Raleigh Real Estate Podcast with Greg Ismay

Greg Ismay
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If you are looking to buy or sell a home, get all the information and the latest updates, tips, and tricks from Ismay Realty Group - your professional Raleigh Real Estate Agents.

  1. 04/09/2019 · VIDEO

    Are You Following CAPE?

    CAPE is an acronym our team uses to help sellers remember the elements that can make or break their home sale. Condition, access, price, and exposure are all key to attracting the most buyers and getting the most money possible from your sale. Today I’ll break down each of these elements and explain why they’re so important to stay on top of.First, a home’s condition is something that the seller has complete control over. Think of it this way: The buyer needs to envision themselves living in your space, so the more you can do to help them imagine living there, the better. Here’s how you can help that along: Declutter. Remove any clutter that will ruin the buyer’s fantasies. Pack your extra belongings away or get rid of them altogether. Paint. A fresh coat of paint can help a buyer envision living in your home, but period color is important, too. If you have questions about what colors are best, I’d be happy to advise you about what’s currently popular in the real estate market. Flooring. If a buyer thinks that they’ll have to change the home’s flooring when they purchase your home, they’ll be less likely to consider your listing. Deep clean your current flooring or replace it altogether to grab a buyer’s attention. Next in our acronym is access. Access is another thing a seller has total control over. Keep in mind that buyers want to see homes when they want to see homes. Particularly when they’re working with real estate agents, those homes that don’t offer wide access for showings may get overlooked. It’s typical for some sellers to be reserved about when they want to show their homes, but the more available a property is, the greater the number of buyers willing to see it, and the more potential you’ll have for receiving offers. “Generally speaking, if you get no showings for your home, that indicates that your home is overpriced by 10% or more.” Third, keep pricing in mind. If you overprice your home far beyond its market value, you’ll have few, if any, showings. Generally speaking, if you get no showings for your home, that indicates that your home is overpriced by 10% or more. If you have showings but receive no offers, that could mean it’s overpriced by 5% to 10%. If you get showings and offers, but these offers are lowball offers, that generally means that you’re somewhere between 2% and 5% over market value. When you home is priced properly, you’ll likely get many showings, receive multiple offers, and the property may even sell for higher than your list price. Finally, remember exposure. The agent you work with can help you to maximize the exposure your property receives—in other words, how many people see your listing—not only on the MLS, but also on all the websites where people are looking at homes. Make sure that the photography used to advertise your home shows it in its best light, and also be sure to track what is being said about it. If you have any questions about CAPE or about anything related to real estate, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

  2. 09/27/2018 · VIDEO

    Where Are the Best Places to Eat in the Triangle?

    Instead of talking about real estate, today I want to talk about some of my favorite restaurants here in the Triangle Area. If you haven’t been to any of these places before, I highly encourage you to check them out. Here’s my list: 1. Cafe Tiramisu. I’ve been going here for nearly two decades and it’s my favorite place to eat. The mom-and-pop family feel is something that can’t be replicated. Even though the original owners have passed away, their personality and history continue to live on. It’s quaint, quiet, and the service and the food are excellent. It’s a great business and a great place to grab a bite. 2. El Tapatio. This Mexican restaurant is a bit off the beaten path. For the last several years, this restaurant in Wakefield Crossing has been serving some delicious, casual Mexican fare for diners of all ages and backgrounds. You’ll see people from all over the area here for the delicious, reasonably priced food and the amazing service. “I highly encourage you to check out all the restaurants on this list.” 3. Vinson’s Pub.  I stumbled into this place recently when showing a couple from Texas homes in Clayton and couldn’t have been happier I did. This restaurant, right on Main Street, is in a 100-year old building. The decor is funky and hip and the menu is quite inventive. If you’re really hungry, they have a “Man BLT” that I can’t recommend enough. 4. Ole Time Barbecue. This is my “hole in the wall” pick. Down on the border of Raleigh and Cary, you can find this good, old-fashioned barbecue joint that has been servicing Carolina-style barbecue for years. It was recently named one of the best barbecue restaurants in all of North Carolina. If you’re in the mood for some meat, this is a great place to go. It can get busy and you might have to wait, but the wait is well worth it in my opinion. If you have any questions for me about any restaurant on this list or you’d like to share your recommendations with me, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

  3. 09/19/2018 · VIDEO

    Where Should You Make Your Weekend Getaway This Fall?

    We’re taking a bit of a diversion from real estate today to talk about a few of my favorite fall weekend getaways here in the Triangle Area: 1. Asheville. This is a fantastic place to see the leaves change colors this fall. Many believe that the weekend of October 27 and 28 is going to be the best dates to do that. I highly recommend staying at Asheville Cottages, a family-owned operation that has a number of private cottages with wonderful amenities and great views of the foliage. There are plenty of galleries and boutiques to see up in Asheville, as well as delicious restaurants. My favorite one is Market Place, a wonderful farm-to-table restaurant, but you might want to make a reservation. 2. Beaufort, NC. For those of you who love boating, you know this is the boating capital of the Carolinas. This quaint little town is perfect to walk around in and the Beaufort Inn has some really nice waterfront rooms. The Cedars Inn is a historic bed-and-breakfast that’s also a great place to stay. There’s plenty of seafood dining options, including La Perla, a delicious Spanish restaurant right at The Cedars Inn. There is also Front Street Grill right on the water. 3. Kinston. If you’re a foodie, you’re probably aware of the fantastic restaurant Chef & the Farmer. You may recognize Vivian Howard from her cooking show on PBS or from her very successful farm-to-table restaurant right here in Kinston. On October 21, the Howards are hosting a celebration and a viewing of the last episode of their successful show. If you need a place to stay in Kinston, try The Mother Earth Motor Lodge for an affordable option. “Kinston is home to a world-class restaurant: Chef & the Farmer.” There you have it—our three best recommendations for fall getaways in North Carolina. If you know of a place that you enjoy going to here in North Carolina, don’t hesitate to reach out and give me a call or send me an email with your recommendations. I hope to hear from you soon.

  4. 08/30/2018 · VIDEO

    What Every Homeowner Must Know About Selecting a Remodeling Bid

    When preparing to make a home renovation project, one of the first important decisions you’ll be faced with is selecting the right bid. To ensure you make the best possible choice, there are five tips you should follow as you proceed: 1. Become comfortable with the overall cost. Homeowners may receive bids that are thousands of dollars apart and will often choose the one which will cost them the least. However, this is not always the best way to proceed. When it comes to remodeling projects, you usually get what you pay for. At very least, you should always look at what the other bids offer beyond just considering how they’ll impact your wallet.   2. Vet the contractor. There are several ways of doing this. Whatever you do, it’s essential that you determine whether the contractor’s skillset extends into what your project will require. The project you’re getting bids on should be something the contractor has experience with. 3. Compare apples to apples. If you receive three bids, the minimum advisable number, and one contains very little detail, don’t feel bad about asking the contractor to expound. Comparing similar details between each bid will be the key to choosing the one that best fits your needs. 4. Set up financial motivation for the contractor. Unfortunately, renovation projects don’t happen for free. Your contractor will want some compensation up front, but will also expect additional payment as their work continues. Writing performance clauses into the agreement you and the contractor come up with will be a simple way to protect you from the pain of a random payment schedule. 5. Make sure you understand what’s going on. Keeping a close eye on your project is important. Don’t be afraid to speak up, or terminate your working relationship, if the contractor isn’t performing as they should. “When it comes to remodeling projects, you usually get what you pay for.” 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 soon.

  5. 07/26/2018 · VIDEO

    If You're Buying, Renting, or Selling, You Are at Risk for Fraud

    Are you being scammed? These days, it’s more common than you might think. Protecting yourself against fraud when buying, renting, or selling real estate is crucial. So today I’d like to highlight some scams to watch out for as well as some information on how to protect yourself. 1. Wire fraud. The media has done a lot of reporting recently about this scam, but allow me to quickly explain it in case you’ve missed this coverage. Here’s how it works: Hackers gain access to the email account of someone legitimately involved in a real estate transaction, and then use that account to send false wiring instructions to the buyer. This results in buyers unwittingly sending their funds over to someone who has nothing to do with their home purchase.There are two key things you can do to avoid falling victim to this scam. First, make sure wiring instructions are being sent from an encrypted email. Second, make sure you call your settlement agent (which, in North Carolina, will be your attorney) and double check that you have the correct instructions. If you do these two things, you will be safe. “In this day and age, you’ve got to be careful who you trust.” 2. Inauthentic rental listings on Craigslist. Scammers are posting and promoting these false advertisements with the goal of tricking those who respond to sending them money. They do this by posting a rental listing that appears to be a very attractive offer, and then telling those who respond that it has already been rented by someone else. They then convince that person that they have another property coming available soon, and tell them that they can secure it by sending over a deposit. Of course, there is no listing. The scammer is simply trying to earn money under false pretenses.To protect yourself, you can find a legitimate listing for the property being advertised and ask the rental agent representing it whether the deal can be trusted. You can also use public records to corroborate the legitimacy of a listing. I would be happy to further explain how to do this, so please get in touch if you have questions. 3. Moving company fraud. Imagine this: You’ve made an offer on a home and gone under contract. Next, you start doing some comparison shopping to find the best deal on a mover, when you notice a Craigslist ad with a very attractive deal. Of course you decide to contact the poster and get an estimate. Then comes the day of the move. The movers load up your belongings (and perhaps ask for more money than what you’ve already given them), and drive off—never to be seen again.The lesson to take away from this scenario is to always make sure companies you work with are reputable. In this day and age, you’ve got to be careful who you trust. Check out reviews, look up credentials, and be extremely careful who you hire. 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 soon.

  6. 06/13/2018 · VIDEO

    Don't Get Too Comfortable: Our Market Has Looked Like This Before

    Today’s market is a far cry from the mortgage crisis of 2007. In fact, it’s almost too good. But while we’re sitting pretty at the moment, our current high demand and low inventory are actually somewhat reminiscent of a time just before that low point in our market. So with that in mind, it’s time to reflect on an important question: What did we learn from the 2007 bubble burst? Let’s take a look at five crucial lessons we learned from that unfortunate period in our market: 1. Don’t buy too much house. Purchasing more than you can afford will be far more trouble than it’s worth. This was one mistake many homebuyers were guilty of just before the market crashed. It’s far better to make your home purchase according to your needs today, rather than your predictions for the future. 2. Don’t depend on your home increasing in value. With the market on its way up, some buyers are tempted to ride the trend. But what happens when this isn’t the case? There’s no guarantee a home’s value will continue to rise. Your home purchase should be based on your lifestyle and not on the hope that your home will keep appreciating. 3. Make sure you have ample cash reserves. Most experts recommend saving back six months’ worth of total expenses, so that you can still sustain your lifestyle if disaster strikes. 4. Submit a healthy down payment when you buy. People today tend to put down as little as they can, but this isn’t always a good idea. Doing this leaves you with less equity from the start, which will cause problems if the market goes south. The higher your down payment is, the more secure you’ll be in your home. 5. Buy low and sell high. This probably sounds pretty obvious, but it’s important nonetheless. “Your home purchase should be based on your lifestyle and not on the hope that your home will keep appreciating.” 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 soon.

  7. 06/12/2018 · VIDEO

    10 Reasons to Consider Selling During the Holiday Season

    Although spring is traditionally considered the best time to sell a home, today I’m excited to share the top 10 reasons you should consider listing in the next few months before the spring market hits. Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale 10. You will have the opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer in the spring. In the spring, there are more homes available on the market. By listing now, you can sell high and buy low in the spring. 9. You can restrict showings during the holidays. They don’t have to upset your family time. 8. January is when employees start new jobs. Since transfer employees can’t wait until spring to buy, you’ll need to be on the market at the end of the year to capture those buyers. 7. People are looking to buy for tax reasons. 6. People have more time to look for homes. Because people often take off work during the holidays, they will be freer to spend time searching the market than other times of the year. “LESS COMPETITION ON THE MARKET MEANS MORE EYES ON YOUR PROPERTY.” 5. Buyers are more emotional. During the holidays, people become sentimental and may be more likely to pay a higher price. 4. Houses show better when they are decorated for the holidays. Everyone loves seasonal decor, so homes at this time of year are more attractive. 3. Supply will dramatically increase as the spring market ramps up in January. This will lead to less demand, and less demand means less money in your pocket. 2. Serious buyers have fewer options. During fall and winter months, there is less competition on the market. This puts your listing at an advantage. 1. People who look for homes at this time of year are much more serious about buying. If you have any other questions or would like more information about selling your home this time of year, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

  8. 06/12/2018 · VIDEO

    4 Out-of-Pocket Costs Homebuyers Should Expect

    When buying a home, there are four out-of-pocket expenses that you should be prepared to pay: Selling a home? Get a free home value report Buying a home? Search all homes for sale 1. Your due diligence deposit. Our purchase contract was revised a few years ago and now stipulates that the buyer make a non-refundable due diligence deposit to the seller. This deposit does credit back to the transaction as long as you make it to the closing table. The due diligence deposits can range anywhere from $500 to several thousand dollars, depending on the price of the property and the competitive pressure against the property. 2. The earnest money deposit. This is another deposit from the buyer to the seller, in addition to the due diligence deposit. Like the due diligence deposit, the earnest money deposit credits back to the transaction at closing. The earnest money deposit can range from $1,000 to several thousand dollars, again depending on the price of the property and the amount of pressure on the property at the time of contract. 3. Home inspections. A general inspection, termite inspection, and radon inspection are the big three that you’ll want to order. Home inspections range from $700 to $800 overall. That said, there may be additional inspections required based on what the initial inspections find. If the property has a well or septic tank, those require their own inspections. Generally, though, expect to pay $700 to $800. Those expenses can be moved to the settlement statement, but it’s good to know that amount up front for planning purposes. 4. Other fees and service costs. Depending on your lender, you will have to pay some costs for the appraisal process, application fee, and more. These other services usually cost a few hundred dollars. “THE EARNEST MONEY DEPOSIT CREDITS BACK TO THE TRANSACTION AT CLOSING.” These are the four main costs that you should plan for when buying a home. If you have any other questions about the home buying process or our current real estate market, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

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If you are looking to buy or sell a home, get all the information and the latest updates, tips, and tricks from Ismay Realty Group - your professional Raleigh Real Estate Agents.

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