The Ketchum Team Realtors

Start the new year off right with these decluttering tips. We share how organizing can help sell your home in 2021.

Finding a Home Loan Right for You It can be confusing at first to know which kind of home loan to take. Here's a guide to help you get started.

Show Off Your Interests Through Home Decor Your hobbies and interests are important to you, so you should let people know about them. Here are some ways to fold your interests into your home decor.

Selling a Home in the Winter Don't let the cold weather scare you away from selling your home. Here's how you can put your home on the market this winter.

5 Fixes to Sell Your Home Fast Here are five overlooked fixes that'll help you sell your home in no time.

Celebrate Tempura Day with a meal from one of these Central California restaurants. We share our favorite places for this delicious dish.

5 Reasons to Get Pre-Approved Before House Hunting Getting pre-approved may seem like a hassle, but it'll save a lot of headaches later on. Here are the top reasons why.

Makeunder Your Home Before Listing it for Sale When selling your home, it's wise to remember that potential buyers have different perceptions, tastes, and priorities than the owner of the property. No matter how much you love the decorations and personal items you have placed in your home, buyers want to be able to imagine what their lives would...

Make a Resolution to Tackle Home Projects in 2021 2021 is just around the corner, so it's the perfect time to think about all the ways you can upgrade your home.

Potential buyers notice a lot when viewing houses. Here's what needs extra attention to keep those buyers interested.

Home Selling Tips for Pet Owners Dog, cat, bird, fish, and beyond whatever species your companion is, you know a pet isn't just an animal. They're family! In fact, studies have shown a big yard for Fido to play in is a factor in many buyers' decisions about which homes to bid on. But what happens when you're on the other side of...

6 Boredom-Busting Ideas for Home DIY Projects If you're like most homeowners, you used your time during the early months of the quarantine to take care of all the home improvement projects on your list. Now, you might be getting bored and wondering what to do next. Don't worry, we've got six ideas for fun home improvement DIYs that you're sure...

Buying a House in the Winter Thinking of giving new meaning to "home for the holidays" this year? Winter may not be the first-choice season for buying a house in the eyes of many shoppers, and that's precisely why it's an ideal time for savvy buyers to find the right home in an advantageous market. You will definitely have less...

Getting Out of the Rental Rut There's nothing wrong with renting your home. In fact, in certain circumstances, it's the smarter choice. However, if you've been renting for what seems like forever, you might have started thinking about wanting to get out of the "rental rut." While it's nice to know you can call the landlord any...

Purge Your Closet of These 9 Things Colder weather, and the current state of things, means you're spending a lot of time in your home, which makes now the perfect time to clean out your closet. If you've been busy with other home improvement projects, then this part of spring cleaning might have slipped through the cracks. Luckily, following...

You've made it this far. Follow these tips to prevent issues from holding up your house closing.

I'm happy to share that I have a new listing at 3501 Cedar Canyon Street, Bakersfield. Check it out.

How to Remove Dog Odors From Your Home There are plenty of home improvement projects that will add value to your home if you're selling and add comfort to your home if you're staying put. One of these home improvement projects is clearing out pet odors from your house. Lingering smells from dogs are particularly unpleasant and worst of...

How Home Equity Fuels Your Next Move Selling your home is as much of a lifestyle decision as it is a financial decision. Like any other investment, you want to make sure that you're making financially responsible decisions every step of the way. One option that you have when selling your home is to use your current equity to finance your...

Just Listed! Take a look at this new listing at 3501 Cedar Canyon Street, Bakersfield.

5 Times When It's Okay to Offer Over Asking Price You've been thinking about buying a house for some time now, and you've finally found the perfect home. Your dreams are about to come true, and you're thrilled! But... it's not quite done yet. Before the house is yours, you'll need to make an offer, and the seller needs to accept it. This is a critical...

Find gifts for everyone on your list at these small businesses around Bakersfield. We share our favorite places for holiday shopping.

Keep Your Heating Bill in Check Like it or not, colder temperatures are here to stay at least for the next few months. Unfortunately, for most, the nip in the air also means high heating bills. While there's no way to eliminate this cost completely, some simple home improvement projects can go a long way towards helping to keep your...

What To Do When Your Basement Floods There are many household problems that can be prevented with home improvement projects. Unfortunately, some homeowners may experience a household emergency that can rarely be prevented with even the best home improvement maintenance. A flooded basement is one of the most frustrating types of home damage...

How Remote Working is Changing Homebuyer Needs Almost overnight, our world changed completely due to the impact of COVID-19. Since then, every element of our lives has been altered, including the real estate industry. Over the last nine months, adults considering buying a house have identified new lifestyle needs as a result of working remotely....

Lowball Offer: Getting Real with the Deal For many homeowners, the thought of selling your home for less than what you believe it's worth is unthinkable. After all, your goal is to try to make a profit or recoup the majority of your initial investment. Unfortunately, lowball offers are often part of the home selling process. There are many instances...

How to Sell Your Home When It's Not Selling Selling your home can be a quick and smooth process; however, it can be an extended and somewhat frustrating process. Even in the best markets and after maximum preparation efforts, there can be instances in which a homeowner has trouble selling their property. If you're selling your home and it isn't...

Buying a House? 3 Ways to Lose Your Earnest Money Deposit Many first-time buyers don't know the financial obligations involved in buying a house. With so much emphasis placed on saving for a down payment, some people don't fully understand all other financial aspects of the transaction, including the earnest money deposit. I encourage all buyers, first-time...

Get in the holiday spirit when you see these light displays around Central California. We share our favorite destinations for dazzling lights.

6 Tips for Millennial Homebuyers Buying a house is a goal of many Millennials. However, some people mistakenly believe that it's an impossible goal. If you're interested in buying a home, it's essential to know this goal is attainable with a little patience and preparation. Millennials take note: these six tips will help you become...

10 Things to Know Before Building a Fence for Your Home With so much time spent indoors lately, homeowners across the nation are realizing the value of investing in exterior home improvement projects. A fence is often one of the most important features of an accommodating outdoor area, as it provides privacy for homeowners and neighbors alike. If you're interested...

What is a Short Sale? Watch any popular real estate show on television and you've probably heard a lot of different takes on short sales. Some people swear by them, while others avoid them. But what is a short sale all about, really? Simply, a short sale is the sale of a property for less than the amount owed on the mortgage....

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6 Eco-friendly Updates for Your Home Wouldn't it be nice to boost the energy efficiency of your home, improve your comfort, and benefit the environment in the process? Eco-friendly home improvement projects offer all of those benefits and more. Whether you're aiming to add value and increase buyer interest for an eventual sale or you're...

Is Your House FHA-Friendly? The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is a valuable tool for homebuyers because it allows buyers with good credit to secure home loans with a down payment as low as 3.5 percent. It's important to keep this in mind when selling your home because around 30 percent of buyers rely on FHA loans to purchase...

Moving In? 9 Ways to Feel More at Home Buying a house is one of the happiest feelings of your adult life. Although this exciting time will have you grinning from ear to ear, your first few nights in your new place can feel a little weird almost as if you're staying at a hotel or friend's home. When you're moving in after buying a house,...

Getting Real with the Deal: What You Need to Know About Lowball Offers For many homeowners, the thought of selling your home for less than what you believe it's worth is unthinkable. After all, your goal is to try to make a profit or recoup the majority of your initial investment. Unfortunately, lowball offers are often part of the home selling process. There are many instances...

6 Types of Fresh Christmas Trees Best For Your Home Love the scent of a real Christmas tree in your home during the holidays? You're not alone! There's simply something special about having a real tree for Christmas, but that doesn't mean you should just pick any old tree and call it a day. Think of it as a holiday home improvement project. Pick the perfect...

Make sure you home inspection goes well with these tips. We share how to get ready your house ready.

Just Listed! Take a look at this new listing at 6312 Wilson Road, Bakersfield.

Should You Sell Your Home During the Holidays? Selling your home? Wondering if it's a good idea to keep it going during the holidays? The holidays can create some special challenges when you're selling your home. Staging a home for sale often means you need to be thoughtful about decorations drawing attention where needed without overwhelming...

5 Hacks to Remove a Stripped Screw Nothing can throw a wrench in your home improvement projects quite like a stripped screw! We're talking about those stubborn screws that have been over-tightened so much they won't turn properly or simply refuse to budge. If you're a home improvement enthusiast, these can quickly become the bane of...

Why Buying a House During the Holidays is A Great Idea Buying a house? Worried about the real estate market slowing down during the holiday season? Getting a transaction done in December can be challenging for the sellers, that is. They need to work extra hard to advertise a home and make sure it's in great condition for showing. Sometimes that means...

Just Listed! Take a look at this new listing at 4600 Beechwood Street, Bakersfield.

Fuel your morning with an espresso drink from these Bakersfield coffee shops.

Celebrate World Vegan Day with dinner at one of these Central CA restaurants. We share our favorite places to go vegan.

10 Common Home-Selling Mistakes If you're considering selling your home, you may believe it's an easier process than buying a house. While being on this end of the transaction does have its advantages, homeowners should be aware that it's easy to make costly errors. When you're ready to begin the process of selling your home, try to...

Buying a Condo vs. Home. What's the Difference? Buying a house is a goal for many people. While some folks envision a single-family residence as their dream home, purchasing a condominium brings its own set of benefits. Let's take a look at the benefits of buying a single-family home versus a condominium. Benefits of Buying a House If buying a home...

6 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at Home More homeowners are concerned about doing their part to protect the environment. When you reduce your carbon footprint, you not only leave the Earth a little cleaner for future generations but also save more money. You can make a big difference by using just a little less electricity, fuel, and water. A...

California Home Sales Exceed Expectations

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- California's home-buying season extended further into September as home sales climbed to their highest level in more than a decade, and the median home price set another high for the fourth straight month, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (C.A.R.) said...

Planning to put your Central CA home on the market? Declutter your way to a home sale with these tips.

Eight Ways to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft Identity theft can happen to anyone, especially in an era when so many transactions happen online and so many of us rely on mobile devices to make purchases. The costs of identity theft are often severe, with lost funds, damage to your credit score, added stress, and extensive time spent addressing the...

5 Ways to Buy a Home That Won't Bust Your Budget Buying a house is one of the most significant financial decisions of your life. Many first-time buyers believe such a decision involves going "all-in." Buying a house does not mean you have to overextend your finances. There are many ways that you can buy a home without busting your budget. With a little...

Steps to Determine What Your Home is Worth If you're planning to sell your home, you'll need to know what it's worth so you can price it accordingly. We all may tend to overvalue our houses. With so many memories filling these spaces, it's only natural that we see the property through rose-colored glasses. Unfortunately, one mistake that many...

These bike trails around Central California are calling your name! We share our favorite places to visit for a bike ride.

What's Included in a Monthly Mortgage Payment? If you thought the only number you needed to calculate before buying a house was your down payment, think again. Though the down payment is a vital element in the sale, and often one that many first-time homebuyers place the most focus on, it's essential not to neglect the other significant expense following...

Selling Your Home? How to Decide Which Is the Best Offer Selling your home is quite an undertaking. While the ideal scenario is to find a buyer that is willing to meet your terms and accept your price, many sellers receive multiple offers that are each appealing in their own ways. Fielding too many offers is certainly more preferable than receiving none at...

Do-It-Yourself Pest Control Tips If you're plagued by ants, flies, roaches, or other nasty bugs, you'll want to get the situation under control right away! Luckily, there's a good chance you can save some money by taking care of the problem yourself. Start with these simple DIY pest control tips. Seal Up Your HomeOne of the most...

Which Home Improvement Projects Are Booming During the Pandemic? With most homeowners spending much more time in their houses during the pandemic, it's no surprise that home improvement projects are on the rise. The average home is now the setting for work and school in addition to being a place for relaxing, gathering, and entertaining. While we don't yet know when...

Closing Costs That Cut Into Your Budget When it comes to selling your home, it's natural to focus on the sale's potential profits rather than the potential costs associated with the process. While selling your home can be a profitable experience, there are many expenditures throughout the process that can cut into your budget. Closing costs...