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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

A box packed full of things.

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.

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Buyer Demand is Growing—Here’s How You Can Take Advantage of It

Typically fall—and especially late fall—isn’t an active time for the housing market. Buyers slow down around the holidays, fewer sellers list their homes on the market, and there’s a predictable lull before the New Year.

But this year, that’s not the case. In fact, buyer demand has grown in every region of the country, with the South in particular boasting the second-highest percentage of increased buyer traffic! Here’s how the numbers break down, and how you can take advantage of it as a seller.

Buyer Demand is Up

An agent leading buyers on a tour of homes during the late fall, a period of high buyer demand.

For the second month in a row, buyer interest is up in every region of the nation, including the Midwest, the South, the Northeast, and the West. This is likely largely due to low mortgage rates that have been present for most of the year, which makes buying in general more attractive and affordable.

Here in the South, we’ve generated the second-highest level of year-over-year buyer traffic growth, coming in at 6.4%—the largest jump in activity since last spring! The Western U.S. dominated the race at 8.9%, while the Midwest was lagging, but still in the game, with a .8% growth. Nationwide, the activity increase averaged out to 4.6%! For late fall and winter sellers, this is fantastic news

Buyers are Motivated

Home buyers on a tour of homes for sale.

One of the best things about selling during this time of the year? You won’t have to deal with buyers who are causally shopping. Instead, you can expect that most people out hunting for homes are hoping to move in before the new year—which works in your favor.

Since buyers will be on a timeline, they’re less likely to want long, drawn out negotiations. While they will probably be a little pickier about the home they choose, that just means that you have even more leverage—inventory is low, and if they walk away from your home, it could take them weeks to find another that they like.

Competition is Low

An aerial view of homes.

While spring and summer typically boast higher prices and more activity, that also means that other sellers are looking to capitalize on those benefits, as well. But in late fall and winter, seller activity takes a dramatic dip—and the limited listings on the market suddenly become much more attractive for motivated buyers.

There will still be other homes on the market, however, so don’t take this as an excuse to slack off on staging or marketing. In fact, staging and marketing are even more important during this time of year, since buyers are more selective in the homes they choose to tour!

Want to Bring Buyers to Your Front Door?

Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® can help. We have over 350 years of combined experience, which makes us perfectly suited to ensure that your home sells not only quickly, but also for the highest price possible.

Want to add your home to our list of over 10,000 successful sales? 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.

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The Numbers Are in… and Now’s a Great Time to Sell

This year’s real estate market has been shattering all sorts of expectations—and the latest numbers are no exception. While you might think that spring and summer are the most profitable seasons for selling, this fall has the potential to prove you wrong!

Here are the highlights from the  National Association of Realtors’ latest home-selling report.

Buyer’s Market vs. Seller’s Market

A "For Sale" sign in the front yard of a home.

Before we dig into the numbers, it’s important to provide a little context as to what they mean.

Buyer’s and seller’s markets are primarily determined by the amount of inventory available. If there’s less than 6 months’ worth of homes for sale, then prices will go up, leading to a seller’s market. On the other hand, when inventory tops 7 months, price tend to depreciate and the market swings in the favor of buyers.

With that in mind, let’s get to the numbers!

Sales vs. Inventory

A key in front of a miniature model of a home.

While sales have gone up, the most important takeaway from the report is the inventory. At the end of August, the total housing inventory sunk by 2.6% to 1.86 million homes for sale.

Unsold inventory is lower than the 4.3 month figure recorded last August, which represents a 4.1 month supply based on the current sales pace. With increased demand and limited supply, sellers are benefitting in major ways—namely, price increases.

Why the Increase in Buyer Activity?

People shaking hands over a real estate transaction.

Typically, buying slows down during the fall and winter months, but with mortgage rates remaining at near-record lows, it’s been hard to resist taking advantage of them. In fact, The Existing Home Sales Report also shows that 49% of properties were on the market for less than a month when they were sold.

The bottom line? If you’re planning on selling, now’s the perfect time to capitalize on ready, willing, and able buyers—and likely for a better price than usual.

List Your Home with Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to put off your home-selling plans until the spring or summer—the last few months of the year are shaping up to make for a stellar seller’s market.

Want to take advantage of these favorable conditions and sell your home before the end of the year? Then let Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® help. With hundreds of years of combined local experience, we have the resources, expertise, and skill-set to ensure that your property sells for top dollar! Whenever you’re ready to get started, we’re just a phone call away.

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6 Key Real Estate Graphs that You Need to See

No matter what capacity you’re entering the Triangle area real estate market in—whether it’s buying, selling, or investing—it’s crucial to be prepared. By knowing all of the latest numbers on mortgage rates, median sales price, and average days on the market, you can gain a major advantage over your competition!

Since we want to ensure that each and every one of our clients is well-equipped to reach their goals, we wanted to give you a quick snapshot at all of the trends you need to know.

Here are the top 6 real estate graphs that you should study up on.

The Strength of the Current Market

Key takeaways:

  • Keeping an eye on the current status of the housing market is one of the best ways to make powerful and confident decisions when buying or selling a home.
  • Mortgage rates remaining near historic lows and houses selling in an average of only 29 days are just two key elements driving the strength of today’s market.
  • With the national data shown here, make sure to also determine what’s happening in your local market so you are fully informed when you’re ready to make your next move.

Navigate the Market with Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®

At Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®, we know the ins and outs of the local and national real estate market—and we’re more than happy to share that knowledge with you. Whether you’re buying and looking for a little help or selling and hoping for top dollar, our track record of satisfied clients shows that we have what it takes to lead you to success.

Ready to get started? Feel free to give us a call!

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Low Inventory & High Demand are Shaping the Raleigh Real Estate Market

A two-story brick home with a green lawn and a red "for sale" sign out front.

It’s safe to say that the housing market in Raleigh, and the rest of the country, has all but recovered from the last housing crash. Home values are on a steady increase, while the number of foreclosures and distressed property sales are at an all-time low.

Additionally, economists and market experts predict that the market will continue to stay strong for the remainder of 2019! This is great news for homeowners, especially those looking to sell.

Here’s the Breakdown

Right now, the real estate market is considered strong and healthy for both buyers and sellers. According to economists at the National Association of Realtors®, the only factor that might affect the market is a lack of inventory.

It’s common for buyer demand to increase during the summer, one of the most popular times to buy a home in North Carolina. However, our current inventory levels cannot keep up with buyer demand.

Many predict that this discrepancy will cause home prices to rise further.

Why Now is a Great Time to Sell

Two professionals shaking hands.

Fewer sellers are wanting to deal with the stress and time of selling a home in Raleigh. However, if you’ve long been considering selling your home now is the time to act!

With demand so high in key cities like Raleigh, you stand to make an excellent return on your real estate investment. Chances are, if you list now, your home will sell quickly and for top dollar. In fact, it’s not uncommon to receive multiple offers on your property in a short amount of time!

Looking for a Sign to Sell?

This is it. Allow Linda Craft & Team REALTORS® to help you make the most of the current real estate market! With our resources, expertise, and local knowledge we can sell your home within your timeline and for the most amount of money possible.

Give us a call today to begin exploring all your Raleigh home-buying options!

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Less Time, More Money: The Benefits to Having an Agent Sell Your Home

A real estate agent showing a couple a home.

With steadily rising home prices and strong buyer demand in Raleigh, now is a great time to sell your home. If you’ve long been considering selling your home, the hot market conditions may even have you thinking about foregoing a professional agent to try and sell it on your own.

However, choosing to sell your home by yourself (otherwise known as For Sale By Owner or FSBO) has a lot of hidden pitfalls. The truth is, when you sell your home on your own you’re likely going to make less money and be using up a TON of your time.

Here’s why.

Selling a Home is Tough

Even in a market as seller-focused as ours, the mechanics of selling a home are still challenging to anyone without a lot of experience. Even if you’ve sold a home in the past with an agent, you likely weren’t seeing 100% of the things they did to sell your home.

The biggest challenge to selling a home? Negotiating. In order to sell your home for the best possible listing price, you have to be a highly skilled negotiator.

After all, you won’t just be negotiating with the buyer. In fact, here’s a list of everyone you may need to negotiate with to sell your home.

  • The buyer’s agent
  • The home inspection companies based on their findings
  • The buyer’s lender
  • The appraiser (if the value of your home is questioned)
  • The title company

Why Working with a Professional Agent is Worth It

Happy older couple standing in front of their home.

The right real estate agent will handle your home sale flawlessly—without letting you experience any of the stress or hard work typically associated with selling a home.

Additionally, your agent will be able to price your home competitively based on up-to-date market research, assist you in staging it and getting it ready to show, and handle all those home showings. Showing your home to potential buyers can be awkward when you’re the current occupant of the home. Plus, your real estate agent will have a lot of experience handling some of the tougher questions buyers typically pose during the home tour.

How Linda Craft & Team REALTORS® Makes All the Difference

Here at Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®, we have years of experience helping home sellers throughout the greater Raleigh area sell their properties for a tremendous profit.

We’ll take the burden of selling your home off of you completely. Depending on your plans, we can even provide you with an instant cash offer for your home.

Interested in learning more about our home-selling services? Please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

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A New Kind of Home Buyer: Tips for Marketing Your Home to Millennials

Millennials get a lot of flack, but they’re an important part of the real estate market. In fact, they make up the largest generational percentage of home buyers right now!

So, if you’re planning on selling your home soon, it’s important to keep the average millennial home buyer in mind. This generation is unlike any that’s come before it, and the way they buy everything (from laundry detergent to life insurance) is unique.

When it comes to catching the eye of the discerning millennial home buyer, here’s what you need to do:

Create a Strong Internet Presence

It goes without saying that millennials rely on the Internet for, well, everything. This isn’t unusual: the Internet makes every kind of shopping easier and more accessible.

As such, giving your home an effective online presence is key. It needs to be easy to find via the most popular home-buying networks, and it has to look great no matter the screen size. After all, more home buyers than ever before are using their smartphones to find their dream home.

Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Professional Listing Photos

A beautiful modern kitchen.

Because millennials rely on the Internet to search homes for sale, your home’s photos have to stand out in a big way. After all, with the right photographer even the smallest home can look like a palace.

So, don’t skimp on this expense! Great photos could be the difference between a home selling within hours, and a home languishing on the market for months.

Show How Your Home Will Improve their Lifestyle

Millennials are looking for homes that will improve their lifestyles and be close to wherever they need to be during the week. As you market your home online, be sure you’re highlighting both its features and location in your listing description.

Tell an exciting story of how much better their life will be once they buy your home! Craft your listing description to carefully touch on all the best parts of your home and its surroundings, and let buyers know exactly why they need to buy it.

Know What Millennials are Looking for in a Home

A pair of hands typing on a smart phone.

So, what are millennials looking for anyway? Market research finds that millennial buyers are attracted to affordable homes with eco-friendly and smart features. If your home has any green features or environmentally friendly add-ons, you’ll definitely want to highlight them.

In addition, if you’ve outfitted your home to accommodate any smart features that use technology—like a Nest thermostat or other Smart Home appliances—be sure to mention that in your listing description and social media promotion.

Use a Pro to Market Your Home

The easiest way to market your home to millennials? Work with a real estate specialist who understands this unique market—and how to best target real estate’s next generation of buyers.

Here at Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®, we have an in-depth understanding of the Raleigh real estate market. Allow us to market your home and sell it for top dollar within your timeline.

Give us a call today for more information about selling your home to millennials!

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The 3 Things You Need to Know About Today’s Real Estate Market

Depending on which news outlet you go to, you may hear some pretty contrasting takes on the current real estate market. Some say the market is going up, others say we’re headed towards a crash similar to the one in 2008.

Instead of relying on over-sensationalized media reports, we prefer to look at the data. Numbers don’t lie, and they’re a reliable way to see exactly how the market is behaving. We took a look at some reports from three top Chief Economists and want to share our findings with you.

A woman gesturing to a graph to show rising home sales.

Here are three things you should know about today’s real estate market, based on the data.

1. Low Interest Rates Make for Confident Buyers

The real estate market throughout the country is warming up as a result of low mortgage rates.

Mortgage rates are at an all-time low, and they haven’t risen significantly over the past few years. These low rates have caused consumer confidence to skyrocket, which has resulted in increased home purchases throughout the United States.

Both sales demand and inventory have steadily risen, which signals that the market is only going to get hotter!

2. Increasing Incomes = More Home Sales

Sold house sign in suburban setting. Focus on sign.

Early this year, existing homes sales increased by almost 12% between January and February.

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors, said this in response to rising home sales, “A powerful combination of lower mortgage rates, more inventory, rising income and higher consumer confidence is driving the sales rebound.”

In fact, since August of 2018, the average hourly wage has increased steadily—suggesting that the economy is in an upswing.

3. Home Price Appreciation Has Slowed

Many are worried over the real estate market because of one crucial trend: home value appreciation has begun to slow. This means that home values are not increasing as drastically as they have in years past. But believe us when we say: this is a good thing.

This signals that the real estate market is returning to normal. It is not heavily tilted towards either buyers or sellers, but exists somewhere in the middle.

This makes now a great time to buy and sell your home—especially in a community as robust as Raleigh and the NC Triangle.

Navigate the Real Estate Market Like a Pro

Interested in buying or selling a home in the greater Raleigh area? Here at Linda Craft & Team REALTORS®, we have the local resources and market expertise to help you make a successful transaction in Raleigh. Give us a call today to learn more.

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Home Prices are Not Crashing, They’re Coming to a Soft Landing

Luxury two story stone home.

Over the last several years, home prices have increased substantially throughout the country. Many homeowners are worried that this means we’re headed towards another housing crash.

Luckily, that’s not the case. We’ve written about it at length, but the real estate market is not heading towards a crash. While it’s true that home values are not increasing as dramatically as they have in the past five years, they’re by no means crashing or even declining.

Here’s What’s Going On

It’s not that the average price of homes in the market are decreasing. Rather, the appreciation of home values is slowing down.

This is because the market is shifting from an advantageous sellers market, to a more “normal” market where the intense demand of homes is matched by its inventory. That doesn’t mean we’re headed towards a crash!

The real estate market is stronger than it’s ever been.

This is Different than the 2008 Crash

A woman looking at a tablet that has market information displayed.

The last real estate market crash was caused in large part to extremely lenient mortgage standards. This created an artificial demand for new homes.

When this demand faltered, a rush of homes hit the market. Many of these properties were in distress or suffering from foreclosure, so they were heavily discounted.

Plus, mortgage standards are much stricter today than they were in 2008. In addition, foreclosures today are lower than they have been since 1996.

Home Prices are Leveling Up

And that’s a good thing! It means the market is returning to “normal,” which is good for buyers and sellers.

Want to Learn More About the Greater Raleigh Real Estate Market?

Then it’s time to give Linda Craft & Team REALTORS® a call. We have the area expertise and the real estate resources you need to make a wise financial decision in this highly competitive market.

Please reach out to us today so we can get started on achieving all your real estate goals.

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Up Your Home’s Resale Value with These 5 Outdoor DIY Projects

Spring is here, and summer is closer than ever. That makes it a great time to get outside and spruce up your home’s exterior!

If you’re planning on selling your home soon, a little outdoor maintenance can go a long way. In fact, here are five outdoor projects you can do yourself that are sure to add resale value to your home.

Install a Fire Pit

Fire burning in a backyard fire pit.

Imagine spending a warm summer evening out back with your friends, sipping cool drinks and roasting marshmallows over an open fire. The truth is, installing a fire pit is easier than you might think!

A fire pit is made out of fireproof materials and should sit on a flat surface at least 15 feet away from your home and any trees. Here’s a how-to guide for building a backyard fire pit.

Remember, check your local building codes before beginning any type of construction!

Don’t have a yard for a fire pit? Turn your balcony into a cozy dining area instead!

Add Some Outdoor Lighting

Transform your backyard space for summer with lights that add both ambience and security. You can safely add low-voltage lighting to your front or backyard by yourself, even if you don’t have extensive electrical experience.

Whether you opt for motion-activated LED lights or hanging fairy lights, you have some great options to consider for your yard!

Have a nice back deck or balcony? Add some lights to make it a great place to gather any time, day or night.

Fix the Front Door

A front door with a key in the lock.

Your front door should be clean, bright, and welcoming! After all, it’s the first thing potential buyers will see when they enter your home.

There are a couple of different options to freshen up your front door. If it’s very old or damaged, you could replace it altogether. Other options for sprucing up your door include painting it a different color,touching up the paint job, or replacing the doorknob or knocker.

Live in a condo with an interior front door? You can still spruce up your entryway with a nice welcome mat and some potted flowers.

Power Wash the Exterior

Dirty siding on your home can make it look old and neglected, which can be a major turn-off for buyers! A simple solution to get your home’s exterior looking like new is to rent a power washer to take care of any dirt. We recommend renting a heavy-duty, gas-powered pressure washer, as these are the most efficient.

Depending on your home’s specific material (vinyl, stucco, brick, etc.), you will need to obtain a specific type of detergent to power wash your home. Be sure to opt for an environmentally friendly version!

Refresh Your Landscaping

The front exterior of a home that's been manicured with trimmed shrubs and flower beds.

Taking the time to properly maintain your landscaping—and adding a few new features here and there—can both increase your home’s resale value and attract more buyers. After all, real estate is all about the curb appeal!

Installing an attractive stone walkway, mulching your flowerbeds, planting new flowers or shrubbery, and planting trees are all great ways to improve your home’s landscaping.

Don’t have a yard? You can still spruce up your entryway and outdoor areas with potted flowers or hanging planters.

Looking for More Home-Selling Strategies?

Linda Craft & Team REALTORS® can help you increase your home’s value and get it sold fast.

Contact our team today to learn more.