Strengthen Your Offer by Getting Pre-Approved

Today’s special guest has some important information to share about his approach to helping clients through the home buying process.

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Today I’m joined by a new special guest, Frank Blakeley with Bay Home Equity Loans, to talk about the home buying process. 

First of all, Frank says that when he works with clients, he likes to treat their transactions as if they were his own. 

So, the first step Frank takes with his clients is talking about their financing goals. Frank asks clients about how much they have for a down payment, what they can afford for a monthly budget, what type of home they are looking for, and more. 

This conversation will determine whether the client’s goals are possible and, if so, what needs to happen for those goals to be met. 

The next step is filling out an application, which can be done over the phone or through email. Frank has found that 70% of the people his team works with are able to become pre-qualified after filling out this application, and pre-qualification is half the battle.

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With proof of pre-approval in hand, buyers are able to make much stronger offers.

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Of course, pre-approval is what truly verifies a buyer’s ability to make a home purchase. This is why Kevin and his team use their underwriter to help buyers obtain a fully underwritten pre-approval. With proof of pre-approval in hand, buyers are able to make much stronger offers. 

Sellers benefit from this pre-approval as well. It affords them peace of mind in knowing that their transaction will run smoothly and on time. 

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Why Should You Professionally Stage Your Home?

Emilie McVay, an interior designer from Luminous Staging, is here to discuss the many benefits of staging your home before it hits the market.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

Today, Emilie McVay from Luminous Staging is here to discuss some of the benefits of using a professional designer to stage your home before you put it on the market.

Emilie has been an interior designer for residential properties for 23 years, and she has been staging for one year. Emilie has helped some of my new clients who have a house coming up on the market, and she has a few tips to share with you.

First of all, millennials are the biggest population looking for homes. Since millennials are very tech savvy, they are interested in smart home technology, like Alexa or Google Home. They want systems they can operate through their iPhone while they’re away so that they can control things like lighting, security, and appliances. Adding some smart home systems will add value to your home, as will doing some home improvement projects before your home hits the market.

As a seller, you do typically have to pay for the staging consultation. However, if you’re not sure about getting your home staged and your Realtor really thinks it’s a good idea, or if you don’t have enough money out of pocket to pay for staging up front, Emilie does offer getting paid out of escrow. That way, you also get to see how staging adds value to your home and helps your home sell quicker.

Staging can increase the value of your home by 15% to 30% on average. Emilie also says that a staged home sells 87% faster than a non-staged home. Remember, 97% of people look at properties online before they walk into a home. Staging helps your professional photos catch a buyer’s eye when they are looking at homes online.

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Staged homes sell 87% faster than non-staged homes.

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Properly staging your home is more than having the right furniture; it’s about creating the right space flow. When someone walks into the home, it’s important that they feel like the flow of the home and the space planning matches their lifestyle. Staging also makes your home look bigger, which will be very appealing.

Emilie also pays special attention to the design of your home. If your home was built in 1935, for example, she’s not going to use contemporary, modern furniture. Your home should have a cohesive look inside and outside so that when a buyer walks in, they’ll say, “Wow, this home looks well put-together.”

Emilie can stage a home in under a week. However, if your home needs a few repairs or decluttering, the entire process takes closer to four or five weeks.

I would like to thank Emilie for talking with us today. If you have any questions for her, you can give her a call at (949) 235-0466 or email her at Emilie@LuminousStaging.com. As always, if you have any real estate questions, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!