Selling my House in 2019

Predicting the future of the U.S. economy is tricky, if not impossible – particularly when it applies to the housing market. Before we get into the details, I will preface this post by saying this: if you are fully prepared to sell in 2019, I advise moving forward with the sales process prior to 2020. Why? Economists and real estate experts agree that the U.S. economy will most-likely encounter a recession in 2020, or maybe even as early as the end of 2019. Interest rates are also expected to rise. Some experts argue the crash will not come until 2024-2026, you don't want to be caught on the wrong side of a recession so don't get greedy if you're ready!

Fortunately, in my markets located in both Raleigh and Charlotte, NC

Buying a Home in 2019

“Location, location, location” is one of the most heavily-used phrases when purchasing real estate. However, the timing of the purchase is arguably just as important as the location of the home you wish to buy. Timing your home purchase strategically can help you secure better value for your money and will prove to be a worthwhile investment in the long-run.

According to a survey conducted by Pulsenomics LLC, the next expected recession might begin only one year from now – in the first few months of 2020. In the survey, Pulsenomics LLC spoke with more than 100 economists and real estate experts to learn their housing market predictions, including which factors might trigger a recession.

Well over 50 percent of the

11 Qualities of a Great Neighbor

Jump to our infographic below!

Being a Realtor in Raleigh, North Carolina, I am constantly hearing from both buyers and sellers about the behaviors of their neighbor's, good or bad.

Whether you live in a city apartment or a house in the country, there are many ways to be a great neighbor. Even small, simple gestures can go a long way. Below, I have laid out some strategies I find most helpful when implementing best neighborly practices.

1. Respect Boundaries

Respecting neighborhood boundaries is quite possibly one of the most important practices to implement. Even doing a seemingly good deed, such as mowing part of your neighbor’s lawn that is closest to your home’s boundary line, is not an acceptable

Real Estate Statistics for Home Buyers and Sellers

Home Buyer Statistics

First-Time Home Buyers made up 34% of all home purchases, with a median age of 32 years old and a median household income of $75,000.

Repeat Home Buyers made up 66% of all home purchases, with a median age of 54 years old and a median household income of $97,000.

The typical home purchased was 1,870 square feet in size and was built in 1991 with an average of three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Among those who financed a home, the average was a total of 90% of the home's value.

87% of buyers purchased a home through a Real Estate Agent a percentage that has steadily increased from 60% in 2001.

89% of buyers who purchased a home would use their Real Estate

Each year Forbes puts together a list of America's fastest growing cities with a bunch of great data that helps consumers gain a better economic outlook on each city. We populated that data into the above infographic to give you a clearer picture of just how fast each city in America is growing here in 2018!

1. Boise City, Idaho

Boise City metropolitan statistical area growth:

Population growth 3.08% - Projected population growth 2.34%

Job growth 3.58% - Projected job growth 2.61%

Gross metro product growth 3.87% - Projected gross metro growth 5.12%

Wage growth 5.70% - Projected wage growth 7.27%

Home price growth 11.58% - Home price projected growth 4.38%

2. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Washington

Seattle-Bellevue-Everett

101 Real Estate Agent Tax Deductions

There are a lot of tax deductions Real Estate Agents are not using as tax write-offs. It's important to remember that anything you spend money on for your business as a Real Estate Agent can potentially be used as a tax write-off. Tax laws change often, so whether you're doing your own taxes or using a Certified Public Accountant you'll want to ensure you're using the correct write-offs. 

Recently, we put together an article on how much money Real Estate Agents make and decided to add to that resource with information on Real Estate Agent Tax Deductions!

We put together this checklist or cheat-sheet to help Real Estate Agents with their Tax Deductions. 

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Home Appreciation in Raleigh, North Carolina Area

This data compares home appreciation from the timeframe of July 2012-2013 to the timeframe of July 2017-2018

Raleigh

In Raleigh, homes have appreciated by 32% over the last 5 years. The average sales price between July 2012-2013 was $243,489 and five years later (July 2017-2018) it's $321,715. This represents a total appreciation of $78,226 for homeowners in Raleigh over the last five years.

The average days on market in Raleigh has decreased from 88 to 35. This is a significant decrease and only shows just how much buyer demand has increased locally.

Cary

Cary is largely a similar story to Raleigh in the fact that homes have appreciated by 26% over the last five years. While this

Common Questions Regarding How Much Commissions Real Estate Agents Make:

• How Much Do Real Estate Agents Make on Average a year?
• How Much Do Real Estate Agents Make Their First Year?
• Do Real Estate Agents Make Money By The Hour?
• How Much Do Real Estate Agents Make Per House?
• How Do Real Estate Agents Get Paid? 
• What Expenses do Real Estate Agents Have?

How Much Do Real Estate Agents Make on Average?

$38,067 is the average commissions' Realtors make each year.

One of the first questions people have before beginning a career as a Real Estate Agent is "How Much Money Does the Average Real Estate Agent Make?" The above infographic tells you exactly how much Realtors make as well as how those commissions are made. Many

Some of the Best Home Warranties:

• AFC Home Club
• Choice Home Warranty
• American Home Shield
• Totalprotect
• Sears Home Warranty
• HomeServe
• Select Home Warranty

Your next home deserves a great home warranty and that's why we're detailing the basics on 7 of the top home warranty companies, nationwide.

The last thing a new homeowner wants to worry about after purchasing a new house is whether something will break. Sure, you have homeowners insurance to cover major disasters like fire or water damage, but what about the other parts of your house that could break down? What about your furnace? What about your electrical system? These are all vital to keeping your home up and running, and they're not covered under homeowners

You finally found the home that you have been searching for! Even though you are already picturing unpacking boxes and settling in, the purchasing process is not over just yet. It is time for you to make an offer on that home! As soon as the sellers receive this offer, that’s when the “fun” begins. It’s time for negotiations.

There are plenty of different tactics and ways of negotiating. An important key is being aware of who you are going up against from the beginning. Ask yourself: What kind of market am I in? Is this a buyer’s market or a seller’s market? Maybe it’s neither and it is an even market. Whether you are the buyer or the seller, you want to stand your ground in order to negotiate a successful deal. However, keep in mind that all of the