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Nate Hicks - Hicks Team - Real Broker LLC
Serving your residential and commercial real estate needs
Get Your Home’s Value for FREE
Find out what your home is really worth in today's market.
RECENTLY SOLD
- 1/26 26
$ 160,000 3.0%
$ 164,900
4 Beds3 Baths1,986 SqFt211 W 5th Street, Auburn, IN 46706-1701
Single Family Home
Listed by Kate Walker of CENTURY 21 Bradley Realty, Inc
- 1/28 28
$ 246,900 1.2%
$ 249,900
3 Beds2 Baths1,460 SqFt1167 County Road 34, Auburn, IN 46706-9811
Single Family Home
Listed by Joseph Sells of Hosler Realty Inc - Kendallville
- 1/30 30
$ 142,900
$ 142,900
3 Beds1 Bath1,060 SqFt215 W 1st Avenue, Garrett, IN 46738-1983
Single Family Home
Listed by Rebecca Maldeney of Indiana Real Estate
MY BLOGS
HELOC Do's and Don'ts
HELOC DO'S AND DON'TS WITH CREDIT CARD RATES AS HIGH AS 24%, A HELOC AT JUST AROUND 8.5% CAN MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. BUT BEFORE YOU RUSH OFF TO THE LENDER TO TAP YOUR SIGNIFICANT EQUITY, FIRST CREATE A PLAN FOR THE USE OF YOUR HELOC SO THAT YOU DON'T GET IN A BIND. HERE ARE THE DO'S AND DON'TS. DO CHOOSE A HELOC OVER A HOME EQUITY LOAN. With a home equity loan you are given a fixed amount of money and must pay that back at a fixed rate. Whereas with a HELOC (home equity line of credit) you can draw down the amount you need when you need it, similar to using a credit card but better, because the interest rate is much lower and it's variable. If interest rates fall (as they are at this moment) then your HELOC rate will also fall. Example: Suppose that over the course of next year you'll need to make $5,000 of repairs to your home. If you take a home equity loan of $5,000 now and put that money in the bank in preparation for your repairs, you'll start paying it back right away at a fixed rate. Whereas if you open a HELOC, you don't need to use $5,000 right now. You may only need $2,000 now, so you can take out just $2,000 and possibly benefit from a lower rate going forward. If rates rise, you can choose whether you want to use more of the equity line or not. DO USE IT WISELY FOR FINANCIAL REASONS. A HELOC is a financial tool. It should be used in a way that advances your wealth. That might mean using it to pay off more expensive credit card debt, but only if you have a plan that prevents you from accumulating more credit card debt again. Other ways to use a HELOC include remodeling your house, if it increases the value of the home significantly. Or making serious repairs or upgrades, if your quality of life is suffering. You might add an extra unit to your house if you can use it for income, or use it as a down payment on a new property, as long as the lender allows it and you can comfortably cover the HELOC payments on top of the new real estate debt. In other words don't treat your HELOC as a piggy bank that's easy to crack open whenever you want to, but rather treat it as a bank vault on a time lock. NEED A GREAT LENDER TO SPEAK WITH ABOUT HELOCS? OR GETTING A NEW MORTGAGE? JUST CALL OR TEXT ME AND I’LL SEND YOU MY BEST LENDERS. As with any loan you can shop around for the best rates and terms on HELOCs. There are many options out there, including online banks, your personal bank, your current mortgage holder, and your credit union. DO KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE FINANCIAL MARKETS. If it seems like interest rates are projected to rise significantly, you'll want to make plans, if possible, to pay down or pay off the HELOC debt you carry. The point is to use your HELOC strategically with a plan in place for how you'll benefit from the money, how you'll pay it back and how you'll monitor the financial markets to ensure you maintain the interest rate you're comfortable with. Need a great lender to speak with about HELOCs or a new mortgage? Call or text me at 260.897.1776 for fastest service!
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My Top 15 Mega Tips for Home Buyers in 2025 and Beyond.
My Top 15 Mega Tips for Home Buyers in 2025 and Beyond. Buying a home is a huge process that involves so much more than simply finding a house you can afford. Home buyers today need to create a home-buying plan that incorporates many of these 15 factors. 1. Buy a home as early in life as possible. Then keep it or only trade it for a financially better situation. The earlier you buy, the better. Having more equity earlier in life is better than the alternative, giving you more opportunity to grow your investments. 2. Make sure your property is well-maintained over the years(buy right). If you need to sell because you fall onto hard times, or you want to sell because you're ready, or you want to tap your equity without selling, all those things will be possible with a home in good condition. You need to buy right, so that you afford the big expenses of owning a home. Or consider a condo where the condo fee spreads those costs over time as a fixed expense. 3. Buy as soon as you can afford a house, no matter the interest rate. Waiting for rates to drop only means that others are waiting, too. House prices won't drop in response to lower rates; they'll do the opposite. 4. That's not an easy ask. You have family nearby, you're familiar with the area, maybe you grew up here. But if you are not able to buy here, then consider relocation. Relocation brings new opportunities. You may love where you go, or you may simply bide your time until you can move back. Just remember the break-even point on most home purchases is 5 to 7 years. 5. As an alternative to relocation, consider buying an investment property in a more affordable location. Consider condos near colleges or small rental homes near large industries. The most important factors are that the rents will cover your mortgage and expenses, and the rental market is consistent. Meanwhile, you can pay rent for the place you live now, knowing that you're "in" the real estate market someplace else. 6. If you can afford it, and if these types of properties are available near you, buy a multi-family property. Live in one of the units, while renting out the others. Put 20% down, as this gives you the most leverage, ensuring that your renters are paying your portion of the mortgage, allowing you to live "free" while gaining equity. Contact me to see what's available. 7. Shop for mortgage rates before you buy Don't get sucked into an online promise of great rates, just because it's convenient. Go to different sources. Include at least these three sources: 1) A mortgage broker that your real estate agent trusts (contact me for some referrals). 2) Your personal bank. 3) Online mortgage companies. Compare fees and interest rates, not just rates. You may not get much difference, but even a quarter-percent might get you $50 to $100 more per month buying power. Just for shopping rates! 8. Ask family to help to by your home or investment. Consider ways to pay them back or consider it a gift. If you do plan to pay the money back, don't allow it to be formalized as a loan or the bank will consider that a debt. Clearly this involves a level of trust in your family, as well as the funds to make it work. But, if possible, don't be shy about asking. There are other rules for accepting (or giving) a cash gift, so do your research. 9. Put 20% down. This is an extreme stretch for many people. If you can't do 20%, do 10% or 7% or whatever you can. The reason? That pesky PMI (private mortgage insurance). Unless you're buying a home using a government loan or other alternative loan, you're likely going to pay PMI if you put less than 20% down. That's money wasted, thrown away, never to provide you with any value at all. (Except in rare circumstances. See my analysis of PMI in my November 2024 newsletter. Or ask me for a copy.) PMI insures the mortgage holder, not you. 10. Don't buy more than you can afford, just because you love the house. Ideally, you should shop below your highest approved price point, based on the quality of life you plan to have. If you know you're going to have kids, you'll want enough money for their many expenses. If you plan to travel a significant amount, you'll want to have more money to put into the experience. If you want to retire early, you'll need to invest more sooner. Don't be house poor! 11. Consider house-hacking. It's not the strange idea it used to be. Buy a house with a floorplan that allows you to comfortably rent out a room, or add an ADU (accessory dwelling unit, or granny flat). This can considerably lower your monthly expenses, without affecting your quality of life, if you buy the right property. Contact me for help figuring this out. 12. Get online and start hunting for down payment and mortgage assistance programs in your area. They may or may not exist and you may or may not be eligible. But it might pay to look. 13. Consider an ARM(Adjustable-Rate Mortgage). As much as 30% of mortgages today are adjustable-rate mortgages, so don't think this is an unusual concept. Many ARMs start with an initial low fixed rate for five to 10 years before rising. So, if you plan to sell in that time frame, an adjustable-rate mortgage might make great sense for you. Note that you must qualify at the fully realized future interest rate, even though you'll pay less on the front end of the mortgage. 14. Count your side income. If you've been making and selling cookies at the local farmer's market for the past couple years, making an extra $1,000/mo. profit, and you have documented your income and expenses, your lender might be able to count that towards your qualifying amount. Just make sure you're planning to continue that side income to ensure you can afford the home. Alternatively, spend the next year saving your side hustle money for a higher down payment. Remember, the higher the down, the lower your PMI and monthly payment. 15. Be clear about how you'll compensate your real estate agent. It's hard to buy a home without an agent. It's possible, but for the average home buyer, there are simply too many moving variables and potential pitfalls to "go it alone." That means hiring an agent to help you navigate and negotiate the purchase. Agents can be expensive, so discuss the fee structure with an agent ahead of time, in particular if you're expecting to ask the home seller to pay your agent's fee (which is traditionally how it's been done). Your Best Next Step Contact me for help to create your home buying plan that includes all these factors! I’m not just an agent. I’m your real estate-for-life advisor. Call or text me at 260.897.1776 for fastest service!
Read More7 Ways to Sell your Home Faster, Without Reducing The Price
7 Ways to SELL YOUR HOME FASTER, WITHOUT REDUCING THE PRICE Why would you want to sell faster? It’s not just about moving on once the decision has been made. The speed of sale also can affect you financially. You know that if a house sits too long unsold, statistically the value drops, so you want to make sure that you get offers within the early days of listing. The goal is to sell fast, not have to deal with all the showing headaches, and also not have to drop your price. Here are 7 ways to make sure you get offers quickly, without dropping your price. 1. Price Correctly in the first place Price too high and you risk scaring everyone off; price too low, or even right at market value, and buyers will still expect to haggle. You could end up with considerably less than you could have gotten. You need to price just right...in the Goldilocks zone for home pricing. Where is the Goldilocks zone for your house? It depends on the market conditions in your exact location. Literally, on your block. If it's a hot seller’s market, then the Goldilocks zone is at or slightly above market value. If it's a hot buyer's market, then the zone is at or slightly under market value. Remember, market value is according to your local market. Market value is usually the average price of homes that have sold in your neighborhood over the last three months. Your real estate agent (me, in this case) will show you all comparable properties (called a CMA—comparative market analysis) and review them with you to estimate a high and low price for your home. If you think your price should be higher than what the real estate agent comes up with, then discuss it, don't simply demand a higher price or tell them to take a hike. Pricing isn't an exact science. Ultimately, the one thing that will absolutely determine the price your house sells for is what buyers are willing to pay. That's why real estate agents look at SOLD comparable properties, not ACTIVE comparable properties. Pricing is one reason agents hold an open house right after listing...if the price isn't right, they want to reduce it within the first seven days, so that it doesn't become seasoned at the wrong price. The only way to absolutely know if the price is right or wrong is to get the opinions of buyers. The closer that your house is in price to what buyers expect for that style, condition, and location, the faster your home will sell. 2. Choose your real estate agent wisely No one likes spending money, especially the high dollars it takes to sell a home. But if you are going to spend the money, then you should get the best agent representation you can. A great agent doesn’t cost any more than any other agent, and they may save you money and aggravation. A good agent will price the home correctly or not take the listing. A good agent will have a marketing system ready to plug into, not be creating it as they go. A good agent will know what is hot and what is not in the market and play to the right people by positioning your property through its marketing. A good agent will know a lot of other good agents, and your home will become part of the good-will network, where other buyers’ agents encourage their buyers to view a home, because they respect the listing agent. A good agent will spend a lot of time, attention, and marketing dollars on your property. As a good, even great agent, I’m a listing professional who understands how to sell homes. call for a no-obligation consultation! 3. Put your house in order While television programs such as House Hunters and Fix It or Flip It have left some buyers feeling that all properties should be immaculate, neutral shells with Pottery Barn furnishings, this is unrealistic for most sellers who must live in their homes while selling. However, you can help prospective buyers to see past your lifestyle so they can project their own lifestyle onto your home. Here are some techniques for doing that, without emptying your home… People like brightly lit homes, so cleaning the windows and switching on lights enhances first impressions. Also a clean, clutter-free environment makes buyers feel as though they want to live in that space—even if they’re messy themselves. Painting can do wonders for a tired interior. Reorganizing your furnishings can enhance your space, and removing a few decor items that are extremely personal, such as a wall full of family photos, can neutralize it without much effort. Also, good first impressions are vital, so don't forget the exterior. Paint the trim, trim the plants, and plant some flowers. Add a new door mat, keep the walk swept, and consider sprucing up the front porch. Even in winter, you can add pots with evergreens and use whimsical garden balls to add a splash of color. You increase your odds of selling faster with a de-cluttered, clean, fresh-smelling, and well-lit home. 4. Avoid complicated buyers Some home buyers will make an offer, then ask for the moon and stars during inspection negotiations. This is their right. However, you can't afford to keep waiting, keep making things right, and keep wondering if they'll pull out at the last moment. Increase the chances of a faster sale by making sure your real estate agent is qualifying the buyers for you. This can include talking to the buyer's lender, talking to the buyers themselves, putting stipulations into the contract to keep the buyers from dragging their feet, and more. An experienced agent will hold buyers to their agreements and help you negotiate when the buyers ask for more…more repairs, more time, more money. An experienced agent won’t just help you get an offer…we’ll get to the closing table. 5. Make repairs Walk around your house as if seeing it for the first time. Even better, have your real estate agent walk around with you. Make a list of the little details that you only just now notice, such as a hole in the screen, a leaning gutter, a spot on the carpet, a bit of dangling drapery, mildew on the bath tile, etc. These are usually very small items that you don't even notice because you live there and see them every day. But a buyer walking in for the first time will see them and immediately make judgements about the overall condition based on a few scraggly items. By fixing all these little items, you increase the chances of a faster sale. If your neighbors’ homes were also in great condition when they sold, then yours will need to be in great condition, too. And if your neighbors’ homes were in worse condition, then you'll sell that much faster by being in better condition. One of the best ways for me to help sellers is by doing a preliminary walk-through to point out areas of concern for repair, replacement, or improvement in décor. 6. Consider minor upgrades If your budget allows for it, then adding new light fixtures, kitchen and bath faucets, and even a new backsplash can make a big difference in how a space feels. Studies show that these small details (oddly, especially the backsplash) can make an outsized difference. Make note of areas that look dated and tired. A simple upgrade in strategic spots can help a buyer feel that he's moving up by moving into your house. Again, your real estate agent can point out the strategic places for enhancements that buyers will notice. 7. Consider staging Even a tired, old house can be made to feel fresh and alive with the right staging. For instance, a house with old metal window frames might be a turn-off, but rich, fresh drapes can disguise those metal frames. The point isn’t to hide something, but merely to demonstrate to the buyer that the house as-is can look amazing. If you can't afford full-on staging, then focus on your problem areas. If your dining nook is too tiny, put a properly small, proportioned table into the space. If your bathroom was new in the 1960s, then make the grout sparkle and get all new towel sets, matching soap dish, shower curtain, etc. As with making small repairs and minor upgrades, staging can do wonders for speeding up the sale of your home. Your Best Next Step Call and set a walk through appointment with me as soon as eight months before you plan to sell. I'll help you find areas where small improvements can make a big difference in the speed and price you sell for. While I’m there, I can gather the information I need to prepare an accurate CMA and value estimate for your home. Call or text me at 260.897.1776 for fastest service!
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