home buying: Only the buyer of real estate can exercise subjective judgment.
- 11/02/14 10:37 PM
Buyers often ask me, as their real estate broker, the following question: “Would you buy this house?” My response is typically something along the lines of: “Only you as the buyer can properly determine if the property is suitable for your needs. If you have specific questions about the property I will be happy to get the answers for you.” The next question is nearly always something like: “Well, do you think that this house will appreciate in value quickly?” Once again my answer will be something in the neighborhood of: “What I think doesn’t really matter. Recent history tells us … (9 comments)
home buying: Has buying a house become NORMAL again?
- 10/25/14 10:51 AM
After years of prognosticators heralding the demise of home ownership in the United States, the consuming public seems to be laying that dire prediction to rest. The simple truth is that Americans, for the most part, still want to own their homes, their cars, their furniture and anything else that could be leased. I know that my personal experiences are anecdotal and I do not present my conclusions as scientific fact. But I am getting more calls from young, first time buyers than at any other time in my career. They are entering the real estate market without trepidation.
To … (12 comments)
home buying: The key to getting the house you want without a degree in Psychology.
- 09/28/14 09:04 AM
In all of my years in real estate I have had clients that have agonized over every facet of the real estate transaction. They try to analyze everything, including the motives of the other parties in the transaction. I have had too many questions that began something like: “Why do you suppose they…?” Or: “What do you think they would say if we…? Or: “How far should we push to….?” Buying a house is NOT like playing poker. It is a business transaction.
And it should be treated as one! … (7 comments)
home buying: Home Buying and Home Borrowing are not the same thing.
- 03/12/13 08:37 PM
It’s easy to become confused about the differences between buying a home and borrowing money to purchase a home. They are NOT the same thing. You can buy a house without borrowing and you can get a mortgage without buying a house. But in most cases (but probably not as often as you think) buyers borrow money at the time of purchase. And that’s where a lot of the “fussy stuff” comes into play. Because if you are not borrowing money, nobody else cares about the condition of the property, the fair market value of the property, or whether or not … (8 comments)
home buying: “Before we get started let me tell you about my situation.”
- 07/10/12 08:55 PM
Every buyer of real estate has different need and wants. And every buyer’s circumstances are different. A real estate agent needs to know each buyer’s specific situation before looking for a house. There was a time when most of the topics of conversation with a prospective client were initiated by the real estate broker. It could take some time to extract enougfh information to get the ball rolling. Now it seems, buyers are savvier and like to get straight to the point. Very often, the first words uttered by a prospect after the greeting are something like: “Before we get started … (42 comments)
home buying: “Chasing” inexpensive properties for sale in search of a dream home can be like going around in circles.
- 01/14/12 12:36 AM
As a result of readily accessible information about property listings, many buyers like to search listings based on one criteria: PRICE And we do have many value-priced properties for sale in Coweta County Georgia. And buyers want to see all of these properties in hopes of finding the “perfect” combination of price and livability. The problem is that many, many buyers are looking for the same thing. And so the good properties sell very quickly. As a result the casual weekend property seeker is very unlikely to stumble upon the right house at the right price. A good real estate agent … (15 comments)
home buying: How long are you going to wait before you decide to buy a house?
- 07/14/11 12:40 AM
There are a lot of decisions to be made when it comes to purchasing a home. And the current real estate market is volatile and rife with uncertainty. But regardless of the condition of the market in ANY given area, there are some undeniable facts about purchasing a home that cannot be overlooked: You have to live somewhere anyway. Buying a house to live in is NOT an investment. Purchasing a home is taking control of your own housing destiny. Interest rates are at historic low levels, which make the purchase of any property more affordable and competitive with renting. If … (20 comments)
home buying: “Contrary to what you see and hear in all of the media, the good houses sell fast!”
- 05/26/11 06:10 AM
I get calls every day from potential homebuyers. When I ask what they are looking for, the overwhelming majority respond that they are looking for a “killer deal.” Many even say that they want to “steal” a house. My response always begins with these words: “Contrary to what you see in all of the media, the good houses sell fast!” I go on to explain that we can indeed help them find a terrific deal if they are willing to play by the rules of the game. First and foremost, they must have a loan preapproval of proof of funds in … (27 comments)
home buying: Resurrecting the “dead” deal. It isn’t so much of a miracle anymore.
- 10/18/10 12:17 AM
Lately, we have been seeing more dead deals come back to life. It’s the result of a combination of factors. For one thing, loans take a little longer to obtain and the documentation process is very complex. It is not unusual for an underwriter to deny a loan at the last minute for an issue that could take weeks to repair. And since sellers want to get their home back on the market, the buyer’s contract is terminated and the seller “moves on.” However, in many cases, the seller is just spinning his or her wheels, and the house is not … (41 comments)
home buying: How would you define a “NORMAL” real estate transaction in your area in the year 2010?
- 06/09/10 12:49 AM
The real estate market has experienced a paradigm shift over the last three years. The buying climate went from the hottest of the hot to an epic ice age in the same amount of time that it takes a foal to make it to the Derby. People still buy houses, but the process is completely different than it was. Everyone is chasing the elusive “perfect” house at the “bargain” price. The anxiety over getting a “deal” overwhelms most buyers, many to the point of quitting the search. In times past, a buyer established criteria for a purchase in a specific area, … (78 comments)
home buying: Will there be a drop-off is real estate sales after the expiration of the tax credits? First indications are NO!
- 05/03/10 01:25 AM
Many in the real estate profession predicted that the door of opportunity for home buyers would be slammed shut after the federal tax credits expired. And while a single weekend's worth of data may only be considered as anecdotal, the first indications are that buyers recognize that a deal is a deal, and it doesn't need additional incentives to support the decision making process. I showed a lot of HUD homes on Saturday and Sunday, and most had other buyers there when we arrived and more showing up as we left the property. Pergaps it is a carryover of the buyer … (4 comments)
home buying: I can sum up the world of real estate today in one word: FRUSTRATION! But perseverence can lead to a successful closing!
- 09/15/09 11:56 PM
It is common knowledge that the way business is conducted in the real estate arena has drastically changed over the last few years. The difficulties encountered during the home finding process can really test one's mettle. It starts with attempting to find an available property. It takes time and patience to actually determine if a property is available for sale or not. It should be as simple as looking at an MLS printout but that is not the case. It's an endless game of phone tag during multiple attempts to get the information. And it's frustrating. If a suitable property is … (21 comments)
home buying: When did buying a home become so hard? Sometimes a deal that seems too good to be true really is just that!
- 06/09/09 11:58 PM
I am constantly befuddled by the trepidation experienced by some buyers when purchasing a house that is not based in any factual reality. We see some amazing deals that fall into the "no-brainer" category, and I have seen many potential first-time buyers lose out on a fantastic opportunity because of an irrational fear of not getting exactly what they want or the best deal possible. But when you can purchase a home with no money out of pocket, have a payment that is less than what you are currently paying for rent on a property that is superior to where you are living … (24 comments)
home buying: Home buyers: Before you make an offer on a house, determine if the property is appropriately priced from the get-go.
- 04/28/09 02:41 PM
In our local real estate market in Newnan Georgia, most homes are listed at fair market price based on condition and the market. Sellers have become savvier, and they understand that it takes a low list price to attract buyers. But many purchasers lose buying opportunities because they believe that every house offered for sale is supposed to be delivered in perfect condition. So even though a property is deeply discounted, they expect to deduct thousands from their offers to replace old appliances or re-sod the yard, But you can't ask the seller to take the hit TWICE for the same … (23 comments)
Buyers often ask me, as their real estate broker, the following question:
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