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Awesome! But it can be hard to know what to fix, what to upgrade, and what to leave alone. After all, you don’t want to spend more money than you need to get your home ready for buyers. At Popsicle Properties, we’ve helped a lot of homebuyers sell their house fast for a fair price, … Continued

Before 1980, asbestos was commonly used in a lot of different home-building materials. This means, if you have an older home, it’s likely that the ceiling, wall plasters, wallboard, floor, and even ceiling have asbestos in them. On its own, this isn’t a problem. But it BECOMES a problem if those asbestos particles become airborne … Continued

Neighborhoods are like living organisms — they change and adapt with time. Unfortunately, they don’t always change for the better… sometimes they become less desirable. At Popsicle Properties, for instance, we’ve worked with a lot of homeowners who purchased a home in a great neighborhood… but then that area took a turn for the worst. … Continued

Well… you’re not the only one. Aging is hard on properties — and homeowners can end up spending a lot of money fixing up a home that’s outdated or in ill repair. Unfortunately, it seems like after one problem gets fixed… another problem is just around the corner. So what should you do? Well, at … Continued

Unfortunately, probate is often more complex and convoluted than it needs to be. But at Popsicle Properties, we’ve helped homeowners in almost every situation (including probate) to navigate challenges and sell their homes. So we thought we’d share some information about the probate process so that you know what to expect. Here’s how it works… … Continued

You might not know this, but real estate markets fluctuate significantly from season to season, month to month, and even year to year. And we’re not just talking about the nationwide market, but even our market locally here in Raleigh fluctuates dramatically. Sometimes, bigger homes sell. Other times, small homes are in high demand. And … Continued

While you can try to make your house look pretty for potential buyers, most real estate agents are trained to spot the telltale signs of structural damage (sagging floors, uneven walls, cracks in the foundation, etc) and they will discourage their clients from following through with the purchase. But that doesn’t mean all is lost. … Continued

In fact, we’ve made offers to hundreds of people in Raleigh and many of those people have accepted our offer. Want to know how we do it? Here’s a few of our secrets… just don’t tell anyone 😉 Advanced Property Marketing — One of the things that makes it possible to buy your home for … Continued

But did you know that most people struggle with debt? The average American now has $38,000 in personal debt, not including their mortgage payment. Crazy, right? So, we thought it would be appropriate to share some quick tips about how to get out of debt… faster. Pay More Than The Required Amount — The worst … Continued

Here are some tips for calculating the true value of your home in Raleigh… Think Like an Appraiser — Appraisers are market experts at determining the value of any given home. Primarily, they consider the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, total square footage, lot size, age of the property, HVAC system, and overall condition. It’s … Continued

Maybe you’re not even sure what needs to be done to the house before you can sell it. It’s hard enough to sell a fixer-upper when you’re in the same city or state… it’s even more challenging when you’re living in a different area altogether. Fortunately, we’ve worked with lots of sellers who own a … Continued

It’s crazy… …you try to do something generous, something kind, something selfless, and your family doesn’t even OFFER to help with bills (or they do… but they don’t follow through). It’s frustrating… At Popsicle Properties, we’ve worked with TONS of people in exactly your situation. Here’s the advice we usually give. Create a Contractual Agreement … Continued

It seemed like such a good idea at first — you’d own one additional property, manage tenants, and make some extra cash every month.  Why not?  But then it became EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to find trustworthy tenants… repairs got out of hand… and let’s not even get started on the yard work.  It’s frustrating and exhausting… … Continued

Totally understand. Here are some tips! Clean & Fix Important Stuff FIRST — Most sellers have plenty of time to make renovations, updates, clean, and fix items. But if you’re in a bind, then it’s important to prioritize your time to fix and update BIG STUFF first. Focus on functionality first (HVAC system, broken windows, … Continued

Great idea! Professional homebuyers (like us!) can make you a fair cash offer and close in as little as two weeks. But not ALL professional homebuyers are created equal. Here are a few things to watch out for… Reviews — Every legit professional home-buying company will have at least a few negative reviews mixed with … Continued