Want to sell your Tyler Home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a Tyler Home? Search all homes for sale Today, I’m in Tyler on my patio - right by my grill, where my sons recently cooked the world’s greatest gourmet hamburgers on my birthday a few days ago! We enjoy living outside, and we see more people wanting to bring their living space outside, too. We see more and more beautiful outdoor areas like decks, pool areas and gazebos. With spring coming, it’s the best time of the entire year to be outside. You can enhance your home’s value by fixing up the outdoor area. This could be landscaping, patios, pools, or barbecue areas. If you’re thinking about selling your home, a pristine outdoor area makes your home that much more appealing to the increasing number of buyers wanting outdoor areas. This is highly desirable to prospective buyers! I hope this information helps you as a homeowner. Don’t forget to listen to us every week on Tyler House Hunters Radio every Saturday morning on 92.5 FM. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call. As your local real estate resource, we look forward to helping you even more!

Want to sell your Tyler Home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a Tyler Home? Search all homes for sale Right now, Tyler is in a seller’s market. Many sellers are asking, “Why can’t I just put a sign in my yard and take care of it myself? Why bother hiring an agent?” Here are five reasons why you should consider hiring an agent in 2016. 1. Paperwork. The real estate industry is heavily regulated, so it’s important to know the proper forms you need to sell your house. There are state laws regarding the seller disclosure, and federal laws regarding lead paint for homes built before 1978. Those forms will be part of the contract, as well as all the fees in the contract for both the buyer and seller. Let a real estate agent take care of everything so you don’t have any surprises at the closing table. An agent can even tell you what you will net, or how much money you will walk away with, based on the amount offered. 2. Experience. There are many challenges and problems that can arise during the real estate transaction. You need an agent who is well-educated and can coordinate with home inspectors, appraisers, lenders, and more. Are you able to deal with all of them? Do you know what deadlines you have to hit? Experience is very important when it comes to navigating the selling process.  3. Negotiations. Realtors act as a buffer between the buyer and seller. If you’re selling your own house, you will find that many East Texas buyers are polite. They will say that your home is nice, you will get excited, but then they will go and make an offer on the home down the street. Buyers aren’t comfortable giving honest feedback to the homeowner. An agent will act as a buffer between you and the buyer, and we’ll also make sure you get an offer that works in your best interest. 4. Pricing. If you price your home too low, you will lose a lot of money. If you price too high, buyers will avoid your property and it will sit on the market for a long time. You may wind up having to pay two mortgages, so aiming for a higher price can actually cost you money. A Realtor will help you price your home based on the current market. 5. Understanding market conditions. Our market changes very rapidly. In the last year, we have gone from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market. The market could change while you’re trying to sell it on your own and you would have no idea. An agent keeps an eye on the market and will know the best way to sell your home. At the Burks Team, we can take care of all of these things for you. If you have any questions, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Want to sell your Tyler Home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a Tyler Home? Search all homes for sale Cash buyers are often seen as the best type of home buyer in Texas. They don’t have to go through financing, and they often don’t cause much fuss in a sale. However, there are some things that you need to look out for when you get a cash offer. When someone offers to buy your home for cash, you need to have them show you proof of funds. Don’t take someone’s word for it before you sign the contract.  It’s easy to get excited about cash buyers, but you have to vet them. You should always look for buyers that are motivated and qualified. Just because someone is paying in cash does not mean that they are also motivated to purchase your home. When you list your home with us, we only work with buyers that have been approved to buy a home. We don’t waste our time with bad home buyers. That’s why last year we averaged 45 days on market and 98% of the asking price. If you’re interested in buying or selling in Tyler, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We look forward to hearing from you!

Selling your home? Click here for a free Home Value ReportBuying a home? Search all Homes for Sale We want to welcome you to our video blog today. We'll be sharing relevant information with you so that you can make informed decisions about our local market in Tyler. Today we will begin by providing you with a market update.The market has improved dramatically within the past few months, which brings some excitement for 2015.Below the $250K price range, inventory is low and is setting up a seller's market. Buyers in this price range are very active right now because of low interest rates and great new loan products from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.If you're in the $250K-$500K market, you can expect more of a neutral market where neither buyers nor sellers are favored. If you're looking for a home that's more than $500K, you can expect a buyer's market. It's a good time to buy right now because interest rates are down to historic lows, but this will also be a good time to sell because we expect a lot of buyers to come onto the market. If you list your home with us, you can expect a quick sale and a good price. Contact us if you're interested!  If you need help from our team or if you would like to learn more, please don't hesitate to call or email us. We would be happy to assist you.

Selling your home? Click here for a free Home Value ReportBuying a home? Search all Homes for Sale   With a busy spring market soon approaching, we wanted to let you know that if you're thinking about purchasing a home in Tyler, then now is the time to do so. Your friends and family can probably provide you with good reasons to buy a home, but we want to explain the financial benefits of owning a home.  Your family may know about your dream home, but they likely don't know your finances and what you might be able to afford. This is where we can help, because if you tell us a little about what you're looking for and what you can afford, we can show you a plethora of potential properties.  An important thing to remember right now is that affordability is at an all-time high right now. Interest rates are sitting at record lows, and new loan products from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac only require a 3% down payment. We do expect prices to rise this spring in Tyler as homes come on the market, so be sure to start looking now.  As always, please refer to us with any questions or concerns that you might have. We're always willing to help you!

Selling your home? Click here for a free Home Value ReportBuying a home? Search all Homes for Sale A lot of people are always asking whether they should sell their home first, or buy a new one and then sell their property. It really is a Catch-22, and the answer is different for everyone depending on your circumstances.  One thing that we recommend to all of our clients is to speak with a lender prior to making a decision. Ask them if you can qualify for two mortgages at one time. If you can afford to do this, then you can just buy a home and worry about selling your other one afterwards. If you cannot afford to pay both mortgages, then you could always rent your property to bide your time until you can move into a new home. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to do this. If this is the case for you, we can just put your home on the market and once it has an offer we can negotiate for a longer move-out period. We can also put some contingencies in place so that your home is sold by the time that you move into another. There are many different ways to get around this obstacle, and we would love to consult with you about your options. The real estate market in Tyler is heating up quickly, so be sure to speak with us soon!

Want to sell your Tyler Home? Get a FREE home value reportWant to buy a Tyler Home? Search all homes for sale We're often asked by sellers whether or not they need to vacate the home during a sale. The answer to this question will not always be the same, and there are a few different considerations that you'll need to take to find an appropriate solution to this problem. Do you have pets? If so, then you may want to move out of the home while you're trying to sell it. Odors and stains left by pets can really turn buyers away, and the same goes for if you have young children in the home. It may be a good idea to find temporary housing in this case.  Also, if your home needs a lot of remodeling or any sort of repairs, then you may also want to move out of the home to give the workers room to accomplish their tasks. The same goes for if you have old or used furniture in your home - you may just want to get rid of it and stage your home more like a vacant property.  Then again, vacant homes are sometimes a turnoff for buyers. Sometimes they can feel smaller than they really are, and some buyers like to see homes that are lived in so that they can get an idea of what they might be able to do with the property.  If you have any questions or concerns about this issue, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm always here to help you!

Want to sell your Tyler Home? Get a FREE home value reportWant to buy a Tyler Home? Search all homes for sale We have over 30 years of experience in real estate investment, and we would like to share some of our expertise with you. If you're looking to make a sound investment, then look no further than real estate! We started out renting one house in Houston and we now have a portfolio of residential and commercial properties. Real estate investments are some of the most sound and profitable investments around today. Please give us a call if you're interested in speaking with us about our experience investing in real estate or if you'd like to receive a free copy of The Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller.  Please don't hesitate to contact us whether you're looking to buy, sell, or invest in Tyler real estate. We're always willing to speak with you!

Want to sell your Tyler Home? Get a FREE home value reportWant to buy a Tyler Home? Search all homes for sale Everyone wants to put a little bit more money in their pocket when they go to sell a home, so today I'll be speaking about seven different ways that you can add value to your home before you sell it.Curb appeal: Studies have shown that you only have 9 seconds to impress a prospective buyer, so you have to make sure that your exterior looks fresh, clean, and inviting.Clutter: Clutter can make your home appear smaller than it really is. Less is more when you go to sell your home.Cleanliness: I cannot stress enough how important it is to have your home sparkling clean. Your home should be so clean that it looks look a newly-built home. Everything should shine.Counter tops: Buyers like to see large counter tops with plenty of space, so clear away any unnecessary clutter that may be crowding them. Closets: Just like your counters, you need to clear out your closets. When they're full of your belongings, they're going to appear much smaller. Get rid of those winter clothes that take up all that room.Color: You might like that lime green bedroom in your home, but potential buyers will probably not. Paint your home uniformly throughout, and paint it with more neutral colors like earth tones. Darker colors can make your home appear smaller, so go for lighter, brighter colors. Critters: Pets in the home can cause smells, stains, and damage. Do everything you can to get rid of the signs of your pets. Put away litter boxes and kennels, and possibly even deep clean your carpets to remove any potential stains.You have to remember that your home is now a commodity that you're trying to sell for the most amount of money. If you can follow these seven C's, then you have a chance to get to the most important C - which is more cash in your pocket. Please don't hesitate to contact us for more information if you plan on buying or selling anytime soon in Tyler. It's a great time to be in the market!

Want to sell your Tyler Home? Get a FREE home value reportWant to buy a Tyler Home? Search all homes for sale We get a lot of questions regarding whether people should build new properties or buy resale properties in Tyler. There is not really a straight answer to this question, and it really depends on your specific situation.  The thing about new properties is that they tend to depreciate in value as soon as you move into them - just like cars. If you plan on staying in a new home for a while, you have a good shot at recouping some of the value that you lost. Also, if you're on a tight budget, then building a new home may be difficult. Small things like upgraded light fixtures and granite counter-tops can add up quickly, and before you know it, your budget will be broken. Also, there are lots of extra expenses that don't relate directly to the home. We're talking about landscaping and even the furniture that you choose to fill the home with. These costs can add up extremely quickly. If you're on a tight budget, it may be best to look for a resale home because you know exactly what you're purchasing. No matter if you're looking to build new or buy resale, you should get into contact with us. We are experts in Tyler real estate, and we also have great relationships with builders if you want to design a custom home.  Always refer to us for your real estate needs in Tyler!