Keeping It Real Estate with Colleen Benson

True or false? It’s impossible to buy right now without overpaying. You might feel like you are overpaying for homes on the market right now, but keep in mind your equity is also going up once you own that home. So, Colleen doesn't really see it as overpaying. True or false? You’re most likely going to end up in a bidding war if you buy right now… True! Join us today as we play a round of true or...

What headlines are trending around the real estate market? With a lack of supply, hopeful homebuyers are finding fewer and fewer options. Which means fewer contract signings. In our own area, we are down 20% on new listings taken. We’ve also seen skyrocketing prices and the average seller profit from 2021 was almost $100,000! Salem made the top list for seller profits in the country. Despite const...

Have you seen the reality show “Selling Sunset”? It covers the top-end and high-end luxury real estate market in Los Angeles. On today’s episode, we are going to have some fun and talk about some of the “Selling Sunset” secrets that may apply to your home buying experience, no matter the price tag.  Never assume a home is perfect, no matter how much it costs. You don’t want to go into your home se...

Inflation has been rising across the country. How does that impact your home buying timeline? We are seeing mortgage rates increase, but it’s still cheaper to own than to rent. Rent is more unpredictable, a mortgage is locked in. What advice does Colleen have for people searching for luxury homes? While a lot of the process is the same, there are some unique challenges to look out for when buying...

Are you curious about HOAs in the Salem area? Many people moving up from California will be pleasantly surprised to learn there are plenty of nice neighborhoods without steep HOA costs. A lot of people are thinking of waiting until spring to sell, but there are serious buyers out there right now. Does Colleen think higher mortgage rates will eventually dampen buyer demand? What is the best way to...

Are you thinking of remodeling before selling your home? If they are cosmetic changes you might want to think again, every buyer is different. But depending on your budget and planned updates it might be the right move for you.  You’ve probably heard a lot about Opendoor and iBuyers recently, but what do you miss out on when you don’t have the person-to-person relationship you’d have with a realto...

How fast can Colleen and her team sell your home? Well, the market is a seller’s market right now but you want to make that good first impression no matter what. Should buyers give up right now and wait until the market has calmed down? We don’t recommend it! You never know what home is going to be around the corner. It is exhausting looking for a new house, but with the right approach, we can fin...

We are going to be answering some listener questions today about a wide variety of real estate topics. Is now a good time to invest in rental properties? What matters most is your return on investment. Is it wise to accept an offer from Offerpad? These types of apps are driven by data and may not get you as great of an offer as a real estate agent could. We will also be discussing whether Colleen...

There have been a lot of new real estate headlines going around. So, on today's episode, we are going to be discussing these topics. A lot of renters are fearing they'll never be able to buy. Especially with current down payments being so high. Colleen talks through some ways her lenders can help you if you are in this situation. We will also be discussing remote work's transformation on the housi...

We are opening up the mailbag today to answer some of your questions! Colleen will discuss mixed-use developments, market timing, rentals, and fence additions. Mixed-use developments have been becoming more and more popular especially in the Oregon area. So where should you look to find one? Does a fence really add that much value to your home or is it more than it’s worth? Whether you have a ques...

A year and a half into the pandemic, housing market issues and trends look a little different than they did a few years ago. Today, we are discussing some of the top issues facing home buyers and sellers. We will also go over popular home features that a potential buyer may be looking for. Remote work, technology, and general housing supply will be just some of the things we touch on in this episo...

Buying or selling a home is an exciting time. But it is also a time when we have a lot of questions about what things mean and what the best approach may be to certain situations. Colleen is here to help us navigate these questions from a realtor’s point of view with another mailbag episode.    Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/mailbag/729/729/   S...

Mistakes can be very costly when buying and selling a home, which is why we work with clients to make them aware of potential pitfalls during the process. If you’re in the market for a home now, you’ll want to keep an eye out for these seven mistakes that have been plaguing people in 2021.   Read more here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/buying/ep-91-top-7-homebuyer-mistakes-of-2021/716/  ...

It’s time to take another look at the top real estate headlines and find out if the same trends are happening here in Oregon. Today we’ll talk crowdfunding investments, a rise in affordable listings, and the reasons searches are taking a while.   Show Notes: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/headlines/ep-90-recent-headlines-crowdfunding-affordable-listings-long-searches/708/     See our listi...

When it comes time to start drawing up an offer, what all is negotiable during the home-buying process? On this episode, we’ll take you into some of those discussions and provide you with the insight you need to get the most out of your next purchase.   Read more: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/buying/ep-89-negotiable-parts-of-the-buying-process/703/     See our listings: https://www.benso...

Today we take four of your real estate questions and answer them on the show. From square footage discrepancies to home values to finding a home to use as an AirBNB, we’ll cover a range of topics on this episode.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/mailbag/ep-88-answering-your-real-estate-questions/695/     See our listings: https://www.bensonbroke...

This year continues to be a busy one for real estate, but what does that date tell us after the first quarter of 2021? Today we’ll look at three national headlines on sales, buyer confidence, and the possibility of a real estate bubble and find out if Colleen is seeing the same things on the west coast.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/buying/ep...

It always helps to hear stories from other people that go through the buying and selling process so today we’re featuring three closing recaps. Each of these real-life examples spotlights a unique or interesting process that a member of our team with through with a client.   Read more: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/headlines/ep-86-3-closing-recap-stories/684/     See our listings: https:/...

It’s time to open up the mailbag and answer your questions about the home buying process. Today we’ll dive into paying cash, selling while the market is high, using a discount brokerage, and sellers backing out.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/buying/ep-84-mailbag-questions-about-the-home-buying-process/679/     See our listings here: https://w...

With the current state of the real estate market in Oregon, we don’t always see appraisals line up with purchase prices. So what happens in those situations? We’ll tell you on this episode of the podcast and answer a few other questions that you sent in.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/mailbag/ep-84-mailbag-what-happens-when-appraisal-doesnt-ma...

Today we look across the country to see what trends are popular for homeowners and buyers. From flooring to appliances to energy efficiency, we’ll get Colleen’s reaction to these trends. Plus, we’ll find out what day of the week is best to list a home.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/headlines/ep-83-popular-home-upgrades-more-national-trends/64...

Time to take another look at the real estate headlines that caught our attention over the last couple of weeks. From sellers paying for inspections to increasing mortgage rates and much more, we’ll get Colleen’s reaction to the latest industry news.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/uncategorized/ep-82-seller-inspections-mortgage-rates-other-head...

Today we get updated on some of the top national real estate headlines early in 2021 and get Colleen’s reaction to how each of these topics applies to Oregon and the West Coast.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/selling/ep-81-reacting-to-recent-real-estate-headlines/611/     See our listings: https://bensonbrokergroup.com/     What we discuss on...

Before you sell your home, does it make financial sense to make a few upgrades? Let’s explore some of easier projects that you can take on and find out if they will provide a return on your investment or increase they likelihood that your home will sell.   Read more: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/selling/ep-80-how-to-increase-your-homes-value/605/     See our listings: https://www.bensonb...

When it comes time to buy or sell a home, you’ll probably ask yourself whether it’s worth working with a real estate agent or try to do the work on your own. Let’s talk about much value a great realtor can provide you during the process and what specifically we do to help our clients.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://keepingitrealestatepodcast.com/buying/ep-79-the-value-of-a-...