Central Iowa Real Estate Podcast with Misty Soldwisch

There are several different fees that you will encounter during the home selling process. I have gone over a few on my blog already. Today I am discussing Realtor service fees and what they cover. 

People often call our office wanting to know how much we charge. That is totally understandable; after all, if you want to calculate how much it will cost to sell your home, you should compare the prices of different Realtors. 

However, it’s important that you understand exactly what each Realtor is offering for that cost. There are many different providers in our market that have different charges and fees. Here at the Misty Soldwisch team, I can tell you that we do not have the lowest cost in the metro area, but there is a good reason for that. 

We feel that it is important to make sure that we understand what your goals are in selling. We want to know what you want your bottom line to be. As part of our service fees, we will give you advice and strategies to maximize your sales price. 

"Flat rate brokers may not be able to net you as much money as we can."

We have worked again and again with sellers whose homes failed to sell because they worked with a discount or flat rate broker. Through our advice, we reposition the home at a higher price and help these sellers sell the home because of all of the different things we offer as part of our service fees and marketing. Ultimately, the seller walks away with more money than they anticipated. 

Part of these service fees go to our marketing and our expertise, and another part goes to compensate the buyer’s broker. As part of the Des Moines Association of Realtors, we participate in the MLS, which shows other agents that we are willing to cooperate with them. They bring buyers to your home and we compensate them through the fees you pay us. 

As I said, Realtor service fees are only part of the cost of selling your home. If you have any other questions about the cost of selling your home or about real estate in general, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

One thing that makes Iowa really unique when selling real estate is the fact that we are one of the few states in the country that utilizes abstracting.

What is an abstract? If you closed on a home in the past, you may recall that someone handed you a thick, legal-sized binder filled with all sorts of old papers and information, labeled “abstract.” Attorneys will tell you to guard these documents with your life because they’re so expensive to replace.

"It will cost between $300 and $500 to update the abstract."

When you go to sell your home, you’ll need to update that abstract. We’ll send that abstract to a local abstractor in the county in which your property is held, they will update it, then ship it to whoever the buyer is using as a title opinion attorney. That attorney will then look over the abstract and all of the information that’s contained in it, including the history of the property, which will go back all the way to when the land was deeded over from the U.S. government. They will look for any clouds on the title that need to be cleared.

The cost of updating your abstract will be somewhere around $300 to $600, depending on the county that you live in, how long it’s been since you last had the abstract updated, as well as other variables depending on your specific real estate situation.   

In other states, title insurance will usually take the place of an abstract. This is a very different process, but it works for us here in Iowa!

If you have any other questions about abstracting or anything else related to real estate, feel free to reach out and give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help you!

A revenue stamp is a fee you incur in selling your home on both the estimate of proceeds (which you’d be provided by your Realtor) and on the closing disclosure statement when you get ready to close on the home. 

"A revenue stamp is a fee on both the estimate of proceeds and the disclosure statement."

Revenue stamps are mandated by the state of Iowa. They are made payable to the county treasurer’s office in the county in which you close. Revenue stamps are calculated by taking the sale price, deducting $500 off the top (which is exempt from the fee), and calculating that based on $1.60 per $1,000 of value.

For example, for a home that sells for $100,000, you would pay slightly less than $160 for your revenue stamp fee.

If you have any questions about revenue stamps and how they’re calculated, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We’d be happy to help in any way we can!

So now that you’ve done the fun part-searched around for some homes, and found the one you want-what happens next? How do you make the offer so that you can successfully purchase this home?

"Don’t make it all about the money."

There are three important things to keep in mind:

Now is not the time to be working with someone who is just a hobbyist. You need a negotiation expert. This distinction will make the difference between successfully getting the home you want or settling for your second or third option. 

As always, if you have any questions, please give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

In this age of so much information being available online, buyers and sellers have the mistaken impression that they don’t need a professional to assist them. I’m here to tell you that there is true value in enlisting a REALTOR to assist you in the real estate process.

A REALTOR is not the same thing as a real estate agent. Anyone who is licensed in the state of Iowa can be called a real estate agent, but only real estate agents who are a member of the National Association of REALTORS can be called a REALTOR. The difference is that REALTORS adhere to a national code of ethics designed to protect the consumer and to ensure that your needs are being met in the process of buying or selling a home.

"A REALTOR blends a strict adherence to a code of ethics with a unique expertise."

What are some of the things we offer?

We’re experts on the process. Most people only go through the process of buying or selling a home once every few years. We’re going through it every day, meaning we’re aware of the regulatory changes, lending changes, and different rules that you need to adhere to. We also know the best lenders, home inspectors, and contractors you may need to assist you.

We’re also valuation experts. Anyone can put their address into a valuation website and get a general idea of what homes have recently sold for in the neighborhood. It’s usually a very large ballpark figure, though, because those websites haven’t been inside of the home. What we bring to the table is that we look at the home that you’re wanting to buy or sell and look at the specific features (square footage, baths, types of finishes, ect.), and we compare it to other homes we have more specific information on that have recently sold in the area. This way you’re able to make a more knowledgeable decision on both where to buy a home at, or where to sell a home at for value.

Negotiation strategy. Because we go through this all the time, we have knowledge on different ways you can approach a situation as a buyer or seller in order to meet your goals. We look at if a home has been on the market for quite some time versus if it’s new on the market, in a multiple offer situation. We’re going to look at all the facts and figures and give you different options in order for you to negotiate the best situation possible for your needs and meet your goal.

These three skills add thousands of dollars in value, so be sure that the next time you’re wanting to buy or sell, enlist the help of a REALTOR. Here at the Misty Soldswich Team, we would love to help. If you have any more questions, just reach out to us by phone or email. We’re here to help.

We are super excited because we have a brand-new position open due to the growth of my team: Director of Client Services.

Are you someone who really enjoys nurturing relationships with people? Have you always had an interest in real estate but really weren’t sure about the crazy hours agents have to work? Do you prefer an office environment? Are you someone who really enjoys systems and accountability for both yourself and others?

"We are looking for a Director of Client Services!"

If this sounds like something that might be of interest to you, give me a call or visit SOLDInCentralIowa.com. We are really excited to talk to you!

The Misty SOLDwisch Team is hiring! This spring, we’ve been extremely busy. Luckily, we’re also experiencing phenomenal growth. That’s why we’re looking for someone new to join our real estate team. If you’re looking to get into the industry, or want a different approach if you’re already in it, we would love to talk to you about becoming a buyer specialist.

There are plenty of advantages to working with my team. We have plenty of leads to pursue throughout the Des Moines metropolitan area at different price points. We know buyers ready and eager to purchase a home. We have television commercials featuring Barbara Corcoran and radio ads with KJJY and WHO.

Additionally, we offer unparalleled training. Not only does every single staff member go through personalized training, but they’re paired with a seasoned mentor to help them during those introductory months. This helps you be as confident as possible.

Third, we have amazing support. I have two full-time transaction managers to ensure everything is in order once a contract happens. That helps our agents concentrate on working face-to-face with clients, rather than all that daunting paperwork.

If this opportunity sounds adventurous to you, we would love to hear from you. Give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have!

Selling your Central Iowa home? Get a free home value report  
Buying a Central Iowa home? Search all homes for sale

We expect a really great spring home selling season in 2016, and we’ve seen a lot of great work on the interior of homes in our area. However, now that spring has arrived and the Iowa winter has left us, it’s time to focus on the exterior of your home.

What can you do to make it more appealing?

If you want more tips, or if you’d like us to come view your home and make a curb appeal plan for you, please don’t be afraid to give us a shout. We would love to hear back from you!

Selling your Central Iowa home? Get a free home value report  
Buying a Central Iowa home? Search all homes for sale

There are a lot of things that can potentially go wrong in a real estate transaction. Today I have four different ways that can increase your chances of having a stress-free home sale.

The most important thing you can do in order to enjoy a stress-free sale is to hire my team. We sold 359 homes last year and we expect to do well beyond that this year! 

If you need help buying or selling in Central Iowa, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

Selling your Central Iowa home? Get a free home value report   Buying a Central Iowa home? Search all homes for sale Today we are excited to talk about how you can put your tax return to good use towards a Central Iowa home. This time of year is when most people are getting their returns together. If you’re currently renting, it also represents a fantastic time to enter the world of homeownership. Having that tax return is great for using as a down payment to work with, or to strategically pay down some of your consumer debt to enable you to have more money to work with for a mortgage payment. So, why would you want to take the leap and buy a home? There are plenty of good reasons. When we consult with someone who’s considering homeownership, one of their biggest fears of the responsibility of having that payment. In reality, you are probably already making a payment when you’re a renter, just to your landlord instead of a mortgage company. Using this opportunity to buy can allow you to have your payment be for your own benefit, instead of someone else’s. In many areas in Central Iowa, we are seeing some great appreciation in home values. Buying now is a wise investment, and will allow you to build your wealth over time. Right now, real estate is a very safe investment compared to the stock market and other venues. If you’re thinking of buying or selling, or know somebody who is, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to speak with you!