Should You Apply for an Online Mortgage?

Tags

Jacksonville FL Real Estate, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, lock-in a good mortgage rate, low mortgage rates, mortgage loan, mortgage rates, real estate, real estate investing, Real Estate Team

A mortgage is a big financial responsibility. Yet, if you’re like half of all home buyers, chances are you won’t shop around for the best mortgage. The result could be the loss of thousands of dollars…both in up front costs and in monthly payments. It pays (a lot) to shop around.

As a home buyer, you have three options for getting a mortgage: a traditional bank, a mortgage broker, and an online mortgage lender. Here’s a quick breakdown of the differences. 

1. The Traditional Bank

A traditional bank offers in-house loans. You may get better rates and closing costs from your own bank if you’ve banked there a long time. On the other hand, you will only get the rates and terms they dictate, which might be limited. You probably won’t have a lot of choices. It pays to check at other institutions to compare the rates and terms of your bank’s offer. 

2. A Mortgage Broker

A mortgage broker’s job is to act as your guide to helping you find a mortgage that fits your needs. The broker can shop around to find banks and other sources of funds that are the best rates and terms, based on your credit and income. 

Brokers are usually experienced loan specialists. Unlike big-bank loan officers, brokers will work with you to answer your questions and look for options. If you bring your big bank’s offer to a broker, he or she can compare for you. 

Brokers promote loan products that provide them with a finders’ fee. Since those fees are already built into the loan products (whether to benefit a broker or a bank’s own loan officer costs), you likely won’t see much of those fees passed on to you. 

3. An Online Mortgage Lender

The great advantage to using an online mortgage lender is that you may get great rates and fees. Online lenders don’t have to cover a lot of overhead, so they can offer discounts to their borrowers through lower rates or closing costs. Even a quarter of a percent lower interest rate can potentially save you thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.

Another advantage is that you don’t need to talk to anyone. How convenient to have a burger, watch TV, and fill out a loan application all at once! Of course, convenience is also a big drawback. 

If you have a question, no matter how small, you won’t be able to get a quick answer, if at all. With online lenders, they will assign someone to work with you (a loan officer). That person has a huge work load and is often fairly inexperienced with nuanced questions. And in my experience, the questions are always nuanced. 

For example, take the question of assets and liabilities. Do you include your child’s college savings account? Is that going to risk you using that account if needed to pay for tuition next month? Should you include the fact that you’re on your nephew’s car loan, even though he’s paid it on his own for years and it’s almost paid off? Is your secret PayPal account going to show up on your assets, even if you don’t want it to?  

So Which Should You Use?

Use at least two sources. Make sure one of them is a mortgage broker. 

The Online Lender: If your situation is relatively straight forward…you have a regular job, a regular pay check, no weird debts or assets, then an online lender can be a great option. Make sure you read about warnings in the section below.

Big Bank or Credit Union: If you have a great relationship already, see if they have special rates and terms for long-time customers. In my experience, you’ll often end up in a situation similar to working with an online lender, because the bank is going to assign a loan officer, who may or may not be able to answer your questions. 

The Mortgage Broker: I highly recommend that one of your comparison points be a mortgage broker. Brokers are usually very experienced and can answer a lot of your questions. They’ll be able to shop around to find loans that might have comparable rates and terms to the ones offered by your bank or online lender. And they’ll let you know if your bank or online lender is a better deal. 

The biggest problem with applying to multiple sources is the fees. You’ll have to fill out the loan application multiple times, and your credit will be pulled multiple times, and you’ll have to pay multiple application and credit report fees. This is the reason most people don’t apply to multiple sources. However, you may be able to do a preliminary application, especially at the online sources.  Find out before completing the application if there are fees.

Warnings about Online Lenders

Most of them are not lenders at all. They might be brokers, they might “non-bank investment companies,” or they might simply be third-party comparison sites. There’s nothing wrong with any of these, but you should know what you’re getting. 

Lendingtree or Bankrate are examples of third-party comparison sites. They won’t give you a loan and can’t tell you which loans are best for you. They’ll simply show you funding sources that they have affiliate agreements with. You may find this useful for comparing different lender rates. Google “Mortgage Comparison Websites”.

Most online lenders are non-bank investment outlets. Quicken Loans or Meridian are examples. They’ll process your application and fund the loan using large institutional investor funds. They’ll likely sell your mortgage as part of a package of loans to other investors. There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s very common in the mortgage world. Before filling out any online mortgage application, check on the site’s credentials. You don’t want to start giving financial information online without vetting them first. Google “Non-Bank Mortgage Lenders”.

A few of the online lenders are in fact mortgage brokers, such as Intellimortgage. You’re simply filling out a loan application in advance, and they’ll consult with you to find you the best mortgage. I’d personally rather meet with a mortgage broker in person or talk by phone, rather than using an online mortgage broker. It’s just easier to get answers from a live person. Google “local mortgage brokers in (your location)”. Find a live person to talk to.

And of course, big banks like HBSC and Chase are online, too, so when you get a list of options from LendingTree or you Google “online mortgage,” there’s a very good chance you’ll simply be getting a bank. Double check whether the name of the company you’re shown in any online search or list is a bank, a non-bank, or a broker. 

Will Applying Ruin My Credit? 

It’s true that applying for credit can lower your credit score. However, when applying for mortgage loans for comparison purposes 2-3 times, your credit score will likely not be affected. Even if it is, it’ll usually only drop a little and only after you’ve already applied. If your score drops, a simple explanation that you were comparing lenders will suffice and your original rate at the time of application will stand.

Ask us for some recommendations for mortgage brokers in our area! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com 904-515-2479 Team@HanleyHomeTeam.com

7 Reasons to Work With a REALTOR®

Tags

Buying a home, buying your first home, Experienced real estate agents, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, real estate, Real Estate Team, real estate tips, selling your home

REALTORS® aren’t just agents. They’re professional members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict code of ethics. This is the REALTOR® difference for home buyers:

1. Ethical treatment.
   Every REALTOR® must adhere to a strict code of ethics, which is based on professionalism and protection of the public. As a REALTOR®’s client, you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all transaction-related matters. The first obligation is to you, the client.
2. An expert guide.
   Buying a home usually requires dozens of forms, reports, disclosures, and other technical documents. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes. Also, there’s a lot of jargon involved, so you want to work with a professional who can speak the language.
3. Objective information and opinions.
   REALTORS® can provide local information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They also have objective information about each property. REALTORs® can use that data to help you determine if the property has what you need. By understanding both your needs and search area, they can also point out neighborhoods you don’t know much about but that might suit your needs better than you’d thought.
4. Expanded search power.
   Sometimes properties are available but not actively advertised. A REALTOR® can help you find opportunities not listed on home search sites and can help you avoid out-of-date listings that might be showing up as available online but are no longer on the market.
5. Negotiation knowledge.
   There are many factors up for discussion in a deal. A REALTOR® will look at every angle from your perspective, including crafting a purchase agreement that allows enough time for you to complete inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase.
6. Up-to-date experience.
   Most people buy only a few homes in their lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you’ve done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS® handle hundreds of transactions over the course of their career.
7. Your rock during emotional moments.
   A home is so much more than four walls and a roof. And for most people, property represents the biggest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on the issues most important to you.

The Hanley Home Team would love to work with you!! Have any questions? Give us a call today!  Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

 

Upsizing your home

Tags

Buying a home, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, moving, real estate, real estate advice, Upsizing; upgrading your home; dream home; right home choice; is your home a hassle; up

Photo by Emma Bauso on Pexels.com

Unfortunately, our homes don’t always grow with us. What may have initially worked fine for a single person, a young couple’s starter home, or a family with a newborn can quickly become too small as families expand and multiple generations live under one roof.

Remodeling and adding to your home is one option for creating more space, but it can be costly, and the size of your property may be prohibitive. That’s when moving to a bigger home becomes the best solution.

WHERE DO YOU NEED MORE SPACE?

The first thought when upsizing your home is to simply consider square footage, bedrooms, and bathrooms. But it’s important to take a more critical approach to how your space will actually be used. If you have younger children (or possibly more on the way), then focusing on bedrooms and bathrooms makes sense. But if your children are closer to heading off to college or starting their own families, it may be better to prioritize group spaces like the kitchen, dining room, living room, and outdoor space—it’ll pay off during the holidays or summer vacations, when everyone is coming to visit for big gatherings.

MOVING OUTWARD

If you need more space, but don’t necessarily want a more expensive home, you can probably get a lot more house for your money if you move a little further from a city center. While the walkability and short commutes of a dense neighborhood or condo are hard to leave beyond, your lifestyle—and preferences for hosting Thanksgiving, barbecues, and birthdays—might mean that a spacious home in the suburbs makes the most sense. It’s your best option for upsizing while avoiding a heftier price tag.

---

Have any questions or are you ready to start your new home search in 2019? Give us a call today!  Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

Having the Talk with Your Aging Parents

Tags

aging in place, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, long term care, real estate advice, senior citizen; senior home transitioning; senior living transition; real estate for seniors, seniors

Having The Talk

By BusinessWest Staff August 6, 2019 1020

A Challenging First Step

By Joe Gilmore, Landmark Senior Living

Talking about long-term care needs with an elderly parent or other loved one can be a difficult thing. You may not know exactly how to approach it without coming off as rude or disingenuous. However, when it comes to a loved one’s health, it is important to cast aside how you feel to ensure that they can live safely and happily later in life. It is especially important to have this conversation before a problem occurs, not after.

An American Assoc. of Retired Persons survey found that two-thirds of adult children have never had this conversation. This is most likely due to the fact that a lot of adult children don’t know how to engage in this type of talk, or how to begin it. To begin, you have to decide who is going to be there during the talk and what the discussion is going to center around.

Keeping your loved one or parent safe later in their life is a priority, and talking to them about living situations, such as assisted living or even enlisting the help of a caregiver, is the first step. This is especially true if your parent or loved one has experienced a traumatic event in the recent past, such as a fall or the loss of a spouse.

Tips for the Talk

• Decide how you are going to do it and who’s going to be there. Sometimes a one-on-one talk is best; however, if you need someone to back up your points or provide another point of view, it may be a good idea to get other family members involved.

• Go over which talking points you will speak on before approaching your loved one, and set up a time and place to talk.

• Express each idea as an opinion of yours rather than a need for them. For example, choosing phrases like “I think” or “I need” rather than “you should” or “you need” are good ways to avoid conflict.

• Remind your loved one that everyone is there because they care and want to help keep them safe.

• Stay calm. Don’t raise your voice, speak over your loved one, or encourage any hostility during this discussion, as it will only make the situation worse.

• If your loved one immediately dismisses the idea of leaving their home, it may be best to drop the issue for the moment and bring it back up at another time.

The first step in beginning the talk is setting up how you are going to do it and who’s going to be there. Sometimes it is best for the talk to be a one-on-one; however, if you need someone to back up your points or provide another point of view, it may be a good idea to get other family members or loved ones involved. Every family is different, and it may be a good idea to disregard some family members when deciding who is invited to speak.

It is best to go over which talking points that you will speak on before approaching your parent or loved one. Meeting beforehand to talk about these things is recommended. Create a plan on how you wish to talk about this.

Understanding Your Loves Ones’ Goals for the Future

Your conversation about the future doesn’t have to focus only on a caregiving plan. You may also consider talking generally with your loved ones about what is important to them as they grow older. This checklist can be used as a starting point to better understand their priorities. Start by asking then to check all those that apply and then spend some time talking about each one in a little more detail:
__ To remain as independent as possible for as long as possible

__ To remain healthy and active

__ To remain in my home as long as possible

__ To focus on a hobby

__ To work for as long as possible

__ To become involved in the community

__ To remain as financially independent as possible

__ To take classes

__ To create a safety net in the event of an emergency or crisis situation

__ To start my own business

__ To buy a second home

__ To move closer to my family

__ To relocate to a smaller home

__ To retire in a different place

__ To travel

__ To be able to help my children and grandchildren

After going over the points you will make, the first thing you’ll want to do is set up a time and place to talk with your parent or loved one. This may require the use of some type of web communications like Skype or just over the phone if someone can’t be there or lives in a different area.

Depending on how you are hoping to help your parent, there are a few ways to go about this. For example, if you are just hoping to enlist the help of a caregiver, or become the caregiver yourself, it will take less convincing than, say, getting them to agree to be admitted to an assisted-living or residential care facility.

When speaking with a parent or a loved one about what you feel they should do, it is best to phrase it in a way that expresses that it is an opinion of yours rather than a need for them. For example, choosing phrases like “I think” or “I need” rather than “you should” or “you need” are good ways to avoid conflict.

Be sure to remind your parent or loved one that everyone is there because they care and want to help keep them safe. It may even be beneficial to bring up times when your parent may have had their health put at risk — maybe a fall or another incident.

This is also true for other major events like the loss of a spouse. There is evidence that the social isolation that stems from living alone and independently can lead to problems like loneliness and depression.

It is also important not to raise your voice or encourage any hostility during this discussion, as it will only make the situation worse. You should also be aware of when your parent is trying to talk. Do not try to speak over them, as it will likely lead to an argument. Keep your cool and remain calm during the discussion, even if others don’t.

Some parents will dismiss the idea of moving to an assisted-living facility immediately or adamantly. If this is the case, it may be best to drop the issue for the moment and bring it back up at another time down the road.

At the end of the meeting, make sure everyone has a clear understanding of the issues, concerns, and considerations presented.

**Jennifer Hanley is an SRES designated agent (Senior Real Estate Specialist).  Get in touch today for advice and help. The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty 904-515-2479 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

Unusual Self-Staging Secrets that work, Whether You’re Selling or Not

Tags

declutter, declutter before selling your home, decluttering, home improvement, home improvement tips, homes, Jacksonville, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, real estate, real estate staging, staging, staging tips, staging your home

Staging means more than simply adding new fashions and furnishings to your home. Staging means understanding the psychology of living in a home, and using those underlying secrets to your own advantage, rather than to sell.
Staging is a word that has gained popularity in the real estate world in recent years. In case you haven’t heard the term, it means setting up the interior and exterior of your home with nice furnishings and decor so that home buyers can imagine themselves living in a clean, clutter-free, stylish home. You know…the kind of designer home no one actually lives in. In fact, there’s probably not a home seller in the world who hasn’t spun around in their newly staged living rooms just before selling and said, “Gee, I wish I had done this before selling it so I could have lived in it like this.”
But wait! Rather than staging to sell, how about staging for life—so you can live in it? By taking a fresh look at your home and making a few bold changes, you can impart much of the feeling that comes from a completely staged home, even if you have no interior design experience at all. This two-part report will show you how. First you’ll learn the secrets of minimizing distractions, which is the real reason that staging works—not the furnishings. And then you’ll learn a few style basics to help enhance the environment.

Part 1: Distractions and Tolerations
Part 2: Interior Design Basics

Part 1: Distractions and Tolerations
Wallowing in Distraction

In every era of mankind it can be said that somebody turned to somebody else and said, “Things are a lot more hectic today than they used to be.”

And in every case, they were right. Every era of mankind has grown more complex and hectic. That doesn’t mean life is harder from one era to the next. But it is hard in a different way. In our world today, for example, we’ve taken the expectation of personal productivity to new heights. It’s barely acceptable any more to not be available by phone, and people will complain about not being able to get hold of a person in minutes. Vast numbers of people are in charge of us, from our friends and family who demand our attention by phone and Facebook, to our kids and partners to want to be entertained, to a plethora of unskilled bosses in an increasingly stratified corporate world. It’s a recipe for stress.

Perhaps one of the most important survival skills in this current world view is our ability to manage distractions. Distractions are things that take our attention away from what we’re trying to focus on. Think “texting and driving,” or “walking and chewing gum.” These are things that aren’t supposed to go together, but we do them together, just as we eat and drive, program the gps and drive, do our makeup, read, and talk while we drive. And while doing one of those things, our coordination for doing the other slips.

Beyond technology, we’re also distracted by our own thoughts. With competing demands on our attention and time, we’re always thinking about several tasks at once—multitasking mentally as well as physically. And our world has become intensely mental. While our grandmother might have multitasked by getting all the parts of a good meal on the table at the same time, we have to be evaluating different ideas, planning multiple programs, writing several different reports, and thinking about how to keep everyone happy.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who tells us in his book called Happiness, that we should do things mindfully. His meaning is to be aware in the moment you are in of all that you are doing. When you are walking, think about walking. When you are sitting, think about sitting. When you are driving, think about driving. He says, “The present moment is the only moment that is real. Your most important task is to be here and now and enjoy the present.”

What’s the point in that, right? If you can multitask and you need to get a lot done, what is the point in slowing down and focusing on one task at a time? Well, for one, if we’re talking about driving, it’s safer. But more to the point, Thich Nhat Hanh is not talking about being able to do something better because you’re focused. He’s talking about calming the mind, something that has measurable benefits in relieving stress.

(Stay with me…this all goes back to staging in just a moment.)

Photo by Milly Eaton on Pexels.com

A calm, still mind is more able to detach from complexities and feel at peace. A peaceful mind is better able to connect to abundance and win-win thinking. It is said by the Buddhists that a person will have become enlightened when he does not have a single thought for one whole minute.
The person who can effectively manage distractions is likely to be more attractive to others. For instance, networking events are wonderful places to view distracted minds. You walk into the room and the first thing you do is walk up to someone and catch their eye to see if you can get into conversation with them. You can tell instantly if they’re “with you” or not. Sometimes it’s subtle, a frozen smile, a flick of the eyes. Other times it’s more overt with them turning and talking to other people in the middle of your conversation. And then other times you feel like you’re the only person in that other person’s world right then. Ah, that feels nice.
The practical application of this discussion is that the act of reducing distractions in our home space instantly puts our minds into a more receptive state, calming our stress, and improving our health and relationships. Wow, that’s a lot of goodies from just reducing distractions and simplifying where our attention goes.
By decluttering our space, arranging furniture to appeal to the eye, reducing messes, harmonizing colors, and simplifying your décor, we gain a huge amount of peace in our home space.

Reducing distractions is one of the biggest secrets to successful staging. Removing clutter and putting thing in order, as well as using a few well-placed large pieces of art or furniture in place of a bunch of scattered pieces make a room feel more peaceful—and that sense of peace is one of the reasons that staged homes sell faster than unstaged homes.

Tolerations

Then there’s the evil cousin of distractions—tolerations. Tolerations are a kind of distraction that we don’t acknowledge. Tolerations are usually tiny distractions we ignore, but that are in our peripheral vision and at the edge of our consciousness. I remember a neighbor coming to visit for the first time. I wanted to make her feel welcome, so I started to show her around the house. It was only then that I noticed the cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, the hole in the door screen, and the streak of dirt by the front door where the dog jumped up. And when she asked to use the restroom, I suddenly remembered the moldy tile in the bath surround. I was distracted during her brief visit, and probably looked and acted apologetic.

I mentioned all this to a friend later, and we talked about how the cumulative effect of tolerations can become a drag on our spirit, awareness, and energy. I wanted to enjoy my neighbor, and all I could think about was little crap that I should have taken care of. I’m sure the neighbor felt some of my embarrassment, even if she didn’t know why.
The experience made me look around my house and realize how many of these little details I had been tolerating without really noticing.

Photo by Wendelin Jacober on Pexels.com

Tolerations can consist of a multitude of small, petty details—like a dirty car, the torn curtain, a spot on the floor, the annoying piece of tape stuck to our computer, the door in the bathroom that sticks. Or they can be large projects—like the house needs painting, the filing system is in disarray, the car is too small for a growing family, etc.

One reason staged homes appeal to us is that they have eliminated the tolerations. Buyers feel good without even knowing why, because there’s nothing to take care of…no tolerations have built up to dampen their energy. They don’t see any cobwebs or curled linoleum, because those things have been taken care of in a well-staged home.

Exercise: Eliminating Tolerations
Step 1: Petty tolerations
Look around in your immediate environment from where you’re sitting right now. Make a list of everything you see that is out of place, broken or torn, too small or large, crooked, cluttered, a dissatisfying color, etc. Do this for every room in your house. Do the same in your office workspace and car.

Place these lists where you can see them prominently. They are your visual existence system to help you remember what needs to be done.

Make a commitment to fixing just one item from this list each day. Cross off each item as it is done. Fix it mindfully.

Step 2: Major tolerations
Look around your house, yard, car, and work environment. Make a list of projects that need to be done, including painting, cleaning, organizing, repairing, replacing, etc.
Prioritize the list. Then put the first project onto a schedule. Identify the intermediate steps that need to be done to make that project a reality, such as getting bids, tracking down service providers, saving money, etc.

Part 2: Interior Design Basics
In addition to looking at tolerations in your physical space, consider the following more traditional suggestions for staging your home, while eliminating tolerations:

Start with a Blank Slate
Consider emptying an entire room before you start any DIY staging efforts. By creating a blank slate, you’ll be more creative. Then consider these three things elements: paint and flooring colors, window coverings, and finally art pieces. Identify a color scheme for all of these elements. If you already have flooring and don’t plan to replace it, that may be the start of your color scheme.

Photo by Carlos Diaz on Pexels.com

Choose new paint colors to complement the flooring. If you can’t afford new furnishings to match the color scheme, consider new pillows or a slip cover. Consider installing crown molding and new baseboards at this time, or building a new fireplace surround or mantle. Finally, choose window coverings that tie the paint, flooring, and furniture together. When moving furniture back into the space, look for ways to leave some things out of the room altogether. The most valuable feature of staged homes is the absence of clutter.
When replacing furniture in the room, position it in different ways. Try configurations you think can’t possibly work, such as setting the couch at an angle and adding a sofa table behind it. Also consider adding plants to your space. As you replace furnishings, also remember the ideas of absence of distractions and elimination of tolerations.

Find a Way to Match Pieces
If you have mis-matched shelving or other furniture for the room, consider replacing some of it, or refinishing it all to have a similar finish. For instance, if you have one rattan chair, a wooden IKEA shelf unit, and a 1960’s coffee table, you may be creating dissonance in your space. Consider ridding yourself of one of these elements, then replacing it with something that matches one of the other elements. Perhaps removing the 1960’s table and replacing it with an IKEA table will draw the room together. Perhaps replacing the rattan chair with a 1960’s era arm chair might draw the room together in a retro way. The more your furniture looks as though it is from the same style or era, the more together your room will look.

Another idea for matching pieces is to choose one finish and alter other pieces to have similar finishes. For instance, if you have a blonde wood coffee table, a golden oak shelving unit, and a black lacquered TV cabinet, you have mismatched finishes. If you want to keep the black TV cabinet, consider sanding and using black lacquer paint to refinish the coffee table and shelf unit. If you don’t want to keep the black TV cabinet, but like your blonde wood coffee table, consider replacing the TV cabinet and sanding and lightening the stain of your shelf unit. For some wood furniture, you might consider distressing it and using a white-wash finish.

Remove Clutter with Storage
It’s been said many times. A well-staged home is a clutter-free space. If you struggle to manage clutter, the best thing you can do for yourself is to first throw everything away that you almost never use. If it has sentimental value, or you use it rarely but need it when you do, then you will find a home for it in the garage, attic, or storage area. You can also take photos of some older cherished items that you don’t really need to hang onto any longer.
Speaking of storage areas, if clutter controls you, one of the first things you need to do is purchase cabinets with closing doors. Many people get clutter around the phone area in or near the kitchen. If that’s you, purchase a cabinet that can rest in this area and hold a lot of that clutter. One friend of mine bought an extra upper kitchen cabinet to match the rest of her kitchen, then placed it on the floor under the bar countertop next to the bar stools. That is the place where the kids shove all of their art supplies that they use while sitting at the counter.
Clutter goes beyond counter tops. Clutter can include too many pieces of furniture and too much art on the walls, but that may be a matter of taste. I know people who love knick-knacks and every square inch of their homes is covered with these treasures. They are clean, well-organized homes for the most part, thought one is just junky, with stuff crammed into shelves so tightly that it can’t even be seen.
If clutter is a problem for you, focus intensively on creating cabinets and spaces for your stuff. As my mother always said—a place for everything and everything in its place.

Final Word
Staging is not just about renting expensive furniture and creating a designer interior to sell your home. Staging is also about staging for life—creating a space you enjoy living in, one that contributes to your sense of well-being. By eliminating distractions and removing tolerations, you open up your mind to focus on other, more important things in life. And by matching colors, matching furniture styles, and creating significant extra storage for all your “must-keep” small items, you create a relaxing environment that soothes you, much like a great piece of art or a perfect place in nature. Your home will make you feel good, not just be a place to get out of the rain.

Why You Need to Make Home Buying Your New Year’s Resolution

Tags

Buying a home, Goals, Home buying strategy, home ownership, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, New Years Resolution

Photo by JESHOOTS.com on Pexels.com

Losing weight, starting an exercise plan, or giving up on smoking are some of the most common New Year’s resolutions for a vast majority of individuals. But have you ever thought that buying a home should be in your New Year’s plan? Let’s face it, you have been dreaming about moving into your own home for such a long time. You even have plans for the kitchen cabinets and a backyard where your kids can play with your dog. But somehow you have not been able to convert your dreams into reality. It is finally the time to stop postponing your decision and start the home buying process….welcome to 2019!

 

Buying a home is a great New Year’s resolution

If you have been living in a rented place for a long time, isn’t it the right time to stop making the bank account of your landlord happy? It’s time to treat your family to a place that it can truly call its own!

 

Benefits of home ownership should spur you into action

There are so many benefits of buying a home that it would take a full article to describe each one of them. But just the fact that you can have your own home with the same (or less) monthly payment that you are now paying as rent should be reason enough to spur you into action. You would need money to put forward in the form of down payment but this money helps in building equity into your home.

 

Mortgage rates are going up and so are the prices of properties. Waiting any longer will only make it that much more difficult for you to buy a home. If you make home buying as a New Year’s resolution, the first step is to contact The Hanley Home Team to help you create an achievable action plan. Give us a call and let’s make it a GREAT 2019 together – www.HanleyHomeTeam.com 904-515-2479 Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty

10 Tip for Protecting your Home During Vacations

Tags

home safety, Home security, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, protect your home, real estate, real estate tips

We hope you all have a safe and relaxing time during your vacation this summer. It’s crucial that we all have time to recharge and recognize what’s important in life. We only go around once, so it’s important to savor what we have.

Before you leave town, we thought you might be interested in a few precautionary safety tips to keep your home and your possessions safe while you’re gone. Often in the run-up to a vacation, people neglect to take simple steps to protect themselves from becoming a victim of theft or vandalism.

You’ve probably covered your bases, but just in case, here are 10 basic precautions you can take:

1. Have someone collect your mail and newspaper daily.

2. Leave shades and blinds in normal positions.

3. Put at least two lights and a radio on automatic timers.

4. Have someone leave trash at your curb on garbage collection day.

5. Have someone park a car in your driveway occasionally. If you leave your car outside, arrange to have it moved every so often.

6. Leave a key with a trusted neighbor in case of an emergency. Let the neighbor know where you are going and when you are expect to return, also leave them a way to get in contact with you in case of an emergency.

7. Lock all windows and doors before you go. Do not forget to double-check basement and garage doors.

8. On extended trips have someone to maintain your landscaping, (grass mowed, leaves raked, etc.)

9. Consider turning off your home’s water main to prevent damage from a burst pipe.

10. Be careful how much you check-in on social media while on vacation. If your privacy settings are incorrect you might reveal to strangers your home is vacant!

Be safe and have a blast…

Is buying or selling your home a priority in 2018?  Give us a call and let’s make your New Year’s resolution a reality – Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

Top 10 Ways to Make Your Home Sell Faster

Tags

Jacksonville FL Real Estate, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, real estate, real estate information, Real Estate Team, sell your home, sell your home faster, spruce up your home, Top 10 Ways to Sell Your Home

The devil is really in the details when buyers look at a home. Lots of everyday wear and tear that you don’t even notice can ding your home in the eyes of potential buyers. Here’s the Hanley Home Team’s list of ten simple improvements you can do to help your home sell faster:

1. Spruce up your baseboards: Pets, kids, and stumbling husbands in the dark can make a mess of your baseboards. Repainting baseboards after repairing scratches with putty can make the border of any room look new.

2. Fill in nail holes: Part of interior repainting should be careful attention to those errant nail holes from pictures, shelves, and other wall-mounted baubles. Putty, smooth, sand and paint!

3. Sniff for smokers: Filter replacement is a must if someone’s been puffing in your home. Also wash down those walls, prime them to seal in any cooked-in nicotine, and repaint. Be sure to check entryways and lawns for cigarette butts, too!

4. Review the roof: Do you have missing shingles? Broken tiles? Is mold and moss sprouting up there? Do some cleaning and spot replacing.

5. Reinforce your gutters: Clean them out, dry them out, then caulk them to prevent leaks. This will keep water off the siding, reducing staining and damage.

6. Replace bad vinyl floors: Not only are they tacky when they’re cracked or cut, but they can suggest water damage to buyers.

7. Repair dripping faucets: Buyers will turn faucets on and off. What will they find? If your sinks and baths dribble, fix them before buyers imagine their future headache.

8. Tune up screens: Did you have a dog that liked to lean against the front door? Look for the sagging, hanging, bent, and bubbling screens, especially around doors. New screens look clean. Old screens suggest neglect.

9. Patch cabinet scratches: Tibet Almond Stick, Old English Scratch Cover, or even some artful re-staining can make cabinets seem new. Remember to polish them up when you’re done!

10. Reseal wobbly toilets: If the bowl moves when you sit on it, the bolts are rusted, or the bathroom floor is damp and discolored around the commode, replace the toilet or at the very least reseal it.

By the way, you can also use our tools and search for properties on our website! http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com – Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS – The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479

Open House Checklist

Tags

Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, open house, open house how to, real estate, tips for open house

The run-up to an open house is as important as the event itself. Preparing yourself and others for the event is crucial to not only showcasing a property, but also building relationships with neighbors, future buyers, and people who may just provide that essential referral. One of the best ways to ensure success every time? Make a checklist of what must be done, and set up alerts on your calendar to remind you to do the tasks on your checklist.

Below is a sample checklist of a successful open house plan:

1 week before: Create flyers with date, time, and contact info for the open house, and home/mortgage info on the house. Create a Facebook Event and invite friends, fans, and prospects.

6 days before: Call all your buyers to let them know about the open house. Hang 25 flyers and 25 door-knockers around the neighborhood.

5 days before: Check on the status of the flyers. If you run into people in the neighborhood while you’re there, introduce yourself and let them know about the open house.

2 days before: Be sure you’ve memorized the house and its details, and know its floor plan well enough to give effective tours that showcase the property. Create an attractive sign-in sheet, featuring your photo and contact info, and offering a line for their own contact info (including email address!) and space for them to share where they heard about the open house.

30 minutes before: Make sure the house is clean, and smells clean (many home sprays are clean and pleasant; avoid overtly floral or scented scents, as many people are allergic or sensitive to strong scents). Place at least 4 directional signs, each with eye-catching accessories, such as balloons to grab people’s attention and pull traffic from main intersections (don’t forget the sign license as they are required in some parts of the county).

10 minutes before: Open house and front door. Put at least two signs and 4 attention-getters out front, and an “Open” rider on the sign. Play background music, preferably something instrumental and subtle, at low volume.

Within 24-hours after: Follow up with all contacts by phone or email.

From open house to open house, you’ll refine your plan. Take notes. Write down what seemed to work, and what bombed. Over time, you’ll have a custom checklist which will help you efficiently and effectively prepare for blockbuster open houses.

Open houses are a lot more work than you might think!  Need someone to help you with your open house? Get in touch! The Hanley Home Team – expert real estate agents (and open house agents!)  Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTOR – Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

 

What is an MLS?

Tags

homes in Jacksonville, Jacksonville FL real estate agents, Jacksonville Real Estate, MLS, multiple listing service

Do you understand what an MLS is? If you’re searching for a home, an MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is absolutely crucial for discovering homes and marketing homes to agents and potential buyers. Get a clear understanding of the benefits of an MLS!

Odds are you’ve spent a little time online searching for homes. After all, most home searches begin online. You may have even used a broker’s website or a site like Trulia or Zillow to help you browse listings.

But where does listing information come from?

Way back in the day, prior to the Information Age revolution, brokers used to gather and exchange information about their properties. The idea was fairly straightforward: I’ll help you sell your properties if you help me sell mine. It’s a “private offer of cooperation and compensation.” Cooperation meant the real estate industry could thrive and buyers and sellers could enjoy smoother transactions.

This spirit of cooperation gave rise to Multiple Listing Service(s) (MLS). By consolidating information about housing inventory in an MLS, listing brokers and buyers’ brokers can easily share up-to-date information about homes on the market. Though an MLS is typically a private database available to brokers, much of the information is syndicated to outside sites in the interest of casting wider net for buyers and sellers.

As an MLS is the primary source of information about a property, it tends to be the most accurate. It may also contain private information for use by brokers only, such as times the home is available for showings and seller contact information.

There are upwards of 850 MLS databases in the U.S. alone, and to a certain extent, there is market pressure to centralize these into a national MLS database. We’re sure to see changes in how Multiple Listing Services are used in the future, but the core benefits to home sellers and buyers is sure to remain.

Ready to put the power of an MLS to work for you? Search with me today for homes on the market right now.  You can search like us at http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com or call us at 904-515-2479 – Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside