Selling

Market Update: The Impact of COVID-19 on Pittsburgh’s Real Estate Market

Market Update: The Impact of COVID-19 on Pittsburgh’s Real Estate Market

When we all started to quarantine in March to avoid COVID-19, we expected the real estate market to take an enormous hit. We predicted the housing market would freeze up because people were going to stop looking for new homes—especially as their personal finances grew uncertain. Our prediction was wrong. Instead, the Pittsburgh real estate market has grown rapidly through COVID-19.

Home Inspection Checklist: 10 Line Items Your Inspector Will Look For (And What You Should Do As the Buyer or Seller)

Home Inspection Checklist: 10 Line Items Your Inspector Will Look For (And What You Should Do As the Buyer or Seller)

No matter which side of the sale we’re on-- representing the buyer or the seller, there is always a nervous anticipation when it comes to the inspection. As a buyer, the inspection is a reality check that is a bit like jumping from the “first date” to the “tenth date,” and you may learn some details about the house that leave you a bit uncomfortable. If you’re the seller, a long list of problems could kill your sale or directly cut into your home’s value. You may have initially listed your cozy Cape Cod for $200,000, but a serious foundational issue could torpedo the sale—or cost you an extra $10,000 (5% of your sale price!). As the buyer, an inspection that comes back with a series of issues could work in your favor since you can use them to negotiate a lower price or have the seller fix them before you move in—or it could completely turn you away.

Pittsburgh Home Sellers During Quarantine: What to Think About Now

Pittsburgh Home Sellers During Quarantine: What to Think About Now

For the better part of a year, we have been planning our move from Squirrel Hill to Swissvale, which will include selling the house we’ve called “home” for the last four years. We analyzed every variable, made a detailed list of projects to complete, consulted many contractors and lined up the “perfect plan” to list our house between March 15th and May 1st. My dream was “to list the house when the tulips bloom!” We certainly didn’t take a global pandemic into consideration, and we expected to have more time to plan for a “backup plan”!

Thriving as a Homeowner During the Coronavirus Outbreak: Navigating Mortgages, Renovations, and More

Thriving as a Homeowner During the Coronavirus Outbreak: Navigating Mortgages, Renovations, and More

Whether you bought your home two weeks ago or two years ago, there’s nothing quite like your mortgage statement arriving in the mail to remind you how significant your responsibility is as a homeowner right now. Here are some of the more pressing questions homeowners may be wrestling with.

Navigating Pittsburgh Real Estate During the Coronavirus Outbreak: Guidance for Homeowners, Buyers, and Sellers

Navigating Pittsburgh Real Estate During the Coronavirus Outbreak: Guidance for Homeowners, Buyers, and Sellers

Like many of our neighbors, partners, and clients, we understand your world has been turned upside down and you’re left with a lot of questions from the Coronavirus pandemic. Overnight, we have found ourselves homeschooling, reinventing the in-person aspects of our job, and juggling logistics of a complicated move ourselves. We may not have all the answers right now, but we have hope in each other.

What to Look for in the Perfect Realtor: 5 Traits

As Pittsburgh realtors, we’ve helped people buy and sell homes all over the Steel City. Though we’re experienced at it now, we still remember how we felt when we bought our first home years ago. Like many first-time home buyers, we were nervous, scared, and excited. Because of this, we do everything we can to be the best realtors possible.

8 Inexpensive Ways to Increase Your Home's Value

It’s fun and easy to dream about a home’s potential before you move in. (I’m definitely guilty when it comes to over-ambitious Pinterest boards!) But when you actually get into your house, it can be a challenge to decide which upgrades to make within the reality of a budget. Whether you’re looking for ideas to customize your home into something more “you,” or deciding which projects will give you the highest ROI before you list on the market, here are some low-cost, high-impact ideas to consider.