6 Reasons You Should Never Try To Buy Or Sell Without An Agent

6 Reasons You Should Never Try To Buy Or Sell Without An Agent

by | Feb 23, 2016 | Buyers

6 Reasons You Should Never Try To Buy Or Sell Without An Agent Save the DIY routine for your bath soaps and birthday presents. When it comes to real estate, you shouldn’t chance it without a professional. Buying or selling a home is a colossal investment, and mistakes can end up costing you thousands of dollars. Let’s go over just 6 instances when buying or selling a house without the assistance of a professional could turn into a very messy mistake. NEVER ENDING NEGOTIATIONS While many people think they are good at negotiating due to saving a couple thousand dollars off of the sticker price of a car, this is not really the case. For a huge investment like a home, it’s best to leave it in the hands of a real estate professional that has the experience of bullishly negotiating for the best price possible. Negotiations don’t end at the listing price – that’s simply where they begin. There are hundreds of points in your listing agreement that can be, and should be, negotiated and if they aren’t artfully done, you could end up leaving thousands on the table. MISSED CONNECTIONS One great thing about dealing with realtors and real estate agents is that they tend to be connected to nearly everyone in the community. Chances are they know the right brokers, home inspectors, lawyers and more to insure that your sale or purchase goes as smoothly as possible. Not only do real estate agents know vendors and other professionals, they also widen your pool of potential buyers when you are selling. They know other agents working with buyers...
3 First Time Homebuyer Mistakes That Can Cause Big Problems Later

3 First Time Homebuyer Mistakes That Can Cause Big Problems Later

by | Feb 18, 2016 | Buyers

3 First Time Homebuyer Mistakes That Can Cause Big Problems Later When you’re ready to buy your first home, it’s easy to get caught up in worrying about qualifying for a mortgage, or finding a home within your budget. And it definitely helps to talk with an Assurance Financial Group to be sure your new mortgage will be within budget. While these aspects are important, there are 3 other, often overlooked, factors you need to consider when viewing potential homes to avoid a costly mistake. Make sure you add these items to your walkthrough checklist. THE NEIGHBORING HOUSES Some new buyers may see blocks of clean, well-maintained houses and assume any home within that neighborhood will suffice. This can be a huge mistake. If you really like a house, take the time to make sure the surrounding houses are owner-occupied, or rented by long-term tenants. The last thing you need is to live next to rental houses with a never-ending parade of new neighbors, some of whom may be loud, untidy, or otherwise offensive. If a neighboring home is vacant and owned by a financial group or bank, it could be a foreclosure. Depending on your locality, a foreclosure could sit empty for years. If you live in a hot market, however, you’ll likely have new neighbors quickly. THE UPKEEP ROUTINE AND COST Before choosing a house, consider just how much work it will take to maintain. Crown moldings and hardwood floors can be gorgeous, but you’d better be prepared to dust compulsively. Flowerbeds can add charm and color to a yard, but every single one will need to be...
Tasty Food Trends In Orange County

Tasty Food Trends In Orange County

by | Feb 17, 2016 | So Cal Cities

Tasty Food Trends In Orange County We may technically just be a suburb, but the whole of Orange County has plenty going on when it comes to tasty treats and trendy eateries to explore. Like everyone else, we turned to Yelp to get the scoop on what’s new and thriving in the local food scene. Here’s what we learned. Poke and artisan ice cream are still popular with more and more new places to enjoy popping up around town and it looks like local butchery will gain in popularity in 2016. POKE IS STILL GOING STRONG Poke, traditionally chunks of tuna marinated in soy and sesame, is a popular Hawaiian dish that’s been making a splash here in Southern California. It may be raw fish, but it’s not the specialty roles and thinly sliced sashimi you’re used to. Tuna poke is cut into thick cubes and mixed as a free-form salad and here are the latest and greatest places you can get it in Orange County. POKE DISTRICT 1924 N Tustin St Orange, CA 92865 poke-district.com Source: Yelp Choose your protein, fill your bowl, pick a flavor and top it off. The portions are great, the service is good and this place will keep you coming back for more. According to the reviews, the Godzilla avocado sauce is a favorite. Soon there will be a new location in Westminster as well – even more to love! THE LOW-KEY POKE JOINT 9904 Westminster Ave Garden Grove, CA 92843 yelp.com Source: Yelp This poke place might be low-key now but the word is getting out about this hidden gem in Garden Grove. The...