How to Declutter Before MovingPlanning on moving soon? Then along with the occasion, make plans to also part ways with clothes and other things that you no longer have any use for. This decluttering is essential for several reasons, notably:

  • To make your home show better if you’re selling property in conjunction with the move.
  • The need to have to move less to your new home.
  • The ability to make extra money by selling items at a garage sale or boost your tax return by donating unneeded or unwanted items.

But just how should you go about decluttering your home? Here’s a closer look:

Tips on Decluttering Before Moving

  • Consider the seasons: Pack away and store any clothes or décor that is out of season. While you’re doing this, pay special attention to any…

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How to avoid being house poor Dewar RealtyWhether it’s your mortgage, your property taxes, utilities, maintenance or some other expense associated with home ownership, if you find yourself spending too much on your home to the extent where you have limited – or no – spending income for other needs, then you might be what is often considered “house poor.”

While some people may become house poor for reasons outside of their control (i.e. layoffs, pay cuts, death of a spouse, etc.), for many others becoming house poor is self-inflicted – and it all starts with not being smart with the home you choose when you’re in the home-buying process. Read our previous blog post Are You Financially Ready to Buy a Home?

 

 So how do you avoid becoming house poor? Here’s a look:

  • Know the costs of…

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You may remember our blog post about why you should hire a home stager and how they can help your home sell more quickly and oftentimes, for more money. This week we’re exploring the top mistakes to avoid when hiring a home stager. Not all home stagers are created equal and avoiding these common mistakes can make a big difference in terms of how quickly you are able to sell your home and for how much money.

The Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring A Home Stager:

  1. Focusing on price. We’ve mentioned that finding a qualified home stager can help save you money so think about hiring a home stager as an investment. You can expect to pay anywhere from $250-$500 for the initial consultation and rates generally vary depending on where you live. Saving a…

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The baby boomers are a huge generation, spanning in birth years from 1946 to 1964. The youngest baby boomers are 52, while the older ones are 70, meaning a lot of them are empty nesters and either retired or on the verge of retirement.

With all that said, we’ve put together some of the top trends in baby boomer home buying. Whether you’re a baby boomer wondering where you should put your real estate dollars or the child of a baby boomer helping mom and dad look for their next home, these trends offer good insight into baby boomer real estate.

Downsizing but Upgrading

Since many baby boomers are empty nesters, they are downsizing to less square footage but are upgrading everything else. They often prefer high end finishes that they may not have…

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You’ve almost certainly heard of how important it is to conduct a home inspection before buying a home, but did you know that it’s nearly equally as important to have a home inspection done on your own home before you sell it?

Why get a pre-listing home inspection?

You likely believe your home looks fine the way it is and you haven’t run into any major issues, so why bother even getting a home inspection? The top reason why a pre-listing home inspection is so important is because prospective buyers are going to go through your home with a very critical eye and could identify issues that you might not have even considered. This could ultimately cost you the sale of your home and might turn into something you need to repair before anyone will actually…

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Buying a home in today’s real estate market can often be stressful. Putting in an offer and deciding how much you’re willing to spend on a home is an incredibly difficult decision, especially when you consider the different conditions that can be attached to your offer.

Conditions are terms that need to be fulfilled before the closing of the house. They can cover all sorts of important things, like financing, home inspections and more. A conditional offer differs from a firm offer because a firm offer means you’ll purchase the home no matter what, without any conditions. A firm offer to purchase a home is preferable to the seller, whereas a conditional offer is preferable to the buyer.

In this week’s blog post, we’re sharing some of the most popular…

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Part 2: Mortgage Preapprovals

If you read our previous blog post on mortgage preapprovals, you already know how important it is to have one before you start looking for a home.

A mortgage preapproval lets you know how much house you can afford, makes putting offers in more competitive and also locks in interest rates for a set period of time. Now that you know how important a preapproval is, it’s time to think about what documents and information you will need to gather before actually getting a preapproval.

What You Need to Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage:

  • Photo ID – this one is pretty obvious, but it’s essential to have official photo identification when applying for a mortgage preapproval.
  • Proof of income – usually in the form of pay…

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Part 1: Mortgage Preapprovals

One of the questions I get asked the most is, should I get preapproved for a mortgage before looking for a new house?

The general answer to that question is yes. A mortgage preapproval comes in the form of a letter and will accurately measure your income, assets, debts and down payment amount in order to let you know exactly how much you can spend on your home.

The biggest upside to getting preapproval is because it gives you a ballpark budget to keep in mind before you start seriously looking for a home to buy. This will ensure you know exactly what you can afford. One of the most common mistakes I see from home buyers is that they fall in love with a home they simply cannot afford because they have not taken the…

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My previous blog post was all about buying a home in late summer & how it can save you money, or at least alleviate some of the pressure buyers are feeling right now with bidding wars. But what about for those thinking of selling their home right now?

If you’re thinking of selling your home and aren’t in a rush to do so, preparing it for an early fall sale is a good bet. Odds are good that you’ll sell it for a higher price than if you’d done so in the late summer or waited until late fall to list. So with that in mind, what can you do to prepare your house for a fall sale?

Preparing Your House for a Fall Sale

First off, if you’re starting to prepare your house for a fall sale, take advantage of the nice summer weather! Good weather will allow you…

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There is no doubt that this spring market has been crazy! There has never been a better time to sell a home, but on the flip side it is becoming increasingly difficult to buy a home (especially in the Cambridge area) without going toe-to-toe with a mob of other buyers. And market value is being thrown out the window in many cases. 

When you’re dealing with a hot market, it can be difficult to get the home you want due to the high level of competition. If you’ve ruled out looking for a home in the winter months, which I would never recommend, then the best time to buy a home is at the very end of the summer. Most people don’t realize that buying a home in the late summer is almost as good as buying a home in the dead of winter!  

Sometimes, in the…

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