Life Update

Hi everyone! It's been awhile so I thought I would pop in. For those of you who know me, you know I had a pretty big life event happen 2 weeks ago. ;) For those of you who don't know me personally, I had the honor to marry my best friend and sweetheart, Kyle Fillman, on June 17th and I couldn't feel more blessed. Kyle is truly the sweetest gift from the Lord.

Most people probably aren't talking about their wedding on their Real Estate blogs, but I've never been one to separate my business and personal life ;) To me they go hand in hand. Over the past 2 weeks it's been very surreal and SO incredibly special knowing I am now "one" with another person. Kyle's family, friends, & acquaintances are now my people too and I truly feel the love and support. From recently listing a house in Markle (Kyle's hometown), to plastering my new "Stacie Bellam-Fillman" signs all over, I feel our two different worlds being fully blended into one-- and I LOVE IT! :)

We have been so encouraged by so many people, even my sweet clients, and I want to thank you so much for being patient with me the week leading up to the wedding and while I was on my honeymoon! It was an amazing time away with my new husband and SO re-energizing. I think a week away laying on the beach, interacting with dolphins, going out to dinner, and loving on my sweetheart did good for the soul :)

Now that Kyle and I are back and settled into our new home, I'm extremely excited and re-energized for the remaining 6 months of the year. I'm back to thinking up creative marketing ideas and excited for the buyers and sellers I will have the privilege of working with in the near future :)  SO, if you are in the Columbia City, Warsaw, Fort Wayne, South Whitley, Churubusco, Huntington, and (yes, even Markle ;)) area and wanting to buy or sell a home, I would love the chance to work with you! I offer free professional photos for all my listings, taken by my wonderful sister Bridget, and would love to help you with such a special milestone. 

 

Kyle & I are so thankful for you all!! God bless <3  

What to Expect: Buyers Edition

I am a little overdue for a new blog post, so today I am devoting some of my time to write a post that will hopefully be very helpful to some of you! :) As I sat at my desk this morning I tried to brainstorm something that would be helpful to those of you who read my blog. 'What to Expect' is what came to mind. Until I got into Real Estate, I honestly would have had no idea the first thing about buying or selling a house, and I'm sure there are many of you who feel the same way. So Today I am going to focus on What to Expect when Buying a house-- my next post I will focus on What to Expect when Selling a house :) 

#1 What to Expect With Expenses:

When buying a home, there are 3 primary "up front" expenses you will want to save for--

• Earnest Money
• A home inspection
• Your appraisal

At the time you write an offer you will be writing a check for Earnest Money-- which is a deposit made to a seller showing your good faith in a transaction. Earnest Money can be any amount you choose, but $500 is a good amount to estimate on.
** Earnest money is credited back to you at closing. :)

A home inspection is also an expense you will want to have set aside. Home inspections are optional, however most people choose to have them. Most home inspectors require for inspections to be paid at the time of the inspection, they vary in price but a good estimate to set aside is about $300. 

The third "up front cost" is the cost of your appraisal. This can sometimes be paid at closing however plan on setting aside $300-$400.

Some additional expenses that are paid at closing are your down-payment if your loan requires one (there are zero down loans available in most areas if you do not have the funds for a down-payment) & closing costs associated with getting your loan (if you do not have the funds for closing costs we can negotiate that in with your offer asking them to be paid).

#2: What to Expect for the timeline:

 Last year I did a post on the home buying process. To see the steps in the process, click HERE.

Typically, once you get an accepted offer on a home, you can expect to close on it within 30-45 days. :) If you are hoping to get into a new home by Spring, now would be a good time to start house hunting. 

#3 What to Expect with Negotiating:

This year we have seen a shift in the housing market. Inventory is LOW. With less houses on the market, houses are in higher demand, meaning that sellers are getting closer to their asking price. Negotiating isn't going to be as easy as it has been in years past. You may even find yourself competing against another buyer for the same house, make sure to offer your best and talk to your Realtor about making your offer as strong as possible :)

Hopefully this post answered some questions you have been wondering about. As always, if you have any additional questions, never hesitate to call, text, or email! :)

260.609.8348
staciebellam@orizonrealestate.com

2014 Recap

It's hard to believe that 2014 is almost over! It was an amazing year both personally & business wise and I couldn't be more grateful :)

  I started out the year unsure of what it would hold. Real Estate is very unpredictable -- in fact, any commission based job is a little unpredictable! My first year selling Real Estate (2013) was better than I could have imagined. The Lord was so faithful :)

 (2013 Awards Banquet)

It made me a little nervous though on how I was going to top it my 2nd year. About midway through 2014 it seemed like the year was going to fall way short of the previous. And then, out of no where, things took off. The last half of the year was a whirlwind & turned out to be amazing-- better than the previous.

All thanks to the amazing people I had the opportunity to work with. I am so so thankful for you! I have never looked at Real Estate as a "sales" job. To me, my job is to help people. This year was filled with some special transactions. :)

My best friend Addie & her husband purchased their very first home. (Addie's brother & sister in law also purchased their first home from me this year-- Thanks Alex & Ashley!)

My sister Brittany & her fiance Pat purchased their first home also. :) They are getting married in May of 2015 & then Brittany will move in. She's graduating with a degree in Interior Design so of course their house is absolutely adorable.

Along with them there were so many other wonderful people who embarked on buying their first house, purchasing an investment home, upgrading to their dream house, or relocating to a different town/state for a new job. I am so thankful I got to help you in this journey!

So here is a big thank you to everyone who made 2014 an amazing year! & here's to making 2015 hopefully even better. :)

Featured Listing Part 2

Hi Everyone! I hope you've all had a fabulous weekend :) My wonderful man is a college basketball player and is in Florida for the week for some games so I've got a little extra time on my hands to do another featured listing post this evening. The home I'm about to post has a pretty neat story behind it, I'm excited to share!

Last year I met a really great couple, sweet as can be and so fun to talk to. We started out looking at homes in Auburn, Columbia City, South Whitley, pretty much all over. One day they noticed that the home pictured above had come on the market as a repo.
(For those of you who aren't sure what a repo is-- it is a home that has been foreclosed on and taken over by the bank).

 

Anyways, the home struck interest with them as it had been a family home many years ago. So we looked at it, it needed some work as most repos do, not to mention that when we looked at it, it was pitch dark in the house due to having no electricity turned on at the time. However my clients decided to purchase the home and restore it to its former glory. They closed on the home October 15th, 2013-- and now we fast forward to where we are at today!

 

 

A couple months ago I got a call from my clients letting me know the home was complete and they were ready to sell it. They had done some updating, given the home a little tlc, and restored it to its former glory. :) We listed the home-- and now here I am ready to walk you through it and point out a few of my favorite parts! Plus show off some before & afters.

 

Before:

 

After:

 

The picture above is a fantastic space off to the right as you enter the home. One of my favorite things about this room is the gorgeous picture window + window seat. As mentioned in my previous post, there are a lot of people who are fans of multiple living areas. Well-- luckily for you, this home has multiple!
(On a side note: the sellers went through and redid all the flooring in the home, looks great!)

Before:

 

After:

 

 

 

 

As you move through the house you will find the 2nd living area pictured above :) I absolutely love how cozy this room feels. I'm a huge fan of fireplaces and this one adds so much character to the home. I think the sellers did a great job of making the home feel homey and inviting. Not to mention its quite large! Over 2100 sq ft.

Before:

 

After:

 

 

 

 Now we will move on to the three seasons room, I'm pretty sure that whenever I show houses, the three seasons room is always my favorite. I love them! This one is right off the kitchen and walks out to a large back yard. Perfect for summer parties and relaxing. They did a great job restoring it.

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

 

Here are the last before & after pictures for the evening :) This is the master bedroom. It's got a gorgeous master bathroom along with a nice sized closet. The transformation a house can make with new flooring, paint, & tlc is extraordinary! :) I will finish off the post with just a couple more pictures below.

Master Bath

 

Bathroom located near bedrooms

 

 

Bedroom #2 :)

 

I hope you've enjoyed reading!

This beautiful home is located at 410 E Sunset in South Whitley, IN.

If anyone is interested in seeing this home in person feel free to email me @ staciebellam@orizonrealestate.com

Or call/text: 260.609.8348

 

 

 

The first of many :)

After a wonderful CRS course the other day, I was prompted to start a Real Estate blog. :) To me, the real estate world is so much more than just helping people buy and sell houses. It's about forming relationships and helping people on their journey in life. After all, buying your first house, selling a house you have lived in forever, relocating to a new area, "up sizing" to the house of your dreams, are all huge milestones in life that I get to be a part of! Too often I miss out on getting to share the wonderful stories behind the people I get to work with, the neat stories behind their houses, and the fun encounters we have. A blog is the perfect way to capture this. It's more than just a way of marketing houses, but a way to showcase the most wonderful aspect of my job! I hope you enjoy reading. Be prepared for lots of pictures as well, I do love all the beautiful houses :)