Register Real Estate Advisors

A recent study shows how important the following home-buying factors were to buyers:

• List Price:  72%
• Location:  69%
• Neighborhood:  55%
• Floor Plan:  37%
• Square Footage:  28%
• Schools:  22%

An article by Ginger Wilcox appeared online on Trulia.  She is the Head of Training at Trulia and I think this was on her blog.  She has sold real estate in California and Arizona.  Below is most of the article.  I do recommend to all of my buying clients that they google property address and sellers names.  I have them sign something acknowledging this.  All of my RREA agents are doing this as a precaution to home buyers as a form of disclosure.  I think we’ll start reminding sellers to do this, too!

The amount of information available on the web is staggering. Google indexes billions and billions of webpages.  With virtually any type of information imaginable, it makes sense for homeowners to do regular internet searches for their home’s address and be aware of what type of information is available about their property and their neighborhood on the web.

Prospective buyers and tenants are googling homes of interest to them- to find comparable properties, past sales, crime reports, neighborhood information, and much more. If your homeowners are thinking of selling or renting their property,  they should google and be prepared for what prospects might see about the home or property.

The most common results will be other homes for sale or recently sold, a google map to the property, crime reports and foreclosure reports for the area.  All of these items could influence a prospective buyer or tenant.  Additionally, there may be personal information about the homeowner that could influence how a prospective buyer negotiates an offer.  Savvy buyers and sellers are searching for any information that might give them a leg up on negotiations.

More unusual finds could include historic information about the neighborhood, unknown or unusual property history and more.  In addition to just searching their specific address, homeowners should search their own name, their street name and the subdivision or neighborhood they live in.

For example, in the search below, results showed home listings, tax assessment information and even a blog post speculating about the property.

By: Shannon Register, Coldwell Banker United, Realtor

You may not be thinking about selling your home right now. However, if you maintain it well, when you do get ready to sell it will be ready for the buyers. Buyers look for clean houses that they can visualize their families living in. They like neutral colors they can paint over if they prefer. They appreciate sellers that leave behind manuals and have maintained their systems and appliances throughout home ownership. Putting some thought into what a buyer wants now can make you money in the future.

Appliances are not built to last forever. The average life expectancy of some of your most critical home appliances is 13 years and the average replacement cost for a home system or appliance is $1,388.00[1]. Proper maintenance of these appliances will ensure a smooth transaction when you decide to sell your home.

The following tips for home maintenance come from the Home Care Tips for a Happy Home Pamphlet provided by American Home Shield Warranties:

· To ensure efficient operation, check filters on your heating and air conditioning system monthly and clean or replace as needed. Trim shrubs and plants that are near the condensing unit to ensure proper air flow and circulation. If you see bent condensing unit fins on your air conditioning system you can straighten them with a fine comb. If you smell gas odors around your heating system have it inspected by a licensed HVAC dealer. Having an annual system maintenance service performed one month before the heating season and one month before the cooling season begins will detect most problems in the unit.

· Routinely make sure there are not too many appliances plugged into one circuit and use the self-test button on ground fault circuit interrupters/arc fault circuit interrupters to ensure proper working order. This will help prevent power outages. If you are having electrical problems, you should call a qualified professional.

· To prevent plumbing problems, toilet paper should be the only product flushed down a toilet. Water filters and ice maker filters should be changed according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Professionals recommend draining sediment from your water heater once a year.

· If you have a self-cleaning oven, do not use any other method to clean it. Mineral deposits on the electric heating element can be cleaned with vinegar. Don’t forget to clean or change out your range hood exhaust filters regularly. If you have a gas burner and it does not light, repair or replace the spark igniter and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for relighting the pilot. If it won’t relight, you may have to replace the thermocouple.

· Routine maintenance tips for your refrigerator include cleaning the interior shelves and gaskets every three months and the coils on the back and underneath once a year. The coils can be vacuumed. If the door gasket is sealing properly, it should hold a dollar bill in place when closed.

· Many consumers overlook the utility room where they do laundry, but the washer and dryer require maintenance as well. Adjust the level of your washing machine or dryer by turning the legs clockwise to lower them or counter-clockwise to raise them. Clean the lint screen on the dryer after each load of laundry is dried. If your washer should fill with water but the machine does not turn on, lighten the load and wait 15 minutes for the motor to reset. It might just be too full. If your dryer takes a really long time to dry clothes, you may need to replace the heating element.

· Lastly, clean the garbage disposal. Feed a full tray of ice cubes through it while running cold water. Always run water at least twenty seconds after you finish. If the flywheel is jammed, free it using the supplied tool or use a long wooden spoon handle and push the reset button. Only dispose of materials allowed by the manual.

These are all routine maintenance tips that your next home owner will appreciate having been done. Keeping your home in working order keeps it ready for resale. Keep your systems and appliances running smooth. To request your free copy of Home Care Tips for a Happy Home Pamphlet provided by American Home Shield Warranties you can call or email me with your name and address and I will be happy to get that to you. It contains more maintenance tips to keep your home ready to sell.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – March pending home sales increased from February numbers and from March 2008, indicating that buyers think now is a good time to buy a house.

The Pending Home Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed a 3.2 percent gain to 84.6 from February, when it was 82. The index stands 1.6 percent higher than a year ago.

The index is understood to be a forward indicator of home sales trends as it measures contracts signed, not completed sales. The uptick may indicate that home prices have fallen low enough for buyers to get off the fence.

“If inventory goes down — it’s at just under ten months now — to below eight months, that would mean we’re on the way to a sustainable recovery,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.

Anecdotal evidence indicates that trend may be happening. Realtors and other industry insiders are seeing rising open house attendance and multiple bids on some particularly desirable properties.

Today, buyers are more likely to bid because they perceive the market as at or near its bottom. An April Gallup Poll reported that 71 percent of Americans thought it was a good time to buy a house.

The South saw the largest gain of any region, with pending home sales jumping 8.5 percent from February to March. Pending sales were 7.7 percent higher in March compared with the same month a year ago.

During the month of April, I closed $1.3 Million Dollars, making me a Million Dollar Producer in one month.  This is a huge success.  My clients can tell you I add value to their transactions.  I work for my Sellers to negotiate the highest and best offer for their properties.  For my Buyers, I help them negotiate their best deal and renegotiate any repair work that needs to be done after inspections.  I give my clients full disclosure, keeping them in the loop with the title company, mortgage company, and updates from Co-op Realtors.  My clients always get honesty, fairness, and accountability from me.  I give my Sellers weekly updates on my customized marketing plan that is proven to work even in a down market.  I use reasonable care and disclose all material facts.  I have an undivided loyalty to my clients and hold their confidentiality close to heart.  I give houses an objective evaluation when I list them, offering staging advice and opinions.  Throughout the year I offer Valuable Free Services, like Free Professional Staging and Free Home Warranties.  I always give Price Counseling and even do market analysis for my Buying Clients so that they can rest assured they are not overpaying for properties.  When you are my client, I work for you and I act under your instructions.  Sometimes my opposition does not like that I represent YOU so well, but I work for your best interest.  I am dedicated to my full time career in real estate.  As a full service Realtor, I can help you buy, sell, or lease properties.  I moved a Million in inventory this month and I can prove my marketing plan works!  Call me today to help you Buy or Sell your next piece of real estate in Texas or anywhere in the world.  I want to be your Realtor for Life!