Tag: home buyer

The Right Home May Not Be Your ‘Forever’ Home

Leave a comment

Your “right home” may not be your “forever home.” Sometimes your life circumstances and current lifestyle lead you to a property that doesn’t fit your needs “forever,” but it fits your needs right now. Interestingly, 81% of buyers who think they bought their “forever home” end up moving in 5 years.

Over the last few years some buyers focus on finding the best home that fits their criteria of a “Forever” home. The search is frustrating, long, tiring and sometimes elusive. Buyers focus on future needs rather than their immediate circumstances. Of course, it’s natural to look for a house that you absolutely love, the house of your dreams, the house that you can grow into. In reality, though, the search that “checks all the boxes” rarely ends with the ideal house. Why does the search for a “forever” home turn into endless showings and frustration?

After working with buyers for many years, we ask more questions than other real estate agents. Instead of asking for a list of “must have” features in a home we ask these lifestyle questions:

  • What do you do for recreation?
  • Do you need to be on a school bus-line or close to school?
  • Where do you work? Do you need to live close to your company or do you work from home?
  • Do you want the option of public transportation?
  • How close do you want to be to the airport, the interstate, grocery shopping, restaurants and health care providers?

The “forever home” may have the “wish list” items but it may not fit the lifestyle questions. If you’re frustrated with your home search, or just thinking about starting, reach out – we’d love to help you find the best home to suit your needs, now and for the future.

The Truth: Real Estate and AI

Leave a comment

Artificial Intelligence (AI) creeps into our real estate world daily. Even writing this blog AI is offering assistance, which is ironic and disturbing. From listing descriptions to seller and buyer appointments, we have run into AI and we’re not impressed. Here’s what we’re noticing:

1. Descriptions in listings are starting to sound the same.

It’s easy to figure out which agents are taking “short cuts” with AI. Check out listing descriptions that describe a house as “nestled” when it is smack dab on top of a hill. This week at least 3 descriptions boasted “nestled” houses. AI is unaware that air conditioning window units are portable and need to be taken in/out seasonally. AI crafted this for a listing description, “Window units provide cooling which allows you to choose your climate control.” Ummm, yeah, basically the house does not have central cooling or mini-split units.

2. Market information does not need an AI interpretation if you are a professional Realtor.

We don’t rely on AI’s interpretation of market sales. Sure, it is a good overview but any Realtor should be able to use data to let clients know what is happening in their particular situation. After sampling AI offerings to analyze seller and buyer trends we are unimpressed. All basic information needs to be interpreted on an individual basis for each property. AI may boast a “seller’s market” with few days on the market, but, how accurate is that in the broad view of the real estate landscape for your city, town, or neighborhood. All real estate is local.

3. Each house is unique.

Zillow, Realtor.com, etc. have never been in your house. Do you have significant acreage? Do you have common land for recreation? Is there access to shopping, schools, etc.? Dirt road? Paved road? Class 4 road?

Do not rely on AI to find you a house. It’s best to rely on expert opinions from real estate professionals rather than information harvested by AI algorithms. And, don’t believe it when they say the house is “nestled.”

3 Reasons Why You Need a Buyer’s Agent

Leave a comment

pexels-rdne-8293700If you’ve been following the mainstream media you may have read that Sellers are no longer required to pay Buyer’s Agents. It’s an interesting headline unless you are in the real estate business and know that Sellers never were required to pay Buyer’s Agents, but that’s another blog.

The fallout from these headlines has led many consumers to call Listing Agents (agents that represent the seller) directly and declare “I don’t want a Buyer’s Agent.” There are 3 reasons why this does not turn out well for unrepresented buyers:

  1. The Listing Agent represents the Seller in the transaction. As an unrepresented buyer there is “no one” on your side. You can choose to have an attorney draw up a Purchase and Sale offer for you, however, your attorney is not a real estate professional in terms of negotiation at time of contract or throughout any other contract contingencies that arise.
  2. Every real estate transaction is unique. You cannot “google” or ask “AI” to help you navigate the process. You need to have a local professional real estate agent that understands the nuances and traditional practices of the current real estate market.
  3. You don’t know what you don’t know. We’ll leave it there.

Bottom line, hire a Buyer’s Agent. If you don’t, you will not be successful in securing the home that you want. Buyer’s Agents know how to work quickly on behalf of their clients. If you don’t want to pay your Buyer’s Agent because it’s too expensive, then what is the cost of “not” securing a home for yourself or your family?

If you’ve been thinking about buying, we are here to help! We will guide you through the entire process from home search to closing, providing unparalleled support and expertise every step of the way. Contact us today to get started.

The Real House Hunters of Chittenden County

Leave a comment

Essex Jct - Juniper Ridge RdWe would love to write the script for a show, “The Real House Hunters of Chittenden County.” This reality show could follow a group of buyers in their search for the perfect house. Alas, no one has called us (yet) to work on a pilot, so we’ll just regale you with a few house hunting tips to save you some drama.

Episode I – Heartbreak on Hilltop Drive

Joey Jones thought he was approved for a $450,000.00 loan … after we found the perfect house on Hilltop Drive he found out that he was only qualified for a $250,000.00 loan. It was heartbreaking to see Joey burst into tears.

Real LifeTip: Make sure you are pre-approved with a mortgage lender. This sounds so basic but if you don’t take this step it will lead to unnecessary stress once you start the house hunting process. We have met with buyers who are certain that they are qualified for a certain mortgage amount and start the house hunting process with an unrealistic price point.

Episode II – Snooze and Lose on Sleepy Hollow Way

Tiffany Thomas thought she had time to think about putting in an offer on her “almost” perfect dream house on Sleepy Hollow Way. She dismissed her alarm by mistake when she should have set it to snooze. Once she emerged from her long winter’s nap she called her Realtor to put in an offer. Alas, the house just went under contract with another buyer, apparently an early riser. Tiffany spends the next week in bed mourning the loss.

Real Life Tip: Don’t hesitate to put in an offer if you think you found the “almost” perfect house. While the market may seem slow-moving and sleepy to you, there are other buyers who are searching for a similar property.

Episode III – Too much to Fix on First Street

Martin McFly thought that the photos of house on First Street fit most of his “wish list.” Once inside the house, though, he couldn’t believe how much worse the house looked in “real life.” The paint, the appliances, and the flooring all needed to be addressed to suit his particular aesthetic. Six months later he still cannot find a location or floor plan that fits his needs. He can’t move forward with his search and spends his days pricing out appliances and flooring just in case he ever finds a comparable property to First Street that may need some updating.

Real Life Tip: No house will ever fit your wish list 100%. It is good to know the cost of any updates or changes that you may want to make to a property before you dismiss it as a “fixer-upper” or needing too much “work.” We have seen some beautiful transformations on many different budgets.

If you’re frustrated in your own house hunt, get in touch to see how we can help you find your Home Sweet Vermont!

3 Reasons to Hire a Buyer’s Agent

Leave a comment

buyer agentDid you know that when you contact random real estate agents they are “not” working for you? While  they may be friendly and accommodating, they do not have your best interest in mind. Until you sign a contract with a real estate brokerage firm you are an unrepresented buyer. While there is no requirement that you engage a professional to represent you in the purchase of a property you may get weary of not having “one” real estate agent as your fiduciary, someone to put your interests first. Here are three reasons to hire a Buyer’s Agent:

1.     You need a Navigator. A Buyer’s Agent will help you navigate the online sites to organize your search for housing that meets your needs. If you’ve been using websites to look for houses then you know that properties “pop up” that look interesting and then they disappear. What happened? Which sites should you use? Which are the most reliable?

2.     You need an Insider. A Buyer’s Agent will be able to set up a showing quickly and get you any additional information that you request. Trying to get hold of real estate agents is frustrating. If you don’t have a Buyer’s Agent you will need to contact several different agents and wait for them to call you back to set up a showing. Many buyers have requested private tours on websites and have never received any response.

3.     You need a Negotiator. A Buyer’s Agent will negotiate on your behalf. Your Buyer’s Agent is on “your side.” If you are unfamiliar with the current trends in submitting offers, contingencies, and other details you will have no one to guide you through the process.

If you are serious about buying then you should hire a Buyer’s Agent to move you forward in the process. Many of our clients wish they were working with us earlier in the process after they discover the benefits of hiring us to facilitate their purchase.

If you are frustrated searching for homes on your own, get in touch with us for more information on becoming a Buyer Client.

Where Have All The Vermont Houses Gone?

Leave a comment

Essex neighborhoodVermont is small, our population hovers around 620,000. Yes, that’s the whole state – men, women, children. We have never had a housing “boom” like other states. Demand for housing has outstripped our supply over the last few years. In certain price ranges there are perhaps 40 – 50 buyers looking at the same house.

The housing shortage in Vermont is ongoing. History, regulation, geography, topography, economics, etc. all play a role in the current state of our housing stock. Even in a “normal” year people have a difficult time finding a house. In the not-so-distant past buyers could find 10 houses that would be on their list of potential abodes. Now, there are none. Zip. Zero. Nada. Or, okay, maybe one – but there are 20 showings and all contracts need to be submitted within 72 hours. This causes a frenzy. Houses are popping up on the internet and disappearing – all within a day.

Discouraging? Sure. Now the good news. We have, so far, helped all of our buyers find a home. Through it all — the shortage, the bidding wars, the crazy rush to get in – we have guided our clients through the process.

We are here for you too! Contact us to help you find and close on your new home.

Pandemic Precautions in Real Estate: Video Touring, Vetting, and Sanitizing

Leave a comment

pexels-photo-3769717We get it. We fear germs and viruses just like all of you. Federal, local, and town governments have cautioned us to stay home and practice social distancing. We want to do our part as responsible citizens so we, too, are working from home.

The Weaver Team has implemented the following business practices since we started and they are more relevant than ever. Videos, Vetting Buyers, and Sanitation is truly “business as usual” for us.

Videos – We have been proponents of video for several years. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to view our past listings and the video tours.

Vetting Buyers – We set up all showings and always fully vet buyers and buyers agents prior to setting up showings. This protects Sellers from unnecessary showings. Some agents rely on Showing Time and other services and they have no knowledge of the buyers.

Sanitation Measures – In our daily real estate practice we are conscious of germs, viruses, and bacteria every day, no matter what the season. We carry hand sanitizer, wipes, Lysol, booties, and gloves in our vehicles that we share with buyers when showing houses. As we face a virus that we haven’t tackled before, COVID-19, coronavirus, we are adding a basket of sanitation supplies at our listings for everyone’s protection. Buyers and their agents are encouraged to wear booties and now, gloves during showings.

If you want to sell or buy during this time reach out for more information on our safety measures.

3 Things That Happen in the Real Estate Market After Labor Day

Leave a comment

four colourful houses

Photo by Jeffrey Czum on Pexels.com

Labor Day Weekend heralds the end of summer fun and vacations for most people. It’s back to school, back to business, and goodbye to the hazy, lazy, crazy days of summer. What does this mean for our local real estate market? There are 3 things that happen as the weather cools in our region:

Buyers jump back into the market, making looking for a home a priority. With the kids back in school, parents are able to look during the day without having to juggle swim lessons and camp pick-ups. While some families may want to wait until the end of the school year to make a move, many families are ready to transition during this season. Buyers who have been on “hold” due to vacations and trips to the beach are now committed to looking full-time.

Sellers concentrate on repairs, painting, and landscaping. Taking advantage of cooler temperatures and after-work daylight hours, sellers begin to focus on sprucing up their landscaping and the exterior of their homes.

Homes are priced realistically. Sellers who have their houses on the market in the fall are “ready to go” before the snow flies. Buyers, too, want to be settled in time for the December holidays.

For all of these reasons the “Fall market” continues to be one of our favorite times to help buyers and sellers. Many real estate agents tell you that “anytime” is a good time to buy or sell, but, is it? When it’s time for you to jump into the market be sure to contact us for an overview of the current market conditions.

Are You Looking For a Unicorn? Download Our KW APP to Find Your Dream House!

Leave a comment

IMG_6240Frustrated with your home search? Can’t find what you are looking for? Maybe your dream house doesn’t exist, can’t be built, or will never “pop up” on your Zillow alerts. Depressing, right? How did this happen? Why can’t you find the perfect house?

First, it’s not your fault. Perhaps you met with an enthusiastic real estate agent who promised you that, yes, indeed, your dream house is right around the corner and will hit the market soon. Or, you binge watched HGTV and want to find something similar to a house that Joanna Gaines renovated on Fixer Upper. In either case, you can’t find your dream house. Let’s regroup.

Does your perfect house exist? It’s easy to figure this out. Houses are everywhere. Get in your car, drive around and find your ideal house in your preferred location. Open your KW APP ( Download Here ) and see if there is anything available for sale in the area. If you see something in the area, then send it to me and I will let you know if I can make your dream house a reality!