Real Estate Information

I decided to answer this question today, since it is a valid concern many buyers have today. 

Q:  Can’t I just try the low-ball offer to see what the seller says? 

 A:  Before you make a low-ball offer, ask yourself how you would respond to the offer if you were the seller.  If your offer comes in too low, a seller may be insulted and just reject it outright.  This will weaken your negotiating position if you really want that house, if the seller decides to push it and see how high you are willing to go on the price. 

 Making an offer at fair market value, with price and terms that are fair to both you and the seller, will make for a smoother transaction.  You’ll be happy because you get the house you want at a price you’re willing to pay.  And the seller will be happy because they don’t feel like they’re giving their home away. 

 That is a win-win transaction, and those are the best kind. 

I've heard this question many times when working with a buyer: How much should I offer on the house I want? 

When it comes down to writing an offer, there are several factors to consider.

 1.  What is the condition of the home relative to others that have sold recently?

2.  What other things are you asking the seller to pay for? Closing costs, repairs, interest rate buy downs etc.

3.  What have similar homes sold for recently? 

4.  What is the average list to sale price ratio?  In most of the Orange Park and Jacksonville area, the average home sells for 97% of list price. 

 Your real estate agent will go over all of this information with you when writing an offer.  This is the same information a seller looks at when deciding whether to accept an offer or counter. 

I have come to realize in my real estate career that a lot of people aren’t aware of the fact that there are agents in the real estate business that actually specialize.  Some know there are agents that work commercial, others that work a particular area or neighborhood.  Interestingly, most don’t know that there is a different kind of specialty in Real estate that is actually a great advantage to the consumer. 

What I’m talking about is listing specialists and buyer’s agents.  Why would a real estate agent choose to work with just buyers or just sellers, and what advantage does it pose to the consumer?

A buyer (or listing) specialist is a great advantage to both the consumer and the agent, because it allows that professional to become an expert at what they do.  If all that individual is concentrating on is working with buyers for example, then they are going to know exactly how to find you the right house, write the best offer, and negotiate with the most experience and expertise for your behalf.  It’s kind of like the difference of going to a family doctor for a foot problem, or a podiatrist.  The family doctor is a great doctor, and very knowledgeable about the general practice of medicine, but the podiatrist concentrates solely on the feet and has a much better understanding of that particular area and the problems associated with it.

If you are looking to buy or sell, call around and see if you can find a team that has these specialties.  Nothing is more important than hiring the right agent for the job, especially when it comes to the biggest purchase you’ll ever make.

Jessica Touchton-Buyer's Specialist w/ The Landry Team Keller Williams Realty

(904-534-8416)  jtouchton@kw.com

This is any area of real estate I have noticed a lot of confusion in since beginning my career in the business, so I thought I would right a quick blog on it to help alleviate some of that confusion. 

If you are looking to sell your house in the state of Florida and you are married or were married, your spouse MUST sign the Deed at closing, even if they are not ON IT.  I know this may sound confusing, but in Florida La, even if you bought the property 20 years before you married your spouse, their signature still must be on it in order to convey title (sell).

Additionally, if you are buying a house, are married and only want to have one person on the deed well…sorry, no can do.  Unless the house is an investment property your spouse MUST be on the deed. If your concern is that of which your spouse has horrible credit and you will never qualify for a loan with them applying, there is no need to worry.  They don’t have to be on the actual note, which is the “promise to pay back the loan….with interest” of course.

If you have any other questions about buying or selling real estate, please feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to help!

Jessica Touchton-Buyer's Specialist w/ The Landry Team Keller Williams Realty

(904) 534-8416     jtouchton@kw.com

This is not something that happens very often, but when it does happen it makes you realize just how much you don’t like it to when it does.  Why sellers don’t leave their house when another agent is showing it to potential buyers is beyond me.  It’s possible that the listing agent didn’t explain this to the sellers.  It’ possible that the listing agent did, but the sellers for whatever reason don’t care, or simply don’t understand why exactly, they should leave?

Here are the top 3 reasons why sellers should leave when their house is being shown, in order of priority.

1)      It’s awkward and uncomfortable.  No buyer likes to walk through a house that they are thinking of buying and have the seller following them and watching every move they make.  The only correlation I can give you (and please pardon my bluntness) is that it’s almost like having a complete stranger watch you go to the bathroom.  Even if the seller doesn’t follow the buyers through every room, their very presence almost makes the buyer feel like an invader.  There’s simply no other way to put it.  People are inherently emotional, and there’s a good chance that buyer is going to remember the feeling they got when in that house rather than the actual upgrades and benefits it offered.  Don’t let the feelings for potential buyers be bad ones.

2)      You the seller can’t “sell” the buyers on the house like the actual house itself can!  If a buyer places an offer on the house and it's accepted then they will want to hear about all the wonderful features the house has to offer.  NOT before hand….trust me.

3)      They can’t see and visualize themselves living there when you are….right then and while they're looking.  I once showed a property where the owner’s teenage son and his friend were in the middle of watching a movie and eating while we where viewing the property.  All the lights were turned off, the curtains and shades were drawn.  I was almost surprised when he didn’t tell us to move out of the way as we walked in front of the TV to get to the back door.  Buyer’s need to be able to visualize and mentally place themselves living in the home.  I’ve almost had buyers not want to see a property just because the sellers were present. 

You’ll be doing yourself a big favor if you leave the house when it’s being shown to buyers.  I know it’s inconvenient and a pain in the butt, selling a home usually is.  By giving buyers a pleasant and welcoming experience and privacy while looking will mean more offers coming your way, and coming your way faster.

Jessica Touchton-Buyer's Agent w/ The Landry Team Keller Williams Realty

Working with buyers has enlightened me on what truly is a need and what is a want when searching to buy a new home.  Most of us have high hopes and expectations before we start actually looking at properties, thinking it is very easy and possible to find a home worth $200k for a price around $150k.  This can happen, but there is always a reason why a home will be priced below market value, and it takes looking at a few properties to come to this realization. 

When you begin your home search, it’s important to establish the difference between wants and needs when coming up with your with list.

What may be a want for one person could very well be a need for another.  Sit down with your agent, and go over the top 5 must haves, 1 being the absolute most important and number 5 being the least.  As you start looking at property remember this list!  It IS possible that your priorities may change and that’s OK, but the point of the “Top 5” is to keep it real when looking, as buying a home is a very emotional process.   Keep in mind that you may not get absolutely everything you want in your next home, that’s not uncommon.  It’s about trying to find the one that feels right and with a compromise you can live with.

Jessica Touchton-Buyer's Agent w/ The Landry Team Keller Williams Realty (904) 534-8416

Oakleaf Plantation's Annual Polar Plunge

Saturday January 16, from 8-10 am at the Plantation Oaks Athletic Center

For those two hours, the Plantation Oaks Athletic Center pools will be open, and you can swim like arctic seals and ride one of our two twisty-twirly slides. After you dip, you’ll be able to warm up in the clubroom with a piping hot breakfast, including scrambled eggs, bacon and more! The cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children. RSVP with payment at either Athletic Center. Reservations will close when we reach capacity. 

Call 904-406-2200x3 with questions.

As a Buyer’s Agent in Orange Park Florida I happen to see a lot of homes for sale showing buyers and previewing properties on a regular basis.  I think it’s important to note how much of an impression is made when buyers drive up to the home and see it for the first time.  A lot of opinions are formed within the first few seconds of seeing the outside of a house.   If more sellers only new that the curb appeal (or lack thereof) of a  home can either draw people in or completely scare them away, I think we’d have a larger number of attractive homes on the streets of America today.

Here are a few tips for upping the curb appeal whether you’re thinking about selling or just want to improve the outside look of your place.

1)       Less is more.  I know there is a lot of fun, cute “yard decorations” that you can buy at just about any store today but folks, if you MUST have some outdoor decoration, just keep it to a minimum….one or two fixtures at the most.  Clutter is just about as attractive and appealing on the outside as it is on the inside.

2)      De-weed.  Let’s just make this clear…NO, weeds are not the same as flowers, even if there IS a bloom on the end.  Just pull ‘em out and clean it up.  Weeds are about as attractive in your lawn as two inches of dust is on your TV.  You’ll be amazed at how much this cleans up the overall look of the property.

3)      Trim your bushes and prune the trees in your yard.  Remove any that are dead or sickly.  Buyers don’t like being greeted with deferred maintenance.

4)      Mow the lawn.  Do I really need to go into this?  If you can’t mow your lawn, then you MUST not have time to take care of the REST of the house either.  Serious RED FLAG for buyers!

5)      Add a little color.  I’m not saying you need to completely re-landscape the yard.  A few pots on the porch or by the front door with some pretty annuals can go a long way, for a cheap price.

Nothing I mentioned is going to cost you an arm and leg (barring no large tree removal), just some sweat equity and elbow grease.  A weekend of yard work and time with Mother Nature can mean a lot more green in your wallet.

Jessica Touchton-Buyer’s Agent w/ The Landry Team Keller Williams Realty (904) 534-8416

When I meet with buyers for the first time for our consultation, the question about short sales is one that almost ALWAYS comes up.  What exactly IS a short sale?  Does the bank own the home?  Why does the wait take so long and what exactly are you waiting for? 

To be perfectly honest, I try to avoid short sales AS MUCH as possible because to put it mildly I wouldn't wish the frustrating, long, and drawn out process on anyone.  Unfortunately, it's sometimes the short sale property (shown as a last resort) that the buyer falls in love with.  So what is a short sale, and why are they so darn frustrating?

To put it in the simplest terms possible, a short sale is a property that is still owned by the persons(s) that purchased it, with the contract between (YOU) the buyer and that current owner.  The sale of the property is just contingent upon the Bank (lien holder) approving the contract between the buyer and seller.  The property is NOT owned by the bank (not yet... it's slowly on its way), if it was it would be a foreclosure or REO.  Those can usually close quickly.

The most general reasons I can offer as to why short sales take so long for lien holder approval are because:

•)     Banks are inundated with short sale files and;

•      Their systems for handling them are unstructured, un-organized, and poorly managed.  Important paperwork and information is constantly misplaced.

This does not mean however that they cannot be closed successfully, and sometimes within a reasonable time frame.  Just make sure your buyer's agent knows what questions to ask the listing agent when considering submitting an offer on a short sale.  A few examples for him/her to ask are:

•      Who is the lien holder, and how many are there?

•      Will the seller be accepting and signing the contract, and will only one contract be submitted to the lien holder?

•      Will the listing be put as Contingent in the local multiple listing services (if applicable)?

If a short sale happens to be the one you fall in love with, don't think you can't eventually close on the house successfully.  It may just take some time (like 4-6 months or longer) and diligence.  Make sure you know exactly how long you are committed to that contract, and keep your expectations within reason.  There have been new laws passed recently that are supposed to help speed the process along, so keep an ear out as I'm sure we'll be hearing more about them in the coming months ahead.   Hopefully the new laws will benefit both buyers and sellers and the agents involved...unfortunately, only TIME will tell...

Jessica Touchton-Buyers Agent with The Landry Team Keller Williams Realty (904) 534-8416

HAP Deadline extended to September 30, 2010

The Homeowner's Assistance Program through the Dept. of Defense has extended their cutoff for reassignment to Sept. 30, 2010!  Previously, a service member had to have recieved orders for reassignment prior to Dec. 31, 2009. 

Service members that have to sell their homes due to a transfer are eligible for reinbursement of up 95% of the difference between the original purchase price and current market value.  The home must have been purchased (or contracted to be purchased) before July 1, 2006.

Check out the full guidelines and get an application. 

If you or someone you know might be able to take advantage of this, please contact us today!  We've successfully negotiated a HAP sale and would love to help you too!