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Part 1 of a 2 part series: The Beauty and The Beast
Part 1 ~ The Beauty
This June marks the 16th year I have been a Realtor. That realization gave me pause, as I thought about all the homes I have shown over the years. Needless to say, I have seen a lot of houses. Some of them were breathtakingly beautiful. Others made me want to call for an exorcism.
Homes can be attractive either because of their architecture or their decorating. The Best, are those that cause you to fantasize about putting a for sale sign, in your yard as soon as you get home. On more than one occasion I have called my husband to announce we will be moving soon, as I have found the PERFECT home. Don’t worry Dear Reader, because taste in homes & décor is so personal, the homes that cause me to drool don’t always excite my buyers. And I would never talked a buyer out of buying a home that I wanted for me. Not to mention the quality details that get me hot & bothered in a home are often ignored by buyers. I got over the shock that not everyone appreciates quality (enough to pay for it, at least) a long time ago.
Signs of quality in a home are always in the details. It is the smallest of items that separate the cream from the milk. To find it you will need to look up. What do the ceilings look like? Is there crown moulding? If so, what size is it? How many pieces does it contain? How detailed is it? I love going to old homes, the ones with 10’ + ceilings and intricate crown moulding. It reminds me of the “Painted Ladies” in my original hometown of San Francisco. Look down at the hardwood floors. Do they have a Rosewood inlay? I have seen some amazing hardwood and marble floors. The kind of floors that you don’t want to put a rug on top of because they were designed to be admired, like a piece of art.
I know you are thinking, what does the Kitchen & Master Bath look like? Because these two rooms are most important to buyers, just look at any survey, or ask any agent. Who cares, I say. What?! Yes, I said, "Who cares!". Why? Because all nice homes have nice Kitchen & Baths, it’s a given. Nobody who gets the details right, gets those two rooms wrong. Let’s look at the spaces that tell you what you need to know. The forgotten spaces…like the area that you pass through on your way in from the garage. Is there a bench? Does it have a place for you put your shoes, keys, book-bags, purse, jackets, etc.? I love the ones that have a seat with a top that lifts to reveal storage. What about the laundry room? Does it have cabinets for storage? Is it big enough? The best ones of these have a laundry chute and a pass through cabinet to put the folded clothes and linens in once they are clean.
Okay enough about what I appreciate in a home. What are some of your favorite features? What would you do, if money was no object, to your home? Replace your hollow doors with solid ones? Add working transoms above the doors in your home? Add built-in bookcases or window seats? Okay, your right these are more of my favorites, so enough about me…tell me what you would do…
Part 2 ~ The Beast, coming soon…
Top 3 Reasons You Should Buy a House Today!
2. Home prices are low.
3. Both interest rates and home prices will rise. Duh?! Right?! Of course, you knew I would say those things. If you are reading this blog, you were hoping that I would share some secret- some jewel- some "insider trading" gem that only I would know after 15 years in real estate. Here’s what you may not realize: It is all math... worse, it is algebra! Boring, I know. If you say, “I want a $500,ooo house,” what you are really saying is, “I can afford an 'X' amount monthly mortgage payment. In this case, X equals interest rate, times the principal, plus taxes and insurance. If the interest rate goes up, so does the payment. If the payment goes up, then the amount of house you can afford goes down. All of a sudden, that half-million dollar dream home is out of reach. Anyone who has ever bought a car knows that payments can be played with. You can put a larger down payment on the house; you can get an adjustable rate mortgage instead of a fixed rate mortgage; you can secure additional private (i.e., Family) financing, and so forth... You get the idea. Here is the best news (the part that doesn't involve a crystal ball): rates are going up, but they are still at historic lows. Demand for housing is low because people are scared. When they are no longer scared, prices will go up. Pent-up demand will be unleashed on the market place. We all know about supply and demand. When demand goes up, prices go up. You are at a once in a lifetime crossroads: Demand is low, interest rates are low. You can get MORE for your Money than my crystal ball says you will ever be able to get again in your lifetime! Don't let this opportunity pass you by... you will regret it if you do... I can promise you that you will. “Okay,” you say, “yes, prices are low, but I bet they will go lower.” You are a risk taker and want to feed off the bloodbath you foresee. You may be right, prices may go lower. Can't say for sure one way or another; but, interest rates are rising. That is happening. If the rate goes up faster than the prices fall (which is what is happening now), then you are losing ground, not gaining. Your payment will still be more than it would have been if you had paid more for your house. All signs point toward buying now. Get off the fence and into my car... let's go find you your dream home now, while you can still afford it!
