Real Estate in Hampton Roads

You want to hire an agent to buy a home... now what?

2011-01-26T19:22:00.001-05:00

After researching the Internet, talking to agents, visiting open houses, talking to lenders you have finally decided you want your own representation when purchasing a home. So now what?

First thing is you should really hire an agent before you visit any open houses or new home sites. This will save potential procuring cause issues later. Understanding why you should have your own agent and representation is important. The main reason is the listing agent represents the seller as her client. If you decide to buy that home you are just a customer not a client. Her clients interest come first.

How to choose one is based on what you read and want to believe. Does the agent have to have a designation such as ABR®? No. I've been in this industry for almost 10 years and can represent a buyer just as good as an agent with a ABR®. In fact, that ABR designation is a 2-day class and any buyer agent can get it.

Choose your agent based on what the agent has to offer. It should be more than emailing you homes. They should really listen and learn about what you are looking for in your home. They should know the areas well or give you resources.
There are a ton of agents in our area. They should also be full time. Not that a part time agent can't be good, but real estate is a career, not a hobby. Laws, rules, and contracts change all the time. You want an agent that is on top of everything and not having to research at the last minute.

So be a little picky when picking an agent to represent you in purchasing a home. In most cases the agent will make or break how good your home buying experience was.

Windsor, VA

2010-11-10T10:45:00.001-05:00

To some, Windsor VA may seem out of the way. Speaking to the people who live in Windsor you will hear a different story. Located off Route 460, Windsor is tucked away but close to everything. Pricing for homes are a lot lower than surrounding 'main stream' areas such as Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach. The home located at 25098 Old Mill Rd West is listed at $150,000. The large yard and desireable floor plan makes it perfect for first time home buyers. Click to see full details: 25098 Old Mill Road West

You can also read more about Windsor,VA here

Current listings

2010-11-03T14:20:00.002-04:00

Selling your first home

2010-09-17T11:01:00.000-04:00

As a first time buyer, you were nervous and excited. If you had a great agent the frustration level should have been low. You will have the same feeling selling your first home. There is a lot to consider when selling your home.

Keep in mind it always costs more to sell a home than to buy a home. If you purchased a home in the last few years, you most likely got closing costs assistance, 100% financing if you were a first time buyer, and a potential $8000 credit.
When you are a seller, you are on the opposite side and will be offering those things to potential buyers. Every buyer (or almost every buyer) is receiving some closing cost assistance. The average I am seeing on contracts is 3-4% of the sales price. The main reason for this is loan guidelines have changed. If someone is not a first time home buyer, they will most likely have to put down a 3.5% down payment (FHA loans).

The next thing to consider is to hire an experienced full time Realtor® like myself. I specialize in internet marketing, short sales, and pricing the home to sell. The days of 'feeling out the market' and pricing the home high are over. If you don't price right from the start, you won't get any showings. There are several ways to price the home. I base my suggested price on what homes have closed in the area in the last 3 months. The reason for this is an appraiser is going to use sold homes, not active or pending.

If you are considering selling your first home, give me a call. I'll stop by and go over the process, make suggestions on the interior and give you a suggested sales price. It doesn't have to be complicated or frustrating if you use an experienced and personable Realtor®.

Hampton Roads schools make Americas Best List!

2010-08-14T18:55:00.000-04:00

Newsweek published the Americas Best High School list. (Click to see entire article). Locally, it came as a great suprise to me that the school I graduated from ranked 122. Higher than any other school in the area. When it comes to real estate in Virginia Beach, schools play a big part of the criteria. The schools that are normally asked for fell way below Princess Anne High School.
Here are the rankings

Virginia Beach
#122 Princess Anne High School
#659 Cox High School
#853 Ocean Lakes High School
#1123 Kellam High School
#1132 First Colonial High School
#1344 Bayside High School
#1355 Landstown High School and Technology Academy
#1408 Kempsville High School

Hampton

#845 Hampton High School

Newport News

#412 Warwick High School

#880 Menchville High School

Norfolk

#529 Granby High School

York County

#270 York High School

#491 Bruton High School

#651 Tabb High School

#877 Grafton High School

Should I buy?

2010-07-27T17:16:00.001-04:00

Should I buy or just keep renting? This question comes up on amost every real estate web site, buyer class and just in every day conversation with buyers. The answer really depends on why you are buying. If you are looking to purchase a home look at your debt and monthly finances. Yes, the rates are incredible right now and you could possibly own a home for the same amount as you are paying in rent. Depending on what you are looking for, it may be less than rent.

The average 1 bedroom apartment in Chesapeake runs about $1000-1500 depending on location, amenities and how new the complex is. Look in Virginia Beach and it may be about the same or even higher the closer you get to the ocean front.

What's the big deal about interest rates? If you talk to anyone who has been in the real estate industry for quite awhile, you will quickly see why interest rates are a huge deal. Buyers are taking advantage of rates below 5% in some cases. Interest rates can not stay low forever as some buyers are thinking. As they start to creep up so do the monthly payments for the same house. Inventory starts to shrink because buyers will rush to buy to save on their interest rate.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but the best time to buy really is now. The rates are driving more and more buyers to lock in their new home with a payment equal to or less than renting. As a first time home buyer there are many programs you may qualify for to help with your down payment (depending on the property). Military home buyers can also qualify for special programs.

Take a moment and use the financial tools on my website. You can see some of the most common questions, put in your montly income and debt and see the results. There is also a Rent vs Buy calculator to help you decide.

Still debating? Send me an email or call me at 757-773-5456. I'm here to answer your questions and give you as much information as possible so you can decide if buying a home now is the right decision (or not) for you. You can also search all the homes for sale in Hampton Roads by clicking here.

Chesapeake VA and Suffolk VA make the top 100 places to live!

2010-07-14T14:46:00.000-04:00

From Cnn Money-
Money Magazine has posted their Top 100 places to live list. Making that list is Chesapeake (85) and Suffolk, VA (91). You can read the full articles below on the two cities.

Chesapeake, VA:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2010/snapshots/PL5116000.html

Suffolk, VA:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2010/snapshots/PL5176432.html

Both of these cities have great inventory. Taxes vary, but overall people chose to live in these cities because they seem less congested than Virginia Beach, VA. Be sure to email me if you want the most updated market report for either of these cities.

Clutter sells?

2010-07-14T14:34:00.000-04:00

Photos can either attract or deter buyers from looking at your property. The key rooms such as the kitchen need to be in tip top shape, especially in photos. This listing appeared in the MLS. It doesn't take much to see why someone would find this kitchen unappealing.
Let's start with the top. Clear the floral arrangements to add more space to your kitchen. It will make the kitchen seem bigger.
Next stop are the counters. Really, it looks like there is zero counterspace adn the one space that is semi open has some sore of candle thing on it.
Rule of thumb: ONE item per counter space. From the back corner to the edges, these counters are full of unneeded items. Cleared counters make the kitchen feel bigger and cleaner. Space sells, weather we are talking about rooms or counter space. Also, there seems to be some clean dishes on the right side of the sink. How about putting those away before a showing or at least before the agent takes the photo.
Lastly, ditch whatever that is on the island. A simple vase with fresh flowers is all you need. It has a welcoming feeling and the smell of the flowers is refreshing.

Raise your hand if you have a question

2010-07-12T14:02:00.000-04:00

Buying your first home is a very emotional and confusing experience, especially if you want to wing it. It amazes me that buyers want to take on this experience without representation. That's right, the listing agent or agent at the new construction site is not representing you, the seller/builder is their client. The seller/builder has already included the buyer agent fee in selling their home, so why not hire someone to look out for you? My buyer consultations normally take about an hour. I prepare my buyers for everything that is going to happen in a transaction so there are no suprises. We discuss market conditions, client vs. customer status (agency), and then take a road trip to look at some homes. I also explain to them what type of criteria to look for in a lender, home inspector and closing company. Buying a home is the biggest financial investment a person makes. It makes sense to use a professional that is involved in real estate everyday, not every so often. Be sure to give me a call before stepping out to look a that first home. It's better to go our prepared than to wing something that will most likely be your largest bill every month.

What comes with the house?

2010-07-05T11:27:00.000-04:00

Many times when I am showing homes to a buyer, a common question is are the appliances staying? The MLS listing will sometimes state what will and will not convey with the home. As a buyers agent, it is my duty to make sure my clients at least ask for any item they want.
The MLS is simply a solicitation for an offer. Many agents will put "per items in MLS listing". What the heck are they doing? An agent can change that at anytime and may have forgot to include something.
I personally use the Items to Convey addendum. I will bring it to the home with my buyer and we will mark each item they want. What happens when they want the fridge and its not on the MLS listing? I mark it anyways. EVERYTHING in a home is negotiable. Most sellers think they want to keep their fridge, but if they do research you can damage a fridge if you move it wrong. Also, most sellers will not let a fridge stand in the way of a contract (unless is an upscale and pricey fridge). The same applies to the washer and dryer.

Next time you are out with your agent and you want something, ask for it. Just because it's not in the MLS listing doesn't mean you can't ask for it. The worst that can happen is the seller will say no.

Everything including the kitchen sink!

2010-07-03T16:08:00.000-04:00

When it comes to updating a seller has to decide if everything needs updating and/or replacing.
One of the things that is overlooked is the kitchen sink. If you have a stainless steel sink you are probably OK unless you want to update to a more desirable sink that has an extra deep side. If you have a white ceramic sink, you may want to replace it with a stainless steel sink. The pretty white sink was sometimes added to new homes as an 'upgrade'. Personally, I think ceramic sinks are a pain in the butt.
You have to be careful how you clean it, it scratches so easily, and if you accidentally drop something it will probably break. White ceramic sinks can be cleaned with Soft Scrub or some other soft cleanser. I use the one with bleach, however no matter how much I scrub I can see scratches. Also, those scratches will hold stains which doesn't look very nice.

So before you head off to the local home improvement store to buy lights, cabinet handles, a faucet or other things to update take a look at your sink. You may want to apply some of the money to replace your sink instead of something else.

Market reports

2010-06-28T10:31:00.001-04:00

Market Reports for Hampton Roads
I have posted the latest market reports for Chesapeake, Suffolk, Newport News, Virginia Beach, and a few other cites on my website (http://www.hasslefreehomes.com/). These reports are provided by Long&Foster and come out monthly. Using these reports will help you understand the markets place in your city. If there are additional cities you would like to know about it, let me know. I can provide reports in for any city in Virginia.

Pictures tell 1000 words... or not!

2010-06-25T19:36:00.000-04:00

When a seller asks me how many photos I will be publishing, I hesitate to answer sometimes. I explain to the seller I will take as many photos as possible, but if the rooms do not show well, there is no need in publishing them.

For example, the master bedroom is a key photo all buyers look at. They want a spacious room with natural light. If the photo does not maximize the space, it may deter buyers. Some properties online have no pictures at all. I can't imagine EVERY rooms show badly, and what about the backyard?

It is the listing agents responsibility to post photos. If the rooms are horrible, maybe posting the front and back of the home or even a street shot would work. Personally, every buyer I have had has instructed me to not send them listings from the MLS that do not have multiple photos. I can't argue with them, there are too many homes on the market to waste time looking at homes 'to see' if they are nice inside.

When you are ready to list your home, be sure to ask about photos and see how they turn out!

Where's the pride?

2010-06-23T15:12:00.001-04:00

There was a time when homeowners took pride in handing keys to a new owner. I am starting to wonder if those times have passed. I have been extremely fortunate that the sellers I represent still have that pride. The sellers I have represented made it a point to ensure the home was spic and span clean. One client even pushed closing back an hour to finish up the cleaning. Little things like mowing the lawn, making sure all the trash is gone and even picking up dog poop before the buyers move in can make all the difference.

Sometimes sellers forget that first home feeling. For a first time buyer or any buyer moving into a new home is a very exciting experience. They have looked at a ton of homes and chose yours. That feeling can quickly fade when they walk into their new home and the first feeling is having to clean the entire house before they move furniture in. As a buyer's agent, this is frustrating because we strive to make sure the home buying experience is a great one.

Remember, when you buy a home or even rent a place you expect the home to be clean when you take the keys. Take moment to clean your home or hire a company to clean the home. Agents, remember your client and their home represent you too. *hint hint*

Keeps getting hotter

2010-06-22T10:44:00.000-04:00

The temperature in Hampton Roads just keeps rising. The heat index has been in the upper 90s to 100s. If you haven't done it already, now would be a good time to get your AC checked. July and August are the hottest months for us.

It's one of the little things we forget to do. I normally recommend clients to get their system checked at least once a year. Some companies offer check up plans to come out twice a year. When you decide to sell your home, it also helps to show that your HVAC unit has been maintained. Buyers, especially the first timers, always ask. Replacing the HVAC unit is a large cost that some buyers do not want to face immediately.

Take a moment and call a licensed HVAC company for a routine maintenance call. The normal cost ranges from $80-150. Be sure to keep that receipt and any other receipts you have for your home. When you decide to sell, give them to your agent.

Yes, I am interviewing you too

2010-06-18T13:37:00.000-04:00

Prospective sellers are always suprised when I tell them I will be interviewing them at the appointment. Let's be honest, everyone doesn't get a long with absolutely everyone.

At this point of my career, I am no longer the desperate new agent that wants to just work with anyone who will hire me. I am looking for the clients that are in sync with the goals I have to sell their home. Unrealistic sellers never work for me. I am in the business to sell home, not just list them. My ultimate goal is to get the home sold. It doesn't do me any good to have my sign in the yard when the home is 20k over market value.

The clients that hire me appreciated my upfront and realistic approach. I make it a point to not sugar coat anything because it sets up false expectations. That is never good. If everything is on the table at the end of the transaction everyone is happy.

Next time you interview an agent, be sure you click with them and you both have the same goals. This means the goal of selling your home and the plan to get it sold.

First time buyers

2010-06-17T10:49:00.000-04:00

As a first time buyer there is an overwhelming feeling of "What the heck?!?!" I'm not just a Realtor®, I am also the visionary, the therapist, the negotiator, and most importantly your friend during this stressful time.
I love working with first time buyers. I normally meet with a first timer for about 2 hours to go over the entire process. This saves a lot of 'suprises' later. I met with one the other night and they were way off about our current market. Most first timers watch shows, listen to people who have opinions, etc. Keep in mind every market is different and the opinions of others are, in my experience, way.. WAY off.

Here is a tip for first time buyers, if you aren't going to use a real estate agent who does this day in and day out as their career, at least go to one of the free first time buyer seminars. There are too many desperate sellers out there that would love to take advantage of an uneducated buyer.