January 2021 has come and gone in a flash.  Demand for homes is still very high in many markets and new homes that hit the market are receiving offers right from the get go.  Sellers still should be properly preparing their home for sale in order to get the best offers possible.  Buyers need to be ready with pre-approval letter in hand as it is not uncommon for homes up for sale to receive multiple offers within the first few hours of going live.  A buyer without a pre-approval letter will get beat out by the buyer with the letter already in hand.  Check out some of the articles in this month’s round up to get a head start on the 2021 real estate market.

Pets and Selling a Home

Pet owners love their pets and may overlook the smells and stains that pets can cause.  By taking care of pet odors and stains prior to listing a home on the market, home sellers can make sure they are setting the best stage for potential buyers as Vicki Moore points out.  Also during the time the home is on the market it is best to try and minimize all signs of a pet being in the home as much as possible.  While some home buyers have pets of their own, others come from pet free homes and signs of pets may automatically disqualify that home from their consideration.     

Genius Moving Hacks

Once a home has been bought or sold then comes the fun part of packing up and moving everything from or to a home.  When done properly a move can be low stress and the process of unpacking can be easy, done incorrectly though and things can get lost or broken.  Luke Skar provides some insanely great moving hacks to help make moving easier.  In fact he provides 27 great tips that are sure to take a lot of stress out of the moving process.  Things moved in the wrong order or done improperly (over loading boxes for example) can lead to damaged household goods or worse injury to the person doing the moving.

Easy DIY Home Staging Tips

Home staging does not always mean bringing in a home staging company and paying big bucks in order to have a house for sale staged.  In fact homeowners can stage their own home and do so cost effectively as Sharon Paxson points out in her article.  Sharon identifies a number of items that can be cheaply purchased but that still add to the home and make it shine for buyers.  Homes that are staged to look neutral to buyers and showoff the actual home can help generate stronger interest in the home.

What Determines A Home’s Appraised Value?

When buying a home with a mortgage an important step is getting an appraisal.  The appraisal report lets the lender know that the home has a value which will support the amount of the mortgage plus the down payment from the buyer. The exact factors that are considered in the home appraisal are explained by Bill Gassett.  By knowing what impacts the appraisal homeowners can be proactive when it comes to making updates and improvements that will have a positive impact on value versus picking projects that may be nice but don’t add value when it comes time to sell.

Bathroom Trends for 2021

Bathrooms play an important part in every home and the quality of the bathroom finishes will have a big impact on buyer interest and the overall value of the home.  By remodeling a bathroom with modern features buyers will be happy to have an up to date move in ready home as Karen Highland points out.  Today’s modern bathroom features include Bluetooth speakers, open design, high end finishes, luxury touches that remind one of a spa and more.  Be sure to check out what features are hot for 2021 as you look to incorporate them into your bathroom remodel.

VA Mortgage Podcast

Veteran’s and Active Duty Servicemembers are entitled to use the VA mortgage to buy their home.  The VA mortgage allows for zero down payment mortgages with no PMI and probably is one of the best mortgage options for Veteran’s and Active Duty Servicemembers as this podcast explores.  In this podcast Paul Sian sat down with Trey budke, a fellow Veteran and mortgage loan office who specializes in the VA mortgage.  The VA mortgage should be one of the top choices for those who are eligible to use it.

Preventing Water Damage In The Home

Ignoring water in a home in places it should not be is a quick path to disaster.  Water leaks can cause wood rot, structural damage, mold and more issues.  Danny Margagliano covers some common areas in the home where water is known to cause problems.  Roof leaks, appliance leaks, plumbing leaks and more are potential problem areas that should be monitored on a regular basis in order to make sure things do not get out of hand with water.

Home Selling Myths Debunked!

When it comes to selling a home there are a lot of misconceptions about how the process is supposed to work.  In this article by Kevin Vitali he looks at some of the common myths that are associated with the process of selling a home.  These myths do more harm than good to sellers and the end result is that the homeowners who falls into the traps of one of these myths may be leaving money on the table or run the risk of not having their home sell for the best price possible.

Final Thoughts

What are your real estate goals for 2021?  Planning on buying or selling a home?  Feel free to share in the comments below.

The Real Estate Roundup for January 2021 was provided by Greater Cincinnati Area Luxury Realtor Paul Sian of United Real Estate Home Connections. Paul is a licensed real estate agent in the states of Ohio and Kentucky and has over 14 years of experience. Do you have a home you are ready to sell now in Greater Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky? Be sure to contact me now!