Spokane Real Estate - Ross Quintana

Spokane Real Estate Expert - Ross Quintana

This question is poping in the minds of many people right now with the economy the way it is and fears of unemployment. Sometimes people think of owning a home as a big commitment that is hard to get out of. Here are the two things to consider when comparing renting versus buying.

1. Commitment - You may think renting is like dating and buying is like marriage, but the fact is that renting comes with the commitment of a lease which you can not break. Home ownership comes with the option to sell at any time. Find the right agent and you will move it even in a slow market. Buy right and a great agent can sell high in low markets (OK insert TQ plug here).

2. Cost - Home owning with these low rates can't get any cheaper. Homes are priced low with flexibility because of all the choices. Now is a great time to buy. You'll thank yourself when the market goes back up. Or you could rent in a down market with low prices and then wait until things look better and prices are higher.

Cost and commitment of buying are both better than renting. Buy low sell high. This is a great market for buyers.

Call us for personal advice on your situation. 509-362-1966

Hello Everyone,

Well, when free money is given out, it doesn't last long. Many Home buyers are getting off the fence and trying to find a home so they don't miss out on the $8000 Tax Credit. A push to get it extended hasn't yielded anything yet in congress so I would write an offer soon if you want to take advantage of it.

There are many homes to choose from right now and with very low interest rates, you may be kicking yourself for not buying right now if you have a chance to. Most people think it is a good time to buy when the market is up and are afraid to buy when the economy is down, but this means they will buy homes at high proces in good markets and have to hold on to them or sell them for a loss in bad markets.

The time to buy is in low markets so you can sell when the markets are hot. With another $8000 from the government, I don't know why anyone would wait to buy right now if they can.People will have to write an offer in the next couple of weeks to be able to close in time for the cutoff date. Don't wait call us now to help you find the perfect home. Call Us 509-362-1966

Hello Everyone,

In this slower market many people are lowering the prices to attract buyers. The question is, does lowering the price bring buyers. The answer is tricky.

In a active market lowering the price can attract buyers in your price bracket, and lowering the price to a different price bracket will also bring new buyers. The difference is that lowering the price in your price bracket, say 200-225k will make your home more attractive to buyers who have probably already seen your home but didn't have much interest. The first filter is will the home work for them, the second filter is how attractive is the price. Changing prices int he same bracket only helps you attract people who made it past the first question and then were turned off by the price.

In a market where there are fewer buyers, you may reduce the price within your bracket and see nothing. In times when people may not be able to give up much, I wouldn't just suggest lowering the price to sell te home. If the lower price will attract buyers do it, but if more time is what is needed and you need to wait for new buyers to enter your price range, then reducing the price would be a waste. The only affect it has at that point is to change how attractive you are compared to your competition. If you are already attractive don't spend the money for nothing when all you need is to wait for more buyers.

Pricing can be tricky in this market, You should always hire a professional with a track record of selling homes in a tough market. If you or anyone you know needs the help of a professional call us 509-362-1966 and we can guide you through this market safely.

OK, so we all know this market is tough for real estate, but people still have to buy and people still have to sell. Life moves on whether the housing market likes it or not. There are three key reasons that your home may not be selling in this market, and if you don't recognize them, you may end up going nowhere.

1. Your Agent - OK this one seems simple but you must realize, that in a competitive market, getting your home noticed among all of the other homes for sale that flood the streets comes down to marketing. If your marketing isn't making your home stand out, you will have to use price and with many homes on the market expect big losses if you hire an agent who can't market your home better than your competition.

2. Price - For many people who bought a few years ago in the height of the market, Selling now seems impossible because they can't lower their price but need to sell. See point 1. If you can't go lower than all the other homes to attract a buyer, then you better pick an agent that is getting homes sold through great marketing.

3. Condition - As competition increases, it increases in all three of these areas. The agent with the best marketing gets you more showings, the best prices will sell but sellers may lose money, and the homes in the best condition will sell first if the marketing was good enough to get them on the list of homes buyers want to look at.

Hiring the right agent didn't matter a few years ago when anyone could sell homes, but now if you don't pick right you will likely not sell at all. If you need a Real Estate Agent in Spokane Washington who can get your home sold in this tough market, call us and let us show you what we do differently than other agents. 509-362-1966 or visit our Spokane Home Seller Section for More Great Home Selling Tips!

Spokane Real Estate Expert - Ross Quintana

Well, time moves forward and if you haven't heard of the first time home buyer tax credit, then where have you been. As we get closer to the Dec 1st Deadline, you should see more and more media about it. In an attempt to stimulate the housing market the Government is offering $8000 for first time home buyer's to buy a home.

If you qualify you can take advantage of the extra money to plan savings, make repairs, or to invest. It's a great incentive. To learn more and to see if you qualify visit the official website for more information.

Tax Credit Website

If you are thinking about buying, why not get some cash for doing it now. If you plan on getting the tax credit you will need to remember it takes anywhere from 30 to 45 days to close so you would have to ahve found your home by end of September to mid October. When you add the time it takes to find the right home, you had better get shopping soon. Call us and we can help you find the right home. 509-362-1966 or visit our

Spokane Home Buy Buying Website

Ross Quintana

Team Quintana Real Estate

Keller Williams Realty Spokane