Landlord Versus Homeowner

Do you own a home you are considering selling because you miss being able to call the landlord to fix the electrical and plumbing issues everytime? Think twice before selling your home and moving into a rental. When you pay rent to a landlord, you are also paying part of their taxes, insurance, and maintenance expenses that have already been figured into your rent. There are rent vs. buy calculators online, so research this avenue before deciding to sell your home. You might be suprised at how little of a difference there actually is between your rent and your mortgage when you figure in appreciation of real estate over a very long period of time (15 plus years without taking out a home equity line of credit and/or without taking out a second mortgage) plus any tax advantages that might be available to you as a homeowner. So call your professional CPA or tax attorney today before making this decision on your own and take into account all of the variables that might affect your finances both now and in the long term.

Written, copyrighted and all rights reserved 2007 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

Under Inspection

Do you believe a home inspection is important for you, as a home buyer? I hope so. I am not a certified home inspector but there are many people who are, so check out their qualifications and training before hiring a home inspector professional to inspect a home you want to buy for living in or as an investment property.

A home inspection is usually (check with your particular state’s regulations) only valid for the date and time of the actual home inspection. In other words, if something happens after your home inspection, this will have to be negotiated between the home seller and the home buyer prior to the real estate closing date on this particular home. Whatever is written in the real estate contract in your jurisdiction matters and will be followed. This is why it is extremely vital to hire a professional real estate agent to handle your real estate transaction, negotiate on your behalf, and put out fires when necessary during the complicated real estate processes.

Sherrie Hartzell is licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty and Sherrie would be happy to assist you with your real estate needs. Sherrie can be reached at: sherriebh@yahoo.com to schedule an appointment. Written, copyrighted and all rights reserved 2007 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

Investors

in real estate want to find homes, condos, and townhomes with a good cashflow return on their investment. In other words, will the mortgage paid be covered by the rent charged for this home and still allow some leftover money for repairs? A cash flow of $50 or $100 per month is a good place to start, but potential investors need to consider how long a particular property might take to get rented. This could easily take 7 or 8 months especially if the investor is charging too much for rent. Also, how many people own homes already in this area? If homeownership percentages are very high, then the investor might want to consider another geographical area with a lower percentage of homeowners. Also, what are average rents in this area? Will you as an investor have any cash flow? If the answer is no, keep looking for the best rental property you can find.

Investors offer a low ball price to see how interested you as the seller are in selling your home below what your home is worth. Investors are not emotional and base their buying decisions on numbers and returns from investments.

Written, copyrighted and all rights reserved 2007 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

Replace

switch covers for light switches and outlets that are rusted or cracked by purchasing new, neutral colors at your local home store. Why bother? A buyer might translate a lack of minor repairs into a question as to whether the seller has done any needed major repairs on your home. This lack of attention can be enough to send buyers out your door to other homes in your neighborhood listed for sale. At this other home, the sellers paid less than $100 to replace worn out light switch and outlet covers, so buyers would realize their attention to detail as homeowners. Buyers have numerous choices in the real estate marketplace, so do some simple things to increase the likelihood that buyers will want to buy your home instead of a competitor’s home.
Written, copyrighted and all rights reserved 2007 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

Floor

ing options abound in today’s showrooms and picking the best options for your household can be a duanting task. The easiest way to look at flooring is by asking a few questions and writing down your answers BEFORE you even go to the store or search online.

1. What is my maximum allowable budget for this flooring project?

2. Why will my household members be using this particular room and for which activities?

3. Does anyone in my household need a certain type of floor surface for an assistive device such as a cane, walker, oxygen tank, and/or wheelchair? If yes, which types of flooring will be best for them in the rooms that they use the most?

Written, copyrighted and all rights reserved 2007 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

Whitewalls?

Yes, your walls need to be painted white, cream or a light taupe in order to create a neutral palette in your home to increase the likelihood that buyers will choose to make an offer on your home and not on a competing home in your area.  It does not matter where you live.  Buyers are looking for a home that is ready to move into and where few, if any, repairs or adjustments will need to be made, including paint color.   So how do your rooms stack up in this white/cream/light taupe paint contest?  The house with the majority of rooms in this color palette will sell more quickly if the rest of the home is in good condition and very clean on the inside and outside of the home.   Written, copyrighted and all rights reserved 2007 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.