New Construction VS Resale
New Construction VS Resale
A major decision that any buyer will have to make in their purchase of a home is whether to purchase a new construction or resale home. There are a variety of advantages to each that make a strong argument one way or another but there are also some drawbacks that will need to be considered before the final decision is made. Let’s consider each side in turn and see if we can’t put some rhyme and reason to this difficult choice. After all this is a huge purchase that will have a huge effect on your future and your financial picture.
New Construction - The lure of new construction homes is pretty strong, especially considering all the new gadgets, gizmos and appliances that come with them. The fact that they also come with home warranties and other guarantees such as roof life is a big bonus. Also they usually feature the current trends in home design and architecture so if you are looking for a completely up to date home on all fronts then new construction is definitely the way you will want to go. However, keep in mind that with the shortage of space in many areas that new construction projects are taking place mainly in suburbs unless you are looking at a condo. So essentially you should also factor your commute time into any home purchase. Another asset of new construction is the fact that they are typically more energy efficient and have more green options than resale homes.
Resale homes offer some excellent value and can be more easily found in major urban areas than new construction homes. One of the major attraction factors of resale homes is the fact that it can be easy to find historical or heritage homes that are full of old-world charm and a level of craftsmanship that is hard to find these days. Homes like this are usually in established neighborhoods and communities which is a big selling point for many people. But keep in mind that resale homes are more prone to having deterioration concerns and may have established problems stemming from years of weather and use. When it come right down to it only you know exactly what it is that you are looking for so weigh your options and make the choice carefully.
Kelli Bennett is a real estate agent specializing in Breckenridge real estate. www.kellisells.com is your leading site for all your Summit County and Breckenridge real estate needs. Contact Kelli today for more info.
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The Tragedy Of Termites
There is a statement used locally, by Realtors and pest control companies alike, that there are basically three types of termites: termites you had; termites you have; and termites you’re going to have. Unknown to many North Scottsdale homeowners, there are scores of termite colonies, which have invaded, or are about to invade, their homes…. maybe YOUR home!
Let’s take a look at some termite facts: 1) Locally, we have subterranean termites; they live in colonies underground, from which they build tunnels in search of food. They are dependent on moisture for survival, so they cannot live inside the wood frame of your home. They build mud tubes, primarily along foundation walls, from the ground up. 2) One in twenty homes are infested each year by termites. 3) Concrete foundations are not a deterrent. Termites only need a crack of 1/64 inch in the slab floor to invade your home. 4) On average, there could be as many as 13 to 14 termite colonies, 1 million in each colony, per acre of land. A typical home may easily have three to four colonies situated under or around it.
What can YOU do to reduce the risk of termite attack on your home? 1) Eliminate wood contact with the ground. Wood elements should be at least six inches above ground level. Make sure the soil around your home is graded properly, away from the foundation. 2) Don’t allow moisture to accumulate near the foundation. Divert water away from the foundation. Check faucets, water pipes and air conditioning units for leakage and repair immediately. 3) Do not store firewood, lumber or other wood debris against the foundation or within any crawl spaces. These materials attract termites and are a source of food. 4) Do not store cardboard / corrugated boxes on the floor of your garage. Probably one of the most common things we are all “guilty” of, these boxes provide tasty havens for scores of termites. If necessary, construct shelving in your garage to store your boxes and cartons.
If you had a home built, which was landscaped after you moved in and was never re-treated, the chemical barrier was probably broken, and the home is very vulnerable to termite infestation. The best advice is to consider having your home treated by a professional pest control firm, such as Burns, Orkin, Terminix, etc. Although you can take certain action to make your home less attractive to termites, the best way to prevent infestation is to treat the soil around and beneath the building with a termiticide.
Preventively treating a home for termites is a reasonable investment, especially if the structure has had no prior history of treatment. If a pest control firm previously treated the building, it’s a good idea to maintain the warranty by paying the annual renewal fee. Should termites re infest the building (which is a definite possibility), the company will return and re-treat the affected area at no charge.
As the adage goes, “An ounce of prevention… may protect YOUR home from termites!”
Bob Nachman is a REALTOR specializing in Arizona real estate. Bob has extensive training in the world of real estate and is dedicated to providing customers with an elite level of service and information. For more info on Arizona homes and properties contact Bob soon at Bob@MoveToArizonaHomes.com
Buying New Construction Homes
This country has a bit of a love affair with new construction homes. The past few years have been marked by a construction boom of unmeasurable proportions. All across the country developments are springing up in any available space that developers can find and cities and towns are expanding at a rapid rate. With all the construction that is happening people assume that they should be able to get themselves a great deal on a new home without utilizing any sort of representation. Sometimes this is the case but on the average those who utilize the skills of a realtor to purchase their new construction home get better deals and are happier with their purchase when everything is said and done.
There are some unique concerns that should be considered when purchasing a new construction home. The first thing that needs to be considered is the reputation of the builder. Local Realtors usually have the inside scoop on which builders operating in their area are reputable and which ones are not. Recent years have seen a huge number of sub-par homes being built and many new home owners have found themselves with a home that is fraught with problems. This is something that could have been avoided by the use of a Realtor. A Realtor is also a trained home professional and they know what to look for in homes and what they don’t know can easily be handled by a professional inspector. Buying a home from a developer or builder is just the same as buying from another person and a buyer’s interests are best represented by a experienced Realtor. Realtors are simply skilled in the purchase of homes. The same paperwork and title concerns apply to a new construction home as they do to an established home so why would you not engage the services of someone who knows how to deal with these things? If you want the process of purchasing a new construction home to be as streamlined and stress free as possible then it just makes sense to hire a Realtor to protect your interests. You deserve the best possible deal when purchasing a home and a experienced and professional Realtor is the one who can ensure that you get it.
Joshua Keen is a real estate agent located in Atlanta, Georgia. The Keen Team specializes in the sale and purchase of Intown Atlanta real estate. When looking for Atlanta MLS Listings, contact Ben and Joshua for the best Atlanta realty services!
Inspection Issues: New Homes
There are all kinds of different things that need to be inspected upon the purchase of a home, new or otherwise. Some thing that simply because their home is newly constructed that an inspection is unnecessary and this is hardly the case. New homes require an inspection just as much as any older home and they have a special set of considerations that need to be looked at. Home inspectors are part of the buying and selling process for the protection of the buyer and it is the buyer that is responsible for arranging their own inspection. If sellers are hesitant to have their home inspected or try to convince you to skip the inspection then you could have a serious concern on your hands. What are they trying to hide? Never buy a home without having a full inspection performed.
Home inspectors are trained to find this that could be huge issues to the home buyer. Typically they are concerned with the vital systems that are essential to the proper operation of the home. Systems like plumbing pipes and fixtures, the electrical system , septic system if there is one are all checked for wear & tear and quality. Also the foundation will be examined for cracks and stress fractures. This kind of imperfection in the home’s structure can be quite dangerous and expensive to repair. However if left unattended to it can cause huge problems later on in the home’s life.
Mold is another issue altogether and most home inspectors are not correctly educated in the identification and dealing with the various kinds of mold that are found in homes. In fact, the best method of finding out about mold in the home is to hire a professional mold specialist. These professionals are trained in the identification of various forms of mold and can better inform you on what kinds of mold are harmful to your health as well as the correct ways to remove mold so that it does not take hold in your home again. Always be sure to have any home that you are considering purchasing inspected. It is the only way to ensure that your investment is a wise one and that your family is safe and protected.
John Mejia is a real estate agent specializing in <a href="http://www.themejiagroup.com">Birmingham real estate</a>. If you are looking for a new home in Alabama, <a href="http://www.themejiagroup.com/contact.php">contact John</a> today or visit the Mejia Group online at www.themejiagroup.com.
Making an offer on a property
At this point it really is important to understand local culture. The French are a fiercely proud race and I have often known a vendor remove his house from the market if an offer is too low. His or her belief is that his pride, his family and his heritage have been offended by such an undervaluing! The purchasing process I remember the elderly gentleman who was selling a small farm workers cottage, which was part of his large complex of farm buildings. He had marked out a sizeable part of land to go with the cottage. When I showed it to clients they wanted more land. Seeing so much land around and having read stories of how you can negotiate anything, everything being available at a price, they asked me to offer the owner some money for another field beyond the garden area he had offered for sale with the house. I asked the vendor whether it would be possible to buy more land. He became upset. Not everything is for sale he said abruptly and walked off. I walked after him to try to find out what I had said to upset him. Not everything has a price , he said, I planted those trees in that field with my grandfather and no one is going to buy the land and cut them down. They were important to my grandfather and they are important to me, they might not be important to a newcomer. We spent more time talking and I asked if I could discuss the matter with my clients. Finally, all was agreed, my clients got 7/8th of the field leaving the strip with the trees on it to the farmer. Everyone happy, but it needed a real understanding of the local culture to pull that one off. With VEF, the trained negotiators will have worked hard before mandating (taking on) a property to ensure they have agreed the right price. All too often local people and their agents believe that a foreigner will pay more for a property than a local person. For nearly 20 years at VEF we have worked hard to train the negotiators of our partner offices to convince vendors that this is not the case. The advantage for a vendor of putting their house on the market with a VEF partner office is that if it is the right price, we will sell it quickly for them. VEF trained negotiators will also know if there is any possibility of reducing the price. Occasionally the vendor may have intimated that they need to release funds quickly, or they may be in a hurry to move to another area. Making an offer, against advice, is never a good thing. It virtually always results in losing the property, either because the vendor refuses to sell at that price, or removes it off the market altogether, or because someone else buys it while you are negotiating. Remember, the longer the negotiation period over the price of the property the longer your purchase is at risk.
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Creating Back Yard Appeal
In selling a home it is imperative that a seller creates a significant amount of curb appeal for their home. Without this element it can be extremely difficult to garner the kind of attention that is necessary to distinguish one home from another on the real estate market. However, in creating curb appeal, one must not overlook the necessity of creating an overall “yard appeal” that includes the backyard and all the elements that make your yard a special place. The back yard is a real area of respite and relaxation for most families, it is also a place where kinds can play safely, families can gather and eat, and where the family dog spends most of their time.
There are several ways to improve the look of a backyard before listing a home. Think of your backyard as an area for curb appeal, without the curb. As with any yard staging, cleanliness is going to be a key factor. Take some time to get rid of any accumulated junk that may be in the yard. Old building materials, bits of wood and branches any anything else that could clutter up a yard should be quickly removed. The next logical step is to take care of the lawn. This is a step that can take some time to get right so it pays to plan ahead. Start the process of bringing the lawn into top condition a month or two ahead of time so that it has time to take advantage of fertilizers and other growth and color enhancer’s. The same foresight also applies to the gardens if there are any. Try to plan ahead and get flowers planted so that they will be ready and in full bloom for the summer shows. Also take the time to prune the trees and shrubbery in the yard. Finally you can work on the little things that will improve anyone’s experience of being in the yard at any time of the day. This includes things like awnings, solar lanterns and other lighting as well as any other cosmetic touches that improve the yard’s appearance.
Backyards are a huge part of any home’s overall presentation. It is an area that lends itself to family gatherings and during the summer can function as an outdoor room, if set up properly. In areas where the summer seems to last all year, the yard is definitely a factor in a home sale. If the yard has something such as a pool or hot tub this becomes a focal point for the home and should be treated as such. Making your yard all that it can be will only serve to improve the home’s presence on the market and increase the value to buyers.
Gary Ashton is a real estate broker specializing in <a href="http://www.nashvillesmls.com/buyers.php">Nashville real estate</a>. Start your search today at www.nashvillesmls.com. For the finest homes and properties in Nashville, Tennessee check out the <a href="http://www.nashvillesmls.com/nashville-mls.php">Nashvilles MLS</a> soon.