ANN GRANT

Hi all! I just sent a newsletter/email to my buyers and sellers consisting of common sense tips. So, here they are...what are your common sense tips for your buyers and sellers????

Buyers:

1. First make sure your debt is low and your credit score is high!

2. Get your pre approval before you go out to view properties (we need to know you are looking in the correct price range)

3. Unless you are buying something that needs to be gutted and you are getting it at a really low price, this is not the time to "flip" a house. This is the time to buy and settle down for a few years.

4. Just because you hear the word FORECLOSURE, it does not mean, cheap prices on a fabulous house. Many foreclosures need work (repairs, etc.)

5. Mortgage rates are down, now is the time to get off the fence and get out there.

Sellers:

1. Price it right the first time! The most "action" on a listing is during the first 30 days.

2. Be "buyer ready" -clean, do small updates if you can, and paint. The updated homes sell the fastest in a buyer's market!

3. Grieve those HIGH property taxes! If you know your neighbors are paying less than you are for a similiar house/property it is time to Grieve your taxes, call your local town hall, etc. for info.

4. Be realistic. I still hear homeowners tell me "I want X amount of dollars" or "my neighbor sold for X amount of dollars in 2005" Sorry everyone, but it is 2009 and the many years of over inflated property values are gone. Don't despair, as I tell you over and over again if you have consistently paid down your mortgage and have not maxed out your equity you will make a profit.

5. After 30-45 days on the market, consider dropping the price slightly. This will increase the attention to your property and it might bring in buyers who could not afford your list price.

Hello buyers and fellow realtors! I have been working with many first time home buyers recently and decided to write this blog to give all of the buyers out there some tips! This will make our journey together easier (or anyone else you work with).
1. Try to narrow down the area you would like to live in. Drive around, check out schools, use mapquest to see how far that area is from your job.
2. Contact a mortgage broker and get your pre-approval. Sellers these days won't work with people who do not have a pre-approval/pre-qualification letter. Even Realtors won't work with people who have not done this.
3. Bring a camera, pen and paper along with you when you go out with your agent to view properties. This will help you remember what you have seen, what you liked and disliked about the property. Trust me, after 5 or 6 houses, you will start asking "number 46--was that the house with the pond? or the hot tub?"
4. There is no 100% house. You will have to compromise. You might have to give up the large kitchen for a smaller kitchen with a formal dining room, etc.
5. When you are ready to make an offer, your agent will be there to guide you. Get ready for a roller coaster ride. Most times, even in a buyers market there will be counter offers.
6. Don't stress! That is your agent's job.
7. Closing Day! Bring your checkbook and a pen. You will probably feel like you are getting carpal tunnel from signing so many papers! Everything will be alright! Don't worry!
8. Contact me if you need real estate assistance anywhere in the U.S. I work with buyers, sellers and renters!
www.AnnGrantRealty.com
AnnGrant2008@gmail.com
Ann Grant, Realtor, SRES
Keller Williams Realty NY & CT

Hi everyone, just wondering what other Realtors out there think is the most distressing thing about this market? Do you feel it is the fact that there are more sellers than qualified buyers? Do you think sellers are still stuck in the mindset of what their neighbor sold for in 2005??? How are your buyers? Are you running into more renters? I work with Residential, commercial and rentals in CT and NY. I am finding people that are selling are still stuck in 2005 sales prices, to which I enlighten them as to what is going on in their area. Some stick to their guns and I cannot work with them. The buyers I meet are terrific but slightly confused and not wanting to miss out on the "buyers market" but seem to have missed out on the doing their own homework part. I am very happy to be working with buyers at the moment (thankfully, very qualified, preapprovals, great credit) but I find that my buyers (most of them) want to exhaust all of their options. Back a few years ago that would have been, oh say 10 houses. Now, it is more like 50 or 60 houses even after narrowing down to the last detail. So sometimes it is stressful but I keep hope alive that a closed deal is right around the corner! Everytime I have ever purchased a home, I found one in 3 days, after usually viewing approx. 20 houses. This was even before I was in the business. Now, I know why my agent always said I was a "Realtors dream client" :)

I guess this is more of a question rather than a blog. Do you like facebook or myspace? Seems like I find more people to network with (real estate and otherwise) on Facebook but I wish they were on myspace. Myspace, it's not for college kids anymore! I enjoy myspace far better than facebook. Everytime I am on facebook, someone is sending me an application (a.k.a. a drink, a kiss, a fire fighter, you name it) and anything else they can think of to slow down my computer! So, fellow realtors, what website do you like better facebook or myspace? Want to network? I am always looking to expand my referral database. Search for me on myspace, under FRIENDS, FIND FRIENDS, search by my email address AnnGrant2008@gmail.com I am an agent with Keller Williams Realty in NY and CT. Have a nice day!