Category Archives: Relocating

Jack and Jill Negotiate to Buy a Home…The Home Buyer Checklist You’ve Been Looking for (9 of 15)

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FOOTBALL VICTORY

Jack had just pulled away from their condominium.  When Jill pulled out the next check point.  Jack frowned.  “What?  It’s a thirty minute drive and it’s only a couple of lines long.”  Jill said with a lilt in her voice.  “Ok, said Jack, but don’t quiz me when your done.”  So Jill began to read………… 

#8 Negotiate with Knowledge

This is probably the check point that most readers will skip.  I am sorry to report that there is not magic bullet or crystal ball.  The best asset you have for negotiations is your REALTOR.  Take the time to review the contract template your REATLOR wants to use BEFORE you start looking for a home.  Understand all the negotiation points and timelines.  Knowledge is your friend and the more you understand the negotiation points in the contract the better you can respond in the heat of the battle.  That’s why the two super bowl team practice before the Super Bowl…it’s so they understand what their opponent is going to do in a situation so they can be at the RIGHET PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THEN……..TOUCHDOWN!!!!

Let’s back up a little and talk about when your negotiation starts.  It doesn’t star when you like the home, or after you have put in an offer.  YOUR negotiation starts when you first star to read the Multiple Listing Service information with your REALTOR.  There are subtle clues in the general listing and sometimes more in the Agent remarks(available to agents only) that could help you formulate your game plan from the very beginning.  This doesn’t seem like much of a negotiation, the seller is basically telling us what type of financing they will accept and that they are keeping the fan in the bedroom and so on.  Understanding that harlines the seller has drawn will help you to decide if you can live with those terms or if there are going to be a hardliner throughout the process.  Did you have trouble making an appointment to see the property?  Did they move the showing time, did they shorten it?  Did they give a reason for making changes to the appointmen?  Were they reasonable reasons?  That’s subjective, I know, but if a child is sick or they have family in town…that’s ok.  It’s nice to know the reason why the property is being sold, but it is not your right to know.  Sellers guard their reason fro selling very heavily and it is within their right to do so.  The worse thing you could do is visit a home in search of the upper hand instead of seeing if this could work as your next home.  Negotiations are meant to be in the best interest of both parties.

What the seller sees as value, you may not.  The buyers set what is valuable by buying homes they like.  Those sellers that don’t move with the market, ie change their selling price or fix problems with the home, will be left behind.  Days on market is often seen as an indicator of urgency to sell.  Your REALTOR can help you with these when he gathers the competitive market analysis for that subdivision.  It may be that homes in that neighborhood sell slower of it may be that the buyer is holding the line.  Let your REALTOR go over the competitive market analysis with you in person and in detail.  This is what they do for a living and it is not as cut and dried as you may think,  You really nee a detailed Competitive Market Analysis to understand what direction you should take your negotiation.

“I guess I was really hoping their was a magic bullet to the whole negotiating thing.”  Jack said with a sigh.  “Knowledge is Power, my dear.” Jill said with a wink.  And they eagerly awaited the next check point entitled:

“Jack and Jill Consider a Home Protection Plan…The Home Buyer Checklist You’ve Been Looking for (10 of 15)”

We hope you’re enjoying our series and that it helps you on your way to……………………………

Live Life to the Fullest,

S.C.

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Jack and Jill…Where Do YOU Want to Live?: The Home Buyer Checklist You’ve Been Looking for (8 of 15)

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Tropical beach, traditional long tail boats, famous Maya Bay, ThailandJill was dripping wet when she entered their tiny condominium.  A shredded umbrella in one hand and a bag of Chinese take out in the other.  As she closed the door her heel gave way and down she went.  Fortunately it was a tiny condominium, and Jack was able to catch her before she did herself any hard.  The Chinese take out didn’t fair as well.  It got squished, but was still edible.  Jill began to cry as she tried to talk “Jack”, sniff, “I”, sob, “just”, sniffle, “want to be able to park outside our home.”  Jill cried on, not in pain, but from the wet and the sadness of the broken heel on her shoe and the further realization that heir parking situation would not get better until they had their own home on the hill.  Jack handed her a towel and a warm cup of tea and said, “You relax, I got the food warming in the oven, dry off, drink your tea and I’ll read.”

#7 Where Do YOU Want to Live?

I don’t know, where do you want to live?  I don’t know, where do you, think we should live?  It’s a discussion that people have been having for years.  When your looking for a home, unless you have some type of restriction that you have placed on where you want to live, the world is your oyster.  Surely you don’t want a two hour commute, one way, up hill, in the snow.  Or maybe you have to have that type of commute because you want to live by a lake or have your children go to a certain school.  Location IS the biggest question in real estate and that’s why everyone will tell you it’s the first, second and third most important thing,  So location is important, but it’s not just the State or the city, or the subdivision, or the school district, it can also be the street.  Do you want your home on a corner, a cul-de-sac, on acreage, next to the park, or far away from the park?  When you are searching you should look at the satellite view of the home that peaks your interest.  The  satellite might show vacant land, a creek, a river, railroad tracks, salvage yard or strip center that you didn’t see when you drove to the property.  Keep in mind that land that is vacant now may not be vacant forever.  Farmer John may decide to sell that vacant land and you don’t have any control over who he might sell to.  Can you get to work from your new home?  Is their more than one route?  Is their a toll road within a couple of miles that would make your commute a little bit easier?

By the time Jack finished reading Jill had cheered up, dired off and the food was ready to eat.  Jack spoke,”Jill I am making it part of our home search to find us a home that has covered access from the car to the kitchen.  I never want you to have to worry about getting soaked or slipping or…”Jill cut him off saying, “Thank you sweetie.”  And with that she kissed him on the scar of the side of his head and handed him a plate of Chinese food.  They ate in silence as the storm rolled through eagerly awaiting the next check point entitled:

“Jack and Jill Negotiate to Buy a Home..The Home Buyer Checklist You’ve Been Looking for (9 of 15)”

We hope that you’re enjoying our series and that it helps you on your way to……………………..

Live Life to the Fullest,

S.C.

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Two Tired of the Negative?

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IMG_0883Tooooooooo often we change our tires, not because we want to, but because we HAVE to.  If you take care of your car and your tires on a routine basis they both will last longer and perform better.  You have heard this all before, and you might have heard some negative talk about the Real Estate Market.  It’s time to STOP looking backward and to start looking forward.

Here’s a wake up call……

WE ARE HAVING A SALE!!!!

That’s right, it’s time to see if home ownership is right for YOU!!!  Don’t wait, don’t delay, we may NEVER see interest rates this low……EVER!!!!!  It’s time to get rid of those old ways of thinking and all that negative energy I hear about the real estate market.  It’s time to change those TIRED old ways of thinking.  It’s 2012, a new year is here and Valentines Day will be here soon.  No I’m not suggesting that you get your sweetheart a set of tires, but maybe it’s time to learn about how to buy a home, put down some roots and get some REAL traction.   Yes, yes, yes, yes, you’ve been dreaming of having a place to call your own…..are you two tired of the negative to give it a shot?

Maybe it’s not you, maybe, just maybe you need a new approach, a POSTIVE approach to your real estate dreams.

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”   —Thomas Jefferson

Give me a call and I can get you on the right road to YOUR Real Estate Dreams………………………………………………………………..that’s what I do…………………………………….I help people to………………

LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST,

S.C.

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