​Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes:

Saturday September 10th , from 9am-12pm (ish)       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

Monday night, September 12th , from 5pm-8pm (ish)
       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

If these class dates and/or times don't work for you, please let us know.  We understand that you have lives, and families, and work.  We will work something out that works better with your schedule.  Just let us know....                                                                                  
....we also have home seller classes available too...link on left on website
                  
Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner!  :-D
~~~~~~~~~
Happy late Saturday night~

   ....or early Sunday morning depending on how you look at it.  :-)  Never mind.... it's Monday.  LOL  Yesterday was my oldest daughter's birthday and so the day was all about her.  It's amazing to me when I look at my kids that they came from my body... Amazing and miraculous.  I'm a simple soul so I try to be grateful every day, and to always look on the bright side.  Yes, buying a home (or selling a home) is stressful, but for most issues that come up, there is a solution.  There are some things that we can not work around, but we certainly try everything we can.  Now, just in case you think it is easy for me to say that as I am, after all, a Realtor...  I'm in the process of building a home.  We started this process LAST OCTOBER.  It was 'supposed' to be done this month, but obviously not....we are now looking at late October/early November.  It is stressful, and there always seems to be 'something'. Real estate is pretty regulated as to timelines...almost everything we do has a deadline, but often those deadlines can't be met.  Some of those deadlines need both people to agree that it can't be met, and to agree on a different date.  Real estate has a lot of moving parts, and there are lots of people involved that, as the buyer (or seller), you never see...but they are there and we are also depending on them to do THEIR part.  There are 28 people involved in the home buying/selling process...28.  That is a lot of cooks in the kitchen.  Communication is key to understand and evaluating whether or not timelines are going to be met.  Today I am going to talk about a few of the timelines.  

  There are many choices of  Realtors , and lenders, out there.  Ultimately we all do the same basic thing, but it is the morals, ethics, service, and personality that we bring personally to the table that differentiates us from one another.  I believe in customer service, and I believe that we are all on the same team....and that the goal of our team is a smooth, easy, and fun home buying adventure....or at least as smooth and easy as possible.  Everyone needs to be on the same team to make this happen.  Remember, there are a lot of people involved in your home buying adventure...some you see, and some you never will.  Again, as I said a moment ago, in all there are about 28 different people involved...and you know the old saying...  'too many cooks in the kitchen can spoil the broth'...but as long as we all work together, it goes forward the best way possible.  :-)  Please remember...there are never problems, there are only solutions.  In every home buying adventure, there are always 'hiccups'...it happens every time.  What we try to do is to present solutions to these hiccups....instead of just saying, "we have a problem".  There is always a solution, and we try to provide you with choices to your solutions.  In the end, the final choices are always yours.  This is YOUR home buying adventure....not ours.  We act as GPS...we can provide you with the directions to your destination, but ultimately, you drive the bus to get us all there.  


   In real estate we have a phrase, "time is of the essence", and it is an important one.  Everything in the process has a time limit, and you need to know what those time limits are since they affect you directly.  These time limits start from the moment you have an accepted offer on a home, but what are they?  Let's talk a little bit about 'soft' deadlines, and 'hard' deadlines...       


Steps:  
* - Take a home buyer education class
* - Talk with a lender, and get pre-approved
* - Talk with a real estate agent
* - Start looking for a home
* - Find 'the' home
......these steps have no timelines.  Don't feel rushed.  Remember this is YOUR home buying adventure, and the only deadline here you are on is your own.  Sometimes this moves very fast, and sometimes these steps can take months.

* - Make an offer on a home - *
....typically you have an "offer expiration date" as part of your offer.  This says that your offer expires at such and such date, and time.  Now, if the sellers respond to your offer after that date/time, the ball is in your court.  You can accept, counter, or walk away.  If the sellers accept your offer prior to the expiration date then you have a signed around contract.  If the sellers accept your offer after the expiration date, you can still walk way since 'technically' the offer is already expired.  The seller doesn't have to legally respond to your offer before or after your expiration date.  The sellers agent does have a legal responsibility to present ALL offers to the sellers prior to the expiration date/time.  If the seller counters  your offer, meaning the sellers have changed something in the offer, the ball is in your court.  You have the right to accept the change, counter the counteroffer, or ignore it all together.  An offer in a counteroffer situation is not a mutually accepted agreement, and anyone else can still make an offer on the home....and the seller can still accept a different offer.  The offer is not pending sale until both parties have mutually agreed to all conditions of the offer.  

Once you have a mutually accepted offer...the 'hard' deadlines begin...

* - Earnest money becomes due within 3 business days of the mutual acceptance - *
(have a promissory note as part of your offer.  We go over the importance of this in the class, and how earnest money is delivered...what it does...how it works. I will discuss earnest money in depth during another email, or you can come to the class.)

* - Inspection - *
Most deadlines are done by 'business days', but the inspection contingency timeline is different.  You have 10 calendar days to perform a home inspection with a licensed home inspector, and to provide the seller with a list of any requested home repairs.  You can accept the home in its current condition, or request repairs, but again, that list any repairs must be provided to the sellers agent by that 10 day deadline.  This deadline starts from mutual acceptance.  The sellers have 3 days to respond from receipt of the inspection repairs request.  

These are two pretty big deadlines...  After the home inspection has been done, and mutually agreed upon, the lender begins their deadlines.  The appraisal needs ordered, and done.  I was going to go more into detail about this for this weeks email, but it got too long so next week I will be talking about appraisals.  Currently the appraisal time lines are extended and is fudging the last big hard deadline.  Underwriters need to do their job and review your file.  Then the title company needs to do their title insurance, docs, and get you in for signing.  From home inspection to signing is usually between 2-3 weeks for the average FHA, VA, or Conventional loan.  Some of the government loans like, USDA, the NHF downpayment grant, and the State Bond downpayment assistance loan can add more time to this.  

* - Closing - *
This is the last BIG hard deadline.  When your agent writes your offer, you should be discussing what day you would like to get keys.  Closing is the day that the home records at the courthouse in your name, and you become the official homeowner.  When this happens your agent can give you keys.  In Washington State, signing is not closing.  You will NOT receive keys the day you sign.  The average timeline is about 36 hours AFTER you sign for you to close and receive keys.  Closing/recording happens at the courthouse, so nothing happens on the weekend.  :-)  

The sellers are expecting you to close 'on or before' the closing date.  If you do not close on that particular date your agent, and you, need to request a closing extension from the seller.  The seller does not have to grant that extension.  If you do not close on time, you could lose your home, and the money you have already spent for earnest money, inspection fees, and appraisal fees.....or the seller could grant the extension, but with a daily fee for the time needed to close.  One thing your agent should do is make sure they give enough time for the lender to close your home loan.  It is always better to close on time, or early...rather than asking for more time.  You don't want to make your lender rush something as important as your home loan.  Lenders need time to get all their stuff done for you.  :-)

 One last thing you need to remember is that a real estate agent is not a sales person.  It is not our job to 'sell' you anything.  We are assistants,  advisers , guidance, and help.  You should not feel as if your agent is trying to sell you a home, or anything else, our job should be to help you in getting the home you want.  This being said remember that you do not get T-Bone steaks for the price of hamburger...Look ONLY at homes within your budget.  ALWAYS ask questions, and expect answers without a lot of lingo.  I was always told that if you can't explain something in a way that the other person can understand clearly, it is because you don't understand it yourself.  :-)

          Information is power, and I hope that I am able to help you.  Good luck, and as always...May the odds be ever in your favor out there....  AND If you are looking for a real estate agent, I would love to be able to help you.                                                                       
 
    As always....this is just a quick overview.... again...and I can't say this enough...please remember that your agent is NOT a salesperson, and should not be acting like one.  Real Estate is not really about houses, it is about relationships.  Your agent, and your lender work for YOU.  You drive the bus...we are merely GPS to help you get to your goals.  Like the classes, this weekly blog email is to help you with your home adventure.  The goal is to be informative and non-promotional.  :-)  We are, however, hoping you will call and want us to help with your adventure.  

If you have any questions about this, or something you have heard...or if you would like me to help you with your home adventure, please call, email,  text, or facebook me anytime.  I am, as always, happy to help!
 
Thank you again for your business and your referrals!!  ...and thank you for referring these classes to your friends, family, and co-workers. 
 
 .   ..disclaimer...if you have already purchased a home, or would no longer like to receive these emails, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from any further mailings... 
 
 
Upcoming Topics:  The current Appraisal Nightmare & how this will affect your home adventure....
or Home inspections & you...  
or....  Escrow Accounts, and what they do
Last Week:  Heating Types (but I want AC)

Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon,   
;-D   
Tracie DeMars   
Real Estate broker    
Re/Max - Van Mall   
360/ 903-3504 cell   
360/ 882-3600 fax   
www.traciedemars.com   
traciedemars@aol.com   
    
“Interested in free and non promotional home education classes?  Go to www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for local upcoming home buyer and home SELLER classes, or facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate for my home buyer education blog.”
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."    
   - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).

Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes:

Saturday August 27th, from 12pm -3pm(ish)       Vancouver YMCA
       11324 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver WA (at SR 500 & Gher Road/112th)

Saturday September 10th , from 9am-12pm (ish)
       Marshall Community Center, conference room
                                                                                    1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver, WA

Monday night, September 12th , from 5pm-8pm (ish)
       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)


If these class dates and/or times don't work for you, please let us know.  We understand that you have lives, and families, and work.  We will work something out that works better with your schedule.  Just let us know....                                                                                  
....we also have home seller classes available too...link on left on website
                  
Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner!  :-D
~~~~~~~~~
Happy Friday night~

   Yep...I am behind.  Chris Berg (Pinnacle Mortgage 503-320-0925, cberg@pcmloan.com) & I were at the Clark County Fair for the past couple of weekends and while I had good intentions of getting this email out while I was there... well, while my intentions were good, they didn't quite make it.  So, I apologize for being 'out'.  The Clark County Fair is always a fun time, but also a crazy time.  This year I am running to catch up, and if you know me...you know I am not a fan of running.  So please, feel free to email, text, call, or facebook if you need something and I haven't gotten it to you yet.  

   I had a difficult time choosing this weeks meme..  :-D  Honestly, I am not a heat fan...anything over 85 is excessive in my opinion, and I turn my AC on at 80.  Am I a 'heat wimp'?  Absolutely!!  :-D  These last couple of days are just miserable for lots of folks.  Last year, more than ever, I had clients asking for homes with AC, and I don't blame them!!  We had a very hot summer last year.  This year has been much more 'normal' temperature-wise for us.  Well, not counting those couple of days in June, and the latter part of this week.  Did you know it was 98 in ASTORIA today?!  That's nuts!!!  However, in our area, we typically don't see such warm weather so a home with AC is not the norm like in other parts of the country.  Buyers who limit their options to only homes with AC really don't have that many homes to see, and right now, those are the homes with the most multiple offers.  So, what do you do if you don't want to drown in your own sweat again during these dog days of excessive heat?   Well, there are options... typically I save this email for later in the year as the weather is colder, but I think it will be good right now (as we are currently melting with this heat advisory) since it does address AC, heat efficiency, and what YOU, the buyer/homeowner, can do to help with that in your new home.  :-D

    You know I do have to put in the disclaimer...  that while I do know something of heating/cooling because of the homes I have helped people buy & sell, and the home inspections (all of them) that I have been at, I am not a heating technician though...so always bring your big questions to a trained heating technician.  If you need some help finding one, then let me know and I will be happy to help you get those answers....it is what I do!  :-D

   So what types of heating are most commonly available?  What are you options?  What do you need to know?  Let's get started...

Forced Air...
   This is the most popular type of heat, but it does have pros/cons.  On a listing this is Forced air, and just because the home has forced air doesn't automatically mean it has air conditioning. 
PROS:  Efficient, and you can get a heat pump, or air conditioner unit  for heating and cooling.  Doesn't take up much space in the rooms (but don't cover your vents and be aware that it can dry out your christmas tree so keep that away from a vent).  
CONS:  There is only one temperature for the home, and that is the one that is set.  So if someone likes it warmer/cooler...too bad.  It is very dusty as your ducts are consistently blowing dust and dander around....and if anything gets dropped (or heaven forbid one of your animals pee) in the duct it does cause a problem.  
Maintenance:  With any heating system you must MAINTAIN IT!  One of the things you do need to maintain with a forced air heating system is the duct work.  You will want a company to company in every couple of years and clean out your ducts to help with the dust in the air.  If an animal does pee in it (don't laugh...it happened with one of my dogs) there are cures on the internet, but it takes some time and effort on your part, or you can hire out a company to help.  As a homeowner you can lift the vent cover up and vacuum it with your vacuum hose every so often to help with the dust issue.  I have two members of my family with allergies and our forced air can be an issue with that.  Also you need to have your furnace serviced every year to 2 years (at most) to keep it up.  A couple of winters ago, our furnace blew its heating coils....over New Years weekend when the weather was in the 30's.  That sucked... So, service your furnace to 1) keep it running for optimum efficiency and 2) so you aren't left freezing over a holiday weekend with 3 space heaters while you wait for people to get back to fix it.  You'll also want to keep an eye on the duct work under your home.  If an animal gets under your home they can tear one down to sleep on it, and this is not good.  Keep your duct work up and off the ground.
Types of forced air:  Gas, Electric, and Apollo.  Whether or like or hate Gas or Electric, it really doesn't make much different there.  I have an electric furnace/forced air unit because the smell of Gas ones is a migraine trigger, and yes, I know they 'don't' smell, but for some reason I can tell.  Weird....yes, I know, but I never pretended to be otherwise.  :-)  Apollo furnaces are something else though, and for a certain area of town about 80% of the homes have one.  An Apollo furnace works a lot like a radiator.  It heats (and/or cools) with water.  It is a forced air furnace that is located in the attic space, and yes that is a system in your attic space that is heating/cooling your home with water....in your attic space.  These aren't terrible systems...at all...but you need to maintain it, and if you have one make sure there is a drain pan and/or pipe that leads to the outside of your home...for obvious reasons.  Many folks who had a home with one has switched it out for an electric or gas furnace as the ductwork is all already there.  Cost of a new furnace runs about $2000 (+/- depending upon the size of the home.and when the ductwork is already there).  A lot of homes still have the Apollo forced air units in the attic space and they are fine.  Maintenance is key....
Air Conditioning:  Forced Air/furnaces are the easiest for AC.  If you have an electric furnace, for AC you would install a heat pump.  The heat pump actually acts as both heat & cooling, and is fairly efficient until the weather drops to (I think) about the low 40's.  Once the outside air gets to that 'special' temperature, the heat pump actually doesn't work at all and the homes auxiliary furnace kicks in to heat the home.  I can always tell when this happens at my home because I can smell the difference
If you have a gas furnace, then you would install a central air unit.  With gas furnaces, the furnace does all the heating, and the central air unit does all of the cooling.  


Wall heaters (aka Cadets)
  These are not bad heaters, and many people prefer them due to allergy reasons.  They are also efficient and are 2nd most popular in my experience...and it is close 2nd.  On a listing this is listed as Wall, or Zonal.  
PROS:  If you are not using a room you can shut the door, and not have to heat the room.  Each room can have different temperatures depending upon the occupants preference.  Good choice for allergies as less dust/dander is being blown around.  Inexpensive and easy to replace, and maintain. 
CONS:  Window air conditioning unit for cooling will be needed.  Most people complain about the 'smell' . when these are turned on (see Maintenance for why and how to prevent this).  Bed rep due to the recalled cadet heaters.  If you are buying a home with cadet wall heaters one of the first things your inspector will do is to look at the heaters to see if they were the recalled ones.  If they are it is a cheap fix as the Cadet Company is located in Fruit Valley area.
Maintenance:  One of the biggest complaints about these is the smell when they are turned on....that and the 'brownish' marks around the heater vents that concerns people.  What the smell is, and usually the brownish 'burnt' looking vent covers are is the dust/dander around your home that gets on the coils and is burning off.  How you prevent this is to vacuum your wall heater with the vacuum hose whenever you vacuum.  Once a year, before the cold weather hits in the Fall/Winter time, unscrew the cap/vent of the wall heater and really vacuum it out and wipe off your vent cover.  I feel the need to remind you that the heaters should be turned OFF when you do both of these items, and make sure your heater vent cover is dry when you screw it back on.  :-)  This is the best thing you can do to take care of your wall heaters.  

Ceiling Heat
  This is probably the least efficient heating system, but still in a LOT of homes...especially 70's homes.  And yes, there are quite a few people who do like them.  :-)  In a listing this is listed as Ceiling, or Radiant.  
With ceiling heat there are coils in the ceiling.  What it actually does is heat objects in the room, and not the air itself, and there is no air flow.  With ALL types of heating ceiling fans are actually good for the home as they help to move the air and the heat around.  With ceiling heat it is almost a necessity as if you put a piece of furniture up against a wall (as we all do) it can create condensation behind that object and create mold looking stains on the wall.  You need air flow....ceiling fans are your friends as they will help to push the heat down, and to keep air moving in the home that can help prevent condensation behind your furniture.  This is kind of an outmoded type of heating really. If the coils go out there is only one company who can repair them.  Sometimes with ceiling heat you will see cracks in the ceiling but that is because someone cranked up the ceiling heat and the coils heated up and expanded too fast and cracked the ceiling.  
If the home you fall in love with has ceiling heat it doesn't mean that you automatically want to discount it.  There are a couple of easy fixes.  You can easily and cheaply put in wall heaters, and cut the lines to the ceiling heat.  You can leave the lines to the ceiling heat cut or hook them up to the wall heaters.  Cost for about 5 is about $1500-$2000...with labor.  Again....inexpensive, and by putting in the wall heaters vs the ceiling heat you are actually increasing the homes value.  Crazy, huh?  

Another option is to contact the Clark County PUD for a ductless heat pump.  Yep, a ductless heat pump.  It is a white thing/machine on the wall that heats and cools the home.  They are a little unattractive, but very efficient.  The Clark PUD will put them into your home for a low interest loan....and there was a rebate....don't quote me on that as I am not sure there is still one available.  These are very efficient.  
The other option for many people is to put in an forced air furnace, but this is costly as you also need to put in the duct work.  


Other Heating...
There are a lot of different kind of heating types, but the above are the most common in our area....and some a few others are....
Fireplaces
  This is a tough one as I don't know too many people who use this as their only heating source.  However, it is a form of heating so here you are.  Fireplaces are wonderful, but honestly open fireplaces are more for ambiance than actual heating.  If you want to actually use your fireplace as a heating source your best bet is to put in a fireplace insert....or a pellet stove.  Many people burn paper in their fireplace and I have to tell you....this is BAD!!!!  DON'T burn paper in your fireplace...it is NOT an incinerator.  That is the number 1 reason for creosote in in your chimney that causes fires.  DON'T burn your bills, or your boxes, or your christmas paper....etc...NO!  
We get a lot of rain here (I know...big shocker), so make sure that your chimney has a rain cap.  A lot of chimneys in our areas, especially with older homes, need some work.  With an fireplace insert a pipe is inserted in your chimney that takes care of any issues.  The only downside to using a fireplace is that it dries out the air, so you will want to use a humidifier, or like my grandma used to do, put a kettle or something on the insert with some water and potpourri, scented oil, etc and it will keep your home smelling yummy all winter.  :-)  
Baseboard
  Ok, I admit I have a bias against this type of heating because it takes up way too much space in a room for your furniture....and when my 20 year old son was little he would stick crayons down it.  Ugh....talk about the smell!!  You can remove these baseboards and put in the cadet wall heaters, or again....call Clark PUD for the ductless heat pump and leave the baseboards in, or remove them...it is up to you.  I would love to say something good about them....but for the life of me I can't.  :-)
Older coil wall heaters.....I once lived in a rental home with old, old wall heaters that had those visible huge coils that glowed red when heated up....yuck.  It actually caught fire!  Very occasionally I will still see a couple of these in homes.  Not very often, but sometimes...  I suggest that you might want to remove these old ones for the new cadet wall heaters.  
Old Red Coil ceiling heaters look a bit like spaceships and are oftentimes seen in 60's- 70's bathrooms.  These can be switched out pretty easily by a professional....


...and last, but not least....
Ductless Heat Pump 
(aka split system heating/cooling)...  I talked a little bit about these above.  They are very efficient, and can save money in your heating/cooling bills over almost all the other heating options out there.  I recently talked to one seller who had these installed in her home and her monthly bill dropped by 40%!  These are becoming more, and more common.  I used to see them only every so often, but now I am starting to see them quite frequently...especially in older homes that had ceiling heat, and even some homes that have/had wall cadet heaters.  The biggest con, but it doesn't really bother me, is that some people don't like the way it looks on the wall.  Call the Clark PUD and ask them for some more information. The Clark PUD was also offering a low interest loan to help homeowners have these installed.  That is a great deal!   I also have some pamphlets on these if you are interested.  Just let me know...
Pros:  Very energy efficient.  Air Conditioning!  These act like a heat pump in that they both heat & cool a home.  
Cons:  as noted above, for some people, they don't like the way the look.  My opinion is that if it is over 90+ degrees outside, and you have air conditioning....I don't think you will care.  LOL  


....and there you are!  Did I miss any??? :-D

          Information is power, and I hope that I am able to help you.  Good luck, and as always...May the odds be ever in your favor out there....  AND If you are looking for a real estate agent, I would love to be able to help you.                                                                       
 
    As always....this is just a quick overview.... please remember that your agent is NOT a salesperson, and should not be acting like one.  Your agent, and your lender work for YOU.  You drive the bus...we are merely GPS to help you get to your goals.  Like the classes, this weekly blog email is to help you with your home adventure.  The goal is to be informative and non-promotional.  :-)  We are, however, hoping you will call and want us to help with your adventure.  

If you have any questions about this, or something you have heard...or if you would like me to help you with your home adventure, please call, email,  text, or facebook me anytime.  I am, as always, happy to help!
 
Thank you again for your business and your referrals!!  ...and thank you for referring these classes to your friends, family, and co-workers. 
 
 .   ..disclaimer...if you have already purchased a home, or would no longer like to receive these emails, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from any further mailings... 
 
 
Upcoming Topics:  Home inspections & you...  or....  Escrow Accounts, and what they do
Last Week:  How is buying a home like buying a car?


Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon,   
;-D   
Tracie DeMars   
Real Estate broker    
Re/Max - Van Mall   
360/ 903-3504 cell   
360/ 882-3600 fax   
www.traciedemars.com   
traciedemars@aol.com   
    
“Interested in free and non promotional home education classes?  Go to www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for local upcoming home buyer and home SELLER classes, or facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate for my home buyer education blog.”
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."    
   - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).

​Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes:

.....Because we will be at the Fair again this year, August Classes will be after the fair...And yes, we will be at the Clark County Fair from 8/5-8/14 in the main exhibition hall, directly to the right from the main doors.  Stop by and say, "hi" to me or Chris Berg with Pinnacle Mortgage at the Free Home Education Booth.  We will be there every day.  :-)

Thursday night, August 18th, from 5pm-8pm (ish)       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

Saturday August 20th, from 9am-12pm (ish)       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

If these class dates and/or times don't work for you, please let us know.  We understand that you have lives, and families, and work.  We will work something out that works better with your schedule.  Just let us know....                                                                                  
....we also have home seller classes available too...link on left on website
                  
Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner!  :-D
~~~~~~~~~
Happy Sunday (ok, Monday night now...)  

  What a beautiful day in the neighborhood!  :-)  I know you might get upset, but really, this summer has been pretty good weather-wise.  Honestly, I can do without the humidity... curly hair and humidity are not friendly!  It turns me into "fi-fi, the wonder poodle".  The other day when I left I 'thought' I was having a good hair day...and then humidity happened.  By the time I got home in the evening, and looked in the mirror, I was frankly surprised no one told me to use my wrist hairband and tame that beast!  :-D  Seriously...if my hair looks like that...it is ok to tell me to ponytail it!  I'm not a fan of the weather when it is hot,  I break out my floppy hat, and prepare to smell like sunscreen (super pasty-white proof).  

Don't forget that the Clark County Fair starts on Friday, August 5th.  Chris Berg and I will be at the Free Home Education Booth in the Big Exhibition Hall...from the main doors, we are the 2nd booth on the right.  I will be there until 4-5pm every day, and Chris Berg with Pinnacle Mortgage will be there from 4pm-5pm every day until Close.  Have questions?  Stop by and say, "hi"!  :-)

  This week we're going to talk about inspections a bit.  Why?  Because they are very important ...whether you are buying a new home, or a 'new to you' home.  When you are buying a new home you expect certain things...it's new after all.  However, you are doing the inspection NOT because of the builder, but because of the subcontractors they've hired.  I mean...it's Friday at beer-thirty, and something isn't done...but hey!  That's ok, because they'll do it Monday.  Well, over the weekend they forget, or they get in on Monday, and some person/contractor has already done their job and now that person can't get to that item.  No big deal...no one will know.  For example.  I have a client who just a couple of months ago purchased a 2 year old home.  The sellers are the first owners who did NOT have a home inspection done (because it was new ya know...and the county inspectors said it was ok).  Well, during the course of OUR inspection it was noted that the crawlspace has a sump pump.  No big deal.. this home is close to a swampy area and some of their neighbors have wet crawlspaces.  This is a good thing from the builder as they were looking ahead.  This home also had a completely dry crawlspace...but not because of the sump pump.  You see the sump pump was put into the crawlspace but never had an electrical outlet installed for it!  Somehow, that part got missed...because who needs electricity?  Long story short... that sump pump, in case it would have been needed, was pointless because well, no electricity.  The county inspectors do not inspect the home.  When you are building a home, or buying a new home (or almost new), still get an inspection.  You're inspectors job is to look for any issue with the home (without being invasive).  You, and your agent need to be at the inspection.  You need to follow the inspector around, and ask questions.  With a new home, you should expect a certain level of 'completeness' and lower upfront maintenance costs because it is new(er).  It's like a new car.  You're buying new so less upfront costs for maintenance...however, just like a car, your home will still need YOU to take care of it as it ages.  Just like a car, the worst thing you can do to a home is to ignore it.  Deferred maintenance is the killer of home values and cars.  In our current market, it is more expensive to buy new than it is to purchase already built...wait, that is just like a car too, isn't it?  

If the home is an older home... don't be afraid of it.  You're going to get a home inspection.  The inspector is going to let you know everything (that they can see) that is going to need to be done.  This is like buying an older vehicle and taking it to a automotive technician to check it out first.  When buying an older car you know that there are some great cars that have been driven by little old ladies who only took it out for a sunday drive for groceries once a month and religiously maintained it....and that there are those cars that were driven hard...every week 400-600 miles with lots of stop & go traffic, left in parking lots, full of kids & people, and really ran through their paces....  oh...wait..that's my car.. sorry!
Anyhow, some of these cars have been taken care of (I do take care of mine), and some of them haven't.  Sometimes you get a car that 'looks' like it has been taken care of, only to find out ...later... that someone put lipstick on a pig.  This is a lot like homes..  Some homes aren't pretty to see, but so well maintained that the only costs you, as a buyer, will have to is to do some updating.  Pretty flash is not as important as good bones....  Some homes look pretty as they have updating, but as the inspector goes through them...well, the lipstick starts getting rubbed off.  Don't be taken in by a pretty face!  Look for a good soul & personality!  Sorry...guess I'm giving dating advice now too!  LOL  :-D  

With all homes (new or older) there are going to be items & things that need to be done.  As a homeowner, yes, you have to consider the costs of maintaining your home...just like your car.  A well maintained home is always going to take care of you...just like a well maintained car is always going to get you to where you need to be.  When doing a home inspection we will be looking for things that could affect the health or safety of the home or occupants...anything that might require a licensed contractor to fix.  Those are the items that we will be requesting repairs on.  Remember to always ask questions of the inspector, and that your agent is also there to help answer questions.  We have the right to request repairs, and the sellers have the right to negotiate those repairs.  As a Realtor, I always am certain to write in the inspection response that "all repairs are subject to re-inspection".  Also, be sure to request that all agreed upon repairs are performed by licensed contractors, and that receipts are provided.  

  Just like with a car, whether new, or new-to-you...you never really know about a home (or car) until you are in it every day and living in it.  Just like a mechanic can't find everything wrong with a car, an inspector can't find everything that could potentially be wrong with a home.  Inspections are non-invasive, but I can tell you after attending hundreds of inspections....not all inspectors are the same.  Some are definitely better than others.  Just like your Realtor, even after living in your home, you should be able to contact your inspector with questions.  Remember that our jobs are about relationships, and we should always be available to help you...now, and after you buy (or sell) your home.  

Next week I will go into detail on what you can expect from a home inspector, and during an inspection.  

          Information is power, and I hope that I am able to help you.  Good luck, and as always...May the odds be ever in your favor out there....  AND If you are looking for a real estate agent, I would love to be able to help you.                                                                       
 
    As always....this is just a quick overview.... please remember that your agent is NOT a salesperson, and should not be acting like one.  Your agent, and your lender work for YOU.  You drive the bus...we are merely GPS to help you get to your goals.  Like the classes, this weekly blog email is to help you with your home adventure.  The goal is to be informative and non-promotional.  :-)  We are, however, hoping you will call and want us to help with your adventure.  

If you have any questions about this, or something you have heard...or if you would like me to help you with your home adventure, please call, email,  text, or facebook me anytime.  I am, as always, happy to help!
 
Thank you again for your business and your referrals!!  ...and thank you for referring these classes to your friends, family, and co-workers. 
 
 .   ..disclaimer...if you have already purchased a home, or would no longer like to receive these emails, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from any further mailings... 
 
 
Upcoming Topics:  Home inspections & you...  or....  Escrow Accounts, and what they do
Last Week:  50 (ok, 5) shades of insurance.


Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon,   
;-D   
Tracie DeMars   
Real Estate broker    
Re/Max - Van Mall   
360/ 903-3504 cell   
360/ 882-3600 fax   
www.traciedemars.com   
traciedemars@aol.com   
    
“Interested in free and non promotional home education classes?  Go to www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for local upcoming home buyer and home SELLER classes, or facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate for my home buyer education blog.”
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."    
   - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).