First Weber Group REALTORS®: Wisconsin Real Estate

By Scott Swick, General Sales Manager, First Weber Group Fond du Lac

We work so hard to help sellers learn to think like buyers instead of like sellers. We help them price their home so buyers will see it as the best deal on the market, assist them in preparing their home for sale so they get the highest price. And we help them get those buyers’ attention.  And one of the smartest things a seller can do to get their home sold, especially if they have an older home, is to offer a home warranty.

A home warranty is like putting an insurance policy on your home. It covers many of the things that homebuyers are most worried about: will the furnace fail right after I buy this home? What do I do if the plumbing springs a leak? What happens when the dishwasher stops working?

First-time homebuyers are even more fearful. Because it’s their first home, they worry about getting taken advantage of because of their inexperience. And if you think about it, the first time homebuyers are often buying older homes that might have issues with their electrical system, the roofing might need to be replaced, or some other nightmare.   

The basic home warranty policy covers all the mechanical issues: the heating and cooling system, the plumbing system, the electrical system, and the appliances. If they want to upgrade the warranty further, they can get coverage for roof leaks, for additional mechanical items such as hot water heaters or hot tubs, etc.

But the best part of it all is that a home warranty doesn’t just protect the buyer, it protects the seller in two ways.  First, the home warranty covers the home as soon as it is listed for sale. If any of the covered items fail during the listing period, the home warranty pays for the repairs.

The second way is that after you sell your home, you have a wonderful peace of mind. You don’t have to worry that something is going to go wrong with your previous home and the buyer is going to get upset and start calling you demanding you fix it, or harassing you if you are reluctant to do so. You know that it is covered with the home warranty. 

 At First Weber Realtors, our home warranty company, Universal Home Protection, has the basic coverage for approximately $425. Additional coverage for other items are available. That may sound like a lot, but it is nothing compared to the peace of mind it offers.  The best part is though that it really helps buyers feel confident about buying your home.  If you had a choice between two fairly equal homes, and one had a home warranty and the other didn’t, which one would you choose?

Could you live in a house that was just 9.5 feet wide? Would you be willing to pay almost 3 million for it? Um... don't think so.  See the AP article on msnbc.com and nydailynews.com here.  

This is the kind of Wisconsin real estate $2.7 million could buy. Quite the difference!

100+ acres with a river running through it in Marathon County, Wisconsin for $2 million

14 acres with 700 feet of lake frontage in Forest County, Wisconsin for $2.1 million

6500 sq ft home with 500+ feet chain of lake frontage in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin for $2.2 million

A 48 unit Multi-Family building in Winnebago County for $2.7 million

41 acres in Dane County Wisconsin for $2.5 million

55 acres in Dane County, Wisconsin for $2.6 million

40 acres near Wisconsin Dells waterparks and Lake Delton for $2.8 million

48 acre business/commercial opportunity in Delton, Wisconsin for $2.8 million

160 acres with views of Holy Hill in Erin, Wisconsin for $2.5 million

Almost 6000 sq ft penthouse condo with water views in Downtown Milwaukee for 2.5 million

143 acres with log home, river frontage and pond with island, Washington County, Wisconsin for $2.5 million

Which would you buy?

Two good pieces of economic news in one article - and one involving housing. We will take it! Thanks to msnbc.com for the article.  Everyone can use some positive news.

Do you have a positive story to share? Sell your house? Decide now's the time to buy real estate in Wisconsin? Please post a comment or a question below.

Thanks for visiting the First Weber blog and have a positive day.

First Time Buyers must close on the qualifying property before December 1, 2009. If you or someone you know is thinking about taking advantage of the first time home buyer tax credit, now is the time to get serious. Find all kinds of Wisconsin property at firstweber.com and learn more about the tax credit here. 

First time buyers can really make a difference in the market and get some incredible buys. Housing affordability is nearly at an 18 year high, according to RIS Media.   We hope that you will contact First Weber when you are ready to move.  We have offices and property for sale all across Wisconsin and are ready and willing to offer our services!

Thanks for stopping by!

As buyers take advantage of the tax credit.  Home Sales posted the largest monthly gain in 10 years, the AP reports at msnbc.com

Start NOW if you are a first time buyer to take advantage of the tax credit.  It takes time to find a home you want to buy and when you do, there's paperwork, inspections, financing....  Find your perfect property at firstweber.com and let us know when you are ready to take the step - just don't wait too long!

Some welcome news regarding the reasons people are moving comes from Relocation.com . Relocation.com found a dramatic shift when comparing a March 2009 survey with a June 2009 survey.

In June 2009, 50% of people who recently moved did so for "normal" moving reasons like wanting a better home for their needs, be closer to friends and family or desire for a better neighborhood.  Moving because of school, job loss, foreclosure or retirement was came in with 3% or less.  

In contrast, the March 2009 survey 41% of people surveyed said the recession had a moderate to strong influence on their decision to move. 

It is encouraging to see these changes in consumer attitudes.  We hope such positives continue to benefit the Wisconsin real estate market!  Read more on the article here.  

If YOU were surveyed, what would YOUR answer be?

The real estate market in Wisconsin seems to be turning around and is on the upswing. How many people are happy about that?    The last 2 months in Milwaukee real estate sales have beaten 2008's Wisconsin real estate sale numbers. 

Have a great real estate experience with one of the First Weber Group agents? Become a fan of First Weber. Are you on Twitter?  If you are interested in Wisconsin real estate, follow First Weber Group at twitter.com