Canton OH Real Estate Podcast with Amy Wengerd

Should You Wait to Make an Offer on a Canton Home?

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Fri, 20 May 2016 07:58:00 -0700

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

If you look at a home in Canton once and fall in love, should you make an offer right away? The answer can be tricky.

In the Canton market, homes that are in great condition and fairly priced are selling in a matter of days. If you love the home and don’t want to lose it, then your best bet is to make an offer quickly. But how quickly?

On the other hand, you will always notice more things about the home during your second walk through. On your second visit, you can pay more attention to things like the age of the furnace, condition of the windows, room sizes, and other details you might not have noticed the first time around.

Also, we encourage all of our home buyers to drive through the neighborhood on different days and at different times to get an idea of what the area is really like. If you make an offer right away, you won’t have a chance to do this.

That’s exactly why you need an experienced real estate team to guide you through this process. We can tell you if the home is priced right and whether you should move fast. We can also point out items you might have to replace in the near future, what homes in the neighborhood resale for, and any issues that might prevent you from selling in the future. These are all important things to consider when making a home purchase.

We never want to rush you into making an offer. Our goal is always to give you honest, reliable advice so you can make the best decision for you and your family.

If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Now Is a Great Time to List Your Canton Home

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Tue, 17 May 2016 10:49:00 -0700

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

Are you thinking of selling your home this year? If so, what are you waiting for? So far this year, my team has sold 98 homes. Many of those homes received multiple offers and sold over asking price. How do we do that? Will your home sell this fast?

This is not luck. We have an in-depth knowledge of the current real estate market. We analyze how many homes are in the market in your area, and how many have sold recently. That tells us how many homes are selling per month in your neighborhood.

Next, we compare your home to properties that have already sold. What features do those homes have that yours does not, and vice versa? We want to make sure we don’t leave any money on the table for you. We also want to avoid overpricing your home because then, buyers won’t want to look at it. It’s a fine line, and that’s why you want to hire someone with a ton of experience selling homes in your area.

I’ve been a licensed real estate agent for 19 years, and I’m already on track to sell 275 homes this year alone. That gives my clients a leg up on other sellers in the market who might be working with an inexperienced real estate agent.

Inventory across our area right now is so low that we have a list of buyers patiently waiting for homes to hit the market. Because real estate is driven by supply and demand, when inventory is low, home prices go up. When more houses come on the market, home prices start to level out and buyers have more time to find a home. Buyers are also less inclined to offer full listing price as the market balances out.

If you are thinking of selling and you would prefer a quick sale for top dollar, now is the time to do so. If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. My team and I would be happy to help you!

Is Your Canton Home Ready for the Market?

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Tue, 10 May 2016 15:15:00 -0700

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

Every week, I get calls from homeowners asking, “What improvements do I need to make before I list my home?” Many of these homeowners think they need to gut their entire kitchen, rip out all of their landscaping, and finish the basement in order to sell.

You really don’t have to do all that. Before you start renovating your home, give us a call. Together, we’ll go over the current market for your home. We’ll discuss what other homes are selling for in your neighborhood, and compare the features of those properties to yours.

You should also consider the cost of those improvements and what the return on investment will be. Our stager can even come to your home and see if there is a better or less expensive way to get a higher return on your improvements.

Ultimately, spending large amounts of money to prepare your home for the market is not always the best idea. There are smart ways to spend your money, and then there are improvements that will never earn back their cost. A lot of the time, smaller projects, like painting, staging, and reducing clutter, have a bigger impact on your home sale.

If you have any questions, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Expert Tips for Canton Home Buyers

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Wed, 6 Jan 2016 12:15:00 -0800

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

We've had some unseasonably warm weather this year, and it's been great for our local real estate market. Activity hasn't dropped as sharply as it has in the past, so we're still able to help a lot of buyers right now.

I've been getting the same question a lot lately, and it has to do with how quickly you need to get a response from a home seller. As a buyer, you're probably anxious to hear back from the seller, so let's delve into this.

There really isn't a concrete answer, and it really depends on the situation. If we know that there are multiple offers on the home, we usually demand a response within 24 hours. This puts our buyers in a better position to win the home because it makes the seller worry that they're losing their best offer.

On the contrary, there are other situations where sellers can't make a quick decision. If it's an estate and the siblings are selling it together, it could take a while.

My recommendation is that if you really love a home, then make a strong offer. Sellers naturally respond quickly to good offers because they don't want to lose them.

Please reach out to us if you're thinking of buying or selling in Canton! We would love to find your dream home for you!

Start Tracking the Canton Homes You Visit

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Tue, 5 Jan 2016 13:19:00 -0800

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

A client recently asked, “Is there a good way to track homes you visit?”

Yes, there is! We provide you with property tour sheets. These sheets include crucial information to fill out about each home, such as the address and the positives and negatives about a property.

After touring over five homes a day, homes start to look the same. Quickly, home buyers can get confused and overwhelmed. That’s why it’s important to track important details. This simple sheet helps you narrow your search and identify which homes to visit again.

Additionally, we target our buyer’s must-haves. We identify what factors in a home are most important to buyers. For instance, it might be the amount of bathrooms or the size of the kitchen. We help our buyers understand what they want.

You can count on us to help you find the right home! We want to make it easy and fun you for you. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us via phone or email.

Transform Your Ohio Listing

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 07:46:00 -0800

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

Merry Christmas, everyone! It’s hard to believe the holidays are almost here and we can soon take a break from our busy lives. Remember to enjoy time with close family and friends to appreciate everything we have.

Most people think the Christmas season is slow in real estate, but it isn’t at the Amy Wengerd Realty Group! This week, we’ve already sold four homes and it’s only Wednesday!

However, what do you do if you’re not getting much activity? We have three strategies to create activity on your listing:

Reevaluate the price. Is your home still competitive? How many other homes are you competing with in your price range? How many homes have sold in your price range and area? What have those homes sold for? These are all helpful indicators to help you price your home competitively for the current market.

Try hiring a stager. Bring life to your home! We have two professional stagers on hand to help you during the listing process. We want to help you earn top dollar. People often think staging is expensive, but we’ve made it completely affordable. Stagers offer a free half hour consultation to identify what parts of your home can be improved to stand out from the rest. For a small fee, our stagers will rearrange furniture you already own. It’s a small price to invest with a huge return.

Take new pictures. Why go to all that work and not let buyers know about it? I always hire a professional photographer to photograph my listings. This can help separate your home from the competition. Your first showing happens online! The second showing happens when they physically tour your home, so you need to make a good first impression online.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, please give me a call or send me an email! Have a happy holiday season.

How to Win a Bidding War in Canton

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Fri, 4 Dec 2015 13:31:00 -0800

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

If you've been following real estate trends, you probably know that our housing inventory is at an all-time low, especially in certain price ranges. This means that you could find yourself in a bidding war for a home that you desperately want to buy.

So, what can you do to increase your chances of being picked by the seller?

Have your pre-approval letter ready. This tells a homeowner that you've spoken with a bank and that your finances are solid. It makes you nearly as good as a cash buyer.
Increase your deposit. The average is anywhere between $500 and $1,000, but I suggest you double that amount because you get it all back at closing.
Write the seller a 'love letter'. Tell them why you love their home and why you will be the perfect family to move in. You can play with the heart-strings of the seller, and sometimes this tactic can push you to the top of the offers.
Pay for your own inspections. This lets the homeowner know that you're willing to invest money into the home and that you're serious about purchasing.
Don't lowball! When you work with us, we run a market analysis on homes in order to make sure that you're offering a fair market price for them. We will never let you pay too much for a home!

There are actually three more secrets that we use to help our buyers purchase their dream homes, but we can share those with you when you decide to buy a home with our team.

We've helped over 180 families buy and sell homes this year, and we want you to be next!

What Should You Be Looking for When Home Hunting in Canton?

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Tue, 3 Nov 2015 10:06:00 -0800

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

When you're home hunting, what should you look for when viewing a home? Today, we want to give you some tips so you make informed buying decisions. If you know the answers to these questions, you shouldn't have trouble making the right decision for you and your family:

Does the floor plan work for you? The floor plan is something you can't change without spending a whole lot of money, so make sure the layout of the home you're looking at is one that will work for you and your family.
Are the major systems in the home in working order? Does the furnace have a sticker showing the install date? Does the AC? Look for water stains on the ceiling and other little signs of structural damage.
Does the price of the home line up with neighborhood values? We don't want you to buy the most expensive home on the block and will ensure you're armed with this information.
Will the size of the home suit your family's needs? How long do you plan on living in the home? If you plan on starting a family, you want to buy a home that you will be able to grow into.
Do you love the home? Can you picture yourself staying in the home for an extended period of time? Don't purchase a home just because you're sick of looking at homes and want to get the process over with. You'll probably regret it.

Even if you forget a few of these things, you don't need to worry because we will be there doing them for you! We feel it's our job to ensure you make informed decisions throughout the process. If you have any questions for us, or if you'd like our help buying or selling, please don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to hear from you!

How Can a Pre-Approval Simplify Your Canton Home Search?

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Mon, 2 Nov 2015 11:45:00 -0800

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

If you're thinking about selling, how do you find out how much home you can actually afford? This is a question we get all the time, and would love to answer for you.

The very first thing to do if you want to buy a home in Canton is get pre-approved with a reputable lender. At Amy Wengerd Realty Group, we work with some of the best banks in Northeast Ohio, and they really take care of our clients. Plus, the pre-approval is free, and you can figure out exactly how much the bank is willing to give you for your new home.

Once you have been pre-approved, you can begin looking at all your financial options and figure out the plan that works best for your needs. Often, the bank will approve you for more than you can really afford, and that's fine - once you know what the bank will lend you, we can help you determine what amount you can comfortably make payments on each month.

We offer free buyer consultations to find out exactly what you need and what your dreams are. Our goal is to get on the same page as you in order to help you achieve your personal and financial goals. For us, it's not just about getting you into a house, but finding you the ideal home that will fit your needs for years to come.

If you want a full team of experts at your disposal to help you make the best buying and selling decisions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

The Latest Trends in Northeast Ohio Real Estate

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Fri, 9 Oct 2015 08:20:00 -0700

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

Today, we'll go over the current real estate market in Northeast Ohio. Many people ask me if this is a buyer's or seller's market. Believe it or not, it's actually both!

Homes that are priced well and in great shape are selling very fast. As we approach the holiday season, some homeowners will be very motivated to sell, and buyers could get a great deal. Also, there will be less competition for buyers than there is in the spring or summer.

In addition, interest rates are fantastic! They are below 4% for a conventional 30-year loan, so if you're buying, go ahead and lock in that low rate.

The truth is, if your home is priced right, it will always sell, no matter what time of year it is. If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Where Can You Find Expert Tips About Canton Real Estate?

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Thu, 8 Oct 2015 13:43:00 -0700

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

Hello, I just wanted to welcome you all to my new YouTube channel and my real estate video blog. Everything here is dedicated to assisting you when you decide to buy or sell real estate in Canton.

You'll find a plethora of free resources available to you, and this includes my bi-weekly videos designed to educate you on our local real estate market. I'll provide you with buyer tips, seller tips, and Canton real estate market updates.

The goal here is to transform you into an informed consumer so that you can have an easier, faster, and more profitable real estate experience.

If there is anything that I can do for you moving forward, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I want this blog to be a resource for you, so if you have questions, don't be afraid to ask them.

Stay tuned for expert advice on our local real estate market!

What's Happening in the Akron and Canton Market?

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Wed, 3 Jun 2015 10:09:00 -0700

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

Many people ask me which areas are the best to live in Akron and Canton. Today, I'll cover what makes particular areas desirable and where you can find them! I will also cover an exciting thing we've seen in our market lately: multiple offers!

Often, the quality of the school district plays a huge role in how desirable a given neighborhood is. Everyone who has young kids wants to be in an area with good schools! Great schools help maintain and increase property values because the area is very desirable.

If you're a young professional who is less concerned with schools than you are with shopping and entertainment, the downtown area is being remodeled with high-end amenities and is within close proximity to nightlife. There are great views of downtown Canton, which is a great place for young professionals!

Right now, we're in a seller's market so we're seeing A LOT of multiple offers! Homeowners with properly priced homes are getting full-priced offers right away that are at or above listing price. Because conditions are right, you need to work with an agent who can help you with staging, photography, and marketing. A great agent will help you make the most of this great market!

If you're on the buying end of a multiple offer situation, what can you do? We specialize in helping buyers get their offer accepted so they don't miss out on the home of their dreams. We conduct an exclusive private buyer consultation to answer questions, gather financial information, and find out their buying goals. There are a handful of strategies we will help you with so that you can accomplish those goals in a timely manner!

If you have any questions about the state of our current market, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you soon!

Canton Real Estate Market Update

clientvalue1@gmail.com (Amy Wengerd) — Wed, 3 Jun 2015 09:48:00 -0700

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report

Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

Today I'm going to be providing you with a real estate market update for our local market here in Canton. I want you to take this information and use it to your advantage when you're entering the market as a buyer or a seller.

Overall, inventory is low in our area so we're seeing a market that is favoring sellers over buyers. This has been creating high demand, and in turn homes are selling for higher prices if they're in good condition and in a good location.

Buyers should not be scared away by the competitive market, though. Interest rates are sitting at all time lows, so you can buy a home more affordably than ever before and then ride out the wave of appreciation so that in a few years you can reap the benefits of your home investment.

If you're looking to sell, be sure to ask us about our 'Coming Soon' listings. We have found that this is a great strategy to generate demand and sell your home for a high price before it even hits the market. This is helpful for our sellers, but our buyers like it too because they can avoid competition from other buyers.

If we can assist you in any way, please don't hesitate to contact us.