Monthly Archives: April 2022

Tips to Get Your Offer Accepted in a Bidding War

28 Thursday Apr 2022

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In today’s competitive market, it’s not unusual for a home to get multiple offers. So, if you’re planning on buying a home, it’s important to understand how to navigate bidding wars.

So, what, exactly, do you need to know when you’re ready to make an offer on the house, but you’re not the only buyer that wants to call the home their own?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined key insights buyers need to know when they find themselves up against a bidding war, including:

  • Make your first offer your best offer. When a home has multiple offers on the table, you generally only have one shot to grab the seller’s attention—so make sure that your first offer is your best offer. That means to make an offer at the upper limit of what you’re willing to pay and to include anything else you’re willing to make your offer more competitive (for example, waiving a contingency).
  • Write a personal letter. When you’re up against multiple other offers, a heartfelt letter to the sellers about why you want to buy their home could help your offer stand out—and, if the rest of your offer is competitive, could give you the extra help you need to win the bidding war.However, these have been coming under scrutiny in many areas recently, so make sure they are still acceptable in your area before writing and submitting one. Make sure to have your agent guide you in what you can and can’t say in your letter if you are writing one to include with your offer.
  • Know that the seller is in the driver’s seat. When you really want a home, it can be tempting to try to force or control the situation. But the truth is, in the case of a bidding war, it’s important to recognize that the sellers are in the driver’s seat—and accepting that all you can do is make your best offer and hope for the best can make the process less stressful.

The Hanley Home Team has several other tips to share with you! Let’s WIN – get in touch today.

Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTOR, SRES. Luxury

OVER 1000 HOMES SOLD!
The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

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Mortgage Interest Rates Are Rising, but You Can Still Get a Great Deal—Here’s How

21 Thursday Apr 2022

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Mortgage rates are rising—and fast. According to data from Freddie Mac, the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit 4.16 percent the week ending March 17—the first time rates have exceeded 4 percent since May 2019.

But don’t panic! Rising interest rates don’t have to put your home purchase on hold; you just need the right strategies to get a good deal.

So what, exactly, are those strategies?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined strategies buyers can use to score a great deal on their home (even as mortgage interest rates rise!), including:

  • Purchase points for a lower rate. Mortgage rates may be on the rise—but you can still lock in a low rate. Points allow you to pay an upfront fee to lower the interest rate on your mortgage; generally, 1 point will lower your mortgage rate by 0.25 percent—and will cost you 1 percent of the loan. It’s an upfront cost, but it can drive significant savings over the course of the loan—so if you can purchase points to lower your rate, you’ll definitely want to consider it.
  • Target homes that come in under budget. As interest rates rise, your dollar won’t buy you as much house as it did at a lower rate. That’s why, if you want to keep your monthly mortgage payment at an affordable level, you should consider targeted homes that are under your budget.
  • Explore down payment assistance programs. As interest rates rise, you may not be able to get as competitive of a mortgage as you could have when rates were hovering near all-time lows. But you can still find ways to save money on your home purchase—including down payment assistance programs. There are a variety of assistance programs in place (for example, programs for first-time homebuyers and programs for civil servants, like firefighters or teachers)—so it’s definitely worth doing some research to see if there are any programs you qualify for.

The Takeaway:

Interest rates may be rising, but there are still great deals to be had—so if you’re thinking about buying a home, don’t let the increase in interest rates stop you! Get in touch!

Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTOR, SRES. Luxury OVER 1000 HOMES SOLD!
The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

Is It Time to Lower Your Asking Price?

14 Thursday Apr 2022

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We’re in the midst of a historic seller’s market, when many homes are selling quickly and above asking price.

So, if your home has been on the market for a while and hasn’t sold, you may be scratching your head and wondering what the issue is. And, in some cases, it may be that your asking price is too high.

But how, exactly, do you know when you’ve priced your home too high—and when it’s time to bring that price down?

A recent video from realtor.com outlined scenarios where you should consider lowering your asking price, including:

  • You’ve had lots of showings—but no offers. If you’ve had plenty of potential buyers come and see your property—but none have made an offer—it could be a sign that your home is priced too high. (This is particularly true in today’s market, when most homes sell quickly.)
  • High volume of more affordable properties on the market. If your home is listed significantly higher than other comparable properties in your area, it could deter buyers—and you may want to consider lowering your asking price to be more in line with the going rate in your neighborhood.
  • New construction in your area. If there is new construction in your area that’s priced within range and/or offering incentives to buyers, it could make it harder to generate interest for your home at a high asking price.

Let’s discuss the importance of pricing your home correctly so you maximize your profit!

Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTOR, SRES. Luxury

OVER 1000 HOMES SOLD!
The Hanley Home Team
Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside
904-515-2479
HanleyHomeTeam.com

How Time Can Be On Your Side if You’re a First-Time Home Buyer in This Market

07 Thursday Apr 2022

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If you’re in the market to buy your first home in this market, it’s probably felt like an uphill battle. There aren’t a lot of houses to choose from, and the minute a house gets listed there are a ton of offers to compete against.

Adding to the stress, now you’re probably worrying about the news that interest rates are going up, and hoping to scoop up a house before rates go up too high and make buying a house more affordable. 

But then there’s the news about pending home sales dropping over the past couple of months, which may sound hopeful to buyers. 

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Are buyers putting on the brakes and waiting to see if house prices come down due to rates rising? Should you wait and try to time the market?

All understandable questions buyers may be thinking about, but speculating and trying to time the market is a gamble that may not pay off as one would hope. Here’s a few reasons why:

  • Even if interest rates go up, prices may not come down enough to make buying a house cost less.
  • Inventory won’t likely increase enough to outpace demand. That can only be solved by either more houses being built, or more Baby Boomers listing their houses, which hasn’t happened as anticipated.
  • Trying to time the real estate market is almost impossible for even a seasoned real estate investor, let alone an average homebuyer.

So timing may not be the best bet, but time itself can be on your side as a first-time buyer in any market, but especially this one.

Part of the reason why there are so few homes for sale, and pending sales have dropped over the past few months, is due to the fact that many homeowners worry about where they’ll go if they sell their house. Think about your concerns as a first-time buyer having to find a house to begin with, and then hope you can beat out a bunch of other buyers. That concern is even greater for someone who already owns a house. Even if they truly want to move, it can be scary to pull the trigger and list their house because they have legitimate concerns that they won’t be able to find and buy a house.

This is where you, as a first-time buyer, have an advantage. Most sellers would love to have time on their side to look for a home once they get their house under contract. Sure they want as much money as they can get for their house, but time to look for a house can be more valuable than a higher offer another buyer makes. 

The Takeaway:

Rather than put your house hunting on hold and speculating that prices will come down, or more inventory will magically appear, focus on what you have to offer that other buyers can’t offer to a seller—as much time as they need to find a house to buy. 

This doesn’t mean you can get away with a lowball offer against other buyers, but it can give you the upperhand. So consider writing terms into your offers that give the seller as much time as they need to find a house. 

And perhaps your real estate agent can even use your ability to wait as a reason to reach out to their network of past clients and other agents. There’s no guarantee, but he or she might be able to find a seller who hasn’t listed their house because they’re concerned about timing. It could be just the right thing that gets a hesitant homeowner to sell, and gets you a house to buy!

Let’s get creative! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside HanleyHomeTeam.com 904-515-2479