You’ve heard it before: location, location, location. When you’re buying a home with your family in mind, the neighborhood is almost as important as the property itself. When browsing homes, check the neighborhoods against this list:

1. Low Crime Rates

You want to protect your kids and sleep soundly at night, so contact the local police department to learn more about the neighborhood’s crime rates. The lower and less violent the crimes the better. Then visit the area during different times of day to get a feel for all the shades of the location.  

2. Good Schools

If you have kids, getting them in a good school is likely one of your top priorities. Make sure that the neighborhood is zoned for schools with good ratings. And if you plan to stay in your home for a while, check out the scores of the middle and high schools as well. 

3. Connected Community

A close-knit neighborhood can make raising little ones 100 times easier. You’ll find other parents, have built-in friends for your kids, and maybe even trade free babysitting. Look for families playing outside and chat with them to get all the insider secrets.

4. Nearby Parks, Libraries, and Community Centers

Make sure that the neighborhood offers all the amenities you need to keep your kids busy. Check out the local parks and learn about the nearest library and community center to see if they put on events for children. 

5. Quiet Streets

You probably don’t want to walk your kids across a six-lane intersection, so make sure the property is on a quiet street. Visit it during rush hour to get an idea of the traffic you’ll have to deal with. And look at the sidewalks and crosswalks—well-maintained ones are a good sign of a nice neighborhood. 

Want to learn about some of the best neighborhoods in the area? Give me a call, and I’ll help you find the best neighborhood for your family.

Spring is here! And that means it’s the perfect time to give a little TLC to your home’s exterior. If you’re planning to sell this year, a little bit of elbow grease and cash can pay off big time. Buyers love properties that look nice inside and out, and a good first impression can make them want your home all that much more.

Try these three tips to give your outdoor space a new life for spring.

1. Spiff up your porch or patio
Your porch or patio is like the face of your home, so you want to make it look pretty. First, fix anything that’s broken or looks a little worn down. Take care of any chipped paint, dirty cement,or dying plants before you jump into decor. Once that’s done, add in some fun details like a trendy entry rug, a cute cafe set, or a new planter with happy flowers.

2. Make your entrance special
Your entryway makes an impression—so spend a little time to ensure it makes the right one! If your door has seen better days, give it a fresh coat of paint. Make sure to keep the paint color a buyer-friendly neutral if you’re looking to sell in the near future.

Light the way to an offer by updating or adding exterior lights to your entrance to enhance the overall look of your entry. New house numbers can also add a fresh feel to your home. If you love your current house numbers, give them a good scrub and a fresh coat of paint to give them a new life.

3. It’s the little things
Buyers love homes with lots of light, so make your windows look larger by painting the trim white. Got shutters? Paint them a contrasting color to make them pop against your exterior. And if you have mulch in your yard, add fresh mulch. New mulch makes your home look newer and well cared for, which is exactly what high-paying buyers look for.Take advantage of the beautiful weather and try these tips to freshen up your curb appeal

If there’s one truth about owning a home it’s this: there’s always something you want to change. So if you’re wondering whether you should remodel your home or move to a new one, keep these three questions in mind.

1. How do the numbers work out?
Remodeling isn’t cheap. But neither is selling a home. Before you make any plans,figure out the numbers. To remodel, you need a large chunk of liquid cash: according to Home Light, adding a room can cost between $20,000-$70,000. That’s a major chunk of change, so make sure that your finances are ready and that you’ll get a positive ROI when you do sell.

If you don’t have the liquid savings needed for a remodel, you can take advantage of the equity you’ve built in your home by selling. And make sure to consider the current real estate market conditions.We’re in a seller’s market right now, which means that buyers are willing to pay top dollar to get into a house.

2. Are you emotionally and mentally prepared for an invasive remodel?
Remodeling requires you to totally change the way you live in your home. You have to restrict access to certain areas, live with the noise and dust, and deal with the problems that are oh-so-common with remodels. Long story short: remodels are really hard, both emotionally, mentally, and financially. They also usually take longer than originally planned, so you have to be prepared for a one-month remodel to stretch into three (or more!).

3. Do you really love your house?
If you are really in love with your home—it has the character you love and is in the perfect location—then consider remodeling. But before you make your final decision, take a look around your neighborhood; you might be surprised at what you’ll find on the market.If you can say yes to all of these, consider remodeling. But if you’re iffy on any of them, talk with a real estate agent to find out if moving is the right choice for you.

Home buying got you feeling like a college student taking a final that they haven’t studied for? Almost every home buyer feels stressed at some point in the home buying process. And according to Forbes, every 2 in 5 buyers described buying their first home as “the most stressful event in modern life.” Yikes. But there are things you can do to make the journey to buying a home easier and less stressful.

1. Inform yourself
The more you know about what you want and how you’re going to get there, the more prepared and less stressed you’ll feel. Talk to your friends and family who have recently bought a home and watch videos about the process. And get crystal clear on what you need in a home versus what you really want before you start looking.

2. Work with the right professionals
Buying a home is a team effort. There’s you, your agent, your lender, and all the other people supporting you. The quality of a team makes a major difference, so make sure your team is up to snuff.

3. Rely on your agent
Your buyer agent is there to help you, full stop. So use them! Whatever you’re worried about, they’ll likely have both a funny story and an answer.

4. Be Patient
The old cliche stands: patience is a virtue. Buying a home is a marathon,not a sprint. If the process is taking longer than you originally planned, it’s okay. You’re likely buying a property for the long haul, so it makes sense that the buying process would take some time. All the time you spend finding the perfect place for you is well worth it in the end.Keeping these things in mind will make your home buying experience so much easier. Still stressed about something? Give me a call and let’s talk it out.