Month: February 2022

When you’re looking to purchase a home, is it ever a wise decision to give the seller a lowball offer? By lowballing on the property, you’re giving an offer that’s well under what the seller is currently asking. Sometimes when a seller receives a lowball offer, they may take offense or believe that the buyer isn’t taking the listing seriously. In some cases, however, a lowball offer can lead to successful negotiations with the seller. Before lowballing, make sure you’re aware of market conditions in the area — these could impact whether the seller will engage with your offer. You should also remain respectful and have your real estate agent contact the property’s listing agent. Finally, make sure that your financing is sorted out and attempt to eliminate contingencies wherever possible. Contact us to learn more.

When you bring a home inspector to a property, it’s in your best interest to ask them questions. You should be asking questions before, during, and after the inspection. Early on, asking about the inspector’s limits, what they charge, and what kind of experience they have can help you choose the right professional for the job. If they discover any problems during the inspection, feel free to ask about the issue’s level of severity. Maybe you want advice on maintaining a boiler or HVAC system — you can ask about this as well. After the inspection, ask questions like whether a follow-up inspection will be necessary. Contact us to learn more about the importance of home inspections.

Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, if you’re currently involved in the real estate market, you’re probably going to encounter the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). At its core, the MLS is an enormous database of different home listings — but there’s much more to it than just that. In fact, it isn’t even a singular database. The MLS is actually a collection of nearly 600 regional databases. Some real estate agents are members of more than one MLS if they’re looking to broaden their reach. Every regional MLS has unique listings, and agents will need to pay fees to post there. To learn more about the Multiple Listing Service, contact us today.

Before you close on a home, make sure that you have a checklist ready. There are several essential tasks that you’ll need to take care of. First, make sure that any contingencies are figured out before closing. Typical kinds of contingencies include home inspection, appraisal, and financing. Remember to purchase title insurance and clear the title, to protect yourself from legal claims of ownership. Next, you’ll need to receive the final mortgage approval before reviewing your closing disclosure. After you do a final walk-through of the property, ensure that you have all the necessary documentation that you’ll need to bring to closing. Want to learn more about purchasing a property? Reach out to us for assistance.

If you’re hoping to avoid getting burned, it’s important that as a buyer or renter, you confirm ownership of a property, before signing the deed or lease. Even if the deal looks fantastic, don’t rush into it — scams aren’t unheard of in the real estate industry, and you should be cautious to avoid them. Oftentimes, housing scams look surprisingly real, but red flags can still be present. Examples of red flags include poor grammar and misspellings, suspicious fees in the application process, and being told that you can’t view the property. Also, try performing a reverse Google image search on the property to find other listings. If these listings vary in price, location, or contact information, this is a sign of a scam. Contact us to learn more.

When you’re looking to buy a home, you’re often faced with a decision: whether to hire an inspector. If a home inspector is brought to the property, what can you expect to pay, and are these services actually worth it? Yes, it’s usually worth it to hire a home inspector. The price of the inspection can vary, although generally, it will be somewhere between $300 and $500. Using various noninvasive methods, the home inspector will give you a far clearer idea of the property’s condition and what to expect, should you go through with the purchase. To learn more about the benefits of hiring a home inspector, reach out to us today.

If you’re the owner of a limited liability company (LLC) and you’re looking to purchase a home, you might be wondering if the purchase can be made under your company. Technically, you have the option to buy property under your LLC or under your legal name. There are two reasons why LLC owners might opt to buy a home under their company rather than their own name, however. When the LLC is listed as the owner, this affords an extra level of privacy. Additionally, if you’re ever faced with a lawsuit due to an accident on the property, you’ll receive extra protection if your LLC is listed as the owner. Contact us to learn more about purchasing property as an LLC or business owner.

As a real estate agent, you might make the decision to take on a family member as a client. For instance, maybe your brother-in-law is looking to sell his home, and you’re open to lending your services. However, when any other parties become involved in this transaction, you should let them know about your relation to the client. This isn’t a legal obligation, although it is a requirement in The National Association of Realtors’® code of ethics. When a real estate agent’s client is a family member, this could be perceived as a conflict of interest. Hoping to learn more about the dos and don’ts of real estate ethics? Get in touch with us for guidance.

Have you heard about iBuying, in the context of real estate? iBuying is a relatively new concept, giving buyers and sellers a new way to handle real estate transactions. As a seller, iBuying is fantastic if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to sell your property. When you sell to an iBuyer, the entire process is going to be more streamlined. You’ll need to visit an iBuyer’s site and enter your home’s address. Then, you’ll be prompted to answer questions about the property. Usually within 24 hours, you’ll be given a cash offer, also known as an instant offer. To learn more tips and tricks about how you can sell your property, contact us today