How to Make Sure You Get a Cash Offer for Your Home

Selling your home can be a stressful process. Between finding the right buyer, negotiating the terms of the sale, and making sure you get top dollar for your property, there's a lot to worry about.

But if you're hoping to secure a cash offer on your home, there are some steps you can take to maximize the chances of success. Read on to learn how to get a cash offer on your home faster.

Set Your Price Right

When selling your home, one of the most important factors is determining an appropriate price point. If you set your price too high, buyers will be deterred—especially those who might have been willing to make a cash offer for homes. 

On the other hand, setting the price too low could leave money on the table that should rightfully be yours. 

The best way to determine an accurate market value for your home is by working with an experienced real estate agent who can provide you with detailed market research and data-driven insights into pricing trends in your area.

Market Strategically

Once you've determined an accurate listing price for your property, it's time to start marketing strategically. 

One way to do this is by targeting potential cash buyers with advertisements or direct mail campaigns emphasizing the benefits of buying with cash over financing through traditional lending institutions. 

Additionally, consider offering incentives such as reduced closing costs or flexible sale terms (like no contingencies) as added incentives for buyers who are able and willing to pay in cash.

Consider Alternative Solutions

If you're having trouble getting a cash offer on your property, don't despair—other options are still available! Consider partnering with an investor or working with a company specializing in fast turnaround times and all-cash offers. 

This arrangement allows you to close quickly while still getting top dollar for your property without negotiating extensively with buyers or haggling over repairs and additional costs associated with traditional sales processes.

Getting a cash offer on your home doesn't have to be difficult—it just takes some strategic planning and preparation! Keep these tips in mind as you navigate the process. 

Remember that working with professionals like real estate agents or investment companies can help ensure everything goes smoothly from start to finish so that you get top dollar for your property without any unnecessary stress or hassle!

Options for Keeping Your Home When You're Behind Mortgage Payments

If you're behind on your mortgage payments, you might feel anxious about what will happen to your home. While it's true that you could face foreclosure if you don't catch up on your payments, some options might help you keep your home.

Work With Your Lender

If you demonstrate the willingness and ability to make regular payments, your lender may be willing to work with you to develop a payment plan. 

This could involve making smaller payments over a more extended period or temporarily suspending payments until you can get back on track.

Get Help From a Housing Counseling Agency

Housing counseling agencies are organizations that provide free or low-cost assistance to homeowners who are struggling with their payments. 

They can advise budgeting and money management, help you negotiate with your lender, and connect you with other resources to help you keep your home. 

Housing counseling agency assistance is often available through government-sponsored programs, so be sure to ask about this when you contact an agency.

Consider a Loan Modification

A loan modification can involve changing the terms of your loan, such as the interest rate or the length of the loan. This can make your monthly payments more affordable and help you get caught up on what you owe. 

Another option is to refinance your loan. This can also help lower your monthly payments and make it easier to afford your mortgage.

Refinance Your Loan

This means taking out a new loan with different terms to lower your monthly payments. This can be a good option if your financial situation has changed and you now have a steady income. 

Another option is to negotiate with your lender. This involves working out an agreement where you make smaller payments over a more extended period. 

This can also be a good option if you're experiencing temporary financial difficulties. Finally, you may also be able to sell your home and use the proceeds to pay off your mortgage.

Sell Your Home

Selling your home will allow you to pay off your mortgage and any other debts associated with the property. It can also provide you with a fresh start financially. 

However, selling your home is not always the right choice for everyone. If you're attached to your home or think you can eventually catch up on your payments, you may consider other options.

By understanding your options, you can take steps to keep your home even if you're behind on your mortgage payments. You can avoid foreclosure and keep your home with effort and financial assistance.

Need to Sell Your Home for Cash? How to Find the Right Buyer

When dealing with the sale of your home, a cash sale is the best. Cash sales come in handy, especially when you want to sell your property faster. 

However, finding a cash buyer isn’t a straightforward task. In this article, we will discuss factors to consider while finding the right cash buyer for your house.

Reasonable Pricing and Closing Date Terms

The key to selling your home faster is finding a cash buyer with reasonable price offers and closer closing dates. You need to find a new cash buyer if the current buyer wants to take advantage of the situation. 

Most home buying companies will offer low-price offers, especially when you really want to sell your home fast. A good cash home buyer will have free and quick closing terms to make sure you move forward easily. They will care for your interests as much as they care for their investment.

Are There Extra Charges?

In normal situations, you’d expect to receive a cash payout while the buyer caters for the up-front and other fees. However, not all cash home buyers offer this kind of payment term. 

Some will include extra charges like administrative and closing fees with vague names. Unfortunately, most homeowners don’t know much about the fess and fall prey to rogue cash buyers. If a cash buying company includes extra hidden fees, it’s time to find another one. 

A genuine cash home buyer will be open and upfront about the fees for their services. It would be best if you didn’t have to worry about hidden fees that will affect your total cash payout.

Does the Home Buyer Demand Improvements or Accept the Property as-Is?

In your pursuit to find cash buyers, you will find those that will ask you to repair, clean, or remodel your home before selling it. Some cash buying companies will demand you to make these improvements immediately after making the cash offer and won’t complete the transaction until you clean or upgrade your home. It’s time to find a new cash buyer if you detect they won’t allow you to sell your home as is.

How Fast Is the Process?

If your current cash buyer expects lengthy paperwork and other details to complete the transaction, you might not have a quick sale as you may have wished. A quick home sale takes a straightforward process that will take a week, if not a few days.

With the tips discussed above, you have all it takes to find the right buyer for your home. Do you want to sell your home as fast? Contact us today to get unbeatable offers with no commissions or fees.

4 Ways to Make Your Home Stand Out Among Others if You Want a Quick Sale

If you want to sell your home quickly, making it stand out from the crowd should be a top priority. For one, remember to keep it tidy and clean. Another thing you can do is get rid of pet odor and fur. Consider a few more ways to make your home stand out.

Remove Clutter

While it can be a chore to remove clutter, you'll still have competition from those who've cleaned up more than you. In fact, excessive clutter can make your house appear dirty to buyers. 

Instead of moving it to the basement or attic where a buyer might see it, consider placing anything you won't be using in a storage unit for safekeeping.

Improve the Landscape

You can start making your landscape look more appealing by pulling weeds from driveway cracks, and flower beds, and raking leaves. 

Secondly, try placing potted plants near the front door and planting brightly colored flowers to add pops of color. Trimming shrubs and hedges, and pruning trees can give your home's exterior a crisp appearance. 

Another idea is to add fresh mulch around trees and plants. Finally, give your home a finishing touch by mowing the lawn.

Use the Right Paint

First impressions can be everything, especially in real estate. For instance, if a potential buyer sees how weather-beaten your house is, they'll likely head the other way. 

Fortunately, you can use paint to cover up many flaws such as mold. 

In addition, if they see a paint color that doesn't quite fit their expectations, they might decide against your home. For example, white is a safe option when choosing paint colors.

Polish It Up

It's often the little things that matter and real estate is no different. For instance, you might have a broken bathroom doorknob, dead lawn grass spots, or cracked kitchen tile. 

All of these details can be unsightly to anyone who's looking to spend their hard-earned money on a new house. Beforehand, try walking around to find any flaws you can fix. 

Buyers want to see a tidy house they can turn into a home that's personal to them.

Although you've likely spent years creating the cracks in the walls, little things matter. After all, potential buyers can and will notice anything that looks out of place. 

This could mean you may not be selling your home anytime soon. On the bright side, with a bit of fixing up, your house can look like new again.

How to Decide When It’s Time to Sell Your Home

Selling your home is not an easy decision. You will require to consider several factors and also be ready to leave the place you have known to be your home for years. 

Here are things that can help you decide whether it is time to sell your home.

Your Home Has a Positive Equity

Equity refers to your home’s value minus home loans. Having positive equity is one factor that can help you decide if it is time to sell up. 

Consider whether, after selling your home and clearing the mortgage balance, the remaining amount will cater for a new home’s deposit, the cost of moving, and sale settling.

You Feel Emotionally Prepared

Am I ready to move and sell my house? If you have been actively searching for modern real estate lists and wishing to live in one of them, you are ready to vacate. 

Selling your home may be overwhelming since you need to prepare it for sale. You should also be ready to digest any negative feedback the potential buyers, realtors, or home stagers give.

Your Family Has Outgrown Your Home

If you bought your home when you were still single and now have a family, you might require a bigger house. If you find that your kids require their bedrooms or your parents have moved into your home and need their own space, it might be time to sell your home.

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You Are Financially Prepared to Move

Apart from equity, it is important to have some savings in your account. Do not depend solely on your equity because the costs tend to stack up pretty fast. 

When deciding to sell your house, you should consider the moving cost, cost of repairing your home before advertising it for sale, and the amount of the new mortgage. Ensure that you do not have any debt and have enough cash to sustain you for a few months.

You Want to Downsize

When kids mature, they move out of their parent’s home, which makes the home so huge for their parents. If this is your case, you may decide to sell your home since managing the upkeep

does not make sense. You can choose a cozier but smaller home that doesn’t make you feel empty.

Finally, if your finances are in order and the current market suits you, it might be time to sell your home. Selling your home might be beneficial to you, so consider the above things when making this huge decision.

How to Make Sure You Receive What Your Home Is Worth When Selling

Considering a house is a significant investment, the real estate industry can have substantial financial incentives for those who understand how to market and sell properties at the best possible price. 

Getting what your home is worth does present its array of issues. Enlisting the help of a skilled and knowledgeable real estate agent, on the other hand, will significantly reduce the stress of the process. 

Here are three tips to consider to sell your home at its actual value.

Understand the Local Market

The real estate market is rapidly evolving, and even on a local basis, market dynamics cannot be expected to remain stable for long. In this respect, hiring a successful real estate agent to serve you while selling your house is critical to getting the highest deal possible.

A successful real estate agent is well-versed in the industry in which they work. Experience in their real estate market has enabled real estate agents to know how to interpret market trends at any given time and counsel home buyers on a reasonable price – taking into account similar homes as well as the listed property's features and amenities.




Your realtor will do a comparative market study to compare similar homes that have been listed in the last 6 to 12 months to calculate an asking price for your house, as well as a thorough examination of historical market patterns to forecast potential property sales.

Select the Appropriate Time to Sell

The right time to sell is not always the same for each property seller. You've probably heard that the real estate market blooms in the spring and that prices hibernate during winter. 

Still, each particular seller's financial and personal conditions will undoubtedly influence their move to sell at a given moment.



Discuss the motives for selling your home thoroughly with your realtor, and make sure to map out a timeframe for the sale to give the realtor a sense about when you'd hopefully like to have the home sold.

Consider Minor Improvements That Add Value at a Low Cost

Most properties on the market do not necessitate extensive renovations or upgrades – unless you are selling a flipped home. 

However, minor repairs, such as a fresh coat of paint, minor bathroom, and kitchen renovations, and slight energy-efficient updates to the house, will increase real value to the property without spending a fortune.

If you need to get cash, immediately sell your home as is though. This will ensure you don’t need to make repairs around the house, but will still let you receive what you put into your home.

When selling your home you want to make sure you get as much out of it as you can. Follow some of the above tips before listing.

Reaching Retirement? How to Decide When to Sell Your Home

Retirement might be so close that you can practically taste the salt in your margarita and feel that wonderful, crisp ocean breeze. Instead of putting the cart before the horse and getting wrapped up in a fantasy, let's take a look at the right time to sell your home before perhaps downsizing and easing into retirement.

Seller's Market

What's wonderful about potentially selling your home before you retire is that you might be able to sell your home for much more than you initially paid for it, or perhaps more than your home has been worth over the last couple of years. 

Listing your home in a seller's market could shore up much-needed funds for retirement. You might also decide that now's the right time to sell your home based on personal factors.

Your Home is Too Big

If you look around and see a bunch of extra rooms or a home that requires too much in the way of upkeep and utility costs (e.g., heating), then it might be time to sell your home.

Personal Factors

If you could move a short distance and realize a tremendous property tax windfall by doing so, then why wouldn't you make the move? The truth is that you probably would make the move in a hurry if you only knew that such a possibility was out there somewhere. 



The thing to do is sit down and do some research. Are there retirement homes and other amenities nearby that offer lower property tax opportunities?

Financial experts say that, as long as you've lived in your home for two of the previous five years going in to a sale, you should be able to exclude $250,000 in capital gains from the sale if you're single and $500,000 in capital gains from the sale if you're a married couple.

You might want to get in touch with a realtor or financial expert who can tell you more about these potential savings if you sell your home now. Look for claims like "we buy houses" when you're shopping around for the best realtors to sell your home.

If you've been living in the same place for two of the last five years, then now might be the perfect time to sell your home and realize tremendous capital gains savings that otherwise wouldn't be possible. Think of what you could do with another $250,000 or $500,000 over the next twenty years of your retired life!

4 Ways to Determine if You Should Sell Your Home after Retirement

People typically don’t plan enough for their retirement. They build up a nice chunk of savings, review their 401(k) details and look into Social Security and Medicare. Yet, they fail to sit down and consider how lifestyle changes after retirement impact them physically and financially. 

One of the most significant lifestyle elements that every worker or retiree needs to think about is their home. Your current home might feel like your safe haven at the moment, but it could become a nightmarish money trap after you retire. 

Whether you’ve recently been thinking “Is it time to sell my house?” or not, our guide can help you determine if your current home will still bring you joy during this next phase of your life:

Consult with Doctors

Many people who manage their existing conditions well or have significant health rarely consider their home in relation to aging and healthcare. Speak with all of your doctors about what you can expect to happen physically as you age. 

They can provide you with details about the existing condition and age-related outcomes: for example, most people are more prone to having accidents and experiencing injuries that take longer to heal as they age. 

If your home has stairs, your doctor might advise you to downsize to a one-level structure or outline the estimated costs for installing stair-based and other mobility equipment. Your doctors can also talk to you about potential insurance-related costs. 

Even as work-related expenses decrease, healthcare-related expenses increase from a combination of inflation, a potentially higher number of accidents and increase susceptibility to infections, natural physical breakdown, political upheaval, and changes made by insurers. 

If you can’t inexpensively adapt your current home to your likely future healthcare and safety needs, then it’s time to sell.

Consider the Long-Term Work

Some people believe that having more time after retirement means that they can focus more on home maintenance. You might become physically unable though to perform the essential work necessary to keep your home functional and looking its best, such as cleaning, landscaping, and repairs. 

You might hire contractors to perform these tasks when you’re no longer able, but long-term, regular contractor-related bills add up. You also need to consider how you interact with your home and the types of extra work that your interaction with it creates: for example, some people allow clutter to take over. 

This habit can worsen as they age, which often leads to them having more accidents and spending more money on medical bills. A large home with a lot of empty spaces, especially if you’re alone or living with only one other person, might also make you feel like you must buy the stuff you don’t need to fill it. A smaller home or apartment can help you to learn to live with less.

Check the Location

If your home isn’t near hospitals and other healthcare facilities, senior care options and family members or close friends, it’s time to consider selling it. Many retirees can’t afford long-distance medical travel and lodging costs, especially retirees who don’t have a lot in savings and rely on fixed incomes and strict budgets. 

You might actually lose money as well from lack of access to senior programs that can reduce living costs and help you to live a better and healthier life. Living close to family members and friends is beneficial in terms of health, well-being, and finances. If you don’t have a local social support system when you’re retired, your health might deteriorate as a result of loneliness or the inability to take yourself to much-needed doctor’s appointments. 

If you must rely on an ambulance during an emergency, for example, you can expect a high bill since Medicare doesn’t fully cover the costs. Medicare might not cover the trip at all if it isn’t deemed related to a severe enough emergency or you could have taken a taxi.

Compare the Financial Benefits

Selling a home offers many financial benefits beyond the ones already mentioned here: You might find that a monthly rental payment is cheaper than your mortgage, maintenance costs, and property taxes. You might also reduce electricity, heating, and cooling costs depending on what’s covered under a lease agreement. 

If you don’t have a lot of money in your savings, the sale of your home might provide you with the nest egg that you need to have a comfortable retirement. If you sell a larger home and buy a smaller one to replace it, you might save money over time by investing in a new home that hasn’t reached the point where everything is falling apart and needs regular repairs. 

You might also find a home in an area that has a lower property and other taxes. Some people even save money on capital gains taxes under certain circumstances.

The decision to sell your home is a difficult one to make. As you can see, there are a lot of factors to consider and no easy answer. Your home might be perfect in regards to your health and maintenance costs, but its location might become less and less ideal as you age. 

On the other hand, you might want to hold onto your home because it has been in your family for generations. If this is the case, you need to consider whether it’s time to pass it on to the next generation before you retire. 

To better understand all of these home-related lifestyle factors, talk to experts who work with retirees, such as a senior living advisor, real estate agents, tax consultants, investment counselors, and estate planners.

Knowing When It’s Time to Move

As we get older, many of us start to notice that our living situation just isn’t what we need anymore. Sometimes we move in order to become part of a senior community, and live close to others in our stage of life. Other times, we want to be closer to family, or downgrade in order to get rid of all those extra projects that come with living in a big house.

Then again, a move can be a huge disruption to your life, and it’s a major hassle from start to finish. So how can you determine whether a move is actually worth all the effort and bother? Well, whether you’re living out your golden years, or moving into your first home with a spouse, here are some helpful tips.

Can You Upgrade Your Existing Home?

Sometimes, there are things that we really want for our home, and so we start looking longingly at shiny new housing listings. If our health is getting difficult, it might not even be a matter of want, but need. 

Perhaps you’re not able to handle the stairs as well as before, or you need a different kind of shower. However, the truth is that most of the time, it’s much more cost-effective for an individual to update their existing home rather than get a new one. 





It’s true that looking at a quote for something like installing solar panels, or putting a granite countertop in your kitchen, can be intimidating. However, when you consider it an investment in your home that increases its value, it puts things in perspective.

Even if you’re planning to move, it might be worth looking into the costs of certain upgrades in order to increase the price point that you’ll be able to get for the house.

Location is the Primary Concern

If the truth is that all the upgrades, expansion, and remodeling won’t answer your needs, then yes… it’s probably time to move. That means that it’s a problem with the location; not the actual house. 

There are so many things that determine whether your location is good or bad. Often, it seems as though location and price are directly correlative, and it’s just a matter of finding as ideal a location as possible inside of your price range, but the truth is that location is highly relative. A prime location for one person won’t be ideal for another family.

Here are the major things that you need to ask yourself when choosing a location that matters to you.

Is the school district important to you? One of the major concerns people have when moving is what kind of school their child will be going to. So, if you don’t have children, or if your children are attending private school, or an alternate schooling program, you can save a lot by not competing for the same thing other families are desperate for. This link has a good guide if school district is a priority for your move.

What does your commute look like? One of the biggest things that contributes to (or detracts from) our quality of life is the time we spend in traffic getting to and from work each day. How much does a long commute bother you? 

Can you use public transit to reduce costs and stress? Don’t forget; it’s not just about the commute to work. The commute to school, to the grocery store, and to your friends’ or family’s homes can all determine how well a location works for you.

What does your lifestyle demand of your surroundings? Some people love to be friendly with their neighbors. Some of us love to be close to the outdoors. Others love a convenient park in the neighborhood. It’s important not to be distracted by things that really don’t matter to you, though. 

Sure, a park nearby is nice, but if you never use or see that park… then it really doesn’t make a difference to you. Let someone else pay for that proximity.

Renting vs. Buying

Deciding whether you’re going to rent or buy will also have a big impact on whether it’s time for you to move. After all, it’s a completely different game. Renting will feel much more temporary. 





If you decide to buy, you want to be comfortable with a more long-term decision. Even if you need to move from that home, will you be able to get good rental rates if you decide to become a landlord? Will it retain its value if you resell it in a few years?

People Matter

Although we usually think in terms of finances and employment while we’re looking into a move, the truth is that there’s one thing that matters more; who you share that space with. In the end, money doesn’t make us happy, and few jobs will. 

On the other hand, people who have the best quality of life, self-reported levels of happiness, and life expectancy, are those who have strong networks of connection with friends and loved ones. 

So, while you’re evaluating your reasons to move, it could be that it just comes down to doing the best thing for your family. That might be enough! Moving doesn’t have to be a terrible hassle if it’s handled right.

How to Sell Your Home and Make Some Money at the Same Time

Selling a home is not usually as easy as it sounds for different reasons. The condition of the house majorly contributes to the difficulty in selling. Improving your home value will massively raise its bargaining power increasing chances of making more from its sale. Here are some tips you can apply to make more cash when selling your home.

Make Necessary Repairs and Replacements

Broken or malfunctioning structures in the house only reduce the value of the home. In most cases, buyers won’t pay more for a house they will have to spend repairing the structures after they move in. 

Making the home attractive and in right condition makes it easy for you to price the property at your benefit. Replace old fixtures and appliances to increase your bargaining power. However, when replacing these fixtures, be careful not to spend more than what you expect to make out of the sale.

Give the House a Fresh Look

This is to make your home attractive to buyers entirely. Painting the walls with a neutral paint make the rooms seem lighter giving viewers the desired image. 



Making a good first impression by a new coat of paint also makes it more desirable. Moreover, thorough cleaning of the house and the outside environs make it look more modern and livable. 

Ensuring the windows are properly dressed with blinds and curtains brings the feeling of a well-maintained house. All this will cost little or no money and will add more value to the home.

Buy a Cheaper Home

One of the best ways to make some money out of your sale is by selling to buy a cheaper property. Ideally, every homeowner who sells a house will most likely do so with an intention of buying another one. 

Some companies, such as Firefox Realty, Inc., know that instead of seeing the sale as an opportunity to get a more expensive home, buy a cheaper house. Assess your needs, look at those things that you didn’t need in your old house, and buy with this in mind so that you only pay for what you need.

Choose a Good Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent has access to multiple potential buyers. He works with you to ensure a good first impression optimizing the income from the sale. 

It is possible to sell the home on your own but if you don’t have the necessary experience and direct access to buyers, you can end up underpricing your property. An agent will help you sell get a good deal for the house and make some money from the process.

Have these things in mind when selling your home to ensure that you not only get the right buyer but also make some money while at it. Remember to have the house inspected before listing it on the market so that you can ensure all fixtures and fittings are in good condition.

10 Surprising Things that Increase Home Value

Looking to increase your home’s value, but you’ve already exhausted the traditional value increasing methods such as updating the kitchen and bathrooms? Here are 10 surprising things that you may not have realized can increase your home’s value.

Roof repairs

As you’ll read in this article, having your roof repaired is one of the best home improvements you can make before the winter months hit, and it could mean the difference between having a seamless winter season and dealing with expensive repairs due to ice damming. 

It makes sense, then, that inspecting your roof and making any necessary repairs is one thing you’ll be sure you want to do before listing your home. Homebuyers, after all, want to make sure that the next home that they invest in, well, offers a well-built roof over their heads. If once you’ve repaired your roof, it promises to last another three to five years, you’re set. As an added bonus, repairing any unsightly flaws in your current roof will improve your home’s curb appeal.

Foundation repairs

Similarly, home buyers want to be sure that the home they are going to invest in is built on a strong foundation. Be sure that your home’s foundation is keeping the home up off the ground without any apparent cracks or failures.

Trees

As this article details, trees planted throughout a neighborhood can raise property values throughout the entire area. Even trees planted in a neighbor’s yard can raise the value of your own property by potentially thousands of dollars. In one study, homes that had “street trees”—trees planted between the sidewalk and street—sold for on average $7,130 more than homes without street trees. 

To get the most property value out of your landscaping, plan your landscaping early on, allowing for trees and shrubs to mature for when it’s time to sell; you’ll see on average a 12% increase in the perceived value of your home. And a strong overall first impression? That’s worth up to 27% in increased perceived value.

New outdoor lighting

On a similar note, it’s a good idea to consider updating your home’s outdoor lighting before you put your house on the market. As with landscaping, lighting can contribute to a better overall first impression of your home. Updated outdoor lighting won’t just give your home a better ambiance at night, either; it will also give your home a more modern feel during the daytime.

New front door

Installing a new front door is another way to instantly boost curb appeal, and it’s a home improvement that many homeowners overlook. Just be sure not to veer too far away from the mainstream here as you replace your front door. This is also a good time to update your front door’s locks.

Deep cleaning

At this point, you may have guessed why this one made the list—a deep cleaning is the ultimate way to improve the first impression that buyers have of your home. This includes having the interior of your home professionally deep cleaned, as well as having your home’s exterior siding and pathways powerwashed. 

Really, not enough can be said about how giving your home a strong buyer's’ first impression boosts the home’s value overall. One major plus to this item on the list is that it’s by far the cheapest.

Green lawn

Another point for curb appeal? Yep.

External dwelling units

When you consider the fact that so many young adults are headed back to their parents’ homes for a break from rent, this one makes a great deal of sense. Having an additional “tiny home” on your property can increase home value by up to 34%.

Coffee shops

Okay, so this one is a little out of your control as a homeowner. But according to an article published by Time magazine in February 2015, a Starbucks opening in the neighborhood—within a quarter mile, to be exact—actually boosts local property values. When you consider the fact that for many a morning coffee is a daily ritual on the way to work, this one may not be all that surprising after all.

Walmart

Here’s another that’s outside of the homebuyer’s control, but it’s something to be aware of nonetheless. For many homebuyers, living near a Walmart offers the ultimate convenience. In fact, researchers at the University of Chicago concluded that living within a mile of a Walmart store could raise a home’s value by 1%-2%. And if that Walmart is located within half a mile of the home, the property value can increase by an additional 1%.