Life on the Radio

A few months ago I was offered a rare opportunity. I was asked if I wanted to host a local radio show discussing all things real estate. I hesitated for a moment because I was 24 hours away from heading north on the 395 to Lake Tahoe for a week of relaxing and time with family. I relented and said yes.

When I got home the need to prepare set in. What will we talk about? Do we have to name the show? Will I have a co-host. The answers, simply, were I don't know, yes and yes. My wife took care of the name quickly. She said, how about, "All the Right Moves?" A play on words for making good decisions and the end result of buying or selling a home, moving.

I solved the third question by asking a Broker-Associate in my office to co-host. His name is Jeff Moore and along with his real estate expertise he has over 20 years mortgage experience. We would make a great team while complementing each other.

We now have a dozen shows under our belt and find it easier each show to discuss all things real estate. One segment that became a listener favorite is "I Knew a Guy." In it we discuss people we knew who made a bad decision regarding a purchase or sale of a home or in their attempt in getting a loan. We don't give out personal info but we do offer a solution or morale to the story. This helps our listeners learn while being entertained. That last part may not always happen, but we try.

Our show isn't all about real estate. We throw in some stories about faith, family and politics too, just to keep it fun. Most of the show provides questions and stories about what you need to know before your next real estate purchase. Better to listen before so you can Make All the Right Moves!

There are many ways to listen to the show so take a moment and check us out. You can listen live on AM 590 The Answer by radio or on the web. If you're interested in archived shows you can try www.SoundCloud.com/JeffMaas/AlltheRightMoves.

How To Not Fall for the Wrong Home

So you're looking to buy a home. It is fall, market traffic has slowed with the starting of school, but for you it's a great time to start shopping. However, not unlike House shopping at any other time of the year, it's plenty easy to fall for the wrong home. So what should you do?

Well first off you need to get pre-approved. A pre-approval is basically your lender giving you an amount of money he or she can give you for a house. There's no way for you to have a REALISTIC idea of what you can buy without pre-approval. It would be like trying to buy a TV but not knowing if you have 100 or 1000 dollars. 

Once you've been pre-approved you're going to want to start looking at houses. When you're doing so, you're going to want to be considering not only your daily activities but your potential activities later in life. Keep in mind that you'll want to live in this house for a few years before selling it will even be worth it. Consider the flow of the house, how people move around, does that fit with your daily life? If you and your spouse plan on children will the house accommodate them? Are there enough bedrooms? Are there enough bathrooms for the morning rush? Where will your kids put their back packs, and do their homework?

These are just a few things to think about. If you're not sure just  by looking at the house, stay a bit and run around the house even if you look ridiculous. You're making a huge investment with a house, you should be certain you can comfortably live your life in it. 

So let's say the flow is great but keep in mind you're not done yet. You also need to look at the basics of the home. By that I mean the basic features of the home. For instance, if you never cook, why have a house with big, decked out kitchen? Why have a large, fancy, delightfully posh dining room if you always eat on the couch? Keep in mind that the wallpaper, appliances and carpet can be easily changed, but the floor plan... Not so much. Make sure you're not sacrificing or investing for or in something you do not actually need, or ever see you and your family using. 

Lastly, never settle. If you ever say, "I guess this one will do." don't buy the house. Remember a house is a commitment and a huge investment. Why settle? I wrote another blog called "Why you should just buy the better home", check it out, it may help. 

As always, if you have any questions, stop by or call National Realty Group. We are the One-Stop Solution offering Real Estate Sales and Mortgages. You can also visit our website at NationalRealtyGroup.com. We’ll do our best to get you the information you need so you can get into the right house for you.