Northeastern Ohio Podcast with Michael Kaim

Don’t Panic About the Market

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 14:16:00 -0700

You may have heard dire news about the real estate market, but it’s not as desperate as you may have been told.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale.

Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

What does the future hold for buyers and sellers in our real estate market? Recently, you may have heard that the sky is falling, but it’s not. On the contrary, the future's still bright. Unfortunately, we do expect a housing shortage, and that will cause housing prices to continue to rise throughout 2020. We expect appreciation rates to be around 5%, which is a slight drop compared to what we’ve seen in previous years.

The beginning of the year is when people tend to think about their goals and these sometimes include real estate. It’s always good to be as prepared as possible for when it’s time to pull the trigger. If you plan on selling in April or May, you should start fixing things up around the house now so you don’t have to do it all at once right before listing. If you’re considering buying soon, talk to a lender now. It never hurts to be prepared.

If you have any questions about real estate, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

How to Know Whether to Rent or Buy

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 13:13:00 -0800

Should you rent or buy? The answer depends on your situation.

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Are you better off renting or buying?

There are certain situations where you’re better off renting. For example, if you’re moving to an area you only plan on staying in for a few years, you should rent. If you’re moving to an area you plan on staying in for longer than three years, you should buy.

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You guarantee that you’ll lose money in the long term by renting, and you guarantee that you’ll gain money in the long term by buying.

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I know people worry about the ups and downs of the real estate market, or whether they’ll lose money when they have to sell later on, but here’s the thing: In the long term, homeownership normally trends upward. If, on the other hand, you rent for three years at $2,000 a month, you only guarantee a loss of $72,000. It’s very rare to lose $72,000 by buying a home in the Triangle area.

Think of it this way: You guarantee that you’ll lose money in the long term by renting, and you guarantee that you’ll gain money in the long term by buying. It all depends on your timeline.

If you’d like to talk more about this topic or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Should You List Your Home Now?

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Fri, 3 Jan 2020 07:04:00 -0800

I’m sharing why winter is a great time to sell your home, and why waiting may not be your best option.

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Today we’re going to discuss whether now is a good time to list your home. Around this time of year, we often see many people taking their houses off the market. Many sellers believe they should skip the winter and wait until springtime to sell their property.

While there are some advantages to the spring market, people seem to be forgetting one thing: There’s much more competition in the spring. Through the winter months, there are fewer homes on the market because everyone is waiting for spring. As a result, buyers during the winter are serious, have a real need to move, and are working with fewer options to choose from. This puts your listing in a wonderful position!

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You need to look at the reasons behind why you’re selling, where you’re moving to, and why.

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If you can’t decide whether to list now or wait until the spring, you need to look at the reasons behind why you’re selling, where you’re moving to, and why. If you genuinely need to sell in the winter, there’s no reason to cause yourself more trouble by waiting until spring. You can still find a buyer in the winter months.

If you’re considering selling your home during the winter, know this: Last year we sold over 200 properties during this season. We have an aggressive marketing plan and we work harder this time of year for our clients.

If you have any questions about buying or selling in the winter, or anything concerning real estate, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to help you.

11 Reasons to List During the Holidays

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 10:48:00 -0800

Most homeowners think the holidays are a bad time to list their homes for sale. Here's why that's untrue.

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Here are the 11 reasons why you should consider selling your home during the holiday season:

1. People who are looking for a home during the holidays are more serious buyers.

2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the holidays. Less competition means more money for you.

3. There will be less demand for your home come January, which means less money.

4. Houses show better when decorated for the holidays.

5. Buyers are more emotional during the holidays, which means they are more likely to pay your price.

6. Buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays than they do during the workweek.

7. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons.

8. January is traditionally the month where employees begin their new jobs. Since transferees can not wait until the spring to buy, you must be on the market now to capture their attention.

9. You can still be on the market, but restrict showings during the major holidays so as to not miss quality time with family.

10. You can sell for more money, and we can get you a delayed closing so you don’t have to move until early next year.

11. By selling now, you may have the opportunity to become a non-contingent buyer in the spring market. When more houses are on the market for less money, it will allow you to sell high and buy low.

If you have any questions for us about this list or about real estate in general, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Homebuyers: Follow These 4 Tips During Your Final Walk-Through

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 07:14:00 -0700

When the time for your final walk-through arrives, following these four tips will help the experience go smoothly.

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The final walk-through is a critical step in the real estate process, but many buyers aren’t sure exactly why this is or what they should look for when they enter the property for the last time before closing.

Ultimately, the final walk-through is designed to help buyers verify that the home is in the same condition it was when they made their offer and that the agreed-upon repairs have been made.

In order to ensure your final walk-through goes smoothly, keep these four tips in mind:

1. Don’t schedule the final walk-through on the same day as closing. Doing this could make it difficult to fix any issues you find in the event that the home is not in the condition you expected.

2. Bring along your phone and its charger to test the outlets. Plug your phone into every last outlet. This simple trick will help you to verify that they are all in working order.

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If you made your offer on a staged home, you should expect the vacant version to look very different.

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3. Look for any belongings the seller left behind. Sometimes, items are abandoned on accident. Other times, the seller simply wanted to ditch their unwanted items with the hope you wouldn’t notice until after closing. Either way, you don’t want to be left dealing with the seller’s junk.

4. Be emotionally prepared for surprises. If you made your offer on a staged home, you should expect the vacant version to look very different. Staging can hide certain cosmetic problems, like scratches or dents, and can totally transform a home.

As always, if you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Home Sellers: Don’t Make These Common Mistakes

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Tue, 4 Jun 2019 11:13:00 -0700

If you plan on putting your home on the market soon, there are six common home seller mistakes you need to avoid.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale.

Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

Here are the six biggest mistakes homeowners make when selling their home that you need to avoid:

1. Picking the wrong agent. The right agent will be able to communicate with you effectively, not to mention be punctual. Timing is very important when selling your home, so communication is key. They’ll also be honest and straightforward with you, rather than agreeing with everything you say and telling you what you want to hear.

2. Overpricing your home. Price is everything when marketing your home. Even a well-priced home with a bad marketing plan will sell.

3. Failing to make a simple repair. If there’s some minor damage around your home that a buyer would spot instantly, repair that damage before listing.

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I understand if you’re emotionally attached to your house, but when you sell it, you need to think of it as a property.

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4. Neglecting to declutter. Most buyers start their home search online, and if your home’s pictures are showing your clutter instead of all the open space, there’s a good chance buyers won’t even look at it in person.

5. Not allowing adequate home-showing access. I’ve found that if a buyer wants to see a home but the seller tells them to come back another day, about 80% of them never do. Either that or their agent never reschedules. This is why it’s important that your home is show-ready at all times.

6. Getting super emotional about your house. I understand if you’re emotionally attached to your house, but when you sell it, you need to think of it as a property. This means if you get a lowball offer or a buyer who plans on doing some remodeling, you shouldn’t take it personally as long as you end up getting the price you want.

As always, if you have any questions about this or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

The 10 Steps to Winterizing Your Home

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Fri, 8 Feb 2019 07:57:00 -0800

Don’t open the door to a frozen home. Instead, follow these winterization tips.

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If you aren’t living in your home during the winter, you need to take steps to ensure it survives the cold unscathed. Here are the 10 steps to take when winterizing your home:

Turn off the main water line to your house
Drain your water lines after turning off the main line
Disconnect all of your hoses and turn off the inside line that goes to the hose
Pour antifreeze in your toilet bowls to prevent cracking
Clean out your gutters to prevent ice dams
Turn off gas lines to appliances you aren’t using
Unplug all of your electrical outlets
Adjust your thermostat to around 50 to 55 degrees
Ensure your sump pump is functioning properly and has a backup battery
Close the damper in your fireplace so nothing comes in

If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to helping you.

11 Reasons You Can Sell Quickly and for Top Dollar During the Holidays

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 10:47:00 -0800

There are 11 reasons why the holidays are the perfect time to sell your home quickly and for top dollar.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale.

Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

Here are the 11 reasons why the holidays are actually a great time to put your home on the market:

1. There are more serious buyers out and about this time of year. If they’re willing to walk and drive through snow to look at homes, you know they won’t be wasting your time when they look at your home.

2. There are fewer homes to choose from this time of year. A lower inventory means you’ll get a higher price than you would if you listed your home during other seasons where inventory is typically higher.

3. January will see lower demand because more inventory will enter the market. Like I just said, higher inventory means lower sale prices for sellers.

4. Houses show better when decorated for the holidays. This is the best time of year to show your property, so why not show it while you have it decorated for your friends and family.

5. Buyers are more emotional during the holidays. By making an emotional decision, they’re probably more willing to pay your price.

6. Buyers have more time off to look for homes. Naturally, if your home is available during this time, you’re more likely to get a great price.

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A lower inventory means you’ll get a higher price than you would if you listed your home during other seasons where inventory is typically higher.

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7. Some buyers must buy before the end of the year for tax purposes. This means, once again, they’ll be more eager to buy.

8. January is typically a month of employee relocation. Some buyers will be starting new jobs once the new fiscal year starts, so they want to buy now so they can get settled in before that.

9. You can restrict showings during the actual holidays. It’s no problem at all for your agent to take the home off the market just for those six or seven days.

10. You can sell now for more money and offer a delayed occupancy and an extended occupancy until next year. This will allow you to sell for a high price and possibly do a rent-back agreement until you close in January or February of next year.

11. By selling now, you’d become a ready, willing, and able buyer for the spring market. With higher inventory during the spring, you’ll likely get a better deal on your new home.

If you have any more questions about selling during the holidays or you have any other real estate needs, don’t hesitate to call or email me. I’d be happy to speak to you.

A Quarterly Market Update for Northeast Ohio

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Thu, 1 Nov 2018 11:30:00 -0700

Let’s take a look at the year-to-year changes in our market.

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Today, we’ll be discussing our fourth-quarter market update of the Northeast Ohio area.

The market has been great over the last year. There’s been an average 6% appreciation of home values in our markets—something we haven’t seen in years! Unfortunately, interest rates have risen. In October 2017, we were around 3.8% to 4%. Now, they’re closer to 5%. Outside of increased rates, the market is still strong and it’s a great time to buy. The economy is doing great as well, giving you more confidence in purchasing a property. This means it’s also a good time to invest in real estate.

What is in the forecast for the next couple of years? Economists are predicting an increase in prices for the next year and a steady rise in interest rates. Though rates will continue climbing, we’ll eventually see them come back down—it’s believed that these rates will begin receding in 2020.

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Though rates will continue climbing, we’ll eventually see them come back down.

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Here are some statistics I’ve found showing our year-to-year changes:

Cuyahoga County: The average sale price is $126,000 with a 0.8% quarterly appreciation and 6.3% yearly appreciation.
Geauga County: The average sale price is $230,000 with a 1.9% quarterly appreciation and 6.1% yearly appreciation.
Lake County: The average sale price is $145,900 with a 0.8% quarterly appreciation and 5.1% yearly appreciation.
Lorain County: The average sale price is $139,400 with a 1.9% quarterly appreciation and 6.7% yearly appreciation.
Medina County: The average sale price is $196,000 with a 1.7% quarterly appreciation and 6.6% yearly appreciation.
Portage County: The average sale price is $156,700 with a 2.5% quarterly appreciation and 4.3% yearly appreciation.
Summit County: The average sale price is $131,200 with a 0.9% quarterly appreciation and 5.8% yearly appreciation.
Carroll County: The average sale price is $106,000 with a 2.1% quarterly appreciation and 9.7% yearly appreciation.
Stark County: The average sale price is $125,200 with a 1.5% quarterly appreciation and 6.9% yearly appreciation.

Because inventory is going to start decreasing as we head toward winter, it’s a great time to think about listing your home. We sold 267 properties in the winter months last year. We can help you do the same. If you are looking to buy or sell, have any questions, or would like further information, get in touch with us. We look forward to hearing from you.

How an Escalation Clause Can Help You Win the Home You Want

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 11:57:00 -0700

An escalation clause might be just what you need to get the home you want in our market. Here’s why.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale.

Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

If you haven’t had much luck getting offers accepted in our market, I recommend using a tactic the agents on our team are implementing with our buyer clients: an escalation clause.

How does it work? Let’s say you enter into a multiple offer situation and the listing agent tells you to make your highest and best offer, but you’re hesitant because you have no way of knowing if that offer will be high enough.

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The escalation clause is a unique proposition, but it might be just what you need to get the home you want.

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An escalation clause guarantees that you’ll offer more than the next highest bid up to a certain amount. If the house is listed for $170,099 and you’re willing to pay as much as $185,000 for it, your escalation clause will state that you’re willing to pay $1,000 more than the next highest verifiable offer. If another buyer makes an offer of $183,000 with no closing costs, your offer would automatically reset to $184,000.

The escalation clause is a unique proposition, but it might be just what you need to get the home you want.

If you have any more questions about how an escalation clause works or you have any other real estate needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

5 Kinds of Smart Technology Your Home Needs

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 11:35:00 -0700

Smart home features can save you money on bills, ensure the security of your home, and make life easier for you. Here are five examples of smart tech that are popular today.

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Smart technology is becoming increasingly popular in the market. These high-tech items can attract buyers, boost your home’s value, and just make your home more convenient for you and your family. Today I’ll share five examples of smart home features you might consider installing in your own home.

1. Smart thermostats ($180 to $250). This is one of the most popular smart home features that people in the market are installing in their homes. When you leave the house, your smart thermostat will automatically adjust your temperature to your specifications, allowing you to be energy efficient in your practices and to keep your bill down. Popular brands of smart thermostats include Ecobee, Nest, and Honeywell. The cost is worth it, though; this technology can save you as much as $250 annually on your energy bill.

2. Smart door locks ($200 to $250). When you leave your house, a smart lock can automatically lock the door behind you, which can keep you from worrying about whether or not your house is secure. What’s more, if you have friends, family, or service workers coming to your house when you’re not there, you can unlock the door remotely for them from your phone. We personally recommend the August Smart Lock brand.

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Smart thermostats can save you as much as $250 annually on your energy bill.

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3. Video doorbells ($199). With these, you can see whoever walks up to your door from your phone, wherever you are. Certain brands will alert you when someone even approaches your door; some have microphones that allow you to talk with whoever is there. It’s perfect for home security and general convenience. Ring is the most popular brand that we’d recommend.

4. Smart smoke detectors (Varies). A smart smoke detector can save you 5% on your insurance premium; like other smart technology, you can access it remotely so you’ll have an idea of what’s going on in your home when you’re not there. We recommend that you use either Birdi or Nest, which also have carbon monoxide detectors built in as well.

5. Smart irrigation ($200). The Sky Drop smart irrigation system can track the local weather and water your yard or garden depending on the conditions. It will also track how much rain accumulates and adjusts the water use accordingly.

Depending on your lifestyle, any or all of these additions can add a lot to your home experience, and add value and appeal to it when it comes time to sell.

If you have any questions about smart home features or about real estate in general, reach out to us. We’d be glad to help you.

Learn From History Before You Miss Your Chance to Sell

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Mon, 14 May 2018 14:46:00 -0700

2013 saw the housing market slow greatly because of increased interest rates. Are we following the same trends today?

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The 2018 housing market started off much like how the market started five years ago. In 2013, the Federal Reserve saw the real estate market booming and pushed interest rates up to slow down the economy.

Currently we are seeing the same inflation in terms of values and prices as we did in 2013. I believe that the federal government is going to once again slow down the economy and the real estate market by raising the rates again. In fact, they have already raised them twice.

What this means to you, if you are selling, is that you want to get your house on the market immediately.

In 2013, rates started the year at 3.75%. By September of that year, they had risen to almost 4.75%. We sold an incredible amount of homes and had record-breaking sales in the first half of the year, and then the market came to a stop.

You can expect to see the same results this year. So far, we have already seen a huge influx of buyers and sales in the first quarter of 2018. The housing market is booming right now, we’re seeing the best prices in years, and we are seeing interest rates increase.

Interest rates have already jumped by almost 0.5% within the last six months. For the second quarter, they will continue to go up probably 0.25%.

By July, most buyers who are looking will have bought a home. After that, there will be an increase in inventory for the second half of the year, which will slow down the housing market and bring prices down.

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If you are looking to sell your house, put it on the market now because the values are up, buyers are out, and inventory is low.

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So, if you are looking to sell your house, put it on the market now because the values are up, buyers are out, and inventory is low. You want to be on the market before the summer months when a huge increase in inventory comes on the market and values come down.

If you have any questions about this or want to list your home, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

What Homebuyers Can Learn From Our 2017 Market

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 14:31:00 -0800

What can 2017 teach us about purchasing a house in 2018? Here are five very valuable takeaways.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

There are five lessons homebuyers can learn about our 2018 market by looking back on what happened in 2017.

First, homes are still lower than their pre-recession peak prices. There are some exceptions in major cities like San Francisco and Denver, but there are still a lot of great deals out there and there is still some value we’re looking to get to in the next couple years.

Second, homes are selling quickly. On average, homes spend 45 to 60 days on our market, depending on price range and area. There is a very low supply of homes and a very high demand, so make sure you have an agent representing you who can put you at an advantage in finding the best deal possible.

Third, investors are everywhere. If you’re looking to invest in a property, make sure you’re ready to put your best offer forward. Again, having an agent such as myself by your side can help you prepare your proof of funds, have your purchase agreement ready to go right after you see a property you like, and make sure you pay the amount you should be paying considering you might be in a multiple offer situation.

Make sure you have an agent representing you who can put you at an advantage in finding the best deal possible.

Fourth, more deals were falling apart than ever before in 2017 because of things like mortgage and inspection issues, so when you’re ready to buy, know that you can negotiate inspections in your favor. Also, make sure you have your mortgage information ready and you’re pre-approved with a solid, qualified lender so you have the best chance possible at closing on the deal.

Finally, buying still saves over renting. People ask me all the time whether they should rent or buy. If you look at the national average of rental rates, you’ll see that they’re up across the entire country. This means in most markets, it would cost you more to pay rent than it would to buy a home.

For example, if you buy a $200,000 home in the Cleveland market, your monthly mortgage payment would be $800. By comparison, renting that same house at current rental rates would cost you as much as $2,000 per month. Essentially, you’d save as much as $1,200 per month by buying.

If you have any other questions about our market in 2018 or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home soon, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

A Quick Update on Northeast Ohio Winter Home Prices in 2018

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Fri, 2 Feb 2018 13:34:00 -0800

This winter is shaping up to be a huge moment for area homeowners who are looking to sell. Here are a few reasons why.

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This winter is likely to be a very important moment for many home sellers. That’s because three big trends are coming together to affect Ohio home prices right now:

1. Housing inventory remains extremely tight. The total number of homes on the market fell 10% year over year in the last quarter. This is the biggest drop since 2013, and it's part of a consistent pattern of very limited and decreasing housing supply. Of course, the fewer homes there are on the market, the easier it is to sell, and the higher the price you can expect to get. Home prices have increased almost 6.5% nationally since last year.

2. Buyers are increasingly optimistic. Despite the tight inventory, homebuyers are increasingly optimistic and continue to look for homes. Some of this has to do with the recent growth in income and job stability. Loosening lending standards are also making many homebuyers eager to take advantage of current mortgage rates, which slipped under 4% recently.

It’s the perfect time to get in the real estate market.

3. The new tax reform bill will impact the market. The federal government recently passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which majorly overhauled our tax code. While it’s unclear how this will affect the real estate market as a whole, there are some changes that do not favor home sellers. As a result of the changes made to the tax code, the National Association of Realtors now projects slower growth for home prices in 2018, with an appreciation rate of 1% to 3%. By doubling the standard deduction, Congress has significantly reduced the value of mortgage interest and property deductions as tax incentives for homeownership. On the bright side, no changes were made in the rules surrounding capital gains for home sales, which is good news for home sellers.

When you put all three of these trends together, two big conclusions emerge. First, now is a very favorable moment for home sellers, thanks to the shortage in the market, the many eager buyers, and the high and rising prices. On the other hand, higher cost, higher tax areas will likely see prices decline as the result of new restrictions on mortgage interest and state and local taxes.

If you are looking to take advantage of the present moment to sell your home, please reach out by giving us a call or sending us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

What’s the Best Way to Make Sure Your Listing Is Seen?

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 12:04:00 -0800

Our team uses a variety of aggressive marketing strategies to ensure our clients find buyers. Here are just a few of them.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

Today, let’s talk about how to aggressively market your home.

First, why is it important to be aggressive when it comes to marketing your home? Most homes that sell for high prices typically sell in the first 30 days, so it’s very important that you market the property to increase the amount of traffic onto your property within that time in order to bolster your chance of getting the highest price.

The more homebuyers who come to look at your home, the better your chances are of getting a good offer quickly, meaning more money for you.

Here are some tips and tricks we at the Michael Kaim Team use to promote properties:

1. Internet. Today, 90% of all buyers start their search online before even getting out to look at properties. Make sure that your home is exposed on all the major sites as a featured listing. Getting featured-listing status is easy with our team because we sign up as a Zillow premier agent, and our listings stick out like a sore thumb. Websites like Zillow, Trulia, Homes.com, and Realtor.com are our top four sites that will expose your home right at the beginning of your listing period.

2. Professional photography. When you list the property for sale, you’ll want to make sure that the house is staged properly so that it looks great in photographs, which also ties back into maintaining a strong online presence.

3. Direct mailing and print advertisements. We have ads in every major news publication, so we’ll capture all the buyers who don’t search online. Additionally, we send out “just-listed” postcards to your area, which would tell your neighbors that the house is for sale. We can also post signs in your front yard to alert passers-by.

4. Email blasts. We can send out emails to not only the top producers in the industry, but also to our database of 20,000 buyers and sellers that we have registered on our site.

Between all of these marketing tools, we’re sure to find you prospective buyers. If you have any questions, you can always reach me by phone or email. Make it a great day!

Why Am I in the Business?

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 11:46:00 -0800

Why did I choose real estate as a career? Here’s a little background information on my story.

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I get asked nearly every day about why I got into the real estate business. A lot of you don’t really know my background and what drives me to help people in the real estate business, so I’m going to go through that today.

I’ve been licensed in the business for two decades now, since 1997. I’ve been around the business my entire life, however. Both of my parents have been licensed for over 45 years. My dad has been licensed since 1963. As a kid growing up, it was normal to talk about real estate at the family dinner table. It was always exciting for me.

I love providing a sense of hope to buyers and sellers out there.

When I was sophomore in college at John Carroll University, I got my license and started helping people in the industry and I haven’t looked back since. I’m passionate about helping people and this career gives me a great way to do that. Whether it’s a first-time buyer or a long-time client, I love helping people make these big moves in their lives.

I can’t tell you how many times over the years we’ve had a listing that didn’t sell with another agent. Each time, we’ve been able to take the home, determine why it didn’t sell, and re-list the home with a different strategy to get it sold. I love providing that sense of hope to the hopeless home seller.

Although we’ve been able to successfully help over 3,500 families over the year, I’m never too busy for my clients. I have a great staff in place that allows me to meet directly with my clients in order to understand their needs even better.

If you or someone you know is thinking about buying or selling a home anytime soon, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. I look forward to hearing from you.

11 Reasons to List Your Home During the Holiday Season

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 08:24:00 -0800

Today, I have a list of 11 great reasons to put your house on the market this holiday season.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

The holidays are just around the corner. There are 11 reasons why it’s important to list your home during the holidays, especially if you are motivated to sell your home.

1. Buyers are more serious this time of year. There won’t be any tire-kickers going through two feet of snow in terrible weather to look at homes. The buyers who are out there are not going to waste your time; they are serious about making a purchase.

2. There will be fewer homes on the market, which means you will have less competition. Less competition leads to higher demand for your house, which will naturally allow you to get more money.

3. There will be less demand for your home in January when inventory goes up, which will mean less money for you at that time.

Today, I have a list of 11 great reasons to put your house on the market this holiday season.

4. Houses show better when they are decorated for the holidays.

5. Buyers tend to make more emotional decisions during the holidays. They are thinking about being with their friends and family in the new home. As a result, they tend to make emotional decisions when choosing a home.

6. Buyers have more time to look at homes during the holidays than they do during the normal work week. If buyers have time off, they are looking at properties.

7. Some buyers need to buy before the end of the year for tax reasons. People might be buying an investment property. They may need to do a 1031 exchange and move money from one investment into your property before the end of the year.

8. Relocation buyers need to move before January 1. Since relocation buyers need to start their new jobs in January, they need to close and be in the house in December. If your house is not on the market, you will miss those relocation buyers. It’s advantageous to have your house on the market during the holiday season because you might get that corporate relocation buyer who has to make a purchase before January 1.

9. You can restrict showings during the holidays. If you have family over for Thanksgiving or the holidays, you do not have to show your home on those days. We can schedule more efficient showings on other days for serious buyers so you don’t have to worry about hosting the holiday celebration and making your home available to buyers at the same time.

10. You can sell now and delay the closing. You don’t have to close in November or December; you can close at the end of December and have a delayed possession period. We can also delay closing until January or February so that you don’t have to move during the holidays.

11. By selling now, you will be a non-contingent buyer in the spring. You won’t have to wait for your current home to sell before you can buy a new one in the spring market. Plus, you can also sell high during the winter, when inventory is low, and buy low in the spring. Once inventory goes up, you will have more options and can get a better deal.

As you can see, putting your home on the market during the holiday season comes with a number of benefits. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

How to Handle Early Offers

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Mon, 6 Nov 2017 13:00:00 -0800

If you receive multiple offers on your listing right after it goes on the market, don’t panic. Here are three key tips on how to handle this type of situation.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

What should you do if you get multiple offers within the first few days of listing your home on the market? There are three main points you should consider.

First of all, don’t panic. Don’t make a rash decision, and make sure you evaluate the terms of the offer. When making a decision like this, there are a few terms that you need to consider:

The strength of the buyer. When you’re working with a buyer, make sure you look at the contract to see how strong their down payment will be. They’ll need to have a pre-approval letter, as well as passion for your house—you don’t want a buyer who will back out because they found something minor in the inspection. Don’t accept a “take it or leave it” offer.
Look at the type of mortgage they’re getting. If they’re getting a government-backed loan such as an FHA, VA, or USDA loan, there’s a good chance they’re not as strong as a cash buyer because they have a financing contingency.
What sort of contingencies are in the offer? Maybe they have a house to sell or they want to have you pay for certain inspections. If they have a house for sale, they’re not going to be as qualified as a buyer with a non-contingent offer because the contingent buyer will have to go through the same inspections and contingencies as you will with them.

Sometimes, the first or second offer that comes on the table is your best offer.

Be aware of the closing costs. Closing costs are a consideration with more than half of the sales under $200,000. A lot of buyers are looking for seller closing cost assistance, and that will have an impact on your bottom line.
What is the closing time frame? The closing dates are important. The house that you’re moving into will have a set closing date, so be sure to look at the closing time frame in terms of when your buyer can close on your house. You might want to have your kids in school within the next 45 days, so you have to negotiate those terms that make sense for you.
Look at the possession period. Most people won’t be able to close on the other house they’re looking to buy until they have the funds from selling their current home. Give yourself three to four days after you close to move out.

Secondly, make sure to notify all of the Realtors of your multiple offer situation. Have your agent notify all other agents who have submitted an offer to put their highest and best offer on the table. Give them a deadline; the agents and the buyers will appreciate this. Thousands of dollars could be left on the table by not letting those buyers come up with a better offer.

Finally, don’t throw out potential offers. Sometimes, the first or second offer that comes on the table is your best offer. You don’t want to wait too long to accept one of those offers, in case you come back to them and find out those buyers have moved on

If you have any other questions, you can always reach out to us. Have a great day!

The IDEAL Way to Invest in Real Estate

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 09:16:00 -0700

The key to successful real estate investing is as simple as one word: IDEAL. Today, I’ll be explaining what IDEAL stands for, and how it can help you build wealth with real estate.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

Why does investing in real estate make sense in today’s market? First of all, I want you to know that I’ve been investing in real estate myself for the past 10 years. A decade ago, my father convinced me to get into the real estate investment game.

Way back then, he told me one word that has stuck with me ever since. This one word can basically describe all of the values involved in real estate investing. The word is “IDEAL.”

So, what does IDEAL stand for? Well, that’s exactly what I’ll be sharing with you today.

“I” stands for income. When investing in real estate, you can either make a single sum of income by selling, or you can rent out a property and earn continuously.

The second letter, “D,” stands for depreciation. But, what investment benefit could possibly be associated with depreciation? Actually, you can depreciate the value of the property by 5% a year as a tax write-off. If you have 20 investment properties that you paid $100,000 for, you could be saving thousands in taxes.

Next, “E” stands for equity. If you’re working with the right real estate agent when you buy these properties, you’re going to get great deals. You’ll likely be purchasing bank-owned properties, estate sales, short sales, and other inexpensive properties that will earn you a lot of equity.

By remembering this one simple word and taking it to heart, you can earn a lot of wealth from real estate.

The fourth letter is “A,” which stands for appreciation. In a good market like the one we’re seeing currently, you can expect a 3% to 5% appreciation rate each year. This means that the properties you’re purchasing now will be worth a lot more down the line. In 10 years, you’ll have a lot more equity because of this appreciation.

Finally, “L” stands for leverage. When you own a property, fixed it up, and are ready to rent it out, you can then go to the bank and request a cash-out refinance. Most of the time, the bank will then give you 70% or 75% loan-to-value, depending on the appraisal. If a property is worth $100,000, you could be earning $75,000 back. You can leverage these earnings back into more investments.

At the end of all of this, you’ll find you can achieve huge success. If you remember this one simple word and take it to heart, you can earn a lot of wealth from real estate.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

3 Tips for Selling Your Home This Fall

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 08:34:00 -0700

If you want to improve your odds at a successful home sale this fall, I have three tips to share with you.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

Fall is officially here, so here are three tips that will improve your home’s saleability during this season:

1. Enhance your curb appeal. Make sure you’ve cleaned all the leaves from your yard, your yard is cut, and you display pumpkins and mums on your front porch to give it a nice, inviting look.

As the weather gets colder, you want to make your home warm and inviting.

2. Go easy on the gore. Halloween is right around the corner, but you have to avoid the temptation of decorating your house blood, guts, and skeletons. You want your house to look inviting, and any potential turnoff to a buyer isn’t recommended. Stick with the safe decor.

3. Make your home inviting. As the weather gets colder, you want to make your home warm and inviting. Add plush throw blankets on the couches and chairs and other fall decorations to the furnishings. You can also set out vases with fall foliage in them or bowls with seasonal fruit. Lastly, add fall scents like cinnamon or pumpkin spice to create a more powerful connection with buyers.

If you have any questions about how to make your home more sellable during the fall, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

4 Key Things to Remember Before Closing

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 08:35:00 -0700

There are four key things you need to remember before closing. Being prepared could be the difference between success and a broken deal.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

So you’ve made it to closing. The inspections and repairs are complete, insurance is ready to go, and all of the details seem to be taken care of. In actuality, though, there are four things you need to think about before closing.

First of all, remember to schedule and confirm your closing date and time. Closing can’t take place if you and the other people involved aren’t both aware of exactly when to meet and sign the final papers.

Make sure you allow for plenty of time for closing, as well. Don’t just use your lunch hour to sign the papers. If you don’t already have the day off, take a half or full day from work to give yourself some leeway. Things could come up and if they do, you wouldn’t want to have to rush.

Next, don’t forget to complete a final walkthrough. Even if a home was in perfect condition before, damage could have occurred since the last time you saw it. Schedule this walkthrough several days in advance and be prepared to negotiate if something is wrong.

Always come to the closing table completely prepared.

Third, remember to bring any and all documents with you to the closing table. Everything that you have, even if you think you won’t need them, should be brought along with you. Make sure you bring a certified check. You should always come to the closing table completely prepared.

Finally, you should always be aware of what could go wrong. A lender could pull out of the deal at the last minute. This could be for a number of reasons. Things like recent credit card debt or job loss could break the deal.

Being prepared and staying consistent until after closing is complete is critical to your success. Whether you are a buyer or seller, you need to know exactly what will be required from you at closing. Additionally, liens on the property will almost always be discovered, so make your title company aware well in advance.

If you have any questions about closing on a home or you're thinking about buying or selling a home, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'd be happy to help you.

What’s the Latest News From Our Cleveland Area Market?

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Wed, 9 Aug 2017 07:20:00 -0700

As we reach the halfway point of 2017, inventory is low and home values are
on the rise in the Cleveland area.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

What’s happening in our real estate market as we reach the midway point of 2017?

To start, inventory continues to be low. If you’re a buyer, this means you and your Realtor need to be aggressive in finding a home that suits your needs.

They should set you up with automatic email updates every time a new listing hits the market, and they should be doing things like sending email blasts and mail orders to developments you want to live in. You can also have them go door-knocking in a community you’re thinking about living in. Be creative in finding the home you want.

Low inventory also means home values continue to rise. In Cleveland, they’re up 9.9% over the last 12 months. That’s the most I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. The reason for this is there has been more than $19 billion reinvested in the city by developers in over the last seven years.

If you’re a seller, it doesn’t get any better than this.

How have the surrounding areas fared in the last 12 months? In Akron, home values are up 3.1%, which is fantastic. In Canton, they’ve risen 8.9%. On the east side of Cleveland, Mentor’s home values have appreciated roughly 3%, and they will continue to rise these next few months. On the west side of Cleveland, West Lake’s home values have risen 6.3%.

If you live in one of these communities and you’re looking to sell a home, you might want to take a look at your own home’s value and see if it’s risen in the last year.

Interest rates have been hovering right around 4%, but the Federal Reserve raised their rates to the banks once again recently. Banks borrow from the Federal Reserve, so I feel that in the next few months we will see interest rates go up, which means it will cost more to purchase a property.

As a whole, it’s a great time to lock into a low interest rate if you’re a buyer and get creative with your purchasing. If you’re a seller, it doesn’t get any better than this. Once these interest rates go up, buyers won’t be as willing to purchase a home because of the increased cost. Naturally, inventory will stack up and you’ll face more competition among other sellers.

If you have any more questions about our market and how you can take advantage of it, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to assist you.

Should You Buy Before You Sell?

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 07:06:00 -0700

If it makes sense for you to buy another home before selling your current one, here are a few tips to make the process easier.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

Should you buy a new home before selling your current one? The answer can depend on a few different factors, so here are some tips you can follow to help guide your decision and make the process easier.

First, talk to your lender to see if you can afford to purchase another property before selling your current one. If that’s the case and you feel comfortable with the numbers, feel free to make an offer on the property you want.

If you need to get the equity out of your current home in order to purchase your next home, it makes sense to list your current property right away and then make an offer on the next property after you’ve received an offer on the first one.

Talk to your lender to see if you can afford to buy before you sell.

You can also make an offer on a property that’s contingent on the sale of your first house and then list that house for sale. I don’t recommend this option, though, and there are three reasons why.

First, most sellers won’t even consider a contingent offer if you haven’t listed your property yet. Second, most agents urge sellers not to accept contingent offers because they don’t want to wait for another offer to come in and have to mark their listing as “contingent” instead of “active” and possibly lose out on a large number of buyers. Third, you risk having your offer turned down as soon as a non-contingent offer comes in.

If you have any questions about this or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be glad to help you.

Mid-2017 Northeast Ohio Real Estate Market Update

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 07:49:00 -0700

What’s the latest from our northeast Ohio real estate market? I’ve got the recent stats to share with you today.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

It’s halfway through the year 2017, and it’s time for a market update. So what’s going on in our real estate market?

Inventory continues to be low. That means if you’re a buyer, you have to be aggressive. Let your Realtor set you up on an auto-email that notifies you every time a new listing hits the market. Have your Realtor be aggressive in finding a home that suits your needs. Have them send email blasts, mailers, and go door-knocking in communities that you’re thinking about buying in. Find that house before it hits the market. Be creative when looking for a property.

You can call us, and we’ll help you find a property. We can give you a leading edge over other buyers who can’t find these houses before we do.

Inventory being low means home values are continuing to rise. Home values in the city of Cleveland have risen 9.9% over the last 12 months. That’s the largest increase that I’ve seen in my lifetime. The reason for this increase is that there has been over $19 billion reinvested into Cleveland by developers over the last seven years.

Inventory being low means home values continue to rise.

Akron home values are up 3.1%, and Canton has seen an increase of 8.9%. That’s fantastic. In the east, Mentor is hovering around 3% and Westlake has seen an increase of 6.3% in the last 12 months. If you’re a seller and you’re looking to sell your home, let us help you figure out what your home is worth and get it on the market.

Interest rates have been hovering right around 4%. In recent weeks, we’ve seen the Federal Reserve raise their rates for the banks that borrow from the Fed. I think what we’re going to see in the coming months is another increase in interest rates from lenders. That means it’s going to cost you more to purchase properties.

What that means for you as a homebuyer is that now is the time to find a home and lock in the lower interest rate for the life of your mortgage. If you’re selling, there is no better time than now to get your home on the market. Once the rates go up, it’s going to cost buyers more to purchase, and they aren’t going to be so willing to pay as much. That means that inventory will start to stack up and you’ll be facing more competition from other sellers to get your home sold.

If you have any questions or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, give me a call directly or send me an email. I’d be happy to help!

4 Tips for Finding the Best Home Inspector for the Job

KaimTeam@gmail.com (Michael Kaim) — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 13:58:00 -0700

You'll probably need to hire a home inspector when buying a home. There four tips will help you find the best inspector for the job.

Looking to buy a Home in Northeast Ohio? Search all Northeast Ohio homes for sale. Selling Your Home in Northeast Ohio? Use our home evaluation tool.

When choosing a general home inspector, follow these four tips to find a good fit:

1. Look for qualifications, certificates, specialties, and licenses: For example, if you're thinking of buying a home that has a lot of electrical issues, consider an inspector who is a state-certified electrician. If the house has structural issues, you might want to work with someone who has structural certifications. They should specialize in areas that fit the home's criteria.

2. Ask for a sample report: This will show you how their detail work is done. Some inspectors just take extensive notes that you might not be able to interpret completely without photos or a detailed report describing the issues with the property.

A sample report will give you a look at how they do detailed work.

3. Ask for references: They should be able to give you the names of past clients who can give references or testimonials. You can also search them on Google or the Better Business Bureau to see their reviews.

4. Make sure they're insured: If something happens after you buy the property, you want them to have liability insurance in case of bad direction or advice. The house could have a problem that you ended up having no idea about.

If you have any questions or you need a reference for a great home inspector, just give me a call or send me an email. I'd be glad to help!