This Month in Real Estate (US): January 2011 Spanish

How Can a Home Inspection Benefit You?

Sure we are all doing what we can to save money these days and buyers are often tempted to cut corners on things like home inspections to save money for fun items like furniture or a big-screen television. Don’t! A home inspection is one of the best investments you can make when purchasing a new home or other real estate.

Learn how to use a home inspection to your advantage with these pointers.

Plan and Prepare

Think of a home inspection as a fact-finding mission. Having a complete home inspection performed is one step toward finding out everything there is to know about the property.

Go beyond the basics by having water, soil, electrical, HVAC, pest and other systems thoroughly tested in addition to the regular home inspection. Hidden home defects often become apparent, including poorly performed repairs, forgotten faults, structural damage or other potential pitfalls, that could transform your dream home into a nightmare.

Save Money

Almost every property has a few defects - even new homes - and buyers are often surprised how seemingly insignificant items can add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to the price of a home. Having an independent inspection performed often saves more money than it costs, since the sellers are forced to fix the problem or negotiate the price based upon the new information. Remember, once a defect is known the sellers are legally bound to disclose it to all prospective buyers.

Negotiate

Motivated sellers may not have the time or interest to fix all the problems on a property.

If you have more time than money, a home inspection provides a strong rationale to lower the purchase price or work out other alternatives while the home is being repaired or renovated.

That is a few of the ways I can save you money. Please feel free to ask me more.

I pull out all the stops to sell your home.

Lonnie Snyder

REALTOR ®

Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound

Phone: 206-406-2710

Lonnie Snyder is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Washington's Kent, Renton, Newcastle and South Bellevue.

Essential Tips to Help You Sell Your Home in a Slow Market

With hundreds of homes available on the market today how can you make sure yours is the next to sell? Selling a home in a down market takes more planning and preparation but with help from me plus a little know-how it’s still possible to get a great response with these quick tips:

Price Is Everything

Without a doubt, the most important consideration is to price the house right - especially if you want a quick sale. When the market was red-hot homes sold fast so it is easy to forget that historically homes are on the market an average of six months before selling. Be realistic and work with your agent to price right.

Staging & Updating

You only have a few moments to sell your home to a new buyer. Make sure your home looks its best by updating paint, making small repairs and taking the time to properly stage your home for online and in-person viewing.

Pre-Qualify

Window-shopping is a popular past-time even when it comes to real estate. One of the benefits of working with an agent is the ability to preserve your valuable time and only entertain serious offers from qualified potential buyers.

Offer Incentives

Get noticed by offering buyer incentives. Buyer incentives are a welcome addition to any deal and include things like gift cards, LCD televisions, Home warranty or new appliances. Find out what tops the local “wish list” when it comes to amenities then calculate the cost of offering an incentive. They are an easy and effective way to capture the attention of potential buyers in a crowded market.

If you are thinking about selling your home contact me.

I pull out all the stops to sell your home.

Lonnie Snyder

REALTOR ®

Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound

Phone: 206-406-2710

Lonnie Snyder is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Washington's Kent, Renton, Newcastle and South Bellevue.