Why Buying a Condo May Be Your Best Step Towards Homeownership in 2025

In the face of skyrocketing home prices, limited inventory, and climbing interest rates, buying a condo presents a wise and strategic pathway into the housing market, facilitating your journey toward homeownership.

Opting for a condo is often more budget-friendly than purchasing a single-family home. According to data from the National Association of Realtors, the median price for a condo or co-op is $359,800, in contrast to the typical cost of $410,900 for a single-family home. This price difference can make a significant impact on your financial future.

Moreover, condos typically require less maintenance and commitment since the Homeowners Association (HOA) handles most of the upkeep. This arrangement allows you to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle without the added stress of extensive home maintenance. Additionally, many condominiums offer vibrant communities and attractive amenities such as dog parks, clubhouses, pools, and fitness centers.

Given the diverse options available in the current condo market, buying a condo can be a practical, accessible, and fulfilling step toward achieving the American Dream of homeownership. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to invest in your future!

If you’re thinking of buying or selling. Reach out to The Hurst Team today!

New Year, New Home! 2 Tips for the First Time Home Buyer

Ring in the new year with a home search! A new year can mean many new exciting goals. One is becoming a homeowner. For first-time home buyers this can mean having to go through the motions of discovering what may be realistic to their budget, what they may seek in their future home, and what aspects they may be flexible about when looking for a home, Here are three easy ways to begin your home search

1. Prioritize: Rank your must-haves to give yourself flexibility in case of compromises.

Although we would all love to find a home with everything on our wishlist, we often cannot. By compiling a list of two or three “must-haves,” such as a large backyard or a certain number of bedrooms, you can narrow your search when looking through the various homes on the market within your area. Prioritizing what is important to you will help you narrow your search and take you one step closer to finding your first home.

2. Stay realistic: Be prepared to make trade-offs, but know your hard boundaries (e.g., location 

or budget).

Often home buyers get carried away on their wishlist and forget about things such as their budget and what may be realistic for their finances or the area their looking within. It’s extremely important to keep in mind what is realistic to your budget and not get carried away with the little details such as an updated bathroom or newly installed appliances. As mentioned in “#1, Prioritize”, as a first-time home buyer you want to hone in on the couple aspects of a home that are “must have” and then look at the market to see what may fit that criteria. To keep from being discouraged in a competitive market try to keep your “wishlist” short and sweet… remember, this is your first home!

If you’re ready to make to start your home search contact The Hurst Team today to get started!

The 4 D's in prepping your home for the market

Not sure where to start on prepping your home to list for sale? It may feel like a daunting task, but with a little bit of time and effort it is a simple task! Here are the key “4 D’s” on getting your home ready to sell, and will increase your likelihood of receiving a great offer on your home!

1. Declutter

   Decluttering your home is incredibly appealing to buyers. With your home being clutter free potential buyers are able to see the home for what it is, not what you have inside of it. Buyers will also be able to envision their own personal belongings within the home and be more likely to see themselves living in the home! Pro-tip: If you are still occupying the home while it is on the market declutter and organize your closets, pantry, cabinets, and general living areas. Buyers will look through every bit of the home, so make sure that everything is tidy!

2. Depersonalize

   When potential buyers walk into your home you want them to be able to imagine themselves and/or their family within your home. Buyers do not want to see your vacation or childhood photos throughout the home. You want to find a good balance of your home feeling inviting and welcoming, but not making potential buyers feel like a guest in your home. Pro-tip: Remove all of your personalized photos and replace them with trendy neutral photos or prints. Some of the best and cheapest places to find stylish prints are Target and Walmart. This way is a quick and cheap way to depersonalize while making your home feel fashionable and chic.

3. Deep Clean

   First impressions are everything when selling your home! If a potential buyer is greeted by an unfavorable smell, dirty floors, dusty or sticky surfaces, it is an instant strike against your home. When a buyer enters into a dirty home they already have an idea in their head that the house has not been well maintained and is NOT move- in ready. Pro-tip: If a deep clean may be too overwhelming or too time consuming, consider hiring a cleaning service to come in and give your home the deep clean it may need.

4. Decorate

   Although you want to declutter your home, you don’t want to leave it completely bare. Little accents throughout your home can amplify your homes best features. Nice hand towels in the bathrooms, small vases with flowers (real or artificial al), neutral color curtains, etc., can bring a sense of warmth and order to your home. Pro-tip: To make a room feel larger consider adding a stylish mirror strategically placed to draw in the natural light within the room.

3 steps for buying your first home!

Many people dream of buying their first home, but don’t know where to start. Most find beginning their home buying process incredibly overwhelming due to their lack of knowledge, however by following these 3 steps you will be on track to buying your first home!

Talk with a mortgage lender

Talking with a trusted mortgage lender will assist you in figuring out what is realistic for your current financial situation. By speaking with a loan officer you should be evaluate what loan type, amount, and programs that you may qualify for. Your mortgage lender should make sure that you understand every aspect of obtaining a mortgage, to ensure that you are not blindsided by any unknown costs.

Budget

When thinking about beginning your home buying process you want to take into consideration budgeting and building a financial plan. A few of the upcoming costs in buying your first home will include: deposits, home inspections, closing costs, attorney fees, etc. In addition to these fees you will also want to a “cushion" for any unexpected costs.

Find an attorney

One of the most important aspects of buying a home is hiring a quality attorney. By hiring an attorney all of your legal paperwork will be taken care of. In conjunction to your Realtor, your attorney will be your advocate during your real estate transaction and be there by your side every step of the way.

3 Easy Ways to Improve Curb Appeal

When getting ready to sell your home you want to draw the most amount of attention to your house! So, you may be asking yourself “how do I do that?”. Two words: curb appeal! Curb appeal is the attractiveness that your displays in both photographs and from the street. Your house should grab the eye of those passing by or those viewing your home online.

Here are 3 easy ways to present your home in the best way possible!

1. Landscaping

1. Landscaping is vital to selling your home. By keeping your lawn mowed, shrubs trimmed, leaves rakes, etc. By keeping your property grounds maintained it shows the potential buyers that the home has been well taken care of throughout your time of ownership. This not only gives the potential buyers a sense of comfort in the fact that the home has been well maintained, but it also allows the buyer to picture themselves in moving right into your beautiful home stress free.

2. Planters

1. Putting planters outside of your home with tasteful greenery can spruce up your home and create a sense of depth. Planters can provide a pop of color and create a sense of warmth, making your home seem more inviting to potential buyers. Not only do planters enhance curb able from the street view, but they also intensify the aesthetic of your home within photographs. Some of my favorite plants that I find the most pleasing to the eye are boxwoods, coleus, sweet potato vine, and (for the fall weather) mums!

3. Adding color or a wreath to the front door

1. One of the most memorable aspects for buyers of your home is the front door. The front door can elicit a certain feeling within a buyer, so when putting your home on the market you want to ensure that your choice in either paint color or a wreath matches with your home. I always suggest to sellers that they consult with a paint specialist before painting their door in order to have the correct color coordination so that their home stands out and looks polished! If you are planning on only adding a wreath find something simple, neutral, and tasteful that goes well with the color of both the front door and the house!