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Tag: First Time Home Buyer

6 New Year’s Resolutions For Homeowners

It’s almost that time of year again! The time where we set our goals for the following year. We strive to do better, to be better, and to make our lives more fulfilling. This year, instead of focusing on personal goals, I’m going to try something new. I am giving my resolutions to my house. I’m going to focus more on home management and giving my home the love and attention it deserves.

So here’s to a new year, and a “new” home!

1. Lose Weight: Every year I promise myself I will cut carbs, limit sweets, and eat healthier. In my homes case, losing weight is more a matter of getting rid of the items that are loading up my closets, my basement, my crawl, and my attic. Decluttering and getting rid of anything I haven’t touched, worn, or used in over a year is going to feel GREAT. I plan to box the items as I clean out my closets into donations, for sale, and what needs to go to the trash. Getting rid of some extra “weight” will never have felt so good.

2. Drink Less: It’s a common resolution for people to cut back on their alcohol intake. For my home, this means I am going to be more aware of my family’s energy and water uses. Making sure we turn lights off we aren’t using, not letting my kids run the water while they brush their teeth, and being as efficient with our heat/air throughout the year will help save our energy, and in turn, save us some money.

3. Plan More Family Time: I make plans to do things in my home, and then life happens, and something else takes my energy and my motivation away from my plans. I often start projects that get only half completed (or not at all). This year, I plan to schedule my home improvement projects and plan to make sure I do not start a new one until the last is complete.

4. Drink More Water: Regarding my home, I think this applies to my neglected lawn and garden. I am going to focus this summer on making sure the dry patches are tended. I want to be more attentive to my garden and prune my roses when I should, rake the leaves when they need, and not wait until the lawn is overgrown before I mow. This will give my home the exterior appeal that I am looking for so that when I come home after a long day of work, the first thing I see will be my beautifully maintained yard.

5. Work Out: Instead of calling in help for small repairs or renovations, I am going to put forth the effort to learn to do the small things on my own. The internet is vast with information and many home improvement or repair projects can be done with minimal tools and even less experience. A little guidance and a lot of motivation, and before I know it I’ll be fixing up my whole house, ALL ON MY OWN!

6. Stop Procrastinating: I often put projects or maintenance on the back burner when it comes to my home. In life, this means anxiety and cramming in work to meet critical deadlines. But in homeownership, this means significant utilities and home operating systems break down because of the lack of care they’ve been given. This past year my water heater rusted out because I hadn’t noticed it was on its last leg. This year, I will put more time into small maintenance acts that will help the longevity of my home’s vital systems and hopefully keep me from a financially draining home emergency.

Who says resolutions have to be personal? I think putting a little time, effort, and organization into my home will be a great way for me to spend my year working on my largest investment. Pride of ownership shines through and there’s no pride like the one you create yourself! Happy New Year, here’s to a better home and ultimately, a better you! 

Categories: Home Owners

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First-Time Home Buyer’s Ultimate Checklist

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Buying a home can be daunting. Especially if this is the first time you’ve ever walked the path from finding homes to making it all the way to the closing table.

Even if you’ve gone through the experience before, every transaction is different. No two sales are alike, so even if this isn’t your first rodeo, it’s never a bad idea to brush up on the process and keep aware of changes in trends, laws, and legal documents involved.

In a tradition sale in Illinois, this is the typical process. Other states have different laws and procedures, therefore, can have different ways of doing things so always make sure you are researching the correct state and town you are moving to in case their process is a little different!

The process of purchasing a home, whether it’s your first or your last, can be generally summarized in these steps.

1. Calculate your budget. Run the numbers and decide what monthly payment is right for you BEFORE you sit down with a lender and let them run your information. This way you won’t be swayed into a situation that might be over your budget, just because the numbers say you can afford it.

2. Contact a lender. Once you’ve run the numbers and are comfortable with your estimated budget, the next step is to get in contact with a Mortgage Broker. Someone who handles loans like it’s their job because it is. Research reviews and make sure you choose a person AND a company you are comfortable with because your lender will be an important point of contact and an integral part of the team that leads you to your dream home. You’ll want to make sure your lender offers you a pre-approval rather than a pre-qualification once they have processed all required documents they request from you to move forward. 

3. When speaking with your lender make sure to ask about BUYER INCENTIVES/CREDITS: This is something most people forget about, but many times there are grants and funds available to first-time buyers that so many people in the market to purchase aren’t even aware exist. I always suggest to my clients to make sure to ask at the very least. The state, federal, and sometimes local governments have allocated grants at different times for buyers as well as various lending institutions offer incentives from time to time to match your down payment or credit you at closing. There are loads of opportunities to find money assistance, you just have to ask for it. The nice part about a lot of these grants/loans is that they aren’t always for strictly first-time buyers. Many times you must not have purchased a specific time frame (typically 3-5 years) to be eligible. The point is, it doesn’t hurt to at least ask.

4. Find a Realtor: In this case, many companies have much to offer, but more important than the company you choose is the agent you decide to work alongside. Depending on your work schedule, your needs, your area, you’ll want to make sure to find someone who is flexible, knows the market in the towns you’re searching in and has the availability and empathy to do some hand-holding. After all, it’s our job as Realtors to make sure you understand the process every step of the way and don’t ever feel as if you’re not fully aware and understanding of the steps needed to complete your transaction seamlessly.

5. Tour homes until you find the one you LOVE. Once you find the perfect Realtor for your needs, he or she will be able to set you up on an automated search through the Multiple Listing Service. This service is a real-time database that gives you access to any homes listed by other realtors in the areas and with the criteria you are seeking. Most of these systems offer many perks to buyers, for example, being able to make notes, speak to your spouse/partner within the system, as well as direct message your agent when you’ve found homes you would like to view.

6. Submit an offer and negotiate the terms of your contract. It might be one of the first houses you view, or it might take many trips, but eventually, you will find the house that speaks to you, and you’ll fall in love. Your Realtor (along with your lender’s pre-approval) will help you put together the necessary paperwork to submit an offer. The offer you submit is unlikely to be the terms you wind up agreeing on in the end, but have a goal in mind of what your willing to bring as your maximum offer (should you get that far) and what terms you are not willing to budge on in negotiations.

7. Have a home inspection completed. From time to time, buyers will ask if I think an inspection is that important. And my answer is ALWAYS yes. Having a home inspection completed by a licensed inspector gives you the knowledge you need to ask the seller to make any repairs to the home that you may not have seen with the naked eye. Keep in mind; inspections are for health, safety, and functionality issues in the home.

8. Renegotiate (if needed). Should your inspector come across issues in your new home that will cause safety or health concerns, or reveals appliances, utilities, or other items in need of repair for the functionality of the home, your attorney will help you to renegotiate the terms of your original contract. This may be in the form of repairs by a licensed professional or a monetary credit to you at closing to consider the issues mutually resolved. Discussing the inspection report with your attorney will help you decide which path to take.

9. Have an appraisal done. Even if you are a cash buyer, it is always smart to do an appraisal on your new home. However, if you are a mortgaged buyer, your lender will require an appraisal before you can close. As long as your Realtor has considered the similar comparable homes that sold in the area you are purchasing in and found your contract to be in line with those homes, you should have nothing to stress over. Many times the home appraises for more than your contract price! Instant equity! Who doesn’t love that?

10. Close on your new home! You’ve made it! It was a long month or two, but here you are, ready to move in! Before your closing, it is advisable to do a final walk-through where you take one last look after the sellers have moved out. This is a good time to check any repairs that were requested from your home inspection and to make sure overall that the home is in the same condition it was when you wrote your initial offer weeks/months ago. Your attorney will give you the final numbers that you need to bring to closing and verify your walkthrough went well. You will sign all of your paperwork at the closing table, and once your loan is funded you will be the proud new owner of your new dream home! CONGRATULATIONS!

There are variations of this process depending on the type of financing, the situation of the home you are purchasing, or the loan/financing option you are using. But as a general baseline, this process is fairly accurate to a conventional sale in the state of Illinois. Of course, your Realtor should be able to help navigate you ahead of time through the variances so you are fully aware of what differences may be in store for you. But whatever your process brings you, I hope it concludes with the home of your dreams and many happy memories within it.

Categories: Buyers

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9 Reasons Why Every Home Buyer Should Choose A Professional

 

With a world of technology at our fingertips, it is easy to take matters into our own hands. With vast knowledge just a click away it seems that any task we have to overcome can be easily accessed via Google. I often find myself looking to the internet for answers to many questions that pop up throughout the day. What temperature to cook chicken? How do I repel ants in a safe way for children? What ways can I conserve energy in my house? Small answers are ones I’m thankful to have at my disposal whenever I need a quick solution.

But, when it comes to something big, like investing in a property, sometimes it’s better to leave it to the professionals to do the heavy lifting for you.

Because of the plethora of information we are privy to, many people looking to buy a house find it to be simple to research on their own. With access to unlimited sites offering homes for sale with photos, stats, and information with just a quick click, it might seem as though you don’t need a Realtor to help in this process. But, when you can easily have an expert on demand, it would just be silly not to take advantage of it!

I can’t tell you how many people that have told me that before contacting me, they had been setting up appointments, calling every listing agent, and planning to meet them throughout the day to view houses. It is a lot of work to take on as a buyer, especially when you’re also trying to learn the neighborhood, the market, or the fair market values along the way. It’s so much work for anyone to do on their own, and it’s unnecessary! That’s OUR job.

Do you need to use a Realtor to buy a house? Definitely not. But when it does not cost you a penny to do so and the list of advantages are profound, why would you take on that feat alone? Because as Realtors, helping people find homes, weigh options, write offers, negotiate, and go through the process of purchasing a house is our jam. Here’s why you NEED a Realtor when you buy a home:

1. As a buyer, there is no charge for you to use an agent. In many cases, it is the seller that pays the commission to their agent’s broker who then offers a commission to the buyer agent’s broker that brings a ready, willing, and able buyer to a home. If you aren’t going to have to pay your agent to search for homes, send them your way, update and find your criteria, set up the appointments and keep a record of what you liked/didn’t and why, what other reasons do I need?

But don’t fret, I have more:

2. Realtors eat, sleep, and breathe houses. You know that you are good at your job. You spend every day doing it, and you strive to show your employers that you are competent, necessary, and an expert in your field. Realtors are no different. They do this every day. They are in the game of houses. They negotiate for a living, and they will think of the odd situations that you might not consider, because as good as you are at your job, it isn’t buying and selling houses. When you’re quite possibly about to make the most significant investment of your life, you want an expert who does that as good as you do your job, every day.

3. Trying to schedule appointments to view homes with multiple agents gets confusing, and frustrating. For you. But for your agent, they have a process, a schedule, and a “way” of doing this that doesn’t make them (or you) want to pull hair out. It comes as second nature because this is something they do every day.

4. Realtors work with a network of professionals. They know which ones have done an excellent job, and which ones their clients were less than pleased with. And they know people in many trades. Especially the people you might need to complete your transaction or do the finishing touches you’d like to your home. And a Realtor’s reputation hinges on their referrals, so you know they would never steer you wrong.

5. Realtors work (and many times live) in the area you are moving to. They know the neighborhoods, the roads, the best places to eat, where to avoid during rush hour and routes to get you home faster in the snow. You would have an entire concierge at your disposal just through one person.

6. Realtors make your experience more exciting! Aside from your family, your Realtor is just as excited to help you find your dream home as you are to buy it! They will be 100% in your corner while you go through negotiations. They are on your side, but they are not emotionally attached which gives them the edge of showing you the reason and logic to your decisions and any good agent wouldn’t advise you to do anything that isn’t in your best interest, long-term.

7. If it hits the fan, your agent will fix it. And if they can’t, they will try like hell to find someone who will. Your agent will do their hardest to take the burden off of you and absorb the stress so that you can focus on what is most important.

8. Agents are like counselors. They will listen to your concerns, empathize with your heartache and excitement and lend a listening ear to anything you need to discuss, and usually at (almost) any time of the day or night.

9. Calling the listing agent means you are calling the seller’s hired expert. While in many states there is an option to be a dual agent and work as the agent for both sides of the transaction, really the seller’s agent already has a plethora of information and has had many conversations with the seller about their situation, their home, their goals. They have an advantage of knowing the seller longer and having a working relationship with them since before you came along. Why, as a buyer, wouldn’t you want that same advantage?

 

As fun as it is to “window shop” and look for houses on your own when it’s time to get down to business you want a professional in your corner. Someone with the expertise, knowledge, and experience to get the job done and anticipate every possible snag along the way before it happens so your home-buying experience can be seamless and enjoyable. Why take on the extra burden when there is someone out there who is capable, willing, and ready to do all of the hard work for you? Find a Realtor who understands your needs, is flexible with your schedule, and knows what you expect and let them take your hand and lead you to your dream home. 

 

See also: First-Time Home Buyer’s Ultimate Checklist

Categories: Buyer

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