Tag Archives: Home buying tips

Lazy Acres

Lazy Acres, if you’re looking for a beachfront property this probably is not where you’ll find it. Street, avenues, lanes, and others have names that are part of the address to identify the location of a property. Urban areas have been assigning names since the 1800’s in the USA . Rural areas have converted the Rural Route box numbers to Street addresses, in recent years to work hand in hand with the implementation of enhanced 911 systems.

There are many reasons streets are given a name from acknowledging a local family to the name of a flower growing wild on the property.
In the real estate world, you wouldn’t think a name would matter to a purchaser as long as the area, price and terms were just what they are looking for. From time to time a person may feel squirmish about a street name just the same as they may feel about a house number or what direction the front door faces.

Some cities keep it simple by numbering the streets in sequence. Others, like Atlanta can totally turn you in circles with Peachtree North, south-east and west. Thank goodness for GPS.

Inquisitive buyers like to know the backstory behind a street name and if you dig around enough you can probably hear a good tale. Developers today often take their time to assign names to a new community.  Selecting a theme that has a connection to the land or landowner sets the pace for effective marketing.
The background story can then be shared for years to come.

One of my favorites is the simple story of Keylime Drive.
The Developer had a weekend getaway on Amelia Island Georgia. She thought it was so beautiful and had Keylime pie at dinner for dessert. There you have it, Amelia and Keylime Drives in the new neighborhood.

A few years ago I documented by video some of the communities that I worked on and assigned names.  As word got out about my street naming from time to time interesting stories would be told to me.  Here is one from a small city in the metro area of Savannah Georgia.

Happy home shopping…:)  I hope you find your Happy lane 🙂

Brighten things up on moving day

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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 🙂

‘Fixer Upper’ Spin-off ‘Woodwork’ To Bow On DIY Network — Deadline

Fans of the HGTV show Fixer Upper will soon have a Waco-style spin-off to enjoy. Chip and Joanna Gaines’s favorite woodworker is getting his own show on DIY Network. Clint Harp and his wife Kelly will be the stars of Woodwork, which will spotlight the couple making wood furniture and accessories at their shop Harp Design Co. in Waco, Texas. The show debuts May 9 at 10 ET/PT. Harp quit a six-figure sales job to pursue a woodworking career. It wasn’t instant success, as the…

via ‘Fixer Upper’ Spin-off ‘Woodwork’ To Bow On DIY Network — Deadline

Own a “piece of the pie” with fractional ownership

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If you’re anything like me one of my favorite reading materials poolside is a local real estate magazine. Surrounded by beautiful properties and scenery I like to flip the pages looking for a dream deal.  Then it appears,
“4 bedroom 3 bath ocean front view, newly remodeled, $2250000 for 25% ownership”….What’s that all about?
Unlike  time shares that offer ownership with many others , fractional ownership usually has less owners per property
25% ownership allows 13 weeks of use

Other advantages may be:

  • Accommodations are guaranteed at a favorite vacation destination
  • Terms of the purchase are easier to negotiate with fewer owners
  • You will have more input into the management of the property
  • Selling may not be difficult
  • Wear and tear on the property will be less with fewer owners
  • Shared expenses are easy to manage
  • You have an opportunity to invest in a property that may be out of your budget as a whole owner
  • Properties are usually spacious high quality homes or in smaller resort complexes
  • This is an option to consider when purchasing a second home if a fixed usage period is offered or a rotation that fits perfectly into your schedule.
  • If you’re looking to feel more at home with each visit you will want to look at a property that is unit specific for each use.
  • Find a great vacation home and purchase with family and friends

Since this type of ownership can be complicated and loaded up with stipulations the agreement to purchase or sell should be drafted by a Real Estate Professional or an attorney.  With limited financing options a method of payment should be stated before executing an agreement.

Happy home buying and selling….

Robot or Realtor? — Monday Morning With Matey

The future is upon us, but actually we are so behind, the future is here and some of us may be phased out entirely. What am I talking about? ROBOTS! Several companies, one in California, one in Brooklyn currently employ Bots to show real estate and take questions from Buyers. Artificial intelligence, programmed into the […]

via Robot or Realtor? — Monday Morning With Matey

Fur angels….

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As you prepare to get your home market ready, one of the most overlooked decisions concern your beloved deceased pets. Many times they are buried and adorned by a monument typically in a garden or under a tree in the yard. In a practical sense it may be a difficult task to take the pet if it was not laid to rest with the families intent to move them at a later date. You may find peace leaving the pet behind by having a discussion with the buyer and hoping they share in your sentiment. There is no right or wrong answer for this, it is a personal choice.

For all the buyers out there, chances are you will stumble across the monument after your purchase if the seller did not disclose this. If you are someone who would find this really “creepy” you may want to put this on your buyers check list, because it is very common. A sellers property disclosure may reference graves, or burial pits but I would not rely on the idea that the seller has a pet in mind, without the question being very specific it may easily get missed.

Some locations especially urban areas have restrictions concerning pet burials at your home, so it may be a good idea to check the  local ordinances should you find yourself in this situation. If you are often “on the move” cremation or pet memorial gardens are a good option, and will make things easy when you relocate.

Photo courtesy of: https://pixabay.com/en/cat-kitten-nature-sweet-cute-755812

Happy home buying and selling 🙂

Welcome to your “open house”

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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/