Real Estate FAQs

Your home's value is based on the recent comparable sales that actually compare to your home. We are talking about location, condition, size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, whether or not you have a garage, and a couple of other factors that appraisers are also looking at. So when you go to market, what we're going to do is we're going to look at all of your neighbors homes in the area that you live and how much they've sold for, as well as how much they're currently listed for, and go over with you what the potential market value could be.

You know, when you're selling, you should NOT price your house high. I know that's contrary to popular belief. You want to leave room in there for negotiation, I get it. But the reality of our market is when buyers see your home, we actually have to sell it to them twice. We have to sell it to them online first, and then they have to like it enough to come through in person and fall in love. If you're priced too high, online, people are just going to say no and not even come and see your house. Now, conversely, if we price where the market tells us you should price, you might have more than one buyer come and see your house and fall in love with it. And potentially both of those buyers, or even many of those buyers will write an offer on your house, potentially driving the price up. Doesn't that sound like a better idea?

The biggest mistake sellers can make is going to market unprepared. Unprepared looks like: maybe going to the market at a price that is too high, maybe going to market before you've done the appropriate prep work to get your home ready to go to market, or potentially hiring the wrong agent that doesn't understand how to market your home.

The money that you actually walk away with when you sell your house is dependent on a couple of different factors, but it's a pretty simple math equation. It is the sale price of your property, less your agent fees and commissions less any buyer paid closing costs that the buyer is requesting you pay as the seller, less your prorated portion of the property taxes for the year, a couple of recording fees with the county, and of course, any payoffs for underlying mortgages or liens that you currently have on your property. Then you get the number that you walk away with, which is your estimated net proceeds that we go over with you in our consultation.

Paying taxes when you go to sell your home? Are all dependent on how much money you're going to make. Most sellers fall into the primary residence exemption, which is, if you're a single person, $250,000 in gains that can be tax sheltered. If you are a married couple, that number is $500,000. Now, there are exceptions to the rules, and we would be happy to sit down with you and review your individual case, whether it's an investment property, a primary residence or a second home, you have options on all three of those that we can go over with you.

Before listing your home, you should definitely consult with your agent. Our team is happy to go over with you. All of the various things that you can do to your home to make it for top dollar. The very most important things to pay attention to are decluttering, cleaning, getting any deferred maintenance done in your house, changing your furnace filters, cleaning your baseboards, cleaning your blinds, all of the deep cleaning things that really make your home feel fresh. And aside from that, we have a couple of other tips and tricks we can go over with you.

Staging is a great way to make your home show its very best. There are some statistics that show that staged homes sell for between 10 and 15% more than unstaged homes, especially vacant homes. If you really feel like your home could use an elevated lift to get more attention through our marketing, staging might be the way to do that.

The homes that sell the fastest in this market have a few things in common. The first being go to market price. If you go to market at a price that seems like a deal to a buyer, you may end up attracting multiple buyers and driving your price up. Second place is, of course, condition. The preparation that you take to prepare your home to go to market, as well as any marketing that you get done. Professional photos and of course, the ability to show your home at a moment's notice to an interested buyer.

Professional photos are a cornerstone of your marketing piece for your home, which is the largest asset that you own in your life. Getting an agent that has professional marketing photos done on your property is imperative, because we actually have to sell your house twice. We have to sell your house first online to a buyer enough that they want to come in, actually take a peek, and fall in love in person.

During a showing, you will have a licensed agent access a blue Supra key box which records when the agent opened the box and how they accessed your home. They will walk their clients through and the clients will be evaluating the price, the layout, the condition, and of course, how they feel inside the home and when they fall in love. That's when they'll make the offer.

We'll walk you through the whole picture — your budget, your timeline, and what the market looks like right now in your target area. There's no pressure; we just want to make sure you feel confident before taking any step forward.

Getting pre-approved early is one of the best things you can do. It helps us narrow the search to homes that actually fit your budget, and it puts you in a much stronger position when it's time to make an offer.

Beyond the down payment, you'll want to budget for closing costs (typically 2–3% of the loan amount), a home inspection, and any moving costs. We'll break it all down so there are no surprises.

Once you're under contract, closing typically takes 30–45 days. Finding the right home can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months — it really depends on the market and how specific your needs are.

It happens, and it's okay. We'll help you understand why and decide whether to come back with a stronger offer or move on to something that's an even better fit.

This is the most common question we get, and the answer depends on your financial position and risk tolerance. We'll help you map out both scenarios so you can make the decision that makes sense for your family.

A bridge loan lets you borrow against your current home's equity to fund the down payment on your next one — so you can buy before you sell. It's one of several tools we use to help clients move without the timing stress.

Yes, and in the right market conditions a contingent offer can absolutely work. We'll be straight with you about when it makes sense and when it might put you at a disadvantage.

This is where experience really matters. We've done dozens of coordinated buy-sell transactions and know how to align the timelines, negotiate possession dates, and keep things from falling through the cracks.

We plan for that. A rent-back agreement or flexible closing date can give you the breathing room you need. We'll build that into the contract from the start.