A multifamily home is defined as a building that has more than one unit. Each unit has its own separate kitchen, bathrooms, and utilities. These types of homes can be rented, owned, or be an investment property where a landlord collects rent.
A multi-family home is a more economical way of living. Because there is less privacy and tenants or owners are living in proximity to others, the cost is usually less. If you live in a multifamily home, you may not be responsible for things like exterior maintenance or landscaping and lawn care. The landlord may hire an outside company to take care of these tasks.
Multifamily Home Designs
Multifamily homes come in a variety of designs. You may pass by houses that more than one family lives in and don’t even realize. Types of multifamily dwellings include:
Duplex
Condominiums
Apartments
Townhouses
These designs could have anywhere from two families to hundreds of families living in them. Duplexes, condos, and townhomes tend to have owners rather than renters. Apartments are usually seen as a property type that is leased. Some properties are stand alone while others are part of a complex. Your choice of where to dwell or invest in a multifamily unit all depends on preference.
How Costly Are Multifamily Properties?
For those who don’t like to deal with yard work or maintenance, living in a multifamily unit could be a great choice. You may have to pay monthly HOA fees or other maintenance costs, but everything is taken care of for you. These fees may even cover maintenance inside of your unit.
If you are investing in a multifamily unit, the costs can get a bit more tricky. While you will know the cost of the mortgage and insurance, the monthly expenses to maintain the property are always unpredictable. These costs all depend on what in the property is under warranty and how old the property is. Older homes will need things like new furnaces and roof replacements. It can be tricky to know exactly how much to charge for rent to actually make a profit as a landlord.
Keep in mind that if people are renting from you, you’ll need to replace things like appliances, carpets, and flooring each time a tenant moves out, and a new one moves in. It can also be challenging to deal with tenant problems on a day-to-day basis. Be sure you know what you are getting yourself into if you decide to invest in a multifamily home.
Overall, multifamily homes can be a great housing option for many families because of the simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
Looking to sell a home for the first time? Ultimately, a first-time home seller must be able to identify a strong offer for his or her residence. With extensive real estate insights, a first-time home seller may be better equipped than others to accept a strong offer and accelerate the home selling cycle.
Identifying a strong offer for a home can be quick and easy – even for a first-time home seller.
Now, let's take a look at three tips to help a first-time home seller differentiate between a strong offer and a poor one.
1. Analyze the Housing Market
The housing market can be complex, particularly for a first-time home seller. Fortunately, many free, easy-to-access resources are available to help a home seller learn about the ins and outs of the housing sector so he or she can plan accordingly.
For example, a home seller can check the prices of homes available in his or her area via a simple online search. This home seller can even find out how long a particular house has been available, whether the price of a home has been reduced over time and much more.
With in-depth knowledge of the real estate market, a home seller can study how his or her residence stacks up against the competition. Then, this home seller can establish a competitive price for his or her home, increasing the likelihood that he or she will receive a number of strong offers.
2. Understand Your Home Both Inside and Out
A home appraisal is a must for a first-time or experienced home seller, and perhaps it is easy to understand why.
During a home appraisal, a property inspector will take a close look at a house's interior and exterior. This inspector will provide a report at the appraisal's completion that highlights a house's strengths and weaknesses too.
For a home seller, an appraisal offers a valuable learning opportunity. It enables a home seller to gain deep insights into a home's condition that he or she may struggle to obtain elsewhere. That way, a home seller can complete assorted home repairs before listing a residence and boost his or her chances of receiving multiple offers that exceed a house's initial asking price.
3. Consult with a Real Estate Agent
A first-time home seller should meet with a real estate agent and discuss the differences between a strong offer and a poor one.
Thanks to a real estate agent, a home seller can seamlessly navigate the entire property selling journey as well.
Typically, a real estate agent will help a home seller establish a fair price for a residence from the get-go. This housing market professional also can offer helpful tips throughout the home selling journey to ensure a home seller can get the best possible results.
Don't leave anything to chance as you prepare to list a residence for the first time. Instead, take advantage of the aforementioned tips, and a first-time home seller should have no trouble distinguishing between a strong offer and a subpar proposal.
Moving groceries is not the most ideal of situations. You’re left worrying about spoilage, spillage and, let’s be honest, having another thing to move. Lighten your moving day load by planning ahead of time so that you have little to nothing left in your fridge and pantry to take with you.
To do this well it’s important to start at least a month before the move. Start by cleaning everything out - the pantry, your fridge and your freezer chest if you have one. Get rid of everything that is expired, stale or you just aren’t going to eat.
Take inventory of what’s left and categorize this list much like you would when creating your grocery list. So categories could be: meats/proteins, frozen vegetables, toaster/microwave items, desserts, dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, sauces, condiments, and snacks.
Next, it’s time to get creative and meal plan around these ingredients supplementing with items from the store occasionally as needed. The idea though is to do as little shopping and use up as much as you can with your meals for the month ahead. If you feel stumped on how to use what you have on hand utilize recipe websites that can pull recipes based on the ingredients you input into their system.
Write down the meals you plan into your calendar or day planner. If you use an app for planning you can write down the recipe and set a reminder to it. Apps like Trello, Evernote and Asana are all free and perfect for this.
A few meal ideas:
Use ingredients to create items that are more stable, like baked goods, to take with you. Make homemade pizzas, soups, stews, salads, omelets and casseroles. The beauty of these types of dishes is the variety of ingredients you’re able to use in them. Be playful and make hybrid meals - spaghetti on pizza, taco omelets, a buffalo chicken rice bowl, french fries in a casserole (similar to hotdish, a Midwestern classic).
Hectic. Chaotic. Busy.
Moving week is many things, but there is one thing it is not - the time to cook elaborate or the creative dinners you’ve been eating throughout the month to use up items.
Plan this week well ahead of time, if not first, and make it all the easier by planning freezer meals you can just pull out and heat up.
Cooking items to keep out as you begin packing:
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray or oil
Spatula and a pan or two
A chef knife
A mixing bowl
Enough cutlery for everyone
Enough plates, cups, and bowls for everyone
Sponge and dish soap
By using up all your items as much as possible before the move you are creating the perfect opportunity to start over with your pantry. As you clean out items take note of what your tossing and steer clear of those when restocking or note to buy a smaller package to avoid future waste.
No one wants to face a homebuying dilemma. Yet problems may arise during the homebuying journey that make it tough for an individual to find and buy his or her dream residence. Lucky for you, we're here to help you prepare for potential homebuying dilemmas and ensure you can quickly address these issues.
Now, let's take a look at three tips to help you avoid a homebuying dilemma as you search for your ideal house.
1. Craft a Homebuying Strategy
If you intend to embark on a home search, it often helps to enter the real estate market with a plan in hand. That way, you can streamline your house search and boost the likelihood of finding a quality home that matches your expectations.
Think about where you want to live, as well as the features you want to find in your dream home. Then, you can create a homebuying strategy designed to help you discover the right house.
2. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage
Obtaining home financing may prove to be problematic for some people. However, if you apply for a mortgage today, you can start your search for your dream home with a budget at your disposal.
There is no shortage of mortgage options available to homebuyers nationwide. Adjustable- and fixed-rate mortgages are two of the most popular options for homebuyers. Meanwhile, banks and credit unions can teach you about adjustable- and fixed-rate mortgages and other home financing options at your convenience.
If you meet with banks and credit unions, don't hesitate to ask mortgage questions, either. If you learn about all of your mortgage options, you can make an informed home financing selection that may serve you well for years to come.
3. Hire a Real Estate Agent
There is no telling when a homebuying dilemma will crop up during your search for your dream residence. Fortunately, if you hire a real estate agent, you can receive expert assistance with any homebuying dilemma, at any time.
A real estate agent understands the challenges commonly associated with buying a home. Therefore, he or she will do everything possible to help you address these challenges as you navigate the homebuying journey.
Typically, a real estate agent will help you craft a property buying strategy, narrow your home search and establish realistic homebuying expectations. He or she also will set up home showings, teach you about different aspects of the housing market and provide homebuying recommendations and suggestions.
If you discover your dream residence, a real estate agent will help you put together a competitive offer to purchase this home too. And if your homebuying proposal is approved, a real estate agent will help you finalize your house purchase as quickly as possible.
There is no need to stress about homebuying dilemmas. If you take advantage of the aforementioned tips, you can get ready for potential homebuying problems and resolve these issues before they escalate.
If you plan to sell a house for the first time, it pays to think about how you'll price your house. By doing so, you can establish a competitive price for your residence and boost your chances of a fast, profitable home sale.
Now, let's take a look at three pricing tips that every first-time home seller needs to know.
1. Perform Housing Market Research
Although you may have bought your home in the peak of a buyer's market, it is important to note that the real estate sector constantly fluctuates. This means the value of your home today is unlikely to match its value from a few years ago.
Before you price your house, you should take a look at a variety of housing market data. This information is readily available and will enable you to take an informed approach to the real estate market.
For example, a first-time home seller should examine the prices of available houses that are similar to his or her own. With this housing market data, a home seller can find out how his or her residence stacks up against the competition.
It also helps to review the prices of recently sold houses in your city or town. That way, you can determine whether you're about to enter a buyer's or seller's market and set realistic pricing expectations for your residence.
2. Conduct a Home Appraisal
A home appraisal is exceedingly valuable, particularly for a first-time home seller who is uncertain about the value of his or her house.
During a home appraisal, a property appraiser will examine a residence's condition, as well as various housing market data. Then, this appraiser will provide a comprehensive report that includes a property valuation.
By completing a home appraisal, a first-time home seller can receive expert property insights. Plus, the appraisal enables a home seller to identify a property's strengths and weaknesses.
3. Collaborate with a Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent is a housing market professional who is committed to client results. As such, a real estate agent will go above and beyond the call of duty to help a first-time home seller set the right price for his or her house.
Typically, a real estate agent will meet with a home seller and learn about his or her property selling goals. This housing market professional then will provide extensive housing market insights to ensure a home seller can establish a competitive home price from day one.
Let's not forget about the support that a real estate agent provides throughout the home selling journey, either. A real estate agent will set up home showings and open houses and do everything possible to help a home seller optimize the value of a residence. Also, if a home seller has questions, a real estate agent is ready to respond to them at any time.
Take the guesswork out of pricing your residence – use the aforementioned tips, and a first-time home seller can establish a competitive price for his or her home.