Keep Your Home Safe While on Vacation

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With summer fast approaching, you might already have vacation on your mind...so I wanted to share with you on this little video clip my favorite safety tips. In fact, I have multiple critical steps to prepare your home for safe keeping while you're away, to keep your nest safe and secure.

This is exactly what I did to prepare my home while I'm on vacation:

The best way to keep your home safe in your absence is to make it appear you are home, leaving absolutely no clue you're actually away. Light, time and noise are your greatest weapons to accomplish this. Follow these tips to ready your home and keep it safe:

- Ask someone you know and trust to keep an eye on your house.

For short trips, ask one of your neighbors to pick up your mail and your newspaper. If you are going to be gone longer, however, be sure to stop by the post office and have your home mail delivery stopped until you return.

Be sure to provide neighbors, friends and family members with emergency phone numbers so you can be reached quickly. It's a good idea to leave a spare house key with a relative or neighbor as well.

- At least a couple of weeks before you leave for vacation, decide what to do about your pets. You may want to have a friend or neighbor stop by each day to provide food, water and exercise. Or you may want to hire a professional pet sitting service or take the pets to a reputable kennel. This decision should be made well in advance so that proper arrangements can be made.

- Use timers on lights, televisions and radios to provide sound and illuminate the inside of your home.

- If you still have a home phone, change the setting on your answering machine so it picks up on the first or second ring—or just turn down the ringer. A constantly ringing phone is also a good sign no one is home.

- For long absences, you may want to turn off the main water valve. This will help avoid problems with frozen pipes in winter and leaking pipes in the warmer months as well as other plumbing issues.

- Keep shades up and blinds and curtains open to make it appear you're home.

- Keep bushes and shrubs near your home's entrance and walkway well trimmed. This will eliminate hiding spots for burglars.

- Keep the outside of your home well lit. Burglars won't go where they can be seen.

- Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway, occasionally moving his or her car indicate your coming and going.

- Leave the air conditioner on. A silent compressor on a hot day is a good indication you aren't home or turn your thermostats down (or up) before you leave. There is no reason to spend money heating or cooling the home when you are not there. It depends on what the weather is like in your area. Check out the 10 day forecast before you leave.

- Have the lawn mowed by a friend or lawn service if you are away longer than a week in the warmer months.

- This one is tough for those addicted to Facebook but posting to Facebook where you are at all times you are not only sharing this with your 'friends'. Those posts and photos allow others to find out when you are away and where you are. This isn't as concerning when you are local as you could post a comment or photo as you are ON your way home or just arrived but when your, say, at Disney World, those with ill plans regarding your trip away from home.

- Be sure to turn down the temperature on the hot water heater and unplug televisions and other appliances. These appliances will be drawing electricity whether they are on or not. Unplugging them will help lower your electric bill.

- Don't forget about the plants. If you are having a friend or pet sitter care for your pets, ask them to take care of your plants as well. Simply soaking the plants with water before you leave is not enough. A better idea is to create a self watering system if you cannot have someone care for the plants. For small plants, make a self watering system by filling a plastic container with pebbles. Then fill the bottom of the container with water. This allows the plants to slowly absorb the moisture they need, without the danger of their roots becoming waterlogged. Larger plants can be mulched with a damp towel or newspaper to prevent the loss of moisture.

- When the day to leave for vacation finally arrives, try not to make that departure too obvious to those passing by. If you have a garage, be sure to pack the car with the garage door closed. If you do not have a garage, you may want to pack a couple of items a day in order to avoid broadcasting to the world that your home will be unoccupied.

- This last tip isn't a security measure for your house but for your credit (you know I always care about that as well) as you need to keep tight check over your credit in order to purchase or refinance your home!

With all the excitement of the upcoming trip we sometimes get carried away, plan only for the trip and security of our home for while we are away and leave for our stress-free trip. But wait!! You suddenly realize the day before you return the date! You've missed your mortgage payment, car payment, credit card, and utility due dates by a week or more! This happens more than I'd like to hear and the credit company doesn't accept this as a viable hardship excuse. So ensure you plan ahead. Go on and sit down to make all the payments needed to be made in advance before your trip and all those due up till a few days after your return for good measure to ensure you don't get tied up with the return home and forget this very important task to protect your credit rating!

As you can see, there is a lot to think about before you jump in the car or on a plane for vacation. Use this checklist as a way of bringing peace of mind to you and your family. Enjoy your vacations without worrying about the safety of your home while you're away.

Ten Questions Every Homeowner Should Ask an Agent

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As you embark upon what will be one of the most important transactions of your life – whether buying or selling a home – you should be absolutely certain that you are happy with the real estate agent you have hired to help you manage it. 

To help you with this all-important hiring process, here are ten important questions to ask an agent before you decide on whether or not to hire them:

Question #1

How Close Do You Get in Sale Price Related to Asking Price?

It is important to ask for this information as it relates to the past 60 days.  Given that many agents are not that active in the market, you would be best served to obtain the most recent information possible.  As a seller, your agent’s ability to come close to the asking price is a strong attribute and can mean a difference of thousands of dollars in your transaction.

Question #2

How Many Days on Average Does It Take You To Sell a Home?

What’s the average number of days on the market for properties listed by your prospective agent? Since this statistic can reach as high as six to nine months in some cases and as much as a year, it is important to ask how your prospective agent ranks on the scale.

Question #3

What is the Rate of Homes Sold on a Monthly Basis?

Knowing the absorption rate of homes similar to yours that are on the market allows valuable insight as to how the market is performing for your particular needs.  Not only does it give sellers a glimpse into the system and how it would translate to their own sale but it also presents a broader view of the entire market in general.

Question #4

What Do You Do Differently To Get Homes Sold?

Especially with the current trying economic times, many agents have been faced with adversities trying to sell the homes on their list.  One of the best ways to learn if your agent is a top producer is to question how they have successfully sold or marketed difficult homes.

Question #5

What Percentage of Deals Do You Represent the Buyer Versus Seller? 

Some agents work primarily with sellers while others work mostly with buyers and still others are experienced with dual-agency deals.  Depending on your needs, you will benefit from an agent that specializes in one of the two.  It is important to ask which side of the fence your prospective agent tends to represent. 

Questions #6

How Many Homes Did You Sell Last Year?

Nothing speaks louder than numbers.  A very important statistic, ask what the total number of homes sold last year was and if possible try to get a more long-term picture of the agent’s performance in this regard. You can also ask for a month-to-month breakdown to see if there are certain stronger months.

Questions #7

Can You Provide a List of the Ten Most Current Clients You Have Worked With?

Rather than rely on the given list of referrals that many agents have handpicked, it’s a good idea to obtain a list of clients that are currently working with this Realtor.  It will provide a much-needed glimpse into the agent’s performance on various stages of real estate transactions.

Question #8

How Much of Your Work Day Do You Dedicate to the Real Estate Industry?

You want an agent that is 100% committed to their  job and if they are focusing more on a day job with real estate being a secondary career, you run the risk of inaccessibility, lack of knowledge and experience plus lackluster motivation.  Find out how they feel about the real estate industry and whether they are passionate about their work.

Question #9

What is Your Style of Marketing – Proactive or Reactive?

What is your potential agent’s style of working?  Does he or she speak to a large number of people each day? Are they proactive or reactive in nature when it comes to marketing? See how this lines up with your real estate needs.  Are you in a hurry to buy or sell?  Does a laid back agent hinder your efforts? Or does slow and steady work better for you?

Question #10

What Does Your Daily Schedule Look Like?

The typical schedule of a real estate professional can be very telling.  By asking for a copy or general idea of how they conduct their day in terms of their work, you can get a good idea of how much time is devoted to the profession and what kind of business they are running.

5 Things You Should Do When You Move Into a New Home

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1. Change locks

Unfortunately, you can’t assume the keys you’re holding are the only keys to your home that could exist out there. Play it safe and have all the locks changed as soon as you can.

2. Re-program garage door opener

Again, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the security of your new home. Most garage door remotes have a reset button that you can hold down to reprogram the opener. If you want more concise instructions, note the make and model of the opener and contact the company to walk you through the steps.

3. Replace furnace filter

Most manufacturers recommend that a furnace filter be changed once a month during the heating season to ensure the most efficient performance. While there are higher-quality filters that may not require monthly replacement, it’s still a good idea to check the filter monthly and, of course, replace it when you move into a new place.

4. Install new batteries in smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector

You have no way of knowing when the batteries were last changed and if the home has been unoccupied, it’s probably been awhile. Test the alarm and detector and put new batteries in each. This investment of time and a few dollars is well worth it, given the stakes.

5. Replace toilet seat covers

We probably don’t need to go into specific details, but most people insist on swapping out toilet seats.

Why Some Homes Sell More Easily And How To Make Them Sell At a Great Price

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Everyone who puts their home on the market wants to sell it and sell well.  So what is it that sets those people apart who are able to powerhouse their way into a deal very soon after they list their property?  How do these people manage to successfully get the price they want and with the terms that they are happy with?  The answer lies in five simple, but very effective aspects of selling real estate that experienced Realtors have come to learn after years in the business.

Location, Location, Location!

Yep, that famous saying you’ve heard has a lot of truth to it.  How and where your property is situated makes a huge difference in terms of your selling success.  Things like being centrally located (to the city), being within a good school system, having access to shopping, dining and entertainment facilities plus nearby recreational venues, all add to the value of a property’s location.

How’s That Property Looking?

Believe it or not, what all those design TV shows keep saying, is true.  How you present your home when you put it up for sale has a lot to do with your potential selling success.  Do not underestimate the power of curb appeal.  By spending a little bit to update the house, in almost all cases, it translates to a far better received house on the market.  Fix things that are broken, try to decorate or set up things in a neutral way so that buyers can imagine themselves in the home.  A bright red wall, for example, is not everyone’s idea of a perfect family room color.

How Much Did You Say That Was?

The single most important factor when looking at a home’s selling capability is its price.  Buyers are definitely very savvy, especially these days when it’s a buyers’ market.  Not only will they be fully aware of area property values but they will also call you on it if you overprice your home.  In a market where buyers have considerable more inventory to choose from than if it was more a seller’s market, it is very important to focus on setting a realistic price.

Terms, Perks and Other Deal-Sweetening Things

Of COURSE the cool people that agreed to throw in the backyard Jacuzzi will sell their house before you sell yours.  The trick is to know and understand exactly how to entice the buyers into wanting your home.  What are the ways to do that?  Some of them are in your hands, like offering to add extra items like curtains or fixed furnishings – while other factors are market-dependent, like the current interest rates.  But at the end of the day, one of the key reasons successful sales happen is because the terms were favorable and agreeable to both parties.

Boy Was That Ever Easy, Thanks To The Realtor’s Experience!

Most homeowners who try to sell their home on their own, what’s known as a FSBO in real estate jargon, usually don’t.  The simple fact of the matter is that by going through a Realtor, homes have a far better chance of selling – and this is for many reasons.  But it’s not just any Realtor that is the key to success; rather it’s choosing an experienced professional who knows their stuff.  
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As long as you are market-savvy, you understand what buyers are looking for and are willing to accommodate the things that will set you apart and give you the edge over other sellers, your property should sell.  And even more so, by following through with the five things that homes do sell with success, you will sell your home and sell it well. 

What Every First-Time Home Buyer Needs To Know Before Getting Started

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If you are considering purchasing a new home, then you probably know now is the best time to buy. In fact, we haven’t seen such incredible market conditions for buyers in as many as sixty years! But there are a lot of details that people may not realize. To help you achieve success during this process and end up with the perfect home, at a great price, in the best location and at a great interest rate – there are some things that we feel you should know before starting.

Buying for the Right Reasons Is Key

In recent years, we’ve seen an influx of property “flips” where a home is purchased at a low price, numerous updates and upgrades are made through a series of renovations and then the property is resold at a premium price. If you’re thinking of buying in today’s market for this purpose, think again. One of the current market conditions that generally holds across the board nationally is declining or low housing values.

If you plan to buy a home for you and your family to live in, it couldn’t be a more perfect time. Also, if there is imminent relocation in the near future you may not want to invest in a home right now. Be sure to plan on living in the property for at least several years before reselling again, in order for it to be a sound investment.

Credit Is More Important Than Ever Before

Having a good credit score was always an important factor in buying a home but nowadays with lenders exercising extreme caution and care before doling out loans (see Subprime Lending Crisis to understand the shift in lending practices) a good credit profile is essential. Where homeowners might once have been able to secure sizable funding to buy a home in the past, lenders completely scrutinize each detail of a potential borrower’s credit history and standing. In fact, there are new credit scoring methods being used by many lenders that may lead to even more difficulty for many homeowners with less than desirable financial practices in obtaining mortgages.

Despite the added scrutiny on credit, many first time homebuyers are successfully obtaining FHA loans, as long as they have a minimum FICO score of about 640. An added benefit of FHA loan programs is that buyers can obtain as much as 6% in seller concessions that goes toward closing costs.

Grant Money Is Available To Ease Closing and Down Payment Costs

Before beginning your search or deciding on a price range for your property, be sure to research whether there are any grants you may be eligible for toward your home. An example is the Community Development Administration’s grant designed to assist homebuyers with down payment or closing costs. Depending on where you live there are other grants available as well.

VA Loans Provide Added Benefits for Military Veterans

Considering the recent changes in Iraq with many veterans returning home and needing to settle down, VA guaranteed home loans are a welcome avenue for countless military first-time homebuyers. With concessions such as reduced or waived lending fees and no down payment – VA home loans are a great option for veterans or honorably discharged military personnel.

Preparation Now Will Save Headaches Later

As you begin searching for the perfect home, it is important to know exactly what you can afford. The most important step in determining that is to have a consultation with a loan officer. You should receive a good faith estimate that will outline exactly how much money would be paid by you out-of-pocket, the amount you may need to obtain from sellers as concessions and also the amount of your monthly payment. Armed with this information you will be in a much better position to bid on homes that are in your price range and those that you know you can afford. Also, when it comes to multiple offers on a home, sellers like seeing a copy of a preapproval letter and prefer to deal with buyers that have already secured pre-qualification. It’s something that can make the difference when competing against other buyers and negotiating a sale.
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Congratulations on your decision to buy a home for the first time! We hope that with these tips, the buying process will be fruitful as you get into a home that will provide you and your family long-lasting happiness and security!