GeneralNew Homeowner
April 23, 2018

The spring real estate market is already here. Despite the strong competition, it's a great time for home buyers to score their dream home because of high market inventory. And soon, there will be fresh batches of buyers who have just finished closing and will soon be moving.

Purchasing a new home is a big milestone for anyone, so welcome your friend or loved one to their new life with a thoughtful housewarming gift. It could be something practical, sentimental, or anything in between. Remember that they can have a list of things they are going to need for their new home but they might have a tight budget after paying the down payment and other costs, so a nice thoughtful gift will be appreciated.

In case you need help in coming up with ideas, we’ve collected some of the best gifts you can give to new homeowners. If you’re still in doubt about what to choose, remember that it will always be the thought that counts.

 

1. Fresh flowers or a plant in a beautiful vase

Who wouldn't love smelling a lovely bouquet of fresh flowers, especially if you’ve been surrounded by boxes and packages in the last few days? Brighten up their new abode with some colorful blooms that will be more attractive if you put them in a beautiful vase that new homeowners would love to keep. Studies have long established that flowers can help decrease anxiety and worries, so they can definitely help reduce moving-related stress. If you want to give something that will last longer than a bouquet, pick out a plant that is low-maintenance but could still add life to an otherwise empty space. Gift a succulent (which is a growing trend nowadays) in a cute vase, or go for a good luck bamboo or a snake plant.

2. A welcome mat

A welcome mat can certainly make a new home feel pleasant and welcoming. Perhaps this is something they were planning to buy later, so you'd be doing them a nice favor by giving this simple yet thoughtful gift. You can always get something plain and basic. But if you want to make a lasting impression, go for a custom-made mat with their initials, a fun saying, or a quote that you know the homeowner would love. Yes, it will be better to pick up something beyond those that say “Welcome!”

3. Gift certificates or gift cards

There's nothing more wonderful than receiving gift certificates for a certain restaurant or service. Since a new homeowner may still be overwhelmed with a lot of things to do, help them take a break by giving them a gift card for a nearby coffee shop or restaurant. It will allow them to get more acquainted with their neighborhood and discover new weekend favorites. Since packing and moving all require hard work, you could give them a certificate for a massage and spa to help them relax after all the hard work.

4. Tool kit/toolbox set

Being a homeowner means getting ready for important home maintenance and repairs (as well as the costs!), so give them a set of essential hand tools, including a hammer, measuring tape, screwdriver, wrench, pliers and such. A toolkit can be especially useful for those who are moving to their very first home and have not immediately thought of acquiring most of these basics. You could also gift a humble set of gardening tools if you know the new homeowner has a green thumb and is now itching to tend to their garden during this spring season.

5. A spa-like gift set

Scented candles and oil diffusers are one of the best housewarming gifts due to their aromatherapy properties. Candles can evoke feelings of warmth and relaxation and can be a nice addition to a new home. Choose a fragrance that the new homeowner loves and could help them relax, like lavender, vanilla, or eucalyptus. You can even personalize these candles by attaching a card or putting a lovely rustic packaging for that stylish look, then bundle them with a nice set of bath towels and aromatic soaps to complete that perfect spa-like gift set.

6. A fun household game

There's no stress a fun game couldn’t relieve, especially for a young family who just moved in. It’s especially perfect for anyone who’s invited friends over to their new place. Bring in fun card games like Cards Against Humanity and Uno, or classic board games like Scrabble and Monopoly, that will surely be loved by the new homeowner and enjoyed by everyone.

7. A trinket dish or any lovely home decor

Because not all gifts should have a functional purpose, why not give a trinket dish or any stylish home decor for a new homeowner who also aims to make his/her home “instagrammable.” Trinket dishes, decorative plates and bowls, and even marble coasters would look beautiful on a tabletop, mantel, or desk. Choose a decor with a natural but elegant design, and perhaps made out of unique materials like exquisite wood or marble.

8. Freshly baked goods and sweets

Who can resist the smell of freshly baked goods and sweets? Especially if the homeowner has a sweet tooth, you can bake a fresh batch of sweets yourself and bring them over. Or, if you're not the type who loves to bake homemade goodies, head to a local bakery near their new place or pick up something from their favorite bakery in their old neighborhood. The aroma of those baked goods can certainly evoke special memories and make everything slightly better.

9. Cooking spices

Since cooking spices and herbs are a staple in every pantry, why not give a starter set for the new homeowner, especially if he/she also enjoys cooking. It's both a flavorful and essential gift for any home cook. There are spice gift boxes already available in major supermarkets, so you can just wrap them up in lovely ribbons before giving them as gifts. If you’re a lover of homemade gifts, you can also get ideas online to help you create the perfect DIY spice mixes.

10. Cozy blanket

A home wouldn't be complete without a cozy blanket. And since a first-time homeowner can never have too many of those, it can still be appreciated especially on cold nights where you only want to snuggle down and relax with friends and loved ones. Include a decorative or trendy pillow and you’ll be wishing a good night’s sleep to the homeowner who, after what could be years of house-hunting and surviving the stressful closing, finally have a place they can really call their own.

 

If you're a home buyer or a new homeowner, you might as well share this with your family and friends, too! That way, they’ll have an idea of what to give you on your future housewarming party. Cheers and Happy Housewarming wishes in advance!

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12 Reasons Why This is a Better Market for Buyers

I TALKED TO A LOT OF POTENTIAL BUYERS AND SELLERS EVERY DAY WITH WHAT I DO AND INEVITABLY A COUPLE OF TIMES A DAY I'M GONNA HAVE PEOPLE THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH JUST SAY, I'M GONNA WAIT TO BUY. I'M JUST GONNA WAIT AND YOU KNOW, IN MY HEAD, I'M THINKING, WAIT FOR WHAT YOU THINK, INTEREST RATES ARE GONNA GO BACK DOWN TO TWO OR 3%. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT AGAIN IN OUR LIFETIMES. I REALLY DON'T UM I HOPE I'M WRONG ABOUT THAT. UM BUT I JUST, I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING. WHERE THE PRICES AREN'T CRASHING DOWN. WE'RE STILL, IT'S STILL A SELLER'S MARKET, THERE'S STILL UM MUCH MORE DEMAND THAN THERE IS SUPPLY OF HOMES. AGAIN, I STARTED THINKING, I GO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THE MARKET IS BETTER FOR BUYERS AS WE SIT HERE IN THE, YOU KNOW,THE LAST QUARTER OF 2022 VERSUS HOW THINGS WERE FOR YEARS ENDING IN WHEN THE MARKET SHIFTED RIGHT AROUND EASTER THIS YEAR. THAT'S WHEN THE MARKET CHANGED. SO I CAME UP WITH 12 PROS AND ONLY ONE CON. SO LET ME SHARE THOSE WITH YOU.

 

PRO NUMBER ONE IS A SELLER PAID CLOSING COSTS. THESE SELLERS WERE NOT PAYING ANYTHING UH FOR YEARS, IN MOST INSTANCES, YOU KNOW, THEY PAY THEIR, THEIR REAL ESTATE FEES, DOC STAMPS IN THE DEED, BUT YOU'RE BUYING, YOU KNOW, YOU AS THE BUYER WOULDN'T WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE. WE'RE GETTING SELLERS TO PAY, CLOSING COSTS IN SOME INSTANCES NOW AS A NEGOTIATION POINT. SO THAT'S EXCITING. IT'S LESS OUT OF POCKET FOR THE BUYERS.

 

THE SECOND REASON IS SELLER PAID RATE BY DOWN. WHAT WE'RE DOING IN SOME INSTANCES IS RATHER THAN REDUCE THE PRICE, WE'RE TAKING THAT MONEY THAT YOU WOULD NEGOTIATE WITH THE SELLER AND HAVING THE SELLER BY YOUR RATE DOWN. SO I MEAN THAT'S EXCITING TO BUY IT DOWN. MAYBE, AS WE'RE SITTING HERE IN OCTOBER, THERE ARE 7%, YOU CAN BUY IT DOWN TO SIX, MAYBE EVEN FIVE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE PAST.
 

THE THIRD IS THE SELLER PAID TO ONE RATE BY DOWN. AND WHAT THAT IS IT'S A NEW, IT'S A NEW PROGRAM THAT A LOT OF LENDERS HAVE WHERE THE SELLER BUYS DOWN YOUR RATE AND IT'S 2% LESS THE FIRST YEAR. SO IF IT'S 7% YOU'D PAY 5% THE SECOND YEAR, IT'S 1% LESS. SO IF IT'S 7% YOU PAID SIX AND THE THIRD, YOU'D BE AT SEVEN IN THE THIRD AND BEYOND, YOU'D BE AT 7%. OKAY? BUT HERE'S THE DEAL WITH THAT THAT GETS YOU THAT GETS YOU ABLE TO AFFORD MORE HOUSE HERE IN THE SHORT TERM AND THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER,ONE OF TWO THINGS WILL HAPPEN IN THE IN THE FUTURE EITHER THE FIXED INTEREST RATES ARE GONNA COME DOWN SO YOU CAN REFINANCE OR THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER LENDING PRODUCTS THAT ARE GONNA COME OUT MAYBE ARMS UM LOOK THEM UP WITH OTHER SOLUTIONS TO,BECAUSE AFFORDABILITY IS AN ISSUE NOW WITH THE RATES GOING UP IN THE PRICE INCREASES IN RECENT YEARS. SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION FOR YOU ON THE TABLE.

THE FOURTH REASON WHY BUYING A HOME CAN BE BETTER HERE NOW AT THIS POINT IN 2022 THAN IN RECENT YEARS IS SELLER PAID REPAIRS. UM YOU KNOW, SELLERS DIDN’T WANT TO DO ANYTHING. IN FACT, THEY SOME OF THEM DIDN'T EVEN WANT BUYERS TO HAVE INSPECTIONS FOR HEAVEN'S SAKES. NOW THE SELLER IS THE SELLERS ARE GOING AHEAD AND MAKING YOU KNOW, REPAIRS ON THEIR PROPERTY BEFORE PUTTING THEM ON THE MARKET. THEY'RE REPLACING ROOFS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY NEED TO REPLACE ROOFS AND THERE'S ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT THE SELLERS ARE WILLING TO DO THAT THEY WERE RESISTANT TO DO IN RECENT YEARS JUST BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH DEMAND.

 

THE 5TH REASON IT'S BETTER TO BUY A HOME IS SELLER PAID IMPROVEMENTS. SELLERS ARE GOING AHEAD AND MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR HOME PRIOR TO PUTTING THEM ON THE MARKET WHERE UM YOU KNOW, WHEREAS BEFORE THERE WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU AS THE BUYER ARE GONNA BENEFIT FROM THAT BE THE ONE THAT WILL BENEFIT MOST FROM THAT.

 

THE SIX POINT OF WHY THIS IS A BETTER HOME FOR A BUYER TO BUY TO BUY MARKET IN RECENT YEARS IS PRICE NEGOTIATION. THERE WAS NO NEGOTIATION AND PRICE PREVIOUSLY IT WAS, HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY OVER LIST PRICE? TO TRY TO GET THE HOME RIGHT AS CRAZY AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE PAYING, YOU KNOW, $6100 OVER LIST PRICE. THEY WERE GIVING AWAY THEIR SEASON FOOTBALL TICKETS. I MEAN, MAD TRIPS, its MADNESS. OKAY, ALL THAT'S GONE. SO WE'VE GOT PRICE NEGOTIATION NOW, THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

 

THE 7TH REASON WHY THERE'S IT'S BETTER TO BUY A HOME HERE IN THIS MARKET THAN THE PREVIOUS MARKET IS YOU PAY LESS THAN ASKING PRICE. RIGHT? YOU FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMPETING OFFERS, IF THEY'RE NOT, WE CAN NEGOTIATE A LITTLE BIT RIGHT? SO, I MEAN, THAT'S EXCITING, YOU GET A BETTER DEAL THAT WAY.

 

THE 8TH REASON WHY IT'S BETTER TO BUY A HOUSE IN THIS MARKET THAN THE PREVIOUS HOT MARKET. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIVE INSPECTIONS, OKAY, WAIVING INSPECTIONS IS A TEAR. IT WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA, BUT I MEAN, PEOPLE HAD TO DO IT TO GET A HOUSE RIGHT? UM YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS AS YOU WANTED TO BE BEFORE YOU BECOME THE OWNER OF THAT HOME AND UM, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'VE GOT TIME TO DO INSPECTIONS AGAIN AND JUST MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S THE SMART INVESTMENT FOR YOU. SO THAT'S BACK IN PLAY.

THE 9TH REASON WHY THE MARKET IS BETTER NOW FOR BUYERS THAN IT WAS IN THE RECENT HOT MARKET IS INSPECTION NEGOTIATIONS, OKAY. UM, EVERYTHING WAS AS IS BEFORE FOR THE MOST PART, OR VERY, VERY SMALL, REPAIR LIMITS THAT WERE PUT ON THE, PUT ON THE CONTRACTS AND UH, NOW YOU CAN GET STUFF FIXED. YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT EASIER. IT'S A LOT EASIER TO GET A FIXED SELLER, TAKE CARE OF IT BEFORE YOU MOVE IN AND THEN HAVE IT BE YOUR PROBLEM ONCE YOU BUY IT.

 

 

THE 10TH REASON WHY IT'S BETTER FOR BUYERS TO BUY NOW THAN IT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS HOT MARKET IS YOU GOT TIME TO THINK IT OVER RIGHT SO MANY BUYERS JUST NEEDED A HOUSE, RIGHT? AND I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA DECIDE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES THE BUYERS WERE SETTLING FOR A LOT OF STUFF THEY REALLY DIDN'T WANT JUST BECAUSE THEY NEEDED A PLACE TO LIVE. SO YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO THINK THINGS OVER AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE THE RIGHT MOVE FOR YOU.

 

 

THE 11TH REASON WHY IT'S BETTER TO BUY A HOME IN THIS MARKET THAN THE PREVIOUS HOT MARKET IS YOU CAN HAVE CONTINGENCY CON CLAUSES IN YOUR CONTRACT, YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT, I MEAN, PREVIOUSLY, IF YOU HAD A CONTINGENCY CLAUSE, WHY WOULD THE SELLER EXCEPT THAT WHEN THERE'S YOU KNOW 10 OTHER OFFERS OR 20 OTHER OFFERS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT? MAYBE GOT A HOME TO SELL. NOW YOU CAN FIND A HOUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL FIND A SELLER THAT'LL TAKE A CONTINGENCY ON THE SALE OF YOUR HOME AND YOU CAN TIME EVERYTHING BETTER THAT WAY AND YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOT LESS STRESS.

 

 

THE 12TH REASON WHY IT'S BETTER FOR BUYERS TODAY THAN IT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS HOT MARKET IS YOU'VE GOT LONGER CONTRACT TO CLOSE IF YOU WANT IT RIGHT THERE, THEY'RE NOT PUSHING TOO CLOSE AND YOU KNOW, 20 OR 30 DAYS LIKE THEY WERE IN THE PREVIOUS MARKET. SO YOU'VE GOT LONGER TIMEFRAMES, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU'VE GOT A HOME TO SELL OR YOU KNOW, YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO MOVE FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, YOU NEGOTIATE IT OUT NOW.

AND OF COURSE, THE ONE CON OF BUYING TODAY AND IT'S A VERY SHORT LIST IS THAT INTEREST RATES ARE HIGHER, RIGHT? UM YES, THERE'S STILL HISTORICALLY LOW EVEN AT 7%, BUT IT'S A LOT HIGHER THAN THREE. AND UH WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE WE ALWAYS SAY UM MARRY THE HOUSE AND DATE THE RATE UM THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK DOWN. I MEAN THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER PRODUCTS THAT ARE GONNA SHOW UP. UM IT'S A LOT BETTER TO BUY AT 7% THAN IT IS IF IT GOES UP TO 10 OR 12 AND THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY SMART PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE SAYING IT'S GONNA GO UP TO 10 OR 12 BEFORE THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE. SO 7% ISN'T GONNA LOOK SO BAD WHEN THAT DAY COMES. SO AND AGAIN LIKE I SAID, YOU CAN ALWAYS REFINANCE LATER IF YOU WANTED TO. UM THERE'S GONNA BE ALL SORTS OF OTHER PRODUCTS THAT WILL COME OUT. BUT YOU KNOW AT LEAST YOU CAN GET THE HOME YOU WANT AND LIVE YOUR LIFE. AND WHEN THAT DAY COMES YOU'LL HAVE OTHER OPTIONS. IF I CAN HELP YOU WITH ANYTHING BUYING OR SELLING, JUST REACH OUT TO ME. YOU CAN IF YOU'RE SEEING THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, GO AHEAD AND DIRECT MESSAGE ME, I'LL BE THE ONE ANSWERING YOU SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO IF YOU TALK TO ME I WILL BE THE ONE TALKING TO BACK, IT WON'T BE AN ASSISTANT, IT'LL BE ME. AND SO JUST KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. IF HE COULD AND UM IF YOU PREFER YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT ME AT 85O-677-1630. YOU FOUND THIS HELPFUL GO AHEAD AND LIKE THIS, SHARE IT WITH ANYBODY THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW UM PUT IN THE COMMENTS WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PROS AND CONS LIST. AND UM IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM YOU CAN FOLLOW ME @MEETSCOTTGREGORY, LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU SOON. TAKE CARE!

 

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