WHAT MAKES A HOUSE UNIQUE?...I love that selling Real Estate is always something new...never a dull day. My thoughts here are to find some unique perspectives on houses & our local communties and share them with you. I love to look at houses...do you?
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Do you know where your Realtor is?
It's just like the commercial: it's 1 am; do you know where your ______is? In real estate, I've learned in the past 18 years that many home sellers do not know what their real estate agent is doing to sell their home. Have you had feedback after showings? Do you know what efforts your agent is doing to advertise your house? Have you seen what your listing looks like online? (Odd thing: I've talked to many people after their listing failed to sell, and they had NEVER seen their listing online.) I think it's important to get the seller's involvement in the process too, because they may remember an update about the property that you forgot to mention...and pictures speak a thousand words. Speaking of pictures, I like to update the picture once spring gets here. You don't want snow in the picture when the leaves are budding out...worse yet, snow in the picture still in August or September...believe me, I've seen it. Our virtual tours and interactive floor plans at http://www.askadvantage.com/ enable a virtual open house 24/7! Check it out if you haven't seen one yet! It's one more thing we do at Advantage Real Estate to promote sellers' properties. It's also uploaded to Realtor.com!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Are foreclosures in your future?
We have a lot of people inquire on our website, http://www.askadvantage.com/ for foreclosures. We offer a free list of what's available...the thing is, do you really want a foreclosure, or just a bargain? Every foreclosure purchase requires the buyer to have a pre-approval letter OR a proof of funds letter (if you are paying cash). The bank selling the property wants to know you are "ready to go" and that financing will not be a concern. They normally will give you a short time to do inspections. (I've seen 5 to 10 days, depending on who you are working with.) There will be pages (often 15 to 20 of them) they will require you to sign as a purchaser acknowledging that you are buying the property "as is," that they have acquired the property through a foreclosure and have no knowledge of anything, etc. They want you to acknowledge that you will not hold them responsible for anything after closing: defects in workmanship, mold, lead based paint, etc, etc. The list goes on.
They can be a great opportunity for the person who can do the fixups required...Many people want a home that just needs "carpet and paint." I could be rich if I could cash in on all the people who told me they'd buy that "fixer upper" if that's all they had to do. Unfortunately, people who lose a house to foreclosure probably aren't cleaning the gutters, fixing the roof leaks, toilet leaks, etc. So you may have other deferred maintenance items as well as the carpet and paint to fix.
I'd challenge any "foreclosure" buyer to take a look at the properties on the market that are still owned by the owner and count the costs...sometimes it balances out not to have to do all the repairs, and to pay market value for a home in good condition. Not having to do the work and having it be "move-in ready" is right for some people. You know who you are... :)
They can be a great opportunity for the person who can do the fixups required...Many people want a home that just needs "carpet and paint." I could be rich if I could cash in on all the people who told me they'd buy that "fixer upper" if that's all they had to do. Unfortunately, people who lose a house to foreclosure probably aren't cleaning the gutters, fixing the roof leaks, toilet leaks, etc. So you may have other deferred maintenance items as well as the carpet and paint to fix.
I'd challenge any "foreclosure" buyer to take a look at the properties on the market that are still owned by the owner and count the costs...sometimes it balances out not to have to do all the repairs, and to pay market value for a home in good condition. Not having to do the work and having it be "move-in ready" is right for some people. You know who you are... :)
Monday, February 7, 2011
What should we do first?
I love showing houses! It's one of the fun parts of being a realtor: being able to "arrange" my furniture in the houses I show...that can be dangerous though. It can make YOU want to move! My parents bought and sold lots of houses during my growing up years (the were realtors in the Houston, TX area)! ha ha
In order to make a good decision when buying your first/second/next home, you should talk with a lender to get preapproved for a home loan. There's many options available still. If you have 20% to put down, that's great, but if not, don't lose hope. In this rural market, USDA loans are available with 100% financing, and an FHA loan with 3.5% down is also an option. Of course, conventional loans start at 5% down.
Many lenders will take your application over the phone. Some want you to fill out a 3 to 4 page loan application before they will talk to you. I equate this to sitting down in anticipation of filling out your income tax return...Ugh! Don't be dismayed, it's all good though.
Getting pre-approved means the lender will ask for your paycheck stubs, W-2's from the last 2 years, and bank statements. They will issue you a true pre-approval which means they've verified your information, and it will make you more like a "cash" buyer because they've already looked for credit concerns and found none. It should help you be able to be a stronger negotiator when you're ready to make an offer.
We here at Advantage Real Estate like to put our buyers in as strong as position as possible when negotiating for their home. Besides, who wants to look at $120,000 houses to only find they can afford a loan for $80,000? I've seen it happen. Nothing looks good to them after that. We want to set you up for the transaction to go as smoothly as possible...
In order to make a good decision when buying your first/second/next home, you should talk with a lender to get preapproved for a home loan. There's many options available still. If you have 20% to put down, that's great, but if not, don't lose hope. In this rural market, USDA loans are available with 100% financing, and an FHA loan with 3.5% down is also an option. Of course, conventional loans start at 5% down.
Many lenders will take your application over the phone. Some want you to fill out a 3 to 4 page loan application before they will talk to you. I equate this to sitting down in anticipation of filling out your income tax return...Ugh! Don't be dismayed, it's all good though.
Getting pre-approved means the lender will ask for your paycheck stubs, W-2's from the last 2 years, and bank statements. They will issue you a true pre-approval which means they've verified your information, and it will make you more like a "cash" buyer because they've already looked for credit concerns and found none. It should help you be able to be a stronger negotiator when you're ready to make an offer.
We here at Advantage Real Estate like to put our buyers in as strong as position as possible when negotiating for their home. Besides, who wants to look at $120,000 houses to only find they can afford a loan for $80,000? I've seen it happen. Nothing looks good to them after that. We want to set you up for the transaction to go as smoothly as possible...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Welcome to my world: Groundhog Day
Welcome to my world: Groundhog Day: "Well, we're about 15-21 inches deep in snow (plus drifts) from yesterday's blizzard. Never have experienced anything like this before ..."
Groundhog Day
Well, we're about 15-21 inches deep in snow (plus drifts) from yesterday's blizzard. Never have experienced anything like this before in my lifetime...only read about it. I've decided that "Groundhog Stew" sounds good today, but ole Phil had other ideas. I'm homebound and cleaned my den from top to bottom yesterday, now I need a new project today! Anyone who knows me knows I like to stay busy! If your kitchen needs help with all the clutter, read on...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
How I got in the business...
My background is Chemical Engineering. I got my BS degree from Texas A&M University in 1980. I worked for an engineering design firm in Houston, TX designing oil refineries for 4 1/2 years when the oil recession hit, and hit hard. I had the option of accepting a position at a nuclear power plant in New York, but turned that down because I was expecting our first child and didn't want to be exposed to "the unknown."
My husband, Steve, was finishing his apprenticeship in the PGA program at that time, and he accepted a head pro job at the Columbia Country Club in January, 1981. We moved lock, stock, and barrel for Missouri. I worked with Steve in the golf business for 3 years there (until a corporation bought out the club after they experienced financial distress after expanding their course from 9 holes to 18 holes). Steve learned of an opening at the Moberly Country Club, of which he was hired for a 4 year term. Moberly CC also expanded their course from 9 holes to 18 holes, and suffered economically. After 7 years there, I got my real estate license. I had two children by then, and knew I could do well in this business. My parents had owned and operated 3 real estate offices in Houston, TX while growing up, and I "knew more than the average bear" from dinnertime conversations. Funny thing was, my parents now remind me that I didn't want anything to do with this business because "all you guys do is talk real estate." Steve finished his 8th and final year at the country club, providing income for the family while I started my 1st year in a new career.
My children are now grown up. Christy is a licensed Realtor with my office, and doing very well. She's married to Shawn Ames and they have two wonderful daughters, my granddaughters: Kalli and Maddi. Mark is finishing his senior year in high school and expects to play golf on the collegiate level; he's been offered a scholarship at three different Missouri colleges and expects to be signing with one soon...so excited!
My husband, Steve, has life membership now in the PGA of America, and is a retired from the country club business. His golf game is as sharp as ever, and he has been such a mentor to both of our children. I attribute their success in life to his attention... :) He has been such an encourgement to my in my daily life, always keeping me focused on "the positive." Without him I would not be where I am today. He still gives golf lessons if anyone wants one (haha). Enough said on this. Now you know where I've been and how I got here.
My husband, Steve, was finishing his apprenticeship in the PGA program at that time, and he accepted a head pro job at the Columbia Country Club in January, 1981. We moved lock, stock, and barrel for Missouri. I worked with Steve in the golf business for 3 years there (until a corporation bought out the club after they experienced financial distress after expanding their course from 9 holes to 18 holes). Steve learned of an opening at the Moberly Country Club, of which he was hired for a 4 year term. Moberly CC also expanded their course from 9 holes to 18 holes, and suffered economically. After 7 years there, I got my real estate license. I had two children by then, and knew I could do well in this business. My parents had owned and operated 3 real estate offices in Houston, TX while growing up, and I "knew more than the average bear" from dinnertime conversations. Funny thing was, my parents now remind me that I didn't want anything to do with this business because "all you guys do is talk real estate." Steve finished his 8th and final year at the country club, providing income for the family while I started my 1st year in a new career.
My children are now grown up. Christy is a licensed Realtor with my office, and doing very well. She's married to Shawn Ames and they have two wonderful daughters, my granddaughters: Kalli and Maddi. Mark is finishing his senior year in high school and expects to play golf on the collegiate level; he's been offered a scholarship at three different Missouri colleges and expects to be signing with one soon...so excited!
My husband, Steve, has life membership now in the PGA of America, and is a retired from the country club business. His golf game is as sharp as ever, and he has been such a mentor to both of our children. I attribute their success in life to his attention... :) He has been such an encourgement to my in my daily life, always keeping me focused on "the positive." Without him I would not be where I am today. He still gives golf lessons if anyone wants one (haha). Enough said on this. Now you know where I've been and how I got here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)