realtors found that homes […]
Buyer Education 10 Things First-Time Home Buyers Should Do In Their First Year Congratulations on buying your first home! This is an exciting time in your life, but it can also be a bit daunting. There’s a lot to learn about homeownership, and it can be tough to know where to start. That’s where we come in. In this blog post, we’ll share some tips for first-time home […]
Buyer Education Counter Offers, Amendments, and Notices in Real Estate: Everything You Need to Know   Have you ever started a conversation with a professional about their line of work, and within a few minutes you could only stare blankly, wondering what language they are talking in? We have all been guilty of it from time to time, forgetting that the terms we use in our day to day job […]
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Uncategorized The Price is Right! (are you sure?) “Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.”  We’ve all heard this saying, right?  When our clients ask us what their home is worth, or whether a property they are considering is priced well, we generally start our research with this perspective.  After all,  the goal is always to offer clarity […]
Buyer Education Can’t find the right house? Have you considered something brand new? Here’s what you need to know! For the last few years, the biggest theme in real estate has been the lack of inventory on the market.  When our market is imbalanced, it becomes difficult for half the people to meet their goals, and in recent memory it’s been very hard for buyers to find the property they like and have their […]
Buyer Education Understanding Pre-Approval Letters Not all pre-approvals are the same!  Everything you need to know about this important document!   We’ve talked about it before in different blog posts- when a seller accepts your offer, they are taking a chance on you.  Changing their listing to “Contingent” will virtually end all further interest from buyers, and put a stop […]
Buyer Education Considering a Condo? Keep these things in mind! In today’s market, when it’s hard to find just the right home because of low inventory and strong competition, more buyers than ever are considering condominiums as an alternative to single family homes.   Condos are also a popular choice for many people because they offer a low-maintenance lifestyle and often come with amenities like a […]
Uncategorized Lake Life! What you need to know when buying on a lake! Of all the wonderful natural resources we have in Wisconsin, the beautiful lakes we are blessed with is one of the most precious.  Whether  spending time on Lake Michigan or Winnebago, or a tiny one-acre lake in the north woods, we can all agree that enjoying the water is an important part of the Wisconsin […]
Buyer Education Pushing the reset button on your mortgage- Why, When, and How To Consider Refinancing Your mortgage terms aren’t forever! Borrowing money to purchase a home is really a transaction in and of itself.  There is an agreement between the borrower and the lender in which the lender agrees to provide money today for more money later.  What many people forget is that this agreement can be re-worked down the […]
Uncategorized Understanding FHA Loans If you’re considering buying or selling a home, you’ve likely heard of FHA loans. The Federal Housing Administration offers these loans to help people with less-than-perfect credit buy homes. It’s always a good idea to understand the details before making a big financial decision, and there are things that both buyers and sellers should consider […]
Buyer Education Understanding Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems   As we’ve mentioned in past blog posts, the three main pillars of an offer to purchase are terms that are related to 1) Money 2) Timing and 3) Condition of the property.  While most general condition-related concerns are addressed through the general home inspection contingency,  there are a few items which are dealt with […]
Buyer Education Understanding Post-Closing Occupancy Whether writing an offer for our buyer clients, or helping our sellers evaluate offers they receive for their property, we generally divide the terms of an offer into three categories: Financial Terms Condition Related Timing   Financial terms include things like price, mortgages, earnest money, and appraisals. Condition related terms focus on the buyer’s right […]
Buyer Education Understanding Proof of Funds As we’ve talked about in other blog posts, accepting an offer to purchase a property is an act of faith.  In fact, it’s a lot like getting engaged to be married!  No more dating!  This is the one!   Just like a marriage engagement, a home seller is not likely to accept a proposal from […]
General Real Estate Concepts The importance of perspective when buying and selling real estate I have a favorite saying:  “When all you have is a hammer, all the word’s a nail.”  Over the years, I think I’ve used it to mean several things, but most of all, it’s about perspective.  We always tend to conform our world view to serve their beliefs, abilities, needs, and wishes. In real estate, […]
Buyer Education Understanding Closing Cost Credits Some transactions are so simple.  If your neighbor agrees to sell you his bicycle for $100, you can walk right over there, hand him a $100 bill and ride the bike home!  Unfortunately, purchasing real estate isn’t quite that easy.  Large amounts of money being transferred between individuals can introduce complications, even if the transaction […]