Buyers Agent – Bethany Nolan

It’s a Hot Market Summer

We’ve had a hot summer with an even hotter housing market! Unless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s been a wild ride watching homes literally fly off the market after barely being listing one day! One day, y’all! JUST ONE! I’ve been in more multiple offer situations this summer than I have ever before with not only my buyers, but my sellers as well. I’ve also never been able to get more first-time home buyers in homes than I have ever before. Rates are low meaning that money is cheap and homes are moving! I love, love helping buyers and sellers alike, but here are some of my fun closings with first-time home buyers this summer.

With barely seconds on the market, homes are being shown up to 10 times in one day with multiple offers, leaving lots of stressed out and disappointed buyers and agents. It doesn’t help that our inventory is LOW – meaning that there’s not a lot of homes on the market to choose from. So basically, when a good home hits… it’s GONE! This hot market summer (as I like to call it – playing off the infamous TikTok dance of Hot Girl Summer), has lead to frustrations and some buyers just wanting to throw their hands in the air and be done with the search. I get it! You want your home and you want it NOW with zero competition and stress.

Hot market summer is NO JOKE and I’m going to share ways to stay calm, stay positive and get that home you’ve been dreaming of. Buying a home is already stressful enough, so let’s cut through the tension and tears and get you that home!

HAVE PATIENCE. Yes, young grasshopper… have patience! Your real estate agent wants you in a home as badly as you do. With low inventory, homes moving faster than lightning and multiple offer situations becoming almost expected… so give everyone a little grace and kindness.

PAY ATTENTION. Do you have apps like Realtor.com downloaded? Do you regularly check your emails or texts for messages from your agent? Be aware of what’s hitting the market and if you see something that hit before your agent did, LET THEM KNOW! They’ll get you scheduled to see the home ASAP!

BE TIMELY. When a home hits the market, be as urgent as your real estate agent is. Be transparent with your agent when you can and cannot fit touring homes in your schedule. There will be some homes that your agent may want to show you the day it hits if it’s the perfect home for you, so respond to the emails, texts or calls in a timely manner and get in that home!

MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE. Know the difference at the beginning of the home buying process of what you need in order to buy a home and what you want. For example, you and your lender will discuss if closing costs assistance is a necessity. Do you really need to seller to purchase that ~$600 home warranty for you or could your offer be more appealing if you paid for it yourself? What about that refrigerator… Is it something you desperately need to stay with the home because it matches all the other appliances or can you get another one? The list can go on and on and on, so really seek your agent’s advice and guidance.

DON’T GIVE UP. The biggest thing to remember is to not get discouraged or just say you’re done looking for a home. Sometimes the perfect one pops up right at the exact moment you needed it to. Trust in your agent and truly trust the process!

LISTEN TO YOUR AGENT. Your real estate agent is going to guide you on making an offer that’s fair market value and ensuring you ask for everything you need. But listen, listen, listen when they’re giving you the tools and ways to make your offer the most attractive it can be in a multiple offer situation. You are who they’re fighting for!

Don’t let this hot market summer get you down. Happy hunting, y’all!

Upfront Costs in Purchasing a Home

Money, money, money! When you first start the home buying process, a big concern can be the money and cashflow that you’ll need to pay upfront once you have an accepted contract. Payments can start adding up, so I always try to make sure that my buyers are aware of what checks they’ll be cutting from the beginning once their contract is accepted.

While closing costs are a big concern to buyers, those don’t really come to fruition until closing day (end of the deal). When it comes to upfront costs, you’re top costs will include your Option Period Fee, Earnest Money and paying for your Inspection. I’ve pulled the ranges and explanations for each below.

UPFRONT COSTS IN PURCHASING A HOME

Termination Option Fee: Typically ~$100

Your Termination Option OR Option Period is typically a time frame of 7-10 days where you complete your inspections, come in and get quotes/estimates on any repairs you’re needing and ensure that you’re ready to move forward on purchasing the home. This period starts the next day after the contract is executed.

The Termination Option Fee protects your Earnest Money so that if you back out of the contract within your 7 to 10 day period due to the seller not agreeing to repair certain items or the home not being quite up to par, you would get your Earnest Money back. After the 7 to 10 day Termination Option Period, your property will go UNDER CONTRACT.

This fee is written out the seller of the home as they’re giving you this time frame to complete any inspections, etc. You do not have to complete an inspection or have a Termination Option Period, but it is always recommended. Your Termination Option Fee CAN BE credited to your closing and negotiated on price point and day period.

Earnest Money: 1% of home purchase price

Typically, your Earnest Money is 1% of the overall price of the home. For example, if you purchase a home for $200,000 then your Earnest Money check will be $2,000. That is 1% of the purchase price. Is the 1% fee negotiable? Yes! But the Earnest Money is seen as good faith that you’re ready to rock and roll as a buyer so most buyers and sellers stick to using the traditional 1% number. If you’re in a bidding war, you may put down more in Earnest Money. It all depends on the buyer and the seller.

This fee is written out to the title company that is handling this transaction. Your Earnest Money IS credited at closing to your costs and can be negotiated.

Inspection Fee: Truly varies on square footage of home/company – ~$360-$600

Is this a required fee? Not necessarily, but some lenders do require an inspection and I ALWAYS recommend my buyers order one so that they know the ins and outs of the home from a licensed professional. The fee ranges by the company you use and the square footage of the home. The bigger the home, the higher the cost. In my opinion, this cost is WORTH IT!

This fee is paid directly to the inspector or inspection company. This IS NOT credited to your closing and if you back out of the contract you will not receive a refund for the fee. Inspections are there to give you piece of mind and know what’s going on from plumbing to foundation to electricity. It’s beneficial on ALL fronts!

While there are some other upfront costs in purchasing a home, these are the main costs after you receive and accepted offer on a property. These are all fee to expect and later on pull money for your downpayment, lender (appraisal, etc.) and closing costs. This is used to help guide you at the very beginning stages after a contract is accepted.

Closing Costs: Here’s Your Breakdown

Home buying… it can be fun, it can be stressful and it can be overwhelming! There are so many steps and processes and costs involved in the process, and as a Realtor it is my job to have answers to all of my client’s questions and concerns. While I always get asked about negotiations, inspections and more, one of the main questions I receive from my buyers is…

“What will my closing costs look like…?”

Honestly, it’s important to have a nice breakdown to show where all of your money is going and possible costs that seem hidden to the first time home buyer. This is likely BIGGEST purchase a person will make during their life, so people need to know what it’s going to cost and where their money is going. It can get complicated on whether the buyer or seller is paying for certain portions of closing costs, but that’s where your handy-dandy Realtor swoops in to guide you in the negotiating process!

So first of all… what are closing costs? Closing costs are fees associated with the purchase of your property/home that are paid at the closing of your real estate transaction. A closing is when the title of the property purchased is transferred from the seller to the buyer. Closing costs are incurred by either the seller or the buyer, these CAN be negotiated.

Now that we understand the high level description of closings costs, let’s break it down. While there is a rather large list of items that can go into closings costs, what I’m going to do is break down the biggest costs first and dwindle it down to other associated costs.

CLOSING COSTS

Title Company Fees (Cost Ranges Follow the Descriptions)

Appraisal: Paid to appraisal company to ensure fair market value of purchased home. Cost: Ranges are ~$500.
Flood Certification: Pulled by third-party, determines if property is located in a flood zone. Cost: Ranges close to $10-$15.
Postage or Courier Fees: Cost for transfer of documents. Cost: Ranges close to $40.
Recording Fee: Recording of public land records. Cost: Typically around $130-$150.
Settlement Fees: The title company is paid for handling the closing. Cost: Ranges from $200-$300.
Survey: Goes to a survey company to verify property lines. This is not always necessary as some sellers already have a survey on file. Cost: Ranges around $650 for a normal lot.
Tax Services: This includes transfer taxes, property taxes that will either be prorated or handled at the closing table. Cost: Ranges close to $100.
Title Search: The title company is paid for their search of the property’s records. They check on the deed of the home and ensure there are no liens, etc.

Lender Fees (These fees vary, so depend on lender for guidance with your situation)

Credit Report: Pulled by lender, grabs credit history for loan approval.
Homeowner’s Insurance: You’re typically paying your first year of insurance at closing. Simple as it sounds, it’s insurance and covers any potential damages to the home.
Origination Fee: Covers lender’s research and administrative costs. Typically 1 percent of loan.
Owner’s Title Insurance Fees: Can be optional, but protects you in the event that there are challenges to the ownership of your home.
Underwriting and Processing Fee: Goes to lender and pulls history/researches buyer for loan approval.

A great estimate that I like to give my buyers on their potential closing costs would be to vary it from 2 to 4 percent of the overall purchase price of the property. So if you’re purchase a $200,000 home, you can think ~$8,000 on the very high end and ~$4,000 on the low end. I find it better to give my clients an estimate that near a number than nothing at all. It gives my buyers and sellers a little piece of mind.

Listing Your Home? Here’s What You Can Do Now

Making moves? Then it’s probably time you start thinking about putting your home on the market. Now it’s not as simple as one, two, three… but it’s not as scary as it seems. I’ve pulled together some simple steps to take care of before you put your home on the market.

Deep Clean

Do it yourself or hire a professional. From the baseboards to every corner in the home, dust should go POOF! One man’s trash is not another man’s treasure in this situation. Potential buyers are looking at EVERY corner of your home, so keep it clean.

Declutter

Clean out your shelves, pantry, countertops and the bottom of your closet! When people come in to look at your home, you want them to see the bare minimum. If it doesn’t add to the aesthetic of the home, it needs to go.

Move Those Family Photos

Yes, you’re proud of you family or significant other, but they need to go! You don’t want your family on display for your pictures on Realtor.com and you probably would prefer that the potential buyer isn’t concerned about who currently lives in the home instead of seeing the beauty of the home. Depersonalize!

Inspect Your Home

This is not a requirement, but it could show you potential hiccups or issues that could come up once you get an offer. An inspector can point out some big or small issues that you can fix before putting your home on the market.

Curb Appeal

Pull out those weeds, rake those leaves and sweep that front porch. Curb appeal is EVERYTHING! Does the outside of the home need some love? A good power wash could do the trick or even a fresh coat of paint on the trim or shutters. A lot of potential buyers will make their rounds to check the outside of the home before they asking their Realtor to show it to them.

Freshen Up That Paint

Keep it neutral and keep it cute. If you have the funds and the time, cover up that lime green or bubble gum pink room and paint over an spots or scratches and definitely think about replacing that wallpaper. This makes a bigger difference than you would imagine. A lot of potential buyers want move in ready and having a great, neutral paint color throughout the home can be just what they want.

Find Those Documents

Your Listing Agent is going to ask for any documents that you have involving the home. This includes any existing surveys, restrictions or manuals on an fixtures for the home (operating manuals for appliances, security system, etc.). If you can’t find everyone, no worries! Your Listing Agent can help you gather details from your local title company or other resources.

And finally….

Call Me!

Don’t blindly hire an agent. Let me help you list your home and market it to the right clientele. I specialize in social media and marketing, helping me direct your property to people in the area and outside of our area. I also happily meet with clients before listing to help guide with any updates needed in the home. I never recommend throwing a ton of money in updates unless it is NECESSARY, so consult an agent first.

Not in the East Texas area? I can refer you to the top agents in your area and ensure you’re listing with an agent that specializes in residential or land sales in your community. I refer friends and family to clients in large and small cities that help market and SELL properties!

Looking to buy a property? 5 Things to Do Before You Call A Real Estate Agent

Is buying a new property or home on your horizon? It’s the most exciting, stressful time and likely the biggest purchase of your life! There’s no doubt that the whole process of buying a home or property can be overwhelming. Luckily, real estate agents and brokers provide local expertise and are a great resource to help you find exactly what you are looking for.

Select an agent with the right credentials for your buy. While you may want to immediately pick up the phone and call me to help find your DREAM HOME, there is some groundwork that can be accomplished beforehand. Here are five things that you can do before calling a real estate agent:

1. Get pre-qualified for your loan.

Hands down, this should be your first step as it is the most important! Getting pre-qualified means that a lender (your bank) has looked closely at employment history, credit reports, income, etc. The lender will then determine loan programs that you qualify for and find what works best for your financial situation. Basically, you can’t go spending more than your credit limit will let you!

Going through the pre-qualification process helps your real estate agent find a property that is in your price range. Most of the time clients get very eager and want to look at homes before speaking with a lender or bank, but I prefer not to show them homes without knowing their limits. You can really sour the house hunting process by showing a home out of a client’s price range, letting them fall in love, only to realize that they can’t afford it. Getting pre-qualified can be as simple as a phone call so it doesn’t have to take up your whole day. I do highly recommend meeting with the lender in person just to make the initial connection and help build a relationship.

If you don’t know where to start or who to call to get qualified, I can guide you in the right direction to help find a mortgage lender or bank that fits your needs.

2. Know the area that you want to purchase.

When it comes down to it, you need to know the location or area of where you plan to purchase a property. This decision can come down to the school districts, access to hospitals, or dining. Determining the location of the property helps the real estate agent zero in on where the buyer is focused on living or investing and eliminates questions about other locations. Real estate agents have great programs in the MLS systems that allow us to map out or search specifically by district.

Knowing the location you want to purchase a property in may take some time. I always recommend that my clients take a cruise in the areas they’re leaning toward in the morning and evening. It really helps you get a feel of the neighborhood. Wanting a neighborhood perfect for a growing family? Take a look and see if there are kids playing basketball outside or families going for walks in the evening. Looking for something quiet like a retirement community? Do a night drive by to see if the nightlife is popping in the neighborhoods you’re interested in. These little cruises can really cut down the house-hunting search. There’s nothing worse than when a real estate agent takes a client to a home they requested to see and the client pulling up and not even wanting to look inside the home (that you made clients leave so you could show) because they’re not a fan of the neighborhood. Yes, your agent is there and happy to help you in the elimination process, but help them out too!

3. Study the market.

Look at the economic situation that surrounds you. Research the market for homes in the area where you want to purchase. While a real estate agent can share the length of time homes have been on the market and estimated closing costs, research done ahead of time gives buyers expectations of costs in the location area of where they want to purchase a property. It can also help you see when the competitive times are in the market (typically in the spring/summer).

4. Know the usage of the property that you plan to purchase.

Typically, I’m searching for residential or luxury homes for my clients. So while is seems like an obvious answer that most clients want a subdivision, your real estate agent needs a little more information than that. Clarifying the usage of the property can narrow down the selection to more ‘prime’ choices. Do you want a minimum of five acres so you have room to breathe? Do you want a property where the Home Owner’s Association (HOA) takes care of the lawn? These little tid bits of information can really help narrow it down for your agent’s search.

Another potential deterrent can be deed restrictions on some properties. Some clients want to build a shop or add a pool to their backyard. Having those deed restrictions let’s you know what you’re allowed to build and add-on in neighborhoods. It can really make or break a decision.

5. Research your real estate agent.

Shopping for a real estate agent can be time-consuming, but knowing that you are using the right person for the type of property you want can help make the buying process a breeze. When looking to purchase a property, look at what your agent has listed or helped buyers purchase in the past. I’ve listed and helped as a buyer’s agent in luxury, residential, waterfront, commercial and other types of properties. Having an agent that has knowledge and a proven background in what you want to buy ensures a smooth process. It also doesn’t hurt to check out an agent’s Zillow or Facebook pages to see what properties and clientele they work with to find the right fit. Reviews can also be useful! But, trust me; I know I can help you find the PERFECT property!

Buying a property brings in a roller coaster of emotions. Doing homework ahead of time and keeping expectations clear between the buyer and the real estate agent can make this exciting journey a simpler one. These five simple steps to take care of before calling me to be your real estate agent helps set you, the buyer, up for success when looking for a property. Call Bethany Nolan with Murray Real Estate Services, LLC to get started on your house hunting today!