Buying a Home with a Nevada County Real Estate Agent

If you have never purchased a home before, you may not yet recognize how crucial it is to acquire the services of a professional Nevada County real estate agent.
Buying a home will probably be the most expensive purchase you ever make. Therefore, you undoubtedly should consider enlisting the help of a REALTOR® who has experience, extensive knowledge of the area and integrity.
Benefits of using a professional Nevada County real estate agent
Having your own buyer’s agent to walk you through the entire home buying process saves you a lot of time and stress, as well as money.

You decide:

· Size of home desired

· Style preferred

· Location

· Price range

That’s easy! With this basic information, your agent begins the hard part: searching for the perfect home for you and successfully guiding you through the purchase process.

Your agent helps with:

Generating a small defined list of good choices
· Forming a realistic budget
· Financing
· Determining what a home is really worth
· Making offers for you
· Negotiating with the seller
· Alleviating stress that’s a part of any transaction of this magnitude
· Overseeing your home inspection
· Renegotiating any problems found in the home inspection
· Explaining and demystifying taxes, interest, and other particulars
· Finalizing all the paperwork and details with the lender, seller and title company
· Closing on the sale

All the hours your agent invests assisting you and making sure your best interests are looked after financially, legally and emotionally are well worth the real estate commission he or she receives after you finalize your purchase. And typically, as the buyer, you don’t pay the commission. The seller pays it!
Where to find a professional Nevada County real estate agent
I specialize in helping people just like you buy homes. Let's get started! Give me a call today at 530-913-2019 or email me at Teresaprock@hotmail.com

Links:
Buying A Home
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/buying_a_home
Benefits of using a professional Nevada County real estate agent
http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestateagents/tp/Whyhireagent.htm
Real estate commission
http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestateagents/a/Whopaysagents.htm

5 Tips to Creating Stress-Free Nevada County Homes

Many people have trouble relaxing, even in their Nevada County homes. Why? Frequently, it’s because of too much visual stimuli such as unfinished projects, knickknacks and clutter.
You may think the answer to being able to relax is to move into a “better” home. However, what usually happens is that you move your unfinished projects and clutter with you. Instead, if you take the time to get organized, you may find – like many owners who have backed out of a sale – that you don’t need to move, you just need to re-organize.
Take a moment from your busy, stressful life to read these tips and discover how you can improve and de-stress your personal castle:
1. Add money to your wallet. Unwanted or unused items can be turned into cash. eBay and Craigslist are two heavily-used websites where you can sell your unwanted/unused items. Make a little cash and clear the clutter.
2. Be generous. If you don’t want to sell your items, don’t throw them away. Donate them to places such as Goodwill. Online, there’s FreeCycle, where you can share your items and give them away to those who really need them.
3. Keep it clean. Set up a system to decide what to do with mail. Many people end up with piles of mail throughout the house. Rather than letting it pile up, decide the day you get it where that mail goes: trash, take action or file away.
4. Include your family in the de-clutter process. After all, your spouse and kids live there, too. As well, if others have a chance to give their input, they may be more willing to keep your Nevada County home organized. Let others in your family have a part in the decision-making process and implementation.
5. Take stray worry off your mind. You may be subconsciously worried about things in your home. Reduce the potential stress by creating a sense of safety. For instance, make sure your smoke detectors are working, that you have a radon meter (if necessary) and a carbon monoxide detector.
You may be thinking, “Home isn’t what stresses me out.” Are you sure? You might be pleasantly surprised how relaxed you’ll be when your home is de-cluttered. Your Nevada County home can truly become a place where you leave the stress at the door.
If you’re looking for a home to relax in after a hard day, I can help. Call me now at 530-913-2019 or email me at Teresa rock@hotmail.com for more information.



Goodwill
http://www.goodwill.org/get-involved/donate/
FreeCycle
http://www.freecycle.org
Keep your home organized
http://www.lifeorganizers.com/cm_articles/102_10_ways_to_declutter_your_home_280.html

Cool Your Nevada County Home for Less This Summer

We’re all trying to live greener lives, but nothing zaps your energy or your will to live greener in your Nevada County home like summer heat.
The summer heat can also assault your wallet. In fact, you can easily watch your utility bill double during the summer months.
Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to cool your Nevada County home for less money and less impact on the environment this summer. Here’s how.
1. Prep your home. Turn off heat-generating lights and appliances. Don't use your oven. In the afternoon, close your windows and outside doors and keep window coverings drawn. At other times, use fans to create a cross breeze.

2. Raise your thermostat. When you’re not home, raise the thermostat to 80 degrees. Lower it two or three degrees when you are home and use ceiling fans to keep rooms cool. Moving your thermostat from 75 to 80 will lower your consumption by 15%. Your Nevada County home will still feel comfortable, and you will notice significant savings on your next utility bill.

3. Take a look at your windows. You’d be surprised to find out how much heat enters your home from old, single pane windows. Newer energy efficient windows with double panes block more heat and keep more cool air inside. If you can’t afford new windows now, at least cover the ones you have with heavy curtains or shades to keep out heat.

4. Check for leaks. Leaky duct work and poorly sealed doors can let as much cool air out of your home as an open window. Walk around your home checking under your doors and around your windows to feel for escaping air. Hire a professional to check your air conditioning systems for you. Take the time to have duct leaks repaired and seal air leaks.

5. Dress appropriately. There’s no reason to keep your home so cold that you have to wear extra layers of clothing when you’re inside. Wear light, loose fitting clothing. You’ll be more comfortable in slightly warmer temperatures. Keep light throw blankets handy for anyone who easily gets cold under a ceiling fan.

Implementing even one or two of these tips in your home can save you money and help the environment.

Want to buy an energy efficient home? I can help. Call me today at 530-913-2019 or email me at Teresaprock@hotmail.com to learn more.


Links:

Ceiling fans
http://www.eereblogs.energy.gov/energysavers/post/Stay-Cool-for-Less-Money-with-a-Ceiling-Fan.aspx

Energy efficient windows
http://www.efficientwindows.org/

Seal air leaks
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11280

4 Tips for Buying Nevada County Homes for Sale

We, meaning the real estate industry, say, “It’s a buyer’s market!” Buyers think that means that deals are available out in the big wide world of Nevada County homes for sale. Although that’s true, it’s not the whole truth. The whole truth is that money pits, bad deals and half-hearted sellers still exist. Without careful consideration, you may not get the deal you expected.
If you’re in the market for one of the Nevada County homes for sale, follow these tips to help you get a great deal:
1. Go back to school. In other words, do your homework. Yes, due to the buyer’s market, you have an advantage, but you still need to do your research. Talk with a real estate agent who specializes in the area and look at the prices of homes sold within the past year. The main point of the research is to find out how much homes are actually selling for in the area in which you want to live, and to determine if you can afford to buy there.
2. Line up the home team. Be prepared to jump on a deal as soon as you find it. Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Gather your real estate agent, home inspector and insurance agent. By having this team of real estate professionals on hand, the transaction will be smoother and faster.
3. Look for motivation. There are motivated sellers and not-so-motivated sellers who just “think” they “might” want to sell if “the right buyer” comes along (quotes are so handy, aren’t they?). You don’t have to guess which is which, however. Has the price been reduced? Is the home vacant? These clues lead to a motivated seller, willing to genuinely negotiate to get the home sold.
4. Don’t buy angry. One of the worst mistakes a buyer can do is to get into a war with the home seller. Emotions grab hold and you find yourself in a fierce competition based on who’s going to WIN WIN WIN! If you find yourself in this situation, learn how to negotiate and listen to your real estate agent’s advice. If you don’t, your great deal can turn into a big mess.
There are plenty of Nevada County homes for sale out there and great deals to be had, but being cautious is the best way to get the best deal.
Are you a motivated seller or a buyer looking for a great deal? I can help. Call me now at 530-913-2019 or email me at Teresaprock@hotmail.com to get started!

Pre-approved for a mortgage
http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/real-estate/7-tips-for-getting-a-preapproved-mortgage/
Motivated sellers
http://homebuying.about.com/od/buyingahome/f/022908_MotivSlr.htm
How to negotiate
http://www.smartcreditinfo.com/home_negotiate.html

Nevada County Real Estate – A Little Humor Goes a Long Way

If you pay attention to national and Nevada County real estate at all, especially if you access news on the internet, it has to be confusing. I read stories online, and I’m amazed by the conflicting information, and I worry about how it must come across to individuals trying to buy or sell Nevada County real estate.
For instance, only a month or two ago, experts were concerned that we didn’t have enough of a housing supply. Now, online sites like the Wall Street Journal are reporting that the U.S. actually has 103 months worth of foreclosed homes – a heavy load that would take 9 years to get rid of. Honestly, it often gives me a headache. Occasionally, it makes me laugh - in a slightly horrified, appreciating the irony type of way.
I felt the need to lighten the load a bit and share something humorous with you. The idea for this blog came from a friend of mine, who asked her 10-year-old son what he’d learned in Social Studies that day. He replied, “Nothing. We’re still looking for the government.”
Yesterday, I came across a page from Kensington Realty Advisors on which they share a bit of real estate humor. Here’s an excerpt: “LODGING - All employees are encouraged to stay with relatives or friends while on Company business. If weather permits, public areas such as parks and parking lots should be used as temporary lodging. Bridges may provide shelter in periods of inclement weather.”
Will this help you sell your house? Probably not, but it might.
You have to keep a little humor going. Tons of clichés fill our vocabulary: “when the chips are down,” “when life gives you lemons,” “look on the bright side.” They all add up to the same message, that you can’t take life too seriously – even the life of real estate.
So – when a buyer walks into your piece of Nevada County real estate, looks around and notices a big puddle in the back yard, you can always tell them you were starting a pool.
Want to work with a professional real estate agent who knows how to get the job done while keeping life in perspective? Give me a call today at 530-913-2019 or email me at Teresa rock@hotmail.com.
Links:
U.S. actually has 103 months worth of housing supply
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/04/24/number-of-the-week-103-months-to-clear-housing-inventory/
Kensington Realty Advisors
http://www.kra-net.com/humor/h_travel.htm
The life of real estate
http://funnyrealestatejokes.com/