by Jeff Pittman | Apr 17, 2014 | Buyers
Buying a fixer-upper upper can be a great idea. You get a home in a great area at an affordable price with the potential of getting twice what you paid for it in value once you’ve finished a couple repairs. This of course is a best case scenario, but it is achievable. However, there are lots of things to think about before you take the plunge and invest your time, money and personal energies into a fixer-upper. Let’s start with a simple pro and con list to help you decide if you should purchase a fixer-upper. Pros of Purchasing a Fixer-Upper: Get your dream home. All home buyers have a wish-list of things they want in a home – pool, granite kitchen counter tops, built in grill, location, bay window, etc. A sure way to get your perfect home is to put in the work and fulfill your own dream list. You might not be able to find the home you want within your price range that meets all of your wildest dreams, but you can find a home with the potential to do just that. Fixer-uppers are cheaper. Most home buyers purchase a fixer-upper because it’s a great deal financially. It’s in a great neighborhood, has more space or is just generally better than the other homes you’re able to afford. Purchasing a fixer-upper is a great investment for a young couple or family because it allows you to save now on a down payment and monthly mortgage. A fixer-upper is an investment in your future because soon it will be the home you want with a higher resale...
by Jeff Pittman | Apr 9, 2014 | Buyers, Sellers
Moving is stressful—for everyone, regardless of the reason for the move. Moves due to job and financial loss, death or divorce, etc. may be even more stressful. Moving for school age children means new social circles and friends and for some children that means new anxieties. Psychologists Shannon Mitsuko, MD and John Magee, PhD of the Carolinas Healthcare System say that children take many cues from parents. That’s why it’s important to understand what you as a parent can do to help your child readjust and cope with the stress of moving to a new home. Misuko and Magee say that it’s important to allow children to have their feelings rather than telling them how happy, sad or excited they are and then validate or affirm them during this time. With that in mind here are 5 tips on how you can ease the transition to a new home with your kids and cope with this life change. 1. Know your child and play to their needs. Mitsuko and Magee say that knowing your child is key – there is no one size fits all advice. For example if you have an older child with an outgoing personality, you may want to have a going away party. However, that’s not the case for everyone. According to Mitsuko and Magee hosting a going away party is a nice way to say “aloha”, it’s not goodbye. But again, this is more of an adult way to handle transitions. They suggest that this may be a good approach if you have a teenager but for a school aged child it may just be too much...
by Jeff Pittman | Apr 3, 2014 | Buyers
According to the National Association of Realtors, 90 percent of all home buyers start their real estate search online. What buyers don’t realize however are the various pitfalls they face when doing online searches and the opportunities they could be missing. There are four big mistakes you might be making when searching online. Most of these problems can be avoided simply by finding an experienced agent with the time and know-how to catch all the hard to find listings out there. So listen up, here are the top 4 pitfalls you face when doing online searches and how to avoid them. 1. Missing homes that have been mislabeled in the MLS All third party sites are fed data from Multiple Listing Services (MLS) but this data is only as good as the listing agent inputs it. Many large cities are broken into MLS areas and agents can get the area totally wrong or may use a “catch all” area. If you think you have figured out the area you want and are searching exclusively, you may be missing some homes that have been mislabeled or only very generally categorized. Even if you search by drawing the boundary on a map, just to catch everything, you may be missing the few misplaced homes. These are not common, but they happen. Agents sometimes even make mistakes about number of bedrooms or square feet, sometimes they leave the field blank and it could show as 0. How to fix it: Search several different ways yourself, eliminating the other criteria to make sure you haven’t missed any. For instance realtors shouldn’t call a...
by Jeff Pittman | Feb 13, 2014 | Buyers
We all know that Orange County real estate is desirable, offering tons of luxury home markets, great year round weather and laid back suburban life just a short commute from big cities and fun. If you are thinking of buying a home in Orange County, these are some important tips and tricks to be aware of. 1. Mello-Roos Taxes What is Mello-Roos you ask? Back in 1978, California passed Proposition 13 which limited property taxation and so in 1982 the State Legislature got creative and passed Mello-Roos taxes to help raise money for developing communities. These taxes are levied as part of the annual property tax bill and paid each month to pay back bonds taken out by a city or county. The bonds taken out by a city or county are for construction and improvements such as building roads, supporting schools or developing infrastructure. Some home buyers are terrified of Mello-Roos, but there’s no need to panic when you see this pop up in a home sale. Listen to the facts and realize there are more than a few advantages to buying a home with Mello-Roos. First of all, Mello-Roos bonds do not last forever; the payment can extend anywhere from 30- 7 years when the bond is first taken out and depending on how long ago the bonds were taken out, a particular home may only owe for another few months or so. Also, communities with Mello-Roos are great family friendly cities because they are supported and maintained by these taxes. They have greater housing inventory, low crime rates, top-notch amenities like clubhouses and parks and of...
by Jeff Pittman | Jan 23, 2014 | Buyers
When do you do a final walk though? A final walk though is one of the last steps in the closing process and can be completed hours before you sign the final paper work or a few days prior. The final walk through is not a formal inspection and it’s not a basis for negotiating, it’s just the last step to make sure everything is as it should be. You’re just giving the house one final look before you officially become a brand new homeowner. Most home buyers get carried away by the excitement of their new house and forget to really take their time with the walk though. It can feel like a formality that you can just breeze through in 5 minutes while you celebrate, but it is a vital (if small) step in the closing process. So stay focused and don’t forget these crucial things on your final checklist. 1. Garbage disposal and exhaust fans. During the final walk though you will want to try every light switch, outlet, sink, toilet and appliance to be sure it’s working correctly. But what most people forget to pay special attention to is the kitchen. Make sure you run the garbage disposal and any exhaust fans to make sure they run smoothly. The kitchen is possibly the most used room in your house so you don’t want any surprises the first time you go to cook dinner in your new home. 2. Inspect the garage. Don’t limit your home check up to the house; take a walk though the garage. Check garage door openers and any circuit breakers located in there....
by Jeff Pittman | Jan 9, 2014 | Buyers
Moving into a new home is a complicated and certainly emotional process. Not only do you have to find the right home for you and your family, you also have to pack up and relocate your entire life when it’s time to move in. Going through this process is difficult enough and when you add kids into the equation – things get even tougher. Leaving friends behind, organizing schedules and remembering every single toy are just a few of the challenges that come along with moving to a new home with your kids. Here are some practical tips for you so you can be sure nothing falls through the cracks and the whole process goes off without a hitch – or at least close to it. 1. Make a to-do list. Make a to-do list and stick to it in order to help you stay organized and on schedule when things start to get hectic during your move. Whether you kick it old school and write it out by hand in a special notebook or make a list on your iPhone, putting everything down in writing will help you remember. Be sure to make one for yourself and one for the kids as well. In fact, have the kids make their own so they feel like a part of the moving process and in control of the situation. Be specific on your to-do list by adding dates when you need to have things done. 2. Let your kids help you pack. Don’t be afraid to let you kids help in the packing process, you don’t have to tackle it alone. Depending on their...
