Category Archives: Realtor

Home Buying, housing, Interesting Facts, real estate, Realtor

Your Property Wish List

What does your future home look like? Where is it located? As you hunt down your dream home, consult this list to evaluate properties and keep your priorities top of mind.

Neighborhoods

What neighborhoods do you prefer?

Schools

What school systems do you want to be near?

Transportation

How close must the home be to these amenities:

  • Public transportation
  • Airport
  • Expressway
  • Neighborhood shopping
  • Schools
  • Other

Home Style

  • What architectural style(s) of homes do you prefer?
  • Do you want to buy a home, condominium, or townhome?
  • Would you like a one-story or two-story home?
  • How many bedrooms must your new home have?
  • How many bathrooms must your new home have?

Home Condition

  • Do you prefer a new home or an existing home?
  • If you’re looking for an existing home, how old of a home would you consider?
  • How much repair or renovation would you be willing to do?
  • Do you have special needs that your home must meet?

Home Features

Please circle one of the choices: Must Have, Would Like, Willing to Compromise, Not Important

Front Yard Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Back yard Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Garage ( __ cars) Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Patio/Deck Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Pool Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Family room Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Formal living room Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Formal dining room Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Eat-in kitchen Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Laundry room Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Finished basement Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Attic Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Fireplace Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Spa in bath Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Air conditioning Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Wall-to-wall carpet Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Wood floors Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important
Great view Must Have Would Like Willing to Compromise Not Important

Other notes:

Source: National Association of REALTOR®

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Home Selling, housing, Interesting Facts, real estate, Realtor

How to Improve the Odds of an Offer

  1. Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range.
  2. Prepare for visitors. Get your house market ready at least two weeks before you begin showing it.
  3. Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have a house ready to show at the spur of the moment. But the more amenable you can be about letting people see your home, the sooner you’ll find a buyer.
  4. Anticipate the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms you’ll find acceptable.
  5. Don’t refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer, you should be prepared to at least consider lowering your asking price.

Source: National Association of REALTORS®

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Home Buying, housing, Interesting Facts, real estate, Realtor

10 Ways to Prepare for Homeownership

  1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.
  2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.
  3. Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in, taking into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.
  4. Start saving. Do you have enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20 percent of the purchase price saved as a down payment. Also, don’t forget to factor in closing costs. Closing costs — including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees — average between 2 and 7 percent of the home price.
  5. Get your credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report to make sure it is accurate and to correct any errors immediately. A credit report provides a history of your credit, bad debts, and any late payments.
  6. Determine your mortgage qualifications. How large of mortgage do you qualify for? Also, explore different loan options — such as 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgages or ARMs — and decide what’s best for you.
  7. Get preapproved. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan. You might need W-2 forms, copies of at least one pay stub, account numbers, and copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements.
  8. Weigh other sources of help with a down payment. Do you qualify for any special mortgage or down payment assistance programs? Check with your state and local government on down payment assistance programs for first-time buyers. Or, if you have an IRA account, you can use the money you’ve saved to buy your fist home without paying a penalty for early withdrawal.
  9. Calculate the costs of homeownership. This should include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities, and association fees, if applicable.
  10. Contact a REALTOR®. Find an experienced REALTOR® who can help guide you through the process.

Source: National Association of REALTORS®

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Home Buying, Home Selling, housing, Interesting Facts, real estate, Realtor

8 Reasons Why You Should Work With a REALTOR®

Not all real estate practitioners are REALTORS®. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Here’s why it pays to work with a REALTOR®.

 

  1. Navigate a complicated process. Buying or selling a home usually requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes.

 

  1. Information and opinions. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They’ll also be able to provide objective information about each property. A professional will be able to help you answer these two important questions: Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

 

  1. Help finding the best property out there. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your REALTOR® to find all available properties.

 

  1. Negotiating skills. There are many negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession, and inclusion or exclusion of repairs, furnishings, or equipment. In addition, the purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.

 

  1. Property marketing power. Real estate doesn’t sell due to advertising alone. In fact, a large share of real estate sales comes as the result of a practitioner’s contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family. When a property is marketed with the help of a REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

 

  1. Someone who speaks the language. If you don’t know a CMA from a PUD, you can understand why it’s important to work with a professional who is immersed in the industry and knows the real estate language.

 

  1. Experience. Most people buy and sell only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you have done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS®, on the other hand, handle hundreds of real estate transactions over the course of their career. Having an expert on your side is critical.

 

  1. Objective voice. A home often symbolizes family, rest, and security — it’s not just four walls and a roof. Because of this, homebuying and selling can be an emotional undertaking. And for most people, a home is the biggest purchase they’ll every make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on both the emotional and financial issues most important to you.

Source: National Association of REALTORS®

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Financial, Home Buying, housing, Interesting Facts, real estate, Real Estate Investing, real estate market, Realtor

Buying More Affordable Than Renting

In the majority of U.S. housing markets, buying is more affordable than renting.  While housing values have been on the decline in recent years, rents have been on the rise as the demand for rental properties have increased.

If your currently renting, now might be the best time to purchase financially. Housing values are at all time lows along with interest rates. These conditions are not expected to continue indefinitely. In fact; housing values are already showing signs of rising along with interest rates.

You might be asking yourself; how much house can I buy, and will I actually be better off purchasing a home versus renting? Your best resource to get answers to these questions would be either a mortgage broker or your banking institution. They will be in a position to tell you how much house you would qualify for, how much cash you will need to close and what your projected monthly payment would be.  Once you have this information, you’ll be able to make an informed decision.

If you’ve decided that now is a good time to buy a home, then the next step is to contact a REALTOR® who will assist you with the house hunting process through the closing on your new home.

Act today; don’t keep putting your future plans on hold.

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Interesting Facts, real estate, Real Estate Career, Realtor

More People are Entering the Real Estate Field

The number of applications for real estate licenses is up in many areas of the country due to the improving real estate market. The National Association of REALTORS® added 42,000 agents in 2013, which marked the first increase in about seven years.

If your are considering a career in real estate or are looking to return to the business, then click on the link below to find out more about Ferguson Realtors and what we can offer you to make your real estate career a success.

http://www.topofknox.com/visual-marketing/

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Home Buying, housing, Interesting Facts, Realtor

10 Questions Home Buyers Need to Answer

You can make the home buying process go much smoother for yourself and your agent if you can answer these 10 questions in the beginning:

  • Why buy and why buy now
  • Are you working with a lender
  • How many houses have you looked at already
  • How do you prefer to be contacted
  • What if we found the perfect house tomorrow
  • What are your three favorite neighborhoods
  • What is your favorite room in the house
  • How important is outdoor/garage space
  • How long do you think that you’ll live in the house that you buy
  • What is a deal breaker for you
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Home Buying, Home Selling, housing, Interesting Facts, real estate, real estate market, Realtor

Consider a LeadingRE Firm for Your Real Estate Needs

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is a network of over 500 of the very best real estate firms that are located in nearly 50 countries. These firms have 3,500 offices with 120,000 sales associates. In 2013 these firms had sales of $314 billion dollars representing over one million transactions, which placed Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® #1 in sales volume in the United States.

Sales volume numbers for 2013 were as follows:
Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® – $314 billion
Coldwell Banker – $267 billion
Re/Max – $221 billion
Keller Williams – $131 billion
Century 21 – $122 billion
Prudential – $114 billion
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services – $80 billion
Real Living – $44 billion
Sotheby’s International Realty – $28 billion
ERA – $22 billion
Realty Executives – $19 billion
Better Homes & Gardens – $12 billion

Firms affiliated with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® can offer sellers global exposure of their home in addition to strong marketing expertise at the local level. Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® has the resources to market your property to the highest possible number of potential buyers. With 120,000 talented associates around the world, they expose your property to buyers on six continents ensuring more eyes are on your property. In addition they receive inbound clients from other affiliates around the globe who are interested in purchasing a home.

If you are looking for the best real estate firm to sell your home, then you need to consider a firm that’s affiliated with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

Source: Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®

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Home Buying, Home Selling, housing, real estate, Realtor

2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

This information was obtained from an annual survey that was conducted by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Here are the highlights from the latest report:

•Thirty-three percent of recent home buyers were first time buyers.

•For 43 percent of the home buyers, the first step in the home-buying process was looking online for properties.

•Ninty-two percent of buyers used the internet in some way in their home search.

•Real estate agents were viewed as a useful information source by 98 percent of the buyers who used an agent while searching for a home.

•Seventy percent of home sellers only contacted one agent before selecting the one to assist with their home sale.

•The share of home sellers who sold their home without the assistance of a real estate agent was nine percent.

Source: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

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