Whether buying, selling or renting, everyone needs information. What do I need to do first to buy a home? How can I know how much my home is worth? Where can I find a home to rent?
This site will try to provide the best advice possible - no matter where you are in your housing journey.
Phenix City AL and Columbus GA share a common border - the Chattahoochee River. While Phenix City is officially in the Central time zone, we use Eastern time due to many who work across the bridges in Columbus. Fort Benning, the Infantry Museum, and more is on the south side of Columbus.
What kind of home should you buy? What's a mortgage and why should I care? Steps to the purchasing process.
Preparing to sell your home, Best marketing tips including photos, Pricing your home to sell!
Renting options, Benefits of Owning vs Renting, How to Maximize Your Living Space
What Kind of Home Should You Buy?
You should begin focusing on what you’re looking for in a home. Establish priorities in the following areas:
Mortgages and You
Affordability is probably the single biggest concern of today’s first-time home buyers. Given the wide range of media coverage regularly devoted to the issue, it’s not surprising that many young families wonder how long it will take them to afford their first home.
The best advice is: Don’t sell yourself short.
Talk to your real estate professional. He is committed to honestly and responsibly working with you to put you in touch with a mortgage lender, and helping you find homes that fit within your mortgage/budget.
Steps in the Buying Process
Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage – so you know how much home you can purchase
Make a Wish List – what you must have, would like to have, and “Wow, it even has…!” –
for your new home
Find the Home – review properties your REALTOR® will find for you.
Make an Offer – a written offer to purchase. If buyers and sellers are in agreement and all sign, then we have a Contract.
Inspections, Insurance and More – once you have a contract, it’s time to have the home inspected, to get homeowner’s insurance, and prepare for moving day
Closing – signing the paperwork at either an attorney or title company’s offices, getting the keys to your new home.
Move In Day – after you’ve closed on your new home, it’s time to get everything moved from your old place to your new home! Remember to change the locks and alarm codes, and get all the utilities transferred into your name.
Home Maintenance
If you’re like many of my clients, you’ve probably come across a few things in your home that you’d like to upgrade or renovate. There are lots of home projects that aren’t too complicated to complete if you have a good guide. In that spirit, I thought I’d share three great channels on YouTube full of home maintenance and repair videos.
These channels have videos for a wide range of jobs and even include some reviews on tools you might want to have handy. You can save a lot of money (and really enjoy your home) when you learn more about taking care of it.
Here are my top three picks:
HomeAdditionPlus
http://www.youtube.com/user/HomeAdditionPlus
AskTheBuilder.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/AsktheBuilder
Ron Hazelton
http://www.youtube.com/user/ronhazelton
Seller's Pricing Tip #1
Price the property to SELL.
Overpricing your home will not help it compete against similar homes priced at market value. Consider pricing just below market value, to obtain multiple offers. All buyers in today’s market are looking for homes that they consider a good deal. Pricing just 3% or 5% below market value will make your home stand out for a quick sale. Be willing to consider ANY offer at any time. Remember, you are always the final judge of what’s acceptable and what’s not!
Free Home Buyers Guide from NAR
Get the scoop on everything you need to know about how to buy a home.
Benefits of Owning vs Renting
It’s mine! 🙂 vs It’s theirs 🙁
Equity! vs Money lost
Freedom to change or remodel vs Can’t do that here
Pride-of-ownership vs Just my stuff in their building
Choice of location vs Only where there’s apartments/rental house
Big yard for the kids & pets vs Just a patch of grass or worse
Private pool all to ourselves vs Shared pool with neighborhood
Private secure garage/carport vs Shared parking lot/spaces (others can damage my car)
Pay off mortgage & it’s 100% my home! vs Never-ending payments and increases
Get an equity line of credit: for car, vacation, remodel, whatever! vs Only have what I can save after rent is paid
Choice of schools vs Only can use schools near apartment
The Rental Trap
Some choose to rent because they don't expect to be in an area long enough to buy a home. Some are working to repair their credit so they can eventually buy a home. A few actually like renting instead of owning. And others just don't understand the whole process of owning a home, and think it's something for other people. That's the same thought I had when I was a renter. I had friends who were homeowner's tell me I should buy that house I'm renting. But I didn't know anything about buying. And that unknown scared me a little bit.
That all ended the first time I decided to buy a home instead of continuing to pay rent. For me, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. And it could be for you too!
Does your landlord quickly handle maintenance issues? Are your neighbors quiet and courteous? Do people in your building take pride in the upkeep of common areas?
Many of the renters I’ve talked to say “No” to each of these questions. They also feel like they have no choice but to put up with the inevitable inconveniences of renting: noise, strange odors, and lazy maintenance.
Many have a hard time imagining exactly how they’ll escape the “rental trap.”
(I know about this first-hand: I was a renter for many years before I learned I could be a homeowner instead.)
If you feel this way, I’d like to extend a friendly introduction and invite you to have a conversation about how you might become a homeowner. You see, I specialize in helping people make the transition from renting to owning.
David W Orr, GRI - BPOR - e-PRO, SFR
A former long-time renter who became a homeowner and later, a real estate agent; my passion is helping others make the best choice when it comes to their home. I’m committed to making the goal of buying and selling real estate as stress-free, fun, and positive an experience as possible – both online and off.
I understand that buying or selling a home is more than just a transaction: it’s a life-changing experience. I am dedicated to providing exceptional, personalized service for all of my clients. I take great pride in the relationships I build and always work relentlessly on the client’s behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals.
I’ve been a licensed REALTOR® in Alabama & Georgia since 2004. My brokerage is Platinum Properties LLC, (soldbyplatinum.com) at 3800 Lakewood Drive, Phenix City AL 36867 – 334-291-1234. My broker is Rodney Niles.
Platinum Properties LLC
Today’s buyers and sellers need a trusted resource that can guide them through the complex world of real estate. With our extensive knowledge and commitment to providing only the best and most timely information to our clients, myself and Platinum Properties LLC are your go-to source for real estate industry insight and advice.
Our Mission Statement:
To expand into three markets by controlling growth, by being the creative marketing leader, by maintaining a clear focus in all the communities we serve, and by conducting our business with the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and respect.