Derek Worchel's (worchel) Blog

The great news from the FED has boosted markets. Federal Chairman Janet Yellen agreed to keep interest rates low through April. Any increase she said would be modest. This bring great news to a new season coming up for home buyers and investors as the Real Estate market continues to recover. Low ...

1. Curb appeal  - make sure it looks inviting so that people will want to come in. Clean the roof. Mow the lawn. Maybe even put up an outside patio set.    2. Repaint - do you have odd colors on the wall? Make things more tone neutral.    3. Cabintes - Old cabinets can be painted an appealing whi...

The consumer price index is a measure of how consumers are feeling about the overall economy and their personal financial siutation. Why is this important? Take into account that we are a consumer driven economy, of which 2/3 of our GDP depends on consumers buying goods. If consumers are not buyi...

Something I always hear from my clients in Bellingham WA and Whatcom county is that they want top dollar for their home.  I totally agree. I educate them about when prices are higher during the spring and summer seasons and when they can expect the most for their home. However, I also have to cau...

I find that before listing it is best to fix up a house so the buyers can't knock you down on price. I use my General Contracting Company (www.ASPMWA.com) to do the repairs. I cut the sellers in on a good price if they are willing to list the house at an agreeable price. I find that many times a ...

How Long does it take to sell my house?   In truth it all depends how your price it. There is also a time frame before it goes on the market that needs to be considered. There is also the closing time that needs to be factored in. In short, it is not a quick process. When you talk to a real estat...

Hello All,   As a realtor and a Home Inspector, I can't stress the importance of getting a quality Home Inspector to do the home inspection for you. There are certain things that a home inspector must do and that you should look for in your home inspection. One is the attic. Many home inspectors ...

I find the best things that can get a house ready is curb appeal and staging. When buyers come to a house they need to be entreated to come in doors. Fixing up the yard, cleaning up debris, and removing old foliage is a great way to represent your home. Next I feel that staging is the most import...

I always here people say - I hate that all my money goes to my landlord. I need to remind renters sometimes the perks of renting. This may be contrary to my business plan of selling more homes, but I find that educating the buyer is part of the job even if it does not net a sale. To do this, I go...

How does a Real Estate Contract Work?   When you enter a real estate contract, you are committing to a real estate agent to sell your home for a period of time. This is known as the length of the contract. Typical contract length are 6,9, and 12 months long. Depending on the complexity of the pr...