Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Chic Gulf Shores 2/2.5 Condo - Gulf of Mexico Views $339,000 Sanibel 404
Elegant & sophisticated upgrades. 2 bedroom, 2.5 baths has new tile throughout and has just been painted throughout. New master bedroom furnishings. Two new full size beds in second bedroom. Thomasville dining room table seats 6 with 4 barstools for more seating. 65 TV. The oversized balcony boasts magnificent views of the Gulf of Mexico. Complex fitness, sauna, pool & kiddie pool. Cross the street to Public Beach access & white sandy beaches. Non-Rental. Sellers are Licensed Real Estate Agents. Call Tesa Morgan at 251.981.2111
Monday, December 21, 2015
The TOP 10 THINGS
THE TOP 10 THINGS
TO DO WHEN CONSIDERING
BUYING REAL ESTATE
1. Get prequalified
2. Review up to date information
4. Develop a relationship with a Realtor®
5. Eliminate properties from a list of
opportunities
6. Hire a home inspector
7. Contact insurance providers
8. Buy a home warranty
9. Know the cost involved
10. Complete your
own due diligence
Buyer Tips
A few
Buyer Tips are
below for your consideration.
Purchasing a home is one of the biggest decisions most
people will make in their life. It involves a long-term commitment financially
and emotionally, but it can also be a very exciting and rewarding experience.
When buying a new home, there are a few things to consider:
What monthly payment can I afford? · What am I looking for in a home? · Should I work with a REALTOR®? · Once I find a home to purchase, what do I need to do next? · How much cash do I need at closing? · How do I obtain a mortgage loan?
Before You Begin Your Search
Before you actually begin the process of looking at homes, you should complete the following:
1. Get Pre-Qualified: Unless you are able to pay cash for your home, most buyers will need to go through the process of applying for a mortgage. By contacting a mortgage loan specialist before you begin your search, you are able to determine the amount of loan for which you qualify. Typically, a borrower is pre-qualified for a loan that amounts to 28%, or less, of their gross monthly income. In addition, if you know the amount of the monthly payment you would be comfortable paying, a mortgage specialist can calculate the price range for your home search. Getting pre-qualified for a loan also increases your chances of your offer being accepted. A seller is more likely to accept an offer from a buyer who already has funding versus one who still needs to get a loan. Prior to getting pre-qualified, you should obtain a copy of your credit report so that there are not any negative surprises when you are ready to apply for your loan. Correct any errors that you may discover on your credit report. Also, you will want to reduce your consumer debt as much as possible by paying down credit card balances. By going through the pre-qualification process, your mortgage specialist can provide you with an estimate of how much cash you will need for the sales transaction. Cash is needed for the down payment, earnest money, and closing costs of the transaction.
2. Make an Amenities List: Decide what features are most important to you in a home. By establishing your criteria, you will save time shopping for homes that do not meet your needs. Also, consider what locations you are interested in. When making an amenities list, determine which criteria you absolutely cannot live without and which ones you are willing to budge on. Some typical criteria may include: price range, neighborhood or subdivision, school districts, proximity to work, proximity to shopping restaurants, hospitals, etc., number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, storage space, garages, lot sizes, pools.
3. Choose an Agent: Once you have decided on the price range and the features you are interested in, your next step will be to decide whether you will search on your own or use the services of a real estate agent. If you choose to use an agent, make sure you enter into a Buyer’s Agency Agreement. This ensures that the agent will represent you, as the buyer, in the selling process, and not represent the interests of the sellers. Talk to friends and family for their referrals of agents they have worked with. Once you have some names, interview several agents before making a final decision. Select a REALTOR® that you trust and with whom you feel comfortable working. Remember, there are no out-of-pocket fees that you pay to the buyer’s agent. These costs are incurred by the seller. Your agent will research property listings for potential matches to your criteria and schedule showings for you at a convenient time. In addition, they will provide guidance to you during the contract negotiation phase of the selling process. Many times, they will also coordinate and schedule the home inspection, appraisal, and closing for you, as well as provide you with referrals for mortgage lenders.
4. Beginning Your Search: Once you have selected an agent and determined what you are looking for in a home, it is time to begin your active search for homes that interest you. Based on your criteria that you provide your REALTOR®, he/she will be able to search their listing database for homes that meet your needs. While visiting properties that are on the market, compare homes. Every home is unique! Even if every home you visit has all of the main criteria you are looking for, each will have different characteristics. Bring your Amenities Checklist with you to all homes that you visit. Check off which features each house has. Make notes on each home of what you like and dislike. Additional things to consider when touring homes: Cost of upkeep and utilities, amount of maintenance required, cost of updating or decorating, homeowner’s dues, traffic patterns in the neighborhood
Taking notes and using your checklist will help you later when you can sit down and compare properties. By comparing notes, this will help to prevent you from making an emotional and impulsive decision.
What monthly payment can I afford? · What am I looking for in a home? · Should I work with a REALTOR®? · Once I find a home to purchase, what do I need to do next? · How much cash do I need at closing? · How do I obtain a mortgage loan?
Before You Begin Your Search
Before you actually begin the process of looking at homes, you should complete the following:
1. Get Pre-Qualified: Unless you are able to pay cash for your home, most buyers will need to go through the process of applying for a mortgage. By contacting a mortgage loan specialist before you begin your search, you are able to determine the amount of loan for which you qualify. Typically, a borrower is pre-qualified for a loan that amounts to 28%, or less, of their gross monthly income. In addition, if you know the amount of the monthly payment you would be comfortable paying, a mortgage specialist can calculate the price range for your home search. Getting pre-qualified for a loan also increases your chances of your offer being accepted. A seller is more likely to accept an offer from a buyer who already has funding versus one who still needs to get a loan. Prior to getting pre-qualified, you should obtain a copy of your credit report so that there are not any negative surprises when you are ready to apply for your loan. Correct any errors that you may discover on your credit report. Also, you will want to reduce your consumer debt as much as possible by paying down credit card balances. By going through the pre-qualification process, your mortgage specialist can provide you with an estimate of how much cash you will need for the sales transaction. Cash is needed for the down payment, earnest money, and closing costs of the transaction.
2. Make an Amenities List: Decide what features are most important to you in a home. By establishing your criteria, you will save time shopping for homes that do not meet your needs. Also, consider what locations you are interested in. When making an amenities list, determine which criteria you absolutely cannot live without and which ones you are willing to budge on. Some typical criteria may include: price range, neighborhood or subdivision, school districts, proximity to work, proximity to shopping restaurants, hospitals, etc., number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, storage space, garages, lot sizes, pools.
3. Choose an Agent: Once you have decided on the price range and the features you are interested in, your next step will be to decide whether you will search on your own or use the services of a real estate agent. If you choose to use an agent, make sure you enter into a Buyer’s Agency Agreement. This ensures that the agent will represent you, as the buyer, in the selling process, and not represent the interests of the sellers. Talk to friends and family for their referrals of agents they have worked with. Once you have some names, interview several agents before making a final decision. Select a REALTOR® that you trust and with whom you feel comfortable working. Remember, there are no out-of-pocket fees that you pay to the buyer’s agent. These costs are incurred by the seller. Your agent will research property listings for potential matches to your criteria and schedule showings for you at a convenient time. In addition, they will provide guidance to you during the contract negotiation phase of the selling process. Many times, they will also coordinate and schedule the home inspection, appraisal, and closing for you, as well as provide you with referrals for mortgage lenders.
4. Beginning Your Search: Once you have selected an agent and determined what you are looking for in a home, it is time to begin your active search for homes that interest you. Based on your criteria that you provide your REALTOR®, he/she will be able to search their listing database for homes that meet your needs. While visiting properties that are on the market, compare homes. Every home is unique! Even if every home you visit has all of the main criteria you are looking for, each will have different characteristics. Bring your Amenities Checklist with you to all homes that you visit. Check off which features each house has. Make notes on each home of what you like and dislike. Additional things to consider when touring homes: Cost of upkeep and utilities, amount of maintenance required, cost of updating or decorating, homeowner’s dues, traffic patterns in the neighborhood
Taking notes and using your checklist will help you later when you can sit down and compare properties. By comparing notes, this will help to prevent you from making an emotional and impulsive decision.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Main Street Properties
1565 Hillcrest Road, Mobile, AL 36695
Tesa Morgan, Associate Broker (251) 609-6991
What is a Fortified Home?
What is a Fortified Home?
Bronze - Silver – Gold
While it’s impossible to stop
future storms from coming, steps can be taken to strengthen homes against
damage and lower insurance costs. Extensive testing completed by the Insurance
Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) has shown that you can construct
or retrofit an existing home to withstand heavy winds preventing devastating
damages. Taking these steps can SAVE you on home owner’s insurance costs along
the Gulf Coast.
On July 1st, wind mitigation
discounts went into effect for the state’s admitted insurance companies (those
certified to write policies in Alabama).
By using fortified standards developed by IBHS, insurance premium discounts range from 10 to 60%.
THAT’S
RIGHT 10 TO 60% DISCOUNTS ON HOME INSURANCE
Click the links below to learn what “Fortified”
could mean to you.
OR APPLY ONLINE AT:
It takes less than 5 minutes.
There is an application fee and a final inspection charge. Since their fees are
subject to change, please contact them direct. The fortified inspections should
not be substituted for normal home inspections, but added to your consideration
to help keep your family safe and your insurance costs down.
Laws are changing. It is best to educate
and have the opportunity to catch the savings. Be proactive.
Additional Websites:
The
information on these sites is intended to provide you with knowledge that can
save lives and save money on insurance costs regarding Alabama’s Coastal Properties.
Should you have questions regarding the materials presented, please
email us direct at Morgan@SeeYouAtTheBeach.com or call 251.974.4000
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Main Street Properties - Foley Branch
22394 Miflin Rd, Ste 201-I
Foley, AL 36535
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Main Street Properties - Foley Branch
22394 Miflin Rd, Ste 201-I
Foley, AL 36535
Community Life
Community Life
Baldwin County’s communities are
growing stronger and offer an enriched lifestyle that you’ll fall in love
with. Take a few moments to visit each
of our area chambers to learn a little more about which community you choose to
live in. Visit them all and enjoy
coastal living at its best.
To view South
Baldwin Chamber visit: http://www.southbaldwinchamber.com for Foley, Elberta, Magnolia Springs, Perdido
Beach, Bon Secour, Lillian, Josephine and Summerdale.
To view The Chamber of Central Baldwin: http://centralbaldwin.com
for Loxley, Robertsdale, Silverhill and Summerdale.
To view the Eastern Shores Chamber visit: http://www.eschamber.com for Daphne, Fairhope and Spanish Fort.
To view the Coastal Alabama Business
Chamber: http://mygulfcoastchamber.com
for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
You’ll find festivals, shopping, churches, parks,
schools, outdoor recreation and of course businesses along Alabama’s Coastal
Properties. Each community is proud to
maintain their own identity while sharing a common goal of the pursuit to
happiness and a fulfilled life.
Surrounded by emerald waters, these communities thrive
with an abundance of wildlife that is harvested by the local fishermen,
agriculturalist and hunters. Water
sports are plentiful both fresh and salt water for fishing, boating, surfing
and swimming. Enjoy locally grown crops
such as potatoes, corn, butter beans, soy beans, tomatoes, squash, okra,
peanuts, eggplant, turnip and collard greens to name a few. Persistent crops such as cotton along with
cattle, hogs and poultry head production in Baldwin County.
Whether you are a resident of the Baldwin County or
considering relocating, these chambers sites will help you locate what you’re
looking for. Baldwin County has a wide variety of housing options and diverse
neighborhoods to call home. Our area offers great schools and a variety of places
to worship and play.
Baldwin County, the perfect place to live,
work, and visit.
Alabama Coastal Properties, Inc.
What Buyers Should Know
What Buyers Should Know
Buying a home in Alabama is very much different than most other
states. Alabama is one of three “CAVEAT EMPTOR” states where the
responsibility to discover entirely falls upon the buyer. As caveat
emptor means buyer beware. Most states
are seller's disclosure states. In Alabama, sellers must disclose defects
that impact health and safety such as toxic mold or lead based paint. Alabama
sellers do not have to disclose any other defects outside of health and safety.
Choosing the right Realtor® to assist
you with purchasing property in Alabama is and should be a process of
education.
THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT
REAL ESTATE
BROKERAGE SERVICES
AVAILABLE IN
ALABAMA
Choose YOUR Level of Service:
Single Agent, Sub-Agent, Limited Consensual Dual Agent or Transaction
Broker
There are FOUR agency relationships
that can exist in Alabama between buyers and real estate licensees. Alabama law
requires the consumer to be informed of the differences in these four various
relationships that can exists. A form describing these relationships should be offered to you for your review.
Choosing a Single Agency
relationship gives you the best representation available. In a Single Agency
relationship, licensees may negotiate and provide confidential information
known such as association business and financials. A Sub Agency relationship only relates to the manner in which the
various members of the multiple listing service share listing information. In a Limited
Consensual Dual Agency relationship, a licensee can represent both the
seller and buyer as long as all parties agree to such in writing. We do
not ever recommend using the listing agent when making a purchase in Alabama
for their foremost responsibility is to sell the property. In a Transaction Broker relationship, no
confidential information can be disclosed by the licensee even if they have
such knowledge as homeowner's association financials or knowledge of defects in
the property. Unless health and
safety is involved, no disclosure can be given with this level of service.
In a Transaction Broker relationship, the licensee cannot negotiate on
your behalf or share any confidential information that may impact your purchase
decision unless health and safety is involved. We also do not recommend
this level of service for those reasons.
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