Your down payment will be based on the cost of the hme and most likely one of the following popular loan programs...
1. Conventional financing : For conventional finanincing, you need a minimum of 5% up to a maximum of 20% down.
2. FHA Financing : You will need a minimum of 3.5% down.
3. USDA Financing : You may not need a down payment
4. VA Financing : You also may not need a down payment.
Here are a few more things to know if you go with conventional financing. IF you put less than 20% down, you may nbe resoonbilble for paying private mortagage insurance. Also, the lwower your down payment on a home, usually the higher your interest rate and monthly payment. Mortgage lenders tend to offer better terms to those with a high credit scrore, a highter down payment, and a stable employment history.
Learn more about down pyamens by asking for my Free Cosumner Report called " 4 Quick Ways To Buy A Home With Little Down". I'll send a copy right over to you.
Do you have a real estate question you want answered? Feel free to call me at 909-294-6799.
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth
Monday, October 27, 2014
How to Sell Your Upland Home Fast for Top Dollar
I often meet with homeowners that want to know "How much do you think my house is worth" and they typically will also ask "How is the market". These are great questions. Homeowners will often begin to ask these questions because they are considering making a move and trying to test the water.
When you are ready to sell your house it is very important to get an active Realtor that knows the market, understands where the market is and most important knows where the market is going. I always say a good rule of thumb if the market for your home is $500,000 it is always better to be in front of the market rather then behind it. Let me explain, let's suppose 2 similar houses with similar upgrades with a fair market value of $500,000. Seller #1 prices his house to sell and lists his home for $475,000. Seller #2 wants to get every penny out of his house plus he wants to leave room for a buyer to negotiate him down because know one is going to pay full price right? So Seller #2 lists his home for $525,000. So what happens ? Let's consider they both are identical and are right next door to each other. Does Seller #2 home sell quicker for more money?
Studies have shown that what typically happens is Seller #1 home sells within the first 2-3 weeks. It uses the overpriced neighbors listing as leverage and not only that but because of the over pricing of Seller #2 home, it actually creates more value in the eyes of the buyer which in return causes multiple offers and ends up selling for $505,000.
So what happens to Seller #2 home? It just sits there and gets looked over and after a few price reductions and sitting on the market for 5 months it finally sells for $493,000. That's good right? I mean only $7000 under $500,000 isn't bad. Well lets look at the big picture. They also had to make 5 more mortgage payments at $2500 a month which puts them at $12,500 . On top of that the neighbor got $505,000 so they are actually ended up losing $24,500 because they overpriced their home. On top of that but now they didn't net as much as they had hoped since they assumed it would sell around $515,000 so now they don't net as much. So they have to go back to the house they were buying and try to renegotiate because they didn't take as much as they thought they were going to be making when they put the bid on the new house. Well the seller of that new house isn't happen and won't renegotiate so they actually have to come out of pocket with the additional money to make up the difference. In the end it ends up costing them over $40,000 and time they can't get back.
So if you want to get the most amount of money for your house, price it 5% in front of where the market is to create value and drive traffic.
I'll be going over what do to if you keep getting low ball offers how to start to generate offers at or above asking price.
If you have any questions feel free to call 626-343-4128 or 909-294-6799 or you can email me at sethrowlands@yahoo.com
Thank you
Seth Rowlands
When you are ready to sell your house it is very important to get an active Realtor that knows the market, understands where the market is and most important knows where the market is going. I always say a good rule of thumb if the market for your home is $500,000 it is always better to be in front of the market rather then behind it. Let me explain, let's suppose 2 similar houses with similar upgrades with a fair market value of $500,000. Seller #1 prices his house to sell and lists his home for $475,000. Seller #2 wants to get every penny out of his house plus he wants to leave room for a buyer to negotiate him down because know one is going to pay full price right? So Seller #2 lists his home for $525,000. So what happens ? Let's consider they both are identical and are right next door to each other. Does Seller #2 home sell quicker for more money?
Studies have shown that what typically happens is Seller #1 home sells within the first 2-3 weeks. It uses the overpriced neighbors listing as leverage and not only that but because of the over pricing of Seller #2 home, it actually creates more value in the eyes of the buyer which in return causes multiple offers and ends up selling for $505,000.
So what happens to Seller #2 home? It just sits there and gets looked over and after a few price reductions and sitting on the market for 5 months it finally sells for $493,000. That's good right? I mean only $7000 under $500,000 isn't bad. Well lets look at the big picture. They also had to make 5 more mortgage payments at $2500 a month which puts them at $12,500 . On top of that the neighbor got $505,000 so they are actually ended up losing $24,500 because they overpriced their home. On top of that but now they didn't net as much as they had hoped since they assumed it would sell around $515,000 so now they don't net as much. So they have to go back to the house they were buying and try to renegotiate because they didn't take as much as they thought they were going to be making when they put the bid on the new house. Well the seller of that new house isn't happen and won't renegotiate so they actually have to come out of pocket with the additional money to make up the difference. In the end it ends up costing them over $40,000 and time they can't get back.
So if you want to get the most amount of money for your house, price it 5% in front of where the market is to create value and drive traffic.
I'll be going over what do to if you keep getting low ball offers how to start to generate offers at or above asking price.
If you have any questions feel free to call 626-343-4128 or 909-294-6799 or you can email me at sethrowlands@yahoo.com
Thank you
Seth Rowlands
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Are you curious what your Rancho Cucamonga home is worth in today's market?
Have you noticed that prices have risen again? Bank owned properties and short sales are slowly fading away and we are back to homeowners seeing equity in your home. Well with that a lot of home owners that were stuck or in a situation where they couldn't move and rode out the wave now are saying , "Hey lets sell our house and move" . Well when more and more home owners decide to sell that means more inventory and less buyers makes it a buyers market because they have choices now. Are interst rates going to continue to rise? How will the government create incenstives for first time home buyers? Is Zillow.com really accurate with the "Zestimate" of my home ? What about that guy that leaves those nice notepads in my driveway, should I call him?
If you'd like to find out what your home is worth in this NEW market we are in simply go to www.SethRowlands.com and enter your information. Our team is hard at work and will prepare your personalized report on your home.
Remember those guys at Zillow don't know the difference between Alta Loma and Rancho Cucamonga. They don't know how the 210 impacted the area when it opened up back in 2007. Those zestimates are typically 5% above and/or below the homes true value. Well to my clients 5% can make a big difference especially if you've taken great care of your home and done a lot of upgrades. While playing on those sites and looking around is fun, if your serious about finding out the value of your home, thinking about making a move soon but not ready to talk to a Real Estate Agent, then go to www.SethRowlands.com for your FREE home evaluation.
If you'd like a more personalized report and would like to have a professional come out and look at your home, give you some tips and insights on how to get more money out of your home we can help you too. Simply give me a call at 626-343-4128 or 909-294-6799.
Thank you and I look forward to speaking to you soon
Seth Rowlands
626-343-4128 or 909-294-6799
Email: sethrowlands@yahoo.com
If you'd like to find out what your home is worth in this NEW market we are in simply go to www.SethRowlands.com and enter your information. Our team is hard at work and will prepare your personalized report on your home.
Remember those guys at Zillow don't know the difference between Alta Loma and Rancho Cucamonga. They don't know how the 210 impacted the area when it opened up back in 2007. Those zestimates are typically 5% above and/or below the homes true value. Well to my clients 5% can make a big difference especially if you've taken great care of your home and done a lot of upgrades. While playing on those sites and looking around is fun, if your serious about finding out the value of your home, thinking about making a move soon but not ready to talk to a Real Estate Agent, then go to www.SethRowlands.com for your FREE home evaluation.
If you'd like a more personalized report and would like to have a professional come out and look at your home, give you some tips and insights on how to get more money out of your home we can help you too. Simply give me a call at 626-343-4128 or 909-294-6799.
Thank you and I look forward to speaking to you soon
Seth Rowlands
626-343-4128 or 909-294-6799
Email: sethrowlands@yahoo.com
Do Real Estate Agents Work On The Weekends?
You may notice around your neighborhood that as soon as Saturday comes there are OPEN HOUSE signs everywhere. They are all over the city trying to persuade you if your looking for a home to follow the signs to their house and take a look and hopefully fall in love with it and buy it.
Well chances are very slim that is how you will buy your next home. So what are agents doing at these open houses, why did Mr. and Mrs. seller request you sit and do an open house? Well for the seller it's a way to satisfy the need to have people look at your home. They hope if enough people come through then someone is bound to like it, I mean all their friends and family have always said such wonderful things about the house. Then from the agents perspective it's not the most productive time but they do know that there is only 1 buyer for a house so that means all those other buyers need help finding a home and that means potential clients! Plus all those nosey neighbors, well one of those neighbors also may be the next Mr. and Mrs. Seller so it is worth spending the time talking to them from a Real Estate Agents perspective. So what does this mean to you Mr. and Mrs. Buyer?
Well I believe open houses are fun, it's fun to go in and look at houses, get ideas and take a look around. If someone is going to welcome you into their home and you don't have anything better to do, sure why not. You might find a neighborhood you've never considered, you may find a floor plan you've never knew existed, there are so many benefits. Now it's time to switch hats and tell you that if you are a serious buyer don't waste your time. The best thing for you to do is consult with a local Real Estate professional you can sit down with (hey you might even meet them at an open house!) and go over with them your wants and needs. The next step is you will either be referred by the realtor or you shouldi contact your lender to get pre-qualified so you know exactly what your looking for as far as purchase price, interest rates, and payments. Then you will want your Real Estate agent to send you all the homes that are on the market that fit your needs and select the top 5 homes. I say 5 because after that your either being to general and vague about what you want or your going to confuse your mind because homes will start to blend together. A great agent will eliminate homes and chose homes based on what you have shard and then after you start going to see properties they should all be properties you could possibly make a offer on.
So yes Real Estate Agents work on weekends and the best agents are meeting with home owners and buyers showing and selling properties. The weekends are a great time because it's the best time for us to meet with people when their schedules are a little bit more flexible. If you or anyone you know is looking to buy a house in the Upland / Rancho Cucamonga area, feel free to give me a call today.
Thank you
Seth Rowlands
626-343-4128 or 909-294-6799
Well chances are very slim that is how you will buy your next home. So what are agents doing at these open houses, why did Mr. and Mrs. seller request you sit and do an open house? Well for the seller it's a way to satisfy the need to have people look at your home. They hope if enough people come through then someone is bound to like it, I mean all their friends and family have always said such wonderful things about the house. Then from the agents perspective it's not the most productive time but they do know that there is only 1 buyer for a house so that means all those other buyers need help finding a home and that means potential clients! Plus all those nosey neighbors, well one of those neighbors also may be the next Mr. and Mrs. Seller so it is worth spending the time talking to them from a Real Estate Agents perspective. So what does this mean to you Mr. and Mrs. Buyer?
Well I believe open houses are fun, it's fun to go in and look at houses, get ideas and take a look around. If someone is going to welcome you into their home and you don't have anything better to do, sure why not. You might find a neighborhood you've never considered, you may find a floor plan you've never knew existed, there are so many benefits. Now it's time to switch hats and tell you that if you are a serious buyer don't waste your time. The best thing for you to do is consult with a local Real Estate professional you can sit down with (hey you might even meet them at an open house!) and go over with them your wants and needs. The next step is you will either be referred by the realtor or you shouldi contact your lender to get pre-qualified so you know exactly what your looking for as far as purchase price, interest rates, and payments. Then you will want your Real Estate agent to send you all the homes that are on the market that fit your needs and select the top 5 homes. I say 5 because after that your either being to general and vague about what you want or your going to confuse your mind because homes will start to blend together. A great agent will eliminate homes and chose homes based on what you have shard and then after you start going to see properties they should all be properties you could possibly make a offer on.
So yes Real Estate Agents work on weekends and the best agents are meeting with home owners and buyers showing and selling properties. The weekends are a great time because it's the best time for us to meet with people when their schedules are a little bit more flexible. If you or anyone you know is looking to buy a house in the Upland / Rancho Cucamonga area, feel free to give me a call today.
Thank you
Seth Rowlands
626-343-4128 or 909-294-6799
Saturday, October 25, 2014
When buying a home in Covina work with a Realtor that understands what you need
I had met a couple that was looking for a home in the Covina, CA area. We initially spoke but they felt obligated to give another Realtor a shot they had been talking with as well. Well after a month of following up I finally get a call and my client says, Seth will you help us we'd like to go look at some houses. Now I never hold it against anyone that works with another Realtor because on some level they are making the best decision for themselves based on what they know and feel.
Naturally I responded, yes of course I'll set up some homes and we can meet at the first property. After we met I found out that the client actually felt the Realtor didn't know as much as she knew and wasn't aggressive enough finding and showing them properties.
Well I always get feedback after every house we see because my philosophy is that we can learn something if not more from the homes that a client doesn't like because that will help us understand what we want and need. Because I study the inventory and market daily I could tell based on what the client was sharing with me that the homes we had set up were not going to work. Luckily I knew of a house across town that was a little bit more expensive but very close to what they wanted. Needless to say once they saw the house they both agreed, this is it! We had to battle hard for the property because it was a banked owned property but because I understood how to negotiate I put us in a position to win and was able to secure the property for them over many other offers.
My purpose in sharing this is or job as Real Estate Agents are to be educated to the point where we can help and educate our client. We first need to listen and hear the client so we can understand their needs not just try to push an easy sale on them. If you take care of your clients and truly focus on them, they won't be clients anymore they will become raving fans who advocate you to their friends and family.
Referrals are the goal to a business because it not only allows a business to become more profitable by reducing marketing cost but it also is an indication of the value of your service you are providing people. I am honored to say that my client has since bought another home and referred me to their family member who sold and bought a home with me as well. As great as that felt what truly felt amazing was when I received this testimonial from them :
Seth is absolutely the most professional, ethical and talented real estate agent ever. My Husband and I were very impressed with his professionalism the moment we met him. He is very approachable, informative and thorough. He quickly "got" us and understood our criteria for a house. He asked us the right questions and listened to our needs and wants. It took us less than a week to find the house of our dreams. For being a repo it was a beautiful home, ready to move in. It had several bid offers and thought it was going to be a long shot to buy this home. Thanks to Seth, he helped us each step of the way on the bidding process. He gave us very sound advice to make sure we didn't under bid or over bid. He always responded to our questions immediately and made the whole process go very smooth and fast. We closed escrow in a month. A year later after purchasing or first home, we contacted Seth to help us purchase our second home. Again he made the whole process easy and fast. I HIGHLY recommend Seth if you are looking for a real estate agent.
We should all strive to build relationships with our clients to that level where they feel you are "Simply the best"! If you or anyone you know is interested in buying or selling a house feel free to give me a call
Seth Rowlands
(626) 343-4128 or (909) 294-6799
Naturally I responded, yes of course I'll set up some homes and we can meet at the first property. After we met I found out that the client actually felt the Realtor didn't know as much as she knew and wasn't aggressive enough finding and showing them properties.
Well I always get feedback after every house we see because my philosophy is that we can learn something if not more from the homes that a client doesn't like because that will help us understand what we want and need. Because I study the inventory and market daily I could tell based on what the client was sharing with me that the homes we had set up were not going to work. Luckily I knew of a house across town that was a little bit more expensive but very close to what they wanted. Needless to say once they saw the house they both agreed, this is it! We had to battle hard for the property because it was a banked owned property but because I understood how to negotiate I put us in a position to win and was able to secure the property for them over many other offers.
My purpose in sharing this is or job as Real Estate Agents are to be educated to the point where we can help and educate our client. We first need to listen and hear the client so we can understand their needs not just try to push an easy sale on them. If you take care of your clients and truly focus on them, they won't be clients anymore they will become raving fans who advocate you to their friends and family.
Referrals are the goal to a business because it not only allows a business to become more profitable by reducing marketing cost but it also is an indication of the value of your service you are providing people. I am honored to say that my client has since bought another home and referred me to their family member who sold and bought a home with me as well. As great as that felt what truly felt amazing was when I received this testimonial from them :
Seth is absolutely the most professional, ethical and talented real estate agent ever. My Husband and I were very impressed with his professionalism the moment we met him. He is very approachable, informative and thorough. He quickly "got" us and understood our criteria for a house. He asked us the right questions and listened to our needs and wants. It took us less than a week to find the house of our dreams. For being a repo it was a beautiful home, ready to move in. It had several bid offers and thought it was going to be a long shot to buy this home. Thanks to Seth, he helped us each step of the way on the bidding process. He gave us very sound advice to make sure we didn't under bid or over bid. He always responded to our questions immediately and made the whole process go very smooth and fast. We closed escrow in a month. A year later after purchasing or first home, we contacted Seth to help us purchase our second home. Again he made the whole process easy and fast. I HIGHLY recommend Seth if you are looking for a real estate agent.
We should all strive to build relationships with our clients to that level where they feel you are "Simply the best"! If you or anyone you know is interested in buying or selling a house feel free to give me a call
Seth Rowlands
(626) 343-4128 or (909) 294-6799
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Who should I list my home for sale with?
Go to www.sethrowlands.com for a FREE home evaluations or call 626-343-4128
if you have any Real Estate questions.
Thank you and talk to you soon,
Seth
Monday, October 20, 2014
WARNING!! What to look out for when selling your home For Sale By Owner
In the past 6 months I've spoken with 100's of home owners who have attempted to sell their home by owner. While few succeed many do not and either decide not to move or end up listing with an agent. While they are listed I have begun to notice a trend of specific types of people that approach For Sale By Owners and when you are selling your home by owner always consult with a Realtor a Mortgage professional before making any decision.
The top "suspects" that will approach will be:
1. Realtors: They will hound you trying to brow beat you into believing you can't sell your home. You can but it will be very challenging and the best way to describe it you will have to be a salesman for a few months and really work your leads.
2. Investors: They will offer all cash, they will say it's for a family member or that they've been trying to get a home in your area for a while. Some of them will also use deceitful tactics by opening escrow then trying to renegotiate a better price in escrow when they know your emotionally committed.
3. A buyer who wants to know if you'll do a "lease to own" . They can't qualify for conventional financing and they believe you should carry the risk in order to help them get a home. They may also be "straw buyers" for investors in order to get information.
4. The repeat viewing buyer : This buyer will be coming back with a family member every time. They may bring a wife/husband, then parents, and extended family. They will continually string you along to think you have a "interested buyer" but more often than not they are just working a system in order to get your frustrated to enable an investor to come in and "rescue you" and buy the house after your throw your hands up.
These and many more situations will occur so please use your best judgment and understand as a home owner who sells their home you are not a salesman and you have to act and think like a salesman.
We are here to support you in answering any questions you have so please feel free to call : 626-343-4128 or email sethrowlands@yahoo.com
Remember this is your biggest financial investment, let us help you protect your equity.
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth
The top "suspects" that will approach will be:
1. Realtors: They will hound you trying to brow beat you into believing you can't sell your home. You can but it will be very challenging and the best way to describe it you will have to be a salesman for a few months and really work your leads.
2. Investors: They will offer all cash, they will say it's for a family member or that they've been trying to get a home in your area for a while. Some of them will also use deceitful tactics by opening escrow then trying to renegotiate a better price in escrow when they know your emotionally committed.
3. A buyer who wants to know if you'll do a "lease to own" . They can't qualify for conventional financing and they believe you should carry the risk in order to help them get a home. They may also be "straw buyers" for investors in order to get information.
4. The repeat viewing buyer : This buyer will be coming back with a family member every time. They may bring a wife/husband, then parents, and extended family. They will continually string you along to think you have a "interested buyer" but more often than not they are just working a system in order to get your frustrated to enable an investor to come in and "rescue you" and buy the house after your throw your hands up.
These and many more situations will occur so please use your best judgment and understand as a home owner who sells their home you are not a salesman and you have to act and think like a salesman.
We are here to support you in answering any questions you have so please feel free to call : 626-343-4128 or email sethrowlands@yahoo.com
Remember this is your biggest financial investment, let us help you protect your equity.
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth
Thursday, October 16, 2014
The Best Real Estate Agent In Upland
Ok you've decided it's finally time! You are going to sell your home or your going to buy a home. Now it's time to find a Real
Estate Agent to assist you. Well if you follow these 3 simple steps you will put yourself in a good position to work with a highly
skilled professional.
1. The 1st step is to identify a full time agent. Any agent that is part time should be disqualified immediately. This is not a part time business because we are dealing with typically our clients biggest financial investment. That requires someone who has a thorough understanding or Real Estate, Negotiation, the California Real Estate Contracts and disclosures.
2. Ask for a referral from friends and family members. A lot of times you can get referred to a great agent just by asking people you know that have bought or sold a home recently. This ensures you at least have some understanding of how the agent works.
3. You want to hire an aggressive and active agent. Unfortunately there are a lot of agents that just sit around and don't do much. This is a business and you need to run your business like a business. That means you dress up and you show up. That means you follow up on every lead, you return phone calls, you preview property and you do your job. As simple as this sounds these are the very things that separate the average agents from the great agents. It's all in the details. You don't want to find out that the buyer for your home bought another house because your agent never returned his call. Unfortunately it happens more often than you'd believe.
Follow these 3 simple steps and you'll be in a great position to hire the best Realtor for you.
Call me if you have any questions: 626-343-4128 or email sethrowlands@yahoo.com
Thank you, Seth
1. The 1st step is to identify a full time agent. Any agent that is part time should be disqualified immediately. This is not a part time business because we are dealing with typically our clients biggest financial investment. That requires someone who has a thorough understanding or Real Estate, Negotiation, the California Real Estate Contracts and disclosures.
2. Ask for a referral from friends and family members. A lot of times you can get referred to a great agent just by asking people you know that have bought or sold a home recently. This ensures you at least have some understanding of how the agent works.
3. You want to hire an aggressive and active agent. Unfortunately there are a lot of agents that just sit around and don't do much. This is a business and you need to run your business like a business. That means you dress up and you show up. That means you follow up on every lead, you return phone calls, you preview property and you do your job. As simple as this sounds these are the very things that separate the average agents from the great agents. It's all in the details. You don't want to find out that the buyer for your home bought another house because your agent never returned his call. Unfortunately it happens more often than you'd believe.
Follow these 3 simple steps and you'll be in a great position to hire the best Realtor for you.
Call me if you have any questions: 626-343-4128 or email sethrowlands@yahoo.com
Thank you, Seth
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
How To Save $1000's Of Dollars When Buying A Home
The first thing you need to understand is don't mistake a homeowner or their agent
being polite as them wanting you to get the best deal. Never tell the seller or their agent why you
need to buy or if you like their home because
they’ll use this information against you to get a
higher price. That's why it's so important when looking at the home and when making the offer to direct
all your communication through your Real Estate Agent.
When you sit down at your Real Estate Agents office to make an offer you want to take these items into consideration when determining your offer amount:
1. Take a look at the other active listings in the area and see if the home you want comparable?
2. The average selling price compared to the listing price of homes that have sold.
3. A visit to other homes for sale in the area. How do they compare with your choice?
4. The average market times for homes in the area. If they’re long, you may have more negotiating room.
Always remember if a house is turnkey, meaning you can just move in, and it has been upgraded, it typically will attract higher offers. If a home is in an ideal location and is priced under market, you can expect to have multiple offers on the house so we advise you want to put your best foot forward based on what you feel comfortable with but be aggressive because you might get a second chance if the property is HOT!
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth
When you sit down at your Real Estate Agents office to make an offer you want to take these items into consideration when determining your offer amount:
1. Take a look at the other active listings in the area and see if the home you want comparable?
2. The average selling price compared to the listing price of homes that have sold.
3. A visit to other homes for sale in the area. How do they compare with your choice?
4. The average market times for homes in the area. If they’re long, you may have more negotiating room.
Always remember if a house is turnkey, meaning you can just move in, and it has been upgraded, it typically will attract higher offers. If a home is in an ideal location and is priced under market, you can expect to have multiple offers on the house so we advise you want to put your best foot forward based on what you feel comfortable with but be aggressive because you might get a second chance if the property is HOT!
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Is your Rancho Cucamonga home still not sold?
Unfortunatly if that is the case there is a good possibility that your home is....priced to high.
I know that's what you keep hearing but it very well may be true. If a home sits on the market and no one is interested chances are it's been overpriced and buyers just don't see it as a good deal or worth the investment.
And truthfully, 90% of the time, I am on their side about the price. I agree with them that their house is definitely worth what they are asking, but the fact of the matter is, we are in a buyer’s market with today’s economy, and there’s not a whole lot that you or I can do about that. If we were to sit down and look at the numbers, your home probably is "worth" around what your asking but as inventory builds on the market you always want to stay ahead of the market, not behind.
What I mean is if a similar home like your home sold for $400,000 , it is much better to price your home at $395,000 rather than $430,000. There is a good possiblity the buyers who didn't get the $400,000 home are still looking for a home and will see your home and the price will make them feel it's a great deal. Remember more interest increases your chances of getting it sold quickly for top dollar which very well could be over asking price.
There was a couple in the area that hired a Realtor who listed their home for $798k. This price was about $100,000 higher than what the houses in the area were selling for, but because the Realtor thought there house would sell for an additional $100k, the couple listened to her.
The house sat on the market for 4 months with a few inquiries here and there, but nothing serious. A 5 months went by and the house was STILL on the market! The couple eventually decided they needed a new Realtor. This new Realtor did drop the price, but only by $50,000. Even with this price reduction the house was still not moving and after a week the Realtor realized what they needed to do. They needed to get in front of the market and create massive value in the eyes of the buyer.
A week later, the couple and the new Realtor, sat down and the Realtor explained to them they really were so over priced that even thought hey felt they came "down" $50,000, they needed to be around $699,000. The Realtor explained to them that even though they had an amazing home, they over built for the neighborhood and a buyer in their price range would much rather a home around other homes of similar value. If they were going to attract a buyer they had to price it to be a great deal. Within 11 days of the new sales price they had the property SOLD!
Listing a house above market value will almost always end badly for you. It's much better to actually start LOWER than market value because this gets buyers' attention. Once the attention has been gathered, you will get more than one buyer interested, and they will probably start a "bidding war". Basically this means that they will each keep making offers until they may actually drive the price up to HIGHER than market value and then you can accept one of their offers! Wherever there is a market, you can make customers. Lower the price of your home, create a market, get people interested, and then sell for the price you want!
Put the effort into properly presenting your home through professional pictures. Don’t undercut your home with point-and-shoot images that don’t show off its true beauty. Remember people do judge a book by it's cover and so too do they judge a house by it's pictures. Give your buyer a “deal” that they won’t be able to turn down. Offer them something simple that no one else has probably offered. People love getting a deal of any kind. Make your house presentable to your buyer. Take down personal items and make it as neutral as possible so that they can vision their life in your home.
And last but not least, keep your house clean and presentable at all times, but especially the front of the house, the living room and the kitchen.
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth
And truthfully, 90% of the time, I am on their side about the price. I agree with them that their house is definitely worth what they are asking, but the fact of the matter is, we are in a buyer’s market with today’s economy, and there’s not a whole lot that you or I can do about that. If we were to sit down and look at the numbers, your home probably is "worth" around what your asking but as inventory builds on the market you always want to stay ahead of the market, not behind.
What I mean is if a similar home like your home sold for $400,000 , it is much better to price your home at $395,000 rather than $430,000. There is a good possiblity the buyers who didn't get the $400,000 home are still looking for a home and will see your home and the price will make them feel it's a great deal. Remember more interest increases your chances of getting it sold quickly for top dollar which very well could be over asking price.
There was a couple in the area that hired a Realtor who listed their home for $798k. This price was about $100,000 higher than what the houses in the area were selling for, but because the Realtor thought there house would sell for an additional $100k, the couple listened to her.
The house sat on the market for 4 months with a few inquiries here and there, but nothing serious. A 5 months went by and the house was STILL on the market! The couple eventually decided they needed a new Realtor. This new Realtor did drop the price, but only by $50,000. Even with this price reduction the house was still not moving and after a week the Realtor realized what they needed to do. They needed to get in front of the market and create massive value in the eyes of the buyer.
A week later, the couple and the new Realtor, sat down and the Realtor explained to them they really were so over priced that even thought hey felt they came "down" $50,000, they needed to be around $699,000. The Realtor explained to them that even though they had an amazing home, they over built for the neighborhood and a buyer in their price range would much rather a home around other homes of similar value. If they were going to attract a buyer they had to price it to be a great deal. Within 11 days of the new sales price they had the property SOLD!
Listing a house above market value will almost always end badly for you. It's much better to actually start LOWER than market value because this gets buyers' attention. Once the attention has been gathered, you will get more than one buyer interested, and they will probably start a "bidding war". Basically this means that they will each keep making offers until they may actually drive the price up to HIGHER than market value and then you can accept one of their offers! Wherever there is a market, you can make customers. Lower the price of your home, create a market, get people interested, and then sell for the price you want!
Put the effort into properly presenting your home through professional pictures. Don’t undercut your home with point-and-shoot images that don’t show off its true beauty. Remember people do judge a book by it's cover and so too do they judge a house by it's pictures. Give your buyer a “deal” that they won’t be able to turn down. Offer them something simple that no one else has probably offered. People love getting a deal of any kind. Make your house presentable to your buyer. Take down personal items and make it as neutral as possible so that they can vision their life in your home.
And last but not least, keep your house clean and presentable at all times, but especially the front of the house, the living room and the kitchen.
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth
Friday, October 10, 2014
A Common Mistake First Time Home Buyers Make
It is very common for a 1st time home buyer to not fully
understand the process of buying a home. The most common
misunderstanding is the importance of getting pre approved or
at the very least prequalified with a lender. You can waste a lot of
time if you don't know what you can afford before looking at homes.
You’ll waste your time looking at properties that are may be out of your price range. To eliminate this what you will want to do is sit down and begin to examine your budget, get a copy of your credit report and credit score, then sit down with a qualified lender to determine how much of a home loan you can afford. Don’t assume the first lender you ask is giving you the most competitive rate. Talk to more than one lender or if your working with a Realtor have the Realtor refer you to one of their preferred lenders to do some comparison shopping.
A lender or mortgage broker can give you a pre-qualification letter after a simple 10-minute phone interview. But a pre-APPROVAL letter is a firm commitment to lend money based on verification of income in the form of: employment, funds on deposit, and your credit history. All that remains is the property appraisal for you to get a home loan once you’ve been pre-approved. As you can see even though a prequalification letter is a great start, the best thing to do is provide all your documents to the lender as soon as possible in order for you to get a pre approval. This will not only help you but show that you are much stronger buyer. Why is this so important? Pre-approval is a powerful weapon when it comes to negotiating the price you want, so it’s worth it even if it takes a few days to a few weeks. It tells the sellers you are serious and they may accept your offer even it’s less than someone else’s because they know you can get financing. If you don't have a pre approval letter and you are competing on the same home with a buyer that has one, you could very well lose out on your offer.
Thank you and I look forward to speaking to you soon,
Seth
You’ll waste your time looking at properties that are may be out of your price range. To eliminate this what you will want to do is sit down and begin to examine your budget, get a copy of your credit report and credit score, then sit down with a qualified lender to determine how much of a home loan you can afford. Don’t assume the first lender you ask is giving you the most competitive rate. Talk to more than one lender or if your working with a Realtor have the Realtor refer you to one of their preferred lenders to do some comparison shopping.
A lender or mortgage broker can give you a pre-qualification letter after a simple 10-minute phone interview. But a pre-APPROVAL letter is a firm commitment to lend money based on verification of income in the form of: employment, funds on deposit, and your credit history. All that remains is the property appraisal for you to get a home loan once you’ve been pre-approved. As you can see even though a prequalification letter is a great start, the best thing to do is provide all your documents to the lender as soon as possible in order for you to get a pre approval. This will not only help you but show that you are much stronger buyer. Why is this so important? Pre-approval is a powerful weapon when it comes to negotiating the price you want, so it’s worth it even if it takes a few days to a few weeks. It tells the sellers you are serious and they may accept your offer even it’s less than someone else’s because they know you can get financing. If you don't have a pre approval letter and you are competing on the same home with a buyer that has one, you could very well lose out on your offer.
Thank you and I look forward to speaking to you soon,
Seth
Thursday, October 9, 2014
How to find a great deal as a buyer
If your a buyer and your looking for a "Great" deal well I'm going to share with you a secret many
Real Estate agents know. The first step in getting a great deal is know what your looking for and what
your terms and conditions are in buying the home. A lot of times buyers find a home and they get caught
up in the emotion of buying the home and more often than not you can end up overpaying for the home.
The second step is focus on listings that aren't selling. If a home just hit the market, it has been remodeled and is a turnkey home, you can almost guarantee not only will you have competition but you will have to pay top dollar for the home. You should instead find the homes where the seller has been trying for months to sell the home but for some reason either because of the location, price, repairs needed, or whatever the case may be the home just hasn't sold. You have a much better chance going after this house rather than going after the brand new perfect listing that just hit the market.
Hope this helps and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Thank you,
Seth
The second step is focus on listings that aren't selling. If a home just hit the market, it has been remodeled and is a turnkey home, you can almost guarantee not only will you have competition but you will have to pay top dollar for the home. You should instead find the homes where the seller has been trying for months to sell the home but for some reason either because of the location, price, repairs needed, or whatever the case may be the home just hasn't sold. You have a much better chance going after this house rather than going after the brand new perfect listing that just hit the market.
Hope this helps and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Thank you,
Seth
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
The NEW way in marketing your home to sell
If you want to get more money for your home in the shortest
amount of time there are some basic strategies that will
help you achieve this goal. The first is you have to have
an aggressive, innovative marketing plan to enable you to
reach more buyers and most importantly the RIGHT buyers. Assuming you have priced your home correctly,
you can't just assume putting a sign in the front yard and putting
it on the MLS will cause your home to sell. While this may definitley help
we know that this is just the beginning. Studies have shown that over 95% of
home buyers start their home search on line so using all the internet sites,
social media, and making sure you have high quality pictures are very important.
You would be shocked at the poor quality of photo's that we see used from pictures from inside a car, to a dark picture, to pictures with people, pets or unmade beds are just some of the reasons that a buyer may "click" off your picture before even becoming interested. Remember the pictures for your home is like an outfit you would wear to an interview, whether we like to admit it we do judge a book by it's cover so make sure your agent has the best quality photo's for your home so it appeals to buyers and makes them interested to learn more or most importantly see the home.
When working with a professional Real Estate Agent you will wan to hire an agent that is going to use traditional and aggressive, cutting edge marketing to enable your home to stand out from the other homes are the market you are competing against. The goal is to get as many as buyers interested in your home to enable you to have a "bidding war" on your home so you have the ablitity to select the strongest terms and conditions and typically the highest price of the buyer.
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth Rowlands
You would be shocked at the poor quality of photo's that we see used from pictures from inside a car, to a dark picture, to pictures with people, pets or unmade beds are just some of the reasons that a buyer may "click" off your picture before even becoming interested. Remember the pictures for your home is like an outfit you would wear to an interview, whether we like to admit it we do judge a book by it's cover so make sure your agent has the best quality photo's for your home so it appeals to buyers and makes them interested to learn more or most importantly see the home.
When working with a professional Real Estate Agent you will wan to hire an agent that is going to use traditional and aggressive, cutting edge marketing to enable your home to stand out from the other homes are the market you are competing against. The goal is to get as many as buyers interested in your home to enable you to have a "bidding war" on your home so you have the ablitity to select the strongest terms and conditions and typically the highest price of the buyer.
Thank you and I look forward to talking to you soon,
Seth Rowlands
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
What to do if your home expires on the market?
There are many reasons that a home may not sell while it's listed. After studying 1000's of properties that haven't sold we have found a few
simple strategies to enable you to make sure you don't repeat the same mistake of having your home sit on the market and not sell.
The 1st thing you will want to do is re-evaluate the sales price. A price that’s too high may have kept buyers and other real estate agents away because they didn’t want to waste their time. To set the “right” price, you and a more knowledgeable REALTOR® need to review current market conditions, the competition, and the condition of your home. Ask another REALTOR® for a new market analysis of comparable homes that are on the market or have sold in the past six months. How long did it take for those homes to be sold? Compare the listing prices to the sales prices. You can also look at other homes whose listings have expired to see what issues they may have had.
The second step is toTake Another Look At Your Home’s Condition. Emotions aside, does your home really look good enough to make a buyer go WOW – or is there more you can do? Review the feedback you received on the house. Do you see words like “dated” or “cluttered”? You don’t need to completely remodel…an experienced REALTOR® will know several easy and inexpensive things you can do to make your home more attractive to buyers.
If you'd like to know more ways to ensure your home gets sold for top dollar then email me at sethrowlands@yahoo.com or call me directly at 626-343-4128 and I will help you discover what I believe prevented your home from selling and what you can do to get your home sold for top dollar in the time you want.
Thanks and talk to you soon, Seth
The 1st thing you will want to do is re-evaluate the sales price. A price that’s too high may have kept buyers and other real estate agents away because they didn’t want to waste their time. To set the “right” price, you and a more knowledgeable REALTOR® need to review current market conditions, the competition, and the condition of your home. Ask another REALTOR® for a new market analysis of comparable homes that are on the market or have sold in the past six months. How long did it take for those homes to be sold? Compare the listing prices to the sales prices. You can also look at other homes whose listings have expired to see what issues they may have had.
The second step is toTake Another Look At Your Home’s Condition. Emotions aside, does your home really look good enough to make a buyer go WOW – or is there more you can do? Review the feedback you received on the house. Do you see words like “dated” or “cluttered”? You don’t need to completely remodel…an experienced REALTOR® will know several easy and inexpensive things you can do to make your home more attractive to buyers.
If you'd like to know more ways to ensure your home gets sold for top dollar then email me at sethrowlands@yahoo.com or call me directly at 626-343-4128 and I will help you discover what I believe prevented your home from selling and what you can do to get your home sold for top dollar in the time you want.
Thanks and talk to you soon, Seth
Sunday, October 5, 2014
How to sell your home to interested buyers
Selling to Interested Buyers
When you stop creating advertisements that sound like the other houses in your area, you can attract interested people. This is a very simple concept.
When you find something that is unique about your house and you base your advertisement around that one item, it will catch people's eyes. Those who want that one item will come out to see it in person.
Then, you will stop wasting your time showing your house to people who are not interested. Instead, you will show it to people who are motivated to make a purchase. That means you won't have to show it as much and you won't have to sift through low ball offers. With that in mind, it is essential that you take the time to find your home's most attractive and unique features. Compare your home to others that are up for sale in the neighbored and see what makes it stand out.
Then, you will stop wasting your time showing your house to people who are not interested. Instead, you will show it to people who are motivated to make a purchase. That means you won't have to show it as much and you won't have to sift through low ball offers. With that in mind, it is essential that you take the time to find your home's most attractive and unique features. Compare your home to others that are up for sale in the neighbored and see what makes it stand out.
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