Moving with Pets: 9 Tips to Keep Tails Wagging

Holly's dogs, Oliver and Coco, haven't had to endure a move.
But Holly she does restrict them to the laundry room
when she has work done to her home. 

1. Update your pet’s tag with your new address.

Make sure your pet’s collar is sturdy and correctly sized. The tag should also include your mobile number and e-mail address so that you can be reached during the move.

2. Request veterinary records.

Ask your current vet to send your pet’s medical history directly to the new vet. Have their contact information handy in case of emergency or if the new vet has questions.

3. Keep a week’s worth of food and medication with you.

You may want to ask for an extra prescription refill before you move. Take the same precaution with special therapeutic foods.

4. Seclude them from chaos.

Keep your pet in a safe, quiet room on moving day with a clear sign posted on the door. There are many light, collapsible travel crates available, but ensure it is well ventilated and sturdy enough for stress-chewers. Also, introduce your pet to the crate before the trip.

5. Prepare a pet first aid kit.

Include your vet's phone number, gauze to wrap wounds or to muzzle your pet, adhesive tape for use on bandages, nonstick bandages, towels, cotton swabs, antibiotic ointment (without pain relief medication), and 3% hydrogen peroxide.

6. Play it safe in the car.

Use a crate or carrier in the car, securing it with a seat belt. Never leave your pet in the bed of a truck, the storage area of a moving van, or alone in a parked vehicle. If you’re staying overnight, find pet-friendly lodging beforehand and have kitty litter or plastic bags on hand.

7. Get ready for takeoff.

When traveling by air, check with the airline about pet requirements or restrictions and whether you must purchase a special airline crate that fits under the seat in front of you.

8. Prep your new home.

Set up one room with everything your pet will need: food, water, medications, bed, litter box, scratch post, and toys. Keep windows and doors closed when your pet is unsupervised, and beware of small spaces where nervous pets may hide. If your old home is nearby, give the new home owners or neighbors your phone number and a photo of your pet, in case your pet tries to return.

9. Learn about local health concerns and laws in your new area.

If you’re moving to a new country, contact the Agriculture Department or embassy of the country to obtain specific information on special documents, quarantine, or costs related to bringing your pet into the country.

Source: REALTOR® Magazine

Free (or almost free) Father's Day fun in Springfield

Saving money delights Dads of all ages! Treat Dad to some FREE (or affordable)
Father's Day fun.

June 17: Dads play free at Itty Bitty City.

June 17: Dads and Grandpas play free at the Discovery Center.

June 17: Free admission for Dads at Dickerson Park Zoo.

Not free but still fun:

June 16: Hands-on chocolate tour + a quick and easy DIY BBQ rub gift at Askinosie Chocolate.

For Dads and Grandpas with older offspring:

June 17: Father's Day screening of "True Grit" at Alamo Drafthouse.

How much house can you afford?

Sometimes, what you want and what you can afford are two different things. To figure out how closely they align, you need to assess how much you can actually put towards a new home.

Here are the factors your lender will consider to determine this:

1. The down payment
2. The closing costs associated with your transaction
3. Your monthly mortgage payment

Down payment requirements
Most loans require a minimum down payment of between 3 and 5 percent of the total loan, depending on the type and terms of the loan. If you are able to come up with a 20 to 25 percent for the down payment, you may be eligible to take advantage of special fast-track programs and possibly eliminate mortgage insurance. There are a variety of loan programs available for buyers and even some that don't require a down payment. We can help you find a qualified lender who can help you figure out which loan is best for your financial situation.

Closing costs

In addition to the down payment, you have to pay fees for loan processing and other closing costs. They can include fees for home inspection fees and title company. These fees must be paid in full at the time of the final settlement, unless you are able to include these in your financing. When you apply for a loan, your lender will provide you with a good faith estimate of all settlement fees and an estimated total house payment based on an anticipated sale price. Of course, these numbers are only estimates.Your lender will let you know an exact figure closer to the closing date.

Your monthly mortgage payment

Most lenders require that your monthly payment be between 28 and 34 percent of your gross monthly income. They also figure in how much your mortgage payment along with all of your other expenses and financial obligations will be each month. In general, they want your total monthly expenses to fall between 36 and 45 percent of your gross monthly income. 

The goal is to figure out how much you can afford realistically. Just knowing this will save you countless hours in your search for the perfect home. We can put you in touch with a competent lender and walk with you through this process. Just give us a call.

Source: Murney Associates, Realtors

8 questions to ask when choosing a realtor

8 questions to ask when choosing a realtor

Most people find real estate agents through friends and family. A personal recommendation or endorsement is one of the most important reasons people say they chose one agent over another. And that holds true for The Stenger Group. Repeat customers and referrals are definitely the way we get most of our customers, and it's how we know we are providing quality service.

But if you don't have a referral, consider asking these questions. A good real estate agent won't shy away from answering them.

How long have you been in residential real estate?

Like most professions, experience is no guarantee of skill. But much of real estate is learned on the job.

What’s your business philosophy?

While there’s no right answer to this question, the response will help you assess what’s important to the agent and determine how closely the agent’s goals and business emphasis mesh with your own.

How many buyers did you and your real estate brokerage represent last year?

This will tell you how much experience they have and how up-to-date they are on the local market.

What’s the average variation between your initial offers and final sales price?

This is one indication of an agent’s pricing and negotiating skills.

Will you represent me exclusively, or might you choose to represent the seller as well?

While it’s usually legal to represent both parties in a transaction, your agent should be able to explain his or her philosophy on client obligations and agency relationships. 

Can you recommend service providers who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home repairs, and so on?

Practitioners should be able to recommend more than one provider and let you know if they have any special relationship with any of the providers.

How will you keep me informed about the progress of my transaction?

The best answer here is a question. A real estate agent who pays close attention to the way you prefer to communicate and responds accordingly will make for the smoothest transaction.

Could you please give me the contact information of your three most recent clients?

Ask their former customers if they would use the agent again in the future.

Quick Tip to Brighten a Room

If your room is lacking in natural light, don't worry. There's a hack for that: Simply place a light source in front of a mirror. The reflected light brightens any room instantly.

Designers frequently use this trick not only to add to the overall brightness of a space but also to make it feel larger. Any light source will do, including table lamps, floor, lamps, wall sconces and even candles.

Another bright idea: Painting the ceiling white will also brighten a room.

7 Reasons to Own A Home

As you write your rent check this month, you may be wondering whether renting still makes the most financial sense for you. Consider these benefits that come with home ownership. 

Tax benefits. The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes, and some of the costs involved in buying a home.

Appreciation. Historically, real estate has had a long-term, stable growth in value. In fact, median single-family existing-home sale prices have increased on average 5.2 percent each year from 1972 through 2014, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.  The recent housing crisis has caused some to question the long-term value of real estate, but even in the most recent 10 years, which included quite a few very bad years for housing, values are still up 7.0 percent on a cumulative basis. In addition, the number of U.S. households is expected to rise 10 to 15 percent over the next decade, creating continued high demand for housing.

Equity. Money paid for rent is money that you’ll never see again, but mortgage payments let you build equity ownership interest in your home.

Savings. Building equity in your home is a ready-made savings plan. And when you sell, you can generally take up to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married couple) as gain without owing any federal income tax.

Predictability. Unlike rent, your fixed-rate mortgage payments don’t rise over the years so your housing costs may actually decline as you own the home longer. However, keep in mind that property taxes and insurance costs will likely increase.

Freedom. The home is yours. You can decorate any way you want and choose the types of upgrades and new amenities that appeal to your lifestyle.

Stability. Remaining in one neighborhood for several years allows you and your family time to build long-lasting relationships within the community. It also offers children the benefit of educational and social continuity. 

With 971 homes on the market in just the Springfield area alone, the perfect home for you is probably out there. Call us at 417.880.1174 so we can help you find it.

Source: REALTOR® Mag

Disclose or not? 4 things to consider

When you list your home, should you divulge all of its deepest, darkest secrets? Like the time the water got in through the basement door and ruined your new carpet? Or when your foundation settled, causing some cracks in your walls?

The short and unqualified answer: Yes. You should disclose any problems you have had with your home while you've owned it.

The long answer: Missouri has a few statutes that require homeowners to disclose certain things to potential buyers, such as whether your home was used in the production of methamphetamine or whether children were harmed or endangered in your home. But, in general, Missouri doesn't require sellers to disclose defects. 

Our first reaction may be to hide some of the less positive aspects about our homes. But sellers will find benefits from full disclosure, the first being you would certainly appreciate full disclosure if you were on the home-buying side of the table. Here are other ways disclosures can help:

1. Disclosures show that you are being upfront with the buyer about the condition of the home and that you aren't hiding anything. Problems are inevitable, especially as homes age. It would be unusual for a 30-year-old home to have no issues. 

2. Perhaps more important than the problem may be how you handled it. Keep records of how you addressed the problem, and provide the name of the contractor or service person who completed the work.

3. Providing details about the home's history can help the home inspection go more smoothly. The home inspector can independently verify that the problem was resolved successfully. 

4. The buyer can't claim later — after closing — that he or she didn't know about a problem. You've got it documented.

The information in this blog is not intended as legal advice. Do not consider the blog to be a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state.

Best Time to List Your home in Springfield

The Springfield residential real estate market is still going strong. So you want to give some thought on when you list your home.

According to Redfin, to sell for the most money, you should put your home on the market on a Wednesday. To sell the fastest, list on a Thursday. Avoid Sunday, which is the worst day to list.

Most real estate agents will advise you against listing your home right before a holiday weekend. This is probably true for big holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. But we have found the more minor holiday weekends popular for home buyers, especially for people moving to the area. Memorial Day weekend, for example, can be a very busy time for showings.

Regardless of when you list your home, you want your home to look its best and be available for showings during the first 48 hours after you list it. That's when your home is likely to generate the most interest.

Most important, as always, is your home's price. If it is in good shape and priced right, it will sell any day of the week!

We would be happy to talk about your home and neighborhood in more detail if you want more information.

Top 5 Reasons People Are Moving

Home sellers in Springfield are enjoying a very strong market right now. Low interest rates are probably driving most of the activity. Here are other top reasons people say they are moving, according to Fannie Mae's National Housing Survey:

1. Want to be in a different neighborhood (40%)
2. Need a home with different features (28%)
3. Need a bigger home (22%)
4. Want location with better weather, views, and/or lifestyle (19%)
5. Need to lower cost of living (17%)

Read more about the current buying and selling trends.

Springfield Home Buyers Ahead of the Curve

Home buyers in Springfield seem to have to wait a little less time than buyers in other places throughout the country to get their mortgage loans. But new federal rules designed to make mortgages easier to understand are adding a few days to the process.

According to Ellie Mae, the average application-to-closing time was 49 days in October, which was the longest time to close a loan since February 2013. Conventional and FHA loans each took 49 days while VA loans took an average of 50.

Robin Schilling, mortgage loan officer at Arvest Bank in Springfield, says the loan process is typically taking 30 to 35 days in Springfield, but lending companies are requesting a lead time of 45 days as they work on a first in, first out basis. Rural development loans, she says, are always subject to longer turnaround times because they have to go to the USDA for review.

The new federal rule, Know Before You Owe, went into effect in October and is adding about three to five business days to the loan-approval process, Schilling says. The rule replaces four disclosure forms with two new ones—the loan estimate and the closing disclosure. The new forms are easier to understand and easier to use. The rule also requires that you get three business days to review your closing disclosure and ask questions before you close on a mortgage.

To supplement the rule, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has created several tools to help you navigate the loan process, including a home loan tool kit.

For more detailed information about loans or to apply for a loan, contact Robin Schilling at 417-885-7312 or rschilling@arvest.com 

When should you lower your asking price?

Obviously, home sellers want to make as much money as they can when selling their homes. The issue is finding out what price will do that. 

Here are key issues to consider:

Determine the best listing price. A good real estate agent will conduct a comprehensive market survey to assess the best listing price based on sales of similar homes in your area and the agent's expertise. How much you want to make from the sale of your home has nothing to do with the listing price. Market drives the price. See other factors that go into setting the listing price. 

The market price is the price at which a seller and buyer will agree. Your real estate agent should be able to give you a range of value, usually known as market value. Your market price will be somewhere within that range of value. If you choose to list your home at a price higher than the market value range, the house will most likely not sell. 

Be realistic with the timing. Just as the market determines price, the market often dictates how long it will take to sell your home. Your agent can tell you the average number of days comparable homes in your area were on the market before they sold. Homes listed for more than a million dollars are likely to take considerably longer than lower-priced homes. Factor this in before deciding to lower your price. 

Sometimes, you can't wait. If you are being transferred and cannot buy a new home until your current home sells, a proactive strategy on pricing may be in your best interest. Some people say you can't really under-price a home—the market will always correct the price up or down. 

Assess and adjust. Pay attention to how many showings your home is getting. If several buyers have toured your home in the past month and no offers have been made, the price may be too high for the market. 

Good agents request feedback from agents who show or preview your home. They may offer insights into other reasons buyers are walking away from your home. Sometimes, an odor or a water spot on the ceiling may be souring people on your home. In that case, it may be best to take your home off the market, make improvements and then re-list. That way, you reset your days-on-the-market meter and start anew.

Homes are not like cars. Every house is different. Ideally, you'll have an agent who knows the market well, provides good advice about the best listing price and works with you to get the most from the sale of your home.

The best inheritance: A succession plan for family real estate

You had the foresight to invest in real estate. But have you had the fortitude to plan for its future?

Most real estate and legal experts will tell you that a plan for family-owned property is essential—for the family and the value of the investment. Often, it is not an easy conversation to have with family members. That’s where the fortitude comes in. Whether transitioning to a new owner or an outright sale, these five steps should be part of your discussion.  

1. Plan for real estate tax liability. You don’t want your family to be forced to sell the property to pay real estate tax debt. Planning gives your heirs more options.
2. Consider tax-friendly ways to transfer assets. Gifts and trusts are among the tools that offer owners significant tax benefits.
3. Tell heirs your plan and don’t wait to resolve any issues that arise. Let them know how you arrived at your decisions and share your vision. This conversation can help preserve the relationship between the children or grandchildren, and it gives them an opportunity to ask you questions and for your advice
4. Revisit the plan regularly. Some tools require more regular monitoring than others.
5. Introduce your heirs to your advisers. Let them know who you trust for financial, tax and legal advice.

The recurring mantra is: It’s never too early to plan for when you can no longer make the decisions regarding the family’s assets. The biggest gift you can leave your family may be a legal document on how you give it.

Why Do You Need a Realtor?

Of course, as real estate agents, we think a realtor on your side can make your real estate transaction more successful in terms of money, time and headaches. An increasing number of home buyers agree. About 88% of home buyers purchase their home through a real estate agent or broker—a share that has steadily increased from 69% in 2001, according to the National Association of REALTOR®’s 2013 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. 

Here are just a few of the ways a realtor can help you:

• Save you time in searching for the right home.

• Help you identify and eliminate properties that are not worth pursuing.

• Find homes that are not yet on the market.

• Help you find a neighborhood that suits your needs.

• Refer you to the best lenders in the area and help you get pre-qualified for a loan.

• Help you figure out how much home you can afford. 

• Guide you on the best price to list your home.

• Detail all of the costs involved in buying or selling a home.

The terms
You may find it helpful to know some of the industry terms.  To sell real estate in Missouri, you must be at least 18, pass the real estate examination and have a real estate agent or broker license. Agents have to work for brokers. Murney Associates is the broker for The Stenger Group. You can check to see whether any disciplinary actions have be recorded against your agent or broker through Missouri's real estate commission.

If an agent uses Realtor with a big "R," that means he or she is a member of the National Association of REALTORS. The main advantage to you is that this means they have agreed to abide by a code of ethics. 

Whether buying your first home, downsizing or building your investment portfolio, a good real estate will provide expertise and guidance all through the process. 

The Many Dangers of Overpricing Your Home

All of the home sellers we’ve worked with wanted to get the most they could out of their homes. No big shock there. And for many, time was also a factor. They didn’t want their homes to sit on the market for months, which often decreases how much you can get for your home as well.

Our goal is to help you set a list price that will get you the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle. If your home is listed at a price that is above market value, you will miss out on prospective buyers who would otherwise be prime candidates to purchase your home. (See the chart.) If you list at a price that is below market value, you lose out on potential profit and diminish the value of your home. 

More buyers purchase their properties at market value than they purchase above market value. The percentage increases as the price falls even further below market value. Therefore, by pricing your property at market value, you expose it to a much greater percentage of prospective buyers. This increases your chances for a sale while ensuring a final sale price that properly reflects the market value of your home.

Timing is of the essence

Another critical factor to keep in mind when pricing your home is timing. A property attracts the most attention, excitement, and interest from the real estate community

and potential buyers when it is first listed on the market. If your home is improperly priced initially, it can miss out on its peak interest period, which could cause it to languish on the market. This may lead to a below market value sale price or, even worse, no sale at all. 

Your home has the highest chances for a successful sale when it is new on the market and priced reasonably. This is where we can help. We can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms, and condition of competing properties. With these analyses and our experience, well help you find the right price for your home.

Source: Murney Associates, Realtors

Simple (and Inexpensive) Ways to Spruce Up Your Home

Realtor.com recently posted this great article, "6 Sneaky Ways to Make Your Home Look Expensive." It is worth reading. The tips are:

1. Declutter.
2. Eliminate grunge.
3. Add—or rearrange—lighting.
4. Upgrade your hardware.
5. Repaint.
6. Focus on the devil in the (decor) details.

We agree with these tips and are huge proponents of decluttering. It has shown up in several of our other blog posts. And we also tell our clients that painting is one of the least expensive and easiest ways to change the look of your home.

Another worthwhile tip not included here is repainting or restaining your front door. Holly just painted her door black. She said it really helped it pop and provided a nice change.

Holly recently repainted her front door,
shutters, and garage black.

Stacey liked the darker staining of her front
door and garage.

For Stacey, restaining her front door (and shutters) provided the face-lift her home needed. "I really struggled with the decision," she says. "But I ended up going darker and love it."

We would love to hear about any other ways you've spruced up your home. Feel free to post a comment.

5 Ways Buyers Can Make the Most Out of Open Houses

Open houses are a great entrée into the home-buying process. They help you figure out what features are important to you in a home. Finding out what you don't like is just as important. Here's how to make the most of your time spent visiting open houses.

We have three open houses this Sunday.
Make sure they are on your route!
Here's info on the first one
at 3934 Eaglescliffe.

1. Figure out your price range. If you are visiting open houses with an eye toward buying eventually, it really helps to figure out how much home you can afford. Of course, it is always fun to visit homes you hope to have one day. But you want your expectations to be in line with your budget. Check out this blog post for tips on finding how much home you can afford.
2. Plan your route. Consider focusing on a neighborhood or section of town that interests you each Sunday. You can go to this website to get an overview of popular subdivisions in the Springfield area. Open houses are posted here at 4 p.m. on Thursday for the upcoming Sunday. Zillow also compiles open houses each week. Murney's mobile app will give you the location of homes for sell based on your geographical location. Very handy!
3. Talk to the real estate agent hosting the open house. Use the agent as a resource. Ask any questions you may have and see what he or she thinks are the strengths of the home. It's also a great way to "interview" agents if you are looking for an agent to represent you. 
4. Weigh the home against your needs. No home is going to meet all of your needs. But you do want it to meet your most important needs. Think about whether this home does that, whether those needs involve the floor plan, a big backyard for kids to play in, a large kitchen or a hobby space. 
5. Experience the neighborhood. Find out as much as you can about what it is like to live there. The people create the neighborhood's personality. Are people out in their yards? Are they approachable? Do you like that? Would you prefer a more anonymous feel in your neighborhood? Do people take care of their homes? Look at the community amenities within the neighborhood and nearby. Again, evaluate the amenities according to what you think is important or would like to have nearby. Other neighborhood considerations include traffic amount and patterns, smells and home owners associations' involvement.

5229 S. Stonehaven in Highland Springs

310 N. Marie St. in Nixa

What Determines Your Credit Score?

We all know that a good credit score is important, especially if you’re looking to buy a house. But how is your credit score determined? How do you improve your credit score, and what matters the most when it comes to maintaining a good credit score?

Your credit score is made up of five different factors. Generally, a good credit score is in the mid-700s and higher. Here are the factors that determine your credit score in the order of their weight and importance (these are approximations):

35% Payment history. Payments more than 30 days late can negatively affect your score.

30% Amount owed. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t borrow. But if you’re in a lot of debt, it shows you’re overextended financially. To prevent this category from being a negative factor in your score, make sure you don’t charge over half the limit on all of your credit cards.

15% Length of credit history. A long payment history is important for showing lenders you have paid your bills on time. Don’t cancel old credit cards because that deletes all of your credit history with that card.

10% New credit. Opening numerous accounts in a short amount of time can be seen as risky, particularly if you have a short credit history. Each application for a credit card is an inquiry on your credit report and too many in a short amount of time can negatively affect your overall score.

10% Types of credit in use. Make sure your debt is spread out between different types of loans. For example, it’s better to have some debt in credit cards and the rest in a mortgage, car loan and student loans, than it is to have all of your debt in credit cards.

First, find out what your score is. You are entitled to a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) once every 12 months. See where you stand. Then decide which of these factors you can change to raise your score.



Source: Murney Associates, Realtors

'What’s that smell?' Dealing with odors when selling a home

Man's best friend can be a home seller's enemy.

The last thing you want buyers to think when they walk into your home is “What’s that smell?” Odors contribute to first-impressions and usually in a negative way. We’ve had buyers walk away from homes they otherwise love because of smells. You don’t want buyers to think about smells at all when they walk in the door. No odor is the goal. Here’s how to get there.

The first step is to borrow someone’s nose. Ask someone who doesn’t live in your home—and someone who will tell you the truth—to assess its smell. We all get used to our own smells, making us incapable of noticing them. Remember how your grandmother’s house smelled? We all need an unbiased nose. In addition, a good real estate agent will let you know in her own way that odor is an issue during the listing appointment.

Common culprits

The major odorous causes are no big mysteries. Here are some solutions you may want to try.

Smoke: Sadly, the only real remedy for homes where smokers have lived for a long time is new paint and new carpet. We have not found many other ways to get rid of the smoke smell. Some people recommend squeezing fresh lemons into small amounts of baking soda and placing them on plates around the house for a few days. Other people recommend doing the same thing with vinegar instead of baking soda and lemons. We have not had any clients try these approaches, but they are worth a try.

Pets: Cats can be the biggest problem when it comes to pet odors. We encourage our clients to empty litter boxes morning and night. We also recommend cleaning and deodorizing carpets. In some cases, you may need to ask a friend to keep your cats until your home goes under contract. With other pets, make sure you clean cages frequently.

Teenage boys: Any experienced real estate agent knows if teenage boys reside in a home as soon as she walks in the front door. You can’t do much about the hormones they exude, but you can address their clothes, sports equipment, and shoes. We recommend bagging the odorous equipment and shoes and storing them in the garage or even the trunk of a car. To take care of the smelly clothes, you may have to do laundry every night. We also suggest you do a deep cleaning of teenagers’ rooms. You never know what you may find under the bed!

Food: As you know, some food odors can linger, especially if you cook similar dishes with similar spices several times a week. Steaming cauliflower and broccoli is a great way to clear everyone from the kitchen! This is one area when an unbiased nose can help, too. You may not notice the odors of your favorite cuisine. Try lighting a few candles well before buyers preview your home.

Candles and potpourri: This is an instance in which you can have too much of a good thing. You can light a candle or two to try to rid your home of some odors, but don’t overdo it. You don’t want your home overpowering people with bad—or good—smells. Even overpowering good smells can make buyers wonder what you are trying to hide. If you do choose to light a candle, use more neutral scents like fresh linen and steer clear of flavors like strawberry.

If these measures don’t help, you might consider hiring a professional company that specializes in odor removal. We would love to hear if you have had success with odor-removal companies or with any other home remedies. Please let us know what has worked for you.

3 Simple Ways to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

We've got three super-easy ways you can make your home ready for buyers to view. They are simple and don't cost you a cent.

 

1.     Organize your closets. Sort, stack, and store. Pack away your seasonal clothes. Get rid of shoes and belts you never wear. Make what you have look neat and tidy. You’ll make your closets look bigger and just better.

2.     Organize your garage and driveway. Again, pack away what you don’t need. Store what you can in your parents’ garage or get rid of what you don’t need. Keep your driveway clear of cars, both working and nonworking vehicles. A well-organized garage gives buyers the impression that you take pride in your home. They are likely to think that if you take time to care about the little things like your garage, you are likely to take care of the bigger things related to the home as well.

3.     Take note of how your house smells. You’ll need a non-resident to give you an objective assessment of your home’s scent. You are used to your smells; buyers will not be. So you need to know if your pets or teenage boys or your gourmet cooking is making an aromatic impression. The goal is for no one to notice a smell when they walk into your home.

 

Decluttering is the biggest way you can spruce up your home. If you can’t part with things, pack them up and store them away until you arrive in your new home. Spending a little time doing these three things will help your home make a great first impression.

3 Biggest Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers Make

All home owners were first-time buyers at one point. And you can learn from their mistakes. These are the most common mistakes we see first-time buyers make:

• Buying more home than they can afford.  
• Not getting pre-approved for a loan.
• Not using a real estate professional.

We have several homes listed that would be great for
 first-time buyers, like this one at 844 S. Kickapoo near MSU
and the one below at 310 N. Marie in Nixa.

The first two mistakes go hand-in-hand. Actually, all of these go together. When you are ready to buy a home, a good real estate agent will help you figure out how much home you can afford and encourage you to get pre-approved for a loan. Avoiding all three of these mistakes will save you time, money, and mental anguish.

Several factors determine how much home you can afford, mainly the down payment, closing costs, and monthly mortgage payments. See our previous blog for more about determining how much is realistic and manageable for you. 

Getting pre-approved for a loan forces you to go through the process of how much home you can afford if you haven’t already done that. Most lenders require that your home mortgage payment fall between 28% and 34% of your gross monthly income. The mortgage payment and all your other monthly debt payments should range between 36% and 50% of your gross monthly income. The lender will take into account your income, your assets, and your credit report when determining whether and how much you qualify for. (A good real estate agent can steer you to reputable lenders.)

Going through the pre-approval process helps you start looking in the correct price range. You don’t want to look at 30 houses and then find out all are out of your reach. When you have been looking at $200,000 homes, it’s hard for homes in the $150,000-range not to be disappointing.

Of course, as realtors, we think real estate professionals can help buyers. But if you talk to your friends and neighbors who have bought homes, they are likely to agree. Like getting a loan pre-approval, a good agent can also save you time and money and mental anguish.

You are likely to look at lots of homes on the Internet before you even contact an agent. But an agent can put that home into context for you. You benefit from the agent’s knowledge of the area and neighborhoods.  She can turn you onto areas you may not have considered—or even get authorization to show you homes you love but are not even on the market.

A good real estate agent can also take you to look at many houses at one time—much more efficient than waiting on open houses or making arrangements on your own. She will quickly know your likes and dislikes, helping to filter out the homes that would be a waste of your time for you to visit.

One more reason to use a real estate agent: A realtor is free representation for the buyer. She is your advocate in the process and serves as your personal expert in one of the major purchases of your life.

As always, we would be happy to walk you through the home-buying process. We want to help you avoid the pitfalls many first-timers make.