Articles and News about Residential Real Estate

Filing a Hail Damage Roof Claim with Your Insurer

If you live in an area that receives a lot of large hail during certain storms, your personal property and your home could be damaged during a storm. This is why it might be important for you to do everything you can to understand how the claims process works.

Photo of a roof on a house
This home’s roof looks picture perfect but sometimes hail damage is hard to identify. It’s important to have an inspector you can trust.
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Top 5 Best Practices for Real Estate Agents

Now that I’ve been in “the biz” for 7 years, I thought I’d try to organize my experience into best practices for real estate agents, in the hopes that… (in my best Meryl Streep voice) if I can help even one of you that it’ll all be worth it!

Happy real estate agents are the best real estate agents
As you’ll see in the real estate agents’ best practices listed below, staying positive is huge. Never forget to smile! Yeah, I know… I use this stock photo too much.

*giggle*

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Louisville Now on Improving Markets Index as New Construction Perks Up

In a news release issued this week, Louisville was added back to the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI). There are 125 markets on the list.

Photo of new construction in Louisville KY
Louisville new construction is starting to pick up as Louisville is added to the IMI.
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First Time Louisville Home Buyer – How You Know That the House Is Yours

We may not have the same number of first-time Louisville home buyers as we did when the government was offering incentives but there are still many searching for that first house to call home.

Photo of young couple home buyer in Louisville KY
Are you a first-time Louisville home buyer? If so, you should be having fun. If it’s not, you’re doing it wrong. Or, you need a different Realtor.
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Louisville New Construction Has a Long Road to Go to Be ‘Recovered’

The Louisville real estate market is showing great signs of recovery but we are by no means, “out of the woods.”

Photo of construction worker building a Louisville new construction home
Louisville building permits for single-family homes so far in 2012 have surpassed all of 2011. Economists predict there will be a 300% increase by 2015.
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Home Buying in Louisville: Steps to Qualify for a Mortgage

According to the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors (GLAR), the percentage of houses sold till now (2012) has grown by 15% and it was exceptionally high in the month of August at 26%. Around 8,504 houses were sold by them in August, which is the largest since 2007 when 10,513 houses were sold by them in that same year.

Photo of a couple looking at a house model
Thinking about buying? Here are the steps to qualify for a mortgage.
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Buying a Home in Louisville: 5 Negotiating Tips to Get the Best Deal

When you are buying a home in Louisville, part of your thinking will be that you want the best deal possible. The key component of that coming to fruition lies in the art of negotiations.

Photo of agent researching home prices with his computers.
The better the research, the better the opportunity for negotiating a great deal when buying a home in Louisville.
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Credit Cards and Mortgages: There’s a Link

Photo of man applying for a Louisville mortgage.
Applying for your Louisville mortgage can be quick and easy. Preparing to apply by being smart with your credit cards, which affects your credit rating, really pays off!

There is a direct link between your credit cards and mortgage in Louisville! You believe me, don’t you? And… it does not have to do with using your credit card with a 30% rate of interest to purchase your new home.

The link between your card and your mortgage lies in your credit rating. If your credit is out of whack, you are not going to be able to qualify for a mortgage. If you want to buy a house and get approved for a home loan you need to make sure that your credit card bill payments reflect responsible credit ownership so that the lenders consider you a good risk.

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Final Walk-through: Your Final Steps Towards Owning Your New Louisville Property

Every homebuyer should take a final walk-through of their soon-to-be new Louisville property before signing the closing papers. This is done to ensure that there has been no new damage to the property. It’s also to ensure that everything that is supposed to be included as part of the transaction is in the home and has not been removed.

Photo of wallpaper inset into a built-in nook for a formal dining room Rock Springs Homearama
When completing your final walk-through, make sure to cover all the bases, even things you might not have found in the home inspection.
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Receiving Mail from Louisville Real Estate Agents

When you begin showing an interest in real estate and start talking to a few agents you are likely to start receiving mail, email and phone calls from agents working for your business. From open houses to new houses available in your area, each will try to provide something useful in the most attractive method possible.

Photo of some post it notes
Paper communication isn’t what it used to be.
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Louisville Green Houses: Finding, Changing or Building

One of the largest trends in Louisville real estate is green houses. There is no denying that. We might not have the sheer number of green homes that you can find in other cities, but there is a very real push for Louisville green housing.

Building Green in Louisville
Not all Louisville home builders promote themselves as Green Builders but most are following the trend and have green features included in their homes.
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