Big Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Small House

Increasing White Outlined Houses Against Rustic Background

Small houses offer the promise of a simpler life with less material possessions, less maintenance, and a lower mortgage. Despite the benefits there are some tradeoffs that warrant consideration. Before taking the plunge, it’s definitely worth thinking about the pros and cons of going small in the world of real estate.

Here are some big questions you should ask yourself when it comes to buying a tiny house.

How Often Do You Entertain Guests?

Having one or two friends over at a time is one thing, but hosting a large dinner party with 10+ guests might not exactly be comfortable – or even possible – if your living quarters are short on square footage. Unless you plan on entertaining guests in the backyard, having more than a handful of people over at once won’t be practical. If you like things small and quiet, great. Although if you’re the type to throw big bashes, you might want to consider going a little bigger in the housing department.

If You Have Pets, How Well Can You Coexist?

If you’ve got any pets, or plan on getting one in the near future, consider the fact that they’ll have to put up with minimal indoor space. A small house is fine for a cat who only makes use of a litter box, sofa, and kitchen. A larger, more active dog, on the other hand, might find it tougher to coexist and be happy in a small space.

Are You an Avid Collector of Things?

Living in a small house means keeping a lid on the amount of belongings you’re able to accumulate. If you have a large collection of items, you might have to scale down if you’re considering moving into a tiny home. In addition, if there are any sentimental items like passed down family furniture, the likelihood of all your belongings fitting decreases.

For instance, if there’s an oversized hutch that’s been in your family for generations that you simply cannot part with, will it fit neatly in your home? Or will it not even fit through the doorway?

Are You Prepared to Spend More Time Outside?

Living small usually means spending a lot more time outside. One of the things about small homes is that a lot more living tends to take place outdoors. If home is just a place for you to lay your head between work and life, a lot of space probably isn’t necessary. And if you’re a big outdoorsy kind of person, a tiny space may be all that you need. However, if you’re home-body and home is where most of your time is spent doing the things you love, you’ll probably need more space.

What Are Your Hobbies?

Certain hobbies obviously take up a lot more space than others. In a small house, that might be space you can’t afford. If you love drawing, paining, knitting or cooking, a small house shouldn’t pose a problem. On the other hand, if you have an affinity for pottery, woodworking or shooting videos, a tiny house might be an issue. Consider if a small house would make your hobby more difficult to participate in, and decide if you’re OK with that in favor of less space (and most likely a smaller mortgage).

How Good Are You at Sharing Your Space?

Will you be living alone or sharing the space with someone? If you live with others (or plan to in the future), consider how well you’ll be able to share your space. If you grew up in a big family with minimal room indoors, you probably won’t have any issues. Horrible memories from bad dorm experiences? Then take a moment to reconsider.

There’s a certain charm and freedom associated with tiny homes. And of course, there’s always the much cheaper price tag (depending on the location). There’s a lot to think about and weigh before making this decision. Regardless of whether the home you buy is big or small, this type of purchase is an important one. Do some soul searching, and as always, discuss your options with an experienced real estate agent before you make the next move.

San Ramon Valley Real Estate Market Update – May 16, 2023 🏡🏡🏡

Inventory is low and pending’s are up!

Homes that are priced right and in move-in condition are getting multiple offers!

If you are a buyer, you should think about getting an offer in on a home now.

If you are a seller, you should think about getting your home ready for market now.

Watch this video to see the stats that reflect this within the current market in San Ramon, Dublin, Danville, Blackhawk & Alamo.

This week’s stats by city: 

San Ramon: 

– 53 ‘For Sale’ 

– 61 ‘Sale Pending’ 

– 9 ‘Sold’

– Average Sale vs List Price: 101% 

Dublin: 

– 33 ‘For Sale’ 

– 53 ‘Sale Pending’ 

– 12 ‘Sold’

– Average Sale vs List Price: 104% 

Danville: 

– 67 ‘For Sale’ 

– 54 ‘Sale Pending’ 

– 9 ‘Sold’

– Average Sale vs List Price: 103% 

Blackhawk: 

– 16 ‘For Sale’ 

– 4 ‘Sale Pending’ 

– 3 ‘Sold’ 

– Average Sale vs List Price: 97% 

Alamo: 

– 37 ‘For Sale’ 

– 21 ‘Sale Pending’ 

– 3 ‘Sold’ 

– Average Sale vs List Price: 94% 

For more info anytime: 

 (925) 899-0825 

 Jason@JasonCaskie.com

WIN a $500 AirBnB Gift card (8 winners)! FREE Monthly Giveaway! May 2023

ENTRY DATES: MAY 9-31

Adventure Giveaway
If you’re ready to get out there and explore this summer, be sure to enter our latest exciting giveaway for a FREE Airbnb gift card. You could book a much-needed getaway to a fun destination, or plan to check some amazing activities off your bucket list. The possibilities are limitless. With lakeside cabins and secluded beach houses to choose from, and immersive Experiences like guided tours and expert-led tastings to savor, winners are destined for an adventure compliments of Jason Caskie and Coldwell Banker Realty. The drawing will take place on June 1 – enter today for your chance to win!

GRAND PRIZES
$500 Airbnb Gift Card (8 winners)

ADDITIONAL PRIZES
$150 Airbnb Gift Card (30 winners)

ENTER BELOW:
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For more info anytime:
📱(925) 899-0825
📧 Jason@JasonCaskie.com

Upcoming FREE Shredding Event

Episode #7: What’s the #1 Mistake Buyers Make? w/Jason & Sean

Watch this video! We are here to help!

Buy & Sell Your Home Smarter in 2023!

For more info anytime…Reach out to us today!:
(925) 899-0825
Jason@JasonCaskie.com

JUST LISTED IN GREENBROOK OF DANVILLE!

439 Saint Francis Dr, Danville, CA 94526

$1,899,000 | 5 Beds | 3 Baths | 2,651 SqFt

JUST LISTED! OPEN HOUSE 5/11 10:30-2PM & 5/13 & 5/14 1-4PM. Located in one of Danville’s most coveted neighborhoods Greenbrook! This fabulous home features 5 Bedrooms (1 Bed & 1 Full Bath downstairs) PLUS Office/Den with separate entrance (also on main floor) and 3 full bathrooms. Lots of room & functionality in this large home! Open concept kitchen & main living area with separate bar area. Hardwood floors. Granite countertops. New interior paint throughout. New carpet. Large corner lot. Relaxing front porch. Newly landscaped. Backyard with putting green, Bocce Ball court and covered paver patio is great for entertaining. 3-car garage. Paver driveway. Greenbrook community with pool, tennis, club house, playground & BBQ area. 12 years of top-rated award winning SRVUSD schools. Close to Iron Horse Trail, great shopping & dining! A great home looking for a new owner 🙂

FULL LISTING

3 Must Do’s if Selling Your Home in 2023!!! 😊👍🏡

There are 3 key components to attracting buyers in today’s market PLUS a bonus thought, 3.5 to get your home sold for the highest price with the best terms in the shortest amount of time possible:

1. Price it right

2. Do inspections & disclosures before coming on the market

3. Make your home “show ready” to appeal to the most amount of buyers

3.5 Be open to creativity – maybe offer special terms and incentives for buyers

For more info anytime: 

📱(925) 899-0825 

📧 Jason@JasonCaskie.com 

🌐 JasonCaskie.com

How Much is Your Home Worth in Today’s Market: January 2023??!!

1st: Watch this video!  

2nd: Visit HomeBot: https://hmbt.co/KUyFtT

3rd: Reach out to me anytime for my professional opinion of what your home would sell for today

Buy & Sell Your Home Smarter in 2023!

For more info anytime…I am here to help! Reach out to me today! 

 (925) 899-0825 

 Jason@JasonCaskie.com 

 JasonCaskie.com

Selling Your House? 4 Tips for Staging Your Home on a Budget

Stylish compositon of modern living room interior with frotte armchair, wooden commode, side table and elegant home accessories

Are you wondering what you need to do to give your house the best chance possible of selling quickly? While there are many things you can do to improve the look of your home, you likely don’t want to spend a fortune doing so. Here are some ways you can spruce up your home without emptying your bank account.

Use Some Elbow Grease

It can be tempting to replace everything from windows to shower curtain rods when you’re preparing to sell. However, often a bucket of soapy water and a sponge can make those items brand new. Spend time scrubbing every surface of your house to distinguish what needs to be replaced from those things that are simply dirty. Spend a weekend thoroughly cleaning your appliances, baseboards, and every surface in every room well in advance of putting it on the market.

Invest in a Storage Unit

Professional home stagers will generally first recommend homeowners eliminate clutter. This usually involves removing as many items as possible from each room to provide a clean appearance. If you can’t store items with a relative or friend until your move, shop around for an affordable storage unit large enough to hold your items and start filling it up with items from your home. Look at each room of your house and remove excess furniture, as well as personal items like family pictures and knickknacks. Professional stagers recommend you decrease the possessions in your home by at least 50 percent to be most effective.

Focus on First Impressions

Curb appeal is essential to selling your home. As a buyer browses through photos on real estate listing sites, that first photo determines whether or not he’ll click through to see more. Your real estate agent will probably use the photo of the front of your home as that primary photo, which means it needs to be as compelling as possible. Change out the landscaping at the front of your house to make it pop. You should also paint shutters, trim, and your front door if they need it. Once your house is on the market, be sure you keep your yard maintained on a weekly basis, especially if you’re selling during the time of year when grass grows fairly quickly.

Study the Experts

Professional stagers have a variety of tools they use to spice up a home, but you don’t have to bring in an expert to utilize their expertise. Tricks like moving furniture away from rugs, adding lighting, and grouping objects in odd numbers can make a big difference in the way a room looks. Try to see your home objectively and move items from one room to the next until you find the perfect look for each room of your home.

If you’re thinking about selling your home, staging can make a big difference in how quickly it sells. Study other homes on the market and look around your own house to find ways you can spruce up each room to help your house find a new family.

Upcoming FREE Shredding Event