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The costs of buying a home...  home adventure educations

4/26/2017

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Picture
​Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes:
​
Monday,May 8th, from 5pm-8pm (ish)
       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

Saturday, May 13th , from 9am-12pm (ish)
       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

Saturday, May 20th, from 12pm-3pm (ish)
        Vancouver YMCA, conference room
        11324 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver WA (corner of SR500 & Gher Road/112th Ave)

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 Wednesday!

  It's that time again...  CLIENT APPRECIATION EVENT time... Yay!!  :-D
Saturday, May 6 from 3pm-6pm.
Chris Berg & I would like to invite our clients to come watch a movie with us?
Which one? Well, it involves an adorable stick creature, a genetic mutation raccoon, and some really good music.

This is just our small way of saying, "THANK YOU" for your continued support, friendship, and oh yes, referrals. We appreciate YOU so much. Come watch a movie with us! 
We do need rsvp's, and those can be made via our lovely Jennifer Ehasz Cobb by email to jkcobbllc@yahoo.com for right now. She will be sending out the links for the rsvp's to those who contact her, or us.

....and...  free coffee card to the first 15 people who can tell me what movie this picture is from, and your favorite part in it! .....  :-D


 Well, the best laid plans of mice and men are always waylaid...right?   I seem to be running behind but I am determined to get this out to you!  As I'm sure you have read....the real estate market is a bit crazy right now, and most of that is because of rising interest rates, and the low inventory of homes.  I, as well as other agents, do see some change coming...  many agents I talk to have homes that will be coming on the market soon, as do I.  With homes selling so quickly, many people wanted to wait until closer to the end of the school year to put their homes on the market. So, hang in there! 

  While showing homes, we go over lots of 'little' things that otherwise people don't think about.  Some of these items are the 'hidden' costs of buying a home....those things that you weren't planning on, but probably should be.    Not too long ago, I was on one of the facebook swap/free/sale sites, and I was reading how some people were upset with the home buying process and the 'hidden' fees they weren't told about.  It is true that there are a LOT of fees and other expenses involved with buying a home.  The point of these blogs, and of course, the home buyer classes is to give folks this information.  There shouldn't be anything 'hidden' about the home buying process.  As you know, I am a big fan of not sugarcoating anything....I believe that an ugly truth is better than a pretty lie every day of the week.  You might not always like what I have to say (and that is ok), but I am not going to hold anything back from you on the off chance you might not ask me to help you buy, or sell, your home.  Personally I don't just want to hear about the 'good' things about a loan, or process....I want to hear it all...the good, the bad, and the ugly, so that I can make the best decision for me and my family based on the pros and the cons....not just the good.  So....yes, I am not going to just agree with what you read on the internet, saw on HGTV, or heard from your direct and personal circle....I am going to give you the pros and cons because this is YOUR home buying (or selling) adventure, and YOU need to make the decisions.  My job is to help you find, and have, all the information I can get you so that you can make those choices based on a full picture....not just half of one.  


   That all being said, let's talk about the fees you can expect and some ones you might not.  I am not including down payment, or closing costs as part of this.  That will be an email in the upcoming week(s).  These are mainly fees associated with buying a home.  If you are thinking about selling a home, or know someone who is, there are some fees you need to be aware of as well.  I will post that on my facebook page at:  Tracie DeMars Real Estate, or you can contact me.  I am, as always, happy to help!

So what fees can you  expect?  There are three fees that will be needed upfront.  

Earnest Money
....earnest money is typically about $1000- $2000, but the more expensive the home means the more earnest money you will need.   Some banks (& builders) can request 1%-3% of the purchase price for earnest money.  With a bank owned property the bank will want a cashiers check.  With a regular sale, a personal check is fine.  The earnest money is deliverable upon acceptance of the offer, and not when the offer is written.  The earnest money is always made out to the title company and is refundable based upon the 4 legal reasons to back out.
 
Inspection
...the inspection is ordered after the offer is accepted.  Remember that the inspection cost is approximately $350, and is non-refundable. You, as the buyer, will hire the inspector and they work for you.  You have 10 calendar days to have the inspection done, and respond to the seller.  Don't wait until the last minute!  Both you, as the buyer, and your buyers agent should be at the home inspection.  A typical appraisal is about 2-3 hours long.  Make sure the fee includes the dry rot and pest report....
 
 Appraisal
...the appraisal is ordered by the lender, and the lender will put in the order for the appraisal.  An appraiser comes out to the home to verify the homes value for the bank.  The bank will only lend the dollar amount that the appraiser says the home is worth.  An average appraisal costs about $600 -/+ dollars, and is paid for by the buyer.  This is another non-refundable fee.  Neither you, nor your agent, will be present at the appraisal.  With the new laws that took effect a couple years ago, neither agent, nor anyone involved in the sale are supposed to have contact with the appraiser for fear we might 'taint' the appraisal, or affect the numbers. 
 

If you are buying a home with a well then there may an additional fee for the well testing.  You don't have to do that, but as a real estate agent, I would definitely advise you to do it.  Some other inspections that a buyer can have done (at their cost) are a sewer scope & a radon test.  A sewer scope is where they send a camera down the toilet to make sure the sewer lines are open, and a radon test is a company checks for radon levels in the home.  This is always a good idea if you are considering a home with a basement.  The radon test can take 3-5 days.  Again, these inspections are at a buyers expense.

These are the only fees a buyer should see before closing.  Being told another fee?  Call, text, or email me... 

Other fees?

Changing out locks
...I always advise my clients to change out the locks of their new homes.  Why?  Well, even if the sellers give you all the keys they have...there is not guarantee that there isn't more keys running around somewhere.  I used to change out my house locks every couple of years because my kids were always losing keys.  Finally....last year... I went and purchased the the house locks that have the key pad.  It is awesome!!  I don't worry about lost keys anymore.  Every family member has a code, and what is the best is that I can add and delete codes as needed.  So...go away for a couple of days, and have a house sitter?  Give them a code,and when you get back you simply delete the code. I tell you....worth it!  

Mailbox key
...yes, legally you are not supposed to copy the mailbox key, but a lot of people do.  Mail is not something you want to mess with.  Take your HUD form down to the post office, and have them re-key the box, and get a new key.  Cost is about $75, but for peace of mind...that isn't much.  

Paint
...you will probably want to paint some, or all, the rooms of your new home.  Each gallon of paint runs about $25.

Minor repairs
...during the home inspection the inspector will probably point out some minor cosmetic repairs that will need to be done with your new home.  Remember that, at the home inspection, we are looking for any repairs that will affect the safety of the home, or occupants...or anything that may need a contractor to repair.  All homes have some repairs that will need to be done by the (new) homeowner....it is part of being a homeowner.  Don't forget that the worst thing a homeowner can do is to defer maintenance.

Lawn supplies
...did you come from an apartment?  Well, most likely now you have a yard.  You will need a lawnmower to start with.  There will be other lawn equipment that will follow...weed eaters, trimmers, wheel barrels, shovels, and a myriad other things that come with having a yard.  

Appliances
...don't forget that washer, dryer, and fridges don't come with the home.  If you don't already have these appliances then you may also be purchasing a washer, dryer, and/or a fridge.

Curtains/Blinds
...if your new home doesn't already have some then this may be on your 'to buy' list.  Sometimes even if your home does have some, you may want new ones.  

House Cleaner/Carpet Cleaner
...when a home is vacant you know exactly what you're going to be walking into when your buyers agent (hopefully me LOL) gives you keys, but... when the home is owner occupied, you don't.  Yes, you can and will do a walk thru of the home before closing, but it will still be occupied.  In many cases, when the home is owner occupied the (soon to be) previous owner doesn't vacate the property until day of closing, or sometimes even a couple of days after closing.  With cases like this, you really don't know what condition the home will be upon closing.  We have to have faith that the (soon to be) previous owner will leave the home in a clean condition, but sometimes...well, sometimes, they don't.  Also, one persons idea of clean is not another persons idea of 'clean'.  :-)  Many times, whether the home is vacant or owner occupied, a buyer will book a professional carpet cleaning, or house cleaning after closing....simply for peace of mind.  

Insurance
...wait..you already have insurance, don't you?  Well...yes, you have mortgage insurance, title insurance, and homeowners insurance, but what about earthquake insurance?  You don't...  
When I purchased my home my homeowners insurance included earthquake insurance.  About 10 years ago though we received a letter that no longer would homeowners insurance include earthquake insurance....why?  Because we live in the #1 high danger area for earthquakes.  Because of that earthquake insurance must now be purchased separately.  So, AFTER you buy your home, call your insurance company and add on earthquake insurance.  Cost isn't too much, but it is important....just in case.  

Toilet Seats
  Yeah, I know you probably didn't think of that, but really....if it were me, I would change out the toilet seats when you buy your new home.  Why? Well, since now you are thinking about it....I'm sure you can see why.  LOL  Toilet seats are not expensive, and really...having new seats just makes you feel better!  :-D

 
    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: Buyers Due Diligence,

What if I don't have a Down Payment? .....  &....
What happens after an offer is made?

Last Week:  Septic vs Sewer... explained

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).



show image slideshow

0 Comments

Septic vs Sewer

4/10/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes:
Tuesday, April 11th , from 5pm-8pm (ish)
       Marshall Community Center, conference room
       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

Saturday, April 22nd, from 11am-2pm (ish)
        Vancouver YMCA, conference room
        11324 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver WA (corner of SR500 & Gher Road/112th Ave)

Monday, May 8th, 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 Monday!

  It's that time again...  CLIENT APPRECIATION EVENT time... Yay!!  :-D
Saturday, May 6 from 3pm-6pm.
Chris Berg & I would like to invite our clients to come watch a movie with us?
Which one? Well, it involves an adorable stick creature, a genetic mutation raccoon, and some really good music.

This is just our small way of saying, "THANK YOU" for your continued support, friendship, and oh yes, referrals. We appreciate YOU so much. Come watch a movie with us! 
We do need rsvp's, and those can be made via our lovely Jennifer Ehasz Cobb by email to jkcobbllc@yahoo.com for right now. She will be sending out the links for the rsvp's to those who contact her, or us.

So, this week let's talk about septic and sewer... yep, the weather is volatile and crappy, so let's take that one step further and talk about what people don't like to think about in your home.   Many areas in Clark County are still on Septic systems, and not hooked up to the Sewer.  This, of course, makes sense in rural areas where you don't expect sewer hook-up, but many places in Vancouver are still on septic as well as the sewer lines are not available there.  However, sometimes the sewer line is there, but the home is still on a private septic system.  I grew up on a septic system... both at my grandparents home that was on acreage & at my mothers home that was on a septic...in Vancouver, and by a hospital.  It is surprising to some people just how many homes in Vancouver are still on a septic.  For me, septic isn't a big deal.  It just has to be maintained, and as a homeowner, you have to be careful what you *ahem* flush.  Homes with a septic shouldn't have a garbage disposal as they aren't equipped to handle that.  


What is a septic system?  How Septic Systems Work A typical septic system contains two major components: a septic tank and a soil drainfield. The septic tank: ♦ Removes solids, which helps protect the soil drainfield from clogging that can result in premature failure of the onsite system. ♦ Digests a portion of the solids and stores the remaining portion. Up to 50% of the solids that remain in the tank decompose. The remaining 50% accumulates in the bottom of the tank as sludge. When the level of sludge exceeds the tank’s holding capacity, the sewage has less time to settle before leaving the tank. Eventually, the sludge level increases enough to allow solids to enter into the drainfield, resulting in damage to the field and the need for extensive repairs. The soil drainfield: ♦ Is located underground in an unsaturated soil area on your property. ♦ Further treats the effluent through physical, chemical, and biological processes. The field consists of a series of underground perforated pipes installed in a one-foot deep layer of washed gravel, or a series of plastic chamber units. Here, the effluent is distributed, stored, and ultimately applied to the soil for treatment. After filtering through the soil, the treated effluent enters the groundwater level for final disposal.

A sewer system is, of course, is a city/county maintained sewage disposal system.  The city/county is responsible for the care and maintenance of the sewage lines UNTIL it hits your property lines.  Once all pipes hit your property line, the maintenance & repair responsibility is the homeowners.  

Maintenance of your septic system?The lack of septic tank maintenance can cause sewage to back up into your house or solids to overflow to the drainfield. Once solids overflow and leave through the tank outlet, they can quickly clog a drain field to the point that a new one is required. Most septic tanks need to be pumped every three to five years, depending on the tank size and the amount and type of solids entering the tank. The inspection of the sludge and scum levels is the only way to determine when a tank needs to be pumped. This is not necessarily a pleasant task, but can be done relatively easily. Septic tank pumping firms are available to perform the inspection.  Your septic needs inspected every 2 years and that inspection on file with the Clark County Health Department.  An average septic system needs pumped every 3-5 years.

So what if you have, or buy a home that is on septic and the sewer comes in your area/street?  Do you have to hook up to it?  Actually you don't.  If your septic system is in good working order you can decline to hook up to the sewer.  If your septic system fails though...then yes, you will need to hook up to the sewer.  So what is the cost to hook up to the sewer?  Roughly about $7,000-$15,000.  What is the cost of a new septic system?  Roughly about $7,000-$15,000.  Yes, that
 is a lot of money, but there is help for it....Vancouver’s Sewer Connection Incentive Program (SCIP) extends public wastewater main lines to areas where septic systems were initially installed because sewer wasn't available then, typically areas that were later annexed into the city. Through SCIP, we are working with homeowners to provide an easy and affordable solution to change from septic systems to safe, reliable public sewer.   

Now...just in case you haven't noticed, I have shamelessly plagiarized parts of this email from the Clark County & City of Vancouver websites  For more information you can go to the following websites:  www.clark.wa.gov/public-health/propertyowners & www.cityofvancouver.us/publicworks/page/sewer-connection-incentive-program-scip.  

Well, that is this weeks crappy discussion!  LOL  ...sorry, I couldn't help myself.

 
    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: Buyers Due Diligence,
What are the 'Hidden' Costs of Buying a Home? ..... 

What if I don't have a Down Payment? .....  &....
What happens after an offer is made?

Last Week:  What happens AFTER the home inspection?

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).



show image slideshow

0 Comments

What happens AFTER the home inspection?

4/1/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes:
Saturday, April 8th, from 9am-12pm (ish)
        Marshall Community Center, conference room
        1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)
Tuesday, April 11th , 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 Saturday Night!
 
  Well, the packing adventure continues, and is slowly coming to the end when The Move will happen.  If we survive this...it will be a miracle!   It's weird, in the early years of our marriage my husband and I moved a lot.  We moved 5 times in our first 5 years together, and then lived in a duplex for 4 years before we moved into our first (and current) home.  So, with all those moves, how did I not know that my husband and I had such different packing styles?  What do I mean?  Well, my husband's packing style involves looking at something and if he isn't sure what it is....it gets thrown away. Crazy, right?  My packing style involves looking at things, and if I am not sure...well, then it must obviously be saved!  I even have boxes actually titled, "miscellaneous crap that we may never go through".  I currently have 3 of those, but at least I titled them honestly!  :-D 

  So last week we talked about home inspections, but what happens AFTER the home inspection?  Well, let's talk about that...  So this week, I had two home inspections (both at vacant homes) with clients, and with 2 different inspectors. 

Inspection #1 was with dear friends of mine who are finally buying their first home, and I am very excited for them.  The home is a bit older of a home, but has a great floor plan for their family with updated windows, new(er) roof, awful salmon pink painted kitchen cabinets (easy fix!), a huge separate family room (a built on addition), a large living room , and 2 dining areas.  There is a storage area that I knew had some electrical issues but my clients are going to remodel that room for a studio for their oldest son. Every home has pros and cons, and this homes 'cons' like a bedroom with a lot of built ins (perfect for their youngest son), and the smaller master actually works for them and are more like pros.  They wanted/needed a FAMILY home so the family areas are most important, and their vision for the storage room is awesome!  This is the perfect home for them, and that is what counts.  The inspection, of course showed some items that needed repairs.  Every home is going to need some repairs.  What buyers need to look for is anything that could affect the health or safety of the home, or it's occupants...anything that could require a contractor.  My clients decided to request a pest control operator to come out as the inspector was finding evidence of rats.  Ewww... ; The home currently has ceiling heat and in 3 of the rooms it wasn't working, so we asked for the heat in those 3 rooms to be repaired, or replaced with cadet wall heaters.  There was some wood rot on the back corner of the family room addition that we requested repaired, and for the chimney to be cleaned and inspected by a licensed chimney contractor.  Four items...not bad. My clients did NOT ask for the electrical in the storage area to be repaired because they have other plans for that as well. An appraiser 'could' require it to be repaired, but as it isn't currently living space...they probably won't.
At this point, we have requested these repairs, and now the seller has the right to respond.  They have 3 days to come back with a response, and that could be that they will do all the repairs, or that they will do none of the repairs, or maybe that they will do some, but not the others....or with a different response all together.  Once we receive the sellers response, my clients have the option to accept the sellers response, decline the response and back out of the contract (my clients would get their earnest money back), or maybe offer a different solution.  One of my sellers that I am helping sell her home offered the buyer $1000 towards their closing costs instead of doing any repairs...and the buyers were cool with that. 
The average inspection runs about 2 hours, and this one was running a bit longer than that.  My clients were leaving, and I was ready to leave too as I needed to go pick up my 7 year old from school. So I start shutting off lights.....and the inspector sits down at the table!  Why does that deserve an exclamation mark? The inspection is done.... he went over his findings with my clients, and we are all leaving....so why is he sitting down at the table?  I was confused.  "Hey, thanks for the inspection.  I've already turned off the lights in the family room, and I'll check the back bedrooms while you get your stuff together."  Ok...I said this with a smile because I thought that maybe that is what he was doing, but it was what he said next that threw me off...  "oh no worries. I am not done yet.  Go ahead and go and I'll lock up when I am done." 

ummmm....a couple of things here...  1) you said you were done to my clients, and we went over the report. You're not done? Why did you say that you were?  2)  As a realtor, I am required to be at the home.  I opened the lockbox with my key and so I am responsible for locking it up.  This is a responsibility I take very seriously. 
Me:  "um....I can't leave until you do....sorry"
Inspector:  "oh, it's ok.  I just need to finish up some paperwork.  Go ahead and go, and I will lock up.  Lots of agents I work with do this"

Me:  *thinking that just because every other agent jumps off a bridge doesn't mean I am going to do so too* Instead I said, "then you work with some stupid agents.  I'm sorry, but I don't work that way.  If I unlock the house, then I will be locking it up.  It's my responsibility from the moment I unlock the home to make sure that I leave it in the same condition.  I'm sorry but I can't leave until you do."   ok...maybe not the most tactful way I could have put that, but sometimes I'm like that....
Inspector:  "uh...ok.  Let me get my stuff then.  I guess I can finish this at home.  Let me just check a few things."  He seemed surprised that I wouldn't just go along with this...  I'm still surprised that he wasn't done when he said he was, and that he expected me to leave him alone in the house after I opened it up.

ugh!!  This really kind of irritates me..... ok, more than kind of...

So, what about inspection #2?  Well, this was a newer home on the east side of town.  Great neighborhood filled with beautiful homes, and this home was priced great because it's not as flashy as the other homes....in other words, it needs some cosmetic updating, but totally livable.  Walking around the home when I showed it, the ground around the home was very wet and spongy.  I know, I know...we've had a lot of rain recently, but in this area...I fully expected the inspector to find water in the crawlspace, and guess what he found in the crawlspace? yep....water.  Ok...no big deal.....lots of neighborhoods are more prone to water in the crawlspaces due to high water tables, and again...with the amount of rain we have had recently, not a surprise. For this home, my clients request the sellers to have a licensed drainage contractor to come out to put appropriate drainage under the home to take care of that, to have the furnace inspected, repaired, and serviced by a licensed HVAC contractor (we couldn't get the furnace to turn on, and that is so not a good thing as heat IS a good thing), and ...and this is a weird one.... the seller needs to replace the front bay window.  One of the things that this inspector does is to open/close all the windows.  While doing this he asks my client and I to come look at this and says it is broke.  The window isn't broke...there's no crack so we are confused....until we look closers.  It is a vinyl window with two panes, and the inside pane was shattered and then cleaned up.  There was only ONE pane of glass, and looking close you could see sharp glass edges where the second glass pane should have been.  Crazy!!  ....and we would have missed it if it wasn't for the inspector!  He's a good one!  :-)  He requested my client walk around with him, and pointed out items as he found them so he could show them to her, and discuss them.  When he was done, he went over the condition of the home (overall very good), and what items as a homeowner they should be considering....items to consider asking the seller for, and items that, as homeowners, they need to understand to do later.  Then he thanked her for her business, received payment, and we were all done except for a final walk around.  These are not first time homebuyers.  They moved here from east Washington, and were referrals.  They are very, very nice and this house works perfectly for them, and their family as it is in the school districts they need to be in....and they understand that cosmetic upgrading is pretty easy and is a good way to build equity when done right.  They will make this house sparkle and shine like the neighboring homes do. 

One of thing that these clients understand....while many people are looking for their 'forever' home, you would be surprised just how short of a time 'forever' is.  Remember Alice in Wonderland?  “Alice:How long is forever? White Rabbit:Sometimes, just one second.”
The average time a family lives in their home is 5-10 years.  Yes, there are exceptions on both sides...that's why it is an average.  When we purchased our first home I thought it might be our 'forever' home, but then changed that to about 10 years a couple of years after we moved in, but we've lived here for 15 years.  My husband thinks our next home will be our 'forever' home, but honestly...probably about 15-20 years before we will move on from that one.  Forever is a very long time that blinks by.  Our lives are constantly changing. 
I have a couple of clients right now hoping for their 'forever' home, but should be looking for a 'starter' home.  Get in to a home while the market/interest rates are good, build up equity, and then move in to a longer forever home.... until the next one.  Now this does not mean that I want people to move all the time....heavens no...  moving/packing SUCKS!!!  I want my clients to be in their homes for as long as the home fits their needs....whether that is 2 years, 5 years, 10, 15, 20, or 30 years... or forever!  I will definitely still be here to help in 2, 5, 10, 15,  and 20 years... I am hoping I could retire around 30 years from now, but yeah... I will still probably be here, but all I am saying is that my car better be driving me around by then!!  :-)

Now that these clients inspections are done, we wait for the sellers response.  Usually the buyers/sellers can work out something for repairs that works for both parties, but sometimes they can't.  If we can't work something out then the deal will fall apart.  The home will go back on the market, my clients will go back on the house hunt, and their earnest money will be returned to them since inspection is a valid reason to back out and get the earnest money returned.  The cost of the inspection is just that...the cost of the inspection.  I fully expect that these requested items shouldn't be issues.  Any buyer is going to ask for working heat (c'mon...heat is good!) and water in the crawlspace to be repaired.  If the sellers don't fix it for us they will have to fix it for someone else.  Once this is all good and both parties have agreed then it is on to the appraisal, and one step closer to keys! 
 
    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: Buyers Due Diligence,
What are the 'Hidden' Costs of Buying a Home? ..... 

What if I don't have a Down Payment? .....  &....
What happens after an offer is made?

Last Week:  Home inspections 101

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).



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    Tracie DeMars
    real estate broker with Re/Max

    I have been in real estate for about 15 years now, and I have seen the market up, down, and now going up again.  I teach the Clark County Free Community Classes for Home Buyers & Home Sellers to help buyers learn about the loan, and home buying process; and sellers to learn about the paperwork and process of selling a home.  We are volunteers, and have no affiliations so we are able to tell it like it is...with no sugarcoating.  The pros, the cons, we tell it all in a fun, engaging, direct manner that encourages class attendee interaction and involvement.  Classes are free and non-promotional and held at community locations.  Walk -ins are welcome and all are invited.  
    ​Whether you're buying or selling a home, Education should always be your first step! 
    **we now offer Home SELLER classes too, by reservation.  It is a sellers market out there, and the classes are designed to go over all the paperwork, the 'right' questions to ask, how to make sure your agent is really working for you, what a CMA (comparable market analysis) is, and what is considered a comparable home....and going over the settlement statement.  What are the fees?  What are you going to net???

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