Three Things to Think About Before you Buy a Home


Buying a Northwest Indiana home? Get a full home search here 
Selling your Northwest Indiana home? Get a Home Price Evaluation
 
As we enter the busy spring real estate market, there are probably a lot of buyers that are on the fence as to whether they should purchase a home. I have three important things you should be considering before you go to purchase a home in 2015. This is the same advice I give to all of my clients.

  1. Form a plan: Think about where you want to be and what type of home you want. Do you need a yard with a fence, or a large shed on the property? When you can narrow down what you want, you can also narrow down your home search, which makes the process much easier. Don't forget to form a budget, either. It's important to consider how much you can comfortably afford.
  2. Interview Agents: I find it crazy that almost no buyers do this. You need to find a professional that will be a good fit for your specific needs. This is extremely important to a successful transaction. When you're buying a home, you don't have to pay a commission, so why wouldn't you want to find the best person for the job?
  3. Get Pre-Approved: When you speak with a lender and get approved to buy a home, you'll know what price range to look at, so you won't be wasting anyone's precious time. Also, sellers love to see buyers that have been approved for a loan, because they know that they're serious about buying, and this will help you as a buyer to win offers in crowded markets like the one here in Northwest Indiana.

If you're thinking about buying or selling a home this spring, now is the time to take action. The market is heating up and you don't want to be left behind. Give me a call and I'd be glad to help you out in any way possible!

Northwest Indiana Real Estate Market Update


Buying a Northwest Indiana home? Get a full home search here
Selling your Northwest Indiana home? Get a Home Price Evaluation
  
Today I want to compare how our market is faring when we compare it to what was happening last year at this same time.
  • Last year 960 homes had been sold by this point in the year, and in 2015 961 homes have already been sold. 
    • While that's not an impressive increase in sales, I should let you know that the average sales prices rose by 5.8%!
    • Nearly 80% of the homes on the market right now are overpriced, so we need good listings right now.
  • If you're serious about selling, there are three important things for you to do:
    • Declutter - if you have too much stuff in your home, consider getting a storage unit temporarily. Buyers like to see clean, organized homes.
    • Think about curb appeal - you need to make a good first impression on your buyers, and this is one sure-fire way to do it. Trim your bushes, repaint your house, power-wash your driveway and clean your windows. New front doors can also make a huge difference to a buyer.
    • Stage your home - professionally staged homes statistically sell for 2.2% more than homes that are not professionally staged. Ask us about our professional stager!
If you're interested in buying or selling your home, now is a phenomenal time to do so. Affordability is sky-high, and we're also in need of good homes here in Northwest Indiana. I would love to get you started out on the right foot to set you up for the best real estate experience possible!

We Want To Buy You Dairy Queen For A Year!


Buying a Northwest Indiana home? Get a full home search here
Selling your Northwest Indiana home? Get a Home Price Evaluation

 Today, I'm coming to you from the beautiful Naples, Florida, where I'm visiting my mother and my brother! Since I'm in such a good mood right now, I want to make you a special offer! 

If you buy a home with Bart Vickrey & Company Real Estate in the next six months, I will give you a year's worth of Dairy Queen!

Simply contact me if you are looking to buy a home! If you want free Dairy Queen for a year, there is only one catch: you need to contact me and register within 14 days of watching this video! Give me a call at (219) 531-1111 or email me at Bart@BartSellsHouses.com! We look forward to hearing from you soon!