Termites thrive in the warmer climates of the South/Southeast and West/Southwest, but states on the East Coast and even in the Midwest have areas of high risk.  Outside those regions, still all it takes is the right combination of warmth, food and moisture to invite a termite infestation.

As a homebuyer, you would be well advised to determine whether the home you are offering to purchase is under a termite protection plan, and to seek a separate termite inspection, even if it’s not required.  Older homes in particular may be at risk, because of the possibility of cracked foundations, but even new homes could be potential targets if the builders did not correctly perform termite pretreatments.

You probably won’t notice the little buggers until the damage is already done, so be sure to get your home into a termite inspection and treatment program as soon as possible after your purchase.  If you have any doubts about inspections, ask your real estate representative for advice.

Sure, any steps that you take to improve your interior’s appeal will go a long way towards wooing buyers, but it’s the outside of your home that they will see first, and you know that first impressions count!  Review some of these helpful tips to make your offering an inviting one.

Go green by seeding and fertilizing your lawn for a lush look. Also, bring your home out from hiding by trimming overgrown branches and shrubbery around the house.  Give the impression of easy living by hanging a hammock in the front yard.  Seriously, little suggestions like that really sink into a buyer’s mind.

Give your flowerbeds and borders more striking visual appeal by applying mulch, and edge the beds and driveway, walkways and sidewalk.  Planting annuals such as geraniums and petunias will also add to the impact and brighten up empty areas.

The final step in your outdoor “staging” is to powerwash your home’s siding and the sidewalk and patio or deck.  When you show pride of ownership and that you care about your home’s presentation, it will resonate with buyers looking for value and a home in ready-to-move-in condition. For additional information on this topic follow this link.

With the lowest interest rates we’ve seen in forty years, now is an opportune time to lock in a rate on a fixed loan. Rates are already showing signs of rising, and waiting too long could negatively affect your ability to secure such a mortgage.

In addition to rising interest rates, the fees on loan applications may also start increasing. This is because lenders have reassessed their risk to reward ratios in light of all the recent loan defaults.  Around the corner, we might expect higher mortgage insurance premiums and closing costs, not to mention tougher and tougher terms for qualification.

With interest rates and loan fees still at very affordable levels, now is the time to make your move and secure your financial stability through home ownership. If you buy a $150,000 home today and it appreciates at a very conservative 3% annually, that home would be worth nearly $164,000 in three years.

Don’t let all the negative stories about real estate blind you to the many positive factors for buyers in today’s market.

One reason for all this scrutiny is that many lenders sell their loans on the secondary mortgage market, and they are using required (and automated) software to factor in all the variables in the equation that results in a thumbs up or a thumbs down.  In other words, it’s not quite as personal as it used to be.

Save yourself time, stress and heartbreak by seeking preapproval for financing before you even look at House One. I say “preapproval,” and not “prequalification,” because prequalification is only an “estimate” of the loan amount for which you might qualify once your application has been fully reviewed.

Preapproval puts you in the driver’s seat with sellers, because it means that you have already basically “applied” for financing with your credit report, verified income, and proven ability to make a respectable down payment.  Preapproval goes several steps beyond prequalification, and gives you the best indication of how much home you can afford.

Maximize the time spent on your home search by taking the all-important step of seeking financing first. Then make your offer with confidence!

In this video I show you why using the MLS search feature on Clark Cook dot com will save you time and have you searching like a pro in no time at all. You will be using the same data base as I or any other REALTOR would use.

This tutorial is not necessary for everyone. If you are good at figuring things out on your own feel free to go directly to green search button below the screen for instant access to the Fayetteville NC MLS.  But if you feel you might need a little help follow along with me as I go through each step.

I‘ve have made this service available to all without requiring any personal information to access the data base. All I ask is that when you find a property you like and you are ready for a private showing, that you give me the opportunity to serve you. Fair enough? Enjoy the video!

]]> http://firstchoicerealtyoffayetteville.com/132/tutorial-for-mls-search/feed/ 0 http://firstchoicerealtyoffayetteville.com/132/tutorial-for-mls-search/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/1stChoiceRealtyOfFayettevilleLlc/~3/4eVDMFHgztA/ http://firstchoicerealtyoffayetteville.com/127/are-you-hungry/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:44:14 +0000 CAC http://firstchoicerealtyoffayetteville.com/?p=127

Why am I putting this on my site? It is not about real estate… True, but it is about LIFE, and what it takes to get what you want!

I’ve been a fan of Les Brown since 1990. My best friend Alex and I were looking for ways to make extra money when we went to a home-base business seminar at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux in Fayetteville NC. We bought into a 900 phone number business. Long story short we never made any money but we did get a video in our packet by Les Brown titled ” You Got To Be Hungry”,  and I’ve been a fan ever since. This YouTube clip shows the best part. And I just wanted to share it with all of my visitors and clients, past present, and future because it has so much meaning. it is impossible to watch this video and not be touched in a positive way. I hope you enjoy!

In this video I’m going to show you why following my three step formula will help sell your home in record time.

The first step to selling your home in record time is to get the price right! Second, you have to have your home ready to show at all times.  And finally, You must use effective Marketing.

Now let’s take a few minutes and answer the first question, how do you determine the right price?

It’s true; any fool can give a house away, Right? But we’re talking about selling your home for top dollar, so… How do you do that? The best answer is to look at your competition as well as recent sales, and be realistic! You want to set your price in a range that buyers will likely pay! Don’t make the mistake of pricing your home based on what you want to net from the sale. Buyers don’t care what you want, and you’ll only end up reducing the price to where it should have been from the beginning.

The best example of step 2 is the TV show “Flip that House”. Remember, it’s the show where experienced investors take run down, neglected properties in desperate need of repair and restored them to market condition. And that’s the key, “Market Condition”. If your home is ready to show, it looks good inside and out. When buyers drive up to your home it has good curb appeal. And when they come inside it’s neat, clean, uncluttered, and de-personalized. All necessary repairs have been made and feature a neutral color scheme throughout the home. You want your REALTOR to be able to market your home as a “BEST BUY” in the neighborhood. Or best in your price range.

Having your home ready to show, also means being available to show. You never know when you’re going to get a call from a REALTOR who happens to be showing a property in you neighborhood, and their buyer wants to see your home right now. My recommendation is to be ready and available to show your home on short notice, 7 days a week, from 9 A.M. until an hour before sunset.

The third and final point… to sell your home in record time… requires the use of effective marketing. Putting a “FOR SALE” sign in your yard, and running an ad in the paper is not the most effective way to sell your home. What works and what I offer is a mix of internet exposure and personally networking with other top REALTORS. Let me tell you why this works.

National research polls tell us that better than 80% of buyers begin their search online. And further that these buyers are represented by REALTORS. What that tells me is that by far the greater number of buyers are being guided and advised by REALTORS.  That’s why sponsoring an open house for REALTORS ONLY makes so much sense. Figuratively speaking REALTORS are ten time more likely to find a buyer for your home than by any other means, and that’s why I market directly to REALTORS.

When you list with me your home will be seen on ALL the Top syndicated real estate websites, such as Realtor.com, Trulia, Zillow, and the like because that’s where the greatest number of buyers look.

In closing let me say if you want to sell your home in record time be prepared to provide a home warranty and offer to pay some  or all closing costs.

Finally, when you list with me… I’ll show YOU how to market to your personal network by using an address specific website to  help  find a buyer,  and if any one of your personal contacts buys  your home using my firm,  I’ll reduce my commission by 2%. Now that’s strong!