Posts made by author 'Jay Mattlin'

Is January the new April? When it comes to the real estate market, experts say yes.

Regardless of whether that famous groundhog sees his shadow, a recent article on CNBC suggests spring will arrive early this year—at least when it comes to the housing market. In fact, some are speculating that January may very well be the new April.

What's causing this already-busy buying season to kick off ahead of schedule? Low inventory and rising home prices are spurring house hunters to come out of hibernation months before they previously would have.

With that in mind, whether you're buying or selling, or both, it's time to get moving. The following checklists will help you prepare yourself or home property so don't get left behind!

Getting Ready To Sell

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Fill in the blank…

"I have a _________…"

I'm about 100% sure I can guess what word you chose.

Was it "dream"?

Good chance it was. We all know this line from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous speech. So when we hear those first three words, it sort of naturally comes to mind.

But what many people aren't aware of is how much he affected the lives of real estate agents, buyers, and sellers.

It was his death that gave Congress the last push needed to pass the Fair Housing Act, back in 1968. It's pretty involved, so I won't get into it all here, but to put it simply…

This was put in place to ban racial discrimination in housing. You can't be refused the rental or purchase of a house, based upon your race.

Seems simple enough to most people now. A given, if you will. But it didn't happen overnight. And believe it or not, it still can and does come up.

But guess who's a big part of making sure this Act is follow...

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You can take the cat out of the wild, but you can't entirely take the wild out of a cat.

Many house cats would love to break free and roam outside, but it can also be a dangerous place for a domestic cat. So, they're unfortunately often confined within the walls of a house and have to make do by sitting and looking out through a window or door.

But you could let your cat safely get just the right amount of wild with an amazing catio addition like the ones Hellas Pet Enclosures builds!

Take a look at one they built for one of their customers…

It started 2 years ago with the section attached to the house by the upper window, giving the owners' cats a little freedom. But then they added the "stairs" going down to…

…a bridge that crosses over their yard. You see where this is headed?!

The 42' bridge takes a right turn in the trees and leads to the grand catio.

There's a handy door for humans to get into the 12'x16' enclosure. (Way better than having to crawl out of the second floor window and through the bridge! LOL) Let's take a look inside…

It's prime time for climb time for a cat who wants to!

But there's also plenty of cool perches to just chill out and watch the birds, breathe in the fresh air, and soak up the warm sun.

But just in case kitty wants a little break from the sun, or just a little privacy, there's a little hideaway they can curl up in.

This is quite an elaborate "catio". If you're interested in doing something like this for your cat, you can always do something more modest just off the side of your house. But remember, this one started out with one smaller section! So, you may just find yourself putting on additions after a while!

When it comes to home renovations, most homeowners think they need to go big by doing things like renovating a bathroom, finishing a basement, or adding new appliances to a kitchen. But if you don't have a lot of money to invest, the best thing you can do? Paint your door.

According to the 2018 Zillow Paint Color Survey, painting the door black can increase the sale price of the typical US home by 2.9%. That might not seem like much, but when you look at the numbers, it's astronomical.

Here's what it looks like in action: at Home Depot, you can get a quart of black paint for $32.98, more than enough to paint your front door. According to 

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A real estate transaction can be an exciting thing to experience, but it can also be nerve-wracking and stressful. Your experience will largely depend on the circumstances surrounding your transaction and, perhaps more importantly, the agent you're working with.

A great agent will not only get you over the finish line to the best of their ability, but they can also change your life for the better. Here are eight ways:

1. They'll show you they care

In today's fast-paced world, it seems like everyone's attention is in short supply. A great real estate agent will show you that's not always the case, by listening and caring about you and your needs. Not only will being a good listener help an agent do their job, but it'll also show you that even in business, there are still people out there who care.

2. They can save you a lot of money

There's an old expression, "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job...

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