Monday, June 5, 2017 / by John Murdock -- CityScapeMetroGroup
Making an offer on a house—much like a marriage proposal—is equally exciting and anxiety-inducing. After spending quality time browsing listings, hitting up open houses, and obsessively fiddling with mortgage payment calculators, you've finally found the house you want to spend the rest of your life with. You and your real estate agent put together your offer, aiming for the perfect dollar amount and closing terms. Maybe you even included an offer letter to show you're really committed. Your agent submits the offer, but what can you expect next?
"Once you submit an offer, one of three things can happen," says Kevin Kieffer, a real estate agent in Danville, CA. "Your offer is accepted, your offer is rejected, or the seller counters your offer." OK, so then what?
If your offer is flat-out rejected
The seller might decide the amount you're willing to pay is lower than what she's willing to accept. If this happens 7 ...
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Thursday, June 1, 2017 / by John Murdock -- CityScapeMetroGroup
A successful home renovation is contingent upon many factors, but none is more important than finding a reliable contractor. The person you hire should be able to do a stellar job without running way over your budget or delaying the project. So what's the best way to locate someone to tackle your remodel the right way? We went straight to the source(s) and spoke with contractors, builders, and other real estate pros to get their unbiased opinion on how to find a contractor that's perfect for you. Here are some basic steps they recommend for all homeowners.
Step No. 1: Get a referral from people (and websites) you trust
It's not uncommon to ask a friend or relative for the name of a good contractor, but you should also look to a trusted professional for their honest referral.
"If your real estate agent, attorney, or CPA recommends a contractor to you, they're putting their own reputation on the line," says Jesse Johnston&n7 ...
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Wednesday, May 10, 2017 / by John Murdock -- CityScapeMetroGroup
You’ve seen every house on the market and you’ve finally found the spot you can't wait to call home. In fact, you’ve mentally decorated it and planned your new life, down to the barbecues and block parties you’ll have with your awesome new neighbors. Sweet!
Slow down there, dear buyer. As you know, you still have one giant hurdle to overcome: You've got to make the offer that wins the house. And in a highly competitive housing market, that can be easier said than done. Don’t blow your chances with any of these common home offer mistakes.
1. Dragging your feet
If you love a property, the worst thing you can do is wait to make an offer. Of course, you're allowed to have some feelings of uncertainty—after all, this is likely the biggest financial decision of your life. But the longer you vacillate, the greater the chances you'll set yourself up for failure.
"Time kills deals," says Andrew Sandholm of BOND New Y ...
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Wednesday, May 10, 2017 / by John Murdock -- CityScapeMetroGroup
When you move into a place, it's normal to want to make it your own, by hanging pictures or even painting an accent wall cherry red. But when you're renting, you'd best remember: Any changes you make may be reversed by your landlord once you move out and with your money. That's why renters have to walk a fine line between making themselves feel at home and making changes that will cost them their security deposit.
"If you decide to paint the walls while you are there, you must return them to their original color or the landlord is within their rights to use the deposit to pay for it themselves," says Trent Zachmann of Renters Warehouse. He explains that many landlords treat modifications or improvements and accidental damages the same when it comes to taking money from your security deposit. "An owner can withhold all or part of the deposit to correct either type of issue," he says.
But all is not lost: Sometimes modifications can be made with the owner'7 ...
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Tuesday, May 9, 2017 / by John Murdock -- CityScapeMetroGroup
Putting your home up for sale can be an emotional endeavor. After you come to terms with saying goodbye to a place where you created countless memories, some stranger with a clipboard comes along and puts a value on what's priceless to you.
And that assessment has the power to tank the entire sale.
Yes, the appraisal is one of the scariest parts of the home-selling process—and one of the most confusing. After all, why is somebody valuing your home after you've already determined a listing price and received an offer? Plus, you're never sure if the appraiser is truly factoring in those countless weekends you spent on backbreaking home upgrades—the Jacuzzi tub, the bidet, and the trendy shiplap walls have to count for something, right?
Not necessarily.
Think of the appraisal as a tool for removing emotion from the equation between the two sides who desperately want to make a sale, And understand that it's completely natural to 7 ...
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