Tag: lake real estate advice

Whiteboard Topics: 3 Reasons Not to Wait to Sell Your Lake Home

Posted on Linda Thach

When you’re starting to think about selling your lake home, it can be hard to know when the best time to do so. In this video, Lake Homes Realty’s CEO, Glenn S. Phillips, shares THREE reasons why this fall may be the BEST time to SELL your lake home.

  1. Spring is old school. People looking for lake property are not influenced by the typical school year.
  2. Limited sellable inventory thus creating high demand. Many are opting not to sell their homes during the pandemic.
  3. Economic turmoil looming.  Uncertainty surrounding stimulus money and COVID-19.

If you’ve determined that right now is the time to sell your lake home, we’re here to help. Our national network of agents facilitates knowledge of the competition, quicker home sales, and relationships with buyers. Be sure to connect with one of our agents at Lakehomes.com today!

Whiteboard Topics: Four Tips on Buying a Lake Home During COVID-19

Posted on Camille Smith

When the pandemic began, buyers and potential sellers quickly realized that lake houses are perfect for social distancing. As a result, there became more buyer demand and fewer homes on the market. Although this trend has made things complex for buyers, this doesn’t mean you can’t find your dream home! If you’re looking to invest in a lake house, here are 4 tips on buying from our CEO, Glenn Phillips. 

  1. Be fast and aggressive in making your offer. 
  2. Look at the full inventory of lakes for sale.
  3. Find a lake expert agent to help you. 
  4. Consider multiple lakes in different states. 

Don’t forget that buying a lot and building a home is always an option as well! No matter what you choose, Lake Homes Realty is here to help. With tens of thousands of listings in multiple states, our agents use lake-focused expertise to support you throughout the buying process. 

Lake Homes Realty Makes its Way to the West Coast

Posted on Mark Griggs

Lake Homes Realty has added The Evergreen State to our business footprint! We’ve added our first beachhead on the west coast in Washington in our march to the Pacific Ocean. We’ve been searching for the right broker to join our team, and we’ve found him. Kelly Larson became our newest team member and is working hard to build his team.

We’ll be adding the beautiful lakes of Washington to LakeHomes.com in the coming days and weeks. As we have done with all the states and lakes that we serve, we’ll display all the homes and land listed for sale across the state. Listings that are added by Lake Homes Realty’s agents will always be featured on the website.

From Lake Washington, one of the largest natural lakes in the state, to the metropolitan Lake Union in Seattle, Washington’s lakes are stunning. We’ll be adding profiles for every lake in the state to inform our readers about the style of living available on each. From the size and depth of each lake to the type of fishing and boating available, you will have all the information you need to decide which lake best fits your lifestyle.

Keep a watch here on LakeHomes.com for more information on the lakes of Washington and more new states very soon. Our goal is to be your nationwide lake resource!

Whiteboard Topics: 5 Things Home Buyers Don’t Care About

Posted on Camille Smith

When it’s time to sell your lake home, you’re likely keeping a mental list of what home buyers find important. However, your attempt to read buyers’ minds could be incorrect. To avoid this pitfall, Lake Homes CEO, Glenn Phillips, shares 5 things that home buyers don’t care about.

  1. What you paid for the lake house 
  2. The price of nearby homes in the market 
  3. Personal effort that you put into the home
  4. Using outliers in the market as a proxy for your home
  5. Your feelings about the home (don’t take an offer personally!)

As you price your home, keep these points in mind. Overall, now is a great time to sell property, so take advantage of the current window! 

Whiteboard Topics: Predicting the Fall Real Estate Market

Posted on Camille Smith

If you’re preparing to sell your lake home, it’s natural to wonder how the market will be doing this Fall. Although COVID-19 has left the market’s future more uncertain, some reliable predictions still exist. Lake Homes CEO, Glenn Phillips, shares five things to consider when predicting the Fall real estate market: 

  • Stimulus checks, the PPP program, and other initiatives have created an artificial economy that will likely continue through the Fall 
  • A high demand for lake houses has persisted throughout the pandemic 
  • Despite the demand, there’s a housing shortage of appropriately priced inventory for lake homes 
  • Consumers’ fear of uncertainty means they are not willing to overpay for homes 
  • As stimulus money fades later in the year, an economic cliff is likely to happen when the true state of our economy becomes clearer.

If you’re buying or selling a lake home, it’s important to keep these Fall real estate market predictions in mind. As a national specialist in lake real estate, we’re here to help. Check out our website for more information.

Whiteboard Topics: How to Make Sure Your Offer Doesn’t Kill Your Transaction

Posted on Camille Smith

When selling your lake home, you may think that taking the highest priced offer is the best choice. However, there’s an anomaly happening in the real estate market now. Lake Homes CEO, Glenn Phillips, explains why taking the highest and best offer can create some problems. 

Picture this: You put your lake home on the market at a reasonable price. You receive a high offer with a pre-approval letter. Then, the appraisal comes back short or the lender isn’t sure they’ll approve it. You’re back to square one. 

To avoid this scenario, get an appraisal yourself. It’ll help you negotiate and price your home appropriately. Further, if you get several potential buyers, consider more than the highest offer. Finally, find a lake agent who knows the market, is familiar with pricing, and can successfully sell your lake home. 

Whiteboard Topics: Six Reasons You Don’t Need a Physical Office

Posted on Camille Smith

If you’re looking to buy or sell a lake house, you may wonder if it’s necessary to pick an agent with a physical office. Contrary to popular belief, brick and mortar isn’t necessary to sell a home. Lake Homes Realty CEO, Glenn Phillips, gives 6 reasons why your lake agent doesn’t need an in-person office. 

  1. The office isn’t relevant in a digital world 
  2. Time is precious, and office meetings take time from viewings 
  3. Many top producing agents work more effectively without a physical office 
  4. Offices don’t sell houses — agents and brokers do
  5. Buyers enjoy the convenience of an online platform
  6. Money spent on office leases could be spent helping clients

Just because an office environment is familiar doesn’t mean it’s the future of real estate. The best agents can do their work anywhere. Find an agent today at Lakehomes.com to have your questions answered. 

Whiteboard Topics: Navigating New Mortgage Challenges

Posted on Camille Smith

Are you thinking about using a mortgage to buy a lake home? Since interest rates are low, it’s a good time to use a loan. However, mortgaging a home comes with unusual considerations during the pandemic. Lake Homes Realty’s CEO, Glenn Phillips, names these 4 mortgage challenges to keep in mind: 

  1. Money is not easy or fast
  2. The process requires extra verification
  3. The pre-approved letter doesn’t matter as much as it used to
  4. It’s important to take extra time in the process

When you’re ready to buy a lake home, visit lakehomes.com and check out our daily listing updates.

Whiteboard Topics: How to Price Your Lake House

Posted on Camille Smith

When it comes time to sell your lake home, how do you price it appropriately?

Glenn S. Phillips, Lake Homes Realty’s CEO, answers this question in today’s Whiteboard Wednesday video.

To get the most money you can for your property, Glenn recommends asking yourself four questions:

  1. Are you thinking about the current market value rather than the amount you invested?
  2. Is your home priced to be THE best value in your area?
  3. Is your house picture-perfect and move-in ready? 
  4. Would you buy it at that price?

Ultimately, if your lake home isn’t priced appropriately for the current market, it will “sit rather than sell.”

Connect with a Lake Homes agent to help find the best price for your home, and sell it soon!