Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Monday, January 30, 2017
How to Negotiate Repairs After a Home Inspection
Most would-be buyers and sellers believe the real estate "deal" is done at the signing of the contract.
In many cases, the deal-making and negotiations only start at the contract signing. Even in more competitive real estate markets, negotiations still happen once in escrow.
Issues typically arise after the home inspection, and those issues tend to result in another round of negotiations for credits or fixes.
Here are three buyer tips for negotiating repairs after a home inspection.
1. Ask for a credit for the work to be done
The sellers are on their way out. If the property is moving toward closing, they’re likely packing and dreaming of their life post-sale. The last thing they want to do is repair work on their old home. They may not approach the work with the same conscientiousness that you, as the new owner, would. They may not even treat the work as a high priority.
If you take a cash-back credit at close of escrow, you can use that money to complete the project yourself. Chances are you may do a better job than the seller, too.
Finally, if you get the credit, there will be less back-and-forth to confirm that the seller correctly made the repairs.
2. Think 'big picture'
If you know you want to renovate a bathroom within a few years, then you likely won't care that a little bit of its floor is damaged, that there's a leaky faucet, or that the tiles need caulking. These things will get fixed during your future renovation.
However, the repairs are still up for negotiation. Asking the seller for a credit to fix these issues will help offset some of your closing costs.
3. Keep your plans to yourself
A good listing agent will walk the property inspection with you, your agent and the inspector. Revealing your comfort level with the home or your intentions, in the presence of the listing agent, could come back to haunt you in further discussions or negotiations.
If they sense you are uneasy with the inspection, they'll be more willing to relay that to the seller. Conversely, if you spend two hours measuring the spaces and picking paint colors, you lose negotiation power.
If you mention you're planning a gut renovation of the kitchen, the sellers will certainly hear about it. And they're going to be less likely to offer you a credit back to repair some of the kitchen cabinets.
Eyes wide open
A word of caution: You should never complete the original contract assuming that you can and will negotiate the price down more after the inspection. It will come back to bite you, particularly in a competitive market.
If the property inspection comes back flawless, there's nothing to negotiate. If you attempt to negotiate anyway - to recoup what you lost in the initial contract negotiations - you risk alienating the sellers and possibly giving them an incentive to move on to the next buyer.
You need to go into escrow with your eyes wide open. A real estate transaction is never a done deal until the money changes hands and the deed is transferred. Stay on your toes. Otherwise, you may risk losing out on further viable negotiation opportunities, which could lead to buyer's remorse.
Shopping for a home? Check out our Home Buyers Guide for tips and resources.
Related:
- Home Shopping During Winter: What You Need to Know
- 3 Common Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers Make
- Home Buyers: 5 Things to Know As You Wait for Closing Day
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.
Originally published December 18, 2013.
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Sunday, January 29, 2017
Dress for Success Southwest Florida Entrepreneurial Spirit Program (E$P) - Date: February 4, 2017 9:30 AM
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Friday, January 27, 2017
4th Annual Verot Viking 5K Run/Walk - Date: February 4, 2017 8:00 AM
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Gulf Coast Motor Fest 2017 - Date: January 29, 2017 11:00 AM
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House of the Week: Snow White's Cottage in the Woods
Mirror, mirror on the wall, which home is the fairest of them all? Why, Snow White’s house, of course!
To see for yourself, check out this ringer for the cottage where the Disney princess lived with her seven dwarfs.
The home was built with fairy tales in mind — but not just Snow White’s. The owner calls an island on the property “Shrek Island.” And she suggests that plaster “icicles” hanging from the ceiling in two of her bedrooms are reminiscent of “Frozen.”
“I call it ‘The Storybook Cottage,’ but it does look like Snow White’s,” said Evonne Bess, who has listed her home for $925,000 with Rick and Martha Ellis of John L. Scott Real Estate.
She bought it half completed and commenced a great finishing project, plastering walls, installing carpet and renovating the kitchen and other rooms. Bess kept its character, though, including a two-story tree trunk that runs up the middle of the living area. She refers to it as “the wishing tree.”
The 7.5-acre property enchants Bess, from “Shrek Island” to the wishing well and the hot tub and the treehouse with the water wheel. Bess has been known to stand by the well singing Snow White’s “Someday My Prince Will Come.”
The first impression of the estate, she said, recalls a recent movie, and not exactly a fairy tale — but still beautiful. “You drive through meandering woods and go across some bridges. You stop at the first bridge, and it looks like ‘Jurassic Park,'” Bess said.
The 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath home was modeled by its first owner after a fantasy-style house in British Columbia called “The Fabled Cottage.” This version is much larger: Bess ran it as a bed-and-breakfast briefly, and the property has hosted more than a handful of weddings.
“My son got married there last August,” she said. “I leaned more toward [hosting] weddings than a B&B. I didn’t like making beds.”
Photos by Mary Eklund.
Related:
- A Storybook Cottage in the Country
- 10 Homes to Fuel Your Island Getaway Daydreams
- See the Most Expensive Home for Sale in Every State
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Declutter Your Way to a More Organized, Intentional Home
Although I have always been organized, there were two significant moments in my life that taught me how to manage clutter.
The first was when I returned from a backpacking trip around the world. Having visited homes in many developing nations, I no longer wanted to have such excess in my own home. My possessions were organized, but I had too many of them for my taste.
After I unpacked from my journey, I began a thorough review of my stuff. I started upstairs, removing unnecessary items floor by floor. By the time I reached the basement, I had enough stuff to set up a second apartment.
My second decluttering lesson was right after my divorce. Just months after the split, I found myself facing bankruptcy. I began my climb out of sudden and severe financial debt while simultaneously making a name for myself in the organizing industry. I hired a top-tier PR agent, but I knew I had to come up with some big bucks to cover his fee and all the expenses that go along with creating a brand. I decided to sell my home and everything I owned to make it happen.
As I sorted my belongings for a second time, I created a ranking system to help me decide what to keep and what to toss. It worked beautifully for me, and I think it can work for you, too.
The Clutter Scale
5 - Important items whose place in your home is non-negotiable. For me, this included my green-stained Depression glass, photos, business files, office equipment, and my car.
4 - Items that are difficult to replace and items you use every day. This pile included most of my clothes, CDs, some furniture, a favorite sheet set, towels, and jewelry.
3 - Items you use occasionally but haven’t used within the last six months.
2 - Items you rarely use but feel hesitant to toss.
1 - Items you never use, like seasonal items, specialized tools, or kitchen gadgets. I got rid of stationery, extra wrapping paper, old boxes, and my printer.
You know what I found as I used the clutter scale? There were rarely items that rated a 2 or 3. And once I established some criteria, I was able to sort and purge the 2s and 3s like never before. As you sort your less important items, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I love it?
- What's the special story behind it?
- Do I have the space for it?
- Can I replace it?
- Can I easily borrow it or rent it if I need it again?
- Does it support my goals and values?
- Does it compare to the items I ranked as a 5?
The clutter scale is a great way to get back in touch with your priorities. My priority at the time was starting my business, so I kept the bigger goal in sight - and let go of anything that didn’t support that goal.
What I didn't know then was that I was already practicing what I was going to preach in my business. I learned to organize my life and stuff based on my values. I chose to collect experiences, not things.
As you declutter and rank your possessions, don’t forget to take a few minutes to think about your goals and values. You’ll find your home to be much more intentional and peaceful if you do!
Related:
- 5 Actions to Take Now for a Better 2017
- Tackling the Top 10 Home Organization Issues
- 5 Organizing Secrets Only the Pros Know
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My Experience Building a New Construction Home
By Michael Montoya, as told to Natalie Wise
Editor's note: There's nothing quite like moving into a brand-new home. Pristine appliances, every detail exactly to your taste, ding-free walls, no weird former owner - the appeal of buying new construction is pretty obvious. Every day this week, we'll offer advice and perspectives on going the new construction route.
When my fiancée and I were home shopping, we looked and looked, and did a lot of comparisons. Price comparisons, size comparisons, what we'd need to fix in the future. We were both first-time home buyers so we were very thorough in our process.
A lot of people felt their homes were dipped in gold, but all we saw were 1990s split-levels with high asking prices. I didn't want a home that had a 20-year-old roof and a bunch of things to fix on day one. It got disheartening after a while to think of spending that much money for something already a few decades old.
Then we started looking at new construction online, and things just started clicking. We found a development we liked that’s located halfway between her parents' house and my parents' house. It's a secluded area surrounded by farmhouses.
We knew we wanted as much green space as possible, so we found the largest lot in the development, at the end of a cul-de-sac. When we were looking at older houses, most only had 0.15 acre lots, but ours is 0.25 acre. This should be great for re-sale value down the road, too.
Making plans
Once we bought the lot, we started looking for builders. The builder we liked had already started two other houses on the block, so it was perfect. We were third to build in the development. Our builder had just taken a few weeks' vacation after finishing the second house, so we had to wait a few extra weeks, but he deserved the time off.
Since this is our first house, we knew we wanted to start small. A cozy one-story ranch with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms was ideal. It's just over 1,200 square feet. Maybe down the road we'll add a second level, but we have plenty of space for now.
We also thought this size would leave us plenty of room on the lot for landscaping. I’m going to do a lot of the planning and work for the landscaping myself.
The current porch is small, so adding on to that will be a priority, too. Just off the porch we'll add a stamped cement patio. We're excited to put in a pergola, add our gas fireplace, and entertain outdoors this summer.
We broke ground on April 10, 2015, and the builder told us it would take 120 days. We got our keys August 5, so they were right on time.
Lessons learned
The hardest part about the construction process for us was trying to visualize it all from paper. Once the framed structure was up, I was a bit alarmed because it looked so small. I wondered if I had vastly underestimated the size in my head. Of course, once it started getting finished out, my fears dissipated. We just had to wait out the process and trust the builder.
The second-hardest part was staying on budget. There are so many upgrades to choose from, and it's hard to be disciplined. I know I can do many of the upgrades myself over time, but even the basic trims and finishes are expensive.
It was also tempting to buy accessories and furniture beforehand, but we are forcing ourselves to live with it a bit first.
My best advice to anyone looking at new construction: Stick to your budget, be patient and talk it through.
At first, we just wanted to get in the house as soon as possible. Now that we've lived here for a few months, it feels more lived-in. We’re especially enjoying the open floor plan for entertaining. We love to fill our house with family and friends, and are glad the space feels cozy for that.
The cabinets, countertops and paint colors are all dark and earthy. They go perfectly with our love of coffee, jazz, wine and entertaining. But we did white trim to provide contrast.
The exterior is gray and white, which should be a nice backdrop for the colorful landscape we're looking forward to completing this summer. While it took us a while to choose everything, it was great to be able to pick all of the details ourselves.
No one has ever made memories here before. That's the most exciting part.
Wondering if new construction is right for you? Search new construction listings, and get more home-buying tips and resources to help you decide.
Related:
- Living in Your Own House for the First Time Ever in Your 40s
- A New Song for an Abandoned Home
- How ‘Home Was a Safe House’ for This Refugee and Cancer Survivor
Originally published April 4, 2016.
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
Set Free Tour - Big Daddy Weave with We Are Messengers & Zach Williams - Date: February 3, 2017 7:00 PM
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'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' Home For Sale in Minneapolis
Only the exterior of the stone Victorian mansion was used in the show, while Mary’s actual apartment was a Hollywood set. It was meant to be behind the Palladian windows on this Minneapolis home’s third story.
In real life, that space is a family room with a gas fireplace, built-ins, and a beautiful view of the tree-lined street. The home is listed for $1.695 million with Barry Berg and Chad Larsen of Coldwell Banker Burnet.
It spans 9,500 square feet — plenty of room for Mary and her fictional best friend, Rhoda, who lived in the TV mansion’s turret. In real life, that’s a third-story office with a sitting room. Altogether, there are 7 bedrooms and 9 baths, which means that theoretically even Mary’s crusty journalist boss, Lou Grant, could move in.
Built in 1900, the home has been remodeled to include a chef’s kitchen with four — count ’em, four! — ovens and an L-shaped, granite island. The master suite features a fireplace, sitting and dressing rooms, and a spa-like bathroom. For kicking back, there’s a sauna and a rooftop deck with a hammock.
The home’s Victorian aesthetic remains strong in the ornate millwork, bay windows and leaded glass transom accents. It boasts five gas fireplaces and two laundry centers.
Although Mary Tyler Moore never visited the home while the show was on, she did drop by in 1996, and everyone was thrilled to see she’d made it after all.
Watch a video tour of the home.
Photos by Landmark Photography.
Related:
- Tour Jane Fonda’s Glass House in Beverly Hills
- Meryl Streep’s Former NYC Townhouse Lists for $28.5M
- The Happiest Place on Earth? Tour Disney’s Palm Springs Home
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