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Loading ...Should I use a REALTOR® to purchase a new home from a builder?
Recently I spoke to a woman who bought her home directly from a builder. She felt that she did not need a REALTOR® to buy the new home. I said that many people have successful transactions buying directly from the builder. I did say to her that I believe that there are benefits when using a REALTOR® when purchasing a new home from the builder.
The builder knows that they will sell so many homes with and without an agent. The builder has budgeted that into their bottom line.
One benefit of using a REALTOR® when purchasing a new home is that the agent can assist you when choosing the lot. Sometimes the builder has one particular lot that is more difficult to sell than another? Maybe they might offer you a discount for that lot? If the builder is having a hard time selling that particular lot, maybe you will too?
The REALTOR® can help choose amenities that will make your home more salable in the future, ie more money for you.
The REALTOR® can help negotiate and make sure you are getting fair rates and closing fees, many builders have their own lenders that you are “encouraged” to use.
I sold a new home last summer. The home would not be ready for about 7 months. My seller, against my advice, wrote his contract non contingent on the sale of his home. As we know the market is slower and prices are not where they were in the past. The looming settlement date of the new home was coming and my client was stressing.
I contacted the builder and negotiated an extra $40,000 in closing fees for my client AFTER they had already ratified their contract months ago. My client told me that he would have never thought to negotiate the terms I did and the ending may not have been so smooth.
Both homes have sold and everyone is happy. My client always tells me how happy he is with me and my services are invaluable. He has told me that he knows using me saved him money.
It doesn’t cost you money to take your REALTOR® with you to purchase a new home, but I could cost you money in the long run to not use a REALTOR®
For more information contact Audrey at Audreyjune.com
Photo flickr.com
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Walmart is being proactive during the month of April and Earth Day. They have put out many commercials to get us to wake up and know we can make a big difference. Yes, we can all make a difference one person at time. In this case one light bulb at time. They have figured out that if all of their 200 million consumers change just one light bulb to the energy efficient bulbs would be like taking 11 million cars off of the road for one year!
Wow, that is pretty powerful to think that one little light bulb could make such a difference? So, lets try for an entire package and see where what improvements we can make as a group!
This got me thinking. Scary, but it did. I am big for giving settlement gifts. I think that I will now add a pack of energy efficient light bulbs to each settlement gift for each clientand see if I can get even more folks to change these bulbs. I would also urge them to have their friends and family do the same! I am thinking that I will take them to the walk through and change them right then and there so they don’t lay around the house.
What if we all added a pack of energy light bulbs to help the cause? I encourage you all to “give a pack” of energy efficient bulbs to your clients at settlement!!
Even if you are not buying or selling any real estate these days, we should all work together and leave a smaller “foot print” on our planet earth. I encourage you to make the trek to the nearest store and get your energy efficient bulb and start making a difference today!
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If you have never seen the Cherry Blossoms along the Tidal Basin in Washington DC, youare missing one of nature and man’s most breathtaking sights!! Every year the parks services work at trying to predict the peak of the blossoms. This year they are anticipating March 29th! If you have a chance you should try at least once in your lifetime to come to Washington during the early part of Spring to see it.
Not only is it just viewing the blossoms, it is an entire festival the Official Cherry Blossom Website . There are walks, and tours, there is also a big parade. You can kill two birds with one stone and visit the Nation’s Capital.
Washington DC has several hip trendy neighborhoods with fabulous restaurants and shopping. Even locals flock to see the beauty of the Cherry Blossoms.
There are endless things to do here. Take in a show at the Kennedy Center it will as big as any New York show, Smithsonian Museums with some of the great art and wonders of the world. You should consider coming to DC and experience this fabulous gift of nature!
If you can’t make it this year, try to add this to your “bucket list” to make sure you see it in your lifetime!
Hope you can make it!
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We just found this really neat website for music. It is www.Pandora.com . You sign up, it is free, it feeds through your computer. The really fun thing about it is if you want to listen to a certain genre, then it play music from different artists of that genre. So if you are in the mood for Jack Johnson, then you will get a mix of Donavan Frankerieter, or Matt Costa. If you like Country, that is what it plays. No commercials that I heard? Really cool.
I know you youngsters have known about this, but for me this is really great. Thought I would share it with the rest of you that have not heard of it.
Have a good evening. Check it out, I hope you enjoy it.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...So you are thinking about buying your first home and you are not sure where to start? The first thing you should consider is the agent. This is the person that is going to be your advocate and will represent and guide you through the transaction. Get referrals from friends and family that have purchased and sold real estate. Look on the internet; see if anyone appeals to you.
When you make your initial call to the agent ask them if they do a buyer consultation prior to looking at houses. You will want to work with an agent who does this. It will prepare you for the transaction. You will be a more confident buyer and have a smoother transaction.
You should have a list of question that are important to you and make sure you get clear answers from the agent. These are some of the basic items you should expect to cover in a buyer consultation appointment.
I give my potential clients a buyer packet. It has local area information, information about me, and a blank copy of the forms we will go over and that you will be asked to sign. I also include a home buyer’s guide that has a copy of the contract that you will sign, a HUD-1 and a glossary of terms.
I wish you luck in your endeavor in buying your first home. Being prepared by an experienced, capable agent will be the key to smooth transaction. I am located in Montgomery County Maryland in the Gaithersburg area. No matter where you are, if you have questions, shoot me an email and I will answer your questions to the best of my ability!
You may search for listings and local area information at www.Audreyjune.com . Email Audrey@audreyjune.com .
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Every morning I get up, my dog has his routine. Hutch here at the left, is an Australian Shepherd. He stands at the top of our staircase, waits for me to go downstairs, rattle his colar and make the tags jingle. Then, he comes down. In the evening before we go to bed, some how , he sits in front of my view of my television to make eye contact with me and my husband to let us know it is 8:55, give or take 5 minutes, that means his last walk before dinner. Now, he know many words, walk is one we cant say out loud because he understands and gets all excited, so we have to say “W”. My dog has me trained in these routines.
I have always known that animals are more intelligent than we give them credit for. Here is an article in the March 2008 issue of National Geographic that shows us just how much we humans have to learn.
This Border Collie here is on the cover of National Geographic Magazine, Betsy has a vocabulary of over 340 words. There is the story of Alex, the African Gray parrot and how Irene Pepperberg, who studied Alex for 30 years and taught him to speak and to communicate, not just “parrot” words. The story of the Dolphins in Hawaii is amazing. There are several other animals featured in this story. The author visits the Wasington DC zoo, the Baltimore Aquarium and many labs, schools, and homes arround the world for this ariticle. On a side note, if you ever get a chance to vist the Baltimore Aquarium, it is one of the most fabulous places to see!
In typical National Geographic fashion, Vincent J Musi, the photographer, has beautiful photographs of all of his subjects no matter if they are dogs, fish, or chimps. The article is a facinating read, written by Virginia Morell. Click here to read the story.
This article just confirms what I have always known, animals are just little people in fur coats.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Birds and Bees are; why not Credit as Curriculum???Credit is probably one of those discussions most parents don’t have with their children. It is surely a subject that will probably go by the way of the Birds and the bees. . . . let them learn it on the street.
Truth be known, most parents don’t completely understand the world of FICO scores themselves?
Credit is the basis for just about everything these days. I mean just about EVERYTHING. What if we started teaching kids about credit in school?
I am talking about early in high school not college. By then it is probably too late.
By the time they get to college, they are already spending money pretty regularly and have been given the “college credit card”. All you have to do is sign this paper and viola’ you have a credit card. Ahh . . the mighty credit card, what fun and/or dangers may lurk ahead?
My Mom and Dad didn’t explain credit to me. They said if you have a bill you have to pay it and be responsible for it. Save your money. Take part of your allowance and save it. Do odd jobs, get paid, and learn how to deal with your money. Those were the basics of money. Not watch out for your FICO scores?
I think if there could be a class that kids take early in high school where they understand the importance of how credit works, what to do and not do in order to keep themselves in good standing and understanding the importance of good credit. I guarantee we have young people who would like to buy a home and have their credit pulled to find out that they have ruined their credit for the next few years and they have no idea how that happened? When you try to explain it to them, you might as well speak a foreign language. Maybe the Montgomery County and Maryland School systems could investigate this and see if could be added as a “life course” of some sort? If it is being taught, is it taught in all schools or is it only taught in certain schools? If so, why is that?
I think this phenomemon of making this very basic financial tool could drastically help improve the US economy. The American consumer would have less debt, intrest rates could be lower, less bankruptcies, which all end up falling on the shoulders of the American citizen and the bottom line of the economy.
This might just save a few kids from making mistakes in their youth that could save them many dollars in the years to come.
What are your thoughts on this subject.
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