Raleigh Real Estate Podcast with Scott Hoffman
81 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingIf you are looking to buy or sell a home, get all the information and the latest updates, tips, and tricks from Hoffman Realty Group - your professional Raleigh Real Estate Agents.
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Episodes
Special Invitation for You
March 24, 2022 16:53 VideoHere are all the details about our upcoming event at Pullen Park in Raleigh. Some of our favorite annual events are our Pullen Park get-togethers. We hold one in the spring and summer, and the spring edition for 2022 is coming up. Join us at Pullen Park shelter #3 on April 23 from noon to 2 p.m. We’ll have Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q, free giveaways, and lots of fun. Pullen Park is located at 520 Ashe Ave in Raleigh. You can RSVP here. If you have any questions about the event or re...
Should You Get an Equity Analysis?
March 10, 2022 00:00 VideoYou want to get an equity analysis, even if you’re not selling soon. Today we’ll talk about why an equity analysis is important, even if you’re not considering selling. Home equity is the current value of your home minus your mortgage balance. Equity is wealth being built up by price appreciation and mortgage principal reduction. An equity analysis is an estimation of the current value of your home in today’s market. It’s important to know the equity in your home for the following reason...
3 Places You Can Live After You Sell
February 24, 2022 00:00 VideoThree solutions if you’re worried about where you will go after you sell. We’re experiencing an unprecedented seller’s market. So where do you go when your home sells? Homes are selling with multiple offers far above list price, and sellers are maximizing the value they’re getting out of their homes. A lot of people want to sell but worry about where they will go afterward. You should always check with your lender first and see if you can qualify to buy your new home before you sell your...
9 Ways To Win in a Seller’s Market
February 11, 2022 00:00 VideoDiscussing nine ways buyers can gain an advantage in this tough market. It’s no secret that this market is tough for buyers. If you’re looking to purchase a home, what can you do to get ahead? Today I want to go over nine ways you can gain a competitive advantage in our current market: 1. Be prepared to offer over the list price. Unfortunately, this is just the reality of our market. Inventory is low, and sellers are at an advantage. Offering more might hurt, but you’ll be glad you did o...
We’re Searching for Talent
January 27, 2022 00:00 VideoWe’re giving a $100 gift card to anyone who helps our team find new talent. The Hoffman Realty Group is on a search for talent. There’s no one better to reach out to than all of our friends and family who we’ve helped. If you know anybody who might be interested in pursuing a career in real estate, please let us know. Our ideal candidate would be someone motivated, goal-oriented, and with the heart of a servant. As our way of saying thanks, we’ll send you a $100 Amazon gift card for each ...
What’s the Best Way To Find Your Home’s Value?
January 11, 2022 00:00 VideoHere’s how CMAs can get you a more accurate value for your home. No two homes are alike, so how do you determine what a home is worth? This is where competitive market analyses come in, and we’d like to explain them to you today. A CMA is a side-by-side comparison of homes for sale and homes that have recently been sold. This process takes many important details into account such as neighborhood, neighbors, baths, lot size, and any unique feature of your home. The purpose is to find a r...
Meet Sarah Balaban, a New Agent to Our Team
December 28, 2021 00:00 VideoLet us introduce the newest member of our team, Sarah Balaban. Today we wanted to introduce you to our new team member: Sarah Balaban! We’re excited to have her on the team, and we wanted to ask her a few questions. Tell us a bit about yourself. I was born in Virginia Beach, and I grew up in Johnston County in central North Carolina. I’ve spent most of my life along the coast in Virginia and North Carolina. For the last 10 years, I’ve lived in Kill Devil Hills with my husband and two so...
Happy Holidays!
November 29, 2021 18:48 VideoFrom our team to your family, we want to wish you a happy holiday season. Happy holidays to you! The holiday season has officially arrived. We hope you enjoy this wonderful time of year and make some fantastic memories. We wanted to take a moment to thank you for your continued support. We love helping people make their real estate dreams come true, so thank you for working with us and supporting our business. This may be a busy time of year, but we are always here to help you and answe...
Buyers and Sellers Should Avoid These Mistakes
November 29, 2021 18:48 VideoHere are nine mistakes buyers and sellers should avoid in this market. Are you looking to buy or sell a home? Both are exciting processes, but there are a lot of pitfalls you can stumble into if you aren’t careful. That’s why today we want to go over nine common mistakes buyers and sellers should avoid in this market: 1. Overpricing your home. Just because we’re in a seller’s market doesn’t mean you can price your home however you want. 2. Underbidding on your dream house. Just a few th...
Thank you for your support
November 18, 2021 00:25 VideoFriends, The 2021 holiday season has officially begun! We hope you are as excited as we are. We’d like to take a moment to express our gratitude to all of you this Thanksgiving. We have met some truly wonderful people, and we’re proud to have helped so many reach their real estate goals over the years. We wouldn’t be where we are today without all of your support. Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner—that’s what we plan to do! In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if...
3 Ways To Buy and Sell at the Same Time
November 04, 2021 00:25 VideoIf you need to sell and buy at the same time, you have three options. Today’s hot seller’s market means many homeowners are jumping in to capitalize on growing demand. However, you still need a place to live after you sell your property. Today we’ll discuss the three ways you can buy and sell at the same time. Before you start, review your finances and get pre-approved by a lender. This will help you know exactly how much you can afford and how much equity from your current home you can u...
What Not To Do During the Lending Process
October 08, 2021 00:25 VideoHere are five things you shouldn’t do during the loan approval process. Buying a home is exciting, but don’t let the excitement get in the way of the loan process. If you don’t have your ducks in a row, your mortgage approval could be delayed, and that could lead to you missing out on the home altogether. That’s why today I want to go over what not to do during the loan process: 1. Don’t apply for new credit. Your credit can be pulled at any time up until closing day. Any changes could a...
We Always Recommend Home Inspections
September 21, 2021 00:25 VideoHere are four reasons to always order an inspection when buying a home. I’ve been in the real estate industry for the last 26 years, and one of the most important things a homebuyer can do is get a home inspection before buying a property. Here are the four reasons why it’s critical to get a home inspection on any home you’re buying: 1. Learn about the home. This is a huge investment, so you want to know as much as possible before you finalize the purchase. “ You want to make sure you ca...
Introducing Our Newest Team Member
September 08, 2021 00:25 VideoHere’s a short introduction to our newest team member, Brad Kleman. Today I’m introducing our newest team member, Brad Kleman. You’ll be seeing a lot of him! Brad grew up on the Outer Banks and began his career in the golf industry, then went into retail management for about 10 years before getting into the real estate business. Brad can offer a five-star customer experience to our clients because he grew up around here and knows the area very well. His background in customer service, re...
3 Reasons Why We Aren’t In a Housing Bubble
August 23, 2021 00:25 VideoI explain why today’s market is definitely not a housing bubble. Is this a housing bubble? It’s such a common question nowadays, but the answer is firmly no. There are three main reasons I think this: 1. We’re currently seeing a supply shortage. Nationally we’re seeing 1.9 months of supply where six months is the standard for a balanced market. 2. Housing demand is at an all-time high. This is due to the improving economy and the incredibly low interest rates. It’s a good time for people...
Options for Sellers Who Haven’t Bought Yet
August 10, 2021 00:25 VideoHere are the options for homeowners who need to buy and sell in this market. The biggest concern for home sellers in this market is being able to find their next property. If you’re also worried about that, you should know that you have multiple options. One of them is negotiating with the buyer of your home to see if they’d be willing to rent the home back to you for a short period of time. Another option is to negotiate an extended closing date on the contract. Both of these give you mo...
We’re Expanding!
July 29, 2021 00:25 VideoI’m excited to share our team’s latest announcement: we’re expanding! I have some very exciting news to share today. I’ve been in the real estate business in the Triangle area for 26 years, and I hope to do it for many more. However, we’re expanding to the Outer Banks area, so I’ll also be affiliated with a company called Keller Willaims Outer banks Realty. I’m thrilled to offer this to my clients and serve both areas. The Outer Banks is a beautiful place that I call my second home. We’r...
What Is Important to Sellers in a Multiple-Offer Situation?
July 13, 2021 00:25 VideoIn today’s competitive market, what do sellers find important in an offer? This is the craziest seller’s market I’ve seen in my 26 years of doing business. If you’re planning to buy a home, you need to know how to make your offer appeal to the seller so that you have a better chance of getting yours accepted. There are a few basic and more innovative strategies you can try in order to catch a seller’s eye: 1. Offer a price above the listing price. Sellers want to see a strong, nonrefundab...
How To Meet Offer Deadlines
June 24, 2021 21:25 VideoAlways make sure you know if a property has an offer deadline. Today I’m talking about offer deadlines. What are they and what do they mean? You’ll often see offer deadlines on listings that say, “We’re taking offers up until X date for consideration by the seller.” In many cases, especially in this crazy seller’s market, homes are going on the market for only a couple of days, sometimes not even that long, and they’re selling above list price and with significant non-refundable due dilig...
What’s So Great About Home Warranties?
June 08, 2021 00:00 VideoHere’s why everyone should have a home warranty on their home. Last year in July, I purchased my dream property in the Outer Banks, and in the first month that I owned it, I racked up over $1,200 worth of HVAC bills from just two calls to my home. That was a lot of money, and I hadn’t even owned the home a full month yet! It was at that time I decided to contact a home warranty representative and arranged to put a warranty on my home for just $67 a month. The warranty covers all the major ...
2 Solutions for Simultaneous Buyers and Sellers
May 24, 2021 00:00 VideoHere’s some advice for buying your next home while selling your current one It’s a common problem in today’s market: Homeowners are eager to sell, but they’re concerned about what comes next because the home-buying market is so competitive. Today I have two way to deal with this situation that might be helpful to you: 1. Speak with a lender and try to qualify to buy your new home without selling. This would allow you to be much more competitive as a homebuyer while also giving you the pea...
How Buyers Deal With Appraisal Issues
May 10, 2021 00:00 VideoHere’s how buyers can deal with appraisal issues in our market. What kind of challenges do appraisal issues bring up in a seller’s market like ours? One of the most common things I’m seeing in our seller’s market is the requirement of buyers to sign an appraisal addendum when negotiating. With properties usually selling above list price, the probability of a home not appraising is very high. By signing an appraisal addendum, the buyer is basically saying they realize they’re paying above ...
What Makes It A Seller’s Market?
April 12, 2021 13:39 VideoWe go over the main points to define what a seller’s market is. Today we’re going to talk about what a seller’s market is. A seller’s market generally favors the home seller. It means that the supply of homes is thin and there’s not enough inventory to meet the buyer demand. What are the signs of a seller’s market? Homes selling over asking price, multiple offer bids, bidding wars, and low inventory all indicate that we’re in a seller’s market. What does it mean for a seller? You’ll like...
Which Type of Offer Should You Submit?
April 12, 2021 13:39 VideoWhat’s the difference between a cash offer and a financed offer? In today’s market, buyers are either submitting cash offers or financed offers to purchase homes. But what’s the difference? When it comes to getting your offer accepted, sellers and listing agents will look at your ability to complete the transaction, which includes looking at whether you’re offering cash or you’re using financing to buy the home. Paying with cash is ideal for sellers since you as a buyer won’t have to go...
Why Is a Strong Due Diligence Amount So Important?
March 29, 2021 13:23 VideoA strong due diligence amount means a stronger offer. A great way to become a better buyer in this environment is to have a strong due diligence amount in your offer. This shows sellers that you have skin in the game, and that the likelihood of you completing the transaction is much higher than a competing offer with a smaller due diligence amount. It also gives them the peace of mind they need to proceed with the next steps of their moving process. “While the due diligence amount isn’...
7 Tips for Selecting the Right Mover
March 16, 2021 15:33 VideoHere are seven tips to help you hire the right mover for your home. Selecting a mover can be challenging in today’s fast-paced market, so today we have just a few tips to help you pick the right one: 1. Obtain and compare written estimates from multiple movers. This estimate should be based on a personal inspection of your household goods compared to an online or phone estimate. I can’t stress enough how important this is. A lot of movers try to avoid this step; don’t let them! 2. Make s...
8 Tips to Help Buyers Compete
March 01, 2021 14:39 VideoHere are a few tips to help buyers compete in our market. You’ve probably heard that the Triangle real estate market is currently experiencing record-low inventory. That means it will be extremely challenging for buyers to bid on a new home. Here are some tips to best position you to win when competing in this tricky market: 1. Get pre-approved. This must be your starting point if you want to be competitive. A pre-approval letter tells the seller that you’ve done your homework and that yo...
What 5 Things Can Help or Hurt Your Credit the Most?
February 16, 2021 17:56 VideoHere’s what makes up your credit score and how it can either hurt or help you. There are five key components that determine your overall credit score or rating. Here’s a rundown on each of them and how they can hurt or help your score: 1. Payment history. This composes 35% of your score and reflects whether you have made payments on time or not. Missing payments or late payments will harm this part of your score. 2. Credit utilization. This is 30% of your score. It’s a measure of the amo...
Have You Heard of Dave Ramsey’s “Baby Steps”?
February 02, 2021 15:36 VideoHere are Dave Ramsey’s seven steps to help you get financial freedom. One of my favorite talk radio shows is the Dave Ramsey Show. For those of you who don’t know who Dave Ramsey is, he teaches people how to get out of debt and build wealth for their future. One of his favorite sayings is, “If you live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.” The fundamental system that he’s created is called the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps, which are designed to set you up for a future like no o...
Introducing the Newest Member of Hoffman Realty Group
January 18, 2021 14:22 VideoSpencer Walker is a recent college grad and the newest member of our team. I’d like to introduce all of you to our newest team member, Spencer Walker, who is joining me in today’s video. Spencer is from Hillsborough and a recent college grad who has just joined our team. His grandmother worked in real estate while he was growing up, and the business really piqued his interest from there. His philosophy is that honesty means everything and he treats all his clients like friends and family s...
Goals vs. Resolutions
January 05, 2021 15:22 VideoHere’s why you should set goals instead of resolutions. We’re officially into 2021, which means many of us have made resolutions such as losing weight, quitting smoking, etc. This, however, is the wrong way to do it. You should be setting goals, not resolutions. With resolutions, there are no consequences if you don’t achieve them. They’re merely things you wish would happen, and wishing doesn’t work nearly as well as being purposeful in life. How do you set a proper goal? A goal needs t...
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
December 15, 2020 14:36 VideoMay your 2020 holiday season be a bright one! Today I’m taking a break from my typical real estate content to simply wish you a very merry Christmas, a joyous holiday season, and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2021. I know 2020 was a very challenging year for a lot of us, but at least I can say that I’ve never been happier to greet a new year! When I think about all the great tools and talented people we’ve added to our team to provide you with the best experience possible, it’s easy to ...
The Top 5 Reasons Now Is a Great Time to Sell
December 01, 2020 14:50 VideoThere are five main reasons why the holidays are a great time to sell. With the holiday season underway, here are the top five reasons now is a great time to consider putting your home on the market: 1. Lack of competition. We’ve been in an extreme seller’s market with low inventory in the Triangle area for about two years, and as the holiday season revs up, inventory is even lower. That means you can make your home stand out to more buyers, which gives you a strong chance of selling quic...
The Hoffman Realty Group Wishes You a Happy Thanksgiving
November 16, 2020 18:09 VideoAs Thanksgiving approaches, we want to show our gratitude for your support. We wanted to take a moment to say thank you. We truly appreciate your business and we’re grateful for the trust you’ve placed in us. We value this trust and confidence in our team, and we sincerely appreciate your support. At this time of Thanksgiving celebrations, our thoughts turn gratefully to you with warmth and appreciation. To hear our full Thanksgiving message, watch the short video above.
How Can You Help the Triangle Spokes Group?
November 03, 2020 20:07 VideoLet’s help the Triangle Spokes Group give back to families in need. The season of giving is upon us, and with that in mind, I want to introduce you to a local charity that’s well worth your time and attention: the Triangle Spokes Group. This charity is a nonprofit founded and run by Ashley Wilson and Jenn Nowalk, two very good friends of mine. It distributes new bicycles and helmets to less fortunate families during the holiday season. 100% of their proceeds go directly to the bikes and ch...
Is It Worth It to Sell to an iBuyer?
October 20, 2020 19:26 VideoHere’s the truth behind what you actually get when selling to an iBuyer. You may have seen the commercials for various “iBuyers” out there who are advertising a quick home sale with convenience and a cash offer. It might seem too good to be true, and that’s because it is. iBuyers offer speed and convenience, but you’ll pay for it. The price they’re willing to offer you is going to be a great deal less than your home’s market value, or the value of your home if it were to be sold traditiona...
Is Our Real Estate Market Seasonal?
October 05, 2020 19:32 VideoHere’s why the Raleigh market isn’t seasonal like so many others. I get questions about the real estate market all the time. The one I’ve been hearing most lately is, “It’s getting late in the year, should I just wait until next February to list my home for sale?” The answer is a resounding NO because Raleigh is not a seasonal market. There are three reasons why: 1. Strong long-term projections. This means there is going to be a constant influx of people because businesses are growing, m...
What Are Some Big Homebuyer No-Nos?
September 22, 2020 19:25 VideoHere are the ten most common buyer mistakes we see today. So you’re ready to buy the house of your dreams; what home-buying mistakes should you avoid? First off, if you’re getting a loan, you shouldn’t change jobs, as it can greatly impact the lender’s decision on whether to give you a loan at all. Also, if you’re planning to buy appliances and furniture for your new home, don’t actually make those purchases in the midst of the home-buying process. Along those same lines, you shouldn’t...
What Should You Avoid Doing When Listing Your Home?
September 09, 2020 19:40 VideoThere are eight mistakes you must avoid as a home seller. Here are the eight things you must avoid doing if you want to sell your home quickly and for top dollar: 1. Neglect curb appeal. The first impression is a lasting impression, so when visiting buyers pull up to the curb and walk toward your house, it has to show its very best. 2. Overprice the home. You can prevent this by having your agent do a market analysis for your home to determine its current market value and calculate a re...
How PMI Works (and How You Can Leave It in the Dust)
August 25, 2020 15:08 VideoHere’s everything you need to know about PMI and how you can get rid of it. Like other kinds of mortgage insurance, private mortgage insurance (commonly referred to as PMI) is designed to protect the lender—not you—if you stop making payments on your loan for whatever reason. Though arranged by the lender, PMI is provided by private insurance companies and is usually required when you have a conventional loan and make a down payment less than 20% of the home’s purchase price. As a new ho...
Our Johnston County Market Update
August 10, 2020 19:50 VideoToday I’m sharing an update on the Johnston County real estate market. It’s been a wild year, but I wanted to provide great news about our market. Here are the numbers from this time in 2019 compared with what we’re seeing today, and the percentage of increase: This time in 2019 | Today | Percentage of change Units for sale: 3,039 | 3,067 | 0.9% increase Closed sales: 2,426 | 2,565 | 5.7% increase Average sale price: $232,500 | $247,900 | 6.6% increase Percentage of list price: 99...
Q: What’s Going on in Wake County Real Estate?
July 27, 2020 13:27 VideoHere’s how the first half of 2020 compared to the first half of 2019. It’s been one of the wildest years of all of our lives, but today I want to give you a quick update on what the Wake County real estate market is currently doing. The numbers might surprise you. We had 13,739 new listings in the first seven months of in 2019, and that number dropped to 12,700 units so far in 2020. This isn’t surprising, given people’s fear of putting their homes on the market during a global pandemic. ...
10 Tips Sellers Should Follow to Wow Buyers
July 13, 2020 10:05 VideoHere’s what sellers can do to ensure their home leaves a wonderful first impression on buyers. As a seller, you naturally want to sell your home quickly and for as much money as possible. Following these 10 tips will help you go a long way toward that goal: 1. Improve your landscaping. Look at your home through the eyes of a buyer who’s just driven up to it for the first time; is it welcoming? Is the yard well-kempt, bushes trimmed, and flower beds mulched? 2. Clean the outside of your ...
Q: What Is a Market Analysis?
June 30, 2020 19:13 VideoA market analysis can help determine the value of your home. What is a market analysis? This is when a real estate agent helps you determine the market value of your home. They’ll come to your house, take a look at its features, then work on the numbers. While it’s not an appraisal, it does give you a reference point for ascertaining the price at which you should list your property. A market analysis takes into account the active, closed, pending, and under contract properties based on s...
Why Getting a Pre-Approval Is So Important for Buyers
June 12, 2020 12:44 VideoPre-approval can be a game-changer in a fast-paced market, and here’s why. Here in the Triangle area, we’re operating in a seller’s market, which means that there’s a lot more competition, and the chances of you as a buyer finding yourself in a multiple-offer scenario are high. Here’s why we advise buyers to get pre-approved as soon as possible in a market like this: 1. Peace of mind. Doing your homework upfront allows you to get a recommended price to focus on as you shop for your next ...
How Our Triangle Market Is Faring Amid COVID-19
June 02, 2020 19:14 VideoIt may surprise you, but the Triangle market is doing well amid COVID-19. How is the Triangle housing market faring during the pandemic? It might surprise you, but our real estate market is doing fairly well. While listings decreased by 3.5% in April, closed sales for the year have increased by 6.9%. The median sales price is up 5.6% from 2019. The average sale price has increased by 5.2% compared to 2019. The number of people receiving list price for their homes is up .2% year over year...
8 Ways to Help Others During COVID-19
May 20, 2020 18:35 VideoToday we’re discussing eight ways you can help others during the pandemic. The first one is simple: Check on your neighbors. Give them a call, or shoot them a text. Ask how they’re doing and if they need anything. Interacting with people right now is crucial, and your neighbors will likely appreciate it. To hear my other suggestions, watch the short video above.
How Can You Stay Positive During These Times?
May 08, 2020 14:06 VideoThese are trying times for everyone, and we’re all looking for ways to keep ourselves occupied so as to not let negativity rent out the space in our heads. That’s why today I’ll share nine tips for staying positive as this pandemic continues. First, limit your intake of daily news. Take 15, 30, or 45 minutes to get the information you need and then shut off the newsfeed for the day. Second, look to the past to find hope. To learn all nine tips to keep a healthy and positive attitude, watch ...
Great Shows to Watch (or Re-watch) While Social Distancing
April 17, 2020 21:03 VideoInstead of talking about real estate today, I want to share a list of my favorite TV shows that you can binge-watch and use to escape a little bit during this hectic time. My all-time favorite show is “The Sopranos” on HBO. I absolutely loved “Dallas” growing up, too. Do you remember where you were when J.R. got shot? To hear my full list of great TV shows that you can binge-watch during quarantine, watch this short video above.
Fun Ideas for Keeping Busy at Home
April 10, 2020 15:57 VideoAs I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, being stuck at home can be a little boring, so I’m passing along some fun ideas for spending all this time at home. Why not take advantage of really cool technologies like Facebook and Zoom to keep in touch with loved ones and friends? Perhaps you could use the calming touch of Mother Nature; so long as you abide by distancing guidelines, you can certainly go for a walk and enjoy the outdoors. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but have yo...