Finding a Real Estate Agent You Can Trust

Finding an experienced, reliable real estate agent whom you like and trust is the first step in locating your new home.   If  you call Hickory or Donna Delegal at Oceanside Real Estate at (904) 732-7225, you can describe the type of home you are looking for.    Both Hickory and Donna are native to the Jacksonville area, and they know the real estate market in this region very well.   They  can show you a number of homes for sale, even if the homes are listed with other companies.    We can often show you a property as soon as it is placed on the market.

We would love the opportunity to serve you in helping you find a new home or in selling your existing home.

Visit our website at www.StartPackingRealty.com

Bargaining

You have done everything that your agent recommended to make your home look wonderful and you have cut your asking price to the bone. Even so, an offer comes in which is so low that you are offended! Is it possible to reconcile your differences and reach a meeting of the minds when presented with such an offer?

It may not take many concessions on your part to make the transaction work if the people who love your house also love to bargain. Even though it may seem that you are far apart in dollar amount or terms of sale, the real distance may not be all that great. Your real estate agent can help you determine if the buyers are ready, willing and able to carry through with the transaction. If they are qualified, the next step involves evaluating your differences. Look for areas where you have some flexibility to negotiate. You may have to go back and forth several times in order to make the transaction work. The trick is to be patient and to not take the process personally!

If you any questions or concerns about selling your home….please contact Hickory and Donna Delegal at (904) 732-7225 or visit our website at:   www.StartPackingRealty.com

Buying Bug Free

 If your house is a typical one, there is probably some kind of small, leggy creature that makes its home with you. Whether they are termites, fleas, roaches, ants, or spiders, it is a good idea to serve them with an eviction notice before you put your home on the market. If home remedies like ionized boric acid don’t work, paying a professional exterminator will be money well spent. 

Most standard sales agreements require that a property be inspected before the closing and treated for termite infestation, if necessary. It is a good idea to check for insect problems as soon as you sign a listing agreement, so that they don’t become an issue of contention in the sale. Some insects may not physically damage the house, but may reduce its chances of selling for top dollar. Constantly having to push back spider webs while touring the house could seriously undermine a prospective buyer’s ability to fully appreciate your home.

For more information, contact Hickory and Donna Delegal at Start Packing Realty for more information at (904) 732-7225 or visit us on the web at www.StartPackingRealty.com

Yours In Deed

The way that you hold title to your property has legal, tax, and estate-planning consequences. Many buyers do not receive adequate professional advice on this important aspect of property ownership. 

If you are purchasing property by yourself, you will be acquiring title by sole (or “separate”) ownership, single ownership, or severalty ownership. The term “severalty” does not denote more than one person – it is a legal term meaning that sole ownership is severed from all other forms of ownership. 

If you are purchasing property with others, the most common forms of co-ownership are tenancy in common, joint tenancy, and community property. Tenants in common can be created when two or more related or unrelated people hold title to a property either equally or unequally. Each individual has the right to do whatever he wishes with his interest in the property. For example, he can sell his interest, give it away, or will it to someone else. 

Before you take title, you should seek advice from your tax advisor and an attorney, particularly if you are buying the property with another person.

Contact Hickory and Donna Delegal at (904) 732-7225 for more information!

www.StartPackingRealty.com

Evaluating Multiple Bids

Competition for homes is high in hot markets. When you are a seller faced with multiple offers on your home, how do you choose the best one?  At Start Packing Realty, we can help you compare and contrast the terms of each proposal. 

Look at the price of each offer and evaluate your net profit. Next, consider the terms of each contract. How “clean” is each offer? Are there contingencies that affect the sale, such as the buyers needing to sell another property before they can finalize the purchase of your home? Can you work out a mutually agreeable date for you to move out and for the buyers to move in? Can you get reasonable assurances that the buyers will be able to qualify for the financing they will need? 

We can help you weigh the relative merits of each offer, so that you can accept–or counter–the best one, and line up another as an alternative.  Call Hickory or Donna Delegal today at (904) 732-PACK and let us  help you!

www.StartPackingRealty.com

Home Warranty Benefits

Home warranty policies are available to both homebuyers and sellers. What are the advantages of purchasing one?

As the buyer, a home warranty can save you money. If the refrigerator stops working during a hot spell shortly after you move in, it will be fixed or replaced under the warranty at a fraction of the cost of buying a new refrigerator. If you are buying an older home, you might ask the seller to provide a one-year warranty as an incentive. The warranty will protect you from major expense if the plumbing suddenly fails or the roof starts leaking.

As the seller of an older home, you can understand how the warranty can make your home more attractive if you put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. The warranty relieves the buyer of concern that they will have to spend thousands to repair a major system that breaks down unexpectedly. It also relieves you of anxiety that the buyer will sue you for failing to disclose a material defect. The warranty only costs a few hundred dollars and can be paid for when the transaction closes.

If you have any questions about home warranties, feel free to contact Hickory or Donna Delegal at (904) 732-PACK.

and Start packing….  www.StartPackingJax.com

A Successful Closing

The closing table is where buyer and seller can celebrate the final stage of a successful home sales transaction. On this happy occasion, you sign the closing papers, trade keys, and wish one another well. It is to everyone’s advantage to prepare for the closing such that all the details are worked out in advance.

As the home seller, how can you help ensure that your closing is a relaxed, cooperative event? First, enlist your real estate agent’s help to ensure that all issues are resolved ahead of time. Repairs should be completed, agreements kept, the house broom-clean and ready for the new owners to move in. The atmosphere doesn’t need to become adversarial, and minor upsets should not threaten the entire transaction. If you anticipate a problem, no matter how minor it may seem, be sure to communicate the situation to your real estate agent in advance, so that it can be resolved before the final closing date.

Timeshare Title

Timeshare ownership is a popular vacation home investment currently held by over three million American households. A timeshare is joint ownership in a vacation resort property that gives you an exclusive right to occupy a condo unit for a specified interval each year. What might you need to know about timeshare ownership if you are considering making such an investment?

There are two ways to approach timeshare. One is to buy a right-to-use membership that allows you to stay in a particular condo for an annual block of time for a number of years. You can also choose to trade your right-to-use time with someone else, perhaps someone who owns timeshare in a different location you yearn to visit. Simple-fee ownership is more like conventional homeownership — you purchase a slice of the property and receive title by means of a deed. The property is legally yours. You can obtain insurance on the time-share property, sell or lease it, or have it transferred by will. Deeded timeshares can be also willed to family members.

Minimize the stress of booking yearly accommodations by purchasing ownership in a timeshare resort in one of 81 different countries.

Brighter is Better!

Sometimes a real estate agent will walk into a home that is basically attractive, yet communicates the feeling that something is lacking. Then the agent notices that all of the drapes are closed, interior lights are off and there is a lot of overgrown shrubbery blocking the sunlight that might otherwise pour through the windows. A dark house is not as appealing to most buyers as one that is flooded with light. As a part of your preparations to market your home, try to maximize the light in your home. Make sure that all the windows are clean and the drapes are open when the house is being shown. A fresh coat of light paint can do a lot to brighten up the interior. If your house has very dark paneling, and you do not wish to repaint the walls, you may want to consider adding additional lamps. Your real estate agent may be able to provide other simple and cost-effective ideas about how to maximize your home’s appeal. Sometimes a real estate agent will walk into a home that is basically attractive, yet communicates the feeling that something is lacking. Then the agent notices that all of the drapes are closed, interior lights are off and there is a lot of overgrown shrubbery blocking the sunlight that might otherwise pour through the windows. A dark house is not as appealing to most buyers as one that is flooded with light. As a part of your preparations to market your home, try to maximize the light in your home. Make sure that all the windows are clean and the drapes are open when the house is being shown. A fresh coat of light paint can do a lot to brighten up the interior. If your house has very dark paneling, and you do not wish to repaint the walls, you may want to consider adding additional lamps. Your real estate agent may be able to provide other simple and cost-effective ideas about how to maximize your home’s appeal.

If you have questions about how to make your home look brighter and perhaps more marketable, please give Hickory or Donna Delegal at call at 904-732-7225 or visit us on the web:  www.StartPackingJax.com

Relocating

Moves are right up at the top of the list of stress-producing situations. It is not uncommon to feel a little overwhelmed by the process of relocating. You must sell your old home, pack up, leaving behind many friends and memories, and then get settled in the new area. 

Professional real estate agents understand both the difficulties and the rewards of making a major move. By listening carefully to what you want and need, your agent will get a feeling for the style of home, neighborhood location and amenities you are seeking. He or she can also point you in the right direction for information about schools, shopping, public transportation, and groups of people who share your interests. If you are considering a move, call a professional real estate agent for information about the area you would like to live in. Discuss the type of house you are looking for and your price range so that the agent can acquaint you with the available homes that will meet your criteria when you are ready to begin looking.  We are ready to help YOU when you’re ready to relocate!Hickory & Donna Delegal – Delegal Group – www.StartPackingJax.com

Phone:  904-732-7225

Vanguard Realty – Jacksonville, Florida