Dani Blain Real Estate Team

Shop Til Ya Drop… Or Until You’re All “Scrolled” Out

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Online shopping is King… even if people intend to shop in person, oftentimes they will check out prices and reviews online before heading to a brick and mortar storefront. It’s no wonder that online shopping and e-commerce has completely changed the way people look for their future homes. 

Back in the day, before we had access to all of the technology we now have at our fingertips, the way Realtors listed homes was very different from the way we do it now. We have Amazon and online shopping in general to thank for that. Everyone is very familiar with shopping online – whether it’s for groceries, a mattress, a car, or a home – step one is typically done on our phones. 

So what does that mean for the way we list homes and the way we market your home? If we know that online shopping is something that everyone does without thinking these days and we know that the first thing someone is going to do to begin their house hunt is to pick up their phone – we know your listing needs to appeal to these online shoppers. 

Your DBRE Agent knows and understands the best way to have an online shopper connect with your home listing. We work with teams of photographers and stagers to make sure your listing has all of the bells and whistles it may need. Each home and each listing will be different and each Agent will put their own touch on it, but we can guarantee that it will be NOTHING like the listings from way back when, or heck… even from five years ago! 

We know the process can feel daunting and you may be wondering if your house is ready to list. Instead of scrolling and reading through advice online, connect with us so we can put you in touch with one of our Agents who can walk you through the entire process. If you are wondering what some of our listings look like, go take a peek to see what we have on the market and see all of the great things our teams have put together. 

In today’s rapidly paced market, where inventory is low and demand is high – people are checking MLS listings multiple times a day and sometimes making offers on just the listing alone. With drone photography, virtual tours, and huge photo galleries of listings – it can feel like the shopper has already been in the home, which is vastly different than the days of Open Houses and flyers on door steps. We have fully adjusted to this new way of marketing our listings and hope that you will let us use our expertise with your home. 

If you are ready to list your home, Dani Blain Real Estate Agents are standing by, ready to get your home listed and sold. They will take you through the process step by step and make sure that your home is “ready for it’s close up” to create a visually appealing listing that will catch the eye of even the savviest online shoppers. 

Central Valley Housing Market in the New Year

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As the longest and most difficult year for a lot of us comes to an end, we want to spend a bit of time looking ahead. With a new year comes a fresh start, a new leaf, the next chapter. Many view it as a time to make goals and resolutions and map out the year ahead. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we can’t predict everything that lies ahead.  No one could have imagined what 2020 would have in store for us, so we won’t pretend that we have a crystal ball for what 2021 will look like. But, in terms of what we can expect in the Central Valley Real Estate market, we do have a few predictions we can share with you to help you plan for the year ahead.

Inventory Will Remain Tight

All signs are pointing to 2021 looking pretty similar to last year in a few respects, with low inventory being on the list. It has been nearly impossible to keep up with the buyer demand, resulting in slim pickings for buyers. 

If you are looking to buy a home in the Central Valley in 2021, we have a team of agents that are ready to serve you and help you find your next home. It may require extra patience and level setting expectations, but we are sure the perfect-for-you home is within reach for you. You can check out a couple of our previous blog posts of what the market currently looks like for both buyers and sellers. 

Home Prices Will Stay on the Rise

Which is great for sellers and a little tougher of a pill to swallow for buyers. With inventory low and eager buyers – 2021 will continue the trend we saw beginning last spring. If you spent last year saving and cleaning up your credit report, then 2021 is your year to take the leap into home ownership. If you still have some work to do in that department, commit to buckling down the first half of the year so that you can meet your goals sooner than later. Check out some tips from Dave Ramsey on how you can save for a down payment while renting.

Sellers can stay hopeful about getting a nice return on their investment and if you are working with an experienced agent, you will have plenty of offers headed your way. It will be important to have a plan for your next move, as the inventory will be slim. Practice patience and negotiate an offer that will give you the flexibility you may need.  

The Real Estate Market Looks Stable

Most of us can remember the Real Estate Market Crash of 2008 and there are leery buyers and sellers wondering if we are in the midst of a bubble that could soon burst. Thankfully, all signs point to stability. The housing market has been leading the charge in our country’s economic recovery throughout the Coronavirus Crisis. Experts do not see an impending crash. We are in a completely different place than we were in 2008 and there is no reason to believe that the positive trends we saw in 2020 will be leaving us high and dry in 2021. 

The Bottom Line

Real Estate in California has long been a safe investment and it will remain as such this year. Even if you aren’t planning on buying or selling in 2021 and you are currently a homeowner, you can expect to see your home value rise in this current market. If you aren’t sure what your goals are for this year, maybe investing in Real Estate can be added to your list? 

2021 looks promising for Real Estate in the Central Valley, as many companies are adopting the work from home model and people are fleeing big cities and looking to plant roots in a place that is affordable and still close to big cities. With the Central Valley being positioned smack in the middle of Los Angeles and San Francisco, we fit the bill for a lot of eager buyers. 

Our agents had incredible success in 2020 and are looking to continue it in 2021. There was a great deal of learning to be done in this new market, and they did so quickly and swiftly creating loads of sales and happy clients. We hope that you will trust us to serve you in the new year and we send you warm wishes of prosperity for 2021. 

Get in touch with us today to learn more about buying or selling in the Central Valley and we will match you with one of our hard-working agents. 

Reality of Today’s Market: The Buyers Edition

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We have covered the general state of today’s real estate market, as well as the reality for sellers at this time, so now we are ready to dive into what it is like for buyers in the current market. It seems we can’t go more than a minute without someone mentioning the “unprecedented times” we are living through – and for good reason. No one has ever seen the things we are seeing while we live through this pandemic. The real estate market is no exception, so today’s buyers need to be well aware what they are getting themselves into, particularly if this is their first time buying a home. This is not your mother’s home buying experience, so buckle up and get ready for a wild ride. 

Cash is King 

With inventory low and interest rates high, sellers have the upper hand and can be quite selective with the offers they are getting. The more capital you have on hand and the way you can use it in a creative way, the better your offer will do. There are lots of funding and loans options available for you to explore. In our Central Valley Tri-County area, we are seeing everything from FHA and USDA loans to conventional loans. When you want to begin the process to learn more about funding options, your Dani Blain Real Estate (DBRE) Agents can help you discuss options and connect you with our pals at Country Club Mortgage as well for additional information or pre-approval processing.

Flexibility is not far behind

With many sellers also simultaneously looking to buy another home, they may find themselves in a situation where the low inventory is making it difficult to secure their next home. If you are clear in your offer that you can be flexible – it may give your offer a leg up on others. If you aren’t in a huge rush and can agree to a longer escrow period, or if you can offer a rent back situation, it will allow the sellers a bit of breathing room and can make your offer the most appealing. There are many things that could fall into this category where experienced agents can help you get creative in each individual offer they draw up with their clients. 

Keep your emotions in check and be ready to move quickly!

This type of market moves quickly and can feel like an emotionally trying process for some. You are going to need to protect yourself a bit and try your best not to fall in love with the houses you see. There are so many unforeseen circumstances in today’s market that getting your hopes up may leave you feeling crushed if your offer isn’t even drawn before the home of our dreams sells. 

We cannot adequately prepare you for how quickly we have been seeing houses sell – it is at a breakneck speed, so we need our clients to be able to move at this rapid pace, which can be a bit jarring. If you are the type that likes to mull things over and really take your time when making decisions, the house you decide to put an offer on tomorrow – may get five offers today. 

The bottom line: Work with an Agent you trust AND has experience in this market

We’ve said it before, and we will say it again – we cannot emphasize the importance of working with an experienced Agent enough. Here at DBRE we have been busy buying and selling homes in this new pandemic driven Real Estate market. We have Agents out there charting these new waters and finding our way through to help our clients land the home of their dreams every single day.

We know that buying a home is one of the most stressful life events we face in our adulthood. The typical home buying stress that has always been there for everyone, unfortunately has only intensified in today’s market. Working alongside an Agent that understands the nuanced market we are experiencing, while also having the emotional intelligence to truly offer an empathetic  beacon of support, is something that we are so proud to do here at DBRE. 

Throughout the process, we are confident you will feel like you are working with a skilled, trusted, friend that is laser-focused on one goal – meeting your needs and making you feel seen, heard, and supported every step of the way. 

If you are ready to embark on a home buying journey – we hope you choose to do it with us. It may be emotional and hard, but it will be worth it and you will end up in the home that was meant for you… for that we are sure! Get in touch with us today. 

The Reality of Today’s Market

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Seller’s Edition

Inventory is low, it’s a seller’s market, sell now! Seems like those are the things people have swirling around in their heads these days. While it is true that we are currently in the middle of a seller’s market – it’s not just any ol’ market – its a market like none of us have ever seen. We talked a while back about what the current Real Estate Market here in the Central Valley in our post “The Real Estate Market TODAY” and today we are going to dig in a little deeper on what the reality is for sellers at this moment. 

When you are working with an experienced Real Estate Agent you will have someone to guide you through what the process can look like in this unique market. Our team of Agents here at Dani Blain Real Estate have remained very busy throughout the coronavirus Pandemic and very familiar with the current trends. Some things you should be thinking about if you are going to be putting a house on the market soon:

It will be a lot different than the last time you bought or sold a house

No one has ever seen a market like this before. We can promise you – unless you have bought/sold a home in the last six months, this process will be very different than the last time you were here. You may see incredibly short listing times. With inventory low and loads of eager buyers, we are seeing houses only having live listings for a number of hours before the offers start rolling in. 

You may receive multiple offers. You may see multiple offers above your listing price. There may be heartfelt letters from sellers of why you should choose them over another eager buyer. With this seller’s market you will be in the driver’s seat – but working alongside a knowledgeable agent will be like having the perfect GPS navigating the route from the passenger seat. 

Make sure you have a strong virtual listing

With interest rates currently being so low, we are seeing a lot of first time buyers and the majority of them are Millennials. Millennials are all about shopping online and scrolling through MLS listings is something anyone can do before they even get out of bed in the morning. Having a listing with great photos, a virtual tour, etc… can really make your home stand out and garner lots of interest with excited buyers. Having people fall in love with a home before they even see it in person is what it is all about right now.

Be comfortable with the unknown 

Every house and every process is totally unique and different. Once the offers start to come in there will be a great deal of variables to work through with your agent. Having an agent that can be thinking ten steps ahead and trying to anticipate the unknown will help a lot. Being prepared to go on a bit of a journey with lots of twists and turns is what we need all of our seller’s to be comfortable with right now. 

Is now the right time to sell your house? It is a great time if you are ready! It will be important for you to have your plan and know exactly what the next steps are for after you sell your current home. We have Agents that can help you map out the best way to make this happen and help you search for a new home while you’re in the process of selling. It is a lot of moving parts during a stressful and emotional process – which makes working with an Agent you trust and click with is so important. Get in touch with us and we can help match you with an agent that will be perfect for you and your situation in any area in the Central Valley.

The Real Estate Market TODAY

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COVID-19 has changed nearly all aspects of our lives, so of course it has impacted the Real Estate Market. Here in the Central Valley and across the country, we are all dealing with this new pandemic market – a market like we have never seen. Like most industries, Real Estate was forced to make a quick pivot and adapt to the new safety measures and protocols put in place to keep buyers, sellers, agents, lenders, etc… safe and healthy. Now that we have all made the adjustments and navigated our way through some of the initial uncertainty, we have seen things settle a bit and can fill you in on what’s going on with the residential real estate market today:

Buyers are eager

They see that interest rates are at historic lows and they know they can lock in a rate in the 2.5s which is significantly better than rates have ever been. First time home buyers are looking at this as an opportunity to finally make their home buying dreams a reality. Here in the Valley, we are seeing homes in that first time buyer range of the low $200s sell in mere hours after the listing is live. In addition to those types of listings, we are seeing that there are eager buyers for every type of property coming in with creative ways to make sure they land the home they want.

Inventory is low

With so many eager buyers on the prowl for a place to call home, there are simply not enough houses on the market. With the initial uncertainty of the way pandemic would impact people’s jobs and livelihoods, there were a lot of hesitant home owners who weren’t sure that now was the right time to list their home. However, more recently, we are seeing this settle a bit. We have seen people are more aware that there is an opportunity to list their home and upgrade from a starter home into a forever home, or transition from a big family home into a smaller home for empty-nesters. Sellers are seizing this unique market as an opportunity and slowly adding to our inventory, which is great. 

Offers are WILD

It is safe to say over these last six months we have seen some of the most wild offers come through and have seen truly unprecedented things happening as it relates to this phase of the process. It can be fast paced, somewhat stressful, and feel a little intense. Sellers are favored and buyers need to come prepared for an offer process full of ups and downs. 

Now more than ever, we can say with certainty, that people that are getting into the houses of their dreams or are selling for above asking, are doing it alongside a Real Estate Agent they trust and is savvy in what is happening at this moment in Real Estate. Now is not the time to work with someone who is dusting off their license or doing Real Estate part time. Things are changing daily and our agents here at Dani Blain Real Estate are in the mix and making successful offers regularly. 

We have seen that a “bid it to win it” strategy is crucial in this market and we are well poised and experienced in this new Real Estate landscape across the valley. We invite you to reach out to us and chat with one of our agents who can help you prepare to either buy or sell in today’s market. Stay tuned for our next two blogs where we will be going more into depth on what the reality of this market is for buyers and for sellers. 

What to Expect: The Home Buying Process

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Living life in the midst of a Global Pandemic is not an easy thing to do. What most of us have had to learn and adjust to pretty quickly, is things are changing rapidly and it is hard to know what to expect. We have also had to make the adjustment to spending a lot more time at home – we are working from home, distance learning from home, and even eating at home more often. 

All of this time at home may be leaving some of us ready to find a home that better fits all of those needs. While there is a lot to consider when buying a house in this season, there are some things that remain the same, pandemic or not. If you are ready to take the leap into home ownership, we will walk you through the three phases of buying a home, so you know exactly what to expect through this process. 

The three phases below all assume you are ready to jump into the process. You’ve been saving for that down payment, you have a decent sense of your credit score, and you have an idea of what you would like your mortgage payments to be. If you haven’t already, you can use this mortgage calculator to give you a good idea of what your budget may look like. However, if you haven’t done all of those things just yet, and you would just like to talk to someone about where to start – please get in touch with us. One of our Agents can walk you through the process and point you in the direction for what your next steps are. 

Buying a Home in 3 Phases:

Phase 1: Selecting a Home

This initial phase of the process is where the fun begins! After you sit down with an Agent for a Buyers Consultation it’s time to go on a hunt for your perfect home. We will select properties and begin viewings, once we find one you like – we will write an offer, then negotiate terms, and ideally accept the contract. This phase is obviously dependent on what is happening in the market at the time and what kinds of homes you are looking for. Your DBRE Agent is ready to navigate the journey with you and do what it takes to be able to get you to move on to the next step. 

Phase 2: Research and Remove Contingencies

Once we are in this phase, we move on to the Home Inspection, obtaining mortgage financing, and the Title process. All three of these components will involve you and your agent working with one of our trusted partners. Throughout the years, we have learned the importance of forming and maintaining healthy partnerships. The companies we partner with have helped us deliver the kind of services that our clients deserve and have proved time and time again that they will help you seamlessly move into the final stages before you are an official home owner. 

Phase 3: Final Steps

We can see the finish line! Only a few more things and it is time for us to hand over the keys to your first home. All that is left in this phase is obtaining funds for closing, closing on the property, and finally taking possession of the home. It is during this phase that your agent and our partners are putting the finishing touches on all of the documents needed to make the home buying process complete. 

For all three of these phases, when you are working with a Real Estate Agent, you are setting yourself up for a more smooth home buying process. Everything we mentioned involves a certain set of nuances that a Real Estate Agent is experienced working through. Assuming you will be working with a DBRE Agent – you have a Real Estate agent that is a true teammate at your side with your best interests in mind. We will be with you every step of the way to make sure you understand and feel confident throughout the entire process.

Is Now the Right Time to Buy a House?

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While this is a yes or no question, there is definitely not going to be a simple yes or no answer from us. At Dani Blain Real Estate we truly pride ourselves on making sure all of our clients are fully informed before they make one of the biggest financial decisions one can make. The Corona-virus Pandemic has upended nearly everything we once knew as normal – but some things do remain constant, in this case, the things that factor into making the decision to buy a home, remain the same. 

For anyone trying to decide if it is the right time to buy, it may be interest rates (currently at an all-time low) that are enticing, or maybe it’s the fact that your home is now your office and your child’s classroom and you just need more space or a space you love. Whatever has led you to scratch your head wondering if now is the time to buy, there are plenty of things that need to be considered – whether we are in the middle of a Global Pandemic or not. 

If you are starting at square one and you aren’t sure whether or not your finances are ready for home ownership, here is a great checklist to see if your home buying dreams can soon become a reality. You can also take this simple quiz to make sure you are on the right track and ready to move along in the process. If you are a little further down the road on this journey – maybe you are looking for a new neighborhood or town to call home? Or are you looking to trade-up, so to speak? It will be important to consider the current market trends we are seeing. 

Current Trends and Things to Consider:

  • We have seen house prices hold steady here in the Central Valley and have even seen a slight increase, despite the uncertainties in our world, due to COVID-19. 
  • We know that the long term investment into a home you love and can accommodate our new stay-at-home-lives, remains undeniable.
  • If you are a first time home buyer, the low interest rates we are seeing make this a great opportunity to get your foot on the property ladder. 
  • If you currently own a home you are looking to sell, there is a limited housing inventory at the moment and we are seeing properties sell very quickly. 
  •  While low inventory may help sellers – these same constraints will likely add stress to an eager buyer… we encourage you to exercise your patience and let us help you remain on the hunt for a perfect home. 

The bottom line is this; everyone has their own unique situation they need to evaluate. If you are a current homeowner, looking to become a first time home buyer, or looking for an investment/rental property, we are here for you. We are ready to help you navigate the next steps in your journey. We all know that the Corona-virus has complicated most, if not all facets of our lives – but rest assured our agents are on standby to help clear up some of the complications as they relate to your real estate needs and help you feel comfortable and confident as we proceed forward with you. Get in touch with us today… just like our motto says, we are in the business of “connecting with people to help them grow one property at a time.”

The Right Real Estate Team

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Real estate deals are tough, choosing your team shouldn’t be

Buying or selling a home has numerous steps and so many layers of things that need to be figured out – that it can seem like an overwhelming process to even know where to begin. The best way to determine what the next steps are for the position you are in, is to connect with a real estate professional. That step alone, can feel daunting – there are so many agents and brokerages out there, how do you make sure you end up with the right team? Well, we may be a little biased, but – we feel confident that Dani Blain Real Estate is the clear choice for all of your buying or selling needs. 

Dani Blain Real Estate opened its doors in September of 2019, but the group of professionals we opened with was already an established team. We were ready to venture into new territory so that we could expand our focus on giving back to the Central Valley Community we had all been serving for many years, as well as grow our agents to better help them achieve their goals. This brokerage was based on a straight forward vision of putting people and relationships over the numbers, serving our team and our clients well, and making sure we always do what we say we are going to do.

The process of buying or selling needs to not only be driven by someone who knows and understands real estate and the entire process, but also someone who knows and understands that this is a personal and emotional process for every single one of our clients. We pride ourselves on having a team of agents that understand that when we are meeting your specific needs and helping you succeed, that makes us succeed.

Our agents are the core of what we do. We bring agents on to our team that will fit well within our culture and they are all people who can get behind and truly embody our core values. We encourage you to meet our team and learn a bit more about our agents – you will see that they all have one thing in common: they all live in and care deeply about our Valley community. 

We believe we are blessed so that we can bless others. We built this brokerage on a foundation of finding ways to give back to this community in the specific ways it needs. We give monthly to align groups or individuals who help make our community a better place. Some of the causes we love and give support to are; Lighthouse Women’s Shelter, AMVETS, Visalia First, Young Life, and many more. You can read more about some of the causes we support here.  

Whether you are a first time buyer looking for the perfect starter home, an investor looking to grow, a newly retired couple looking to downsize, or somewhere in between, we have got you covered. Specializing in every county here in the Valley we can make your real estate dreams a reality. We want to connect with you and work hard for you. We look forward to hearing from you soon!