As demand in the housing market is continues to rise in 2018, many are wondering when the environment will level out. Housing prices are soaring and in many respects, it is a seller’s market. According to analysts at Freddie Mac, these conditions are set to change starting in 2019. Read this article to details on housing market changes to come in 2019 and what to expect when you are buying or selling a Southpark home for sale.

The Projected Stats This Year and Next Year

The 2018 housing market is set to turn out similarly to recent years, according to Freddie Mac. Housing prices are projected to rise a whopping 7 percent, with sales up 3.3 percent.

However, once 2019 hits, it is expected that appreciation may decelerate to around 3.1 percent with a 2.1 percent growth rate.  These projections mean that potential sellers may want to get their Cornelius house for sale on the market before next year!

What May Cause This Change?

Markets change and shift, and it’s important to know the cause so that you can plan ahead. Mortgage rates are one factor that will cause this market shift. Today, the average 30-year fixed rate is 4.66 percent.

By the end of this year, the average is projected to hit 4.9 percent. By the close of 2019. the average rate could be as high as 5.4 percent. This climb in rates is expected to soften the market a bit.

What to Expect

Despite the increase in costs, demand is expected to remain strong. As long as consumers are confident in the economy as a whole, they will still want to spend money on housing. In fact, according to Freddie Mac, the economy is expected to grow 2.7 percent and employment stats are positive this year.

What do you think of these 2019 market projections? We would love to hear your thoughts about buying or selling a Charlotte luxury house for sale!

New On-Demand Consumers and the Real Estate Market

Over the past decade, the real estate industry has continued to grow, along with the consumer’s demand for an all-inclusive tech experience. Nearly everything is done online, and house hunting for the perfect Dilworth home for sale is no different. The consumer simply wants to have more control over the process. Read this article to learn about these new on-demand consumers and how they have changed the real estate market.

Changes for the Home Buyer

If you are searching for your dream house for sale in Waxhaw, you now have the freedom to browse listings from the comfort of your own home. Not only that, but the increase in technology has made the buyer more knowledgeable and educated concerning real estate trends and the home buying process.

There are even companies that allow buyers to tour homes on their own time without an agent present. For instance, if the potential buyer is interested in touring a home, they simply send a text message to the appropriate party to gain access immediately. However, the question is: Are we prepared to go without the human element for the sake of convenience?

Changes for the Home Seller

Changes for the home seller of a Providence house for sale are similar to the buyer. With technology, there is much more transparency overall, and many sellers can get a feel for what buyers are looking for. Additionally, many sellers have done their homework and often have an idea as to what their house is worth.

As life becomes more on-demand in general, we should be ready for even more changes in the real estate industry including everything from how we communicate to how we show a home to buyers. What do you think is the next big change facing the real estate industry? Please share your thoughts!

Even if you don’t have kids, buying a Weddington home for sale, or other home in an excellent school district will likely benefit you. Sought after school districts simply tend to preserve the value of homes in that area. Not only that, but you will likely find that resale is fast. Read this article to learn about the details on why buying a home in a top-notch school district is a good idea!

Buyers Seeking Strong Public Schools

Many buyers find that the location of their home for sale in Ballantyne is extremely important due to being in a great school district. How can you tell if the home you are interested in has an excellent public school?

Consider the conditions of the facilities, the student-to-teacher ratios, standardized test scores, and most of all, word of mouth. Great schools will naturally have a strong reputation in the community. Ask around and you are sure to get an honest assessment!

Consider All Angles

Buying a Providence house for sale based on the quality of the school district is still a complicated decision. Although some areas may have less than stellar public schools, some families opt for a private school setting instead.

However, private school tuition averages in at approximately $900 per month, which means you may not be able to afford as much house with this additional cost. It’s therefore important to consider all angles and decide what is most important to your family.

For Those Who Don’t Have Kids

Even for buyers who don’t have kids, purchasing in a strong school district will likely present benefits. For instance, homes with excellent schools tend to sell faster and hold their value better through economic downturns.

On the downside, these homes tend to be more expensive with higher property taxes. It really comes down to what is most important to the buyer.

What do you think? Would you buy a home based on the school district? Why or why not?

There is a slice of the real estate market that is interested in living in tiny homes over traditional houses for sale in Waxhaw. Some buyers do it to simplify their lifestyle and for affordability reasons. Tiny home advocates claim that despite the smaller space, living in a tiny home is more than doable because no square footage is put to waste. Read this article to learn all about the new tiny home sold by Amazon and ready to ship to you!

Houses Online

Amazon is giving house hunting online a whole new definition! The retail giant started in 1994 as an online book retailer. 10 years later they started selling groceries online and everyone thought it was a bit off the wall. However, in homes for sale in University City, their grocery business is definitely popular.

A new company called MODS International has started selling livable shipping containers that are sold on Amazon!

The Details

These tiny homes include a kitchen, teeny tiny living area, bathroom, and a bedroom that can sleep to four with bunk beds. They are customizable so that you can add more windows, double doors, and other options to make the most of the space.

MODS are built to code and the plumbing and electricity can even be adjusted to local building codes. They are apparently easy to set up, and are delivered on a flat bed truck.

The Cost

These tiny homes currently cost $36,000 plus $4,000 in shipping and handling. This is approximately 20% the price of the average Charlotte home. However, it should be noted that there aren’t many reviews on these yet, and so far, they have an average of 2.5 stars.

What do you think of these tiny homes? Would you buy one over a Ballantyne home for sale? Why or why not? Please share your thoughts!

Every parent knows that inspiring teens to do anything you want them to do can seem impossible. This is especially true when it comes to keeping your house for sale in Southpark neat and tidy for upcoming home showings. As a seller, you have plenty of other business to attend to. Read this article for tips to get your teen to clean their room for house showings so that you have one less item to check off your list!

Offer an Incentive

Many teens are inspired by incentives, and especially cash incentives! The key is to establish a set allowance and a list of exactly what needs to be cleaned in a Providence home for sale to get that allowance. Clear expectations, communication and consistency are key for this to work.

If offering cash isn’t possible right now, choose a different incentive. For example, let them do an activity with friends they have been begging to do if they hold up their end of the deal. Remember to reward your teen when they least expect it as well. Words of affirmation do wonders in boosting morale.

Give Them a Room They Are Proud Of

When teens have a space they are in love with, they are much more likely to take care of it. For instance, let them choose the color scheme, furnishings and accessories as much as possible. Brainstorm with them to find ways of showcasing their most prized possessions.

Giving them freedom over their own space in a house for sale in Waxhaw will likely help inspire them to maintain it and keep it clean.

Consequences

Lastly, if you find that your teen is constantly distracted with devices and never gets to daily chores, it’s time for consequences. It could be anything from taking away their devices entirely to resetting the Wi-Fi password until chores are complete.

Do you have any other ideas on how to get your teen to clean their room for house showings? Please share what works for you!

The inside of a Fort Mill home for sale is undoubtedly important. However, the outside, what is often called curb appeal, is equally as important. When potential buyers drive up to your home, they will already have a first impression. First impressions matter and inevitably affect the buyer’s entire outlook. Read this article for tips for a beautiful lawn that will sell your house fast and create a lasting positive impression!

Healthy Lawn and Clean Walkway

Perhaps buyers walk up to your house for sale in Concord. It is a gorgeous house, but the grass features brown spots and the walkway to the front door is outdated and dirty. No matter how beautiful your home is, buyers will hesitate to throw in an offer.

To avoid this situation, keep your mower blades sharp. Dull blades tear the tips of the grass and cause them to turn brown. Additionally, consider updating the walkway with new stones for a fresh look.

Vibrant Flowers and Shrubs

Let’s say your yard outside your Stallings house for sale is comprised of dried, unruly shrubs and old flowerbeds that haven’t been tended in far too long. Yuck! Buyers will not be impressed.

Fresh mulch and vibrant flowers are an absolute must. Weeding and pruning flower beds is essential. Additionally, remember to mow often but adjust the cutting height to only remove about 1/3 of the grass at a time. If you cut your grass too short during the hot summer months, your lawn will be scorched by the sun.

Do you have more tips for a beautiful lawn that will sell your house fast? We would love to hear your creative and budget friendly ideas for Charlotte home sellers to make their property stand out from the rest!

Many potential home buyers begin their home search online even before they hire an agent. Perhaps you’re browsing available homes and suddenly you come across your dream home! It has everything you want and fits neatly into your budget. However, you notice the status, “Sale Pending.” What does it mean? Should you give up hope on your dream home for sale in Ballantyne? Read this article to find out what sale pending means and steps you can take to snatch up the perfect home!

What Does Sale Pending Mean?

A pending sale means that the seller has an offer but has not yet closed. The moment a contract is executed, a property is pending sale. However, it is still not officially sold and there is a still a chance that the sale won’t go through.

Two primary instances would be if the house inspection doesn’t check out or if the buyer can’t pull together the financing. Even with a sale pending status, you could still land that particular dream house for sale in Lake Norman.

Make Your Interest Known

If you see a pending sale that you are interested in, let your agent know! In this competitive market, you never know what will happen. If your offer is stellar enough, you could end up with that home! Remember, until closing, you still have some wiggle room.

Throw In an Offer

If you are financially able and the circumstances allow for it, throw in a strong offer and negotiate with the seller. If your deal is substantially sweeter, it will improve your odds of winning a sale pending Waxhaw house for sale.

When you are upfront about the fact that you want a particular home and show that you are willing and able to make the deal worth it for the seller, the scale is more likely to tip in your favor.

Do you have experience getting a sale pending home? We want to hear about your experience!

Reasons to Sell Your House in 2018

Perhaps you haven’t yet considered selling your house for sale in Eastover this year. However, if you think that you’re ready for something different, data shows that 2018 is the year to make the leap.

According to a recent Trulia survey, 31 percent of survey respondents believe that 2018 will be a better year for selling a home than 2017. Only 14 percent said they expected it to be worse. The kicker is this. A mere 6 percent of homeowners surveyed plan to sell their home in 2018, despite the positive outlook! Read on for reasons to sell your home in 2018 and how to prepare.

Low Inventory

The fact that only 6 percent of homeowners in this survey plan to sell their home this year means that low inventory will continue. For home sellers, this means that demand for your home for sale in Cotswold will be hot!

Home buyers are truly chomping at the bit, and it’s essential to take advantage of this market environment while it lasts. Reports from Zillow show that later this year, it is likely that home builders will start constructing more starter homes to meet the ever rising demand.

Interest Rates are Still Low

Another reason to sell your home now? Interest rates are still low, paving the way for more potential buyers to snatch up your Providence home for sale. The Mortgage Bankers associating predicts that rates will rise to 5 percent in 2019 and 5.3 percent in 2020.

These higher rates often mean less competition among buyers and therefore, less bidding wars for sellers.

How to Prepare

The bottom line is that inventory is still at an all-time low and demand is extremely high. Market conditions after 2018 are very uncertain, and now is simply the time to sell.

In this market, there are three primary areas to focus on to get your house ready: Declutter, repair and put effort into curb appeal. If you seriously tackle these three things, your house will likely generate ample interest. Call Homes By Cross today and we will sell your house fast and for top dollar!

If you snag a cash buyer for your house for sale in Ballantyne, it likely calls for a celebration. Selling to a cash buyer has a lot of advantages, two of which are a fast speed of sale and convenience. Once you accept a cash offer, you can often get your money in days. Depending on your situation as a seller, this could be a life saver! Read this article for details on what you should know about home cash buyers as you prepare to sell your Charlotte home!

Fewer Snags

A cash sale removes many of the circumstances that result in a sale falling through. For instance, you don’t have to worry about whether your buyer will qualify for a loan. Once the cash is exchanged, there is no going back!

Best of all, cash sales close quickly compared to conventional sales. Generally, you can expect to close in 1 to 3 weeks. Whereas with a conventional sale, it takes 4 to 7 weeks. Typically, a cash sale is “as is,” which means that you won’t be on the hook to do any major repairs before closing.

Protect Yourself

Although a cash buyer is highly desirable for a NoDa house for sale, it is still necessary to protect yourself. For instance, you should get proof of funds from the buyer before you agree to anything.

Keep in mind that if a cash buyer still requests added contingencies such as an appraisal and inspection, it won’t glean as much of a benefit.

Cash is Great for the Buyer

Not only do sellers benefit from a cash buyer, but the buyer benefits as well! Paying cash for a home for sale in Southpark means no mortgage payment and a firm sense of security. Additionally, the buyer has available equity and market fluctuations don’t matter as much.

Do you have experience buying as a cash buyer or selling to a cash buyer? Please share your experiences!

As a homeowner of an Indian Land home for sale, knowing the best time to put your house on the market is half the battle. Timing is everything when it comes to selling for top dollar and recouping some cash. Read this article for details on the best time to sell your Charlotte home and what you can expect at other times of the year.

The Perfect Season

According to a new report from Zillow, waiting until late spring to put your house for sale in Cornelius on the market could result in a faster sale and higher bids. Homes listed between May 1 and May 15 often sell nearly two weeks sooner and for an average of $2,400 more. Those budding trees and blooming flowers may help to boost buying confidence!

The Perfect Day of the Week

The Zillow report also found that listing your house on certain days of the week could also improve your chances of a faster sale and higher sale price. Saturday came up on top as the absolute best day of the week to list your home. Thursday, Friday and Sunday also showed up as strong days to list.

The Current Market

You may wonder, why is May such a good time for home sales? The key is low inventory and many buyers simply want to settle in before summer hits, and are often willing to pay more for the right house for sale in Huntersville.

And get this. On average, a homeowner will spend $18,342 in extra costs when they sell their home. Choosing the right time to put it on the market is so important if you want to recoup some of these additional costs.

Are you looking to put your Charlotte house on the market this May? Call Homes By Cross today to sell fast and get top dollar for your house!