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5 Tips for Selling Your Home Around Thanksgiving – Complete Guide

24 Monday Nov 2025

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The majority of people think the best time to sell a home is during the summer. Children are out of school which makes it much easier for parents to relocate and start a new life in their new home. In actuality more than half of homebuyers do not have children or have children that are out of the house. There are far less numbers of homes for sale during the holidays which makes the demand for a quality home that much higher. However, by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, trees have started to lose their leaves. This makes maintaining the exterior of your even more of a priority. Bare trees result in a more exposed home, so touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Keep buyers’ safety in mind as well by making sure stairs and walkways are free of leaves. Here are some tips to sell your home around Thanksgiving…

1. Make Curb Appeal a Top Priority.

Family visiting during Thanksgiving can add quite a bit of clutter to the home. In the case that a potential buyer wants to view the home, eliminating this clutter couldn’t be more important. If family has taken over a bedroom that’s usually used for storage, it can be wise to invest in a storage unit. These are not expensive and can be rented for a month or two while the home is on the market. Clutter decreases the perceived size of the home which could be a deciding factor whether a buyer puts an offer in or continues their search. 2. Avoid Clutter at All Costs.

Creating a warm atmosphere during Thanksgiving and the holidays when your home is being sold can do a couple of things. The potential buyers could imagine themselves celebrating their own Thanksgiving in the home. This isn’t the time to put up huge amounts of decorations but rather enough to get into the spirit of the season. Warm colors should be abundant and those quirky holiday decorations that some families put up in their homes during certain holidays should be kept in the attic.

3. Appeal to the Buyer’s Imagination.

Pricing the home to sell during the holidays is extremely important. If you accepted a new job and need to relocate by the end of the year this multiplies in importance. Many buyers if in the same situation will want to put an offer in around the Thanksgiving holiday. This will reduce the stress of trying to find a home during the Christmas holidays when many people travel for extended periods. Closing quickly will also allow you to write off closing costs during this year’s tax season.

4. Price The Home To Sell.

Pricing the home to sell during the holidays is extremely important. If you accepted a new job and need to relocate by the end of the year this multiplies in importance. Many buyers if in the same situation will want to put an offer in around the Thanksgiving holiday. This will reduce the stress of trying to find a home during the Christmas holidays when many people travel for extended periods. Closing quickly will also allow you to write off closing costs during this year’s tax season.

5. Select an Experienced Real Estate Agent.

Picking the right agent is important regardless of what time of year that it is. During the holidays it’s more important as many facets of selling a home can be impacted by the holiday breaks. I’d love the opportunity to earn your business!

Remember: Selling your home during the Thanksgiving and holiday season isn’t impossible. Taking care of the small details leading up to the sale will only increase your chances of considering offers with your turkey dinner. Happy Thanksgiving and give us a call so we can take the stress off of selling during the holidays! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

The Top Reasons To Sell Your Home During The Holidays

10 Monday Nov 2025

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Between holiday travel, holiday parties, and hosting out-of-town guests, the holidays can be a busy time of year. And if you’re selling your home in Jacksonville or anywhere in Florida, you might be tempted to take your property off the market and push your sale into the new year. But the holiday season often turns out to be a surprisingly strong time to sell. Here’s why you might want to keep your listing active through December and into January.

The holiday market can actually work in sellers’ favor in several ways. With fewer competing listings, motivated buyers who need to move quickly, and lenders eager to close deals before year-end, homes that stay on the market during this period frequently attract serious attention and faster closings.

It’s easier for your listing to get attention. Because the holidays are so busy, many sellers pull their homes off the market, and would-be sellers often delay listing until after the new year. This reduces available inventory significantly. Less competition means your home stands out more to active buyers, especially those who need to relocate quickly for job changes, family reasons, or other timelines. In Jacksonville’s market, where inventory tends to dip further during November and December, your listing can receive more showings and stronger interest from buyers who can’t afford to wait weeks or months.

The buyers are more serious. Most people don’t want to add “buying a home” to their already packed holiday to-do list. That leaves the buyers who are actively searching during this time highly motivated and ready to act fast. They’re often relocating for work, upsizing or downsizing before the new year, or simply prioritizing the purchase over festivities. These serious buyers tend to make quicker decisions, submit cleaner offers, and move forward with fewer contingencies, leading to smoother transactions and potentially higher final prices for sellers.

Lenders are more motivated to close the deal. With fewer transactions happening during the holidays, mortgage lenders and title companies often have more bandwidth to prioritize active files. This can speed up underwriting, appraisals, and closing timelines, helping your sale close faster and with less stress. In Florida’s market, where year-end closings can also align with tax benefits or bonus payouts, lenders may push harder to get deals done before the calendar flips.

Bottom line? You might think the holidays aren’t the best time to sell a home, but if you’ve been thinking about selling, keeping your Jacksonville property on the market through the season can give you a real edge. Fewer competitors, more committed buyers, and accelerated closings often add up to a stronger sale than waiting until spring when inventory surges and competition heats up.

Ready to sell during the holidays or want to discuss timing for your specific home? Get in touch today: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 www.HanleyHomeTeam.comr home, it turns out this is a great time to make a move.

Buying Your First Home? Make Sure to Avoid These Common First-Time Homeowner Mistakes

15 Monday Sep 2025

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Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels.com

Buying a home for the first time is extremely exciting. But like any new experience, as a first-time homeowner, you don’t know what you don’t know—and that lack of knowledge can lead to frustrating, challenging mistakes. For example, many new buyers jump into homeownership assuming the biggest hurdle is closing the deal, only to face unexpected costs or issues that could have been avoided with better preparation and planning.

Hiring a contractor without researching their background. Hiring the wrong contractor can lead to a lot of wasted time and money, and blindly hiring a contractor is one of the costliest mistakes a new homeowner can make. Before you hire anyone to do a home renovation project (whether that’s remodeling your kitchen, adding a deck, or landscaping your backyard), make sure to do your research, read reviews on multiple platforms, check licensing and insurance, and ask to speak to recent references. A quick background check can save you from shoddy work or outright scams.

Not budgeting for home-related expenses. When you bought your home, you budgeted for the major expenses, like your mortgage. But buying a home can come with a host of new expenses first-time homeowners aren’t used to paying, like homeowner’s insurance (often $1,000–$3,000 annually), homeowner association (HOA) fees (which can range from $100 to $500+ per month), property taxes, and higher monthly utility bills due to larger square footage. If you don’t budget for those new expenses, it can put you in the red quickly. When you buy your first home, make sure you’re looking at all the ongoing costs associated with ownership—and build a realistic monthly budget accordingly.

Putting off routine maintenance. Many first-time homeowners don’t realize all the routine maintenance that goes into keeping your home in tip-top shape. And, as such, they let maintenance tasks slide—which can lead to expensive repairs down the road, like a $5,000+ roof replacement or foundation issues from neglected gutters. When you move into your new home, make a checklist of all the maintenance tasks and how often/when they need to be completed (e.g., HVAC filter changes every 3 months, annual chimney inspection)—then review the list every month to make sure you’re not forgetting any tasks.

The Takeaway:

Hiring a contractor without researching their background. Hiring the wrong contractor can lead to a lot of wasted time and money, and blindly hiring a contractor is one of the costliest mistakes a new homeowner can make. Before you hire anyone to do a home renovation project (whether that’s remodeling your kitchen, or landscaping your backyard), make sure to do your research, read reviews, and ask to speak to references—vetting them thoroughly can prevent major headaches and financial loss.

Not budgeting for home-related expenses. When you bought your home, you budgeted for the major expenses, like your mortgage. But buying a home can come with a host of new expenses first-time homeowners aren’t used to paying, like homeowner’s insurance, homeowner association (HOA) fees, and monthly utility bills. If you don’t budget for those new expenses, it can put you in the red. When you buy your first home, make sure you’re looking at all the expenses associated with the purchase—and budget accordingly to maintain financial stability from day one.

We make sure our clients’ experience buying their first home (or any home) is informed, exciting, and mistake-free with personalized guidance every step of the way. If you’re a first-time buyer or ready to make your next move in Jacksonville, please get in touch today: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS 904-515-2479 The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

Saving Up for a Down Payment on a House? Down Payment Assistance Programs May Speed Up the Process!

27 Monday Jan 2025

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A big hurdle for many people who’d like to buy a house is saving up enough money for a down payment. But many people make that hurdle higher than it needs to be by aiming for a 20% down payment. According to Lending Tree, 31% of Americans still believe they need that much of a down payment in order to buy a house. And the percentage is even higher (at nearly 40%) for Gen Z, Millennials, and parents who have children under the age of 18.

Considering so many people think that’s the case, it may come as a surprise that the average down payment for a house came in at 14.4%, which amounted to a median of $34,248, as Forbes recently reported. It’s lower because while some people certainly do put 20% or more down on a house, many home buyers take advantage of loans that allow them to put down as little as 3%.

Just knowing that can certainly make owning a home attainable more quickly, but even saving up for a lower down payment can be difficult, and take more time than you want it to. It can be hard to set aside money for a down payment when you have to pay your bills, put food on the table, pay off student loans, and/or deal with unexpected expenses. 

So, how incredible would it be if you could get some help coming up with a down payment?! Well, you might be in luck…

There Are More than 2,000 Down Payment Assistance Programs

There are more than 2,000 down payment assistance (DPA) programs nationwide, which offer loans and grants which home buyers can use toward a down payment and closing costs when purchasing a house. They even included a state-by-state list of some of the programs available that you can use to get an idea of what’s available. The amounts vary, but can be anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.

As you might expect, each program has qualifications and criteria you need to meet, but if you do, these are the four main types of assistance that are typically available:

  • Grants, which you don’t have to pay back. 
  • Loans that you pay back a little bit each month in addition to your monthly mortgage payment.
  • Deferred loans that only have to be paid back if you sell the house or refinance the mortgage.
  • Forgivable loans that don’t need to be repaid if you live in the house for a certain period of time.

While the article listed some of the programs available, they also suggest researching what else might be available in your area, because many programs are local and specific to an area. So use your favorite search engine to discover other potential money available to you. In addition, make sure to ask your local real estate agent or mortgage advisor for their insight and advice. 

It May Take Some Time and Effort, but It’s Worth It

Beyond the time it takes to find and assess all of your options, the application and approval process could add to the amount of time it takes for you to find a lender that can work with down payment assistance and get approved for the particular program and loan.

Depending upon the available programs, you may also find that there are limits to the amount you can spend on a house, or where you’re allowed to buy a house. While it may feel like you’re being limited, or make it difficult to find many houses within the price range in your area, consider the alternative. Buying a home within the budget and limitations afforded to you by one of these programs can save you months, or even years of saving up money for a down payment, and get you into a house much sooner. Doing so will get you on your way to building equity through paying down your mortgage, and benefitting from any increases in value the market creates, or that you generate by improving the property.

The Good News:

The Hanley Home Team’s incredibly helpful Down Payment Assistance Programs link on our website homepage which aggregates all the available programs for a particular home for you! Easy Breezy! https://hanleyhometeam.kw.com/down-payment-assistance or get in touch with Kevin Hanley today to discuss your mortgage options! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORs The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com – Kevin Hanley, Loan Officer, LoanPeople 904-422-7626 NMLS2639641 KevinHanleyJax.com

Never Gonna Give You Up, Never Gonna Let You Down!

23 Tuesday Apr 2024

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Headlines can be so misleading. The news is supposed to be objective, but it’s gotten more and more tainted by sensational headlines meant to get people to click on their links, stay tuned to their TV station, or buy their newspaper. 

So it’s no surprise that the latest headlines about the recently proposed settlement over the real estate commission lawsuit have been creative and loose with the facts. 

Changes are coming, but how much they’ll change is yet to be seen. Yet the media is making it sound like buyers’ agents will no longer exist, and commissions will be cut exactly in half, even though the proposed settlement doesn’t suggest that at all! Unfortunately, that could cause some huge misunderstanding between agents and their clients who are being led to believe things that aren’t likely true. 

Since you never know what the media will come up with, let’s have some fun with it and take a look at some absurd things you shouldn’t expect buyers’ agents to do as a result of the settlement, even if the headlines suggest they will:

1) They will not be providing free childcare…

There’s always a chance you’ll get super close with your buyers’ agent and find they become like family, so it isn’t out of the question for an agent to end up being someone you trust to watch your children from time to time. But, even if the most reputable news source reports that agents will now be throwing in free babysitting services for a year after every house purchase, you can rest assured that’s not part of the settlement.

2) …or promising to pick up after your dogs for a year

Nor will they promise to clean up after your furbabies for the chance to do business with you. There are certainly some agents who are dog lovers and might jump at the chance to chill with your dog on occasion, but it won’t be because it was part of the proposed settlement, and it won’t include offering to pick up your dog’s poop in your backyard for the first year after a purchase. 

3) They definitely won’t be paying you!

Some of the headlines make agents sound like they’ll be so desperate they’ll pay you for the right to help you find your dream home! As much as most agents love what they do, and many would say it doesn’t feel like work because they enjoy it so much, they certainly won’t be agreeing to compensate you for the privilege of giving you their time, advice, and skills.

4) And they won’t be leaving you to fend for yourself…

While the media makes it sound like this is the death knell for buyers’ agents, and they’re all going to disappear, agents will not be leaving you high and dry! Agents have been actively protecting buyers’ interests and making sure they have their own representation for decades, and won’t let this lawsuit or settlement get in the way of figuring out how to continue doing so. 

They’ll figure out how to work with you within the framework of the new rules and regulations, and make sure you have someone to guide you through the ups and downs of buying a house.

We’re never gonna’ give you up, never gonna’ to let you down….Experience Matters and we will NEVER give up being the BEST buyer’s agents in the greater Jacksonville/St Augustine area! Let’s gooooo….Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORs 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

Why Homebuyers Shouldn’t Bank On Saving $10,000 by Not Working with a Buyers’ Agent as President Biden Recently Suggested

02 Tuesday Apr 2024

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In a recent speech about lowering housing costs for American families, President Biden said: 

“In addition, last week the National Association of Realtors agreed for the first time that Americans can negotiate lower commissions when they buy or sell their home. (Applause.)

On a typical home purchase, that alone could save folks an average of $10,000 on the sale or purchase.

I’m calling on Realtors to follow through on lowering their commissions to protect homebuyers.”

That probably sounds pretty amazing (and official) if you’re a potential homebuyer!

Unfortunately, for both homebuyers and agents, it’s not accurate. 

It’s unfortunate for buyers because it’s unlikely that the recent proposed settlement he’s referring to will actually result in $10,000 savings for them, because achieving those savings would depend upon a lot of factors. Yet it sounds like a slam dunk promise.

It’s unfortunate for agents because those remarks make it sound like commissions were never negotiable until now, even though they already were. And it sets unreasonable expectations for homebuyers that agents will potentially be blamed for not helping them achieve.

For starters, $10,000 may be a nice round number, but it’s also a random number. He didn’t provide any basis for that amount, and even if he did, there are too many variables for him to be able to make that claim. 

To be fair, he said “up to,” so that could allude to the savings being anywhere below that amount. But the reality is, buyers could easily focus on the $10,000 as an actual amount to expect.

How much you could possibly save depends upon many factors. So, in order to avoid confusion, let’s take a look at 6 variables that make it impossible to claim that a buyer will save an average of $10,000 when purchasing a home:

  1. It depends upon the commission amount typically being offered to buyers’ agents. While people outside of the industry often believe that commissions are a “standard 6%,” they’re not. (According to Statista, the average real estate commission hasn’t even reached 6% since 1992, and they vary from year to year.) More importantly, the portion of the commission offered to a buyers’ agent varies from one area of the country to another, and from one house to another in your local market area, and even depends upon the current market conditions. So there’s not even a specific commission amount you can use to begin doing the math accurately. 
  2. It depends upon the price range you’re buying in. The “average” buyer varies from one area of the country to another, and from one area of a state to another. So, for example, you could be buying in a higher-than-average price range for your area, but if it’s less than the “average” home prices the $10,000 amount was based upon, that amount of potential savings is unlikely.
  3. It depends upon you not working with a buyers’ agent, and representing yourself. The President’s statement suggests that the agents’ fees will be cut by $10,000 on average. While commissions may seem “high” to those outside of the industry, many agents don’t even come close to $10,000 commission checks on average. In many cases, based upon the $10,000 number, you’d actually have to get a buyers’ agent to agree to pay you for the pleasure of helping you! Unless you can negotiate with a buyers’ agent to agree to work with you for an extraordinarily low fee, or for free, the suggested savings would have to be achieved by not having to pay a buyers’ agent for their services.
  4. It depends upon you negotiating the best possible price for the home. Saving $10,000 by forgoing the help of a buyers’ agent also hinges upon you truly understanding what the market value of the home you’re attempting to purchase is, and successfully negotiating the best possible price for it. You could easily lose as much money as you’re trying to save (or more) by not knowing values well enough, or not negotiating as well as an agent would on your behalf. 
  5. It depends upon you even successfully buying a house. In order for savings to be achieved, you need to have successfully purchased a home. In many areas of the country competition is fierce between buyers. There are too few houses for sale, and more buyers than there are houses to choose from, which creates bidding wars. It’s often difficult for buyers to have their offer accepted with an amazing agent representing them, so competing on your own against other buyers represented by agents could be even more difficult. (This becomes even more of an issue if a seller and their listing agent have more confidence that the deal will go from acceptance to the closing table without a hitch with a buyer who has an agent representing them, versus one who is unrepresented and doesn’t know the process.)
  6. It depends upon you not costing yourself money by making mistakes throughout the transaction.It’s also possible to cost yourself thousands of dollars during the process of buying a home by not knowing what to do, or not to do in certain situations. The most likely aspect that could cost you money is in relation to any home inspection issues. Not recognizing something you should ask the seller to repair or replace, or not successfully negotiating for it, could cost you even more than you might be trying to save by not having a buyers’ agent represent you.

So, keep those things in mind if and when you hear anyone claiming you can save $10,000 (or any other amount) when you buy your next home. 

It may sound appealing to avoid working with a buyers’ agent for the promise of that much savings, but the representation of a great buyers’ agent is likely worth more than any amount you could save. 

Think about it this way… 

You can save money on the cost of a lawyer if you go to court by representing yourself. That might be fine if you’re just going to fight a traffic ticket. But if you’re going to court to sue someone else who’s represented by a lawyer, you’re probably not going to fare so well. You’d want someone who knows the process, and can get you the best results possible. 

Same goes for when you’re buying a house… 

It’s a large purchase, typically the largest one anyone makes, and not knowing what you’re doing can cost you more than the amount you could possibly save by not hiring a buyers’ agent.
So, rather than focusing on potentially saving money by not hiring one, focus on hiring the best one you can to help you negotiate the best results possible when purchasing your next home.

The Takeaway:

President Biden recently claimed that homebuyers could save an average of $10,000 due to the terms of a recent commission lawsuit settlement.

Unfortunately, it’s inaccurate and misleading, because there are several factors that make it impossible for that amount of savings to be guaranteed. Variables such as commission rates, property prices, negotiation skills, and market conditions, and the knowledge and skill sets of a particular buyer impact any potential savings. 

Hiring a skilled buyers’ agent often outweighs potential savings. So, rather than focusing on potentially saving money by not hiring one, focus on hiring the best one you can to help you negotiate the best results possible when purchasing your next home.

Experience Matters now more than ever. Hire expert buyers agents like us, Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, and let’s make your dream come true….affordably. Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORs 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

“House Hacking” Might Be Your Ticket to Buying a Home in This Market (As Long as You Keep These Things in Mind)

05 Tuesday Dec 2023

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Renting or buying a house is always one of life’s biggest expenses, but lately it’s been even more difficult than usual for many people to afford, which has led to a lot of young adults (and even some older ones) to move back in with their parents. 

In the past, once you graduated from high school or college, it was common to get your own place to live and move out of your parents’ home. It was a natural sequence of events, and living at home beyond a certain age was often seen as “wrong” in some way. But according to this Yahoo Finance article, living at home — or moving back in after being on your own for a while — has become so common that it’s lost its stigma. 

While it’s good that people who need to live with family for financial reasons aren’t being judged harshly, that doesn’t mean it’s ideal, or that most people don’t want a place of their own… if only they could afford to do so. 

Which is probably why “house hacking” is so appealing to Millennials and Gen Z.

What Is “House Hacking,” and How Popular Is It?

CNBC recently reported that “house hacking” has become a strategy many Millennials and Gen Z use to become homeowners. Simply put, they rent out a portion of their home in order to generate some money to help make owning their home more affordable.

But it’s not just the younger generation who sees this as a useful strategy. While 51% of Gen Z, and 55% of Millennial buyers think it’s a good idea, 39% of recent buyers in all age groups thought it was a “very” or “extremely” important tactic.

Things to Keep In Mind if You’re Planning to Use the Strategy 

With nearly half of all buyers considering this as a way to make homeownership more affordable and buy a house, there’s a good chance you may be considering doing it as well. If you are, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • You can’t rely on the potential rent to qualify for a mortgage. In order to have a portion of your house to rent out to somebody, you need to first own a house. And in order to own a house, you probably need a mortgage. Lenders won’t consider the potential rent you may be planning on receiving each month for renting out a bedroom or section of your house. You’ll need to be able to qualify for a mortgage, and afford it on a monthly basis, without that anticipated rent coming in. 
  • Try and line up a tenant ahead of time. Even though a lender may not consider the rent you’ll be bringing in, it still helps to know you have someone willing to rent, and how much they’re willing to pay you before you purchase a house, if you’re relying on that income to make ends meet.
  • Be careful who you allow to live in your home. This probably sounds obvious, but it’s something you may be less careful about if you’re desperate or anxious to generate some extra money each month. Ideally you can find someone you know and trust to live in your home, but that’s not always possible. If you advertise your space for rent and are considering people you don’t know, make sure to do some research into the person. Ask for references, and truly get a feel for who they are before taking the leap into living with them. Make sure they’re not just someone you can trust and feel comfortable around, but also someone you’ll enjoy living with.
  • Put things in writing. Create a lease with terms that delineate what they can and can’t use in the house. Perhaps create a schedule if there will be shared areas you may want some privacy in at certain times. Include rules that need to be followed, and remedies for any disagreements. To be on the safe (and legal) side, have a lawyer create a that protects both of your rights within the parameters of the local landlord / tenant laws.
  • Make sure it’s allowed before you do it. Look into the local rules and ordinances before buying a place. For instance, if the house is part of a homeowners association (HOA), there may be rules that forbid you from having tenants. Or city and town zoning may not permit such usage in the area your house is located.

Also Consider Buying a Proper Multifamily Instead…

Many people are looking at “house hacking” as renting out a portion of a single-family home they live in, but the term has been used by investors for quite some time as a way to buy real estate and build equity and a portfolio of properties over time. 

Investors use the tactic by buying a multi-unit property to live in one unit, and rent out the other units to defray the cost, or even live for free if the other rents can cover the entire mortgage. They use the money they are saving per month to build up another down payment to buy another property, and then either sell the first investment, or keep it as a rental property, and buy another one.

While you may not envision yourself as an “investor,” or living in an investment property as opposed to a single-family home, buying a multifamily property would make it easier to have your own space, while also benefiting from rent that helps make the monthly mortgage more manageable. It will also make the landlord / tenant relationship a bit more formal, and as long as the property is legally zoned for multifamily usage, there shouldn’t be any concerns like you may run into renting out a portion of a single-family home. 

In addition, lenders will consider any rents that are on record or anticipated for a multifamily property, which will help you qualify for a mortgage. And if you plan on living in it, there’s a good chance you can qualify for a low down payment program!

The Takeaway:

Because housing costs have gone up, buying or renting a home has become difficult for many people, especially in the younger generations. This has made “house hacking” — which is basically renting out a portion of a home in order to generate some money to help make owning their home more affordable — an appealing way for nearly half of recent home buyers to buy a house. 

If you’re considering this tactic as away to buy a home, make sure you:

  • Can afford the home without the rental income you anticipate.
  • Try and line up a tenant ahead of time.
  • Only rent to someone you have vetted and feel comfortable with.
  • Put all terms and conditions in writing, and consider having a lawyer draft a legal document for you.
  • Make sure renting out a portion of your home is allowed in your area.

Also consider buying a proper multi-unit investment property. It will help you achieve the same benefits of incoming rent, while allowing you a separate place to call home by living in one unit and renting out the rest.

Get in touch for other great tips. Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORs The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

5 Things Home Buyers Shouldn’t Open, Look In, or Look at When Looking at a House to Buy

09 Thursday Mar 2023

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When you’re looking at houses it’s important to take a really good look at every inch of the house you’re going to buy. But there are some things you have no business looking at when you’re looking around a seller’s home.

You could probably use common sense to figure out what you shouldn’t be snooping around in by thinking about whether you’d be embarrassed if the owner caught you snooping. But just to make sure—and for a laugh for those of you who’d never dare snoop—let’s take a look at 5 things you shouldn’t open, look in, or look at when looking at a house to buy:

1) The medicine cabinet

While a medicine cabinet is typically affixed to the house, and therefore something that is part of the sale, there’s not much need to carefully inspect it. If you’ve seen one, you’ve pretty much seen them all. Some owners might “depersonalize” it and leave nothing but the toothpaste, face cream, and body lotion, but many often don’t. There could easily be medications or personal items in there that a seller wouldn’t want you seeing. So, no peeking. 

2) Dressers and wardrobes

Taking a look inside the bedroom closets is totally acceptable, and owners expect people will be taking a peek inside of them, so they most likely hide anything they don’t want you seeing. That said, “peek” is the key word; don’t go browsing through their clothes or trying on a pair of shoes. Just get a sense of how much of your stuff it’ll hold if you buy the place. But don’t open their dresser drawers or open up a free-standing wardrobe. Those are furniture, and typically aren’t included in the sale. It’s probably where they hid all the stuff they took out of the closet that they don’t want you seeing! 

3) The toy box

If the homeowner has children, there’s a good chance there are toys in the house. Ideally the owner is able to put them away neatly in a toy box or closet when the house is being shown. Unless you’re a kid at heart, or a huge toy collector, those probably won’t be something you’ll have any interest in. But if you have kids and they’ve come along to see the house, there’s a good chance they’ll be interested in them! A kid’s toys are their prized possessions, and they probably don’t want a stranger coming into their home and touching them. So make sure you keep an eye on your children and don’t let them treat the house like a visit to Toys ‘R’ Us.

4) The fridge (if it’s not included…)

This one is a bit of a gray area. If the fridge is included in the sale of the home, you do have the right to check it out. But if it’s not included (and they aren’t always included) you shouldn’t be sizing up their leftovers, or whether they drink Budweiser or IPA’s, no matter how appealing a slice of cold pizza and a beer sounds at the moment.

5) Their mail

Sellers shouldn’t be leaving a pile of mail out in the open when their house is on the market, but sometimes it’s just a habit and people don’t think to stash it somewhere out of sight. That doesn’t mean you should take a glance at it, let alone shuffle through it, to get a feel for who they are or what’s going on in their life. There could easily be evidence of legal, medical, or personal issues the owner wouldn’t care for you to know about.

But you should look at houses with us! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORs The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty 904-515-2700 HanleyHomeTeam.com

Don’t Give Up on Buying a Home if You’re a Millennial Renter

27 Tuesday Sep 2022

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Almost 25% of Millennials (ages 26-41) claim they plan on renting forever according to this Apartment List article. That’s nearly double the amount since they started their ongoing survey of 31,000 Millennials in 2018.

In the grand scheme of things, 1 in 4 Millennials swearing off homeownership forever isn’t earth-shattering news. To put things in perspective, the highest rate of homeownership ever was 80% in North Dakota back in 1900. But generally speaking, the homeownership rate has hovered in the 65% range nationally for almost 5 decades. Some people will always be renters; homeownership isn’t for everyone. 

There are four main reasons they give for not buying:

  • They feel it’s financially risky (19%)
  • Don’t want the costs of maintaining a home (30%)
  • They like the flexibility renting allows (28%)
  • Can’t afford to buy a house (77%)

Obviously, by far the biggest reason is affordability. It’d be easy to chalk that up to the recent surge in home prices and rising interest rates. It’s legitimate and true. But that’s also been the main reason since well before the current market conditions. Truthfully, affordability is almost always the reason renters give for not buying, regardless of the decade. It’s never an easy financial leap to take.

However, while renting may feel like the easier, more affordable option, over time it’s not. In fact, renting is getting even more expensive. According to this Fortune article, an increasing amount of older adults are struggling to be able to pay rent. They’re constantly in fear of rent hikes that may just get to a point they can’t afford to pay. Then what?

While it’s never an easy financial leap to take, once you take the leap, your housing cost can be kept stable for years to come, and even go down as you pay off your house. Sure, it won’t be easy up front, but think of how it’ll be for you a couple of decades from now. Would you rather have an asset you can sell, or still be paying a landlord an ever-increasing amount of rent with nothing to show for it? 

Sure, prices and rates may seem high right now, but it almost always feels that way relative to the times. There’s always an area and a house you can afford to buy a house in, if you’re qualified for a mortgage. (And if you’re not, it’s worth making an effort to be qualified!) Your first house may not be everything you want or where you ideally would like to live, but it’s a first step toward taking control of being able to afford to live comfortably as you get older. It may seem years away right now, but time has a way of creeping up on you. And the cost of living does, too… 

The Takeaway:

Considering the financial burdens many Millennials have, coupled with rising interest rates and home prices, it’s no surprise that an increasing number of Millennials are saying they’ll never buy a home and remain renters forever. 

But if you can afford to rent, the chances are you can afford to buy. It might not be your dream home, or in the exact neighborhood you’d prefer, but you can buy something. Buy where (and what) you can afford now, so that you have a predictable and controllable cost of living — as well as an asset you can sell — as you grow older.

Let’s discuss your real estate goals. Jennifer Hanley, REALTOR The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2700 HanleyHomeTeam.com

How Time Can Be On Your Side if You’re a First-Time Home Buyer in This Market

07 Thursday Apr 2022

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If you’re in the market to buy your first home in this market, it’s probably felt like an uphill battle. There aren’t a lot of houses to choose from, and the minute a house gets listed there are a ton of offers to compete against.

Adding to the stress, now you’re probably worrying about the news that interest rates are going up, and hoping to scoop up a house before rates go up too high and make buying a house more affordable. 

But then there’s the news about pending home sales dropping over the past couple of months, which may sound hopeful to buyers. 

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Are buyers putting on the brakes and waiting to see if house prices come down due to rates rising? Should you wait and try to time the market?

All understandable questions buyers may be thinking about, but speculating and trying to time the market is a gamble that may not pay off as one would hope. Here’s a few reasons why:

  • Even if interest rates go up, prices may not come down enough to make buying a house cost less.
  • Inventory won’t likely increase enough to outpace demand. That can only be solved by either more houses being built, or more Baby Boomers listing their houses, which hasn’t happened as anticipated.
  • Trying to time the real estate market is almost impossible for even a seasoned real estate investor, let alone an average homebuyer.

So timing may not be the best bet, but time itself can be on your side as a first-time buyer in any market, but especially this one.

Part of the reason why there are so few homes for sale, and pending sales have dropped over the past few months, is due to the fact that many homeowners worry about where they’ll go if they sell their house. Think about your concerns as a first-time buyer having to find a house to begin with, and then hope you can beat out a bunch of other buyers. That concern is even greater for someone who already owns a house. Even if they truly want to move, it can be scary to pull the trigger and list their house because they have legitimate concerns that they won’t be able to find and buy a house.

This is where you, as a first-time buyer, have an advantage. Most sellers would love to have time on their side to look for a home once they get their house under contract. Sure they want as much money as they can get for their house, but time to look for a house can be more valuable than a higher offer another buyer makes. 

The Takeaway:

Rather than put your house hunting on hold and speculating that prices will come down, or more inventory will magically appear, focus on what you have to offer that other buyers can’t offer to a seller—as much time as they need to find a house to buy. 

This doesn’t mean you can get away with a lowball offer against other buyers, but it can give you the upperhand. So consider writing terms into your offers that give the seller as much time as they need to find a house. 

And perhaps your real estate agent can even use your ability to wait as a reason to reach out to their network of past clients and other agents. There’s no guarantee, but he or she might be able to find a seller who hasn’t listed their house because they’re concerned about timing. It could be just the right thing that gets a hesitant homeowner to sell, and gets you a house to buy!

Let’s get creative! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside HanleyHomeTeam.com 904-515-2479