Realtor Tips – Page 3

Listing Your Home For Sale? Make Sure You Are Minding These 3 Things!

November 17, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You’ve been thinking of listing your home for sale. If you want to sell there are a few things that you need to keep your attention focused upon. One is condition, one is price and the last is return on investment.

Condition of your property

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the condition of your property. Does it need updating? Walk from room to room and look with a critical eye.

Don’t look at it as your home with all the memories attached, look at it as if you are buying it. Would you pay top dollar? If not, make a list of things that need fixing, touching up and updating.

Ideas for updates

Take tours of model houses and see what types of finishes are in demand. Maybe they won’t be in your budget, but you will have ideas and can see if you can find a way to do something similar to your home. Then talk to a Realtor about what updates will bring you a good return on your investment. Remember, not all updates bring extra money, so be smart about where and what you are spending.

All of those lead to price considerations

If you don’t have the money to make big updates then ask that Realtor what the current value of your home could be. If that satisfies you, great. If not, then ask what is absolutely necessary to fix to get a better value. If you aren’t worried about budget as much, then your best bet is to ask your Realtor what is best to be done to get a great price, but not price your home out of the neighborhood.

Keep these things in mind and you’ll have the best outcome for your home!

Is This A Good Market To Sell FSBO

November 17, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You’ve been told before that selling your home “for sale by owner” or FSBO is a bad idea in a down market. So now that markets have improved, is it a better time to do so now? No, the same issues exist with FSBO in any market.

The Tampa market has definitely improved

That may mean some people think that it would be a good time to sell their homes themselves. They would be wrong.

The same reasons that make it a bad idea to sell FSBO in a down market are still the same in a good one. Do you have the time it takes to successfully market your home, hold open houses and make sure Realtors in the area are aware of your home for sale? Probably not.

Another of those reasons is especially important in this area: your listing not being seen by people from out of town. A lot of people looking for homes in this area are looking from out of the area. If they do see it somehow, their Realtor will be more likely to hesitate to work with a homeowner selling themselves.

“Save” the commission

Thinking that you will “save” the commission selling yourself, think again. The statistical reality is that you will get substantially less for the sale of your home.

According to a 2020 NAR Survey, the median selling price for a home sold with the assistance of a Realtor was $295,000 but the median sale for all FSBO homes was $217,000 last year.

So let’s do some math. The average commission is 6%. That means a home selling for the median, $249,000, would mean a commission of $14,940. The difference in the median Realtor assisted sale and the FSBO sale in the best circumstance is $39,000 and under the usual it goes to $97,100. The commission number is substantially lower than the difference in selling prices.

Find a Realtor instead of selling yourself. Your bank account will thank you.

Should You Use A Local Lender Or One of Those New Online Banks

November 17, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You’ve seen the commercials. You know, the ones for those online banks with no actual branches. Supposedly a great alternative to the big banks and even the local lender- ones who are too expensive, can’t offer the same great rates, etc. but are they really the best idea when you are looking for a home mortgage? How great is that rate if you can’t use it?

High tech world

In today’s mobile, high tech world using an online bank isn’t out of the ordinary. You could actually bank and never need to use a physical bank branch. Between direct deposit, ATMs, mobile and online banking, it almost makes a physical bank branch unnecessary. Almost. There are times, though, when you should need an actual person, in the flesh. One of those times is when you apply for a mortgage.

Applying for a mortgage

Applying for a mortgage is a bit different than applying for any other type of loan. First, it’s a huge purchase. It requires more verification, time and complicated steps. Having a person available when you need them for questions or other things that could pop up is incredibly important. What would happen if you were in the middle of last minute negotiations and need a question answered or a concession made on the mortgage and you can’t get a person on the phone? With your small local lender your loan officer most likely will make sure you can get in touch with them at just about any time.

Communication

But really, you’re thinking, how often would that be a problem? More than you think. Here is a common scenario: you make an offer on a home that is PERFECT for you. The seller counter offers with a number that is just barely beyond the amount of your pre-approved mortgage amount. You know there are other offers on the table and you MUST get this home. Your local bank loan officer is a phone call away (one that will be answered) and gets you an answer or second approval right away. Your online bank, the one with no branches and just a big call center, isn’t answering, or answered and put you on hold so long the call dropped. Guess what? The seller isn’t going to wait for you to finally get in touch with your online bank and took another offer.

Unless you are a very techy person who doesn’t need personal help, go local!

Sure Fire Strategies To Help Homebuyers Win The Day

November 17, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You put an offer on the home you want and whether or not there are other offers outstanding, just wishing won’t get you the home. There are some strategies that can be used to help you win the day.

Get pre-approved

Sure Fire Strategies To Help Homebuyers Win The Day Strategy number 1: Get your mortgage pre-approved. This doesn’t mean a quick pre-qualification, but a full pre-approval. Not only does this keep you from overspending on a home, but it shows you have your stuff together.

Here is the message the seller gets when a buyer has pre approval for a mortgage: This buyer can afford my home. This buyer has his/her finances in order and has good credit so there is less of a chance of a snag in the process. This buyer can make the process faster because they have the mortgage process already underway. This buyer is SMART.

Be forthcoming with your financials

Next strategy, be a financial open book. Be sure to have proof of your down payment funds and provide them to the seller. When they know you are serious and have the down payment available now. This is especially helpful if there are more offers than just yours.

Another buyer who may be less forthcoming or not have their down payment quite handy will make you look better if you are and do. If you need some extra help, have your loan officer call the seller’s agent to update them on progress on your mortgage and such. Hearing from the person making the decision give a plug on your behalf as to your creditworthiness can be a huge help.

If you can, increase your down payment

It shows you are serious and able. Sellers like the idea that their buyer has the wherewithal to purchase, and the competitiveness to make it happen. Other ways to show the same thing can include waiving certain contingencies. Take some risk, just be careful and don’t completely throw caution into the wind.

The Difference Between Salt Water and Fresh Water Pools

November 17, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You’re looking at a few homes to buy and apples to apples they are about the same. The one difference? One has a typical chlorinated pool, the other a saltwater pool. Or, maybe you’re looking to install a pool and have to decide which type. So what are the differences?

One main difference is cost

It is less expensive to install and maintain a saltwater pool. It requires fewer chemicals to keep it clean. The expense comes in when your wood decking and metal parts deteriorate due to the salt after a few years. The pool’s chlorine generator cell, the part of the filter that extracts chlorine from the salt to clean and sanitize the pool, also deteriorates after a few years and needs replacing.

Health

Another difference is the health considerations. Typical pools use chlorine to kill off bacteria and keep the pool clean. the chlorine added to pools is highly concentrated and both added in high concentrations (called shocking the pool) and continuously fed through the baskets in the water return from the filter. In salt water pools, the natural process of electrolysis turns the salt into chlorine. It isn’t as concentrated, but does keep bacterial levels low. It also is lower in toxins.

Which is right

So which is right for you? It depends on your personal taste. If you are buying a home with a salt water pool, be sure to ask how old the parts are or how long it’s been since they were replaced. Of course, that’s a good question for a typical pool as well! No matter which you choose, just know that owning a pool takes work, but also provides years of fun.

Why You Should Use A Realtor To Buy Your Next Home

November 17, 2021 By Deborah Ward

If you’ve ever bought or sold a home, you know it can be a very complex, confusing and involved process. From listing to closing, there is a lot of things to know, do and take care of. Do you know them all? A Realtor does. In fact, navigating the buying process is a lot easier with the help of a Realtor.

Do you know how to find listings to go and see?

Searching listings to find homes that fit your needs and wants? Sure, you can use the plethora of real estate web pages, but if you want to be sure to get the listings you need to see, only a Realtor can find them all.

Once you find them how will you make the appointments to actually see them? Do you want to call and deal with the owners yourself? Do you think they will take you seriously?

Negotiating the price

Ok, now you found the home you want, do you know the ins and outs of negotiating the price? Do you have someone around to advise what it is really worth? What about counter-offering if the sellers come back with a counter to your initial offer?

Do you know what kinds of things can be negotiated in lieu of more or less money? Things like seller [pays for X and buyer pays for Y]. A really motivated seller can be persuaded into paying things like closing costs for the buyer. Do you know to even ask?

Good to go

The contract is signed and you’re good to go, right? Wrong. Now there are appraisals, inspections, repairs and all kinds of paperwork to shuffle. A Realtor will know what is needed when, who to call and how to get it done on time.You’re going to make the biggest purchase of your life. Do you really want to do it alone, without an expert to help guide you through it?

Looking for a great Clearwater Realtor? Give The Deb Ward Team a call today! 727-410-0336