Tag Archives: Choosing the Right Agent

The Value of a Good Realtor

Saturday, 06 June 2020 09:02
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Despite COVID 19 the market is still doing well.  The best thing about the real estate market right now, are those who are buying and selling property are serious.  What is getting listed, is selling fast.

So, why do you need to enlist the help of a good realtor to sell your property and not do it yourself?

  1. Overpricing. Experience shows that when the home is overpriced it usually doesn’t sell quickly; if at all.  A good realtor can get you good comparisons on what has sold nearby and advise if you need to have your property appraised prior to listing.
  2. Selling in “As-Is Condition. In today’s competitive market, you need to take the effort to make your house sparkle like the day you bought it.  If there are reasons that you have to sell ‘As-Is,’ then a good realtor will have alternative solutions, i.e. the I-Rep program, know of investors, etc. looking for property in the area.
  3. Drive-By Appeal. First impressions decide whether the buyer even stops to come in.  Depending on your location, you may not be able to depend on drive-by traffic to even get potential buyers interested except for perhaps your immediate neighbors.  And in today’s market people want a preview of the inside, so you need great photos for a virtual tour.  Your realtor will get your property listed on all the real estate listing sites so that all serious buyers and other realtors have access to the information on your property and can schedule showings.
  4. Dark Home Syndrome. The brighter and cleaner a home is, the better it shows.   A good realtor will ensure you have plenty of notice prior to bringing potential buyers to see your property to give you sufficient time to tidy up.
  5. Overvaluing Your Home. Beware of spending too much on your property so that you overvalue its worth in the neighborhood.  Having a conversation with a good realtor can give you good sound advice on where to make improvements and what will help your home sell.  It is advisable to have that conversation as soon as you’re thinking about listing your property.
  6. Financing. Be willing to be flexible with closing costs.  This is all part of why you hire a realtor.
  7. Do It Yourself Syndrome. Unless you know the laws about Seller’s Disclosure and termite reports you could cost yourself thousands of dollars by doing it yourself.
  8. Stay Out Of The Way. If you are underfoot when showing, a buyer does not feel free to really look at your home.  Put away and lock up any valuables before showing.  Yes, you love your home and you may think you can point out all it’s best features, leave this to your realtor.  Realtors screen potential buyers before bringing them into your home so as to only bring those who are serious.
  9. Attitude. A positive attitude is best; remember your taste is not everybody else’s.  Another reason you want to leave the showing of your property to your realtor.  They can also advise you on how to best prepare your home for showing.
  10. Seller’s Remorse. Respond to offers quickly, the first might be the best offer.  Your realtor will advise you on pricing your home correctly.  In today’s market, the offers come in quickly and are on target for what the property’s value truly is.  By not responding and being able to negotiate may delay the sell and getting the best price.

Have questions?  Give us a call.  We can help you through the maze of selling or buying in today’s market.

Sincerely,

Marie B. Dinsmore
RE/MAX Around Atlanta
Marie@DinsmoreTeam.com
www.DinsmoreTeam.com
770-712-7789

 

There’s More than One Way to Sell a Home

Friday, 31 January 2020 09:15
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When it comes to selling your home, it’s a big undertaking.  Unless you’ve maintained your home in pristine condition, it make take a few months to get it to the point you can list and show it.  And what about those repairs that need to be done?  And do you invest in doing those upgrades or not?  Which upgrades will bring you your best ROI?  Just so much to take into consideration.

What if there was a way to get an idea of what your home value would be in it’s ‘as is’ condition?  Well, you may be thinking, I can just look at the other homes in my neighborhood.  Or call a Realtor who can give you an assessment.  Yes, those are viable options, but what if there was a way to present your property to multiple sources and receive multiple offers without the guess work?  What if I told you, there is a way?

I am now iRep certified.  Which means I can assess your property and put together a presentation to all those companies who advertise to give you cash offers on your home.  But you’re probably thinking, well can’t I just do that myself?  Yes, you could, but by using my services and expertise, I can help get you the best offer.

Typically, what happens when you go directly to one of these companies, they do no prior assessment of your property.  They just look at the basic information and what has sold around you and send you an offer.  If you want to proceed, then they send someone out to inspect your property and then give you the real offer, which is much lower than what they initially offered.  Why, because they see all the things that needs to be repaired, replaced, upgraded, etc. and lower their offer.  When you use my services, I provide the assessment to the company upfront which includes any repairs, etc. that need to be done.  You then get an offer of the true value of your property because they know upfront the condition of the property.  Plus, since I am representing you, you won’t be bombarded with emails and phone calls should you decide this is not the route you want to pursue.

Using my iRep services can help the home selling process in a couple of different ways.  First, if you’re thinking about selling and want to get a really good idea of what your home will bring, this is a good option.  Second, after receiving your offer, you can decide if you want to go through the listing and showing of the traditional route.  Perhaps you have small children, animals, or elderly parents that going the traditional route would be very disruptive to your home life.  Perhaps the difference between getting a cash offer and what it would take to get your home ready to list and show is not in your time constraints.  Perhaps you have a reason that you need to sell and move quickly.  All of these are very valid reasons to consider using the iRep process.

To learn more about the iRep process give me a call and we can discuss what is best for you and/or see our webpage at https://www.dinsmoreteam.com/irep/ for more information.

What Exactly Do Real Estate Agents Do?

Monday, 13 April 2015 13:12
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bigstock_Female_Real_Estate_Agent_Handi_6207483“You hire them to help you sell or buy a home, right?”

While defining the role of a real estate agent may seem somewhat cut and dry, the truth of the matter is that many people lack a true understanding of what agents actually do during the buying or selling process.

In short, yes, a real estate agent is someone who helps you either sell or purchase a property (which may or may not include an actual structure).  However, their actual job involves everything from property valuation and the use of successful marketing techniques to negotiation and home organization.

With this, a truly great agent is someone who not only knows the immediate area, but who keeps up with local and regional market activity, as well as industry news.  In addition, they continually research active, pending, and sold listings in an effort to understand pricing trends so that their clients are better equipped to remain competitive within the market.

Furthermore, while it’s one thing to simply list a home and hope it sells, successful agents are able to assist with everything from staging advice to making recommendations for professional cleaners, painters, and contractors.  Generally speaking, most house hunters are looking for certain things when they tour available properties, so real estate agents come armed with an understanding of buyer behavior and the types of home attributes that will garner positive attention.

Therefore, even if you’re not looking to buy or sell at the current moment, real estate agents are a fantastic resource when looking to understand current housing trends, what your home is worth, or what you can do to prepare for the market.

With that being said, if you have questions, don’t be afraid to make contact with an agent who can share a bit of their knowledge with you.  Yes, they assist with the buying or selling process, but more than anything, real estate agents comprise a wide network of individuals who have an abundance of professional connections to assist you with anything you may need.

To learn more about what an agent can do for you, please contact me.  I’d love to help you along the way.

Marie Dinsmore | The Dinsmore Team | www.DinsmoreTeam.com | 770-712-7789

Before Buying a Lake House – What You Should Know

Friday, 20 March 2015 23:15
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A-Room-With-A-View-CopyThere are a lot of benefits to purchasing a home in Forsyth County, especially if you’re someone who has worked hard to realize your dream of living on the lake.  Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway, a retirement home, or a primary residence, buying a lake house can be an exciting process.  However, as with anything in life, it’s important to remember that living along a large body of water isn’t always going to be beautiful sunsets and serene mornings.  Homes near or on the lake have their own unique set of struggles, so it’s important to begin the process with your eyes wide open.

SELECT AN AGENT WITH EXPERIENCE

Lake homes aren’t like regular homes, so you don’t want to make the mistake of hiring a regular agent.  When it comes to waterfront properties, you’ll want to make sure that you’re working with someone who can explain the various aspects of owning a lake house and who has the right experience to back it up.

DON’T JUST LOOK AT THE HOME – CONSIDER THE WHOLE PROPERTY

Purchasing a waterfront home is about more than the home itself—it’s about the water that goes along with it.  Therefore, don’t make the mistake of falling in love with the house, only to discover that the water is murky, filled with invasive species, or regularly traversed by noisy powerboats.

It’s important to take some time to think about your reasons for wanting to live on the lake.  If it’s about swimming, fishing, or peaceful relaxation, make a point to check out the water quality and consider speaking with the neighbors to get a better idea of what area water traffic looks like.

LAKE ASSOCIATIONS

When it comes to waterfront properties, many lakes require homeowners to join the lake association that governs the water and the beaches, so it’s important to remember that your property’s shoreline may be the subject of various regulations.

For Lake Lanier, while it’s not mandatory to join the lake association, it’s worth noting that the water—including the shoreline—is governed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  For the most part, this shouldn’t be an issue, but they may be able to dictate what you can and cannot do with your property, especially if it jeopardizes the integrity of the shoreline.

Before you buy, it’s wise to find out what types of rules govern the property and to assess whether they are things you can live with.

PAY ATTENTION TO EXTRA EXPENSES

While lake homes frequently promise a great return on investment, keep in mind that they are often filled with extra expenses, such as increased property taxes and higher insurance premiums.  In addition, it’s important to be aware of the fact that most waterfront septic systems need to be routinely checked to ensure the lake isn’t being polluted.  While this may not seem like much, these checks can be expensive, especially if they require the replacement of an aging septic system.

CONCLUSION

Whether you’ve just started shopping or you’ve been searching for a waterfront property for several months, I have a solid knowledge base to work from and understand that shopping for a lake front home is very different from shopping for a land-locked home.

If you’d like to see what types of properties are available or would like some more information about what the market is like along Lake Lanier, I’d love to help.

Please call me.

Marie Dinsmore | The Dinsmore Team | www.DinsmoreTeam.com | 770-712-7789

Buying a Home? Set Yourself Up for Success

Saturday, 10 January 2015 17:44
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bigstock-African-American-family-celebr-14087630While some of us may be prone to spontaneous bouts of spending or find ourselves unable to stick to a strict budgeting system, when it comes to buying a home, it’s important to remember that such a large financial decision warrants more than a few helpings of discretion, sensibility, and budgeting.

With that being said, it’s important to stay on the right path, especially if financial discipline remains a challenge for you.  Therefore, the following tips will help you keep your eye on the prize.

KEEP SCORE: Plain and simple, the better your credit score, the better your mortgage terms will wind up being when it comes time to apply for a loan.  While improving a depressed score may take a good deal of work, a good credit rating can literally save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.  Therefore, start by reviewing your credit a few months before you intend to place your loan application and if your score is in the 600s or lower, along with making consistent on-time payments, try to pay down your balances so they sit below 30% of your limit.

CONSIDER ALL COSTS: Sure, the cost of the home itself is a great starting point, but it’s important to factor in all of the other costs of homeownership, such as taxes and insurance, as well as other expenses such as utilities and homeowner association fees.  With that, don’t forget about the ever-necessary rainy day fund which will help you cope when various issues demand repair and go into the process with the understanding that the average homeowner spends 1-4% of a home’s value on property maintenance each year.

BE FLEXIBLE IN YOUR SEARCH: In our culture of instant gratification, it can be a little difficult to distinguish between wants and needs, but in order to make a sensible housing decision, making the distinction between the two is imperative.  When it comes to building your list of must-haves, include items that will directly affect your quality of life, such as the home’s location, its price, the number of bedrooms, and the its square footage.  While you may have your heart set on hardwoods and granite, it’s important to prepare yourself for life’s necessary concessions so that you can remain flexible and stay within your budget.

KEEP YOUR COOL: Purchasing new things is exhilarating for everyone; however, buying a home is not like getting excited over a new pair of shoes.  Using a bit of self-restrain will not only prevent you from overspending or choosing a home that doesn’t fully meet your needs, but it will protect you in markets where the homes are selling quickly.  Even if you have your heart set on someplace you thought would be perfect, be prepared to walk away if the home inspection reveals more defects than your able to deal with.  With this, maintain a sense of calm if you find yourself in the middle of a bidding war, as it can push you to spend more than is prudent.  At the end of the day, maintaining a sense of patience will help you remember that whether your offer is accepted or the home inspection goes off without a hitch, there are always other great homes available.

Marie Dinsmore | The Dinsmore Team | www.dinsmoreteam.com | 770-712-7789