Category Archives: Seller Tips

Real Estate Websites: Just How Accurate is Their Data?

Posted on by
Reply

Real Estate Websites: Just How Accurate is Their Data?

Written by Mary Beth Tice

Living in the information age has without a doubt shaped the way we live. We expect information now and we expect it to be accurate. When it’s not given to us in a timely, accurate fashion, we grab our torches and pitchforks! No? Just me? OK then, we simply get annoyed.

Recently, a report posted on Inman News stated how some real estate sites are providing inaccurate data due to glitches in their syndication feeds. This particular article hit a nerve with me as I monitor Team Gale’s listings online but despite my best efforts, I can’t watch thousands of sites every day to ensure accurate data and more often than I like, have received emails requesting data for listings that are under contract or closed months (or even years) ago. Because this report was on the national level, I decided to take a look at three top real estate sites and how they compared to our own TeamGale.net.

The Search

To start off, I ran a simple search in the Wilmington MLS for single-family homes currently listed in the 28401 zip code with 3+ bedrooms, 2+ baths (this includes home with 1 full and 1 half bath), and priced at $200,000 or less. At that time, my search yielded 53 results. (By “currently listed,” I excluded any homes that are listed Active Contingent, Active Short Sale Contract, Active Due Diligence and Active Temporarily Off Market. These homes either have an accepted offer or are not available for some reason.)

I then ran the same search on TeamGale.net, Realtor.com, Zillow.com and Trulia.com. Because Zillow and Trulia allow owners to post their own homes for sale, I eliminated any For Sale by Owner listings and only focused on MLS-feed listings. Each site pulls from multiple MLS feeds and handles them differently, so I also verified each address with the Wilmington MLS.

The Results

TeamGale.net yielded 59 results, 53 were from the Wilmington MLS and 6 were from the Brunswick or Topsail MLS and the same properties pulled from the Wilmington MLS. Realtor.com yielded 75 results, 8 of which were duplicates from the 3 area MLS’s, so 65 listings total. Of these 1 pulled from a different zip code and 12 were showing as Active when they are in fact Active Contingent, Active Short Sale Contract, Active Due Diligence or Active Temporarily Off Market. Neither TeamGale.net nor Realtor.com had any missing properties.

Zillow yielded 53 results. Of these 53, 1 was a land listing incorrectly classified as a Single Family Home by Zillow, 1 was marked Pending (Under Contract), 1 was in a different zip code, 6 were marked Active but are in fact Active Short Sale Contract and 10 were missing from my results. Of these 10 missing listings, one had an incorrect number of bedrooms and therefore did not appear in my results, 1 was listed as a bank-owned and not as a resale with the wrong contact information (my search excluded any properties not in any MLS) and the other 8 were marked as not for sale.

Trulia yielded 56 results. Of these 56, 1 was in a different zip code (yes, I noticed this trend too!), 5 were either Active Contingent, Active Short Sale Contract, Active Due Diligence or Active Temporarily Off Market, 1 was marked Active but actually is Pending, and 2 are Expired but marked Active. There were an additional 7 missing listings. Of these 7, one was listed only as a rental and not for sale and the remaining 6 were marked as not for sale.

But I know in some cases, it’s not just about the results, it’s about the visual appeal and extras they throw in, the bells and whistles so to speak. How do these sites rate and are the bells and whistles accurate? (I know what you are thinking, “Of course she will say TeamGale.net will be the best,” but please, bear with me and finish reading this before you pass judgment on my judgment.)

I selected items that potential buyers like seeing on sites as well as some things they might not think of, such as site update speed, and marked whether or not they are available, accurate and easy to locate. The chart below outlines my findings.

Feature

TeamGale.net

Realtor.com

Trulia

Zillow

# of Bathrooms

Posted

Shows only Total Baths, Homes with 1.5 baths and 2 full baths each show as 2 baths

Posted

Posted

# of Bedrooms

Posted

Posted

Posted

Posted, Found 1 posted incorrectly

Dimensions

Posted

Posted, Shows part in Property Features and part in Interior Features

Not Posted

Not Posted

Extras/Features

Not Posted

Posted

Some Posted

Some Posted

Lot Size

Posted

Posted

Posted in Public Records field, not MLS field

Posted

Price

Posted

Posted

Posted

Posted

Property History

Not Posted

Field available, Doesn’t auto-populate

Posted

Posted

Property Type

Posted

Posted

Posted

Posted, found 1 inaccuracy

Readability/Ease of Use

Easy to use, Information divided up by clickable tabs

Difficult to read, Sections aren’t thought out well with information oddly divided at times

Easy to use, Well sectioned, Informative tabs

Easy to use, Well sectioned

Remarks/Description

Posted

Doesn’t Auto-Fill from all MLS’s

Posted

Posted

Schools Listed

Posted

Posted in Property Features and offers list of area schools

Area list

Posted, Viewer has to click “More Facts” link

Site Update Rate

Updates Wilmington MLS several times a day, Other MLS’s within 24 hours

Updates several times a day, 24 hours at most

Updates within 72 hours

Updates within 72 hours

Square Footage

Range only posted

Range posted correctly, Field for actual doesn’t always auto-populate

Lists only the Max from the range

Actual Only

Status

Only posted if Active in MLS (no subcategories). One address can be listed as both a rental and for sale if in the MLS as such

Posts all Active & subcategories of Active. One address can be listed as both a rental and for sale if in the MLS as such

Posted but not all are accurate, homes cannot be listed as both a rental and for sale

Posted but not all are accurate, homes cannot be listed as both a rental and for sale

Virtual Tour Linked

Posted

Posted

Posted

Posted

Each of the sites I looked at has their pros and cons. For example, TeamGale.net only shows homes that are marked as For Rent or Active without any contingences but doesn’t show you For Sale By Owners or properties not entered into one of the local MLS’s, property extras or how many times the price has been dropped. Realtor.com also doesn’t show For Sale By Owners or properties not entered into a MLS system and can be difficult to locate the data you want but the data displayed is accurate. Trulia and Zillow each allow a home owner to list their property for sale without the use of a REALTOR® but the data that is fed through syndication isn’t always accurate and you might miss out on a great home that is for sale simply because it’s not listed as such on one of these sites.

Considering listing your home for sale? Realtor.com, Zillow and Trulia each offer what they think a home is valued at and each provide nearby listings/comparable properties for the viewer, but unless you know how to adjust pricing for square footage, bedroom, bathroom, features, etc. differences, it’s best to ask a licensed real estate agent for comparables and an estimated asking price (a service known as a CMA that most will provide for free to a potential client).

Bottom Line Analysis

The bottom line is simple. If you are daydreaming about moving to Hawaii or just want to see what your home may be worth, Zillow and Trulia are great for a very broad overview. If you are serious about relocating or selling but haven’t yet picked out an agent to work with, Realtor.com is your best option for accurate representation of MLS-feed data. Once you narrow down who you are working with, the local sites with an IDX feed (such as TeamGale.net) instead of a syndicated feed are hands down your best option. Additional perk of TeamGale.net that Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com lack? Live chat. If you have a question, we are available to answer it immediately and if we are not online, we are notified via text and will respond to your chat request quickly.

Weekend DIY: Your Bathroom

Posted on by
Reply

Weekend DIY: Your Bathroom

by Mary Beth Tice

Looking to refresh your bathroom without breaking the bank? Try these simple methods to update one of the most used rooms in your home quickly and easily. (Ideas in this post as well as images come from Real Simple’s slide show “20 Ways to Upgrade Your Bathroom.”)

Old wooden crates aren’t just for the farmers’ market, use a few to hold extra toilet paper and rolled bath towels.

Nightstands aren’t just for the bedroom! Use your to hold makeup, hair brushes and small towels and more so you aren’t cluttering up your vanity. 

Pedestal sinks look great but often create a lack of storage. Adding a simple skirt will allow you to stash cleaning products, extra toilet paper and more while keeping it all out of sight. 

Whether you have kids with bath toys, dozens of bottles of shampoo (like me) or just lack a tub caddy, use a multilevel wire fruit basket to add storage and charm. 

No towel rod or hook? Install one with a shelf to add quick storage and keep your towels off the bathroom floor. 

Drawers often get over looked and space in the smallest room of the house is often at a premium. Instead of buying drawer dividers that won’t allow you to move them freely and therefore waste valuable space, get small organizers of various shapes that allow you to rearrange as your needs change. 

Love to soak in the tub after a long day? Place scented candles around the space, buy relaxation bath salts and plush towels to make the experience even more relaxing. 

Add an over-the-tub wire rack adds storage, a place to set your book during your bath and a nice touch when not in use. 

Do you have a lonely sugar bowl missing its creamer counterpart? Put it to use by filling it with cotton balls or swaps and sitting next to your toothbrush cup. (See next tip.) 

Have old cracked crystal or serving dishes no longer in use? Use random cups, pitchers and dishes to hold toiletries and make your random collection look not so random by placing it all on a serving tray or large platter. 

Old wooden crates not your style? Store extra toilet paper in a woven basket or tall cylindrical vase (make sure it’s wide enough for your rolls). 

 

Need an extra mirror but your vanity or wall won’t allow for one? Installing a retractable one not only saves space but looks great! 

Fresh flowers and greenery add brightness to any room. Clip a few sprigs from the plants out back or pick up a few fresh flowers at the store. Not only do they look great, but they add a fresh scent that only nature can provide. 

Old vanity table smelling a bit musty? Add a tablet of preserved cranberries and orange slices inside the drawer to add a pleasant fragrance when you pull out your hair brush. 

Bathrooms should feel relaxing. Paint a calming color on the walls will give the room a tranquil feeling. (Use a no/low VOC paint to keep fumes at bay or turn on your fan to whisk the vapors out faster.) 

Worn out/outdated tiles can be an expensive pain to replace. Instead paint them to breathe new life into your bathroom. Feeling bold? Opt for a bright, yet complimentary hue to add some cheer and vibrancy to the space. 

More people are turning to the towel hook over the towel rod for its ease of hanging up your towel without having to fold it, ability to hang more towels in a smaller space and fresher look. Consider adding an additional hook for the bathmat to dry faster between showers.

Have a bathroom window and don’t know how to cover it in without the humidity from daily showers ruining your blinds or curtains? Opt for faux-wooden blinds. They offer the beauty of their wooden counterparts but without the worry of warping or water damage. 

While not a quick fix, if you have a gorgeous view (instead of the neighbor’s yard), consider expanding your window or adding one to let the light (and view) in. 

Happy Decorating!

View more home decor and staging tips!

Love reading Team Gale’s blog? Subscribe to the Team Gale blog feed!

Notable News for September 14, 2012

Posted on by
Reply

Notable News for September 14, 2012

Written by Mary Beth Tice

Once again I have a list of some of my favorite articles, posts and whatnot from the random ends of the internet. Here is this week’s list of notable news:

From Inman.com:

When the market fell, all homeowners were affected in some way. Some that lost their homes to foreclosure or short sales talk about how they were permanently affected. Read “Small but ‘committed bunch’ reject homeownership”

Love to read? Lord knows I do, so when I saw this review on Inman.com for Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly, my interested was peaked. Take a look at Tara-Nicholle Nelson’s review then head over to your local book store and grab a copy!

There is a lot of information regarding reverse mortgages out there. If you are considering a reverse mortgage check out Jack Gutten’s series on the how, when & why to a take a reverse mortgage.

 

Quick Tips from Coldwell Banker Blue Matter Blog:

Selling or refinancing your home? An appraisal may be in order! Check out these tips to increase chances of a high appraisal.

Just because the air is turning crisp and the leaves are falling doesn’t mean it’s time to put away the lawn mower. Follow these simple steps to have a lovely lawn now and this spring.

 

Foreclosure & Short Sale News

Worried that you won’t be able to make your mortgage payment? Both short sales and foreclosure affect your credit, but which has the more lasting, negative impact? 

Speaking of short sales and your credit, how do the new short sale guidelines from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac affect the seller’s credit?

 

And in Case You Missed Any TeamGale.net News this Week…

Need to sell quickly? Find out what upgrades help and which ones hinder your ability to sell your house quickly.

Buying your first home can seem like a daunting task. If you aren’t sure where to start, I outline the buying process with these first time home buyer steps.

 

As always, I hope you enjoy this week’s Notable News!

Happy Reading!

Love reading Team Gale’s blog? Subscribe to the Team Gale blog feed!

Need to Sell Your House Quickly? Upgrade Dos & Don’ts to Sell Quickly

Posted on by
1

Need to Sell Your House Quickly? Upgrade Dos & Don’ts to Sell Quickly

Written by Mary Beth Tice

Whether it’s a buyer’s market or a seller’s market, there are dozens of tips and tricks out there to help your house sell quicker than the one down the street. But when it comes to upgrades, which ones turn buyers off and which ones have them running to the closing table? (Please note, these tips are for upgrading your home to sell quickly, not necessarily to live in it. If you are planning on living in your home, upgrade the way you want to, it’s your home after all!)

Keeping Your Property Comparable to the Neighborhood

Modern Living Room

Ever heard the saying “Buy the cheapest house in the most expensive neighborhood you can afford?” Well if not, now you have, and that is exactly what buyers are looking to do. Before you start upgrading, make sure that your upgrades won’t push your home out of the neighborhood price range. Replacing your outdated tub with a new one is great but unless the neighborhoods all have Jacuzzi tubs, don’t over-indulge potential buyers because they may see it as too lavish and a turn-off. This goes for installing new cabinets, counters, and appliances. New is great for drawing in buyers but don’t upgrade so much that you will either be the most expensive house on the street or eat most of your costs.

Outside your house, keep your landscaping and lawn maintenance up to date but avoid putting in new patios or decks (unless of course, you are the only one without). New siding on your house can add visual appeal and if it has a warranty, is a great feature to tout. Have a leaky roof? Fix the leak now and save yourself the headache of repair requests later.

Tried & True Updates

Unless your home is 20 years old and you have never replaced anything, chances are you can update a few items without having to upgrade and sell your house quickly without taking a price hit. Some tried and true updates are: new paint in neutral colors, steam cleaned carpets, fixing any cosmetic issues (structural issues should be repaired by a professional), re-caulking windows, tubs and sinks, deep cleaning, and de-cluttering. (No time to clean? Consider hiring a professional for a one-time deep cleaning. Same goes for steam cleaning your carpets. The money spent will be well worth the time and effort you save not doing it yourself.)

Whether you opt for updates or upgrades, the trick to selling your house quickly is making sure you don’t over price it. This is especially hard when you upgrade your property for selling as upgrades can lead to higher asking prices. So before you upgrade, know how much you want to sell for, how much the upgrades will cost and what the neighborhood standard is.

Happy Selling!

Love reading Team Gale’s blog? Subscribe to the Team Gale blog feed!

Staging Your Home: How to Keep it Perfectly Staged

Posted on by
Reply

Staging Your Home: How to Keep it Perfectly Staged

Written by Mary Beth Tice

Staging Your Home: How to Keep it Perfectly Staged

It’s finally happened- you have decided to sell your house. You paid for a professional stage or staged it yourself and now you are not quite sure how to live in your house until it sells. Learning how to keep your house show-ready and staged 24/7 can be hard, but with a little work, your house will be picture perfect around the clock.

Keeping Kiddie Clutter at Bay

If you have kids, regardless of their age, chances are you have kid clutter. Toys, video games, book bags, games, etc. are most likely in every room of your house. This can make staging your house difficult and keeping it staged even more difficult. What should you do? Statistically speaking, the average child will play with only 5 toys in one location within a 30 day period. These means that everything else can be packed up. However, as the parent, you should do the toy picking and toy packing while your child is away and/or sleeping. Asking them what they want to keep will most likely result in tears and I hate seeing kids cry. You probably already have a good idea what your kid plays with the most, but if you need help, put up all their toys every night and see what appears back on the floor each night for a week.

Clutter-Free Kitchen

Keeping the kitchen show ready and perfectly staged is difficult, especially if you are like me and have a fear of doing the dishes (OK, it’s not a fear so much as laziness). But you can easily keep the kitchen perfect with minimal effort.

First of all, pack up all the dishes except for one complete set per person (if you have 5 people in your household, keep out 5 plates, cups, bowls, forks, etc). After each meal you will be forced to wash, dry and put away the dishes or be forced to eat your next meal with your bare hands over the sink. Same goes with pots and pans. Chances are you can get away with a 4-piece pot set and one baking sheet. If you eat a lot of pasta (like me) keep out a colander. This can also double as a steamer basket and will eliminate one more piece of cabinet clutter.

Be sure to wipe down your counters and stove, damp mop and take out the trash each night as part of your clean the kitchen routine or just before heading out the door each morning.

Banish Bedroom Blues

If you found that most of your de-cluttering took place in your bedroom, then keeping it picture perfect can seem overwhelming. Instead of stressing, simply spend a few minutes each day to keep it clean. Put any laundry in the hamper and then do a load each night or every other night to keep it to a minimum. When you take off your jewelry or shoes, put them back up right away. In the morning, make the bed and straighten up the nightstand (no one wants to see your half drank glass of water and copy of Fifty Shades of Grey next to your bed).

Pretty Up the Powder Room

Bathrooms are easily cleaned in less than 5 minutes if you do it daily. Spray the curtain liner and shower walls with daily shower mist, wipe down the counter, sink, mirror and toilet seat & lid with a multi-purpose wipe, straighten towels, and empty the trash. Depending on the level of traffic in your house, you may need to damp mop daily or mop once a week.

Fix the Furniture

Even though people are there to look at your house and not your furniture, it is still a focal point that can be distracting to some. Take a second before heading out in the morning to fluff the pillows and straighten the throws on the couch. Tidy up any mess on the coffee/end tables and vacuum high traffic areas daily. Low traffic areas can be vacuumed every few days or once a week depending on your household (I have two dogs, once a week would never cut it for my home). If you do have kids and their school stuff/toys have found their way into living areas, put them away prior to bed each night.

Once a Week

Once a week you will have to put in a tiny bit more effort in keeping things picture perfect. Sorry, but it’s true. One day a week you need to vacuum the stairs, vacuum all rooms, actually clean the bathroom (yes, you still need to scrub the toilet), mop the kitchen and bathrooms with cleaner, and dust the furniture, ceiling fans and baseboards. This still won’t take much longer than 1-2 hours depending on the size of your house.

Opt for Convenience

The cleaning industry has made millions on lazy people like me. If you find yourself wasting more time trying to track down your cleaning supplies then it takes to clean something, please opt for one of the dozen convenience products designed to help you save time. There is daily shower mist that eliminates the need for elbow grease, window cleaner wipes & multi-surface wipes clean without streaking and we all know how awesome Swifter can be when it comes to dusting and mopping your floors. I even have a Roomba, a lovely little “vacuuming” machine that keeps surface dirt and fur off my carpet. All these things will save you time and help keep your house staged & show ready.

Happy Staging!

Love reading Team Gale’s blog? Subscribe to the Team Gale blog feed!

Can I Own a Home Again After Facing Foreclosure?

Posted on by
Reply

Can I Own a Home Again After Facing Foreclosure?

Written by Mary Beth Tice

Rebuilding your financial life after a foreclosure can seem overwhelming but with some work and persistence, you can once again own a home.

 

Find Steady Employment

Unemployment can put you on the fast track to foreclosure. The best thing you can do is find and maintain a steady and permanent job after facing foreclosure. Because lenders look at your employment record, switch employers only if you are trading up or moving. (Whenever possible, attempt to be promoted within the company. This shows longevity with the same employer.) Can’t find a job at your desired pay scale? Opt for a lower paying job over unemployment until you can land a more desirable job to build employment history.

 

Build Your Savings

Chances are you used most if not all of your savings trying to prevent foreclosure. In order to make a potential lender comfortable, you will need to build up a minimal savings of 6 months living expenses (this includes 6 months of mortgage payments as well). Not sure how to start? Track your expenses using a spreadsheet, your online banking access or through a third-party like Mint.com. (Tip- nix dining out to once a month and opt for eating at home and brown bagging lunches.)

 

Improve Your Credit Score

Foreclosures will impact your credit score for 7 years however, if you pay down credit cards (and keep them down) and pay on time each month, you can raise your score over time. You can consult a housing counselor free of charge through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development if you have a foreclosure in your past.

 

Tired of Waiting? Reduce Your Wait Time!

Currently Fannie Mae requires a wait time of 7 years before you can apply for a new mortgage, but you have a couple options available. If you can show extenuating circumstances (such as job loss, divorce, unexpected medical expenses), you may be able to reduce your wait to 3 years. If that is not an option, you can bypass the traditional mortgage with a lease with option to buy or seller financing. Both options require agreement by both parties and as a buyer, you may have to present payment and job histories to the seller.

 

Be Honest & Upfront

When you attempt to purchase a home again (either with a traditional mortgage or seller financing), the smartest thing you can do is be honest. If you try to hide it and your past is uncovered, you will hurt your approval chances. Instead, show your mortgage broker or the seller what you have done to improve the situation.

Coming back from a foreclosure is a daunting task but if you are persistent, one day you can own a home again. View more information on buying your next home.

Information in this post was gathered from HouseLogic.com.

 

Love reading Team Gale’s blog? Subscribe to the Team Gale feed!

Why Should I Hire a REALTOR?

Posted on by
Reply

Why Should I Hire a REALTOR?

Since the birth of the Real Estate Agent, followed then by the birth of the REALTOR®, people have often wondered “Why do I need to hire an agent? It’s not that hard to sell a house, all I have to do is put a sign in the yard.” Well it is easy, if you are a professional. Otherwise, it’s a lot like walking into court without a lawyer and really, how often does that work out?

Why Should I Hire a REALTOR?

Written by Mary Beth Tice

I spend 98% of my waking life online, as does most of my generation. Even when I am not on my computer, I am connected by my phone to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare, and Google+. I can’t walk past a QR code without scanning it to see where it takes me. And in the last 24 hours I have had so much fun with my Google Goggles, I should probably remove the app. Bottom line, I not only love to be connected to my friends, I love how much I learn about the most random things. “Why is College Road backed up?” Twitter can tell you before the radio can! “Why is the sky blue?” Hello Google Search! “What’s that house worth?” Let me check my Zillow app!

Wait…there’s an app for that? Yes there is, in fact there is an iPhone app that allows the user to snap a photo of a home and instantly get all the details publically available on that home, even if it’s not listed for sale (View more info on the HomeSnap app). But before you get all uber excited and think it means you now hold all the info you ever need in the palm of your hand and you never again need a REALTOR®, give me five minutes, Mary Beth has a thought about that.

Since the birth of the Real Estate Agent, followed then by the birth of the REALTOR®, people have often wondered “Why do I need to hire an agent? It’s not that hard to sell a house, all I have to do is put a sign in the yard.” Well it is easy, if you are a professional. Otherwise, it’s a lot like walking into court without a lawyer and really, how often does that work out?

REALTORS® pack a wonderful punch. They are knowledgeable about the area, they know where the schools and parks are, they know what the house up the road sold for (chances are, your neighbor wasn’t completely honest when telling you about their “killer deal”), and they can usually sniff out a qualified buyer in a crowd of “lookie loos.”

Anyone can advertise a property nowadays. All you do is post a free ad online.

Think that advertising your property is as easy as posting a Craigslist ad or creating a personal website? Consider this, by placing your listing in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), it streams to REALTOR.com, Zillow, Trulia, Homes.com, FrontDoor.com, Yahoo Real Estate, AOL Real Estate and many, many more national sites. This does not include every local real estate firm’s website containing a MLS IDX feed. Also, REALTORS® pay good money for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on their site which means in the time it takes for your website to even start to rank on Google, a REALTOR® could have had your property sold.

Let’s take it out of the internet for a second. Your agent typically will promote your listing by emailing their network of agents and potential buyers (internet-based I know, but bear with me), in sales meetings, Broker luncheons (these easily cost $500-$1,000), postcards to your neighborhood and/or farming area, flyers, photos & video tours, print ads in real estate publications, local magazines & newspapers and more. All of this is done without asking for additional payment outside their commission (which is not the full percent on the listing paperwork, it’s actually split 4 ways, the buyer’s agent and firm get about half and your agent’s firm gets part as well). It’s your agent’s job to get your property sold. If they don’t get the job done, they lose money.

OK Mary Beth. I can do [most of] that. What else you got?

OK. I know that all seemed simple but tell me this- someone calls off your “For Sale” sign at 3 PM on a Tuesday afternoon wanting to see your house RIGHT NOW. Can you show it? Do you even know if they can afford to buy it? Chances are the answer is no to both questions. Agents can easily show your house even if you are stuck at the office thanks to the lockbox, so potential buyers can see your house at the drop of a hat and without annoying your boss. Also, in North Carolina, to even become a licensed Real Estate Broker, you have to know how to pre-qualify a potential buyer. This requires information that typically buyers will not give to a seller. And if you think that asking to see a pre-qualification letter from the bank will work, think again, a letter will include the max amount a buyer can afford. In other words, it contains information buyers don’t want to you know, so you probably won’t see it.

But at the end of the day, I am still saving 6%. That’s a lot on my $250,000 house!

Did you know that offers on a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) property are typically lower than what they would be if you were working with a REALTOR®? Why? Buyers automatically reduce their offer by whatever the standard commission rate is in your area. Also, because you are not working with someone, buyers think that can lowball you even more. So you really don’t save much, in fact, you will probably lose money.

But let’s say you got an offer and it seems decent. You want to negotiate and get the best price for your house. Can you stay level-headed during the entire process? Do you have a place to hold the Earnest Money that the buyer is comfortable with? Are you able to be home to let in all the inspectors, appraisers, surveyors and whoever else might need to get in? Can you write a contract that protects you while remaining legally binding? (FYI, NC REALTORS® use pre-drafted forms that are approved by both the NC Real Estate Commission and NC Bar Association.)

My question is simple: What is YOUR time worth? Isn’t it worth more than all the hassles, headaches and stress that a REALTOR® can alleviate? Remember- even the president of ForSaleByOwner.com used a REALTOR® to sell his house a few years ago.

But Mary Beth, I am not selling, I am buying my new home. Why do I need a REALTOR®?

Once upon a time, NC did not have Buyer’s Agents, everyone represented the seller and as a buyer, you had to keep all your thoughts to yourself or risk the seller finding out. Luckily times have changed and you now can have your own representation. And it’s FREE. Wait, free? Yes, free! The seller 99% of the time pays both sides of the commission out of their proceeds and as the buyer, you don’t. Simple as that. Personally, if I can have a free agent, I will take it! Also, REALTORS® have a network of amazing home inspectors, appraisers, surveyors and repair guys that they trust to do the job right the first time. Unless I had a similar list, I would prefer to rely on word of someone with my best interest in mind.

But personally,  I think Tom Gale of Team Gale says it best:

“I’ve known buyers that have chosen not to use my services and then lament that the home they purchased was in the flood plain or there were defects in the home and they didn’t know until after closing or problems with the title that prevented them from purchasing the home after they had spent lots of money and time planning to move in.  The crazy part is that hiring a REALTOR® as your buyer’s agent is almost always free since the seller typically pays for the commissions, so the buyer isn’t even saving a dime.”

 So what you are really saying is…

At the end of the day, the choice is really yours. After all, I am just a voice out in cyberspace and I can’t make decisions for you (there is yet to be an app for that). But I can leave with you one more of Tom Gale’s quotes that is a personal favorite of mine:

“As with any profession, just because you CAN do it yourself doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.  Whether it’s doing a home remodel, representing yourself in court, or taking out your pesky appendix, some things are just better left to the professionals.”

Happy House Hunting!

If you are ready to work a REALTOR®, please contact Team Gale! If you are unsure, contact us anyways! We can go over exactly what we can do to help you buy or sell real estate in Southeastern North Carolina.

Love reading Team Gale’s blog? Subscribe to the Team Gale feed!

Housing Style: In a World of Cookie-Cutter Homes, What Stands Out?

Posted on by
Reply

Housing Style: In a World of Cookie-Cutter Homes, What Stands Out?

Written by Mary Beth Tice

Drive through any new subdivision these days and you will notice a growing trend- cookie-cutter homes with no distinguishable features at first glance. With most new construction resembling a paint-by-numbers book, you have to wonder, what makes a home stand out in a crowd, particularly while on the market?

Curb Appeal

Whether or not you are selling your house, curb appeal is a great way to stand out when your house is one of a million instead of one in a million. Trees, bushes and flowers are all great ways to add appeal, but think a bit BOLDER! If your HOA allows, consider painting your door and shutters beautiful contrasting colors to add a visual pop. Unique light fixtures also add a special something not found on your neighbor’s lot. When planting flowering plants, alternate plants with different bloom seasons so your yard has color year-round.

Step up the Design Inside

Now that you have the most visually appealing house on the block, it’s time to step up the appeal on the inside. A common use for a finished room over the garage (FROG) is a home office. Step up the design by turning your office into a library. If yours is a TV room, go a step further and turn it into a media room complete with surround sound and room darkening curtains. If you have the space and funds, add a bathroom to your FROG and create an in-house guest suite.

In the kitchen, upgrade your appliances. Invest in a downdraft range, stainless steel appliances and pull out shelves in your cabinets. Other great swaps are real wood cabinets instead of pressed board, granite counters instead of laminate and ceramic tile for vinyl.

Simple tips like this can be followed throughout your house in order to make it truly unique. Just take your current design and step it up a bit!

Have any tips you would like to add? Post them in the comments!