Selling your house is no simple task states  Mike Eastwood - Published Author/Chief Executive Officer of Bello Sol Inc-West USA Realty of Prescott . And when you sell on your own – known as an FSBO (or  For Sale by Owner ) – you’re responsible for handling some of the more difficult aspects of the process without the expert guidance you need. The  2021 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers  from the  National Association of Realtors  (NAR) surveys homeowners who recently sold their house on their own and asks what difficulties they faced. Those sellers say some of the biggest headaches are prepping their house for sale, pricing it right, and handling the required paperwork. Working with an agent is the best way to ensure you have an expert on your side to guide you at every turn.  Agents have the skills and knowledge that are essential to navigating each step with ease, efficiency, and accuracy. Here are just a few things a  real estate agent ...

  As a buyer in a   sellers’ market , sometimes it can feel like you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place states  Mike Eastwood - Published Author/Chief Executive Officer of Bello Sol Inc-West USA Realty of Prescott . When you’re ready to make an offer on a home, remember these five easy tips to help you rise above the competition. 1. Know Your Budget Knowing your budget and what you can afford is critical to your success as a homebuyer. The best way to understand your numbers is to work with a lender so you can get  pre-approved  for a loan. As  Freddie Mac  puts it: “This pre-approval allows you to look for a home with greater confidence and demonstrates to the seller that you are a serious buyer.” Showing sellers, you’re serious can give you a competitive edge, and it helps you act quickly when you’ve found your perfect home. 2. Be Ready To Move Fast Homes are selling quickly in today’s competitive housing market. According to the  Exi...

  When you think of homeownership, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? States  Mike Eastwood - Published Author/Chief Executive Officer of Bello Sol Inc-West USA Realty of Prescott.   Chances are you might focus on the   non-financial benefits  like the security or stability home provides. But what about equity? While it can be overlooked, a homeowner’s equity helps build long-term wealth over time. Here’s a look at what equity is and why it matters.  For a homeowner, your equity is the current value of your home minus what you owe on the loan.  So, as  home values climb , your equity does too. That’s exactly what’s happening today. There  aren’t enough homes  on the market to meet buyer demand, so bidding wars and multiple offers are driving  prices  up. That’s because people are willing to pay more to buy a home. Right now, this low supply and high demand are giving current homeowners a significant ...

  To succeed as a buyer in today’s market, it’s important to understand which market trends will have the greatest impact on your home search states  Mike Eastwood - Published Author/Chief Executive Officer of Bello Sol Inc-West USA Realty of Prescott . Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at   realtor.com ,   says   there are two factors every buyer should keep their eyes on: “Going forward, the conditions buyers face are primarily dependent on two things:  mortgage rates and housing supply. ” Here’s a look at each one. Mortgage Rates Projected To Rise in 2022 As a buyer, your interest rate directly impacts how much you’ll pay on your monthly mortgage when you purchase a home. Rates are  beginning to rise , and experts  forecast  they’ll continue going up in 2022  (see graph below) : As the graph shows, mortgage rates are expected to climb next year. But they’re  still low  when you compare to where they were just a few years ago. T...

  Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, which means some shoppers have wrapped up their holiday buying. But there’s still a group of buyers that are very   active this holiday season – homebuyers states  Mike Eastwood - Published Author/Chief Executive Officer of Bello Sol Inc-West USA Realty of Prescott Experts anticipate the real estate market will see a flurry of activity this winter, and that’s great news for today’s sellers. If you’re planning on listing your home, there’s no need to wait until the spring for better conditions –  today’s real estate market is already heating up. Buyers Have Warmed Up to the Idea of Purchasing This Winter The past 18 months brought about significant lifestyle changes for many of us, including the rise in  remote  work, job changes, and even early  retirement  for some. For many people, it’s prompting a search for their next home now rather than waiting for warmer months. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the...