Design by Realtor.com / Getty ImagesDebt is one of the most common barriers to homeownership. Mortgage lenders are often loath to extend credit to wannabe homebuyers who owe four, five, or even six figures. And while Americans can be in the hole for a number of reasons, student loan debt is one of the leading…
How To Buy a Home When You Have Student Loan Debt — Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®Buy – Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®
Since the phasing out of less efficient light bulbs in 2012 more than just the bulbs have changed.
Lightbulbs are removable but sellers in the past looked at them like a “giveaway”. Today, it is not unusual for sellers to take the bulbs because of the cost and years of use remaining on them.
To save extra work and time during the busy move a buyer can make a list of bulbs and lumens they use during an inspection period. Or, to avoid complication be specific when negotiating with a seller the items that remain with the home.
You may also need a cheat sheet when shopping for bulbs if you are used to measuring the brightness by wattage.
Here is a link to help with wattage to lumens: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0164-shopping-light-bulbs
As for the high upfront cost, it should even out with the energy saved.
Happy home buying 🙂
While touring a home in the perfect location, with a grand slam price, and just the right fit the buyer says “it’s not for me”. Without expressing any more interest, they are ready to move on to the next house on the scheduled showing list.
Or…..on occasion a homebuyer may ask to arrange a few hours in house at a later date to read or just sit in the living room. It may sound silly but in both of these situations it’s about how the buyers feel and see themselves living in a house. It’s really not much different than test driving a car.
Home builders often use this strategy to sell homes. Onsite sales agents always encourage buyers to take a minute to relax in a model home after touring a community. Large homebuilding companies and developers may offer a few days accommodations for prospective buyers visiting an amenity packed lifestyle community. Real Estate professionals host “open houses” that offer a low pressure sales approach creating a casual setting for the visitor. All of these scenarios create a buyer/house relationship, for better or worse.
Buyers always shop first for location, price and size, but as they think through the final list, how they felt in a house will be a top consideration. After all, its the cozy feeling that will make the house a home.
Happy home shopping 🙂
Photo compliments of:
https://pixabay.com/en/girl-room-woman-living-room-sofa-342839/
Chris GashPicking the right house is just one of the big decisions you’ll face when buying property. Deciding on the down payment is another. Low inventory in some national markets continues to pressure potential buyers into making bigger down payments to gain a competitive edge. But the possibility of rate increases in the coming year and new…
Let’s say you have weighed your options and have decided to purchase a new home under construction or hire a builder to start from the ground up.
My best advise is to select a builder that will deliver your home as agreed, and maintain a working relationship with you before, during and after the sale.
I would like to point out that not all home builders can make every home buyer happy all of the time. Scheduling, availability of materials, weather and so many more issues factor into the job, so its easy for the process to get disrupted.
Buyers always have a concern about “quality” building, and that’s a genuine concern. Keep in mind that many inspections are done during construction by the local building department and sometimes even ordered by lenders to meet some financing requirements. With those consumer protections in place “quality” will likely be determined by the workmanship and the materials used.
Without getting into a very lengthy note I am going to jump to the two points every home buyer should discuss before entering into an agreement with a new home builder
The most successful builders I have worked for have both of these details implemented into their company policy.
When you are walking through your new home on move in day it should be ready for you to hang your clothes in the closet and set your furniture in place.
Most states have a warranty period for workmanship and materials. This comes with responsibility on the buyers part to file claims in accordance with the procedure and time limits set out in the law.
A well written warranty program offered by a builder is much better to work with and results will come faster and easier. You will also have manufacturer warranties for the appliances and systems in your new home. Ask your builder to provide you with the information to register these items in your name. The warranty may also include any soil treatments for termites or other pests and how you can keep this in place for years to come. There are also third party warranty programs offered by some builders that cover defects and structural issues.
To sum it up….you want a builder with a well written warranty and a turn key home…
Happy home shopping 🙂
With much of the country falling within a flood hazard area there is a resource available to help you determine the zone of a location.
FEMA offers a link on their website that you can enter the full address or general location to view the flood map.
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search#searchresultsanchor
This tool can be very useful if you taking a mortgage because the lender will require a flood insurance policy for hazard areas. It can also assist you in getting a quote for an insurance policy if one is necessary.
Happy home shopping….hoping this helps it stay easy…
That perfect light fixture set off just the look you were aiming for when you when redecorated your living room. As you are getting your home ready for the market you become reluctant to pack it up even though you have no plans of leaving it.
Now you are torn between the “staging effect” it can have on a buyer and the possibility of the light fixture becoming a negotiable item even though you state in your owners disclosure that it is not remaining and will be replaced with another fixture of the buyers choice within a stated allowance.
My suggestion is to remove it, because it may become the one item that tipped a buyer in your favor, and chances are they would have still offered to buy your home without it because the most important things like size, price and location are what they are really shopping for. Once a buyer sees it and likes it they will want it.
A stand alone lamp in the same room would be considered personal property but since the overhead light is attached by permanent wires it is considered a fixture and the buyer may assume it is included.
Both buyers and sellers alike overlook items and get surprised at a final walk though when they discover something must stay or go. Some of the most common items I have re-negotiated at a final hour of closing the sale are:
The easy solution to avoid these misunderstandings is a careful review of the checklist on a owners disclosure statement regarding the items remaining with a home. Also, a review of any exclusions on the Real Estate agents listing sheet, and always address any item of question in the purchase and sale agreement. If there is an item of personal property that works well with a home a buyer can always ask for it or purchase it from the owner and note it on a personal property agreement.
Happy home buying and selling…:)
photo compliments of :https://pixabay.com/en/users/ChellyRika-3711680/
Post-hurricane jobs numbers not as strong as expected The October jobs report is in, and the numbers are a mixed bag. The U.S. economy added 261,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in October, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A hiring rebound at restaurants and bars impacted by recent hurricanes helped boost numbers. However, October’s jobs…
The first thing that came to my mind when I read a post by a local real estate agent on social media saying that we were in a “hot market”, was to take my sign down. I still had a lot of packing to do. Downsizing could take a while and I can not get out that quick. Real estate markets vary by location and are driven mostly by economic factors in an area that influences supply and demand. 
Here are my tips to make it easy for you to know how your area is performing and if it is the right time for you to buy or sell.
Hot market
Seller’s market
Buyers market
Working with a real estate professional and having a market analysis prepared for the area you are planning to buy or sell will easily give you this information.
Happy home buying and selling 🙂 It’s a piece of cake
Alice
Real estate agents used the pyramid chart to price properties for successful sales for many years. This can be a helpful guide when selling and your property is not getting many showings, or low offers. Buyers may also use this as a guide to prepare an offer.
Either way it works….Happy home buying and selling 🙂
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