Can You Trust Zillow’s Zestimates?


Zestimates aren’t always accurate when it comes to determining a home’s value. Here’s why.


Whether we’re working with buyers or sellers, the subject of Zillow’s Zestimates comes up quite often, and the No. 1 question we usually get asked about them is, “Are they accurate?” First, let’s review what a Zestimate is. Basically, it’s Zillow’s home valuation tool that’s based on a computer-generated algorithm. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your situation), Zestimates aren’t always accurate. If you’re a home seller and you live in a cookie-cutter neighborhood where all the homes are the same, your Zestimate has a better chance of being accurate. If you don’t live in a cookie-cutter neighborhood, though, Zillow will have a hard time giving your home an accurate Zestimate.

If you want to get a truly accurate valuation of your home, the best thing you can do is contact a real estate agent such as myself.
Why? A Zestimate can’t account for any upgrades you’ve made to your house. If you’ve installed brand-new granite countertops, redone your flooring, or repainted the entire house, that added value won’t be reflected in your home’s Zestimate. If you want to get a truly accurate valuation of your home, the best thing you can do is contact a real estate agent such as myself so we can visit the property in person and consult with you. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in or you have any other real estate needs I can take care of, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.
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Location: Temple, TX, USA

Don’t Forget to Do These Things When You Move


People tend to forget a lot of things when they’re moving. Here are five such items that you should be aware of.


When you’re moving into a new home, there’s a lot of stress involved. With that being the case, homeowners tend to forget about certain things during the process. Here is a list of the top five things you should remember when moving: 1. Switch banks. If you are at a regional bank and moving to a different region, you’ll need to switch banks. 2. Take care of medical needs. You might have to get a new doctor, too. This is another thing that can fall by the wayside during the moving process. 3. Transfer your utilities. This includes things like cable, utilities, and internet. Make sure your utilities are turned off at your old home and on at your new one.

Try to be aware of transfer expenses up front and budget them into your moving costs.
4. Prepare for transfer fees. For example, if you have a home alarm contract, you might have to pay a fee or penalty for canceling your agreement early. Try to be aware of any expenses upfront and budget them into your moving costs. 5. Raid the kitchen. Don’t leave any food behind. The freezer is a common place where these items end up sitting for years until you move. One great idea is to take inventory of what’s in your freezer and start planning to cook it before the move happens. These are five basic things that you should keep an eye on if you’re considering a move. If you have any questions in the meantime or if you are interested in buying or selling a home in the area anytime soon, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Location: Temple, TX, USA

4 Tips for Surviving a Seller’s Market


Today I’m here to discuss four very important tips for surviving a seller’s market.


Our market has been fairly competitive, so here are four tips that we’ve compiled to help buyers compete more favorably in a tough market: 1. Submit a large earnest money deposit. Earnest money is like a deposit you can put down with your contract. The great thing about earnest money is that as long as you adhere to the contract, that money is never at risk. If for some reason an inspection turns out badly or things don’t otherwise work out, there are ways you can back out of that contract. The larger the deposit you put down, the more attractive it makes you look to a seller. 2. Make sure you’re pre-qualified. This is extremely important; listing agents looking over offers want to see that you’ve been pre-qualified with a reputable local lender. A pre-qualification letter will show the seller of the property that you’re serious and qualified to move forward with the transaction. If the lender you’re pre-qualified with is local and reputable, it will always carry more weight in the seller’s eyes.

A pre-qualification letter will show the seller of the property that you’re serious and qualified to move forward with the transaction.
3. Give the seller time to move. Once their home has been sold, a seller will need time to pack their things together, coordinate their families, and move out. If you don’t give them a lot of time to pack up, that will create a very stressful experience for them. If you include a lenient move-out time in your original offer, it might be a way to further incentivize the seller to choose your offer over others. 4. Write your best offer. There have been a number of times when I’ve worked as a listing agent to evaluate different offers on my seller’s home that I’ve seen a family who really, really wants the house for any number of reasons, but they’ll come up $500 or $1,000 short on their offer. If you consider this over the next 15 to 30 years, that $1,000 means absolutely nothing; it will make almost no dent in your monthly payment. I hate to see people miss out on getting a house that they love over $4 a month. Always put your best and strongest offer forward. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a house, feel free to visit our website at www.RyanSmithHomes.com, or else contact us at any time. We’d love to hear from you.
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Location: Temple, TX, USA
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