How to Determine the Value of Your Home

Are you wondering what your house, or the house you might buy, is really worth? The short answer is however much someone is willing to pay for it. The long answer depends on the market and whether you have reached out to a lender. Although it is wise to hear from a professional, it's also smart to do your own research. Knowing how to calculate your home's value with the help of online tools while gaining insight from a professional will better prepare you to buy, sell, refinance, or tap into your home's equity. Learn how to determine the value of your home:

Use Online Valuation Tools

A simple google search of "how much is my house worth" will bring up a list of home value estimators. These tools will use public records of property transfers, deeds of ownership, and tax assessments to predict your home's value based on recent sales and listings in the area. Take advantage of these online tools will help you gain insight on the current real estate market in your neighborhood and allows you to compare the prices of home against each other.

Get a Comparative Market Analysis

If you are ready to dive deeper into your home market value, consider asking a local real estate agent for a comparative real estate analysis. Although this is not as detailed as a professional appraisal, a CMA provides an agent's evaluation of a home to provide an estimate value. This is typically done for listing purposes, but can also be a useful tool. The agents at Choice Properties are eager to assist you with any needs, helping you get on the right track to selling your buying your home!

Hire a Professional Appraiser

Lenders will require an appraiser before they will approve a mortgage, but as a property owner you are able to hire an appraiser any time to receive a home estimate. Other key points an appraiser will evaluate include:

• Market: including the region, city, and neighborhood in which the home is located
• Property: Characteristics of the house, including improvements and the land
• Comparable properties: This includes sales, listings, cost, and vacancies within the area

Choice Properties offers you a chance to find the home of your dreams. We work with your budget and ideas in mind to support your ultimate vision. Call us if you are ready to check out the available inventory or to speak with a reputable agent who can assist you with your home buying needs.

Questions to Ask Your Indian Lake Ohio Real Estate Agent

You have a great home in Indian Lake that you're looking to sell. Your logical first step if you want to be successful is to speak with an Indian Lake Ohio real estate agent. What do you ask them? Most sellers don't go beyond asking how much will they get for the property, and what the commission will be. That should only be the first of many questions you should be asking any real estate agent, before you choose to list your property with them. Here are some questions to get you started.

Experience

This may seem like an obvious initial question, but surprisingly a lot of sellers don't ask agents about their experience in the market. When you first start talking to an Indian Lake Ohio real estate agent, go ahead and ask them how long they've been in the business, how many listings they typically handle. Selling your home in Indian Lake is an important and expensive transaction, so you should find an agent with enough sales under their belt to comfortably handle your needs. Choice Properties real estate agents are award-winning pros that have been in the Indian Lake market for years.

Marketing

Any agent you pick should come up with a marketing plan for your listing. Homes don't sell themselves, they need to be marketed. Ask your agent what their philosophy is for selling, and what steps will they take once they've accepted your listing. Don't be shy to ask about their previous marketing campaigns. Do they work with a professional photographer to take quality photos? How about a virtual tour? These things are increasingly important when buyers shop around.

Both Sides Of The Transaction

Some agents work with both the buyer and the seller, and others will rep either the buyer or the seller but not both. You can find out what the agent prefers, and what would happen if they repped both sides of the transaction. It's not always a conflict of interest, but clients can end up feeling like they don't know whose interest the agent is really looking out for.  Ask questions and be honest so that you develop a trustworthy relationship with your real estate agent.

Home Loans

Does your Indian Lake Ohio real estate agent have a good grasp of home financing issues? A buyer will likely need a loan and any issues that arise from the process of seeking financing can make or break a transaction. A good agent might be able to salvage the deal if issues pop up at the last minute.

At the end of the day, most sellers hire an agent on their gut feeling. And of course it's important for you to feel comfortable with your Indian Lake Ohio real estate agent. Taking the approach of treating your first meeting with them as an initial interview and asking all of these questions will help you reach the right decision on who to pick.

For more information about our award winning real estate agents at Choice Properties, give us a call!

Tips for Buying a Home in Indian Lake Ohio

Indian Lake, Ohio, was formerly known as Lewistown Reservoir and was named by European American settlers for the natives that roamed the region at the time. Originally a group of small lakes and wetlands, it has now become a destination for boating and fishing enthusiasts, as well as a wonderful place to call home for the Ohio residents that surround the lake. There are major fishing tournaments and boat shows held here annually, and you'll find ice fishing and snowmobiling in the winter.

Are you interested in buying a home in Indian Lake, Ohio? Today, the area attracts almost 1.5 million visitors every year with its first rate camping, swimming and boating facilities. You'll need to be savvy to snag up a home in such a popular location.  Fortunately for you, our experienced Indian Lake real estate agents have you covered!

Get a Good Ohio Real Estate Agent

Working with a reputable and knowledgeable realtor from the Indian Lake area is key to finding the best properties. And that doesn't mean your friend who flipped a house once. A professional realtor is worth the money you might spend and helps to ensure a smooth process from beginning to end. Finding an Indian Lake real estate agent who is experienced and knowledgeable, with a good reputation, is one of the most important things you can do, especially when wanting to buy a home in an appealing location like Indian Lake, Ohio. Learn about our award-winning real estate agents and book an appointment with a Choice Properties agent today.

Find a Mortgage Lender in Ohio

A lot of buyers find a home they like first, and then look for a mortgage lender. This is backwards because what tends to happen is that the buyers fall in love with a property, and then discover that they won't be able to afford it. Don't torture yourself. Ask your real estate agent to recommend a lender if you don't know of any and figure out how much of a loan you can get before you start looking at online listings. Then you can look for homes within your budget in full confidence that you can snag it up if it suits you.

Ohio Mortgage Interest Rates

Interest rates go up and down all the time. You might hear that interest rates are at an all time low, but that doesn't mean that you'll get a rock bottom rate. Interest rates differ with different people, depending on their credit and financial history. Different lenders have different rate ceilings. Home prices are negotiable, but loans remain the same. It is recommended that you shop around for the best interest rates before buying a home through mortgage loans.

Make a Quick Decision

Where a buyer might lose out is when they take too long to make up their mind. Real estate markets are volatile at best, therefore if you find a home that is in your budget, and checks off the must have points on your checklist, you should not hesitate. Submit an offer quickly, or you'll find that the house is off the market as soon as it appears in the listings. Being prepared ahead of time with a mortgage approval is key to making swift offers when they arise.

Buying in a location as attractive as Indian Lake, Ohio can be a competitive challenge. The best thing you can do is have a qualified real estate agent at your side to help locate and negotiate the home you want to own.

Call us today for a tour of locally available homes and advice on buying a home in Indian Lake Ohio!

Getting a clog in the bathroom sink drain is a pain but it does not signal the end of the world. Attempting to clear the clog without paying for an expensive fix-it expert can not only save money but build skills. There are a number of options for do-it-yourself cleaning solutions. Learn some tips to get started.

Troubleshoot the Issue

How to clear a clog depends on a few factors which include:

• How severe the clog is in the sink

• How far down the pipe it goes

When assessing the clog, it's best to go with the easiest solution then work up through the other options. Avoid chemical drain cleaners which may be caustic and damage the plumbing. Since many people opt for environmentally friendly options, there are plenty to choose from on the mark.

Quick-and-Easy

The first method a person can consider is plunging the drain. A plunger (usually a household staple) pushes the clog through the pipes. Other methods may only be able to get out part of the clog. A Zip-it, a drain-clearing tool which looks like a giant-sized zip tie and costs less than $5, is usually for hair clogs. If the clog is above the sink's p-trap, the Zip-it may work most efficiently. Work the tool down the drain and pull up. Hopefully, most of the gunk blocking the drain will also come up.

Snaking the Drain

When a Zip-it fails the test, chances are the blockage is beyond the p-trap under the sink. A drum auger is a good option to consider:

• Purchase a drum auger from the nearest home improvement store

• Motorized augers, with the help of a power drill, are most efficient

• Watch online videos for support in use of a drum auger tool in sinks

Severe Clogs

The drum auger will take care of clearing the clog most of the time. Sometimes, a person may have a clog is that is very large or further down the drain than can be reached with a manual drum auger. The important thing is to upgrade to a powerful snake when the clog is too big. A commercial-grade electric auger has more powerful snaking action, is longer and thicker than a drum auger. A plumber who comes to the house to deal with the clog is likely to use this tool but requires proper safety precautions. A helpful hint is to be sure and run water for a few minutes after clearing the clog with snakes so that, once the drain is cleared, anybody will be happy to hear all about the do-it-yourself option which can also save some cash.

For the best advice on buying and selling homes in Logan County, Choice Properties Real Estate has award winning agents ready to assist you in the search.