Sioux Falls, SD Real Estate Podcast with Peterson Goff

Why Winter Is a Better Time to Buy or Sell Than You May Think

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 09:58:00 -0800

Today I’d like to explain why buying or selling in the winter may be a better idea than you think.

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Many of us associate wintertime with the holidays, shorter days, and colder weather, but what about buying or selling real estate? Though spring tends to be a popular time of year to pursue one’s real estate goals, don’t count winter out. Supply tends to be low and demand is usually high during these colder months. Many buyers are actually still active during the winter, and there are a few reasons why.

For one thing, many people relocate for work this time of year. Relocation buyers are a unique demographic to the winter months.

Another common reason people move during the winter is that their lease has ended. People ready to make the switch from renting to owning often do so in the wintertime.

Buyers and sellers willing to brave the winter weather to pursue their real estate goals can reap the unique rewards of a less competitive market.

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Finally, many of the buyers looking in the wintertime are left over from the previous year. Those who didn’t find their perfect home last fall may still be active in the market right now.

The bottom line is this: Buyers and sellers willing to brave the winter weather to pursue their real estate goals can reap the unique rewards of a less competitive market.

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.

Sioux Falls Market Update for Summer 2018

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 7 Jun 2018 09:57:00 -0700

What is going on in the Sioux Falls real estate market? We are going to explore the latest trends today.

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The latest numbers are in for our Sioux Falls real estate market, so let's take a look at these figures. It's time for a market update.

Right now, we are continuing to see really low levels of inventory in the sub- $300,000 price range. This means we have way more buyers than we have homes available. Homes are selling very quickly, so it is more important than ever for homebuyers to have a game plan and an agent who can guide them to the right property.

We are also seeing a bit of an increase in interest rates. We have expected this for a few years now and it is finally coming into fruition. However, keep in mind that even if rates go up to 5% as expected, that this is still a low number historically speaking.

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We have been expecting this interest rate increase for a long time.

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If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Sioux Falls or if you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

Too Many Outdated Listings on Zillow? Try This Instead

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 24 May 2018 08:21:00 -0700

Are you experiencing frustrations with out-of-date listings in your home search? We have a tool to help.

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Imagine that you’re looking for a car to buy, and for every one that you see online, you call in and find out that it has already been sold.

Personally, that would be extremely frustrating. And in this real estate market, we see that happening all the time, only with homes instead of cars. Big-name, national websites aren't up-to-date—they’re leaving sold homes on the website, getting unassuming buyers’ hopes up. If you’re in the market for a new home, maybe you’ve experienced this already.

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Using this website, you won’t have to worry about being too late to get a home anymore.

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We refer our clients to www.siouxfallsrealestatesearch.com. It’s a website used to find homes in the Sioux Falls area; the listings are up to date, and best of all, you can plug in your search criteria and find a home that suits your needs. It will even send you notifications the instant that a home matching your criteria comes online! Using this website, you won’t have to worry about being too late to get a home anymore.

If you have you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. Until then, enjoy the weather! I hope to speak with you soon.

An Exciting Career Opportunity in Sioux Falls Real Estate

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Tue, 8 May 2018 08:18:00 -0700

Our team continues to grow and 2018 is going to be an exciting year for us. You can come along for the ride.
Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation
I wanted to give you a really quick update on everything that’s going on here at The Tyler Goff Group.

You may have seen or heard already, but we've recently got a new office at 69th and Western and added three new team members who are already off and running.

In addition, we’ve taken a more focused approach to our marketing and lead generation. We have a lot of exciting things going on.

What we’re looking for now is more people who can help us take this to the next level. We have a great opportunity here for real estate in Sioux Falls. As this city continues to grow, we are in more need of people who are experts at helping others buy or sell homes.

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If any of this hits home with you, reach out and give us a call.

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If you or someone you know is looking for a career that you are in control of or, if you feel like you’re at a dead-end no matter how hard you work, real estate might be a great career option for you.

If any of this interests you, we should talk. Give me a call, send me an email, or if you’re really serious, you can apply here. We can help get your career off and running quickly. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Which Price Range is Becoming a Buyer’s Market?

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 12:04:00 -0700

To buy a house in a seller’s market, you have got to be competitive. How do you go about doing this?

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I am here today to give you a quick spring market update. Things are starting to heat up here in Sioux Falls.

Our average price is up over 6% from last year. If you own a home currently, that means your investment is going up. Sellers are getting over 99% of asking price, so it does show that we do have a seller's market here.

Prices are going up and homes are selling for almost full price. What does that mean for you?

If you are a buyer and you are looking at something under $200,000, you must be ready to purchase. You should have a pre-approval letter and already be working with a bank. You should have your finances in order because those properties are moving quickly. Having a buyer agent that's working actively to find properties is a great idea because they can help lock down the best deal for you.

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Sellers are getting over 99% of asking price.

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The biggest opportunity is for people who currently own a home under the $250,000 mark. If you are one of these people, you are in that extreme seller's market and you could get top dollar for your home. If you're looking at buying something more expensive than your current home, you start moving into more of a normal market, especially closer to the $350,000 to $400,000 range. The evening market in that range is even starting to show some favor toward the buyers.

If you're a move-up buyer in this market, now is a great opportunity for you to sell high and buy low. The market is heating up, so don’t delay.

If you have any questions, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Tips to Prepare Your Home to List

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 11:53:00 -0700

While I tour this beautiful home for a client, I’ll give you some advice about how to prepare your home to sell for the most money possible.

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We’re on our way to visit a client’s house to see if there are any improvements that they can make which will maximize the sale price of their home. While I walk through the home, follow along in the video above to get some good advice about what kinds of improvements will boost a home’s value.

This beautiful, Sioux Falls property has a very modern feel to it. One thing that I notice right away is that the colors are a little dark and a little out of date. New paint with neutral colors will really modernize the feel of the home and bring up its appeal to buyers.

Though the master suite is beautiful, the one area in this room that could use an update is the carpet. Here, it’s a little outdated and worn. Replacing the carpet would be an inexpensive way to make this master suite really pop.

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New paint with neutral colors will really modernize the feel of the home and bring up its appeal to buyers.

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The lower level has an awesome theater room and bar with a lot of nice woodwork. I’d recommend painting here again, but unlike upstairs, we’re trying to use paint to brighten the space up a bit.

This home’s backyard is amazing, with its awesome pool and pool house. This is where a good spring cleaning would really spruce it up and make it even more appealing to a buyer.

Our overall goal with this home is to put our best foot forward so as to make the property stick out among the competitors. The tips I gave for this home are concepts that can be used for any house in any price range in order to get your home sold for top dollar. We’ll keep you up to date on this home’s progress and the updates that we do.

We would like to hear your comments and questions, so please feel free to reach out to us. We hope to hear from you soon!

An Amazing Story From Foster Parent Kate Telkamp

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 08:23:00 -0800

We’ve worked with some amazing people over the years, and Kate Telkamp is one of them. As a foster parent, she was looking for a larger home to help more kids.

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We help some amazing people buy and sell real estate, and we want to share some of their stories with you.

Today’s interview is with Kate Telkamp. Kate decided to do foster care, and she realized that she would like a bigger home to help accommodate the kids. This is Kate’s story:

“Almost two years ago, I started thinking about foster care. I’ve always had a heart for kids, but I felt like I needed to do more, and foster care was really a great way to do that. It was just something I felt in my heart. It felt like it was the right thing to do, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I knew it would be heartbreaking at times, but it just felt like the right thing to do.

“The child that was placed with me had been in temporary placement for a couple of weeks. I had him for almost exactly six months over the summer, and I got to see him go from a 15-month old to a 21-month old, which is just fantastic.

“The house worked well for us, but I started thinking that I would like just one more bedroom. I’d like to be able to accommodate one or two more kids.

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I’m just here to keep them safe and help them grow for as long as I have them.

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“I waited five or six months and I finally decided, ‘Well, I’ve been hearing all these commercials for Tyler Goff,’ and called them. My sister had worked with them and had a really great experience, so why not give them a call and see what they say?

“Tyler called me back and asked why I was interested in selling, and I said I was interested in foster care and wanted something a little bigger. They hit it hard. They had an awesome marketing strategy. A professional stager came in and gave me some advice, and a professional photographer came in and did the pictures. They had an open house two days into the listing, and we sold it that day.

“I don’t ever feel like I need something big and extravagant, but I wanted a little more room to accommodate the kids a little bit better. I’m just here to keep them safe and help them grow for as long as I have them.

“I’ve never felt that my career would be what defines me. I felt it was everything else I’ve done in my life that defines me. I just feel that I have so much that I can give to somebody else. I can share this life with a child for however long they’re with me.”

Thank you so much to Kate for sharing her story with us. We are glad we could help her find the right home for her and the children she fosters. What she does is truly amazing.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a better fit for their family, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

A Client Testimonial from the Kurtenbach Family

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Tue, 9 Jan 2018 09:36:00 -0800

What’s it like working with the Tyler Goff Group? We’ve brought in two happy new homeowners who can tell you all about it.

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Here at the Tyler Goff Group, we understand the importance of the relationship side of real estate, and we enjoy that part of the process and getting to know the people we’re helping. We think it makes a difference when helping someone find a new home to understand what they need or want.

To testify to this commitment to our clients, we’ve brought in two new homeowners and recent clients of ours, Rob and Rachel Kurtenbach, to speak about their experience working with us.

Rob: “My wife and I, we met Tyer through a friend of ours who was a client of Tyler’s. He came highly recommended. We had an opportunity to meet with Tyler and it was really incredible. We felt like we trusted him right away and he understood what we were looking for.”

Rachel: “My husband and I, we found a house on Zillow, actually, and we knew immediately it was a house we wanted to see in person. We called Tyler and his group and he got us in the same day to see it.”

We believe people are looking for a Realtor that understands the process and communicate what the next steps are when you’re buying or selling a home and help them navigate through that process with as little stress as possible.

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We’d love to help you with the home buying or selling process.

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We’d love to help you with the home buying or selling process, whatever stage you’re in. Give us a call and we’ll give you a free no-obligation consultation to help you understand what the next steps are.

If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to help you.

A Toast to Another Great Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Fri, 1 Dec 2017 08:13:00 -0800

From our family to yours, we want to thank you for making our annual Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway great once again.

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From our family to yours, we want to thank you for making our annual Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway great once again. As you know, every year we give away pies to our past clients to thank them for being awesome and making our job fun. It’s something we always look forward to, and this year didn’t disappoint. We were happy to reconnect with friends and family and keep doing what we love to do: serve you.

Some Home Improvements Just Aren't Worth the Cost

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 11:03:00 -0800

Today, I want to share four home renovations with you that won’t bring high returns
when you sell.

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The other day I had a conversation with a client who asked me which home renovations are actually worth it. That got me thinking.

Today, I have four home renovations with you that won’t bring high returns when you sell:

Swimming pools. Some people really want a pool in their backyard, and this is perfectly fine. However, don’t expect to see much of a return on the the cost it will take to install it. If you’re going to be living in a home for a few years and would enjoy having a pool, go for it. Just don’t expect it to increase the value of your home by what it cost.
Over-renovating for your neighborhood. No matter the improvements you’re making to your home, whether it’s your bathroom, carpet, or kitchen, keep what is common for your neighborhood in mind. Making excessive renovations won’t add the kind of value you may expect to your home.
Invisible renovations. Buyers simply expect features like your HVAC system and plumbing to work. Think of it this way: If you’re buying a car, new tires aren’t going to add a lot of value—they’re somewhat expected. Similarly, homebuyers feel entitled to certain maintenance items in your property working as they should.
Garage additions or renovations. Garages definitely add value, especially if there is an extra stall. However, the cost to add an extra stall greatly outweighs the value you’ll get out of it when you sell.

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When making renovations, keep what is common for your neighborhood in mind.

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At the end of the day, if you want take on any of these renovations for your own purposes, by all means do so. It’s your home and you should enjoy it as you like. But the bottom line is to not expect these things to bring or add much value.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

3 Reasons to Put Your Home on the Market This Fall

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 13:54:00 -0700

Should you put your home on the market this fall? Contrary to popular belief, the Sioux Falls market doesn’t slow down once summer’s over.

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Is fall a good time to sell your home in the Sioux Falls area?

Most people assume that once summer is over and school begins that our market really slows down. Here in Sioux Falls, that couldn’t be further from the truth. September and October have proven to be some of our best months for real estate in the area over the last couple of years.

There are three main benefits to selling your home in the fall.

First of all, there is less competition in the fall. In the spring and summer, there are a lot of buyers and a ton of sellers. If you put your home on the market then, you’ll have a high level of competition.

Since so many people do make the mistake of thinking the market has slowed down, they tend not to put their homes on the market. If you do list in the fall, you’ll have a lot less competition, which is always a good thing for sellers. You will have more leverage and be able to sell your home in a shorter amount of time for more money.

Secondly, buyers are more motivated this time of year. The rule of thumb used to be that people wanted to be in their new home before school started. Now that we have open enrollment, that old rule has been done away with. These days, buyers are more motivated to be in their homes before the holidays.

Buyers in the spring and summer have more time to look around. Current buyers want to be in their home by Thanksgiving or Christmas, so they have a deadline. A buyer who has a deadline also gives you more leverage, which, again, is always a good thing.

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Having less competition gives you more leverage, which is always a good thing.

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Finally, your listing photos will look awesome if we take them right now. The yards are green, there are lots of good colors in the yard, and pictures are turning out fantastic. Your first showing is online, so if you have great pictures, that makes buyers excited. Fantastic listing photos get people off the computer to come and see your home.

As you can see, now is actually a great time to sell your Sioux Falls home.

If you have any other questions about the fall market or if you have a topic you want us to cover in our next video, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I look forward to hearing from you!

How Can You Win a Multiple Offer Situation?

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 14:15:00 -0700

How can you win a multiple offer situation as a homebuyer? As a seller, what can you do to protect yourself in this situation?

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Sioux Falls is in a hot market right now, and multiple offer situations are coming up more and more often. As a homebuyer, what can you do to win the home you want?

There are a few different strategies that you can use:

1. Minimize your contingency amounts in the offer. Most of the time when you make an offer on a home, you will have a mortgage contingency and an inspection contingency. If you can minimize those contingencies, then your offer will stand out.

2. If you’re comfortable with the home, buy it as-is. While this is a great idea, you have to be really careful and make sure that you’re really comfortable with the home. After all, when buying as-is, you end up skipping the inspection.

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Be very cautious about buying a home as-is.

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3. Write a letter to the seller explaining why you want to buy the home. Tell them all of the things you love about the home—like how your family will enjoy living there and how excited your kids are about their new rooms. Sometimes sellers put in a lot of hard work and spend a lot of years in that home, so they want to make sure that they sell it to another family who will take care of the home and enjoy it as much as they did.

4. Find out the best terms for the seller. For example, look at the closing date and figure out what time frame works best for them. Maybe the seller is building a home and doesn’t want to close for another three to four months, or maybe they need to close sooner. Those little terms really can be the deciding factor when it comes to choosing your offer over the other buyers.

5. Include an escalation clause. When you write the offer, include that you are willing to go $500 higher than the next best offer up to a certain amount. You should also include that the seller has to prove the amount and show you the other offers; they can’t just make up a higher offer. This situation is interesting because you may see that the offer that wins isn’t always the offer with the best price—sometimes, the offer with the best terms wins.

As a seller, multiple offers are the perfect scenario for you. You get to choose the best possible price and you can even get above asking price.

However, since multiple offers drive up the sales price, sometimes the appraisal can come in low. As a seller, one thing you can do is include a clause stating that if the home does not appraise, the buyer will pay above and beyond the appraised value.

If you have any other questions about how to handle multiple offers as a homebuyer or as a seller, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

How Will We Know When the Sioux Falls Market Has Peaked?

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 13:21:00 -0700

The Sioux Falls market has been hot for the last year and a half, but we'll have to hit the market peak at some point. How will we know when that time comes?

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We know we've had a really good market here in Sioux Falls for a while, and it seems like we could hit the market peak at almost any point. So how do you know when we've hit it?

I don't believe we've hit the top of the market yet, but trying to say whether we're there yet is kind of like hiking. Sometimes as you're hiking upward you think you're at the top, but you're actually just at a false summit. In reality, there's more room to climb. Once you've hit a plateau, all the hard climbing is done and you've just got a small incline left to get to the top.

That's what the market is like in Sioux Falls right now. We've already taken our big vertical ascent, and we're at the point where we're just inching up to the peak.

I think it will be another couple of years before we hit that peak, but we won't see that sharp appreciation that we've been seeing for the last 18 months or so.

This makes now a really great time to consider selling your house. In my opinion, we don't have much more room to grow. Properties coming on the market right now are the ones that homeowners have been meticulously preparing as they waited for this moment in a good market. They're the ones in the best locations with the best upgrades because now is the best time to list them and get maximum dollar.

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In my opinion, we don't have much more room to grow.

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All in all, you never really know when you've reached the peak of the market until you're in it. You'll certainly know when it has passed, and you definitely don't want to be behind it as a seller. We're in the period where the market probably won't go much higher than some short little increments rather than the sharp increases we've seen in recent months.

If you have any questions or thoughts about this market, just give me a call or send me an email. I'd love to talk with you about it or help you get the top dollar for your home.

The Key to Boosting Your Home’s Curb Appeal

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Wed, 7 Jun 2017 12:26:00 -0700

Your home’s curb appeal is a statement to potential buyers, so that means you have to have to upgrade it to give yourself the best chance at selling for top dollar.

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Why is curb appeal so important to a home sale?

When selling your home, think of its curb appeal as a statement to potential buyers. It gives them a picture of what they can expect when they walk through the front door. Simple things like weeding, trimming the hedges, touching up the paint, and planting flowers can all have a huge impact on that first impression.

The real estate industry is focused heavily online, which we should be because that’s where the majority of homebuyers start their home search. According to the National Association of Realtors, 63% of buyers will get in their car and drive by a home they like after they’ve identified it online. They want to get a feel for the neighborhood, but more importantly, they want to see the exterior condition of that home and decide if they should call a Realtor to schedule a walkthrough.

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Most buyers will drive by a home after they’ve looked at it online.

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Where do you start the process of upgrading your home’s curb appeal?

First, walk around your house and act as if you’re looking at it as a buyer. Inspect the condition of the landscaping and the entire exterior. Don’t forget to look up at your gutters and the condition of your roof, either. The roof is one of the key factors that buyers really look at and one of the things I notice as a Realtor.

If you have any other questions about boosting your home’s curb appeal or you have another topic in mind you’d like to see us cover in a future video, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you.

We're Changing, and That's a Good Thing

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 13:30:00 -0700

We've got two exciting announcements to share with you today.

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Call us at (605) 413-4868 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

I'm joined today by Stacie Peterson to bring you two big and exciting announcements we wanted to share.

First, we're happy to say that Stacie was offered a position with a national real estate coaching company that coaches agents throughout the U.S. and Canada. As you might know, we started Peterson Goff in 2011 to build a team that did things differently. Building the team was Stacie's favorite part, and with this opportunity, she'll get to do what she loves on a bigger scale.

The second big announcement is that as of April 1st, we'll be changing our name from Peterson Goff Real Estate Experts to The Tyler Goff Group. We have a cool new website and a great new commercial with Barbara Corcoran from ABC's "Shark Tank" that we're excited for you to see.

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You'll still get the same systems and service you've come to love with The Tyler Goff Group.

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We want you to know that all the great service and systems that you've come to love from our team will be exactly the same with The Tyler Goff Group. Stacie is still a huge part of our team, so you can still reach out to her at any time!

Check out the new website here: tylergoffgroup.com

If you have any questions about this news or you'd like to learn more, just give us a call or send us an email. We'd love to hear from you!

Smart Repairs and Improvements for Home Sellers to Make

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 2 Mar 2017 09:45:00 -0800

If you plan on selling your home, it’s tempting to make some repairs or upgrades in order to increase your home’s value. However, which repairs and improvements are the right ones?

I’m here to answer another great question today from a follower who wants to know, “What repairs or improvements should I make to our home before we sell?” This question really has two parts to it. One is repairs and the other is improvements.

Let’s start with the repairs.

If something is obviously wrong with the home, like a hole in the wall, bad shingles, or a broken window, you should always fix it. I wouldn’t give the seller an allowance to do these kinds of repairs for a few reasons. First, it gives them a bad first impression of the house when they come in and see a broken window. The second reason is that when they see stuff like that, they start adding the numbers up in their head. Their number is usually a higher amount than it would cost you to just take care of the problem in the first place.

As for improvements, these are a little trickier. A lot of people want to know if adding granite countertops or redoing your floors are worth it. My philosophy has always been to make the most cost-effective improvements. The big, drastic ones can wait. The cost-effective improvements include new paint, updated lighting fixtures, and updated hardware on cabinets.

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I usually only make improvements that are cost-effective.

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If you plan on living in your home for a few more years before you sell, I would say to go ahead and get those granite countertops or new floors if you really want them. It will undoubtedly raise your home’s value when you decide to sell.

If you have any other questions for me about repairs, improvements, or selling your home in general, give me a call or send me an email. I’m always happy to help.

The Latest Trends in the Sioux Falls Real Estate Market

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 13:28:00 -0800

The numbers from the January 2017 real estate market are in. Today, I’ll explain what’s happening in our current market.

How is our real estate market doing? Let’s take a look at the numbers from January 2017 to find out.

First of all, there are 860 homes on the market right now. That might sound like a lot of homes are for sale, but inventory is actually down 22% from January 2016. Buyers are having trouble finding what they are looking for and, if they do make an offer, they usually wind up in a multiple offer situation.

That said, the number of pending sales is up 4% from January 2016. That’s not a huge jump, but that combined with the low inventory is really putting a lot of tension on the homes that are available for sale.

The good news is that the median sales price has gone up. We ended last year with a median sales price of $172,000; this year, the median sales price is up to $185,000. That increase is a result of the supply and demand issue in our market, which causes prices to go up a little bit.

Another price range that is interesting is the $700,000 to $800,000 market. Typically, that price range is pretty low. However, the number of sales in that price range increased by 120% compared to January of 2016, which is great news for those homeowners.

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Inventory is very low and buyer demand is high.

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Overall, now is a great time to put your home on the market. Prices are up, competition is scarce, and buyer demand is incredibly high.

If you have any other questions about our current real estate market or if you have any other questions about real estate in general, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Why Are the Holidays a Good Time to Buy a Home?

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 10:39:00 -0800

The holidays aren’t a bad time to buy a home. There is less market activity to compete with and most sellers are motivated to get a deal done.

Today we are going to give you the top five reasons to buy a home during the holidays. This time of year is thought of as a bad time to be in the real estate market, but that assumption isn’t entirely accurate. Here’s why it makes sense to list now:

1. Less market activity. With everything going on during the holidays, there is less activity in the real estate market. Yes, that means there are fewer sellers, but it means there are fewer buyers, too. With fewer buyers, you’ll have less competition for the best homes. This gives you leverage.

2. Motivated sellers. People who sell during the holidays usually have some type of incentive to sell, whether it be because of a job relocation or some other reason. This allows you as a buyer to get the house you want at the price you want.

3. Potential tax advantages. If you itemize your taxes, you can deduct closing costs, discount points, mortgage insurance, and property taxes for your current tax year.

4. Better interest rates. Interest rates tend to be lower during the holidays. It’s not because the banks are being generous; they just aren’t as busy and that drives rates lower. We usually see lower rates during election years.

5. Faster closings. During the holidays, everyone involved in a transaction has incentive to get a deal done quicker. The banks want to get the loan off their books, the real estate agents want to collect their commission before the end of the year, the sellers want to move into their new place, and the buyers want to get settled into their new homes as well.

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It makes sense to buy a home right now.

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These are five of the top reasons why it makes sense to buy during the holiday season in Sioux Falls. If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to reach out and give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

How to Pass a Home Inspection

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 11:58:00 -0700

The home inspection process can be a nerve-racking time when you're selling a home. These are the best ways to prepare to ensure that the process goes smoothly.

If you've ever sold a home, you know that the home inspection can be a very stressful part of the transaction. I wanted to give you some tips to help you pass the home inspection and ease your nerves during this potentially stressful time.

The first thing to remember is to give access to the inspector. Remove locks from gates, closets, or doors so they can easily get to the important areas of the home. You also want to give them a clear pathway to the attic since they will go in the attic and take pictures. Don't forget to turn off any alarms or security systems that would prevent them from getting into the house.

When you're preparing, remember that the little things add up. Make sure you've made all your little repairs and fixes prior to the inspection. This could include things like broken window panes or door knobs—anything that the inspector will notice. You don't want these issues showing up on the inspection report. It may seem small and obvious, but replacing burnt out light bulbs is important. We have seen a lot of instances of inspectors thinking a light switch doesn't work when the problem is just a burnt out bulb.

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Remember that the little things add up.

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When the big day comes, the inspection will take about two to three hours to complete. Make sure any and all pets are either confined or removed from your house so that they're not distracting the inspector from doing their job. You also want to leave any dirty dishes and dish detergent in your dishwasher, because the inspector will run it through a full cycle. You might as well not waste that energy and water in the process.

The important thing about this process is to remember that each situation is different and your agent will help walk you through this part of the sale. You don't want to take the findings personally; we often see sellers' emotions get in the way and end up costing them the sale.

I hope you found these tips helpful. If you have any questions about home inspections or anything regarding real estate in Sioux Falls, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help you out.

The Function of Appraisals for Buyers and Sellers

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 09:31:00 -0700

Appraisals have become a hot topic in today’s market, so we wanted to take the opportunity to discuss them. An appraisal is what the bank uses to determine the true value of a home that is being bought and sold. The appraisal is done by a certified home appraiser, who is an independent third party in the transaction.

Essentially, the appraiser will take the property you're buying or selling and look for homes in the area with similar amenities, features, and square footage to compare them. They are using information based on past sales to validate the price the home is currently being sold at.

Appraisals have become more relevant in our market because we’re seeing a lot of home appreciation and a lot more homes that fail to appraise. If an appraiser takes information from a home that sold three months ago, it might not appraise at the value you’re selling it for until three months later. That’s when we have issues with low appraisals.

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Appraisals have become more relevant in our market.

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If you're a buyer, an appraisal is meant to protect you so you don’t overpay for a home. It can have a negative effect on buyers, too. Let’s say you fall in love with a house and agree to pay a price you’re happy with. If the appraisal comes in too low, the bank won’t loan you more than the appraised value. If it’s $10,000 or even $50,000 less than what you agreed to pay, you have to renegotiate or walk away from the home if the seller isn’t willing to do that.

As a seller, the appraisal affects you more than anything. If you have a low appraisal, you’re going to have to either renegotiate on your price or risk the seller walking away. When we see an appreciating market like this, appraisals become much more of a hot topic.

If you have any questions for us about this topic or anything else real estate-related, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.

How Long Do Homes Take to Sell in Sioux Falls?

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 09:04:00 -0700

Home sellers ask me all the time how long it will take their home to sell. While the average days on market for a home in Sioux Falls is 83 days, it’s very possible to sell quicker. While you may not sell overnight for over asking price, it can be done.

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Selling over asking price is possible.

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If your home has taken longer than a few days to sell, you’re not alone. Here are a few quick tips to help you beat the averages and sell your home quickly and for top dollar.

Curb appeal. This is the first impression your home will make with a buyer in person. It’s very important.
Decluttering and cleaning. Deep cleaning and simple staging will help you sell for top dollar.
Professional photography and online presence. Buyers start their home searches on the internet these days and your photos will affect how many showings you get and how quickly your home sells.

All of this may seem overwhelming, but this is where a real estate agent can come in and give you expert advice and tips on how to help your home sell for top dollar. It’s all about surrounding yourself with the right people.

If you have any questions for us or want to know what we do to help our clients’ homes sell, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Why You Can't Trust Zillow

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 08:30:00 -0700

Most of you are probably familiar with Zillow as a home search site, but homeowners can also use the site to get an estimate - or Zestimate - of their home value. Can you trust the number that Zillow gives you?

Unfortunately, no. In most cases, Zillow’s Zestimates are anywhere from 5% to 15% off in your local market. Zillow is a national website, so they don’t take local factors into account like a real estate agent would. Instead, Zillow uses an algorithm that uses comparable sales to come up with a home value.

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Zestimates are anywhere from 5% to 15% off.

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Ultimately, there really isn’t a good substitute for an agent who can physically come into your home, help you make decisions on repairs, explain the local market, and come up with an accurate home value. Real estate agents also understand the local market, so they are familiar with the area and other factors that affect your home value.

Zillow is a good place to start to get an idea of your home value, but it’s not going to be 100% accurate. Don’t rely on Zillow to make any major real estate decisions. If you have any questions about your home value or about real estate in general, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

The Key to Selling Your Sioux Falls Home

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 13:32:00 -0700

As you know, you only get one chance at a first impression. In today’s market, 90% to 95% of home buyers begin their search on the Internet, which means that the first impression they get of your property comes from the photos on the MLS.

In order to make your home stand out to that buyer, your photos make all the difference. Photography is probably one of the most important factors when selling your home in the current market, thanks to the changes that the Internet has brought to the real estate industry.

If you post photos that are dark, grainy, and show up small on the computer screen, they really deter buyers. Buyers want to feel what it’s like to be in your home and if the photos don’t do that, it’s going to be hard to get them off their computer and into your property.

If you are selling, make sure you get professional photos. These pictures will be taken at good angles, with great lighting, and will look nice and clear on computer screens. That way, buyers will want to come see your home in person.

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Professional photos draw more buyers to your property.

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

Cut 8 Years Off Your Mortgage in Sioux Falls

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 15:27:00 -0700

Many buyers ask, “Should I do a 30-year mortgage or a 15-year mortgage?” There are ups and downs with each. Most people choose a 30-year mortgage because the monthly payments are lower, which gives you more flexibility on how much money you can spend.

The 15-year mortgage requires a higher payment, but you’re going to pay that loan off a lot sooner and get a lower interest rate. Still, a lot of people don’t like how high that monthly payment is and opt for the 30-year loan.

The good news is there is a way to turn your 30-year mortgage into a 22-year mortgage. All you have to do is make one extra payment per year on your mortgage. You can just make an extra payment, or you can add an extra 1/12th to each of your monthly payments, which can be less painful on a month-to-month basis.

Either way, making that extra payment will save you eight years on your mortgage and tens of thousands of dollars in interest over the life of your loan.

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

Why Is Sioux Falls Still in a Seller’s Market?

homes@tylergoffgroup.com (The Tyler Goff Group) — Fri, 8 Jul 2016 08:36:00 -0700

So far this year, Sioux Falls has been in a seller’s market. As we head into July, the strong seller’s market continues. Sellers are in control of pricing and they continue to have the leverage this summer.

Why are we in a seller’s market? It’s a simple matter of economics, or supply and demand. For instance, our sales are up 20% over last year, which means demand is up. Meanwhile, our supply is down by almost 20% from last year, so demand outweighs supply right now. Not only does this give sellers the upper hand, the current supply and demand also causes home values to rise.

While this is great news for homeowners and sellers, increasing home values might not seem so great when you’re buying a home. However, when you buy a home in this market, you know that you are investing in something that will increase in value. In other words, even though this is a seller’s market, buying a home is still a good investment.

If you have any questions about our current market, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!