Valerie Duncan Stewart, Real Estate Agent-Broker, OKC, OK

Making the Case for a Seller to EXIT the Property when a Potential Buyer Arrives!

Sometimes we come across a Seller who insists on being at the property when the house is being shown to a potential buyer. Mr. Seller or Mrs. Seller, this is never a good option. While you may think you have a good reason, it is very rare that you will gain any points on your home from a buyer should you decide to stay. The only exceptions to this would be if you are somehow incapacitated with health issues and typically a buyer will understand.

Making the Case for a Seller to EXIT the Property when a Potential Buyer Arrives! can be summed up with this one statement; Mi Casa es Su Casa-My house is Your House.

As you hit the streets today, be mindful of the fact that there are some new driving laws that have taken effect in Oklahoma.

A large number of laws were passed this last legislative session and some of these laws apply to the operation of Motor Vehicles, and all drivers should be aware of those laws. The following does not include the full text of the statute, but includes some of the more significant changes.

SB 272 – No Pay, No Play Law
Under the new law, motorists who get into serious accidents while driving without insurance coverage will only be able to recover economic damages for medical costs, property damage and loss of income. An uninsured motorist involved in a crash — even if it was not his or her fault — will not be able to successfully sue for pain and suffering.

House Bill 2331:
Allows law enforcement officers to seize uninsured cars or vehicles of unlicensed drivers who are stopped for traffic violations

HB 1507 – Aarons Law
The Department of Public Safety shall immediately revoke the driving privilege of any person, whether adult or juvenile, upon receiving a record of conviction in any municipal, state or federal court within the United States of any of the following offenses, when such conviction has become final:
Reckless driving without regard for the safety of others
Failure to obey a traffic control device, or a stop sign when such failure results in great bodily injury to any other person; or
Failure to stop or to remain stopped for school bus loading or unloading of children
Consequences as they relate to the three aforementioned violations under Aarons Law:
1st Offense will result in a revocation of one’s driver’s license for a period of one year without modification. A subsequent conviction, will result in a license revocation for three years.

Senate Bill 1908:
adds "personal communication devices" under the definition of distracted-driving violations.
So, using a wireless device while driving could result in an inattentive driving citation.

47 OS 11-309
On a four lane highway drivers are no longer allowed to disrupt the normal flow of traffic by driving in the left-hand lane. Motorists must now drive in the right lane, and only use the left lane for passing, with one exception. If you see an emergency vehicle on the shoulder, you need to pull to the left lane and slow down until you pass it.

I hope this helps, and please, buckle up and drive safely.

Listen When Your Oklahoma Realtor Tells You Something-We Don't Speak For The Sake Of Flapping Our Lips

I am speaking to all buyers and sellers who have sought the help of their local real estate professional. I know you have hired me to help you in your real estate transaction but listen to me when I tell you something. I know that the customer is always right in most circumstances, but in a real estate transaction, YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT. It will behoove to keep this in mind when I or any real estate professional you have hired tells you something, it is generally for your own good. IT WILL SAVE YOU THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND POSSIBLY A DETOUR OUT OF A LAWSUIT!

We spend countless hours in continuing education, including the education most of us elect to take above and beyond what is "required", pay hundreds of dollars for licensing fees, thousands of dollars for Errors and Omission insurance just to practice real estate and are constantly on the front lines of the real estate market. We are NOT "just a salesperson". We are licensed, insured, educated and above all else...EXPERIENCED.

Real Estate buying and selling is not some "pie in the sky" transaction that may garner you that dream home or a windfall of money because you think the perfect deal is out there. The real estate market is riddled with pitfalls that will trip you up in a transaction if all the steps aren't followed correctly. This is a litigious business and we see it everyday, buyers and sellers who ignore our recommendations to get that title insurance or title opinion in a seller carry transaction, ignore the recommendation to get a home inspection or put something in writing. WE KNOW the consequences of not following the steps correctly, YOU DO NOT.

By not listening to your real estate professional you open yourself up to liability that you may not see today but will see years down the road. That land you purchased without a title opinion or insurance might have encumbrances on it that prevent you from obtaining a loan to build a home years from now. You will find that there are liens on the property that you must pay before you can move forward. This could have been avoided had you listened to your agent when they advised you to get that title insurance.

You chose to not get a home inspection because YOU thought the home looked sound? Your agent strongly advised against this but because you thought you knew better you ignored their advice. Today, you are faced with an expensive structural problem on your home, or a sewer issue that won't go away without a deep dip into your bank account.

So, when your real estate professional speaks...they are not just flapping their lips. We are here to help you find that dream home, locate that perfect deal but most importantly...we are here to successfully guide you through a transaction that will not come back to bite you in the butt years from now.

Do This One Simple Thing BEFORE You Start Looking To Purchase A Home In Oklahoma

Putting your key into your new home the very first time is one of the most gratifying experiences anyone could ever have. But before you start dreaming of that day, there are some helpful things you need to know to get you on the right path to home ownership.

First and foremost, if you aren't paying cash for your home you will need to apply for a home loan with a reputable lender. Once you have selected a lender you are comfortable with, you will need to supply pertinent information to the lending institution so they can begin your loan application process.

Here is a list of the lender required documents needed when qualifying for an Oklahoma Mortgage:

• Driver's License for all parties who are applying for loan
• Social Security Numbers
• Employer information from the past two years
• Two most recent pay stubs
• Federal tax returns and W-2's for the last two years
• Bank statements for all checking and savings accounts for past two months
• Loans: names, addresses, account numbers, and payment amounts on all loans.
• Real estate loans
• Credit cards
• Divorce Decree if applicable
• Addresses of your residences for the past two years
• For a VA Loan, you will need supply your Certificate of Eligibility or DD214's

Buying a home can be a smooth and easy process with a little preparation. Give me a call should you have any questions regarding the purchase of a home.