Home Shopping with Shelly

A Dervish "Prepares" for Winter at Home

If you are a list person, read no further.  Just click on this link to your favorite thing:  Get Ready for Winter Check-list.  You can post it on the fridge or carry it around on your clip-board and watch your partner do the work.  You have the pencil and check it off as it is completed!  Wow!  I love that idea.

 

But it isn't going to happen, right?  Unless I could afford Harry Handyman to come on over, give him the list and get that second cup of coffee, here's how to start.  Just read through the list linked to above and do what I do.  DERVISH.  Go outside and look at the gutters.  You might see a small tree growing out of a back gutter.  Start there.  On the way to get the trowel to scoop out the mess you trip over the hose.  Oops.  Time to get that put away.  Wind er up or drag er off towards......oh dear.  Where will it go this time?  Drop the hose and come back to it.  Now, what was I doing?  Oh, yes.  That tree in the gutter.  You need  a ladder.  Go into the house and out to the garage.  New thought..it's trash day tomorrow, better drag er out to the street.  First I'd better go into the house and empty the waste baskets....

I think you have the picture.  It's hard for me to concentrate on one thing at a time when there is so much to do in so little time.  Do you relate at all?

A whirling dervish: n.) A person whose behavior resembles a rapid, spinning object. These actions are often spastic fidgeting and incessant babbling. The actions of the whirling dervish are irritating and annoying, often exhausting other people in the immediate vicinity.

I'm not that bad really.  But I am not a list person.  I have a list in my head and maybe someday it will make it to the clipboard?

Home Shopping with J.

J.  was referred to me through my sister's client, B.  My sister wrote B and her husband's will and the subject of real estate came up.  B.'s son, J., lives has been living & renting in Olympia for four years.  He decided it was a smart time to buy his first home and is getting in right under the wire for the tax rebate offered for houses closing by 11-30-2009!

Now J. interviewed me quite extensively and I went through the home-buying process with him from A-Z.  I gave him three names of lenders I trust and he interviewed Nona.  After 3 hours of questions and answers he is now working with her.

We have been looking for homes with the following criteria:

• two bedrooms minimum
• a garage with a man "door"
• kitchen doesn't matter so much (go figure)
• minimal yard work
• location within biking distance to his job with the state of WA
• good, secure neighborhood for him and his daughter who visits regularly
• price of 215,00 or less with some closing costs thrown in

No problem.  We looked alot and wrote up two houses before we got an offer accepted on a home he really likes in a location that is ideal.  He met me there this morning for the all important "home inspection".  It went well I think.  The roof is our biggest issue.  A new one may be in order.

Why pay someone almost $400.00 to inspect your brand new home?  In this case, it may well mean a new roof for the home.  Four skylights have "blown seals", and the wood stove needs to be inspected for safety.  Plus, the education a new home-buyer gets is priceless when he or she accompanies the inspector around the potential new home!

So, I will keep you posted as the listing agent works with the seller to write up a response to us.  we are in another negotiation process until we "sign-off" on the proper form!

1st Time Home Buyers are Home Owners

They did it.  Two couple have gone from home buyers to home owners in a very well thought out manner.  Both couples started with the First Time Home Buyer class and moved through the process in a way that moved them forward each step of the way.

Research:  Learned everything they could about lending, home buying, finding a lender, putting together the paperwork, submitting all the paperwork to the lender in a timely fashion, patiently waiting for that preapproval from the lender and choosing an agent.  They chose me and we worked together on the home search part of the process that is based upon what they could afford, where they wanted to live, what kind of setting would work for their personal situation, and the home they could make work for the next few years or longer.

Rachel and Franco chose a tri-level in an established neighborhood near some friends.  They had been watching in that area of nice, well-kept 80's homes for the right one to come available.  When it did, they were ready.  I showed them the house ( a short sale) and they patiently waited to hear from the owners and the bank involved.  It all came together and they moved in a week or so ago.  They were able to stay in their rental, paint and build a fence for their dogs, and then move in a week later.  Great plan and it worked well for them.  They met the neighbors before the move and talked to them about the fence they planned to build and that was a great way to start their lives in a new neigbhorhood.

Layne and Brandon bought a cute newer home out in the Sunwood Lakes neighborhood.  It was a bank-owned home and they got a very good deal.  They are moving in slowly and making this house their home.  It is a two story with a nice deck that has a peek a boo view of Sunwood Lakes. It is up on a hill in a wooded setting that they really like.  There is a yard they can work on and a house that can use some TLC.  It is now their own and they are also very happy.

Smart buyers mean happy clients down the road.  They now have the task of keeping the house up so they don't fall into the unhappy place of having to sell and not being prepared.

Congratulations to these two happy first time home buyers!

The Nitty Gritty of the Buying Process

You may sometimes ask yourself:  "what does a real estate agent do to earn such big commissions (?) for just unlocking houses and showing them to people?"

Well, after showing clients between 1 - 30 homes the real hard work begins.  Writing the offer is the first task that takes some skill and attention to detail.  Communicating with the listing agent is key.  The last thing you want is to have the listing agent cringe when your agent calls to say, " I am sending you an offer".  What you do want is the other agent to have fond memories of respectful transactions with your agent.  That does not mean a smooth transaction, but it does mean a respectful negotiation process.  I work hard to be the agent who other agents want to work with.  I like to think they will look a little harder at an offer I submit and realize that I have worked hard to make it happen.

Real estate agents spend a lot of time on the phone, texting, and e-mailing clients throughout the negotiation to closing time.  There are constant details to discuss.  Clients want to show their friends the house, they want to measure the bedroom or take paint samples to try out.  There are calls to the lender, the inspector and the title company.

And then there is the paper trails.  We fax and e-mail documents constantly.  Initials get missed, counter-offers must be signed, and new addendums are sometimes added.  Files must be organized and copies delivered to the office's transaction coordinator.

When the day to sign comes, the goal is to all still like one another.  It is going to happen twice tomorrow for me.  Two couples, both first time home-buyers are signing their documents to purchase that first home.  It is so wonderful and such a new beginning for them.

It will be a great weekend for them as the furniture starts moving from the rental to their own new bungalow.

Summerizing Your Home

"Summerize" Your Home with These Spring Projects It's hard to believe, but the official start of summer is just a few weeks away! Here are some spring cleaning projects you should definitely consider tackling before the hottest days of summer descend upon us. Air Conditioning It's important to have your air conditioner in perfect working order before summer starts. Taking care of any issues after the summer heat hits can potentially result in an increase in price, as well as an increase in the time it takes for a technician to visit your home. You should also replace any filters now. Simply remove the old one and take it to your local home improvement center. Sales representatives should have no problem finding its replacement. Clean out your garage Organizing a garage can be an excruciating experience during the hot summer months, so if that's something you need to do, don't put it off any longer. Once you clean out your garage, either donate any unwanted items or sell them. Paint Late spring is the perfect time to paint the interior of your home since the weather best lends itself to keeping your windows open, allowing the fresh air in and the paint fumes out. If you decide to paint the inside of your home, think about lightening the existing color as opposed to darkening it. Lighter colors are not only inviting, they create the illusion of a bigger, more open space. Click here for some 2009 color choices. Buy fans Installing ceiling fans and using portable fans are great methods for cutting the heat inside your home. They are also far less expensive to use than an air conditioner. Using fans of any kind also enables you to keep windows open at night, allowing fresh air to circulate throughout the house. Install dimmer switches Dimmer switches not only add ambience, they also cut down on energy and the unwanted heat given off by brighter bulbs. Another tip is to use low-wattage light bulbs whenever possible. Good luck and happy "summerizing!"

 

First Time Home Buyers Class a Success----Again!

On Saturday May, 16th Nona Woodard and I had our fourth Washington State Housing Finance Commission Home-buyers Seminar.  This class is primarily for first time buyers, but is beneficial for anyone who wants more information on the home buying process!  Nona and I both regret not having a course like this available when we were buying and borrowing.  Like many others, we looked, chose, signed and moved without really knowing the what, why, or how of the process.  Of course, purchasing a home is definitely more complicated and the number of addendum has increased dramatically over the years.

Our curriculum is set by the WSHFC and is quite condensed to fit in the 5 hours we have to teach it.  Those completing the seminar receive a certificate good for two years.  It is required by the WSHFC for their House Key, House Key Express, and other loans.  It is also beneficial when applying for other government loans as it shows a huge step towards responsible home ownership!

We start with the advantages and disadvantages of owning a home and end with the importance of maintaining the investment if owning a home becomes a reality.  And in the middle the whole process is laid out.  We use workbooks and give out more information than a person can digest, but it is available for participants to review as they need it.

Do you know someone who could benefit from this class?  Our next class will be June 6th at Greene Realty Group, 1722 Harrison Ave NW in Olympia WA.

Home Inspection on Egret for L + B with John

 L & B have a house under contract after attending a home buyers' seminar, working with their lender to be preapproved for the loan, making offers on four houses before getting one accepted!

John Brinton from A Pro did the inspecion for L & B.  He backed up the driveway in his big black rig and was ready to go.  First thing we saw were those pesky carpenter ants making themselves at home around the perimeter of the home.  John picked one up and showed me their "specs", the three part body and the little pincer type thing on the middle of the body.  Cute little buggers?   He recommended an epest site  where you can get eco-friendly spray to eliminate them from your property and save your foundation.

 

Next, John noticed a small bird exiting a small hole under the eaves.  The bird family will need to move for the house's sake.

The inspection moved from the roof to the crawl space and found no major issues.  What we did discover was a dishwasher in disrepair, a rusty flu, an unserviced furnace and some other minor things.  But since the price of the house is so great, there may be no concessions by the seller. This house is a foreclosure meaning no money for the seller in the deal.

The inspector gave the new buyers some home maintenance tips along with the inspection. 

L & B Have an Accepted Offer: great price, great house

First time homebuyers, L & B, have really been through the wringer so to say in their home ownership pursuit.  Finally, after thinking they lost this last house, the phone call came in that the other buyers had rescinded because of financing issues.  We jumped into 1st place and are now past the inspection and moving forward with their journey towards being home owners.

What about the house?  It is really cute and even has a view of the Sunwood Lake!  Well, it's kind of a peek-a-boo view, but is great looking through the trees to the water.  Their new home is a two story built in 1993, has a new paint job and new floor coverings.  The floor plan is a bit challenging, but they are up for it. 

First Time Home Buyer Elizabeth Finds Keys to her Kingdom or (Queendom?)

 

Yes.......sireeeee.  Elizabeth is Happpy today.  The key was under the pink can on her cottage porch.  Now she can relax until the weekend when the moving begins.   

Her story in shor went like this:

She started with the classes: she actually took TWO First Time Home Buyer Classes.  Nona Woodard and I taught her second one and she helped because she has learned so much in her quest for the prize: her very own home!  She got a dandy too. The price was right: $228,000 with $8000 going toward her closing costs.  So basically, she got the house for $220,000.  And guess what it appraised for?  Over $240,000 so there you have it.  On top of that she was able to use a USDA loan because of the house's location.  It just doesn't get any better.  The sellers fixed what we asked for after the inspection, They had the lawn mowed, the house is neat as a pin and very well taken care of.  Nona and I wish all our transactions could have such smooth moves, but the truth is: they all do not.

But for now, all is well for Elizabeth and for her new neighbors; she is a great person.

My Keys PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE!

 t is a lovely day today.  The sun is shining, the wind is still; a lovely day to be moving.  But what is Elizabeth doing?  She is not moving, she is packing for the move.  She is not loading and unloading because the documents from the seller (who is in San Antonio) are not back yet and that means the transaction has not recorded with Thurston County.  In the state of Washington the buyer cannot be the new occupant until that is complete.  So my dear Elizabeth was very brave and went through signing her stack of documents without a tear (maybe just a couple) and without too much whining.

Elizabeth and lender, Nona across from me at the closing table.  Notice they are smiling and looking very coordinated colorwise!

Elizabeth was true to form.  She began begging towards the end of the signing asking if we couldn't copy a key and drop it by her feet, maybe leave the patio slider unlocked, or justoutright break in with her?

I would have been shocked if I didn't already recognize her sense of humor.  So we wait and she packs and Nona & I taught another 1st Time Homebuyers' Class today.  Did Elizabeth's name come up?  Only about 5 times.  It was all good.  Really it was.

She will move in and you will hear more about it!