Roanoke Real Estate Podcast with Damon Gettier

In a previous video, I talked about how a lot of homes in this market are selling before they even hit the market. Here’s what’s happening: The market is hot, nice properties are selling fast, and the agents who have a majority of the inventory are talking daily.  A lot of consumers these days want to find deals on homes by looking online in places like Facebook and Zillow. However, the majority of these houses are circulating amongst the agents who control the market before they’re even listed. “You must find an agent you trust.” For example, there is a property that we’re getting ready to list in Salem. It’s a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home that’s worth around $300,000. I’m going to reach out to my connections because my seller wants to sell the house with as few people walking through his house as possible. I’ll let them know about the house, the price, and see if they have anybody who may be interested. My client doesn’t want their life disrupted, so I’m going to do what I can to find a buyer as soon as it’s listed on the market. You must find an agent that you know and trust. They should be very involved in the market and have connections so that you can access these houses before they hit the market, too. If you have any questions for me or need any help buying or selling a home, feel free to reach out via phone or email. I would love to hear from you.

An iBuyer is an instant buyer, either an individual or entity that will provide sellers with an instant cash offer for their home instead of listing the home in the traditional way. Zillow and Opendoor are examples of mainstream iBuyers. iBuyers aren’t as big of a deal in our market since we don’t have the same appreciation as some larger markets like Raleigh and Atlanta. However, there are still many people who don’t want to deal with all the moving parts of a traditional real estate transaction—buyers, agents, inspections, showings—and they’re looking for the ‘easy button.’ iBuyers do provide speed and convenience to sellers, but you also won’t typically make as much money by selling to an iBuyer as you would selling on the market. “iBuyers do provide speed and convenience to sellers, but you also won’t make as much money by selling to one.” As it turns out, we at Damon Gettier & Associates offer our own iBuyer program. If you want to sell your home without the hassles that come with listing it, reach out to us; we or an investor we know might be interested in making a cash offer for it. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions you have about iBuyers or real estate in general. We’ll be happy to talk to you.

I’ve been receiving many questions about our real estate market lately, so here is what I know and what I predict: Many people have been asking if we’re in a buyer’s or a seller’s market. We are definitely in a seller’s market right now. It’s a strange market because the real estate cycle typically runs for about eight years. However, right now we’re going on 11 years of our current cycle.  It’s currently a hot market. Homes that are properly prepared for the market are selling quickly. Houses not in good condition are sitting on the market for long periods. If you’re considering buying a home you need to be invested in the search. Many great houses aren’t even hitting the market because agents are talking amongst each other about them before they’re listed. “We are definitely in a seller’s market.” People also always ask about how interest rates are doing. Interest rates over the last year have been up and down. I encourage you to NOT try and time the market. You can’t predict it; no one has a crystal ball. We’re in an election year, so I would anticipate interest rates staying low because both parties want to claim the victory of an excellent housing market. At some point rates will need to increase for a healthy economy, but they will likely remain low for most of 2020. So buy or sell when it’s right for you. Reach out to us or your own real estate agent if you’re considering buying a home. If you have any questions about the market or real estate in general, feel free to call or email us. We’d be glad to help you.

People often ask us when they should do their home upgrades: right now, or when they’re getting ready to sell their home? No matter what upgrades you do, you first need to realize that you’re never going to get 100% of your money back on your investment. Your upgrades will make your home much more saleable and you’ll likely get a higher price for it, but dollar for dollar, you won’t get a full return. “Your upgrades will make your home much more saleable and you’ll likely get a higher price for it, but dollar-for-dollar, you won’t get a full return.” With that in mind, we highly encourage you to do any upgrades that you want to enjoy while still living there whenever you want to. If you want to update the bathroom or kitchen, refinish the hardwood floors, or replace the roofs, time your project so that you’ll have ample time to enjoy the finished work. If you have any questions about upgrading or selling your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you!

We’ve had a lot of people reach out lately with the same question: As a seller, what should I do when my home has drawn multiple offers? Today I’ll take a quick moment to offer my advice.  In one of my latest videos, we focused on multiple-offer scenarios from a buyer’s standpoint. If you missed it, you can check it out here. Today we’ll shift our focus on the seller side. Commonly, sellers are most attracted to the largest offer, but the offer that will net you the most money isn’t necessarily the best of the bunch. Aside from price, give careful attention to the offer’s conditions.  “It’s imperative that you enlist the help of a local lender if multiple offers are on the table.” We heavily stress to our buyers and sellers to always do business with a local lender. In truth, no online lender can compete with someone who’s local when it comes to getting you the best deal. Our team follows the “Choke Rule”—if we can’t get to the lender to choke them, we won’t use them. So it’s imperative that you enlist the help of a local lender if multiple offers are on the table.  Then, identify the type of loan each buyer has been approved for. Those that are the least restrictive should be seriously considered because they normally come with the fewest deal-breaking obstacles and outs for the buyer.  And of course, make sure you’re working with a highly capable agent who not only has a history working in your market, but who also has had past success in closing homes in your market.  If you’re a seller who has questions about multiple-offer situations or about real estate in general, feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to hear from you!

Recently, a buyer client asked us what they’ll need to include in their offer to grab a seller’s eye when they’ve amassed multiple offers, so that’s the focus for today. The first bit of advice I give to buyers is actually the same thing I would advise a seller to do: Use a local lender. The truth is when multiple offers are in front of a seller, they’re much less apt to accept an offer through a little-known lender—even if your offer is considerably higher. What good is a high offer if the loan can’t close? “The first bit of advice I give to buyers is actually the same thing I would advise a seller to do: Use a local lender.” Next, eliminate any potential obstacles that could derail the closing process, and write as clean of an offer as possible to create the strongest appeal. If your offer is weighed down by an inordinate number of caveats, ways you could withdraw your offer, and inspections, the seller will probably see your offer in a  more negative light.  Last, but not least, explore the possibility of qualifying for a TBD loan, where you’ll be fully approved before even finding the home you’d like to make an offer on. This way, you’ll have crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s, and the only leftover items will be the appraisal and the home address. An offer of this kind will be much more attractive than either a pre-qualification or pre-approval.  If you’re a buyer and you have any questions about today’s topic or you’d like help with your home buying needs, feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help!

It’s that time of year where the market is getting busier and busier, and we seem to be coming across a lot of buyers who only want to work with a listing agent when buying a home.  Why? Because it’s commonly believed in the real estate world that you can save money on commission fees by only working with a listing agent.  Here’s the thing, though—you can’t. When a seller lists a house with an agent, their listing agreement extends to just the two of them, meaning the listing agent has a fiduciary responsibility to uphold the seller’s best interests, not the buyers.  “If you decide to work directly with a listing agent when buying a home, that makes you their customer, not their client.” If you decide to work directly with a listing agent when buying a home, that makes you their customer, not their client. They won’t have your best interests in mind. In fact, it wouldn’t even be legal for them to have your best interests in mind! That’s why you should always hire your own agent to represent you when buying a home. It won’t cost you any more, and it will potentially save you thousands by preventing you from making any missteps when writing the purchase agreement.  If you have any questions about the importance of buyer agency or you have any other real estate needs, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d love to help you.

People always ask us what steps they must take to prepare their home for the market.  Well, in addition to having us perform an analysis of the property, the first step any future seller must take is to clean and declutter. If you’re not using something, it’s time to pack it away.  “The first step any future seller must take is to clean and declutter.” The key to preparing a home is to make sure that it looks fresh and inviting, and that all its major systems, appliances, and features are in working order. If a lightbulb is burnt out, for example, you need to change it before buyers set foot inside.  You should also take the time to paint both inside and out. This will make your property seem like it’s brand-new.  If you follow these steps and work closely with our team to make any other preparations your specific property may need, you’ll be sure to capture and keep an interested buyer’s attention in no time.  If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you want to improve your credit score, there are several ways to do so. The first step you should take is to reach out to our team. We’d be happy to connect you with an experienced local lender who can help guide you through the steps of obtaining a better score. Some items on your credit report may be more important than you think. There may even be items on your report you weren’t aware of. Thankfully, credit scores are incredibly easy to fix if you know what you’re doing—and we certainly do. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon. To learn more, watch this short video.

Right now, the situation in our market is crazy.  In my 17 years in the real estate business, I’ve only been a part of one boom, but it looks like we’re entering a second boom. The number of pending sales in February and March of this year were the highest levels we’ve seen since 2005. In other words, we’re in a very active buyer’s market. There are a lot of people out there who want to time the market, but I advise you not to do that. Most people in our area don’t move because they want to—they move because they have to, so don’t waste your time.  “There are a lot of people out there who want to time the market, but I advise you not to do that.” That being said, because we’re in such an active market, you need to start looking at homes now if you’re thinking of making a move. Make sure you’re getting property updates on a daily basis. If a new listing pops up, you need to know about it within 15 to 20 minutes, because by the end of the day, it might already be sold.  If you’d like to talk more about what’s happening in our market or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

In today’s video, we’re finishing up our six-part series of tips for sellers who are looking to sell their homes faster and for more money. Today’s home seller tip is: You should just hire Damon Gettier & Associates for your next transaction. We’ve been the No. 1 real estate company in Central/Southwest Virginia for five years now, which means we’ve sold more houses than any other real estate team in the area. On average, we sell houses faster and for more money because we have an incredible marketing department; in our listing presentation, we actually describe ourselves as a marketing company that happens to have a real estate license. “Honestly, the most valid point of advice I can give you is to work with the team that sells more houses faster than anybody else.” We specialize in marketing—it’s what we do. We maximize the exposure to your listing on social media and various websites. We also do floor plans, videos, Matterport 3D renderings, and we even have a professional home photographer on staff. We employ pricing strategies that work to maximize your dollars and to increase client interest in your house. If you want to sell your home faster and for more money, the tips we’ve given you thus far in the series will help, but honestly, the most valid point of advice I can give you is to work with the team that sells more houses faster than anybody else. If Damon Gettier & Associates’ model for quick and lucrative home selling interests you, you are encouraged to reach out to us. Let us show you how much we can help.

When purchasing a home, there are important things that every buyer should do. In the final part of our series, we’ll discuss a very important thing you should definitely remember. Don’t make big purchases after signing. After speaking with a lender, so many people want to go out and buy new furniture, new appliances, or other big-ticket items. And at these stores are salespeople—salespeople who only care about selling you their product, not about making sure whether you get your house or not. “If they make an inquiry on your credit, your lender will see that inquiry.” If they make an inquiry on your credit, your lender will see that inquiry. This is a big problem. Even if your purchase won’t be delivered until after you’re in a new home, your credit is still being pulled. Pulled credit stays with you. When your lender sees that a store has checked into your credit, they’re going to start digging. Large purchases affect your debt-to-income ratio, which affects purchasing power overall. If they see your buying power decreasing, you may lose the chance to buy your house entirely. We had a client last year who, on the way to closing their home, bought a $70,000 car. Needless to say, they did not get a house. Once you sign that contract with the lender, you simply can’t buy anything major. If you wait 30 to 45 days to go ahead and buy everything you need, there’s no issue. If you don’t, the bank will be very curious about where all your money has gone. If you have any questions about buying or selling homes, making big purchases, or anything else, feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Welcome back to part five of our six-part series on how to sell your home faster and for more money. Today we’re talking about how to create a buzz around your home in advance of listing it. When we are getting ready to list a home, we take it through a two-week “Coming Soon” period. Not only do we put a “Coming Soon” sign in the yard, but we also get pictures, promotional materials, and social media posts together so that our clients can start sharing that information with their friends and family, and get those people to send it to their friends and family. “If you can start creating that buzz early on, you will sell your home faster and for more money.” The more you can help your real estate agent find those people who are willing to purchase your home, the easier it will be to sell. If you can start creating that buzz early on, you will sell your home faster and for more money. If you have any questions for me or have any real estate needs that I can assist with, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Coming in at No. 5 on our list of the six things you should never do when purchasing a home is forgetting closing costs. I don’t like the term “closing costs” when referring to the amount you’ll pay when closing on a home, though, because it should actually be called “cost to close.” In our contracts, closing costs refer to the attorney fees, survey fees, settlement fees, etc., that you’ll pay. Your cost to close, on the other hand, means your prepaid fees, insurance fees, and taxes.   So when you get a quote from a lender and they say that the cost to close will be $6,000 and you get another quote from another lender that says your closing costs are $3,000, the latter is quoting you what your actual closing costs are, but not the money you need to close. “The less you pay for a house, the higher your closing costs will be.” This is why, when comparing mortgages, you need to ask your agent or lender what your total cost to close will be—not what your closings costs are. Forget about your closing costs—quoting that amount is a ploy some lenders use to get you to sign with them. It’s not until later, then, that the truth comes out. It’s also important to remember that the less you pay for a house, the higher your closing costs will be because, percentage-wise, it’s a fixed cost. Therefore, the more you pay for a house, the lower your closing costs will be. In our market, if your home is under $200,000, your closing costs will be about 3.75% to 4% of that price. If you have any more questions about closing costs or you have any other real estate questions for me, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to help you.

It’s time to continue our series on selling your house faster and for more money. For the fourth installment, we’re going to focus on making your home more energy efficient. There are plenty of things you can do in order to accomplish this. Replacing your current light bulbs with LED bulbs is a good place to start. Replacing your water heater isn’t a bad idea either. An instant hot water heater will heat hot water only when you need it, not all day long. Energy-efficient windows are a good idea as well. “Energy-efficient windows are a great idea.” Finally, a programmable thermostat is a must. You can use it to make sure the home is heated or cooled when you need it, not 24/7. Due to their lower costs of operation and their generally longer lifespans, energy-efficient appliances like these will increase the appeal of your home in a potential buyer’s eyes. If you have any questions for me about how you can make your home more energy efficient, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

As a continuation into our series on things not to do when buying a home, today we’ll be talking about why making lowball offers is a major mistake. Some buyers believe the reason agents offer this advice is because we want to make a higher commission. This isn’t the case. Your agent is there for you and your best interest. “If you really want to strike a deal on your dream home, the best strategy is to follow your agent’s guidance and make an offer that reflects current market conditions.” The reason we caution against submitting lowball offers is simply that they aren’t effective. These offers run the risk of making the seller feel alienated or insulted, and can also decrease your overall chance of securing the home. If you really want to strike a deal on your dream home, the best strategy is to follow your agent’s guidance and make an offer that reflects current market conditions. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today we are continuing our series on selling for the most money in the least amount of time by talking about brightening up your living space. The easiest thing to do is by opening up your blinds. We go into a lot of homes with closed blinds because the owners want to reduce the incoming heat or want some additional privacy. Opening these up will allow great natural light to come in. “They may cost a little more, but the white light of LEDs make your home look a lot brighter.” Next, make sure that all your light bulbs work. They actually will all need to work until after closing because during the walkthrough, if there are any bulbs out, an electrician could have to come and fix it. I highly suggest that you buy higher brightness bulbs such as LED light bulbs. They may cost a little more, but their white light makes it a lot brighter. You can also consider buying mirrors. By adding mirrors, you can make a room like twice as large and they also reflect the light, making it even brighter. If you have any questions about this, or if you are interested in buying or selling, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

When searching for a home, never understate your budget. What I mean by that is if you can afford a $200,000 house, tell your agent you can afford a $200,000 house. Not being honest and upfront with your agent about your finances can lead to unnecessary headaches and wasted time. For example, we recently worked with a husband and wife who said their budget to buy a house was $145,000. The wife preferred that budget because she didn’t want to spend over $1,000 for their monthly mortgage payment. However, this couple also wanted a house with land to expand on and one that didn’t need any repairs. In this market, that’s not a realistic expectation. “Never understate your budget.” After looking at houses for a day and not finding anything, the husband called us on their way back home and revealed that, though their budget was set at $145,000, they could actually afford to spend as much as $200,000. That’s a 33% difference in sales price. What we couldn’t find at $145,000 we could find multiple examples of at $200,000. They wasted a whole day looking for something that was unattainable, and they drove about 600 miles to do it. On top of that, our agent told them what they were looking for was unattainable. So, be honest and upfront with your agent about what you can afford so the two of you can work together as a team. As always, if you have any other questions about this topic or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

First impressions matter, and real estate is no exception. This is why today as we continue our discussion about the six most profitable selling tips, we will be talking about the importance of curb appeal. If a buyer doesn’t like what they see when driving by your listing, they will instantly dismiss it. You have probably heard time and time again how important it is to paint your front door, spruce up your landscaping, and put fresh mulch down, but while these things are certainly important, there are other external factors that can impact your listing’s success. “When it comes to curb appeal, small touches will make a big difference.” Some of these things have nothing to do with your property itself. If a buyer touring your home finds themselves trying to tune out your neighbor’s barking dog, for example, the showing is unlikely to go well. It is important to try to get this sort of thing under control before buyers set foot in your property. If your neighbor’s dog cannot seem to keep quiet, consider politely asking your neighbors to put their pet inside during showings. Taking steps to go above and beyond like this will set you up for selling success. Another way to ramp up your curb appeal is to stripe your yard when you mow. When it comes to curb appeal, small touches will make a big difference. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

In continuing our series about the six things you never want to do when buying a house, we are talking today about choosing a mortgage lender. In order to find a mortgage lender, I highly suggest that you collaborate with a full-time, experienced Realtor you trust. They need to have sold more than one or two houses and be actively engaged in the industry. Agents like this can provide you with a lot of value. With as many connections as they have to local professionals, they should know a great mortgage lender who will treat you fairly and do a good job. “With as many connections as a quality agent will have to local professionals, they should know a great mortgage lender who will treat you fairly and do a good job.” All lenders get money from the same place and they all have to make a profit. So be wary of any lender offering significantly cheaper services. You will either pay in upfront fees or in your rate. The mortgage lender is going to make their money no matter what. I also highly recommend that you choose a local lender. While there are lots of online lenders, working with them would be a poor decision. They have no vested interest in whether or not you get the house. A local lender, meanwhile, will care about protecting their reputation. And, as such, will provide you with a higher level of service. If you have any additional questions or are interested in buying or selling, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Today’s topic is the first of my six-part series about tips sellers can use to make the most money possible in the shortest amount of time when selling their home. My first tip is to stage your home, and the first step to staging is decluttering. If you have not used an item you own in the last year, or if you don’t plan to use it in the next year, throw it away or donate it. Anything that is trash can be discarded, and everything else can be stored in your garage or basement. Buy totes and labels so that, when you’ve finished packing, everything is organized and clearly marked. If your home looks too cluttered for you, then a potential buyer will probably feel the same way. “Hire someone to detail your home like you would for a car you were selling.” In the event you are separated from your partner or getting a divorce, you should still want the home to look loving; the MLS shows both owners’ names and it will reflect on the both of you. Further still, when potential buyers walk into a home and see empty closets or pictures of a family that no longer entirely lives there, they might feel that the home is cold and distant. Sometimes, your home is even referred to as a “divorce” home. Even though it might not be your favorite thing to do, keep the home as warm and inviting as possible. Many staging companies recommend that you remove personal items from the home, such as family photos. However, I highly disagree with this recommendation. When I have walked potential buyers around a home, they look at the photos to see that the family is happy. They notice if a room belonged to a little girl or boy; features like this help the home sell. Nobody likes a sterile home where it feels as if someone may have recently passed away there. Finally, you should hire someone to clean and detail your house like you would with a car you were selling. Having them clean your baseboards, carpets, windows, etc., is a cheap way to help you make the most money from your home sale. If you have any additional questions or are interested in buying or selling, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Welcome to the first installment of my new series on the things you should never do when buying a home. The first thing you should never do when buying a home is shop without an agent. What you should do instead is find an agent you are comfortable working with. If you see a home you like and call that home’s listing agent, you need to remember that that agent is working for the seller. You need an agent who’s working for you. “When buying a home, the first thing you should do is hire an agent you are comfortable working with.” Some people think that they can save on commission costs by buying without an agent, but that is untrue. The commission is an agreement between the seller and the listing firm. If you buy a home yourself, you do not automatically get a reduction on the commission. In fact, in this case, the listing agent would get more commission. When you have an agent working for you, they will know the market, know how to negotiate on your behalf, and be able to represent your best interests. You’ll also want an agent who works in real estate full-time. As always, if you have any other questions or you are thinking about buying or selling a house, please feel free to reach out to me. I would be happy to help you.

Today we’re going to finish our series on downsizing. Once you’ve completed the process and are in your new home, you need to know how to utilize your storage space. You have a smaller house, and you can’t fit all your possessions. However, there are a few different ways that you can maximize the space in your new place. Closet Storage Organizers is a fantastic company located in the Roanoke area. They can come out to your home and produce a CAD drawing with the optimal layout so that you can put as many items in your closet as neatly and concisely as possible. “Closet Storage Organizers is a fantastic company located in the Roanoke area.” There are also storage bins that you can put under your beds, racks that you can put on behind doors, and all types of tools designed to conserve space as you adapt your lifestyle to the smaller house. It makes your home more usable, without being more cluttered. If you have any questions about Closet Storage Organizers, the different storage solutions we mentioned, or anything else related to real estate, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today I’m back with the fourth part of my buyer agency and exclusivity series. For this installment, I’ll be talking about what happens when you work without an agency. The good news is that you aren’t obligated to work with any particular agent, but the bad news is that this means no one is obligated to work with you. Most likely, there are around a dozen other buyers looking for the same kind of home you are. When no one is working for you exclusively, it will take you longer to find out about listings that meet your needs. This means other buyers who are working with agents will have an advantage. “Working exclusively with an agent gives buyers a definite advantage.” So, I highly encourage you to work with an agent as you move forward with any transaction. As you move forward with interviewing agents to find the best fit, there are three main things that I recommend you look for. First of all, the agent should be full-time. Dedicated, full-time agents often know about listings before they’re even on the MLS. Part-time agents simply won’t be able to provide the service you deserve. Second, make sure you find an agent who has a lot of experience and knows what’s going on in the market. Finally, find an agent you get along with. You’re going to be spending the next 30, 45, or 60 days in close contact with this person, so it’s important that you feel comfortable working with them. When you find an agent who fulfills each of these standards, I highly recommend that you fill out a buyer agency agreement with them. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

It’s time to continue our ongoing discussion about downsizing. If you haven’t already seen the first two installments in this series, I highly recommend checking those out. You can find the first part here and the second part here. Now let’s move onto today’s topic. For this installment in our downsizing series, I’d like to talk about the importance of having a helper. I don’t know that I’d encourage anyone to enlist a family member to fill this role, but I would recommend seeking the help of a close personal friend to help talk you through what you think. Working with someone who knows you well can greatly smooth out the process. “When sorting through old belongings, it can be extremely helpful to work with someone who can act as a sounding board for your thoughts.” Deciding what to keep and what to get rid of when downsizing can be emotionally draining. As you move through your current home and begin sorting through your belongings, ask yourself what these objects really mean to you. You might find that certain belongings mean less to you than you previously thought. Especially if you’ve lived in your property for years on end, it can be extremely helpful to work with someone who can act as a sounding board for your thoughts. Hopefully, this will help prevent you from making decisions you might regret in the future. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

How do you terminate a buyer agency agreement? In Virginia, there is no official “termination of buyer agency” option. Buyers can request a release if they no longer want to work with their agent, though. Whenever this happens, we find that it’s usually because they found another house they want to buy through another agent. This can be a sticky situation though, so anytime you attend an open house, the first thing you want to do is tell the agent(s) there that you’re already working with another agent. This will keep you and anyone else out of any muddy water. “If you have a problem with your agent, call that agent’s broker.” If you’re a buyer and you ever have a problem with your agent, call that agent’s broker and explain the situation. That’s who your agent works for and who they’re answerable to. The broker is the one in charge, so your agreement, in effect, is with the broker. Odds are, that broker has plenty of other agents who would love to work with you. If you request a release from your agent because you went to an open house and met another agent or found another house you want to purchase with another agent, the broker probably won’t grant that release because their agent still did their job. If you have any other questions about buyer agency or you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in our market, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Today we’re going to continue our discussion on downsizing. Last time we talked about what you should keep, so the focus today is on what you should get rid of. It’s not so quite cut and dry. First, find your absolutes. The things that you’re keeping no matter what. An heirloom, a gift, or an expensive piece of technology or clothing.   “A donation to charity will pay far better dividends on taxes than selling it.” Now you have to figure out what you need to get rid of. For starters, go back to my old philosophy of “If you haven’t used it in the last year and you won’t use it in the next year, get rid of it. “ A donation to a charity is going to pay you far better dividends on taxes than selling it. Let’s face it, we all have clothes that we say we’re going to fit into again, but most of us are lying to ourselves. Get rid of those old clothes. I highly encourage you to donate any and all of your usable goods. You’ll be able to do something good for someone else while also getting some tax benefits in the process. If you have any other questions about what you need to get rid of before selling your home, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

You may have heard of a buyer agency agreement, but what is it? Essentially, this agreement establishes a consensus between a buyer and real estate agent. It affirms the exclusivity of their relationship, meaning if a buyer purchases a home within a certain period of time, they have agreed to do so through a specific broker. It’s important to realize that this agreement is with the brokerage, not the agent. So if you realize at any point that you’re unhappy with your current agent, you can certainly switch to another. All it takes is a phone call to the brokerage to explain your situation. “A buyer agency agreement is with the brokerage, not the agent.” This agreement also benefits the agent. It ensures that they will be paid for their time and energy at the end of the transaction. Ultimately, this agreement puts everything that’s been verbalized onto paper. In the state of Virginia, you are legally required to obtain a copy of any agreement you sign during a real estate transaction. So, if you are thinking of purchasing a home, I highly recommend you do so with a buyer agency agreement in place. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you’re in the process of downsizing, the first thing you must realize is that everything you have now you won’t have when you move. This is why I highly encourage you to go through you house, identify what your “must-have” items are, and label them as such. Make sure you know what you must have before the time comes to sell your house or the time comes to buy your next house and there isn’t enough room for something you must have. “Make sure you know what items you must have when downsizing.” Remember, downsizing isn’t a bad thing—it’s a good thing. When you downsize, you’re going to have a smaller lifestyle in a more controllable and enjoyable house. You’ll have the freedom to travel! If you have any questions about downsizing or you have any other real estate needs I can help you with, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

Why do agents request exclusive agreement contracts when working with buyers and sellers? For one thing, this is how they make a living. They need to protect themselves. Nobody would go to work for someone else for weeks at a time and not expect to get paid. A real estate agent and their client both have something they need of each other, and an exclusive agreement cleans up the relationship between the two and puts into writing what everyone’s role in the transaction is. “An exclusive agreement contract is, essentially, an employment contract.” With this agreement, the buyer/seller knows they’re working exclusively with one agent and that agent knows they can spend the time, effort, and money to get them what they need and get paid for their services. The agreement, basically, is an employment contract. It’s no different than anyone else going to work every day and expecting to get paid for it. That’s all the agent is asking in that contract–if they’re going to commit to you, they’ll be compensated for their services. If you have any questions about buyer agency or exclusive agreements or you’re looking to buy or sell a home in our market, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

Today, we’ll be continuing our series on things to do when preparing to sell your home. The tip I’d like to share this time is: Just do it! There are so many things in life that we tend to put off for another day instead of taking care of them as soon as possible. I’m not going to lie to you. Putting your home on the market certainly isn’t the most fun experience. However, it is rewarding. “Even small changes can really add up and pay off.” Let’s take the example of selling a car for $10,000. Most people in this situation will spend $200 on getting the car detailed, having its tires filled or replaced, or getting it waxed. But when these same people sell a $200,000, they hesitate to spend even $500 on these kinds of upgrades and finishing touches. However, little changes can really add up and pay off. Before you bring in a Realtor, start clearing out the clutter and doing everything else you can to prepare your home for the market. Right before you’re ready to list, hire professional cleaners to make your home really shine. The time to start preparing your home for the market is today. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What is homeowners insurance? Why should you consider obtaining it when purchasing a home? Homeowners insurance is something that’s required by the lender. If you get a loan to purchase a house, the lender will require that you insure their asset. When you obtain homeowners insurance, you want to make sure of a couple of things. First, you want to make sure it covers the structure of the house—not just what you pay for it, but what it would cost for you to rebuild it. You also need to make sure it covers the contents of the house. Just because the TV you bought four years ago is now worth $100 doesn’t mean you can replace it for $100, so make sure you get replacements costs. “There’s nothing that will fix a flooded house if you don’t have flood insurance.” Another thing to consider is if you’re buying in an area that requires flood insurance. Flood insurance is required in flood zone AE areas, but it’s not required in zone X areas. If you look at what happened in Houston last year and West Virginia the year before, those areas didn’t require flood insurance—they were flood zone X areas. Living in flood zone X areas doesn’t cost nearly as much as living in flood zone AE areas, but I still recommend getting flood insurance. Remember—insurance is not for the expected. If we woke up one day and knew our car was going to crash, we wouldn’t drive it that day. We have insurance to be insured against the unexpected. There’s nothing that will fix a flooded house if you don’t have flood insurance. Those funds will have to come out of your back pocket, and most people don’t have an extra $100,000 or $200,000 lying around to repair a house that’s been destroyed by a flood. If you have any questions about homeowners insurance or any other unexpected costs when buying a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

Today, I’d like to return to our series on things to do when selling your home. This time, let’s talk about paper. For some reason, many people feel the need to save away every little piece of paper they come across. Really, there’s only a couple of things you need to keep. Tax returns, bank statements, and some bills are essentially all you need to hold onto. Unless it’s something like a birth certificate, wedding certificate, or another important document, you only need to keep most old mail and records for about three years. After that time, it’s usually okay to throw some things away. “Unnecessary paper can really be the Achilles’ heel of a home you’re preparing to sell.” When you do get rid of important papers, though, don’t just toss them. Make sure you shred anything that could have your personal information on it. If you don’t own a shredder, there are many places you can have this done. You can even come down to my office if you need something shredded badly and don’t know where else to go. The bottom line is this: get rid of unnecessary paper when you clean your home. Most of it isn’t important to keep, is a fire hazard, and is just taking up space. Paper causes a lot of clutter. It can really be the Achilles’ heel of a home you’re preparing to sell. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, unexpected costs can arise during any home purchase. Today, I’d like to go over one type of cost in particular: utilities. If you were renting a property before you made your home purchase, things like your water or heat may have been included. However, as a homeowner, these costs must be accounted for. “When submitting an offer on a home, I highly encourage buyers to ask the property’s current owners about average monthly utility costs.” One thing I highly encourage is for buyers to ask the home’s current owners about average monthly utility costs. These numbers won’t be ironclad, but they will help you understand what you should expect. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

I’m back with part three of our series on selling your home. Today I’d like to discuss the benefits of using clear plastic bins to store your belongings as opposed to cardboard boxes.Not only are cardboard boxes fire hazards, insect attractors, and susceptible to mice and other rodents, but you can’t see anything either. You have to unpack the whole box just to find one thing. Oftentimes, those boxes don’t get repacked and just end up making a mess. “It will help make the selling process easier.” The use of clear plastic bins allows you to see if something is in there right away. Then you can reach in and grab it because you know exactly where it is.Even if you only do it for a few weeks or while you’re selling your home, when you have a highly organized basement or garage with labeled bins like this, it will appear to potential buyers like you’ve been living like that the entire time. It will help make the selling process much easier and enjoyable. It will likely get you a higher price for your home, too.If you have any questions for me at all about selling your home, including where you can find these plastic bins, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Today we’re continuing our series about the unexpected costs of homeownership with a discussion of taxes. When you buy a house, you are responsible for the property taxes. Most of the time, that’s included in your payment unless you have an arrangement otherwise. “If you’re not extremely responsible with money, it’s very important that you let the bank escrow your taxes so that you don’t have a huge bill come up that you won’t be able to pay.” However, usually when you purchase your house, the bank takes money out at closing to establish an escrow account to pay your taxes. As your taxes increase every year, the money that is required by the mortgage company will increase as well so that they can pay your taxes for you. If you’re not extremely responsible with money, it’s very important that you let the bank escrow your taxes so that you don’t have a huge bill come up that you won’t be able to pay. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I’d be glad to help you.

Today we’re going to talk about giving yourself time as a seller to get everything prepared to move. So many people call us wanting to list their house, but they want the sign in their yard the next day. Their house at the time is usually in no way, shape, or form ready to sell. If you’re going to sell your house and it’s not an emergency—such as a death in the family, or a job change in a different city—I highly encourage you to come meet with us. “If you’re going to sell your house and it’s not an emergency—such as a death in the family, or a job change in a different city—I highly encourage you to come meet with us.” We do something called a coming-soon period for two to six weeks. This gives you time to get your house ready for listing. The goal is to present your house in the best possible way that we can. We can’t do that if you need to move in, say, 30 days, when you called us yesterday and expect it to be listed by tomorrow. Your photos won’t look as good, your house won’t be staged properly, you’ll have items that need to be put into storage, your lawn/landscaping will need to be cleaned up, and so much more. All those things and more besides will have to be done in order to present your house in its best light, which will get you the most return on the dollar. Few people want a fixer-upper; they want a house that’s move-in ready so they won’t have to do much with it. You’ll get more money for a home that is shown in optimal condition, and it will sell faster as well. Overall, it will be a much more pleasurable selling experience. If have any questions about coming-soon periods, selling your house, or getting on the market, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

In addition to the costs I mentioned last time, another unexpected cost you need to watch out for is the maintenance for your home. When you rent a house, you don’t have the same external and internal maintenance duties you have when you buy a house. Of course, you don’t have the tax advantages either. “When buying a home, budget accordingly.” When buying a home, you really need to budget accordingly, because nothing in a home lasts forever. One reason we always encourage home warranties among our buyers is that it acts as a maintenance plan for the house. When buying a house, look at items like the roof, the HVAC unit, and the water heater, because all of these things have expected lifespans. Make sure you plan for the replacement, upkeep, and repair for these items. If you have any questions about the maintenance costs of purchasing a home, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be glad to help you.

The first task I want to talk about when it comes to things you must do when selling your home is sorting, or how to simplify your moving experience. There are a couple ways you can do this. One way is to sort stuff into piles. This includes stuff you want to donate, stuff you want to trash, and stuff you want to keep. I generally suggest another way, though, and that way is something I call the “one-year rule.” The one-year rule goes as follows: If you haven’t used it in the last year and you’re not going to use it in the next year, sell it or get rid of it because it’s cluttering your life. From there, get rid of anything you consider trash. Take it to the dumpster or the landfill. Don’t let your kids or your spouse look at what it is—just get rid of it. Most people who move are moving up, so if that’s the case for you, then your current house is too small. If your house is too small for you and appears to be too small for you, then it will appear to be too small for the next person, too. “Renting a storage unit will go a long way in getting your home sold.” That’s why my second tip is to rent a storage unit and store everything that’s not essential to your day-to-day life inside it. This means removing all your extra clothes from your closets so they look big and roomy, all the storage boxes lying around in the basement or attic, and other stuff like that so there’s plenty of room in the house. Storage units aren’t cheap, but what they can do in terms of getting your home sold is incredible. I don’t advise getting a pod instead of a storage unit. A pod just tells everyone you ran out of room in the house and what’s leftover is sitting in your driveway. If you have any questions about getting your house ready to sell, whether that involves staging, sorting, or throwing things away, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

Don’t go into a transaction unprepared. There is a difference between closing costs and the total cost to close, and it could be thousands of dollars. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS Today we’re going to discuss some of the unexpected costs you may run into when purchasing a home, specifically regarding closing costs. Closing costs are different from the cost to close. A lot of people think closing costs are everything they’ll need to close on a home. “THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPECIFIC CLOSING COSTS AND THE TOTAL COST TO CLOSE COULD BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.” In our area, however, closing costs are strictly defined in the contract, so the difference between specific closing costs and the total cost to close could be thousands of dollars. Your annual homeowners insurance is not a closing cost—it is a cost to close, as are property taxes. Things like that can run up your cost to close very quickly, so when you’re getting a quote for closing costs, make sure it’s not just for closing costs, but how much money you will actually need in total to be able to close on the home. If you need any information about this or other topics, please feel free to contact us.

If a buyer makes a speedy visit to your house, they’re probably not interested in it. Here’s why. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS If a prospective buyer zips in and out of your house, they’re probably not a serious buyer—at least not for your house. There are a variety of reasons why a buyer would make a speedy visit. Maybe when they drove up to your home, they didn’t like the landscaping, the exterior, or just the neighborhood in general. Perhaps when they walked into the house there was a smell or odor they didn’t like. Maybe it just wasn’t the right house for them. “A SPEEDY VISIT MEANS THAT BUYER PROBABLY ISN’T INTERESTED IN YOUR HOUSE.” A serious buyer, on the other hand, will stop and envision themselves in your house. They’ll take the time to imagine where their furniture would go and mentally pick out rooms for their children. It’s very rare that a buyer zips in and out of your house and then comes back to make an offer on it. If they make a speedy visit, you pretty much have your answer whether they’re interested in your house or not. If you have any questions about speedy visits or you’re thinking of buying or selling a house in our Roanoke market, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to work with you.

Are there any loan options for home renovations out there? There are two, but one is better than the other. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS There are two types of loans that you can get to help fund your renovation project: the FHA loan and conventional loan. The conventional loan is the more difficult of the two to get approved for. You need more money down than the other one, and we don’t use that one very often for renovation projects. The FHA 203K loan has two different options, depending on the size of your renovation project. There’s a streamlined loan that is for repairs that are $30,000 or less and a full FHA 203k that is for as much as you need, as long as the house appraises as repaired. “ON A FULL FHA LOAN, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO THE HOME, AS LONG AS IT APPRAISES.” When you apply for the loan, you need to have two separate contractors come out to the house and write a bid for the repairs that they see that need to be done. These two bids need to match—not on the dollar amount but on what needs to be done to the home. Those bids are then sent to the lender so they can approach for the requested amount. For the streamlined FHA loan, those repairs can only go up to $30,000 and can’t be on anything structural, so no walls can be knocked out or rooms added. On a full FHA loan, you can do whatever you would like to the home—add or take out walls, add a new master bedroom or bathroom—as long as the house appraises with those items included and it’s under the lending limit, which in our area is $271,000. If you have any questions about renovation loans, feel free to give me a call. I’d be happy to help you.

There are a few things you need to know about open houses, and whether they are truly worth it. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS A question my team and I often get is, “What happens when my agent meets a buyer at my open house?” The first thing to know is that nationally, less than 7% of open houses sell. In fact, the purpose of an open house is not typically to sell. The point is to acquire buyers. To tell the truth, open houses don’t work as well now as they used to for one simple reason: the internet. Most people find a large portion of their information about a given home online. With things like the floor plan, 3D images, and videos available, physically visiting the home often doesn’t come until the point where a buyer is fairly serious about making an offer. “DON’T PUT TOO MUCH STOCK IN THE BUYERS WHO SHOW UP TO AN OPEN HOUSE.” But where they lack in successful selling power, open houses are still effective in attracting buyers. Along with those buyers, though, an open house can also draw out a lot of nosy neighbors. So if your agent does do an open house, don’t put too much stock in the buyers who show up there. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

When someone says they are just beginning their home search, they could mean a number of different things. Here’s a better question to ask a buyer. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS What does it mean when someone says they are “just starting” their home search? Well, it can mean a lot of things. Your home may actually be the first home they have looked at, or it could be the 50th. There’s a better way to tell if a buyer is serious about buying a home or not. If the buyer you talk to is pre-approved for a mortgage and working with a real estate agent, I would take them very seriously. They could give you your highest offer and if nothing else, they will give you good feedback about your home so you can improve it for the next buyer who comes through. “SERIOUS BUYERS WORK WITH AN AGENT.” If the buyer you talk to isn’t working with an agent, doesn’t have a pre-approval, and is just beginning their search, I wouldn’t take them as seriously. It’s likely they wouldn’t be able to make a strong offer anyway. If you have any questions for me about selling your home or anything else related to real estate, give me a call or send me an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Getting a home inspection offers many benefits if you’re thinking of buying an as-is property and making renovations to it. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS If you’re thinking about buying an as-is property and making some renovations, do you need an inspection? Absolutely. We always suggest getting a home inspection, especially if you plan on doing a renovation. It gives you a starting point of things you need to fix. Otherwise you might ask your contractor to make certain fixes without even knowing about other fixes that could be huge issues if left unresolved. “A HOME INSPECTION GIVES YOU A STARTING POINT FOR YOUR RENOVATIONS.” Getting a home inspection also means you can give it to your contractor and include both your ‘have-to’ fixes and your ‘want-to’ fixes’ so when you get a bid, you get a complete bid. If you have any more questions about renovations, home improvements, contractors, or anything else of that nature, feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help.

Beware of solo buyers. If they don’t have an agent representing them, they probably don’t know what they’re doing. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS Why should you be hesitant to trust a solo buyer? There are a number of different reasons, but let me start with this. A solo buyer could be anyone. You don’t know whether they are qualified, whether they want to buy now or later, or whether they can even afford what they’re looking at. If someone is actually serious about buying a home in this market, they will hire an agent. I can’t ever recall seeing a serious or committed buyer who hasn’t worked with one. It’s like treating yourself instead of letting a doctor do it. “SERIOUS BUYERS HIRE AN AGENT.” Whenever a buyer who isn’t working with an agent comes to your house, don’t take it too seriously. They probably aren’t a serious buyer. If you have any questions for me about real estate or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, give me a call or send me an email today. I would love to hear from you.

If you’re thinking about renovating, when should you do it? Here’s what we recommend. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS Many people think they need to renovate their house. How do you know if that’s the right choice or when the right time to do it is? My suggestion is that if you are going to renovate, do it when you buy the house. Contrary to what you see on TV or read in magazines, you don’t get your $10,000 you spend on the kitchen back. You might get it back five or 10 years from now as the house appreciates, but renovations won’t bring you an instant dollar-for-dollar return. “RENOVATING EARLY MAKES YOUR HOME MORE SELLABLE.” We also recommend renovating when you move in rather than when you move out because you at least get to enjoy your renovations. It also makes the house much more sellable for a Realtor when the time comes. If you have any questions about renovations or homes in general here in the Roanoke market, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help!

Today I’m going to tell you the best way to give an empty room a purpose when selling your home. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS When selling your home, the last thing you want to show is a room that appears to have no use. I have the perfect solution to share with you today. So what can you do with a spare room? Put a bed in it. It’s that simple. Putting a bed in a spare room will make it look occupied and lived in. It doesn’t matter what floor the spare room is on or if it has windows. Put a bed in it. That’s the best way to give an empty room a purpose and you’ll have the use of a guest room in the meantime. “PUT A BED IN IT. IT’S THAT SIMPLE” Questions about staging? Reach out to me. I can answer any questions you may have about preparing to show your home. If you have any other questions, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Do home inspectors work for the buyer or the seller? The answer really depends on one simple thing. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS Who does the home inspector work for, the homebuyer or the seller? The answer is really very simple. The home inspector works for whoever pays them. So, if you negotiate for the seller to pay for the home inspection, then the home inspector will work for the seller and look out for their needs. It all boils down to who writes the check for the home inspector. When you buy a home, I highly recommend that you hire the home inspector, radon inspector, water test company, and termite inspector. After all, once you own the home, you are responsible for any issues. “PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO THE TERMITE INSPECTION.” You should pay extra attention to the termite inspection. Remember, not all termite inspectors are created equal. If you buy a house, do you want any termite inspector or the best termite inspector? We recommend Brad Killinger from Killinger Pest Inspections. He is an honest inspector, which is exactly what you want: someone who will honestly tell you about any problems in the home. If you need any recommendations for other home inspections or if you have any real estate questions, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

In order to sell your home faster and for more money, make sure you take care of one simple thing: refreshing the linens. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS If you are thinking of selling your home, I recommend that you refresh your linens. Why? The simple reason is that old linens do not show well. If you have an old, worn bedspread that has a burned spot from an old ironing accident, buyers will think that you can’t take care of your home. In fact, I walked into a house the other day where the drapes matched the wallpaper, which matched the bedspread, which matched the throw rugs. The entire room looked like one big ivy vine because every surface was covered with the same print. “YOU NEED TO HAVE CLASSY, FRESH LINENS IN YOUR HOME.” You need to have classy, clean, fresh linens in your home. If you don’t want to get rid of your old, comfortable bedspread, simply put the new one on top of it when you prepare to sell your home. Doing so will position your house to sell faster and for more money. You want people to feel like they could live in your house. They need to be comfortable in your house and every room needs to be fresh and clean. If you have any other questions about staging your home or about real estate in general, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

If you need to order a home inspection, it’s important you pick the right home inspector. Here’s how. Want to Sell Your Home? Get the Value of Your Central or Southwest Virginia Home Looking to Buy a Home? Search All Homes on the MLS A home inspection is an essential part of any home sale, so I want to go over some things you should be aware of when ordering one. Many people are curious as to who chooses the home inspector. The answer is you. I would recommend, before hiring the inspector, that you call them and ask them questions about what they check and what their process is like when inspecting a home. “NOT ALL HOME INSPECTORS ARE CREATED EQUAL.” Do they actually get on the roof? Do they have a septic or sewer camera? Do they do thermal imaging? If there is anything that you are concerned about or want to know if they can do, you need to ask them if they do it. Never just assume they can and will do something for you. Not all home inspectors are created equal. Just make sure you pick the one that works best for you. If you have any questions please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’m always happy to help!