Sell Your Home Fast
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October 7th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Better Judgements eZine
Terria Judge, Realtor
CRS, ABR, GRI, Broker Associate
Better Judgements is a newsletter on home matters, from Terria Judge, your Garden City, KS real estate agent!
Contact Terria Judge at 620-271-2129!
Terria Judge
Home Town Real Estate P.A.
1135 College Dr. Suite A
Garden City, KS 67846
620-271-9500
http://terriajudge.com
http://gardencityksrealestate.com
http://gardencityksrentals.com
Terria@TerriaJudge.com
Subscription Management at end of newsletter.
Thanks for your subscription to Better Judgements, the newsletter from your Garden City Kansas Realtor, Terria Judge.
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In this Issue
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1. Article: 10 Steps to Buying Your First Home
2. Featured & New Listings
3. Article: Ten Ways to Save Water and Money at Home
4. Article: 7 Tips on How to Sell Your Home Fast
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10 Steps to Buying Your First Home
By Elizabeth McLachlan
Property is the single most expensive purchase you will ever
make. The process of buying your first property, whether it is a
bachelor’s flat, apartment of family home, can be one of the
most daunting but also the most rewarding experience of you
life. Remember that there are a lot of experts out there waiting
to assist you in the crucial steps of buying your first
property.
1. Calculate Your Budget
The first step to buying a home is to find out how much home
you can afford. Review your monthly income, expenses and
savings. Always remember that as a first time buyer you would
need a substantial amount of cash in hand to settle closing
costs and deposit. Your budget should also leave room for
insurance as well as other sudden expenses like an increase in
interest rates.
2. Get Pre-Approved
Having a pre-approved loan basically means your credit files
have been reviewed and the loan officers believes you can
readily qualify for a given loan amount with one or more
mortgage providers. A letter will be given to you showing your
borrowing power, which can be used to show agents or sellers
that you are a serious buyer. Getting your loan pre-approved can
save you a lot of time and is worth the effort.
3. Do Research
Once you have chosen an area that seems right for you, you can
start doing the necessary research. Find out what the average
houses price is in the area and what the sales activity has been
like for the last year. Make sure you can identify with the
community in the area. It is better to go see the area in
person, for you might miss crucial information should you do
research on the Internet. Also be sure to view the property
during the day and the night and ask around the neighborhood
about crime levels.
4. Find an Agent
There is no shortage when it comes to estate agents in most
parts of the world. The more popular or sought after an area is,
the more agents you will find. It is important to find someone
you trust and who you feel comfortable with. The right agent can
save you a lot of time and money so be sure to choose wisely.
Set up some interviews with potential agents and find out about
their experience and reputation.
5. Make an Offer
So you’ve done your research and you found an agent who helped
you find the home of your dreams. It is time to make an offer:
Use your research to determine if you have yourself a good deal
and should you think that the asking price is to high, be
prepared to defend it with your research. This is a crucial part
of the home buying process and you shouldn’t let anyone push you
into making a decision.
6. Negotiate the Best Price
A seller can respond in different ways to your offer. He/She
can accept your offer, counter bid or go back to the asking
price. Don’t give in to easy and if it seems to good to be true,
you must trust that the inspection will show you the hidden
problems. Once you’ve agreed on a price it is time to sign the
contract. You might have to put down a deposit – in which case
you must make sure the contract states that you can get the
money back when you withdraw your offer.
7. Get an Inspection
Let you agent recommend a trustworthy inspector. If there are
any repairs to be made, remember to get the inspector in again
once the amendments have been made. Don’t try to cut corners on
this step – it might be very costly.
8. Close the Deal
This is the most exciting part of the process is probably when
the key to the house gets handed to you. Lots of paperwork needs
to be done but your agent will guide your through the process.
Have a bottle of champagne ready!
9. Move In
You are now ready to move into your first home. Get a
trustworthy moving company and make sure to do the necessary
cleaning before the moving truck arrives. Thorough planning will
make this an easy and exciting day.
10. Manage your Investment
Your house is your investment and you need to guard it with
your live. You would be wise to get fire, theft and liability
insurance. It is wise to upgrade your house by putting in a pool
or adding a room, but always make sure you speak to the experts
before you make any decisions.
Buying your first property is a huge step for any home buyer.
Be financially prepared, do thorough research and find the best
agent in the area, and this experience might just be the most
exciting of your life.
About the Author: Elizabeth works for an online real estate
portal called SAHometraders which specializes in selling
property in all areas of South Africa. Visit
http://www.sahometraders.co.za for a wide variety of property
for sale in South Africa.
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=420732&ca=Real+Estate
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FEATURED & NEW LISTINGS
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NEW LISTING! 204 E Bellvue
4 bedroom home with vinyl siding for low maintenance exterior.
All new Appliances including washer/dryer. All new flooring on
main floor,new Plumbing, new window insulation and frames on
main floor. Large family room down.
http://terriajudge.com/garden-city-ks-real-estate/index.php?main_page=document_general_info&cPath=1&products_id=87
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Ten Ways to Save Water and Money at Home
By Adam Whinston
Global population growth coupled with a warming planet is
putting increasing pressure on water supplies worldwide. As with
any resource where demand outstrips supply, water rates are
rising and will likely continue to do so. Protect your family
from rising water costs by adopting ten easy and low-cost
methods to significantly lower your water usage.
Conserve Water While Washing: Fill the sink basin for washing
or shaving rather than leaving the faucet running. Avoid letting
the faucet run while brushing your teeth. Turn it on only when
needed. This alone can save 2-4 gallons of clean water every
time.
Save Water In the Kitchen: Wash fruits and vegetables, and
rinse dishes in a tub in your sink. Then pour the water you’ve
saved on your plants or in your garden. Don’t run water to thaw
meat or frozen foods. Plan ahead and defrost food overnight in
the refrigerator instead.
Fix faucet and toilet leaks: A leaky faucet can drip 20 gallons
a day and a leaky toilet can let two to five times that much get
away. Leave an empty glass under a faucet overnight to see if
you’re letting water and money go down the drain. For toilets,
put a couple drops of food coloring in the tank. Wait an hour,
and see if any color has leaked into the bowl. If you’ve got
tinted water in the bowl, you’ve got a leak that needs repair.
Compost instead of using a garbage disposal: Save money and
water by easing up usage of your garbage disposal. Whenever we
turn on the garbage disposal, water runs down the drain and we
use electricity and shorten the life of the disposal. Composting
is a much greener option and gives you great fertilizer for your
garden.
Use cold water before hot: If you’re rinsing dishes or cleaning
the sink, using cold water will save the electricity or the fuel
that’s used to heat your water – unless you get all your hot
water from solar.
Run dishwashers and washing machines full: Run your dishwasher
only when it’s full – no half loads. Many new dishwashing
machines are very good at cleaning dishes that have only been
scraped, not pre-rinsed; or they include a pre-rinse cycle for
heavy cleaning needs. Experiment with different full loads and
see what works best for you.
Install low flow shower heads: Change older showerheads to
newer low-flow types. Until recently, many showerheads had flow
rates of up to 5.5 gallong poer minute. Newer modela give a
great shower while using about half the water. For an investment
of about $10 or less, you can save $40 to $80 a year on water
bills. Look for the solid brass or bronze heads with chrome
plating. Skip the plastic ones, as they don't last as long.
Add faucet aerators: Faucet aerators add air to the water
stream to provide more rinse-off power with much less water.
Most all new faucets today will come with an aerator. But older
faucets may not have aerators, or the screens in old aerators
may be rusted out. Check our selection of faucet aerators here.
Use smart-timers and drip systems for irrigation: Adding drip
irrigation that puts water directly on plants instead of
spraying it into the air can cut the water bill and save
electricity. Another technology that saves is a Smart Timer.
Smart Timers can be set to water in the early morning or late
afternoon to avoid water loss from evaporation.
Use refillable water bottles and a home filter: Install a good
quality water filter and pick up a refillable water bottle or
two. There are a myriad of choices for water filters. Forty
percent of all bottled water sold started out as tap water that
has just been filtered and bottled. Save money and water by
filtering your own!
About the Author: Adam Whinston is Director of Marketing for
http://www.newleafamerica.com, a provider of green &
environmental products and energy audits that help customers
make their homes more energy efficient. New Leaf America has
more than 20 years green building experience.
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=420972&ca=Home+Management
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7 Tips on How to Sell Your Home Fast
By Elizabeth McLachlan
Most buyers tend to let their intuition decide when choosing a
home. It is therefore extremely important for sellers to ensure
that they present their homes right. As a seller there are a few
ways to influence a buyers decision, and with a little effort
you are bound to close the deal faster than you think.
1. Depersonalize Your Home
This means the family photos must come down as well as all your
personal stuff. A buyer will then be able to see your house as
an open canvass and it will also make the rooms look more
spacious.
2. Call in the Property Inspector
There are a lot of advantages to having your home thoroughly
inspected by a qualified home inspector. This way you can make
the necessary amendments and also use it to motivate the price
of your home. This is however an expensive service so make sure
that you can afford it beforehand.
3. Make Amendments
Make the necessary minor repairs like changing a light bulb or
fixing a door handle. These small things make a huge difference
to the overall appearance of your home.
4. De-Clutter, Organize and Clean
This is one of the most important steps when getting your house
ready to impress buyers. De-clutter means you must put away
everything that is not necessary, even if this means you have to
rent some storage space. Books in a bookshelf are fine but
should not be left next to your bed. Also be sure to put away
everything in the bathroom, including soap, shampoo and
toothbrushes, as this will make the bathroom look cleaner and
bigger.
Buyers like to open closets and cupboards, so make sure it is
organized and neat. By organizing storage space you will also
make it appear bigger.
Clean, clean, clean! Get in some professional help if you can
afford it. Scrub walls, tiles and carpets and ensure every nook
and cranny is spotless clean. This is where you should really
put in a big effort as it could mean the difference between yes
or no!
5. Light Up and Brighten Up
Make sure your home has plenty of light by opening curtains and
switching on lights or lamps. There are many ways to brighten up
you home but some bright flowers at the entrance and clean
towels in the bathroom should do the job. Also, make some fresh
coffee or cookies in the kitchen so your home has a nice
inviting fragrance.
6. First Impressions Last
Buyers will see the outside of your house first, therefore you
need to make sure that the garden is trimmed and that there are
no personal things like toys lying around. There are many ways
to create curb appeal and the Internet is a great source for
finding some quick tips on how to make your garden look
attractive. Make an effort to ensure that buyers have an overall
good first impression of your home.
7. Scrutinize Your Home
Walk around your house with a critical eye and try to find
flaws. Invite over some friends to do the same.
I you look at these tips you will notice that it is the small
things that make a big difference and that a little effort will
go a long way when you are trying to impress potential buyers.
About the Author: Elizabeth works for an online property portal
called SAHometraders, specializing in selling property for sale
in South Africa. Visit http://www.sahometraders.co.za for a
substantial list of property for sale and for rent in South
Africa.
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=420786&ca=Real+Estate.
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