(This short article is part of our Realty World ALL STARS series on how to remove unnecessary buyer stress and turn buying a home into a fun and rewarding experience.) 


Buying a home ranks right up there as one of the largest personal investment people make.  Having an organized plan will help get you the best possible deal with the least amount of stress.


Step one is to lay out the groundwork.  Here’s a few things to do:
        Ask yourselves, “How much can we afford to pay?”  
        Determine the price range that will fall within your payment comfort zone. A good lender can help you do this and make you a powerful buyer when it’s time to make an offer.
        Ask yourself, “Where is the best neighborhood for me and/or my family? Things to consider include:  
                                proximity to work, schools
                                neighborhood crime rate
                                quality of schools
                                local transportation
                                type of residence: condo?  Single story?  New construction?  Architecture style?


With this knowledge in hand, you will be well on your way to an enjoyable, stress free and fun journey to home ownership. 
Realty World ALL STARS REALTORS® are skilled in helping home buyers form action plans.  We’ll coordinate the details, ask helpful questions, and be there throughout the entire process to make sure your best interests are protected.

There's a great deal of misconception about the 3.8% tax on profit generated from property sales.  We've posted a short video from the National Association of Realtors that should stop the rumors and the fears so many are expressing.

Clarification points fromThe Top 10 Things You Need to Know  about the 3.8% Tax.)
       
It is a tax. It is not a sales tax.  It's a tax on investment profit.

Add up all of your income from every possible source, and if that total is less than $200,000 ($250,000 on a joint tax return), this tax does not apply to you.

For this tax to apply to profit or gain on a primary home sale (the home you are living in for 5+ years), the
profit/gain must be more than the $250,000-$500,000 capital gains exclusion which is already in place. This is not based on the sales price; it is based only on the gain (profit).
    
Yes, the tax does apply to other types of investment income. If your income is more than the $200,000/$250,000 amount, the tax formula will be applied to capital gains, interest income, dividend income and net rents (i.e., rents after expenses).

(This short article is part of our Realty World ALL STARS series on how to
remove unnecessary buyer stress and turn buying a home into a fun and rewarding
experience.)

Homeowners have many reasons to put  their house on the market. Some need to move and have a fixed timetable for selling.  Sometimes there’s an external event that necessitates a sale.  Maybe the family size has changed and a larger (or smaller) home has become very important to the sellers. 
And then there are those unmotivated Sellers who overprice their homes and think they can find buyers who won’t know any better and pay too much for the home.
If you have an opportunity to meet the homeowners, ask them why they are selling. You may discover their real motivation for selling and that can give you an advantage when you structure your offer. Believe it or not, price is not always the deciding factor.  Sale price can actually be one of the least important factors.  Think about those homeowners who have a job transfer and must move soon.  Your ability to close escrow quickly may be much more important to them than the price you pay for their home. 

As for those unmotivated Sellers... here are some of the flags we watch out for:
   
    The house is never available for inspections
    There are others on title who will need to sign the contract (in a few weeks…)
    There’s no replacement property for the owner (no place to move)
    The owner asks for a long delay in moving  out…
    There is no equity  and the sellers are trying to handle the sale without help from a trained REALTOR®.

As your Realty World ALL STARS agent, I  know how to spot these flags.  I will research the property history to help you gain a competitive edge. I will conduct a market analysis on the home and the neighborhood to make sure you
don’t offer too high a price. 

As you can see, it really pays to use the right agent to help you find and acquire your home.  You’ll be able to purchase with confidence, knowing you didn't pay too much for your new home and confident that your interests are in the best of professional care.