Today, I want to talk about the five common real estate scams that are going on in the market right now. We're getting to our busy season and it's time to bring awareness to these so that you know what to look out for:
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Loan flipping: Predatory lenders convince homeowners to refinance their homes multiple times, charging higher fees and costs with each refinancing. It's advisable to work with trusted professional lenders.
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Foreclosure relief: Scammers claim they can save homes from foreclosure or reduce mortgage payments for a large upfront fee. Homeowners should be cautious and avoid paying upfront fees without verifying the legitimacy of the service.
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Fake listings and rental scams: Scammers create fraudulent rental listings, often using legitimate property information from MLS listings, and advertise them on platforms like Craigslist. They ask for payment upfront without the intention of renting the property. It's essential to...
It may be difficult to begin thinking spring when the weather is still quite cold here in Alaska, but inside your home, there are a number of projects you can take on! It’s never too early to tackle spring cleaning and if you’re planning to sell your home in the Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole area this year, buyers will certainly notice and appreciate your efforts!
Below are the most effective spring cleaning projects you can cross off of your list now in your Alaska home:
Clean the windows
Winter brings those long, dark days, but you would be amazed at how much of a difference a simple window washing can do for the light in your home. Clean every window inside and out—if possible—and while you’re at...
While the holidays may have just ended, the spring real estate market will be here before we know it in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and the surrounding areas. Soon a wave of potential buyers will take to searching for their perfect property as the weather starts to turn around. Not only do the warming temperatures play a role in getting buyers out and about to tour homes for sale, but lower inventory just may give sellers an edge.
However, that doesn't always mean your Alaskan home is ready for buyers to step inside and prepare their offers. You may need to do a bit of prep work before you're officially in the game! Below are four ways to get ahead of the spring real estate market this year and make your home stand out from the rest in ...
Whether we like it or not, the winter weather has already descended upon Alaska. Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, and North Pole area homeowners would be wise to take precautions now to ensure they are not caught off guard by a faulty heating system, water leaks in the basement or high energy bills due to drafty windows and doors.
Madden Real Estate is happy to share the following five tips for preparing your home for winter and help you enjoy the season, without any home-related hassles.
Clean the gutters
Once all the leaves have fallen, it's time to clean out your gutters, unless of course, they are already overflowing. Gutters are the cause of many basement water problems due to water draining improperly.
On the same note, make sure your downspouts are pointing away from your house, away from sills and driveways. You always want to route water...
When you decide to sell your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole, you begin to dream about how much profit you can make and moving to your next location. However, there is one figure you'll need to determine before you can make those dreams a reality— your home value.
It is not uncommon for homeowners to over-estimate how much their property might be worth, so as your local real estate experts, the Madden Real Estate team has put together a few tips that can help you determine just that.
Comparable properties
One of the first places to look to help find your home value is a list of comparable properties in the area. Look at homes that have a similar square footage to yours or those with the same types of features. Even if you think your home is better than the one...
With buyer demand soaring and inventory still trending lower, the ball is in the seller's court in the local Alaskan real estate market.
But that doesn't mean you can simply place a "For Sale" sign in your yard and the offers will begin to pour in. There are several mistakes that can actually hold you back from selling your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, or North Pole and as your local experts, we've included them below!
If you plan to sell your Alaska home this summer, be sure to avoid the following:
1. Overpricing
In order to attract buyers and prompt them to write an offer, your home needs to be priced well from the beginning. Overpricing can cause buyers to pass over your property entirely, given their search parameters, or wonder...
Excitement runs high when you have an accepted offer on your Alaskan home, but what comes next could bring you down if not properly prepared for— the home inspection. The inspection could make or break your deal and is a contingency often written into most offers, meaning the buyer could walk away if the results are less than ideal.
Below are just a few of the items that inspectors will be looking for during their time at your property in Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond:
1. Structure: Integrity of your foundation, state of windows, doors and frames
2. Grounds: Faulty grading, dilapidated pathways and walks, trees, and any standing water
3. Roof: Defects in shingles, flashing, fascia, gutters, chimney and skylights
4. Interiors:...
As an Alaskan homeowner, you've probably heard dozens of real estate myths bouncing around from family and friends— running the gamut from when to sell your home to how much buyers are willing to pay.
However, it's important to note that these should be taken with a grain of salt—unless they come from a trusted real estate expert—and in some cases, ignored entirely.
If you plan to sell your home in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, or beyond this year, you will want to ignore the following home selling advice:
You will sell at the open house
Open houses can be beneficial for Alaskan homeowners in that they attract many eyes to your property at once— but that doesn't mean it will always end in a sale. While many buyers may come through your home, don't expect all of them to make...
As you think about selling your home in Alaska, one of the first questions to cross your mind is likely, "How much is my home worth?" Your home value will play a major role in the success of your sale, but there are many aspects of finding this number that Alaskan homeowners simply do not understand.
We've included a few key ideas to consider as you research your home value and prepare to sell your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and the surrounding areas this year:
Listen to your real estate agent
Determining your home value is a task best left to the experts, so do not be afraid to consult your real estate agent. Your agent can run what's called a "comparative market analysis"...
In past blog posts, we've shared the answers to common Alaskan homeowner questions, including whether or not you should sell your home or simply renovate as well as trends to avoid to appeal to homebuyers. This week, Madden Real Estate is elaborating for those homeowners in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, and North Pole who choose to list their property and take advantage of the numerous buyers in the market.
But does everything need to be fixed before you can officially place that For Sale sign in the yard? Read on for four things that you can pass on this year:
Half updates
Unless you plan to renovate your entire kitchen or bathroom, you don't need to bother making partial updates. For instance, don't bother placing an expensive new stone like a marble or granite on top of your old cabinets. Making...
Becoming a homeowner in the Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, and North Pole areas is exciting, but the thought of paying on your mortgage for the next 30 years may be anything but that. Not to mention, there are many other expenses associated with your home purchase— the inspection, the down payment, the closing costs.
Alaskan homeowners can easily feel overwhelmed, but as your local real estate experts, Madden Real Estate is happy to provide a few ways to keep those expenses down and pay off your mortgage early!
Make an extra payment
One of the simplest ways to start paying down your mortgage is to make one extra payment each month. Most lenders today do not have pre-payment penalties...
By now, you may have heard about a lack of inventory in the real estate market or noticed it for yourself as you begin house-hunting in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, or the surrounding areas. Inventory has been trending on the lower side for months and while it may be frustrating for buyers, it has contributed to what’s called a “seller’s market.”
A seller’s market is one in which homeowners have the upper hand, which can lead to quicker and easier sales. For buyers, it likely means more competition for the house of your dreams in Alaska.
If you are a home seller this year in Alaska, mind the following ways you can prepare for a successful sale:
Inspect and disclose
As a homeowner, it is wise to disclose any known issues associated...
March has arrived and before we know it, the birds will be singing, the weather will start to warm up, and spring will be in full bloom. But before we can get there, there are a few tasks you will want to cross off of your Alaskan homeowner to-do list— cleaning your gutters, for instance.
Below are four tasks to add to your homeowner to-do list this month and you will be ready to enjoy the spring season ahead!
Clean your gutters
Debris has likely built up in your gutters over the past few months and if not tended to, it can cause a variety of problems both inside and outside of your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond. Take a weekend to clean out the gutters and flush water through to ensure the spouts are in proper working order.
Repair cracks...
If you've been thinking about selling your home in Alaska, 2021 is the perfect time to do so! Many buyers, both first-time and seasoned, are in the real estate market in droves, all searching for their dream home, but are being met with less inventory than there has been in the past.
Alaskan home sellers are in high demand, but you may be contemplating the best route to take— FSBO (For Sale by Owner) or work with a real estate agent? The perks of working with an experienced agent are numerous and if your motive for considering FSBO is simply to save money, you might like to think again!
Your agent will do the negotiating
Think of all of the parties involved in a home sale in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond, from the buyer and their agent to the appraiser and inspection...
We've shared recently about Why You Should be Optimistic About 2021 Real Estate and to continue on down that path of real estate positivity, we're now breaking down why the current market offers the best opportunity to sell in YEARS!
If you're a homeowner in Alaska, don't be too quick to write off this spring, given the global health situation, as a poor time to list your home. In fact, the local market conditions present a lucrative scenario for sellers!
Below are five reasons why now is the best time in years to sell your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole or the surrounding areas:
Home Buyer Demand is High
The pandemic may have slowed many things, but buyer demand is not one of them. Buyers are determined to upgrades their homes, realizing that what...
Did you know selling your Alaskan home in the fall and winter can be just as lucrative as selling during the spring and summer? It's true! However, that is if your property is well prepared for the market!
There are many ways to improve your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, and North Pole before listing it for sale, including removing the following five items that have been known to turn buyers away!
Bugs
Even if you have a few ladybugs taking up residence in your home's windowsills, it's best to remove them before buyers arrive. This is one of the easiest turn-offs for Alaskan buyers as it can give the impression that your home is not clean or well cared for.
Decor Collections
No matter if it's stamps or holiday figurines, you'll want to keep your collectibles...
When you first move into a home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla or North Pole, you might be overwhelmed with home project ideas. From painting the house to renovating the kitchen, it's hard to prioritize what needs to be done and how to stay on budget.
If you've just moved into your Alaskan home or are in the process of house hunting and deciding which home to buy, below are a few tips to help you stay on task.
Take notes around the home
Any time you decide to take on a home project, you should plan out the process and assess the conditions of the space. For instance, what needs to be done versus what you'd like to get done first. Is the flooring damaged? Are the appliances not running their best? These may be prioritized ahead of simply changing out paint colors that you don't love....
Spring is nearly here and what better time to "green" your Alaskan home than now? It's actually easier than you think to turn your home into an eco paradise and you probably have all you need already on hand!
Make it a weekend project or go room by room this week to spring clean and spring green the property. What's more, when you're ready to sell, homebuyers in Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and beyond will notice that your home is already up to "green" standards or on it's way!
Detox the Bedroom
An easy way to "green" your bedroom is to detox all of the linens and especially the curtains. You may wash your sheets and bed linens often, but how about your pillows? Cleaning your pillows will help keep toxins and dust mites at bay. You can also keep mold away in the bedroom by opening your curtains and shades and letting the sun take care of any extra moisture. Go...
The idea of cutting your monthly mortgage payment down by refinancing your loan may sound intriguing to you as an Alaskan homeowner, but there is much more to consider before diving in. In fact, there are cases in which refinancing does not truly pay off for the homeowner. But don't worry! As your local real estate experts, you can count on Madden Real Estate to help you make the best decision for your situation.
Below are four factors to consider before making the decision to refinance your mortgage:
Refinancing is not free
Just as you likely paid some closing costs when you purchased your home in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, and the surrounding areas, you will be required to again with refinancing. Closing costs are typically...
Homebuyers will soon be out in droves as the busy spring real estate season gets underway in Alaska. If you've already taken the steps to list your property in Fairbanks, Eagle River, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, or beyond or are planning to sell soon, the next step involves highlighting your home's key features that buyers will love.
The following elements of your home may seem like nothing to you, but to buyers, they could be just what they are looking for— Don't be afraid to point them out!
Location
You've heard the phrase "location, location, location" before and it never holds more true than when assessing your home's value. Is your home located near restaurants, shopping and entertainment? Do you have an excellent commute time from your neighborhood? Buyers will want to know! And as your ...
