Every homeowner should inspect these seven areas when spring arrives.
 
Looking to buy a home? Search all homes here.Looking to sell your home? Get a free home value report here. 

Spring is upon us, and now’s the perfect time to make sure your home is prepared and properly maintained for the rest of the season. Here are the top seven things you should look at to ensure your home remains in tip-top shape throughout the spring:

1. Inspect your gutters and downspouts: I always recommend that you have a professional take care of your gutters, but you can always do so if you feel comfortable. Otherwise, contact us to learn about our recommendations for gutter work. Regardless, checking your gutters is important after a hard winter. The heavy snow can damage gutters and cause leakage, so make sure they’re ready for the looming spring downpours.

2. Inspect the roof: Have a professional get up there and take a look at your shingles; if you have a flat roof ...

Here are five questions a buyer must always ask their agent.
 
Looking to buy a home? Search all homes here.Looking to sell your home? Get a free home value report here. 

As a buyer, when you’re working with a real estate professional, there are five questions you need to ask them before making a purchase:
1. How long has the home been on the market? When you’re out looking for homes and find one you’re interested in, ask your agent how long it’s been on the market. They can obviously then go into the MLS and look up its history. Just because a property is active doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a history. The property could’ve been listed five times in the past and expired each time, so look up its history to see where the price started and where it’s at now. 
2. What are comparable homes selling for? Before you write an offer, check and see what like homes are selling for. This market has been historic as far as bid ...

Low appraisals are a product of our wild market; here’s how we handle them.
 
Looking to buy a home? Search all homes here.Looking to sell your home? Get a free home value report here. 

Many buyers and sellers alike have been asking me the same question lately: “What if the appraisal doesn’t match my contract price?” This is an appropriate concern because the offers we’re receiving on our listings and submitting for our buyers are for $10,000, $20,000, and even $30,000 above asking price. Price escalation has become the reality of this current market, and as a consequence, we’re seeing more appraisal issues. 

The challenge is to convince appraisers that these high contract prices are at value, and many are under-appraising properties—especially those that are in areas they’re unfamiliar with. Thankfully, we have options in the event of a low appraisal. 

"The best way to deal with a low appraisal is to ta ...

Here’s everything you need to know about our guaranteed offer program.
 
Looking to buy a home? Search all homes here.Looking to sell your home? Get a free home value report here. 

Here at the JRS Realty Group, we have an easier way to sell your home. You can get a guaranteed offer on your home in as little as seven days. A few weeks ago, we sent out an email regarding this topic, which you likely received. Our guaranteed offer program may not be for everyone, but for those who need it, it can be an ace-in-the-hole. Let’s review the pros and cons of our guaranteed offer so you can better gauge whether it fits your needs as a seller. 

Here are the pros: 
1. You can close very quickly—in many cases, in as little as a week. 
2. You get to pick the closing date.
3. You won’t be inconvenienced by showings or open houses. 
4. There’s no need for negotiations with buyers. 
5. You skip all the preparation work requ ...

Here’s why you should sell your home before buying a new one.
 
Looking to buy a home? Search all homes here.Looking to sell your home? Get a free home value report here. 

If you’re looking to sell your home and buy a new one, in which order should you do it? My advice: Sell before you buy.

One key reason I say that is that we’re in a competitive market. Listing inventory is way down and buyer demand is sky-high, meaning sellers usually see multiple offers on their homes. Put yourself in the seller’s shoes: When a seller is presented with multiple options, they’ll likely accept the offer with the fewest contingencies to reduce the risk of their sale falling through due to extraneous factors.
"Make sure the buyer is flexible with your closing date so that you can avoid having to temporarily rent a place between homes."

In preparation to go live on the market, get a pre-sale home inspection. That should include things like radon and ...