Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Home Owners Warranties...Are they a good thing?
What about Homeowners Warranties? When negotiating a deal I suggest to my buyers to ask for a Home Owners Warranty from the sellers. It's sense of security for the buyers. In return I always suggest to my sellers to offer a homeowners warranty to buyers, again it creates a sense of security. But I also tell my buyers about a personal experience I'd had when purchasing a home with a homeowner's warranty. One of the first things I suggest they do when they get into their new home is call a good heating and air conditioning company and have them service the furnace and air conditioner. When my husband and I purchased our current home in 2002 we negotiated a homeowners warranty. It was a chilly April and one week after moving in the furnace motor went out. We called our Home Owners Warranty company (their name will go un-mentioned) and they sent out one of their contract service people. The service man went in, looked at the furnace and said it hadn't been maintained and that's why the motor went out. I was sure to tell him we'd only lived in the home a week, but that didn't matter he told me it wasn't covered because it hadn't been cleaned and maintained. Had I called for someone to service the furnace immediately upon moving in the furnace wouldn't have been filled with an accumulation of dust and dirt and would more than likely been covered. Do I feel homeowner's warranties are valuable? Yes, I do, but I always suggest to my buyers to have their heating and cooling maintenance done immediately upon moving in! Posted by: Fran White http://www.kansascity-realestate.net/
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Seller's Disclosures: EXAMPLE of the Importance
Importance, again, of Seller's Disclosures
Last week I wrote about the importance of Seller's Disclosures.
This past weekend I had a prime example. I was showing Mr. And Mrs. Buyer a really nice patio/villa home with a lake view in the 340K range. There were no seller's disclosures in the home which I knew since this was our second showing. I called the listing agent for it at 9 AM and she faxed it to me after noon. When we received the seller's disclosure each page had been X'ed through and not completed. In addition there was an engineer report because there had been heaving in the basement floor, repairs made by the owner, and of course no warranty on them. These two documents managed to totally turn my buyers against the property even though they were ready to make an offer. Not to mention the agent calling me and telling me that she just got word that another agent was sending her an offer. I can't stress the importance of Seller's Disclosures! Granted the current owner (the builders of the community) bought the property back from the owner and did the repairs on the basement.... And still didn't update the Seller's Disclosure after doing the repairs. It literally killed the deal!
This showing was Sunday. Today (Tuesday) the listing agent calls me and says, "what happened to you, you fell off the face of the earth".... She continued with, "well we're hammering out the details of this offer I got from the other agent and........" I just told her that my clients were no longer interested and why they weren't. I said it in a really nice way...... but as we hung up I had to wonder..... was she shopping offers?
Here's a taste of a home for sale in Kansas City Mo area. And it has a Seller's Disclosure.
© Fran White, REALTOR 2006
Last week I wrote about the importance of Seller's Disclosures.
This past weekend I had a prime example. I was showing Mr. And Mrs. Buyer a really nice patio/villa home with a lake view in the 340K range. There were no seller's disclosures in the home which I knew since this was our second showing. I called the listing agent for it at 9 AM and she faxed it to me after noon. When we received the seller's disclosure each page had been X'ed through and not completed. In addition there was an engineer report because there had been heaving in the basement floor, repairs made by the owner, and of course no warranty on them. These two documents managed to totally turn my buyers against the property even though they were ready to make an offer. Not to mention the agent calling me and telling me that she just got word that another agent was sending her an offer. I can't stress the importance of Seller's Disclosures! Granted the current owner (the builders of the community) bought the property back from the owner and did the repairs on the basement.... And still didn't update the Seller's Disclosure after doing the repairs. It literally killed the deal!
This showing was Sunday. Today (Tuesday) the listing agent calls me and says, "what happened to you, you fell off the face of the earth".... She continued with, "well we're hammering out the details of this offer I got from the other agent and........" I just told her that my clients were no longer interested and why they weren't. I said it in a really nice way...... but as we hung up I had to wonder..... was she shopping offers?
Here's a taste of a home for sale in Kansas City Mo area. And it has a Seller's Disclosure.
© Fran White, REALTOR 2006
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Seller's Disclosures in Kansas City MO
It seems lately I have seen a drastic amount of information missing on the sellers disclosure. When I say missing ... I mean left blank.
I don't know about you but when I am getting ready to show buyers the Sellers Disclosure is EXTREMELY important to me as a showing and selling tool.
In my neck of the woods, Kansas City MO, rarely do the buyers ever come in face to face contact with the sellers - so there's never an opportunity for the buyers to ask the sellers questions... so the sellers disclosure pretty much answer the basic major questions.
If I turn to the sellers disclosure and the age of the furnace or central air unit isn't filled in - my mind normally says "really old" especially if none of the rest of the house has been updated.
If there is information not complete, I really begin to wonder to wonder what else they don't want a prospective buyer to know. I guess it suits to say lacking information puts me on guard.
As a listing agent I go through the sellers disclosure with a fine toothcomb to make sure everything is completed.
I also make sure there are extra copies left in the home should the buyers agent not have one.
Another situation that I have come across ... if the sellers had a contract on the home and the sale fell apart during the renegotiation process after inspections - I always have the sellers update that sellers disclosure!
Take a look at this home for sale in Kansas City MO
©Fran White, REALTOR 2006
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Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Buyers Get Insurance During Inspection Period
Acquiring Insurance During the Inspection Period
The real estate company that I work for, Reece and Nichols, is going to start requiring that buyers get an insurance commitment with a binder during the 10 day Inspection Period... and I think it's a great idea.
I have to say that I have been telling my buyers for the past 8 months that this was coming. I haven't had any last minute problems with clients not being able to get their prospective homes insured because I've been suggesting that they contact their insurance company during the 10 day inspection period.
It saves a lot of time and hassles and you are not hung out to dry one week before closing because the insurance company went out to take pictures and prepare for insuring the property and they found something not pleasing. There isn't anything worse than a call from your insurance company that says:
"Houston we've got a problem!" (I guess that would be Kansas City in this instance :)
Surprisingly enough, yesterday in sales meeting our broker told us that with the contract changes for the upcoming year, he's heard changes that include the requirement that the insurance commitment with a binder will be required within the inspection period.
Quite frankly I'm glad! I guess when you lead the industry in Kansas City Real Estate, you should lead by example.
© Fran White, REALTOR 2006
The real estate company that I work for, Reece and Nichols, is going to start requiring that buyers get an insurance commitment with a binder during the 10 day Inspection Period... and I think it's a great idea.
I have to say that I have been telling my buyers for the past 8 months that this was coming. I haven't had any last minute problems with clients not being able to get their prospective homes insured because I've been suggesting that they contact their insurance company during the 10 day inspection period.
It saves a lot of time and hassles and you are not hung out to dry one week before closing because the insurance company went out to take pictures and prepare for insuring the property and they found something not pleasing. There isn't anything worse than a call from your insurance company that says:
"Houston we've got a problem!" (I guess that would be Kansas City in this instance :)
Surprisingly enough, yesterday in sales meeting our broker told us that with the contract changes for the upcoming year, he's heard changes that include the requirement that the insurance commitment with a binder will be required within the inspection period.
Quite frankly I'm glad! I guess when you lead the industry in Kansas City Real Estate, you should lead by example.
© Fran White, REALTOR 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Saturday, November 04, 2006
14400 Bristol, Grandview, MO $149,900.00
This absolutely gorgeous, well maintained home has been meticulously cared for by it's original owners. It's located in River Oaks Subdivision in Grandview, Missouri and is for sale for $149,900.00. If you would like to see this home, please give me a call: Fran White, REALTOR ®, Reece and Nichols Residential, 816-682-3897
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Larger Houses...Smaller Yards?
New Homes Get Bigger, Yards Get Smaller (June 2, 2006) -- Apparently, bigger is better when it comes to new single-family homes. Despite the dwindling size of households, new homes are getting bigger and bigger — averaging 2,400 square feet in 2005, according to the National Association of Home Builders. That’s a 50 percent increase over the typical 1,600 square foot new home built in 1973. Among other facts and trends revealed in the association's report on new homes:
One-fourth of new homes have at least three bathrooms.
Ceilings are at least 9 to 10 feet on the first floor and upscale houses have a standard ceiling height of 10 to 12 feet on the first floor and 9 feet on the second floor.
Front doors are single and wider.
The living room in homes with less than 3,000 square feet are being replaced by a room known as a den, parlor, retreat, library or music room. In homes larger than 3,000 square feet, living rooms are remaining.
Stairs are moving from the front of the house to the middle or the rear.
Master baths have shower stalls and a compartmentalized toilet. Mid-to-upscale homes have multiple shower heads and a tub. Upscale homes will continue to have whirlpool tubs even though nobody ever actually uses them.
Yards are shrinking. The American yard is expected to decline to 7,000 square feet from today’s 9,000 square feet in the next few years. Source: Chicago Tribune (06/02/2006)
Monday, May 08, 2006
Kansas City Real Estate
Kansas City Real Estate is the best way to explain ME!
I've grown up in the Kansas City area and am licensed in Missouri and Kansas.
This lovely 4 bedroom, 1 bath, story and a half is located in beautiful Liberty.
To see a virtual tour of this property visit either of my websites:
www.kansascity-realestate.net OR www.franwhite.reeceandnichols.com
It's a beauty and will not be on the market long....don't miss your opportunity to own it!
Monday, March 20, 2006
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