5 Tips From a Buyer to Seller

In the world today it is rare for a buyer and seller to sit down together and make a deal. Normally they never actually meet face to face. This being said the only form of information that you know about the other is in written form. Here is some insight that buyer would relay to a seller if they could.

1. You should go look and see what your home looks like online.  

Chances are before listing your home you met with your agents and went over their marketing plan that they use for their listings. Somehow more often than not homes online receive a failing grade on their online presence with some of the traits below:

• One or two pictures
• No pictures at all
• Multiple photos that represent the photos poorly
• Descriptions that that seller would not approve such as: "this place is a mess"

Sometimes there is a glitch in the production but other times there is just an error in judgment that took place. It is free and easy for you to double check to make sure that your home is shown at it's best. 

Bad Photos of Home

   

2. If your home is overpriced, I will just wait for it to come down before I come see it.

You may think that the best idea is to list your home high and see who will make an offer; then if they don't they can talk you down. This works for some people and depending on the are could even be the best option for getting top dollar for your home. At the same time, in areas where the homes go for below-asking, buyers will not even consider looking at a home that they feel is overpriced. It is important that you speak with your agent and you choose wisely what avenue you want to take.  

3. I only have to find one home. 

Agents talk to their home buyers a lot about how they need to compromise on things they want to find in a home. The reality is that home buyers are not interested in market analysis. They are in the business of finding one home, only one. Ultimately, every buyer has to make some compromises as no home is perfect. Even in a heating market like the one we are in right now there are homes coming onto the market every single day. Any buyer has to find one that works for them so coming into a home they need to really feel inspired by it. If you take shortcuts when it comes to prepping your home it will not be at its' prime and therefore it will be overlooked. Make sure that it shines and is priced at an amount reasonable for the area.

4. If i pick your house apart, it means I like it.

Every buyer will trash talk a home they look at at some point whether it has horrid wallpaper or ugly decorations, etc. Somehow, someway the owners will find out about it and it will devastate them. The truth is the more the potential buyers nitpick the home and start the " I could do this, or we could change this" the more personal they are becoming with the home. They are picturing themselves starting a life there and trying to make it their own. This is good news believe it or not or because they are more likely to put in an offer. Try to remember that your style is not for everyone if these rude thoughts that have been said do come to your attention. 

5. The bar for staging is REALLY high.

With all the TV shows on HGTV on how to stage your home the average American expect your home to look like they do. Professional home staging has recently taken off and data has shown that these homes sell faster than homes that are not staged. Not only is your home competing with the others on the market, it is subconsciously competing in the buyers mind as the ones on television and in magazines. If you can afford to have it staged I would reccommend that you do so but that is not likely for most people. You still need to take the preparation of your home seriously and things to consider are:

• New paint
• What small improvements will get you top dollar for your home
• What furniture you should get rid of

Consult with your agent and an expert to see what needs to be done to your home before you list it. 

Bad Examples

  

Information brought to you by Trulia.com

                                                                  

Best Place to Start Your New Life After College

There are more than 1.8 million students in the United States that will be receiving bachelor degrees this May and looking to move into the next phase in life. The question they are asking is where should they look for a job? According to a new study done by the Business Journals, Austin, San Jose, and Washington offer the best chance for young adults to establish a successful life for themselves in America. 

10 Statistical Categories:

Population growth: Austin, 3.1% per year

Long-Term Private Sector Employment Growth: Austin, 1.5 % per year

Short-Term Private Sector Employment Growth: Austin, 4.6% per year

Per Capita Income: Bridgeport-Stamford, Conn., $78,504

Long-Term Income Growth: McAllen-Edinburg, Texas, 4.0% per year

Share of All Residents Who Are Between the Ages of 18 and 34: Provo, Utah, 32.9%

Annual Unemployment rate for workers between the ages of 16 and 34, Madison, Wis, 8.1%
Share of householders under the age of 45: San Jose, 25.5%

Share of people between the ages of 18 and 34 who hold a Bachelors Degree: WASHINGTON, 38.6%

Median Rent (Lowest): McAllen-Edinburg, Texas, $456 per month

Best in the United States:

East:

WASHINGTON

Boston

New York City

Baltimore

Pittsburgh

South:

Austin

Houston

Durham, N.C.

Oklahoma City

Raleigh

Midwest:

Des Moines, Iowa

Madison, Wis.

Omaha

Columbus

Minneapolis- St. Paul

West:

San Jose

Denver

San Francisco-Oakland

Seattle

Salt Lake City

Your First Toolbox!

Moving into your first home and thinking about doing some small projects? This list will give you the top 20 tools you will need to make a mini, yet functional tool box that will get the job done. A lot of people don't think to have these items until it is too late.

1. A Phillips Screwdriver. As you know a phillips is the most common tool you will find in a tool box, that is why it has been places as number 1 on this list. 
2. A Flathead Screwdriver. Having the right size flathead screwdriver will make all the difference so be sure to have a set of at least 3 different sizes. 
3. A Tape Measurer. This will come in handy from measuring empty space to sizing furniture. 
4. Level. You may think you are good at eye balling whether pictures are straight or not but it only takes one mm for it to look off.                   
5. Utility Knife. From opening boxes to unsealing closed windows, you will be surprised how many times you actually use this tool.         
6. Hammer. When doing a project or hanging pictures you can't go without this main tool.
7. Putty Knife. This is great for scraping and spreading glue and putty.
8. Nail Set. This is used for sinking nail heads below the surface of the wood so you can fill with putty and make the nail invisible.                               
9. Combination square. This can verify angles and measure depths as well as creating a straight line.
10. Pliers. The jaws of these pliers help hold objects firm as well as bending or pulling metal.
11. Adjustable Crescent Wrench. There is a screw built into the head of this wrench and turning it adjusts the size so it will fit almost any hexagonal nut. 
12. Wire Stripper. This has a blade for properly cutting wire to the correct length.
13. Allen Key. Some build-it-yourself furniture require a flush screw and this is where the hexagonal sockets come into place.                       
14. Power Drill. When your hands become too tired of drilling screws the luxury of having a power drill comes in handy.                                      
15. Extension Cord. A indoor-outdoor power cord will make your work space much larger. 
16. C- Clamp. This tool can hold all your work when you need to glue, saw, or file them.
17. Flashlight. This will come in handy for everything, a dark small crawl space to the power going out. Be sure to keep extra batteries on hand.                                      
18. Ladder or Step Stool. If you need an extra foot or more of height the ladder will become your best friend.                                                                                                                                       
19. Broom and Dustpan. Most projects are messy so keep a dedicated harsh debris broom.
20. Music. Every job is made easier with a little music. Just make sure if you are keeping a radio on your job site, that it is durable.                                                   

Healthiest Market Places

The market is officially on the rebound! Prices for homes are finally headed in a healthy direction for the new year. The info-graphic profile below are sitting pretty for the 2013 market. If you take a look at the median house and rent prices in the cities with strong job markets, a solid list of cities emerge. This list has very valuable information even if you are not looking to buy a home in the near future; what you read will stay in the back of your mind. 

Information brought to you by: Dailyinfographic.com

Recipes for the Barbecue

For the upcoming sunny weekend here is some delicious barbecue recipes that your taste buds will love!

Coconut-Grilled Corn

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tbs. palm sugar or light brown sugar, or more to taste
• 1 piece (2 in.) pandanus leaf (available in Asian markets) or 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 ears sweet corn, husked or husk stripped back and tied together to form handle

How to make it 



• 1
  Combine coconut milk, sugar, pandanus or bay leaf, and salt in small saucepan over medium heat. Let simmer gently until sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if necessary. Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool to room temperature.
• 2
  Preheat grill to high. When ready to cook, brush grill grate clean and apply thin coat of oil to grate. Place corn on hot grate; start basting with coconut milk mixture after a few minutes. Baste several times as it grills until nicely browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes  per side, 8 to 12 minutes in all, turning with tongs.
• 3
  Baste corn one final time, transfer to platter or plates, and serve. Serves 4.

Oriental Steak Skewers

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless beef sirloin tip roast
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
• 1 cup water

• 4 medium carrots, julienned
• 1/2 pound fresh green beans
• 1 large sweet red pepper, julienned
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/4 teaspoons prepared horseradish

How to make it 


• 1
  Cut beef width wise into 16 slices, 1/4 inch thick. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, sugar and ginger; add the beef. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours.
• 2
  In a saucepan, bring water and carrots to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the beans and red pepper; cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain and immediately place vegetables in ice water. Drain and pat dry.
• 3
  Drain and discard marinade from beef. Arrange three beans, one carrot strip and one pepper strip down the center of each beef slice; roll up. For each kabob use metal or soaked wooden skewers and thread two bundles on two parallel skewers.
• 4
  If grilling the kabobs, coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat or broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until beef reaches desired cook, turning once.
• 5
  In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mustard and horseradish. Serve with kabobs.

Read more: http://www.rd.com/food/recipes-cooking/coconutgrilled-corn-recipe/#ixzz2PbsKwliP

Renting > Owning

Here is How Renting Could Be the Better Deal

There are three factors involved that have a real impact on the rent versus buy math; mortgage rates, tax deductions, and how long you stay in your home. If any of these factors change buying a home won't look as inexpensive relative to renting. If you use our baseline assumptions of getting a 3.5% mortgage rate, deducting at the 25% bracket, and staying in your home for 7 years, buying is 44% cheaper than renting nationally. Here is the "but" 

• Lower mortgage rates lower the cost of owning. While buying is 44% cheaper than renting with a 3.5% mortgage, buying would be 39% cheaper than renting at 4.5% and only 33% cheaper at 5.5%. Higher rates mean a higher cost of owning, but prices today are low enough relative to rents that buying would beat renting even if mortgage rates rose two full points.

• Itemizing deductions lowers the cost of owning. Mortgage interest and property tax payments are typically deductible. If you itemize deductions (at the 25% tax bracket) regardless of whether you own or rent, buying is 44% cheaper. Without itemizing (read: you’re just taking the standard deduction), buying is still 35% cheaper than renting. This means that even if tax deductions were eliminated entirely – don’t worry, no one in Washington is seriously proposing anything that drastic – the rent-versus-buy decision probably wouldn’t change that much. Though it would probably encourage people to buy smaller or cheaper homes.

• Staying put longer lowers the relative cost of owning. The combined cost of buying and then selling a home can easily total more than 10% of the home’s value. Staying put longer means, in effect, spreading those costs over more years. Buying is 44% cheaper than renting if you stay put for 7 years, 37% for 5 years, and 20% for 3 years.

Mariners Opening Day!

Getting up on Monday is usually a drag, you had a fun weekend but now it is time to get back to work. Lucky for you this coming Monday April 8th, 2013 is no ordinary afternoon! Opening Day at Safeco Field is an experience unlike any other. Cheer on your Seattle Mariners as they take on the Houston Astros to kick off a new year.

Not to mention they have updated to some delicious gourmet food options!

1.  Italian sausage from Uli's Sausage, grilled onions and banana peppers on a bun. It is available at Double  Play Sausage+Chicken. 


2. The barbecue beef brisket sandwich-created by Seattle Chef Ethan Stowell- contains smoked, grass fed beef from Painted Hills, apple jalapeno coleslaw and whiskey-cola barbecue sauce on a sweet potato bun. It is available at Holy Smoke Barbecue.

3. The barbecue pulled-pork sandwich contains smoked pork from Carlton Farms, apple jalapeno coleslaw and whiskey-cola barbecue sauce on a sweet potato bun. It is available at Holy Smoke Barbecue.

4.A new cheeseburger contains meat from the Northwest Grass-Fed Beef Co. and contains lettuce tomato and special burger sauce on a potato bun. It is available at Big League Burger.

 

5. A new oyster po' boy features oysters from Taylor Farms and contains lettuce, tomato, and spicy remoulade on a bun. It's available at Hamburg+Frites.

 

Timeline of Buying A Home

Are you thinking about buying a home in the next year? Look over this monthly checklist as it will give you step by step of what you need to accomplish.

Month #1: April  

• Review your credit report
• Build and enhance your credit score.

Before you contact a real-estate agent you need to see if your credit is good enough to qualify for a mortgage. You then need to take the steps to make sure that your score is as high as it can be. Starting this step on month 1 will also give you a lot of time to correct any errors or inaccuracies on your report that may come up later.

Month #2: May

• Establish your income. 
• Asses your debts.  See what debts you have short and long term. Paying down your debts can help improve your credit score
• How much money do you have in savings? Brainstorm ways that you can condense on your daily life to increase the amount in savings.
• See if you pre-qualify for a mortgage. Take a calculator at home and see how large of a mortgage you can qualify for.
• What type of mortgage fits your needs. The more important question that needs to be answered on this step is "How much house can I afford" Write down your income versus your debts per month as well as what is in your savings so you can figure out how much per month you can afford as well as put in your down payment. 

Month #3: June

• Look into your transportation options. Are you planning on taking the bus? See if there is a local metro that will come your way. Otherwise you need to look into other options.
• How are the schools rated? If you have children or are planning on having them in the future the quality of the school district you are moving into can be very important. Be sure to do research on what district is most appealing to you.
• What amenities do you want in your home? Now is the time to be thinking about all the little things in a home from how many bedrooms you want to what size yard. A home that is missing the fireplace that you want more than anything could be a deal breaker for you so you need to establish your priorities. 

Month #4: July

• Check out the neighborhoods where you would like to live. You should start getting to know the areas you are looking to move into. Go for walks through the neighborhood and see if it is the atmosphere for you. You could even talk to homeowners who are outside to get a better feel for the area. 
• What properties are available now that fit your wants and needs? Viewing homes online is a good way to get a better feel for what amenities they have and the looks of the inside of the home.

Month #5: August

• Find an experienced agent that you can put all of your trust in.
• Discuss the market conditions.
• Discuss your timeline.
• Discuss what type of property you want to buy.
• Determine whether you can afford what you want in that neighborhood.

Most home-buyers still say that their agents are the best source of information during the home-buying process. It is really important to find an agent that you trust and feel you can ask any type of questions. Also, this is the stage where you need to finalize what amenities you are willing to sacrifice.

Month #6: September

• Lawyers
• Home Inspectors
• Insurers

Buying a home is an in-depth process and although you already have an agent there is more research that needs to be done. A lawyer, home inspector, and insurer may become involved in the process and although they might not it is important to have someone lined up just in case you need to hire them. 

Month #7: October

• Tax Forms You will need at least two years of tax returns so make sure you have that ready.
• Asset statements Make copies of your most recent savings account and be prepared toward the end you will need to make updates on these documents.
• Income statements 

Month #8: November

• Which lenders are in your area? You should start researching local lenders that you would want to work with.
• Pre-approval You will need to bring in all of your documentation to get a pre-approval letter. This is not a loan guarantee but you are allowed to shop around and negotiate with a seller because you can show that you can obtain financing. 

Month #9: December

• Sale Contract Reaching a sale contract may involve multiple counteroffers until you and the seller reach an agreement on the price and contingencies.
• Mortgage-related paperwork This is where your other research with professionals comes into play. You will need a home-inspector and maybe a lawyer to go over your contract.

Month #10: January 

• Review your lease and give proper notice to your landlord.
• Review your utility service. Are you going to need a new provider? Do you need to transfer or terminate your services? Now is the time to look into that more in depth.
• Moving Arrangements. Are you going to move yourself or hire a professional? (Professional movers recommend one week per room if you're moving yourself)
• Research moving costs. Look into the price of a moving truck, professional mover, and possibly even the cost of getting a storage unit. 

Month #11: February 

• Pack
• Prepare the new place for your arrival
• What's your closing date?
• Can you move right in or will there be a delay between moving in and moving out. If there is you will need to make arrangements for the overlapping time.
• There may be no lights, heat, phone, cable when you move in.  You will need to arrange for the utilities to be turned on at the proper time.

Month #12: March

• Don't leave yourself financially strapped if things don't go according to plan.
• Do not leave yourself without any other options.
  If things do not go according to plan such as you can't move in or out at the exact time you had in your mind, have a back up plan. 

Information brought to you by: MSN Real Estate