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


Saturday, December 2, from 9am-12 (ish)
       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

Saturday December 9, from 11am-2pm (ish)
       Vancouver YMCA
       11324 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver WA (SR 500 & 112th/Gher Road)

**please remember that in November & December we do limited classes because of the holidays.  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
~~~~~~~~~
                                                                    

   I know...I have to keep reminding you about our WINTER CLIENT APPRECIATION event will be held on Saturday, December 16, for the Opening Weekend of STAR WARS: The Last Jedi.  The event will be held from 3:30pm-6:30pm, with seating to start at 2:45pm.  
Because this is expected to be a pretty big event, Chris Berg (Pinnacle Mortgage 503-320-0295, cberg@pcmloan.com), & I are also renting out the top living room portion for 21+.....  We are taking reservations now, so please...if you plan on attending let us know how many tickets you need.  The 21+ area is now full, but we currently have plenty (so far) for the general seating area.  We look forward to seeing you there!!  :-D

...as always... THANK YOU!  


Happy Thanksgiving!

  I love the holidays so much...  my house smells amazeballs right now, and I have my yoga pants on.  Not because I am actually going to do yoga right now, but because their comfy for the marathon of deliciousness that is forthcoming.  Yummmmm....  
From my home to yours....Happy Thanksgiving.  I am so very grateful and thankful for your referrals, and your business.  Your home adventure is one of the largest decisions you ever make, and so I'm thankful that you trust me to be part of it with you.  

 With the home buyer classes, I am almost always asked if people have to rsvp, and while that is nice so we know how many packets to bring, and how many sandwiches, etc, we should have, we always welcome walk ins too.  So, so why don't we enforce the class rsvp? Because, for one thing they're free, and we teach them a couple of time a month, but also because we know that many folks who rsvp won't make it to the class because other things come up.  Now...don't feel bad....life happens to all of us!  It just does, and the surest way to make fate laugh is to say that you have 'a plan'....or to says that things are going great.  :-D  Our lives are very hectic with family, work, health, traffic,etc. Life happens to the best of us...and life doesn't stop because you are buying a home, or wanting to buy a home either.  We know that life happens, and that things come up....they KEY to this is to talk with your agent and your lender.  Some times, when you're buying a home and life happens, we can make sure it doesn't affect your homebuying adventure.  However....sometimes people do things that does affect their home buying adventure so this week we are going to go over the things you should NOT do while in the process of buying a home...
 
 So, the last couple of weeks I have had some serious topics, so I would like to lighten the mood some, and still impart some knowledge as well.  Chris Berg with Pinnacle Mortgage (503-320-0925 or cberg@pcmloan.com) has come up with a fabulous list of things NOT to do while buying a home....and yes, we have had clients do all of these in the past!  :-) 
 
55 Things NOT to do while buying a home, or when in underwriting....

1. DON'T buy a car (or co-sign for one)
2. DON'T apply for credit (no new credit cards, or loans)
3. DON'T close your credit account(s)
4. DON'T transfer money into, or between accounts
5. DON'T deposit cash (we will need receipts for where it has come)
6. DON'T quit your job or turn in your notice to quit your job
7. DON'T stop paying your bills
8. DON'T be late paying your bills
9. DON'T put items on layaway
10. DON'T do 'same as cash financing'
11. DON'T buy a fridge (or washer/dryer)
12. DON'T remover or add a person to your accounts
13. DON'T decrease your work hours
14. DON'T LIE TO YOUR LENDER (or lie by omission)
15. DON'T assume you can get away with something (we will find out...it's our job)
16. DON'T try to go around your agent by talking with the seller directly.
17. DON'T threaten your future neighbors
18. DON'T start moving in before closing
19. DON'T neglect of file your taxes
20. DON'T buy a boat
21. DON'T file for divorce
22. DON'T file for legal separation
23. DON'T change your name
24. DON'T have a garage sale, and deposit the cash from it (see #5)
25. DON'T sell a vehicle you don't own, and deposit the cash (see #5)
26. DON'T patrol the property you have made an offer on and threaten/harass other buyers
27. DON'T switch jobs
28. DON'T switch Banks, or open new bank accounts
29. DON'T buy an airplane
30. DON'T schedule an elective surgery
31. DON'T allow anyone to pull your credit
32. DON'T LIE TO YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT (or lie by omission)
33. DON'T assume you will understand closing paperwork...ask questions!
34. DON'T assume the figures at approval will be the same ones at closing.  Approval is mostly guesstimates until you have an accepted offer...again, ask questions
35. DON'T pay your earnest money with CASH!
36. DON'T spend your down payment on furniture, or to go hunting
37. DON'T lose your earnest money on a bet...even if seems like a 'sure thing'
38. DON'T open a business
39. DON'T file Bankruptcy
40. DON'T get arrested
41. DON'T try to re-negotiate terms at closing.  Know your interest rate (and APR) before closing
42. DON'T try to make repairs (or decorate/paint) before closing
43. DON'T try to bribe the appraiser (please don't!)
44. DON'T burn, remove, or cut down trees/brush at home you are in process of buying
45. DON'T write bad checks
46. DON'T charge up your credit cards
47. DON'T accept a new job out of state
48. DON'T break into the home you are buying
49. DON'T do the "would you like to apply for our card to save 15%-25% off your purchase"?  See #2 & #31
50. DON'T get married
51. DON'T allow renters to move into the home you are selling, or buying
52. DON'T let your ID expire
53. DON'T cash out your retirement
54. DON'T decide not to move to Oregon/Washington due to Mt St Helens
55. DON'T hide important financial information like hidden accounts, liens, etc. (we will find out)

 
whew!  We could probably come up with some more, but that works for now.  :-)  Please remember that a pre-approval is a snapshot of your current financial situation....if you change your financial situation you could lose your pre-approval...and your home.  When in doubt...DON'T!  
 
Questions?  Ask your agent, ask your lender....please remember that we work FOR you.  Not sure about something?  Ask.  It is always better to be up front about any concerns, or issues you might have so that we can deal with them now...rather than try to play catch up later.  
            
      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....  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, 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 WINTER Market, and how this helps YOU

Last Week:   Finding the "Right"  Home                             
 



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 class dates are:


Saturday, November 18th, from 12pm-3pm (ish)
    Vancouver YMCA, conference room
   11324 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver WA 
 
Monday, November 20th, from 5pm-8pm (ish)
   Marshall Community Center, Conference Room
   1009 E McLoughlin Blvd Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)
Saturday, December 2nd, from 9am-12pm (ish)
   Marshall Community Center, conference room
   1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)


Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner! :-) ...if these dates/times don't work for you, we have others. Check out the website for more class dates, times, and locations.
 
 
                                                                        ~~~~~~~
 
 
Happy November!
 
   Client Appreciation!!  It's coming up soon.... have you RSVP'd?  We are full in the 21+ area, but have plenty of general seating tickets still available.  :-)  What are we watching?  uh... STAR WARS:  The Last Jedi!!   Ok...  I am really excited for it!  Are you?  Saturday, 12/16, from 3:30pm-6:30pm.  Let either Chris Berg (503-320-0925 or cberg@pcmloan.com) or me know how many tickets you need and we will get you on the VIP list. 
Thank you again....  thank you for letting us be a part of your home adventure... whether you are buying, selling, or refinancing... Chris & I are always here to help.  It's what we do.... :-)  Thank you for your continued support, and your referrals... YOU ROCK!

So this week we are going to talk about the 'right' home, and how sometimes the 'right' home changes over time....sigh...  I don't think there is such a thing as a 'forever' home.  We all have homes for different stages of our lives.  The average person has 3 homes over their life...  the starter home, the 'family' home, and the downsize home.  When my husband and I purchased our first home back in 2001, I thought it could be our 'forever' home, but alas... it was a great home for the almost 16 years we owned it, but we out grew it....and then outgrew the area.  Our current home (which my husband says is our 'forever' home) is our 'right home'...for now.  I know that in about 15-20 years we will most likely be selling it for our next 'right home'.  It's amazing how fast those years fly by....just saying.  

So, what is the 'right' home?  The right home is the one that fits your needs....for now.  The average person/couple only owns their home for 5-7 years.  I think that depends on the market though.  Anyone who purchased a home between 2005-2015, most likely has enough equity to sell and step into their next 'right home' because the market shifted back.  The market is, thankfully, leveling off though.  Of course...that could just be the winter market.  Remember that the best time of year to buy a home is always the winter months.  
 
   Question?  How many of you have seen that commercial not to trust anything you read on the internet?  You know...'they can't print anything that isn't true?'  Who told you that?  The guy says.  "The internet"  says the woman.  "Did you meet my boyfriend?  He's a French model."  This other, obviously not French guy shows up, and says, "Uh...Bonjour".  Well, that applies for real estate as well. 
 
   You can not trust real estate photos you see online!  It is a lot like internet dating....what you see is not always what you get!  The photos may be 2-3 years old, and not reflective of the home at all.  Sometimes the photos are taken in such a way to make a room and/or yard appear larger, or smaller.  Sometimes the photos are taken to avoid something that isn't very attractive, or that is damaged.  Long story short....don't judge a home by the pictures, or by what you read on the internet! 
 
 
So what do you look for when looking for a home???
 
   When you are looking at homes with your agent, remember to look at a variety of things concerning the home.  What is the neighborhood like?  the school district?  the neighbors?  It's not being 'snobby' at all to evaluate the people who will be living among.....it's called 'being safe and smart'!  Remember that these are the children that your children will be playing with, and how the neighborhood is maintained and taken care of is going to reflect upon your home as well.   You're not just purchasing the home, you are purchasing the neighborhood as well, and if/when you ever want to sell that home, your potential buyers will be doing the same. Does that home meet your top 3 needs? 

Items to consider....are the yards kept up?  Does it appear that the people in that neighborhood take care of their homes?  Are the cars in the driveway, and on the street, clean and in good condition?  Do you see children playing in the street?  This is always a key point to me as I have children myself.  If you don't see many children playing outside, that isn't a good sign.  Of course, some neighborhoods consist of mainly older families, or families with no children, but you should always see signs of play....bikes in yards, chalk on a sidewalk on a nice day, basketball hoops, etc.  When the weather is nice like this children should be outside playing....if it is a 'safe' neighborhood.  Remember that it can be the nicest home in the neighborhood, but if the neighborhood isn't a 'safe' one, it is probably better to keep looking. 
Really, the number one question you need to ask yourself is if this is a neighborhood that YOU would want to live in with your family?  A good buyers agent wants to find you a home that you can love, and not try to push you into a home that might not be 'right' for you.
 
   When looking at homes, remember to look for 'good bones' and items that, if they need repair, won't take a lot of money to do so.  Often lately I have been seeing homes with a lot of 'flash', but very little substance.  What I mean by this is that the sellers did the fancy work....nice counters, paint, carpet, etc....but the expensive items like the windows, roof, heating, etc appear to be in need of repair or replacement.  The home appears wonderful upon first glance, but the more you look....the worse it gets.  Lipstick on a pig...so to speak.  It's easy to get caught up on the 'pretty things', but frankly, those items are pretty easy to do yourself, and a great way to build equity.  Don't look at the makeup on the home, look for the homes personality as anything looks pretty with make up.  :-)  Look at the siding, roof, heating, windows, general maintenance and care of the home.  Now, I am not saying that everything should be brand new or anything...., but it should all appear to be in good, and working condition.  There shouldn't be broken windows, the heating should work, the roof should have at least 2-3 years left on it, etcetera.  Of course, neither you nor your agent are inspectors.  Remember that what we see is visual, and the inspector will be doing to inspection to look for anything that could be a major drain on your finances, or anything that would prevent financing.  With many homes you will receive a 5-6 page sellers disclosure where the sellers are disclosing what they know about the home.  Most sellers don't check under the home, or walk the roof, or look in the attic space, or simply forget about things, and it is because of this that I always advise to my clients to read the sellers disclosures with a grain of salt.  You definitely still want to hire a home inspector....as it is always what we can't see that causes the most problems.  Quick note....with bank owned homes, estates, and with most investor properties you will not receive a sellers disclosure, or will have to waive the right to one as the seller has never lived in the home. 

   So, I guess the 'short' of my message this week, is to take a look at the neighborhood as closely as you should take a look at the home.  New doesn't always mean best...no matter if we are talking about homes, appliances, counters, neighborhoods, etc....look for areas, homes, etc that have been well maintained as these are the best purchases for the long run.  Just like square footage doesn't mean anything (the floorplan does), the age of the home really doesn't mean anything either....it is all about how well the home has been maintained, or taken care of.  Every home needs some repairs, just be sure you know what you are getting into.  As a homeowner, it is all on YOU to maintain the home so that it will take care of you when it is time to move on to your next 'right' home.  Deferred maintenance just means it's going to cost more later....just like owning a vehicle.  
  
   Talk to the neighbors when you are driving around, look at the yards, pay attention to the children, what about the vehicles, the homes themselves?  All of this is important....and don't be afraid to drive around neighborhoods on a Friday or Saturday night!  ;-D  If there is an HOA, make sure that you get a copy of the HOA rules and regs as sometimes there is a rule that would prohibit you from wanting to purchase the home.  Not all HOA's are bad, and some are more lenient than others.  Most new(er) neighborhoods are going to have HOA's, and if you don't want to live in one, you may have to keep that in mind when looking at homes.
 

   Another thing to remember about Vancouver, and in our surrounding areas, is that we don't have a 'good' side of town, or a 'bad' side of town....Clark County is famous for their 'pocket' neighborhoods.  You can drive two blocks and be in an area of $500,000 homes, go another two blocks and be in an established middle income neighborhood, go another two blocks and be in a ghetto, and then find yourself in a brand new neighborhood!  It's all about the 'pocket' neighborhoods here.  ;-D
 
    I hope that explains this a bit, but if you have any questions, or comments please call or email me anytime!  I am here to help...

....and as always....may the odds ever be in your favor out there! 
 
   Please call, email, text, or even facebook me anytime with any questions, or if there is anything I can do to assist you with your home adventure!  As an agent, I am, as always, here to help.  If there is anything you would like to see on here that you would like more information on, please let me know and I will make it a weekly note. 
 
Thank you again for your business and for your referrals! 
 
...as always...if you have already purchased a home, or no longer would like to receive these emails from me, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from receiving any more. 


Thank you again for attending the home buyer education classes, and I hope that you will continue to refer the classes out to your friends, family, and co-workers.  We appreciate your referrals and word of mouth! 
:-D 
 
 
Next Week: What happens AFTER signing?  Keys? ....or...  Why do deals fall through?   
 
Last Week:  Water & your home

Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon, 
;-D 
Tracie DeMars
Realtor
Re/Max - Van Mall 
360/ 903-3504 cell 
www.traciedemars.com 
traciedemars@aol.com
Facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate
 
“Interested in free and non promotional home education classes?  Go to www.traciedemars.com for local upcoming home BUYER & home SELLER classes”
 
...missed a weekly blog?  Want to send to someone?  All weekly blogs are on my facebook page at:  Tracie DeMars Real Estate
 
 
"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).