Blog

Meet Our Newest Buyer Specialist!

Rachel Knight came to the Bryson Smith Team back in November. She started as part of our administrative staff, as a Client Care Coordinator and very quickly established herself as a rockstar in that role. Rachel found that she loved working with clients, and decided to make a lateral move... becoming our newest Buyer Specialist!

7 Strategies For The Most Successful Yard Sale Ever

Whether you’re downsizing to a smaller home or finally tackling those closets, a yard sale is the perfect place to offload your clutter. You’ll not only get rid of unwanted clothes, books, and toys, you’ll also make some cool cash in the process. To maximize how fast your castoffs fly off your lawn, here’s some advice on how to run a successful yard sale.

What To Look For When Buying An Older Home

The charm of an older home can be so appealing to a buyer. Many older homes are very solidly constructed, and the finish details can be stunning. Even if the home has been restored and appears to be well maintained, you will need a thorough inspection to find out if there are any hidden issues. Your real estate agent can help set you up with the right inspector for the type of home you are looking to buy. Here are a few of the important items that you will want to consider when looking into buying an older home.

Change of Address Checklist: Everyone You Should Contact When You Move

There are countless aspects to organizing a move—renting a truck, gathering moving supplies and trying to stay sane while doing it. While you’re worrying about all the heavy lifting, you may be forgetting about other small changes that must be made. One of these includes updating your address with certain companies. It probably sounds tedious, but it’s very important if you want life to go smoothly at your new place. Here is a list to help you prioritize which companies to change your address with.

The Three Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

A Complete Renter’s Guide To Understanding Your Apartment Lease Agreement

Renting your first place with a roommate or paying rent on your own for the first time means you need to submit a rental application to rent a residential property. Once a landlord accepts your rental application, you'll review and sign an apartment lease agreement. Understanding the terms of a rental lease agreement is important for both the landlord and tenant. Legally binding contracts are not something a property owner or property management company takes lightly. It's important for both the tenant and property manager to understand what's included in an apartment lease agreement before it's signed. The lease agreement also protects both parties since the terms can't change once it gets signed. The landlord can't change the monthly rent amount or add a pet fee if the lease doesn't include a pet policy.

What’s the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Appraisal?

If you’re planning to buy a home, an inspection is an important step in the process. It assesses the condition of the home before you finalize the transaction. It’s also a different step in the process from an appraisal, which is a professional evaluation of the market value of the home you’d like to buy. In most cases, an appraisal is ordered by the lender to confirm or verify the value of the home prior to lending a buyer money for the purchase. Here’s the breakdown of each one and why they’re both important when buying a home.

20 Questions To Ask When Renting a House

The lease signing process is similar if you are going to rent a house or rent an apartment. However, you'll probably have more questions to ask when renting a house. You have more space to take care of, possibly a backyard, potential roof leaks, alarm systems and other things you usually don't worry about when you live in an apartment complex. Whether you have a private landlord or a property manager looking over the property, make sure you protect yourself before signing the agreement to make sure this is the best move for you. Here are 20 questions to ask when renting a house.

5 Ways to Protect Your Home from Heavy Rain

A rainy day can bring more than a gloomy mood – it can bring unwanted water damage into your home. While you may not be able to stop every water issue, there are a few things you can do to safeguard your home from being exposed to excessive water.

Discover Peoria: 13 Rainy Day Adventures with Kids

As we all know, Greater Peoria weather is unpredictable—78-degree sunshine on a Tuesday won’t guarantee snow won’t make an appearance on Wednesday. Luckily, Greater Peoria has some excellent indoor options to keep in your back pocket for the next unpredicted inclement day. Scroll through these local gems for adventures that are guaranteed to hold the kiddos’ attention and burn some of that pent-up rainy day energy.