By Andy Carter Jan 2018

PART 2

Why I believe it IS NOT a good idea to go FSBO...

My reasons are not in order, and I will preface this with the fact that I’m biased. I’m a Realtor, so I obviously have a vested interest in this decision you or any Seller of a home is going to make. I also believe that since I’m in the business and interact with people buying and selling homes on a full-time basis, I have something to say of value. But here are my reasons, so weigh them for yourself.

This point is in order and so I will mention it first...

Safety!  In the normal course of living, we do not let strangers enter our house. It just isn’t wise. I don’t put a sign outside and say, “Come in Stranger”. That’s what you are doing when you put a…

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By Andy Carter Jan 2018

Part 1

You’re reading this because you either are in the process of selling your home on your own or are seriously thinking about it. Your home is either your largest asset or close to it. No matter what, it is bound to be a substantial part of your economic portfolio and because of such, your next move needs to be calculated and purposeful. So, with this assumption please take the time to consider what I have to say concerning going the route of FSBO vs. the route of using a real estate agent. It isn’t short and it is filled with ideas that are not the most commonly communicated. Everything I read, both pro-FSBO and anti-FSBO are these short one-page platitudes. They have good points and I’ve used some of them here, but…

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Time to Move Blog

Moving & packing can be overwhelming and let’s just say, “a little stressful”!  It doesn’t matter if you’re in the military and this is the third time in five years or if it's your first time out of your college apartment. Moving just isn’t fun!  

In order to move, what do you need?

Boxes of course!  But not just any boxes. Shoe boxes may help organize things, but certainly it would take endless attempts of walking to move your stuff in them. And yes, size matters! Number of rooms matter... number of books… So, how many you need truly depends upon you and your lifestyle. But wait there is more… 

  • Packing Tape is a must. Do not sell yourself short. Get packing tape, not office tape and get the dispenser. Once mastered, this speeds the…

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DIY

Updating your home to be more chic - without looking cheap - is completely doable on a budget.

If you're looking to add more class to your home, taking on a DIY project can give your house that extra sense of style while saving you money. No need to cringe at those three little words: "do it yourself." There really are fast, easy, and affordable projects you can do on your own. Here are five relatively easy ways to enhance your home.

1. Replace Your Light Fixtures

Switching out an old or basic light fixture for a more elegant one is an easy way to shift the ambiance of a room. By adding a sophisticated light fixture, you can control the intensity of the light and character of your room. Plus, you don't need to pay a pretty penny for expensive…

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 Working with a Neighborhood Specialist

When it comes to selling your home, “Who do you call?” Ghostbusters! You could, but we’d recommend reaching out to your neighbor, your local Realtor.  Not just any neighborhood Realtor, but one you have seen their life, their family, have known their character, and can favorably recommend them. 

Here are five reasons why you should work with a neighborhood specialist:

  1. They know the economic trends in your neighborhood.  First off, realize that the housing market does have national, state, and city trends. But there are also hyper-local trends. One neighborhood may be hot and another is not. One may see increases in values, the other not. Your local specialist will know your “hood”. They’ll know the median price of sold homes, the average…

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 How to spot a world class education

By Amanda Ripley

In an exclusive adaptation from her new book, "The Smartest Kids in the World," Amanda Ripley encapsulates her three years studying high-performing schools around the globe into a few powerful guidelines.

The first time I went to an open house in search of a school for my own child in Washington, DC, years ago, I spent a lot of time staring at classroom bulletin boards. I hoped the children’s drawings, the construction-paper borders, and the rules posted by the teacher would reveal the classroom’s secrets. Was this a place where learning happened? Was this a place where children felt safe? Inspired? Curious? It never worked. The bulletin boards did not speak to me. Now I know I was looking in the wrong direction.

Since then,…

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Why use a Realtor to buy a home

The world has changed! Not only can we circumvent it in hours by a plane and minutes in space, but we also can instantly access our world via the internet! So, why revert to buying a home the traditional way? Why use a real person to help me when I have Zillow, Google, and probably a hundred other websites with fun names at my fingertips?  There is bound to be a DIY book or YouTube video on FSBO’s somewhere!  I can do this on my own!  

Yes, you can. No argument there. Anyone can buy or sell their own home.  But do you really want to? And should you? Can you really replace someone that spends hours studying the mechanics of buying a home, is aware of pitfalls and dangers, knows the local market, and has been trained in the home buying process? Below…

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