Posts Tagged ‘real estate’

Real Estate Q & A

Friday, August 20, 2021
Debbi DiMaggio

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Over the past few months I have answered real estate questions posed by the San Francisco Chronicle and SF Gate. Here are a few of those editorial Q & A’s.

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What Role Does a Buyer’s Pet or Pets Play in the HomeBuying Process?

Of Millennials who purchase homes, 33 percent say the decision to buy was prompted by the presence of or desire to adopt a pet. That outstrips those who bought homes because of a marriage (25 percent) and those who bought to accommodate children (19 percent).*

Homebuyers really do take into consideration their canine, feline or other pets when deciding to purchase a home. Oftentimes condominiums have a pet limit and size restriction, thus a Home Buyer would not opt to purchase a condo should that be the case and be more likely to purchase a home which is not governed by an HOA.

Home-buyers consider their pets part of the family, so when it comes to making a big life decision such as purchasing a home they will give their Realtor certain criteria that fits both their needs and those of their pets. Here are a few examples of the sorts of amenities dog owners may seek: a fenced in yard is number one; they want to be sure Fido is safe from escape. Sidewalks might be a consideration so when it is time to walk the dog, there is a safe place to walk for both the canine and his/her owner. Other pluses might include being within close proximity to a park, pet stores, a pet hospital and/or groomer. All of these amenities are not so different than when a Home Buyer is purchasing a home with their family — the amenities are similar to those who have children.

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*A survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of SunTrust Mortgage 

 

All In The Family

Tuesday, August 3, 2021
Debbi DiMaggio

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Chase Betta is the next generation of a family of real estate professionals dating back to the 70’s when his grandfather Vince DiMaggio syndicated his first building in the Grand Lake neighborhood of Oakland. Chase has worked for Vince for as long as he can remember, and grew up learning valuable business acumen from his parents Adam and Debbi at HIGHLAND PARTNERS. A Piedmont native and longtime Bay Area resident, Chase has a special understanding of the markets in and around the flagship brokerage of HIGHLAND PARTNERS. He graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies and Communications, which he aims to use to further support his clients as they navigate the nuances of their own journey. Chase’s additional experience working for a commercial brokerage in Los Angeles adds to his already strong base of real estate fundamentals. 

Chase is back in the Bay after travelling throughout Asia before the pandemic. While in the Philippines, he worked at a freediving facility where he met and made new friends daily. In his pastime, Chase likes to travel and stay active. As his passion for lacrosse shows, Chase is a strong team player — he has always skillfully combined interpersonal communication, physical activity, and a drive towards a common goal. He is excited to bring this tenacity to HIGHLAND PARTNERS and looks forward to meeting you!

Adam and I could not be more thrilled to welcome Chase into the family business and the DiMaggio & Betta Group.

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Selling Your Home?

Saturday, March 27, 2021
Debbi DiMaggio

Looking to gain insight on real estate? Check out Debbi DiMaggio and Adam Betta’s Real Estate website, and get in touch for assistance with selling your home!14 (2)

Top Tips for Getting Your House Ready to Sell

Selling a home is a multi-step process. Taking a house from your family residence to an attractively presented listing requires a systematic approach and an eye for aesthetics. This is often a guessing game for sellers, but staging is, in fact, the most important step in preparing your home for sale.

Refresh Every Surface – Inside and Out

Staging actually starts with deep cleaning. Though a home may be broom-clean, you want it to look sparkling-clean for buyers. Your agent will probably recommend that you steam-clean the carpets, scrub the hard floors, and bleach the grout in the bathrooms. You may also want to power-wash your siding, driveway, and sidewalks to make the entire home gleam. Look for subtle signs of grime or built-up dirt on seldom-noticed surfaces, but don’t worry too much about scrubbing painted walls. We’ll deal with those next.

Repaint with This Year’s Neutral Colors

A simple coat of fresh paint can make a home look brand new. For this reason, every wall in the home should be repainted in fresh new hues. The colors most popular in the housing market shift from year to year. Your agent will be able to tell you which hues of paint look best in your home and will be most appealing to area buyers.

Strategic Furniture and Decor

With a freshly repainted home, it’s time to stage it with furniture.  You can stage with your own furniture, rented furniture, or even pieces your agent might have tucked away. The idea of furniture in staging isn’t actually to furnish a house; rather, it’s to give the impression of how each room can be used.

Moving Mountains Design explains going small and sparse will emphasize the spaciousness of each room, while still providing context for buyers to see “This is the living room,” or “This is the second bedroom,” instead of facing empty, featureless rooms. In other words, you’re sparking their imagination for how they will use the rooms.

In terms of decor, neutral is best, which means removing anything that reflects your own personal tastes. Potential buyers may not share those same tastes with you, and they may look elsewhere if you keep your personal style on display.

If you’re stumped on where to begin, you can search through local listings to see how other homeowners are staging their homes. Still need help? There are professional stagers who can help you make your home look fantastic.

Create Curb Appeal

Staging isn’t just about the home’s interior. Actually, many buyers will make up their minds whether or not they like your home based on the exterior. With that in mind, it’s crucial to amp up the curb appeal. Tidy the landscaping, manicure the lawn, and then add some blooming flowers for a welcoming appearance. Pay extra attention to your entryway, and if your front door looks tired, paint it and install new hardware. For the finishing touch, add a new doormat to greet house hunters as they arrive.

Take Amazing Photos

Once the house is staged, it’s time for photos. In the age of internet home searches, most people rely on property photos to cull homes. If you’re uncomfortable with a DIY approach, your agent will know exactly how to take a vivid and flattering photo-tour of the home. They will walk from room to room snapping photos in the best light and may come back for a better shot to make sure your online listing is perfect.

A proper presentation ensures your listing, showings, and open house events are top-notch. Clean, declutter, spruce up and arrange with house hunters in mind. By going the extra mile with your efforts, you’re sure to be rewarded with a quick sale.

First 6 Steps To Buying A Home

Friday, February 5, 2021
Debbi DiMaggio

What are the first steps to buying a home?

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That may sound like a basic question, but when you don’t buy and sell homes everyday, it is a very good question, and not basic at all. When buying or selling real estate, no question is insignificant, and all questions are good. Most importantly, it is never too early to begin the conversation. Whether buying or selling today or in three years, education is key to achieving your real estate goals.

6 steps towards buying your new home

  1. Locate an agent through referrals or research.
  2. Allow the Realtor you chosen to work with put you in touch with a reputable and experienced lender.
  3. Discuss your wish list with your agent but know more often than not you will not get everything on your wish list, but providing parameters such as neighborhood, price and bed/bath count is a good start. Depending on the market – for instance in the East Bay in Northern California inventory is very limited at any given time. The more restrictions or items on your wish list, the fewer homes you will be exposed to. It’s important to see a variety yet keeping in your budget, so you will come to understand the market.
  4. Your agent will set you up on an auto listing feed so you can see a variety of homes and keep a log. Oftentimes home buyers will change their parameters after becoming more educated and seeing various homes even neighborhoods.
  5. Keep your options open.
  6. Writing an offer and prevailing (in our market) is another subject of its own.

Order one of our books, The Art of Real EstateReal Estate Rules! 52 ways to achieve success in real estate.

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Historical Beauty, Piedmont California

Thursday, October 29, 2020
Debbi DiMaggio

Elegant and Graceful Piedmont Beauty

Represented by the DiMaggio & Betta Group

Coming Soon – Click To Preview

Offered at $5,488,888

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