Buyers Blog Articles
Learn about Buying
New Home for the Holidays
by Chris Petry While conventional wisdom might suggest that the holiday season is a slow time for real estate, there’s also compelling counter arguments for why it isn’t or, at the very least, why it shouldn’t be. If we break it down to purely numbers, then yes, you’re likely to see less new listings and less sales in the time period between mid-November and January. Tha
Things That Might Come Up in a Home Inspection
By Chris Petry So, you’re in the market for a new home. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re preparing to buy your first home. Either way, you’re in for an exciting time! Because you’re so excited, it might be easy to overlook very important flaws in the homes you view. Flaws that might, in the long run, cost you a lot of money to update or repair. Because buyers may not be look
What Qualities Should You Look for in a REALTOR?
By Chris Petry While it’s tempting to say you’re already halfway there by selecting Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Stouffer Realty to service your real estate needs, there are additional, equally important, qualifications one must consider when selecting a REALTOR to represent them. If you’ve been through the real estate process before, you’ve probably already made an
A Dream Home on the Water
By Chris Petry Despite a lack of fins, gils, or webbed appendages, humans sure do love spending time on the water. In fact, we built the whole of civilization around it. Of course, in those days, water was the most efficient method of travel and transport so it makes perfect sense that New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Austin… you name it, were erected on the banks o
What in the World are Interest Rates, Anyway?
by Chris Petry It seems you can’t go a day without hearing about interest rates. No matter where you look, there’s an article or a news report discussing the effects of interest rates on consumer spending, personal loans, and mortgages. Financial gurus like Suze Orman, Kevin Leary, Mark Cuban, and yes, even the figurehead of this fair brokerage, Warren Buffet are interviewed regular
Where Should You Buy?
by Chris Petry If you asked anyone in the 18-30 age range where they’d choose to live pre-2020, most would probably have chosen a large or medium sized city. It’s easy to see why. The convenience of city living cannot be understated. Try growing up in rural Appalachia where fast-food cheeseburgers and movie theaters can be 45 minutes to an hour in any direction. Cities are more
What Type of Home Should I Buy?
by Chris Petry There’s a lot to consider when buying a home. You’ve probably asked yourself a million questions already. What’s in my budget? What will my annual tax bill look like? How far am I willing to commute? How are the schools? Of course, that’s all incredibly important. Particularly if you think it might be your forever home. The next question most peop
Should I Buy a House Right Now?
Is now the time to buy a home? To put it simply, yes. One couldn’t blame homebuyers for being hesitant based on last year’s market, but that was LAST year’s market. As of this writing, inventory is up and there’s more variety in the market. Why settle when you can buy the home of your dreams? The odds of that happening are much greater than they were this time last year and
How To Avoid Buyers Remorse
A recent survey of homebuyers who purchased a home in 2021 and 2022 found that 72% had buyer’s remorse. Thirty-one percent paid over asking price, a median of $65,000; 36% made offers without seeing the home; and 43% made concessions to sellers such as waiving a home inspection. If you’re planning to buy a home in 2023, how can you avoid buyer’s remorse syndrome? Ge
Struck By Cupid? Signs That You’ve Found “The One”
Sweaty palms… weak knees… butterflies in your stomach… all are sure signs of attraction, but could they mean that you’ve found “The One?” Cupid has many ways of revealing himself, but what about when it comes to your home search? In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, let’s admit it: most mortgages last as long as some relationships! So, when you&rs