Mike Parle

Working With A Real Estate Agent Part 1

2008-02-09T20:51:00Z

In my last article, I talked about how important it is to speak with a mortgage lender even before you speak with a real estate agent. You really need to do this. Every good real estate agent should give you the same advice. So now let’s talk to the agent. But which agent should I use? Your best bet is to ask someone you know to see who they used. If they were happy with their agent, why not use the same agent. And if they did not like him or her, you know which agent to avoid working with. If you don’t have a referral to work with, then look to see who is selling houses in the area you are looking for. Most agents will have their name on the real estate sign for their listings. This will show you who is active in the neighborhood. If you can’t determine which individual agent to use, you may at least be able to see which real estate companies are in the area. If it’s an active company, several agents may be active in the same area. That should be a good indicator of which company to use.

Now you’ve determined who you want to work with. What houses are we going to see? How does the agent know what I want? This is what you will be discussing the first time you meet with your agent. In many cases, you may sit down with your agent for 30 minutes or longer. The agent will be asking you many questions. You may feel like you are being interviewed. Well, actually you are. The agent will ask you questions to narrow your home search as best as possible. Why would you want to have to look at several homes every Saturday for 3-4 months when the agent may be able to find your new home in only several weeks. The more specific you are with your needs and wishes, the quicker the agent can help you find your new home.

Please watch for my next article where I will go into more detail about working with your real estate agent.

Have You Spoken To A Mortgage Lender Yet?

2008-02-07T01:47:00Z

Have you spoken with a mortgage lender yet? This is probably one of the first questions a real estate agent will ask you when you first meet. And they should. It’s actually one of the most important topics to understand about buying a house. Many home buyers have sat down at the kitchen table and pulled out the calculator and decided they can afford a house. This is a good start, but the next step should be a professional lender- even before you start to look for a house. Here’s why. What is your credit score? Lenders charge interest on the money they loan you. That’s how they make their money. The amount they charge you is based on your credit score. The higher your credit score, the lower the interest rate will be on your loan. The difference between a high credit score and a low credit score could be as high as several hundred dollars every month. Let’s assume you want to take out a 30 year mortgage on a house you like. If you had to pay an extra $150 a month because of a low credit score, you would have to pay an additional $54,000 over the life of the loan. ($150 a month x 360 months = $54,000). By speaking to a lender before you start to look at homes, he or she can tell you if this might affect you. If you do have an issue with your credit, this is the time to fix it. You don’t want to be looking at homes for several months and then find out you can not afford the house you like. And don’t forget about identity theft. Check your credit before you start your house search. As for which lender to use, that’s up to you. You can use your own bank, a credit union if you belong to one, or a licensed mortgage broker.

Find a Reputable Mover - Part 2

2007-12-17T21:41:00Z

In my last article, we discussed some of the warning signs that you may be dealing with a disreputable moving company. This time we will discuss how you can find a good company. The first thing you want to do is to get several estimates in writing from companies that come over to inspect your things in person. Once you decide which company you want to use, make sure they are registered with the proper authority. If you are planning a move to another state, the U.S. Department of Transportation will issue an identification number to moving companies that do interstate moves. For local moving companies, the state or local department of consumer affairs will issue the required license. Another way to check the reliablity of a company is to contact the local Better Business Bureau. These agencies keep a list of all complaints filed against local companies. Obviously you would not want to hire a moving company with multiple complaints.

If you are planning and interstate move, the moving company is required by law to provide you with a booklet called "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move". This booklet contains general information on moving and what to do if your things are lost or damaged during your move. This booklet is also available online at www.protectyourmove.gov. Even if you are not planning an interstate move, it is still a good idea to check out this site for valuable information.

Finally, one of the best ways to find a good moving company is to ask someone you know. Even if they have not moved recently, they may know someone who did. If they were happy with their company and the price, you may want to put them at the top of the list.

Thanks for reading my article. I hope it was helpful to you. Please look for future articles on other topics related to buying and selling real estate.

How to Find a Reputable Moving Company - Part 1

2007-12-17T20:02:00Z

Congratulations! You have found a home you love and you will be closing soon. So far so good. Now you need to find a good moving company. Most companies are legitimate and will offer good service, but you must be aware of the fact that some companies are not registered to do business as movers. There are federal and state laws that regulate moving companies depending on where you are moving. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Adminstration, a division of the Department of Transportation, regulates moves from one state to another. For moves within a state, the state or local deparment of consumer affairs regulates these companies.

In this article, we will discuss some of the warning signs that you may be dealing with an unregistered moving company. One sure sign is when they give you an estimate over the phone without even seeing your furniture. How can they know how much your things weigh or the amount of funiture that must be moved. They may give you a low estimate just to entice you to hire them. Believe me, a large couch that must be moved from the top floor of a six story walk-up will cost more than a small loveseat on the first floor. This is also sometimes done to keep contact with you to a minimum. Another big warning sign is if they show up on the day of the move with a rental truck instead of a company truck with their own name. A legitimate company will want to advertise their name. "We only accept cash, no checks or credit cards" is a major warning sign. Why? Cash does not leave a paper trail that can be tracked back to the company. It cannot be monitored by the IRS, credit card companies or a bank. These are just some of the warning signs you need to be aware of.

In my next article, we will discuss what you can do to find a registered and reliable moving company.

New Well Water Testing Law for Westchester

2007-11-25T21:24:00Z

As of November 19, 2007, anyone that sells their home in Weschester county that has a private water well must have it tested when they sign the contract of sale. The county introduced this law to monitor the water quality in the area regarding private wells. It requires the seller to have their well tested by a certified laboratory for a number of substances including chemicals, metals and other contaminants. The price for this test is estimated to be between $400 and $450 and must be paid for by the seller. The test must be ordered within 10 days of the signing of the contract. The law also states that the buyer and seller cannot waive the testing because a copy of the test results must be sent by the laboratory to the Department of Health and serious fines could result. This new law also affects tenants who rent a property that is supplied with well water. For more information and a list of certified laboratories, please visit the Department of Health website at www.westchestergov.com/health.