Keeping It Real Estate with Colleen Benson

On this week’s podcast, we’re going to the mailbag to find out what our listeners have questions about. Colleen will tackle five different topics ranging from new inventory coming onto the market, how long houses will take to sell this spring, why an agent will provide a better home search than Zillow, and more.   Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode: What is the average price point in...

One of the questions we hear a lot from buyers is whether they should look for an existing home or new construction. It’s an ongoing debate that is often up to personal preference, but there are some myths out there about buying a new home that need to be cleared up.   Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode: The one homebuyer mistake people are making today is trying to time the market....

In this episode, we have five mailbag questions we want to run by Colleen, and three of those are asking about real estate investing. The great thing about the discuss today is that we’ll touch on Airbnb properties but also ways to get involved without actually becoming a landlord. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode: Is it okay to have two different realtors if they’re separated geog...

How do you know if the home you’re interested in actually has good bones underneath all the cosmetic improvements that were made? We posed that question to Colleen today along with a few others from the mailbag to find out what buyers should be paying attention to. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode: What are your options when you’re underwater in your mortgage? (0:36) Where’s a good...

In this episode, Colleen will answer 10 of the most important questions that come up during the process. This might not cover everything, but it should help provide answers to a lot of the initial topics we discuss with clients.   Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode: What’s the best way to prepare your house before selling it? (0:56) How much earnest money should you expect to pay? (7...

As the market changes, a lot of information and opinions get thrown out into the world. In this episode, we will be taking a fun approach to sharing our thoughts by playing a game of “True or False”. Listen to learn questions you may want to ask your realtor, what you should know about home appraisals, shifts that may be coming to the housing market, and more!   Here are some of the key points Col...

The housing market has shifted quite a bit. Active inventory has gone up 55% over last November and today we will be answering some great questions from sellers. Listen to find out more about home inspections, finding the right realtor, and more!   Here are some of the key points Colleen covers: Should you budget for a home inspection before selling? (0:42) How long would it take to sell your home...

It’s time for another mailbag episode, and we bet these questions (and our answers) will help many of you as well. This episode could really help if you’re looking to buy a home in the future or work with an agent. We will discuss whether it’s better to buy a newer home or build one and if you should sign a contract with your agent. Listen to hear some of the questions our other listeners have and...

We love answering your questions, so we are back with another mailbag episode. This episode could really help if you’re someone looking to buy a home in the future. We will discuss different ways to achieve purchasing a home, from contingent offers, low bids, rent-to-own properties, and more. Listen to hear some of the questions our other listeners have and maybe you’ll gain some valuable knowledg...

Bold headlines catch the attention of many, but how much weight do they really hold? In today’s episode, we are going to discuss some recent articles and see if we agree with the content.   As the market is fluctuating, a lot of potentially scary words are thrown around like “depression”, “recession”, and more. Let’s pick apart some of these topics in relation to housing prices and homebuyers, so...

Realtor.com recently wrote an article sharing five ways to increase the value of your home without spending money on upgrades. In this episode, we will be going over these five suggestions and see if we agree.   Are you looking for some fresh marketing suggestions? Look no further. We also share the inside scoop about our effective marketing tactics and how you can think like a buyer.   Here are s...

Today we will be answering mailbag questions! The mailbag series helps us stay in touch with the topics you want to know as buyers. You might find some clarity as you hear the answers to questions you may have had yourself!   Listen to learn more about home pricing, spotting a lemon, down payments in a competitive market, and more!   Here are some of the key points Colleen covers: How to tell if t...

With the real estate market cooling off a bit, buyers are starting to find some reduced prices on homes. If you’re currently searching for a good deal, are these reduced homes a good place to look? On today’s episode, Colleen will answer that question that came into the show recently and she’ll also tackle a few others. As always, this mailbag edition is a great way to learn more about a handful o...

Today’s episode is broken into two parts as we take a look at some recent real estate headlines. First, spoiler alert! The housing market is not going to crash. That’s at least the opinion of Dave Ramsey’s team published an article recently that breaks down the reasons he thinks the housing market is not in for a big price crash. Their main point is that simple supply and demand still rules the da...

Whether you’re new to real estate or a seasoned veteran, it’s never a bad thing to revisit the basics to make sure you have a clear understanding when it comes to buying and selling a home. On this episode, we’ll open the real estate dictionary to look at some of the key terms you might see or hear during the process. We’ll look at a few on both the buying and selling side and get Colleen’s breakd...

With the housing market changing, but still doing strong, what kind of questions are buyers and sellers asking? On today’s episode, we’re opening up the mailbag to answer your questions on flipping old homes, new construction versus aged homes, and much more. Listen to the episode to learn the answers to these questions and more:  Felix is wondering where he can find old homes suited in order to f...

Let's open up the mailbag to answer some of your questions on buying, selling, and everything in between. What you’ll learn on today’s episode: “We are thinking of leaving some personal items behind when we sell our home. Can we negotiate with personal items when a buyer asks for a discount because of needed repairs?” (0:36) “I have been outpriced out of South Salem. What are some alternative neig...

We’re answering some of your questions on today’s show! Allie, a listener in North East Salem, wrote in saying her father wants to help with her down payment so she can afford her first home. Are there any limits she should know about? Ben, asks where he can put his money to improve the value of his house? Paint and landscape are really important for a first impression, but things like a new roof...

A recent Realtor.com article outlines a few signs you’ll hate your home after the initial excitement of a new house wears off. Does Colleen agree? A front door that opens into a wall might not seem like a big deal when you tour the home, but after a while, it may start to feel cramped. Long hallways are classic for some of us, but the newest style is an open landing area. A dead-end living room, w...

Let’s answer some questions from buyers and sellers in the area! Brent is thinking of using an adjustable-rate mortgage to buy his home, but he knows they became a big issue in 2008 and the rate may go up in the future. How does Colleen advise those interested in ARMs? Colleen recommends meeting with a lender and wants to remind you that we’re not in the same position as we were in 2008. Dan in Sa...

We are answering some of your questions on today’s show about buying and selling your home. In this market is a 20% down payment enough? Definitely! While it may be harder to win certain bids 20% is usually more than enough. Mary wrote in that her loan approval was for $700,000 and with all the houses selling above asking value she is wondering if she should look at houses more in the $600,000 ran...

Today we’re opening up the mailbag again to find out what you’re most interested in when it comes to buying and selling a home and we have some great questions to dive into.   We’ll cover the foreclosure market and whether we’ll see that increase around Oregon. Then we’ll talk about the pros and cons of hiring experts to do the work around your home. Next we’ll cover a question about trying to nav...

Let’s open up the mailbag and answer some of your questions about buying and selling your home. Stella says her neighbors are also planning on selling their home soon. Should she list before, after, or at the same time as them? With interest rates rising and a changing market, we recommend getting listed as soon as possible. Dean asks how detailed he can get while touring a home. Can he check thin...

With a lot of investors buying up more and more properties in the past few years, there have been a lot of flipped houses coming onto the market. When you are in the search for your next home, how can you be sure what you’re looking at isn’t a cheap flip? If you’re looking at a home without building permits, but it appears major changes have been made to the property, be wary. This can bite you wh...

Kathy saw someone on the news recently list their home extremely below market price and it generated a lot of buzz. What does Colleen think of this strategy? This is a great question; most sellers want to price high and go from there. This strategy can generate a lot of bids on your home and end up getting you more money. Bud is wondering if he has to make his home inspection public to buyers? Not...