There is a huge amount of inventory in the housing market today, so it is more important than ever to make your home shine in the eyes of potential buyers. Equally important for related suppliers, however, has an impact on potential buyers without spending much money. Here are some ideas: Make small adjustments delayed the identifier in the kitchen cupboard in bulk? It is a piece of wallpaper that hangs on the wall? There are oil stains on the garage floor or rust spots on stucco? The time has come for this small margin tasks. For a little time and little money, you can make copies of a major impact on how buyers feel about your home and remember their house to others that I tried. Finish painting is more than likely have a lot of painting, which occupy space in your garage. Bring one hours or two to ensure that the edges are soft and scratches are treated. By assumption of proper care to feel good, and will remember your house better. Clean, clean, clean! Nothing influences a prospective buyer a bit like a clean house! Take the time to dust and vacuum the entire house. Make sure toilets, sinks and mirrors are clean. And do not forget to order in cabinets and closets and the attic, basement and garage. Remember, buyers will find anywhere! Declutter! I know you heard a thousand times, but what really makes the difference. Set unnecessary decoration and personal photos in boxes and store neatly on shelves or storage in the attic or basement, if you have one. If you have room in your house, perhaps a relative or friend has an attic or basement to store their boxes a few months. If you have a lot of things, you can rent a storage space while your house is on the market, but storage is cheap and many companies offer free listings for Mon Includes equipment buyers are looking for value and only broad agreement has led to an offer. For example in the choice between your house and another house with a washer and dryer will be more attractive than a connection of these devices. Buyers should consider the cost will then buy the house before a bid. View house buyers will be useful to them for a few minutes to take a map of your immediate surroundings, including things that people need every day, like a supermarket draw, pool, playground, schools, gas stations, home, pharmacy, shopping and access to a major Interstate. If your house is near the beach or a special attraction, also. Do not expect buyers to take the time to find this information on your own. They are looking for many, many houses. So, connect with them and let them the idea of living at home. Trust your agent to a house price venda all have an idea of what our house is worth … lot, no? Brokers know that your house will sell the property. Especially in the current market, where the value of a home is often much less than you paid years ago is important to listen to your agent to determine a price for the house Venda. He knows what's available, how it compares your house, what buyers are looking for and, more importantly, what buyers want to spend. Another consideration only of the current economy is whether a bank on the financing of home buyers. Number of houses and condominiums sold before the design is completed work will not benefit from the mortgage provider, and even conventional mortgages can be difficult to achieve. In some cases, a buyer money. The agent takes this into account when determining the price of your home. So take a weekend, a list, bribe a friend or two to help with the pizza, and that his house in the best way for buyers to visit. You'll be amazed what a difference these things you can do to make your home shine!

Sometimes I forget to tell my buyers and sellers that if they decide to move out of the area, county, or state, I can help them by doing some research to help find them a really good Realtor.

I look for someone who has more than a flashy website. Someone with a lot of experience in a particular area or type of real estate. I often speak with brokers or managers to ask about personalities and if an agent is part-time or full-time. I find out if they are a Realtor or just a sales agent. If they have time or even desire to take on a new buyer or will they pass a new buyer on to an assistant or member of their team (which isn’t always bad, but I want to know ahead of time). I find out if they have ever had their licence suspended.

Buyers often just call a listing agent on a particular home that appeals to them. This can often be a big mistake but more about that in another blog.

I look at a lot of information and ask a lot of questions before I take a chance in referring a buyer or seller to another Realtor.

Last month I posted this question and here are some of the responses I received from various individuals across the country:

*Painting your home a clean, neutral color inside and out is an inexpensive way to brighten up your property quickly ~ Julie Lawrence, CFP® Lawrence Financial Planning, Tampa, FL.

*Buyers want to purchase a property that has no items in disrepair and that ideally has already been fully renovated (i.e. move-in ready). Those properties that are in good repair and fully renovated sell much quicker and for higher prices ~ Michael L. Nelson, Nelson Design Group, Birmingham, AL.

*The first step and sometimes the hardest for homeowners is to understand the current real estate market. All the staging and decluttering in the world isn’t going to help a homeowner who’s pricing is out of step with the market. Second step would be getting the home “show ready” ~ Cyndi Bell, Keller Williams Realty, Austin, TX.

*For most the first step is to de-clutter. Too much stuff detracts the potential homebuyers from being able to visualize their stuff in the home. Randy Ballard, Realtor at Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate, Atlanta, GA.

I have worked in Kansas City real estate for almost 6 years and I wanted to share with you the Top 5 Common Mistakes When Pricing A Home. Remmber these factors DO NOT affect the market value of Kansas City real estate, thus the proper listing price of your home.

• Your Original Purchase Price : Most likely you paid the market value at the time of your purchase. Markets change, sometimes quikly, and today we have to deal with the current market conditions which may have changed significantly from when you purchased the home.

• Over Improvement or Certain Types of Improvements: Improvements should be made for enjoyment, not resale. You cannot add an item to a home, select it to your style, use it and then expect a buyer to pay the original cost.

• The Owner’s Need for Money: The owners need for money, the amount of closing costs, realtor fees the seller must pay or the fact that the owner is moving to a more expensive home has nothing to do with the home’s current market value.

• The Cost to Rebuild It Today

• The Seller’s Personal Attachment to the Property: The seller will often have personal attachements and special memories associated with their home that must be overlooked for a true market analysis. For proper pricing techniques, contact Brad Papa your local Kansas City real estate agent at http://www.PapasInTheHouse.com for a free market analysis.

Brad Papa
Realty Executives of Kansas City
913-526-4985
Brad@PapasInTheHouse.com  
http://www.PapasInTheHouse.com
Come to Papa For All Your Real Estate Needs!

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Op-ed by Frank Rich

Frank Rich/The New York Times

New York Times/Frank Rich—AT last the American right and left have one issue they unequivocally agree on: You don’t actually have to read Sarah Palin’s book to have an opinion about it. Last Sunday Liz Cheney praised “Going Rogue” as “well-written” on Fox News even though, by her own account, she had sampled only “parts” of it. On Tuesday, Ana Marie Cox, a correspondent for Air America, belittled the book in The Washington Post while confessing that she couldn’t claim to have “completely” read it.

“Going Rogue” will hardly be the first best seller embraced by millions for talismanic rather than literary ends. And I am not recommending that others follow my example and slog through its 400-plus pages, especially since its supposed revelations have been picked through 24/7 for a week. But sometimes I wonder if anyone has read all of what Palin would call the “dang” thing. Some of the book’s most illuminating tics have been mentioned barely — if at all — by either its fans or foes. Palin is far and away the most important brand in American politics after Barack Obama, and attention must be paid. Those who wishfully think her 15 minutes are up are deluding themselves.

The book’s biggest surprise is Palin’s wide-eyed infatuation with show-business celebrities. You get nearly as much face time with Tina Fey and the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in “Going Rogue” as you do with John McCain. We learn how happy Palin was to receive calls from Bono and Warren Beatty “to share ideas and insights.” We wade through star-struck lists of campaign cameos by Robert Duvall, Jon Voight (who “blew us away”), Naomi Judd, Gary Sinise and Kelsey Grammer, among many others. Then there are the acknowledgments at the book’s end, where Palin reveals that her intimacy with media stars is such that she can air-kiss them on a first-name basis, from Greta to Laura to Rush.

Equally revealing is the one boldfaced name conspicuously left unmentioned in the book: Levi Johnston, the father of Palin’s grandchild. Though Palin and McCain milked him for photo ops at the Republican convention, he is persona non grata now that he’s taking off his campaign wardrobe. Is Johnston’s fledgling porn career the problem, or is it his public threats to strip bare Palin family secrets as well? “She knows what I got on her” is how he put it. In Palin’s interview with Oprah last week, it was questioning about Johnston, not Katie Couric, that made her nervous.

The book’s most frequently dropped names, predictably enough, are the Lord and Ronald Reagan (though not necessarily in that order). Easily the most startling passage in “Going Rogue,” running more than two pages, collates extended excerpts from a prayerful letter Palin wrote to mark the birth of Trig, her child with Down syndrome. This missive’s understandable goal was to reassert Palin’s faith and trust in God. But Palin did not write her letter to God; she wrote the letter from God, assuming His role and voice herself and signing it “Trig’s Creator, Your Heavenly Father.” If I may say so — Oy!

More @

This article was just published on CNN Money and gives some fantastic tips for navigating our current real estate market.  A huge percentage of the closings in Charleston are now bank-involved and we all need to understand the reality of what changes that fact brings to our buying and selling process.  So many of my buyer clients believe that foreclosures are the only way to go but this article does a fantastic job of showing them for what they are- high risk, high reward. Enjoy!

OUR FIRM BUY-SELL ALL TYPES OF DIAMOND. FOR SELL OR BUY DIAMOND CONTACT US. FOR ANY TYPE OF DIAMOND CUTTING, COLOR, SIZE ETC.

+0091 9228119473 (KAMLESH LUKHI)

Fuller Sotheby’s agent Dan Polimino talks about how the tax credit extension has the phone ringing and people buying homes in Denver Colorado. He also talks about what it means for future buyers and seller. Finally he tackles the outlook over the final six weeks of the year.

Click this link for the video

The DuPage Homeownership Center of Wheaton, IL is offering special financing through it’s Dupage Homestead Program.  Interested?  Here are the details:

Here are a few of the general requirements to qualify for and apply for the DuPage Homestead Program:

#1. Purchase a home within DuPage County of Illinois.

#2. Minimum Credit Score of 640.

#3. Attend a DuPage Homeownership Center Qualification Class.

Funding is limited, thus, timeliness of entering the program IS A MUST!  Think of the advantages in qualifying for this program AND earning the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit of $8,000.00!!!

Feel free to call : 630-881-7082 for further details or visit the DuPage Homeownership Center website for details:

http://www.dhoc.org/what/first_time_homebuyers/dupage_homestead

Everybody knows that the seller needs to talk less than the buyer. Listening is fundamental! I am going to show now something that had been forgotten. If your to do´s list after a meeting is bigger than your client´s list, there´s something wrong. There was a time where sellers did everything to their clients. Today, your chances will be smaller. Sales mean an invitation to realize a desire. A wish that belongs to the client! and no to the seller. The client needs to be part of the process. He wants to interact, if you do everything, you are taking the pleasure of buying away.  Always make sure that your client has something to do, so he feels part of the process and at the end finalized the acquisition. Try it and tell me how it changed!

Today’s interview features New York Times Best-selling author Chelsea Cain, discussing her profoundly addictive and disturbing new novel, Evil at Heart.

If you think Hannibal Lechter is scary? Check out serial killer Gretchen Lowell who is beautiful, brilliant, and cunning. This fall, Cain will carve out a place for herself on bookshelves everywhere with her new novel.

Evil at Heart is the third novel in Cain’s highly praised Gretchen Lowell/Archie Sheridan series, which heralded the birth of the new captivating face of evil and psychological suspense.

In my interview with Chelsea, I got to ask her some questions her fans dying to know.

AG: So serial killers and journalism: Are these two of your top interests?

CC: Right up there with infanticide and cannibalism. I’m kidding, of course. I wouldn’t include either serial killers or journalism in my top interests. Though if I did, serial killers would be way higher on the list. I just really like thrilling stories and these seem to lend themselves to that genre.

AG: Your inspiration for the book came from the Green River Killer case, but how did you come up with Gretchen Lowell? She’s pretty twisted.

CC: I actually remember reading stories as a kid about the Green River Killer in the Bellingham Herald. The idea of this unidentified killer being pursued by a task force of cops really captured my attention. I wanted my killer to be a woman because it made the obsessive nature of the cop-killer relationship instantly more complicated. But I wanted her to kill violently, like a man, because she enjoys it. Culturally we demand an explanation from our female killers. We want to blame their motives on a man – a bad father, a bad boyfriend. I didn’t want to provide an easy explanation for Gretchen’s homicidal tendencies. It’s way scarier to not understand her.

AG: How did you do the research for this book? Did you talk to any serial killers?

CC: No, and I hope I never do. I also didn’t actually torture anyone, though it probably would have lent some verisimilitude to the narrative. Maybe I’ll consider it for the sequels. I did read a lot of case studies about psychopaths. There is a great cannon of interviews with jailed psychopaths that is incredibly disturbing and illuminating. I also read a lot of forensic pathology texts, visited a billion web sites, talked to doctors, and read police handbooks. But the great thing about fiction is that if you find a few details that ring especially true, readers tend to go along with all the stuff you make up. (She says, fingers crossed.)

AG: It seems like you have a few things in common with the character of young reporter Susan Ward. How alike are you two?

CC: Susan and I share some of the same insecurities and preoccupation with fashion. She writes for The Oregon Herald. I write for The Oregonian. But she is way, way, way more damaged than I am. And my past is not nearly as complicated.

AG: The first thing I thought about when I read the first book Heartsick was Hannibal Lector. Are you hoping to turn Gretchen Lowell into a movie star any time soon? Who do you think could play I her?

CC: Heartsick has been optioned to be a movie, so there is a production company working very hard to get it made. They’ve got a script in development right now. Honestly, I’m pretty open-minded in terms of casting. Anthony Hopkins? Sure! The names that readers most often suggest are Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie. Any of those actresses would be terrific. I also really like Storm Large (the performer who portrays Gretchen on the website). She looks exactly like the Gretchen of my imagination. Which is sort of scary.

AG: I love the Gretchen Lowell fan site. Especially all the Gretchen sightings. What kind of response are you getting from fans?

CC: The people who find it really seem to like it. I’ve always thought of that site as a sort of DVD extra – readers who take the time to look up the url that’s mentioned as a plot point in Evil at Heart get rewarded with this funny and twisted ode to Gretchen. For the Gretchen sightings, our designer just went downtown and photographed blond women with their faces turned. In about an hour she had all the photos we needed.

AG: I’m a huge fan of HBO’s True Blood series. During one of the last episodes, Maryanne was sitting at the kitchen table reading a copy of Heartsick! I was so surprised…true story…I got up and did a victory dance. Please give me the scoop, were you as surprised as the rest of us, or was this something HBO contacted you about in advance? How has being featured on the show affected the book?

CC: That was pretty fucking awesome. I had no idea. We TIVO it so weren’t watching it live, but my husband’s mother called and left a message saying that she’d seen the book on True Blood, and my husband told me and I was like, no way, she’s wrong, she just thought she saw it. And then my husband’s father called (they’ve been divorced for thirty years, but apparently still watch the same TV shows), and he said the same thing. So we ran home and watched it, and sure enough there was Maryanne reading Heartsick! I peed my pants a little. As for sales, I have no idea. There was definitely increased web chatter about the book. And people continue to see it and bring it up to me. I love True Blood, so it was a huge thrill to be a tiny part of that show for a moment.

AG: Finally, what do you hope to do after this series is over?

CC: Over? I plan to write these suckers until someone makes me stop. But I am planning on starting another series to juggle along side it – more thrillers set in Portland. So stay tuned.

If you would like to learn more about Chelsea Cain and her books please stop by ChelseaCain.com. For the hard-core Gretchen Lowell fans among you, since her escape, she’s been spotted in Oslo, Munich, Shanghai, and Ontario. Please stop by I Heart Gretchen Lowell if you need to send her a message or report a sighting.

Heartsick by Chelsea Cain

Det. Archie Sheridan led the Beauty Killer Task Force for ten years, before the Beauty Killer (Gretchen Lowell) caught him, tortured him for ten days and then mysteriously let him go and turned herself in. Now it’s two years later and Archie, addicted to pain pills and still obsessed with Gretchen, is called off medical leave to hunt a second serial killer. Pink-haired girl journalist Susan Ward is assigned to profile Archie. She knows he’s hiding something. But what? (It’s bigger than a breadbox.)

“In her dynamite first thriller, Cain introduces one of the most seductive and original psychopaths since Hannibal Lecter.”–Entertainment Weekly

Read an Excerpt
Watch the trailer

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the first corpse he discovered there a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. Then, the unthinkable happens: Gretchen escapes from prison, and once the news breaks, all of Portland goes on high alert…but secretly, Archie is relieved. He knows he’s the only one who can capture Gretchen—and now he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all. Even if it means becoming her last victim…

“We’ve been down Hannibal Lecter Avenue many times, and these two books shouldn’t work . . . but they do. Chalk it up to excellent writing and Cain’s ferocious sense of humor. The Portland (Ore.) setting is refreshing too.”—Stephen King

Read an Excerpt
Watch the trailer

Evil At Heart by Chelsea Cain

Gretchen is still on the loose and Archie is still hospitalized after his ploy to catch her went spectacularly wrong. They’ve entered a detente of sorts: Archie agrees not to kill himself if she agrees not to kill anyone else. But suddenly there’s something else to contend with that might be worse – a zealous fan of Gretchen’s, paying homage to the Beauty Killer by luring Archie and reporter Susan Ward to the scene of a grisly murder. At least they hope it’s the work of someone new, for the prospect of Gretchen breaking her promise is more than Archie can bear.

“Cain delivers her usual blend of organ-ripping, blood-soaked gore and compelling flawed heroes—and antiheroes.”–Publishers Weekly

Read an Excerpt
Watch the trailer

The internet is evolving, and the fall of the dot com craze has begun. In its place, the next generation of websites, Web 2.0, has arrived with promising potential. For example, YouTube a video uploading website, was created in February 2005. Recently, less than two years after it was founded, YouTube was sold to Google for a whopping $1.64 billion. Web 2.0 success, such as that of YouTube, was recognized by many internet marketers. And, therefore, the concepts are being applied to hundreds of recent websites.
Though the number of Web 2.0 websites is growing rapidly, all of these websites stand with one main focus: the users paid for social networks
Did you know that Web 2.0 isn?t really a certain type of site? It is a term that is being used to describe the new sites that are interactive with its members or customers. It allows these people to dynamically change these web sites, add content, and interact with other users of the site.
These sites can be sites like Myspace that is a community site where users can create their own page and then they invite their friends to join.
It can also be interactive sites where people can post pictures, videos, sound bites, and even blogs where info and feedback can be added to the sites.

Web 2.0 Sites

Many people are breaking Web 2.0 sites into these main categories

Social Affiliate Network

Social Networking

Social Bookmarking

Social Sharing Video

Blogs

I have been waiting for quite some time and I finally saw it happen on Bonannzle. Sellers who offer the same line of product on a regular basis have an added tool at their disposal for their Bonanzas. I am not speaking of the “reminder” button that buyers will hit, I am talking about the personal touch.

Click on the image for Gems of Nirvana’s Main Site

Bonanzle site link: Gems of Nirvana made me smile today with a “Best Practice” personal message invite to their Bonanza scheduled later today.

Grassroots growth and innovation abounds among the community with new tips on managing your own business. Thanks Gems of Nirvana. Please stop by their booth today and see what is going right in business and take advantage of their Bonanza with a discount of 15%.

Also posted on: Bonanzle Bonanzler

When I stage a home for clients I always try to look at the Big Picture. What are the key features of the home? What needs to be improved or enhanced to make the house shine? What needs to be removed, so you can see the house? As you can tell from the above, I just took the property from a “home” to a “house”…from there, we turn it into a product. Getting your clients to turn their home into a product is critical to the selling process. Clutter is one of the biggest problems facing homeowners today. We like to collect things…all kinds of things. You may have a great location, your house may be in great condition, and your price is awesome. But if you can’t see the condition, then the other two (location and price) are not really going to matter.

Take for example the property below, which we staged last year. The home was a stunning ranch style home in a great neighborhood…but you couldn’t see the rooms for all the clutter. By moving most of the items in the room off site, we were able to create a comfortable space that buyers could envision living in. Yes, that futon was already in the room…hidden deep within the photo!

The same holds true for other parts of the home…I just finished this garage reorganization this morning. The before photo gives the impression that this place is too small and does not have enough storage. Since this condo unit only has a one-car garage, buyers will definitely want to see that they have room to park…and, lots of storage room to boot. Hey, we are in Texas…have to use the word boot somewhere.

After spending only $290 in materials (4 shelves, pegboard and utility hanging rack), and performing weight lifting for three days in a row…well, you can see the results.  Sound like a weight-loss ad? Just the opposite…look at all the space I’ve gained!  Now the homeowner (or future homeowner) will be safe during “hail” season! 

A love of Antique Jewelry can cost you substantial amounts of money. It is possible however to save yourself a lot of time, heartache and money if you can learn how to buy Antique, wholesale properly.

In the age of the Computer, it is usual for people to head for online auction sites, such as eBay, in the hope of finding a bargain. Unfortunately you’re only one of thousands searching for the same things. You are likely to find that the seller has just as much experience if not more and will have priced his auction at the right level.

This does not mean that bargains cannot be found at online auctions. Occasionally bargains will surface in which case keep an eye out at the more popular sites just in case. Remember to keep an eye out in several sections as well as just the antiques section. It is useful to establish the credibility of the seller before you make a bid. At times like these it is probably advisable to make sure you have access to the services of a credible escrow service. More importantly, communicate with the seller to make sure you understand exactly what you’re buying.

But don’t give up – there are other, better sources of wholesale antique jewelry. Be creative in where you look and try and find places that others haven’t discovered yet. One great resource is your local newspaper. there is a possibility that the seller might be slightly ignorant of what it is they have to sell. You may well find your self with an invaluable resource on your doorstep.

If you’re going to trawl local sales for bargains, though, don’t make it too obvious when you’re interested in a piece of jewelry. Too much interest too soon can alert the owner and you are likely to put them off. It is extremely likely that if you know your antique jewelry in your assumption may well be correct.For the sake of a few dollars, it’s better to buy the jewelry and take it away for close examination or valuation, rather than risk having the price skyrocket because of your interest.

Glenn returned to work this week without celebrity fanfare and has continued to dig and delve into the continual confusions of the current administration and its missteps to mistakes.
For the first time ever, I wrote three separate articles within one week dedicated to one person, and that was Glenn Beck:

Glen on the Mend

Glenn Beck’s History Making Debuts on the NY Times Best Seller Lists

Glenn Beck Makes a Big Splash with Video Contest and Best Sellers

For a Non-Journalist, Glenn Beck is doing everything right and does so with integrity. The Liberal MSM could learn volumes from this man. I have a thought for the MSM, read just one of his Best Seller books. They are primers full of real, cold, hard, truthful facts.

Check it, jot it down now or run the risk of being blamed later!

With so many of the escrow transactions being foreclosed properties that are sold as is – where is – and if you the buyer is lucky there are some minimum repairs that the seller agreed to do. As agents we have to be right on top of our responsibilities and inspect and make notations that will be in the records at the time of the transaction as well as for later on – when we get that call of complaint about something not functioning in house! Department of Real Estate has a form that you need to fill out for this protection – use it!

This is the inspection you take the buyer with you and you “walk thru the property” and jot down what you see. It doesn’t take that much time and can be so valuable for you to have on file. You complete the report and give it to the buyer to sign off on it. Or you can rest assured you will hear from this buyer again!

New construction walk thru is much different from a foreclosure (as is – where is) transaction. Foreclosed you expect it to not in next to mint condition, however, a new construction you expect it to be damage free and all fixtures and structure to be in complete working condition, with nothing missing.

Sometimes escrows can get so drawn out that we just want the transaction to close and may think that it is OK to skip the final inspection because you have been out to the property so many times and you know what condition it is in. NO good! Put it on paper! Protect yourself. You must continue your agent buyer – protection all the way to the end of the transaction (or you may find yourself being blamed for something that does not work…. Or something that you forgot to Walk Thru with the buyer and check prior to close).

This is why the rules are set in place to do a Final Walk Thru on all escrow transactions. Make a list of items that you will need to take a look at and make notation of the condition.

This applies even if there were no repairs done on the property and it was indeed sold as is, where is. Final Walk thru is still a part of the transaction.

Questions to know

Were there any repairs that the seller agreed to repair? You, the agent should have checked these where they were completed and yes, you will need to re-check with your buyer just prior to close of escrow.

Is there anything missing or damaged that was not there during first walk thru? With all the vandalism going on around the country – check to see if someone came in and took any items since your buyer did the first inspection. If yes, you will need to note the missing item – with the foreclosures if something is missing it is probably not the seller that took it. Vandalism of some nature is probably to blame. Police report is required if vandalism is involved.

Once you confirm these items are intact, you should jot down all that you notice in the house. Buyers sometimes will see you making these notations or hear you mention something and will want to revisit that item.

Remember to keep your inspection simple if you are selling as is and the item of concern is not something that agreed upon to be repaired and it is not a safety issue. Buyers want to get as much done as they can (understandable) – and if you know you will not be able to get the seller to do the repair or fix, please don’t make promises to that buyer. Repeat the Sold as is to them, but just make notation of the item of concern.

Start out in the front yard, back yard and do a complete walk thru the house. Check doors, windows, locks, floors, walls, fixtures, AC, Heater, outlets, garage door opener, toilets, lights, trash out (this includes trash from side of the house), check the pool to be sure the pump works. New homes structures: would include making sure it was built as promised, options are included, floors are meeting the walls correctly and all other items are in complete working order. In a new building you will need to count the outlets too!

Note: New constructions you may have a better chance of negotiations with the seller, but be sure you get any agreement to make it right BEFORE close of escrow. If it is a foreclosure and there was no agreed upon repairs, it might a little hard to negotiate this late in the transaction, but it never hurts to ask and always be sure to write down the issue – document, document. And always document.

Happy Final Walk-thru and happy closing.

Source: Rosemary Brooks

It's time to get off the fence

 We’ve all heard about the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit extension and the new $6500.00 Tax Credit for Repeat Homebuyers, now what do we do with that information and how do we get started?  Making a move can be a daunting task even when we know the outcome will be positive for us and/or our family. The Wall Street Journal recently listed 5 tips to consider when buying a home in time to get the tax credit: 

1.  Don’t procrastinate
2.  Don’t count on another extension
3.  Be mindful of interest rates
4.  Communicate with your lender
5.  Don’t take shortcuts

Read the full article here
 

If you know someone who is considering taking advantage of the homebuyer tax credits and looking for a new home, have them contact Take Me Home Real Estate, LLC.   We’ll be concise and honest in helping them determine how to move forward and assist them through the entire process of finding a home that matches their needs and wants.  Buying and Selling a home can be a positive experience and Take Me Home Real Estate, LLC knows that what’s meant to be happens with ease.

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