Buying a house does not have to be scary or complicated. It should be one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself. If I had a do-over in life, I would have bought my first home as soon as I was old enough to qualify for a mortgage. It is the number one investment you can count on and you get the luxury of living in a great home while you grow your money!
Of course, as with all investments, its good to do your homework and have a knowledgeable agent to help you make a smart purchase.
Each year, a well maintained home will help you build equity as you pay off your mortgage and as the house appreciates. When its time to move, you cash in on that return! If you rent, you walk away with nothing. Owning your own home should be a serious consideration when planning for your future.
"But, Lora, I have no idea where to start!"
First start with a Commitment to Saving: Sometimes first-time home buyers don't realize that there are several upfront expenses that you will be required to pay. Earnest money, inspections, appraisal, down payments, and closing costs are just some of the basis fees you will be required to pay during the purchase period. It is wise to start saving well in advance so that when you are ready, you will be able to get into the home you want.
Build a relationship with a Mortgage Lender: This should be done at the same time you open your "first home" savings account. A mortgage lender will go through your income and finances to let you know what amount they will lend you for a loan. They will then be able to give you an ball park goal of what you need to have in your "first home" savings account when you begin the process of looking for a home.
Build a relationship with a good Real Estate Agent: A good agent will help you scout out the best home for your needs. This agent will represent your interests and make sure that you fully understand the process of buying a home.
When working with a new buyer, I like to sit down and give a full consultation of the home buying process to make it less intimidating and unknown. There is nothing worse than being surprised with fees and paperwork when you least expect it. The more comfortable you are, the more enjoyable the process will be.
If you would like to learn more about the home buying process, call or email, Let's Talk!
Monday, March 31, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Selling your home? The most important thing to picture!
So you need to sell your home? Whether you need to sell fast or whether you just want to put your house on the market to see what happens, the most important feature of selling your home is PHOTOS!
The number one thing that brings a buyer to your doorstep is its online presentation. Yet, I continue to see houses listed for sale with only one exterior photo. Never let anyone tell you that photos don't matter or "the mystery will bring them to see it person." I'm a real estate agent, not a screenwriter for thrillers. This never works and here is why:
When I work with a buyer who has given me a basic search criteria, I sit at the computer and I pull up roughly 60 houses that meet their needs. Do I email them all 60? No, they are busy people and its my job to not waste their time. I'm going to go through and pick the best 5 houses and schedule showings for the week. They know that I'm not going to waste their time taking them through houses that don't meet her needs. So if your house is in that 60 and there are no photos, chances are it won't make the top 5 cut. We might only make it to that house if we've gone through the best 5, then the next best 5, and so on. Your house needs to be in the TOP 5!
A good house, when represented well on the internet, should cause your agent's phone to ring off the hook the first day. The first three or four evenings should be booked solid with showings. You are the new blood on the block! All the gophers are popping their heads up out of their holes and saying "What's that over there, I need to see that now!"
Ok so now you are saying "Well, Lora, my house is a fixer-up, nothing fancy to show here." It doesn't matter. Even if the walls are bare to the studs, a buyer, whether first time home buyer or investor, wants to be able to preview the house before they come over. They want to see the spacial flow of the house and get a basic idea before they hop in their cars and drive over.
When you work with an agent here are a list of things you need to make sure that your agent is doing to represent your home properly.
1. How many photos of the house are they going to put up on the MLS listing? I'm going to let you cheat here and give you the answer. 20. Their answer should be 20. You have 20 spots for photos on the MLS. No less. No More.
2. Are they paying attention to what they are taking pictures of? Nothing is worse than seeing your agent's reflection in the bathroom mirror, seeing the toilet seat up, or forgetting to take your bra off the doorknob. Your agent should give the room a thorough look through, move things out of the way that could be off-putting or land you on the "badMLSphotos" page on Facebook (and yes that's a thing).
3. Are they taking quality photos? Not every agent needs to use a professional photographer, but every agent should be skilled in manning a camera. Blurry photos are inexcusable.
4. Are they taking pictures of your house or of your furniture? I saw a picture once (one of many actually, but this one sticks out) Of nothing but a side table against a wall and the picture hanging above it. There was no description of it being an entryway, hallway, kitchen wall, nothing. It gave no clue as to the spacial orientation at all. Is the table being offered with the house? I'm not sure. Needless to say, it didn't make the top 5.
5. Will they send you a link to the online listing once it is available? Check their work. You are paying big bucks to have your home represented well and if they aren't, they need to! Make sure the photos aren't sideways, make sure the order of the photos flow as if buyers are walking through the house, and most importantly make sure they are full size photos (there is a resizing tool in the entry page, you don't need a fancy photo app). Do the photos have detailed descriptions? Does the overall look of the listing give you a great feeling about your home?
At the end of the day, if you have 20 beautiful photos uploaded of your home and you still aren't getting showings - Let's Talk.
The number one thing that brings a buyer to your doorstep is its online presentation. Yet, I continue to see houses listed for sale with only one exterior photo. Never let anyone tell you that photos don't matter or "the mystery will bring them to see it person." I'm a real estate agent, not a screenwriter for thrillers. This never works and here is why:
When I work with a buyer who has given me a basic search criteria, I sit at the computer and I pull up roughly 60 houses that meet their needs. Do I email them all 60? No, they are busy people and its my job to not waste their time. I'm going to go through and pick the best 5 houses and schedule showings for the week. They know that I'm not going to waste their time taking them through houses that don't meet her needs. So if your house is in that 60 and there are no photos, chances are it won't make the top 5 cut. We might only make it to that house if we've gone through the best 5, then the next best 5, and so on. Your house needs to be in the TOP 5!
A good house, when represented well on the internet, should cause your agent's phone to ring off the hook the first day. The first three or four evenings should be booked solid with showings. You are the new blood on the block! All the gophers are popping their heads up out of their holes and saying "What's that over there, I need to see that now!"
Ok so now you are saying "Well, Lora, my house is a fixer-up, nothing fancy to show here." It doesn't matter. Even if the walls are bare to the studs, a buyer, whether first time home buyer or investor, wants to be able to preview the house before they come over. They want to see the spacial flow of the house and get a basic idea before they hop in their cars and drive over.
When you work with an agent here are a list of things you need to make sure that your agent is doing to represent your home properly.
1. How many photos of the house are they going to put up on the MLS listing? I'm going to let you cheat here and give you the answer. 20. Their answer should be 20. You have 20 spots for photos on the MLS. No less. No More.
2. Are they paying attention to what they are taking pictures of? Nothing is worse than seeing your agent's reflection in the bathroom mirror, seeing the toilet seat up, or forgetting to take your bra off the doorknob. Your agent should give the room a thorough look through, move things out of the way that could be off-putting or land you on the "badMLSphotos" page on Facebook (and yes that's a thing).
3. Are they taking quality photos? Not every agent needs to use a professional photographer, but every agent should be skilled in manning a camera. Blurry photos are inexcusable.
4. Are they taking pictures of your house or of your furniture? I saw a picture once (one of many actually, but this one sticks out) Of nothing but a side table against a wall and the picture hanging above it. There was no description of it being an entryway, hallway, kitchen wall, nothing. It gave no clue as to the spacial orientation at all. Is the table being offered with the house? I'm not sure. Needless to say, it didn't make the top 5.
5. Will they send you a link to the online listing once it is available? Check their work. You are paying big bucks to have your home represented well and if they aren't, they need to! Make sure the photos aren't sideways, make sure the order of the photos flow as if buyers are walking through the house, and most importantly make sure they are full size photos (there is a resizing tool in the entry page, you don't need a fancy photo app). Do the photos have detailed descriptions? Does the overall look of the listing give you a great feeling about your home?
At the end of the day, if you have 20 beautiful photos uploaded of your home and you still aren't getting showings - Let's Talk.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Welcome!
My name is Lora Newton. I am a Real Estate Agent in the Oklahoma City area.
For the past 6 years, my husband and I have been property investors. Because of my experiences I work everyday to improve the journey for those buying or selling homes.
I have a passion for marketing and public relations. Long before I ever conceived the idea to get my real estate license, I studied marketing, public relations, entrepreneurship, leadership building and humanities in college. I had a drive for being active in my community and helping others bring two ends together to get a whole. I have volunteered countless hours with community organizations and enjoyed every minute of it.
I initially got into real estate for the simple goal in supporting my husband's property investment business. It wasn't until I joined up with Keller Williams that I realized that all my life long passions came crashing together with a new career. I can finally say that I am excited about every aspect of my career and it feels GOOD!
My goal with this blog is to pass along tips to help those who are on a real estate journey. Whether you are a first time home-buyer, selling your family home, or wanting to invest in real estate, you will find information to help make sense of how the market works.
If you have any questions about something I covered here, have not covered yet, or suggestions on things you'd like to know more about - LETS TALK!
Lora Newton
405-308-3466
loranewton@kw.com
www.loranewton.yourkwagent.com
For the past 6 years, my husband and I have been property investors. Because of my experiences I work everyday to improve the journey for those buying or selling homes.
I have a passion for marketing and public relations. Long before I ever conceived the idea to get my real estate license, I studied marketing, public relations, entrepreneurship, leadership building and humanities in college. I had a drive for being active in my community and helping others bring two ends together to get a whole. I have volunteered countless hours with community organizations and enjoyed every minute of it.
I initially got into real estate for the simple goal in supporting my husband's property investment business. It wasn't until I joined up with Keller Williams that I realized that all my life long passions came crashing together with a new career. I can finally say that I am excited about every aspect of my career and it feels GOOD!
My goal with this blog is to pass along tips to help those who are on a real estate journey. Whether you are a first time home-buyer, selling your family home, or wanting to invest in real estate, you will find information to help make sense of how the market works.
If you have any questions about something I covered here, have not covered yet, or suggestions on things you'd like to know more about - LETS TALK!
Lora Newton
405-308-3466
loranewton@kw.com
www.loranewton.yourkwagent.com
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