Shreveport-Bossier City Homes and Lifestyle

Social distancing is something we are all used to right now—both to protect your health and the health of the people in your community. And with social distancing in full swing, searching for a home in the traditional sense—including going to tour homes in person—is getting put on the back burner.

But just because you can’t see homes in person doesn’t mean your home search has to suffer! A recent article from realtor.com outlined tips for conducting a virtual house hunt that’s just as good as the real thing, including:

• Look for red flags in listing photos. You don’t want to waste your time virtually touring homes that aren’t going to be the right fit. When going through a listing, look for red flags that might indicate that a listing isn’t what it seems—and isn’t worth your time (for example, photos that are stretched in an effort to make the room look bigger, or a complete lack of photos of the home’s interior).

• Ask your real estate agent to go into detail during virtual tours. Thanks to technology like Zoom or FaceTime, your agent can take you on a virtual tour of potential properties. But video doesn’t catch all the small details you would catch if you were physically in the space (like the finishes on cabinets, or crown molding on the ceiling)—so make sure to ask your agent to talk you through those details.

• Check out the neighborhood. There are a ton of interactive map tools on the internet that will give you insights into a potential home’s neighborhood—so make sure you use them.

Bottom line? If you’re looking for a home right now, you’re going to have to get creative with your home search. But with a little creativity, technology, and patience, there’s no reason your virtual home search can’t be just as effective as a traditional search!

**Ryan Wheeler is an expert real estate agent and military veteran serving buyers and sellers of homes in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.  Connect With Me Here

Barksdale AFB Spouses Movers Group | Facebook

If you’re thinking of becoming an agent, read this article and consider yourself “told”. There’s probably a lot of experienced agents who’ll nod their heads in agreement as they read this, wishing they knew before they began. But at the same time, they got through it and you can too! Being aware and prepared for these things will only make it easier.

1. It’s going to hurt when someone doesn’t use you as an agent:

And boy does it hurt. It could be a close family member buying or selling a home, or the guy from your high school math class you never spoke to but are friends with on Facebook. Regardless of how close you are, there’s a feeling of “what didn’t I do” that sits in your gut when you hear they bought or sold a house with another agent. (And it lingers for a long time! Maybe even forever…)

2. You have to step out of (or dive deeper into) your comfort zone:

Family and friends may be a good source of business (initially), but eventually you’ll need to branch out. This can play out in a variety of ways, but at the end of the day, the agent who knows and talks to the most people will reign supreme.

One much-touted approach is to join a new club or get a new hobby. Joining a club like Rotary, small-business associations, or community outreach groups can all lead to new avenues for business. These aren’t bad approaches, especially if you’re someone who enjoys networking, but if you’re not, joining and ingraining yourself into one of these groups can be daunting.

Which leads us to the other option: Dive deeper into your comfort zone. Maybe it’s a hobby you like, or something that gets you excited. Whatever “your thing” is, do something to gather other like-minded individuals in one place. Join or form your own association or club. This can be online or in person. Organize meetups or virtual events. Hang out and do what you love with other like-minded people. Real estate will come up naturally, and over time you’ll create a pipeline of business that will continue to grow.

3. You’ll never know everything there is to know about this business (and that’s okay):

You come out of licensing classes armed with all sorts of knowledge—knowledge you’ll never even use for the most part. Learning the stuff you truly need to know begins when you dive into the business, and it never really ends.

At first, you feel like you need to learn how to simply talk to clients, or show them a house. Then, as you start getting the hang of that, you start to wonder if you’ll ever figure out how to write up a contract when the time comes. And then you start worrying about how you’ll repeat it all again and again. How are you supposed to find more clients?! Which leads to learning many more things…

Eventually, you become comfortable with those basics (which don’t feel so “basic” at first), and you realize there’s even deeper dives to take, like into the art of negotiating or running a small business, for example. It never ends. And that’s okay.

**Ryan Wheeler is an expert real estate agent and military veteran serving buyers and sellers of homes in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.  Connect With Me Here

Barksdale AFB Spouses Movers Group | Facebook

Low inventory and high demand are causing unprecedented competition for homes across the country. And that competition is sending prices upward—and, often, well past the asking price.

According to data outlined in a recent article from REALTOR® Magazine, 51 percent of homes are selling above asking price. That’s up from 26 percent a year ago—and the highest percent of homes selling above asking price on record.

And with homes selling at such a premium, many sellers are expecting their homes to sell above asking price. According to the data outlined in the article, nearly one in four sellers (24 percent) expect their home to sell for more than their asking price—and 29 percent plan to ask buyers to pay more than what they believe their home is worth.

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? If you’ve been thinking about selling your home, now is a great time to put it on the market—because whatever price you list your home at, there’s a good chance that you’ll ultimately sell it for more.

**Ryan Wheeler is an expert real estate agent and military veteran serving buyers and sellers of homes in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.  Connect With Me Here

Barksdale AFB Spouses Movers Group | Facebook

When you sell your home, you want it to sell quickly and profitably. And if selling quickly and profitably is the goal, now is definitely a great time to sell.

According to data from the National Association of REALTORS®, in April 2021, a whopping 88 percent of homes in the United States were on the market for less than a month. On average, homes stayed on the market for just 17 days—down from 27 days in April 2020. And not only are homes selling incredibly fast—they’re also selling for incredibly high prices. In April 2021, the median existing-home price in the US hit $341,600. That’s a 19.1 percent increase from April 2020—and the highest median home price on record.

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? Homes are selling faster and at a higher premium than ever before—so if you’ve been thinking about selling your home, now is a great time to make a move.

**Ryan Wheeler is an expert real estate agent and military veteran serving buyers and sellers of homes in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.  Connect With Me Here

Barksdale AFB Spouses Movers Group | Facebook

More people than ever are buying homes without ever actually touring them in person. And while this can be a great way to find a home in today’s competitive market if you’re planning to relocate, you also have to be careful to make sure you end up with a home that’s the right fit for you.

So how, exactly, do you do that?

A recent video from realtor.com outlined the most important tips to keep in mind if you’re planning to buy a house sight unseen, including:

• Ask plenty of questions. Asking questions about a property is always an important part of the home buying process—but it’s especially important if you don’t have the opportunity to see the property in person. If there are any questions you have about the home or anything you’re unclear about (for example, if you can’t get a sense of the bathroom layout and want to see more photos, or you don’t know how many electrical outlets are in the kitchen), make sure to ask! The more questions you ask, the better you’ll get to know the property—and the better you’ll be able to make a decision on whether it’s the right home for you.

• Take advantage of technology. Technology like virtual tours (to get a feel for the home) and Google Street View (to get a feel for the neighborhood) are hugely helpful when you’re considering buying a property you’ve never seen in person—so make sure to take advantage of them.

• Hire the right local agent. When you’re buying a home sight unseen, your real estate agent will act as your eyes and ears—so picking the right agent is crucial. When you’re evaluating agents, read their reviews online—and before you decide to work for someone, make sure to do your research to make sure they’re the right agent for you (for example, by asking to speak to references, or for information about their sales volume or neighborhoods they specialize in).

**Ryan Wheeler is an expert real estate agent and military veteran serving buyers and sellers of homes in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.  Connect With Me Here

Barksdale AFB Spouses Movers Group | Facebook