Loudell Insley - Salisbury MD Real Estate Agent and Homes for Sale

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Buyers: Listen to the house. What does it tell you?

March 30, 2015 by Loudell Insley

house inspection

Dressing a house for success is the in-thing these days. And that is good, because it reduces the personal distractions so the buyer can, presumably do his job – look at the house. So please don’t be distracted by the sizzle: how lovely the house is, or the colors, the lighting and music, etc. Stop and listen to the house, feel it, see it.

Way too often buyers rely on the home inspector to find the problems in the house when they could have seen for themselves the flags waving that signaled this house might not be a good fit for them. Particularly if they are not handy around the house.

Buyers tend to spend too little time in a house before writing an offer. Go back for a second or third look. Then do a little investigating of your own. First thing, when you walk into the house, stop and feel it. Does it feel solid to you? Air tight? No wiggle or sloping of the floors? Do the walls at the ceiling show signs of parting and if so, why? Do the doors stay put or do they close on their own? Perhaps that signals a settlement issue, or maybe not. If there are a number of these little signals, though, be careful.

Look under the sinks for dampness where there might be water leaks, the ceilings where there might be issues such as water stains. Any leaks around faucets, toilets? Check the water pressure, taste the water, smell it, how long does it take for the hot water to reach the shower. These are not disqualifying things, but they are part of knowing the house. There are often settlement cracks which are not unusual. But are there more than usual? How about that big one? If it’s an older house, perhaps it is a “permanent” one that is a cosmetic challenge but not a structural issue. Adjust the thermostat to see how quickly the house is heated, or in summer how quickly the temperature falls….but don’t switch back and forth from heat to air conditioning, you could damage the machinery.

Why do this? Because a home that has been consistently maintained is a healthier building, one that will have fewer issues farther down the line. You can change the colors and the other cosmetic issues rather easily, but to fix old problems is not only aggravating but costly.

Finally, does it sing to you? Do you feel its vibes? If so, it may be the house of your dreams. So then you turn the home inspector loose on the house so he can a) teach you how the house works, where the cutoff switches are, how to run this or that piece of equipment. b) Find the structural and mechanical problems you can’t. He should crawl under the house and look around for issues the owner probably isn’t even aware of. A good inspector knows what to look for and, if you share with him your concerns from your own close inspection that will insure an even better home inspection and more peace of mind for you.

The bottom line is you are probably committing to spend a big chunk of your hard-earned income on this purchase, bigger than anything else you’ve ever purchased, so learn as much about it as you can before and during the purchasing process to avoid bad surprises later.

Life is good and getting better!

loudell

Filed Under: From the Blog Tagged With: home selling tips, inspection tips, loudells tips

Thinking of moving closer to the kids?

March 3, 2015 by Loudell Insley

sbcp

Americans are highly mobile.  In fact some of the most mobile groups of people are seniors relocating to live near their children and grandchildren.  Or to avoid the high real estate taxes in their home states.

Whatever the reason, stop to consider how many friends you have made over the years that you will be leaving behind.  It’s not so easy to make new friends in your new location.  We tend to forget how many friends we have made and dropped over the years.  How many friendships did you make through your children while helping them at school?  Here are a few points to ponder as you plan your future.

Does the community you are moving into have a means for you to meet new people?  Is there a club house or does the town have a lot of activities?  Perhaps there is a college where you could learn more about a subject you enjoy.  Is there a community center? A cultural center? Somewhere to go when you are bored out of your head?  Do you enjoy hiking, antiquing, crafts, the arts, golf or tennis?  I call this a life support system.

You need ways to meet people because you can’t spend all your time with your kids.  And what if your children change jobs and move out of state?  They might have a relocation package to help with their expenses, but you won’t have one.  You may be left behind in a strange community in a market in which you cannot easily sell your house. And you know no one.

Salisbury, MD has institutions of higher education, tons of nearby golf courses and tennis courts, good shopping and restaurants, outdoor sports, a thriving arts and cultural center.  If you are considering a move, touch base with me.  This is my favorite hometown.  I was born and reared here and can help you “get involved.”

Life is good and getting better!

loudell

Filed Under: From the Blog Tagged With: home buying tips, loudells tips, retirement

Should You List Now or Wait Until Spring?

November 25, 2014 by Loudell Insley

small houseIt’s that time of year . . . again.

Who wants to be bothered during the holidays with “tire kickers” looking at your house? Serious prospects are what you want, so why not wait until spring when the flowers are blooming and it’s more pleasant to leave your house for a showing? Or, are you thinking that the time on the market will increase while no one is looking at your home, so wouldn’t you be better off just taking it off the market during the holidays and then putting it back on in the spring? Are you serious? As in, are you serious about selling your house?

Optional buyers, people who are moving around town because they are tired of their houses, may be more likely to skip looking at houses during the holiday season because heaven forbid they should find a one they want and then have to put their own house on the market during the holidays! Optional buyers, the tire kickers, those who have not sense of urgency do tend to drop out of the shopping mode.

But, what about people who are relocating to your area? They often take a holiday vacation to look at homes in their soon-to-be-new-hometown. If your house is not on the market, they aren’t going to see it. While the market for home buyers slows down during the holiday season, serious buyers do not. And isn’t that really what you are looking for? Serious buyers.

And with other home sellers waiting until spring to market their homes, now is the ideal time to be selling your house . . . competition is down. If someone wants to see your house in the snow, on a cold, dreary day, or simply an unexpected time in the winter like during an important playoff game, you can bet they are not tire kickers, they are serious buyers.

So, keep your house available to be shown during the holiday season. And make it as easy to show as you can by cleaning the steps of debris and snow. Keep the yard raked, clean the gutters, and turn on the lights inside when they are expected. Make your toasty home shout: Welcome home! ‘Tis the season to sell a home.

Life is good and getting better!

loudell

Filed Under: From the Blog Tagged With: home selling tips, loudells tips

What Important Information is Your Agent Leaving Out of Your Listing Brochure?

July 9, 2014 by Loudell Insley

tape measure

Are you frustrated because your house hasn’t sold?  It may be because the price is not right for the current market conditions.  That is usually the situation.  The price reflects not just the market activity but also the appearance of the house.  Is it clean? Picked up? Have you customized the children’s bedrooms with colors that are not neutral and really don’t show well in photographs? All of these are things to consider.  But there is something else, too.

More and more often I see listings in the MLS system that do not show the rooms or the room’s dimensions as part of the standard information available to customers and agents alike.  When asked, those listing agents have told me they do not put that info into their listing brochures because they are concerned they will be sued because the measurements might not be correct.  Well, if the measurements are that critical to the buyer, it has been my experience the buyer will re-measure the room or the wall for themselves to be certain.  I tell my buyers to never buy carpet based on a Realtor’s measurements!

When a listing brochure does not include the rooms and their sizes, the agent is doing his seller a disservice.  Imagine if you were a buyer looking for a 3 or 4 bedroom home. The fourth bedroom you want to convert into an office or weight room, but the listing agent hasn’t indicated how many rooms are in the house. A three bedroom home with another room might work if only it were identified. The same applies to a 3000 or 4000 sq.ft. house. Buyers need different spaces for their lifestyles.  A  buyer may skip over a property because the basic information on the house isn’t included. What other important information has the agent not bothered to mention?
When interviewing prospective agents to sell your house, ask them if they include the rooms and the rooms’ dimensions in their listings. Better still, ask to see their MLS listing brochures to see how comprehensively they have completed the form.  Are the taxes included?  The water and sewer fees? Don’t let your agent get sloppy about the information they include with their MLS listing.  It is important stuff.

Life is good and getting better!

loudell

Filed Under: From the Blog Tagged With: home selling tips, loudells tips

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Loudell Insley Long & Foster Salisbury Maryland "I’ve always said ‘life is better in Salisbury.’ Why? Its residents truly care about the area and get involved to make it a great community. It’s a privilege for me to use my knowledge and experience to help people make the best decisions when it comes to their homes here.” [Read More...]

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