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How to Negotiate Repairs With a Seller

How to Negotiate Repairs With a Seller
When you buy a house for sale in Port Aransas, you’ll be able to negotiate with the seller to make repairs that are necessary – but how do you do that?

How to Negotiate Repairs With a Seller

Your real estate agent will help you negotiate throughout the entire process – whether you’re negotiating price or repairs.
If the house needs repairs, here’s what to remember:

  • Choose your battles – don’t try to nickel-and-dime the sellers
  • You might want to make minor cosmetic repairs yourself and only ask the sellers for major repairs

Sellers are legally required to fix water penetration issues (like wet basements or leaky roofs), as well as issues that cause local code violations.
Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?
Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas:

 

When Does Your Earnest Money Check Get Cashed?

When Does Your Earnest Money Check Get Cashed
When you buy a home for sale in Port Aransas, you’ll have to put down an earnest money deposit to show the seller you’re serious about buying – but when does that check get cashed, and what happens to the money?

When Does Your Earnest Money Check Get Cashed?

Your earnest money check will sit in escrow – and nobody’s allowed to use it – until closing day.

What Happens to Your Earnest Money?

On closing day, your earnest money deposit goes toward your down payment or your closing costs.

Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?

Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas:

 

Buying a Home With Pets: What You Need to Know

Buying a Home With Pets What You Need to Know
If you’re buying a home for sale in Port Aransas and you’ve got four-legged family members, here’s what you need to know.

Buying a Home With Pets: What You Need to Know

Make sure you know local pet laws before you buy a home in a new town – and make sure that the homeowners association in your new neighborhood doesn’t have restrictions that will prohibit your furry friends.
Some HOAs and condos restrict the number and type of pets you can have, and nearly all of them describe how you must restrain your pets in common areas and how they must behave. Sometimes there are limits on the numbers of pets allowed in each home (in both subdivisions and condos), and in many cases, pets are only allowed on the first floor, in end units, or in units with balconies in condominium complexes. Many places have rules about barking pets, too, so check before you buy.
You also need to know about:

  • Fence requirements
  • Where to walk your pets
  • Whether the floors in the home are good for your pets
  • Whether the layout of the home is good for your pets
  • Whether there are too many stairs for your pets

Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?

Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas:

 

Do I Really Need to Stage My Home for Sale?

do i really need to stage my home for sale - port aransas realtor
There is one truth in real estate, whether you’re selling a home in Coquina Bay or a condo at the Mustang Island Beach Club: your home is going to sell for more money if it’s properly staged. It’ll probably sell faster, too, which is a double-bonus.
So let’s talk about home staging.

What is Home Staging?

You wouldn’t walk into a job interview in sweatpants and a grungy T-shirt, right? Or even a pair of nice jeans and a button-down, right?
Think of staging your home as dressing it for success.
You want it to look its best so it makes a good impression on buyers, because when it makes a good impression on buyers, they reward you with an offer to purchase it.

How Do You Stage a Home?

You can’t stage your home until you’ve completed all the necessary repairs to prepare it for sale. Once those are done, it’s time to dress your house for success.
Many people choose to hire professional home stagers before they sell, but if you have an eye for good balance and know what you’re doing, you could stage your home for sale yourself.
Start by removing any non-essential furniture. Take the leaves out of your dining table, put away the chair that nobody sits in (preferably in a storage unit you’ve rented for this purpose), and rearrange everything so that the home has a more open look.
Take out everything that you haven’t used in the past six months, too, and pack it for your next home (or donate, sell, or toss it).
From there, rearrange the furniture in a way that promotes the look of an open floor plan and gives each room a distinct purpose; that could mean arranging a sofa and love seat in a vignette around a rug, moving the desk out of the spare bedroom and replacing it with a bed, and a number of other strategic moves.

Are You Selling Your Home in Port Aransas or North Padre Island?

If you’re selling your home, we’d love to help you do so quickly and at the right price. We’ll be happy to give you a free comparative market analysis so you know exactly how much your home is worth. While you’re here, you can also download our free home-selling eBook and read our useful tips for selling your home faster.
When you’re ready, call us at 361-563-7788 or contact us online to find out how we can help you sell your home in Port Aransas or North Padre Island.
 

What to Do if Your Mortgage Commitment Letter Expires Before Closing Day

What to Do if Your Mortgage Commitment Letter Expires Before Closing Day
When you borrow money to buy a new home for sale in Port Aransas, you’ll get a mortgage commitment letter from your lender. The catch is that the letter expires – usually about 30 days from the date it’s issued, but that varies by lender.
So what do you do if yours expires before closing day?

What to Do if Your Mortgage Commitment Letter Expires Before Closing Day

You’ll need to talk to your lender about the mortgage commitment letter expires before you close on your new home. They’ll need to issue a new letter – and if that happens, they may require you to resubmit some of your financial documents. (Lenders usually require your documents to be current – at least within the past 30 days – before they’ll agree to give you the money to buy a house.)
Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?
Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas:

 

What is a Mortgage Commitment Letter?

What is a Mortgage Commitment Letter
If you’re buying a home for sale in Port Aransas and you’re borrowing money from a lender to do it, you’ll get a mortgage commitment letter.

What is a Mortgage Commitment Letter?

A mortgage commitment letter isn’t the same thing as a preapproval letter. (A preapproval just says that the lender is willing to give you the money to buy a house if your financial situation doesn’t change before you officially apply.)
A mortgage commitment letter is an official document from your lender that says its underwriting department has completed the process and your loan is definitely approved. It also includes the type of loan you’re getting, its terms, and other conditions you have to meet for final approval, and it’ll include your interest rate, as well.
The letter will expire, and if your closing date is past the expiration date, you’ll need a new letter. The expiration period varies by lender, but it’s usually around 30 days from the date it’s issued.
Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?
Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas:

 

How Much Should You Charge a Seller Who Wants to Rent Back a House From You?

How Much Should You Charge a Seller Who Wants to Rent Back a House From You
If you’re buying a home in Port Aransas, the seller might ask you if he or she can rent it back for a while until finding a new home.
It’s totally up to you whether you accept this type of arrangement – but if you do, you’ll have to figure out how much to charge.

How to Calculate Your Seller’s Rent

Usually, you can just determine monthly rent by figuring out how much it’s costing you to own the house. You might also need to consider HOA dues, though, and whether you’ve already put appliances in your name.
Remember that many lenders won’t let you agree to a leaseback deal that goes longer than 60 days – so you’ll need to ask your bank if what you’re doing is okay before you agree.

Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?

Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas:

 

Can Sellers Back Out of a Real Estate Transaction?

Can Sellers Back Out of a Real Estate Transaction
In some cases, sellers can back out of a real estate transaction – even if they’ve already accepted your offer. Here’s what you need to know.

Can Sellers Back Out of a Real Estate Transaction?

There are only a handful of circumstances in which it’s okay for sellers to back out of a real estate deal, including:

  • Before both parties have signed the real estate contract
  • While the contract is under a legal review period
  • When there’s a contingency that allows the seller to back out of the contract
  • When the buyer (you) doesn’t stick to the terms of the contract
  • When the buyer asks for repairs the seller isn’t willing to make

Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?
Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas:

 

How to Change the Closing Date on Your Port Aransas Home

How to Change the Closing Date on Your Port Aransas Home
If you’re buying a house for sale in Port Aransas, you may find it necessary to change your closing date – and if you do, it’s not a huge deal. However, here’s what you need to know.

How to Change the Closing Date on Your Port A Home

If you need to change the date you’re supposed to close on your new home in Port A, let your agent know. She’ll help you coordinate so everyone – including the attorneys, other agent, seller, and everyone else involved – are on the same page.
Closing day is typically about 50 days after the seller accepts your offer, but some houses close in as little as a month; others take several months, depending on the circumstances.
If you do need to change your closing date, you might need to get a new mortgage commitment letter from your lender. Your real estate agent will let you know if there are other steps you need to take, as well.

Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?

Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas:

 

Halloween Safety Tips for Port Aransas Families

Halloween safety tips for port aransas families - port a real estate listings
Staying safe on Halloween is what makes it so much fun – so we’ve put together a quick list of basic Halloween safety tips for Port Aransas Families.

Halloween Safety Tips for Port Aransas Families

  • Plan your trick-or-treating route ahead of time, especially if you’re going to be in an unfamiliar area or if kids are flying solo while you stay behind to hand out candy.
  • Make sure your kids’ costumes are bright and reflective, and if they didn’t come that way, add reflective tape.
  • Put your kids in comfortable shoes. (Okay, this one’s just to save you from carrying the kids on the return trip… we learned this one the hard way.)
  • Skip masks and opt for face makeup instead; masks can hinder your child’s ability to see and breathe.
  • Opt for flexible accessories (like swords and magic wands).
  • Stick to well-lit areas, and don’t knock on doors where the porch light isn’t on.

Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island?

Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

In the meantime, check out these great subdivisions in Port Aransas: