Hiring a Realtor is a huge decision to make for you and your family, and so Iwant to arm you with some questions to ask a potential hire. These should help to determine whether a Realtor is worth your time and money.
Why should I list with you? They will all tell you that they’re different from other agents for some reason, but ask them what makes their selling process unique.
What are your plans for marketing my home? They need a full marketing plan in place, and they should heavily focus on online buyers. They should also be taking professional photos of your home and posting them to multiple different websites. Putting a sign in the yard is not going to cut it anymore.
Also ask them who controls the marketing, because their broker may have more cash to put towards advertising your home.
Ask about their average time on market. This will tell you how long it takes for them to sell a home, on average. The quicker they can sell, the more encouraged you should be.
You should also ask about the listing price versus the selling price. They should be able to sell your home for the price that they asked for.
Ask for references or testimonials. If their business is built off of referrals, then this might be a good sign of repeat customers.
Make sure that you can get out of a contract if you aren’t satisfied with their service. You should not sign a binding contract with a Realtor, they should be willing to let you out if you are not happy.
Be sure to interview more than one Realtor. You need to see what’s out there before you make this huge decision.
Recently, I sat in a room with some family members who were dividing the property left behind when their parents passed on. Arguments kept breaking out. That is not the intention of the parents when they say they want the kids to divide up the property evenly. However, dividing property is not easy to do. Today, I have a set of directions that can help you divide the personal items left behind when a family member has passed on.
First of all, I suggest that each member of the family who will inherit the property gets a different colored sticker. Then, go in one by one and put your sticker on any item that you may want. It doesn’t matter if your brother or sister has already put a sticker on an item. If you want it, go ahead and put your sticker on it.
After that, go through and collect all the unmarked items that no one wants. Divide them into three categories: items to donate, items to sell, and items to throw away. Have your garage sale, drop things off at Goodwill, and make a trip to the dump. Get these items out of the house first.
Next, if there are items that only have one sticker on them, that person collects all of those things and takes them home. Now you are left with things that two or more people want.
All of you should get together. Flip a coin to determine who gets to pick an item first. Keep going until all of the items are gone. At the end, everyone is committed to taking those items home. It’s a fair way to handle things and your only job at that point is to not hold a grudge if someone else gets what you want.
If you have any questions about today’s video or about real estate in general, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!
Today, we’re talking about how escrow accounts work. An escrow account is essentially a money-holding tank. It’s when a third party, such as a loan officer or escrow officer, holds on to a homeowner’s money to pay certain property related expenses. The third party collects and documents the money associated with a particular transaction.
Secondly, an escrow account can be used to pay a mortgage. The lending company can collect the money taxed from mortgage payments.
An escrow account, thirdly, can be used when a party purchases a home and the funds are held on to prior to the final transaction. These funds are referred to as earnest money, which is part of your down payment. It ultimately shows the seller you’re earnest about buying their home. Depending on which loan program you choose and qualify for, you might be required to have an escrow account, especially if you’re paying less than 20% down.
How much is the average fee for the service of an escrow account? The average cost is usually split between the buyer and seller. Typically, it costs approximately $200 and $3 per every $1,000 the home costs. For instance, a $200,000 home would cost you $800, from $600 (from the $3 per $1,000) and additional $200 fee. Split that fee in half between two parties and you have $400.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Eugene area, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have!
