The process of buying a home can feel a bit intimidating, even under normal circumstances. But today's market is still anything but normal. There continues to be a very limited number of homes for sale, and that's creating bidding wars and driving home prices back up as buyers compete over the available homes.

Navigating all of this can be daunting if you're trying to do it alone. That's why having a skilled expert to guide you through the homebuying process is essential, especially today. Bankrate shares this perspective: 

"Advice and guidance from a professional real estate agent can be invaluable, particularly amid a hot or unpredictable housing market."

Here are just a few of the ways a real estate expert makes a big difference: 

• Experience – Real estate professionals know the ins and outs of what's happening today, how it impacts buyers, and how to navigate any hurdles that may pop up.
• Education – Knowledge is power when it comes to buying a home. Your advisor will simply and effectively explain market conditions and translate what they mean for you so you can feel confident in your decision. 
• Negotiations – Your real estate advisor advocates for your best interests. Having an expert on your side provides assistance with the purchase agreement. An agent can also help you negotiate potential seller concessions if the inspection reveals issues with the home.  
• Contracts – Real estate advisors guide you through the disclosures and contracts necessary in today's heavily regulated environment. 
• Pricing – Making an offer and negotiating with a seller can be one of the most difficult and stressful parts of the homebuying process. A skilled agent will help you understand what similar homes are selling for so you have the full picture of what you may want to offer.

All of these reasons combined may be why 86% of recent buyers used an agent according to the latest Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). NAR also has this to say about why an agent is so essential today: 

"A great real estate agent will guide you through the home search with an unbiased eye, helping you meet your buying objectives while staying within your budget. Agents are also a great source when you have questions about local amenities, utilities, zoning rules, contractors, and more." 

What's the Key To Choosing the Right Expert?

It starts with trust. You'll want to know you can trust the advice they're giving you, so you need to make sure you're connected with a true professional. No one can provide perfect advice because it's impossible to know exactly what's going to happen at every turn – especially in today's market. But a true professional can give you the best possible advice based on the information and situation at hand. 

They'll help advocate for you throughout the process and coach you on the essential knowledge you need to make confident decisions. That's exactly what you want and deserve. 

Bottom Line

It's critical to have an expert on your side who is skilled in navigating today's housing market. If you're planning to buy a home this year, let's connect so you have a real estate advisor on your side to give you the best advice and guide you along the way.

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get from Buyers is about Pre-Approval. People want to know why it's necessary, how long it takes, and what all it entails.

Pre-Approval helps you know WHAT you can offer to a seller. It's not just about Budget!!! Here are some of the things your Pre-Approval letter will indicate:

      -Price

      -TYPE OF LOAN

      -Down payment

Those things are important to know BEFORE you start house hunting. Why? Well if you only qualify for an FHA Loan, then you only want to look at houses that would qualify for an FHA Loan. You also want to know how much you are putting down so you know if you have enough for your Closing Costs. Asking the seller to cover closing costs is something that you need to do at the time of the offer. You may also need to increase the purchase price to offset the closing costs due to the competitiveness of this market. The type of loan also has to be marked on the Purchase Agreement. 

This market in particular is all the more reason to get Pre-Approved before you start house hunting. You need to know what you can offer and how strong to make your offer to beat out the other buyers. The Pre-Approval process does not take long. However, if you wait for when you fall in love with a house- chances are multiple offers are coming in with other buyers that are already Pre-Approved. You need this advantage!

Let me help you get Pre-Approved today by directing you to some awesome lenders. Contact me and I will help you get started.

Call/Text: 304-415-0334

Email: spritt@oldcolony.com

Or send me a message via this website

There's no secret that there are many buyers on the market. And many of them are first time home buyers. One of the first things they ask upon deciding they want to offer- "What if something is wrong with the house? Can I back out of this?" Today I am going to outline your options as a home buyer based upon the area that I work in.

Congratulations, your offer has been accepted and you're in contract on a new home! First things first: When is the home inspection? Who pays for it? The buyer's agent will indiciate a deadline for the home inspection when writing the offer. You typically want to do the home inspection pretty early on, so you aren't wasting your time or the seller's time if it isn't going to work out. The agent will also indiciate how many business days you have to make your requests, and how many business days the seller has to respond to your requests. Generally speaking, the buyer pays for their home inspection. Your realtor can recommend home inspectors to call. In my area, I am required to give 3 choices of home inspectors to my buyers.

The home inspection has been completed and you have received your report. Now what? I want to first point out that home inspection reports can be overwhelming. Some of them are very lengthy, but that doesn't always mean you have cause for concern. It is the inspector's job to notate every little thing. The inspector may also notate things at a surface level because the area of expertise is outside of their scope. For example, he or she may say that they see a red flag on something electrical, but that a true licensed electrician would need to further evaluate and repair. He or she might find something indicative of a structural issue, but they will recommend that a structural engineer come give it a look. Read through carefully and determine what looks okay and what you want fixed. You have 4 options. Again, I am speaking to the specific area where I work. You can either: accept the home as is, ask the seller to make repairs, ask the seller for credit in lieu of repairs, or terminate the purchase agreement completely.

I have dealt with each of these options. How do you know which is the best choice? You would perhaps accept the home as is if the home inspection was so exceptional, you didn't feel the need to ask anything of the seller. Sometimes that option is also selected if seller has made it clear they are not willing to repair or credit the buyer. The two most popular options are to ask for repairs, or a credit in lieu of repairs. You need to consider what the repairs are, how costly the repairs are, and how long it would take to complete said repairs. From a buyer's point of view, you may want small repairs completed before moving in. Larger repairs may take more time proloning closing. In the event of large repairs, you may want to ask for a credit. From the seller's perspective, is it easier for you to handle the repairs that aren't too costly, or are you out of state and don't want to deal with it and would rather credit the buyer? These are all things to ask and the answers are on a case by case basis. And unfortunately, there have been times when the buyer felt that they needed to back out completely. 

The home inspection is a stepping stone on the path to closing. It is another point of negotiation. Your realtor can provide you with guidance on all of this and more! Hope this was helpful to you if you're planning on purchasing a home soon.

Today I am going to discuss one of my favorite things. Staging!

The definition upon a quick Google search says "the activity or practice of styling and furnishing a property for sale in such a way as to enhance its attractiveness to potential buyers." -Oxford Languages.

Staging is a lot of fun for me! I have read a lot about it and I feel like it truly helps. The key is to create small snapshots in a room with a clean and simple style. That type of look will appeal to the masses! The goal is to help Buyers imagine the property as their own. This will evoke a lot of emotion resulting in the Buyer feeling cozy and more at home (aka "the warm and fuzzies").

Staging may take extra effort, because experts also say its best to de-personalize the home. Sellers may find the balance difficult- and that is where I can help! And what about vacant homes? I can help with that too!

So, is it worth it?

NAR, the National Association of REALTORS®, has released a 2021 Profile of Home Staging. The findings were that 82% of Buyers said that a staged property was easier to visualize as their future home.

Sounds like its worth it to me!

Welcome to my very first blog post! It's a rainy Thursday and my kids are playing all around me as I work. 

I spend a lot of time reflecting on my business and what I can do to optimize client experience. I'm hoping to use this Blog as an outlet to get out some of those thoughts. I want to reach YOU on a deeper level. I want to really connect and make a difference. This blog is just my little slice of the Real Estate pie.

Real Estate is a passion of mine. It's emotional, messy, and stressful; but also exciting, fun, fulfilling, and rewarding. I have had clients in all different seasons of life:

~The first time home buyer with a new career. ~The newly engaged or married. ~The single parent moving on from a divorce or break up. ~The widow(er) grieving over the loss of a spouse. ~The couple expanding due to a new baby. ~The family moving to their next chapter in another state, or even the family beginning their chapter here in WV. ~The folks that are upgrading to a dream home after a promotion or a long time of building and saving for the future. ~The ones downsizing due to retirement or just to simplify things. ~The grandparents that yearn to be closer to their grandchildren.

Each situation is special and unique in its own way. The mechanics and steps of a transaction may be similar every time, but each client is different. Some clients have a smooth journey to closing. Some have a complete roller coaster. I love that I have been blessed with the ability to serve others and assist them through it all. I love being a small part of an exciting chapter in their book of life.

I hope you'll be back to read my future posts as I dive into my thoughts on Real Estate- and all that goes with it!

Have a great day!

-Stevi