3 Surefire Ways to Build Home Equity

Olivia PrinceReal Estate Advice

3 Surefire Ways to Build Home Equity

One of the greatest benefits of being a homeowner rather than a renter is that you have the opportunity to build equity over the years.

Equity in your home refers to the difference between what you owe on your home and what the current market value is of your home.

For example, if your home is worth $100,000 and you only owe $75,000, you have $25,000 of home equity.

Home equity is a key component of building long-term wealth. But just letting the property appreciate over time isn’t the only way that you can maximize your equity.Read more

Sierra and Chanse: A Real Estate Success Story

Sierra and Chanse: A Real Estate Success Story

Olivia PrinceRD Success Stories, Real Estate Advice

Imagine this scenario…

You’re a young couple with two small kids. One of you works in the home because daycare is so expensive. The other works at a local business. Then, one day, word comes down that the business is closing.

Now, instead of driving a few minutes to work, you have to drive all the way to Lander. You also suffer a pay cut.

On top of that, quality rentals are tough to come by – they’re either snatched up quickly or more expensive than you can afford.

It sounds like an impossible situation, right? Especially for a young family that wants to buy their first home!

This isn’t a fictional story, though. It’s the story of our clients Sierra and Chanse.Read more

#Vlog: Secrets of the MLS Revealed

Suzie KoehnReal Estate Advice

Secrets of the MLS RevealedIf you’ve worked with a Realtor before, you’ve likely heard the term “MLS” thrown around from time to time.

And while those of us in the industry are intimately familiar with the MLS – Multiple Listing Service – members of the public might not be very familiar with what it is.

This week, Suzie, Katie, and I sat down to discuss the secrets of the MLS and the benefits it offers buyers and sellers, as well as how Realtors use it to serve their clients better.Read more

Vlog: Oh Crap! Why You Need a Septic Inspection BEFORE You Buy a Rural Home

Brooke McWilliamsReal Estate Advice

OH CRAP! Why you need a septic inspection BEFORE you buy a rural home

In our neck of the woods, septic systems are extremely common. And while septic systems are a reliable and safe means of disposing of waste, they aren’t infallible and they don’t last forever.

That’s just part of the reason why getting a septic system inspection before you buy a rural property is an absolute must!

As you can see in the video below, having a septic system replaced is a big, fat, messy undertaking.Read more

Vlog: What To Do If You Find a Bat in Your House

Olivia PrinceReal Estate Advice

What To DoIf You FindA Bat In Your House

Even though I’ve lived in the country most of my life, I’ve been fortunate that I’ve never encountered a bat in my house.

I realize that bats are helpful – they eat mosquitos, among other things – but if you’re like me, you just can’t get past how super creepy they look!

I usually hear a bat story or two from friends or clients each year, but this year I’ve heard WAY more stories about people seeing bats, finding dead bats in their yards, and worse – finding live bats flapping around inside their homes.

Vlog: Buying a Home? Don’t Buy These Real Estate Myths

Olivia PrinceReal Estate Advice

real estate mythsThere are plenty of myths floating around about real estate. And while some of them are “little” myths that are simply misconstruing the basic facts, other real estate myths are completely and totally wrong.

This week, Olivia and I tackle three (and a half) common real estate myths that we feel cause buyers the most angst. From not wanting to pay a real estate agent to the prospect of being stuck with an agent that you don’t like to not being able to buy a For Sale By Owner home with a Realtor, we give you the whole truth on each of these myths in the video below.Read more