About Elise Bickel

4 Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Historic Home While you’re searching for the perfect house for yourself, you may come across listings for older, historic homes for sale. These beautiful pieces of history are often located in beautiful neighborhoods in historic districts of cities and towns. However, there is some information you need to know before purchasing and living in a historic home. Renovations and Additions May Be Regulated or Limited Depending on local regulations and local historic preservation efforts and laws, you may be limited in how you can alter the look or layout of your new home. Pittsburgh has a variety of unique architecture that...

Welcome to Pittsburgh, PA - home of championship-winning sports teams, top-notch health care, and some of the most affordable living you can find in the United States. Here in Pittsburgh, there’s something for everyone! We believe appealing activities, restaurants, night life, and neighborhoods are easy to find, but it always helps to have a guide. Coming from a real estate collective that resides in Pittsburgh and pays close attention to cultural and developmental trends, we’ve put together some of the best information to give you a sneak peak of the Steel City. From chic, up-and-coming neighborhoods to prestigious food destinations, here are some of the top reasons Pittsburgh, PA could...

The transition to your new home should be as easy as possible for all of your family members, including your family pet(s). Whether you’re moving down the street or across the country, all pets require special attention and consideration when moving. EBG is here for you! Here are some tips for the best methods to use when moving with your pets. 1.) Understand all pet rules and regulations in your new location Whether you’re moving to the city, a suburban setting, or rural area, it’s important to understand the pet regulations of your new location. You should have already connected with a landlord or property manager to understand if there...

While finding an accessible home isn’t as easy as we might like, it isn’t impossible either. There are several ways into the home you’re dreaming about if you employ a few simple strategies. To learn more about accessible homes and where to find them, read on! First Time Buying a Home? If you’re a first-time homebuyer, there are a few critical steps you’ll need to take before you begin a serious search for accessible homes. Firstly, it’s important to meet with a lender to undergo a credit check and find out how much you can afford to spend on a home. During this time, you’ll need to provide the lender...

Buying your first home is a big step that can be exciting, intimidating, and even a little stressful without the right resources. Here at EBG - our goal is to make the buying process as easy as possible for our clients, especially for our first-time buyers. Here are 6 common questions asked by first-time home buyers! 1.) What’s the first step? One of the most common questions we get from first-time home buyers is, “What’s the first step?” If obtaining mortgage financing, the first thing you want to do is get pre-qualified by a local lender. Research is the key component to finding a reliable lender. Talk to a real...

We're all spending a lot of time at home these days and whether you're going solo or passing the hours with family, you've probably spend some time day dreaming about ways to spice up your daily setting. To get you moving in the right direction, we've put together a few hassle-free, low-budget ideas on how to revitalize your home. Check it out!   Go Green – Adopt a Plant! Plants are a great way to bring color, life, and a splash of the natural world into your home! Visit your local garden center for tips on which kinds of plants will work best for your unique setup. Once you’ve got...

There are two ways to think about remodeling projects that will boost your home’s value; you can get one or two major remodels done or opt for a bunch of small fixes. Depending on your budget and your timetable, one approach may be better for you than the other. For instance, if you have an unfinished basement, maybe your dream when you first moved into your home was to refinish it. It never happened. But now that you are thinking about selling your home, you feel that a prospective buyer would really appreciate a full finished basement. Is that the remodeling project that you should do before selling? On the...

There are many reasons why it may be time to sell your home. You may need more space to make room for a growing family or you need to downsize after your kids leave the nest. Whatever your motivations, you want to make sure that you’re timing it right. If you sell when home prices are plummeting, you may end up losing on the deal. If you sell when home prices are highest, there may not be a lot of buyers looking to move. So how do you know when it’s a good time to sell? A qualified agent can help you determine if the market puts you in a...

Most home buyers start the process anxious, excited, nervous, and some are downright terrified. It’s natural. A home is the largest and most expensive purchase that most people will make in a lifetime. It can either turn out to be a complete financial disaster or a smart long-term investment. The person standing between it being a huge financial mistake or a valuable asset is you, the agent. Still, the agent can only help as much as the buyer allows. As vital as having an experienced agent by their side is, there are things that first-time homebuyers have to do. Here is a list of tips to help first-time homebuyers help...