What does a Price War & Beauty Pagent have in common with the Defiance area Real Estate?

So what does a price war and a beauty pageant have to do with the Defiance area Real Estate Market?
Everything!!! If your home is listed in the Defiance area market or any market as far as that goes, it better be the best priced home in town! There is a price war going on and you want to come out a winner right? There is also a beauty pageant going on, lots of pretty houses for sale in and around Defiance... don't you want yours to be the prettiest?

When a buyer is out looking they want the best price and the most beautiful home they can get!!! They look by doing drive byes... curb appeal means alot. They look on the Internet, pictures and video's mean alot. Buyers also want to see homes at there convenience, so having your home "buyer ready" at a moments notice means alot.

Beauty pageant and a price war, you might be saying a little dramatic isn't Karol? Yet it is the way to get your home SOLD rather than "For Sale" in today's competitive real estate market!

Any questions or staging advice call, text or email Karol
Realty Five of Defiance
"We choose to give"

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7 Steps to Sell Your Home

Are you trying to sell your home or are thinking about it?  Here are seven steps privided from FNC imag to consider prior to allowing us to put a sign in your yard. 

1. Clutter


Clutter = equity. Shown clutter eats up space, making your house look smaller. Plus, the act of moving requires you to purge all of your clutter, so it's best to get it out of the way!

2. Dirt

Going to an open house is like going on a first date. You'll notice all of the imperfections. The home should be "Q-Tip Clean," meaning every crevice should be spotless: the bottom of the toilet, the faucets, light switch plates, windowsills, etc.

3. Bills

If a potential buyer sees that you owe $3000, he'll think, "Oh, this person must be desperate to sell!" And this will make the buyer less apt to bid up on your home. Put all personal papers and bills in baskets with lids or in drawers.

4. Photos

Photos are family wallpaper. You don't pay attention to them, but buyers will. And every second they are looking at your pictures, they aren't looking at your house.

5. Smells

If your house smells bad, people will turn around and leave. This should be of particular concern to smokers and people with pets. Make sure to air out your home and light scented candles if necessary.

6. Extreme Temperature

Your house should be cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If a house is too hot or too cold, the potential buyer will want to get out of there as soon as possible.

7. Messy Exterior

You can't sell it if you can't see it! Go across the street and look at your house from your neighbor's home. Is the paint job intact? Are the shutters secure? What does the roof look like? Make sure the lawn is mowed, the trees and bushes are trimmed and put garbage barrels in the garage or out of view. Spray off residual dirt from the side of your house and walkways.

Week-end get a way to near by Indiana

I was recently lucky enough to have a few vacation day's with my sisters, we went to the Angola Indiana area to visit & stay at the Potawatomi Inn located in The Pokagon State Park, I'm by no means a "travel agent" but this trip I would recommend to anyone wanting a close to home get a way!

The Pokagon State Park offers so much to do like walking the trails, sitting on the beach, a boat ride tour of the lake, bird watching or just relaxing on there beautiful lawn & verandah. The Potawatomi Inn has a wonderful lodge like atmosphere along with there restaurant offering a breakfast buffet and evening dinners...

My sisters and I visited the tale end of August when it was still warm and sunny & we loved it there, I bet fall is gorgeous with the earthy colors in full splendor! Hmmm... maybe a second trip needs planed?

Karol
Realty Five of Defiance
"We choose to give"

Karol Yeager
REALTY FIVE of Defiance
"We choose to give"
419-784-4519 Direct

888-766-8628 Fax
Email: karol@realtyfive.com
Web Site: www.realtyfive.com

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What Do I Need To Buy A House?

Very often I am asked by people who are considering buying a home what they specifically need to do or be doing in order to purchase a home. I find it interesting that it's not just first time homebuyers who are asking this question but also those who currently own their home.


Their are several things that one needs to be doing when getting ready to buy a home but today I'm going to focus on what you need in order to get your financing necessary to purchase that home of your dreams.

One of the first things you need to do is to begin saving up money. Unlike years past, the days of the "no money down" deals are far and few between thus you will need to have some money. Depending on what kind of loan you will be getting you will typically need money for a down payment plus closing costs. If you are going to be using a FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loan then you will need at least 3.5% of the purchase price as down payment money plus closing costs. A good rule of thumb when using a FHA loan is you are going to need 5% of the purchase price in order to get the loan. Of couse there are exceptions as you could potentially have the seller of the home pay some of your closing costs.

If you are not using a FHA loan you might be using what is called a Conventional loan. Again in today's market, you will need down payment money and the typical minimum is 5% of the purchase price.

Now that you've begun saving up your cash, you need to check into your credit. Do you know what your credit report has on it? If not, you need to get a copy and check it out. There may be items on there that you didn't know about and will need to get taken care of. You can get one free report each year for free. so you can go to one of the many sites availble to get yours and check it out. Unfortunately, in today's credit world their doesn't seem to be to many lenders who use their heads to make loan decisions. They rely very heavily upon credit scores. So, you need to know what yours is and get any issues taken care of.

In the mean time while you are taking care of those items above, you will need to begin gathering up information that your lender will need in order to get you approved for a loan. These are easy enough for you to get so I've made a little list for you to check off as you go.

You will need:

•Last month of pay stubs (Proof of any verifiable income)
•Last 2 years of Tax W-2's
•Last 2 years of tax returns if self-employed
•Most recent bank statements for all accounts
•Most recent statements for investment and retirement accounts
•The purchase contract with all attachments (if you've already made a contract to purchase a property.)
•Any divorce decrees (if applicable)

If you've taken care of saving up some money, checking and cleaning up your credit and then gathering up the items on this list. You will be so far ahead when it comes to purchasing your home. Of course there are other important steps that you should take along the way, including choosing a great real estate agent to help you (I know of one if you don't), but these are some very important steps that will help you get that home of your dreams.

Hope this helps and if you have any questions about any of this, don't hesitate to ask me.

Defiance Co. Humane Society STRUT your MUTT, Defiance Ohio

Defiance Ohio is the place for you and your dog to be this Saturday!

Always wanted to help the Defiance County Humane Society but didn't know how to go about it? Well here is your chance...Saturday, Sept. 11th is the 7th Annual STRUT YOUR MUTT at the Defiance Public Library! You can help by forming a Strut Your Mutt Team or individually raise funds by collecting donations all while you and your four legged best friend strut your stuff on Sat. morning! I understand Tim Horton's will be at registration with your morning coffee and breakfast snacks...

Registration: begins at 9:30 am
Walk kicks off at: 10:30 am

11:00 am to 1:45 pm there will be all kinds of contests, special guests, beauty "paw"gent, demonstrations, prizes & activities held at Pontiac Park along with a booth by the Defiance County Humane Society... so if you have questions or are just curious about the Humane Society and all they do, just head to Pontiac Park along the river, just off Clinton St. a stones throw away from Downtown Defiance~

You can find additional details at Kristi's Kanine Kuts or by calling Board Member Linda Cerda at 419.393.4270. The Defiance County Humane Society is also on Facebook!

Have a fun Saturday morning all while raising money for the animals that are at our County Shelter!

The pets in my big family become our family!!!
Karol

karol@realtyfive.com
"We choose to give"

Forclosure help & Information in and around Defiance , Ohio

Foreclosures are all over N.W. Ohio including Defiance, listed here are a few resources & organizations if you or someone you know needs assistance...

Consumer Credit Counseling: 1.800.355.2227 Budget and Debt management services.

Homeowners Hopeline: 1.888.995.HOPE Nationwide foreclosure counseling service

Legal Aid of Western Ohio 1.8888.534.1432 Legal issues pertaining to foreclosure and fair housing

Northwest Ohio Community Action Commission 419.784.5393 Foreclosure prevention counseling


Any questions or concerns Realty Five of Defiance will be glad to help guide you in the right direction!
If you are interested in purchasing a foreclosure property in the Defiance area please give us a call, text or email, we have experience, knowledge and education in buying bank owned properties!

Karol

karol@realtyfive.com

"We choose to give"