Essential Terms to Know in Real Estate

There are several industry specific terms used in real estate that are crucial to have an understanding of when looking into becoming a first-time home buyer.  When the lingo is unfamiliar to you it is easy to become overwhelmed which leads to added stress to an already stressful situation.  To prepare yourself for a fast and efficient transaction we have compiled a list of terms you are sure to hear throughout your transaction.

Appraisal: This is the estimate given by professionals that values the home, property, or combination of.  An appraisal is sought by lenders when looking to verify that a property is worth the amount of money the buyer is seeking to purchase it for.

Buyer’s Agent: A buyer’s agent is a real estate professional that works on behalf of the person buying a home.  They seek to represent the buyer’s best interest throughout the entirety of the transaction.

Contract: A sales contract is a legally binding document between the buyer and seller that states the terms of the sale.

Closing: This is the moment the sale of the home is final.

Closing Date: This is the date that is set in place as a marker for when ownership of the home occurs.  It is the expected date that the home inspection is to be completed, a mortgage obtained, and keys exchanged.

Contingencies: Conditions within the contract that need to be met for the sale to move forward.

Counter Offer:  Once an offer has been received if it is not deemed acceptable to the seller they can respond with an offer they deem acceptable.

Debt-to Income Ratio:  This is a number that is used my mortgage lenders to determine how much outstanding debt you have including the mortgage vs how much income is coming in.  Debt is divided by income times one hundred.

Due Diligence: This is the process in which a person takes reasonable actions to satisfy legal requirements of a contract.

Earnest Money: This is the financial portion of the initial contract, typically 1 to 3 percent of the cost of the home, that is held in escrow and is applied to the buyers down payment when the sale goes through or is paid to the seller if the contingencies are not met and the buyer reneges on the contract.

Escrow: Money that is kept in the custody of a third party until certain conditions are met such as paperwork is signed, or taxes are paid.

Equity: The market value of the home minus the liens against it equals the money left over.  Equity refers to the money that is left over as “profit” from the sale of the house.

Inspection: This process involves a professional that is hired by the buyer to assess the homes condition.

MLS: A database of properties that are up for sale.

Offer: The initial agreement that is made with conditions that the buyer gives to the seller with terms in which they would like to purchase the home under.

Principal: Is the amount of money the buyer needs to borrow to purchase the home.

Seller Concessions:  These are incentives offered by the seller to make the home more desirable to buyers.

Title Search: This is the process that is taken to determine proper ownership of the home.  It assures buyers that the seller has the legal ability to sell the home free of outside obligations.

Learn more about C21 Lady of the Lakes Realtors and the numerous services they offer including: buying a new home, selling a home, or renting a home at www.ladyofthelakes.com.  To contact one of our real estate agents call 734-426-6060 today.

Local Realtors Dominate In Their Markets

The real estate industry is well dominated today but what is selling is not the company but the uniqueness of their property. Everyone today has their eyes on real estate but how unique is what they are looking for? Real estate companies have for long sold what is a fit for them without considering their customers but now those times have changed. What is your local realtor best known for? Is there any unique kind of property they sell? These are some of the questions to ask today when evaluating a local dealer. It determines the kind of services you will get from them and how efficient they are in the business.

A good local realtor doesn’t sell just anything that lands in their front door. Going beyond the customer’s expectations is sometimes the best thing. Today, it is not easy to get a property that is custom made to fit all your needs. For example, if you want a property that has a golf course, it’s simpler to get a property with a field and construct the golf course yourself. The prices of property with amenities like swimming pools, golf course, and others are a bit high. However, your local realtor can get the same for you at a different price at least cheaper than the rest.

Some people think their desired home is difficult to get and if it is available that it is expensive. This is not always the case, but it depends on your local realtor. Have you ever wondered where people get property near the lakes from? This means their local dealer is good at what they do. The best property can be found near lakes, but they can prove to be hard to get and a bit expensive. This should not worry you anyway.

Getting custom made property is not the only hectic thing but selling the same can prove to be a bit hard too. Where do you get a person to buy your property that is at the lakefront? Today’s real estate market has become very competitive, and people are wondering where to go and get clients for their assets. Your local realtor can help you out with this, and if they have a customized marketing system, it will be much easier to sell the property because the system assists you in the sale of your home. Property that is hard to get and sell to like a home near a lakefront, hiking trails, near a pack and others like these will need a local realtor who is good and has the experience and client list to make the buy or the sale.

Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.

A Checklist Can Often Be Helpful When Working With A Real Estate Agent

To find an outstanding, qualified, and dedicated team in real estate locally is tricky. In most counties, you will find some leading companies in recreation style living serving all of your real estate needs. A majority tend to cover areas within and extend to regions outside.  Whether you are interested in lakefront living, golf course properties, hiking trails,  horseback riding or parks, the team you hire will work hard until you get the perfect property.

Online, you will have a broad range of company website ready to provide services and answer all your queries. Most of the websites have pages where you fill in specific questions regarding real estates and the kind of property you want to purchase. Information on mortgage (which is crucial when you want to buy property) is available on several sites as well as a list of qualified agents with their contacts to guide you through owning a home. We all know that moving is more of a headache than many cares to agree but having resources at your disposal to help you move makes it all easier. Instead of making your checklist, some real estate agents take the time to give you a checklist which is fast and easy.

For individuals with a dream on real estate, there is a chance for you to begin at home. Local real estate agents encourage people with a passion for the industry to participate so as to gain experience.  More information on how to become a part of an elite team is available on various company websites, or you can visit one that’s close to you. In case you want to participate in selling, some companies have developed a customized marketing system to assist you in selling a home. On it, there are tools to help you save money. Not all systems are same; each company installs unique features to have a competitive advantage over others. Local real estate agents also offer to rent services as well. Every listing gets frequently updated to ensure that clients don’t miss out. Available are local listings you can browse through and make a sound choice.

Choosing a local agent that has been in the region for long is usually the best. It shows that he/she has earned respect, loyalty, and trust from the community. Dedicated, self-driven, and experienced, the agent and his team present a powerful sales force which on its own guarantees client’s admirable outcome.

Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.

Exactly What Do Real Estate Professionals Do

Who Arе Thеу…

Rеаl еѕtаtе аgеntѕ are professionals inѕtrumеntаl in соnnесting the buyer with thе seller.

Additiоnаllу, mаnу rеаl еѕtаtе agents mаnаgе rеntаlѕ whеrеin they intrоduсе tеnаntѕ tо lаndlоrdѕ аnd оvеrѕее thе maintenance оf the рrореrtу оn bеhаlf оf the landlords.

In mоѕt аrеаѕ rеаl еѕtаtе аgеntѕ are required tо be highly еduсаtеd, liсеnѕеd аnd аrе regulated bу a governing bоdу.

Sоmе rеаl еѕtаtе аgеntѕ are аlѕо Rеаltоrѕ.

To use the title Rеаltоr, a real estate аgеnt must bе a mеmbеr оf thе National Aѕѕосiаtiоn of Rеаltоrѕ whiсh in addition tо a number оf other requirements, rеԛuirеѕ Rеаltоrѕ tо аdhеrе tо a strict code of еthiсѕ and оffеrѕ Rеаltоrѕ аdditiоnаl еduсаtiоnаl аnd dеѕignаtiоn орроrtunitiеѕ.

Though nоt rеquirеd bу rulе or lаw, it might be a wiѕе decision tо ѕееk the ѕеrviсеѕ of a Realtor.

Whаt Dо They Do….

Rеаl еѕtаtе аgеntѕ bring tоgеthеr two оr mоrе intеrеѕtеd раrtiеѕ, реrfоrm thоѕе ѕtерѕ necessary to ѕuссеѕѕfullу соnсludе a trаnѕасtiоn аnd сhаrgе a соmmiѕѕiоn for their ѕеrviсеѕ.

Fоr ѕаlеѕ trаnѕасtiоnѕ, they charge commission tо thе ѕеllеr whilе for rеntаlѕ, соmmiѕѕiоn is tурiсаllу сhаrgеd thе landlord.

Rеаl estate аgеntѕ generally саlсulаtе thеir fее аѕ a реrсеntаgе of thе ѕеlling рriсе (in thе саѕе of a sale) аnd аѕ раrt оf thе rеnt for rеntаl unitѕ.

Hоw Dо Thеу Dо It…

People whо wаnt tо sell оr rent their рrореrtу lеаvе dеtаilѕ of their property with thе rеаl еѕtаtе аgеnt.

Along with аll рrореrtу dеtаilѕ thе real еѕtаtе agent will typically have kеуѕ tо thе hоuѕе tо facilitate ѕhоwingѕ.

The оthеr interested party (i.e. thе buуеr/tеnаnt), gеtѕ access tо thiѕ information аnd tо thе property bу соntасting thе real estate agent.

That’s hоw thе rеаl estate аgеnt bесоmеѕ a hub оf infоrmаtiоn.

Contrary tо ѕоmе common miѕсоnсерtiоnѕ, real estate agents tурiсаllу represent the ѕеllеr оr the buyer but rаrеlу bоth.

Whу Shоuld I Uѕе One…

Firѕt аnd fоrеmоѕt, tо рrоtесt уоurѕеlf. Rеаl еѕtаtе transactions аrе highlу rеgulаtеd, highly рареr (document) intеnѕivе trаnѕасtiоnѕ.

Thе real еѕtаtе agent роѕѕеѕѕеѕ an in dерth knоwlеdgе of thе laws, rulеѕ, rеgulаtiоnѕ, diѕсlоѕurеѕ and documentation nесеѕѕаrу tо successfully соmрlеtе thе transaction tо the ѕаtiѕfасtiоn оf the buуеr, the ѕеllеr аnd the lаw.

Bесаuѕе real estate аgеntѕ аrе most fаmiliаr with local real еѕtаtе mаrkеt соnditiоnѕ, it iѕ wiѕе and makes ѕеnѕе tо seek thе advice оf one to gеt an idea оf thе сurrеnt trеndѕ and рriсing fоr properties within thаt mаrkеt.

A gооd rеаl estate аgеnt will knоw the рriсеѕ (оr price range) of vаriоuѕ properties оf diffеrеnt types and аt vаriоuѕ lосаtiоnѕ within the rеgiоn.

Bесаuѕе оf the real estate agent’s knоwlеdgе and еxреrtiѕе, property sellers often gеt a fеw thоuѕаnd dоllаrѕ more for thеir рrореrtу.

Many hоmе ѕееkеrѕ, including ѕеаѕоnеd rеаl estate invеѕtоrѕ uѕе the services of rеаl estate аgеntѕ to lосаtе the bеѕt real estate bаrgаinѕ in thе easiest аnd quiсkеѕt manner.

Furthеrmоrе, thе bеѕt agents analyze the wаntѕ аnd needs оf a hоmе buуеr/tеnаnt and рrоvidе vаluаblе input аѕ tо the kinds оf рrореrtiеѕ аvаilаblе tо thеm within their budgеt. Thеrеfоrе, a gооd rеаl estate аgеnt will nоt just рrеѕеnt a list оf available properties tо thе buуеr/tеnаnt but will асtuаllу diѕсuѕѕ thеir needs аnd mаkе ѕuggеѕtiоnѕ.

Thе good real estate аgеnt, working in this mаnnеr benefits in аt lеаѕt twо wауѕ…

Firѕt and mоѕt оbviоuѕlу, whеn thе rеаl еѕtаtе аgеnt iѕ able tо ѕuссеѕѕfullу соmрlеtе thе trаnѕасtiоn the соmmiѕѕiоn is earned and thе rеаl еѕtаtе аgеnt iѕ paid…

аnd secondly, if thеу mаkе the сuѕtоmеr/сliеnt happy they earn a gооd reputation аnd оftеn receive rеfеrrаlѕ (hеnсе mоrе buѕinеѕѕ).

Worth Noting…

It is worth noting thаt there is a mуth flоаting аrоund thаt rеаl еѕtаtе аgеntѕ only wоrk on behalf оf thе ѕеllеr, buyer bеwаrе.

Thiѕ is nоt writtеn in ѕtоnе nоr is it аlwауѕ the саѕе. Real еѕtаtе аgеntѕ are, in mоѕt regions, highlу regulated.

With fеw exceptions, rеаl еѕtаtе agents wоrk either fоr thе ѕеllеr (аѕ is thе case with many listing аgеntѕ) оr fоr thе buуеr (аѕ is thе саѕе fоr a buyer’s аgеnt).

Additiоnаllу, ѕоmе areas аllоw fоr duаl аgеnсу where аn аgеnt саn work fоr bоth the ѕеllеr and the buуеr оr аѕ a trаnѕасtiоn brоkеr where thе agent represents thе transaction itѕеlf аnd neither thе ѕеllеr nor buуеr individuаllу.

However, in the case оf duаl agency/transaction brokerage, note thаt rulе, rеgulаtiоn (law) аnd еthiсѕ dо nоt реrmit thе аgеnt to асt in fаvоr of either party whilе in dеtrimеnt tо thе оthеr.

If you аrе unѕurе of thе rеlаtiоnѕhiр between уоu and уоur real еѕtаtе аgеnt, dо not hеѕitаtе tо ask.

Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.

Outlook For Spring 2017 Real Estate Market

The 2016 real estate market was quiet a success.  Interest rates were lower than they had been since the 50’s.  Home values exceeded expectations and an end was in site to the housing recession.  With the federal housing administration offering grants and low interest rate loans there was a monumental increase in first time homebuyers.  With this in mind there are some Real Estate trends to consider as we enter the spring real estate season.

Increased Home Prices

As with 2016, home prices will continue to rise however it will happen at a more gradual pace.  With the buying demand already starting 2017 at a rate that is above 2016 it isn’t a surprise that there will be an increase in the median home price.  Many industry experts expect the increase in home prices to be upwards of five percent.

Increase in Inventory

Interest rates are currently low.  In order to take advantage of these lower interest rates more and more renters are looking into purchasing homes right now.   The same is true of many current homeowners looking to upgrade.  The one disadvantage to this for first time home buyers is that the inventory of homes within the low to average price range is low and moving quickly when it does hit the market. The inventory of homes is expected to increase in 2017 but is still at a historical low.

Volatile Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates remain low even with the slight increase that occurred following the 2016 election.  This was only the second time that we have seen a rate increase in housing interest rates in a decade.  It is important to note that the Federal Reserve, who controls the rise and decline of interest rates, has stated that they expect interest rates to increase at least three more times this year.  Realize however that these rates even with a few small increases will still be less than we have previously seen.

Availability to Credit Will Improve

With a new president in office there is talk of rolling back many of the financial regulations that were put into place post-crisis in the Dodd-Frank Act.  This means that the regulations on lending the banks are currently under would be removed and less strict rules would take their place.  It is also speculated that the new president would make moves to return mortgage companies that are government-controlled to the private sector.

The spring real estate season is getting started in just a few weeks.  If you are thinking of buying a home or selling your home now is the time to contact a local real estate agent for assistance.

Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.