Selling a home can be challenging in any year. Even if market conditions are perfect for homeowners who want to sell, just the act of finding a buyer, shopping for a new place, and organizing a move can be overwhelming. Add in lower for-sale inventory, higher mortgage rates, and economic uncertainty and it may seem like too much to take on. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of help available to guide you through this year’s real estate market. A recent article on Trulia breaks down some of the top tips for selling a home in the new year. First on their list is hiring the right agent. Having a professional who knows the local market and your needs can reduce your stress level and make everything else run more smoothly. You’re also going to want to prepare for competition. Analysts expect inventory to rise this year and that means an increasing number of homes for buyers to choose from. Making your house stand out from the pack might mean staging it according to the demographic most likely to be moving to your neighborhood. In other words, if you live somewhere popular with young families, think about staging an extra bedroom as a nursery. You should also be sure to keep up with technology. These days, everything from virtual tours to drone photography can be used to set your listing apart. Ultimately, though, nothing works better than pricing your home correctly from the start. With a good agent and the right price, you shouldn’t have any trouble selling your house in 2017. More here.

The real-estate market is constantly evolving and there are a lot of moving parts. So, whether you’re buying or selling a home, it’s good to have some awareness of your local market, average mortgage rates, home prices, inventory, etc. That way, you aren’t approaching a major financial transaction totally in the dark. So what should you be watching if you’re looking to buy or sell this year? Well, according to a recent survey of real-estate agents, there are a few trends you should keep an eye on. Mortgage rates rank high on the list. With home prices still rising, if mortgage rates continue to increase, it could have a negative influence on home buyers. Surprisingly, though, when asked what effect a 1 percent increase in rates would have on the market, survey participants said probably not much. In fact, 49 percent of agents said home buyers would just look for less expensive homes, while nearly 20 percent said it would have no effect at all. Survey respondents did say, however, that a rate increase could have an impact on current homeowners who may be looking to sell. According to responding agents, fewer homes available to buy – and the fact that many of these homeowners now have locked in favorable rates – could mean homeowners remain in their current home, despite a desire to move. More here.

With the recent rise in mortgage rates, many Americans who were thinking of buying a home this year may be feeling concerned about how much house they’ll be able to afford. If that describes you, there are a couple of things to remember. First off, even though rates have moved higher over the past several weeks, they still remain low by historical standards. In other words, you’re still getting a better rate than you would have 10 or 15 years ago and locking it in now with a fixed-rate mortgage means you’ll be protected should they move closer toward their historical norm in the future. There are also things you can do to ensure that, when you apply for a loan, you are getting the best rate possible. Number one on that list is doing whatever you can to raise your credit score. Your credit history plays a large role in determining the rate you will end up paying. So it is always a good idea to check your score before beginning the buying process. If possible, fix any errors, pay down any debts, and – as always – make sure to pay your bills on time each month. Though you don’t have to have perfect credit to be qualified for a loan, the higher your score, the better. More here.