Tru Advantage Realty Video Blog
52 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago -We are focused on providing you with the best results and service in the industry. We listen carefully to understand your real estate goals and work hard to create solutions that make sense for you. Whether you are new to the market or an experienced investor, we have the expertise, proven track record, and resources to help you achieve your real estate goals.
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Episodes
Home Inspection Basics
March 23, 2021 16:03Home inspections are useful, even though they can’t predict the future. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report Today I’m sharing a few things about home inspections. Home inspections help prevent issues and ensure you buy a home that’s up to standard. However, remember; inspectors don’t have crystal balls—they can’t predict what might go wrong in the future. For example, if you take your car in to get checked, and the mechanic says your...
How Buyers & Sellers Can Navigate This Hot Market
February 25, 2021 20:16In our low-inventory market, here’s how buyers and sellers stack up. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report What’s the latest news from our York County market? To answer that, we want to tell you the story of how one of our sellers sold their home for $35,000 over asking price. They listed the home for $280,000, which means the offer was for $315,000, and it included great terms that allowed them to settle whenever they wanted. They were...
Why It’s So Important for Buyers to Have Financing
February 09, 2021 20:24Today I’m sharing some helpful home financing tips for buyers out there. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report If you’re a homebuyer, it’s essential that you at least have a pre-approval before you go out looking at homes. It’s one of the most important steps of the process. After you’ve saved up for your down payment and made sure your credit is straight, there are still a bunch of other factors that determine how much you’re approved ...
How To Save on Your Home Renovation
January 08, 2021 18:22If you’re selling, here are some financially efficient renovation tips. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report Unfortunately, home renovations don’t always bring a great return on investment; in most cases, you’ll actually lose money. For instance, if you do a major kitchen remodel, you can expect to get back around 70% of your money. A master suite edition will only get you back about 60% of your money. Decks are only slightly better; a ...
Are You Buying and Selling?
December 17, 2020 18:08At the moment, it’s better to sell your current home before buying. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report The real estate market is still very competitive during the holidays, and one thing that’s been helping our buyers get their next home under contract is selling their current house first. "It’s better to put your current home under contract before buying another." Put yourself in the seller’s shoes and imagine that you’ve received ...
What’s the Advantage of Entering the Market Now?
December 01, 2020 16:16This is why the winter months are a smart time to sell a home. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report As the fall season begins to wind down and the holiday season ramps up, the number of available homes on the market can begin to dwindle. This comes from the common misconception that your home is worth more money in the spring and summer because of the increased curb appeal brought on by a well-groomed lawn and beautiful flowers. There ...
Can You Afford More Home in 2020 than in 2019?
November 19, 2020 20:08Data shows that you can afford a more expensive property in 2020 than in 2019. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report With housing prices so high and interest rates so low, will you still get a better deal on a home this year than you would have last year? According to the financial data experts from CoreLogic, home prices have increased by 6.6% on average, or $9,800, even more in some states. At the same time, interest rates have hit r...
How Can You Afford More Home in 2020 than in 2019?
November 19, 2020 20:08Data shows that you can afford a more expensive property in 2020 than in 2019. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report With housing prices so high and interest rates so low, will you still get a better deal on a home this year than you would have last year? According to the financial data experts from CoreLogic, home prices have increased by 6.6% on average, or $9,800, even more in some states. At the same time, interest rates have hit r...
What Pricing Strategy Works Best in This Market?
November 04, 2020 19:53Here’s our pricing advice for today’s home sellers. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report A few days ago, one of our clients was able to sell their home in just a few days for $10,000 more than the asking price because we had the right pricing strategy. When we initially discussed the price, we didn’t start at the very top. We started at a place where we knew it would grab a lot of buyers’ attention. We had four showing requests and four...
Which 3 Tips Should Future Homebuyers Keep in Mind?
October 15, 2020 19:56Here’s what you need to keep in mind if you’re buying a home within the next three years. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report If you’re looking to buy a home within the next three years, there are three very important tips to remember: 1. Understand your finances. You need to know what’s coming in, what’s coming out, and what you can afford. It’s important not to live beyond your means. Understanding your finances is also key to savin...
What Are 6 Ways to Strengthen Your Offer?
September 25, 2020 16:50Buyers need every edge they can get in this hot market; here’s our advice. Want to buy a home? Search All Homes Want to sell your home? Receive a Home Value Report We’re firmly situated in a seller’s market right now, and competition among buyers is fierce. Inventory is low and bidding wars abound, so how can you make your offer stronger than the next buyer’s? Here are six critical tips to remember: 1. Make a larger-than-normal earnest money deposit. This proves to the seller that you’...
Home Maintenance Tips for Buyers and Sellers
September 10, 2020 17:09Buyers and sellers need these tips for home maintenance during showings. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report Today I have a few home maintenance tips to share for both buyers and sellers during showings. If you’re selling your home, make sure your lawn is manicured and landscaped. The first impression is the best impression buyers will get. If you’re living in the house while you sell it, here’s a tip: If you keep items on top of your n...
How Hard-Luck Buyers and Sellers Can Still Win in Our Market
September 02, 2020 19:58 VideoIf you’ve had a hard time buying or selling a home in our market, don’t give up. There are still ways you can win in our market. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Low inventory in our market is affecting both buyers and sellers, but there are strategies you can utilize to achieve your real estate goals if you haven’t had much luck lately. If you’re a buyer and you’ve been searching for a home for months on end, you can buy a home that’s not...
Don’t Just Settle for the 1st Agent You Meet
September 02, 2020 19:58 VideoAs you prepare to sell your home, it’s crucial that you interview multiple agents before partnering with one. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report If you’re getting ready to put your home on the market, you’re going to need an agent to help you do so. So how do you choose the right one? Well, first of all, don’t just pick the first agent you meet without considering other options. You should always interview multiple agents before making a de...
Don’t Wait—Now Is the Time to Sell Your Home
September 02, 2020 19:58 VideoInventory is low in our market, which means now is the perfect time for you to sell your home. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Why should you list your home right now? What makes right now so special? There is still a lack of inventory in the market. You also might have more equity in your home than you think you do. We listed a home just yesterday that already has three offers and 10 more showings scheduled for it. If yo...
Are You Thinking of Selling On Your Own?
September 02, 2020 19:58 VideoIf you’re thinking of selling your home on your own, you might want to reconsider. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report If you’re thinking of selling your home as For Sale by Owner, I understand why—you want to save money on agent commission fees. However, by selling your home on your own, you’re also leaving money on the table. Statistics say that over 90% of FSBOs end up listing with an agent, and there’s a good reason why. There’s a lot t...
How to Make Sure Your Rental and Mortgage Payments Don’t Overlap
September 02, 2020 19:57 VideoHow can you keep your rental and mortgage payments from overlapping during this transition? Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report When the time comes to transition from renting into homeownership, how do you ensure that your rental payments and your mortgage payments don’t overlap? Let’s say you’re looking to purchase a home and your lease ends in August. If this were the case, I would recommend that you buy a home at some point in July. By do...
A Home Buying Epiphany
September 02, 2020 19:57 VideoIf you’re struggling to find a home in our market, I had an epiphany just the other day that revealed the secret to home buying success. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Inventory is low in our market, and there aren’t many homes for sale. As a result, many buyers are losing out on the homes they want. If you’re in a similar situation, I have good news. Just the other day, I had an epiphany about how to win the home you want. Whatever yo...
A Multiple Offer Situation Tip
September 02, 2020 19:57 VideoHow can you improve your chances of getting the property? Let's take a look. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Today I want to give you a quick tip on how to better position yourself when you're competing with multiple offers. My quick tip requires you to come out of your comfort zone a little bit. While many people say to write a letter where you can pull at the seller's heartstrings by mentioning how much you love the home and how you wa...
When Should You Start Looking to Buy?
September 02, 2020 19:57 VideoIf your lease is expiring at the end of this year and you have plans to buy a home, what are you waiting for? Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report So imagine you’re a renter and your lease expires at the end of the year. That begs the question: When should you start looking to purchase a home? The answer, of course, is right now! Our team will be happy to connect you with a lender who will work with you to gather basic information about your ...
The 4 Steps to Buying a House: A Quick Guide for First-Time Buyers
September 02, 2020 19:57 VideoThere are four main steps first-time homebuyers should prepare themselves for during the home buying process. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report So you’ve found the home you want, wrote an offer for it, and got that offer accepted. What happens next? The next step is to deliver a deposit check. This check, which can range from $1,000 to $2,000, will count toward your closing costs and down payment. After that, it’s time to order your inspe...
How Does the Inspection Process Work?
September 02, 2020 19:57 VideoJust because your offer has been accepted does not mean your home purchase is over. There are still quite a few things you’ll have to deal with. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report So, you have found your dream home and you are ready to buy. You have put the offer in and the seller has accepted it. What is next? There are a lot of moving parts to this transaction and we want to make sure you get to the closing table quickly and smoothly. To...
The 411 on 5s and 10s
August 31, 2020 17:06Here’s why you should give some of the stranger numbers (1,3,7,9) some love. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report Typically, when you find yourself in a multiple-offer situation, the first increment by which you and your agent think to go above asking price is either $5,000 or $10,000. I see this strategy all the time from buyers bidding on one of our listings. Here’s the truth: Making your offer $5,000 or $10,000 above asking price won’...
What Home Improvements Matter Most to Buyers?
August 05, 2020 16:00These seven improvements will have the biggest impact on your home sale. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report What are some simple and fairly inexpensive ways you can increase your home’s appeal so that it performs well online and woos buyers when they come to visit in person? Here are seven things that buyers respond to well: 1. Neutral paint. It will give your home a fresh, crisp look at a low cost. 2. Updated appliances. If yours are...
Quick Tip of the Day: How to Keep Your Deal From Falling Through
July 23, 2020 20:55Don’t let a completely resolvable issue sink your home sale or purchase. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report The No. 1 reason why deals fall through: Not having the right agent and contacts. Here’s one of the most important things you should ask any agent you’re interviewing: “If we have a problem with our home during the inspection or appraisal process, do you have reliable contacts on standby?” For example, I have a client who’s buyin...
When to Submit an Offer on a Home You Love
June 05, 2020 20:05If you find a home on the market you love, jump on it as soon as possible. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report Suppose you found a house that you loved and could see yourself living in. However, before you made an offer, you told your agent that you wanted to think about it. What if you woke up the next morning and found that someone else already submitted an offer? Would you be mad? If you love a house, make an offer on it quickly. I u...
What 3 Home Buying Tips Are Essential?
June 01, 2020 20:08I’m sharing the three basic things buyers need to do to be successful. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report At TruAdvantage Realty, we know what it’s like to be a buyer in a competitive marketplace. We’ve helped plenty of buyer clients get into the home of their dreams. Unfortunately, we also see plenty of buyers who fail to prepare and end up leaving the market (or lingering around on it for longer than they’d like) with a sour taste in ...
What Do You Need to Know About Home Warranties?
May 22, 2020 18:46If you’re in the market to buy (or even sell) a home, here’s why you’ll want to get a home warranty. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report If you’re a homeowner or are planning to be, you’ll want to educate yourself about home warranties. Not homeowners insurance—that’s completely different. Today I’ll share a few key points you need to know about what home warranties are and how they’ll protect your investment once you buy a home. How do...
How Are Homes Still Selling Amid Quarantine Restrictions?
May 18, 2020 19:16Here’s how to compete as a buyer in our pandemic-affected market. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report For all you potential homebuyers out there, I know what some of you may be experiencing; you’re seeing all these new listings pop up, only to be sold in a matter of days. You're thinking, “How can this be possible in the middle of a pandemic? My agent told me we can’t go look at properties right now!” Understand that these properties ar...
The Difference Between Home Inspections and Appraisals
April 17, 2020 16:47I’m explaining the differences between a home inspection and an appraisal. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report This is a question I hear a lot: Is a home inspection the same as an appraisal? The quick answer is no, you’ll need both of these appointments. A home inspection is a complete inspection of the house. They’ll check the electrical, plumbing, roof, crawl spaces, appliances, and more. That home inspector works for you. You pay the...
2 Common Home Buying Myths
April 02, 2020 17:41Here’s why potential buyers should think twice before counting themselves out. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report The two most common home buying myths are that you need to have 20% down and a credit score of 750 or higher. The truth is, you don’t even need a credit score of 700, and there are a ton of financing options available to you, some requiring as little as 3% down (others require nothing down, so long as you meet certain criter...
Why Should You Care About Low Rates?
March 10, 2020 19:37I’m sharing an example of a recent client’s purchase to illustrate just what, exactly, low rates mean for a buyer today. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Receive a Home Value Report Right now, you’re probably seeing mortgage lenders talk about low interest rates and that now is the time to buy. For you, as a buyer, what does this actually mean? You don’t want an interest rate, you want a house; in a sense, these guys are selling you on the drill, but you just w...
Should You Get a Home Inspection Before You List?
February 24, 2020 21:11I’m answering the question of whether you should get a home inspection done before you list your home. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Should you get a home inspection before you list? Many clients have asked me this in the past. The truth is, there’s no right or wrong answer to that question. However, there are definite benefits to having a home inspection done before you put your house on the market. If you get a home inspection done ...
How to Handle Multiple Offers
February 13, 2020 22:10I’m sharing why in 2020 buyers need to be interviewing real estate agents before hiring them. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report We’re coming up on spring, and soon more homes will be for sale—the market will be booming. However, there will still be more buyers in the market than sellers. This means, as a buyer, you’ll be competing with all the others. Buyers: You need to be interviewing different agents before you hire one. You need to se...
What Buyers & Sellers Should Know About the 2020 Market
December 23, 2019 22:16Here’s what we expect from our 2020 market. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Where’s our real estate market headed in 2020? In 2019, one out of every 10 offers was part of a multiple-offer situation. Next year, experts predict that ratio to increase to one out of every four offers. That is a huge difference, and it also demonstrates why it’s important for anyone buying a home next year to hire an agent who can handle multiple-offer situa...
Should You Sell Now or Wait?
November 27, 2019 20:39Is it better to sell right now or wait until spring? Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report If you’re thinking of selling, but aren’t sure whether you should wait for the spring or summer to do so, this message is for you. Though more homes, statistically, sell during this time of year, that doesn’t necessarily make these seasons the best time to do so. People are always looking for homes to buy, and the winter market offers several advantages. ...
The Key to Buying and Selling Simultaneously
October 17, 2019 16:40Don’t have enough equity to buy your next home? Do this instead.Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Recently, a client came to us with a very common concern: They wanted to sell their current home and then buy another but lacked the funds to polish up their current property and the equity to leverage toward their next purchase. This scenario might sound daunting to tackle, but there are actually a number of solutions this client (and others l...
The Internet's Impact on the Real Estate Industry
August 13, 2019 21:14Today I want to take a look at the different websites that can help you on your real estate search. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Today I want to take a look at how big internet companies such as Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, Facebook, Google, etc., are affecting the real estate industry. To start with, let's look at Zillow. Pretty much everybody knows Zillow, but did you know that Zillow owns Trulia? They are a billion-dollar company w...
Welcome to Our YouTube Channel!
August 13, 2019 21:14Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Welcome to our YouTube channel! Here, you'll find great tips for home buyers and sellers, as well as market tips and updates for the York, PA area. Our goal is for this page to be a valuable resource for you and any real estate needs or questions you may have. If there is a topic you'd like to learn more about in the real estate world, let us know and we'll make an educational video about it....
Exciting Changes Are Coming to Our Team
August 13, 2019 21:14Recently, our team has seen a lot of growth. Today we’d like to discuss how these transitions will help us serve all of you at an even higher level in the future. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Today, we’re going to do something a little different. As you may know, we recently transitioned our business from Country Home Real Estate Advantage to Tru Advantage Realty. We may have changed our name, but we’re still the same...
How an Escalation Clause Can Virtually Guarantee Your Success
August 13, 2019 21:13If you want to make sure your offer is always the highest and best on the table, then it’s time to consider employing this simple negotiation technique. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report With the market beginning to heat up, multiple-offer situations are bound to begin appearing more and more often. Keeping that in mind, I’d like to let you in on a secret: I’ve found a way to all but guarantee my clients’ offers are accepted over the comp...
Set Yourself Up for Success in Your Home Search
August 13, 2019 21:13What do you need to do to prepare for the home search process? There are three primary steps. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report There are three important steps all homebuyers should take when they begin their search for the perfect property: 1. Partner with a trusted, local real estate agent. Having an expert by your side will be an invaluable resource during your search, and, eventually, during the process of your home purchase. To make s...
5 Tips to Sell Your Home Faster
August 13, 2019 21:13Today I want to share five tips that will help you sell your home faster. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Are you a seller that needs to sell quickly? Here are five tips that will help you. 1. Concentrate on paint. Your paint should be neutral and bright; dark colors can make rooms look smaller. If you do want to paint the walls a different color, keep the ceiling white so that the room still feels big and bright. 2. Consider removing c...
Answering 2 Common Home Buying Questions
August 13, 2019 21:13In this Q&A, we’ve set our sights on two common home buying questions. If you’re thinking of buying a home this year, this message is for you. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report As experts in the industry, we get a lot of questions from buyers, sellers, and homeowners regarding their real estate goals. For this reason, we’d like to clarify two of the most commonly asked questions for all of you today: “How can I determine what kind of home ...
How Much Equity Can You Use to Buy Your New Home?
August 13, 2019 21:13If you bought a home in the past three or four years, you may have a lot of equity built up in it that you can use to upgrade into a newer, better home. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report If you bought a home in the last few years and are looking to upgrade into a new one, or your family has outgrown your current home, I have good news for you. The latest market statistics from the Realtors Association of York & Adams Counties show that ho...
With Interest Rates on the Rise, the Time to Act Is Now
August 13, 2019 21:12Tammy Zambito of Freedmont Mortgage is here with me today to discuss the impact of rising interest rates. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale I’m here today with Tammy Zambito, a local mortgage professional with Freedmont Mortgage, to talk about the rising interest rates in the market. Tammy, interest rates have started to rise since the beginning of 2018. What do those numbers look like, and how does this affect buyers? Wel...
Home Selling Steps and What You Need to Know
August 13, 2019 21:11After you find a buyer, the home inspection, the appraisal, and providing the buyer with clear title are the three main tasks that need to be completed for the sale to close. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale As a seller, after you’ve come to terms with a buyer during the home sale process, there are still three main hurdles to jump over to complete the sale: the home inspection, the appraisal, and providing the buyer with c...
How Seller's Help Affects Buyers and Sellers
August 13, 2019 21:11What is seller’s help, and how does it affect buyers and sellers? Today, I’ll be explaining just that. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale What is seller’s help, and how does it affect buyers and sellers? Essentially, seller’s help is money from the seller paid to the buyer at closing. Seller’s help is also known as closing cost assistance, and it's designed to reduce the buyer’s upfront costs at closing. However, there is ...
How to Achieve a Warmer, Energy-Efficient Home
August 13, 2019 21:11Do your energy bills get a little steep when winter rolls around? Today, I’ve got some tips for keeping your energy costs low during these colder months. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Whether we like it or not, winter is here. And that means cold nights, cold days, and high energy bills. Today, I’d like to share some key tips on keeping your home warm and lowering your energy costs. First, the Department of Energy has ...
Why You Should Prepare Now for Your 2018 Home Purchase
August 13, 2019 21:10Is a home purchase in your future for 2018? If so, there are a few things you can do to jumpstart the process right now. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale If you’re thinking about buying a home in 2018, you need to begin the process right now. There are a few steps you should be taking right at the start. First of all, check your credit. This way you know if your credit is high enough to qualify for a loan. If it is, don’t...