Navy Fellas Realty Group

Real Estate, Residential sales and purchase

Thinking About Selling in 2016? 3 Reasons You’ll Absolutely Need a Great Real Estate Agent

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Thinking About Selling in 2016? 3 Reasons You'll Absolutely Need a Great Real Estate AgentWhether you’re familiar with the market or you’ve never sold a home before, an effective real estate agent can be exactly the thing you need to make for a positive market experience. With the world of real estate in a constant state of flux, here are a few reasons why the right agent can successfully guide you through the muddled waters of the market.

A Skill For Communication

In the case that the real estate market makes you nervous, it’s particularly important to have the kind of agent who will keep you in the loop and give you the information you need to make an informed selling decision. An agent with the powers of communication will be able to give you honest advice when it’s required, like if it’s time to lower the price of your house, so that you can have success in achieving the offer you’re looking for.

A Willingness To Work Hard

There are many agents out there who won’t be willing to put in additional effort for a client, but the kind of agent you’ll want to choose should be someone who is a go-getter and will chase potential business for you. Instead of waiting around, an ideal agent should be following up with potential buyers and ensuring that they’re chasing any leads that may guarantee the purchase of your home. If you have to ask them to be proactive, they’re probably not the right person for the job.

A Bevy Of Client References

A real estate agent that is worth their salt should not hesitate to provide you with client references so you can make an informed, educated decision. Instead of asking for their personal references, though, request the names of their last ten clients as this should give you a pretty good grasp of what their capacities as an agent are, and how they will serve you. If they are cagey about providing references, you’ll want to move on to your next potential agent.

The real estate market is rife with a lot of things to know and it can be complicated to jump into the tides, but the right agent can actually make the process of selling your home a lot less stressful. If you’re currently looking for homes and are not sure where to turn, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals for more scoop on the market.

Video: What Is A Counter-Offer?

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What Is A Counter-Offer?

The video puts this in more visual terms, but basically, a seller can respond to a buyer’s offer with changes – a “counter” – that improves the terms.

You need to put yourself in their shoes and construct a modified offer that you think they might take that meets more of your needs. Then it’s their turn – accept, reject, or construct yet another counter.

It’s an efficient market process, but beware: clauses and costs matter. Your broker should be closely involved in constructing a counter. Successful bargaining is best done with a win/win approach where each side is meeting their biggest needs and compromising others to reach an agreement.

Remember that outside conditions like interest rates, and supply and demand, will keep evolving so you’ll need to be patient but decisive to craft an counter-offer that works for both sides.

What Is A Counter-Offer?

Mythbusting: is Winter a Bad Time to Buy a Home? No – and Here’s Why

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Mythbusting: is Winter a Bad Time to Buy a Home? No - and Here's WhyThe cooler months of winter often seem like the best time to hibernate into your house and wait for spring to appear, but it can actually be a prime opportunity to start looking for a new home. If you’re not interested in waiting until next season, here are a few reasons you may want to get started on your home search a little earlier than expected.

Opportunity For A Lower Price

With prime moving time occurring during the months of fall and spring, there’s a good chance that a home purchase will end up costing you less in winter than it will during other times of the year. Most home sellers are not going to want to keep their house on the market for an extended period of time, so if it happens that their house is still for sale when the winter comes, they’ll likely be willing to consider a lower offer.

More Attention From Your Agent

Since fewer people will be selling and buying in the winter months, it’s quite likely that your real estate agent will have a lot more free time on their hands and will be able to give you more of their attention. Instead of sitting back and waiting for the New Year to arrive, take the opportunity to redefine your needs to your agent so – no matter the season – you’ll have someone who’s truly prepared to tackle the market for you.

The Added Perks Of A Slower Season

Most home sellers will have been advised by their real estate agent that the winter market is a lot slower, so you may be able to get some added benefits along with your purchase that make for a better deal. Whether you can garner a better negotiation, a quicker closing date or provide an offer that includes updated home appliances, there will probably be a few opportunities which will make the cooler winter search worth the effort.

The winter months can be a great time to hibernate, but they can also be ideal for searching for a home if you’re in the market. With the slow selling season, you may be able to take advantage of lower prices and more perks along with your purchase.

If you’re planning on moving a little bit sooner than expected, you may want to contact one of our local real estate professionals to see what opportunities are on the market.

How Do I Determine The Initial Offer?

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As you’ll see in this video, unless you have a buyer’s agent remember that the agent works for the seller. Make a point of asking him or her to keep your discussions and information confidential.

Listen to your real estate agent’s advice but follow your own reason on deciding a fair price.

Calculating your offer should involve several factors: what homes sell for in the area, the home’s condition, how long it’s been on the market, financing terms and the seller’s situation.

By the time you’re ready to make an offer you should have a good idea of what the home is worth and what you can afford.

Be prepared for give-and-take negotiation which is very common when buying a home. The buyer and seller may often go back and forth until they can agree on a final price.

How Do I Determine The Initial Offer

Real Estate Terminology 101: What Exactly Is A “Buyer’s Market”?

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Real Estate Terminology 101: What Exactly Is A If you’ve been following the real estate industry for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the phrase “buyer’s market” at some point. And although the meaning may seem apparent, it takes some study to understand what actually constitutes a buyer’s market.

Who decides whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market? What’s the threshold for deciding between the two? Here’s what you need to know.

Supply And Demand: Economic Factors That Govern…Everything

If you studied economics in school, you’ll probably remember an early lesson on supply and demand. Essentially, supply and demand are the two factors that influence what a commodity is objectively “worth” in a free market. They’re also a great way of characterizing whether a market is hot or cold, and whether or not it’s a good idea to invest at any particular moment in time.

In a nutshell, supply is the amount of something that is available for purchase, while demand is the amount of that same thing that people want to buy. When supply goes up while demand stays the same, buyers have more choice with respect to whom they want to buy from – and that means the price goes down because the commodity is freely available. When demand increases while supply stays the same, we see the opposite effect – the value (and price) increases because there’s not enough of the supply to go around.

The Buyer’s Market: What You Need To Know

A buyer’s market is a real estate market where the supply of homes available is greater than the demand for housing – it’s a market where there are more homes for sale than there are people willing to buy. This is a great situation for buyers, because their freedom of choice gives them a significant amount of power when negotiating prices. In a buyer’s market, sellers may have to accept a lower price in order to make the sale.

How To Navigate The Buyer’s Market

For buyers, the buyer’s market means lower prices and fewer bidding wars. But there are still some basic principles that savvy buyers ought to follow. Don’t lowball too far below the asking price, even if it is a buyer’s market – if homes in an area have recently been selling for $400,000 and the asking price is $450,000, offering $350,000 will only insult the buyers.

A buyer’s market means you can find your dream home at an affordable price, but there are certain nuances you’ll want to pay attention to. A professional real estate agent can help you to read and navigate the market, which means you’ll have an easier time finding your ideal home. Contact your local real estate professional to learn more.

Tiny, but Cozy: 3 Ways to Furnish Small Spaces to Make Them Feel Much Larger

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Tiny, but Cozy: 3 Ways to Furnish Small Spaces to Make Them Feel Much LargerWhen decorating a small space, there is a general desire to make the space look and feel larger than it is while also meeting basic functional needs in the room. For example, there may be a need to accommodate seating for a group of people in a living room, but there also may be a desire to provide ample space for foot traffic so the area does not feel cramped. By following a few important tips, it is possible to furnish smaller spaces so that they are functional and do not feel cramped.

Think About Decorative Storage Solutions

One of the most common factors that will make a small space seem cramped and uncomfortable relates to clutter, and because of this, focusing on storage solutions can go a long way toward making the space feel larger than it is. Storage solutions can be decorative, and they can be a true benefit to the décor in the room. Think about functional storage features like an ottoman with hidden storage features, an entertainment center with cabinets and shelves or a tall bookshelf that can hold many of the items that are needed in the room.

Decorate The Space Vertically

For most people, there is a general inclination to decorate a room horizontally and to fill the floor space with furnishings, but this can be detrimental when decorating a smaller room. In a smaller space, decorating the space vertically by using bookshelves, storage cabinets and other features that rise above the ground rather than that sprawl across the ground can be beneficial. The goal should be to decorate the room fully while leaving ample space for foot traffic to maneuver through the room comfortably.

Use Lighter Colors

Darker colors used in a smaller room can make the space feel closed off and cramped. Using lighter colors can brighten the space and make it seem more airy. While using shades of white and beige throughout a space may not be ideal in all rooms, these can be incorporated into various aspects of the décor to improve the spacious feel of the room.

Smaller spaces can be challenging to decorate, but there are different tips and tricks that can be used to make the space look and feel larger than it is. Some tips help improve the functional use of the space, while others simply play tricks and create the illusion of space. All can be used together to create the feeling of a larger, more inviting room.

Dealing with the Summer Heat? How to Keep Your Home Cool Without Using a Ton of Energy

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Dealing with the Summer Heat? How to Keep Your Home Cool Without Using a Ton of EnergyMany people look forward to the long, relaxed, sunny days of summer, but they also dread opening up their energy bills throughout the summer months. Cooling a home can be costly, and many are searching for convenient ways to lower cooling costs without sacrificing on comfort inside the home on the warmest days of the year. These are just a few of the cost-effective and convenient options that can help homeowners to reduce cooling costs throughout the summer.

Keep The Blinds Closed

A significant amount of heat can enter a home through the windows, and blinds and curtains provide an extra layer of insulation between the window glass and the interior of the home. Some types of blinds and curtains are more effective at blocking heat than others, and homeowners may consider making an upgrade for the best results. For example, wood blinds can block significantly more heat than thin, almost translucent sheers.

Run The Ceiling Fans

Another way to keep cooling costs lower throughout the summer months is to run ceiling fans regularly. Ceiling fans help to circulate the air, and this helps the central cooling system function more efficiently. In addition, ceiling fans also can make those who are in the room feel cooler, and this may mean that homeowners can keep the home’s thermostat set at a slightly higher level than it otherwise would need to be set at for comfort indoors.

Use Heat-Generating Features At Night

There are numerous appliances and types of equipment that may be used indoors throughout the summer that can generate a considerable amount of heat, and running these at night can reduce the need to run the central cooling system as much during warm days. Consider that everything from running the washing machine and dryer to using the dishwasher and oven or range can emit heat in the home, and these serve to counteract the work that the cooling system is doing. When possible, limit the use of these features to cooler nighttime hours.

Keeping the home cool throughout the summer is a top priority for most, and the good news is that there are easy ways to reduce the cost associated with keeping a home cool. These ideas all can be beneficial in a homeowner’s quest to reduce energy costs during the summer.

If your current home is a real energy hog and you are ready to move into a more energy efficant option, make sure to speak with your trusted real estate professional for a look at newer energy efficant homes in your area.

Real Estate Roundup: The Top 5 Apps to Use When Buying or Selling a Home

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Real Estate Roundup: The Top 5 Apps to Use When Buying or Selling a HomeWhether you are buying property, selling property or both, the process can be challenging, stressful and even overwhelming at times. Just as you may use various mobile apps to streamline and simplify other aspects of your life, you can also use some well-designed apps to improve your overall experience when you are buying or selling property. These are some of the best apps for you to use as you move forward with your real estate plans.

iBank

This app is not free for you to download, but the small fee that you pay to use iBank may be well worth paying for. This is an app that you can use to track your bank account balances and living expenses. Financial strain is one of the most significant sources of stress for those who are moving, and this is an app that you can use to ease your money management challenges.

PowerOne FinancePro Calculator

The property that you choose to purchase will impact your budget in a number of ways. The most obvious difference will be a change in your mortgage payment, but there are other expenses that will change as well. For example, there will be changes to your property insurance, property taxes, homeowners insurance and more. This is an app that will help you to better estimate your total housing expenses.

GoodReader

You can accumulate a mountain of paperwork when buying or selling property, and GoodReader is an affordable app that will help you keep track of the paperwork. You can scan the items into the system and keep them stored for easy access and portability.

Zillow

You may already use Zillow on your PC or laptop, but you may love the experience of using it on your smartphone. This is a property search app that buyers can use to get details about property listings while on the go. It can also be used to help you learn more about other listings and their prices that your own home may be competing with when you list a property for sale.

Although property search apps like Zillow are a good resource for general information, working with your trusted, local real estate agent is always a better option when you are seriously considering a property purchase. Your agent may also offer a local app that you can download to access the most current, relevant property search data.

ScannerPro

When you need to scan documents to send digital copies of them, ScannerPro is a great app to use. This is an affordable app that works with your iPhone or iPad. Essentially, it creates a photo image of your documents, and you can then transmit them or store them as desired.

Buying and selling real estate can be cumbersome and complicated, but it does not have to be. Working with a trusted real estate agent is always the first step to buying or selling a home. These apps can simplify the process, but they are never a replacement for a knowledgeable real estate agent.

Real Estate Roundup: The Top 5 Apps to Use When Buying or Selling a Home

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Real Estate Roundup: The Top 5 Apps to Use When Buying or Selling a HomeWhether you are buying property, selling property or both, the process can be challenging, stressful and even overwhelming at times. Just as you may use various mobile apps to streamline and simplify other aspects of your life, you can also use some well-designed apps to improve your overall experience when you are buying or selling property. These are some of the best apps for you to use as you move forward with your real estate plans.

iBank

This app is not free for you to download, but the small fee that you pay to use iBank may be well worth paying for. This is an app that you can use to track your bank account balances and living expenses. Financial strain is one of the most significant sources of stress for those who are moving, and this is an app that you can use to ease your money management challenges.

PowerOne FinancePro Calculator

The property that you choose to purchase will impact your budget in a number of ways. The most obvious difference will be a change in your mortgage payment, but there are other expenses that will change as well. For example, there will be changes to your property insurance, property taxes, homeowners insurance and more. This is an app that will help you to better estimate your total housing expenses.

GoodReader

You can accumulate a mountain of paperwork when buying or selling property, and GoodReader is an affordable app that will help you keep track of the paperwork. You can scan the items into the system and keep them stored for easy access and portability.

Zillow

You may already use Zillow on your PC or laptop, but you may love the experience of using it on your smartphone. This is a property search app that buyers can use to get details about property listings while on the go. It can also be used to help you learn more about other listings and their prices that your own home may be competing with when you list a property for sale.

Although property search apps like Zillow are a good resource for general information, working with your trusted, local real estate agent is always a better option when you are seriously considering a property purchase. Your agent may also offer a local app that you can download to access the most current, relevant property search data.

ScannerPro

When you need to scan documents to send digital copies of them, ScannerPro is a great app to use. This is an affordable app that works with your iPhone or iPad. Essentially, it creates a photo image of your documents, and you can then transmit them or store them as desired.

Buying and selling real estate can be cumbersome and complicated, but it does not have to be. Working with a trusted real estate agent is always the first step to buying or selling a home. These apps can simplify the process, but they are never a replacement for a knowledgeable real estate agent.

Understanding Commissions and How Your Real Estate Agent is Compensated When Your Home Sells

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Understanding Commissions and How Your Real Estate Agent is Compensated when Your Home SellsWhen you make the decision to sell your home, you may eagerly seek assistance from a skilled real estate agent. A real estate agent offers important services that can help you to more successfully and easily sell your home in the fastest amount of time and for the best price. This is a professional who is committed to helping you achieve your goal and who will not be compensated for his or her efforts unless successful. With a closer look at how real estate commissions are earned, you will see that your agent will work hard for his or her compensation.

The Efforts A Real Estate Agent Makes To Sell Your Home

A real estate agent will go to great lengths to help you sell your home. From helping you to establish a fair and competitive listing price to assisting with marketing, contract negotiations and more, your agent will take considerable steps to help you with all stages in the selling process. He or she will often pay for some related expenses out of his or her own pocket, such as printing fees for flyers and snacks and décor for open houses.

No Compensation Unless Your Home Sells

Real estate agents generally will begin working for you as soon as you sign a listing agreement, and they will not collect any fees up-front. All out-of-pocket expenses will not be reimbursed to the agent unless your home sells, and your agent will not be compensated for the many hours he or she spends marketing your home and working with sellers’ agents on your behalf until your home is actually sold. If your home does not sell, your agent will receive nothing for his or her attempts. Keep in mind that the total compensation that you pay for real estate agents’ fees will typically be split between the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent.

Real estate agents essentially get compensated for their performance and their ability to follow through on what they say they will do for you. Their services are being used by you to sell your home, and you will not pay an agent unless this goal is accomplished. If you are thinking about using the services of a real estate agent when listing your home for sale, you can learn more about the professional services and related agent fees by contacting a real estate agent today.