Category Archives: Buyers

New Cool Phone App for Real Estate

Introducing for real estate – today’s best mobile “app.”

If you are looking to buy a home, sell a home or rent a home, I have a cool mobile “app” for you to “test drive.”

If you are curious what your neighbor’s house or the house near your job is selling for, this “app” will provide the answer.

TestDrive

Keller Williams Realty has released an “app” that is an easy-to-use, filled with helpful features, putting the home search process, where consumers want it most – in the palm of their hand.”

Features for consumers include:

  • The ability to search for homes based on criteria or by custom drawing on an interactive map;
  • GPS localized data displays homes in a given area that match the consumer’s price range;
  • The ability to easily swipe through galleries of photos to decide whether a home fits one’s needs and then add it to saved searches for convenient reference on the app or via the agent’s website, where the saved searches are synced;
  • The ability to save notes on properties for future reference; and
  • Faster communication between agents and consumers via call, text or email.

Watch this brief video: Link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BqkGM5qVHxU

Here’s How To Get Your App;

Go to your (Apple or Android) App Store and search for “Keller Williams Realty Search” by Keller Williams Realty International

Simply download this app and enter agent code KW1KN60S at the startup of the app or via the “My Agent” button on the main menu. Once you’ve entered my code, you can contact me directly with questions or requests regarding any property.

Delivering “home” to every phone. Let me know how you like it or if you have any questions.

Home Buyer Guide

“simple steps that guide a homebuyer in the right direction”

START HERE: Interview a Realtor:
There has to be chemistry. This should be an interview.
You must feel like the Realtor you decide to work with:
• makes you feel comfortable,
• is easy to communicate with,
• has your best interests at heart,
• is knowledgeable,
• has time to work with you

1. Free Consultation with Realtor should include:
a. Discuss type of home you want, area and price range
b. Discuss Agency Relations, Buyers Agents, Sellers Agents
c. Discuss Down payment, Closing costs and up front fees
d. Discuss * Current Market
• Money for First Time Buyers (if applicable)
• Asking Seller to pay Buyer closing costs
• Asking Seller to do improvements
• Asking for Price reductions

2. Get set up to receive Free lists of homes for sale that match your home hunting criteria:
• request @ www.SABankRepo.com (Free lists w Pictures, including Bank Repos)

Interview a Loan Agent: (see interview with Realtor above)
3. Free consultation with Loan Agent should include:
a. Find out how much home you qualify for?
b. Discuss Loan options, Conventional, FHA, VA and Free money Grants
c. Review estimated loan costs
d. Request Pre-qualification letter (necessary with all purchase offers)

Next Step:
4. Review lists of homes from Realtor,
a. drive by those that interest you
5. Meet Realtor to see inside for homes that interest you

Know Home Values:
6. before making any offers – review sold comparables with Realtor
7. Write Purchase Offer
a. bring check for Earnest Money
b. bring check for Option fee (if applicable)

After Offer is accepted:
1. Do Home Inspection and Wood Destroying Insect Inspection
a. Amend contract if repairs needed
2. Meet with Loan Agent again to update paperwork
a. Order Appraisal
3. Do Final Walk Thru
4. Sign Documents at Title to close Escrow
5. Pay money due and collect keys

Fire Your Landlord

Don’t Pay Another Penny in Rent To Your landlord
“If you’re like most renters, you feel trapped within the walls of a house or apartment
that doesn’t feel like yours”

It’s a dream we all have – to own our own home and stop paying rent. But if you’re like most renters, you feel trapped within the walls of a house or apartment that doesn’t feel like yours. How could it when you’re not even permitted to bang in a nail or two without a hassle. You feel like you’re stuck in the renter’s rut with no way of rising up out of it and owning your own home.

Don’t Feel Trapped Anymore
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been renting, or how insurmountable your financial situation may seem. The truth is there are some little known facts that can help you get over the hump, and transfer your status from renter to homeowner. With this information, you will begin to see how you really can:

• save for a down payment
• stop lining your landlord’s pockets, and
• stop wasting thousands of dollars on rent.

6 Little Known Facts That Can Help You Buy Your First Home
The problem that most renters face isn’t your ability to meet a monthly payment. Goodness knows that you must meet this monthly obligation every 30 days already. The problem is accumulating enough capital to make a down payment on something more permanent. But saving for this lump sum doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think.

Consider the following 6 important points:
1. You can buy a home with much less down than you think. There are some local or federal government programs (such as 1st time buyer programs) to help people get into the housing market. You can qualify as a first time buyer even if your spouse has owned a home before as long as your name was not registered. Ensure your real estate agent is informed and knowledgeable in this important area and can offer programs to help you with your options.

2. You may be able to get your lender to help you with your down payment and closing costs. Even if you do not have enough cash for a down-payment, if you are debt-free, and own an asset free and clear (such as a car for example), your lending institution may be able to lend you the down-payment for your home by securing it against this asset.

3. You may be able to find a seller to help you buy and finance your home. Some sellers may be willing to hold a second mortgage for you as a “seller take-back”. In this case, the seller becomes your lending institution. Instead of paying this seller a lump-sum full amount for his or her home, you would pay monthly mortgage installments.

4. You may be able to create a cash down payment without actually going into debt. By borrowing money for certain investments to a specified level, you may be able to generate a significant tax refund for yourself that you can use as a down-payment. While the money borrowed for these investments is technically a loan, the monthly amount paid can be small, and the money invested in both home and investment will be yours in the end.

5. You can buy a home even if you have problems with your credit rating. If you can come up with more than the minimum down-payment, or can secure the loan with other equity, many lending institutions will consider you for a mortgage. Alternatively, a seller take-back mortgage could also help you in this situation.

6. You can, and should, get pre-approved for a home loan before you go looking for a home. Pre-approval is easy, and can give you complete peace-of-mind when shop-ping for your home. Mortgage experts can obtain written pre-approval for you at no cost and no obligation, and it can all be done quite easily over-the-phone. More than just a verbal approval from your lending institution, a written pre-approval is as good as money in the bank. It entails a completed credit application, and a certificate which guarantees you a mortgage to the specified level when you find the home you’re looking for. Consider dealing only with a professional who specializes in mortgages. Enlisting their services can make the difference between obtaining a mort-gage, and being stuck in the renter’s rut forever. Typically there is no cost or obligation to enquire.

There are many important issues you should be aware of that affect you as a renter.
Why on earth would you continue to lose thousands by throwing it away on rent? Simply contact a Realtor and take a few minutes to discuss your specific needs so that you can stop renting and start owning. This conversation costs you nothing. And, of course, you shouldn’t have to feel obligated to buy a home at the time you review this.

But by taking the time to explore your options, and learn about the ways you can afford to buy a home, think how prepared and relaxed you’ll be when you are ready to make this important step.

Don’t Buy New Home …

Until You Read This Report!

10 Tips to Save You Time and Money:
The Homebuyers’ Guide to NEW HOMES

… read This BEFORE You Visit Your First Model Home!”

When shopping for your home, you’ll discover that most homes on the market are resales. Yet, one out of four homebuyers purchases a new home. Both new homes and resales offer advantages.

Before you make a decision, let’s … Compare These Points!

New Homes
• offer innovative use of space and style
• greater energy efficiency
• a choice of options and upgrades
• everything is new, and modern.

Existing Homes
• on the average they are less expensive
• often they are in established neighborhoods with mature landscaping
• homes have already settled, eliminating possible problems that arise from this happening after the purchase of home

As you can see, there are advantages to both. Most people consider both new and existing homes before they decide to purchase. Should you be thinking about buying a new house, here are 10 points to consider before you visit your first
model home.

1. Determine a Comfortable Price Range
Before you visit your first model home, sit down with your agent and do your homework. You’ll want to be prepared so that you can determine a comfortable price range for your new home. If you own a home, you’ll first need to know the net proceeds from its sale in order to determine how much cash you’ll have to work with. Don’t simply estimate this but carefully calculate every possible selling cost. If you’re a first time buyer, you’ll need to first qualify your income. Determine the size of your down payment, then work out a monthly debt load so you can determine a comfortable price range.

2. Sellers’ Agents Versus Buyers’ Agents
Here’s a good point to remember. The sales agent in the model home represents the builder, not you. They are known as sellers’ agents. As a buyer you can work with a buyers’ agent at no additional cost. It’s his/her business to best represent your needs by being knowledgeable about home construction, warranties, financing, differences in pricing, quality, even lot selection so that you get the best value for your money.

3. A Builder for All Reasons
Like all tradesmen, builders vary in their fields of expertise. For example there are builders who specialize in craftsmanship, others who are known for their innovative use of space, and those who offer below-market financing or customer attention during construction and after move-in. Determine your own specific needs or preferences then shop around for a builder that will best address your requirements.

4. Get the Facts about Your Builder
Before making a final decision, it is wise to check out the reputation and financial strength of the builder. Get “spec sheets” on home features covering everything from floor plans to energy efficiency, including lot availability and delivery of your home.

5. Check Out the Neighborhood
Learn as much as you can about the community. Discover what amenities it has to offer. Investigate if financial reserves have been set aside to build or replace major amenities like schools or community roads. Find out from local land-use officials what else is planned or could be constructed in the area, especially where vacant land is applicable. Review the rules for the homeowner’s association, or find out if one will be set up. Think of how you will be affected by commuting routes and times.

6. Choosing Options and Upgrades
The less expensive the base price of the house is, the more options and upgrades you can add without fear of overpricing it for the neighborhood. Options are items the builder installs during construction, such as adding usable space like a sunroom or a powder room. These features can add the most to the resale value of your home.
Upgrading means selecting quality above “builder standard” such as carpeting, ceramics, detailing, kitchen fixtures and appliances. Be sure to take advantage of builder incentives that offer free upgrades or credit off the sale price. Remember, you can add a deck, finished basement or landscaping later and sometimes for less money.

7. Negotiations
Often buyers don’t realize that there may be room for negotiating price, upgrades or options. For example, you have some scope for negotiating with the builder if s/he has a completed a home but hasn’t sold it. Also some “premium lots” are priced higher and are sometimes saved to be sold last. Keep in mind that typically, all lots cost the builder the same, so be sure to enquire about lot pricing. Builders may offer discounts or special financing to help close a sale.

8. Be Sure the Contract Works in Your Favor!
When spelling out the particulars of an agreement with your builder, ensure you protect yourself by having safeguards written into the agreement, such as:
• placing your deposit in escrow
• detailing your upgrades;
• allowing you access to the construction site to check on progress;
• a 30-day advance notice of the closing date.
• an explanation of what the fine print means in the warranties of the builder and manufacturer.

9. Financing – What’s Best for You?
Some builders, especially in high-volume communities that place large numbers of loans, can offer special financing
packages. However, because “home loan” lending is highly competitive, you have many financing choices other than
those being offered by the builder. Shop around for everything, from rates to lender fees. Appraisals, inspections, surveys, attorneys and closing fees can vary as well.

10. Just Because it’s New …. – Doesn’t Mean it’s Perfect
Yes it’s new and typically it’s built with modern materials that are durable, low maintenance, stronger, quieter, and safer. But because nothing is perfect, even if it’s new, consider hiring a reputable, licensed home inspector. Then create a builder “punch list”, from what you’ve learned to address any problems before closing. Consider budgeting for items to be modified or added later on. Many new home buyers use a real estate agent to help them negotiate the best price and terms with the builder.

Buyer Advantages Your Builder May Not Reveal!
Here’s a fact that you may not be aware of, some builders have newly-constructed homes available for immediate delivery. Usually these homes are ready to move into within 30 days. Even if some builders are eager to sell, they’ll probably keep that knowledge to themselves. Immediate delivery homes are often available for various reasons:
• the community, where new homes are being constructed is nearly complete, so the builder proceeds to have the on-site-contractors build “spec” homes (homes built on speculation for sale) on the last lots;
• the model home is for sale;
• the contract on a home has fallen through;
• builders include constructing homes for immediate delivery for buyers who are relocating or who have sold their previous home and need one to move into quickly.

Immediate delivery homes may be more desirable because, sometimes builders offer financing incentives or free options. This may be done in place of chopping prices to appeal to buyers purchasing later in the building phase. An immediate delivery home is an advantageous way to purchase a home if you need to move in quickly, or need a physical space to walk through and see before you sign a contract.

5 Trade Up Mistakes

Avoid These When Trading Up to a Larger Home … “You have to sell your present home at exactly the right time in order to avoid either the financial burden of owning two homes or, just as bad, the dilemma of having no place to live during the gap between closings”

Unlike …the experience of buying a first home, when you’re looking to move up, and already own a home, there are certain factors that can complicate the situation. It’s very important for you to consider these issues before you list your home for sale.

Five Strategies
In this report, we outline the five most common mistakes homeowners make when moving to a larger home. Knowledge of these five mistakes, and the strategies to overcome them, will help you make informed choices before you put your existing home on the market.

1) Rose-colored glasses
Most of us dream of improving our lifestyle and moving to a larger home. The problem is that there’s sometimes a discrepancy between our hearts and our bank accounts. You drive by a home that you fall in love with only to find that it is already sold or that it’s more than you are willing to pay. Most homeowners get caught in this hit and miss strategy of house hunting when there’s a much easier way of going about the process.

For example, find out if your agent offers a “House Hunting Service,” (like www.SABankRepo.com) which takes the guesswork away and helps to put you in the home of
your dreams. This type of program will cross-match your criteria with ALL available homes on the market and supply you with printed information on an on-going basis. A program like this helps homeowners take off their rose-colored glasses and, affordably, move into the home of their dreams.

2) Failing to make necessary improvements
If you want to get the best price for the home you’re selling, there will certainly be things you can do to enhance it in a prospective buyer’s eyes. These fix-ups don’t necessarily have to be expensive. But even if you have to make a minor investment, it will often come back to you ten-fold in the price you are able to get when you sell. It’s very important that these improvements be made before you put your home on the market. If cash is tight, investigate an equity loan that you can repay on closing.

3) Not selling first
You should plan to sell before you buy. This way you will not find yourself at a disadvantage at the negotiating table, feeling pressure to accept an offer that is below-market value because you have to meet a purchase deadline. If you already sold your home, you can buy your next home with no strings attached. If you do get a tempting offer on your home but haven’t made significant headway on finding your next home, you might want to put in a contingency clause in the sale contract which gives you a reasonable time to find a home to buy. If the market is slow and you feel your home is not selling as quickly as you anticipated, another option could be renting out your home and selling later.

4) Failing to get a pre-approved mortgage
Pre-approval is a very simple process that many homeowners fail to take advantage of. While it doesn’t cost or obligate you to anything, pre-approval gives you a significant advantage when you put an offer on the home you want to purchase because you know exactly how much home you can afford, and you already have the green light from your lending institution. With a pre-approved mortgage, your offer will be viewed far more favorably by the seller – sometimes even if it’s a little lower than another offer that is contingent on financing. Don’t fail to take this important step.

5) Failing to coordinate closings
With two major transactions to coordinate together with all the people involved such as mortgage experts, appraisers, lawyers, loan officers, title company representatives, home inspectors or pest inspectors the chances of mix-ups and miscommunication go up dramatically. To avoid a logistical nightmare, work closely with your “experienced” realtor.