Home prices and what buyers want in a home.
Andrew King
2 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (250)
Mark Bischak, Architect
2 years agobry911
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoRelated Discussions
Buyer wants to show home to prospective renters before closing
Comments (19)"If it is not in the contract, and if the buyer walks because of this, the seller can sue for breach of contract, or in the very least keep his deposit. " There are so many ways to kill a deal under most contracts it is not even fumy. Unable to fulfill the financing contingency? Deal is dead. One of the oldest ones has been to have a wife decide to stop work for pregnancy. Not enough income available? Financing fails, deal is dead. No rental contract in place? Financing fails, deal is dead. If your house is so hazardous you fear every guest injuring themselves and then suing, it must be a real rat hole. No wonder it is for sale...See MoreHome buyers: Do you drive around looking for houses for sale?
Comments (17)I search various real estate websites online, everyday. It's like a part time job for us. Not so much remax, century 21, or weichert, since their sites tend to be so overwhelming and cluttery. I tend to choose local real estate company websites, which in my experience have been a bit more accurate with more detail and clearer photos. If I find a house I like, I try everything to find the address to visit it first before wasting our agents time. Real estate agents aren't what they use to be (no offense). It use to be that they showed you houses that truly matched your criteria, now you can't trust an agent, especially if you live out of state. They will show you the junkiest houses, in the worst neighborhoods, with no regards to your wishes or needs, and let me tell you we're not picky. All we're looking for is a fixer upper on a wooded secluded lot. We're willing to do the roof, the floors, doors, trim. All we need is at least 3 bed, 1 bth, but leave it to your agent to show you houses that are undoable. In their defense though, I understand they have to show off the houses that have been sitting for a while to demonstrate effort to the seller, however, it's not cool when your agent knows you're driving 3-4 hours to see a house and you have specifically asked them if the house is secluded and they tell you yes, only to get there and see another house in plain view. Thank goodness we decided to rent in the area we're looking so we don't have to drive 3-4 hours anymore.....See MoreFirst time home buyer figuring out how to renovate old house
Comments (5)You're on the right track - the more you learn, the better. "This Old House" is well worth watching, and all their remodels are online. A source of tried and true (if unimaginative) ideas are in house plans; there are many online and it pays to spend time looking at how traffic flow, cabinets, entrances, etc are handled. That said, nothing turns off a contractor faster than an armchair expert, so remain open to suggestions. Given your stated like of modern/industrial, I imagine you have have a good idea of what you want, so you might not need a designer, and perhaps not an architect. Hiring a structural engineer for a few hours to look around and to get their thoughts and advice is a great idea. Realtors, remodeling, contractors, codes, financing - it's all a "Wild West" under-regulated mine field - listen to your people skills, your gut instincts, and common sense....See MoreFirst Time Home Buyer - Looking for Insight
Comments (19)1. What’s most important in this market is that the agent is able to jump fast on a property you are interested in and work fast when you pull the trigger. As a for instance, my wife and I just bought a house. The listing came up at 10am on a Friday. We called our agent and were in the house for a showing at 1:00pm. She had an offer typed up, which we sent over by 5pm, and the seller accepted it by 9 am the next morning. This is how fast things happen these days. If you want to buy a house in this market, you need to know exactly what you want, and know what you’re looking at. Around here (I’m in CT), you have 30 to 60 minutes in the house to have a look at things and make a decision. It’s not like a normal market where you may go to 2 or 3 showings of the house before making an offer. Houses are going under contract in 2 to 3 days right now, often selling over asking price. 2. Rely on him to send you any houses that he gets leads on before they are listed. Outside of that, you will get up to date info by keeping the Realtor and Zillow apps on your phone and refreshing for new listings a few times a day at minimum. 3. Yes, he should be aware of what you want. 4. How large is the area you’re looking in? If you’re upfront about where you’re looking to buy and he’s fine with showings in that area, I wouldn’t worry about his drive. However, in this market I would lean towards only calling him for houses you are serious about. It’s not really a market to kick the tires on houses that aren’t perfect for you. Do a drive by of any house that you're considering before calling the agent. Get good at looking via google maps for the lay of the land. Some houses look perfect in the listing, until you see there's a highway in the back yard, or high voltage transmission lines. And it can be tough to get a feel for the neighborhood or the grading of the land online. Drive out there first, and immediately. 5. Only you can decide how much you’re comfortable spending. Not the bank. Not your agent. Just you. Approval amount has little bearing on what you’re able to spend. We were approved for nearly twice the amount we were comfortable spending. Bear in mind that mill rate and interest rate make a difference. With the low interest rates now, people can afford more house. When rates went down, we wound up buying a place that was $100K over our max when rates were in the 4s. And the taxes in some towns are considerably more than others. You have to look at the whole picture and decide what you’re comfortable with. Rates, taxes, and how needy a home is can swing affordability in HUGE amounts one way or another....See Morekevin9408
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoElmer J Fudd
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoDiana Bier Interiors, LLC
2 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoOne Devoted Dame
2 years agoJAN MOYER
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoJAN MOYER
2 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
2 years agoJAN MOYER
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoOne Devoted Dame
2 years agoJAN MOYER
2 years agosuedonim75
2 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
2 years agosuedonim75
2 years agoJennifer K
2 years agomillworkman
2 years agoJAN MOYER
2 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
2 years agojust_janni
2 years agobry911
2 years agosushipup1
2 years agobry911
2 years agosushipup1
2 years agoJanie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
2 years agobry911
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agosuedonim75
2 years agoElmer J Fudd
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoMaureen
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agokevin9408
2 years agoJanie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
2 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
2 years agoElmer J Fudd
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoJAN MOYER
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoJennifer K
2 years agosuedonim75
2 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
2 years agoWestCoast Hopeful
2 years agoJennifer Hogan
2 years agoJAN MOYER
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoWestCoast Hopeful
2 years agoElmer J Fudd
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agosuedonim75
2 years agoElmer J Fudd
2 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
2 years agoJohn marsh
2 years agoJAN MOYER
2 years agoLera Lerina
2 years ago
Related Stories
MOST POPULARA First-Time Buyer’s Guide to Home Maintenance
Take care of these tasks to avoid major home hassles, inefficiencies or unsightliness down the road
Full StoryHOME TECHHome Tech: There's an Easier, Affordable Future for Home Automation
Say goodbye to the headaches and high price of current systems, and hello to home automation products for the masses
Full StoryBUDGET DECORATING9 Tricks to Boost Your Home’s Appeal for Less Than $400
Whether you’re redecorating or just doing a quick update, check out these ways to enhance your home on a budget
Full StoryFEEL-GOOD HOME9 Ways to Boost Your Home’s Appeal for Less Than $75
Whether you’re selling your home or just looking to freshen it up, check out these inexpensive ways to transform it
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: A Midcentury Home’s Remodel Lets a Family Breathe
By overhauling the layout and saving on finishes, a Seattle family gets the home it has always wanted
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSReady to Repaint Your Home’s Exterior? Get Project Details Here
Boost curb appeal and prevent underlying damage by patching and repainting your home’s outer layer
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSHow to Bring Out Your Home’s Character With Trim
New project for a new year: Add moldings and baseboards to enhance architectural style and create visual interest
Full StoryEXTERIORS10 Ways to Bring Charm to Your Home’s Exterior
Give your facade, driveway or garage doors a more appealing look to make a strong first impression
Full StoryCONTRACTOR TIPSHow to Calculate a Home’s Square Footage
Understanding your home’s square footage requires more than just geometry
Full StoryCURB APPEALHow to Get Your Home’s Stucco Exterior Painted
Learn what’s involved in painting a stucco exterior and how much this project might cost
Full Story
bry911