Cheryl Karr - Your Solid Source Realty Agent

  As many Americans struggle to make appointments for COVID-19 vaccines, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a plan to help more people get vaccinated. Zuckerberg announced in a Facebook post early Monday that the social media giant is launching a tool in its COVID Information Center that shows "when and where you can get vaccinated, and gives you a link to make an appointment." Facebook is partnering with Boston Children’s Hospital, which runs the VaccineFinder.org website, to offer the tool that identifies places nearby to get the vaccine. “Improving vaccine access and equity across the country will be a critical step in achieving herd immunity and bringing this pandemic to a close,” John Brownstein, Boston Children’s Hospital chief innovation officer and VaccineFinder founder, said in a statement. According to USA TODAY's vaccine tracker, which is frequently updated, as of Sunday, about 21% of people in the U.S. have received at least one COVID-19 shot ...

  Typically, home sellers wait for a potential buyer to make an offer and then allow the buyer to pay for an inspection of the home before the transaction closes. But that could cause a lengthier closing process and negotiations over repair costs. As such, some home sellers are considering a pre-listing home inspection to try to resolve any potential hang-ups before they list that could hamper their closing. This can help many sellers who have tight deadlines to meet if they’re purchasing a new property themselves. Home sellers who do a pre-listing inspection will have a home inspector review their home and suggest any repairs that may need to be made in advance. “With a home inspection, you will have a much better understanding of any flaws or damage your house has and can price accordingly,” Redfin notes on its blog. “Maybe the house needs a new garage door, or there are issues with leaky pipes. If you decide not to fix the issues revealed durin...

  The valuation of your home will consider a variety of contributing factors. The appraised value will weigh everything from location and demographics to the physical attributes of your home. These are key influences. 1. First is the location. The neighborhood’s location value will be relative to its proximity to area schools, amenities and accessibility to those amenities. A home’s location within the neighborhood can add positive value if it is in a cul-de-sac or on a large lot and does not back up to any main roads. Location value is reinforced if surrounding homes are clean, neat and owner-occupied. 2. Value will be influenced by what upgrades and updates are contributing to making a home more current in quality, energy efficiency and safety. 3. Appraised value is enhanced when a home has been built in the last 20 years because it presents a lower risk for needed repairs and has newer amenities. 4. Buyers will pay higher prices when the design of a home is t...

  Home remodeling has surged since the pandemic began, but many of the projects initially were smaller in scope. That is reversing as homeowners decide to go bigger with their renovation plans and beyond the DIY projects that dominated during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. Homeowners are increasingly undertaking larger remodeling projects, including expanding and rearranging floor plans as they look to create dedicated home offices or increase a home’s functionality, according to the Q4 2020 Kitchen & Bath Market Index, released by the National Kitchen & Bath Association and John Burns Real Estate Consulting. The NKBA projects a 10.7% sales growth for the remodeling industry in 2021. The rising desire for large-scale projects is prompting homeowners to move away from DIY jobs and hiring professionals to do more robust renovations. “We’re seeing an incomparable surge in homeowners looking to rearrange floor plans, tear out...

  Financing and appraisals are the culprits causing the most delays in home sales or terminated contracts, according to the latest REALTORS® Confidence Index survey. With little supply on the market, homes are continuing to sell quickly—typically within 21 days—and are garnering an average of nearly four competing offers, according to the report. Home prices have been rising by double-digit percentages over the past year, which could help explain some of the appraisal issues that are emerging. The REALTORS® Confidence Index survey, conducted by the National Association of REALTORS®, is based on responses from more than 4,000 real estate professionals nationwide about their recent real estate transactions. The latest report reflects responses about January transactions. Sixty-five percent of sale contracts were settled on time, but 29% faced a delay, the survey shows. Only 6% were terminated prior to settlement. The top issues that prompted a delay...

  A paint job does wonders for a tired space and is one of the most affordable and DIY-friendly projects you can take on. And while painting a room is a relatively simple task, that doesn’t mean it’s doesn’t have its challenges. This job requires both patience and precision. If you don’t take the time to do your due diligence, like protecting your space from rogue paint splatters and selecting the right formula, chances are you’ll end up with a botched job that may even look worse than what you started with.    Prepping for your own project? Here’s a breakdown of the most telltale signs of an inexperienced painter, so when you finish up, all you see is a perfect paint job.   1. Your coverage is inconsistent. Though it’s tempting to skip right to the fun stuff — painting that fabulous new color on your walls — priming is extremely important and can alleviate some potential headaches along the way. “Starting with a primer will help ensure your paint ...

  Sales of newly built, single-family homes in January moved 19% higher than a year ago, as home buyers sought more options under a lean number of existing homes for sale. Newly built single-family home sales increased 4.3% last month over December 2020, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 923,000, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau reported Wednesday. “Historically low mortgage rates and solid demand spurred an increase in new home sales in January,” says Chuck Fowke, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders. “However, rising affordability issues are looming this year, particularly increasing building material costs, including lumber, which is adding $24,000 to the price of a typical newly built home. Builders also cite rising regulatory issues as a potential concern.” As existing-home inventory remains at all-time lows, more buyers are considering new home construction, says Robert ...

  When it’s time to sell your home, you may wonder which route to take: partner with a real estate agent or go it alone with FSBO. Which will deliver better results? Here are three reasons you should avoid the FSBO path. The paperwork is daunting : Buyer offers. Real estate contracts. Lender forms. Inspection reports. Closing documents. Not every homeowner is prepared for the piles of paperwork involved in a real estate transaction. Details and deadlines can easily be missed. Bad deals can be made. A real estate agent is familiar with all the documentation involved, will walk the seller through the process, and will handle much of the paperwork required. The process is challenging : Buyers want to see your home when it’s convenient for them. Without an agent to show your home, it’s up to you to make all arrangements for showings. This includes getting your home ready for the market. What work should be done? What’s worth the investment of time and money? An agent...