Frequently Asked Real Estate Questions-Ep. 26

What is the best Real Estate website for you?

The best Real Estate website depends on what you are looking for. Are you searching for a house you saw while driving around? Are you creating a search for all homes in an area or school district? Are you looking for out of state or out of your general area properties? Are you looking for your real estate questions to be answered? Listed below are the ones I think are the best for each situation.

While out driving around, let's say you see a house listed that you did not notice online before and you want to know the price. I use my Deeb Realty APP. If you have a smartphone, go to your APP store and type in Deeb Realty and upload. It is free! You can look up the property by its address. It will show you lots of details about the house, including price and pictures. Very user friendly!

You want to find a list of homes only in a particular school district? I suggest www.godeeb.com. There you will find a great way to search this. Click on the Properties tab, select Advanced Search (You can also search by school district on the Deeb Realty APP). You can fine tune your search in other ways at www.godeeb.com as well. You can search by subdivision, price, new construction, etc… Best thing is you can save your search!

Looking for properties out of state or out of the Omaha Metro area? www.trulia.com. The home page has the search box right on it. Trulia is ranked in the Top 3 of all real estate websites and is extremely user friendly!

Looking for Frequently Asked Real Estate Questions? Go to www.gosusanclark.com. Every two weeks I post about a new real estate question, and answer it on my website. If you have other questions that are not answered on my website, just email, text or call me and I will answer your question prompty and also feature your question on my website for others! I am working hard to be YOUR resource in real estate.

Frequently Asked Real Estate Questions-Ep. 25

Should I get an appraisal if I am paying cash for a home?

You are not required to have an appraisal completed if you are paying cash for your new home. When you get a mortgage it is required by the lender to ensure the house is worth as much as or more then you are getting a loan for.

However, I would still recommend that you get a 3rd party appraisal completed on the house prior to purchasing and make the contract contingent on the house appraising at or above the agreed on purchase price to ensure you do not pay more for the house then it is worth.

So my answer is YES, you should still get an appraisal.

Frequently Asked Real Estate Questions-Ep. 24

What are the top 5 things I can do to get prepared for purchasing a new home?

Navigating the housing market can be more complex than ever before. Most potential buyers are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin. Here are the top 5 tips I recommend.

1. Understand and know what your FICO score is. Your score plays a major role in what type of mortgage you can get, how much you have to put down and what your interest rate will be. Meet with a mortgage professional to get pre-approved and find out what your score is and get it updated if need be.

2. Know what you can afford. Again, meet with that mortgage professional and find out what amount you are able to get preapproved for and more importantly what you can afford.

3. Start saving. You will need to save up for your down payment, closing costs and moving expenses. It is also best to have around six months worth of mortgage payments in a savings account for emergencies or unexpected expenses.

4. Understand the real estate market. You can save yourself money by watching the seasonal trends and being financially prepared to make an offer when the time is right.

5. Consult a Real Estate Professional. Get a referral from a friend, co-worker or neighbor for a real estate agent they had success working with. Take the time to meet with that agent to ensure they are the right agent for you. (Refer to my blog post from May 23, 2012 'How do I find an agent to help me buy or sell?' For more ideas on finding an agent). Or, of course contact me, I would be happy to discuss all of this and more, and any other questions you may have about the homebuying process!

Frequently Asked Real Estate Questions-Ep. 23

Will any remodeling project add value to my home?

Many will add value, but not all.

For instance, combining two smaller bedrooms to create one larger master bedroom may be better for your life style, but not for everyone. If it changes your house from a 3 bedroom to a 2 bedroom that might not be the best plan as most buyers will want at least a 3 bedroom house. If it changes it from a 4 bedroom to a 3 bedroom, it might be ok, depending on the part of town you live in and your neighborhood.

Another thing to keep in mind, installing high-end materials may not always be the best choice. Not all buyers want the additional cost; they would rather get a more affordable home. You don’t want to over improve it for the neighborhood. You have to keep the finishes and upgrades in line with your neighbors to get the most back out of a project.

Painting is an inexpensive way to make sure your house shows the best it can. BUT, you need to keep it a neutral color, so the buyers can choose their own style and envision their personal belongings in your house. Painting the wrong colors can turn off buyers.

Don’t forget the outside! You want to make sure your house has curb appeal so buyers will want to stop in and take a look. Most times the outside is the first picture of your house a buyer sees. If it does not look inviting, they may not even look at the rest of the pictures and just remove it from the list. BUT don’t overdo it with expensive landscaping.

To get the biggest bang for your buck, start from the outside and work your way in. I HIGHLY recommend you consult with a Real Estate agent BEFORE making changes/improvements to your home to ensure you do not over improve and you do the things that buyers will pay the most attention to. If you or someone you know is looking to sell your house call me today, I would be happy to discuss the best things to do to get your house ready for the market.

Frequently Asked Real Estate Questions-Ep. 22

When selling my home, can I be present for showings?

This one is simple, NO! The potential buyer of your house wants to look around the house without feeling like they are invading your space. They want to look in closets and check out cabinets to know if they will be happy in this home. If you are there, they will not feel comfortable doing that. They need to be able to envision themselves living in this home to see if it is the one.

Some sellers think they need to be present so they can get feedback from the buyer. Most buyers are not going to provide you with honest feedback. They just won’t want to hurt your feelings with anything negative. They will give their agent that information and the agent will pass it on to your agent. The feedback from their agent will be 10 times more valuable, because it will be what they really thought about it.

I HIGHLY recommend you not be present during any of the showings at your home. Prepare your house for all showings and plan to be gone. Allow the buyers the space they need to decide if this is the home for them.

If you or someone you know, are planning to sell your house in the next 3-6 months, give me a call and we can discuss what you need to do to get it ready for the market. This is a GREAT time to be on the market. If your house is presented well and priced right, it will sell!

Frequently Asked Real Estate Questions-Ep. 21

How do I find an agent to help me buy or sell my home?

It is important to work with a full time professional agent when you are buying or selling your home. It is one of the largest investment decisions you will make and you need to work with a professional to help guide you during the process. Where do you find the right agent?

Ask for referrals. Do you know someone who bought or sold a house in the past year? Ask them who they used and if they were happy with their agent. If so, give that agent a call to see if they are a good fit for you.

Stop at open houses. Go in and meet the agent at the open house. Find out if they sell full time and chat with them about working with you. You can decide if they might be a good fit for you.

Look online. Top agents have websites, blogs and use social media to promote their listings and themselves. You can get to know them by reading information about them online and review testimonials from their past clients.

Odds are if you ask enough people someone knows a great agent they can refer you to. That is the best way to find an agent. Get a referral from someone who recommends their agent.

Frequently Asked Real Estate Questions-Ep. 20

I've decided to buy a home, what do I do FIRST?

Get pre-approved for your mortgage OR hire a real estate agent who will then help connect you with a mortgage professional to get pre-approved for a loan to purchase your home. This is the most important step. You want to know exactly what you can afford and what monthly payment you are comfortable with.

There are lots of loan options. You want to make sure you have done your homework and know what your options are. Some mortgage loans require you to put more money down than others, but the payment will be less if you can put more down. You just have to review all of the options and decide what is best for you and your current situation.

Once you are pre-approved you can shop with confidence and know exactly what price range to start looking in. You need to be pre-approved before you start looking so you can begin your search in the correct price range.

Once you have decided, or even if you are just considering looking, getting pre-approved should be your first task. Call me today and I can help you get started.