Does Your Realtor Know The Market Area?

For most people we tend to use an agent that was referred to us or soemone we know. But does the agent we are using know the market area you are looking for a home in? Generally speaking Realtors are comfortable in certain areas of town. They tend to know the areas well. They list homes there and they tend to sell homes in that area. When a good deal comes along they are quick to realize it. It is known as their market area.

So, you have a friend who is a Realtor and you want to look at a home in a market area they are not that familair with. Do you ask them to refer you to someone who does or do you let them help you out becuase we all have access to the same information? Generally they are going to help you out if you do not ask. But are they really helping you out? How do you know if the home they are showing you is a good deal, under priced for the area or over priced for the area? Without doing some extensive research they probably will not know.

For example, a fellow agent in my office knew I was very familiar with a certain area of Charlotte. He was not. He asked me to help him out and find homes that fit the criteria of what his buyers were looking for in a home. I gave him a list of neighborhoods and homes that fit the criteria of what they wanted in regards to amneties, schools, and type of home without even hesitating. But, more importantly, I was able to inform him of "material facts" of the area that he was not aware of. Those factors influenced the descsion for the buyers in regards to the home they eventually decided to make an offer on.

Yes, I can show you homes anywhere in Charlotte and the surrounding communities. However; am I doing you justice by not knowing of material facts of that area or neighborhoods that may influence your descsion to make an offer on a home or not? The answer to that is an easy NO. There is no excuse for not knowing material facts about an area; even if we do not market that area on a regular basis.

As a Realtor, we can be held liable for not informing our buyer of a material fact of a certain area that would affected them either purchasing the home or not purchasing the home. How can we tell them to make a reasonable offer if we do nto know the whole situation of the area? So, looking for a home; make sure your Realtor knows the area you are looking in...it can only benefit both of you.

Dave diCecco
Realtor/Broker
www.davedicecco.com

Buying A Home? What To Do After The Offer Has Been Accepted

We all have bought a home or are thinking of buying a home. I know when I bought my first home many years ago I renmeber the Real Estate agent saying to me I will see you on X day at the closing. If you need anything in the itnern call me. I thought wow this is easier than I thought it would be. Now, granted that was a lot of years ago. But, there are agents out there still doing that type of business.

Once an offer on a home has been accepted the process really only has just begun. Chances are (unless you are paying cash for a home) that you would have been in contact with a mortgage professional and woudl have had a pre-qualifed or pre-approval letter in hand. Well now that you have selected a home the mortgage process really begins. They start their process of getting the loan through the system and approved. They will order an appraisal, ask you for pay stubs, bank statements and other items they will need to ensure that the loan will be processed through without any issues.

The Real Estate Agent will (or should) help you locate a home inspector to make sure the home is in move in condition or if it is "as is" what is wrong with the house. Then the agent should be there with you when the home inspection is going on. It is our job to represent YOU the buyer throughout the transaction. How are we suppossed to convey any requests for repairs that may be needed on the home, if we are not there for them. in some cases you may ask for a termite inspection as well.

A closing attorney should be contacted and informed of the date for which you will close. It is their job to make sure you have a clean title and that all the papoerwork is in order. They scheudle the time for the closing and coordinate with the bank for the mortgage paperwork.

You will have to get Home Owner's Insurance for the home. This list is by no means complete. However; on every transaction you cna at least expect these things to have to happen to close. Our job as a Realtor is not over once you find a home...in fact I tell my clients it never is over...I will be there for them down the road as well.

Dave diCecco
Realtor/Broker
www.davedicecco.com

Do Photos Sell A Home?

It depends on the quality of the photos and what you are taking pictures of. I am a strong advocate of taking quality pictures. There is an old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. That may not be more true than in Real Estate. Buyers today have a lot of choices availble to them in regards to homes to choose from. It is truly a buyer's market right now. So, how do you separate your listing from that of your competitor? How do you get the buyers that are in the market to consider your home? Take quality photos.

It may sound easier said than done. But to me photos tell a story. You can write the best narrative about a home and give the most graphic details about the custom work done in a home. However; a picture does not lie. People believe what they can see... it is natural human nature for us that if we visually see it we know it to be true.

I recently sold two of my listings because of the photos I took of the home. In fact, one of them mentioned to me they did not realize at first that they were looking at the same house they viewed a few months ago online from a previous agent. WHy? because the quality of the photos was not up to the standards of the house.

In this compettitve market, if you want your home to stand out from the rest make sure your agent is taking lots of pictures and showing your home in the best light. I have gone back to a home three times becuase I was not happy with the quality of some of the pictures I took. It was easy to tell my client I am coming back to reshoot certain pictures becuase I am not happy with the quality of them...than to put them online in a form that was unacceptable.

So, yes photos do help sell a home.....if taken properly. If not taken properly they can hinder the sale of a house.

Dave dicecco
Realtor/Broker
www.davedicecco.com