A 6 Day Closing!

Whew! What a week! I have meant to post so many times lately about just how difficult the loan process is becoming, and I still will... but this picture speaks a thousand words! A local lender with a good reputation really put the buyer in this home through the ringer, and then there were so many "clerical" issues at closing that it literally took 6 days from start to finish to get all the "i"s dotted and "t"s crossed. In my 10 years in the business, I had never seen some of the obstacles thrown our way... and I had also never had a Doritos picnic outside the attorney's office! My seller was a jewel, as was the buyer, but honestly, it is getting harder and harder for us to do our jobs. This is on day 6, when we know all will be ok... only then could you snap a picture and see such contentment! The moral of the story? No matter how good your credit, no matter how cooperative you are with the lender, no matter how much you have to put down, the loan process now WILL be different from anything you have ever experienced! All the more reason to have a seasoned, experienced Realtor at your side...

3 Questions You Must Ask...

The KCMBlog had a great post for anyone considering purchasing a home. Click here for the full article, but the 3 questions are: 1 -- What are the experts recommending? 2 -- When will I begin to see an appreciation if I buy now? 3 -- Why am I buying a home in the first place? Number 3 is particularly important. Forget the financial aspect and think about what your "picture" of homeownership includes -- a fenced backyard where your kids can play? somewhere you can paint a different color every week? Regardless, Lisa and I have extensive experience in working with both empty nester buyers, first time buyers, and all types in between. Contact us today!

Adventures in HomeBuying -- THE END!

Genevieve and Amy wrap it up with the final installment of the Allen Tate Company's "Adventures in Home Buying" series on YouTube. If you don't have time to watch the video, here are some pointers to remember:

 Talk with a Realtor®.
 Keep an open mind.
 Check your credit score.
 Do the white glove test.
 Location affects price.
 Check out the area.
 Get pre-qualified.
 Better safe than sorry.
 Insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all.
 Offer is more than price.
More information can be found on these on the Allen Tate blog athome.allentate.com.

I'd definitely encourage you to view the videos... viewing something makes me much more likely to remember it, and I fgure many of you are the same. Just go here to see them, and if you decide to embark on step #1, call us today!

They Feel Your Pain!

I know from experience that real estate transactions are stressful -- I often tell people "you aren't buying a sweater... you can't take it back." BUT, believe it or not, kinks in your plans will often remedy themselves if you just take a step back, sleep on it (or toss and turn relentlessly on it), and look at the big picture. Still, it's nice to know others may have experienced or are currently experiencing the same trials as you, right?

Well guess what? Allen Tate has a wonderful new video series about buying a home. It follows the journey of 2 first time homebuyers and shows the good, the bad, and the ugly as they look, investigate, and learn. I must confess that I just recently took the time to watch the videos, but I would absolutely recommend you do it now. I can't wait to see what the final decision will be! Click here to watch "Adventures in HomeBuying."