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3 Questions You Should Ask Before Buying That Home

You’ve finally made the decision to purchase either your first home or another home! This means that it’s time to start the homebuying process. You’ve either experienced this for yourself or heard it from others, but purchasing a home is both a time and financial commitment. 

The last thing any homebuyer wants to feel is that they’ve made the wrong decision. There are lists of questions that you could ask, but here are 3 questions you should ask yourself before deciding which home to purchase:

Have you explored every area of the home?

Do you know what the neighborhood is like?

Do you know the house’s past?

Learn more by reading the full article on David Taran’s website.

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Want more Happiness? Take charge of your life. Project Happiness teaches proven habits to increase happiness in individuals and communities worldwide. Join us.

A Desired Commodity: How Real Estate Prices Are Affected By School Districts

When searching for a new home, what attributes are potential homebuyers prioritizing over others? Obviously the details of the home are important: the square footage of the home, the number of bedrooms, the age of the home, etc. But there are other factors that will influence whether a home is purchased or sold. In addition to considerations like the neighborhood crime rate and the home’s closeness to important amenities, the quality of the school districts in the area also takes top priority and can actually affect the surrounding real estate properties.

More Money For Better Schools

Some families are so particular about the type of school district they enroll their children in that it will single-handedly influence whether or not they look at a home in a certain neighborhood. The home could match every quality they are looking for but, if it is outside of an esteemed school district, they may not even bother scheduling a showing.

The standard for a good school district is so high that buyers are even willing to make sacrifices if it means they can live in an area with a better school. A study done by realtor.com found that one in every five buyers would sacrifice something like an extra bedroom to be in a good district, with one out of every three buyers willing to downsize to a much smaller house.

It doesn’t stop at a spatial downsize, either. That same study found that one person out of every five homebuyers would pay between 6-10% over their original budget, while one out of ten buyers would be willing to pay 20% over budget. Depending on the market, that could be a substantial difference in what a home could ultimately sell for.

Better Schools Can Determine The Price Of A Home

Because homebuyers are so particular about the surrounding school districts, homeowners who live in one of these desired areas can sell their homes at a higher cost – the data clearly shows that people are willing to pay for it. There are two main reasons why a better district has become such a sought-after commodity:

A Focus On Education

The primary – and perhaps most obvious – reason is that individuals who either have a family or who are planning to start a family in the near future want to make sure their children are receiving the best education possible. If a better education means spending more on a home, it’s evident that people are willing to pay more out of concern for their children’s futures.

A More Desirable Property

Some individuals who don’t have children, or whose children have grown and moved on, look to buy a home in one of these areas simply because they will have a better chance at not only selling their homes in the future, but making more of a profit when they do.

This is definitely something to keep in mind whether you will soon be looking for a new home for your family or if you already live in an area with a good school district and are planning to eventually sell your home.

Originally published on David Taran’s website.

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To Buy Or Not To Buy: That Is Every Renter’s Question

“Should I rent or buy?”

If this isn’t a question you have asked yourself yet, it’s at least a question you have heard debated many times. There is definitely useful information to obtain from both sides, but it really comes down to your specific life situation.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to buy a home, just as there is nothing wrong with choosing to rent instead. Don’t let anyone push their opinion on you just because something else makes more sense for their situation. 

Here are some things to consider when determining if you should rent or buy:

Does it make sense for your budget?

Would a home be your main investment?

What are the opportunity costs of renting vs. buying?

Learn more by reading the full post on David Taran’s website.

Want more Happiness? Take charge of your life. Project Happiness teaches proven habits to increase happiness in individuals and communities worldwide. Join us.

Networking And Why It’s Important For Real Estate Investors

Networking isn’t just for amateurs or professionals with little experience. Even seasoned real estate investors could benefit from networking with other people in the industry. Connecting with other professionals doesn’t just mean going to networking events anymore. There are other methods for getting your name out there and forming rewarding relationships with other people that share a similar passion with you.

Set aside time to attend related conferences and events.

When people think of networking, this is what they picture: a mass of business professionals listening to a lecture followed by free time to mingle with one another and talk real estate. Participating in conferences, classes, and events are not only crucial in forming contacts with valuable, like-minded individuals, they are also an opportunity for you to expand your knowledge of the industry, keeping up-to-date with the latest real estate trends and news. Stronger connections are generally formed in face-to-face interactions when you have a chance to show your personality.

Build and develop a strong online presence.

Physical interactions during networking events are important, but they aren’t the only way to build connections. Now that we live in a world run by technology, it’s imperative that you build a strong online presence as well. If you already have one, continue to develop it. This is just another place where professionals, clients, and prospective clients can get in touch with you.

Be present within your community.

At the heart of real estate investment is your community, so one of your main priorities should be becoming as personally involved within your community as possible. Consider becoming a key member of a local charity or organization. Take up space in various indoor and outdoor spaces and socialize more with active members of the community. Showing that you are invested in your neighborhood will increase a person’s trust in you, which will lend itself to increasing word-of-mouth referrals.

Become active in clubs.

Networking at conferences and events is one thing, but joining a stable, more long-term organization has its benefits as well. Consider joining some kind of real estate club. Because these individuals all share similar goals as you, it is a great way to meet people and form meaningful relationships. Many investors find mentors through these clubs and, then, eventually become mentors themselves.

Get your name out there on both a local and national level by becoming a networking pro. It is all about participating in events and building connections with other individuals both in person and online.