Do I ditch the tub and go for the walk in shower?

I had a great question...

"Hi Skip, we have a real estate question for you. We are thinking of sometime in the future redoing our main bathroom. I would like to eliminate the tub and just have a big shower. Would that hurt the sale of our home someday if there is no tub."  

Lets just start off with kitchens and bathrooms are some of the safest spaces to renovate and see a good return on investment. A few words of caution as we begin--consider budget, functionality and taste.



Budget. Keep in mind if you spend too much you are not going to get all of your investment back. Now, it may be okay to overspend if you're going to get personal enjoyment out of the "extras". If you follow Pinterest, or like to keep up with the latest trends, that's great, but be cautious--keep in mind it has to be functional. Your personal taste coming through can be a good thing--that's what makes it a "home". Please note, however, if you are ever going to sell this home, it may be a good idea to keep it somewhat neutral.

If you only have one bathroom, stick to the tub/shower combo it is the most versatile and functional. It will hold its resale value the best. If you have a home that really doesn't have a master bathroom, I would keep the tub/shower combos, again they are the most versatile and they won't accentuate the fact that there is no master bathroom. 

Over the years of showing homes to clients, one of the biggest issues I have seen is where one of the previous owners has made the home so "personalized" that it is not very functional for the average homeowner/family/couple. I would discourage this even though you may say, " I am never going to sell this house, so I am going to make it like I want it!" Believe you me, I have seen some strange things that were done in building/remodeling.  Word to the wise--keep it tasteful, functional and within your budget...

Grace and Peace...

Skip Geiser

(850) 221-6442

Skip's Web Site

Skip@SkipSOLDMyHome.com
We Are Home!

 Plum Tree Real Estate Marketing 

If I have a buyer why & what should I pay an agent?

 The agent, even though the buyer is already provided, will still be doing all the work as if he listed the home, qualified the buyer, brought the buyer to the table, negotiated the contract, ordered the various inspections, dealt with inspectors and contractors for repairs then start and monitor the closing process with a title agent/attorney, which would include the lending agent, right through to closing day. The agent will also still hold the responsibility of keeping all the parties compliant with all the local and national regulations that are part of every real estate transaction. The agent also has to split whatever he charges with the brokerage he works with and carry liability insurance on the transaction. As a Realtor, I also have to manage all of my records/files for seven years, and do my best to protect all the parties in the transaction.

Ok, so back to the original question, " If a seller already has a buyer lined up, and just needs an agent to help coordinate all the paperwork and closing, what would a Realtor typically charge?"

In this area you could expect from 2%-4%. Keeping in mind the agent in the example is carrying the same liability they would if they had listed your house but now they will need to represent you as the seller and the buyers in the transaction.

Grace and Peace...

 

Skip Geiser

(850) 221-6442

http://www.skipgeiser.com/

SkipGeiser@live.com

The Geiser Team with Main Street Properties

With...

How much out of pocket money do I need?

"Skip, in Pensacola how much out of pocket money do I really need in the bank before I look into buying a house?"

Man I am so glad you asked I just ran into this same question the other day. 

Let's start with your down payment on your loan. There are a lot of loan programs out there so this number can vary from $0 to 20%.   Here is where you need to get with a mortgage expert to look at your specific needs. Here are just a couple of examples, if you can use a government backed program like VA or USDA they usually are a $0 down program.  If you use an FHA product it can be as low as 3.5% of the purchase price of the home. If you go conventional you can usually go with as little as 10-20% of the purchase price down.  Keep in mind here there are a lot of loan programs out there so you need to get with an expert to get the ball rolling as soon as possible.

Your Ernest Money Deposit (EMD) is the next out of pocket we will need to cover.  This is what  I would consider the "old west handshake".  This money is given to hold the contract once an offer is made.  This amount will vary but is usually $500 to 1% of the purchase price. 

Inspections that are requested that are out of pocket may include your home inspection, 4 point(homes older than 20 years), wind mediation & septic inspection.   The home inspection, 4 point, wind mediation can usually be done by the same inspector and rolled together in price.  They can range from $100 to $500 but in this arena you usually get what you pay for.  The septic tank inspection is based on tank size because they have to pump the tank to inspect. These inspections run from $300 to $500 due at time on the inspection.

Here is where I need to insert a disclaimer. I can't say this list is exhaustive, every home purchase is unique and may need other inspections and cost's that I have not listed here. 

Grace & Peace

 

 

 

Skip Geiser

(850) 221-6442

http://www.skipgeiser.com/

SkipGeiser@live.com

The Geiser Team with Main Street Property

 

   

Staging the bathroom...Lets get down to business!

When your home is up for sale your bathroom needs to show it!  Here are a few tips you may want to keep in mind...

 

1. Clean, clean and clean some more!

2. Get rid of clutter.

3. Stage a few neutral items to give that "fresh" look.

4. Speaking of fresh...use a room deodoriser to keep that fresh and clean scent.

 

Here is a couple good video's I found to illustrate my points...  

 

 

 

 

 

Grace & Peace

 

 

 

Skip Geiser

(850) 221-6442

SkipGeiser@Live.com

www.SkipGeiser.com

The Geiser Team with Main Street Properties

 

Real Estate November 2012 Update

November 2012 Numbers

MARKET SNAPSHOT AS OF TODAY

Currently Active (Residential)                                                  3453 Currently Under Contract (Pending & Contingent)    1122 Sold This Month                                                                        245

Grace & Peace

 

 

Skip Geiser

(850) 221-6442

SkipGeiser@Live.com

www.SkipGeiser.com

The Geiser Team with Main Street Properties

 

 

Sitting the fence or MISSING the boat?

"Skip, I know home prices and interest rates are at all-time lows, and we've looked at a lot of homes and this last one was the best one yet!  But I'm thinking we should take a couple of days to think about it before we make an offer. What do you think?"

Ok, I'm with you--don't jump into something to quickly and allow a snap decision to get you into trouble.  Let's take a step back and look at this with the big picture in mind. If you are looking at homes and have taken the time to get a pre-approval lettter from your lender, you've already given a lot of thought to this idea of buying a home, right?  Most likely you have spent nights thinking about this and have decided, "This is it, we are going to do it!"  So tell me what is going to happen if tomorrow morning you lose this home to someone who was ready to make the decision--you know, "pull the trigger"? 

"But Skip, buddy, this home has been on the market for three months and no one has snapped it up yet. I think I have a couple of days, really, what is the rush?"

Well, I realize it has been on the market for a while, but in that time there have been other people looking. If they are like you, they wanted some time to think about it, and they may be ready to put their offer in.  Plus as you stated, you have seen the other homes in the area that compare to this one, and it is the one that is the best value in a grerat location.  If you have come to that conclusion, so have three other couples! 

My best advice? If you have thought this through and you are ready to buy a home, you have done your homework, you know a good deal when you see one. . . go ahead make the offer!

 

Grace & Peace....

Skip Geiser

(850) 221-6442

SkipGeiser@Live.com

www.SkipGeiser.com

The Geiser Team with Main Street Properties

  

My top five if I were choosing an agent too list my home!

"Skip, I interviewed two agents and one said they have been a Real Estate agent for 10 years and the other said 8 years. Should I choose the one with more years in the business?" Great question! The answer is, maybe.
 
"Skip, what do you mean maybe? This is the biggest investment I own...I need your help here!"

Well...you generally judge a tree by it's fruit, right? So, I would ask a couple more questions.

1. How many homes have both agents SOLD in the last three years?
2. Are both agents FULL time?
3. Do the agents have an assistant?
4. Are they well respected with their clients?
5. Do the other homes they have listed look well-represented?

I would start with how many homes they have sold in the last three years, and then divide that into three. This should give you a good number to compare the two agents with. Another great question is are you full time or part time? You want the agent who is going to be able to devote full attention to getting your home sold, not dividing their time between real estate and their other job or responsibilities/hobbies. Along that same line, which agent has an assistant? This matters because it allows your agent to get out there and push your listing to other agents and possible buyers. You may want to get a couple of references to make sure your agent is well-respected with their other clients. Last but not least, go take a look at the other homes they have listed online and see which agent has the best presentation online. Hey, that would be my top five if I were choosing an agent to list my home!

Grace & Peace...



Skip Geiser

(850) 221-6442

http://www.skipgeiser.com/

SkipGeiser@live.com

The Geiser Team with Main Street Property