Thursday, December 4, 2014

Waiting until Spring to Buy a Home?

Well here are four reasons to wait however when you read them you may change your mind.

1. You Like Paying More
If you'd rather wait until everyone else in your area gets up off the couch and decides to get in the market, well, OK. But you will Pay the Price. Literally.  

"Sellers who are actively looking to sell their home during the holiday months - namely, October through December - are serious about shedding the weight of their residences, 
said US News. "This often works in Favor of Savvy Buyers looking to get a Deal on Discounted Homes."

2. You Like Competition

You're not unique in your desire to get through the holiday season and the winter before undertaking the massive life change that can be a move to a new home. After all, the Spring Buying Season is called the spring buying season for a reason: it's when buyers get it together to list their home and look for another, hoping the efforts of finding and selling and moving all line up perfectly - and over the summer when the kids are out of school. Makes sense, which is why everyone does it. And that's exactly why you should be doing it now, when very few people are.

"Less competition from other buyers during the holiday season might mean you'll be able to Negotiate a Favorable Price for a Home you want to Purchase," said Bankrate
Added Veterans United: "Winter is a Buyer's Market. With Less Competition and Fewer Dedicated House-Hunters, the colder months present an opportunity to snag a good deal. Not only are asking prices typically lower, but you'll face fewer buyers offering competing bids. Even a small difference in price can mean significant savings in the long run. For example, let's say you're buying a house with 6 percent closing costs and a 30-year mortgage with a 3.25 percent interest rate. If your house costs $500,000 as opposed to $550,000, the total cost of your mortgage will fall by over $80,000. You'll feel the benefits of buying low for decades to come."

3. You hate getting a great deal.
"Sellers tend to avoid the end of the year due to the short days, wintry weather and conventional wisdom that says buyers are otherwise occupied, said Bankrate. "But those who do choose to sell at year-end are often under pressure and highly motivated to cut a deal. And that's why the year-end might be a smart time to buy: Determined House-Hunters can take advantage of Sellers' Urgency."
4. Interest Rates, why bother
Who cares if they're near the lowest levels in almost two years and are projected to go up next year. We've already established you're OK with the idea of paying more.
"The mortgage loan market is ‘at the cusp' of a turnaround when it comes to Rising Interest Rates," said US News. "This means that for those who are looking to buy a home, the holiday season may be the last time to lock in low loan rates that could potentially start to climb."It is hard to get motivated when there is great food to eat and all the Christmas plans to keep.
While relaxing with a plate full of goodies and going to holiday parties sounds great. You know what sound even better? Relaxing in Your New Home knowing you made a Great Investment. The ability to kick up your feet isn't going anywhere. But the house with the pool and the perfect layout that just listed in your ideal neighborhood for a reasonable price definitely is. The movie can wait. But will that home you've been eyeing still be there when it's over?
Think about your home search and give us a call.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Why to Sell with a Realtor


  • A Realtor has access to market data about recent sales and other homes on the market that can be used to price your home appropriately. Studies show that homes priced right when they’re first listed sell more quickly and for a higher price than those that linger on the market.
  • A Realtor can show your home when you are not available, can respond to inquiries from potential buyers and their agents, and can get valuable feedback from visitors – all things that save you time.
  • A Realtor can look at your home objectively and suggest ways to improve its appearance – by staging and minor repairs - so it appeals to more buyers.
  • Buyers typically prefer to look at a home without the seller present so they can feel more comfortable exploring the rooms and visualizing themselves in the property. At an FSBO sale, the seller must be present.
  • A Realtor can screen visitors to your home, which provides a measure of safety that FSBO sellers don’t have. In addition, by checking to see if the buyers are legitimate and can afford to purchase your home, a Realtor can help you avoid wasting time showing your home to unrealistic buyers.
  • Realtor's have professional marketing expertise contacts with other Realtor's who work with buyers, and the support of a brokerage that can market your home more widely than you can as an individual.
  • A Realtor can help you negotiate a contract that not only garners you an appropriate price for your home, but that meets your needs for a settlement date and perhaps includes a period when you rent back your home from your buyer. In addition, a Realtor can make sure your contract is in compliance with all local regulations.
FSBO Dangers Most buyers today work with a Buyers Agent to Represent their Interests. If you choose to sell your home on your own, you’ll be Negotiating with a Professional and relying on your own skill to finalize a contract. Not only could you end up Selling your Home for Less Money, you could leave yourself open to potential legal problems unless you have the contract vetted by an experienced Real Estate AttorneyFSBO transactions can be successful, of course, but 90 percent of homeowners prefer to work with a professional rather than risk an unsatisfactory home selling experience.

Call us and we can explain in detail how we can help you. Thanks

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Vacation Home Sales Rise in Myrtle Beach And the Grand Strand Area

As the Real Estate Market comes back and people are more comfortable with the economy, Second Home and Vacation Home buyers are back in the market. As a recent interview indicated:

In the Grand Strand, condos are what most folks are buying, according to President of Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors Joan Crowther. She says folks are buying them, everywhere from beachfront properties to more inland opportunities.

Nationally, most vacation homes are being purchased with all-cash or large-cash down payments and home prices right now are fair.

Crowther says she expects the trend to continue into the next few years while prices remain steady. She says the Grand Strand's biggest draw is the weather.

"We certainly did see that effect, a lot of people are just tired of shoveling snow," says Crowther. "While we had some cooler temperatures and some frozen precipitation, certainly not to the degree that they did, this is a very desirable area to live and place to consider for a future home."

With all that being said, history shows us that purchasing these properties are best done during the Winter months from November through March. The reason is simple, people use these as rental properties when they are not visiting. They would rather receive the rental income during the peak seasons than to sell it and miss out on that revenue stream.

So if you have been thinking about purchasing a Vacation or Second Home now is the time to be previewing the best available and getting that offer in before the summertime rentals start booking up.

Buying a Home during the Holidays can be a great idea

Holidays are a great time of year. People are shopping, going to company Christmas parties and preparing for family to visit. So why would this be a good time of the year to buy a home? Well quite simply put you have less competition for the best homes on the market. The people that have their homes listed this time of year are usually very motivated to get them sold. I understand nobody wants to be moving during the Holidays so you could just contract a home and close after the Holiday season and everyone wins. If you want to be in a new home for the Holidays then you could concentrate on homes that are vacant. Many times if a home is vacant the sellers are more motivated since they may be carrying two mortgages. Sometimes you can get a quick closing date and do all of your Holiday decorating in your new home.

Another reason to purchase a home during the Holidays can be additional Tax Deductible items from the purchase of a home, check with your tax professional. A late year tax write off could make for a great unexpected Christmas present.

One important question to ask your Real Estate Professional is will they be available during the Holiday season? While most agents are willing to show properties during this time others may be out of town for the Holidays and others just feel the time of year is slow so they don't work very hard. The worst thing that can happen to your Home Buying experience is that your agent is not available and the home sells before you have an opportunity to see it.

If you are diligent with your home search, even during the Holidays, you to can achieve the American Dream of Home ownership. During the Holiday season you may just save some money on the Purchase of your New Home.

Have a Great Holiday Season, A very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year



Thursday, November 6, 2014

Don't Shop for Homes Alone

Home buyers are increasingly shopping for homes with a Real Estate Agent. Eighty-eight percent of buyers purchased their home through a Real Estate Agent or Broker, up from 69 percent in 2001, says a new report from the National Association of REALTORS®
In 2014, buyers used a wide variety of resources in searching for a home, with the Internet (92 percent) and Real Estate Agents (87 percent) leading the way. And 90 percent of home buyers who searched for homes online ended up purchasing their home through an agent. Buyers who used the Internet were more likely to purchase their home through an agent than those who didn't (67 percent).
When buyers were asked where they first learned about the home they purchased, 43 percent said the Internet. That's up from 36 percent in 2009. Thirty-three percent learned about their home from a Real Estate Agent. That's pretty impressive odds.
So in the age of home buying apps, why are more buyers using a Real Estate Agent? A number of reasons. First, the bubble and implosion in housing values made buyers more cautious. Then the housing market rebounded, leaving many buyers unprepared for bidding wars, investors, and a tighter mortgage market. Last, buyers have been on the sidelines so long, that they're entering the market with more maturity than buyers of past generations.
There's no reason not to use all the help you can get. Licensing laws allow agents to work with both buyers and sellers as both fiduciaries and non-fiduciaries, depending on state disclosure requirements.
When an agent contracts with a seller to sell their home, the agent contracts commission fees with the seller to cover the costs of paying the buyer's agent. Buyers may not realize that most agents are paid at the closing, and that they won't be out any upfront money to hire their own agent.
Having an agent multiplies the buyer's chances of finding the right home at the best price. The buyer's agent networks with other agents to find the right home and they learn which homes are coming onto the market before the general public. Many homes are bought and sold without a sign ever going into the yard.
But, if a buyer goes to open houses, or builder model homes without registering their buyer's agent's name, or calls on a listing without mentioning their agent, the listing agent or builder's agent has every right to assume the buyer is unrepresented. They may refuse to pay the buyer's agent commission.
Today's agents are like today's buyers and sellers. They're more technology-savvy and willing to work hard to please their buyers. They know that buyers eventually become sellers, and sellers become repeat buyers.
That's how good agents build their businesses, through repeat business and referrals. They are highly motivated to do the best job possible for home buyers.
Why wouldn't any buyer want to take advantage of that?

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

How do you Start your Home Search

When you search for a home with eXp Realty, you have access to an array of free, powerful online tools. Search, save, organize, and get updates on your favorite homes, anytime and anywhere.

We recognize the level of service that clients demand. You have information. You have dreams. We possess experience, integrity, and innovation. Together we create leverage to make your dreams a reality.

Our Website displays full MLS listings, plus Bank Foreclosures and REOs in the cities where we offer service. Most real estate sites offer only a fraction of the listings we provide — as a licensed real estate brokerage, we can give you access to the same information used by agents across the country. Our listings are updated frequently, so you'll always see the latest and most accurate details.

When you do find a home you like, it's time to dig into the details. On our home details page, we show you as much information as we're allowed to for every home. We provide photos, details on the home, plus information on local price trends and nearby homes with similar features.

When you're ready to see a home, schedule a home tour. A home tour gives you the best opportunity to spend time seeing a home in detail. If you'd like an in-depth look at preparing for and getting the most out of a home tour, please get in touch.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Thinking of Selling your home yourself? For Sale By Owner?

To sell your Property without the assistance of a Qualified Real Estate Professional, you should be able to answer YES to each of the following questions.

*Do I have sufficient data to price my property realistically and so I can obtain top market value? Am I familiar with what comparable properties have sold for recently and what adjustments to those amounts I would need to make for my property?

*Can I draw proper contracts, recognize unreasonable contingencies, understand disclosure and agency relationships? Would I be on sound legal ground if conflicts arose?

*Can I handle the natural conflict of interest when working directly with a buyer, trying to protect my own interests versus my desire to accommodate theirs?

*Do I have complete understanding of how to stage my home for universal appeal? Am I able to accomplish maximum exposure to Buyers through a wide channel of advertising medias (Regional & National) so that I obtain the most money possible from the sale? 

*Can I properly screen and handle inquiries? Can I differentiate between lookers and serious buyers? What can I use to Screen Buyers? Can a particular Buyer get Financing and how do I know?

*Do I have the knowledge of the current mortgage situation? Do I know how the different loans will effect my bottom line dollars?

*Am I prepared to be available at all times for inquiries and/or showings?

*Am I willing to have myself or members of my household exposed to strangers? The motives of casual lookers can be suspect!

Hope this helps, call me for more information.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Beware of Rental Scams

Beware of Rental Scams always use a Licensed Real Estate Professional
Thinking of moving to a new city? Looking for a vacation rental? Many people will begin their search through online classifieds or search engines. However, that amazing deal that you find online may actually turn out to be a scam. Scammers commonly advertise rentals that aren't available or don't exist, often requesting money up-front before their victims find out the hard truth. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
The following are a few scams that have been making recent headlines:
Phantom Rental
Scammers create a listing for a property that does not exist or is not currently for rent and try to bait you with the promise of low rent in a great location. Rental scam artists often take advantage of neglected, empty houses on the real estate market due to recession-driven foreclosures. Homes that are Owned by Banks and other Financial Institutions can take several months and even years to sell. Many of these homes are left unchecked during this period and are sitting targets for the scammers. There have been reported cases of individuals living and paying rent in a house for several months only to later find out that the "landlord" they had been paying was not the true owner of the property.
Hijacked Advertisements
Scammers will search websites that list homes for sale. They will then copy the information from that listing and post it on a different website, with their own email address and contact information. Many unsuspecting victims are lured to these fake listings because of advertised rates well below market value or offered incentives that seem hard to resist.
International No-show
The advertised "homeowner" will explain that they are currently overseas and are unable to meet in person. Victims are then required to send the first and last month's rent, usually by money wire services, which is almost impossible to trace once the money has been sent. Victims may even receive fake keys in the process, only to find out they have been scammed once they get to the property. Victims are sometimes asked to provide a credit application before they can move in. The application often requests personal information such as Social Security numbers, credit history and employment history. The scammers are then able to use this information to commit identity theft.
Tips to Avoid a Rental Scam
Never send money to someone unless you have verified their identity, preferably in person, or for a property that has not been seen.
Never wire money to pay for the first month's rent, security deposit or application fee. Wiring money is the same as sending cash, once it has been sent, it is gone forever.
If the property representative is unable to meet in person because they are out of the country, wait until they return or ask to meet with someone who is authorized to handle the transactions on their behalf.
We hope this helps before someone makes a mistake. If you need more information just give us a call at 864-201-3960 or email us at agentdadams@gmail.com

Safe places for Trick or Treating in Myrtle Beach, SC

Thanks to MB.com the following schedule was posted. Great time to take the ghosts, goblins, witches and of course the princesses for great candy collections,

5-7 p.m. Oct. 31, The Market Common, Farrow Parkway
Your kids can grab candy at participating stores around The Market Commons on Halloween night. Enjoy free carriage rides around the complex plus music and entertainment in front of the movie theater. Bring your furry friends too!

4:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 31, Broadway at the Beach, between 21st and 29th avenues North
Get dolled up and go store to store collecting treats around Broadway at the Beach. This is a great place to take the little ones because there's no traffic to worry about, and mom and dad can browse the shops and restaurants along the way. Kids 10 and under in costumes eat free at Hard Rock Cafe with a paying adult.

5-7 p.m. Oct. 31, Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach
Enjoy a safe and fun evening at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. They'll offer free bags for the goods plus free carousel rides. Show up early and grab some dinner before you start your journey around Barefoot.

5-6 p.m. Oct. 31, Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk
Children can trick-or-treat early before the grown up fun begins at the Murrels Inlet Marsh Walk. Prizes will be awarded for best kids' costumes. Make plans to hit up the great seafood restaurants in the Inlet while you're down there!
6-8 p.m. Oct. 31, Tanger Outlets, Both Hwy 501 and Hwy 17 locations in Myrtle Beach
Visit either Tanger Outlet Center in Myrtle Beach and trick-or-treat around the shopping outlets. Just look for the Halloween decal outside of stores to see if they're taking place in the fun.
Brought to you by Team Adams Realty and Adams & Company Real Estate Services

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Low cost Real Estate Investment Options, Myrtle Beach South Carolina

As the economy and the Housing Market recover more and more Real Estate Investors are getting back into the market. How can you compete with limited funds? I have found that the lower end properties are ignored by seasoned investors, why you may ask, well it is actually simple Greed..........You see when investors are looking for properties they want to see large amount of dollars returned and usually pay higher dollars for a higher end property. Great strategy if you have plenty of dollars to invest. So how can the Lower end Middle Class make money like the big boys and girls do? Be realistic in what you purchase and remember there is no such thing as a house you are too good or proud to buy.

For the past 18 months we have been concentrating on Manufacture Housing and have been surprised how many people are buying them. Advantages to Manufactured Housing Investments are many so here are a few. These homes are considered personal property so taxes are extremely low. These homes are manufactured in an assembly line fashion so not much trouble when you have to do repairs even if that includes replacing floors in an entire room or redoing an entire bathroom. The cost to purchase one of these homes is extremely low and the hold time is significantly shorter than regular homes. Most people that are purchasing them from us are cash buyers removing the financing headaches today. Finally inventory is easy to find if you have the right resources and we are fortunate as we do.

So when deciding to spend your hard earned money to join in the Real Estate Investing game be sure to get all the information to make an informed decision.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Make More Money in 2014 as a Real Estate Agent


With all the Buzz about Cloud Based Businesses and all the different pay plans for Realtors it is exciting to have a plain easy to understand pay system. Low fees, Low caps and Revenue share that is not tied to company profits. A must see informational video and a link that explains everything. Take a look and see how your 2014 can be great. South Carolina, North Carolina or several other states, we are looking for you.

Make More Money in 2014