Pros and Cons of a Cash Offer

The pros

Faster Closing

During a typical home sale, it averages about four weeks to close. If you’re buying in cash without a lender the closing can happen within as little as a week.

No Contingencies

Mortgages can fall through for buyers that are preapproved. When you pay in cash, you eliminate that possibility. Presenting a cash offer removes the need for a financing contingency which is usually a requirement in a real estate transaction where the buyer is using bank financing. Depending on market conditions, the buyer may present a lower offer than what other bidders with financing are offering the seller. The seller may be willing to accept a lower purchase price in exchange for being able to close a deal quickly.

You Own Your Home

Bottom line, if you’ve got a mortgage, you don’t actually own your house — the bank does. When you buy a house in cash, you can feel secure knowing that no one can take that house away from you, and big, unexpected problems like a job loss won’t leave you without a roof over your head.

The cons

Tying Up Your Funds

If you spend your life savings buying a house in cash, you’ll tie up all your money in one large investment. The money you use to buy your house isn’t liquid (meaning you don’t have direct access to the cash, and you’d have to sell your home to get your hands on it), so if you need your money for any other reason, it won’t be readily available. Additionally, you may face a shortage of cash that could have been used to invest in other lucrative assets. Taking some of the cash you use to pay for a home and investing it instead, could possibly make you more money in the long run.

No Tax Deductions

A buyer that uses a mortgage to purchase a real estate property enjoys tax breaks on the mortgage interest payments. When a buyer decides to purchase a home using cash only, they miss out on the tax deductions that they would’ve enjoyed if they used mortgage financing to complete the transaction.

Extra Title Protection

Reviewing the title for any other claims, liens, or issues that could prevent you from taking full ownership is all part of the home-buying process. The title research takes place whether you pay in cash or get a mortgage, and it’s always smart to get title insurance on your investment, which will protect you in the event that the title research missed any claims.

When you get a mortgage to buy your house, there’s another entity interested in making sure the title is clear and that you stay in the house and keep paying your mortgage: the mortgage lender. Your lender will secure title insurance, too, so that if there is a claim filed at some point, you’ll have an additional layer of protection that a cash buyer wouldn’t have.

The Bottom Line:

It’s scary to spend your entire nest egg in one place. If you can pay cash for a house and still have money left over for emergencies, home repairs, and other unexpected things that come your way, paying in cash is probably a great financial move. On the other hand, if paying cash for a house completely wipes you out, you might want to reconsider.

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Real Estate and Social Media

It’s critically important, whether you’re working with an agent or selling your home on your own, to market it online. Especially now, during the COVID pandemic where there are limits on visiting homes. Using the MLS will get you the most exposure but you must put your best foot forward. Find the best Realtor and interview her to see how she will take advantage of all the opportunities to get your home in front of people. A good Realtor will have access to the best indoor photographers and understand that photos are more important than ever and they must be showcased on all social media platforms. Most American adults are online. More than 1 billion people in the entire world log in to Facebook on any given day. The potential to reach a huge number of people is exceptional.

On the subject of photographs:  The very best Realtor will help you to stage and prepare your home for professional pictures. All rooms should be clear of any clutter. The pictures MLS displays are usually grainy and of poor quality. Homebuyers more times than not, begin the search for their new home online. Take advantage of this. Stand in the doorway to rooms and snap the photo shooting into the room.  There are never too many photos!

Facebook business page:  Now those beautiful photos need to be posted and announced, showcased, and marketed. The Realtor your choose should have a strong Facebook page with a good following of people. The posts should be shared, linked, and even made into an ad. They should know how to target the ad and pinpoint people by location, interests, behaviors, age, and more. Realtors might even host open houses via Facebook LIVE and interact with people that are watching.

Instagram:  The world’s largest photo-sharing platform is the perfect place to showcase the photos taken of the home.  Instagram Stories are gaining in popularity and selling homes. A powerful and fun way to get information out. The great thing about Instagram Stories is that they are automatically featured at the top of a user’s homepage. The poster can expect their story to generate more exposure than a post in this case.  

The Bottom Line: Everyone wants a Realtor that can be trusted and will do everything she can to get the most money for a home in the least amount of time. The Realtor is the homeowner’s advocate. The marketing of the home should be exceptional.  Beyond using the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) there should be professional pictures to use on websites and every social media platform available.

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Buying A New Construction Home

Purchasing a new construction home is an exciting process as you watch your dream home come to life. There is nothing like the “new ” smell once you move in. If you’re considering purchasing new construction, here are a few tips that you should keep in mind.

Hire the best local real estate agent who will best represent you and your interests during your home search and the home building process. Be sure that it’s someone who has experience in new construction and regularly deals with builders, but isn’t affiliated with the builder. Find a trusted agent even before visiting a builder’s home construction site. Many model homes are represented by a real estate agent who has a relationship with the builder, and many builders won’t allow you to hire your own agent once you already visited their sales office without representation. Seeking the help of a knowledgeable professional who regularly deals with builders and knows the local community will save you time and money. Besides, it will cost you nothing as a buyer to be represented by an agent since it is typically the seller who pays for the commission. Many builders are also happy to work with agents.

Do your research on the builders. Search for online reviews, testimonials, and any news and updates you can find. Then check for the validity and trends in those reviews, since many builders will surely have a history of both happy and unhappy clients. If possible, also talk to local homeowners or current residents. Connect with them in online groups or communities through social media to better educate yourself before making a decision. Also research on the location and the community where the new construction is being built where you can learn about your potential neighbors as well. Ask your Realtor if they’ve worked with the builder before and gain insights about their reputation.

It’s normal to be fascinated by that picture-perfect model home, but don’t let it blind you. Model homes are, of course, decorated to look desirable and striking. They have been furnished and staged so that rooms will appear bigger. Model homes were often constructed using a mix of standard materials and fixtures and include many upgrades which don’t necessarily represent what you can get, so it’s crucial to note what exactly you will be getting. Enlist the help of your agent to get a list of the standard features and common upgrades, together with their associated costs.

Most builders are reluctant to lower their prices because it may set a precedent for future buyers in the development who may expect similar discounts. The best way to negotiate with a builder is through upgrades. Consider asking for the builder to negotiate “on the back end,” such as paying for closing costs and performing upgrades at no additional charge. This is the less obvious way for builders to sweeten the deal while still maintaining the value of their neighborhood. With the help of your agent, research the builder’s negotiating style so that you can plan for an effective way to make a creative offer.

Consider other sources where you can find a lender who will offer you the best deal. Don’t automatically use the builder’s own lender without shopping around for better options. Builders often have their preferred lender so that they can be fully informed of your personal progress as a borrower. However, they may not work with your best interests in mind. Your agent can also help you by referring a trusted list of private lenders.

For some instances where the builder’s preferred lender is the only option, find out if there are incentives, special offers, or competitive rates available to you if you agree to use the builder’s own lender. In some situations, it can be a cost-efficient option since they are often willing to offer competitive rates and terms, especially if the builder owns the lending company.

Get an inspection! New homes can have problems or defects since construction workers can make mistakes as well. There may be problems with the HVAC or plumbing installation that only a licensed home inspector can detect. Getting an independent inspection is always a good idea since any problems can be identified before a builder’s warranty expires. It will also help you learn more about the home. A home inspection will guarantee that everything is safe and up to code.

Even if you are working with a respectable builder, make sure that everything you have negotiated and agreed upon will be included in writing. They may honor your requests, but verbal conversations are not binding so they may forget about the promises they made to you. Make sure that everything important will be put in binding documents that must be signed by all parties. It’s especially crucial if you are buying a home that is not yet complete. Your experienced real estate agent can help you ensure everything is in writing and that all documents are properly signed.

Lastly: ask about warranties. Find out what is and isn’t covered and for how long, since not all warranties are created equal. Most builders use third-party warranties that cover materials and workmanship. Builders often use construction materials from different manufacturers or suppliers, like for windows or tiles, so those products may have separate warranties. There’s a great chance the builder might refer all issues to the manufacturers instead of handling the issues directly. Get the builder to specify each product’s warranty information so you can prepare your offer documents to address any concerns before closing. Warranties will also help you understand the process you need to follow once something needs to be fixed.

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Pre-Foreclosure Homes

If you are looking for an affordable home, you may come across “pre-foreclosure” homes and wonder if they are worth looking into. When you browse through real estate listings, you will see that there are plenty of pre-foreclosure listings. But is buying one something you should do?

Pre-foreclosure is the first stage in the foreclosure process. It begins when a Notice of Default (non-judicial states) or Lis Pendens (judicial states) has been filed against the homeowner. Foreclosing on a property can be a lengthy process. Homeowners are first served a notice of default notifying them of the bank’s intentions to begin foreclosure proceedings. They still have the opportunity to make it right by catching up on their payments.

Many times, the home is listed on Zillow (or other real estate sites) and the owner is not even aware of it. There will be a Google street-view image of the home, the address, details of the property, and occasionally inaccurate information. The homeowner is not allowed to opt-out of having their home publicly listed, which can cause some embarrassment for them.

Pre-foreclosures are not a done deal. While they appear to be a fantastic deal on paper, nine times out of ten there really isn’t a deal to be had. In many cases, borrowers fall a month or two on their mortgage payments and then quickly catch up. Under pressure from the government, lenders are more willing to work with delinquent borrowers than they were just a few years ago, which explains why foreclosures are at all-time low in many parts of the country. In general, pre-foreclosures fall into two categories. Homes with 90-day late notices are usually resolved before foreclosure and hardly worth a buyer’s time. Pre-foreclosures with an auction date set are much more likely to sell before the foreclosure becomes official, but even then a sale is not guaranteed.

The pre-foreclosed home is not actively listed for sale. The owner has not taken steps to list the home for sale. The transaction is dependent upon the buyer identifying a homeowner in a mortgage default list and persuading him to sell. Many homeowners will be pursuing options to cure the default and will not negotiate. As such, it is better for most buyers to assume that a pre-foreclosure home is not for sale and seek viable alternatives with help from his real estate agent.

The Bottom Line: Buying a pre-foreclosure home is an opportunity to less than what the market would list. The competition is less than if you would have bought a foreclosed home at auction. Before you look for a pre-foreclosure home, it’s important to research the distressed property laws in your state. There’s a reason that most buyers of pre-foreclosure homes are seasoned investors, not first-time homebuyers. The process is not easy to navigate. It helps to have a lot of cash on hand and plenty of negotiating savvy.

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