Trying to Sell Your Home? Helpful Things to Prioritize

Posted by Gatlin on
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Paying attention to how your home will appear to others will help you sell your home

If you are trying to sell a home in today’s market there are a few things to keep in mind that will help your home stand apart from the pack.  Prioritize and analyze what will fit in your budget and take the steps necessary to make your home show well and appeal to prospective buyers.

  • Fresh & Clean: Inspect your home inside and out. Does it need a coat of paint? A fresh coat of paint will always be recouped in the sale of a home and is well worth the cost.  Does it look clean and bright?  Pack up the mess, the more clutter free a home the better it will show.  Likewise, an empty house shows better.
  • Curb appeal: Pay attention to your home as if you were a potential buyer.  Is it inviting?  Clean?  Shore up your landscaping, make sure that your lawn is green and well-kept, that your flower beds are weeded and mulched, and that the exterior of your house is clean and respectable.
  • Inspection: There will be a home inspection completed by the buyer, be prudent and do one yourself.  Attend to items that could possibly hold up the sales process.
  • Best areas of a home to update and remodel? The Master Bathroom and the Kitchen.  Don’t spend the money to gut and redo your entire home but remodeling the master bath and kitchen areas of your home will make your home more appealing and grab a buyer’s eye.
  • Evaluate: Are the remodel/updates going to net you more than you are putting into them?  It is very important to pay attention to your local market and make the improvements that will help you not hurt you.  If you are not going to get the money back that you are intending to put into your home don’t do the changes.  Do the low-cost improvements and make do by making your home clean in its appearance.

Check out YahooRealEstate.com for more information and ways to sell your home or contact me , Jason White at The Jason White Team.

Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains- A Treat for Everyone

Posted by Gatlin on

Cascade Falls 2 (courtesy of Shane o mac's) Flickr.com
Cascade Falls 2(courtesy of Shane o mac)

I have found that hiking is one of those outdoor activiities that can be tailored to fit just about everyone.  It’s flexibility and adaptability make it one of those rare sports that can be done by the full spectrum of age groups.  From the youngest in all-terrain strollers or infant backpacks to the elderly with canes or wheelchairs, this activity can accommodate people at all levels of fitness.  Hiking lends itself to a wide variety of interests on the same trail.  Bird watchers, waterfall lovers, extreme sports participants, autumn leaf viewers, spring wildflower photographers, and countless other outdoor enjoyment can be experienced simultanously by different participants hiking together.  In an age of technological advancement, hiking can help bring families and humanity back together, yet it still permits an individual interpretation.  It also brings a side benefit through physical exercise which again caters to the abilities/fitness level of the hikers. 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has 850 miles of trails.  These trails vary greatly in their; elevation change, ruggedness of terrain, length to destination, and the scenery along the way.  Selecting the appropriate elements to match the abilities and needs of your group is important.  There are many sources of hiking trail data from free brochures and web sites to detailed books and maps that you can purchase.  In any outdoor activity safety precautions are key.  Let people know where you are going and when you anticipate your return.  Wear supportive footwear and protective clothing.  Longer hikes require drinking water, snacks, sunscreen, rain gear and first aid preparations.  Matching your skills to the hike is key.  There are many resources to help you in your selection.

Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains has almost a universal appeal much like buying real estate in this area.  There is a broad spectrum of real estate to choose from, similar to hiking this wonderous area.  It helps to use reliable knowledge from those who know the trail in hiking and in buying real estate.  Allow the experience and knowledge of my team at Jason White to put you into the real estate of your dreams.  Contact us today to get started.

Learn From Some Mistakes That Sellers Have Made When Staging Their Homes

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Home interiorThere really is some very good tried and true advice for a seller when they are staging their home for prospective buyers. The following are things that sellers have done mistakenly assuming that it will help them to sell their home, but all it did was cause them to miss their chance to make a great first impression. Never do the following to your home for a showing:

  • Leave your pet in the house, assuming that prospective buyers are probably pet owners as well, and will enjoy meeting your beloved furry friend.
  • Let shrubs get so big that it blocks out light and has the look of an abandoned house.
  • Assume that a buyer will not mind having a list of unfinished jobs to do around the house, if they purchase the home, that is.
  • Throw all of your personal items that are laying about into your closets to make the house look clutter-free. One of the first things a prospective buyer does when they step foot into an entryway is to open that closet door, to see how much space it has…
  • Assume that a prospective buyer is interested in all of the details of your extremely long kitchen renovation – with a photo album detailing each step.
  • Forget to put away your personal papers, such as bills or bank statements.
  • Use sickeningly sweet scented candles. Most buyers consider it an alarm bell for deeper odor issues.

For more information on Home Staging Tips view this website or call me at The Jason White Team.

The Uptrend Continues in Pending Home Sales for July

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I was excited to read research out of the National Association of Realtors in Washington DC, that pending home sales are up for the fifth consecutive month.  An uptrend of this duration has not occurred since July of 2003 (over 6 years ago).  The Pending Home Sales Index is a future oriented indicator that is based on contracts signed in June 2009.  Numbers for this index rose 3.6% to 94.6% from a revised reading of 91.3% in May of 2009.  This is 6.7% above June of 2008’s reading of 88.7%.  Our Pending Home Sales Index here in the South is among the strongest in the Nation with comparative figures as follows:
To better understand what these figures mean and how the Pending Home Sales Index is compiled, I have included some background information.  The figures came from the National Association of Realtors which is the largest trade association in America.  It represents about 1.2 million members who work in various parts of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The Pending Home Sales Index is one of the key indicators for evaluating the housing sector’s performance.  A home sale is listed as pending when a contract has been signed, but the sales transaction is not officially closed.  Generally, a sale is finalized within 1-2 months after signing.  The Pending Home Sales Index is compiled from a large national sample, usually about 20% of the transactions for existing home sales.  The significance of the index shows trends in sales-contract activity.  Data since 2001 shows greater accuracy in viewing the annual index changes or from the comparison of the same month vs that month a year earlier, rather than predicting trends through month to month changes of the same year.

An index reading of 100 equals the average level of contract activity in 2001. This was the first year to be examined and it was the first of 5 consecutive record years for existing home sales.

Examining the Index with this background information gives you better understanding of what it means.  However, to really find the answers to your real estate questions here in the Great Smoky Mountains area feel free to contact me at The Jason White Team.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park & It’s Broad Spectrum of Outdoor Activities

Posted by Gatlin on
Whitewater rafting courtesy of Palojono's photostream on Flickr.com
Photo courtesy of Palojono on Flickr.com

The appeal of the Great Smokies and the surrounding area is multi-faceted.  Within each of these facets lies a multitude of different reasons that bring people from all walks of life and from diverse parts of our world.  When you focus upon an area of interest like outdoor activities it boggles the mind on how diverse the outdoors can be.  It spans a wide arena from outdoor observers like admirers of natural beauty in mountain vistas and bird watchers, to participants in outdoor interaction like hikers, hunters, mountain bikers and campers.

However, today our focus is on whitewater rafting and kayaking.  With the hot, muggy days of August upon us, the cool spring fed rivers of these magnificent mountains offer a refreshing way to enjoy part of your time here in the Smokies.  Whitewater rafting is similar to visiting a good amusement park.  It can be enjoyed by almost anyone and you really don’t need experience.  The critical factor comes in selecting the river or section of river that best accommodates your skills.  Rivers and portions of rapids on each river are rated on a scale from 1-6.  A  1-rating is an easy mellow journey even suitable for children three and up.  As you work up the scale to a class 6 rating you get into an experience that appeals more to the extreme sports enthusiast and thrill seekers.  At the higher level it becomes more physical and demands greater skill. 

The primary rivers in our area for whitewater rafting are; the Nantaliala, the Big Pigeon and the Ocoee.  Dams control parts of these rivers and trips can be scheduled to coincide with water releases.  Trips vary in length of time and can be chosen to fit your schedules. 

For those that like to canoe and kayak the Smokies have many places to explore using your own equipment, but there are also rentals for these items available. This area also caters to the family fun available in tubing a river in inner tubes.

No matter how you define fun; from the casual and easy float downstream in an inner tube, or hurtling down river in a heart pounding race through highly rated rapids in a kayak, there is something here for both extremes as well as river adventures in between. For more information visit http://www.pigeonforge.com/smokymountains/rafting/ .

To enjoy these bountiful experiences whenever you want, there is nothing that rivals owning real estate in the Smokies. To speak with real estate experts contact true professionals at The Jason White Team.

July 2008 vs July 2009 – A Look At The Current Smoky Mountain Real Estate Picture

Posted by Gatlin on

Evaluating residential homes sold in the Great Smokies for the month of July 2009 vs July of 2008 reveals the facts that presently shape the real estate here at this time.  In residential homes sold -2008 saw a total of 133 vs 2009 with 126. Total residences sold is only off by 5% for this year. Dollar volume sold for 2008 was $27,186,320 compared to 2009’s dollar volume sold of $22,673,851.  In dollar volume sold 2009 is off by 17%.  The average sale price for 2008 was $204,408 vs 2009 at $179,951 or a 12% reduction.  The quantity of active residential homes listed in 2008 was 3744 vs 4493 in 2009 revealing 20% more homes for sale this year than last.  

So when we look at these numbers in 2008 vs 2009 some truth comes to light.  First, homes are still selling.  Total sold homes is only off by 5%.  Dollar volume sold for the 2009 month is 17% lower and the average sale is down by 12%.  However, there are 20% more residential homes on the market in July 2009 than were there in July 2008.  Homes are selling, but there are more houses for buyers to consider and pricing is slightly lower.  This indicates that homes must be priced correctly to find a buyer.

This data is indicating that real estate is still moving and it is a great time to buy a home. Low mortgage rates, ample inventory, potential $8,000 tax credit for first time buyers favors those that are buying today.  However, with good staging, appropriate pricing, and great marketing, you can sell your home in this market.  In either case, it is best to partner with a professional who really knows today’s market.  That is why The Jason White Team can help you to sell or buy in this complex market.

Homeowners Who Keep Up With Home Maintenance Have An Easier Time Selling

Posted by Gatlin on

Grass on the roofIn today’s market, sellers who have kept up with all of their home’s maintenance needs are finding themselves in a much more enviable position than a homeowner who has neglected theirs. The reason for this is the market change from a “seller’s market” of just a couple years ago to the current ”buyer’s market”. Buyers are no longer saying yes to the “as is” agreement when purchasing a home. It used to be that before listing their home, sellers would put most of their time and energy into things like pretty new paint, updated light fixtures, fresh new flooring and hip hardware. Unfortunately, for a seller in today’s market you still must manage these minor updates, as well as keep home maintenance up-to-date to sell quickly. For example, it is helpful for a seller to have their roof maintenance performed or any termite damage corrected before putting the home on the market. Buyers are looking more closely at the costs of these things before buying. If there is another home down the street with good home maintenance and not such great curb appeal, in today’s climate a buyer may choose the former – as it will be less cash out of pocket and less headaches for them down the line.

For more information about home maintenance tips see Home Tips or contact Jason White for more information on listing your home in the Greater Smoky Mountain Area.

Learn How To Figure Out Exactly How Much Mortgage You Can Afford

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Pink calculator close-upIf you are a first-time home buyer, before you even look at houses for sale, the most important thing you can do is figure out exactly how much you can afford on a mortgage payment per month. This will save you wasted time and the disappointment of looking at houses that you may later learn that you simply cannot afford. You first must figure out your debt-to-income ratio. Lenders prefer that you use 36% and under, but you might want to consider using 28% of your gross monthly income for housing expense. Following are the steps to figure out the math:

  1. Figure out all of your debt. Multiply your gross monthly income by .36 to find your total allowable monthly debt.
  2. Add up all of your fixed monthly expenses.
  3. Subtract your fixed monthly expenses from your total allowable monthly debt.

This number is the amount that you have for your mortgage payment, your home owner’s insurance and your property taxes.

For more help figuring out your total allowable monthly debt see a home affordability calculator or call your local real estate agent Jason White.

June New Home Sales Continue to Show Improvement

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USA Today reports from government sources that June 2009 new home sales rose 11% from May of this year. This data could be an indicator that the US housing market is rebounding. Inventories of new homes for sale fell from 10.2 months supply in May 2009 to 8.8 months in June 2009. New home inventories have not been at this level since October of 2007. The June sales figures made this the third month in a row of higher sales for new homes and it was the best sales pace for new homes since November of 2008.

Government reports showed that new home prices continued to decline 12% from the previous year. This price decline is an advantage for current home buyers since they get more home for their money. Other positive aspects working in favor of today’s home buyers are; the $8,000.00 first-time home buyer tax credit and the low mortgage interest rates available today. These unique market conditions coupled with shrinking new home inventories could see new home prices reverse their trend and costs could begin to increase in the months ahead.

With all these factors in play, there might never be a better time to purchase a home or real estate for investment. Call The Jason White Team today to begin exploring various real estate options that match your needs and fulfill your dreams of owning property in the Great Smoky Mountains area.

Act Soon For First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit-Offer Ends 12/01/2009

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  • American flagwater ripple and water drop falling in the middleIf you decide to purchase a home by December 1, 2009, you will be entitled to an $8,000 tax credit. This amendment to the economic stimulus bill will be available to you if you purchase your first home between 1/1/2009 and 12/1/2009. Home buyers will be entitled to claim a total tax credit of $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is less.  To avoid possible abuse of this credit, it is only allowed for your primary residence and will only have to be re-paid if said house is sold within two years of purchase. Keep in mind that you must close on or before December 1, 2009 to be eligible for the credit. Most closings take about sixty days, so with that in mind you must go under contract by October 2nd, 2009 – this gives you seventy-three days from today to find your first home. If you manage to meet these deadlines, all you have to do to claim your credit is fill out I.R.S. Form 5405.

    • For more information about this credit go to the IRS website or contact The Jason White Team.