Raleigh Real Estate Blog - Triangle Area Real Estate Resources

January 15, 2020January 16, 2020

4 Challenges That Come with Marketing Your Own Home

If you’re looking to list your home this year, we have some good news—2020 is forecasted to be a seller’s market, which means most properties will sell quickly and for a higher price than normal. Although buyers are scrambling to find somewhere to settle down, even the most desirable homes still need some marketing to attract a broader audience.

Thinking about selling without the help of an agent? Here are four challenges you might not have thought about—and why you should probably consider working with a pro instead.

Reaching Out to Buyers

Real estate is always evolving, and nowadays, most homebuyers are using the internet, apps, and more to do their research before scheduling an in-person tour. That means if you want to reach an even broader audience, you’ll have to look further than just Zillow. With so many new platforms to choose from, It’s hard to know where to promote your listing—but working with an agent will open the door to even more options (and mean less work for you!).

Not sure where to start? Working with a licensed real estate expert will give you access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is the number one way that buyers search for homes. The right agent will reach out to their broad network of contacts, host open houses, take advantage of social media, and feature your home on top real estate apps.

Taking Professional Photos

Now that we’ve entered the digital age of real estate, it’s essential to get your space looking its best on a screen. Wondering how to make an unforgettable first impression? High-quality listing photos can help lure buyers into your home, especially if you highlight its best features.

Although smartphone cameras have come a long way, they still can’t hold a candle to the power of a professional photographer. If you want a picture-perfect listing, working with a pro is the way to go—they’ll use the right angles and lighting to make your home appear bigger and brighter. Agents can even create virtual tours and take aerial photographs, which allow buyers to get an in-depth look at your home from the comfort of their couch.

Perfecting Your Listing

Want to craft a flawless listing? It’s not as easy as you might think. Most buyers prioritize price, square footage, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms—and you should include all of these in your home’s description. However, there’s more to it than just mentioning the basics.

Because many buyers preview homes online first, a good description will set your listing apart from the rest. Highlighting special features, such as outdoor entertaining space or custom cabinets, will have potential buyers falling in love at first sight. If writing isn’t your forte, you might want to consider turning to an agent instead. They’ve probably crafted hundreds of listings in your area, so they’ll know how to appeal to prospective buyers.

Pricing Right the First Time

House figure with coin stacks and alarm clock

No matter how well you market your listing, even the most beautiful homes can linger on the market if they aren’t priced correctly. Unless you have plenty of real estate experience under your belt, you could end up making a costly mistake by setting a price without the help of a specialist. If you list too low, you risk losing hard-earned equity—but asking too much will drive buyers away.

If you’re feeling a little lost, you might want to let a professional crunch the numbers for you. The right agent will be familiar with what other homes are selling for in your area, and they’ll be able to figure out how you stack up against the competition.

Take Your Next Steps

Are you ready to team up with an agent and take the hassle out of selling? Let us do the heavy lifting for you! We believe there’s no such thing as too many questions, so feel free to reach out to Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® to learn more about navigating the selling process, as well as our effective marketing strategies.

January 13, 2020January 9, 2020

3 Selling Mistakes to Avoid in 2020

Selling your home is a big personal decision—after all, you’ll be letting go of memories in your old home and looking forward to more experiences in a new one. But it’s also important to not let your emotional attachments get in the way of what is, bottom line, a huge financial decision. Your home is likely one of the largest financial investments you’ll ever make, and it’s crucial to treat it as such. Here are three common selling mistakes to avoid when listing a home in 2020.

Overpricing your home

Even in a high-demand low-inventory market like we’re experiencing in the Triangle right now, it’s important not to overprice your home. You might find a buyer willing to pay your price—and still end up in trouble after the appraisal. Remember, a bank isn’t going to lend a buyer more money than a home is worth, so if you overprice, you might wind up renegotiating.

Don’t let your love for your home cloud your judgement. Ask an experienced professional to accurately value your home.

Letting your emotions interfere

selling mistakes include emotional attachment

If you’re like the average American homeowner, you’ve probably been in your home about ten years (or more), and that means you’ve likely made some memories (good and bad) and shared a lot of experiences with loved ones while you’ve been there. It’s natural to have an emotional attachment to your house, but it’s important not to let that inhibit your sale.

Don’t let your love for your home get in the way of pricing, negotiating, or even staging and showing your home.

Not staging your home

Your home likely has a specific “look”—a color scheme, a certain type of furniture or style of decor, or maybe just that warm lived-in look of kids’ art and friendly clutter. You’ve grown to love it (or at least, you’re used to it), but don’t make the mistake of thinking that all your buyers will, too.

When selling a home, it’s highly beneficial to remove some of the “you” from your living spaces, giving them a lived-in yet impersonal look. This allows buyers to picture their own personalizations.

Avoid Selling Mistakes with Us!

If you want to make 2020 the year you sell your home for top dollar, Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® is here to help! With our combined 350+ years of experience, we’ll ensure you price your home correctly, stage it beautifully, and keep your emotions out of the equation.

January 6, 2020January 3, 2020

2020 Real Estate Projections That Might Surprise You

The new year brings with it a number of big events—a presidential election and talks of a possible recession, to name a few—and that means predicting the real estate market is a bit challenging. What the experts have to say might surprise you.

Here are some interesting 2020 real estate projections.

Mortgage Rates Will Stay Stable

Experts at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac predict relatively stable mortgage rates throughout 2020. Freddie Mac and NAR forecast slightly higher rates of 3.8%, while Fannie Mae suggests numbers could drop as low as 3.5%.

Just a note: These rates are pretty incredible, especially when compared to rates over the past few decades. For example, the 1970s saw rates around 8.86%, while in the 80s, rates soared to over 12%.

Home Sales Will Increase

Of the four expert groups mentioned above, three predict that home sales in 2020 will increase compared to 2020, while Freddie Mac calls for consistent sales. Since mortgage rates are expected to stay low, buyer demand will also remain stable or even increase, driving home sales in the new year.

Home Values Will Increase

All four expert groups (plus two more) agree: home values in 2020 will continue to grow, though there’s a bit of variation in how much those values will grow. MBA predicts only a 3.1% increase, while CoreLogic calls for as much as a 5.4% increase in values. Closer to the middle, Fannie Mae suggests a 4.1% climb.

What About a Recession?

The big question on many buyers’ minds: Is a recession possible in 2020? The answer is of course that we can’t be sure. In early 2019, a large percentage of economists predicted a recession in 2020, but the economy has remained strong heading into 2020, so many are starting to rethink this forecast. In fact, Goldman Sachs anticipates only a 20% probability of a recession over the next year.

The Bottom Line: 2020 Real Estate Looks Promising

Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in 2020, projections seem to be in your favor! For buyers, mortgage rates are historically low, which means increased affordability—even as prices climb. And rising home values are good for both buyers and sellers in terms of equity.

Are you thinking of buying or selling a home in the Triangle area? Work with Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS®—we’ll put our 350+ years of combined real estate experience to work for YOU.

December 30, 2019December 27, 2019

Have You Outgrown Your Home? What to Do When It’s Time to Move On

As years go by, our priorities naturally change. Perhaps your household size has increased or decreased, or you’ve seriously downsized your number of possessions. Whatever the circumstances might be, it is important that your home matches your current needs.

It may see tough to initially admit that you are ready to make such a significant change, but the good news is, we are here to help you figure out the next steps when it’s time to move on.

Now’s the Time to Sell

If you are in the market to sell, then there’s even more good news for you: now is the perfect time. According to the most recent Home Price Insights report from CoreLogic, home prices have gone up by 3.5% year-over-year. Not only that, but research from the National Association of Realtors found that housing inventory has dropped by 4.3% since just last year.

This is not just a coincidence—these two trends are closely related. As overall inventory has decreased, demand has only increased, which has caused a surge in housing prices. By selling now, you stand to make a much higher profit than you would if you choose to wait!

Beginning Your Home Search

Of course, once you sell your home, you will have to revisit the home search process, perhaps for the first time in years (or maybe even decades!). Since the motivation behind selling your home is to find one that is more appropriate, then you should be sure to put plenty of careful thought into your decision.

Luckily, the Linda Craft Team can help! Get started by using our specialized search tool to narrow down your options based on everything from price and size to features and location. Once you’ve sorted out your wants and needs (and maybe even found a few options), give us a call. We’d love to use our database to find any homes in the Triangle area that fit your priorities!

Navigating the Home-Buying Process

There is much more to the buying process than just searching—but we’ll be around to help every step of the way. Wondering what your options are, from luxury to new construction? Check out our listings for each. Need a little help with the moving process? We’d be more than happy to send you our free guide on relocating to the Triangle area!

Whether you need help finding your perfect neighborhood or have a few questions about the mortgage process, you’ll find that we have a resource for your every home-buying need around the Triangle.

Ready to Find Your New Triangle Home?

Don’t settle for a home that doesn’t fit your lifestyle—make today the day that you being your new journey. When you work with Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® , we’ll put our over 350 years of combined real estate experience to work, whether it’s netting top dollar on your home sale or finding your dream home for a dream price.

Take some time to browse what we have to offer. Ready to get started? We’re just a phone call away!

December 18, 2019December 16, 2019

Real Estate Ranked as the Best Investment for Americans

Over the past year, experts have been going back and forth over whether or not the United States is headed for a recession. More recently the risk of a recession has waned, but even with the possibility on the horizon, real estate remained strong.

In fact, real estate was ranked by Americans as the safest investment over the next ten years! Check out the numbers from Porch.com’s poll, and learn why now is the prime time to buy.

The Best Investment? Real Estate.

Porch.com is a site dedicated to helping homeowners complete home renovations big and small, and they recently conducted a survey on generational housing outlooks. One of the questions on the survey? “What do you believe is the safest investment over the next 10 years?”

U.S. housing took the number-one spot, coming in as the response for 27.2% of those surveyed. It was closely followed by savings accounts, with 21.8%, then gold (16%), U.S. bonds (10.6%), and U.S. stocks (10.4%). Additionally, every generation overwhelmingly agreed that owning a home was a good investment, and most also expected the housing market to rise in the next ten years.

And Other Surveys Agree!

It’s not just Porch.com‘s survey that paints the housing market optimistically; there were two additional, unrelated studies that found similar results.

The Federal Reserve Bank’s 2019 Consumer Expectations Housing Survey discovered that 65% of Americans believe owning a home is a good investment, a number that has been steadily increasing over the past four years.
A Gallup survey also showed that Americans have picked real estate as the best investment for the past six years in a row.

Why Now Is the Prime Time to Buy

If you’re interested in starting to grow your investment, then now is the perfect time to start your home search. Mortgage rates—which have already been at near-record lows for most of the year—are expected to stay low into 2020. Buying a home now as opposed to waiting a few months could end up saving you a significant amount!

And it’s not only the financial side of things—since winter is typically a slower time for real estate, you won’t have to compete with nearly as many buyers in the Triangle area as you would in the spring. That means you can take your time and find a home that perfectly fits your wants and needs.

Navigate Triangle Real Estate with Linda Craft & Team

With over 350 years of combined real estate experience, Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® has been helping Triangle residents successfully buy and sell homes for decades. If you’re ready to start growing your investment, then we’re here to help!

Take some time to browse our resources for buyers, use our specialized home search tool to narrow down your options, and give us a call when you’re ready to get started.

December 15, 2019January 8, 2020

The Top 4 Home-Selling Myths, Busted

“Fake news” has become one of the trendiest terms of the decade—even when it comes to real estate. Homeowners are often bombarded with selling advice that promises to get their home sold quickly and for top dollar…but more often than not, these “tips” are nothing more than misleading—and can throw you off-track.

As we near the end of the year, we want to set the record straight. Here’s our list of the top four selling myths, debunked.

Myth #1: It’s Just like Reality TV

If HGTV is your guilty pleasure, you’ve probably watched hundreds of buyers and sellers navigate the real estate process on camera. Although the shows do get some things right, they’re often scripted and don’t provide an accurate idea of what it takes to sell your property.

One of the biggest misconceptions created by these programs is the length of the selling process. Don’t fall for the TV magic—it actually takes a lot more than a showing and a phone call to close a deal. In reality, homes can sit on the market for 60 to 100 days or more, and the closing process might last for up to 45 days. Instead of expecting instant gratification, it’s best to talk with your agent to create a realistic timeline before listing.

Myth #2: Selling Without an Agent is Cheaper

Clock with coins and wooden house figurine

Many sellers are tempted to list their home as “for sale by owner” because they want to avoid a commission fee. However, the risks involved definitely outweigh the savings. Real estate agents have to wear a lot of hats—they act as everything from property value analyzers to professional marketers to legal negotiators, all of which require years of experience. When you opt to sell on your own, all of that responsibility falls onto your shoulders, and it’s a lot to handle at once.

Although it might seem like you’re saving money by doing it all yourself, an agent can protect you from scams, guide you through paperwork, and even sell your home for up to 75% more. In fact, a recent assessment by the National Association of Realtors notes that the average FSBO home price was $185,000, while homes sold by a Realtor went for $245,000. That’s a $60,000 price difference, which is much more than what you’d pay in commission!

Myth #3: You Can Only Sell in Spring or Summer

It’s no secret that spring and summer are prime seasons for real estate, but that doesn’t mean you should only list during those months. In fact, there are some hidden benefits to selling during the fall and winter that you might not have considered.

Many people buying in the second half of the year are often more motivated to make a deal, whether they’re relocating or adapting to a change in their personal life. That means they’ll likely have their paperwork and finances in order well beforehand, which speeds up the closing process. You’ll also deal with less competition, which will make your home stand out more and give you extra negotiating power.

Myth #4: You Can Price Your Home by Yourself

There are countless mistakes to avoid when it comes to pricing your property, especially if you’re a first-time seller. Many homeowners believe they know their home best and can set their own price, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Oftentimes, sellers put more value into their home than it’s actually worth due to personal feelings—after all, it’s hard to see your own home without an unbiased eye! The right agent will know the ins and outs of the local market and won’t be so biased, which makes them qualified to give you a more accurate estimate.

It’s also crucial to be wary of online home estimators that promise instant results. Believe it or not, they won’t take into account any recent upgrades or repairs you’ve made on your home. A website also lacks the same personal touch as a real person. An agent will do thorough research into real estate trends in your area, as well as other properties that have sold nearby. Their hyper-local analysis paints a better picture of what your home can actually sell for.

Looking for More Selling Advice?

Whether you’re selling your first home or your fifth, it’s always a good idea to brush up on your real estate knowledge. If you have questions or are ready to list, feel free to reach out to Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® for more information. We can’t wait to team up and tackle the selling process together!

December 13, 2019December 13, 2019

5 Big Reasons You Should Sell Your Triangle Home This Winter

We know what you’ve heard—it’s almost impossible to sell your Triangle home in the winter. And if you do, then you can expect to make much less than you would if you had sold in the spring.

In reality, that’s simply not true. In fact, winter can be a highly lucrative time to sell your home! …If you play your cards right and work with an expert.

If you’re on the fence about listing, here are our top 5 reasons to sell your Triangle home this winter.

Demand is High

Sellers handing over keys after selling their Triangle home in the winter.

No one wants to buy a home in the winter…right? Wrong. According to the National Association of Realtors‘ latest Buyer Traffic Report, buyer demand is still strong throughout the entire country. In fact, many areas of the country are seeing multiple offers on the same homes!

You Won’t Have to Deal with as Much Competition

Two people shaking hands over selling a Triangle home this winter.

While buyer activity is high, inventory is low—actually, it’s under the 6-month supply necessary for a normal housing market! Since homeowners are starting to stay in their houses for a greater number of years than in the past, fewer homes are popping up on the market as a result.

Although that trend is starting to shift a bit, it’s still the prime time to capitalize on less competition.

Buyers Mean Business

Paperwork needing to be signed after selling a Triangle home in the winter.

In other seasons, you get a lot of “tire kickers”—you know, buyers who aren’t really serious about finding a home and just want to browse their options. If you sell your home this winter, you’ll benefit from a greater number of serious buyers. Many people are looking to relocate during this time of the year, and are often on a timeline. That means that when it comes to home shopping, they’re in the market to make an offer—if they like what they see, that is.

Now’s the Time to Move Up

Thinking of upgrading to a luxury home in the Triangle area? Now’s the perfect time. While inventory is low overall, it’s much higher on the more expensive end of the market, meaning you have more negotiating power as a buyer.

According to CoreLogic, however, prices are projected to rise by 5.6% within the next year. Moving into a high-end home now means big savings in the future—and the potential for a much higher sale price when you’re ready to list!

Don’t Put Off Starting Your New Chapter

We understand how intimidating this step can be—not just selling your Triangle home, but making the move that comes along with it. But are your worries valid enough to put off taking this big life step?

When you work with Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS®, we’ll do everything we can to ensure that your questions are answered, your worries are relieved, and your home is sold for top dollar.

Ready to Sell Your Triangle Home this Winter?

Then Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® is here to help. Our team boasts over 350 years of combined real estate experience—so we know what it takes to successfully sell a home. Take some time to browse our resources—including our home evaluation and home score tools—and let us know when you’re ready to to put your property on the market.

December 13, 2019December 12, 2019

Santa Is Coming to Town…& He’s Helping Us Give Away a Five-Day Cruise

During this holiday season, our crew at Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® has been reflecting on just how grateful we are for our clients. After all, without you, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve the success that we’ve had this year!

That’s why we wanted to take the opportunity to give back a little bit by inviting one of our famous friends over to the office for a quick professional photo session. But that’s not all—to show just how thankful we are and spread a little extra holiday cheer, we also wanted to give away a special treat to a lucky winner: a five-day cruise for two!

Check out the details of our Santa Day celebration, and see how you can enter to win our luxurious ocean getaway!

Celebrate Santa Day

Celebrate the Santa Day event with Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS®.

When: Saturday, December 21st, 10am – 2pm

Where: 7300 Six Forks Road

What: Mark your calendars: Santa Claus is coming to our office on Six Forks Road! We’ll be decking the halls, decorating the office, and setting up a festive photo shoot area—complete with a professional photographer!

Swing by the office anytime from 10am to 2pm, and you can get your photo taken with Jolly Old Saint Nick for FREE. We’ll be sure to send you an email after the event with a link to your 5×7 colored image, so you can make this a memory that lasts a lifetime.

Win a Five-Day Cruise for Two

Of course, we didn’t want to just stop there. In addition to free professional photos with Santa, we also will be giving away a luxurious five-day cruise for two to one lucky winner!

Enjoy the cool ocean breeze, relax in the sun on the wide-open deck, and listen to the lapping of the clear blue waves below…sounds like our idea of bliss! The cruise itself offers a lively Welcome Aboard party, gourmet food every night, a wide range of entertainment (including lavish shows, live music, comedians, and more!), pools and whirlpools, dozens of activities, and time to explore white-sand beaches and beautiful terrains at each port of call.

Wondering how to enter? Easy—just follow this link and fill out the form at the bottom of the page! Santa himself will be announcing the winner on our Facebook page, so make sure you click “like” so you don’t miss the big reveal!

Making Real Estate Plans in the New Year?

As you’re planning your holiday schedule, make sure you drop into our Santa Day event on Saturday the 21st! And don’t forget—Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® are always around to help with your every real estate need around the Triangle area, whether its buying your dream home or selling for top dollar.

If you have any questions—about Santa Day, our cruise giveaway, or local real estate—don’t hesitate to give us a call!

December 9, 2019January 6, 2020

4 Quick Tips That’ll Get Your Triangle Home Sold Faster

Selling a home takes times. Oftentimes, if you’re listing, it means you’re relocating for a job, moving closer to loved ones, downsizing or upsizing, or making a number of major life changes…many of which are time-sensitive.

If you want to get your home sold fast (and not sacrifice profit), here are the top 4 tips you’ll need to keep in mind.

Make Buyers Feel at Home

According to the numbers released from the National Association of Realtors’ 2019 Profile of Home Staging, 83% of buyers agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to picture themselves in the space—which makes perfect sense. If your home is peppered with family photos and cluttered corners, it won’t exactly feel welcoming!

If your home is staged, then odds are it’ll also sit on the market for a shorter window of time. In fact, the report even mentioned that one-quarter of buyers’ agents said that staging a home boosted the offer anywhere from 1 – 5% when compared to similar homes for sale that weren’t staged! If you’d like some personalized tips on how to maximize the appeal of your Triangle home, our team would be more than happy to do a walkthrough.

Keep It Organized

Imagine walking into a stranger’s home and finding stacks of dishes in the sink, papers on the countertops, tables full of coats and bags…not a very inviting atmosphere, right? When you’re selling your home, that effect is amplified ten-fold.

According to the report mentioned above, the most important room to perfect is the kitchen. In addition to cleaning out the sink and scrubbing down the countertops, consider also baking fresh cookies or setting out a pot of coffee. Not only will it give the buyers something to enjoy during the tour, but it’ll also infuse your home with cozy smells!

Price It Right

The right price is the key to a quick sale. Price your home too high or too low, and you risk having it sit on the market way past your desired deadline. So, you’ll just use an automatic estimator to get the job done, right? Well…only if you’re okay with the possibility of using outdated data and not having every upgrade and repair taken into account.

Want your home priced to sell ASAP? Let us help. Not only can we price your home, but we can also give you a sellable home score that details exactly what its strengths and weaknesses are—as well as how quickly we think it’ll sell.

Give Buyers Full Access

Limiting buyer access to your home is one of the biggest selling mistakes you can make. Although showings might not always be convenient, they’re the only way a buyer can truly get a sense for your property. By limiting them in any way, you also limit your buyer pool.

It may not always be ideal, but try to be as flexible as possible with showings. After all, buyers won’t wait on you forever, so they may move on to a new home if you don’t respond promptly!

Want to Sell Your Triangle Home Faster?

At Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® , we have over 350 years of combined real estate experience—so we know what it takes to successfully sell a home. Take some time to browse our resources, learn more about what we have to offer our clients, and give us a call when you’re ready to take the next steps.

December 1, 2019January 6, 2020

Keep Calm and Move On: How to Tackle a Long-Distance Relocation

Whether you’re heading down the street or to a new town, moving is always a tough transition. However, relocating across the country presents a whole new set of challenges you might not have considered. Picking up your life can be an exciting change, but it’s also a bit overwhelming.

Need some help navigating the process? Take a deep breath and get ready—we’ve got some quick tips for you!

Stay on Top of Your Schedule

Sometimes a cross-country move can come out of nowhere, especially if it’s due to a job or major life change. Even if you’ve been planning your relocation for a while, it can still be exhausting. Before you start tearing your hair out, it’s crucial to start planning ahead of time.

Once you’ve figured out your moving date, be sure to stay on top of your calendar. It’s easy for your schedule to fill up with appointments, going-away parties, and other obligations. It might help to create to-do lists or invest in a good planner (digital or paper!). However, as you get busier, be sure to plan some time for yourself, too. Tackling a move is impossible without some self-care!

Declutter & Organize

Let’s face it—organizing everything you own and moving it thousands of miles is no easy feat. Start lightening the load right away, and get rid of things you won’t need once you move. You might even want to have a garage sale or donate your gently used objects to charity. Remember, if you don’t use it regularly, you should probably lose it.

Looking for a simple way to tackle the decluttering process? Try going room by room and sorting things as you go. It’s easy to get overwhelmed as you pare down your possessions, so having a system will help ease the burden.

Pack Everything Up

When it comes to packing, it’s essential that all of your belongings are secure. Check that all boxes are reinforced, and invest in some heavy duty tape and wrapping materials. Moving supplies don’t have to be expensive, though—check social media or local stores to find a bargain on some good quality boxes.

Your stuff is in for a long haul if you’re moving across the country, so you might want to take extra steps to prevent any damage. If you’re looking for some good padding, old t-shirts and socks will do the trick in a pinch! Don’t be afraid to get creative—jewelry boxes, small containers, and extra suitcases can help you save some space.

Make Travel Arrangements

When you’re making a move across the country, getting to your new home is one of the most difficult parts of the process. Be sure to make travel arrangements in advance—this means you should research hotels, book rentals, and reserve plane tickets ahead of time. As you’re packing, be sure to set aside any essentials that you might need as you travel to your new place.

Wondering what you should keep on hand? Think of it like packing for a vacation—you’ll want toiletries, extra clothing, medication, and all your other “must-haves.” Don’t forget to keep important paperwork, such as birth certificates and passports, with you in case you need them.

Connect with a Local Agent

Unless you have a friend or family member in your new city, it can be tough to scope out the area. Nobody will know your future home quite as well as a local, and connecting with the right real estate agent can help.

Aside from helping you find a home, your agent can also help you navigate your new surroundings with ease. Working with an area expert comes with a lot of perks, including relocation packages, personalized guidance, and specialized tools…not to mention the local knowledge to recommend anything from the top school district to the best pizza joint! When you’re choosing a real estate agent, be sure to do your research and reach out to a few before making your decision. You want to make sure you gel with whomever you choose!

Ready to Conquer Your Move?

Although relocating can be stressful, it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think, especially when you work with a team of trusted local professionals. Remember, staying organized and prepared will make the entire process that much easier! If you’re new to the area or are looking for some long-distance buying resources, feel free to reach out to us. We’d love to ease the burden of your cross-country move!