Northern Texas Real Estate Podcast with Anastasia Riley

I’ve Officially Joined With Coldwell Banker Realty

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 07:41:00 -0700

Today I have an exciting announcement about my future, which involves a story from my past.

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I proudly joined Ebby Halliday Realtors almost 10 years ago. Back then, I was a brand-new agent and I didn’t know much, but I knew that Ebby Halliday had a stellar reputation in the community. I went to a local Ebby Halliday office for an interview and told the manager that I was a new agent, I didn’t know a single soul in the area, and that English isn’t my native language, but also that I’m willing to work hard and do whatever it takes to become the No. 1 agent. She said that she was glad to see me join the team, but she also warned me that almost 90% of new agents don’t make it to their second year—it might not be a bad idea for me to have a plan B in place. Little did she know that real estate was already my plan B at the time (and plan C or D, if I’m being honest). Shortly after, I purchased a home, and it made more sense for me to move to the Frisco office, which is where I met Terri Macaluso, who was managing that office. I told her the same thing I told the manager with whom I'd initially interviewed.

I’m so thrilled to announce that I’m joining my former manager Terri Macaluso at Coldwell Banker Realty.

”

She simply told me, “Well let’s get to work then.” It was under Terri’s leadership, management, and mentorship that my dream of becoming the No. 1 agent came true. I still remember that year’s award ceremony. Terri kept it a surprise from me; I remember she had a huge grin on her face, and it seemed like she was more excited for me to get the award than I was! That’s why I’m so thrilled to announce that I’m joining my former manager Terri Macaluso, who also happens to be one of my biggest cheerleaders here at my new home, Coldwell Banker. The tools and support they have here are truly unmatched, and I can’t wait to give you an update on my experience in a future post. I also want to give my love, honor, and respect to Ebby Halliday Realtors and thank them from the bottom of my heart for being my home and my family for almost a decade. I will miss them all dearly. Additionally, I want to thank my friends and clients for your continued support, love, trust, and loyalty. I promise the only disruption and inconvenience you might have (if any) during this transitional period is memorizing my new email address, anastasia@cbrealty.com. My phone number is still the same, so if you have questions or need any help at all, please feel free to reach out to me! I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us all.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

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2160 Woodhaven Drive

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1900 Tapadero Lane

3 / 3

1329 Melrose Drive

The Pandemic’s Impact

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Thu, 9 Apr 2020 10:03:00 -0700

The current pandemic has changed everything. Today I’m explaining some of the ways the economy and businesses have been impacted.

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What a surreal time! We have never seen an event like the current pandemic in our lifetime. There has never been such a sudden economic halt as what we’re experiencing right now. This is the time for all of us to step up and be the best we can be.

The majority of businesses are struggling; they’re only bringing in a small fraction of their usual revenue. To learn more about the coronavirus’s impact on the economy and business, watch my latest video above.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

1 / 3

2160 Woodhaven Drive

2 / 3

1900 Tapadero Lane

3 / 3

1329 Melrose Drive

What to Do if an Appraisal Comes in Low

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:57:00 -0800

Low appraisals can be meddlesome, but there are plenty of solutions to this common problem. Here’s what you can do.

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A very common question I hear from my clients is, “Does a home have to appraise at the contract price or the financed loan amount?” The short answer is the contract price, but here’s why: When financing a home purchase, a lender must ensure that they don’t finance more than a home is worth. The lender will typically require the buyer to contribute a small amount to the transaction, commonly referred to as a down payment, to help safeguard against risk. The financed price, or maximum amount the lender can loan you, is usually expressed in loan-to-value ratio. For example, an 80% loan-to-value ratio product will require a 20% down payment. A 90% loan-to-value ratio will require a 10% down payment. A common problem occurs when an appraisal value is less than a contract price. For example, if a buyer agrees to pay $260,000 for a home and the appraisal comes back at $250,000, the loan will only cover 95% of the appraised value of $250,000, or $237,500. To complete the purchase, the buyer would need a down payment of $22,500 instead of the originally planned $13,000.

You could just ask the seller to reduce their sale price.

”

Basically, a low appraisal number has the ultimate result of requiring a higher down payment from the buyer. Of course, the buyer may not be willing or able to come up with that difference. In that case, they do have the option of walking away from the contract due to the appraisal contingency. There are also different ways to overcome a low appraisal. You could ask the seller to reduce the sale price to reflect the appraised value, or you could negotiate somewhere in the middle. If you have questions about this topic or anything else related to real estate, I’d love to be your resource. Just reach out via phone or email today.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

1 / 3

2160 Woodhaven Drive

2 / 3

1900 Tapadero Lane

3 / 3

1329 Melrose Drive

What to Do When You Receive a Lowball Offer

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Fri, 7 Feb 2020 13:04:00 -0800

If someone writes you a lowball offer for your home, how should you handle it? Today I’ll give you my advice.

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I know that getting a lowball offer for your home feels painful, frustrating, discouraging, and even offensive. I also know all the terrible—yet justifiable—things that you’d like me to pass onto the buyer who wrote you such a low and insulting offer. It’s very common for both sellers and their listing agents to get so wrapped up in their righteous indignation after receiving a lowball offer that they refuse all communication from the offender. However, the only winner here is ego-gratification, which has a monetary value of precisely zero. Today, I’ll give you a few suggestions for how to respond to lowball offers other than letting your anger get the best of you. I primarily encourage you to always be gracious and to respond with a counteroffer. The fact that someone liked your home enough to take the time to write an official offer on it is already a promising start. There might be various reasons why some buyers choose to send a low offer. Some simply want to test your willingness to negotiate—some sellers have been known to accept discounted offers for strictly personal reasons. Other buyers might send a low offer because they feel that your home is overpriced; if you’ve recently upgraded your home, the buyer might send a lower offer because they think the asking price was meant to compensate for the costs of those projects.

There might be various reasons why some buyers choose to send a low offer.

”

It’s not their job to know the value of your home. Most buyers don’t sit and study the market like we agents do when we appraise a for-sale home. It’s our job as agents and sellers to educate buyers on home values. After all, negotiation is how selling a home works, and to tell you the truth, negotiating an offer is the most fun we have in our workday as Realtors. If you are looking for a strong negotiator on your side as you sell your home, or if you have any real estate questions, feel free to reach out to me. Let’s talk.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

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1224 Honeywood Lane

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9117 Cranston Court

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578 Langdon Street

What I Learned from “Willpower Doesn’t Work”

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 6 Jan 2020 11:46:00 -0800

I just finished Benjamin Hardy’s “Willpower Doesn’t Work,” and I think it had a message that can apply to all our lives.

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In Benjamin Hardy’s “Willpower Doesn’t Work,” the author suggests that it is ultimately our environment that shapes us, and therefore, the most effective way to make desired changes in your life is by consciously designing and altering your surroundings. Willpower constitutes “white-knuckling” our way toward change, while dictating and enriching our environments means that accomplishment becomes automatic, rather than an effort. The author makes an interesting point that Will Durant’s historical record of the world, “The Story of Civilization” uncovered a secret about some of the greatest people known. They discovered most of them were average people that chose to take a stand. It appears that demanding situations created the need for greatness, and therefore, history was not shaped by great men, but by demanding situations instead. According to Hardy, for us to do our best work and live our best life, we need to put ourselves into a high-stress, peak-performance mode, followed by a high recovery period. The author recommends starting with journaling and visualization each morning at a place outside of your normal environment where you can align yourself with your aspirations before all the world’s distractions consume you.

Do what you can to leap into a demanding situation where the stakes are high, and let it shape you.

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The more choices you have, the fewer decisions you make. So, eliminate some of your options—remove everything that conflicts with your decisions. Keep your closet down to between five and seven outfits to choose between. Get rid of junk food from the house. If you want to spend better quality, uninterrupted time with family, leave your phone in the car when you get home. Unplug your laptop so you that only have a certain amount of time before the power runs out. Create a self-imposed pressure to do what you need to. The author says that sometimes, carrying a heavy load gives us the traction we need to move forward in life. Outsource your motivation to high-pressure environments by competing at a skill level higher than your current one and by seeking out transformational relationships, even if it means you have to pay handsomely to a high-power mentor. Essentially, do what you can to leap into a demanding situation where the stakes are high, and let it shape you. If these messages resonate with you, I encourage you to grab a copy of Benjamin Hardy’s “Willpower Doesn’t Work.” In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for any questions you have. We’d be glad to hear from you.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

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9117 Cranston Court

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8600 Whitehead St

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1400 Sunswept Ter

What Are Rollback Taxes?

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 9 Dec 2019 10:13:00 -0800

Today I’m discussing what you need to know about rollback taxes.

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Today’s topic is what you should know about rollback taxes when purchasing an Ag exempt (agricultural exempt) property. Recently I’ve had an uncommonly high number of calls from buyers wanting to purchase land. I myself live on an acreage and absolutely love the lifestyle and highly recommend the experience. Having an Ag exempt status allows you substantial tax savings. The agricultural exemption is actually not an exemption per se; it is property eligibility for a special appraisal method where you are being taxed not on the market value of the land but instead on this land’s agricultural productivity. Generally, a productivity value is much less than the fair market value, which significantly lowers your property taxes. However, what many buyers and real estate agents know is that if you change what you use your land for, you could be subject to rollback taxes. You could be accountable for three years of rollback taxes plus 5% interest. It used to be five years of rollback taxes and 7% interest up until September 1 of this year, so we got a small break. Rollback taxes are essentially the difference between the property being taxed and the normal market value rate. As you can imagine, it can add up to a massive amount of money. You’ll also have to pay rollback taxes if you subdivide your land.

Having an Ag exempt status allows you substantial tax savings.

”

Please make sure you work with a competent real estate agent to guide you through your land purchasing process. As always, if you or someone you know are looking to buy a piece of real estate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, please allow me the opportunity to represent you. I promise I will take excellent care of you. Call or email me with any questions or for more information.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

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14912 Gentry Dr

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3019 Pitkin Dr

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4813 Elkhart Dr

Explaining the Difference Between Foreclosures and Short Sales

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 11:49:00 -0800

Do you know the difference between a foreclosure and a short sale? If not, find out right here.

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Today I’d like to demystify the difference between short sales and foreclosures. Before I do that, though, I’ve got a favor to ask: If you know of anyone who is looking to make a move before the end of the year, please refer them to me. I’d like to serve as many Northern Texas buyers and sellers as possible before the new year, and I would greatly appreciate your help in doing so. I’m on the verge of having my most productive year yet, and I need your help to make it happen. As always, thank you for your support. Now, let’s get back to our main topic. Thanks to today’s strong market conditions, the days of frequent short sales and foreclosures are over. However, these distressed sales do still happen from time to time, so understanding the difference between them is important. Therefore, allow me to define each of these processes for you now. A short sale is a transaction in which a homeowner who can no longer afford to keep their loan has been given permission by their lender to list the property and offer the sales proceeds as compensation for their outstanding debt. In this case, the net proceeds of the sale are “short” of what the homeowner owes, but are enough to avoid foreclosure. Though not ideal, short sales are a much less costly and time-consuming option than foreclosure, which would involve repossession of the home. Short sales also have a far less detrimental impact on one’s credit history than foreclosures do.

Distressed sales do still happen from time to time, so understanding the difference between them is important.

”

On that note, allow me to now shed some light on the second type of distressed sale on our list: foreclosures. Foreclosure is a process in which the bank takes ownership of the home after the homeowner has made it apparent that they are no longer able to afford their monthly payments. Unlike short sales, which offer homeowners some degree of control, foreclosures are initiated by the lender and cannot be opted in or out of. Most foreclosed homes have already been abandoned, but families who have not yet vacated the property will be evicted. Once the property is vacated, the bank will hold an auction in order to sell the home. In Texas, such auctions are held on the first Tuesday of every month on the courthouse steps. Homes sold this way are not priced according to market value, but rather according to how much was owed on them. This makes these properties an attractive option for investors and buyers looking to buy a home for cheap. The problem is that buyers are not given the option to do any due diligence on auctioned homes, making the purchase riskier than a typical real estate purchase. Hopefully, this has cleared things up for you. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

1 / 3

14912 Gentry Dr

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3019 Pitkin Dr

3 / 3

4813 Elkhart Dr

An Inside Look at What Brought Me to Texas (And to Real Estate)

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 14:25:00 -0700

As you surely know, Texas is a very special place. That’s why, for today’s video, I’m sharing exactly why I chose to move here and start my real estate career.

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For today’s message, I’ve decided to share the story of what brought me to Texas. This story was first shared on a podcast, and now, I’d like to give all of you the chance to hear it too.

00:12 - How watching American movies during my childhood in Russia sparked my desire to immigrate
02:04 - Discussing my early travels through the United States and what first brought me to Texas
04:04 - Why I decided to settle in the Dallas area
05:37 - How my real estate career began
09:19 - The story behind my first real estate deal and my first couple of years in the industry
12:42 - Discussing how my career growth and personal growth have corresponded over time
17:13 - Wrapping up with some final advice

As always, if you have any questions about anything related to real estate, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

1 / 3

17092 FM 3486

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6413 Kenwick Ave

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601 Kentucky St

Should You Sell Your Home to an iBuyer?

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 11:15:00 -0700

Is it a good idea to sell to an iBuyer? Here’s what you need to know.

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Essentially, iBuyers are companies that purchase homes directly from the owner. Their value proposition is pretty cool: They say they will pay you a fair market value for the house, you will get to skip the uncertainty and hassle of the traditional home-selling process (such as staging your home, allowing showings, worrying about inspection results and buyers’ financing contingencies, etc), and you get to pick your closing date! How awesome is that, right?
But there is only one catch. The catch is that it will cost you! The company that is purchasing your home is in business for one reason only—to make profit. As a homeowner, you will always net much less money if you choose to sell your home to an iBuyer instead of listing it for sale with an agent. The question is: how much less? There are several big players on the market now—Opendoor, OfferPad, Perch, and now Zillow Instant Offers. None of these companies are really transparent with their fees and value estimation formula. However, since I have had the privilege to help a number of sellers who, at one time, were considering to accept one of these instant offers but decided to list and sell with me, I have some insight to share with you.

You will always net much less money if you choose to sell your home to an iBuyer instead of listing it for sale with an agent.

”

Based on my personal data, my calculations show that you will net an average of 11% less if you sell your home to an iBuyer. Let’s put it in dollar amounts to help you understand. If your home is worth $350,000, you will net somewhere around $38,500 less if you decide to sell it to an iBuyer instead of listing it with me. I personally think that it is a pretty high convenience fee, but you be the judge. My advice is this: If you are seriously considering to accept an offer from an Ibuyer, please give me an opportunity to offer an alternative. I can be pretty resourceful when it comes to accommodating your wants and preferences, and it’s my promise to you that I will always net you more money when all is said and done. All you have to do is reach out to me. I’d be glad to help you!

Featured Listings

Available near you:

1 / 3

14912 Gentry Dr

2 / 3

3019 Pitkin Dr

3 / 3

4813 Elkhart Dr

When It Does and Doesn’t Make Sense to Refinance

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:33:00 -0700

Unsure of when to refinance? Here’s what you need to know.

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When does it make sense to refinance? When should you hold off?

Before I answer this question, let me say I’m not a mortgage lender nor a financial advisor, and I encourage you to consult with a trusted mortgage professional before you take any course of action.

It's been my experience that there are two schools of thought when it comes to debt. One believes that all debt is bad and needs to be paid off as soon as possible and living debt-free is the ultimate freedom. The other school of thought sees good debt as a way to build wealth. If living debt-free is your goal, I can think of two specific situations when refinancing might not be a good idea.

The first is if you’ve been paying off your home for several years. Refinancing a mortgage means paying off an existing loan and replacing it with a new one. As I am sure you know, in the early years of your mortgage term, your payments are primarily going toward paying off interest. In the later years, you begin to pay off more principal than interest, meaning you start to build up equity (i.e., the amount of your home that you actually own). Once you refinance, it’s like you’re starting all over again.

Refinancing a mortgage means paying off an existing loan and replacing it with a new one.

”

Say you’ve been paying off your old mortgage for 10 years and you have 20 years left to go. If you refinance into a new 30-year mortgage, you start at 30 years again. Sure, you might enjoy lower monthly payments, but that benefit will be offset by the higher lifetime cost of borrowing.

The second situation is when you know you will be moving sooner rather than later. Refinancing is expensive and can cost thousands of dollars. You need to figure out exactly how much your refinance will cost and how much you’ll save each month. If it will take three years to recoup the expenses of a refinance and you plan on moving within two years, that means despite the lower monthly payments, you won’t save any money at all.

There are situations when it makes sense to refinance. If you don’t plan on moving in the next few years, your current interest rate is 6% or higher, and your credit score is good, refinancing might be something worth looking into. Or if your current rate is not significantly higher but you have 25 years left on your loan and your financial situation has changed to allow you to refinance with a 15-year mortgage, that might also be worth looking into.

If refinancing is something you are seriously considering, please allow me an opportunity to refer you to one of my trusted mortgage professionals. They will evaluate your particular situation and guide you to make a financially sound decision. If you believe that taking on a good debt can accelerate your wealth-building, stay tuned for my next video blog, where I’ll discuss this topic further.

If you have any other real estate questions, feel free to reach out to me as well. I’d love to help you.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

1 / 3

3320 Propser Trail

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409 Hidden Trl

3 / 3

3032 Crossing Drive

What You Need to Know About Living in a MUD or PID Community

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 9 Sep 2019 12:47:00 -0700

If you’re considering buying a home within a MUD or PID, here’s what you need to know about them.

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If you’ve been looking to buy a home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you’ve likely heard the terms MUD and PID a lot. They are both acronyms for organizations that raise funds to pay for utilities and infrastructure in a new community.

MUD stands for municipal utility district and is usually created by a developer. It provides water, sewage, drainage, and other utility-related services to new communities. The basic purpose of a MUD is to provide a developer an alternative way to finance the infrastructure. MUDs are likely to exist in large, master-planned communities outside city limits. As an example, a few local communities classified as MUDs are Light Farms in Celina, Artesia in Prosper, and Trinity Falls in McKinney.

PID stands for public improvement district and is created by a city or county. PIDs are used to finance the same infrastructure that MUD would finance, but they're more commonly used to fund additional items such as sidewalks, landscaping, parks, lakes, and recreation. Some examples of this kind of community include Mustang Lakes in Celina, Creeks of Legacy in Prosper, and Winn Ridge in Aubrey.

Once a PID is paid off, it’s gone forever.

”

The homeowners within a MUD pay an additional annual tax. In a PID, they don’t have this annual tax, but they do have an assessment, which can be paid up front or accrued during the years a PID is active. Once it’s paid off, it’s gone forever. A MUD, on the other hand, is always going to be there and should be treated as an additional property tax.

Is it a bad idea to purchase a home within a PID or MUD or both? Yes, that’s right. There are a few neighborhoods where you can have both. My answer is that it depends.

My only recommendation is to do your due diligence ahead of time and know exactly what you will be required to pay for on a given home. Know the tax rate if you’re in a MUD, know what the PID assessment is, and the overall property taxes and fees. If you don’t want to do all this legwork, I recommend hiring a real estate agent to guide you toward the most financially sound decision.

If you have any questions for me or want to know what I can do to help you achieve your real estate goals, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

1 / 3

3320 Propser Trail

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409 Hidden Trl

3 / 3

3032 Crossing Drive

What to Know When Selling Your Solar-Equipped Texas Home

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 08:17:00 -0700

Do solar panels help or hinder home sales in Texas? Let’s discuss.

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The state of Texas is a leading force when it comes to implementing alternative, renewable energy sources—especially wind energy, which we use more of than any other state in the union. And yet, we remain slow to embrace rooftop solar deployment.

Despite our abundance of sunshine, solar power accounts for less than 1% of all electricity generated by states’ utilities. Texas underutilizes residential solar energy, but we still lead the way in this category for three key reasons:

1. All but two states require power companies to buy surplus power from you—Texas is one of the two.

2. By comparison, electricity in Texas is just plain cheap.

3. Given the amount of hail we receive each year, Texans are concerned with the overall durability and maintenance of rooftop solar panels.

Despite its advantages, residential solar energy is still relatively new to Texas, which can present challenges when selling your solar-equipped home. Here are a few tips and points to be aware of before you do:

First, never assume that solar panels automatically add to your home’s resale value. Solar panels are an attractive feature for certain buyers, but because it’s a niche market, having them doesn’t inherently add value. Because solar panels can’t be included in the mortgage, a buyer who’s willing to pay more for your home just because you have them would have to come up with the difference in cash at closing.

As time goes by, solar power will increasingly gain traction in neighborhoods across Texas.

”

If you’re leasing your solar panels, this can further complicate things: You’ll have to break your lease with the solar panel company and will be required to pay off your remaining balance. And while you’ll have the option to take your panels with you to your next home, the costs associated with removing them and repairing your current home’s roof can add up quickly.

The easiest and best option is to see if you can transfer the existing lease over to the new buyer. Some buyers don’t like the idea of taking on such a commitment, though, so don’t be surprised if yours says no.

In my view, renewable, clean energy is our future, and I’m sure as time goes by, solar power will increasingly gain traction in neighborhoods across Texas. If you have any questions about selling or purchasing a home with solar panels or about real estate in general, don’t hesitate to call me at 972-984-0511 or send me an email at Anastasia@Ebby.com. I hope to hear from you soon!

Featured Listings

Available near you:

1 / 3

3320 Propser Trail

2 / 3

409 Hidden Trl

3 / 3

3032 Crossing Drive

Our Second Annual Red Gala Is Coming Soon

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Fri, 9 Aug 2019 12:12:00 -0700

I have a very special announcement: You’re invited to our second annual Red Gala! Stay tuned for details.

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If you’re reading this, you’ve been invited to join us on Friday, October 18, at 7 p.m. for our second annual Red Gala!

This black-tie event will take place in the downtown McKinney area, and the proceeds go to the benefit of the American Heart Association. This will truly be a night to remember.

Our first event was kept open to mostly our friends within the real estate industry because we wanted to make sure the gala turned out as well as we’d hoped—and it certainly did! The feedback we received was very encouraging, and so this year, we’re extending the invitation to all our friends outside the industry.

Rumor has it that I might have some influence over the music played, and if that’s the case, I can promise you it will be an incredibly romantic evening with lots of love songs in the air.

The proceeds of this year’s Red Gala will fund cardiovascular medical research.

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Of course, the best part of the gala is that we get to support the American Heart Association—a nonprofit, volunteer-based health agency whose headquarters is right here in our own Dallas, Texas. Their mission statement was updated last year, and it now reads, “To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.” How wonderful is that?

The proceeds of this year’s Red Gala will fund cardiovascular medical research. I’m sure you’re aware by now that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States—second only to cancer. Most of us know someone who has suffered a heart attack or stroke; heart disease truly hits close to home for a lot of people. This gala is an incredible opportunity to celebrate the good life with our loved ones while benefiting an invaluable organization.

The ball is private, invitation-only, and tickets are limited. We will be asking for a $75 donation per person. There will also be some sponsorship opportunities. If you would like to attend, reach out to let me know in advance. It would be a huge honor if you could make it.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Featured Listings

Available near you:

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4520 Acacia Pkwy

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4316 Stonecrest

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845 Underwood

What to Do When You Receive a Lowball Offer

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 07:06:00 -0700

If someone writes you a lowball offer for your home, how should you handle it? Today I’ll give you my advice.

Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report

Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale

I know that getting a lowball offer for your home feels painful, frustrating, discouraging, and even offensive. I also know all the terrible—yet justifiable—things that you’d like me to pass onto the buyer who wrote you such a low and insulting offer. It’s very common for both sellers and their listing agents to get so wrapped up in their righteous indignation after receiving a lowball offer that they refuse all communication from the offender.

However, the only winner here is ego-gratification, which has a monetary value of precisely zero. Today, I’ll give you a few suggestions for how to respond to lowball offers other than letting your anger get the best of you.

I primarily encourage you to always be gracious and to respond with a counteroffer. The fact that someone liked your home enough to take the time to write an official offer on it is already a promising start. There might be various reasons why some buyers choose to send a low offer. Some simply want to test your willingness to negotiate—some sellers have been known to accept discounted offers for strictly personal reasons.

Other buyers might send a low offer because they feel that your home is overpriced; if you’ve recently upgraded your home, the buyer might send a lower offer because they think the asking price was meant to compensate for the costs of those projects.

There might be various reasons why some buyers choose to send a low offer.

”

But guess what? It’s not their job to know the value of your home. Most buyers don’t sit and study the market like we agents do when we appraise a for-sale home. It’s our job as agents and sellers to educate buyers on home values. After all, negotiation is how selling a home works, and to tell you the truth, negotiating an offer is the most fun we have in our workday as Realtors.

If you are looking for a strong negotiator on your side as you sell your home, or if you have any real estate questions, feel free to reach out to me. Let’s talk.

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Will a Swimming Pool Add Value to Your Home?

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 09:05:00 -0700

If you think that installing a pool in your backyard will do wonders for your home’s resale value, think again.

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Summer is well underway, and it’s during these sunny, sultry days that our desire to take a dip in the refreshing waters of our very own private swimming pool is heightened.

Installing a swimming pool in your backyard might be money well spent in light of the entertainment value it offers for you and your family, but will it increase your home’s value? Homeowners regularly ask this question, and the answer is yes. In Texas, adding a pool will indeed raise your home’s value by 7% to 10%.

However, the bigger question is whether you will see a return on that investment when it comes time to sell your home. Unfortunately, no. When all is said and done, you won’t actually recoup the costs associated with the pool’s construction.

The bottom line is a pool will be a good lifestyle investment, but will not add money to your pocket once you sell.

”

Suppose that your home is worth $350,000 as is, and then you decide to build a pool. This will increase your sale price by about $35,000, but your total expenses from this undertaking will add up to about $60,000. Aside from these initial expenses, you’ll also have to think about general maintenance, utility, and insurance premium costs.

The bottom line is that while a pool will be a good lifestyle investment that you and your family can enjoy for years to come, you’ll be sorely disappointed if you expect such an addition to put more money in your pocket once you sell.

If you have any further questions about making home improvements or about what will and won’t elevate your home’s resale value, please don’t hesitate to give me a call at 972-984-0511 or email me at Anastasia@Ebby.com. I hope to hear from you soon!

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How to Buy and Sell at the Same Time (Without Losing Your Sanity)

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 13:00:00 -0700

Buying and selling at the same time is a lot to handle, but there are three keys you need to remember to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

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If you need to buy and sell a home at the same time and you want to make the process of handling these two transactions as smooth as possible, there are three tips you need to remember.

First, know the market. Before you start searching for a home to purchase or put your current home on the market, make sure you have a solid understanding of the market you’re selling in and the market you’re buying in.

If homes like yours are selling within days, it might make sense to secure a contract on your new home before you list. On the contrary, if homes like yours are sitting on the market for months at a time, it makes more sense to get that home under contract first before shopping for a new one.

Second, prepare for the unexpected. Even if you get both homes under contract and everything is on schedule, there are still things outside of your control that can happen—buyers can have trouble qualifying for loans, inspections may reveal unexpected issues, etc. This is why it’s important to make a safety cushion for yourself.

For example, when negotiating the sale of your current home, make sure to ask for a lease-back term so you have time to purchase your next one, even if you may not need that time. Also, be prepared to not get all the money you were hoping to get from the sale of your current home.

Even if you get both homes under contract and everything is on schedule, there are still things outside of your control that can happen.

”

Lastly, have a backup plan. If you’ve sold your current home but you haven’t found a new home to move into, don’t let anxiety push you into making a bad decision. Research short-term rentals ahead of time so you don’t feel pressured into purchasing a home you wouldn’t be interested in otherwise. If you’ve found the perfect home and you can’t bear the thought of losing it, research all available financing options so that you’re not forced to accept a lowball offer on your current home.

If you have any questions about this topic or you’re thinking of making a move soon, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to speaking with you.

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How You Can Successfully Protest Your Property Tax Assessment

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 13:02:00 -0700

Today we’ll take an exhaustive look at how you can successfully protest your property tax assessment.

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I love the opportunity this time of year affords me to hear from many of you regarding your assessed property values. Maybe you feel that you’ve been done an injustice and you’re wondering what recourse you have, and that’s where I can help.

In an earlier video, I covered in great detail how your county assesses the value of your home. You can check it out here if you missed it, but to start, I’ll sum it up again today.

Tax assessors across the country use a so-called “mass appraisal technique” to assess a large group of properties all at once. Such a technique differs greatly from that used by a fee appraiser when you’re purchasing or refinancing a home, which concentrates on a single home for its assessment.

As you can imagine, it’s beyond what is practical for a county assessor to employ this technique for every home in that particular county. Given that this is a blanket method, assessments are not always going to be 100% accurate, and as such, you have the right to protest yours.

If you feel that your county has assessed your home at a higher value than what you can currently sell it for factoring in market conditions, it’s likely that you have a well-founded complaint and can file a protest. Conversely, if you know that you could sell your home for a price that’s in line with the assessment or if it came in even lower, you’d probably fare better from not protesting.

Maybe you feel that you’ve been done an injustice and you’re wondering what recourse you have, and that’s where I can help.

”

To be sure, if your neighbor with the same floor plan recently sold their home for $30,000 less than what yours was assessed at, you’d obviously have an argument to make.

The deadline to file a protest this year is May 15 (residents of Denton County have until May 17) or 30 days after you’ve received your home’s estimated assessed value, and most counties will permit you to file a protest online or via phone.

One thing of note: During your initial appeal, the county will request that you give your opinion of your home’s value. It’s possible that both parties can reach an agreement right then and there. If no agreement is reached, you’ll be given an opportunity to schedule a formal appeal, where, armed with evidence, you can bring your case before the board of appraisers.

What kind of evidence should you take with you? Examples might be information on recently sold homes in your neighborhood, your local school district, or listings that have sat on the market for some length of time, which could indicate the current softness of the market.

Should you elect to move forward with an appeal, my best advice is to be kind to those you’ll be dealing with. Let’s face it: No one wants to have to pay more than what is just, but take care in not taking out your frustrations on county employees. As someone who personally knows one of these workers, they dread this time of year due to local residents feeling personally slighted by a potential mistake.

If you have any questions about this process or you need help with gathering evidence for your own property tax assessment protest, please give me a call at 972-984-0511. I’d be glad to help you!

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Join Me at My 2nd Annual Client Appreciation Event

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Thu, 4 Apr 2019 10:18:00 -0700

I hope to see you at my upcoming client appreciation event!

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I wouldn’t have a successful real estate business without the support of my clients, which is why I have an exciting announcement for everyone. My second annual client appreciation event is coming up! Join me at Mitas Hill Vineyard (2300 Vineyard Hill Ln, McKinney, TX 75071) on Saturday, April 20, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

This gorgeous vineyard’s greenery and views offer the perfect backdrop for the wonderful food and wine we’ll be sharing together. There’ll be live music as well, and it should be a beautiful evening for everyone who attends.

This event is for my clients and their families, though I encourage you to bring your friends as well. Kids are more than welcome, and since the event takes place the day before Easter, the Easter Bunny may make an appearance!

It should be a beautiful evening for everyone who attends.

”

If you plan on attending, RSVP in advance and let me know how many people you’ll be bringing. I want to make sure there’s plenty to go around for everyone!

Let me know by giving me a call at 972-984-0511 or sending an email to Anastasia@Ebby.com. I hope to see you there!

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The 4 Keys to Pricing Your Home Correctly

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 08:43:00 -0700

There are certain variables you need to take into consideration when pricing your home. Today, I’ll discuss four in particular.

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What’s the key to pricing your home correctly?

Establishing a price for your home is part art, part science. Contrary to what Zillow would have you believe, there is no simple formula for pricing homes in our market. A home’s value involves many variables, some of which can be factored into a computerized analysis, but most will require an in-depth knowledge of current inventory—both past sales and current listings—and the precise skill of being able to interpret current market trends, absorption rates, seasonal fluctuations, and other economic variables that can influence the value of your home.

To top it off, there’s also a human factor to consider, which is very elusive and unpredictable at times, but it’s a very important part of the puzzle.

A home’s value depends on many variables.

”

There are four main points to consider when pricing your home:

Study past sales. This is the starting point to determine the base price of your home. Don’t confuse active listings with sold listings. Active listings haven’t sold yet. It is very important to know your competition, but don’t assume that just because your neighbor listed their home for $3 million that makes your home that much more expensive.
Pay close attention to market trends in your area, sub-area, and price range. For example, we have a really strong seller’s market for homes under $300,000 in the north Dallas area. Many homes in that price range sell quickly and at their asking price. That trend, however, doesn’t apply to homes priced at $400,000 or higher unless they have pools or sit on greenbelt lots. Homes with pools and those that sit on greenbelt lots are in a completely different sub-category and they have their own unique set of trends.
Price your home strategically. It amazes me how many agents advise their clients to price a home with a 99 at the end believing that a home priced at $299,999 looks better than a home priced at $300,000. A home priced at $299,000 look and sound better than one priced at 300,000, but it can also hurt you. Most homebuyers start their home search online. Imagine, then, a homebuyer sitting at their computer who types in “homes in McKinney between $300,000 and $350,00.” Guess what? Your $299,000 bargain-priced home won’t even show up on their search. If you want to get really psychological about pricing, use a seven instead—not only does it project the message of a very precise value calculation, but many people also consider it a lucky number, which brings me to my next point:
Don’t forget about the human factor. This point is the most complex and my favorite to address. Since I majored in psychology in college, I’ll save this point as a topic by itself for a future video.

If you have any questions about pricing your home correctly or you’re thinking about putting your home on the market, don’t hesitate to give me a call. I’d be happy to help you.

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The Best Time to Get Your Home Listed and Sold

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 14:36:00 -0800

If you’re thinking of waiting until May to sell your home, you may want to reconsider. Here’s why.

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You may have heard before that May is the best time to sell a home. While it’s true that the highest number of real estate transactions take place during this month, it doesn’t mean it’s the best time to put your home on the market.

If you want to net the most money for your home, the best time to list it and get it sold is now.

Just like any other commodity market, real estate follows the law of supply and demand. When there’s high demand, prices rise, but when there’s a high supply without much demand, prices fall.

There’s something invigorating about the spring season that makes people want to take action. The world seems fresh and new, the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming, and homebuyers are ready to make some decisions. This is exactly what you want as a seller—buyers looking to make a purchase.

Real estate follows the law of supply and demand.

”

The demand is there, but what about the supply? The inventory of homes is rather low during the springtime because sellers are waiting for lawns to grow, for school to be out for summer, or for May to arrive. This high demand and low supply means sellers will be able to sell their homes for more money.

If you’re thinking of selling this year, I’d love to share with you my selling strategy, designed specifically to net you top dollar for your home. If you’d like to talk about your real estate plans, have any questions, or need further information, feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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What Closing Costs Are Buyers Expected to Pay?

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 08:37:00 -0800

Today I want to discuss closing costs for buyers—what they are and how they work for buyers, specifically.

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The vast majority of buyer closing costs are lender related. The lender you’re working with should provide you with a loan estimate showing the line-by-line breakdown of all your fees within 30 days of your submitting the loan application. I encourage you to study this document and to ask your lender any and all questions you have about it.

The first line you’re likely to see on your closing disclosure is going to be a loan origination fee. This fee covers the cost of obtaining a loan, which includes the lender’s underwriting fee, processing fee, funding fee, etc. I’ve seen that fee vary from as little as $200 up to 1% of the loan amount. Some lenders waive that fee altogether, usually in exchange for charging you a slightly higher interest rate; there are some circumstances where such an approach can be beneficial.

If you’re going with a government-backed loan such as an FHA, VA, or USDA loan product, you’ll be required to pay an additional fee:

FHA insurance premiums are at about 1.75% of the loan amount
The USDA loan will charge you a guarantee fee, which is about 2% of the loan amount
The VA’s guarantee fee varies from 1% to 3%, based on your down payment

Appraisal and credit report fees will most likely be collected from you before closing. An appraisal fee will typically run at about $500 or $600 in our area; your credit report fee will probably run as little as $50 to $100.

Depending on the loan, you’ll be required to pay an additional fee.

”

In Texas, we use title companies to facilitate a transaction. Sellers in a transaction will pay an escrow fee, which is typically around $400. Also, just like how sellers get to purchase a title insurance policy to ensure to the buyer that their property is clean and clear, buyers get to purchase a similar insurance policy, only for their lender. Based on your lender and the type of endorsements that they require, this policy will probably cost somewhere around $300.

Beyond those, you can expect to pay around another $200 in miscellaneous administrative fees, such as for deed recording, document preparation, etc. These aren’t technically closing costs, but they’re usually taken from you at closing, so I usually like to address them, as well.

It is very customary in Texas to pay for a full year of home insurance for the property you’re purchasing, which is collected at closing. Additionally, your lender is likely to require creating an escrow account in which they basically take your own money and store it in that separate account for your own protection; those funds will be used to pay your property taxes or PMI (premium mortgage insurance) if you’re going with a conventional loan product with a less-than-20% down payment.

If you have any further questions about the closing costs expected of buyers to pay, don’t hesitate to reach out to me anytime.

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What Closing Costs Are Sellers Responsible for?

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Tue, 5 Feb 2019 12:55:00 -0800

Even after you’ve sold your home and made a profit, there are some out-of-pocket closing costs that you’ll be responsible for. Here are the big ones to know.

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Closing costs are the expenses that are over and above the price of the property that buyers and sellers pay to complete a real estate transaction. Each side has their own costs that they’re responsible for, so let’s take a look at them, starting with the sellers.

Real estate commission is the seller’s largest closing expense. Sellers in Texas are responsible for paying both Realtors, with 3% going to their listing agent and 3% going to the buyer’s agent.

Another common expense for sellers is the owner’s title insurance. It’s essentially an insurance policy that ensures the deed to the property is clean and clear with no outstanding liens or title effects. The cost depends on the state but is based on the price of the home. On a $300,000 home, for example, the title insurance policy will cost around $2,000.

Then we have the escrow fee. This is a fee that the title company charges to hold money in escrow. The average charge for this is around $400.

If your home is located in a community with a Homeowners Association, you'll likely have to pay HOA transfer fees an for a subdivision information package. The cost here varies greatly depending on the community. The average is around $350, but it can be as much as 1% of the sale price. Then, you’ll pay a few hundred dollars for miscellaneous expenses such as a closing attorney and a property survey.

The cost of HOA transfer fees varies greatly by community.

”

That’s about it when it comes to seller closing costs. Another thing to note is that buyers typically expect sellers to contribute a few hundred dollars toward their home warranty, but it’s not required. Buyers can also ask sellers in Texas to contribute money towards their closing costs, but that really depends on the type of market we’re in.

Next time, we’ll take a closer look at buyers’ closing costs. If you have any questions for me in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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How Much Does the Homestead Exemption Lower Your Tax Liability?

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 10:06:00 -0800

If you apply for a homestead exemption by April 30 of this year, you can lower your tax liability. By how much, though, depends on where you live.

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How much does applying for a homestead exemption lower your tax liability?

Texas has a long and proud tradition of protecting homestead property. Originally, the purpose of the homestead exemption was to encourage settlement by providing early settlers protection against creditors. The wives and children of early settlers were also protected by receiving the right of occupying the house, even in the event of the husband’s death.

Over the years, things changed, and now, lowering your tax liability is the main function of the homestead exemption. Here in Texas, we don’t pay any income tax, so the state raises most of the working capital to pay for schools, parks, emergency response services, etc., by collecting property taxes.

If you purchased your primary residence last year, you have until April 30 of this year to apply for your homestead exemption. Doing so is free and easy—all you have to do is visit your county’s appraisal website, download and fill out the proper form, and then submit it along with a copy of your driver’s license and your new address.

How much the homestead exemption really reduces your taxes varies based on where you live. Remember, your overall tax bill includes taxes assessed by your county, school district, city, and county college district (if it has one). For example, if you live in McKinney in Collin County in Frisco ISD, you’ll be able to lower the portion of your taxable property value collected by your county by $15,000. You won’t get any discount from the city portion, but you’ll get a $25,000 discount on the taxable portion charged by your school district.

If you purchased your primary residence last year, you have until April 30 of this year to apply for your homestead exemption.

”

As another example, if you live in Fort Worth in Tarrant County in Keller ISD, you’ll be able to lower the portion of your taxable property value collected by the county by $20,000 and by $25,000 from the school district. As with living in McKinney, though, you won’t get any discount from the city portion.

Another advantage of filing for homestead exemption is it caps how much your taxes can go up each year. In our area, the limit is 10%.

The calculations can be a bit complicated, so if you’re curious how much you can save by filing for a homestead exemption in your area, send me a text or shoot me an email, and I’d be happy to do the math for you.

If you have any more questions about this or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

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5 Easy Ways to Get Your Texas Home Ready for Winter

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 07:30:00 -0800

Winter will be here before you know it, so here are five important tips that will prepare your home for the upcoming season.

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Now that we’re moving through fall and getting closer to winter, here are five important tips to prepare your home for the change in season:

1. Turn off your sprinkler system. If you forget to turn off your sprinkler system and the temperature dips below freezing overnight, you might wake up the next morning to a lawn covered in ice.

2. If you plan on using a wood-burning fireplace, get your chimney and vents checked. Make sure they’re clean and unobstructed.

3. Get your furnace checked and serviced. At the very minimum, you’ll want to clean or replace its filter.

4. Reverse your ceiling fans (if you can). If you can switch the direction of your fans to rotate clockwise, they’ll be able to push the warm air from the ceiling down to the floor. This is an especially handy trick for homes with two-story family rooms.

We’re offering a free winterization service for your outside pipes and faucets.

”

5. Insulate your outdoor pipes and faucets. As with your sprinkler system, any water left inside these pipes may freeze once the temperature dips below freezing, and this can cause your plumbing pipes to burst and create a lot of damage you may not have time to deal with. That’s why, as a token of our appreciation to our clients, we’re offering a free winterization service for your outside pipes and faucets. If you want to take advantage of this offer, all you have to do is call me.

If you have any other real estate questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me as well. I’d be happy to help you.

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We Can Help With Your Christmas Cards This Year

cassidy@getvyral.com (Anastasia Riley) — Mon, 5 Nov 2018 11:02:00 -0800

Can you believe that the Christmas season is almost here? We’ve got a special surprise for you and your family that we’re excited to tell you about today.

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The Christmas season is my favorite time of the year and I’m very excited to invite you all to join me at Santa’s Workshop.

On Saturday, December 1 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., we will be at 207 E Davis St in McKinney and I promise you that you don’t want to miss out. Mark your calendars now! Join me for an afternoon of fun and to have your family pictures professionally taken with Santa just in time for your holiday cards.

This event is for all of my clients, friends, and family.

”

You won’t have to brave the crowds, stand in line, or search all day for parking. I’ve booked one of the most talented local photographers, Chris Smith, to come take photographs. He gets booked months in advance, so we’re really excited to have him join us for this special day.

This event is open to all of my clients, friends, and family, but feel free to bring a friend along, too. If you can make it, send me an email to Anastasia@Ebby.com or text me at (972) 984-0511 to RSVP. If you have any other questions for me in the meantime, I’d be happy to answer them.

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