The Brian and Kindra Show

On Season 2, Episode 7 of The Brian and Kindra Show, they shared that buying or selling a home can be stressful, but it can be especially overwhelming for a first time home buyer.  Brian and Kindra share some good questions to ask during your home search. There are a lot of items in the home that may surprise you when it comes to what stays with the property and what goes with the seller.  The contract used by Brian and Kindra and many Realtors in our area includes a list of items considered fixtures of the property.  Often, we generally say ‘anything attached stays’, but that is also confusing as some decorations are attached to the wall and would not stay!! Our contract states the following items would stay: Freestanding stoves, mirrors, window treatments (including curtains, rods, blinds, shades), fireplace equipment, garage door openers and remotes (if any), flag poles, landscaping, and exterior lighting.  TV Mounts should stay with a home, but many sellers desire to take those with them.  Should that be the case, the seller should remove it prior to listing the property and make appropriate repairs to the walls if damaged from the removal.  If you are unsure what stays, make sure you ask your showing realtor to verify with the listing associate regarding questionable items.  Items that may not stay with the home include storage sheds and refrigerators!  If these ‘big ticket items’ are on your wish list, be sure to ask for them in your contract.  Next up, it is important to fully review the property condition disclosures about a property.  This can still be somewhat confusing as the disclosures ask the seller to note if items are in ‘normal working order’.  Throughout their years in real estate, Brian and Kindra have learned that people tend to have varying degrees of what they consider to be normal.  If there are things on the disclosures that you have questions about, please be sure to ask for additional information.   Ask about any additions or major reservations. It’s one thing to paint or change light fixtures, but major renovations like knocking down walls, or major additions could have been done. Also ask about the age of the roof.  It would also be a good idea to have your realtor verify if there are any transferable warranties that are included with the property.  This could include appliances, windows, siding, heating and air systems, water heaters etc.You may also be curious regarding the age of the various systems and appliances in the home.  Certainly ask for all available information.  While some sellers may have limited knowledge of the age of these items, some may have very valuable information of not only the age, but the service records and technicians used for installation, repair or maintenance.  The bottom line is to not be afraid of asking questions. Brian and Kindra hope these tips have 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 6 of The Brian and Kindra Show, they discussed how to build equity in your home. It’s important to keep in mind first and foremost that the main factor in the amount of equity found in your home is based on the market.  If the market has decreased since your home purchase it may be a greater challenge to realize equity.  Still, the following tips will help you to build equity in most cases.  This first recommendation seems almost like it’s too simple of an idea to even mention.  A larger down payment typically helps you to begin having a little bit of equity already in your new home.  It can help you to continue to build equity quicker, as you will have a lower monthly payment. Then, pay more each month toward your principal balance and build more equity and pay your home off early!  Even small additions to your payments can take years off your mortgage. You can also refinance your mortgage to a shorter loan term. However, if you do a 30 year mortgage, you can pay extra on your mortgage and still have a 15 year payment, depending on how much extra you pay.Another option for building equity is by renovating your home. Sometimes, this can be tricky.  For example, new paint doesn’t particularly increase equity, but certainly can increase saleability.  And saleability equals equity.  There are certain home features that home buyers will view negatively and things you can do to have more desirability amongst the market.  If you upgrade your house to be more appealing to the general population, it will be easier to sell. If you are wanting to sell and raise equity in your home, call Brian and Kindra and they will come look at it and give you free feedback based on the feedback they frequently hear from buyers and other agents.  Brian and Kindra hope these tips have 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 5 of The Brian and Kindra Show they discussed the steps of preparing to sell your home. If you are a pre-planner and know that your intended relocation is in 6 months, it is absolutely appropriate to find an agent at that time. The agent will do a comparative market analysis, comparing your home to what’s sold previously and what’s listed currently in similar style, location, condition, and size. This analysis gives two prices: one based on where your home fits in the current listed market and the second on how your home compares to previously sold homes.  This number may change as the market can be very fluid, but it does give an idea in advance.  The agent can also provide valuable feedback on the condition of the home and what should be repaired or replaced. Another idea Brian and Kindra recommend is to invite an honest friend over and ask for their feedback on the condition of your home so that you can use your time efficiently and have your house in tip top shape prior to listing. If you are approximately 60 days out from selling, it’s time to get serious about your repairs. You want to get back in touch with your realtor and make sure you’re on track to get any repairs done. This is also a good time to ask your realtor how they will market your property. Depending on the home type, marketing can differentiate but most common are great pictures, virtual tours, newspaper, websites, and social media. The virtual tour system that Brian and Kindra use is high-definition and provides a feeling of being in the house without ever seeing it in person. The home is also posted on MLS (Multiple Listing Service) thus allowing other agents and other agent’s buyers to see homes. During this time you should find where your abstract is, where all the manuals are to your home appliances. Most importantly, now is the time to declutter and donate. Getting rid of your unneeded items before you start packing will help you when you move and will help your home to be more show ready. One month out, you need to work hard on your curb appeal and deep cleaning. Curb appeal is important because buyers will see the outside of the home first and get their first impression there. Along with that, the deep cleaning is important because the realtor will want to take photos of the home before it’s on the market not to mention how appealing a clean home is to buyers. Brian and Kindra hope these tips have 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 4 of The Brian and Kindra Show, they discussed how to prepare to purchase a home. When preparing to purchase your first home, you may find it helpful to set goals. These goals can help you from first getting pre-approved for a loan, all the way through moving in. Finances should be the first goal you set. You need a good credit score. Check your credit score via an online resource or through a lender. Credit is how well one manages and pays off debt. Credit cards are a big factor in credit. The best practice is to keep credit cards under 30% of their limit. Your credit score affects the interest rate of your loan. Down payments of a home can appear daunting. Most people think that you need 10-20% down payment. However, that’s not true. Most people can get a FHA home loan with 3.5% down payment.  There are a lot of different options with down payments. A lender can help you find the best loan type for your purchase. The trickiest part of purchasing a home are the closing costs. It costs money to borrow money. Closing costs, outside of your down payment, can be $6,000 to $8,000.   Closing costs cover approximately 15 months of insurance, your taxes, and other lender expenses. Down payments and closing costs are two seperate things!Arguably, homes can/cannot be an investment. If you plan to be in a home long-term and pay off the mortgage, it is a financial investment. However, if you don’t plan to be somewhere long and like to hop around, you may not find it to be a financial investment. Regardless of how long you are in a home, owning a property is an investment for your family. The comfort of having a steady home is a comforting investment, even if it is not a financial one. To summarize, finances are the biggest part of preparing to purchase a home. Speak with a lender before you even start looking at houses.  Talk to a Realtor while you are planning and preparing.  Their expertise will guide you on the necessary steps to purchase. Brian and Kindra hope these tips have 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 3 of The Brian and Kindra Show, they discussed cleaning methods & techniques for common household appliances.  A clean, fresh smelling home is very attractive to buyers! One of the areas our agents often notice odors is in the utility area.  Your washing machine can start to smell sour and mildewy if you leave the lid shut when not in use. Allowing the washer to air out is an easy way to avoid this odor. On a front load machine the seal at the door can become built up with old water/residue. Simply wiping it off after use can help eliminate or avoid odors.  It is even wise to periodically clean your washer.  To clean a top-load washer, there are 4 cycles to run: 1, fill it up with hot water and pour a quart of bleach into the washer, let the cycle run and let it sit for an hour. 2, wash a cycle with NO bleach to clear all the bleach out. 3, run a cycle with vinegar. 4, run another water only cycle to clear out the vinegar.  There are also special cleaning tablets that can be tossed into your machine periodically to freshen it.  Keeping the dryer clean is also important, particularly as a safety precaution.  The lint trap should be cleaned after every use. Also, you should routinely check the dryer hose in the back and the dryer vents. There are tool kits available to help clean inside hoses to remove lint that is not caught in the trap and accumulates elsewhere.  Microwaves can get really gross!  A great way to clean the microwave is to put a bowl of water into the microwave (add lemon for scent) and microwave it, letting the steam build up. After, you should be able to easily wipe the microwave clean. If you have a microwave that is above the stove, be sure to clean the grease filter too. This can be an easy job as you can throw it in the dishwasher and the job is done!With the glass top electric stoves, a little extra TLC can keep your appliance looking new. A good quality cleaner can make a huge difference in your cleaning power!  You can, with caution, use a sharp razor blade if necessary. With gas stove tops, cleaning is harder. The grates alone are hard to clean if residue gets on them. Degreaser and hot water is the easiest way to clean grates on the gas stove. To clean a dishwasher, there are tablets you can throw into the dishwasher that will clean it and remove grime. There is also a filter in the bottom of the washer that should also be cleaned out. An easy way to remove additional grime is by adding a cup of white vinegar to the top rack and running a cycle.  Additionally, the garbage disposal is connected to the drain of the dishwasher. You need to make sure you run the disposal before and after you run the dishwasher. To freshen up the disposal, throw some ice cubes and lemon peels in and run it. Why are these cleaning tips important? When showing your house and these common household items are dirty, it’s a major turn-off to the buyers, even causing them to be concerned that the home has not been properly maintained. The stove, dishwasher, built-in microwaves, and central heat/air are household appliances that stay with a home when it’s sold. These are important to take care of because they are going to convey to a new buyer that the home was cared for. Brian and Kindra hope these tips have 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 2 of The Brian and Kindra Show, they discussed the touches and upgrades to make a home feel cozier.Color and accents are a quick, easy way to bring warmth to a room.  As crazy as it may sound to some, a dark wood paneling or wallpaper can envelop you and make you feel wrapped up in warmth. If you are opposed to paneling or wallpaper, try paint. Avoid your bright colors and stick with browns, grays, or even reds to make a room warmer. Decor can add a nice touch to a space. Books and leather chairs make a room feel rich and warm. Metal decorations are also popular, especially in the kitchen. Copper pans or antiqued goods are simple ways to bring a cozy feel to the room. You can even use a copper colored spray paint to achieve a similar effect on items you already have. A fireplace is definitely a way to go for a warm effect. Not every home includes a fireplace, but one can add a mantel with candles and vastly change the feel of a room. Electric fireplaces are also a safe, warm, and cozy option that provides a great ambiance. Lighting is another important factor. Bright, cool fluorescent overhead lighting is not going to provide a warm sensation. However, accent lighting will provide a warm touch. This can be achieved with under cabinet lighting, lamps, or warm colored overhead lights. Edison bulbs are a great example of warm lighting. Scents can take you to the next level of cozy for a room. Avoid florals and stick with woodsy scents (sage, pine, patchouli, etc). For the kitchen, coffee is an easy answer for a warm scent.Your outdoor spaces can be equally as cozy as inside. Adding a pergola or firepit to any patio is a warm and rich option. Brian and Kindra hope these tips have 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.