Samples of writing I’ve done in the past.
Buyer Be Prepared: 5 Tips For Making An Offer On a House
If you are trying to buy a house right now, you’ve realized that it’s a jungle out there! Low inventory, high demand, low interest rates, and skyrocketing prices have all converged to form a perfect storm of misery for buyer’s.
There is very much a sense of despair amongst buyer’s right now, and rightly so. Many have given up. Other’s drag themselves to showings while muttering under their breath about wasting their time.
But all is not lost! despite the odds, there are several things buyers can do to help tip the tables in their favor.
- Get preapproved for a mortgage. This goes without saying right now. Almost every seller requires a preapproval letter because they can. Requiring a preapproval letter helps weed out the tire kickers and saves everyone time. If possible, use a reputable local lender for your mortgage. They can be easier to work with, especially where communication is concerned.
- Know your budget. Knowing your budget before your start looking at houses will help keep you grounded. House hunting can become an emotional process, and it’s easy to get swept up in the emotions of finding a house you really love, despite the price. Part of your budget must include the numbers for your mortgage payment (principal and interest), taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance. Too many people overlook things like taxes and insurance. Both can add considerably to your monthly payment thus making an otherwise affordable looking home unaffordable.
- Decide on must haves vs nice to haves. Write these down! What must your house have? Consider the basics like number of bedrooms and bathrooms and square footage, but don’t forget about things like central air, a deck, or a garage. Also write down things you would like, but aren’t necessarily deal breakers. Having a solid list will make your house hunting much more focused and maximize your time.
- Decide where you can be flexible. Is your desired closing date flexible? Do you want and inspection (yes, you do) or can you live with an inspection for informational purposes only? Can you put more money down for the earnest money deposit? Do you want to offer to help pay the seller’s closing costs? Are you willing to rent the house back to the seller for a period of time?
- Be prepared to move. Not move as in moving your furniture, move as in making a decisive decision to buy. If you’ve done your homework and you are as specific as possible you will be prepared to make a decisive move and make the best possible offer for the house you want. Things go quickly in this market, and being prepared can make the difference between getting a house you want and losing out.
Here’s a bonus sixth tip: Have thick skin! You will probably hear the word “NO” numerous times. You may be subjected to seemingly unfair competition or unreasonable demands from sellers. You may have a house all locked up only to have someone swoop in with a cash offer that supplants yours.
It’s tough out there. It’s frustrating, maddening, and mystifying. The worst thing you can do is to let it get to you. Learn to take a deep breath. Learn to let things go. Remember that this is not the end of the world. The house of your dreams is out there, but you will never find it if you let things get you down until you eventually give up.
The Difference Between an Appraisal and an Assessment
As a loan signing agent, and as a real estate agent, I often hear people use the words appraisal and assessment interchangeably. An appraisal and an assessment are completely different things, and it’s important to understand the difference.
An appraisal is an unbiased professional opinion of a home’s value and is required whenever a loan is used to buy, sell, or refinance a property. While an appraisal is done primarily to protect the lender’s interests, it is beneficial for all parties to understand the appraisal report and its implications on the transaction.
The appraisal is performed by a licensed or certified professional who will create a report based on an in-person inspection, research into recent sales of similar properties, current market trends, and the details of the home, including its size, condition, floor plan, and amenities.
Ideally your appraisal will be equal to (or greater than) the loan amount. In that case, your transaction can proceed.
In a situation where the appraisal comes back for less than the purchase (or refinance) price, you will need to take extra steps to secure financing such as
- Paying the gap between the appraisal and the loan amount out of pocket.
- Negotiating a reduction in the sale price.
- Terminating the transaction.
An appraisal typically takes from 7-10 days to complete, and the fee, typically $300-$500 is paid for by the buyer.
The assessment on your property is completely different than the appraisal.
The assessment is simply an estimation of your property’s worth as determined by your tax district’s property accessor.
Your assessment has absolutely nothing to do with the market value of your property, it is only used to generate your tax bill. It is not uncommon (around here anyway) for the assessment to be lower than the market value of the property.
Property tax laws are set at the local level and can vary greatly from place to place. When buying or refinancing a property it’s important to check the local laws and to understand how they affect your tax bill.
Remember, your appraisal is done by your lender to protect their interest in your property whereas your assessment is done by the government to determine your tax bill.
When buying or selling property it’s important to be as educated as possible. Knowing the difference between your appraisal and your assessment will help you better understand the financial side of your transaction.
The Ideal Personal Trainer For You is Not Who You Think
Working with a personal trainer can boost your success rate by up to 30% (according to the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine), so working with a personal trainer seems like a logical step to take if you are serious about your health.
I’ve always believed that good health equals true wealth, and after college I decided to immerse myself in the fitness business in the hopes of helping people get fit and feel great.
I started by becoming a certified personal trainer, learning as much as I could about exercise, nutrition, and wellness. I spend most of my waking hours in the gym training people, learning, and observing and over time it became apparent that the best personal trainers were not always the one’s with the most impressive credentials or the most years in the business.
Becoming a personal trainer is fairly easy, in most cases you just have to pass a test. Some certifications are more rigorous than other’s and it can be difficult to determine the good trainer’s from the bad.
Conventional wisdom says to look for someone with top notch certifications or even a formal degree in exercise science, and someone with lots of experience.
Education and experience are important, but I am here to offer the opinion that there are other factors to consider that are equally important. When looking for a personal trainer, consider the following:
- Personality. I believe this is the most important factor. Are they laid back or intense? Will they holler at you during sets or will they gently encourage you? Do they follow through (if they say they will email you a diet or some information, so they actually do it)? Overall, do you feel comfortable with them?
- Availability. We are all busier than ever. It’s important that a trainer has time for you that fits your life.
- Communication. How do they communicate? Are they the strong silent type? Do they speak in industry jargon or do they communicate in a way that you clearly understand the message? Do they answer questions without getting defensive or dismissive?
- Motivation. Do they inspire you to follow through on your workouts and health plans? During your session to they encourage you and keep you pressing forward? Do you look forward to your next session, or do you dread it?
- Patience. Teaching people how to exercise properly can be frustrating. A personal trainer has likely become an expert on various movements, but helping someone learn something that now comes naturally to them can be trying. It takes patience, and the ability to keep you motivated while you learn, not matter how fast or slow the process.
- Good listener. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason! Your trainer should listen to you, ask questions, and clarify what you are saying. If you don’t feel heard and understood, it’s time to move on.
- Passionate. At the gym the other day I watcher a trainer walk their client through a workout. The spent 60% of the time on their phone. You want trainer who is not only into fitness, but is into your success. You don’t necessarily need a Richard Simmons type character (unless you like that), but someone who is passionate about your goals and your success is vital to your success.
Education and experience are important when considering who to hire as your personal trainer, but so to are the intangible factors like passion, listening and patience.
Money spent on a personal trainer, and on your health in general makes for a wise investment that can pay dividends for a lifetime. Make sure to choose your personal trainer wisely.