Las Vegas Real Estate Blog

Home appreciation in Las Vegas has slowed dramatically from the torrid pace of two years ago and turned negative in some areas of the valley last year, a local housing market analyst said.

Median existing home prices increased 3.6 percent valleywide to $285,000 in 2006, based on more than 90,000 existing home closings recorded by the Clark County assessor's office in 2005 and 2006 -based SalesTraq reported. The market continues to grow, the economy continues to grow and population continues to grow. Those factors offset whatever hyper-appreciation that existed."

Tips for Selling Real Estate

Getting the Highest Price in the Shortest Time In order to get the highest price in the shortest time, you need to know how to market your home in the Las Vegas Real Estate marketplace. The better you market your home, the better chance you have of getting an offer at the price and terms you want in the shortest amount of time. The most important factor of marketing your home is pricing it right. Your price should be adjusted to reflect the County Real Estate market, and the property's worth. The key is to get many people checking out your property at a fair price instead of having no buyers because your price is set too high. Making a Good First Impression Know Why You are Selling Setting the Price Plan of Action Finding the Right Agent Considering Offers Insist on a Home Inspection You've made the decision to sell your home and now the work begins. Wondering what you can do to help your house show well and bring in top dollar? The three home-selling tips below can help you focus on the things that make a difference.

Selling from the Outside-In

House hunters typically judge a book by its cover . . . or, in this case, a home by its exterior. That's why it's important to make the outside of your home as appealing as possible. This is generally called creating curb appeal. Start by removing anything that isn't attached. This includes old tires, broken bikes and unsightly garbage cans.

Next it's time to manicure your yard. Mow, edge and fertilize the lawn. Trim hedges, pull weeds and plant flowers if space permits. Use flower pots for additional color if desired. (Note: If this much yard work seems overwhelming, there are many inexpensive landscape services available to whip your yard into shape in a single day.)
Sweep sidewalks and power wash the driveway. Paint the fence if you have one and it needs it. Same goes for the front porch.

Add a Welcome mat to the front door. It's not only inviting, it helps remove dirt from shoes before it can enter your home.

Selling from the Inside-out

Removing clutter should be your number one priority. Eliminate paper piles and excess items on countertops. Box up knick-knacks and off-season clothing. Clean out drawers, cabinets and closets, but don't stash things in the garage because you need to de-clutter that as well. The key is to make your home look as spacious as possible.

After eliminating clutter, your next priority should be cleaning. Wash windows and mini-blinds. Adding a fresh coat of paint to walls is a good idea, but at the very least, wipe down the walls with a damp cloth. Scrub the bathrooms and kitchen top to bottom. Dust every surface imaginable. And have the carpets professionally cleaned if needed. If you're strapped for time, spending $200 to have a service deep clean is a worthy investment.
Although odor control could be lumped in with cleaning, it is important enough to warrant its own mention. Let's face it, things like pets, cooking, smoking and baby diapers are smelly subjects. It is vital that you eliminate or neutralize these odors as much as possible

Tips for Buying Real Estate

• Use a Buyer's Agent
• Why You Should Not Make Any Major Credit Purchases
• Be Wary About the Listing Agent
• Be Careful of the "Dual" Agent
• Getting a Legitimate Lender and Getting Pre-Approved
• Finding the Right Seller
• Build a Plan of Action and Get Ready
• Hot, Normal, and Cold Markets
• Importance of Inspection
• Avoiding Financial Stress

Las Vegas Fixer Upper Homes

Here are a few things to consider when looking to purchase a "Fixer-Upper"

• Where in Las Vegas can you find a "Fixer-Upper"?

"Fixer-Uppers" can be found in the wealthiest of neighborhoods as well as the older parts of town. With the great amount of diversity in this city it is not uncommon to find a home that has been left in shambles by tenants or homeowners who were irresponsible and careless.

• The benefits of a Las Vegas home inspector

We recommend that all of our buyer clients get a home inspection. This is a great way to find out what you're really getting into. These general inspections, from top to bottom, will help the inspector locate and obvious defects or concerns. It is always a good idea to be at these home inspections. This way you can see for yourself what the problem is and possibly get some good recommendations for a remedy.

• Use a Las Vegas general contractor

Make sure general contractors are licensed, insured, financially stable, and not facing numerous consumer complaints. Ask for references and verification on all of there credentials. There could be liability issues that become your responsibility if you do not check them out fully. Call around and check out some of their past work. If they are good they should have no problem giving you this information.

• When to buy

‘Buy when the market has hit bottom". This ensures that you will not be overcharged and also that you will get a great price. This will definitely help in offsetting your repair cost.

• Know your cost

Calculate everything. Figure in all of your cost for mortgage payments, repair, material, labor, etc... Know what your final outcome will be. Always estimate high. You may end up with a nice little gift at the end.