Clearwater Dream Home Team

I wanted to take a moment to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.
 
I love the holiday season! Busy showing properties, but still the atmosphere around the holidays is so different, so nice. My favorite part of the year!
    
I am Hungarian so Thanksgiving is not something I grew up with. But when I first came to this country, I was 18 and I used to work as a nanny. I was taking care of a 1 year old, "baby Jordan". The family I worked for and lived with was a nice couple in Syosset, Long Island. Jeffrey, the husband had some 7 siblings, and every year for Thanksgiving all brothers and sisters and all their kids would fly into New York and meet up at their parents' house. I have a small family, so the most people I have ever had at a family gathering was maybe 15. Jeffrey's family showed up to this Thanksgiving party with 45 members. This was such an amazing experience for me. Such a large and loving American family. The traditional Thanksgiving meals, side dishes, desserts... 
 
Even if there are differences between family members, people seem to have a lot of gratitude around the holidays. They are nice to their loved ones and try to be nice to those they don't like so much (try to keep their disagreements to themselves). 
 
My recommendation is: Keep it peaceful on Thanksgiving day, but take time tomorrow and over the weekend to discuss your feelings and disagreements with those that matter the most. Take advantage of the family reunion, and don't sweep your troubles under the carpet (as we say in Hungary) for another year until you meet again.
 
E.g. if you have a relative you have not spoken to for a year because you just cannot stand him or her, start a conversation, listen to what they have to say, just listen, don't interrupt, and then acknowledge. Then ask them to listen to you, and ask them not to interrupt and just listen and understand your feelings. If you do this diligently, your reality and his reality will come closer, and you will find that your affinity level will also increase. Communication is the key. We don't have to be best friends with all of our family members, we don't get to hand pick them all, but it is nice not to have bitter or sour relationships in our lives.
 
I hope you are having a warm and happy Thanksgiving today!
 
Much Love,
 
Niki

When interviewing a home inspector, ask the inspector what type of report format he or she provides. There are many styles of reports used by property inspectors, including the checklist, computer generated using inspection programs, and the narrative style.

Some reports are delivered on site and some may take as long as 4 - 6 days for delivery. All reporting systems have pros and cons.

The most important issue with an inspection report is the descriptions given for each item or component. A report that indicates the condition as "Good", "Fair" or "Poor" without a detailed explanation is vague and can be easily misinterpreted. An example of a vague condition would be:

Kitchen Sink: Condition - Good, Fair, or Poor.

None of these descriptions gives the homeowner an idea what is wrong. Does the sink have a cosmetic problem? Does the home have a plumbing problem? A good report should supply you with descriptive information on the condition of the site and home. An example of a descriptive condition is:

Kitchen sink: Condition - Minor wear, heavy wear, damaged, rust stains, or chips in enamel finish. Recommend sealing sink at counter top.

As you can see, this narrative description includes a recommendation for repair. Narrative reports without recommendations for repairing deficient items may be difficult to comprehend, should your knowledge of construction be limited.

Take the time and become familiar with your report. Should the report have a legend, key, symbols or icons, read and understand them thoroughly. The more information provided about the site and home, the easier to understand the overall condition.

At the end of the inspection your inspector may provide a summary with a question and answer period. Use this opportunity to ask questions regarding terms or conditions that you may not be familiar with. A good inspector should be able to explain the answers to your questions. If for some reason a question cannot be answered at the time of the inspection, the inspector should research the question and obtain the answer for you. For instance, if the inspector's report states that the concrete foundation has common cracks, be sure to ask, "Why are they common?" The answer you should receive will be along these lines: common cracks are usually due to normal concrete curing and or shrinkage. The inspector's knowledge and experience is how the size and characteristics of the cracking is determined.

We recommend that you accompany your inspector through the entire inspection if possible. This helps you to understand the condition of the home and the details of the report.

Read the report completely and understand the condition of the home you are about to purchase. After all, it is most likely one of the largest investments you will ever make.

Top 10 Reasons – I'm the Real Estate Agent for You!

   1. I have years of experience successfully buying and selling homes in the local market.

   2. I know the neighborhoods, schools, market conditions, zoning regulations and local economy.

   3. I'll do the leg work, keeping you up-to-date with new listings and conditions as they impact the market.

   4. I'm a full-time real estate agent - anything less and you'd be short changed.

   5. I'll use my connections throughout the mortgage industry to get you the best deals possible.

   6. You'll be my only client in the real estate transaction.

   7. I'll guide you through the complexities of buying and/or selling a house, eliminating hassles and stress.

   8. As a standard business practice I preview homes as they become available, keeping you apprised of market conditions as they evolve.

   9. I won't waste your time - when an offer is made, I'll require acceptance or a counter offer within 24 to 48 hours.

  10. You'll have the advantage of personal, one-on-one attention, as well as my dynamic web and e-mail resources.

Let's get together to talk about your home buying and/or selling plans. 

Call me at the office (727-230-9987) or on my cell phone (727-2543141) 

or send me an e-mail (via my contact pages Contact Form)!

________________________________________________________________________

If you're not ready to meet in person, please tour my website. I'm sure you'll find the resources here useful and helpful.

Step - 1 Make the Decision to Buy

It seems obvious, but it's good to note that the first step to buying a house is making the decision to buy. Consider the reasons you want a new house and write them down. Determine how long you want to live in the new house - does buying still make good financial sense? Can you afford a house that will meet your list of requirements? A good rule of thumb is your mortgage payment should not exceed 1/3 of your net monthly income.

Step 2 - Seek Professional Guidance

I'd like to schedule a time to meet with you to hear the reasons you want to buy a house and your plans for the future. We'll talk about neighborhoods, schools, economic factors liable to affect the market today and tomorrow, as well as how you would like your house and neighborhood to grow with you.

At this time, I will also help you get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. Pre-qualification is a written statement from a loan officer indicating his or her opinion that you will be approved for a mortgage loan up to a certain amount. The fact that you are pre-qualified will help us when we are negotiating the deal.

The 9 Steps to Home Ownership

After our initial meeting, I'll search all my resources for houses on the market that fit your criteria. I'll preview these houses to eliminate the duds. Then, I'll schedule appointments to tour the houses at times convenient to you.

As we tour houses, I'll point out positive features and negative features. I'll ask you to tell me what you like and what you don't like. You'll probably amend your "wish list" as we tour houses, some things will become more important and others less important. With this new information, I'll refine our search criteria to narrow in on the house of your dreams.

Step 4 - Know the Market

My knowledge of the local market is an essential factor in the house search. I'll let you know when the market in a particular neighborhood is "hot" and requires immediate action or when the market is "cool" and allows for thoughtful consideration.

As we tour houses, I'll let you know when the asking price has negotiating room and when the house is "priced to sell". My unique market knowledge will keep you a step ahead of the "house hunting competition".

In a "seller's market". It is not unusual to see multiple offers on a property, full-price offers and even above-price offers. On the flip side, during a "buyer's market" there are more houses for sale than buyers. This gives us more negotiating room as houses are taking longer to sell.

Step 5 - Find Your Dream House

I'm confident we'll find your dream house. When we do, I'll put together the purchase offer tailored for your needs including appropriate contingencies (such as obtaining financing, favorable home inspection, clear title, etc.).

The offer is normally presented with "earnest money". This is a cash deposit made to a home seller to secure an offer to buy the property. The amount is applied to closing costs. If the seller accepts the offer, generally closing is held 30 to 60 days from the offer date (generally dependent on the turn around time of your mortgage financing).

Step 6 - Negotiate the Deal

It is not uncommon to receive a counter offer when the initial purchase offer is submitted. Don't let this discourage you. We will discuss the counter offer and decide whether or not to accept the counter offer, submit our own counter offer, or reject the counter offer and move on.

Market conditions will play a role in how aggressively we negotiate the deal. We will also work within your limits. Emotions can lead to buyer's remorse. It is better to set limits prior to negotiating an offer and stick to these limits.

Step 7 - Get a Loan

During the closing period, you will be working with your mortgage lender to close the loan. Since you pre-qualified for the loan before starting your home search, you will be that much closer to the end. I'll gather the necessary property information your lender will need to close the loan.

Step 8 - Close the Deal

You will receive a "Good Faith Estimate" of closing costs at the time the loan application is submitted to the lender. The estimate is based on the loan officer's past experience and may not include all the closing costs. I will be glad to review the "Good Faith Estimate," answering questions and highlighting missing costs and estimates I believe to be low.

Step 9 - Move In

Congratulations! It's time to move into your new house and make it your home. Enjoy this exciting time. I'll give you a checklist to help you remember the numerous details that will make your moving day a pleasure.

Who Represents You?

By John Adams

One of the hot topics facing the world of real estate right now is the issue of agency. Some would have you believe that it really doesn't affect you, the buyer, and that nothing much has changed. But they are wrong.

The topic of agency is important to you because it answers the most basic and fundamental question that can be asked of any real estate professional: Who do you represent in this transaction?

Until that question is answered, you may be left with the impression that all agents who work with buyers actually represent those buyers, and that you have somebody going to bat for you in this transaction. Well, the issue of agency is important because without it, we can never be sure who represents who.

Here's the scenario:

You meet a really nice agent at an open house named Bonnie. Even though Bonnie's house is not right for you, she tells you she has others to show you that fit your needs exactly. You spend an hour or so with Bonnie looking at a half dozen homes and talking about your needs and your wants. During the course of the conversation, you volunteer that you have $100,000 cash to spend and that you will not go over $100,000 purchase price no matter what. Then you find the perfect house. Asking price is $100,000 but you decide to offer $92,500 based on recent sales in the area. During negotiations, the seller asks Bonnie directly how much cash you have and how high will you go? What does Bonnie say?

Here's the answer: Unless you have signed a "Buyer Agency Agreement" with Bonnie making her your buyer agent, she is most likely acting as a sub-agent to the listing broker who represents the seller. If that is the case, she has a fiduciary obligation to the seller to disclose to him any information she has that might "promote or protect his interest" in the transaction. Guess what? Bonnie has that information.

The Seller, now having knowledge of your financial position, counters at a full $100,000. He knows you can afford it and that this price falls within your desired range. He also knows that you have seen a number of other homes and that his is the one you want.

Regardless of what eventually happens in this scenario, it can hardly be called an even playing field. So, how can you protect yourself from a possible disclosure required of a seller's agent?

1. Make sure that the agent you are working with has agreed, in writing, to represent you as a "Buyer's Agent." This will mean signing a buyer brokerage agreement in which you promise to work only with that particular agent for a specific period of time, often 90 days. It also means that you promise not to buy from anybody else, even FSBOs, without involving your buyer's agent. In almost every case, the commission will still come from the seller, but your agent must present the offer.

2. Never say anything to anybody unless you would be willing to have that information repeated into a seller's ear. Assume that everybody, and I mean everybody, is working for a seller unless you have specifically hired them to work for you. And even then, be discreet. During the second world war, the military promoted a phrase designed to stop idle gossip: Loose lips sink ships! You would do well to adopt that philosophy in your home-buying as well.

Ref.: http://www.realtor.com/Basics/AllAbout/Realtors/Represent.asp?poe=realtor