The Judy Niemeyer Team Blog

Once your home is listed on the open market and aggressively advertised, an offer can come in at any time. Although that is what you want – to sell your home – it may feel like everything is moving very quickly, especially if you get an offer a day or two after your Mobile Eastern Shore home goes up for sale! It’s important to be prepared to make a decision quickly when the offer meets your criteria, but often sellers have a tendency to wait and see if they receive more or better offers. You will ultimately have to decide what to do, but it is not necessarily safe to assume that there will be a better offer in the future.

If an offer comes in that meets all your requirements, it’s good to remember the old ‘bird in the hand’ saying. Sometimes properties stay on the market for months because a seller has refused a first offer to wait for a higher one that never comes. You should definitely have already set in your mind what would be acceptable to you in terms of price, your desired net, deposit, financing, contingencies, incentives, conveyances, and closing date, and careful review of these elements should be helpful in making your decision. Remember, you have three options: accept the offer, reject the offer, counter the offer.

If you are not fully satisfied with the offer presented to you, you can make a counter offer.

Typically, counter offers will state that the seller has accepted the buyer’s offer subject to the following particulars which can address such items as:

• Total consideration (generally a higher price)
• Increasing the size of the earnest money deposit
• Refusal to pay for certain reports or fees
• Changing service providers
• Altering closing or possession date
• Excluding personal property from the contract
• Modifying contingency time frames

Just as a seller can submit a counter offer to a buyer, a buyer can counter the seller’s counter, which will then become a counter-counter offer . There is no limit to the number of counter offers that can be submitted back and forth, but counter offers do contain time expirations . If the two parties involved in the sale of your Mobile Eastern Shore home finally reach an agreement, make certain that everything is in writing!
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Tags: home selling tips, judy niemeyer, mobile eastern shore home, mobile eastern shore real estate

No, this isn’t just another timely spooky story, although it just may have to do with ghosts!  Be you a believer or a scoffer, the fact is that there are pieces of Mobile Eastern Shore real estate on the market which are purported to be haunted and thus far more difficult to sell than an ordinary home.  Known as “stigmatized” properties, these houses have the reputation of being haunted or are the site of a previous violent crime–and the perception of ghosts and gore is not easy to erase.

So what to do?  First, check with your Realtor to see if you’re required to disclose information about the stigma attached to your Mobile Eastern Shore real estate because you could be spooked by a lawsuit if you don’t.  Regardless of what the state dictates, being upfront about your home’s paranormal guests or ghoulish histories is always the best moral policy.  

Okay, that’s the first step.  Then what?  Be sure to pay attention the appearance of your property—inside and out.  To minimize the presence (imagined or real) of ghosts, your home needs to look spirit-free and inviting on the outside. Clean up a dark, forbidding atmosphere; clear away any dead trees, especially those with hanging branches; replace rusty iron gates with a white picket fence, get rid of unwanted residents like stray cats and spiders. On the inside, think warm, bright, and clutter-free. Getting rid of darkness and gloom that could promote the idea of spirits may require removing outdated, musty furniture, antique rugs, old pictures of ancestors, and other items that contribute to an “eerie atmosphere” so that you can alleviate any pre-conceived notions in potential buyers.

If you simply cannot dispel persistent beliefs about the “dark side” of your Mobile Eastern Shore real estate, you may have to resort to (gasp!) bringing in a ghost buster.  David Frankin Farkas, owner of HouseHealing.com, makes a full-time living by ridding properties of specters and/or negative energy.  Farkas claims that formerly-haunted houses frequently sell in a matter of days after he has completed his task.  Click here to find groups who will investigate paranormal activity in your home.
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Tags: judy niemeyer, mobile eastern shore homes, mobile eastern shore real estate, stygimatized property

In recent years of ever-increasing fees by service repair companies and continued belt-tightening by home buyers, the provision of home warranty protection plans by sellers has become a rather common–and even expected–incentive. The knowledge that they won’t be hit by unexpected repair bills in the first year after purchasing their Mobile Eastern Shore home is reassuring to buyers, especially first-timers who have no experience in home maintenance.

A home warranty plan is essentially a service contract that covers a major housing system, for example, plumbing or electrical wiring — for a set period of time from the date a house is sold. The warranty guarantees repairs to the covered system and is renewable.

How Much Does a Home Warranty Cost?

They are fairly inexpensive, typically ranging from $250 to $400, depending on coverage. Home warranty companies sometimes run special sales and either discount policy prices or offer additional coverage for the same price. The policies are prepaid for a year in advance, at which time they expire or can be renewed.

How Do They Work?

Although specific plans provide for specific types of coverage, most operate the same way.

• If a home system or appliance breaks or stops working, the home owner calls the home warranty company.
• The home warranty company calls a provider with which it has a business arrangement.
• The specific provider calls the home owner to make an appointment.
• The provider fixes the problem. If an appliance is malfunctioning and cannot be repaired, depending on contract coverage, the home warranty company will pay to replace and install the appliance.
• The home owner pays a small trade service fee (less than $100).　

Types of Coverage

Because all plans differ, you will want to ask specifically what is covered. Ask your real estate agent to recommend a proven plan and inquire if upgrades are available for your Mobile Eastern Shore home. Pay close attention to whether the home warranty company will pay for repairs to make certain types of systems or appliances compliant with new regulations and be aware that they won’t pay for pre-existing conditions. Usually covered are heating and cooling systems, water heaters, appliances, electrical systems, inside plumbing stoppages, ductwork, ceiling fans, and garbage disposals.

Advantages Of Offering a Warranty Plan
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Tags: home selling incnetives, home selling tips, home warranty, judy niemeyer, mobile eastern shore home, mobile eastern shore real estate

Why? How? What? Where?

Let’s start with the why? The most common incentive to clear away clutter occurs when you’re selling your Mobile Eastern Shore real estate and want to stage it for prospective buyers. Real estate agents will tell you that clutter-filled, disorganized homes appear smaller, and every website offering tips for a fast sale includes–and stresses- the need to show a clutter-free home. Another strong reason for eliminating clutter is to lower the stress in your life by having everything in its place ((how nice it would be not to spend valuable time and energy looking through clutter for misplaced items!) and returning home to a serene and neatly organized setting. (Polls and studies have shown that physical surroundings do indeed affect one’s level of stress. ) Other mess-removing motivators include selling unused items to bring in extra money, donating still-good items to people who need them, and joining the green movement by recycling unwanted possessions.

How to begin such a daunting task?

All “experts” in the field strongly advise tackling the job in small steps. Begin with one room at a time, play soothing music, and allocate 20 to 30 minutes a day to the job. Bring to each room boxes or bins labeled keep, toss, donate, and recycle. Be ruthless!! If you haven’t used an item in the past year, remove it from your Mobile Eastern Shore real estate. (Hint: also check expiration dates on foodstuffs when you de-clutter the kitchen.) Assess your storage capacity and discard accordingly.

What should you dispose of?

The most obvious clutter creators seem to be mail, clothing, newspapers and magazines, documents, books, and home décor accessories. Think, too, about furniture, baby items, food, toiletries, appliances, bedding, electronics, and hardware. Have you heard about the “80/20 rule”? It is generally believed that you can safely let go of 80% of the papers you’ve kept.

Where should your unneeded/unwanted treasures go?

For many of them, the answer is, of course, the trash. (You can easily arrange for bulk pickup for large items.) Others may be candidates for recycling. Perhaps you can list some of them under the Free tab on Craig list or search nearly 5000 groups who use discarded materials.

Ask around your community for organizations which would welcome used books and toys–libraries, hospitals, nursery schools, churches. Give old magazines to doctors’ offices. Lions Club groups collect old eyeglasses, and many organizations eagerly accept working but unwanted cell phones. There are innumerable websites which suggest new homes for your discards. Try RecycleNow.com or Earth911.com (supplies locations of local charities by zip code). Many organizations such as Goodwill Industries, Salvation Army, and Disabled Veterans, have handy drop-off boxes or centers or will come to your Mobile Eastern Shore real estate location for pickup. (Extra bonus: in addition to the joy of giving to others, you may also receive a tax deduction for your contributions.)
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Tags: de-clutter, home selling tips, judy niemeyer, mobile easter shore real estate, mobile eastern shore homes for sale

As the real estate market and economic conditions change, so do strategies for buying and selling homes. Listed below are a few recommendations to help both buyers and sellers of Mobile Eastern Shore real estate be successful.

SELLERS:

1. Choose a successful, aggressive real estate agent.

You will want someone who is familiar with your neighborhood and will be proactive in selling your Mobile Eastern Shore real estate. Ask in advance about his/her plan for marketing your property and make sure it includes, at the very least, an MLS listing, on-line and newspaper advertising, and regularly scheduled open houses.

2. Remember the importance of curb appeal in attracting would-be buyers.

3. De-personalize and de-clutter your home.

Put away family photos and prized collections. Clear countertops. Potential buyers need to be able to envision themselves, not you, in your home and clearly view the favorable features of the property without being distracted by too much “stuff.”

4. Hire a professional appraiser.

An “expert” third party opinion is quite useful in supporting your asking price.

5. Be realistic about pricing your Mobile Eastern Shore real estate.

Look at recent comps, listen to your realtor’s advice, and be competitive. Don’t let your emotions interfere with price negotiations and understand that a “designer décor” doesn’t make the home worth more.

6. Offer incentives to attract buyers.

Such items might include helping defray closing costs or moving expenses, making repairs, replacing appliances and/or carpeting, etc. You should also consider providing a home warranty program for the first year.

7. Be flexible.

You certainly don’t want to lose a buyer because of a settlement date or a request for a conveyance of furniture, tools, draperies, etc. Keep an open mind in your negotiations and be willing to meet the potential buyer halfway. 

BUYERS:

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Tags: home buyting tips, home selling tips, judy niemeyer, mobile eastern shore homes for sale, mobile eastyern shore real estate

If you are considering buying or selling a Mobile Eastern Shore home, you need to be aware of the possible impact an easement could have on the property’s value or on a buyer’s impression of the property. An easement is a encumbrance on the title of the property and indicates that a third party has been granted the right to use a defined area of the parcel for a general or specific purpose.      

There are many types of easement, both as a permanent arrangement and a limited-time agreement, and the most common ones are the:

• Right-of-way – Allows a person(s) to travel across the land of a Mobile Eastern Shore home.         
• Public entity – Gives utility companies and/or local governments the right to install power lines, sewers, and water mains, etc.
• Other easements
  a. Provides pathways across pieces of property.
  b. Forbids the blocking of a view.
  c. Permits public access to a beach or park.
  d. Allows use of a neighbor’s driveway.
  e. Grants rights to preservation organizations.
  f. Limits types of development on/of the land.

 While in most cases easements extend only along boundaries and have little effect on the value of your Mobile Eastern Shore home, it is important to determine that they do not affect the general use of the property or place any burden on the owner of that land. Owners and would-be buyers should… 

1. Be aware of what easements apply to the piece of real estate

2. Understand exactly what the easement allows and/or prohibits and

3. Possibly obtain an appraisal of the value of the easement.    

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Tags: easements, mobile eastern shore home, types of easements, what is easement

Judy Niemeyer of Ashurst and Niemeyer presents:
The Mobile Eastern Shore Real Estate Podcast

July 2011:This month’s edition covers Mobile Eastern Shore real estate market activity and then we’ll discuss improvement projects that generate ROI.Features special guest Terri Murphy of US Learning.Program length: approximately 7 1/2 minutes   download podcast mp3 file   |   subscribe to podcast feed

The Judy Niemeyer Team knows that selling or buying a Mobile Eastern Shore home is a major event in your life. It represents one of the largest single investments you may make in your lifetime. It is, therefore, our Goal to make this experience a seamless one. Whether buying Mobile Eastern Shore real estate or marketing Mobile Eastern Shore homes for sale, we will provide unparalleled professional, quality service and the most productive approach to achieving your goals.

You can contact Judy by email or by calling 251-990-0569.

Search all Mobile Eastern Shore homes for sale.

Tags: mobile eastern shore real estate, podcast

Perhaps you have outgrown your Mobile Eastern Shore home. The children can no longer comfortably share a bedroom, you desperately need a home office, closet/storage space is overflowing, or your teenagers need room to entertain their friends–all valid reasons for thinking about moving to a larger home or adding on or renovating the one you’re presently in. Making a decision like this in “normal” times has been difficult for homeowners, but given the current state of the economy, the increase in traffic and resulting longer commute times, and the uncertainty of the real estate market, deciding which option is better for you may seem to be an even greater dilemma today.

Of course you’ll do research before you make a firm decision, and you certainly will look carefully at your current financial situation and the expenses associated with moving vs. improving, but it is also important that you anticipate any problems you may encounter with each one, evaluate your priorities in terms of lifestyle preferences, and realistically assess your temperament (and that of individual family members) and ability to adjust to changes brought about by either moving or improving your Mobile Eastern Shore home.  You should also identify your true purpose in doing one or the other.

IF YOU MOVE:

• Finances: Not only is it harder to sell a home in today’s market, it is also more difficult to obtain a mortgage. Because of the extremely large number of foreclosures and short sales on the market, you will have to be realistic re: price and patient re: finding a buyer for your Mobile Eastern Shore home. You can, however, take advantage of the current buyer’s market when you buy the larger home you desire. Given the upheaval of the real estate market, lenders have tightened their standards considerably, and the loan process will not be as easy as it was a few years ago. You will need to show a good credit score, money for a down payment, evidence of job security, and your ability to make monthly payments in the future. Also remember to calculate all moving costs in your financial assessment.
• Lifestyle: Will you have a longer commute to work? Will the new schools be as good as the present ones? Can you adjust to a new neighborhood easily? How attached are you (and the family) to the present one? Can you tolerate the packing, moving, unpacking, etc., required to move?
• Purpose: If your reasons include a desire to live in a different neighborhood or type of home, having your children attend better schools, or shortening your commute time, then moving is most likely the better choice for you.

IF YOU IMPROVE:

• Finances: The new home construction slow down has resulted in lower prices for many building materials, and some contractors are charging less for their labor and are more readily available. Of course, you’re going to need to come up with the cash for the project. You also need to beware of over-improving in terms of other homes in your neighborhood. It also helps if you have a pretty good idea of how your improvements will affect your house value.
• Lifestyle: Given the ages and personalities of family members, how would each cope with the disruption, noise, and inconvenience of renovation? Will the improvements require that you move out of your Mobile Eastern Shore home for some period of time? Are you prepared for delays, problems, and escalating costs?

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Tags: mobile eastern shore home, move vs improve, moving vs improving

A new category of homeowners has emerged in recent months–those who voluntarily walk away from their mortgaged property. The rising ranks of this group are not comprised of people who can’t afford their mortgage payments and thus go into foreclosure; rather these defaulters are homeowners who choose to let their Mobile Eastern Shore real estate holdings go rather than continue to pay on a home which is worth less than what they owe.

Such a phenomenon is new to the United States, where proud homeowners of the past would make every sacrifice necessary to keep their home–and their dignity–and it is a thorny issue in terms of moral responsibility and finances.

The Mortgage Bankers Association has voiced concern about the message these “walkers” send to their families and the community, and even President Obama has urged homeowners to follow the responsible course and honor their financial obligations. Such words too often fall on deaf ears, however, as anxious owners of Mobile Eastern Shore real estate watch lenders unload their mortgages with impunity and private businesses practice “strategic default” by letting a company fail rather than continue putting money into it.

One prevailing viewpoint is that homeowners must operate under a moral constraint while lenders and businesses are free to maximize their profits–an unfair and unbalanced system in the eyes of the “walkers.”       

There are, of course, many social, moral, and financial arguments against voluntary default. An increase in foreclosures in a community depresses the value of the homes and drives prices down, thus making your neighbors suffer the consequences of your choice. In a May survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, nearly 60% of Americans believe it is ethically and morally wrong to default on a mortgage contract with a lender. Perhaps having a greater impact, however, are the financial repercussions of simply not paying the mortgage on your Mobile Eastern Shore real estate, including the following:      

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 Judy Niemeyer of Ashurst and Niemeyer presents:

The Mobile Eastern Shore Real Estate Podcast

April 2011:This month’s edition covers Mobile Eastern Shore real estate market activity and then we discuss top tips to help buyers and sellers get the most from their next transaction in the spring market. Features special guest Terri Murphy of US Learning. Program length: approximately 6 1/2 minutes   download podcast mp3 file | subscribe to podcast feed

The Judy Niemeyer Team knows that selling or buying a Mobile Eastern Shore home is a major event in your life. It represents one of the largest single investments you may make in your lifetime. It is, therefore, our Goal to make this experience a seamless one. Whether buying Mobile Eastern Shore real estate or marketing Mobile Eastern Shore homes for sale, we will provide unparalleled professional, quality service and the most productive approach to achieving your goals.

You can contact Judy by email or by calling 251-990-0569.

Search all Mobile Eastern Shore homes for sale.

Tags: mobile eastern shore homes, mobile eastern shore real estate, podcast