Buying a foreclosure? Buyer beware!

YES it is the BEST time in our lives to buy a home. And YES you can buy MORE square footage for your dollar. And YES you should buy a home now if you can afford one.

But, DONT buy a foreclosure pre-owned house if you think it is like every other home on the market! A foreclosure has been lived in and in most cases, not maintained. Home maintenance is always an issue in the final few months of the foreclosure process. Which means that YOU will have to start everything up again. Plumbing (water heater & lines), electric, gas, HVAC (heating and air conditioning), roof etc. When you are buying a foreclosed / pre-owned house, most of the parties involved will NOT prepare you for the expenses that will hit you. Will they tell you about the mortgage? Yes. Will you be told about the insurance? Yes. What about the association fees? Yes, probably. Property taxes? Of course. But what about the $700 for a new water heater 8-months after you buy the home? Are you ready? Or how about the termite letter/bond that is due 1 year after you move in? Will you remember? Do you have the cash to replace $5000 furnace AND put gas in the car?

My best advice is to buy NOW but plan for those unforeseen expenses. Everything is expensive when you buy a home; most expenses around the home are $500 or more. Plan for the inevitable folks.

The story of Jonah

http://player.vimeo.com/video/16404771

The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Updating your home for todays market.

If you have to put up your existing primary residence. You better be ready. If you have been in that house for over 5 years, its not the same old market! Get a really good realtor, get your home inspected FIRST and get things repaired, replaced or upgraded. Yea I know, that’s a lot of money. But if you have to sell right now, you better have the “diamond” of the block. There are so many other homes out there that are vacant, but they have already been upgraded or were custom from the start. It should be no surprise that you wait and wait and wait but no one buys your house. You drop your price, and no one comes. You change your Realtor and still no interest. Why? Because the inventory is so great and the buyers are more knowledgeable. The market has changed. Short sales and auctions are here to stay. Another problem, the owner/bank that holds the property. They move slow, they take multiple offers, and then sucker or push up bids. Is there anyone watching all this? My opinion…stay where you are unless you can AFFORD to move…just my .02.

see ya!

Inspection photography…

I take so many photos of each house that I wonder why I didn’t get into photography in school? Not that my pictures are any works of art or even very good, but I have had Clients ask for the cover photo before. Do you have photos of your home? I suggest you go around with your digital camera and photograph your valuables. Take some of your interior and exterior. If you have a disaster, your insurance company will appreciate your diligence AND they may get you a payment faster. After you take the photos, save them to a SD card or a flash drive and keep it in a safe/secure/fireproof place.

New Safety Focused Inspection “SAFE@Home” from Alltech

If you have ever found yourself in the middle of a homeownership crisis, a fire, a burglary or a gas leak you will appreciate the new SAFE@Home inspection from Alltech Inspection in Georgia.  It takes about 1 hour for our experienced inspectors to complete but it could save your life. We perform an inspection of the following safety items and give you a written report of our findings.

Security – Window & Door Fasteners and Locks, Security System Contacts.
Appliances – Appliance safety and CPSC recalls.
Fire – Leak Detection for All Gas Appliances, Smoke Detectors, Fire Extinguisher.
Electric – Panel Check, GFCI & AFCI Check.

The complete cost is minimal, around $150 but the peace of mind is priceless!

Find out more or schedule one for your home at http://www.alltechinspections.com/safe.html

Summer! And the AC is running…

Did you get your air conditioner serviced before summer? If you have a system that runs all day long AND all night long, you may need to get it serviced. These systems should be cleaned & serviced “at least” annually. What happens when you don’t? They don’t work efficiently. They cost you MORE money to cool your home because they use more energy. Did you know that the number 1 energy hog in your home is the AC & Furnace? Get it serviced annually. Next up is the attic space in your home. As the hot air in the attic cools down in the evening, it finds ways into your living space. Small openings and cracks in the ceiling and walls allow it to migrate. Why? Because as hot air cools, it becomes heavy and drops. As the warm penetrates your living space, the rooms heat up and the AC kicks back on. Adding insulation to the attic is not just for the winter months, it can save you thousands in the summer too. Find and seal up the cracks and crevices in the walls and ceiling of your home, its simple to do with a bit of caulk or insulation. But, be careful if you are sealing around a light. Those electric wires can really get your attention! Dont touch them.

That’s all for now.

Looking for a new home? Closing.com should be one of your first stops

If you are beginning to think about buying or if you are well into your search you should do your homework. No one person or book has all the answers. You should check out closing.com.

Buying a home? Dont forget to plan for the repairs.

 Buying a home is great. Owning a home is a lot of work! If you buy an older home (10 – 15 years old plan for $500 – 5000 per year. Younger homes (2 – 10 years old) will range from $100 – 1000. Replace a water heater and you can spend around  $600 – 1000, and a new furnace can run upwards of $8000 or more. Why am I telling you this? Because most home buyers do not plan for these expenses. And most home warranties and ALL home owners insurances do not cover aged equipment.

2009-2010 Canceled And Ended Television Series – Pazsaz Entertainment Network

2009-2010 Canceled And Ended Television Series – Pazsaz Entertainment Network.

Will someone please explain how Numb3rs gets canceled and Fringe stays?

Inspection reports

So you are buying a home, a foreclosure or a HUD house. You need to get it evaluated/inspected by an impartial 3rd party! There are lots of reasons but the main one is to make sure that your dream does not turn into a nightmare. Not to scare anyone but MANY (not ALL) the vacant homes that are on the market are in need of work. Even if they look good on the surface, they have issues. A furnace that needs work can run you $200 – $1500 and a new water heater will run you $600 – $1000. Those are just some of the little “routine” replacement items. What about replacing a roof or repairing a crumbling foundation? Thousands easy! Get them ALL inspected.

What about the inspection report? I recommend one with lots of photos and diagrams. Why? Because if you need to get something repaired or replaced, how do you know what to tell a repairman or contractor? Sending a contractor to the back corner of the house or to the right window, will not cut it. Use the report like a google map for the contractor to pinpoint the defect. You need an inspector who cares enough about you and your house to give you the report you need. When you choose an inspector, make sure you ask him about the type of report that they provide.