Over the last two years, homeowners accrued about $21,300 in home equity, $8,700 of which occurred over the past 12 months, according to the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). That’s an average of $10,650 per year, enough to pay back their closing costs and put them almost halfway to eliminating private mortgage insurance they may […]
HomeServices of America, Parent Company to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Is Now the Country’s Largest Real Estate Company for Transactions REAL Trends announced this week that HomeServices of America, parent company of Berkshire Hathaway homeServices, is now the country’s largest residential real estate company based on transactions. The real estate company, which includes 17 Berkshire Hathaway […]
If you’ve heard of Western Minimalism or Japanese KonMari, you know that these are principles that promote happiness through living with fewer possessions and eliminating clutter. These intentional lifestyles allow only items that make you happy and are useful to live in your home. By eliminating clutter, or things that don’t bring you joy, you’ll […]
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) recently released their list of 2018 Annual Award Winners and we have a number of our Great Smokys Realty agents to congratulate! Leading Edge Society: Jay Spiro and Jan Newsome earned the Leading Edge Society award for ranking in the Top 8% of the BHHS network. Honor Society: Sharon Stovall, Bobby […]
We are thrilled to announce that Brandi Hollifield is now the Broker In Charge of our Bryson City Office! “Everyone sees Brandi as vibrant, energetic and compassionate; Colleagues experience Brandi as a leader and motivator; Partners value Brandi for her honesty and integrity,” says Gene Strickland, Broker/Owner of Great Smokys Realty. To congratulate Brandi: (828) […]
You want to buy a home, but first you need to get your finances squared away. You’ll need money for a down payment, for moving and for other costs. How can you get more money in just a few months? Here are three ways that work together as nicely as compound interest. 1. Slow down […]
Watch our Q4 2018 market update for a recap of national and regional trends. See how median home prices, home sale and inventory serve as indicators for our housing market in 2019. As always, feel free to contact one of our real estate professionals for local market data. Thank you for reading our Smoky Mountains Of […]
You’re ready to fall in love with your first home. As you write your wish list, you may find that it grows longer than you’d imagined. You want more living space, a place to do your art and crafts, enough bedrooms to expand your family or accommodate relatives and friends, a separate master suite, and […]
Highlight Your Home’s Strengths & Appeal One of the most important things you can do to prepare your home for sale is to get rid of clutter. The major contributor to a cluttered look is having too much furniture. When professional stagers descend on a home being prepared for market, they often take away as […]
We are presenting your home to the world. When selling your home, we deliver maximum exposure to the right audience. The world’s a big place and, for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ global listing syndication, we will be right where the action is. We reach up to 6 million unique users monthly through New Corp.’s Mansion GlobalWeChat […]
Berkshire Hathaway Ribbon Cutting Transylvania Times – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Great Smokys Realty celebrated its one-year anniversary in the recently constructed, three-story brick building located at 43 S. Broad St. in Brevard. Clients, customers and local businesses alike joined in toasting with their signature drink, Mango Champagne. Serving all of Western North Carolina, Great Smokys […]
There’s something wonderful about winter, even if you live in a warm climate. Like bears in hibernation, we tend to slow down, stay home and relax more often in cooler weather. If you’re shopping for a home or recently purchased a home, these are the best features your new home can offer to help you […]
Red is the go-to color for drama, but it’s also a preferred color for hospitality. You can literally “roll out the red carpet” to make visitors feel welcome to your home. From joy (paint the town red) to love (my love is like a red, red rose) to bravery (red badge of courage), red suggests […]
Mortgage lenders check your credit history before approving a home-buying loan. Your credit scores are crucial to getting the amount you want to borrow at a good interest rate. Your income vs. your debt, your payment history, the length of time you’ve had credit, new credit you’ve opened, and the types of credit you owe […]
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, an HSF Affiliates LLC company, announced that the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices real estate brokerage network ranked “Highest Overall Satisfaction for Repeat Home Buyers Among National Full Service Real Estate Firms” in a tie in the J.D. Power 2018 Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction StudySM. The study, now in its 11th year, measured satisfaction with […]
Winterizing your home is one of the best ways to get comfortable and save energy costs. It’s not too late to get a few projects done before the holidays, so here’s a short weekend list of to-dos to help you. Check the furnace. Typically, a heating system has a heat/cooling source, distribution system, and thermostat, […]
This time of year is scary enough, with monsters and ghouls coming your way for tricks and treats. The last thing you need is for your home to be haunted by odors. Here are four things to keep in mind to ensure your house smells fresh and clean: Stuffiness. Energy-efficient homes lock in odors. Open […]
When you shop for a mortgage loan, you have certain rights that are guaranteed by the federal government’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Knowing your rights will help you get the best loan possible. You have the right to: Receive equal treatment by the lender, so that a credit decision isn’t based on your race, color, […]
Equity is the percentage of market value that you own in your home. Your lender owns the rest, so your goal should be to pay the lender’s share (the principal) down and build your share (equity) up. You don’t need to go to extreme lengths to pay down your mortgage. Just follow these few easy […]
How do you know if you have your home insured for the right amount? Your lender may require insurance to cover the loan amount, but what you owe and actual replacement costs can be vastly different. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), replacement costs are the amount it would take to replace […]
