Cedar Valley Real Estate Podcast with Amy Wienands Amy Wienands

Amy Wienands Real Estate is moving to a new location, and we’re excited to see the chances that being in a new space will bring. Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value report Buying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for sale As of Monday, July 24th, my team and I at Amy Wienands Real Estate will be in a new location. We’re excited to have found this new home for our office, which will be located at 1730 West Ridgeway Avenue—right across from the Medical Park. This new space is phenomenal, and the whole team is looking forward to seeing what we can create here for our clients. As we transition from our old location to the new location, we will be closing the office on Friday, July 21st at noon, in order to make the big move. If you need assistance during this time we are closed, you will still be able to reach your designated realtor on their cell phone. “ The whole team is looking forward to seeing what we can create here for our clients. ” We’re always obsessively working for you, so we hope you’ll come see us at our new location soon. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.

With these tips, you can sell your home quickly and for top dollar. Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value report Buying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for sale Every home seller wants to sell their home for top dollar and get the quickest deal possible, right? It’s pain-free and hassle-free, but does that deal really exist in the real estate world? Actually, yes it does. Here are three quick tips you can use to sell your home for the most money possible in the shortest amount of time: Utilize our Coming Soon program. This is an awesome way to attract as many buyers to your home as possible before it has an active live date.  Use the right kind of photography. A lot of people start out with the intention to hire a professional photographer to photograph their home, but does that person specialize in real estate photography? Real estate photographers know how to shoot the best angles and get the right views. Use video. Did you know if your listing doesn’t have a video attached to it, 29% of the market won’t even look at it online? Remember, it has to be the right kind of video.  If you have any questions about this topic or any other real estate topics, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would be happy to work with you.

Open houses are making a comeback in the real estate world, and buyers are making offers almost on the spot. I’ve put together a seller’s guide to open houses to help you seal the deal. Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value report Buying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for sale Open houses are making a huge comeback in terms of success rates. Buyers are walking into homes and making offers practically on the spot. So how can you make sure you’re prepared for an open house as a seller? First, make your home as inviting as possible. Make sure the outside areas have been spruced up and make sure it smells amazing when buyers first walk inside. “ It needs to smell fresh and crisp when a buyer first walks inside. ” Next, countertops need to be clear. This means no clutter!  You can even play a little music. It’s all about creating an inviting energy. Buyers want to fall in love with a home, so you might as well help them fall in love with yours! After all, they came to look at your house for a reason, so seal the deal! If you have any questions or would like so more tips, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We’re always happy to help!

Interest rates have gone up recently, and today, I'll discuss why that's actually a good thing. It also means that if you're thinking about buying a home, the time to act is now. Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value report Buying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for sale How will rising interest rates impact you as a home buyer, home seller, or homeowner in the Waterloo market? Rising rates can strike a bit of fear into us. However, rates are just over 4% right now, which is still a phenomenally low rate. It means that we have a stronger economy, and that's a good thing. A bump in interest rates means that there is confidence in the marketplace. Not only are interest rates higher, our stock market is at some of its highest levels ever. This means that there are strong economic indicators that things are looking really good for the future. Higher rates are actually a positive thing. The buyers who have been sitting around thinking about buying a home should know that every time your interest rate rises by 0.5%, you lose about $25,000 in buying power. Now is the time buy! Rates have been predicted to rise every year, but they've been dropping lower and lower until this year. In fact, rates are up about 0.5% over the last six weeks. “ Higher interest rates are actually a positive thing. ” If you're thinking about buying a home, there isn't time to wait—I would do it now. The energy in the Cedar Valley is awesome and the market is really hot. January is an active month, and part of it is due to the consumer confidence in our market. Time to jump off the fence and buy a home! If you're ready to buy a home, give me a call or send me an email today. I hope to hear from you soon!

Should you put your home on the market during the winter? Isn’t winter a bad time to sell? Actually, winter may be the ideal time to sell your home for a couple of reasons. Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value report Buying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for sale This time of year, a lot of people are saying, “I want to put my house on the market, but isn’t winter a really bad time to sell?” Depending on your home, winter may be the ideal time for you to be on the market.  “ You will face less competition and your home will be more appealing to buyers. ” The best part is that homes look incredible right now because they are decorated for the holidays. Buyers make their decision based on how warm, inviting, and cozy a home feels, so now is a great time to be on the market. By listing during the winter, you will also face less competition. Most people wait to list their homes in the spring and summer. However, we still have active buyers out there. In this market, buyers are extremely motivated to get into a home. Since there is less inventory and fewer options for buyers to choose from, your home is a perfect candidate to become their home. If you have any questions about preparing your home for the winter market or about real estate in general, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

A holiday greeting from Amy Wienands! Selling a Cedar Valley home? Get a free home value report Buying a Cedar Valley home? Search all homes for sale I just wanted to take a moment to wish our clients and our community Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We have had a wonderful, blessed, and awesome year. “ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. ” We are excited to do what we do, and it’s a joy to come to work because of you, the clients. So, to all of our clients, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Remember, the gift is in giving, and we are always working for you.