.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Today I'm discussing some simple and inexpensive ways to prevent major mistakes in your home during the winter months. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home searchSelling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation As a homeowner, there are five costly mistakes you should really try to avoid during the winter. I put together a list of how you can avoid these mistakes and the costs that come along with them. Insulate your outdoor faucets. Start by disconnecting all of your hoses from the faucets. Then, you can get an outdoor faucet insulator from a hardware store for about $2, which will help prevent any leaks created by the cold weather. Even just a pinhole leak in your pipes can cause gallons of water to leak into your home and cause a lot of damage.Prevent icicle buildup. You want to get rid of them before they build up, and get rid of any ice buildup in your gutters. Sure, they make beautiful pictures for Facebook and Instagram, but they wreak havoc on your roof and gutter system. Prevent cold air from seeping into your home. Take a look at your home from both the interior and exterior to find any air gaps you may have. They can come from the doorways, windows, dryer vents, and fireplace. To fill gaps, you can use caulking or weather stripping on doors, for example. This will also help your energy bill.Service your furnace by calling a licensed heating and cooling contractor. I can provide you with a great contractor if you need one. You basically want to clean or replace your furnace filter and/or vacuum it out. Keep it nice and clean so that you can reduce the amount it has to run. A dirty furnace uses more energy than a clean one.Put a programmable thermostat in your home and program it to run at the temperature you desire when you're home and reduce it when you're sleeping or leaving for work. All five of these tips should help you avoid unnecessary costs during the winter. If you have any other questions for me or you're thinking about buying or selling a home in Albuquerque, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be glad to help. As always, stay classy Albuquerque!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Today we're discussing the market statistics for October that just came in. We're seeing some interesting trends in the area that affect everyone from homeowners to buyers and sellers. Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home searchSelling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Today I wanted to give you an update for the Albuquerque market for the month of October. The numbers are just off the press and things are looking good. Right now, we're seeing a lot of homes under contract, and pending sales are up 19% from last year at this time. Lots of people are trying to capitalize on low interest rates in light of the news and the election—interest rates will climb. We're also seeing values rise. The median sales price is up about 3% to $189,000 and our average sales price is up to $212,000, a 2.7% increase. Values are growing at a higher rate than in the past. We're also seeing inventory shrink. We're at 3,689 total listings, which is a decrease of 17% from the previous year. Supply is at a 10-year low and demand is up. In fact, supply is down to a 10-year low and demand is up. If you’re thinking about buying or selling or taking advantage of our market in any way, now is the time. Give me a call or send me an email today and let's get the conversation started.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } There are several things Albuquerque buyers usually don’t think about when they decide to build a new home. What are some of the key questions you need to ask during this process? Before you start looking at model homes, reach out to your local real estate professional. Our team represents buyers working with national, reputable builders here in town, and we can help you navigate this process. We can even provide useful information on the different builders in our area. Additionally, when you step into a model home and register without an agent, you are not represented. The salesperson does not protect your best interests. The salesperson works with the builder, not you. We will protect your needs and interests. What will it cost you to work with a buyer’s agent? Absolutely nothing. The builders already know some buyers will want representation, and they factor in that cost. Having someone represent your needs and interests is incredibly important. Plus, we are familiar with the new build process. Our team can help you review a new construction contract. We even know about incentives to add to the contract. Buyers who don’t work with a real estate agent typically don’t get those incentives. We have lots of experience negotiating new construction contracts, and we can get the best terms for your family. New construction can often be difficult and lengthy, but working with a real estate agent can make the whole process go much smoother. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } There can be hidden costs when you’re considering selling your home to move up or down, and there are five key things to consider. Meeting with a mortgage broker if you’ll be financing to get an idea of what your budget is and what some of the loan costs will be to take out a mortgage. Financing is always the first step when you’re deciding to buy a home.Determining the cost of selling your home. That’s where the real estate professional comes in - we can come out and give you an equity evaluation, which will tell you what your pricing strategy is to get your home sold, and also to estimate the cost of getting the home sold between real estate commissions and things like title costs. It’ll also show the equity on your home.Determining the cost of acquiring a new home. If it’s been a while since you purchased, there are a lot of things that have happened that you need to prepare for and budget for, like movers, inspections, title costs, and loan costs.Getting the home ready for sale with a pre-listing inspection. We highly recommend this to know what the cost of repairs will be when you go to sell, and you can also get estimates on upgrades like repainting or new flooring.Getting the home ready with staging. A lot of this is simply getting the home decluttered and things like rearranging some furniture or moving some things out to storage to make the space feel bigger, and focusing on curb appeal as well. If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to us. Thanks again for listening to today’s topic. Stay classy, Albuquerque!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation People often ask when the best time to list is. Are the summer and spring seasons the best time to sell, like everyone thinks? Well, not exactly.While the spring and summer often see a lot buyer activity, the best times to sell in terms of inventory are the fourth and first quarters of every year.Why, you ask?The short answer is there isn't much inventory because most homeowners take their home off the market or want to wait until the spring to sell. This means there is less competition for you when you go to sell. Right now, our inventory levels are at historic lows. In fact, we're at a seven-year low, below five months supply of homes on the market. Additionally, the buyers who are out now are more serious than the ones you run into in the spring and summer selling seasons. You're getting the most serious, qualified buyers in the winter months, especially now because interest rates are near all-time lows.If you have any questions about current market conditions, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to give you a hand.Stay classy Albuquerque!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Today, we'll go over the seven most common buyer mistakes that we see here in Albuquerque. The first one is not getting pre-approved or pre-qualified. There is a difference between the two. Pre-qualifications look at basic information while pre-approvals verify your financial status so you know exactly what you can afford to spend on a home. Not getting pre-approved or pre-qualified means you could fall in love with a house only to discover that you cannot afford it.The second mistake buyers make is not understanding what's included in a mortgage. Yes, there's principal and interest, but there's also property taxes and home insurance. Have a meeting with a mortgage expert so you know exactly what is happening with your finances.The third mistake is thinking you will buy the perfect home. If you think you're entitled to having everything in a home be brand new, you may want to reconsider the resale market and check out new construction. Many buyers also don't understand the market. Buyers think they can make a lowball offer on a home because they often don't know if the home is priced correctly for the market. Again, talk to a mortgage expert so you know which homes are priced correctly and which are not. Understanding the market is the key to writing a successful offer.Another thing to consider is that now may not be the time to buy if you plan on moving soon. Most homeowners stay in the property for five to seven years. If you plan on moving in the next two years or so, buying might not be the best option for you right now.Once you've made an offer on a home, get everything in writing. Don't trust the listing agent or seller when they say that the brand-new stainless steel refrigerator is included in the home purchase. If you want something on the property included in the sale, write it in the contract.Finally, don't skip the home inspection. Outside of financial errors, this is the worst mistake a buyer could make. Home inspectors will check the condition of the home, letting you know when you can expect to replace big ticket items like the roof or the HVAC system. It is best for you to know exactly what you are getting into. If you have any questions about today's video, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation Today, we're here with your market update for November 2015. Thanks to our current inventory levels, there are some great things going on in our market.Our inventory levels are down 20% from November 2014. We have 3,763 active listings on the market. These are the lowest levels we have seen since 2007, but demand is still high. This market climate is a great opportunity for sellers. For every one buyer on the market, there are 4.2 homes for them to choose from. Our market absorption rate is at 4.72 months; if no other homes came on the market, it would take 4.72 months to sell all of our active listings. Although our inventory is low, buyers still have the opportunity to shop around with available listings on the market.Now is a really good time to buy and a great time to sell. Sellers have less competition, and as demand improves, the value will go up. Currently, our pending sales are up over 15% from last year, and closed sales are up 10%. 2016 will see more low inventory levels and high demand, and values will go up in a big way.If you have any questions about today's video, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation  We strongly recommend staging your home. However, some people worry that staging means getting rid of all their old furniture in. Staging sets your home up for sale. We need to make your home a house and staging your home is crucial to a successful home sale.We have a staging consultant on our team who can stage your home. Staging is really about decluttering and depersonalizing your home. We might rearrange the furniture and touch up some paint.Once your home has been staged, we recommend having a professional photographer take pictures. That way, your property looks its best online and makes a good first impression on potential buyers. According to the National Association of Staging Experts, homes spend 73% less time on the market when a home is properly staged. Another myth my clients believe is that staging is really expensive. We do have a staging consultant for a nominal fee. This is just part of our marketing package for you. The home stager spends a couple of hours figuring out how to set up your home. It costs far less money staging your home for sale than it does to make renovations on your property.  If you have any questions about today's video or about real estate, in general, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We would be happy to help you!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation  Often, we get asked whether the fall is a good time to buy or sell real estate. To be honest, it really depends on what you're trying to do.Right now, sales in our market are up over 20%. As recently as August, our sales were up 60% overall, while our pending sales were up 23%. This tells me that there is a lot of activity going on in the marketplace right now. Luckily, interest rates are still quite low, so now is a great time to be a buyer in our market because your money will go a long way under current conditions. If you plan on selling, with sales on the rise, now is a great time to do so. There is plenty of warm weather left here in Albuquerque for you to get your home sold. Since most sellers are likely to wait until next year, and inventory levels are due to decrease, now is a great time to list your home and not have to compete with a bunch of other sellers.If you have any questions about current market conditions, or if you need our assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!