Listen Up Home Buyers Advice & Tips from True Buyer Agents

As an experiment, I put the URL to a website article into Notebook LM from Google. The article, What Every Buyer Should Know About Condo Docs, was loaded in Notebook. I chose, "Audio Preview"The results are this 16:25 audio podcast. The voices you hear are AI generated. The original content was my article. However the conversation is the AI version of the content.  Listen Up, Home Buyers! The podcast offering advice and tips from true buyer agents. Host and Producer, Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in the Washington D.C. area. Victoria is and a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.

Mike Crowley is the owner and broker of Spokane Home Buyers in Washington state. Mike is a former president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, naeba.org, and current board member. With 30 years experience as an exclusive buyer broker, Mike offers advice on new rules in real estate regarding buyer broker agreements, dual agency and open houses. Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage serving Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia home buyers.  Listen Up, Home Buyers! The podcast offering advice and tips from true buyer agents. Host and Producer, Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in the Washington D.C. area. Victoria is and a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.

Andi DeFelice,  owner and broker of Exclusive Buyer's Realty in Savannah Georgia talks with host Victoria Ray Henderson, owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in Washington D.C., Maryland & Virginia about the new rules in real estate coming August 17th 2024.What are the big changes in real estate coming August 17, 2024Who pays the buyer agent in a real estate transactionMisinformation has confused home buyers and home sellersInterview real estate agents, ask how they will communicate with youWhat is dual agencyShould I go to open housesWhat is an exclusive buyer agent or exclusive buyer broker Listen Up, Home Buyers! The podcast offering advice and tips from true buyer agents. Host and Producer, Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in the Washington D.C. area. Victoria is and a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.

Meet Steve Kodad is a certified feng shui professional, owner of the Feng Shui Cure, and co-owner of the Intrinsic School of Feng Shui. Steve shares advice on using feng shui to improve the quality of your home.  Listen Up, Home Buyers! The podcast offering advice and tips from true buyer agents. Host and Producer, Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in the Washington D.C. area. Victoria is and a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.

Peggy Bailey is the Vice President of Housing and Income Security, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.  Her work protects and expands access to affordable housing, improves state's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), focuses on child support programs and expands employment opportunities to housing and cash assistance recipients. Before joining the Center, Peggy served in the Biden/Harris Administration as the Senior Advisor on Rental Assistance to HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge.She recently testified before the Senate Banking Committee on housing.1:45 People simply don't have the money to afford housingToo many families are paying more than 40 - 60 percent of their income on housingLandlords have to charge a certain amount of money to pay the mortgage and maintain the buildingMinimum rent is out of reach for too many peopleMultifaceted problem, where do you start?Multi family housing is being developed but most of it is being priced in the upper end of affordability3:58 Government subsidy to afford high rental cost4:10 there are pockets of innovation, European countries are taking a more social approach to housing4:55 People need flexibility regarding where they can live5:19 Child care is a major factor with housing costs6:00 Families don't have enough money to afford their basic needs6:36 Housing justice, everyone has a right to housing7:04 Housing is a basic need like food and clothing7:48 Rent mitigation and rent cost containment8:12 Leveling the playing field and racial injustice with housing8:25 Racism and discrimination underlines most if not all of the things we've used in the past as solutions8:40 Reprogram and redesign new plans to correct past racism and discrimination9:00 Cash programs improves housing, nutrition and more9:16 Denver Colorado has a pilot project that is doing it right10:06 A recent housing initiative will increase affordable housing supply, make it easier to build affordable housing and increase the number of units available10:38 Grant programs for builders to offset the cost of creating housing11:01 A Capital stack12:40 rental assistance programs for people who need help now50th Anniversary of the housing choice voucher program 2024 13:20 Landlord has the control now but that may change and offer the tenant the voucher and option to choose the housing14:00 Many separate voucher programs available but these can leave some people out14:20 Not reinforcing the deserving status but delivering housing assistance to those who need it14:45 What could happen with the housing voucher? 15:30 Reducing discrimination and empowering the individual        Listen Up, Home Buyers! The podcast offering advice and tips from true buyer agents. Host and Producer, Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in the Washington D.C. area. Victoria is and a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.

Listen Up Home Buyers—Jeff Jackson With FIMAVictoria: Hi, I'm Victoria Ray Henderson, the host of the NABA podcast, Listen Up Homebuyers. So happy to have back for a second round of conversations, Jeff Jackson, the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Federal Insurance Directorate. He leads flood insurance operations for the National Flood Insurance Program at FEMA. And Jeff, I want to thank you so much for being a guest again on Listen Up Homebuyers.Jeff: Thanks. It's great to be back.Victoria: So glad to have you. I'd like to start with a very general question. What should every homebuyer know about flood insurance?Jeff: The most important thing to know is then that in all but the rarest of cases, flood risk is not insured through your homeowner's insurance policy. If you want to have coverage for water that comes from the outside and comes inside your house, so not stink backups, not toilet backups. Those kinds of things, but water coming in from the outside, it requires a separate flood insurance policy. You can either buy that from the National Flood Insurance Program, which is through FIMA, or there often are a number of private flood insurance policies that you can buy as well.Victoria: So if somebody lives in an area that isn't by the coast, isn't necessarily by a creek or a river, what do they need to know about flood insurance?Jeff: Well, it floods everywhere. There have been in the last little bit under 25 years, 99% of the counties in America have flooded. So, it's happening somewhere in your county. And what I would say is it's not always readily apparent just by looking around and seeing the distance to the nearest water source, although that's an extremely important factor. Changes in our built environment, the more we see paving, the more we see development of what was traditionally green space can raise our flood risk as well. And so there can be an illusion that you don't have flood risk when in actuality, you're at least perhaps moderately risky. And that certainly is an area when you get there, you would at least want to strongly only consider buying a flood insurance policy.Victoria: Okay. So as you know, I only work for people buying homes as an exclusive buyer broker. So the first thing that we typically do when they're going to be buying a home is see how well they're qualified to obtain a mortgage. At what point should a home buyer be looking at the risk that could be potentially there in a house of interest?Jeff: I would say it's when you get that listing from your broker and you see a list of houses, it's good to go look them up on the FIMA maps to see if it's a place where you would have to buy flood insurance. And we certainly went over this the last time I was here. But for the folks who are checking in for the first time, if you are in a high-risk area, what's called a special flood hazard area, and you have a federally backed mortgage, which is most mortgages, then you're required to buy. For everyone else, it's an option to buy, and for those where it's required, certainly as you go through the lending process, that will be made clear to you.But really, getting back to the heart of your question, it's when you walk through the door of the house for the first time. It's everything from knowing if it's in a high-risk area as you go and choose to look at the listing, as well as when you walk through the property, look around and look for what are there any signs of water in this house? Are there stomp pumps? Has clearly work been done because there's a drainage issue in a basement? Many places have that. So you don't have to be scared away that it's a matter of going in and learning as much as you can about the property so that you make a decision about whether or not to purchase it, and then if you do purchase it; First, do you have to buy, have flood insurance? And then second, should you choose to buy flood insurance?Victoria: Right, I always tell people that I'm working with that when we go into a house, the first thing I'm going to tell you is everything that's wrong with it. And I go straight to the basement because we both live in the greater Washington, D.C. area, and we have a lot of wet basements, a lot of issues, along the Potomac River. Just last week, I'm working with clients in Old Town, Alexandria, and they were interested in a condominium, and I checked the flood maps, and it's in an A.E. flood map. Walk me through what your advice would be for a homebuyer in that situation if they really wanted to put an offer in on a place like that.Jeff: The first thing I would do is reach out to your insurance agent and get a quote, not just for homeowners insurance, but also for flood insurance. If you're in that A.E. zone, that's one of the zones that is required to purchase if you have a federally backed mortgage. So I would go get a flood quote and factor that in, the cost of that in, when you're determining the affordability of the house, and as you're comparing it to other properties, perhaps where you might not have to buy a flood insurance policy and make that part of your buying decision, the more you can learn about a property, including from the cost perspective. But your number one trigger should be, have your insurance agent on speed dial. So, when you see that house, you know that Saturday is coming, you're getting excited about going and looking at all these properties, you know for that one, you would have to factor in cost.Victoria: When people are looking at properties and it's zoned X, but they aren't that far from a zone A.E., you had mentioned that typical flood insurance isn't covered in most homeowners insurance. Is that correct?Jeff: That's right.Victoria: Yeah. So, if you are anywhere near an A.E., would your advice be to go ahead and look into flood insurance?Jeff: I would go ahead and do it for a couple of reasons. The FIMA flood maps are really a regulatory product designed to decide when we as a country and particularly looking out for the mortgage holders' interest, when we're going to say, hey, we need you to go ahead and purchase this insurance because your high risk. If you're just outside of the high-risk area, you're not no risk, and that's the biggest myth that we have to bust here as we teach folks about flood risk in America. You're probably at medium risk. Medium to medium high is a good way of characterizing it.What we know over time is it only takes about an inch of water that can quickly get you up to around a $25,000 cost repairing your home. So, in that circumstance, I certainly would buy a policy. It really gives you peace of mind. It is an expense and I know with housing being so expensive and insurance costs are rising, it's not exciting to add an additional expense into the household budget to be sure. But we talk to people every year who do have the coverage and who do experience a loss. And they look at, let's say, a $50,000 or $60,000 flood loss, which is pretty common.Victoria: Okay.Jeff: Not average, but common, and so if you don't have the coverage, you're looking at covering that, putting things on a credit card, taking it out of your home equity. If you just bought the property, depending upon the size of your down payment, you may not have a lot of equity, and it really can set you back. People get set back decades and don't financially or don't financially recover at all. So particularly for the people in that situation that you described, it would be a great investment. Your home is your biggest investment for most of us, and this certainly will help you protect that investment.Victoria: Is it possible to give kind of an average, and we're not going to hold you to this, but an average cost for flood insurance? So people have some idea of what they'd be looking at.Jeff: Our average cost is a little bit over $800 right now.Victoria: Okay.Jeff: But it can range and particularly for those who are just outside of a high-risk area, it's going to be a little bit more than that probably. But the average cost right now is just a little bit over $800. The National Flood Insurance Program was created because we have an insurability problem in America, as well as an affordability problem. We haven't unfortunately solved the affordability problem in all these years, but the NFIP is here and we'll sell a policy to anyone in any of the 22,600 participating communities. So that availability problem that we see with, you know, we see insurers pulling out of places like California. We see people dropping people in Florida, insurers dropping people in Florida.With the NFIP that we're going to be there and we're going to continue to sell you the insurance. It is going to be at a risk-based price. That's the affordability piece of things, and it's one of the reasons why certainly for those who can afford to do so, we encourage you to buy, and for those that can't afford it, we continue to advocate to Congress to provide some type of assistance, and we're hopeful that one day that'll be in place as well.Victoria: On this podcast, we're going to include some links so that people can learn more, from the FIMA maps and regarding the flood insurance that you're talking about. Is there anything else that you would like consumers to know and specifically, again, people who are buying homes, anything that you could share with your expertise?Jeff: One is that the FIMA flood map is a snapshot in time. It may be some vintage and certainly has to be reevaluated to make sure it continues to represent the flood picture every five years, but a lot can happen in five years. Maps get updated on a priority order. And so, it's not uncommon to see a 10-year-old map that probably is pretty close to what the risk is. But if you're expecting fine line gradations and risk, that's not really what it's designed to do. It's designed to say it's tremendously helpful for the folks in your community who manage the floodplain, particularly at the county level. It's an important technical product for them. It's important for realtors and it certainly important to help you learn if you have to buy.What it's not great at is a nuanced view of risk, and so I caution against over-reliance on the flood maps, and I think the way you look at it is the right way to think about it, which is not just, am I in or am I out of the high risk zone? But how close am I to water sources? And then give some thought and have some conversation around what have been the changes to the built environment? Say, every map will have a date on it. What's the environment? What's happened since that map was put into place? That certainly is one thing.The second thing I would say is for many years, there's been a school of thought, which is that if you don't have to buy the insurance, you don't need it, you don't need to talk about it. I caution against anybody, gives you a very dismissive, oh, you don't need that, and so we don't need to bother to talk about it. I think that's a thinking that's a little bit behind the times and is certainly not where I would want to be as a consumer in terms of getting service from whoever would be giving me that advice. So I would counsel against you don't need it. I think there are a number of great agents. There are a number of great insurance agents who will help talk you through a nuanced conversation. I think somebody who's willing to get in a conversation with you is where I would want to be as a buyer.Victoria: Yeah, I think exclusive buyer brokers like myself, and we're all over the country, one of the first things we want to do is educate and inform, which is why I have you on this podcast, because people need to know what the risks are, and then they can make a decision based on that. I live in the Washington area, and every summer, I end up flocking to the beach, just like everybody does. Sometimes I drive along that strip, that little narrow strip of Ocean City and Lewis, Delaware, and then Dewey and Rehoboth and just think, this is a pretty risky area.Jeff: Yeah, it certainly is, there's been so much evolution in the science of catastrophe modeling and learning all the flooding events that potentially could happen. The more I talk to those experts, the more that I learn is that the amount of time we're in a home is infinitesimally small. It's just minute, and you'll hear owners of homes say, I've been here for 10 years, I've been here for 15 years, and it's never flooded. So, it's probably not likely to flood. And while previous flooding experience is important, it's just such a small amount of time. I mean, the way the water patterns work, 100 years is just beginning to get to the point where you really get a keen sense of how water is moving around and what the risk is in a particular area.And then that's on top of the fact that we change things so much. I mean, we're fortunate to live in these areas where things are getting torn down and things are getting rebuilt and we need additional parking. And so, there's got to be an extra lot. And so, there's all these things that sort of hopefully will move us away from maybe the people selling us the property had it for 15 years and it never flooded there. I wouldn't let that be the end of my inquiry.Victoria: No, definitely not. I mean, it's the biggest financial commitment you're going to make in your life until you, I guess, do it again. But you don't want to make a mistake like this.Jeff: We have a great website called FloodSmart.gov. It has all kinds of information about flood insurance policies, and that's important, but also just about flood risk in America. So, it's a great resource to go out and learn a little bit. Encourage your listeners to go check that out and we've got some videos on that as well. So, go check that out.Victoria: Great. Jeff Jackson is the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Federal Insurance Directorate. He leads flood insurance operations for the National Flood Insurance Program at FIMA. Jeff, it is such a pleasure to talk to you again about flood insurance here on Listen Up Homebuyers.Jeff: It was great to be with you. Thanks.FEMA flood insurance Listen Up, Home Buyers! The podcast offering advice and tips from true buyer agents. Host and Producer, Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in the Washington D.C. area. Victoria is and a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.

Steve Brobeck served as the executive director of the Consumer Federation of America from 1980 to mid 2018. Steve now holds the position of senior fellow where he has researched real estate issues since the 1990s.Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in the Washington D.C. area. Victoria is the producer and host of the podcast, Listen Up Home Buyers! with the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents Victoria: Hello and welcome to the podcast, Listen Up Home Buyers. I'm Victoria Ray Henderson, and today's guest is Steve Brobeck. Mr. Brobeck served as the Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of America from 1980 to mid-2018, and he now holds the position of Senior Fellow, where he has researched real estate issues since the 1990s. Steve, welcome to Listen Up Home Buyers.Steve:  It's great to join you, Vic.Victoria:  Yeah, thank you. So we have so many things that we could talk about and that we have talked…But the one thing I'd love to talk about today is the Real Estate Agent Commissions, and specifically that recent verdict by the Federal Jury in Missouri, which ruled that the National Association of Realtors and several brokerages had conspired to fix prices by setting a standard where seller pays the listing agent a commission. And that is split with the buyer's agent. And that decision found the defendants liable for $1.8 billion in damages. And of course, this verdict is just sweeping through the country, could dramatically change the real estate industry. So, I'll start with what are your thoughts on the verdict?Steve:  Well I'm not surprised at all; the jury hardly deliberated at all. When they went into that jury room, they had made up their mind. They spent a couple of hours deciding on the damages. Yes, they decided on 1.8 billion, but in fact, with the trouble damages, the cost to the industry could be over $5 billion. And that is just essentially in the State of Missouri, if you project it out to the whole country, you're looking at awards that would bankrupt the industry two or three times over. But that is not what the industry eventually is going to have to pay.Victoria:  Yeah. When you heard about this verdict, what did you hope would come from it?Steve:  Well, essentially, prices have been set by the industry for 80 to 90 years. And what we'd like to see, and what we believe in at CFA is price competition. And we believe that if there were effective price competition, you would see a much more diverse marketplace. The commissions on average would come down. We predicted 3 to 4%, but just as importantly, there would be different rates for different agents. Those that are really good at what they do, have a lot of experience would be able to charge more than those who just received their license. I just in fact, received a sales license in DC, and I do not deserve 3%, you know, for facilitating a sale.Victoria:  Congratulations. And you're always welcome to join my brokerage if you…We offer a great training program. But the reason that I bring that point up is because you mentioned that 3%, or whatever the commission would be. And you know that you as a newbie; newbies never make their full commission, they're always either working on the team, under the tutelage of, you know, somebody and they should be supervised and should be getting some training.Steve:  Well, the thing is, yes, maybe they're only receiving one and a half percent. Two reports on this whole problem of training. It's very easy in almost every state for someone to get a real estate license. Yet, this is actually…Practicing brokerage is complicated or it should be complicated and demands a lot of skill and knowledge. And unfortunately, one of our reports documented how incompetent so many agents are. They're often bailed out either by their broker or in many cases they're bailed out by the agent for the other party in the sale. That's just not the way an industry should function. You have to go back historically. Back in the 1920s, even earlier, the industry tried to set prices and force all members of the industry to charge the same price. The Department of Justice in the 1940s sued them about that, and they retreated and they made those price schedules voluntary. The Department of Justice sued them again, and they backtracked again. Then they engaged the industry in widespread collusion. Discounters have tried to offer lower rates and they failed. What the litigation tries to do, and what the jury clearly understood the industry is trying to do is, or should do, is to completely separate the listing agent and the buyer agent commissions. And if that's done, there actually is a chance for there to be real price competition, which by the way we believe would help the most confident agents. Right now, there's a glut of agents. Our current research shows that nearly half of all agents sold no or one property in the last year, and that essentially then puts huge pressure on the successful agents to continue and maintain the 5 to 6% rates.Victoria:  I often find, and the reason that many of these newbies don't have sales is because they're working as secretarial duties. They're on teams where they're following people around, and so they won't have a lot of sales. Now, I'm not arguing for…You know, I agree with you there are a lot of agents, and too many, but so many of them are used as support staff. So, I think, you know…Steve:  That's right. But remember, their aspiration is to be an agent; to sell property and collect commissions. And when they can, yes, some of them, and we've actually documented in the study that we're going to release early next year, but they end up working as admin staff to successful brokers. That's true.Victoria:  Yeah. Just in the beginning of the month, The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts, they release this open letter, and they're really concerned about the decoupling of the commissions. And the main reason is, you and I have discussed this before about putting additional finances onto the buyer, and specifically they're talking about vets; veterans, and first time home buyers, and they're saying that they could be adversely affected. VA guidelines, they prevent people from being able to finance a buyer's agent. So what we would end up doing in that situation, if it was decoupled, is asking the seller for a credit to pay the cooperative commission or the commission for the buyer's agent. And then there's the issue of the appraisal. What happens if to the appraisal when, you know, if the mortgage industry did end up being able to do this, which I don't think that they're going to agree to, the home value would then be impacted. So what are your thoughts on that?Steve:  If the industry decided that they wanted to remove those barriers, and I've talked to many people in the industry about this, it could get fixed and it could get fixed without even going to Congress. If, in fact, the real estate industry, and I think the mortgage industry and the consumer groups and housing groups would join them as well and go to the regulators and said, look, you've got to tweak these regulations to allow essentially a price competitive market to take place lowering the costs for buyers and sellers that would occur. Vic, I have talked to hundreds of realtors over the last 30 years, all of whom I consider to be professionals; they're the full-timers with experience. And quite a few of them complain that the industry will never be a profession until you have professional standards, which would greatly reduce the number of agents and give exclusive buyers like yourself a better opportunity to recruit clients.Victoria:  I agree with you that real estate standards need to be higher. And I will say that the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, are specific real estate brokers and agents who are consumer oriented with a focus only working with buyers. What is your opinion of exclusive buyer brokerage in general?Steve:  Well, I'm glad you asked me that question because I am a strong believer in exclusive buyer brokerage. What the exclusive buyer brokers recognize, and I understood this when I first started to study the industry back in the nineties, is they recognize there's a fundamental conflict of interest in the industry. You basically cannot, without exposing that conflict of interest, list properties and sell properties. So you list properties and then you have a buyer. Now, who's your obligation to, is it to the, the sellers whose properties you've listed to show them the properties first? If not, then you are actually violating your fiduciary duty to the buyer. And if, in fact, you just honor that fiduciary ability and you ignore all of your listings and look for the property that would best suit the buyer, you're then violating your fiduciary responsibilities to the seller. Exclusive buyer brokerage has recognized that conflict of interest. And so people like yourself  who said, look, we can't really represent both, so we're just going to represent buyers. And I very much hope that in the future, exclusive buyer brokerage will stabilize and grow, and that buyers end up routinely using exclusive buyer brokers. That's my hope.Victoria:  Yeah, and I appreciate that. With the decoupling of commissions, I am really worried about a couple of people that I'm thinking of that I helped this year. She was scraping money together, borrowing money from parents, and pulling it together. And I got, you know, a condo for her under list price with a 3% seller subsidy to help with closing costs. And I was overjoyed, you know, I was just so elated to be able to do this. This woman would not have been able to pay my co-op, my commission out of pocket. My concern is that, you know, that the unintended consequences of decoupling the commissions could have ramifications that could impact the industry for decades.Steve:  I think that to preserve exclusive buyer brokerage and to rationalize the market, you're going to have to allow the buyers to finance the buyer agent commission. But what people are talking about right now, and you actually alluded to it ear early in our discussion, is a concession by the seller. And I think that that's what we're going to see as a transitional stage. And that eventually will lead to the mortgage financing of the commission. But that's the way to basically ease this transition.Victoria:  How is what you're suggesting different from what's already in play? How is it that in this whole scenario the person who, or the real estate agent, and in my case, the exclusive buyer broker who is essentially doing, I think it's well understood that the person who represents the buyer is doing a lot of work. How is it that this person has become the bad guy in this whole scenario? Steve:  They're not. Well, they're not the bad guy. I mean, the listing agent is really the one who was discussing the compensation and justifying the 5 to 6%. It's not the buyer agents because we're, with a few exceptions, the buyers and the buyer agents aren't having that conversation. You know, it's true. The system has existed basically for 80 to 90 years, and it functions to the extent that homes get sold and purchase. But the problem is the industry is very inefficient; consumers overpay, or at least quite a few of them, overpay. There's no relationship between agent compensation, or very little relationship between agent compensation and the services that they provide.Victoria:  As an exclusive buyer broker, I want people to be educated. I want buyers to understand this whole process. And I also know that I can speak for the members of Neva in saying that, you know, we advocate for buyers a hundred percent, we could probably be making double what we make if we did listings and if we worked for buyers, and if we did dual agency and designated agency, but we drew a line in the sand and said, we're not functioning that way.Steve:  Well, CFA has recognized that for decades, and we commend exclusive buyer brokers who really are trying to offer good value to consumers without the kind of conflicts of interest that exists throughout the rest of the industry. So, more power to exclusive buyer brokers.Victoria:  Yeah. We appreciate your support. Steve Brobeck, has served as the Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of America from 1980 to mid-2018, and now he holds the position of Senior Fellow at CFA and he's been researching real estate issues since the 1990s. Steve, you know, it's such a pleasure to always talk to you, and I'm inviting you back because we've only scratched the surface in this particular podcast.Steve:  Well, thank you, Vic. Victoria:  Thank you. Listen Up, Home Buyers! The podcast offering advice and tips from true buyer agents. Host and Producer, Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner and broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage in the Washington D.C. area. Victoria is and a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.

Victoria Ray Henderson the host and producer of Listen Up Home Buyers! talks with Dawn Miller a certified appraiser in the Washington D.C. area. What is an appraisal?Do I have to have an appraisal when buying a home?How does an appraisal affect the sales price of a home?Who hires the appraiser?Who does the appraiser work for?  What is egress in a home? How does egress impact the appraisal evaluation?What is the difference between the appraised price and the sales price?Dawn Miller is a certified appraiser with over twenty years of experience appraising homes in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. She shares her insight on the appraisal process. Victoria Ray Henderson is a real estate broker and National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents member.  She owns HomeBuyer Brokerage an exclusive buyer brokerage serving buyers in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.   

Rob Shank is the owner and broker of Crossed Arrows Real Estate and a teacher at Crossed Arrows Real Estate School in Cheyenne Wyoming. Rob talks with Victoria Ray Henderson the host of Listen Up Home Buyers. Victoria is the owner & broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage serving home buyers in Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. :55  How real estate representation works1:10 Exclusive buyer agency and fiduciary relationships with clients1:21  Description of the listing agent role and the buyer agent role in real estate1:55 Why did Rob join the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents2:09 More on how real estate representation2:30 Description of Wyoming real estate representation3:08 The role of a Real Estate broker in Real estate3:34 Clients have a relationship with the broker and brokerage, not the individual real estate agent4:45 Buyer agents and listing agents work under the supervision of a broker. 4:08 What happens when the broker is representing a buyer purchasing a listing from the brokerage5:20 How can a broker be neutral in many of these relationships?5:55 The slippery slope of real estate representation6:27 A buyers agent should never act as a salesperson6:47 New marketing slogan, 'We're not going to sell you a house. We're going to help you buy one'7:08 How buyer agents get paid7:32 Exclusive buyer agency is a different mindset for the real estate agents who only work for home buyers7:56 Exclusive buyer agency is a specialty.8:20 Exclusive buyer agency brings concierge service to home buyers8:48 Crossed Arrows Real Estate is the first exclusive buyer brokerage in Wyoming          

:41 Why an exclusive buyer agent/broker?53 Rona has a background as a teacher and counselor1:16 Joined a small real estate brokerage specializing in supporting disabled people'shttps://4buyersre.com/ housing1:33   evaluating a house for wheelchair accessibility1:46 In Massachusetts in 2006, if you were a real estate agent, you worked for the seller, unless you signed off as a buyers agent, disclosures were often overlooked at that time2:16 the story that changed how she would work in real estate3:37 Anything you say to a listing agent as a buyer will be information shared with the seller to their advantage.5:03 I want to help people make a huge financial commitment to something that would house their lives5:10 don't want to sell a thing (house)5:30 putting pictures on Tinder is like the pictures on a listing6:03 teaching people how to read through the marketing for a home is the job of an exclusive buyer agent6:03 Joining NAEBA began in 1992 or 19936:56 Rona Fischman is a founding member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents7:39 What Rona did as a new agent, in 1992, taking classes through the National Association of Realtors and other class sites8:50 Tip for buyers find the houses that didn't sell right away and you can negotiate9:50 Exclusive buyer agents understand the marketing and know how to work around itInventory is down in the DC area at this time Spring 202310:00 The challenge of protecting a home buyer in Spring 202310:30 Rona's advice on making offers in a competitive environment, Nobody is rich enough not to care about money10:45 Based on the market study, the market conditions, the competition, and what to expect if you buy at top dollar11:00 Should a buyer compete for a property for sale?12:25 Pre-contract home inspection13:30 A buyers agent at Noon and a sellers agent at 3 pm with a designated agency13:44 How to evaluate a property?14:40 Is a three-bedroom really a 3 bedroom?14:46 The asking price is just marketing15:15 Altoid box as a junction box15:47 there's wrong and easy to fix and there's wrong and you need to walk away17:02 Why is Rona an exclusive buyer's agent? She provides a body of information to enhance a buyer's life17:30 It's a conscious decision to give up the listing side to represent home buyers 100%18:10 We know the listing agents who do good work for their clients. We respect them and love them 

Dave Nichols a loan originator with NBKC Bank licensed in 50 states & the District talks with host, Victoria Ray Henderson. NMLS #409631 NMLS #662630First-time home buyer programsDown payment assistance options:57 focus of the podcast is educating home buyers1:08 what is the lowest down payment option?1:54 What is a Fannie Mae 3% option?2:58 How important is a credit score?3:19 620 credit score may not qualify for a 3% down payment4:11 What is the debt-to-income ratio and why does it matter?5:04 what is private mortgage insurance?5:47 FHA program is more expensive than conventional financing7:00 when you apply for a loan, the lender examines how much of a risk you are as a buyer7:48 720 credit score? A lender may compare FHA and conventional financing to see what works best for the home buyer8:22 What are points? A point is 1% of the loan amount.Should I buy down the interest rate by paying points?8:54 What is par?9:50 Full explanation of buying down points10:31 What factors into the ability to pay down points?12:31 First step is understanding what goes into your monthly mortgage payment14:00 can refinance in a year or so be an option?15:120 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are making changes to the way they guide lenders regarding loan-level pricing adjustments 

Skip Cobb opened Revolutionary Mortgage Company in 1988. Based in Maryland, Revolutionary Mortgage Company provides conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo loans. We are licensed in Maryland, Virginia, D.C., West Virginia, Delaware, and Florida.  Skip talks with Victoria Ray Henderson on Listen Up Home Buyers! The only podcast offering advice & tips from exclusive buyer agents. 1:00 What is the purpose of Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac1:20 Two programs we will talk about are the Freddie Mac Borrow Smart Program linked to Home Possible and the new Fannie Mae Purchase Plus program – both are down payment assistance programs. 1:33 Are they available in all 50 states?2:00 Fannie Mae Purchase Plus program2:43 How do the programs work? How do home buyers qualify?3:04 Restricted income3:26 Borrow Smart and Purchase Plus minority census areas4:11 It is property driven meaning only some properties will qualify for these loans4:50 Links to Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae websites for more information5:00 $5000 max for the Fannie Mae program includes thousands of properties6:10 Fannie Mae program is not income limited6:45 You may qualify if you currently live in the minority census area7:00 Home Possible Program details7:47 Do your homework! Investigate what programs you may qualify for in your area9:18 Your exclusive buyer's agent should be answering all your questions and advocating on your behalf 100% of the time10:23 Online education courses are required for some programs11:23 Skip Cobb provides details of the lender letter which is sent to the listing agent with the contract offerSkip Cobb Company NMLS: 213201Skip Cobb NMLS: 211493

Meet Glenn Grutta the owner of Vector Home Inspections in Massachusetts. Glenn talks with host, Victoria Ray Henderson the owner & broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage on Listen Up Home Buyers!  :33 One of the biggest challenges to doing a home inspection in winter is getting to the property to do the inspection:52 when snow is on the ground, how do you evaluate the perimeter of the home?1:20 start with the the interior of the house to keep the property neater2:00 snow on the roof limits the visual but there are clues2:15 lines on the roof indicate heat loss in the home2:45 the lines you see on the roof are the actual raftersThis indicates the need for better insulation3:13 icicles and ice dams on a house3:38 ice dams are often associated with water in the house but that's not the entire story4:15 in the attic, look at the nails in the roof for signs of heat los4:40 in the winter the inspector spends more time in the attic so evaluate the roof5:00 newer homes have better insulation than old houses and less likely to have ice dams6:08 heat cables, what are they?7:13 advice for home owners in the winter7:50 look for pipes exposed to the weather8:03 what to do with water pickets8:30 plumbing on exterior walls, what to do9:07 home ownership is doing visual maintenance9:45 look for clues while doing an exterior walkthrough10:04 most homes are not graded properlyYou want a positive grade to the dirt11:03 remember, water is your enemy as a home owner or home buyer11:39 create your own history in a home12:30 weather patterns have changed and there is more water sitting on properties which can cause issues for the home.   12:50 sit with a house before major remodeling projects14:00 winter time is an opportunity to check the windows14:32 make a list of your concerns and don't be afraid to ask questions15:03 as a home buyer, who inspects the house is your decision. Choose a home inspector who communicates well15:45 interview your home inspector     

Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac raise loan limits for 2023 Meet Ramez Fahmy a mortgage lender with Caliber Home Loans. He explains what is happening in the housing market in December 2022 and what is in store for 2023.Victoria Ray Henderson is the owner & broker of HomeBuyer Brokerage serving Washington DC, Maryland & Virginia:49  Who are Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae1:00 They are the largest purchaser of mortgages in the country1:20 largest purchasers of mortgages in the country2:04 What is a conforming or conventional Loan?2:24 Home Ready and Home Possible are programs available for home buyers3:00 Why are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac raising the loan limits?3:47 conforming loans have gone up to $726,2004:07 High-cost areas have higher loan limits 150% higher than other areas4:24 DC Metro area high balance loans are available up to 1 million 89 thousand dollar loan meaning you could do this with only 5% down payment4:45 What are the risks for a home buyer?5:10 important to consult with a mortgage professional to know what you are comfortable spending for a monthly mortgage. Not just what you qualify for but what you are comfortable with each month6:20 Be forthcoming with the lender regarding your monthly costs7: 24 How do you see the raising of the loan limits impacting the market?8:08 Biggest increase seen in a long time percentage wise8:30 Have a frank conversation with a lender who can talk you through this process8:51 Portfolio loans9:35 Seeing more private loans in this market like adjustable rate mortgage programs10:00 30-year fixed mortgages have been the norm but more buyers are considering ARMS and other options10:27 What Chairman Powell said yesterday10:55 downturn in mortgage rates11:15 adjustable rate mortgages are often done with the intent to refinance in the next 12 -24 months11:43 Sensational headlines don't always match what is actually happening in the market12:15 Reacting to headlines-avoid the herd mentality12:50 Market conditions today as compared to a year ago13:33 rates are higher today than a year ago but many buyers are using a temporary buy down14:51 Meet with a lender and develop your plan of actionLearn how to navigate these market conditions   

Entomologist, Kenton Sumpter with the Maryland Department of Agriculture's Plant Protection and Weed Management, Spotted Lanternfly Program is our guest on Listen Up Home Buyers! He offers is knowledge and expertise on the spotted lantern fly and how to manage the spread of this invasive insect.:37 What is the spotted lantern fly and why should we care?:44 invasive insects were found in Pennsylvania first and encompasses the midAtlantic region and found in Michigan1:14 agricultural threat and a public nuisance2:12 they land on people, annoying and secreet honeydew2:50 they can cause mold to grow with what they secrete3:03 this sooty mold is common but these insects secrete honeydew which causes this type of mold to grow4:44 What action is recommended when you see a spotted lantern fly?5:13 Spotted lantern fly swarm in September and October when they are laying their eggs before the winter5:49 The spotted lantern fly is usually on a plant called the tree of heaven which is an invasive plant6:30 What residents should do? Maintain sanitary vehicles, and check your cars before you drive.7:32 Make a good faith effort to not bring the spotted lantern fly with you when you drive8:20 no stopping the infestation, we can slow it8:33 A cold winter would freeze them out but short of that, they are here to stay8:57 Don't spray chemicals to combat lantern flies you'll kill the good bugs too9:30 Be cautious that you don't kill off the good insects10:02 praying mantis may help but not the big green type as they are invasive insects native to China. The Carolina praying mantis is a good choice10:30 spiders and other native insects are good11:53 spotted lantern flys stay in groups12:12 Females are huge in September and October as they are full of eggs12:40 Landscape level pests so they don't build nests13:00 Eat vines, garden plants, 70-100 plant species that they will eat.13:30 Recap-when you see the lantern fly, report where you find them but not if you are in Cecil and Harford counties or Hagerstown Maryland14:10 Go to MDA spotted lantern fly or Maryland Department of Agriculture to learn more15:26 dontbug.md@maryland.gov with questions, concerns, quarantines, permits, and more15:43 moving regulated articles from/to the spotted lantern fly area, you'll need a permit17:29 We'll have to co-exist with the spotted lantern flySee pictures and more information on the spotted lantern fly on the following websites:Maryland Department of Agriculture USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services Department of Agriculture and Markets NY State 

Introduction of Jeffrey Jackson the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Federal Insurance Directorate within the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA) at FEMA the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Mr. Jackson leads flood insurance operations for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) at FEMA. :52 FEMA's top priority is education1:05 Everyone is at risk of flooding. Flood is the most common natural disaster in America1:15 98% of counties in America flooded to some degree last year. Where it rains, it can flood.1:32 updating the way we price insurance, rate insurance policies1:42 Last year, insurance policies changed for the first time in the history of the program based on the individual risk of your property2:10 Houston is a prime example of climate change3:10 First-time buyers need to learn about the community and where the property of interest sits within the neighborhood3:48 Your homeowner's insurance does not always include flood -call your insurance agent to learn about flood insurance4:30 Based on the characteristics of the home, how likely your property is to flood, giving homeowners transparency of their risk5:03 FEMA would love for everyone to have flood insurance. Every home is at risk of flood6:20 If you don't have flood insurance, borrowing funds or home equity loans is the option6:57 Mitigation, there are things to do to lower your risk7:39 Kentucky-heartbreaking to see what flooding has done to communities 1-2% of the residents had flood insurance8:41 Insurance puts you on a better trajectory for recovery8:55 After a disaster, one in four small businesses never comes back9:20 FEMA affordability program working with Congress so they can consider passing affordability legislation10:21 Victoria shares a story about looking at a property in Riverdale Maryland11:08 What do the letters on the FEMA Map mean?11:19 V zones are coastal high risk A zones are river and high risk but you can't just look at a map and make an informed decision12:00 40% of all FEMA claims come from outside the high-risk area12:35 the FEMA maps are a snapshot in time12:47 If you're close to a high-risk zone, chances are you will be at risk even if the rating is X or considered low risk for flooding13:35 Home buyers, look at the FEMA map to see the flood rating of the property of interest. Also, contact an insurance agent to understand the real risk (if you are next to a high-risk area)14:00 Encourage informed buyers! There is much to learn but the flood risk of a property should be on the list15:30 How to move ahead if you want to purchase a home in a high-risk flood area15:54 Floodsmart.gov is the place to start learning about flood insurance and mitigation16:30 Elevating a home can make a difference17:02 Before you purchase a home, gather all the information available to make an informed decision18:01 Know your risk before you buy and have a plan in place for flood loss19:36 Be wary of people who want you to look past information regarding flood20:15 FEMA sees how much climate change is impacting our country21:00 Not just rivers and coast, flood risk is impacted by rain, mudslides and the more development the flood risk goes up21:30 We need to up our IQ on flood risk22:45 Flood insurance policies issued by the National Flood Insurance programs23:21 The higher the price, the more at risk you are of flood23:30 Low-risk properties flood every single dayFEMA links for more informationFlood Insurance | FEMA.govFEMA Flood Map Service Center | Welcome!FloodSmart | Welcome to the NFIP | FloodSmartFloodSmart | Why Buy Flood Insurance?FloodSmart | How Are Flood Insurance Rates Determined?FloodSmart | Flood Preparation and What To Do After A Flood

Victoria Ray Henderson, the host of Listen Up Home Buyers! Talks with Peter Parente. Peter is a Settlement and Business Development Officer with Stewart Title working out of the Washington, D.C. office. Follow Peter's Instagram is @titlepartnerpete1:03 What does a title company do?1:15 The buyer has the right to choose the title company1:35 What are escrow funds?1:58 Second portion of the escrow funds2:28 How do you evaluate settlement offices?3:21 Look up who will be the insurer3:43 Why should a buyer consider owners' policy insurance?4:25 An example of a situation where owners title insurance may be necessary5:00 Another example of where owners' title insurance was used5:30 What is lenders' title insurance?6:08 How should you evaluate settlement charges?7:12 In the loan estimate, everything should be disclosed upfront7:43 When shopping lenders, the title fees will be included in the estimates8:10 What is a boundary survey?8:40 What is a location drawing?9:12 Flood insurance9:30 Stewart Title is an option for buyersAs Stewart can close in all 50 states10:11 Peter Parente is a settlement office and does marketing for buyer agents11:15 Peter shares a personal experience of living in the Netherlands12:10 How to properly wire funds for closingTo avoid wire fraud13:00 Always check with the lender and/or title company regarding wiring funds13:44 @titlepartnerpete on Instagram

Tim Rohde is the Vice President of Tomato Electric serving homeowners in Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland. Victoria Ray Henderson is a real estate broker in the Greater Washington DC area and the host of Listen Up Home Buyers!  :47 what to look for when first walking up to the house1:03 the electrical panel1:47 is the wiring in good condition2:21 Where does public service begin?3:06 What is the public electric company's responsibility?4:27 Red flags to look for when touring a home4:32 the two-prong receptacle4:46 why ground a receptacle?5:26 Why have GFIs in the kitchen in the bathroom?6:45 Identify the type of wiring in the home6:50 What is GFI protection?8:00 Are there time periods when certain wiring was used in home construction?9:12 Red flags when examining an electrical panel9:34 The panel should have a main shut off10:19 Screw-in fuses, breakers, rust spots, PVC jacket, cloth wiring 11:41 looking at an older meter base they are smaller than the new ones12:09 wire is frayed going into the meter base12:38 anything that touches the house is the responsibility of the owner13:08 what a new installation should look likeNewer wiring, what a panel should look like on the inside14:09 Fuse panel with the screw-in type fuses. Instead of circuit breakers that trip if there is an issue14:35 fuse panels have been phased out they should be replaced15:32  the split bus panel with no breaker. The top six spaces are for the main shut-off. This is an older-style panel.  Also called the square D panel.16:07 Next picture-PVC coated jacket which is newer wiring, tidy neat going into the panel which demonstrates good workmanship16:40 Should there be an inspection sticker on the electrical panel?17:45 Next picture-an example of what a good new install should look like:  new service, 200 amp, approved sticker on the panel, ground wire, newer SE cable which is the bottom wire that feeds the main panel, the good outer jacket PVC coated18:36 What to do if you see water or rust in a panel18:52 Final picture of frayed wires-cloth wiring, Romex wire with PVC coating, deteriorated and should be replaced20:00 Aluminum wiring is a potential hazard20:27 Suggested ways to fix aluminum wiring in the house20:41 The problem with aluminum wiring21:03 What to look out for with BX wiring -two types cloth wiring and  PVC BX wiring with an outer coating21:49 What is the current code for smoke detectors? How many should I have in my house?

Aromatherapy interview with Katrina Piehler a certified health and wellness coach, licensed  massage therapist, and essential oils educator. Information about what to look for when choosing essential oils and what makes doTERRA one of the best choices:https://www.doterra.com/US/en/why-doterra?OwnerID=5552817:55 what is aromatherapy1:23 home should be our sanctuary1:48 powerful natural well-being tool we intentional use to create a supportive environment2:10 using aromatic compounds from plants-roots, fruit rinds3:05 protective elements of the plant and different plants produce different essential oils3:37 Victoria talks about walking past jasmine and how it made her feel4:10 in the fall cooking up orange rinds, cloves, and cinnamon sticks4:56 How are aromatherapy and essential oils different from the store-bought sprays and plug-ins?5:19 fragrance means it's a synthetic ingredient made in a lab5:37 our body doesn't know what to do with synthetic sprays and other synthetic products6:33 Are you allergic to synthetic products or essential oils?7:37 Katrina recommends Essential oil company doTerra8:12 the power of advertising for scents, sprays, and other synthetic products9:14 How can I tell what is pure essential oil?9:25 where does the oil come from? There are ethical parts to this evaluation10:36 You can personalize the oils for your specific needs11:26 lavender helps with sleep and it's calming and is a powerful scent to use in the evening13:26 Diffusers can be the alternative to the plug-ins and sprays14:02 How do I choose the right diffuser? Katrina recommends doTerra14:45 Diffusers come in many sizes. Choose one that matches your room size15:35 Are there any specific seals of approval to look for on websites?16:00 certified pure grade oil is one certification to look for on websites16:36 Katrina offers consultations to help you determine what products will be best for you17:30 What oils would you suggest using during the day?18:00 Not just about making your room smell good18:38 Use Vetiver for sleep18:49 chamomile has a calming effect on the nervous system19:05 Protective nature of the oils especially to purify the air19:48 Next episode will be about cleaning products to use in the home  Home Essentials Starter Collection -- https://www.doterra.com/US/en/p/aroma-essentials-collection?OwnerID=5552817(this is a great essential oils kit that includes a high-quality mist diffuser and this wonderful collection of 10 different oils and ready-made blends for your home)Peppermint: Peppermint provides a stimulating, energizing aroma that many go-to for a quick minty refresher.doTERRA Balance®: doTERRA Balance Grounding Blend offers a tranquil aroma that reminds you to find harmony and balance in both mind and body.doTERRA Breathe®: This incredible oil blend helps maintain feelings of clear airways and easy breathing, while also minimizing the effects of seasonal threats.Wild Orange: With an uplifting, energizing aroma, Wild Orange has become one of the top-selling doTERRA essential oils.doTERRA On Guard®: doTERRA On Guard provides a warm, spicy aroma that can be diffused to help freshen the air.Citrus Bloom®: Citrus Bloom welcomes spring into your home with its blend of Wild Orange, Grapefruit, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, and Magnolia essential oils.doTERRA Serenity®: The calming and soothing aroma of doTERRA Serenity Restful Blend helps create a tranquil atmosphere at bedtime.doTERRA Cheer®: Fresh and bright, doTERRA Cheer Uplifting Blend combines citrus and spice essential oils to provide an uplifting and cheerful aroma that helps when you're feeling down.Adaptiv®: The soothing aroma of Adaptiv Calming Blend is perfect for life's most stressful moments.Northern Escape™: A proprietary blend of the best wood and fir oils, Northern Escape has a fresh, green aroma that creates an atmosphere of harmony and peace.Katrina's website with information about how to start using essential oils AND a link to book a complimentary personalized essential oils consultation with her.https://living-from-center.com/essential-oils---how-to-use-them-.html

Glenford Blanc is the owner of Pro-Spex a residential and commercial inspection company serving the Greater Washington DC & Baltimore area. Victoria Ray Henderson is an exclusive buyer broker serving homebuyers in Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia. 1:08 What do buyers need to know when buying a house with a deck1:36 Many decks are very old and not safe2:06 Do you have a deck 10 years or older?2:30 First met Glen when he was inspecting a deck for a buyer3:00 What am I looking for when I am touring homes?3:30 Older decks connected to the house with poor connections3:50 Primary cause of deck failure4:43 What are older decks bolting to when connected to the house?5:00 new construction has requirements that make it safe5:42 the two-story deck that is commonly built on the back of a townhouse or house6:00 A swaying deck is not a good sign6:20 What is under the deck? How does it look?6:32 The support of a deck?6:47 What is a ledger?7:10 Look for bolts in the deck connecting to the house7:37 What is a Joyce?7:40 the structure of a deck, Glen explains8:18 bolts should be staggered to prevent rotation9:30 examine the posts supporting the deck9:50 What is the fix for a poorly constructed deck?10:39 Post rot is going to happen it's a matter of time10:50 Should have deck inspected every two yearsMontgomery County Maryland offering free deck inspections this month11:30 About swaying decks12:00 Check the condition of the deck surface12:45 Spring is when people go out on the deck after a long winter13:25 About trek decking14:00 Have your deck evaluated before you entertain on your deck 

Ramez Fahmy Branch manager and lender with Caliber Home Loans talks with Victoria Ray Henderson on Listen Up Homebuyers!:45 rates are going up as they did in 1992:1:05 the current rates are still historically low but not what we've been seeing during the pandemic1:47 Are we in a bubble or is the market going to crash?2:14 All clients today have been fully vetted not like in the past2:30 The movie the Big Short gives a good example of what happened before when the market bubble happened3:08 Some buyers are modifying their home search due to the interest rate increase3:39 Inflationary signs4:25 What are you comfortable qualifying for? What are you comfortable paying every month?6:19 Don't get caught up in the competitive market6:15 Escalation Clause explanation7:11 FOMA fear of missing out7:58 Waiving the appraisal? Explanation8:29 What if the appraisal comes in under the sales price?9:12 Ramez Fahmy explains how waiving contingencies need to be a decision made after consulting with your lender10:00 What does an appraiser do?10:41 The importance of choosing a lender who is communicative and local to the market11:48 What about online lenders?12:15 How quickly will your lender get you to settlement?13:00 Provide the lender with your documents14:00 Listing agents frequently call the lender to ask questions about the contract deadlines15:32 VA Loans16:04 VA financing has no maximum amount which means home purchases can be as high as the buyer can qualify for-zero down a 2 million dollar property17:34 The VA appraisersOn an FHA or conventional loans use local lender panelsVA has its own panel of appraisersMany of the VA appraisals are coming in the same amount of time as the conventional and FHA loans18:46 Change the hearts and minds of listing agents19:23 The VA funding fee21:00 People need to educate themselves on the loan process

:50 Overview of common definitions in real estate with Rich Rosa president of the National Association of  Exclusive Buyer Agents  & Victoria Ray Henderson What is a down payment,  earnest money deposit, fair market value, market value, and assessed value1:11 Rich Rosa on deposits and how they work in the Boston, Rhode Island areas1:40 the two contract processes in Massachusetts1:53 what is a purchase of sale agreement?2:27 FHA loan you'll put 3.5% down payment2:37 first time home buyer programs in Massachusettes2:47 VA LoansEarnest Money Deposit and the Deposit3:13 Earnest Money Deposit in the Washington DC Baltimore areas3:53 What happens to the earnest money deposit if the transaction falls apart?4:28 In the Massachusetts area it's different5:02 at some point you are in the transaction and you cannot wake up the morning of closing and say, “I'm not buying the house”5:35 Listing office holds the deposit in Massachusetts7:00 Rich talks about the down payment which is different from the deposit8:55 Difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval9:54 Pre-Offer Loan Commitment explained10:45 When would you waive an appraisal contingency?11:20 Buffet table example of the options available to home buyers12:03 What is an underwriter?13:00 What is a use of occupancy agreement or a post-occupancy agreement?14:00 What are the limits of the post-occupancy agreement?15:25 How should a property be delivered to the buyers? What is the meaning of broom clean and free of debris?16:24 Fair market, assessed value, and appraised value, what are the differences?16:53 Rich on tax assessments17:45 What is an appraisal?18:23 What is a comparative market analysis?19:08 How does an appraiser appraise a property?19:36 What is an appraisal contingency?20:44 Maryland Homestead Tax Credit 

:15 Victoria Ray Henderson introduces Daetara Johnson with Joseph W McCartin Insurance. :55 Overview of why people need homeowners insurance1:30 When do you pay for homeowners insurance2:00 How do I know what homeowners insurance I need?2:30 Condos, single-family, townhouses, log cabins require different types of homeowner insurance3:31 What questions does an insurance agent ask of the homeowner?4:00 Do you have pets, especially dogs? Liability claims for dog bites could hurt your chance of getting homeowners insurance4:39 Claim history is the number one reason people are denied coverage5:00 more about liability insurance coverage5:40 Why are people denied homeowners insurance? Are there homes that cannot be covered?6:25 Climate change and the impact it has on homeowners insurance7:00 Can flooding cause a property to be uninsurable?7:30 Difference between a flood and a water incident8:10 The state of Maryland requires sewage backup coverage9:40 Homeowners insurance or hazard insurance, what is the difference?10:00 Home values are on the rise, do I need to contact my insurance agent?11:00 Should I contact my insurance agent if I am remodeling my home?11:30 Does work need to be permitted to be covered by homeowners insurance?12:15 What is a storm deductible?13:30 What does the Guaranteed replacement cost?14:32 Replacement cost vs guarantee cost15:07 Pricing is based on the replacement cost not the market value of your property15:30 Homeowners insurance is not a maintenance policy16:00 Too many claims can cause a surcharge16:20 water losses and roof claims are the biggest claims

Jeffrey Dee is the President CEO of Habitat for Humanity Metro MarylandJeffrey talks with Victoria Ray Henderson  an exclusive buyer broker with The Buyer Brokerage. Victoria works with homebuyers in Washington DC, Virginia & Maryland. HomesBuyHendersons on Instagram:50 What is Habitat for Humanity?:1:29 Do you rehab houses or all new construction?2:10 Zero interest on a 30-year loan2:24 How does Habitat find land in the current competitive market3:17 Does Habitat receive gifts of land?3:45 Local governments sell land to Habitat for one dollar4:02 Current Habitat project at Randolph and Veirs Mill Road intersection in Montgomery County Maryland4:55 How does Habitat finance its projects?5:50 Habitat Restores, all over the country,  accept donations and that revenue helps create affordable housing6:40 Who helps build the projects?7:20 Habitat For Humanity started in 19768:12 How many hours of sweat equity are needed from the homeowners?9:00 New owners take classes, they are set up for success10:00 How are new homeowners trained so they can volunteer on the building site?10:35 Habitat houses take longer to build11:15 How do you determine who gets the opportunity to buy a Habitat home?12:00 Habitat takes chances on families that would otherwise not have an opportunity to buy a home12:40 How do people who can't physically do work contribute to the sweat equity?13:14 People build wealth by owning a home13:30 Families demonstrate their willingness to work and partner with Habitat to have a home14:00 Grateful for Habitat for Humanity 

On this episode of Listen Up Homebuyers! We talk about exclusive buyer agents. What is an exclusive buyer brokerage? How is this different from traditional real estate brokerages?Rich Rosa is co-founder and co-owner of Buyers Brokers Only, LLC, an exclusive buyer agent real estate firm with offices throughout the Greater Boston area, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Rich is the president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents. He talks with Victoria Ray Henderson, a broker with The Buyer Brokerage in McLean Virginia.1:00 How does the real estate industry work?  There are buyers and sellers and sellers hire listing agents to sell their homes. Buyers can hire a buyer's agent. There are different types of buyer agents. So there are buyers, sellers, listing agents, and buyer agents. 1:03 How does the real estate system work? There are buyers and sellers. There are listing agents and buyer agents. 1:57 Most traditional real estate firms focus on getting listings. They have agents that represent both buyers and sellers. This is dual agency and it happens with either a single agent working with both seller and buyer or two agents in the same brokerage working with a buyer client and a seller client.2:45 Designated agency is when two agents in the same brokerage represent a buyer client and a seller client3:34 more on designated agency when the broker designates one agent to represent the seller and one to represent the buyer4:12 What is a buyer's agent?  Found in traditional real estate brokerages you could be buying a home where a listing agent is representing the seller. 4:50 Exclusive buyer agents only represent home buyers. They work with brokerages that do not represent sellers and therefore avoid the potential conflict of interests that arises when you are buying a house listed by the brokerage where someone is representing the seller. 6:20 When a brokerage can have both the buyer and listing agent commissions in-house 7:04 An example of the conflict of interest in real estate transactions7:30 this type of representation in law is illegal -not allowed due to the conflict of interest8:05 Why avoid dual and designated agency?9:01 The listing agent is obligated to get the highest price and best terms for their client, the seller9:30 Have an experienced agent who will ask questions and look out for homebuyers10:25 Advice for people attending an open house-don't tell the person there anything about your personal needs10:48 If you have an agent, tell the person at the open house you are represented. 11:25 Ask questions but don't get into why you like the house etc12:20 What is a fiduciary? A term used in the financial industry and means that person is obedient to you the homebuyer, duty to disclose, 100 loyal to you the homebuyer13:00  In-house bonuses for agents to sell their brokerage listings13:50 Working with a friend who works for a traditional brokerage-same situation as not working with a friend. The conflicts of interest are still there in these situations14:40 Do your research, interview agents, find someone who won't be afraid to tell you not to buy a house.         

Host Victoria Ray Henderson talks with Chris Osaka the Chief Executive Officer for TOMU Studio, 1 bedroom, and 2 bedroom villas delivered to customers. The TOMU Modular construction TOMU was named in Washington Business Journal as a business to watch in 2022What is Japandi Design? TOMU in Urban Turf regarding upscale modular homes :25 What is TOMU?:50 workplaces changes with people moving out of the cities1:30 the modular units include electricity, plumbing1:50 floorplans of TOMU are similar to what you would find in an upscale hotel2:27 Chris Osaka's background marketing for Nike and HiltonCreated concepts for Nike stores3:144:10 The 3 products are called Villas4:18 The style is a Japanese Scandinavian concept blending with nature5:20 The exterior and interior features of the high design Villas6:00 minimalist not spartan in design, expansive windows and living space6:30 energy efficient and built to be on-grid or off-grid7:36 Connecting with local cities and counties and how these can fit in a traditional neighborhood8:20 work in partnership with local general contractor8:55 what project are you working on how?10:00 mechanics of the Villas, wiring, plumbing10:25 three modules 8 by 20 feet each11:15 simplify the conduits and suppress the major systems in a singular module12:15 How does this work with ADU or accessory dwelling unit rules in cities and counties?13:09 matching the design and engineering for the required site specs14:30 working on well & septic and the model unit is built with this design14:55 West coast has a broader understanding of modular homes. Chris is bringing this awareness to the rest of the county15:34 higher quality modular home built in an indoor environment where materials are protected while being constructed16:13 Lenders and appraisers16:50 Inspired by the changes around the pandemic and the opportunity to build housing for people looking for second homes or additional space on a property17:50 offering an option to homebuyers who want to get out of the city

1:20 TiAndra on high end and cost-conscious kitchen and bathroom designs1:25 understand how you want to use the space and how you'll use it in the future2:10 great resource is Bob Villa from This Old House  for residential design2:44 11,000 for a high-end bathroom renovation up to whatever your budget allows3:30 bringing in designers and consultants and contractors will add to the cost3:46 pulling permits to do a new bathroom may require permits and this will add additional costs and time5:50 move around in the space to know how you use the room and make sure the room flows the way you use it6:22 think of the flow and how you want to start your day7:15 how to renovate to age in place consider clearances for wheelchair use, walk-in shower without a curve, built-in benches9:00 supply delays right now residential and commercial lasting weeks and sometimes months due to the pandemic10:27 as soon as you know you love something put your order in10:44 Caitlin on more budget-conscious ideas for bathrooms11:33 watch for sales from the big box stores to save on sinks, cabinets, and more12:15 wallpaper that is humidity proof can be used in a bathroom for an update13:00 have a contractor in mind as your backup in case you start a project that gets too complicated13:50 typical cost to renovate a basic kitchen14:30 the open kitchen concept is changing and separate rooms are more popular now during the pandemic15:00 How will you use the space? Need space for all family members?15:35 panel ready appliances and windows and doors may work for your space16:20 When houses are staged it creates the stagers idea for the space, not the home buyer17:43 cost-conscious ideas for a kitchen18:10 painting cabinets and lighting makes a big difference and fits on a budget18:59 buy wet rated fixtures for bathroom fixtures and UL listed products19:45 more lighting ideas    

Listen Up Homebuyers! The only podcast offering advice & tips from the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents naeba.orgHome inspector Glenn Grutta owns Vector Home Inspection in Massachusetts. Glenn has 25 years of experience as a home inspector and a background in construction.4:45 What questions to ask when interviewing a home inspectorHow long have you been an inspector?What's your background?What report will you provide?5:22 Like Sherlock Holmes, home inspectors deconstruct a home which takes experience6:27 Who should buyers bring along on the inspection?7:07 Don't bring cousin Eddy the contractor to the home inspection8:40 Problems found in new construction9:42 some of the worst issues are found in new construction10:31 What is code and what you need to know11:15 Common sense inspection-- Glenn recommends upgrading to current codes like GFCI outlets in bathrooms and kitchens11:45 Buyers should bring a list of questions-stay engaged during the home inspection13:00 Inspector provides the condition of the property and informs the buyer of the severity of the condition of the property.14:15 What happens during the home inspection?15:17 Listing agents should not be present during the home inspection17:00 Do homebuyers and their inspectors have access to everything they need to inspect?

Listen Up Homebuyers! The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents with host Victoria Ray Henderson, a real estate broker with The Buyer Brokerage in McLean Virginia talks roofs with Brian Carpenter, owner of Semper West Roofing. Semper West serves roofing clients in Maryland & Virginia. Victoria Ray Henderson only works for homebuyers in Washington DC, Maryland & Virginia.Brian Carpenter, Semper West Roofing:45 the most common type of shingle used in the Greater Washington DC/Baltimore/Northern Virginia area1:21 architectural laminated shingles are the most common shingle in the United States1:45 most manufacturers offer the same lifetime warranty2:00 most important is what is under the shingle3:00 how do you know a roof needs to be replaced3:15 leaks are not necessarily a failing roof-could be caused by penetration points around the chimney, plumbing vent pipes4:00 how to evaluate a roof and obtain a roof replacement estimate5:45 make sure someone is actually getting up on the roof to do the estimate6:02 slate and metal roofs6:52 Tesla's solar shingle-not panels8:02 get several estimates from roofing companies9:12 Is there a national standard for roofing companies?

Kad Mendoza  talks about market conditions in November 2021 in Atlanta Georgia. Kad is an exclusive buyer broker and specializes in serving home buyers exclusively.  Kad is the broker/owner of Mendoza Realty Kad talks about what to look for that is wrong and right while touring properties. He offers advice on how to put together a winning offer. Kad walks through the home buying process from pre-approval to settlement day. Victoria Ray Henderson is the host of Listen Up Home Buyers. She is a broker in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia with The Buyer Brokerage. Her website, HomesBuyHendersons offers advice and tips for homebuyers. 

Begins with a round-up of what's happening in markets-Andi DeFelice Savannah Georgia, Charlotte Lemon Charleston South Carolina, Rona Fischman Cambridge Massachusetts 4 Buyers Real Estate5:30 Silver Medaling- what is it and how does it help homebuyers?6:40 Charlotte Lemon talks about Charleston market the luxury market is experiencing competition much like the traditional home market7:50 EBA's are a team with our buyers and how we have a partnership with our buyer clients-genuine relationship with our clients8:36 Savannah Georgia home buyers who have to sell a house before they buy a house.9:34 having a home sale contingency when buying a home-strategies for homebuyers to make your offer stronger11.44 Rona talks about home sale contingencies and how they make it difficult for an offer to be accepted.Post occupancy agreement14:30 rental market is as challenging as the home sale market17:07 what is an escalation clause? And strategies on how to use it in a competitive situation20:00 we work for our buyers and we do what our buyers want us to do21:00 Rona talks strategy for homebuyers in a competitive market including the pre-contract home inspection22:25 rubber roof that was installed improperly and Rona talks about not waiving the home inspection24:00 buyer remorse is real and we work hard to avoid that with our buyers

2:00 What are you comfortable paying for a monthly mortgage payment?3:12 What is your creditworthiness? Things to consider, your credit history, credit score, and your ability to repay the loan, or do you have steady employment?4:15 What are you paying for at this time? This includes car payments or any monthly payments5:10 How much does it cost to buy a home? Have you saved money? Are you receiving gift funds? 8:28 What is a credit check? Does it ding your credit score?10:00  What is a VA loan? What is a conventional loan? What is an FHA loan?10:45 What is a down payment?12:00 Who are Fannie & Freddie? 12:45 Explanation of an FHA loan13:32 What is Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)?16:17 What are closing costs? These will vary across the country17:10 Why would a home buyer buy points? (on the loan)18:20 What are escrow fees, recording fees, and settlement/title costs?20:00 Explains buying down a rate a little more22:00 Explains the options with different types of loan products22:35 Why communication matters during the transactionLearn more about Alex Margulis on his website with Cross Country Mortgage Learn more about Victoria Ray Henderson with The Buyer Brokerage  and follow Victoria on HomesBuyHendersons Instagram or at HomesBuyHendersons      

Michael Dufour with First Savings Mortgage is Your Mortgage Guide on Tiktok. Michael Dufour and Victoria Ray Henderson  talk about low housing inventory and the competitive market for buyers. What is pre-approval for a home loan? What is an appraisal and how does a low appraisal affect a home buyer?What is a down payment? What are closing costs? How much cash do I need to buy a home? What are the Maryland Mortgage Program and the DC Open Doors Program? How do these programs help homebuyers? How do I qualify for these programs? Michael Dufour walks us through the process of applying for a loan, purchasing a property and getting to the settlement table where you sign the paperwork and purchase a home.   

Meet four female members of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents. These women are exclusive buyer brokers and agents helping home buyers achieve their dream of owning a home.  Charlotte Lemon with The Real Buyer's Agent in Charleston SC, Rona Fischman broker-owner of 4 Buyers Real Estate in Cambridge MA, and Nikolina Lecic broker-owner of Exclusive Buyers Real Estate in Rochester Minnesota!3:32 Charlotte Lemon in Charleston SC over 100 buyers looked at a single property4:47 Rona Fischman in Boston on when this crazy market going to end? The pandemic is a factor as is low inventory. 8:05 Victoria Ray Henderson in Washington DC & Baltimore Metro area on the different market conditions depending on how close or far you are from the major cities. 9:00 Nikolina Lecic in Rochester Minnesota on how first-time homebuyers need time to get up to speed with how competitive the market conditions are for single-family homes and condos. 15:00 The earnest money deposit-what is it and how does it affect the home purchase. 20:00 What you can do to be a strong buyer26:00 What is a pre-contract home inspection?30:00 What is fair housing? What does a homebuyer need to know about writing a personal letter to the seller?    

 Meet Yvonne & Glen Blanc of Pro-Spex Residential & Commercial Home Inspection Services. A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and winners of Angie’s List Super Service Award 8 years in a row. I always learn something new when I have the opportunity to speak with this amazing team. Today’s topic is radon gas an odorless colorless naturally occurring gas that can cause lung cancer. It’s a serious issue with relatively easy solutions. Yvonne and Glen Blanc talk about what radon gas is and how to mitigate the problem if high levels are detected in a home.Radon is a serious concern and all home buyers regardless of where you live should know what it is and how to mitigate radon gas if high levels of the gas are found in a home. Listen Up Home Buyers is created by Victoria Ray Henderson for the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.  

Members of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) meet to discuss home buying advice and strategies to help homebuyers.  Meet Lisa Velenovsky an exclusive buyers agent with Buyers Edge in the Washington DC area, David Kent the Broker/Owner of The Real Buyer's Agent, Charleston SC, Benjamin Clark the principal broker of Home Buyer Representation in Salt Lake City Utah, Jim Deskin the owner and broker of The Home Buyers Advocate in Columbus Ohio, Nick Martin an exclusive buyer agent with Buyers Choice Realty in Massachusetts. I'm Victoria Ray Henderson Vice President & Associate Broker with Buyer's Edge in the Washington DC area.

In this episode members of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.com) discuss who represents you, the buyer.Guests-Gea Elika Owner & Principal Broker of Elika, an NYC exclusive buyer brokerage  in Noho servicing Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and The HamptonsAndi DeFelice Broker with Exclusive Buyer Realty serving buyers in Savannah Georgia Nikolina Lecic, M.B.A.Broker/Owner of Exclusive Buyers Real Estate in Rochester MinnesotaDave Twombley Exclusive buyers agent with 4 Buyers Real Estate in MassachusettsFor more information on real estate representation go to the Consumer Federation of America's website:https://consumerfed.org/reports/why-required-real-estate-agent-disclosures-about-representation-fail-and-how-they-can-be-improved/

This episode of Buying a Home During the 2020 Pandemic is part one and features exclusive buyer agents and brokers sharing their unique expertise on home buying. These guests are members of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents and include; Mike Crowley owner of Spokane Home Buyers in Spokane Washington, Benjamin Clark owner of Homebuyer Representation Inc in Salt Lake City Utah, Andi DeFelice Broker of Exclusive Buyer's Realty Inc in Savannah Georgia, Richard Rosa co-founder of Buyer's Brokers Only serving homebuyers in the Boston area, Margaret Lebenson with Elika Associates in New York, New York, Ramzey Khoury with HelpUBuyAmerica in Houston Texas and Richard Harty Broker with Harty Realty Group serving home buyers in the Chicago area. What's it like touring houses during the pandemic? Has the pandemic effected the housing market and if so, how? What should home buyers do to prepare for buying a home right now? How are exclusive buyer agents protecting home buyers at this time? 

Host Victoria Ray Henderson is Vice President & Associate Broker with Buyer's Edge an exclusive buyer brokerage in the Washington DC area. Glenford Blanc is President & CEO of Pro-Spex a home and commercial inspection company serving the Greater Baltimore and Washington DC area. 5:30 What is the difference between a code inspection and a home inspection? 6:15 Home inspectors vs a code compliance inspection6:30 Every three years, code changes7:00 Modified or remodeled homes bring a house up to the code at the time of remodeling8:00 Examples of up to code9:00 Where you will find work reflecting updated code-bathrooms, kitchens 9:15 Homes built in the 1950's did not have GFI's9:30 What to look for in a remodeled home10:15 How home owners can be taken advantage of by contractors citing code11:45 What you should be asking your home inspector12:55 Why inspection permits are important to look for13:55 Check the electrical amperage to a house14:50 What questions to ask your home inspector15:40 Understanding the home inspection report16:40 What happens during a home inspection?

Host Victoria Ray Henderson Vice President & Associate Broker with Buyer's Edge talks with exclusive buyer agent Dave Twombly with https://4buyersre.com/ about helping home buyers during the pandemic. 2:00 What was it like to have a settlement at the beginning of the pandemic?2:30 4 Buyers Real Estate LLC requires home buyers to have a home inspection.2:45 The home inspection process during the pandemic3:10 In Massachusetts, the fire department verifies smoke detectors in homes to be in working order and certified before the settlement.3:45 In Massachusetts, smoke certification is needed to have a closing/settlement. Typically this is the responsibility of the seller/listing agent. 4:30 During the pandemic, it is the responsibility of the home buyer to have their new home certified by the fire department within 90 days of when the stay at home order is lifted.5:45 Areas served by 4 Buyers Real Estate LLC in Massachusetts6:20 Areas served by Buyers Edge where Victoria Ray Henderson helps home buyers (DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland)7:00 4 Buyers Real Estate LLC home buying process7:30 The first conversation to have if you want to buy a home.8:30 What home maintenance costs you should expect down the road9:00 Boston is one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world9:45 A pre-contract home inspection is a limited inspection and is done when a buyer wants to remove the home inspection contingency from the offer. 10:00 Dave Twombly's story of a pre-contract home inspection and the buyers experience. 13:00 In Massachusetts, the earnest money deposit's otherwise known as the EMD check is held by the listing brokerage14:30 In the Greater Washington DC, Baltimore, Annapolis area the emd is not typically held by the listing brokerage15:30 The advantage of having a higher priced emd check in a transaction16:00 Are we moving toward a buyers market?17:50 How will the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic change the real estate market?

Colleen Quinn is the owner of RedBird ReDesign   a interior design studio offering a wide range of services. Colleen says her niche is affordable design that is polished, functional and doesn't break the bank.1:15 Residential design specialty2:00 The process includes client making the purchases2:30 All services are virtual during the pandemic3:30 Colleen explains why she opened RedBird ReDesign5:00 Affordable design services with the client involved in the process9:40 How the process works-design consultants who are paid for advice and expertise11:35 First time home buyers need help realizing their vision for their new home

Rona Fischman is the Principal Broker with 4 Buyers Real Estate in Massachusetts. In this podcast  (2:15) Rona Fischman talks about why NAEBA was founded in the early 90's and Rona Fischman shares her personal story (2:30) and why she has an exclusive buyer brokerage and how this business model aligns with her philosophy.(3:30) Rona Fischman was an active member of the Massachusetts Association of Buyer Agents and chose to open an  (4:35) exclusive buyer brokerage(5:30) Rona Fischman says the exclusive buyer brokerage business model helps to stem the tide of property values going up. (6:50) Rona Fischman shares her business philosophy. Learn more about Rona's work as a teacher of bystander intervention and verbal self-defense.   (8:00) At 4 Buyers Real Estate       Rona discusses the strategy used by her exclusive buyer agents to evaluate neighborhoods, properties. Rona calls her EBA's house nerds meaning they examine a house like a puzzle and they figure out the trouble spots. (13:00) The difference between a damp basement and a wet basement and what home buyers need to know.  Since many of the homes were built around the turn of the last century, they have particular issues that buyers need to understand prior to buying. Rona talks about sump pumps with electrical back ups. (15:00) Rona tells the story of the incredible sinking house.(18:00) River flooding is an issue in the area served by 4 Buyers Real Estate(19:00) Rona talks about what motivated her to help create the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents. and how she enjoys working exclusively for home buyers. What is a generous way to help people find houses that will make them happy? (22:30) Rona asks, "Is this house worthy of you?" "What's it going to cost to make it worthy of you?"(24:00) Rona Fischman talks about how to face a recession.Rona Fischman's 4 Buyers Real Estate is on Facebook 

Stephen Carpenter Israel is the Owner & President of Buyer's Edge an exclusive buyer brokerage in Bethesda Maryland. All the exclusive buyer agents with Buyer's Edge are licensed in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. and only work with home buyers.In this episode, Steve and host Victoria Ray Henderson talk about the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents naeba.orgWhat is a pocket listing? Are they legal? How do they impact home buyers & home sellers and what is the National Association of Realtors doing about pocket listings?What every homebuyer needs to understand about buyer representation and more.Learn more about Buyer's Edge on Facebook and Instagram and Yelp.

Ben Clark is a former president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents naeba.orgHe is the owner of Home Buyer Representation Inc in Salt Lake City Utah and specializes in home buyer representation only. In this episode, Ben discusses :19 How to prepare when buying new construction or touring model homes:23 What is procuring cause? How could it negatively impact a home buyer?Also, what should a buyer expect to learn during a home inspection? Are there pests and animals unique to the Salt Lake area that home buyers need to be aware of before buying a home?Ben Clark blogs on ActiveRainFB Homebuyer RepresentationServing home buyers in the Salt Lake City Utah area. 

Gea Elika is the Principal Broker of Elika Real Estate in NYC with 20 years of real estate experience. As members of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) Gea and his agents offer unbiased assistance and strategic advice.What is the average price of a home in NYC? What are the specific strategies for buyers to prepare for the home buying process in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx? How important is the buyers needs and wants list? Gea Elika covers these topics and more about how to buy a home in NYC.   

Ramzey Khoury is an exclusive buyers agent with HelpUBuyAmerica. He has a Masters of Science, Finance from Tulane University and a Masters of Business Administration from University of St Thomas.Ramzey Khoury offers his advice for Houston area home buyers.Whether you are a home investor, first time home buyer or relocating to the Houston area, Ramzey Khoury exclusively serves the needs of home buyers. Ramzey offers his unique insight and expertise into the home buying process.Contact Ramzey Khoury at 832-377-8310

Rich Rosa is the co-owner and co founder of Buyers Brokers Only in Boston Massachusetts. Buyers Brokers Only serves only home buyers in the Greater Boston area and New Hampshire. Mortgage options like Mass Housing-allows home buyers to put down as little as 3% and another loan for the 3%-you have to have a certain credit score and a certain debt to income ratio to qualify The One Mortgage- 3% down, income limits are lower than Mass Housing interest rate is typically below market rate and no PMI or no mortgage insurance (when a buyer buys a home with less than 20% down the buyer typically has to buy mortgage insurance) Rich discusses how a contract is prepared and written in Massachusetts, things to look for during a home inspection. Victoria Ray Henderson is an Associate Broker with Buyer's Edge in the Washington DC area.

Harty Realty Group is Rich and John Harty. These brothers are Chicago's premier exclusive buyer agents. Members of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, naeba.org Rich and John Harty have four decades of construction experience as they help home buyes evaluate properties.

**Mike Crowley is the Broker and Owner of Spokane Home Buyers in Spokane **Washington, his office of 4 brokers has been representing buyers only since 1997. Acitve locally, statewide, and nationally in promoting Realtor's Professional Standards, and has taught over 50 First Time Home Buyer classes for the state of Washington. Mike shares his advice on how to compete in a multiple offer situation. 5:30 - First time home buyer advice 6:30 - The home buyer should choose their lender and take responsibility for that choice. 9:20 - What can happen when a lender in Washington State is from the west side vs the east side of the state 11:00 - Mike says his best advice is often talking a buyer out of making the wrong decision 13:00 - Strategies for winning when writing an offer for a house in a multiple contract situation

Andi DeFelice, Associate Broker with Exclusive Buyer's Realty in Savannah, Georgia and President of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents is the first guest on Listen Up Home Buyers. Andi talks about VA loans, seller subsidies and what it's like living in Savannah. https://ebrsavannah.com/ and https://naeba.org/