If you’ve been thinking about buying your first home, chances are you’re getting tons of advice from everyone you've mentioned it to. It can be pretty overwhelming, and that's why I want to share 3 home buying myths you need to know if you’re considering homeownership. These will help debunk some of the things you may be hearing from people who probably have great intentions, but probably aren’t professionals. MYTH #1: You Have to Put 20% Down to Purchase a Home This could be the biggest home buying myth of all time! Putting a minimum of 20% down on a house does have some financial benefits .. BUT it isn’t required. There are several options when it comes to financing your home so you’ll want to meet with a local lender to discuss these options before jumping head first into the process. There are loans that require as little as 3% down as well as resources for buyers struggling with down payment money and first time home buyer programs. MYTH #1 Tip: Do not get pre-approved from an online lender. Find someone local who you can actually sit down with, understand your options and make the best decision for your financial future. (I can refer you to some great ones.) MYTH #2: It Doesn’t Matter if I Don’t Have a Real Estate Agent Some buyers prefer not to commit to working with one specific agent. That means they don’t take advantage of hiring a buyer’s agent to help them with their home purchase. That means they’re on their own for scheduling showings, being alerted of new listings, and when it comes time to negotiations, they won’t have anyone working in their best interest. This is not a great combination- especially in this market. It can prevent you from getting an accepted offer on the house you really love because you haven’t been educated on the market or how quickly you need to make a move. Right now, that's QUICK! It could also result in you losing money or overspending because you don’t have anyone negotiating on your behalf. I don’t know about you, but if I’m buying my first home, or any home, for that matter, that does not sound like a great situation. MYTH #3:Prices probably won't keep rising forever. But a market crash isn't likely, based on who's buying homes now: people with low debt-to-income ratios who put a lot of money down after losing out on a few homes to other buyers. "They will not be the first to abandon their homes if there is a downturn in the economy," said Kenneth ErI of Climb Real Estate. "These homes are owner-occupied and not highly leveraged like in the run-up to the last crash."   There are certainly a few more myths, but I'm here to help you navigate them. If you think you're ready to purchaase, give me a call, or email me here. I'd love to help!

If you’ve spent any time on Zillow (and I know you probably have!) you have probably wondered how accurate those numbers actually are. It’s one of those things- when you want to sell, you really want that number high, but when you’re ready to buy, you want it to be low. Human nature, right? Well, it can’t be right all the time, and it’s often not wrong when we want it to be. What all of us who actually work in real estate all day, every day would LIKE to say is, “Don’t pay any attention to Zillow.” Just don’t look at it. But we know that’s not going to happen. So, after it popping up in conversations with clients a few times in the past couple of weeks, in a few ways, I thought I’d break it down for you, FAQ style. Q: Are the numbers right? A: Well, that’s not a straight yes or no answer. Zillow, like many things, uses a complicated algorithm. This is based on recently sold homes (in Mls or not), tax records and assessments, and other bits of public info available. All of this information gets mashed up and that’s what creates the estimate. Tax records have the house listed as 5 bedrooms instead of 4? Public records didn’t update that you added a bathroom? Someone in the City or County make a mistake entering info? You get the idea. Bad info in, bad info out. (One of the MANY reasons you want to get a permit if you’re added baths, bedrooms, etc.) Q: Well, where do they get their information? A: As I mentioned above, that info is compiled from sales data, public records, etc, on around 100 million homes in the US. Q: What if my info is wrong? Can I correct it so my Zestimate is accurate? A: Well, kind of. You can, in fact, correct it. It is not usually quick, nor easy. You do have to reach out to them directly, and it may take some follow up. Even if you correct it, though, the correction may not change your Zestimate. If you put in a new basement bathroom, but that doesn’t add a lot of value in your neighborhood or area, you’re not going to see a real bump in the Zestimate. Q: My house is the nicest house in the neighborhood, my lot is twice as large, and I have so much more square feet! Why is the Zestimate only $5000 more than my neighbor’s? A: Well, Zillow can only work with the data it has, and the more data, generally, the more accurate the information is. If you have a neighborhood with many similar homes, that sell fairly regularly, your Zestimate will likely be somewhat accurate. If you have a great house in a rural area that doesn’t have a lot of turnover? Well, that will not be so accurate. A few other thoughts and things to note. There is no substitute for a realtor, with experience and knowledge of your area, to give you an accurate valuation of your home. Zillow has no real way of knowing if your home (or the one you are looking at) has 2000 square feet of shag carpet, or 2000 square feet of the highest quality hardwoods. They even disclose that their average Zestimate can be up to 10% inaccurate on average. While it’s a great tool to get started, and it’s certainly user friendly, you can’t been hands on accuracy. (Don’t get me started on the listings it regurgitates every so often that have already sold and closed!) If you have questions about Zillow, or what I do, please reach out and let me know. If you’re just toying with the idea of buying or selling a home, message or call me. I’d love to talk, and it costs nothing to have a conversation and get a good valuation!

You’re never just buying a house, you’re buying a home, and a lifestyle. That means when you’re writing out your list of must have home features and deal breakers, you need to think beyond the “house data” and figure out which features to focus on that will give you the lifestyle you want for yourself or your family. As a buyer, you might determine you’re looking for a 3 bedroom home with a finished basement on at least an acre, with an updated kitchen. What you really might be looking for, though, is a place to raise your growing family, a kitchen that overlooks the private backyard where you can watch your kids play catch while you make dinner, and extra space in the basement for games, toys and movie night! (That’s just an example but I think you get the idea.) So the lifestyle you are going to have in your new home is something you want to consider- probably the most important thing to consider- when determining which home features are best for your needs. LOCATION MATTERS FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE. You hear it all the time in the real estate world – location, location, location… and that’s because it’s true! Because while you can change paint colors, counter tops and put on that massive deck you’ve always dreamed of, you can’t move your house to a new spot (not without a lot of money anyways). Think of things like what your work commute will be like, how far you’re willing to drive each day, the features you want in your community, and the school district you want to be in if that is important to you. Do you want to be in walking distance to shops and restaurants? Do you want to be set further back from the road for privacy? Do you want the feel of a small community lifestyle or are you happier in a more bustling, larger neighborhood with lots of clubs and amenities? The location of your home will be something that isn’t going to change so figure out what is essential to you when it comes to that location and the lifestyle it will create! Now let’s talk about the home features that fit your lifestyle. When you think of home features it’s easy to jump right to that running list of criteria- the size of the garage, how many bedrooms, that “must have” updated kitchen and all of the “house data” I mentioned. Remember, though- you are ultimately buying a lifestyle, not just a house. I have some things for you to consider when you’re making that list of “must haves.” Write down these questions and really think about what your answers are: Where do you spend most of your time at home? If you love to cook and spend most of your time in the kitchen, you definitely want to prioritize the layout of the kitchen when looking for a home. You can always add in upgraded quartz countertops or that double oven but the size, layout and location of the kitchen should be a top concern if you don’t want to do any major renovations. What is something you wish you had in your current home? What is something you don’t want any longer in your current home? Is your yard too much to maintain and you yearn for something smaller with less maintenance? Maybe it’s the opposite and your current yard is just too small. Is a bigger yard, that you can fill with kids (or dogs, or both!), great cookouts, and maybe a garden, on your list? Which room in your house do you spend the most time in? How much space do you need to live comfortably and be able to enjoy the things you love the most? Are you hoping to have enough bathrooms to avoid chaotic mornings? These questions will help you determine which features could be the most important to focus on when the time comes to look for a new home. Maybe features like hardwood floors aren’t as necessary as having a layout that is perfect for entertaining and hosting holiday parties. You can always swap out flooring later but the layout is definitely more difficult (and more expensive!) to change. Think about how much time you want to put into your house. Do home flipping shows on HGTV resemble your homeownership goals? Many buyers are intent on finding a house they can remodel exactly they want they want. That’s great! However, lots of folks don’t realize how much work, time and money it can take. HGTV can make remodeling and flipping houses look a lot easier than it is in reality. Consider how much time you have to spend on home projects before getting yourself into something that is over your head and potentially over your budget which leads us to… Your lifestyle budget. Lastly, make sure to budget for your lifestyle, not just your house. It’s important to consider how much you can afford comfortably, not just what you can afford on paper. Many buyers are pre-approved for a significantly higher amount than what they are actually comfortable spending on a monthly basis. Think about other expenses you have when it comes to your lifestyle – what else is important to you? Do you love to travel or go out to nice dinners on a regular basis? Do you love attending as many games of your favorite football team as possible? What hobbies do you have that cost money every month? Make sure the amount you spend on your house doesn’t eat up all of your extra funds so you’re chained to the house and can’t have any fun doing the things you love! There you go- some of the top lifestyle considerations for buying a home. Location, home features that fit your lifestyle, how much work you’re willing to do and don’t forget to budget for your lifestyle! If you’re considering buying a new home in the near future and you want to chat more about the type of lifestyle you’re looking for, comment below or send me a direct message so we can set up a time to grab coffee!