Homes sell for emotional reasons! Yes, even rental properties have emotions tied to them as well. Emotions are behind home purchases and staging plays directly to the emotional appeal of a home. Great staging leads to great home photos, and agents more and more are relying on MLS photos as the basis for developing home tours…… Continue Reading
Importance of Sewer Line Inspections
Sewer lines made of PVC continuous tubing or connected clay sections each 3-4 feet long carry sewage and waste water away from homes to main sewer lines most often located in the street. To function properly these lines must be pointing downhill their entire length and must be at least relatively clear of tree roots and other…… Continue Reading
Be a Client, Not a Customer – Buyer Representation Explained…
At the present time in Minnesota home buyers (principals) who choose to work with me can either be my client(s) or my customer(s). A principal who has signed the adjacent contract is a CLIENT; a party who is not under contract is a CUSTOMER. What difference does it make? Under the law you are owed…… Continue Reading
Projects to Improve a Home’s Marketability…
Before placing the marketing of your home in my capable hands, you might want to consider some projects that will improve the marketability of your home. When I use the term “marketability”, I’m thinking more about the length of time it takes to sell your home than I am about price, because, frankly, the two…… Continue Reading
Condo & Townhome Dues Can Differ…Why?
Some easy answers to the above question can include more shared amenities (pool, tennis courts, workout space, party room, etc.), the inclusion of some utilities and/or insurance. These are understandable conditions that will affect dues from one complex to the next. However, there may be some other considerations at work that are not so obvious.…… Continue Reading
Association Dues for Condos and Townhomes
Monthly association dues for Condos and Townhomes pay for a variety of items, including exterior upkeep, landscaping, snow removal, trash hauling, amenities such as indoor and outdoor pools, exercise and party rooms and the like, certain categories of insurance and other items. These monthly dues are viewed as part of your monthly housing payment and…… Continue Reading
You and Your Balance Sheet – Pay Off Debt???
So often I hear both experienced and first time home buyers indicate a need to pay off credit card or auto loan or student loan balances before discussing this perceived need with a mortgage banker. If this strategy is carried out without proper counseling, valuable cash required for down payment or other closing expenses may…… Continue Reading
Buyer Inspections…A Few Thoughts
I advocate buyer home inspections conducted by accredited, experienced, full time, inspectors as opposed to your uncle, significant other, builder friend, or father (mother). I can provide the names of several inspectors who have received good grades over the years from my clients, and you are certainly free to investigate this field on your own.…… Continue Reading
How Do I Find the Right Loan Officer, Home Inspector, Title Company?
Completing a real estate transaction involves lots of people. You will find no scarcity of referrals if you ask for them around the water cooler at work, and your well-meaning family will probably contribute more, once they become aware that you are in the housing market! In my view, your best bet is to ask me for…… Continue Reading
Why Should I Pay for Buyer’s Closing Costs?
“I had to pay my own closing costs when I bought…” Everyone knows that real estate transactions almost always involve some degree of negotiating between buyer and seller. Buyers have been aided dramatically by low interest rate mortgages and the attendant low payments, but they may not have enough extra cash to comfortably handle both…… Continue Reading