Three weeks into the new year, keep up the good work!
Buyers’ Resolution #3: Get building inspector recommendations before you purchase your new home.
Once your house is under contract for purchase, you will need to hire a building inspector. Never buy a home or condominium without an adequate inspection. Ask for recommendations from your realtor, friends and family. Once again, this is on of the largest investments you will make in your life. Let’s be sure that you know what you are buying, from the inside out, before you own it. Better to walk away from a poorly constructed home sooner rather than later.
Sellers’ Resolution #3: Ask for Realtor recommendations from friends and family.
Should you decide against navigating the wonderful world of Real Estate sales on your own, take some time to interview local agents for the job. The role of the listing agent in today’s Real Estate market is demanding and competitive. You are entrusting your biggest asset with this individual and are asking them to assist you in pricing it, preparing it for the market, and promoting it, so that you may achieve your sales goals. All agents are not equally prepared to provide you with the level of service or experience necessary to get the job done. Choose wisely and do your homework; the wrong choice could cost you thousands in lost sales value.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Real Estate Resolutions Week 2
How are you doing on your New Year’s Resolutions? If you are on a roll, consider the second installment a congratulations for and continuum of good behavior. If you have not been quite as successful with the “new you,” the below will give you a second chance! As always, questions and comments are welcome.
Buyers’ Resolution #2: Choose your own title attorney; do not let your lender do it for you.
When you buy real estate, you will need to have the title searched. Most closings in Vermont are administered in the buyers’ attorney’s office. When the lender selects the attorney, you are in effect paying the legal fees through a part of your closing costs, while the attorney represents the bank. Most banks will allow you to hire the attorney; the legal fees are still paid from the closing costs, but the attorney’s responsibility is to represent you. If the bank insists on having their own attorney, you may want to hire an attorney on your behalf, as well. I can not emphasize enough, a home purchase is a big investment, big risk, and you want to avoid big problems.
As always, do your research and ask for recommendations from friends, family and (of course)your trusted realtor.
Sellers’ Resolution #2: Order a dumpster before packing that “heirloom” from Grandma.
As you prepare your home for sale, take this opportunity to evaluate your “stuff.” Are you holding onto things that were valuable to a family member, but not to you? Are you about to move a box you packed from your last move ten years ago, but never opened?? Do yourself a favor and clean house now: if you are about to pack and move unopened boxes, open and asses their contents. If you are saving something that you intend to pass down to the next generation, pass it on now; and, if an item has neither use nor sentimental value, consider donating it to a charitable organization with a resale shop or to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Instead of paying a mover, you can take a tax deduction for the donation and be done with it. Items that have no value for re-sale, consider throwing them in the dumpster or better yet, recycle them, but do not move that un-wanted and accumulated “stuff.”
Find a Good Will has locations in Chittenden County to donate clothing and household items at
http://locator.goodwill.org/
ReSource (formerly Recycle North) also accepts donated household items and offers pick-up services: http://www.resourcevt.org/donate-goods-to-resource
Myers Containers "The Red Can Family"is a Waste and Recycle Management company that provides trash services, weekly pick-up and roll offs for residential and commerical properities. Contact President Jeff Myers at jeff@theredcanfamily.com
Buyers’ Resolution #2: Choose your own title attorney; do not let your lender do it for you.
When you buy real estate, you will need to have the title searched. Most closings in Vermont are administered in the buyers’ attorney’s office. When the lender selects the attorney, you are in effect paying the legal fees through a part of your closing costs, while the attorney represents the bank. Most banks will allow you to hire the attorney; the legal fees are still paid from the closing costs, but the attorney’s responsibility is to represent you. If the bank insists on having their own attorney, you may want to hire an attorney on your behalf, as well. I can not emphasize enough, a home purchase is a big investment, big risk, and you want to avoid big problems.
As always, do your research and ask for recommendations from friends, family and (of course)your trusted realtor.
Sellers’ Resolution #2: Order a dumpster before packing that “heirloom” from Grandma.
As you prepare your home for sale, take this opportunity to evaluate your “stuff.” Are you holding onto things that were valuable to a family member, but not to you? Are you about to move a box you packed from your last move ten years ago, but never opened?? Do yourself a favor and clean house now: if you are about to pack and move unopened boxes, open and asses their contents. If you are saving something that you intend to pass down to the next generation, pass it on now; and, if an item has neither use nor sentimental value, consider donating it to a charitable organization with a resale shop or to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Instead of paying a mover, you can take a tax deduction for the donation and be done with it. Items that have no value for re-sale, consider throwing them in the dumpster or better yet, recycle them, but do not move that un-wanted and accumulated “stuff.”
Find a Good Will has locations in Chittenden County to donate clothing and household items at
http://locator.goodwill.org/
ReSource (formerly Recycle North) also accepts donated household items and offers pick-up services: http://www.resourcevt.org/donate-goods-to-resource
Myers Containers "The Red Can Family"is a Waste and Recycle Management company that provides trash services, weekly pick-up and roll offs for residential and commerical properities. Contact President Jeff Myers at jeff@theredcanfamily.com
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The entire von Trapp team would like to invite you to our first monthly get together for 2011!
156 Bistro on Wednesday, Jan 12th
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
We are all very excited about the prospects for the new year and we would like to share our reflections on this past season as well as try to help you look into the future and plan your next sale or purchase.
If you are planning to buy or sell in 2011, you will not want to miss this get together. Our goal is to have all of our clients and fans well positioned in the market this year before it happens.
To show our appreciation, the first Beer of 2011 is on us so come on down, share some great Trapp Dunkel Lager and get the inside Real Estate Scoop for 2011.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Real Estate Resolutions for the New Year
Now that you have had a full week to exercise your New Year’s Resolutions (or not), allow me to offer some resolutions for both home sellers and buyers. I know, I know, the last thing you need is another laundry-list of resolutions, so rather than piling them on at the start of the month, I will come at you weekly with a single resolution for each buyer and seller. Even if you choose to implement only one, I think it will make your buying or selling experience less stressful. Please feel free to comment, as that is what blogging is all about (or so I’m told).
Buyers’ Resolution:
If you are going to be a serious buyer in 2011 please consider the following.
Get pre-approved with a real live person who originates loans from your geographic location.
The dot com craze has given rise to on-line loan origination. You can do it on your own schedule, from the comfort of your own home, and best of all, you don’t have to speak with anyone. The problem, however, is that you do not speak to anyone. This will be much more important now that the banks actually screen their loan applicants to verify their ability to pay back the mortgage. There is also a huge variety of loan products that may or may not fit your individual situation. In
Sellers’ Resolution
If you are going to be selling your home in 2011, please consider the following.
Prepare, prepare, prepare!!
You get one chance at a good first impression. Before presenting your home to the market, be sure that you have taken the time to prepare it for sale. Market competition is high right now and active buyers are scarce. Your home should be free of clutter, clean as a whistle, with all finishes as refreshed as possible. Prospective buyers should be able to envision their own families and lives in the home, not yours. The purchasing process is one of elimination; you do not want to be removed in the early rounds due to lack of preparation. I am not imploring you to buy new furniture set and brand new accessories, but do ask someone objective, like your realtor, to help re-arrange, depersonalize and de-clutter your home to make it the best it can be.
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