aware that technology has changed how a buyer shops for a new home. According the National Association of Realtors and their most recent “Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers” for the past 3 years, 92% of all buyers have used the internet to search for a home. The report also revealed that 95% of those buyers shopping online for a home actually purchased their home through a real estate agent/broker or from a builder of builder’s agent. A minimal 2% actually purchased the home directly from a seller, without knowing them ahead of time. The buyers are searching online for their new homes, but still rely on the agent to find that specific home that fits their needs, negotiate the terms of the sale, negotiate the price and to help guide them through the process. There is so much information now available for a buyer to check out, research and read online, that the buyers are finding that they need to reach out to a real estate professional in order to sort through it all and connect the relevant dots! This is obvious as the percentage of overall buyers who used an agent to buy their home has steadily increased from 69% in 2001 to 95% in 2015. The bottom line is clear. If you are thinking of selling your home, don’t underestimate the role a real estate agent/broker can play in the process. They will be there to help you price the home, show the home, market the home and finally guide the seller through the offer, the purchase and sale and finally the closing. Having an agent/broker by your side has become crucial to the speed and efficiency in which your home can sell. Call Foran Realty today to see how they can help you sell your home. ]]>
Customer Satisfaction
manner, and customizing the responses based on each customer’s needs. Now we know that it doesn’t sound too complicated, however you would be surprised! It’s not as easy as it seems. Here are my top five tips on how to provide excellent customer service:
- Hire the right people for your real estate agency
- Show empathy
- Offer speedy response
- Provide easy accessibility
- Ask your customers and then listen to them
What To Look For When Buying A Home To Build Equity
Buying a home will be the biggest purchase of your entire life. It’s not a decision that anyone should or will take lightly. You want to buy a house that you can live in. Sometimes, it’s even best to think of your home purchase from the perspective of others. Ask yourself, “Would other people want to live here?” When it comes to your home, the financial buzzword is “equity.” As the buyer, you want to be able to build some equity into your home so that if you should choose to sell it, you’ll make a profit. Whether your home is only meant to live in for a few years until your family outgrows it, or you think it’s going to be a forever home, life happens and you don’t want to be stuck with a home that you must take a loss on. Keep these aspects of the home in mind when you are ready to buy: Size Most people search for 3 to 4 bedroom homes. Whether they are married and want to have children or just need extra space for another baby that is on the way, families typically look for places where they have room to grow. The number of bathrooms in a home is also key. Families don’t want to share one bathroom among 4-5 people. These factors are even more important than the actual space available in the home by square footage. On the flip side, you don’t want your home to be too big either. Larger homes aren’t as energy efficient and can cost more to maintain. Know that there is a “sweet spot” for your square footage. Usually this is somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet of living space. Room To Expand Look at the home to see if there is room to expand. Perhaps you need another bathroom, but there’s some space to construct an additional half bath. This factor of expansion is key when it comes to a home or property. Look Past The Appearance Things like paint colors, floors, carpets and other aesthetics aren’t as important as the big things when it comes to buying a home. You can easily change these without much cost or effort on your part. While everyone loves a move-in-ready home, don’t let a little paint separate you from a home that you love! Curb Appeal Helps While it’s easy to fix some things like the color of a home or the shrubs, find your vision to give the home you’re about to purchase some curb appeal. If you can see past the imperfections and make your home your own from the outside in, your home will be attractive. There’s plenty of things you can add and fix from doors to landscaping to paint to a new mailbox. All of these can give your home some serious curb appeal. Sound Structure If the structure of the home is not in good condition, you’ll face many problems down the road. You want to avoid costly repairs by ensuring that you buy a home without serious structural damage or wear. The most important part of a home’s structure is that of the foundation. If a home has a cracked foundation, it’s going to cause some problems. Be sure that you hire a reputable inspector and attend the inspection so you know exactly what’s going on with the home you are about to purchase. You can prepare yourself for any problems or issues this way, and make a decision from there. A home that has a good structure to start will undoubtedly continue to help you build equity in your purchase.]]>
Buying A House
Just as selling a house can be a hassle, so can buying one, but it’s exciting and scary at the same time. A few things to remember before entering into an agreement will make the process a little easier. It may be that you are relocating and have decided that the best way to put down roots is to buy. It can also be a better choice than renting, given the high costs of rental property these days. First, you must scope out the area, checking the neighborhood, the proximity to your work, and the school system, for instance. Also, look at the tax rate, as they vary from town to town. As a rule of thumb, taxes are higher if the property is in a city or located adjacent to one. A “bedroom town” might be a better bet. That is a town that is still in the suburbs but doesn’t border on the city. It might be next to the one that does, but that is what keeps the prices and taxes a tad lower. Another very important consideration is to get pre-qualified for a mortgage before looking at property. Your credit rating and income and expenses will be a factor on how much you can afford. Go to a reputable bank or lender and sit down with the lender for a realistic picture of your finances. Although it is “scary”, it is vital to know where you stand. Once you are ready to start looking, there are a multitude of real estate agents just waiting to help. Sometimes, recommendations from friends or people in the area can help you decide which agent is dependable and will have your best interests at heart. Don’t be impatient; it takes some time to complete the whole process. Six to eight weeks on average is likely, but it can take much more time, what with home inspections, and taking care of any issues of the property’s condition and legalities, such as titles and the like. Most of this part will fall on the seller, but it still can slow down the process. Once you have decided on a house and made the offer, sit back and relax, if you can. It’s a time consuming process, but owning a home is very large investment and you don’t want to make a mistake.]]>
Finding Your Dream Home
It’s easy to dream about the ideal house, harder to describe that home to a realtor. But, you’ve got to know the details that make up your dream home if you expect to find that perfect place. Identifying the details of your dream home may take a bit of work, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you have a partner and children, definitely get their input. Work to ensure that everyone who’s going to live in the house gets amenities and style elements that they want. Also, factor in your favorite colors, textures and personal aspirations when thinking about your dream home, including where the house is located. If you love surfing, swimming and fishing, a country home near the beach might be the right choice. Ask yourself questions to find out what you really want Do you want to live in a small town, the type of place where traffic jams rarely, if ever, form? Is access to reliable public transportation important to you, especially if you prefer not to drive? Are older homes more to your liking than modern, contemporary houses? And what about arts and entertainment? How important is it for you to be near major sports and concert venues? You can gain clues about your dream home when you visit extended family and friends. You may love the open living room, dining room and kitchen concept at a friend’s single family home. The round, marble tub at your grandparents’ house might give you a warm feeling every time you soak in it. Don’t rule out how carefree, courageous and happy you felt as you ran across the back lawn at your aunt and uncle’s three story bungalow. After you narrow down the location, size and type of house that you want, start to create a wish list of amenities that you want your dream home to have. Sample items that you could add to your wish list include whether you want a front and back porch, small or large yards and whether you want a home office and, if so, how big do you want the home office to be. Other wish list items are window styles, how much street noise you’ll tolerate, numbers and sizes of bedrooms, whether you want a finished basement and how many cars you want to fit in the driveway and garage. You may also want a dream home that’s only a 10 minute drive to work. If you identify features that you want in your dream home before you consider how much you can afford to pay for a house, you might be surprised at your options. By focusing on features or amenities, you could also help your realtor to look for a house that fits your wish list instead of zoning in on a house based mainly on price. Stay open. Finding eight out of ten things that you want on your dream home list could prove to be very rewarding.]]>