buyer agent: What Does It Cost to Buy a House?
- 08/07/14 10:01 PM
Consumers might feel Realtors are being a invasive during initial conversations about buying a house, but we have good reason to ask hard questions. We ask "have you spoken with a lender?" but that's just the beginning. It isn't enough to know that your debt to income ratio suggests you might well be able to afford the monthly mortgage payments. That's a good start but not enough to know what it might cost to buy a house. What are out of pocket expenses? These are expenses you'll need to be able to cover yourself plus the expenses you'll need to be able to prove to the lender that you … (31 comments)
buyer agent: Let's Dance - Conquering the Unexpected Problems. Monday Melodies
- 08/03/14 10:17 PM
David Bowie is still a favorite musician of mine. Back in the days of early MTV, I couldn't wait for one of his videos to come on. There was always meaning in the story and he was famous for pushing the envelope. Since it came out I'll bet I've seen this a hundred times and still find it to be timely and relevant. Of course, there's also a good beat :-) Sometimes that is the best way to drive home a message, with music. The last few real estate weeks have been full of OJT (on the job training) types of … (5 comments)
buyer agent: More Reasons Buyers Benefit from Using a Buyer's Agent
- 07/24/14 10:08 PM
It wasn't where we started but we did close yesterday. It can happen but it is pretty rare that a buyer selects the first house they see. Also, it can happen that a buyer will go under contract more than once before they finally close on a home...but thankfully that is rare also. We just got done working one of those rare occasions and have another anecdotal instance to add to our many reasons buyers benefit from using a Buyer's Agent. Our client originally called in to see one of our own listings that turned out not to be … (9 comments)
buyer agent: Rainy Winter Days and New Buyers
- 12/13/13 09:32 PM
La di dah, la di dah...tremendously rainy outside this morning and I thought I'd dash off a blogpost before getting ready for my 10:15 appointment with new buyers. Hah! Not a wise move on my part! Just as I got into the first paragraph of witty wordsmithing...the power went out for a fraction of a second but long enough for me to get my priorities straight. I know better...take care of business first. So, while documents and aerial surveys are printing, I'm multi-tasking and taking care of the blogpost at the same time. BTW, not my favorite way to … (6 comments)
buyer agent: There's No Profit in Procrastination...Even if You Aren't in a Rush
- 11/16/13 10:20 PM
One of the first questions we ask new home buyers is "When would you like to be in your new home?". The first time I met Megan she told me "I'm not in a rush". Sometimes those words strike a mental shoulder slump in many Realtors and its hard to explain how some of us have an innate sense of serious buyer vs tire kicker. Home buyers who are serious have a certain intensity about them. If they ask questions about the Buyer Agency Agreement before signing it and have a list of specific needs with a definitive location range, then they … (11 comments)
buyer agent: We Work With Strangers...Think About That for a Minute
- 09/25/13 10:49 PM
Real estate agents make their livings by forming relationships with strangers. My real estate career began in 2004 and I know that I've been unbelievably fortunate that most of the strangers I've formed relationships with turned out to be interesting and bonafide clients. Many of those people have become lifelong good friends. There have however been a few odd ones, not quirky odd...I like quirky odd, but a few that turned out to be not sincere and one who was almost scary weird. Early on in my career there was the guy who on our way to look at vacant … (10 comments)
buyer agent: Buyers - Beware of Yourselves!
- 09/10/13 02:52 AM
Even with the best buyer interview form and the most thorough property review forms, even with the intense conversations following the showings and finally the aha! moment when the buyer proclaims " I LOVE THIS HOUSE!", once in a while all agents get blindsided to discover that the buyer really didn't know what they wanted and the contract terminates. Buyer beware of yourself. We do our best by asking the specific questions of the buyer to finetune the list of potential houses. Once we start to get a feel for what the buyer doesn't want we do suggest … (8 comments)
buyer agent: Easing Fears, Explaining Doubts and Melting Cold, Cold Hearts
- 11/18/12 09:34 PM
Easing fears and explaining doubts is a large part of what we do as REALTORS. Usually we are trying to overcome the doubts caused by earlier experiences with other REALTORS. Even though real estate agents are beginning to be thought of more as professionals, we still battle the image of some kind of shark out there for just the commission. If that were true, surely there's an easier product to promote. The confusion, in my mind, is that the public thinks we are out there to "sell" or "talk someone into" houses like someone sells a vacuum cleaner. Nothing … (12 comments)
buyer agent: Electronic Keys, Turkeys and Living in the Mountains
- 09/26/12 10:11 AM
MoonDancer Realty recently joined a second MLS group so that we would have better access to an extended area for listings and buyers. Part of the change involved a reprogramming of our electronic key so that it would open the lockboxes of the new area. The Office Manager was good enough to ride along to preview a listing to show in the morning and to make sure the key would work. On our way to the listing in Balsam, a couple of wild turkeys were helping themselves to a little garden bounty. The Office Manager was fully engaged in … (6 comments)
buyer agent: Fight Anger in Real Estate
- 09/18/12 10:18 PM
Finally, it closed…we have this to share... First and foremost, good REALTORS are worth every penny they earn. Period. Second, be on guard constantly to restrain anger at the twists and turns deals will take. Anger is blinding to potential resolutions. It’s hard and often a daily struggle but anger has no place in real estate. This deal began in May of this year. The whole contract’s been one of those “juggling jello” episodes. Fraught with drama, surprises, frustration, irritation, aggravation, suspense, secrecy, extension after freaking extension, delays and constant outside of the box thinking. Was it worth it? Yes. … (63 comments)
buyer agent: Joey's Pancake House in Maggie Valley, NC - Oh Yeah, There's a Pulse
- 09/16/12 02:01 PM
They love their Franklin house! Bob and Kathy Schneider met us for breakfast this morning at Joey's Pancake House in Maggie Valley before they headed back to Charlotte. They are so happy whenever they are in this area and can't wait to get back. We loved working with them and are so glad to be able to consider them friends. Joey's Pancake House is our favorite place in the world for breakfast. That's all they serve is breakfast and they've been doing it for 46 years. Not only … (2 comments)
buyer agent: That Which Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger...And Smarter !
- 09/14/12 11:07 PM
Four of the best buyers I’ve worked with I met in Leslie’s retail store in Dillsboro. They were looking for vacant land…50 plus acres in the NC mountains. Price didn’t matter. They were hands on. No drive-bys, we walked land in blistering heat and freezing cold. We bonded and to this day they’re some of my favorite people. We finally identified THE property, an old farmhouse on 100 plus acres in Barkers Creek. An agent with the company I worked with at the time was in the process of listing this estate. Six siblings and spouses ages 50 to 80. Everyone … (25 comments)
buyer agent: Greens Creek Wildflowers - Friday Fotos
- 08/24/12 12:54 PM
It was back out to Greens Creek this morning for day two of the septic evaluation. The weather started out in the low 60s and a bit misty. I waited with the guys and the bulldozer for the Health Department to arrive. In the meantime I found this wildflower growing tall with blooms in several stages all on the same plant. Not a bad way to spend the morning. … (14 comments)
buyer agent: Active Drain ~ The Unpredictable Side of Real Estate
- 07/18/12 09:34 PM
The past couple of weeks have been ahem….frantic, frenetic, fraught with stress and tension and frankly…a bit on an active draining side. (Get it? Sieve, slotted spoon?) The one thing it hasn’t been is boring, never boring. The thing is, working in real estate is often predictably unpredictable. REALTORS are working harder than ever for many reasons. Here are a few reasons I think this is happening and I’d appreciate you all adding some of yours: There’s fewer of us! Is there anyone out there who’s MLS membership has actually grown? The standards and stakes are higher for everyone … (49 comments)
buyer agent: Who Are The Geniuses Authoring Those Automated MLS Feedback Questions?
- 07/16/12 09:58 PM
Do you ever wonder who the genius is who authors those automated MLS showing feedback questions? The agent filling out the form is not to be blamed, the questions are uninspiring and the choice of answers are uninformative. I’d love to find out if agents using MLS software other than Navica have any more useful questions on their feedback forms. Here’s Navica's…try to stay awake.
Buyer Agent Matilda has completed a showing of MLS # 99999 (99 Listing Lane SYLVA). How do you think your buyer(s) liked this listing?Interested…on a scale of one to huh?Do you think your … (51 comments)
buyer agent: RE-BLOGGING! ~ Buyers Ask - Can I Put Up a Fence for My Dogs?
- 06/10/12 08:19 AM
People often make the mistake of not paying attention to reading the Restrictive Covenants before their Due Diligence period is up. Truth be told, they really need to examine them BEFORE they make the offer. You never know what might be hidden in there. Toni points out a really important issue of fences for our beloved dogs but there could also be restrictions against parking your boat, an RV or allowing guests to stay longer than a weekend, etc. With pleasure, I re-blog this important post!
Buyers Ask - Can I Put Up a Fence for My Dogs? Buyers are … (12 comments)
buyer agent: The Upside of Rainy Day Showings ~ Speechless Sunday
- 06/10/12 07:23 AM
Showing houses during the rain usually isn't the first choice of Realtors or their clients, but we work with what we're dealt with. The upside of the rainy days in the summer in the mountains of Western North Carolina would have to be the jewel-like raindrops as the rest on the very happy blooms! Seeing beauties like this makes it all worth it... … (10 comments)
buyer agent: FAQ ~ What's In a Residential Offer to Purchase and Contract?
- 06/05/12 09:32 PM
Congratulations, you’ve decided upon the house you want. Now is the time to (gulp) make the commitment and put the offer in writing. Over the course of looking at houses, your buyer agent probably made good use of the togetherness time in the car by explaining “What’s In A Residential Offer to Purchase and Contract?”. The first thing to understand is that the document is a collection of mutually acceptable promises or terms. If both parties do not agree initially, then both sides counter offer and compromise until the contract suits both parties. There is a lot of language about … (12 comments)
buyer agent: FAQ ~ I'm Moving, How Can I Find a Good Agent in My New Location?
- 06/04/12 10:12 AM
If someone is getting ready to relocate to a new city, state or even a new country, one major concern could be, “How Can I Find A Good Agent To Help Me Find a New Home in an Unfamiliar Area?”. You have a couple of avenues available to you. If you are moving because of a new job, you can always reach out to your new employer for a referral to a couple of agents. If you are considering joining any groups that you are currently a member of locally, such as Rotary, National Organization for Women, an Animal Welfare … (7 comments)
buyer agent: FAQ ~ Is Calling the Listing Agent the Best Way to Look at Houses?
- 06/02/12 09:52 PM
“Is Calling the Listing Agent Always the Best Way to Look at Houses?”, is a question asked by many home buyers. It depends. Are your interests in looking at houses sincere and likely the beginning of a true hunt for a purchase suited to you or are you more of a curiosity seeker? Most agents, Listing Agents and Buyer Agents, are only interested in working with clients who are serious about selling or buying real estate. With the price of gas, gone are the days of joyriding with agents to “kill some time”. Good agents rarely have enough spare time … (16 comments)
What job could possibly be better than bringing people together by sharing our common interests and learning new ones?
Here's my opportunity to introduce conversations and photos of the area I feel so passionate about...the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.
This is one way to give you some background about me and our MoonDancer Realty company to help you make an informed decision about hiring us as your next REALTOR. I hope you enjoy the content as much I enjoy sharing it.
I'm looking forward to reading your comments and hope to meet you soon.
Consumers might feel Realtors are being a invasive during initial conversations about buying a house, but we have good reason to ask hard questions. We ask "have you spoken with a lender?" but that's just the beginning. It isn't enough to know that your debt to income ratio suggests you might well be able to afford the monthly mortgage payments. That's a good start but not enough to know what it might cost to buy a house.
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