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Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: If I have more than one layer of roofing on my home, should I be concerned about resale? The short answer is “yes.” Now for the “why.” If there is one thing that I love about my industry it is that things are constantly changing. And roofing guidelines are no exception [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: What are the pros and cons of each type of foundation — and how can I keep my basement dry? In light of the five-plus inches of rain we recently received, I felt it necessary to address a few questions about foundations and how to properly maintain them. As we [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: We are ready to sell our home, but with inventory so low, what if we cannot find a new one? The thought of “temporary housing” or “staying with the parents for a while” will usually cause a cold chill to shoot up and down the spine of a potential home [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: Should I refinance my home? How much could I save. When interest rates dropped so low, and the housing market was declining, refinances were the hot topic. Now that the market is in a state of recovery, it seems that “refis” have lost their spot in the limelight. But now [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: What “usual suspects” that come up during inspections can a seller possibly prevent? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That is certainly the case when it comes to home inspections. As a seller, when you perform preventative or deferred maintenance on your home, you control the [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: How do you choose a Realtor? Aren’t they all pretty much the same? As our business has grown through the years and I have gotten better at asking good questions, I have been shocked by some of the horror stories I hear from clients concerning past real estate transactions. I’m [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: Have you seen the media coverage about the seller’s market? If I had a dollar for every time I have been asked this question in the last week and a half, I would at least have 30 bucks! Hey, that’s enough for a great lunch. The article that ran last [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: What establishes market value? I think the best place to start is with what does not affect market value. Sellers often say things like, “I know that my neighbor’s house sold for….” or “We owe $175,000 and we have put $50,000 in to it, so we need to sell for [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question:How would you handle a multiple offer situation? Welcome to the seller’s market! Going once…twice…SOLD! Multiple offer situations are the gift of the seller’s market. A gift for the sellers, that is. Although, sometimes a multiple offers situation can turn against the seller. Let me explain. There are no clear guidelines [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: When is the best time to sell my home? Oh, how I wish that I had a crystal ball to predict the real estate market. I would certainly be a wealthy man — and quite popular, I might add. Unfortunately, no such crystal ball exists. And I say that all [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: How long does it take to find a home these days? I wish I could offer a short and concise answer … but, boy, this one has several variables that affect my response. My intent with this column was to cover some “non-market condition” topics. However, in real estate, every answer [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: Are we seeing appreciation of home values yet? Well, it is now April and we are in the heart of the spring real estate market. Flowers are blooming, snow is melting away (finally), and, yes, appreciation is on the horizon for many of us. That is not a casual statement. I, [...]

Tweet Question: How do I know how much my home is worth? Can Zillow, Trulia, or the county tax assessment give me an idea of value? I have answered this question numerous times over the last few weeks. As the real estate market continues to heat up, it seems that sellers fear underpricing their home and buyers [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: Now that we are in a seller’s market, is there an advantage to selling the house by myself, or FSBO (for sale by owner)? As a Realtor, most people just whisper the term “FSBO” around me. It’s quite amusing. Honestly, some of my best clients have tried to sell a house [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: What is the difference between a short sale and a foreclosure? A short sale is when you sell your house at a price that is less than the balance owed on your mortgage. The bank that holds the mortgage must approve the home for a short sale and will ask [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: Why is the housing market “heating up” so early this year? Boy, this could be a very long answer. However, I am going to stick to two main contributing factors: low inventory and affordability. Low inventory, in this case, means a lesser number of homes for sale than there are buyers [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: If someone has just moved into the area, are there any particular stores or restaurants you recommend they be sure to check out? We actually get questions like this all the time from clients, and even though it is not exactly in the realm of real estate, I think it’s [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: What costs are involved in buying a home? Let’s answer this question in chronological order. A buyer’s first out of pocket expense will be an earnest money deposit (or EMD). This represents some “skin in the game” from the buyer to the seller. Usually we are talking 0.5 percent to [...]

Tweet By Chad Taylor Question: What repairs are most commonly requested of the seller during the inspection process? Is it just another “bite at the apple” for the buyer to get the price that they originally wanted? Do I have to do everything? All three are great questions — and ones we hear often! It [...]