IN Monroeville Summer 2019 | Page 30

10. SELLING: Don’t spend earnest money! Many sellers make the mistake of depositing and spending earnest money before closing day. If the transaction doesn’t go through or the buyer pulls out due to repair issues, it is up to the seller to return the cash. It is recommended to have a real estate agent or broker hold the deposit. Most buyers’ earnest money will be held in an escrow account until the closing day, allowing the money to remain untouched by either party. FUN FACT: Get the name and numbers. Just when you think you’ve checked all the boxes for an easy sell of your house, take a second look at your address. According to Zillow, street names and house numbers matter! If you happen to live at 666 Fanny Hands Lane, you may be out of luck (however that particular street is in the United Kingdom, so you should be safe). Innuendo-laden street names tend to not sell as quickly as something SPONSORED CONTENT more like Thunder Road. American numerology says that 666 is bad luck and could decrease the value of your home by 2-3 percent. Also, steer clear of the number four, considered unlucky in Chinese culture. Stick to the number BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT eight, or include the lucky digits 316 in your asking price! Before entering the real estate market, educate yourself. The more you know, the better your chances are for nailing down the home of your dreams!   ■ SPONSORED CONTENT Suncrest Homes – FOUNDED IN 1987 A fter more than 32 years of building homes in and around the Eastern Suburban area, it’s not unusual to discover that you, your neighbor, your friends and maybe even your grown children own a Suncrest Home. “We’re proud to tell people that we’ve built hundreds of homes in the area,” said J. Michael Ruefle, Jr., who, along with his daughter, Colleen Ruefle-Haley, operates Suncrest Homes, which specializes in single-family homes including semi-custom homes, Carriage Homes, room additions and outdoor living spaces. Suncrest has been the recipient of several Housing Excellence awards from the Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh (B.A.M.P.). The key to the company’s success is being on the cutting edge of design trends, attention to detail and working closely with clients to build the home of their dreams. Suncrest’s team of craftsmen work closely on the site to oversee each aspect of 28 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE ❘ icmags.com construction, and the customer service team is always readily available to assist clients with any challenges they may have either during construction or long after they are living in their homes. Suncrest is currently building in Murrysville, Penn Township, and Apollo. For more information on Suncrest Homes, visit the website at suncresthomespa.com or call 724.327.1844.