What I Look For In A Seller

As a homeowner you might be thinking that now is the time to sell.  The market is steadily improving, and right now we are experiencing the perfect storm, a great time for both buyers and sellers in the housing market.  One of the first things you will want to do whether buying or selling is to look for and interview a Realtor.

When I receive the call from someone who is looking to sell, and schedule a time to meet with them, I too am interviewing the prospective seller.

When I accept a listing, the sellers I work with need to be realistic, and motivated.  When I say realistic, I mean that the seller needs to understand that if the market shows their home is worth $100,000.00 then that is what the home is worth, not $150,000.00.  When I prepare a market analysis for a seller, I use homes that are comparable to the subject property, in size, age, and condition.  Updates are factored in to that analysis, but if a seller has over improved for the neighborhood the home is in, it isn't likely that money will be recouped.

A dirty house is not a sign of a motivated seller.  If the home looks lived in, stained/ripped carpets, dirty walls, or failed DIY projects will turn a buyer off, or cause a buyer to low ball if they do decide to write an offer.

Once the home is on the market, it unfortunately is no longer your home, but an item being marketed.  It needs to show in it's best light, as well as be priced right.  Buyers and buyers agent have access to homes that have sold in the area, and they use that data, along with having viewed the property to determine what they feel is a fair offer.  

If offers come in and as a seller you continue to reject offers or counter at ridiculous amounts, then you aren't a realistic seller in my opinion, and I will ask that we part ways.  The market is everchanging.  It is important that you price right, so that the home can be sold, as opposed to chasing the market.  The longer you are overpriced, the longer you sit on the market, and the less of a chance you have of selling the home.  The property will "age" and buyers will wonder what is wrong with it, and why it is sitting so long.

You wouldn't let a hairdresser remove your appendix, or a mechanic put a filling in your tooth, you go to professionals for those specific things, because that is what they do, that is where they have their specialized training.  As a Broker Associate, I too have specialized training and work in the Real Estate Market every day, so when you contact me you will get an honest, professional opinion, from a Real Estate professional.  Listen to your Realtor, not your hairdresser, because the Realtor knows the market.

Great Little Fixer Upper on the Southside

Time is of the Essence…

When buying or selling a home there is one thing that all parties should remember, and that is Time is of the Essence.

What does that mean exactly?  Simply put, it means that if there is a response time on an offer or counter offer then by not responding within that time frame you are out of contract.

With today’s technology, the ability to fax/email and even digitally sign documents, not being able to obtain a signature is no longer an acceptable excuse as to why one party didn’t respond within the time frame.

Buyers might perceive the inability to get a signature from a seller as the seller not really being motivated to sell.  Sellers on the other could perceive it as a buyer not as interested in making the transaction happen because they aren’t able to get a signed counter offer back.

Without signatures contracts aren’t valid. 

So the next time you are working with a Realtor and trying to buy or sell, remember that it is important to handle the negotiations in a timely manner so that you can get to your goal.

Technorati Tags: indianapolis area realtor,real estate,beech grove indiana realtor,offer deadlines,counter offer deadlines,time is of the essence,selling your home,buying a home

DIY Projects gone wrong…

Every once in a while, I run across something that just makes me wonder, what in the world were they thinking:

Putting in a deck and really don’t want to dig/set posts, use concrete blocks.

 

Run out of caulk, no worries, use duct tape instead.

How about this beauty?  Gold carpet on the accent wall of the 1/2 bath?

If you are thinking about selling your home, contact me for a free no obligation consultation, in which you will receive a check list of things to do and what not to do, in order to make your home appealing to the public!

 

Technorati Tags: indianapolis area realtor,dawn whalen realtor,diy projects,diy gone wrong,selling my home,homes for sale

It's All In The Details...

Getting your house ready to sell?  Don't overlook the little things that need to be done.  

Curb appeal will get a buyer in the door, if the neighborhood and price is right for them.  But you want to grab & keep them once they are in the door.  Sure you've repainted, had carpets cleaned, updated light fixtures etc, but what about the little things.  Those little details that the buyers pay attention to?  Once your home is on the market it is no longer your home, it is a product, and you want it to show in it's best light.

Does the bathtub/shower shine?  What about the windows, do they sparkle? Do all the outlets have covers?  What about the light switches, do you have a white switch with an almond cover or vice versa?  Are the switches clean?

Have you dusted those ceiling fan paddles? What about the tops of the door casings?  How about your sink, is it clean?

As you prepare your home for sale, think about someone coming in and doing a white glove test, and make sure you hit every area, regardless of how little. 

Hole in the drywall in the garage?  Fix it!  It may just be a garage to you & not matter, but a seller could look at it as a negative.

Typically when looking at a home a buyer is mentally calculating repairs that need to be made as they are walking through the home, pay attention to the details, and that should help eliminate a low ball offer because a buyer feels it will be $10,000.00 to bring a home up to average in their opinion.

 

 

Great Buy On Indy’s East Side

Check out More

 

Looking for a low maintenance home, look no further!  All brick home offers 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, 2 car garage and more.  Click on the Check Out more link above for more information

Priced at $85000.00, you can still own a home for less than renting!!!

Technorati Tags: brick ranch,warren township schools,3 bedroom,indianapolis area homes,irvington area homes,low maintenance,2 car garage,fenced yard

Is It Really For Rent?!?!

Because you just can't make this stuff up....

I had an agent try and show one of my vacant listings last week. and the storm door was locked. I went over to check and found that the front door would open, but the chain was on it so I was unable to access. Went to the back door and found that the locks had been changed. Contacted the police, who came to the property and the occupants answered the door, and were very cooperative. They provided a copy of the lease that they signed. A man had shown them the house, claimed to be the owner, rented it to them for $650.00 per month. The "landlord" took the washer/dryer claiming they were his, as well as had pulled the chandelier from the dining room, all of the register grates have been removed and ceiling fan had been removed from the master bedroom. The landlord's name is Phil Atlas, white male, 5'8"-5'9", 200 lbs, bald with brown goatee, somewhere between 40-50 years old and drove a black Yukon. This landlord ran across these people at a Homeless Shelter, they are now out a place to live and $1600.00. I felt bad telling them they had to leave, but had no choice, and they were cooperative. The “landlord” also removed my sign, sure he added it to his scrap pile from the other items he took in the property. One of the "tenants" said it just seemed to good to be true, so here's a life lesson folks, if it seems to good to be true it probably is.

If a landlord only has a key to let you in and out of a property via the back door, question it.

 

 

If you are looking to rent a home, some of the things you can do to protect yourself are:

• Work with a reputable Realtor or Property Management Company
• Never give anyone cash
• Ask for proof that the landlord or property manager actually owns the property and has the right to rent it, or is authorized by the owner to do so.  Honestly if someone refuses to provide this information I probably wouldn’t want to rent from them.
• Tax records are easily accessible online for most counties, don’t hesitate to do some research of your own.
• Ask if there is a mortgage and if they owners are current.  While they don’t have to share all of their financial information with you, it should be understandable to a landlord/property manager that you want to make sure you are moving into a place that you can stay and not get evicted due to a foreclosure when you were paying the rent.
• Don’t be afraid to talk to the neighbors and see what they have to say. Most likely they will know if the home is truly for rent/lease and if they person you have made contact with is legitimate.

Unfortunately we live in a society where I’ve had scammers pull photos and descriptions of my listings from a Real Estate Web Site, and put it on Craigs List with their contact info and try and negotiate a lease via email for 50% of the going rate, asking for potential renters to go buy, take a look if they are interested, then mail/wire the funds to this person and upon receipt they will mail the keys to the new tenant.  It’s a crazy world we live in and it is necessary to question the things that just don’t seem right!

 

Dawn Whalen, Realtor, GRI, CDPE

RE/MAX Select

dawnwhalen@remax.net

www.dawnwhalen.com

Technorati Tags: indianapolis area real estate,renters,tips for renters,scam artists,fraudulent landlord,reputable realtor,property management

Protecting Your Property When It’s On The Market.

Over the last several years, there have been an increasing number of vacant properties that are on the market to be sold that have been broken into and vandalized.  As a Realtor, it is a disheartening task to call your client and notify them of this.  As a homeowner it is a devastating call to receive.

In talking with clients, and with police, as well as other Realtors, there are different schools of thought on how to prevent this.  I’ve had clients who say they only want exterior photos of their home online, that way if someone is looking for a home to hit, they won’t be able to easily determine their home is vacant.  This could be true, but in working with buyers, I have found that the vast majority of buyers won’t even add a home to their list of “possible” if there are no interior photos.  Their mindset is that if there are no interior photos it must be horrible, and they are going to bypass it.  So in some cases protecting your property by not allowing photos, will also possibly keep it from getting showings.

The best way, while not full proof, would be to make the home look occupied, at least on line. A seller could hire a stager to furnish the home while it’s on the market.  That way the photos will make it appear occupied, and when it’s being shown or during an open house it will appear occupied.  If a stager isn’t in the budget try an have the photos taken prior to vacating the property.  If that isn’t possible, consider renting furniture for a week, have the photos taken, even have the first open house in that time frame.

Other things that you could do are:

• Have several lamps in your home & have them set on timers for various times of the day/night.
• Have someone make sure there is no mail/newspapers that are piling up that would clue someone in to the fact there is no one there
• Make sure your lawn is mowed routinely, leaves rakes, walks shoveled etc
• Tell neighbors that when they have company, have the company park in your driveway. 
• Have someone that checks your property weekly at the very minimum.

Unfortunately the vandals don’t care about anyone except for themselves.  So the best way to protect your home while it’s on the market, especially if it is vacant, is to treat it as you would if you were going on vacation.  I can’t promise this will prevent the vandals, but it might help.

Dawn Whalen, Realtor, CDPE, GRI

RE/MAX Select

dawnwhalen@remax.net

Technorati Tags: sellers,crime prevention tips,vacant homes being vandalized,indianapolis area realtor,indianapolis area real estate,sellers protection

What is a Short Sale?

A Short Sale, also known as a pre-foreclosure sale, is when you sell your home for less than the balance remaining on your mortgage. If your mortgage company agrees to a Short Sale, you can sell your home and pay off all (or a portion of) your mortgage balance with the proceeds. Fannie Mae’s program is called Short Sale/HAFA II.

A Short Sale is an alternative to foreclosure and may be an option if:

• You are ineligible to refinance or modify your mortgage
• You are facing a long-term hardship
• You are behind on your mortgage payments
• You owe more on your home than it’s worth
• You have not been able to sell your home at a price that covers what you still owe on your mortgage
• You can no longer afford your home and are ready or need to leave

What are the benefits of a Short Sale?

• Eliminate or reduce your mortgage debt
• Avoid the negative impact of foreclosure
• Start repairing your credit sooner than if you went through a foreclosure
• May be able to get a Fannie Mae mortgage to purchase a home sooner (in as little as 2 years) than if you went through foreclosure (up to 7 years)

What is the process for a Short Sale?

If you qualify for this option, the process is similar to a normal real estate sales transaction. You will work with a real estate agent to market and sell your home. However, your mortgage company will also be working with you and your real estate agent every step of the way to:

• set the sale price (based on current market value),
• collect financial information and negotiate with other lien holders (i.e., your second mortgage company) if applicable,
• review acceptable offers,
• agree to the terms of the sale once a buyer is in place, and
• work with the buyer’s real estate agent and mortgage lender to finalize the sale.

In some cases, you may be eligible to receive relocation assistance to use toward your moving expenses and to make the transition to new housing easier.

A Short Sale may take up to 120 days, but this could be shorter or longer depending upon your specific situation. If you are unable to sell your home, you may be able to transfer the ownership of your property to the owner of your mortgage (also called a Mortgage Release or Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure).

Gather your financial information—Make sure you have your basic financial and loan information on hand when you call your mortgage company. You’ll need:

• your mortgage statements, including information on a second mortgage (if applicable);
• your other monthly debt payments (e.g., car or student loans, credit card payments); and
• your income details (paystubs and income tax returns).

Explain your current situation—Be ready to outline your current hardship and explain why you are having trouble making your mortgage payment, the reasons why this is a long-term problem and inform your mortgage company that you want to sell your home to avoid foreclosure. Your mortgage company will need to understand the reasons why you are having difficulty in order to find the right solution for you.

Contact your mortgage company or a Fannie Mae Mortgage Help Center—Tell them you are interested in a Short Sale and you want to see if you qualify.

Contact a licensed real estate agent—Tell them you are interested in listing your home for sale (if you have not already done so).

Dawn Whalen, Realtor, GRI, CDPE

317-807-1568

dawnwhalen@remax.net

 

Source:  www.knowyouroptions.com

Technorati Tags: short sale expert,short sales,foreclosure options,pre foreclosure,beech grove indiana realtor,indianapolis area realtor,distressed property

Claiming to Be A Professional Doesn’t Make You One, UNLESS You Are T.A. Kaiser

So last week I had some work done on my house in preparation to sell it.  First I must say, I am so sorry for what my sellers have to go through when selling a home.  I always recommend contractors to handle the bigger jobs for them & most often I recommend contractors I’ve had experience with.  If I have a contractor on my list of preferred vendors and they don’t to a great job for my clients, then I simply remove them from the list.

I am preparing my house to sell, and have my punch list of things to do.  One of the top priorities was to replace my 40 year old, still functioning, but scary looking Bryant air conditioner. 

I contacted several companies to get estimates on what I wanted done and only 2 of the 4 showed up.  One company called me 30 minutes after they were to have been there to advise me it would be another 30 minutes at least.  I told them not to bother.  Calling me ahead of your scheduled appointment to say you are running late is acceptable, calling me after the fact and then saying you will be even later is not.

We had a new HVAC system installed, and I will say that the company we chose, TA Kaiser was phenomenal.   I was impressed that they stated on their paperwork they will pull permits.  One would think all contractors would do this, but that is not the case.  There was one that wanted to argue the point with me, and say they didn’t need to pull permits.  Jeremy was early, (very impressive) listened to what I wanted and didn’t try to upsell me.  He advised me of what they could do and that the price he quoted was the price it would be, even if they found additional work that needed to be done during the installation process.

The only way I know that they were in my house is the fact that we have a new system, that works beautifully.  The technicians were on time, and arrived ready/willing/able to work.  True professionals in every sense of the word.  I had to do absolutely no clean up after they left, because they cleaned up after themselves.

The technicians were friendly, and helpful, and honest. They went out of their way to work through an obstacle that arose while they were doing the installation.  Once the old furnace was pulled out it was discovered that the sub floor was rotting and needed replaced.  Josh, the technician who was handling the furnace part of the installation, showed me the floor, expressed his concern at putting the new furnace in and the potential for it to eventually fall thru the floor if it weren’t replaced.  He could’ve just as easily put the new furnace in, and went on about his day, and never told me about this but he didn’t.  He talked to his scheduling department and advised them that when I called after the subfloor was replaced to get me on the schedule that same day or the next day. 

Subfloor was replaced that day, I called the scheduling department around 5:00 p.m. that day, and was put on the schedule for the very next morning at 7:00 a.m.  I know that the technicians worked a very long day the first day they were at my house and coming to finish the installation that early the 2nd day most likely meant they had another very long day.  They remained professional and pleasant. 

I could not be more pleased with the service I received as well as my new HVAC system.  T.A. Kaiser has a client for life, and will be recommended to any family, friends, or clients in need of HVAC services.

I could tell you about the horrible service I received from the other contractors, but I won’t.  Good, Quality service deserves to be recognized, those that are sub par do not deserve a mention!

Dawn Whalen, Realtor, CDPE, GRI

RE/MAX Select

dawnwhalen@remax.net

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: hvac,ta kaiser,selling your home,indianapolis area realtor,quality contractor,quality service,indianapolis area real estate

Home Buying and the Buyers Responsibility

As you begin your home search keep in mind that there are things that you, the buyer will need to be responsible for.  Sure you have a Realtor, but there are some things a Realtor can’t tell you.

Is this a high crime area?

As a Realtor, I can direct you to where to find the crime statistics for the area, but I can’t tell you whether it is a high crime area or not.

 

Is this a Good neighborhood?

This question can be answered 10 different ways by 10 different people.  What one person may perceive as a bad neighborhood another may perceive as a great neighborhood.  It is all in what an individual perceives it to be and in what expectations they have of a neighborhood.

 

Are the Schools that serve this area good Schools.

Again this is all going to be based on what the buyer perceives to be a good school system.  I can direct you to sources that rate school systems, but it is certainly a good idea to contact the school systems in question and even set up a meeting with the superintendent or principal of the school that is being considered.  A meeting and tour of the school can answer many questions for you.

 

This is not an all inclusive list but these are the most frequently asked questions of a Realtor.

Please do not hesitate to ask if you have a question and if I don’t have the answer I can be the source of the source to find the answer!

Dawn Whalen, Realtor

RE/MAX Select

317-807-1568

www.dawnwhalen.com

 

Technorati Tags: realtor,home buying,home selling,indianapolis area realtor,realtor responsibility,buyer responsibility

RE/MAX and the April 2013 Spring U.S. Housing Market

 If you or anyone you know is looking to buy, build or sell feel free to contact me at 317-807-1568, or by email at dawnwhalen@remax.net
Dawn Whalen, Realtor
RE/MAX Select
Serving Your Family Needs First

What Moves You?

 Whatever it is that moves you, I would love to help you in that process!

Contact me for details on how I can help you.




If you or anyone you know is looking to buy, build or sell feel free to contact me at 317-807-1568, or by email at dawnwhalen@remax.net
Dawn Whalen, Realtor
RE/MAX Select
Serving Your Family Needs First

Staging: Small Things Can Make a Big Difference

Thinking of selling your home?  Click on the below link for information on how you can do small things to stage your home and make it more appealing for today's buyers.

Staging: Small Things Can Make a Big Difference



 If you or anyone you know is looking to buy, build or sell feel free to contact me at 317-807-1568, or by email at dawnwhalen@remax.net
Dawn Whalen, Realtor
RE/MAX Select
Serving Your Family Needs First

Don't Think About It Too Long!

The housing market is improving! While it is getting better for sellers, it is still a wonderful time to buy. Low interest rates and great home prices are making it a win-win for both sides of a transaction. Some sellers are seeing multiple offers, and are receiving those offers with in hours or just a few days of their home going on the market.

But what does this mean for buyers? Buyers need to be ready, willing and able to buy. If as a buyer you really like a home and want to think about it until the next day, keep in mind there is a chance another buyer thought the same thing yesterday and are sitting with their agent writing an offer at the same time you are viewing the property.

When you do write the offer remember that there is competition in the market place, so now is not the time to low ball a seller to see if they will take it. Before the recovery began, sellers might look at the offer and try and negotiate it. Since the recovery began, I have seen sellers reject an offer because they know the number of showings they've had and the number of people who indicated they have interest. Sellers are feeling better about the market and are willing to take that chance and reject an offer they don't feel is strong or serious.

Your agent can help you determine a fair price, by providing you recent sales data for comparable homes in the area.

If you are thinking of buying/selling in the central Indiana area feel free to contact me for more information.

Dawn Whalen, Realtor, GRI, CDPE
RE/MAX Select
dawnwhalen@remax.net
www.dawnwhalen.com
317-807-1568

508 N. Woodside

Great 3 bedroom brick ranch on Indianapolis's East side for sale.

 

 

For more information click on this link:

508 N. Woodside

 

Dawn Whalen, Realtor, GRI, CDPE

317-807-1568

dawnwhalen@remax.net

 

Technorati Tags: 3 bedroom,brick ranch,indianapolis area realtor,warren township schools,indianapolis homes for sale,46219

Is Your Mortgage out of Balance with your Budget?

It can happen quickly.

An expensive car repair, an unexpected hospital visit, a missed week of work – just a few little things and the life you’ve worked so hard to build can feel like it’s tipping dangerously out of balance.

Once the scales turn against you, it can feel like it is impossible to ever tip them back in your favor again. When your financial problems reach the point where they threaten your home, it is difficult to manage the stress. Sometimes it is even difficult to force yourself to seek help.

As a real estate professional who has earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, my mission is to provide financially-challenged homeowners with options to foreclosure, ensure that they steer clear of scams, and help navigate them through the solution that best meets their needs.

Choose to face the challenge with a professional on your side.

I can help you realign the balance in your financial life and tip the scales back in your favor. Call or email me and schedule your free, confidential consultation. We can work together to make sure you end up ahead.

Dawn Whalen, Realtor

317-807-1568

dawnwhalen@remax.net

 

Technorati Tags: short sale,pre foreclosure,options to foreclosure,indianapolis area realtor,beech grove indiana realtor,short sale expert

Full Time Agent

I know I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating!! 
Whether buying or selling it is important that you work with a full time agent.  You want someone fully devoted to your real estate transaction every day it needs attention, not only on the days they are off from their “full time job”


Obviously we all deserve time off, even Realtors.  However along with the full time agent, you want an agent who has someone who will cover their business while they are on vacation, or taking a day off or whatever the case may be. 
I am currently in the middle of a transaction where the other side needs to request an extension for the closing date.  My clients are agreeable to this, and I asked the other agent to send the request over in writing.  The response was “I am on vacation this week with limited computer access, so I will get it to you first thing Monday”


That is fabulous, they need the extension, but their agent who is getting paid equal to what I am getting paid is on vacation and unable to do her job, and has no one that can cover for her.
So do your self a favor when you are thinking of buying or selling.  Interview agents and don’t be afraid to ask these questions:
Are you full time?
Do you have someone who can cover for you in case of emergency or vacation?
And if you or someone you know are looking to buy, build or sell in the central Indiana area feel free to contact me and ask those questions!  You can reach me at 317-807-1568 or dawnwhalen@remax.net