10 REASONS WHY CUSTOMERS SELECT US
WHY USE THE SERVICES OF NETTA BLACKWOOD
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Top 10 Reasons Why Netta Blackwood Is The Real Estate Agent For You
- She have years of experience helping customers fulfilling their real estate needs.
- She knows and keep up-to-date with the neighborhoods, schools, market conditions, zoning regulations and economy to better serve you.
- She'll do the leg work, keeping you up-to-date with new listings and conditions as they impact the market.
- She is a full-time real estate agent - She recognizes that your service require full-time attention.
- She will use her connections throughout the mortgage industry to get you the best deals possible.
- She is a dedicated Realtor who recognizes that she wants her customer for life. She also knows that her customers Move Matters.
- She will guide you through the complexities of buying and/or selling a house, eliminating hassles and stress.
- As a standard business practice she will follow-up with all your contracts from start to close.
- She won't waste your time - when an offer is made, she will require acceptance or a counter offer within a timely manner.
- You'll have the advantage of personal, professional, one-on-one attention, as well as dynamic web and e-mail resources. We recognize the importance of your time and we will work hard to save you time and money.
Let's get together to talk about your home buying and/or selling plans. Call me on my cell at (407-334-5391) or my direct line at (863-427-1770) or send me an e-mail (ntblackwood@yahoo.com or locatefloridahomes@yahoo.com ), we'll set-up a time to meet that is easy and convenient for you. 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. - Netta Blackwood, Realtor |
First Time Home Buyers: Buying your first home Selling Your Home - The Need-To-Know Guide: From the Home Seller's Perspective From the Home Buyer's Perspective Let your real estate agent do the negotiating. Do not call the seller. Don't give a rock bottom bid unless you are aware the seller is open to one. Include everything in the bid that you want, including inspection service, repairs, appliances, etc. If the seller is present during viewing, don't give your personal opinions about the home. Ask the buyer's agent to run comparisons for similar homes to be sure your offer price is competitive; this may minimize counter offers. Let your real estate agent do the negotiating. Look at all offers seriously. Don't get emotional over offers. Be open-minded to all prospective buyers. If you make a counter offer, make the best one possible. Don't judge buyers by appearance.
Buyers should be aware that in some "traditional" real estate jurisdictions the agent who is working with the buyer has legal responsibility to the seller of the home because the commission is paid by the seller. The buyer's agent is a "sub-agent" of the seller's agent. The "sub-agent" has disclosure responsibility to the seller even though they are helping the buyer. This means if you make an offer but tell the agent you would be willing to pay more if the offer is rejected, your agent must reveal this information to the seller if asked.
Many states allow for "buyer agency" which means an agent is contracted to work exclusively for the buyer and has legal responsibility only to the buyer. It is to your advantage to ask the agent to act as a buyer's agent to be your complete advocate, particularly if you are a first-time buyer. If you must work with an agent who is acting as a "sub-agent" do not divulge information to the agent that you would not want revealed to the seller.
When you find the house you want, make your most reasonable offer. Make sure you understand all the items included in the sale. Items that are permanent attachments are usually included in the sale of a house, but occasionally there may be exceptions. For example, if you want the kitchen appliances, make sure that is spelled out in the contract. You may assume an antique chandelier is included, while the sellers plan to take the chandelier to their new home. By spelling out all specifics in the contract, last-minute haggling can be avoided, and closings can proceed as planned.
As a buyer, use the following guidelines:
When selling your home, there are two main factors to consider: how much you are willing to accept for your home and in what time frame do you have to sell it. The price of your home will play a big part in how quickly it sells. Therefore, it is important to price your home based on its true market value. A good real estate agent will help you set a price that is fair to both you and the home buyer.
Legally, a real estate agent representing a buyer must present all offers to you, regardless of the amount. Take all offers seriously, and do not be offended by low offers. It is always your decision to accept or reject an offer.
When prospective buyers make offers they may include contingencies for certain events. For example, they will buy your home when their current home sells. Or, they will buy your home if you repair the roof. Often, earnest money is given as a non-refundable deposit to show the seriousness of the offer. You also have the right to include contingencies to the contract, such as allowing you to continue to market your home in case the contingent offer falls through. By including a "kick-out" clause, if another bid is made during the contingency period, you can accept that offer after giving the first buyer notice of the new offer and time to respond.
If you have multiple bids, it is up to you which one to accept. If one buyer makes a higher offer but includes several contingencies, you may find it more advantageous to choose the buyer with a lower bid who has no contingencies. Legally you can not discriminate against a buyer because of race.
As a seller, use the following guidelines:
Buying a home for the first-time (really any time) is a major decision. Saving enough cash for a first home purchase, finding the right real estate agent, finding the right mortgage, and many more issues (like moving) may seem to be overwhelming. The tips below offer some advice on first time real estate purchases that, hopefully, will make your first time home buying experience happy.
Securing a loan.
Often, the biggest hurdle in the first-time buyer's purchase is cash available for the down payment and buyer's closing costs. But even this obstacle is not insurmountable. If you are a veteran, you may be able to obtain 100% financing through a VA loan. And many lenders offer 95% financing. If your income enables you to qualify for the necessary mortgage loan, you may be able to negotiate a contract in which the seller pays your purchase closing costs and adjusts the price upward so that you, in effect, finance your closing costs. But the loan appraisal will still need to support this higher value in order for the loan to close.
When shopping for a mortgage, look at the overall cost, not just the interest rate. Generally speaking, the higher the rate, the lower the number of points charged. Make sure you understand any hidden costs or special early payment penalties which could create problems for you. Look at different mortgage products, such as shorter-term fixed-rate loans or adjustable rate loans, but be sure you understand what your "worst case scenario" is if interest rates rise. Also, in many cases, a mortgage payment inclusive of property taxes and insurance but offset by tax savings generated by mortgage interest deductions (which constitute most of the payment in the early years of a mortgage) may be the same or only slightly more than monthly rent, but you will be building equity with each payment.
Getting pre-qualified.
A good place to start the entire process is to visit a local lender to "pre-qualify" and establish your maximum loan amount. (A professional real estate agent can help you determine your affordability level, too, if you don't mind sharing income and debt information). This loan maximum, coupled with your available cash, will determine the price range in which you should look. You can begin shopping by researching Selecting a Community you want and need, remembering that "location-location-location" can be as important as the home itself.
Working with an agent.
As a first-time home buyer, professional real estate assistance can be crucial, and you should insist that the real estate agent work with you as a "buyer's agent" in order to be your advocate in the transaction. In most cases, this real estate agent is still paid out of the seller's commission paid at closing, so you will not pay extra to be represented by a competent real estate agent
A competent real estate agent can help you evaluate the pros and cons of purchasing a single family home, condominium, or townhouse, and what the various types of ownership mean to you. Should you buy a resale home or new construction, and what kinds of inspections or warranties should you seek in each situation? When making an offer, how much below listing price can you offer, and how does the price compare to similar homes on the market? Are you negotiating terms and other costs (home warranty, for example) as well as price? What do you do if inspections uncover needed repairs? Are there any factors related to the house or neighborhood which could create resale problems? What closing costs are considered typical? In what is usually an emotional decision, you need the counsel of a reputable, knowledgeable real estate professional who can help you buy wisely.
Once you have settled on a community and seen several homes, you will make an offer on a home you like. If you and the seller, with the negotiating help of your real estate agent, come to terms and you execute a sales contract, you will then finalize your mortgage. The mortgage company will require a home inspection and a title search. You may have to coordinate your closing date based on when the seller can purchase another home and vacate.
Other considerations.
There are other considerations such as home warranty, private mortgage insurance (PMI) on loans over 80% (also called "mortgage insurance premium", or MIP), title insurance and repair agreements with the seller. The real estate agent will guide you through these issues and pave the way for a smooth, on-time closing. And if faced with an unfamiliar term, you can consult our online real estate dictionary.
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