Rhonda Duffy's

Learning Cafe for Home Buyers and Sellers – Exposing the Truths and Busting the Myths in Real Estate

The Top 10 Home Improvements That Could Devalue Your Home

August29
Via Donna Dazzo Home Stager in the Hamptons & New York (Designed to Appeal, LLC):
Sometimes, making an improvement to your home could actually hurt you when you try to sell it.
Here are the top 10 home improvements that can make your home harder to sell: Read the rest of this entry »

10 Ways to Prepare for Homeownership

August17
1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.
2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list. Read the rest of this entry »

Tips for Pricing Your Home

August13
  • Consider comparables. What have other homes in your neighborhood sold for recently? How do they compare to yours in terms of size, upkeep, and amenities? Read the rest of this entry »

Why Do Lenders Want Bank Statements?

August5

“Why does a lender want to see my bank statements?”

Here are the reasons that lenders ask to see a borrower’s bank statements: Read the rest of this entry »

Tips for Remodeling in Any Market

August3

When the housing market’s hot, it seems like just about any remodeling project is a good investment and adds value to your home. But when the market is tight, you want to be more selective about which projects you undertake, and know what you stand to gain in return.

So whether you’ve been thinking about boosting your home’s value, its curb appeal, or just making your living space more comfortable for you and your family, the ideas below can help you cost-effectively achieve your goals in any market. Read the rest of this entry »

How To Make Buyers Want Your Home

July27

You love your home but when it comes time to sell, you have to share the love. In the other words, you have to make your home be seen in the eyes of potential buyers as their home. That can be tricky.

But if you do some of the basic things such as clearing clutter, creating light, bright, and open space, adding curb appeal, removing personal items (family photos, trinkets), fresh paint, and clean or new carpet — you’ll be on your way to attracting serious buyers.

Let’s look at specific areas that create widespread appeal inside the home. Read the rest of this entry »

Choosing the Best Home

July25
After weeks of searching for your next home, you now have it narrowed down to two great options. One offers a shorter commute, but the other offers more square footage for your growing family. How can you make the best choice?
There are several strategies you can employ in your decision making process. Above all, be confident in your decision making abilities. “The fear of making serious decisions is a new kind of fear, called decidophobia,” proclaimed by Walter Kaufmann at Princeton University in 1973. Worry and procrastination do nothing to aid the process, so buyers, be confident that you will make a sound choice. Read the rest of this entry »

Using a Power of Attorney

June17
Many attorneys will allow you to get a power of attorney for your closing. This could be your spouse, relative, friend or another attorney. In the case of a husband and wife, this is helpful so that one person can be with the movers. Read the rest of this entry »