3 Reasons To Sell During the Holiday Season

Here are three reasons why selling during the holiday season is awesome.

“Should I sell my home during the holiday season?” We get asked this question a lot. Here are the top three reasons why it is a great time to be a seller:

1. During this time of year, there's typically a lot less competition. There are fewer homes on the market, so buyers have less homes to choose from, and sellers have a better opportunity to get a higher price.

2. Selling now frees you up to be a stronger buyer during the spring season.

3. In this market, the buyers who are coming through and looking at homes are very serious, well-qualified, and ready to go.

As always, you need a strong and experienced team on your side, so give us a call and we can help you determine if now is the perfect time to sell. We look forward to hearing from you.

Mark Your Calendars for Our Thanksgiving Meal Drive

Here are the details about our Thanksgiving Meal Drive event.

We are so excited for our 3rd Annual Thanksgiving Meal Drive sponsored by People's Home Equity, Gypsy Road Brewing Company and Studio 615. This year, we’ve once again partnered with the Salvation Army to provide for those in need during the holiday season. Last year, we raised over $600 for the Salvation Army and fed over 60 families in the Triad. This year's event will be on November 13 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Gypsy Road Brewing Company, and we’re hoping to surpass last year’s totals. 

We’ll have food trucks, live music, and lots of fun. Bring your whole family and have some fun with us while also supporting a great cause.

If you have questions for us about the event or anything else related to real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and we can’t wait to see you on November 13.

October 2021 Update on Our Market

Here’s an overview of what this market means for buyers and sellers.

We just finished an extremely busy summer where we helped 55 buyers and sellers with their real estate transactions. The market remains strong for sellers throughout the Triad area. The median price is now $235,000. That’s $30,000 higher than the median price from a year ago. For sellers, that means that when they're putting their houses on the market, they're getting top dollar.

The big question we continue to get is: “If I sell, where will I go?” There are still a lot of homes on the market. In September, there were over 2,800 houses on the market. That's up by 1,000 homes from six months ago. For buyers, this means that you have significantly more homes to choose from than you did just a few months ago, so you can move with confidence and still take advantage of the low interest rates.

This is still a tricky market, so we encourage you to have an experienced real estate team on your side when making decisions. Give us a call, and we’ll guide you through the process. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Schedule for Spring Cleaning 2021

It’s that time of year where winter has come to an end and we are now faced with a need for some DEEP cleaning, also known as Spring cleaning. Although thinking about the amount of cleaning that needs to be done can feel overwhelming, creating a schedule might make the task feel a little less stressful.

1. Gather Supplies
   First things first, be sure you have all of the necessary cleaning solutions and tools equipment. Grab some dish soap, antibacterial cleaner, dish gloves, rags, sponges, an old toothbrush, baking soda, white vinegar, trash bags, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, and anything else you might need to freshen up your home. If your cabinets have been lacking on the organization - consider purchasing new bins for pantry items and risers or a lazy Susan for seasonings.
   

2. Start with the organization
   Before you can implement your new risers into your spice cabinet - it might be a good idea to check expiration dates and toss out almost-empty bottles. Once you remove all of the spices from the cabinet, give the cabinet a little sweep to clear out any potential odor-causing spills. Next, move onto your other cabinets and organize your plates, bowls, utensils and the dreaded Tupperware cabinets.
   

3. Fridge + freezer clean-out
   Grab a trash bag, a cooler and some ice packs for this task. Time to open up those meal storage containers you’ve been pushing to the back of the fridge for a while now. Throw out old food, check expirations on the items you have left in the fridge, and temporarily place these things in a cooler so that you can wipe down the shelves and drawers. For those drawers with spilled liquid that is not fully coming out - sprinkle some baking soda to absorb this liquid and odor. Repeat the same steps for the freezer and don’t forget to give the exterior a nice wipe down as well.
   

4. Wipe down your appliances
   You know what I’m talking about. That food splatter you’ve been ignoring for entirely too long. Grab your cleaner and wipe down the microwave, trash can, dishwasher, toaster oven, and any other appliances that you frequently use. Soapy water followed by vinegar are a couple of great solutions to use for appliances to remove mineral buildup in the dishwasher and neutralize odor in other appliances. Baking soda can be put in trash bins to absorb odors as well.
   

5. Scrub the surfaces
   If you have kids, dogs, or other messy beings in your household - the baseboards in your kitchen and other common spaces could likely use a cleaning. Soapy water and a rag or magic eraser should work for this task. This is one of those things you might forget to do, but once the baseboards are sparkling, you’ll definitely notice a difference in the cleanliness of your space. Cleaning the windows will brighten your space and make such a difference from both the inside and the outside. Countertops should also get a good cleaning before moving onto the floors. Complete this step with a vacuum and mop of your floors.
   

6. Give your tools some care
   Sharpen those knives, replace old sponges, wash used dish towels. This is the last step! Now that you’ve spent about a week cleaning your home - sit back and enjoy the work that you’ve done. Now you can welcome the warm weather with a clean home to return to.

Maintaining Your Home's Exterior

🏡 Exterior upkeep can really make or break a first impression. Even if the inside of your home is stunning and recently renovated, the outside is still a key part of your home that will influence a buyer's decision.

💰 Small investments of just a few hundred dollars can result in a huge payout. The buyer is going to be able to come in and see that you've taken great care of your home, which is a great selling point!

👀 Watch how our contractor refreshed this outdoor space simply by putting a fresh coat of stain on the deck. Spoiler alert: the difference was HUGE!

Refresh Your Movie-Watching Zone

Since quarantine started, we’ve definitely binge-watched a TV series or two (or 10 - let’s be honest). Spending your family time on the living room couch might have been fun for the first few weeks, but almost a year later we’re still spending most of our time on those same couches, so to switch things up we suggest refreshing your movie-watching zone! Finish out the colder winter months and enter the rainy/warmer spring months by selling or donating your current furniture and splurge something new!

The phrase “in the comfort of your own home” has a completely different meaning nowadays. Investing in making sure your home is a place of comfort for you and your family is definitely something we suggest and can appreciate now more than ever. What ways can you change up your space? Here are a few suggestions below!

New furniture

Starting to feel some springs when you sit on the couch, stretched out the leather or just simply want to update the look? Replacing the couch is a great place to start in terms of refreshing your space. Some of the more popular couches we’ve seen come from Restoration Hardware’s Cloud Collection. Get even more trendy by finding an awesome velvet couch for a pop of color. Coffee table and end table wise, we’ve been loving glass tables with gold accents as well as the acrylic material. If money is tight right now, check out marketplace for much lower prices than retail from the neighbors in your area.

Cozy up your decor

This could be as simple as buying a new blanket to snuggle up with when you watch a movie. You can also go a step further and purchase an ottoman or a blanket basket to store your blankets when you aren’t using them, which will also add something to your room. If you love the velvet trend but don’t want to fully commit by getting a velvet couch, consider getting velvet pillow cases to add the awesome velvet texture in a less aggressive way. Switching out your table lamps, hanging a new piece of art or unfolding a new rug would also fall under this category!

Refresh with some paint

A simple can of paint can go a long way. Refreshing a room by adding a fresh coat of paint is such an easy and budget-friendly way to make the space feel completely different.

Amp up the neutrals with pops of color

It’s no secret that neutrals are always in style. But adding pops of color might bring a little more fun or happiness into your space, which we could always use a little more of!

Rug sold at Serena & Lily

Working From Home? Need Extra Space?

Getty Images

During Quarantine, with mandated stay-at-home orders, it is likely that you were required to begin working from home. With COVID still very much relevant, a lot of us are still working and schooling our kids in our homes. If you are looking for some extra space to get things done, we have a few suggestions below to improve your spaces at a low cost.

Consider decluttering

If the reason you are unable to have your own space to work is because you just have too much “stuff” in the house, it might be time for each family member to go through their things and gather bags to donate or to throw away. Once you’ve organized and decluttered, there will be more room to spread out in your home.

Take advantage of storage units

If you have items that are just simply taking up space in your house, but you know that you’ll need them again in the future, look into an off-site storage unit to temporarily store the things that are not useful. This could be a large china cabinet/buffet, or something of a similar nature that could be replaced with a workspace for you or your children.

Create a new space

We’ve seen a few super cool viral videos showing closet transformations that clear out the junk, remove the closet doors, and organize the remaining items enough to fit a desk and chair for a new space to work. Another way to fit a desk in an unlikely location is to replace end tables or bedside tables with floating shelves for a place to sit your things and sconces for light. Convert the garage into a multipurpose room with desk space and even room for a home gym if that is another issue you’ve had!

Browse the housing market

If all else fails and your home just isn’t cutting it anymore, check out other options in your area and consider moving into a larger space. We understand that with the pandemic, it has been a bit financially stressful and not everyone has the means to pick up and move - but just to know it is an option to think about!

How We Sold This House - Green Arbor

Starting with our Coming Soon Campaign, we hired professionals to come in to capture photography and videography. We then used these photos on social media - resulting in 918 clicks to our website. The day the property went live, we released the professional video of the home, which got over 6,900 views. This house sold in just 7 days and set the record for the highest price sold in the neighborhood at $303,000.

How We Sold This House - Splitbrooke

As with all of our listings, we started out bringing awareness to this property BEFORE it hit the market with a Coming Soon marketing campaign to give the sellers a jump-start on getting their house sold. Professional photos were released and the day the property went live, a professional video was published, obtaining over 4800 views!

Our number one goal with our marketing plan is to acquire maximum exposure for our sellers and to get their house sold as quickly as possible! For this particular listing, we were able to sell in just 2 days with multiple offers and for $6k over the list price.

Should I Sell Now or Wait Until Spring?

Should I wait to sell my home until the spring?

This is a question we’re getting a ton right now as we’re in January in the middle of winter. Our answer for a lot of folks right now is: Now is the time!

The reason we’re saying that is because inventory levels are at an all-time low, the market is packed with buyers as interest rates are at historical lows, and that really provides a great opportunity for you as a seller! The reason it does is because with low inventory levels, you have a lot less competition, so when buyers are searching for that perfect home - they don’t have as many options.

These low inventory levels have led to an all time high in housing prices here in the Triad. What this means is it gives you a great ability to cash in on your investment in your home and look forward to that next house that you can envision yourself in the future.

Now the benefit is: when you go to purchase - the interest rates are at an all time low so it allows you to lock in on a fixed rate for a long period of time.

Places to Stay Fit in the Triad

Photo courtesy of the City of High Point

New years resolutions for getting fit might look a little different this year due to all of the COVID restrictions that we currently have to follow. Don’t worry, there are still plenty of ways to stay fit in the Triad while staying safe and we are going to break down a few places that you can visit to achieve your goals!

Get outside and get moving! Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem all have a ton of awesome walking trails and parks for you to explore on those warmer days. The Bicentennial Greenway in Greensboro stretches 14.5 miles across the city, through the woods and alongside Battleground Road - with just 3.5 miles needing to be completed to connect the city of Greensboro to the city of High Point. Armstrong Park in High Point is another awesome recreation area with creeks lining their trails and plenty of shade with playgrounds, picnic areas, and athletic fields/courts. With boating, fishing, and walking trails, Salem Lake Trail in Winston-Salem is the perfect spot for residents of Winston-Salem and Kernersville to take in nature and enjoy some scenic views.

Outdoor exercise is a great option during this time of COVID and all of the restrictions, but we know that 60 degree days in January are far and few between, so we have some indoor facilities that might be better suited for you. Be aware that mask wearing and social distancing will likely be required in many of these indoor fitness centers below.

-F45 Training is a popular spot across the Triad which combines functional training, circuit and HIIT style workouts geared towards everyday movement.

-9Round Fitness is a kickbox fitness center with two locations, one in Greensboro and one in Winston-Salem.

-There are CrossFit gyms located in Winston-Salem, Kernersville, Oak Ridge, High Point, and Greensboro.

-Club Pilates is a reformer based workout with two convenient locations in Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

-For a more classic gym feel, the Piedmont Triad has plenty of Planet Fitness locations.

Announcing our Affiliation with eXp Realty

Exciting news! We’ve expanded our team, hiring three new realtors this year to provide more services to help you all buy, sell, and invest in real estate throughout the Triad.

In addition, we are super excited to announce our affiliation with eXp Realty. We’ve partnered with the number one team at eXp in the entire world to bring more innovative services right here in the Triad.

Boosting Your Home's Online Presence

90% of home buyers search online when looking for their new home. At The Ingram Group we use Facebook, Google, and Instagram to help get your home in front of the eyes of buyers. We create online advertising campaigns and custom pages for your home for maximum exposure!

Gorgeous Custom Full Brick Home

Take a walk with us through this amazing custom full brick home!

This home features a stunning kitchen, an expansive master suite with two large walk in closets, a massive finished basement with a built-in bar, and a gorgeous deck overlooking the backyard.

Home Staging

An empty 7000 sq ft. home may look cold and can definitely make it more difficult for the buyer to fully envision themselves living in this space. This is where home staging comes in! In a collaboration with Showhomes of the Triad, we sold a home in just 90 days. Warming up and brightening a home REALLY makes a difference when it comes to getting your house sold.🏡

We hope these before and after comparisons improve your understanding of the importance of home staging.

Dealing with Design Flaws

When you go into a house, I'm sure you have the thought that your home some things in your home will HAVE to stay the way it is when you buy it. But that's not always the case...

Being able to look past the wallpaper in the bathroom or the dirty carpet and realizing that these things can be replaced or repaired will help you TREMENDOUSLY during the home buying process.