Milford Real Estate Podcast with Josh Lioce

If you’re getting ready to sell your home for the first time, these four tips will help you out.

Today I’m going over five things you can expect during your first year of homeownership. Buying a Milford home? Get a full Home Search Selling your Milford home? Get a free Home Value Report What can you expect during your first year of homeownership? You’ve done all of the work of closing on your first home, but there are five things you should be prepared for now that you’re all moved in: 1. Something is going to break. Prepare yourself mentally and financially for something to go wrong. It might be your dishwasher or perhaps your A/C, but something is going to break. Just remember when it happens that it’s not the end of the world and that’s why you have home insurance. 2. You’ll get a ton of junk mail. You’ll get ads from everywhere, but you’ll also get some great coupons and other valuable offers. Throw out the junk, but make sure you hold onto the good stuff. 3. Your social circle is going to expand. You’re part of a community now, so get to know it! Say hi to people when taking out your trash or working in the yard and you’ll start to build lifelong friendships. It might be your dishwasher or perhaps your A/C, but something is going to break. 4. Your dreams will meet reality. You might have some great plans to add on a sunroom or embark on a grand remodel, but you’ll realize those plans might have to take a back seat for awhile. It costs a lot of money to furnish a home, and having beds for the bedrooms and living room furniture for the living room is going to be a priority over that sunroom. 5. It’s going to cost more than what you planned for. Furniture, drapes, kitchen appliances, and everything else you’ll need for your new space is going to add up. Don’t get too stressed! Learn to rebudget and keep moving forward. If you have any other questions about what to expect during your first year of homeownership, or if you are looking to buy or sell a home, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

Today I’m going over five things you can expect during your first year of homeownership.

Today I’m answering four common questions I get about proper open house etiquette. Buying a Milford home? Get a full Home Search Selling your Milford home? Get a free Home Value Report More open houses are popping up as we get into the spring market, so today I want to go over proper open house etiquette for homebuyers. 1. Can I use the bathroom? If you gotta go, you gotta go. However, if there are a lot of people at a showing, you want to make sure you’re not hindering their ability to see the property. If you do use the restroom during a showing, make sure you leave it how you found it! 2. Can I bring my coffee? Most everyone in the current buyer pool loves their coffee. If you need that morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up, make sure it’s in a container with a lid. You don’t want to be walking around someone’s home with a mug full of coffee. 3. Can I bring in my food? No. Never bring in food during a showing. Never take a selfie with a property. 4. Can I peek in the closet? Of course! You’re looking at the home with the possibility of purchasing it, which means you need to know what sort of space the home offers. Just remember to be mindful when peering into personal spaces. For example, don’t open the drawers of dressers or go through anything that won’t be staying with the property. Also, on the subject of respecting privacy and personal space, never take a selfie with the property. 5. Can I sit on the furniture? If you want to sit for a second to get the feel of a room or if you have a health condition that hinders your physical capabilities, it’s fine to take a seat. However, lounging on the furniture can come across as disrespectful. You’re there to look at the home and gauge if it’s right for you, so make sure you’re respectful during that process. If you are looking to buy or sell a home, or if you have any other questions, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

Today I’m answering four common questions I get about proper open house etiquette.

If you’re thinking about purchasing a home, you’ll need to order a home inspection. I want to share four things you should know before starting that process. Buying a Milford home? Get a full Home Search Selling your Milford home? Get a free Home Value Report Today I want to share four things you need to know before you order a home inspection. 1. You get to choose the inspector. You’ll want to make sure they’re an NAHI certified home inspector, and you get can choose one either by looking at a list of local inspectors or by getting a referral, which is what I recommend. Also, don’t be afraid to compare prices and services different home inspectors offer. 2. Home inspections are not meant to point out cosmetic flaws. Many people will get hung up on a rip in a rug or a crack in the tile. Cosmetic repairs of that nature will be addressed by yourself and your agent, not by your home inspector. 3. A home inspection covers the basics. It will cover the condition of your systems, such as your HVAC, and structural issues of any kind. It will also cover any potential maintenance issues. You’re paying for the inspection, so make sure you follow along with the inspector and listen to everything they have to say. 4. The home inspector is not responsible for things they can’t see. For example, if you buy a home and there is an issue found behind the walls years later, the home inspector is not accountable for that. You need to be comfortable with the home inspection as a whole because there are going to be certain parts of the structure that just can’t be seen. Stick with your home inspector during the inspection to get tips and helpful thoughts about the home. If you have any other questions about home inspections, or if you have any other real estate questions, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’m always happy to help!

If you’re thinking about purchasing a home, you’ll need to order a home inspection. I want to share four things you should know before starting that process.

If you are looking to buy your first home, make sure you follow these five steps to ensure a successful purchase. Buying a Milford home? Get a full Home Search Selling your Milford home? Get a free Home Value Report If you’re a first-time homebuyer looking to make a purchase in 2017, follow these five steps to ensure you end up in your dream home. 1. Make sure you’re working with the right agent. You might have a friend or relative with their real estate license who may or may not sell a home or two a year. However, having a personal relationship with them doesn’t necessarily make them the best choice. You need to make sure your agent understands the marketplace, knows about inventory, can manage the transaction well based on experience, and has great relationships with local lenders. 2. Don’t be afraid to talk to multiple lenders or mortgage brokers. Talking to more than one person will allow you to understand the different options available to you. You don’t have to go forward with a full application until you’ve weighed all your options and picked a direction to go in. 3. Mind your credit score. Moving forward, your score is going to have an important role, either positively or negatively, on what loan product you are able to qualify for. Make sure you are not missing any payments on credit cards, opening new credit cards, or making large purchases that will have a negative impact on your credit score. On the flip side, paying something large off might not have the effect you want it to, so talk to your lender before any large financial decisions are made. 4. Stay at your job. Leaving your job can have an immediate impact on your ability to get a loan. If you really want to change your job, do it before you start the process of getting approved, or wait until after closing. 5. Take your time. Don’t rush this process, especially if you are looking for your first home. Looking at homes for the first time is exciting, and you might be tempted to jump on something because of lack of inventory. However, you need to see enough homes to truly understand what you want in a home. Make sure what you’re writing an offer on is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Make sure the agent you’re working with is experienced and understands the market. If you have a question you’d like me to make a video for, or if you have any other real estate related questions you would like to chat about, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

If you are looking to buy your first home, make sure you follow these five steps to ensure a successful purchase.

If you’re selling your home and you have pets, following these four steps will ensure that they don’t harm the sale. Buying a Milford home? Get a full Home Search Selling your Milford home? Get a free Home Value Report If you’re selling your home and you have pets, you have to prepare for the market a little bit differently. Here are four essential steps you can take so that your home sale goes off without a hitch: 1. Remove any pets from the home during any showings. Having a dog that’s upset and lurking around, for example, while a buyer is walking through the house represents a huge liability if worse comes to worse and that dog decides to bite that buyer. In fact, your insurance company might not even cover that. Even if they’re inside a crate or otherwise restrained, a pet’s presence alone can be distracting to buyers. 2. Prepare your backyard. Because I have two dogs myself, you and I both know that the backyard can turn into a landmine area for pet owners. To make this area look presentable, pick up any droppings and repair any spots that have been dug up or torn out. If you see any discoloration, try and lay down some new sod if you can. And, of course, keep your pets out of this area during any showings. 3. Eliminate any odors. Odors can be a real estate deal-killer, and pet odors are very strong in particular. You might not notice it, but if someone like your Realtor mentions that they can smell pet odor, have your carpet steamed and cleaned and replace any bedding or specialized pillows. Do your best to neutralize this smell, because it can affect not only the saleability of your home but also the value you ultimately get for the sale price. 4. Get rid of any pet hair. If your dog is an excessive shedder, do your best to brush them outside and give them frequent baths. If a buyer has allergies, any kind of dander can cause those to flare up, which can send them running out the door. Also, your home won’t look well-kept if every area of it is coated in pet hair. You might not realize your home has a pet odor, but others will. Following these steps will greatly improve your home’s saleability. If you have any more questions about this topic, feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to talk with you!