The Brian and Kindra Show

On Season 2 Episode 36 of The Brian & Kindra Show, they discuss condition standards for real estate appraisals. For government secured loans, such as USDA, VA, and FHA, and occasionally even for conventional loans, the appraiser conducts an inspection of sorts at the time of appraisal. This inspection is not the same as a general inspection; the goal of the appraisal inspection is to ensure that the home is “safe, secure, and sanitary.” Using that guideline, some issues can be very obvious, but, in reality, some issues are not. Repairs that are listed as “appraisal required repairs” are not optional; if the repairs are not completed, the buyer cannot secure the financing to purchase the home. Since the bank is loaning a very high loan to value amount on the home, secured by a government program, they want to ensure that the home is in good, serviceable condition at the time of purchase to help prevent the possibility of quick deterioration or of issues that would cause a person/family to abandon the home. Deterioration would lower the home’s value and therefore the bank’s ability to recoup its funds in the event of the buyer defaulting, and a major issue that made the buyer simply abandon the home would put the loan in default; both are scenarios that the bank would like very much to avoid. Exterior issues are particularly prevalent. Repainting where paint is cracked & peeling is an appraisal required repair that is seen quite often. This is seen often on siding, particularly “masonite” siding and wood trim. These also have to be free of rot and excessive splits. Other items that Brian & Kindra have commonly seen that require repairs include: smoke detectors must be present & functional; flooring cannot be heavily worn, damaged, or stained; GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets are required for any outlets within 6 feet of water and for garages & exteriors; hot water heaters must be raised if they are natural gas and located in the garage; hot water heaters must have proper venting; and hot water heaters must have a properly installed pressure relief valve and outlet. Your real estate professional should be able to point out some repair issues that may come up during an appraisal so you can get a jump-start on repairs, but the final opinion that matters is that of the appraiser, so simply be prepared that some items may need repaired, and look to your agent to help facilitate those repairs!To listen to the full episode of The Brian & Kindra Show, search for them on your favorite podcast service or check out the video on YouTube by searching “The Brian and Kindra Show”. Brian and Kindra hope this information has been helpful to you. As always, if you have any questions or need help, please feel free to reach out to your local real estate professional.

On Season 2 Episode 35 of The Brian & Kindra Show, they discuss some pitfalls of do-it-yourself projects.Some people are handy, and some think they are handy. When it comes to DIY, it’s important to know your limits & your comfort level. Be sure you are really capable of correctly completing that project before you start! Here are some areas where Brian & Kindra consistently see issues when looking at homes that have had some DIY projects done: Flooring tiles - the tiles are either not consistently spaced, are laid in an incorrect pattern, or are unlevel (sometimes to the point of being dangerous to walk on)Showers - the shower pan leaks, the shower pan is holding water, the drain leaks in/under the floor, the faucet leaks behind the wall, the grout is coming out, or the tile is not consistently laid/spaced. We’ve seen lots of houses that had to have the shower replaced when it came time to sell because the previous DIY shower installation was done incorrectly.Thresholds - mismatched, unlevel, improperly installed, or just plain missing thresholds between flooring changesIncompletition - when we live in the home while doing projects, it’s easy to get used to a piece of your home being incomplete, and you simply never finish the final details.Usually, a DIY project is aimed at saving money, and while everyone wants to save money, sometimes a professional can do the job cheaper than you can buy the tools & materials! Go ahead & get a professional to take a look at the project before you assume it will be drastically cheaper for you to do it yourself. Additionally, what is your time worth? A professional can perform a task incredibly faster than a DIYer, saving you time, energy, and frustrations. Finally, a professional will back up their work! If there’s an issue found after a job is completed, a pro will come back & fix it!However, if you’re going to DIY, do it correctly! Be a finisher, use good products, be detailed, know the right tools for the job, be educated, and, more importantly, use a professional when you need to, even for just a portion of the job!Additionally, sometimes doing it yourself isn’t totally by yourself, but finding the right teacher to help you - such as having a professional work alongside you or, for simpler jobs, watching several videos on YouTube/the internet, making sure you’ve found several videos that teach the same method to ensure that it’s the correct method. To listen to the full episode of The Brian & Kindra Show, search for them on your favorite podcast service or check out the video on YouTube by searching “The Brian and Kindra Show”. Brian and Kindra hope this information has been helpful to you. As always, if you have any questions or need help, please feel free to reach out to your local real estate professional.

On Season 2 Episode 34 of The Brian & Kindra Show, they discuss 7 things that first time homebuyers with they knew.You cannot put a price on a great Realtor®. [And Realtors® cannot put a price on good education.] Part of being a great real estate agent is great education & lots of experience. Because real estate agents work on commission, many try to negotiate their fees, but in real estate agents, as in everything else, you get what you pay for, and real estate agents work hard for their paychecks. Set financial limits on yourself. Often, after speaking with your lender, you will end up preapproved for a larger purchase price, with larger monthly payments, than you will be comfortable repaying. Be sure to have your budget completed and know what you want your monthly payment to be, then your lender can tell you what purchase prices fit within your limits. You can get a home warranty. A home warranty is really a type of insurance to help pay for the major systems in home to be repaired or replaced should they fail. (Think heat & a/c, water heater, dishwasher, etc.) You can buy a home warranty at the time that you purchase your home, you can negotiate the purchase of one into your offer to purchase a home, or you can buy one at any time if you are an existing homeowner. Consult your local real estate agent for their recommendations on a home warranty company. Be prepared to move fast. Homes that are desirable go under contract quickly! This is why it’s important to be preapproved, so when you find the home you want, you can make an offer immediately. Additionally, the contract states that “time is of the essence”, and a lot happens quickly once under contract. Just know, once under contract, the work doesn’t stop, and you need to be prepared to be responsive to your lender & real estate agent.If you see something, say something. There are no dumb questions! Don’t be shy when looking through a house about asking any questions or pointing out any issues that you see. If there is something on the contract that confuses you, just ask. You have to be ready to walk away. You need to know what you are comfortable with as a purchase price for a given home, and you need to be prepared to walk away if you cannot make the deal fit your requirements or if you get a bad feeling.You have to listen to your opinion above all others. Buyers, especially first time home buyers, love to bring others along when house-hunting. This results in a variety of opinions and “helpful” advice. While two heads are better than one and experienced opinions are super valuable, you have to make sure that you listen to your opinion above all others. Deal breakers for some are not deal breakers for others. Know what you want and what you can handle. To listen to the full episode of The Brian & Kindra Show, search for them on your favorite podcast service or check out the video on YouTube by searching “The Brian and Kindra Show”. Brian and Kindra hope this information has been helpful to you. As always, if you have any questions or need help, please feel free to reach out to your local real estate professional.

On Season 2 Episode 32 of The Brian & Kindra Show, they are joined by Branson Brewer to discuss essential maintenance tasks for homeowners. Shutting off the water: It’s important to know where to shut off the water for the various fixtures in your home in case a leak springs up or to replace fixtures. Some homes have a main shut off valve that will cut the water to the entire home. If you don’t have a main shut off, you can call the water municipality to shut off your water at the meter. If you need to only have the water off for one fixture, you should be able to find a single shut off valve just for that fixture. Circuit breakers: Know where your breaker box is located, and it’s a good idea to have it clearly labeled. If a circuit breaker trips often, make sure you’re not running too many items on the same breaker. If the problem persists, call a licensed electrician to repair the breaker. This is not an inconvenience to simply live with, but an important issue to have properly corrected.Air filters: Depending on your air conditioner, you may need to change your air filters monthly, semi-annually, or annually. Be sure to know what filters you need to change & when. Additionally, some units have filters outside the unit and another in the unit itself. Be sure to keep these changed/clean in order to keep your unit efficient, to extend its working life, and to keep it from getting so clogged that the unit freezes up. A good tip is to put your air filter on automatic delivery and its arrival at your doorstep will remind you to change it on schedule!Dryer vents: A commonly missed maintenance item is the dryer vent! To keep your dryer functioning efficiently and to prevent the build-up of lint from catching fire, it’s important to clean out your dryer vent at least annually. Clean the entire length of the vent - from the dryer to the exterior of your home.Unclogging a drain: The best way to address drains is to have a proper cover on them to prevent hair & soap from clogging them up. If you do encounter a clog, try tools made to grab the hair clog before you turn to chemicals. Pouring boiling water down your drains monthly to help prevent build up before it becomes an issue.Essential tools for Homeowners: The most used tools for many homeowners are a shop vac & an electric drill! Otherwise, it’s a good idea to have a toolbox outfitted with: a hammer, screwdrivers, a measuring tape, a flashlight, pliers, a utility knife, a putty knife, an adjustable wrench, duct tape, a level, and a stud finder. You’ll also want to have a plunger handy!To listen to the full episode of The Brian & Kindra Show, search for them on your favorite podcast service or check out the video on YouTube by searching “The Brian and Kindra Show”. Brian and Kindra hope this information has been helpful to you. As always, if you have any questions or need help, please feel free to reach out to your local real estate professional.