June is set to be a great month for the home sale market

Summer brings a range of outside events and beach trips with sunny days and clear skies. It also signifies the revival of summer rental season. 

As many companies offer an increasing number of vacation days, even some going as far as unlimited time off, many families are investing in rental properties.

Rental properties can be a great escape from the montage of everyday life. Leave morning commutes, daily meetings and after-hours work behind with a rental beach-side or deep in the forest.

As a realtor, ensure you can offer the best rental sites to your renters. Keep these five tips in mind during your next search:

• Ask questions: What exactly does the rental include? Are all the utilities in working order? Are pets allowed? This information should be readily accessible for your renter.
• Compare prices: Prices vary based on location, added amenities and size. Be sure that renters know exactly what they want, as they are choosing the property.  The property / The features should always meet, if not exceed expectations.
• Encourage renters to reserve early: The earlier a renter reserves a place to spend the week, the lower the price may be. Some hotspots are always expensive, but deals can be found if they are searched for beforehand.
• Know everything before you sign the dotted line: Renters should understand all terms and conditions before agreeing to a price and place.
• Look at a property before showing it to a client: Online pictures can be deceiving, and there are scams out there. Check out a rental before you bring your clients to ensure it matches its online presence and what the renters want.

Find more realtor tips on our website. Alban Inspections, a home inspection company also performs routine inspections, energy audit and efficiency checks. Learn more here.   

The current home sale market is competitive and can be hard to break into if you're not completely prepared. Although the harsh winter delayed the beginning of the spring buying season, it also gave buyers more time to pinpoint exactly what they want and don't want in a home.

Ensure your next house has what it takes to get off the market quickly and efficiently. Keep these room tips in mind during staging:

• The dining room: The dining room is not often considered a selling point but has become more important to buyers. Many factors can affect dining room appeal including the size of the table, decorations and cleanliness. A table should be as expanded as possible but not so much that it impedes moving around the room. In addition, keep the table clear. Setting the table with anything other than a simple flower arrangement can distract buyers.
• The bedroom: Bedrooms should always appear as relaxing, serene rooms in the home. Don't let your bedroom become overridden by storage, clothes and excess furniture. In addition, keep bedding and pillows, as well as clutter, to a minimum. Stick to one color scheme to add style and conformity throughout the room.
• The kitchen: A clean kitchen, especially the sink, is a huge factor for homebuyers. A dirty kitchen signifies a dirty home, even if it's actually very clean. Keep the counters clear of excess clutter, take all the pictures off the fridge and make sure your cabinets are organized.  Potential homebuyers cannot imagine themselves in your home if your presence is everywhere they look.

For more realtor tips or home market information, visit our website. As you look to buy or sell a home, consider a home inspection company such as Alban Inspections for all your energy efficiency and audit needs.

How can you enhance the experience of homebuyers during an open house or private showing? A good, or bad, first impression is all it takes to set the stage for a possible sale. 

Selling your home doesn't have to be a difficult or stressful process, especially if you implement these four tips before your first open house.

• Curb appeal: Mow the grass, paint the shutters and plant some trees. No, you don't have to go all out for the front of your home, but you should make sure it's presentable and nice to look at. The front of your home is the first thing buyers see and base many of their opinions on.
• Fresh coat of paint: A new coat of paint, in any room or area of the home, can make a huge difference. Fresh paint brightens a room as well as ensures cleanliness of walls and surrounding areas.
• Let the light in: Use natural light to your advantage. Sunshine always feels good and brightens up a room with no cost. 
• Maintenance: According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), home sellers should focus on fundamental maintenance such as plumbing and electrical wiring. Homebuyers will often write off a home, despite renovations, if a roof is in shambles or the heating system isn't in working order.

Another recent NAR study concluded that homeowners reap about 80 percent back of what they put into a home when it comes to window and roof replacement.

For more realtor information, or to schedule an appointment with a home inspection company, visit our website. Alban Inspections is trained in a range of home issues including energy efficiency, heating and insulation and home mold inspection. 

Selling a home can be an exhausting, tedious process. Between closing costs, looking for a new home to live in and getting your old home ready for showings, your plate tends to fill up fast. Keep the selling as stress-free as possible by avoiding the following five costly home selling mistakes you could be making right now.

• Adding little to no curb appeal: The appearance of your home oftentimes matters the most when it comes to selling it. Clean both the inside and the outside of the home. Get rid of clutter and add noticeable but subtle changes that can fit the taste of any possible homeowner. In addition, take care of the outside of the home by planting flowers, clearing the walkway and having a welcoming front of the house.
• Hiring the first agent you meet: Ask friends and family for agent recommendations. Selling a home is one of the largest monetary transactions a person can make in his or her lifetime. Entrust your money and time to someone that is experienced and genuinely invested in your outcome. 
• Neglecting to sell on all forums: Selling a home entails more than just posting a "for sale" sign in the front yard. Post your home online, on social media forums and in the local paper.  Let your friends and family know you're moving and have them spread the word to their friends who are searching for a new place.
• Not googling your home: Run an internet search of your home. Check what price other homes in the neighborhood have sold for. Make sure no negative results appear, especially older information that doesn't detail new adjustments and changes you may have made. If this happens, list renovations in the selling ad.
• Overpricing your listing: List your price for its real value. An overpriced number will only keep buyers away.

For more home selling tips, new home inspection information, or to contact experienced home inspection contractors, visit our website. 

According to the National Association of Realtors, vacation home sales have increased 57.4 percent since 2014. This kind of increase hasn't been seen since 2006.

Buyers spent an estimated $1.13 million last year on vacation homes, the highest amount recorded since 2003. They totaled a whopping 21 percent of all 2014 home transactions.

Despite this overall growth, the price did drop 11.1 percent, a reduction of almost $20,000 from 2013.

The latest demographic of vacation home buyers includes the following traits:

• 20 percent are most likely to begin looking for a home online
• 70 percent of buyers used a mortgage option
• 85 percent believe the time they chose to buy property was ideal
• A little over a quarter of buyers plan to keep the property for more than 10 years
• Purchasing with a real estate agent is the most popular payment method.

The breakdown of the most popular vacation home purchase locations for 2014 are:

• 46 percent in the South
• 25 percent in the West
• 15 percent in the Northeast
• 14 percent in the Midwest.

Metro areas in the South and Southwest with lower costs of living and warmer weather are most likely to see even more purchases by the baby boomer generation. In addition, the most popular vacation location is by the beach and with at least 1,500 square feet of relaxation space.

Before purchasing a vacation home, be sure you visit the home if possible and have a reliable home inspection company search for any problems. Alban Inspection employees are trained in radon testing, mold testing and a range of other issues that could affect a home. 

Schedule an inspection today or visit our website to ensure your new getaway paradise has no hidden issues or underlying problems, before you agree to the purchase price. 

With the dreary winter months seemingly in the past and spring right around the corner, the amount of homes you show could increase overnight. Are you ready for the influx? Implement these five tips into your next home showing to make the sell.

• Check out the house online… and in person: Canvas the area where you're selling before bringing in your first buyer. Chances are you won't get a full curb appeal feel if you don't see it in person. Houses sell more quickly in the spring, so jump on a house before it's gone.
• Ensure the home makes a good first impression: First impressions are usually made within the first 60 seconds of viewing a home. There isn't much wiggle room for mistakes. Take a walk through the home the day before an open house and eliminate any glaring issues.
• Know the current market: Don't overprice or under-price the home. Research what it's worth, what houses nearby have sold for and what the sellers prefer. 
• Make the home comfortable: Keep the heat at a reasonable level, air out every room and ensure it's clean. In addition, use the spring season as a great excuse for seller spring cleaning. Potential buyers can't envision themselves in your home, if your clutter is all that can be seen. Remove the family pictures, knick knacks and full closets into storage for a better sale advantage. 
• Price the house correctly: A house that has sat on the market for too long is bad for sellers and your business. Price the house fairly and accurately the first time to avoid future headaches or price changes.

For other realtor tips, home seller information or inspection services, visit our website. Alban home inspection specializes in energy efficiency, lead paint inspection and radon detection. Schedule a consultation before your next home showing.

All realtors should have a safety and security talk with their clients. Selling a home can be a pivotal life moment, but it does come with some risk. Home owners must ensure that they are selling their property in a safe manner to protect both the value of their home and themselves. 

Make sure you cover the five safety tips listed below before your next open house:

• Eliminate all weapon possibilities: Make sure all firearms are locked in a secure place. In addition, remove possible weapons such as kitchen knives, fireplace accents and other sharp objects.
• Have a home showing procedure in place and stick to it: Set specific hours when you will show potential buyers your home. Be sure your realtor is present and obtain information about each person that enters your home for your own records.
• Keep all materials with personal info out of sight: Don't leave stacks of mail, bills or other material with potential private information in plain sight. Personal information can easily be stolen during open houses. Consider removing family pictures and other identifying information as well, as you may not know who will show up at your door.
• Remove all medications from sight: Don't give visitors the option to raid your medicine cabinet. Remove all traces from bedside tables, vanity drawers and bathroom cabinets.
• Secure your valuable items: Lock away items such as jewelry, credit cards or other valuables. If you don't have a secure place in your house, ask a trusted friend or family member if they have space for you.

Before selling your home, or purchasing a potential real estate investment, consider scheduling an inspection with Alban. Alban can conduct an energy audit, mold inspection or other inspection necessary to sell a property. For other realtor information, home buyer info or energy assessment methods, visit our website.