Thinking About Selling Your Home As A For Sale By Owner? The Fair Housing Act And You: Don’t Get Caught On The Wrong Side Of The Law

Thinking About Selling Your Home As A For Sale By Owner? The Fair Housing Act was designed to protect people looking for housing from discrimination. Could you be violating the law?

Most of us assume there’s no way we could violate Fair Housing laws because we don’t discriminate based on color, sex, or religion. But the Fair Housing Act is much more complicated than that, and subtle, unintentional words or actions can result in steep fines. Below are three ways you may be unwittingly violating the law.

Adopted in 1968, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discriminating against anyone in the sale or rental of a property based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, handicap, or national origin. Most people think they know what that means and believe that as long as they avoid using overtly discriminating phrases, they’re safe.

For Sale By Owner, FSBO, Real Estate, Sell Your Home FastJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020FSBO, For Sale By Owner, Selling My Own Home, SellerComment

9 Things To Look For When Touring A Home

Are you in the market for a new house? Don’t get overwhelmed right out of the gate when starting your home search; peruse your options with confidence, knowing you are comparing apples to apples as much as possible.

House hunting can be exhausting, frustrating, and down right stressful if you don’t know what you’re looking for before you start. Instead of going directly to a house tour, prepare yourself with a list of things you must have, then only look at homes that meet all your criteria.

These 9 items top the list of things to consider whenever you tour a home:

How to Reduce Your Mortgage Wait after a Foreclosure

Think you have to wait three to seven years after a foreclosure before you can get a new loan? You may be able to cut that in half.

Typically, you have to wait for years after a foreclosure to get the financing necessary to buy a new home, but you may be able to get a loan much sooner if you improve your credit score, budget and save. Throw extenuating circumstances into the mix, and your wait time could be even less.

Were you one of the millions of Americans that suffered a foreclosure in the last several years? If so, you are well aware that it leaves a black mark on your credit and prevents you from obtaining the financing to purchase another home for three to seven years, or longer depending on how you handle your money after the foreclosure.

Sell Your Home Fast, Top Realtors, Real EstateJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020foreclosure, real estate, mortgage foreclosure, waitComment

10 Things You Need to Know About Purchasing a Foreclosed Oregon Home

Purchasing a foreclosed home in Oregon is a great opportunity for families and investors alike who are looking for a good deal. However, the process is far from a simple affair. To get you started off on the right foot, let’s connect with some trusted industry sources and cover the 10 things you absolutely need to know if you’re in the Oregon market for a foreclosed home.

Leaky roofs, liens, and a variety of other factors play into the sale and acquisition of foreclosed and abandoned homes. Avoiding the numerous pitfalls that plague and hinder other buyers, as well as minimizing your risk, starts with a smart and educated take on the process.

Stepping away from the standard new home market and venturing into the world of foreclosed homes isn’t for the faint of heart. While there’s no arguing this point, that doesn’t mean that you should completely avoid this type of home purchase. As long as you can put the following tips and tactics to good use during your search for the perfect foreclosure opportunity, you’ll be well on your way to tapping into the underappreciated potential of this portion of the real estate market.

Buyer, Fixer upper, Real EstateJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020foreclosure, Buyers, Home BuyersComment

Important Considerations for Condo Buyers in Their 20’s and 30’s

Looking to purchase a condo in the Willamette Valley or Central Oregon? You will want to consider the pros and cons before signing on the dotted line.

Condos are very popular home choices for first time homebuyers, and for good reason! Purchasing a condo can give you all the convenience of living in an apartment while also receiving all of the benefits of being a property owner.

Many young professionals in their 20’s and 30’s choose to purchase a condo instead of a home because they simply don't want to deal with maintaining the exterior of a larger, stand-alone home. Mowing the lawn, raking leaves, and shoveling snow are some of the many responsibilities that come along with home ownership. Choosing a condo instead of a house eliminates these worries and guarantees that the exterior of the property investment you have made will be well cared for no matter what.

You Love This Home… But Do You Know Its Secrets?

Many homes hold secrets locked inside, be it a structural issue or a previous unfortunate bug infestation. Know what you are getting into from the start so you don’t get disappointed later.

At first glance, most homes seem fine – but without taking the time to really get to the bottom of each home’s history you will never know for sure if it has suffered water damage or been the victim of shoddy repair work. Dig up all the dirt you can before buying, and you will end up with a purchase you are proud to own.

You enter the foyer and your heart starts beating faster. Your pulse quickens as you take in the wood parquet floors and elaborate crown moldings. Only three steps inside, and you have already fallen in love with the house. You have found your new home! If this was a movie, you would hear the music swell…but like people, houses can keep secrets. As a savvy home buyer, you need to take the time to read the seller’s disclosure, and sometimes even dig a little deeper, to make sure that you know everything about your prospective dream home.

You do not have to be in the real estate business long before you have heard countless stories about people making unfortunate, even startling discoveries while viewing a home.

Buyer, Real EstateJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020Buyers, Real Estate Oregon Fixer Upper, REal EstateComment

5 Tips for Getting a Better Rate out of Your Mortgage

Signing off on an Oregon mortgage should be an exciting and positive experience. After all, this document is essentially the key that unlocks your new home. However, failing to work out the best rate possible could put a damper on this otherwise memorable event. With this in mind, let’s listen in as some of the most renowned financial and realty experts offer up advice on how to maximize the value of your mortgage agreement.

Should I explore other options? What if I come back with a bigger down payment later? These and many other concerns can radically impact the size and scope of a home loan, so it’s well worth your time to brush up how to best navigate this process before sitting down with your bank’s lending officer.

mortgage rates, Real Estate, BuyerJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020Buyers, Home Buyers, mortgage, oregon mortgage rate, lower mortgage rateComment

5 Telltale Signs a Home Has Been Abused or Neglected

Every house has a story to tell. What is the house you are looking at have to say about its upkeep (or lack thereof)?

Before you purchase a home anywhere in Oregon, you want to know that past owners have taken good care of it. That isn’t always easy to tell, especially if the current owner is working hard to put the property’s best foot forward. But, even when the owner has done his best to hide the ugly truth, there are ways to tell whether the home might be a ticking time bomb of repairs after the sale.

When you are shopping for your next home, you want to find one that has been well maintained over the years, one that isn’t hiding unseen problems. A good home inspection should be able to catch the major issues, but at that point, you’ve already invested earnest money and become emotionally attached. How can you spot a potentially problematic house earlier?

Buyer, Real EstateJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020Buyers, Home Buyers, Oregon fixer uppersComment

7 Features That Date Your Home and How to Update Them Fast

When preparing to sell your home, you want it to stand out from the rest. What out-of-date features could prevent your home from selling faster?

With real estate booming, you'll want to do everything that you can in order to woo potential buyers. This is no easy task, but a great starting point involves identifying those things that instantly date your home. By tackling the yesteryear characteristics of your home, you'll amp up your competitive edge and draw more interest.

Seller, Sell Your Home Fast, Real EstateJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020fixer upper, Oregon fixer uppers, REal EstateComment

Fix and Flip or Buy and Hold: Which Strategy is Right for You?

As a real estate investor in Oregon, you have a choice: buy and hold a property or fix and flip it. The decision may not be as clear cut as you think.

When you decide to invest in Oregon real estate, you have to make the decision whether you want to renovate and resell a property (fix and flip) or want to become a landlord to offset your costs as you wait for the property to appreciate (buy and hold). Which decision is best for you depends on your goals, experience, and risk tolerance.

You have two options whenever you purchase a property as an Oregon real estate investment. You can renovate the property and try to resell it for a quick profit, or you can keep it for a longer period of time and convert it into a rental to offset the costs of ownership and maybe even create positive cash flow. Both options have upsides, but they also have drawbacks.

Buyer, Fixer upper, Real EstateJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020Buyers, Home BuyersComment

6 Tips for Removing Kitchen Clutter While Selling Your First Home

Preparing your home for a sale can be an overwhelming process. You might not be sure where to even start, that's why de-cluttering the kitchen is a great place to begin.

So much of life takes place around the kitchen. It's where people come together to cook, share about their day, and make memories. A well-staged kitchen will not only help you attract potential Oregon buyers, but it will showcase one of the most frequently used spaces in your home.

Carla Hill of Realty Times suggests, “ Kitchens are integral to entertaining and in today's age of open floor plans, they're a focal piece of many family rooms. It's because of this that kitchens play such an important role in the buying and selling process.”

6 Dos and Don’ts of Basement Home Improvement

When you’re preparing your house for sale in Oregon, the basement is often overlooked when it comes to home staging. While rooms such as the living room and bedrooms take staging center stage, any smart buyer will want to explore all the rooms of your home – and that includes the basement. A clean and finished basement is an excellent addition to any home in Oregon, and can really add some zeros to your home’s market price tag. It’s clear that it’s in your best interests to get your basement up to speed with the rest of your home staging efforts, but where should you start? And what should you stay away from?

Three Home Projects That Will Get You Top Dollar For Your Oregon Home

Looking to make some upgrades to your home in Oregon? Consider your projects carefully so that you choose ones that will make the most of your time and money down the line.

Selling your Oregon home can be stressful as well as exciting. You want your home to sell quickly and for the maximum amount the market will bear. The best way achieve this is to make sure your home is clean and updated, and to select DIY projects that will build equity and not take away from what you already have invested in your home.

If you are considering a home renovation project, it might not be realistic to take on your entire home, but even just a few upgrades can lead to a much higher selling price for your property. In a competitive market, standing out from the other homes in your neighborhood is paramount. Below are three important projects to focus on before selling your home that are guaranteed to add that added dose of special sauce buyers are looking for.

5 Tips to Modernize Your Home’s Outdated Bathroom

How many times a day do you find yourself in your home’s bathroom? A home’s bathroom sees some heavy traffic, and any prospective buyer will want to take a look at what it has to offer them. That’s why it’s absolutely vital that you dress up your bathroom just as you would any other room of your house for a buyer visit – and dress it up the right way. An attractive bathroom needs modern style and amenities, and you can install them to really wow your buyers.

Oregon Fixers, 5 Things to Consider Before Committing to a “Fixer-Upper”

“Needs a little love,” “project home,” and “fixer-upper” are terms that pop up on listings around the country, aimed at enticing energetic and industrious home buyers who are looking for a unique and rewarding challenge. However, are you really up for the demands that come with this kind of home purchase? To answer this question – and address a variety of other concerns that come with fixer-uppers – let’s hear from some of the leading voices in the real estate industry.

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The concept of the fixer-upper is definitely appealing – as long as you know what you’re getting into before you sign on the dotted line. Unfortunately, too many new homeowners bite off a lot more than they can chew on this front and end up stuck in a bad real estate position. From poor planning to an inflated sense of ability regarding renovations, there’s plenty of issues that can derail this kind of project. However, after reading over these five important points, you’ll be able to move forward with confidence and certainty as you write the next great chapter of your home life.

Seven Things First-Time Historic Home Buyers in Oregon Need To Know

Historic Oregon homes are full or mystery and culture Especially in Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Bend, and Redmond Oregon – owning one can be a great way to connect with both the past and the future of your community.

Older homes are both charming and intriguing – be sure to know the special responsibilities that come along with owning a historic home before you sign the mortgage papers so you don’t end up with more than you bargained for.

Perhaps it started when you walked home from school. You would always slow down your pace as you passed the older Victorian home with its gabled roof and inviting wrap-around porch. Or maybe you were always fascinated by stories of days gone by, and now take day-trips to historic sites near your town. Whatever brought you to this point, it was a powerful force in your life and your heart is now set on buying your own historic home.

4 Ways to Pull-off the Shabby Chic Trend in Your Downtown Oregon Apartment or Condo

The term 'Shabby Chic' was coined by British Designer, Rachel Ashwell. One of the main reasons people are drawn toward the Shabby Chic style of decorating, is simply because of its versatility. With a backdrop of primarily white, you can incorporate an array of different pieces into one space with ease.

Whether you're a Shabby Chic expert, or you simply love the style but struggle with how to incorporate the look into your home, here are 4 distinct ways to achieve this classic style in your space:

Creative Collections

If you are a lover of flea-market finds, Shabby Chic might be the perfect style for you. When decorating your home, consider the artful statement pieces that you already have. Shabby Chic is all about vintage finds, modern accessories, and feminine fabrics all working in tandem for a pulled together. Tara Nolan of styleathome.com explains, “Don't let the word “Shabby” fool you when

Kitchen Photography Tips Perfect for Oregon

Kitchens are one of the most difficult areas of the home to photograph – and they are also one of the areas of your home that potential buyers will be most interested in. These tips will have you photographing your kitchen like a pro in no time, so that it looks its best in listing photos both online and in print.

Getting a home ready to be shown is a huge undertaking, but it will pay off big time by impressing each potential buyer who tours it. This same prep work should be applied for taking the best real estate photos, which will pull in more interested buyers in the first place. It's a little bit more complicated than just pointing a camera into each room and shooting one or two pictures – the tips below will take you from novice to photo-taking natural in no time.

3 Ways to Make Your Living Room More Functional

Whether you have a large open floor plan or a small cozy space, having a living room that you can function in is so important. What can you do to better utilize your space?

The living room is the main space in your home where people gather. It's a high traffic room and it has a lot of jobs. Creating a space that meets the needs of your family, but is also beautiful and desirable to be in, is no easy task. You might find yourself wondering where to even start, but with a few simple tricks, you'll be headed in the right direction.

Here are three significant ways you can create more functional space in your living room right now:

Seller, FSBO, For Sale By Owner, Real Estate, Sell Your Home FastJESSE CARROLLApril 20, 2020living room, real estate, oregon, sell you home fastComment

3 Things that are Key to an Equity-Boosting Bathroom

Believe it or not, there’s a right way to renovate your bathroom and a wrong way. Done right, a bathroom can boost the equity of a home, recouping up to 70 percent of the renovation costs. Done wrong, no matter how attractive, it can be a loss. Here are three things that are key to boosting the value of your home through a bathroom renovation.

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According to the 2015 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report issued by the National Association of Realtors in conjunction with Hanley Wood’s Remodeling Magazine, a bathroom remodels can add up to 70 percent of its cost to the home’s value. But, you shouldn’t expect to recoup anywhere near that if you don’t make smart renovations.

Oregon Real Estate News And Tips

By Cascade REalty Solutions

3 Ways to Make Your Living Room More Functional

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