Archive for the ‘Buyers’ Category
May 6, 2013
The critical first step in the home buying process today is the pre-qualification/pre-approval process. Home sellers should be very selective when considering which buyer’s offer they will accept when they have multiple offers to choose from. The only thing worse than no offer, is selecting the wrong offer based on a meaningless pre-qualification letter!
The truth is most pre-qual letters only mean that the lender has pulled a credit score on the potential buyer and the credit score meets the minimum score requirements. This is simply the first hurdle in the total mortgage loan underwriting process. Lenders issue “pre-qual” or “pre-approval” letters every day based solely on a credit score only. The language in their pre-qual letter goes something like this: (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, georgia, Judy Jones, listing, Metro Brokers, Metro Brokers Financial, mortgages, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, seller, success, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 3 Comments »
April 22, 2013
It’s absolutely true that the housing inventory is very low in the Metro Atlanta. Some areas and price points are tighter than others. Not only is this true in Atlanta but in most major markets throughout the U.S.
In a market like this, buyers need to understand that multiple offer situations are common in sought after communities. The current market conditions are especially critical for transferees moving into Atlanta for two reasons.
First, they are armed with a long list of properties they think will be possibilities for them and, of course, when they get here homes have either been sold or they were not what they really needed.
Second, because they are only here for a short period of time to look for a home, it’s especially frustrating because they only have the inventory that’s still on the market once they arrive here and even those properties sometimes have offers pending as they fly or drive into Atlanta.
WOW! (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, dana eskridge, housing inventory, listing, Metro Brokers, Real Estate
Posted in Buyers | 4 Comments »
March 11, 2013
For the first half of 2013, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has made two major changes to their policies:
1. Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premiums (MIP) are scheduled to increase affective April 1, 2013. While Upfront MIP is remaining the same at 1.75%, Monthly MIP is changing from 1.25% to 1.35%.
2. June 3, 2013 the FHA will no longer allow an FHA borrower to cancel their mortgage insurance premium payments when the loan balance drops to 78% of the property’s value!
This is the fifth increase HUD has made to the FHA MIP cost in the past 3 years. In April of 2012, FHA increased the MIP rates from 1% to 1.75% on the Upfront MIP and from .90% to 1.25% on the Monthly MIP. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, case number, FHA, FHA case #, fha financing, FHA loan, georgia, HUD, Judy Jones, loan, Metro Brokers, Metro Brokers Financial, MIP, Monthly MIP, mortgage insurance premium, mortgages, Real Estate, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Upfront MIP
Posted in Agents, Buyers | 3 Comments »
February 25, 2013
As many of you know, a large meteor cruised across the skies of Russia a few weeks ago and wreaked havoc. The odds of this happening are apparently “astronomical”, pun definitely intended.
It was reported that several hundred people were injured by debris. In addition, photos showed several areas of heavy property damage. (more…)
Tags:asteroid, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, georgia, Glen Curry, home insurance, insurance, insurance policy, meteor, meteor strike, Metro Brokers, metro brokers insurance, Real Estate, Russia, USA
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 3 Comments »
February 18, 2013
How do I know what price range to look in? How do I make sure my offer is accepted? These are two of the most commonly asked questions from first-time and experienced homebuyers alike.
Give your buyer the added advantage of a true pre-approval, not just an empty pre-qualification in this highly competitive market where multiple bids are common and sellers are considering every aspect of every offer they receive.
Identify your property price range and strengthen your bargaining power by understanding the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval. Here’s the difference: (more…)
Tags:assets, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, first time homebuyers, georgia, homebuyers, income, Judy Jones, loan, loan amount, Metro Brokers, Metro Brokers Financial, mortgages, multiple offers, pre-approval, pre-qualification, prequal, Real Estate, success
Posted in Agents, Buyers | 1 Comment »
February 4, 2013
Over my many years of experience in both relocation and foreclosure assistance, I’ve come into contact with a long list of home inspectors and have seen my fair share of home inspection photos. I recently came across an entertaining article about home inspection photos on the Zillow Blog, and I just had to share!
Bent Outlet Cover
Well, I guess this is an interesting solution for when the cover plate just won’t fit in the allotted space! (more…)
Tags:atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, dana eskridge, Foreclosures, georgia, home inspection, home inspection photos, home inspector, listing, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, Realtor, relocation, Zillow Blog
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 2 Comments »
January 22, 2013
When making design choices in 2013, homeowners need to consider what future buyers’ tastes may be. RealtorMag.com recently put together a list of their hottest design trends for the upcoming year.
According to design professionals and manufacturers, these changes are going to be popular in homes across the country in 2013:
- Smarter, Less Costly Automated Controls: It’s become more affordable to control a home’s systems – such as the temperature, security, electronics, lighting, and more – through a single device, even from an iPhone, iPad, or iPod. Doing so can eliminate multiple controls and make it easy for home owners to manage things around their home, even when they aren’t there. One of my favorite new examples is the Nest Intelligent Thermostat, which can be controlled remotely, react intuitively to home owners’ habits, and adjust to conserve energy costs. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, design, energy efficiency, georgia, green building, home theater, home trends, listing, marketing, media room, Metro Brokers, nest thermostat, outdoor kitchens, outdoor living rooms, paint color, Real Estate, Realtor, seller, stylish, success, Tips, Tisha Gay, vegetable garden
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 1 Comment »
January 7, 2013
When lawmakers dodged the “fiscal cliff” last week, they also decided to extend the tax break for forgiven mortgage debt that was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2012. The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 has been especially important with the current glut of short sales and foreclosures, and it’s truly a “relief” that it has been extended until the end of 2013.
The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 was enacted on Dec. 20, 2007. The Act protects homeowners from paying income taxes on the deficiency difference between what they sell their home for and what they owe. Whether the home is sold in a short sale or foreclosed upon by their lender, these distressed homeowners are protected by the Debt Relief Act of 2007. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, FHA, fiscal cliff, Foreclosures, georgia, Judy Jones, Metro Brokers, Metro Brokers Financial, MIP, mortgage, Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, mortgage insurance premium, PMI, private mortgage insurance premium, Real Estate, short sales, taxes
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 2 Comments »
November 12, 2012
If the Debt Relief Act of 2007 is not extended, 2013 could be a very Unhappy New Year for homeowners who have foreclosures and short sales!
New headlines are warning of a financial cliff that is approaching with the end of 2012, and the real estate industry will be hit particularly hard! It’s the expiration of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007.
The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 was enacted on Dec. 20, 2007. The Act protected homeowners from paying income taxes on the deficiency difference between what they sell their home for and what they owe. Whether the home is sold in a short sale or foreclosed upon by their lender, these distressed homeowners have been protected by the Debt Relief Act of 2007, which is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2012 unless Congress acts… quickly! (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Congress, Debt Relief Act, equity, foreclosure, georgia, Judy Jones, Metro Brokers Financial, Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, mortgages, Real Estate, short sale
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 7 Comments »
November 5, 2012
With the extra hour this weekend – due to the ending of daylight savings time – I decided to do a little cleaning around the house. I always try to think of the environment whenever I’m doing things around my home, and cleaning is no different.
There are a variety of environmentally friendly ways to clean your home. There’s an increasing array of green cleaning products, and you can feel good about lessening your own environmental impact while keeping harmful chemicals out of your home. You can even take it a step further and make your own cleaning products from simple natural ingredients you probably already have on hand, saving some money in the process.
Follow these tips and you’ll succeed in cleaning up your housekeeping routine in no time. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, cleaning tips, diy, do it yourself, environmentally friendly, green cleaning products, Metro Brokers, NASA, success, Tips, Tisha Gay
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 2 Comments »
September 4, 2012
I have to say I’m partial to this house, since I’m a Florida fan!
We’ve all been there before. You might have gotten a referral from a friend or a random call off your website, and the caller asks “can you help me sell my home?”
Barely suppressing a cry of joy, you say “Absolutely!” and set up an appointment. You just can’t wait to meet your new sellers and you’re already thinking of the commission check you’ll be getting after you sell their property!
And then you pull up to the home. And it’s simply not a pretty sight.
Some might say it’s the “ugliest house on the block”, but as agents we have a duty to our sellers to make sure that we represent them to the best of our ability. Sometimes, this is harder than other times. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, georgia, listing photos, marketing, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, Tisha Gay, ugly houses
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 3 Comments »
August 20, 2012
You might have heard rumors or received e-mails stating that all real estate sales would have a new tax in 2013 due to the passage of the Health Care Law. Here are the basic facts:
- Yes, there is a new 3.8% tax that is part of the recently passed Health Care Bill.
- Yes, this new tax comes into effect January 1, 2013.
- No, this is not a transfer tax that will be charged on all real estate sales.
- The tax will only impact individuals who have more than $200,000 adjusted gross income (AGI) and joint tax filers who have more than $250,000 AGI on their joint tax return. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, georgia, health care, health care bill, health care reform, investment property, Judy Jones, Metro Brokers, Metro Brokers Financial, net capital gains, Real Estate, real estate tax, rental income
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 1 Comment »
August 13, 2012
Depending on where you call home, your roof is a source of protection from rain, sleet, snow, sun, the odd errant fly ball and just about everything else. Yet one thing you can be sure of is that sooner or later, your home will need a new first line of defense from the weather.
When your home reaches the point of needing roof repair, take a good look to see if a simple patch job will do or if your home needs some professional TLC. If the supporting surface under the shingles is in good condition, an effective patch job can prolong the life of the existing roof for a few years. When in doubt, pull up the existing surface to get a better sense of what’s happening underneath.
But at some point, your roof will need to be fully replaced. Depending on where you live and the materials of the existing structure, homes require a new roof every 15-25 years. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, georgia, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, roof, roof repair, shingles, success, Tips, Tisha Gay
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 1 Comment »
July 2, 2012
What if I told you your information is being sold and you don’t even know it…. but you can stop it! It’s the practice of selling “Trigger Leads” and this is how it works:
After a borrower submits a loan request, lenders pull a credit report from a Credit Bureau. The Credit Bureaus get the data they use to generate credit reports from companies that are called Repositories. There are 3 Credit Repositories: Experian®, TransUnion®, and Equifax®. Each time a Credit Report is ordered, the Credit Bureau sends a request to the three Repositories for the most updated data on that consumer. This order creates an Inquiry that the Credit Repositories turn into cash by selling the information as a “Trigger Lead”. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, credit bureau, credit report, Equifax, Experian, georgia, Judy Jones, loan request, Metro Brokers, Metro Brokers Financial, mortgages, repositories, selling leads, TransUnion, trigger leads
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 1 Comment »
June 18, 2012
With the recent leak of LinkedIn, eHarmony and Last.fm passwords, I think it’s past time for users (like you) to inform yourselves on the effect of non-secure passwords. More and more of our personal and financial information is available behind a simple username/password prompt, giving each of us an increased likelihood of that information finding its way into the hands of criminals. However, you can mitigate your risk through education and diligence.
How Exactly Are You at Risk?
The ultimate goal of malicious hackers is to make money. They attempt to steal your information so they can access your bank account, or create new credit accounts in your name. They may target you specifically or you may be one of millions of victims of automated hack scripts. Your bank accounts may be emptied or your credit ruined, usually leading to months or years of working with banks and creditors to repair the damages. (more…)
Tags:Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Eddie Krebs, eHarmony, Facebook, georgia, hackers, last.fm, LinkedIn, passwords, phishing, scams, social networks, stolen password, success, Tips, Twitter, virus
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 1 Comment »
The critical first step in the home buying process today is the pre-qualification/pre-approval process. Home sellers should be very selective when considering which buyer’s offer they will accept when they have multiple offers to choose from. The only thing worse than no offer, is selecting the wrong offer based on a meaningless pre-qualification letter!
