The Sellin' with CC Team Real Estate Podcast

What Costs Come with Buying a Jacksonville Home?

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 07:38:00 -0700

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A lot of people have been asking lately, "What are the costs of buying a home?" We'll answer that question in today's video.

First of all, there's the down payment. If you're using a VA loan, this could be nothing. Down payments could be as little as 3% of the purchase price or as much as 20% of the purchase price.

Keep closing costs in mind as well. These range between 3% and 3.5% of purchase price. Closing costs include things like lender fees and appraisals. A lot of the time, the seller will offset those costs. However, you don't want to bank on that happening in a seller's market. If you're going up against multiple offers, it's a good idea to anticipate covering those closing costs.

A binder deposit should be at least 1% of purchase price. Ultimately, this money will go towards your down payment. In a seller's market, you want to show that you are a strong buyer, and a 1% binder deposit is a great way to put your best foot forward. If you cannot hit that 1%, strive for a minimum binder deposit of $1,000.

Finally, there are appraisals and home inspections. In addition to a normal home inspection, you may also need a septic inspection or a pool inspection. It really depends on the property. Inspections are worth your money because you want to make sure that you are buying a safe home for you and your family.

As you can see, there's a lot that goes into buying a home. If you have any questions about today's video, or about the home buying process, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help you!

The Benefits of Vacating Your Home During a Showing

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 08:23:00 -0700

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Some of my clients have been asking why Realtors prefer homeowners to be away when potential buyers come to view their properties. It may seem a little inconvenient for sellers, but there are a lot of reasons why we do this.

The main reason that we do this is because it allows the buyer to experience the home as they're walking through it. They don't want a seller to show them - it changes the experience of the viewing, and sometimes it is to the detriment of both the seller and the buyer.

Another fairly obvious reason why you should never be present during a viewing is because it makes the buyers uncomfortable. When sellers are present during showings, the buyers will feel reluctant to look around, as if they're intruding on your space.

We know that the longer a buyer is in your home, the higher the chance is that they will purchase it. If you're in your home when the buyer comes inside, they will run in and run right back out.

My only piece of advice for you is to vacate your home during a showing. It will not help you at all to be there, so go grab a beer or a cup of coffee somewhere - just not at your house!

If you have any other questions or concerns about real estate in Jacksonville, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm always here to help!

What Is Most Important When Renovating Your Home in Jacksonville?

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 07:22:00 -0700

Plan Ahead When Renovating

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Today, I want to share a video from HGTV to discuss how you can plan ahead when it comes to home renovations. Renovating your home can be an exciting process, but it's important that you don't get ahead of yourself. You can't just go willy-nilly into a major project and expect it to go perfectly. Planning properly for these types of projects can assure a smooth project, and one that may even cost less!

HGTV’s Amy Matthews recommends making a very detailed timeline of your project, including potential things that could go awry and making backup plans in order to prevent these things from happening. Putting your plan onto paper is a good way to start this process.

Another major step is choosing a good team of contractors that you can communicate with. If they don't know what you want done, they can't do it.

Just remember, there is no such thing as too much planning! If you plan on renovating your Jacksonville home, please contact us. We know great contractors and could also give you advice on what projects will bring you the highest return on your investment.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Why Shopping for a Lender is Important

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Tue, 26 May 2015 10:08:00 -0700

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A lot of real estate agents will have a preferred lender for you to use, and they're often really great lenders that can find you a good program and get you to close on schedule. However, it's also important to know what's out there and search around for loan products that suit you and your needs.

There's nothing wrong with finding another lender that will cater to your needs. If you don’t fit in the lending box we’ll help you look outside of it.

This is why it's important to ask about your options and speak with a Realtor or a lender about what program would suit you the best.

If you need any assistance in finding a good loan program for yourself, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Pricing Attractively Is Crucial Even in a Seller's Market

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Fri, 22 May 2015 08:38:00 -0700

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Pricing your home may very well be the most important part about selling it. This is true even in a seller's market where you have the upper hand. Pricing too high from the beginning is an excellent way to drive buyers away, even in a seller's market.

Pricing correctly from the beginning will allow you draw in multiple offers and this will eventually raise your sale price. Abandon the mindset that you need to price high from the beginning because that's just how homes sell now. You want to start low and then build the price up through negotiation and multiple offers.

It's important to allow the market to price your home for you, and if buyers are willing to fight over your home then that means you have priced it very attractively. My team is very good at finding prices that are attractive to buyers, so if you need assistance with this, please don't hesitate to contact us.

It's a great time to sell a home in Jacksonville!

How to Find Your Dream Home in Jacksonville

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Fri, 22 May 2015 07:53:00 -0700

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We're seeing a strong seller's market here in Jacksonville, so buyers may be finding it tough to secure a home they like right now. If you take a few different steps and tweak your approach a bit, I think you can find the home you want without so much effort and stress. So, what can you do to secure the perfect home?

The very first thing you should do is to get to know your inventory. Typically buyers begin looking three months ahead of time and they get to know the area. Take the time to find out where you want to live and narrow down your home search.

You will also need to be very clear about what you want. Communicate with your spouse about what exactly it is you're looking for so there is no headbutting during the search process that could stall you and cause you to lose a home. Find a common middle ground and learn to compromise.

You will also need to find a good Realtor and listen to what they have to say. Realtors have the most accurate market data, and they often have access to listings that haven't even hit the market. This could be the competitive advantage that you need in a hot market like the one in Jacksonville right now. Allow your Realtor to guide you through the process.

Hopefully, this information has been helpful to you. It's not so difficult to find a good home in this market when you're armed with the right information.

3 Great Tips To Get Your Jacksonville Home To Closing

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Thu, 21 May 2015 12:31:00 -0700

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Today I have three tips to help you get your home to closing. It's that time of year and I think you'll be needing this advice. I hope you can use it to your own benefit!

Don't ruin the deal over the principal. There is a lot of money and emotion involved in a transaction, and if someone rubs you the wrong way, don't let it destroy your home sale. Stay calm and professional, and keep your eyes on the prize.
Focus on what really needs to be corrected. The home inspection is supposed to focus on the entire property, so if something is wrong or broken in any way, that is your chance to speak with your Realtor in order to correct the problems. Granted, there are things that you could fix yourself like nail holes or dirty blinds, but you should not have to fix a broken furnace or leaky plumbing by yourself.
Sellers, Inspectors, and Realtors are all people too. Remember that everyone involved is able and willing to communicate with you. Communication is key to closing the home, so don't hold back from expressing your concerns. Voicing your opinion to your agent can be extremely helpful in smoothing out problems during the closing period.

Hopefully, this advice can help to smooth out your home purchase in Jacksonville. Buying a home can be stressful, but it doesn't need to be.

As always, if you need any assistance with real estate in Jacksonville, don't hesitate to contact me.

Three Steps to Make Your Jacksonville Home Irresistible to Buyers

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 11:24:00 -0700

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We're in a very hot market right now, and competition for homes is fierce. You'll need to spruce up your home in order to attract buyers, so today I'm going to be discussing three important things you must do in order to make your Jacksonville home irresistible to buyers.

Curb appeal: In order to attract buyers to the inside of your home, you're going to need to focus on the outside. If people see a well-kept home on the outside, they're probably going to be under the impression that the inside is also in good condition. You will need to clean your windows, power wash your exterior, add in some new mulch, trim up your bushes, plant some flowers, and maybe even repaint your exterior.
Interior appearance: When trying to sell your home, there's nothing more important to a buyer than the appearance. You will want to repaint your home if it's colored differently throughout, and you should emphasize light earth tones. Lighter colors can easily be painted over, and this is good for when buyers move in. Decluttering is also important, because you don't want buyers focusing on all the things in your home, you want them to look at the space in your home.
Clean, clean, clean: It's surprising how many home sellers don't deep clean their homes before they go to sell. Remember to clean the ceiling fans and dust your blinds, and don't forget about the baseboards. If you don't have time to clean, perhaps you can hire someone. You may not notice spots in your home that you've missed, but potential buyers surely will.

Hopefully these tips will be helpful to you when you're trying to sell your home this spring. If you have any questions or need further tips, please don't hesitate to contact me!

What's In Store for Jacksonville Real Estate in 2015?

cc@sellingwithcc.com (CC Underwood) — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 09:11:00 -0800

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Today I want to provide you with a brief real estate market update for our local market. We had a very strong finish in 2014, with lots of transactions over the holiday season.

However, January has been a bit more sluggish than we've anticipated. Buyers appear to be reluctant to write offers, but they are definitely out looking in Jacksonville.

February and March are when a lot of sellers move into the market, so if you're planning on selling you need to get your home ready quickly. You'll be facing a lot of competition in the spring, but there will also be a lot of buyers motivated to purchase because of falling interest rates. There are also a lot of great new loan products from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, so be sure to ask us about them if you're thinking of buying this spring.

This looks to be a really good spring for both buyers and sellers, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you need assistance.