Zillow recently announced that it's stopping it's "iBuyer" program, which puts an end to their venture into the house flipping business.  So why couldn't Zillow, the largest & most well known real estate tech company, find success in flipping homes? ​

Maria needed to sell her home in Union FAST. Her plan was to use the cash to buy another home further south by the beach.  She found a great deal on a cute home by the water and she knew it wouldn't last long, so she'd have to move quick. ​

Talking about foreclosure real estate can be hard enough without even entering the market. That's because foreclosures tend to have their own language, employing many obscure words originating in govermnent housing legislation and real estate law. Without a background in these areas,  it can be difficult for a homeowner This article lists some of the more common foreclosure-related terms as a reference for people interested in this lucrative market. ​

More and more people head online to find real estate information nowadays. Zillow is by far the most popular - but is it accurate? Can Zillow really put an accurate value on your San Antonio home?
 
The short answer to those questions is no. Zillow pools a lot of data from different sources and comes up with a very good ballpark number of your home's value. However, there are many factors Zillow can't take into account, such as neighborhood details and any updates you have made to your home.
 
Zillow readily admits that it is often off by 5%-15%. If you have a $300,000 home, they could overprice or underprice your home by as much as $45,000! That's why it is absolutely essential to have a real estate professional assess your home. They will note the differences between your home and other homes that are selling in your neighborhood, and will account for other details that Zillow has no way of accounting for.

​f you're selling, you need to do everything in your power to make your home stand out. To help you, we want to share a few tips to make buyers fall in love with your home. Here are some things to keep in mind before you place your home on the market:

1. The first impression is everything. The first impression doesn't happen when the buyer opens the front door - it's what happens when the buyer first sees a photo of your home online and when they come to the front door. Park your car on the street and come to your home the way a buyer would. Does your front porch look neat and clean? Is the door freshly painted and finished? Do you have potted plants and other welcoming features? These little things will make a huge difference in the end.
2. Declutter the interior of the home. The way that you currently live in your house is not the way you want to show it. Give your home a deep clean and make it look fantastic and unlived in before potential buyers arrive.
3. Keep the home looking light and bright. If you open up the front door, even after doing steps one and two, if your home looks dark and unwelcoming, you're not going to have much luck winning a potential buyer over. Turn on every light in your home and open every possible window to make your home breath and feel like a place someone would want to live.

 
There are quite a few details in these three steps, but if you are able to do all these things before putting your home on the market, you will have greatly increased your chances of having a successful home sale. If you have any questions about this topic, or if you would like real estate assistance of any kind, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

Social media has taken the modern world by storm. People today are more connected than ever before thanks to platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  In terms of real estate, this means that many potential home buyers are starting their home search online. If you are planning on selling your house, you will want to make sure that internet advertising is part of your marketing plan. Here are just a few examples of how to market on social media.

1.  Zillow Listing -  Posting on Zillow is an easy way to put your property in front of thousands of potential homebuyers. To do this, just type in the address of  your home and click on "owner" tab. Then you can fill in the details about your property such as the price and number of beds and baths. Make sure to write up a nice concise description and use high quality pictures. When you are finished, publish the listing and share it on your favorite social media platforms.

2. Facebook Groups- If you live in a town that has a facebook group, this can be a great way to reach potential buyers that work or live in the area. Share your zillow listing or create a post from scratch with a short description and nice pictures of the property. Remember to tell people how to get in contact with you. 

3. Facebook Ads- This is a little more advanced and requires some basic understanding of "pay-per-click" advertising works, What you want to do is create an ad that targets potential home buyers that live or work near your home. For the ad you'll want to include a nice picture and a short description with a "call to action". Tell buyers where to go or who to call for more information. Finally, set your daily budget and how often you want the ad delivered. Once the ad is live you can monitor the traffic and feedback using facebook's ad management tool.  

4. Video- Take a short (less than 5 minute) video of your home and post it online. The video should either be a virtual tour or a slideshow. Make sure to use a good quality camera and keep the video professional. Edit the video to include your name and contact information at the bottom. Then, post it to Youtube with the property address as the title. Once your video is live, link to it on your social media.

Are you considering putting your house up for sale after the New Year, but not sure where to start? Maybe you're afraid it will take too long to sell, or that you won't get the price you want? One way to make sure that doesn't happen is by giving the outside of your house a good makeover, and set the scene for buyers to fall in love with your home. Here are 3 tips to help you stage the outside of your home for the spring and summer market.

1. Foundation and Siding - Take a look at your home's foundation. Is the paint worn, cracked, and chipped? It might be time to repaint it and get it looking new again. Also inspect your drivieway and your home's siding. Don't worry - If you've taken care of your home you probably won't have to replace it, but a good powerwash can go a long way. Remember that when buyers see things like peeling paint or chipped siding they are going to think the house has not been well taken care of. Don't let them have that first impression!

2. Landscaping- Step outside your front door and look around your front yard for 2 minutes. What you are seeing is what potential buyers will see. Dead plants, old Christmas decorations in the middle of March? Again, it's all about making a good first impression. What you want to do is first remove all weeds, dead plants, and old lawn ornaments. Then cut the grass and throw down some fresh grass seed, watering it for a few days. Lastly, get a few plants and mulch from the local nursery and spruce up the front and sides of the house. Buy 2 of the same plant so you can create a nice symetrical design along the front.

3. Don't forget the backyard - While that might not be part of the potential buyers first impression experience, you should still make sure it's in the best condition possible. Make no mistake, backyards are a big deal to a lot of buyers. Pull up weeds, water plants, do some sweeping, and throw out any old raggedy furniture. Oh, and please - If you have a dog that normally uses the backyard for a bathroom, make sure you clean it up so buyers don't step in anything gross!

Imagine yourself as a potential buyer looking at your property for the very first time. What impressions are you getting? Would YOU buy your house? What would you like to see changed before you put an offer on your house?

Don't worry about spending a few thousand dollars to get your house ready to sell, because if you do it right you'll get it all back at the closing table. And if you're handy, you can save tons of money by doing it yourself. But keep in mind that if the property needs too much work, or has major issues like damaged plumbing, electrical, or structural, you may be better off selling "as-is" to a cash buyer. Sometimes the extra work is not worth the money in the end.