Admirals Cove Blog
Finding The Right Real Estate Agent For You!
Buying and selling a home is a very complicated and stressful experience that is often the most important process you will ever go through in your lifetime. Chances are you are like any other buyer or seller and want a qualified and experienced real estate agent to help steer you to a successful transaction. 1.) Are You Full-Time Or Part Time? – Due to the fact that the real estate market tends to be a very fast paced and competitive environment it pays off to have a full-time real estate agent there to represent you. You want to be sure that your real estate agent will be there for you whenever you need them to be to ensure your real estate transaction is a complete success. 2.) How Long Have You Been In Real Estate? – This can be tricky due to the fact that more years in real estate does not necessarily equate to a better real estate agent. But sometimes you can learn enough from the way they answer the question to make your decision. 3.) What Is Your Real Estate License? – Finding out what type of real estate license they hold will tell you a lot about them. Real estate licensing is given out at the state level with most states generally offering two types of licenses for sales and broker. A broker’s license necessitates further education and extra testing which shows a deeper commitment to you the client. 4.) Is Your License In Good Standing? – You would think this should be something you don’t need to ask but the truth of the matter is it is important that you do. It is important that you now for sure their real estate license is in good standing and no complaints or lawsuits have been filled against them and be sure you get proof in writing. 5.) How Many Clients Do You Represent? – It is important to find out how many clients your potential agent currently represents. Agents busy with clients tend to be more efficient and successful but watch out for an agent with lots of clients and no recent closings because that could be a red...
read moreWinning In A Bidding War!
Buying a home alone is an extremely stressful situation but when you get caught up in a bidding war the stress can be overwhelming. No one wants to think about being faced with a multiple offer situation when trying to buy his or her dream home, but the truth of the matter is that it is a good possibility. The good news is that just because you are in a bidding war doesn’t mean that the only important thing is the bottom line. So we have developed a list of the top five tips and tricks to ensure you come out successful if you find yourself in a bidding war. 1.) Go Into It Prepared: It is very important that you go into this as prepared as possible because there is a good chance you will only get one shot at this. Be sure to use the experience of tried and tested real estate agent to ensure you are as prepared as you possibly can. 2.) Move As Fast As You Can: When competing against multiple offers for a potential home it is important that you move as fast as your situation allows. You need to be ready and act as fast as you can but not faster. Make sure you are completely ready and then act as fast as you can. 3.) Be Sure To Sell Yourself: It is important that you try and sell yourself whenever you find yourself facing multiple offers in a bidding war. Experts recommend that you write a personalized note to incorporate in your offer. Be sure to comment on how much you love the home and what you plan for it. 4.) Reduce Or Eliminate Contingencies: One of the best ways to get your offer noticed and win during a bidding war is to reduce as much as possible or eliminate any contingencies. Be sure to talk with your real estate agent to figure out what contingencies you can get rid of to make your offer more appealing. 5.) If You Can Offer Cash: If you can, the best trick in a bidding war is to offer cash for the home. A cash offer makes the selling process so much quicker and easier for the seller and will make your offer that much more appealing. If you can’t offer a full cash offer try to make as large of a down payment that you...
read moreCurb Appeal!
What is curb appeal? While this term encompasses a variety of aspects it is essentially the way a home is seen from the street. A home’s curb appeal will either help or hinder its value, and therefore needs to be handled and cared for carefully and correctly. The right curb appeal embraces everything from your front door to your mailbox and with a little faith these following tips will transform your curb appeal and improve the value of your home. 1.) Freshen Up Your Front Door: A great place to start when it comes to improving your home’s curb appeal is to freshen up your front door. Your front door will say a lot about your home and you want to be sure that it is making a great impression. However, you don’t necessarily need to go out and buy a new one sometimes a fresh pant job can have a similar effect. 2.) Decorate Your Entry In Seasonal Style: Another great idea for improving your curb appeal is to decorate and design your entry in seasonal style. This will help you create a very warm and welcoming feeling around your entry which will develop some really desirable curb appeal for your home. 3.) Try Utilizing Planters And Containers: When your landscaping needs some upgrading consider utilizing a few planters and containers to really deliver a punch. With some strategic placement and the right flowers you can really deliver some fantastic curb appeal to your home. 4.) Highlight Your Address: Highlight your address and blend utility with personality. Your house numbers can do so much more than just let people know what your address is. With a little imagination they can really add some appeal to your home. There are a variety of ways to spruce up and highlight your address from the place you put them to the materials and colors you use. 5.) Give Your Mailbox A Makeover: You may not know it but a mailbox is what often helps develop the first impression people have about a home. It can either extend a warm and welcoming feeling or be a cold and unfriendly eye sore that detracts from your home’s curb appeal.Be sure to give your mailbox a makeover so that it is promoting the right...
read morePreventative Home Maintenance Tips!
Most likely owning a home is by far going to be one of the most important and expensive investments you will ever make during your lifetime. Therefore, it is imperative that you protect this investment as much as you possibly can. So we have developed the top five home maintenance tips that will help ensure the investment you have made in your home is preserved. 1.) Get Your Home Inspected: One of the most effective preventative measures that you can do when it comes to home maintenance is to have your home inspected by a professional every few years. Due to the fact that your home is probably the biggest investment you will ever make you want to be sure and stay on top of any potential issues. 2.) Be Sure To Maintain Your Gutters: One of the most important things that you can do for the maintenance of your home is to clean out and maintain the gutters of your home. Clogged gutters are bound to progress into moisture build up which will develop mold and rot. Eventually leading to extensive damage to your home and its value. 3.) Patch Any Cracks In Your Foundation: It is very important that you keep up with and maintain any cracks in the foundation of your home. A minor crack can be okay for a little while, but for any significant crack it is imperative that you patch it up as soon as you possible can. When caught and handled early you can save yourself thousands. 4.) Maintain Your Smoke And Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Safety in your home is the most important thing when it comes to home maintenance. That is why it is so important that you regularly check out and test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. The best plan is to schedule a time every so often where you make sure all your detectors are working correctly. 5.) Check For Any Infestations: It is extremely important that you check for and handle any potential infestations to your home as soon as possible. The worst thing you can do is wait until an infestation or pest problem has actually taken hold on your home. Be sure to check around your home and property for any potential pest problems and take care of them before they become a real...
read moreShould You Hire A Real Estate Attorney?
It doesn’t matter whether you are buying or selling a home it is important to include a real estate attorney in your team of consultants and advisers. Your realtor can do a lot of things when it comes to advising you on market conditions and helping with finding the right home or buyer for your home and will be key during negotiations. But a real estate lawyer can help ensure that your rights are protected through every step of the buying or selling process. When dealing with the sale or purchase of something so big, expensive, and complicated like a home complex legal situations are bound to pop up and it is important to protect your self with a real estate attorney. You are probably wondering at this point how much a real estate attorney’s fee would cost you. Well, typically their legal fees will be a bit higher if you are a buyer rather than a seller due to the fact that as a buyer’s attorney their responsibilities will be much more extensive. However, generally most fees will run you between $500 and $1,500 for a typical transaction whether you are the buyer or the seller. Usually, a real estate attorney can easily provide you with an estimate of their costs related to an average real estate transaction but if things go wrong you can expect their fees to go way up. It is also important to understand that your real estate attorney’s role can be as limited or broad as you require. Now not all real estate transactions are going to necessitate the use of a real estate attorney. But if you are someone who enjoys a little more security in situations like home buying and selling a real estate attorney is an outstanding addition to your team. Just remember even if you don’t close on the deal you will still owe them for their...
read moreEnvironmentally Friendly Home Upgrades “Go Green”!
Whether you are looking to sell your home or just cut down on your energy consumption going green is a fabulous option for you. Environmentally friendly upgrades not only improve the value and appeal of your home, they are also the best way to cut down on your energy bills. Saving you money in the long term while also doing your part to help the environment by conserving on energy and water consumption. So we have developed a list of the top environmentally friendly home upgrades to help you go green. 1.) Get An Energy-Efficiency Audit: It is important that before you go jumping into any energy efficiency project that you consult an expert. Getting an energy efficiency audit by a professional energy inspector will help determine where your homes strengths and weaknesses are. The worst thing you can do is go throw money at an issue that doesn’t exist. Be sure you get an energy efficiency audit to help you build a game plan. 2.) Programmable Thermostats: One of the simplest and most effective ways to save on energy consumption is by installing programmable thermostats. No matter how energy efficient your home is programmable thermostats will boost it even more. You will be able to program your thermostat so that your heat and A/C only kicks on when the interior of your home gets to certain temperatures. Increasing your home’s energy efficiency and saving you tons on your energy bills. This will increase the appeal of your home to potential buyers. 3.) Low Flow Plumbing Fixtures: A great way to cut down on water consumption is to install low flow plumbing fixtures. There are a variety of places where you can cut down on water consumption including sinks, showers, and even toilets. Plus low flow plumbing fixtures can save you hundreds per year on water usage while also improving the appeal of your home to potential buyers. 4.) High Efficiency Water Heaters: Installing a high efficiency water heater is a great way cut down on energy and save you money. Heating your water can make up anything from 15 to 25 percent of your yearly energy bills and high efficiency water heaters can really help cut this down. Experts say that this upgrade will generally pay itself off in three to five years. You will also find that certain types of high efficiency water heater can qualify for federal tax credits too. Plus this upgrade will greatly improve the appeal of your home to potential buyers. 5.) Landscaping Upgrade: Believe it or not but when done correctly landscaping can be a very effective energy efficiency upgrade. Proper landscaping can provide your home with shade in the summer and insulation during the winter saving you a great deal on heating and cooling expenses. You will also find that some plants and other Plus the right landscaping can greatly improve your curb appeal, which will make it more desirable to potential buyers increasing its value. Be sure to consult an expert...
read moreTop Mortgage Advice For 2014!
As you may or may not know the clock is ticking for potential homebuyers who wish to obtain a low mortgage rate this year. However as long as you remain on the top of your game, act as quickly as you can, and maintain your finances correctly. You can still get your hands on a very appealing mortgage deal. In order to help you with this we have gathered the top advice for mortgage borrowers during 2014. 1.) Be Sure To Maintain Good Credit: It is imperative that you maintain good credit if you want a mortgage because it is basically impossible to obtain a mortgage without a decent credit score. This will be especially so during 2014 so if you want that low rate be sure to maintain good credit. The best rates go to borrowers with a credit score of 720 and higher. 2.) Be Sure To Document All Your Finances: It is very important that you document any and all of your financial information. There are lots of new rules this year that are going to put extra pressure on lenders to ensure you have the ability to pay back your loans. So during 2014 lenders are going to be extremely meticulous when it comes to underwriting mortgages. 3.) Be Sure To Shop Around: Be sure you shop around for your lender because as rates have climbed lenders lost a great deal of refinancing business and will fiercely compete for your mortgage during 2014. So utilize your bargaining power and shop around for the best possible rate. 4.) Be Sure To Lock In A Rate ASAP: Due to the fact that the Federal Reserve is expected to greatly reduce its economic stimulus program that is helping to keep rates low. We expect that throughout 2014 mortgage rates are very likely to continue rising. So if you plan on obtaining a mortgage this year so be sure to lock it in as soon as you possible can. 5.) Be Sure To Stay Calm And Not Panic: It is important that you stay calm and not panic. Yes, mortgage rates are very likely to rise during 2014 but you need to remember that buying a home is one of your most important decisions you will ever make in your life and can’t be rushed. Try to move as quickly as you can but only get your mortgage and buy your home when you are truly...
read morePre-Approval Vs. Pre-Qualification!
Getting a financial frame of reference for your home search is extremely important to the success of your home buying experience. However, it has come to our attention that more and more people don’t fully understand what being pre-qualified and pre-approved means and the difference between the two. These two terms have very different meanings and have different impacts when it comes time to make an offer. Pre-Approval: Getting a pre-approval from a lender means that the lender has done some extensive and significant research into your financial history and they have agreed to loan you a certain amount. This carries much more weight than pre-qualification and sellers love seeing that a potential buyer has already been approved for an amount equal to the sales price. Pre-approval conveys very clearly to sellers that all of your finances are in order and you are truly ready to buy. Pre-Qualification: In contrast to being pre-approved, being pre-qualified for a loan is seen as more of a rough draft of what a potential buyer might be able to afford. It really says nothing about what you can afford, and it basically means that you may be able to afford that amount and that you probably could obtain a loan for that amount. When a seller sees a pre-qualification letter in an offer it will hold some type of credibility just not the same as a pre-approval. While both pre-approval and pre-qualification letters are better than having nothing to show at all. Being pre-approved carries much more weight and conveys a great deal more credibility to sellers than just getting pre-qualified. So, if you are a serious buyer and want to be perceived that way be sure you get pre-approved as soon as you possibly...
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