You’re ready to purchase a home, but you’ve looked at everything on the market and can’t find the perfect place. You’ve researched the school districts, neighborhoods and nearby amenities, and you know exactly in which area you want to live.

However, anything that comes on the market in that part of town gets snapped up immediately.

It’s time to get creative when it comes to buying a home. Start looking at places that are not currently for sale. You might have driven past your dream home, but you never thought of going the unconventional buying route.

Well, take a look at the tips below to see how you can close on a home without any other buyers knowing.

Look At Previously Listed Homes

Search homes that were on the market, but the owners took them off. Many homeowners let their listing expire and are waiting until the market improves. This is fortunate for you, because you know they are already interested in selling.

Research Online County Records

If you see your perfect home, but you don’t want to just walk up to the door and demand they sell their house, you can find their contact information online. Property records include the owners’ name, address, and, sometimes, their contact information. This will allow you to go through the proper channels of proposing an offer.

Consider A Real Estate Agent

A seller is more likely to take you seriously if a real estate agent brings the offer to them. Agents deal with sellers all the time and will be able to gage if the homeowners are interested.

They’ll also be able to tell you the right price to offer and how you should go about it. You’ll also have piece of mind that all the paperwork that comes with buying a home is completed correctly.

Write A Personal Letter

While all the guidelines say to keep personal feelings out of the home selling process, it’s practically impossible. A home is the place where you raise your children and make memories.

So write the homeowners a heartfelt letter about how you’d like to build a life in their current house. If they think you’ll care for their place as much as they do, they might entertain an offer.

Offer A Fair Price

Many homeowners are ready to upgrade, but hate the idea of getting their current residence ready to sell. They’d have to clean, clear clutter, stage and keep everything looking spotless until they close the deal — which can be quite a hassle.

So, make it convenient. Offer a price that won’t offend and will have them thinking how this could be a stress-free transition.

Filed under: Homebuyer Tips by Julie Woodward
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If you enjoy history and fixing things, then it may be hard to drive by historic homes for sale without feeling the urge to buy one and fix it up. 

Before you do, you need learn the three R’s of fixing up historic homes and the differences between them.

The three R’s of fixing up historic homes are restoration, renovation and repair.  Some of the differences are minor, but they can make all the difference in cost, time and problems.

Restoration

“Restoration” literally means returning something to its original state. 

Restoring historic homes for sale involve city and state programs. It’s essential that you check to see if the home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or if it’s located in a historic district. 

If either of these is the case, there is a specific set of rules that you must follow while renovating. 

Cost: Restoration is not a cheap endeavor. For a home to keep its historic value, the materials used need to match the original materials, including furnishings. These can be very expensive due to their antique value.

Renovation

Renovating is less complicated than restoring, at least when talking about what you can and can’t do. However, with a renovation, you’re generally turning the home into a more modern living place, which lowers its historic value. Make sure it isn’t listed in the NRHP or located in a historic district.

Cost: Depending on the amount of renovations, i.e., modernizing, gutting or remodeling, this can also be expensive. However, it’s much easier to find deals on modern appliances than it is on antiques.

Repair

Repairs differ because they generally aren’t as in depth as the others. For restoration repairs, it’s important to use materials that fit the house, such as plaster walls and wooden floors. For renovation, original materials aren’t as important. 

Cost: Again, the cost depends on the number of repairs, as well as, whether you’re keeping the historic value. 

Whether restoring, renovating or repairing historic homes for sale, the key is cost. Don’t get so caught up in the possible that you miss the probable. Thinking of buying or selling an historic home? I can help! Call your trusted real estate professional today.

Filed under: Homebuyer Tips by Julie Woodward
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With dozens of horrible storms in the rear-view and more on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to invest in a home generator. With the right preparation and planning, you can avoid power outages and their aftermath.
But where do you even begin your generator-shopping journey?

How to Buy a Generator for Your Home

There are two types of generators you can purchase for home use: small, portable options and large, standby generators.

Small, Portable Generators

Typically, small, portable generators cost between $500 and $1,500. However, that affordability comes at a price.
Small, portable generators for home use can power your home’s essential appliances, and their simple to set up. However, these types of generators require manual operation. You’ll also have to monitor these generators closely.
In order to get your portable generator running, you must be at home when the power goes out. These types of generators run on fuel—and their tanks hold between three and six gallons, on average—so you’ll need to be on standby for a fill-up.
Because there’s a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from the engine exhaust, your portable generator must be at least 10 feet away from your home (that’s something to think about during inclement weather). As an extra precaution, you may want to hook up a carbon monoxide detector when you’re running your portable generator.

Standby Generators

Standby generators are equipped to automatically start when the power goes out.
However, these generators typically cost about $10,000. Maintenance is necessary every two years, and it does need to be performed by licensed technician. Large, standby generators have about a 15-year lifespan, provided that they are properly maintained.

Should You Invest in a Generator?

There’s no question that power outages are inconvenient—but for some people, they can be deadly, such as those who rely on home medical equipment.

Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas?

Whether you’re looking for a home for sale in Port Aransas orNorth Padre Island, we’d love to help you find the perfect place to live.
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 start searching right away.
In the meantime, check out our:

• All-in-one mortgage calculator
• Free homebuyer handbook
• Free eBooks about buying a home (and more)

Filed under: Blog, Buying, Consumer Tips by Julie Woodward
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When you are looking at a potential home to buy, it’s important to pay attention to the details so that you can ensure that you are making the right choice. However, many home buyers will get so caught up in the excitement that they will miss certain important things that they need to know about the property.

If you are buying a home, make sure that you don’t miss any of these commonly overlooked details:

Do The Appliances Work?

Take the time to test the major appliances in the home to make sure that they are functioning properly. This is a very likely flaw that is often overlooked in a home inspection.

It is a good idea to ask your home inspector to run every appliance through its full cycle to make sure that there are no problems.

What Are The Neighbors Like?

Many home buyers forget to figure out who the people are who live next door and what they are like, which can really backfire later on.

Perhaps your quiet neighborhood is disturbed by the sounds of partying late into the night, or your neighbor will let their free-range cats destroy your garden. Ask around the neighborhood to learn more about the people living next to you and what they are like.

How Many Outlets Does The House Have?

When you do a walkthrough of a house, you probably don’t notice the number of electrical outlets in each room. However, this is important because many older homes will have fewer outlets and these days the average family has many more electronics.

If your home doesn’t have enough outlets for your television, computer and other gadgets, an electrician will need to come and add more – costing you a lot of money.

Are There Are Water Spots?

It’s easy to miss water spots, because they will often blend in with the color of the walls or ceiling. However, these spots will indicate that there has been a leak that has not been properly repaired, which will lead to many more problems including more leaks and mold. When you are looking at your potential home, always inspect carefully for water spots in kitchens, bathrooms, attics and basements.

These are just a few of the common details that home buyers will overlook when they are looking at a potential home to buy. For more info and tips about buying a home, contact your trusted real estate professional.

Filed under: Uncategorized by Julie Woodward
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It can be pretty intimidating to dip your toes into the realm of home ownership, especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer. To make things worse, there are a number of myths floating around out there surrounding the home buying process.

Such misconceptions have many kept many would-be homeowners from realizing the personal and financial rewards of owning a property. To clear things up, here are 4 myths about buying your first home that simply aren’t true.

Myth #1 – “It’s Cheaper To Rent Instead Of Own“

If you buy a property that is within your budget and your mortgage terms allow you to make comfortable monthly payments, the cost of rent can often be higher than mortgage payments.

Sure, there are other expenses associated with owning a property that you wouldn’t be responsible for if you were renting, but one thing that many people forget is the fact that renting does not allow you to build equity.

The ability to build equity into a property that you own is like paying into a savings account – if you buy a home for $200,000, and pay down your mortgage to $175,000 in 5 years, you’ll have $25,000 in home equity that can be tapped into later if you need a lump sum of cash to pay for other large expenses. If you sell your property down the line, any equity that the property has accumulated will provide you with more profit from the sale of the home.

Myth #2 – “Whatever Shows Up On The Inspection Report Is The Seller’s Responsibility“

Most offers on a home usually come with a home inspection condition that makes the offer contingent on the acceptance of a home inspection report by the buyer. Many buyers, however, are under the impression that sellers are responsible for any issues that show up on the inspection report.

Although the seller is required to make certain major repairs as stipulated by the lender, everything is still negotiable. A buyer may ask the seller to fix a minor crack in the basement wall or repair any scuff marks on the hardwood flooring, but the seller can essentially refuse, leaving the buyer with the decision of whether or not to continue with the offer anyway.

Myth #3 – “The Perfect Home Is Out There – I Just Have To Wait For It“

Buyers have a tendency to focus too much on all the little things that may be wrong about a house rather than on the majority of the things that are right. Homes are much like people – they aren’t perfect. Even brand new homes might have a few minor flaws.

The goal of a house hunt is to find the perfectly acceptable home – one that may have a couple of quirks that you can either live with or fix, but is otherwise ideal. An experienced buyer’s agent can help you identify issues that are deal-breakers, and help keep some perspective by separating irritating details from the big picture.

Myth #4 – “I Don’t Need A Real Estate Agent To Buy A House“

Without the proper team behind you – especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer – you could potentially find yourself in a compromised position. Many buyers don’t take the time necessary to shop for an agent who can best represent them in their purchase.

Think about it this way – would you perform surgery on yourself? Do you feel comfortable filing your own income taxes, or do you opt to use the services of an accountant? Being represented by a licensed real estate agent will give you the benefit of professional skills and knowledge, including the ability to find financing and close the deal with your best interests put first.

It’s always in your best interests to have an experienced, knowledgeable agent representing you in a home purchase. With such a major investment on the line, you want to have someone who can help you complete a purchase leaving no stone unturned, and ultimately saving you money – and a lot of headaches.

A professional real estate agent will be able to sort the myths from the reality and make your first home-buying experience a positive one. Contact us today for more information on how you can become the proud owner of your first home!

Filed under: Uncategorized by Julie Woodward
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