Experience counts

Experience does count when it comes to buying and selling homes. Like us, you've seen homes that are "for sale by owner" languish on the market for a long time.

Via Flickr: Casey Serin

In 2009, a typical property without professional assistance sold for $172,000 compared with $215,000 for the typical agent-assisted property. Sellers are more likely to generate competitive bids by working with a professional.

Today’s market challenges are prompting more sellers to work with a real estate agent than ever before.

According to the National Association of Realtors® 2009 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, “for-sale-by-owner” transactions dropped to a record low 11 percent. And in almost half of those sales, the owners sold their home to someone they already knew.

Navigating the increasingly complex real estate transaction is much easier when sellers have professional help. The decline in unrepresented sellers indicates a growing awareness of how complicated the current market is.
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To find your perfect vintage home, or any great home in Tulare County, call Ruben Olguin, (559) 280-9384, or Vincent Ingrao, (559) 799-9165, to see the best on the market.

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More than anyone, sellers understand how tough this market has been over the past few years. The drop in for-sale-by-owner transactions illustrates the value consumers place on Realtors® as the first, best source for real estate information and insights – they know that Realtors® can help them reach their real estate goals.

Today’s sellers must compete not only with their fellow homeowners who are selling, but also with the increased inventory of distressed properties offered in short sales or foreclosures. In addition, unrepresented sellers face myriad marketing disadvantages.

Remodeling a vintage kitchen

By Carrol Wagner - Preservation of old homes is a favorite conversation of owners of vintage homes but rarely do you hear talk about a kitchen restored to its former glory.  These beautiful historical homes we have grown to love and appreciate, did not have the kind of kitchens we expect today.  Historical kitchens today are antiquated, inefficient and poorly laid out.

Via Flickr: Abbey Hendrickson

In a typical prewar model, kitchens were work areas plain and simple.  Everything in the kitchens were freestanding from the huge cast iron stove, the sink on porcelain legs, the icebox and a table that doubled as a workspace.

Those that were modernized in the 1950s, '60s, or '70s often held even less appeal than the ones before. The countertop, flooring, and ceiling materials in them were no match visually as the hardwoods, linoleum's, and metals they replaced. Appliances were disappointing at best with their dismal colors.

Today, we want to capture the flavor of the kitchens we imagine our great-grandparents loved and enjoyed. Homey, warmth and filled with the aroma of good cooking. Fortunately, replicating the mood of a vintage kitchen in an existing space has never been easier. As demand for kitchen accessories with a patina of age has grown, so has the availability of period materials.

Keys to a great custom estate

Lots available in Elderwood for private estates.

One of the appeals of building your dream home away from the hustle and bustle of city life is the opportunity to add your personal style to every element of the home and property.

There's nothing cookie cutter about a private estate. It really is a blank canvass. And if that is what you are looking for, there are many great sites for that dream home of your own.

But building a custom home, especially away from the city presents its own unique set of challenges. Here are some of the things you will want to consider when building a home from scratch:

Location: As with any real estate decision, location is a key factor. Not only will it be a determining consideration of value now, but also well into the future. When building on acreage outside of the city be sure you know what other development may be planned for the future. In our area you will want to know what kind of farm activity is in the vicinity, and if there are plans for change or expansion.

Site improvements: Is the site ready for construction? How much will it cost to prepare it for construction and the other improvements you will need to make it acceptable to you? You will likely want to consult a contractor as part of your buying decision.

Topography: Part of what it will take the make the site construction ready will depend on its topography. But you will also want to consider the topography for other reasons. Depending on the elevation, rain or snow may become a factor in your happiness with the site. Hilltop sites are susceptible to breezes and gusts of wind. Sites on flatland near row crops can also be subject to dusty breezes. Imagine what it will be to live on site through all the seasons.

There are many other considerations we would be happy to walk you through. There are plenty of open sites to choose from, so give us a call. Call Ruben Olguin (559) 280-9384, or Vincent Ingrao (559) 799-9165.