Where Will Home Prices Be Next Year?

Some interesting facts:

• 25 states are forecasted to achieve higher levels of appreciation in the next 12 months than already achieved in the last year.
• 25 state and the District of Columbia are forecasted to experience a slow in appreciation.
• All 50 states & D.C. are forecasted to achieve some level of positive price appreciation.

Even though each state is appreciating at different levels, you need to know the Cost of Waiting until next year to buy your dream home!

For More Info., See Original Post Here:

http://www.simplifyingthemarket.com/2015/10/16/where-will-home-prices-be-next-year-infographic/?a=217437-c603026527635a35fc4c17da95ca9ed9

The Sneaky Science of Selling Your Home Revealed!

Selling a home isn’t just about slapping down a fresh coat of paint—you need to delve into home buyers’ brains and figure out what makes them tick. From the moment they spot your listing to the instant they walk through your door, what persuades them to make an offer, and stick around to close the deal? To find out, we culled the most recent scientific studies that examine the home-buying mind to find out what turns it on—and off—and how you can use this information to your advantage.



Buyers know within seconds if they want a home



With a decision as weighty as a home purchase, one might think that buyers deliberate over all the pros and cons before they decide to sign on the dotted line. Yet studies show this is not the case.



According to the “Psychology of House Hunting” report by BMO Financial Group, 80% of prospective buyers know if a home is right for them within seconds of stepping inside. The reason? Researchers theorize that our minds process far more information in less time than we think, so a lengthy deliberation process may be a waste of time.



Take-home lesson: Since buyers know within seconds of entering your home whether it’s The One, you’ll want to spiff up the area they’ll see in that time frame—namely, your foyer.



“It can be a challenge to keep this area tidy since that’s where homeowners put their mail, keys, coats, shoes, dog leashes, and other items,” says Sissy Lappin, a real estate broker in Houston.



Containers are key for keeping this mess under control: baskets or racks for shoes, bowls for keys and change—and, unless you have a nearby closet, you can never have too many coat hooks. Be sure to stash any seldom-used items elsewhere. Anywhere else.



They find aromatherapy confusing



It’s not all about what home buyers see; what they smell matters, too. But that doesn’t mean you should fill your home with potpourri or freshly baked cookies.



These “complex” scents can actually backfire in homes, according to a study by Eric Spangenberg at Washington State University, who found that shoppers will spend 32% more in stores where he piped in a simple orange scent rather than a multifaceted blend of orange, basil, and green tea. The reason? Complex scents may be nice, but they’re also more distracting as people try to figure out what they are.



As Spangenberg explained to the Wall Street Journal, “They are not there to process the smells. They are there to process whether this is a place they want to live.”



Take-home lesson: If you go for a scent, keep it fresh and simple. Spangenberg recommends lemon, basil, or pine. You have no time to grab scented candles?



“As a quick fix, I splash Pine-Sol down the sink,” says Lappin. “While certain scents might appeal to one gender but turn off the other, everyone loves the smell of clean.”



They’re wary of the number 9 in a price



On just about any shopping spree, we’re wooed by “charm prices”—in other words, T-shirts or towels priced at $9.99 rather than a round $10—because consumers tend to think that prices ending in 9 are a way better deal. Only with big purchases like homes, charm pricing makes buyers wary.



Please, Mr. Postman

Send me news, tips, and promos from realtor.com� and Move.



Enter your email address

Sign Up

According to a study by Old Dominion University, 9’s near the end of a home price—say, $199,000 versus $200,000—are a turnoff. Why? Because these homes appear to be trying too hard to look like a bargain, and buyers don’t like that whiff of desperation when it comes to such a big purchase.



Take-home lesson: Avoid 9’s near the end of your asking price, because buyers may have a knee-jerk impulse to turn away.



“Charm pricing may be fine for T-shirts, but it looks sleazy on a home,” Lappin says. “You feel like you need a shower after seeing the price.”



Prices with round numbers are a turnoff, too



Another number no-no? Pricing your home with round numbers with lots of zeroes, like $200,000, seems like you pulled this number out of a hat. A more specific number like $217,000, on the other hand, makes it look like you’ve really done your homework and know exactly what your home is worth.



One study by Columbia Business School found that negotiators who ask for specific amounts are more successful than those who make rounded offers.



Take-home lesson: Avoid the round number trap and make sure your asking price is specific.



“It will sound like you’ve run the numbers on your home, right down to the exact square footage,” says Lappin. “Oftentimes buyers will ask, ‘Where does this number come from?’ and I’ll say, ‘This seller has done their research and it will take an hour to explain it.’ That’s usually enough to convince them to fall in line.”



Buyers fall hard for staged homes



Staging a home to sell is all the rage these days, and research shows it works: A study by the Real Estate Staging Association looked at 63 unstaged homes that sat on the market for an average of 143 days. Once those houses were professionally staged, they sold, on average, 40 days after their makeover.



Take-home lesson: Pay attention to presentation. But you may not have to open your wallet for a professional stager; the basic premises are simple ones that anyone can put into practice. For one: If you’re already moved out, get some furniture back in the house.



“Seeing a house without furniture is like seeing someone naked in bright light: You can see all their flaws,” says Lappin. Or, if your home does have furniture, make sure it’s the right furniture for each room.



“If you turned your college kid’s bedroom into an office/workout room, change it back to a bedroom,” says Lappin. “I don’t care if it’s four-bedroom—if you only have a bed in one room, it will be perceived as a one-bedroom house. It may sound weird, but that’s how people think. They may say they have imaginations, but they really don’t. On a subliminal level, they take what they see to heart.”



(From Realtor.com, written byKimberly Dawn Neumann)

​5 Tips For Creating Fall Curb Appeal

(BPT) - Soon, all things pumpkin spice will be here, including the home visitors that bring them. In preparation of the door bell ringing, create a little spice of your own with some seasonal curb appeal. You don't have to limit yourself to pumpkins and hay bales - below are tips and projects for sprucing up your home's view from the curb this season.



Front door, first impressions



Your front door is one of the first things people notice about your home. Give your door a fresh face with a coat of paint in a bold fall color to draw the eye to this focal point of your home.



Another project is to replace the door entirely. Consider options with decorative glass accents, and stunning sidelights (windows on either side of the door) to add more natural light while maintaining a sense of style and privacy. Plus, as temperatures start to drop, Energy Star -qualified entry doors will help maintain your home's energy efficiency. For entry door inspiration check out Pinterest, your resident showroom or your local home improvement store.



Accessorize with new hardware



Replace your front door hardware for a quick, easy facelift. Choose hardware finishes that compliment light fixtures, mailbox and house numbers for a polished, cohesive look. You'll be delightfully surprised what a difference new hardware can make in creating an updated look to your home.



Refresh exterior body and trim colors



For a dramatic change, repaint your home's exterior. It's bold and can make your home stand out from other homes on the block. Not up for the bold change? To make an impact with a smaller change, add new trim colors. When updating trim, choose color schemes that match your home's primary exterior color, or complement it with a fresh twist.



Create points of interest with plants



You don't have to stop enjoying beautiful plants and flowers simply because summer is over. Add pops of color by arranging pots filled with hearty fall flowers like mums, sedum or asters around your front door, or on a porch or deck. Incorporate planters or container gardens of varied sizes, shapes and colors to add visual interest.



Accent with lighting



As summer light fades into shorter, darker days, add exterior accent lighting to the front of your home. Illuminate a walking path with ground-insert solar lights. Or consider solar spotlights to bring out landscaping or to shine on your updated front door. Install matching light fixtures outside your front door, garage door or patio door to provide well-lit entrances that are stylish and inviting to neighbors and guests.

New Season in Florida is Fast Approaching

A New Season in Florida is fast approaching; as we welcome back our seasonal residents and tourists new to the area. For some season means more traffic, and a longer wait at local restaurants. For those in the real estate sector, it is an excellent time to get homes sold and off the market. A boost in our local economy means more sellers will be exploring their options in buying a seasonal home, which is why it is important to have a home on the market show worthy. Here are some tips on getting a listing show worthy:

1. Organize (Remove any clutter in the home and organize areas, that way buyers can see themselves in the listing).

2. Deep Clean (Make sure the listing in show worthy by deep cleaning in every room, no buyer can see themselves in a dirty home).

3. Maintenance (Make sure all appliances and equipment is working, and have been checked. This prevents any problems in the long run with a closing).

4. Yard Appearance (Spruce up the yard and front lawn, this is the first impression buyers will get of the listing).

5. Update (Considering fresh paint in rooms, or staging the listing to sell).



(Source: platinumrealestatesearch.com)



Find Just Listed, Hot Deals, Price Reduced and Highly Desired Homes at www.HouseFL.com .

​5 Easy Fall Home Updates

(BPT) - There are so many reasons to love fall. From the brisk breeze and color-changing leaves outdoors, to prepping for the holidays and watching football inside, there couldn't be a better time to make a few updates around your house. Consider these simple fall home updates to stylishly welcome the season.



Paint to please



Throughout the year, our walls can undergo stress from energetic kids, furniture moving and everyday traffic. If your home will be busy during the holidays, welcome guests with a newly painted entryway, or, freshen up your family room with a colorful accent wall. Painting is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to transform a room, so embrace the season and try a fall-inspired hue that harmonizes with your existing space like deep emerald green, royal purple or burgundy. To achieve the best results, use painter's tape to attain sharp paint lines. To help incorporate the color of the accent wall into the room, add d�cor and accessories in similar shades throughout the area, such as new pillows in your family room or a coordinating rug in your entryway.



Clever copper accents



Group together the season's leaves and branches to create a unique centerpiece, or place them throughout the house to bring life to your living areas. Crafting with fall foliage is a cinch - simply gather an assortment of thick leaves, either real or faux - and after they're rinsed and dried, spray each side of the leaf with copper paint and leave to dry for a few hours. Line these leaves up along a table runner, string them from your mantle or use them to dress up place settings. To extend the life of your metallic leaves, consider using them as place cards for holiday dinners. Easily allow guests to find their seats in shimmery style by placing printed nametags atop the leaves at each setting.



Freshen up the front door



Increase your home's curb appeal with a front door refresh just in time for the fall. For starters, give your door a new identity with a distinctive paint color - consider hunter green, colonial red or cognac. The color of your door introduces the world to those who live inside, so choose one that speaks to your family's style. After you've added personality to your door with paint, add a final touch with your family's monogram to the center of the door. If your door is metal, glue magnets to the back of the letters and it will easily adhere to it.



Proper party prep



During the fall, more time will be spent in the home's entertaining spaces to accommodate holiday soirees and family gatherings. Increase the functionality of this room - whether it's the den, family room, dining room or finished basement - and encourage guests to congregate comfortably by adding casual seating. Spice things up with a mixture of options; choose decorative stools and poufs, or upcycle vintage chairs with new, reupholstered seats. The style of your chairs can vary, but be sure to coordinate the colors and patterns. When you're not in party mode, stow away the extra seats.



Wow with a refreshed washroom



When decorating for fall, don't overlook the bathroom! A few simple changes can take this space to new heights. Start by swapping out your soap dishes and lotion pumps with new, coordinating options fitting for the season. If budget allows, replace your everyday towels with new, plush ones in fun fall colors that add a pop of color to the room. Next, add candles with autumn-inspired scents for an aromatic effect that brings the outdoor aura indoors. For subtle changes that go a long way, replace your bathroom hardware including the toilet handle, cabinet pulls or hinges and towel racks.



The fall season is a great time to revitalize elements of your home as you prepare for indoor holiday entertaining. As you choose updates, make sure they maximize your personal style.

10 Ways To Use Mirrors To Make Your Space Look Larger

Although most of us have a pretty good idea on where to hang a mirror in our home, they're often times far more versatile than we initially think. They can be one the best tools in the small space owner's back pocket and our personal opinion is that you can never have too many!

1. Group Them Together : While larger mirrors can be quite pricey, many of us don't have the budget for such things. Smaller mirrors are found at discount or thrift stores quite easily and with a super small price tag on them. Paint their frames all the same color and group them on the wall in the same place. The look will be organized without feeling cluttered.

2. Behind The Stove : Although they're bound to get a little greasy or dirty eventually, it's not like mirrors don't clean up easily. Behind your stovetop is traditionally a rather dark area in your kitchen. A mirror will bounce any available light around, not only making it easier to see the meal you're preparing, but make it a more enjoyable place to stand.

3. Turn Them On Their Side : This trick works especially well when using longer skinny mirrors, try turning your mirror on its side. This trick works best with long skinny mirrors, but it makes any wall look longer instantly.

4. Cabinet Fronts : Although you can use this trick in other places of the home, the kitchen is the ideal location for this DIY project. Glue mirrored tiles to the front of your cabinet fronts to reflect the world around you. Maybe you'll just do the tops, or just the bottoms, but either way we think it's a curious technique, especially in small spaces!

5. Next To Your Dining Room Table : One of Maxwell's favorite places for a mirror is right next to the dining room table. Like you see in many restaurants around the world, this allows for softer lighting to be used, while still keeping the area light and bright. Think of it as mood lighting that still allows you to see your dinner plate!

6. Floor Length : Floor length mirrors are great ways to make any space feel taller. Their long shape draws the eye up and carrying it around the room, making any space feel lighter and brighter. Place them behind a grouping of furniture or out on their own.

7. Layer Them Up : Why have just one mirror when you can have several? By making an entire wall mirrored and then adding smaller, defined mirrors on top, not only are you creating a larger more open-feeling space, but you'll also be giving depth to the space without weighing things down.

8. Fake A Window : Although our dream small space is packed with windows, we know that's not really a reality for many. Instead, try using small square mirrors, tiled out to look like a window to give the illusion of what you wish was there, instead of what really is.

9. Beautiful Backsplashes : We keep coming back to the kitchen, but there's so many ways to use mirrors in this well used room. The backsplash is the perfect place for a little reflection. It will make any under counter lighting extra bright or allow you to go without such things and use the natural light throughout the room.

10. Fake Mirrored Furniture : Like covering your cabinets above, you can fake expensive designer prices and simply use a glass cutter and mirrored tile found at your hardware store. Although it's a more labor intensive option, the results can be quite amazing if you're starting with a piece that has good shape to it already.



(Source: ApartmentTherapy.com)

7 Real Estate Investing Lessons We Can Learn from Steve Jobs

I recently read the book "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson. As brilliant as Steve Jobs was, I came away from the book not with a sense of awe about the man who Steve Jobs was, but how despite his incredible success, how idiosyncratic and deeply flawed a human being he really was.



Yes, he was a certifiable genius, although in some ways "certifiable" as well.



Yes, we'll never see anyone else exactly like him, although Apple's stock price has done quite well since his death



Yes, in American business, he will live in the pantheon of Edison, Einstein, and Ford, and he really thought he belonged there.



Yes, he did leave an indelible mark on our society – in fact, totally revolutionizing five separate industries nearly simultaneously...but he deeply hurt many people on the way in his rise to near mythic status.



Despite his greatness, he made tons of mistakes, cruelly alienated lots of people including his own daughter, and did some curiously unethical things in his relatively brief time on this earth. No doubt, the further you probe into the true personal lives of your "heroes" oftentimes the more you find, the less you like.



I came away from reading the book in a word - exhausted, but exhilarated at the same time. In fact, it was refreshing in a way to know that although Jobs was "Steve Jobs the icon", he's just a guy like you and me. I realized that you don't have to be perfect to be great. And although there are many traits of Jobs I would never emulate in my own life, I felt like there were so many brilliant lessons that can be learned from him not only as a businessman and real estate investor, but as many lessons in what not to do as a father, a husband and a human being.



The bottom line is this: you, I and anyone can be great. There are multiple paths to ultimate success in life and in real estate investing, and there are multiple lessons Steve Jobs can teach the real estate investor and which can be learned by you.



The Top Seven Real Estate Investing Lessons Steve Jobs Taught Us



1. Fear Not



Jobs was plagued by strange idiosyncrasies. His diet, his odd personal habits, his driving without a license plate, his parking in handicapped zones just to name a few. But one thing he was blessed with was a total and utter lack of fear. Lack of fear comes from many things; self-confidence, optimism, even delusions of grandeur (checkmarks on all three for Jobs here). One thing's for sure, he had enormous amounts of self-confidence. He felt he was special and that he was put on this earth to do great things by creating the technical marvels which ultimately influenced and bettered the lives of millions of people. Those innovations still affect us all each and every day.



Even in the face of terminal pancreatic cancer, he seemed to have an almost irrational sense of self-confidence and lack of fear. His self-confidence was so great; he actually thought that he could cure himself with oddball diets and rituals, while shunning traditional medicine – medicine that just may have saved his life. Incredibly, he seemed to have a complete absence of fear of the one thing that most of us are deathly afraid of...death itself.



It's terrifying to buy your first house flip, for sure. But is it as fearful as death? Keep things in perspective in order to control fear. Think of the worst case scenario if you do what you're fearful of. If you can handle the worst case pain and aggravation, then do it. If Steve Jobs could fearlessly stare down death, you can do the same.



If you're just starting, then make your first real estate purchase. If you've been around the block a few times, try a new investment strategy you've never done before. When you face your fears and do what you fear most, you end up controlling your fears.



2. Pick Yourself Up Even After Your Failures



Can you imagine the humiliation of being fired by the guy you picked to run your company? In one of the most public firings in corporate history, Steve Jobs was fired. This was big news when it happened, sending shockwaves throughout Silicon Valley and the rest of the corporate world. Jobs did wallow for a short period of time, sure. But he picked himself up and created a new company that was ultimate bought by the company and the successor he was fired by.



If you are new to real estate investing and you lose a few thousand on your first deal because you overestimate your ARV, didn't stick by the 70% Rule or failed to tightly manage your general contractors, then provided the few thousand didn't bankrupt you, pick yourself up and try again.



It's not how many times we fail; it's how many times we get back up after failure that counts most.



3. Marry Art and Functionality



Many of us have iPhones. If you have one nearby while reading this or on the desktop beside you, pick it up. Feel the weight, notice the elegant stainless steel wrapping, the Gorilla glass screen, the smooth back. Swipe a few apps from side to side, browse the Internet, touch an app and see how they all gently jiggle to be deleted or modified. If you think all these enhancements and subtle artistic nuances of the device (since copied by the Google platform) are random, think again.



Jobs dissected each of these features and weighed them for weeks and months prior to being introduced by Apple. And each feature indelibly bears his thumbprint - his signature. He married art and functionality to create everlasting products and innovation that will affect generations to come.



There are lots of posts on this website that discuss the "steps" to real estate investing, house flipping, wholesaling, you name it. Follow these steps here and learn as much as you can. But then, put your own thumbprint on each of them – just like Steve Jobs did with each of his creations.



Is there only one way to rehab a house for maximum resale? No way.



Is there only one way to round up funding for your next apartment building? Not a chance.



Virtually anyone can become a real estate investor as long as they have the desire and the ambition, but to become a massive success, it's going to take more than just what you learn from others. Its going to require you to put your own indelible stamp on every deal you do. Think like Steve jobs in how you can make your flip or rental a little bit different, enhanced or beautiful...marry art with functionality.



4. Listen to Your Inner Voice



When you are new to real estate investing, you have no voice in your head. If you do have one, that voice is usually screaming to you "don't do it!"



However, the more deals you do, a different inner voice starts to appear. This is the voice of experience.



Maybe you are thinking about becoming a real estate investor and there's something that has stopped you from doing it. You went to school, you got a good job in finance or sales or maybe you're a doctor or a dentist - but there's something missing. When we don't listen to our inner voice, we mail it in, we do what we do on autopilot.



You're reading this blog most likely because you want something more. You want to create the life you've always wanted. THAT is the inner voice calling you.



Ignore it at your own peril.



Jobs' inner voice screamed "change the world" - a pretty dramatic vision and a pretty big voice. He built computers to do it. That was his plan.



What's yours?



One thing that's abundantly clear with Jobs is that despite his many imperfections, he lived his life with very few regrets. He followed his inner voice. Whatever that voice is telling you, it would be smart to listen to it. Even if it tells you to quit your job, become a full-time real estate investor, move to Tibet or become a gourmet sushi chef, listen to it.



Live life with no regrets.



5. Expect More from Yourself and From Others



Jobs was a real prick sometimes. He would berate people. He would yell at people. He would throw little temper tantrums. He was a totally obsessive control freak.



And of course, he was an absolute perfectionist.



He demanded this from himself and he demanded the same from everyone who worked for him. I am not saying that the WAY Jobs did it was right, far from it. He seemed like a real jerk to work for.



But one thing's for sure, he pushed people to places where they never thought they were capable of going. He expected this of himself and he expected it from everyone who worked for him.



Do it in your own way and do the same thing in your real estate investment career. If you need to get upset, do it. Don't overdo it or you will find nobody will want to work with you, so be careful. But shoot for perfection and settle for excellence at the very least.



Jobs built products that revolutionized the world using this philosophy and he did it in his own way...so you do it in your own way. But don't try to be him. Be yourself and expect a lot from everyone and most importantly expect the absolute most from yourself.



6. Surround Yourself with the Most Talented People You Can Find



Steve Jobs gets all the credit when you think of the legacy of greatness at Apple. Sounds good, but it's simply not true.



Yes, Jobs made the ultimate decisions in all matters Apple from the type of sandstone used in Apple stores to the kind of glass used on iPhone screens. But what's less known is that he surrounded himself with some brilliant minds that simply made him and Apple better.



Jobs surrounded himself with serious talent: the true mastermind behind the iPhone and iPad design Jony Ive, now CEO Steve Cook, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Toy Story creator John Lesseter, just to name a few. These super-talented people (not the faceless minions kowtowing to Jobs every whim as we may want to believe) don't get the credit they rightfully deserve.



In real estate investing, surrounding yourself with an incredibly talented and knowledgeable team, including lawyers, real estate agents, general contractors, etc. – people in many cases who know far more than you – is just as important in real estate investing as it was in building one of the great companies of our generation. Steve Jobs realized that he couldn't do anything without great talent around him.



How about you?



7. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish



Success in anything in life is consistently looking to improve, to grow, to build and also to have fun. If you're going to do it for the majority of the time you have in any given day, shouldn't it be fun too? Jobs summed up this philosophy of innovation, creativity and fun in his memorable 2005 Stanford commencement address (check it out on YouTube if you haven't):



"When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960′s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and Polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.



Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.



Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."



We can be just as special as he was and although we may not all build the next Apple; we can build excellence in what we do every day as real estate investors. As was previously reported on this blog, we as real estate investors not only enrich the lives of thousands of people every year with quality housing, but we create jobs and opportunities to the tune of $9.2 billion per year as well.



What we do as real estate investors matters. Jobs would agree that is a worthy dream to pursue. And we all can learn much from him – both the good and the bad. But best of all, you don't have to be perfect in to be wildly successful like Steve Jobs.



In fact, anything's possible in life if you continue to follow the simple lessons laid out above.



Author: Mike LaCava



Mike's Website: http://www.houseflippingschool.com