How To Keep Your Pets Safe During Your Home Sale

How To Keep Your Pets Safe During Your Home SaleIf you have pet, you probably wonder what you can do to keep them safe after you decide to put your home up for sale. With all the disruption going on during a home sale, it’s all too easy for pets to get lost, frightened or even injured. Learn how to keep your beloved pets safe during your home sale.

Provide An Oasis During Repair Work

Most home sellers make a few repairs before allowing agents to show the home for sale. In some cases, repairs can be extensive, leading to a lot of construction materials, tools and strange new items in the home. This can be frightening for pets as they watch their once familiar setting undergo changes.

Make sure your pet has someplace to get away. They should have their own oasis where everything is still the same. It may be their doghouse, a spot in the corner in your bedroom, or a basement, as long as they can escape to familiar surroundings.

Keep Routines

Pets are creatures of habit. They can easily become disoriented or frightened when their routine is disrupted, as is so often the case during a home sale. Meals may be sporadic, food and water dishes may get moved around the room, and regular walk times can be overlooked.

To keep your pets safe from stress, try to keep their routines as unchanged as possible, including small things like those quiet moments when they like to sit on your lap at the end of the day or during your morning coffee.

Take Them With You During Showings

Your real estate agent advises that you and your family leave the home during showings. But you should bring your pets with you, too. Leaving pets behind in the garage, barn, basement or behind a closed door really isn’t a great idea. Curious homebuyers could inadvertently come upon your pet, giving both parties a shock. A startled pet might even run off or lash out.

Instead, keep a pet carrier in the car for use when you and your family have to leave for showings. You’ll keep the whole family together and your homebuyers can freely explore your entire property.

These pet safety tips will ensure that your pet will get through the home sale process as smoothly as possible. It’s really just a matter of providing a little oasis, maintaining routines, and avoiding buyer and pet interactions.

If you are interested in buying a new property or refinancing your current property, be sure to contact your trusted home mortgage professional for information about current financing options.

Top 5 Ways To Pick A High Quality Real Estate Agent

Top 5 Ways To Pick A High Quality Real Estate AgentYour real estate agent can be the difference between a successful home buy and a bad purchase. Take a look at the characteristics of a good real estate agent and how you should vet your next partner in real estate.

Patience

Does the real estate agent immediately tell you to give up your rights to audit a home for a quicker sale? You may want to move on. The best real estate agents realize how big of a commitment a home is, and they are willing to walk you through the process at whatever pace you are comfortable with.

Localized Knowledge

There are major differences in the buying process between cities. You need a real estate agent with a knowledge of local ordinances, building and zoning laws and culture. This will save you a great deal of money, believe it or not.

Negotiation Skills

You will go through a number of negotiations with opposing parties during the course of buying or selling a house. You can take them on yourself, but they can be difficult considering that you will likely be facing a real estate agent on the other end. It is usually advisable to have a professional with similar experience on your side. Pick a real estate agent who is not afraid to fight for you at the closing table.

Connections

The best deals in any real estate market may not be public knowledge. You may not even be able to get into certain neighborhoods or business districts unless you know somebody. Your agent should be able to help you in this regard. Pick an agent who is established in your marketplace and well connected.

Other Clients’ Experiences

No real estate agent worth his or her salt will have a problem showing you testimonials and reviews of clients that they have served in the past. You may ask to speak to other clients of that real estate agent if you would like to know their experience buying or selling their home.

Sometimes the best indicator of success is the stories of other people who have been in your shoes. Also, look at the ratings, reviews and testimonials of your agent on their website or other review sites. These are great resources to learn about other clients’ experience.

Another key partner in your home buying experience is your trusted home mortgage professional. Be sure to make contact if you are ready to get pre-approved for a new home loan or find our about options to refinance your current property.

Should You Buy A Fixer Upper Or Move-In Ready Home?

Should You Buy A Fixer Upper Or Move-In Ready HomeThere’s a lot to be said for buying a move-in ready home. All you have to do is put your things away and start living your life. On the other hand, buying a fixer upper has its advantages, too. You can get a great bargain on a fixer upper home. So which one should you choose?

Here are some things to consider.

You Can Easily Afford To Buy What You Want

If money is no object, then a move-in ready home is the best choice. You’ll be able to get exactly the home you want with little or no effort decorating it the way you want. If you’re the kind of person who can hire an interior decorator, then you’ll likely want to spend time decorating, not reconstructing.

You Like A Challenge

If you think of owning a home as an adventure rather than a convenience, consider buying a fixer upper. You’ll have lots of interesting challenges, like figuring out where to buy those non-standard replacement windows, how to reinforce a floor for a tile installation and much more.

You’re Older And Just Want To Settle Down

Renovating a fixer upper requires energy and strength. If you’re older or you tire easily, buying a move-in ready home might be a better strategy. A fixer upper might be too much to handle if you attempt all the work without professional help.

Money Is Tight

If you feel you would be strapped financially to buy a move-in ready home with all the bells and whistles, consider a fixer upper. You’ll be able to easily handle the mortgage payment. You’ll be able to renovate on your own schedule, according to when you can afford new building materials.

You’re Looking For An Investment

If you’re looking to get fast equity out of your home purchase, a fixer upper is definitely a smart move. Once you complete the renovations you could refinance on the higher value and bank the profits.

As you can see, fixer uppers and move in ready homes are both good values, depending on your own situation. Hopefully this list of pros and cons will help you make the right choice for your lifestyle.

Your trusted mortgage professional is available to go over your financing options and get your pre-approval ready for when you find your perfect home.