Articles & Resources | Kristin Graziano Group

Another Inventory Shortage May Be On The Horizon

September 30, 2019 By admin

It was just a few years ago that the US was in the midst of the worst inventory shortage in history, creating fierce competition for available properties—and driving up prices in the process. And while the market has become more buyer friendly in recent months, some experts predict another inventory shortage may be on the horizon.

According to a recent article from realtor.com, new home listings are either declining or staying the same in markets across the country. If that trend continues, it could mean another historic inventory shortage. “It was only 18 months ago that the number of homes for sale hit its lowest level in recorded history and sparked the fiercest competition among buyers we’ve ever seen,” said Danielle Hale, realtor.com’s chief economist, in the article. “If the trend we’re seeing continues, overall inventory could near record lows by early next year. So far there’s been a lackluster response to low mortgage rates, but if they do spark fresh buyer interest later in the year, U.S. inventory could set new record lows.”

Our Takeaway:

Today, there isn’t the fierce competition for property that the market saw a few years ago—but that could change with another inventory shortage. So if you’ve been thinking about buying a home, now’s the time to make a move.

12 She Sheds Cheryl Should See

September 20, 2019 By admin

Oh, Cheryl! Our collective hearts melted for you, right along with your she shed. Good thing Zachary from State Farm has your back, though. Thanks to him, you’re getting another one!

(For those of you living under a rock, this all went down in a commercial — one that’s gone quite viral, mind you. Check it out below.)

Via State Farm Insurance

To ease the burden of finding a replacement, Cheryl, here’s a list of potential she sheds for you to choose from.

#1 Ahh, serenity. You can almost hear the birds chirping next to this one can’t you, Cheryl?

#2 Your shed. Your rules. Suggested Rule #1 of your shed: No men allowed.

#3 OMG. This can be your yoga studio, Cheryl! And by “yoga studio” – this is where you can drink wine in your yoga pants!

#4 This one has plenty of room for you and ALL your girlfriends!

#5 “She Shed is where the heart is.” ‘Nuff said.

#6 Note to Cheryl: When Victor’s in front of the TV watching the game, it’s time to escape to your she shed. This one’s not a bad choice!

#7 This beachy one looks right up your alley, Cheryl!

#8 Don’t let your husband, Victor, turn this into a tool shed?! Really… TOOLS? What a waste!

#9 Thumbs don’t become green by themselves, Cheryl! They need the right environment!

#10 This one’s perfect for Victor to cook (and serve you) your favorite meals! 🙂

#11 Ohhh Cheryl. You’d look so beautiful and peaceful in this one!

#12 Hmmm… if only I could fit you a hot tub in here…

Alright Cheryl, good luck in finding the perfect replacement!

5 Things to Help Your Move Be Smooth

September 16, 2019 By admin

It’s inevitable when you move to be stressed and out of sorts. We have compiled a list of things to help it be a little smoother and keep you a little saner.

1. Accept Help.

Hire a helper or enlist a family member or friend who loves to pack. Treat them with their favorite food and drinks. Pull out the Sharpies and write on all the boxes what room they belong and if it’s an important item – Mark Open 1st on the outside to help expedite your unpacking when you get settled in.

2. Hire Movers.

If you plan on using U-Haul, they offer helpers when you get book your truck. Companies like Just in Time Moving or Muscular Men Moving can help save the day. Most of the time, if you are packed, the moving help can focus on the bigger items and keep you “moving” along (no pun intended). Having movers also keeps you working on time which if you have ever moved, which most of us have, then you know how painful the entire day can be.

3. Don’t Forget Your Food.

Use coolers and insulated bags to transport your fridge food to your new home. If you have items that can be donated, take them to a local food bank in your area.

4. Professionally Clean.

If you have a house you are selling or have to leave an apartment in a clean condition in order to get a deposit back, be sure to hire a professional real estate cleaning service in your area. You can do the work yourself but unless you are meticulous, the services are usually better and pretty affordable.

5. Change Your Address Promptly.

The United States Post Office will forward your mail, so long as you have completed a Change of Address Form online. It’s a good idea to go into online bank accounts, subscription services and recurring bill websites and change your address manually. Notify friends and family of your new address as well buy a simple email.

8 Ways A Great Real Estate Agent Can Change Your Life

August 28, 2019 By admin

A real estate transaction can be an exciting thing to experience, but it can also be nerve-wracking and stressful. Your experience will largely depend on the circumstances surrounding your transaction and, perhaps more importantly, the team you’re working with.

A great agent will not only get you over the finish line to the best of their ability, but they can also change your life for the better. Here are eight ways:

1. We will show you we care

In today’s fast-paced world, it seems like everyone’s attention is in short supply. A great real estate agent will show you that’s not always the case, by listening and caring about you and your needs. Not only will being a good listener help an agent do their job, but it’ll also show you that even in business, there are still people out there who care.

2. We can save you a lot of money

There’s an old expression, “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.” Hiring a great agent can save you literally thousands of dollars, as the right agent will not only negotiate effectively, but also know what pitfalls to look for as the transaction moves along, saving you money in the process.

3. We can help you see things in a different way

One of the most overlooked aspects of hiring a great agent is just how much of an effect they can have on your perspective. For instance, you might think that you’re looking for something in particular, but a great agent can take what you asked for and find something that’s even better than anything you’ve ever considered. A great agent is like an expert matchmaker.

4. We will do more than help you buy or sell a home

A great real estate agent will go above and beyond for you. They’ll help you find contractors, give recommendations on design (if you’re open to them), and even help you navigate the restaurants in your new neighborhood. Great agents provide so much value because they want to be your go-to resource for anything to do with real estate.

5. We can find you something that no one else can

Great real estate agents aren’t necessarily miracle workers, but they’re close. A great agent will surprise you with something no one’s ever thought of before, whether it’s finding a property that you didn’t know about, or a solution to an otherwise complex problem. A great agent is proactive and instead of sitting around waiting, will make things happen for you.

6. We can take a lot of stress away

One of the best things about a great real estate agent is the peace of mind that comes from working with them. There are lots of things that can go wrong during a real estate transaction, and a great agent knows this and will not only anticipate issues ahead of time, but will shoulder the burden and solve problems for you, making it a low-stress experience.

7. We will go to battle for you when it counts

The right agent is like a general you can depend on when the going gets tough. From searching for the right property or buyer, to negotiating, to pushing the deal through despite all obstacles standing in the way… a great real estate agent won’t back down from adversity and will battle for your best interests at all times.

8. We can become a friend for life

Maybe your real estate agent is already your friend, but if not, with a great agent you might eventually become one. Real estate is much more about relationships than it is about individual transactions, and great agents know this. They also usually have the kind of infectious personality that you always want to be around. So don’t be afraid to form a lifelong friendship with your real estate agent, it could truly change your life.

If you are ready to make a move with your home, consider giving our team a call (480) 229-6569, we will take great care of you.

Why You Shouldn’t Let A Website Tell You Your Home’s Value

August 27, 2019 By admin

Picture this…

There’s an inexperienced real estate agent in your town.

He hasn’t sold any homes yet.

He wants to drum up some business.

So, he climbs up onto your roof and paints what he estimates to be the value of your home.

He feels like this could be a win-win:

YOU get to know the value of your house, so he was helpful to you, without even having to meet with him…

… and HE gets to show you how that he knows his stuff. Hopefully you’ll turn to him for help once you want to sell your home.

But you’re kind of ticked off, aren’t you?

First off, this guy painted on your roof. That’s just vandalism.

Beyond that, he wasn’t even close to accurate! The value he painted up there is tens of thousands of dollars off.

He didn’t even see inside your home

You notice he did the same thing to all the other houses in the area.

He seems off on the value of all of them.

It’s still kind of intriguing, though, because you’re like, “Hmm, I always felt like Bill’s place was worth less than mine. Looks like I was right. But there’s no way Gary’s house is worth more than mine, that agent is craaaazy. Unless maybe Gary did some major remodeling inside…”

But how would the agent know? He never even went inside your neighbor’s house. Or your house. Or anyone else’s house.

He just eyeballed everyone’s house from outside, and took a quick peek at some data available to the public. Then slapped his estimate up on your roof for everyone to see.

His estimates are all over the place. Some high. Some low. Once in a while he seems to be somewhat in the ballpark.

His “value” affects your actual value

Beside the fact that this guy vandalized your roof, now you have people sizing up the value of your home based upon a number he came up with, without even seeing inside your home.

It was careless and thoughtless.

He lacked respect for your privacy, your equity, and ultimately your wealth. The value of your home can now be viewed by anyone, for whatever reason they feel.

It would be even worse if you were in the middle of trying to sell your home, and now you have buyers pulling up, seeing your painted roof, and considering his estimate when (and if) they make an offer.

Can you imagine if a real estate agent actually did this?!

You’d probably want to report him to the police, his real estate broker, the real estate commission… and all of your friends, family and neighbors.

You’d want everyone to know not to trust this guy, or give him any business.

Online valuation sites are basically doing this to you

You’ve probably seen or heard about websites where you can look up the value of your house (or anyone else’s house) for free.

It seems great because there’s no need to even talk to a real estate agent. Just pop in the address, and voila, you get to see the value of the home.

You might figure that it’s super accurate, since they use fancy algorithms and stuff.

However, these online real estate valuation sites are all basically painting a number on your roof, without ever having gone inside, and without ever having sold a house. And they’re definitely not experts in your local market.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about it.

They’re using public data to come up with their estimates. They didn’t steal anything. They didn’t actually paint on your roof (they just hover a value over it digitally).

They post disclaimers about their accuracy (or lack thereof), at least if you really, really look for them.

Plus, who would you even report them to anyway?!

Start valuing real estate agents’ values

The thing is, these sites exist because people tend to like them, and look at them. They wouldn’t exist if people didn’t continue to click on them. But people do.

They certainly are convenient, and entertaining, even if they are not accurate.

Many people just don’t want to deal with real estate agents, until and unless they have to. But that’s actually what you should be doing if you want an accurate value of your home.

Great real estate agents take a lot of time and pride in estimating the value of a home. This is not something you can do remotely by simply reviewing public data and algorithms.

In order to be accurate, even a local real estate agent needs to see inside of your home.

So, instead of encouraging these online valuation sites to exist, by visiting their sites and clicking around…

…click on a local real estate agent’s site, and invite him or her in to take a look at your house, and come up with an accurate value.

Don’t rely on an online valuation.

And, whenever possible, spread the word about the inaccuracy of these online valuations because they can affect the perceived value of your home… and beyond. And they will exist as long as people continue to pay them any attention.

Pay attention to real estate agents instead.

5 Ways To Add Curb Appeal With Color

August 10, 2019 By admin

We’ve had tasteful greys, farmhouse whites, and classic beiges up and down the street for so darn long… It’s no wonder people are going cuckoo for color these days! Just think, with these projects, you can brighten up your life AND add to your house’s curb appeal in a weekend or less.

Front Door

This one seems like a no-brainer, and yet, so many people are afraid to try it out! The reason why? They’re afraid they’ll choose the wrong color or paint. That’s understandable. No one likes to get stuck with a do-over, and no one wants to live with a Shrek green mistake on the front of their home.

The easy solution? Go with what you know. Pick a color from the existing palette of your home and use a color that coordinates with that. Still not sure which color and sheen you should go with? Many local paint stores (like Sherwin Williams, for example) now have color experts in store; they can answer even the most difficult color conundrum. Just be sure to bring photos with you, because no one can pick the right choice if all they’ve got to go on is, “It’s a kind of brownish-reddish brick, I think…”

Shutters

If you have a wooden door, or you’re just not ready to make that leap yet, try adding color to your shutters.

Use the same guidelines you would for your door, and remember, this project’s even easier to tackle. So even if you aren’t totally in love with the look, you can throw on a coat of something new… easy-peasy lemon squeezy.

Trim Colors

Feeling gutsy? Then try this on for size. Bold trim colors are a very adventurous statement and they work well on modern homes, traditional homes, Craftsman homes… and so on and so forth.

If the rest of your exterior is neutral and you’ve got a fearless fashion sense, then this look will serve you well. Pair a citrusy color with cool tones (like the photo below) or add in blue trim for a more traditional look.

Flowers

Let’s move beyond paint, shall we? An easy, low-commitment way to add color is with flowers. Depending upon your climate, you can add full-on beds of annual color or put out pots full of flowers that change with the seasons.

Pro tip: If you have a brown thumb, you can even use FAKES. Make sure they’re changed out with the seasons (so no daffodils in December) and no one will even know the difference.

One more thing: If you’re in it for the long haul, flowering trees are SO heavenly in spring. Be sure to check what hardiness zone you’re in before you plant, though, because trees aren’t cheap and removing them is a total pain.

Seating

If you’ve got the space for it, seating on your front porch is just about the homiest thing ever. Who doesn’t have fantasies of having tea (or, perhaps more accurately, late night wine) and conversation on the front porch?

Swings are great, chaises are great, rocking chairs are great. Whatever your sitting pleasure, you can pump up the ol’ color factor with cushions and throws or go all out and PAINT THE WHOLE DARN THING.

Cozy, colorful, and companionable, these seats will make your front porch the envy of the block.

There you have it, friend — 10 terrific ways to add more elation to your front elevation, more pizazz to your porch, and more YAY! to your yard. Try one this weekend!

Our Takeaway: