My first home :)

On September 11th, my sweet fiancé Kyle & I closed on our very first house. As a realtor, I work with people & houses everyday, so buying a house of my own, with my future hubby, was SO exciting. :)

 

 

After Kyle proposed in June we decided we would start keeping our eye open for the perfect house, even though we both wouldn't be moving in together until we get married next summer. Kyle and I looked at just a couple houses together before finding our dream house--- the cutest house ever in Eagle Glen.

 

 

For the past year, I would always text Kyle about a new house I had fallen in love with after showing it--It was starting to get pretty tempting walking through a million houses and not wanting to buy them all, so putting an offer on one was pretty surreal. After we closed we immediately started moving things in, decorating, & turning it into our future home. :) Let me tell you, I know full well that the process of purchasing a house can be stressful at times, we had several delays for closing and a few speed bumps along the way, but the end result is SO worth it & SO fun!!

 

The first night my brother in law Scott & sister Bridget came over to help us with some things. This is how men hang curtains ;) The perks of having a 6'7 fiancé. He's my favorite!

 

 

The next day my other sister, Brittany & brother in law Pat came over to help & brought the best house warming gift. An "F" for Fillman (my new last name in 8.5 months) & some Starbucks, doesn't get much better than that.

 

We started making it as cozy as possible, and I have to say, that once I lay down on our couch, I never want to get up, haha! :)

If you've never bought a house, you should, because it is SO darn fun. ;) Weekly house shopping trips have become my favorite thing & building a future home with my sweetheart is a dream come true.

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

January Recap :)

It’s amazing to me that January is almost over, it has absolutely flown by! January is usually my least favorite month. Christmas is over, it’s cold, and there’s usually not a lot of excitement going on. With that being said—this January has kept me quite busy and been SO enjoyable :) A day in the life of a Realtor isn’t always exactly what house hunters & HGTV depict, but this month sometimes it felt like it ;)

January kicked off with New Years of course. I had a great night with my man and with my family playing games and eating snacks.

The next morning I had my first closing of 2015! (Yay!) 

It felt really good to start the year off on a good note. I listed this house in October, and got an offer on it within a week—on my birthday to be exact. It was a little sad to see this house close—the second I looked at it I fell in love with it—so much so that I contemplated snatching it up myself. ;) (Me falling in love with every other house I walk into is starting to become a trend)

About a week later on January 9^th Orizon had their annual awards banquet. It was a fun night--  I got to dress up with my man, eat yummy food, and I got a plaque recognizing selling 2 million dollars in Real Estate. I really am blessed to work for such a wonderful company, Orizon is such a great place to work! 
 

The next morning I listed an adorable house in Westgate. I showed it a couple times during that week & after a week on the market, I wrote an offer on it. 

BUT, the offer was contingent on this beauty selling.

So I listed this adorable home last Monday and got an offer on it the next night. --- it's blowing me away how quick houses are selling for this time of year!
(By the way, this house was also on my list of houses that I wanted to snatch up myself). ;)

To top off my recap….I'll finish with two closings I had last Friday.

John & Kathy Jordan are 2 of the sweetest clients I’ve had the privilege of working with. Some people are just such a blessing to you-- and these two were so wonderful to work with.

I started working with them back in November. I showed them a gorgeous home that they had been eyeing. After looking at it once they fell in love with it (And so did I—it was beautiful!). In order for them to purchase it however, we needed to get theirs sold. So we listed their home and waited patiently and trusted the Lord. After a couple months filled with showings, inspections, appraisals, and everything in between, we closed on both properties.

Here is the home they sold :)

 And here is the home they purchased, absolutely gorgeous. 

My month was also filled with many other great moments aside from my job-- and i'm so so thankful! :)

I hope everyone's 2015 is off to a great start!

Buying vs Renting

Over the past 2 years selling Real Estate I have worked with a lot of first time home buyers. Which I LOVE :) 1st time home buyers are pretty high on my list of favorites. Working with 1st time home buyers brings about frequent questions about buying vs renting-- so today I decided to devote a post to this very topic. 

First off-- probably the most frequent question is "What's cheaper?" It all depends on the price of the house & where you are planning on living. However, I have sold numerous homes that were absolutely adorable to 1st time home buyers and they ended up having a cheaper monthly payment than if they were going to rent. 

I found a great tool on Realtor.com that may be helpful to you. It's a buying vs. renting calculator. Click here to go to the site. It's pretty neat, it will give you the option to type in a zip code, type in a desired rent price, and compare the area's buying vs renting costs.

If you are still struggling with your decision on what to do-- here is a helpful list to help you examine your current situation and decide what is best for you.

Popular Reasons to rent

(I pulled my top 4 from an article I found on Zillow)

1. Flexibility- Renting allows you to explore an area before making the longer-term commitment to homeownership. 

2. Bad credit- Creating a history of on-time rental payments can help you build the sort of credit you'll need to qualify for a mortgage.

3. No maintenance expenses. When a pipe leaks, you don't head to the store; you head for the telephone and call the landlord. 

4. Utilities (sometimes) included. In some instances, the landlord may pay for many utilities such as water, sewer, garbage, and, in some cases, even heat and hot water.

But there is a downside, too: You may have no control over the fluctuation of your rent, a big-budget item that can change often. Long-term budgeting becomes more difficult.

Reasons to buy

(I pulled my top 4 from an article I found on Zillow)
 

1. Equity- (*** this one is HUGE!) When you pay rent, you are paying your landlord's mortgage or adding equity to his or her bank account. However, when you have a home mortgage, you increase YOUR degree of ownership in your home with every payment. A general rule is that if you intend to stay in your property for at least five to seven years, the costs of purchasing the home are more likely to be offset by accrued equity and increased housing value. 

2. Tax deductions- You can deduct mortgage interest as well as your property taxes. Uncle Sam doesn't give renters this bonus.

3. Creative control- You like dozens of pictures on the wall? Well, hammer away -- they are your walls now. Go ahead and paint them mango! Wish you had another room? Go ahead and add one.

4. Maintenance choices- If you live in a house, you can decide how to approach maintenance, either doing it yourself or picking your own contractor. 

Anymore questions? Give me a call or send me a text and we can explore which option is best for you! I would love to help you find a home:)
260.609.8348

 

Catching Up

Over the past few days my girlfriends have inspired me. After looking at their adorable DIY blogs, I attempted to give mine a little makeover. :) And commit to posting on it more frequently.  My goal for today's post is to give a few tips to anyone who is trying to sell their home this winter. (or maybe considering it). I know there are a lot of you out there, including several of my own clients who are dealing with having their house on the market during the holidays. I'll keep this brief and give 4 tips that will hopefully help you this time of year!

Tip #1--
Patience. I know this is not fun and may not even seem like a very helpful tip. But it is :) When it comes to selling your home in the winter,  patience is vital. Though there are still buyers purchasing homes throughout the holiday season & winter months, there are less of them. Meaning your house may be on the market for longer than it would during the summer. Good news though-- there is less inventory of houses in the winter, making less competition for you. Stay patient & it will eventually sell!

Tip #2--
Inviting & Warm. Use this time of year to your advantage. I don't know about you but I love the festiveness of this time of year. Use Christmas decor to make your home feel cozy & stand out next to the competition. Realtor.com gives a list of tips to help achieve this atmosphere.

Here are my top 10 from their list:  

1. Hang a festive wreath on your door
2. Play holiday music in the background
3. Keep the house cozy. Entering a cold house could chill potential buyers’ enthusiasm.
4. Light a fire in the fireplace just before the agent shows your house. (But never leave a fire unattended.
5. Choose a tree and decorate it to complement the room where it’s displayed. 
6. Keep decorations on the conservative side. You want your house to be noticed, not your decorations.
7. If your house is being viewed in the evening, tell your agent how to turn on the holiday lights.
8. Be certain your windows are sparkling clean. (this makes a big difference)
9. Let there be light. Open blinds and curtains and turn on interior lights to reduce the pervasive dreariness of winter months.
10. Bake holiday cookies and treats to fill the home with enticing aromas before the prospective buyers arrive. (Or Candles...:) )

Tip #3--
Price your home well. This tip holds true for any season, but especially in the winter you want to make sure your home is priced where it should be. A home that is overpriced may deter your potential buyers. If lookers are already less frequent during the winter months, you don't want steer away your lookers who walk through the door! Have a Realtor do a market analysis for you. And in case you didn't know,  I do free market analysis' for anyone who needs their home priced out :)

Tip #4-- (my last tip for the day)
Remove furniture if necessary (declutter). With all of the beautiful Christmas decorations this time of year, it is easy for houses to get a little cluttered. If your Christmas tree is now located where a chair use to be, store the chair in the garage or elsewhere rather than putting it in a cluttered space inside. Remember, the less furniture the bigger your space looks!

Hope this was a good refresher for anyone who is trying to sell their home right now! Best of luck :)

The Home Buying Process

I have worked with quite a few people over the past year and a half (quite a few who are also first time home buyers), and a question that always arises is:
"So what exactly is the home buying process?"

 

For some of you who have purchased numerous homes and know the ins and outs probably are already familiar with the process, but for those of you who don't have the slightest clue where to begin, hopefully this will help! :)

 

 

1.     Meet with your Realtor- Tell them what you are looking for, ask them questions, have them email you homes

2.     Get Preapproved (I can help you find a lender) - Getting pre approved is VITAL so that you know what price of home you can get financed for. You will also need a pre approval letter to turn in with your offer when you write one

3.     Start Looking at homes - This is the fun part :)

4.     Fall in love with your dream home, write an offer!

5.     3 things can happen with your offer, accepted, countered, or rejected

6.     Once offer is accepted, meet with your lender for your loan application

7.     You may or may not have a home inspection, but if you decide to have one, I will schedule it.

8.     Home gets appraised

9.     Loan process continues on: Loan goes to underwriting, loan gets approved/rejected, then back to the mortgage company.

10.    Secure home owners insurance (Your lender and I will guide you through this)

11.   I will schedule closing - Your closing is usually about 30-45 days after your offer is accepted

12.  Go to Title Company or our office for your closing

13.  Get keys to YOUR new home! J

 

 

If you have further questions about the home buying process or would like to get started, feel free to call or text me J 260.609.8348