KEEPING IT REAL
A Blog Regarding All That Is Happening In Pittsburgh’s Real Estate Marketplace.
Be Prepared for Closing Costs
When planning for the purchase of your first home, there’s a lot to be excited about! As you prepare for your future, it’s important to remember the big picture of what you’re committing to: owning a home involves more than just making a mortgage payment. For...
Keeping Home Safe
Your home is your castle, a special place where you feel most relaxed and at ease, in a safe and peaceful environment. It’s where your family lives, where you store your prized possessions, and where you lay your head at night for a quiet rest. For those reasons, you...
After the Home Inspection – What’s Really Important?
Whether buying a house, a car, a new refrigerator, or a pair of shoes, a buyer should know what they’re buying. In fact, in some industries, there are strict guidelines and laws which dictate what information must be disclosed when making a purchase: for example,...
How Much Home Can You Afford?
If you spend any amount of time in a real estate office, it won’t be long before you hear one of the most universal questions asked: “How much home can I afford?” It doesn’t matter if the client is a first time buyer or a seasoned shopper, it’s a very common question…...
Important Things to Consider Before Buying a Fixer-Upper Home
When searching for somewhere new to call home, buyers are seeking a property that meets their wants and needs while still meeting their budget requirements. Depending on their needs, some buyers may find they will have to compromise on other aspects of a home. By...
Easy Eco-Friendly Cleaning Swaps
Keeping up with housekeeping duties is part of being a responsible homeowner. From the laundry to cleaning up after dinner, the to-do list of tasks can seem never ending. One way to not check off those housekeeping tasks but to also check off the box of being...
How Emotions Can Get in the Way of Selling
Chances are, you probably remember every home you’ve ever lived in. Whether it was for just a few months, or if it was for thirty years, once you call somewhere “Home”, it stays with you indefinitely. Homes are so much more than a building with a few rooms and a backyard- they’re memories, emotions, and can often feel like a part of the family. A dining room isn’t just four walls surrounding a table: you probably think of the memories made sitting around that table with friends and family. For a homeowner, it feels good to be surrounded by these emotions- but for someone else, looking to buy a home, they’re not going to be invested in your memories or emotions.
How to Tell if a Neighborhood is Improving
There are a few common criteria that are often used to identify a “good neighborhood”, such as the quality of the schools, the physical appearance and infrastructure of a neighborhood and community, recent sales and property values in the area, and even crime statistics. However, these positive characteristics do mean higher land values. For shoppers on a tight budget, you might have to look elsewhere. The good news? There’s no shortages of neighborhoods where those traditionally desirable characteristics are becoming more common- meaning that finding a neighborhood on the upswing can be pretty easy!
7 Cool Ways to Repurpose Old Furniture
We spend a lot of time indoors during the winter months, looking around and often beginning to decide that some of our furniture is getting a little long in the tooth. Whether it’s stylistically outdated or just a worn-down piece that isn’t worthy of full restoration,...
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