proplayersrealty.com Blog

Tackling these basic, inexpensive improvements will help your home stand out from the crowd in a difficult market.
By Marilyn Lewis, MSN Real Estate
When you put a home up for sale these days, you’re facing stiff competition. In most parts of the country, buyers are faced with huge numbers of homes for sale. Before asking strangers to trade hundreds of thousands of their hard-earned dollars for your little palace, make all the little repairs you’ve always meant to do but never had the time for.
These 10 basic repairs will help prepare your house for a buyer’s white-glove inspection:
1. Repair sagging screen doors and other entry red flags.
The entrance to your home is the key to first impressions. Carolyn Brake, a home-staging expert in Aurora, Colo., near Denver, prepares about 10 to 12 homes a week for market and she stresses the importance of creating a great impression right off the bat. “We’re not so much selling the house as we’re selling the experience of living in this house,” Brake says. Buyers will be alert to signs of neglect or deferred maintenance, since they want to avoid expensive hidden problems down the road.
Make sure everything at the entrance is in working order. If the screen door is sagging, you’ll probably have to install a new one, as aging aluminum parts often become too bent or broken to repair, says Charlie Hudson, a remodeling professional and owner of Hudson Remodeling, in Lynden, Wash. But first, try replacing any missing or corroded hinge screws and tightening the rest.
Patrol the perimeter of your home, inspecting it with the critical eye of a stranger, advises Katherine Carroll, agent with Century 21 Mountain Lifestyles in Weaverville, N.C. Clear dead plants from flower beds, clip dead blossoms and stems, rake and haul the yard waste far away.
A fresh coast of paint on the front door goes miles toward establishing a great first impression. What color? Drive around for some inspiration and to see what colors prevail in your community. In some towns, a bright red door, or a deep plum, looks great. In others, it’ll seem over the top. Forest green, navy blue and black can be great door colors. The front door need not match the exterior colors of your house and trim, only look good alongside them.
2. Spiff up the roof. Missing shingles and hanging gutters broadcast a loud, scary signal to potential buyers. “You want the house to look as presentable and non-problematic as possible,” says Cathy Cowan, an agent with Windermere Real Estate Co. in Seattle. “There’s a great deal of fear when people go out to look at property. You want them to be able to focus on ‘Where does my bed go?’ and ‘Can we live here?’ rather than, ‘Oh my God, there’s a problem with the roof.’”
Get a roofer to replace any missing or broken shingles or roofing tiles. Moss growing on the roof signals neglect, so it’s important to get it cleaned off. Ask a roofing expert to remove moss or to recommend someone who can. Roofing professionals may suggest treating the surface of your roof with a chemical to kill moss or they may recommend installing zinc strips on the roof ridge. Water running over the zinc washes minute amounts of zinc carbonate over the roof, killing algae and moss, according to Z-Stop, which manufactures the strips. When hiring someone to work on your roof, it’s crucial to check their recommendations. Amateurs can damage your roof with the careless use of a high-pressure power washer.
3. Clear and caulk gutters.
On a dry day, climb up on a ladder and clear all the debris out of the gutters so water can flow freely. While you’re up there, recaulk the gutter end caps, advises Hudson. Seamless gutters are finished at the ends with a cap that’s crimped and caulked. Aging caulk allows leaks to drain water down your home’s siding.
Get started by drying the clean gutter; the drier the aluminum, the better caulk will bond to its surface, says Hudson. He recommends using flexible butyl caulk made for outdoor conditions. Its color doesn’t matter, since you’re caulking inside the gutter. Squeeze out a generous amount and use your finger to smear the stuff around inside the gutter cap seams. Don’t worry about appearances, since no one will see your work.
4. Patch nail holes and repaint.
Moving inside the house, you’ll want to patch up nail holes in the walls. Ask at a hardware store for lightweight putty. Apply it with a putty knife and fill in each hole, scraping the excess off the wall. Following directions on the package, wait for it to dry. Then sand the putty until it’s smooth and flush with the wall. Paint the repaired spots with primer. Call a handyman for anything bigger than a nail hole, as it’s not easy to blend bigger repairs into the wall and obvious patches telegraph the message, “I’m hiding something,” says Hudson. Repaint the entire wall — you’re unlikely to be able to hide a touched-up patch, otherwise — from one corner to the next.
5. Divorce your smoker and ship kitty to Siberia.
All right, just kidding. Sort of. The thing is, smells are a serious deal killer. When strangers enter a home, the first thing they notice is the smell. Don’t even try hiding behind scented candles, potpourri and plug-in room fragrances. Buyers, ever suspicious to problems, catch a whiff of those and conclude that you’re hiding something.
In the kitchen and bathrooms, deep clean with bleach, then regrout tiles and recaulk cracks between sinks, tubs, toilets, counters and floors to seal out the moisture that encourages the growth of smelly mold, mildew and bacteria.
If you’ve had smokers in the house, you’ve got extra work to do. To rid walls of smoke and nicotine film, some experts suggest washing the walls with cleaners using an alkaline builder, such as ammonia, and a glycol solvent (found at paint stores). Brake recommends painting an undercoat of Kilz primer onto clean, dry walls to seal in nicotine smells. Finish the job with a fresh coat of paint and change the furnace filter to further freshen the air in the house.
Then, “send smokers down the street,” says Brake. She’s not kidding: Ban smoking, even in the garden, because the smell clings to porches, decks and clothing. Gardens lose their appeal when littered with cigarette butts. If possible, board your cat off-premises while you’re showing your home; at minimum, clean the litter box daily.
6. Replace damaged vinyl flooring.
Inspect the vinyl flooring in your bathrooms. If it has discolored spots or is loose, moisture may be damaging the floor. You’ll probably want a professional to lay the actual flooring, which could cost $400 or more. But you can save as much as half of the cost by preparing the floor yourself.
Remove the baseboards by pulling them away from the walls with a small pry bar. Next, pull up the flooring using a larger pry bar — it will be glued and nailed or stapled. Also remove the next layer, called the underlayment, made of particleboard or layered plywood.
While your new floor is being installed, you can sand and repaint the baseboards so the whole job will look terrific when it’s finished. Another good choice for flooring material is linoleum, a green product made from linseed oil, pine resin, sawdust and other natural binders. It can add 30% or 40% to the cost of a $400 job.
7. Reseal the toilet.
Not all flooring installers will remove and reinstall the toilet, something that must be done to replace the floor. Pulling the toilet yourself can save you money. With plumbers’ fees running about $85 an hour (with a minimum hour and a half charge for a house call), you could save yourself $200 or more (for two trips) by pulling the toilet yourself.
Even if you aren’t replacing flooring, the seals may need replacing. How to tell? If the toilet rocks when someone sits down, or if the floor at the base is moist or discolored, the seal could be broken. Corroded nuts that hold the toilet to the floor are another sign that the toilet needs to be reinstalled. Before you begin, shut off the water supply at the faucet behind the toilet. Flush the toilet, holding down the handle to drain as much water as possible. Use a wrench to unscrew the bolts holding the toilet to the floor.
Don’t move the toilet alone. Get a friend to help, because toilets are heavy and cumbersome, and the tanks are easily cracked. Prepare a bed of old cushions or towels in the bathtub and set the toilet there gently so any drips drain into the tub. At a hardware store, find two wax toilet seals (also called gaskets, about $3 apiece). One seal is conformed to fit into the sewer pipe; the second is a plain wax circle that you’ll stack directly on top of the first. (Also at the store, purchase two new bolts — about $1.50 each.) Back home, remove the old gaskets. Fit the new shaped gasket into the mouth of the sewer pipe first; put the second seal directly over it so the toilet fits into the space with no gaps. Lower the toilet over the seals. Screw in the new bolts, tighten them, reconnect the water supply and caulk the base of the toilet.
8. Stop faucet drips.
A dripping faucet calls attention to itself, and it’s not hard to fix. Shut off the water supply to the faucets by turning the valves under the sink to the right. Then, test the faucet to make sure you’ve shut the water off completely. While you’re looking under the sink, check for moisture on the wall around the valves and on the floor of the sink cabinet. Also check the supply lines leading to the dishwasher and disposal. If those areas are wet, get a plumber.
If you’ve got a newer, rotating, single-arm faucet (through which both hot and cold water run), note the brand and purchase a faucet rebuild kit (roughly $50) at the hardware store. Inside the faucet arm is a metal ball on a stem that lets the handle swivel while allowing water to flow in any direction. The kit contains the six to 12 parts most likely to fail, including that metal ball, O rings, springs and gaskets. The idea is to replace them all rather than trying to diagnose the exact source of the problem. Dismantle the faucet, laying the parts out in order on a paper towel. Snap a photo or draw a sketch to help you with reassembly. Replace the old parts, put the faucet back together and turn the water back on.
For older faucets with independent hot and cold water faucets, shut off the water under the sink as before then dismantle each of the sink’s faucets separately. Remove the washers (rings made of rubber, plastic or brass), put them in a plastic sandwich bag and bring them to the hardware store to find replacements. Reassemble the faucets and turn the water back on.
If this seems like more trouble than you’re willing to tackle, call a plumber. With no complications, a plumber can install the new parts in an hour, though most will bill you for an hour and a half minimum.
9. Renew dinged baseboards.
Beat-up baseboards detract greatly from the appearance of your home, and they’re easy to spiff up. “All those little things tend to stand out,” says Carroll. First, clean them to remove scrapes and smudges left by clawing pets and toddlers on wheels. Brake says a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge works great on painted surfaces. Fill in dents with spackle, sand the baseboards smooth and repaint them. If you’ve lost the name of the original paint color, chip off a coin-sized bit, slip it into an envelope and bring it to the paint store where you can have the color computer matched.
Use primer before painting. Don’t just retouch small areas; paint the entire piece of baseboard, from one end to the other. Choose a washable eggshell finish. White is a great choice for making baseboards and trim look crisp and clean.
10. Repair cabinet scratches.
You can quickly improve the look of unpainted woodwork and worn cabinets with an application of products that even out the surface color. Brake covers scratches on woodwork and cabinets with Old English Scratch Cover or a Tibet Almond Stick, a tight roll of cotton saturated in chemicals that the manufacturer, Zenith Chemical Works, says is a 100-year-old family formula. (You can find these at hardware and home-improvement stores.)
The almond stick goes on clear but covers scratches. “It’s amazing,” Brake says. Zenith owner Kim MacInnes says the almond stick works best with shallow surface scratches on dark finishes. It doesn’t work in every case, he says, and even a good result may fade with time and need to be reapplied periodically.
Old English makes separate formulations for light or dark wood. These are oily stains, so use them carefully. Try out any products first in a corner where results will not be noticed. Do not use the dark stain on light wood. Finally, polish wood cabinets to a glow with lemon oil.

It has been said that the only constant is change. This is so true, and the way that we are able to remain successful I is learning to adapt to our ever changing environment as quickly as possible.
The real estate market obviously is not what it was two or three years ago. One of the problems we face is not the current market but our memories of what the past market used to be. We are accustomed to looking back over our shoulder and using the past as a comparison for the future. This is causing many people in our industry to become immobilized by not focusing on a solution to the current market.
Is there a solution to our current market? The answer is “yes’” and it lies within each one of us. I am not saying that we have control over outside factors, because in large part we don’t. What we do have control over is how we perceive the obstacles that lie ahead of u: “Only in the face of adversity will you find the seed to a greater achievement.”
We can all help each other with this in many ways, but as a REALTOR in this market you must first ask yourself the question: Am I willing to do what it takes?
Without sounding harsh, it is important for all of us to assess where we are personally, because that will help us to determine where we want to go and how we can get there. If you don’t know where you are or where you want to go, how can you begin anything? Self assessment is critical. To think and act outside of the box is essential. The way we used to transact business will not be sufficient to get us where we want to go. This means that we all must get out if our comfort zone and expand our way of thinking. Brainstorming with other REALTORS and our clients sometimes yields the best ideas on how to move a piece of property.
I love to get with a group of three or four colleagues at least once a week to brainstorm problem listings, clients, lender situations, marketing ideas. Etc. This not only helps us motivate each other, but something very special takes place when you focus energies on a particular transaction. I have always said to the people I work with that the idea may be silly, but it is the effort and focus on the project that creates synergy and results. As long as it remains positive and productive, a momentum begins that can result in moving mountains.
One aspect of real estate in which I have recently become very involved with is trades. Currently, I have 22 trade transactions pending. Some of them are personal transactions and some are client transactions. There seems to be a growing curiosity about how this works and how it can benefit you as a REALTOR. Some of the common questions I hear: (1) Do I get a commission? (2) If so, how is it paid? (3) Where do I begin trying to put a trade deal together? (4) How does it even work?
These are good questions. Yes, you get a commission if you have the seller agree to it in writing prior to bringing the two parties together. A trade is simply helping one person get out of property that no longer works for them and getting them onto one that better suits their needs at the time. Keep in mind everyone is in a different position with their property. For example, why would someone want to buy a beach property that my client really needs to sell? There are several people who have been waiting to purchase beach property but have not been to do so because their current property has not sold. They would love to take advantage of some of the deals out there, but in order to do so they need the cash from what they own. Their basis may be so low in what they own that the very investment property your client needs to sell that’s causing a negative cash flow may cause a positive one for the new buyer. Too many times we assume everyone is in the same equity position.
You begin working on trades by marketing what you or your clients are willing to look at as an option. It doesn’t mean they have to do one. It simply opens up another avenue for you to pursue. Basically, a trade is simply an agreement that your seller will purchase what their buyer is selling and it will be a simultaneous closing, each contingent on the other’s closing. The proceeds will be shifted from one asset to another and can often generate a cash position for your seller/buyer.
There are great benefits in these transactions. Just the activity on this creative selling helps consumers’ confidence and shows people that real estate is still moving at a good pace. We all know activity breeds activity. We need to keep the energy up, keep the ball in play, and keep moving in a positive direction.
We can learn a lot from one another and together keep the real estate market on a positive plane. We are in this business for a reason. Let’s keep out clients matched with the properties they can benefit from in the long run, and stay focused on a productive and prosperous future.
By Jason Naumann

Property tax reform has been a topic of much debate over the last year. Despite the uncertainty of the possible changes to our tax structure, one thing we know for certain is that the Homestead Exemption provides a huge tax savings for Florida homeowners. But, what exactly is this Homestead Exemption? Every U.S. citizen or legal resident that has legal or equitable title to real property in the State of Florida and who resides thereon and in good faith makes it their permanent home as of January 1st is entitled to this exemption.
Not only does the exemption provide an immediate savings of approximately $470 from your tax bill, it also provides the benefit of the Save Our Homes (SOH) Amendment which keeps assessed values from increasing more than 3% per year on homestead property. With the different scenarios proposed by the Legislature, Homestead Exemption may become even more valuable in the future months and years.
In order to apply for homestead exemption, the applicant must be a Florida resident and own and occupy the home as of January 1st. Many homeowners believe that application is filed by their Realtor or at closing, but all applications must be files with the Property Appraiser’ s office by the deadline of March 1st.
Applicants are required to furnish their social security number, as well as a Florida driver’s license, and Florida voter’s registration. If property is held jointly by husband and wife, either party may apply for the exemption; however, we encourage both to apply initially.
The Homestead Exemption will be automatically renewed annually until the property is sold or until the property is no longer used as the primary residence. Purchasers of this property will be required to file a new application fro homestead exemption in the subsequent year. Homestead Exemption does not transfer with ownership, and a new application must be filed with each new home purchase.
Each year in January, my office send out postcards to new homeowners in Leon County as well as to local area REALTORS to encourage homeowners to remember to apply for this exemption. We also provide filing locations around the county during the month of February – the Tallahassee Mall, local libraries, and churches, among other locations. This information is included on the postcards as well as at our website – www.leonpa.org. At the website, you will find helpful questions and answers, a video on SOH and tax shock, and an online Homestead Exemption application for homeowners to download and mail to our office.
My staff and I would love the opportunity to discuss any questions you may have about the Homestead exemption ot any other issue. I encourage you to contact us at (850) 488-6102, Monday thru Friday, 8am to 5pm, or by email at admin@leonpa.org
Bert Hartsfield
Leon County Property Appraiser

A “State of the Market”
For the last few years we have enjoyed the perfect ride in commercial real estate, with the simultaneous occurrence of stabilizing rents, improving fundamentals, and really, really cheap money. Banks, insurance companies and institutional investors funneled money into the market because its returns, in an environment of low interest rates, exceeded those of alternative asset classes. This segment of the broader real estate market typically includes office, retail, multifamily, and industrial properties.
Although investments in commercial real estate continue to be strong, in the multi-family sector, “real estate fundamentals are on the mend,” according to Caroline Blakely, a vice president in multifamily housing and community development at Fannie Mae. U.S. demographic trends and steady job growth bode well for apartment rentals. In line with that, vacancies are declining and asking rents are climbing. Fannie Mae is slightly less optimistic about rent growth than other institutions in the real estate industry.
After the 2000 dot-com crash, commercial real estate revenues declined, vacancies rose, and rents decreased. But since late 2001, revenues have steadily increased, with investors pouring more money into the sector. The key was the Federal Reserve flooding the market with liquidity through low interest rates, enabling commercial real estate investors to enjoy phenomenal returns in the face of poor fundamentals. One result was extremely low levels of delinquencies and default for banks’ commercial real estate portfolios.
Analysts remain bullish on commercial real estate returns because fundamentals have improved in recent years; however, they expect to see a “significant slowdown” in price appreciation for real estate. High prices still being paid in some areas of the apartment sector are “worrisome.” However, property transactions overall have already slowed this year and buyers have been holding out for better prices. In this view, this “cooling” is rational and a sign that some of the effects of higher interest rates are percolating through the system.
A positive commercial real estate market is predicated on its positive economic views. All bets are off in a “stagflationary” scenario or if job growth tanks, or if we get real significant increases in interest rates. (Brian Lancaster, Wachovia Securities)
Some real estate professionals are less sanguine about prospects for the commercial real estate market, agreeing that commercial real estate is currently in a good position, and that the U.S. economy’s strength and resilience will benefit the industry generally. However, the world we live in now is more global than it was 10 or 20 years ago and capital can be rapidly pulled out of markets because of events that occur thousands of miles away. That makes commercial real estate’s status as a “favored child” more precarious.
Capital market integration and securitization is going on and is inevitable. Securitization refers to the pooling together of relatively illiquid assets into more diversified financial products, whose securities are then sold to investors. This enables markets to develop by expanding their investor base and providing lower-cost financing. However, investors can now respond to new information more quickly than ever before – and this has the potential to create more volatility, not less.
What could happen to us? China could revalue its currency faster than expected, translating into higher prices in the U.S., which would impact the real estate market. An unanticipated jump in U.S. interest rates could also cause investors to shed real estate very quickly. All you need is a few performance failures, because a lot of real estate is being bought with the notion that there will be growth in fundamentals. We could possibly be at a very high risk point in commercial real estate. (Richard Edelstein, a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley).
Sources: Caroline Blakely, a vice president in multifamily housing and community development at Fannie Mae; Richard Edelstein, a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley; and Bradford Case, an economist with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
— Margaret (Missy) Davis-Whiddon
Vanguard Commercial Realty

If you are reading this then . . . Congratulations! You have paid your Tallahassee Board of REALTORS®, Florida Association of REALTORS®, and National Association of REALTORS® membership commitment for another year!
Whew! I don’t know about the rest of the TBR members, but I am glad that the 2007 real estate market is behind us. I love a roller coaster as much as anyone else, but give it a rest! As tough as this has been for our profession, it pales in comparison to what this past year has been like for our sellers. How many times have you been at a marketing meeting and heard a fellow REALTOR® get up and tell a heart-rending story about the terrible situation their sellers are in? And to “please bring an offer; this family really needs to sell their home.” Despite the challenges we face in this present real estate market, we are not facing many of the real-life challenges that this market has brought to the sellers.
So, how do we best help our sellers now? I was going through and organizing the piles of great notes and marketing ideas that all of us tend to accumulate during the past year. One of the stacks of notes I found was from the past FAR conference that addressed this very issue. How do we best help our sellers now? It’s pretty simple: tell them the truth. So, what is the truth? The truth is it does not matter one little bit what they could have gotten for their home two or three years ago, it does not matter how many late night shows they watched on TV about flipping property, it does not matter that they really need to sell this property in order to join their spouse who has already moved to the new job, it does not matter that they raised their children in this house and it is full of sweet memories. What matters is how well it is priced, how easy it is to show, how well it has been maintained, and how flexible they can be during negotiations. It is simply a matter of “do you want to stay or do you want to go?” If a seller is ready to go, then they must listen to the market. REALTORS® do not set the price that people will pay – the buyers do. And there is a price point at which any property will sell. For some sellers, this price point is just too low. Then they must stay and wait until the market changes. If this is not an option for them and they want to go, then we must tell them the truth. The truth is this is a less than desirable time to be a seller, but there are homes selling every day and theirs can, too. But no one is willing to pay an inflated price for the seller’s sweet memories or pay for poorly maintained/renovated property. There are just way too many other choices and buyers will just move on to the next ten houses on their list.
So, this year I resolve not to tell sellers what they want to hear, but instead tell them what they need to hear. It is their responsibility to choose if they want to stay or if they want to go. It is our responsibility to tell them the truth; they look to us to help them know what it will take to move on. This is a tremendous responsibility. And part of the truth is that buyers are starting to stir around out there, and if a house is priced right it will sell. I truly believe the buyers’ wait-and-see attitude is coming to an end and that this has the potential to be a very good year. Some of the best real estate decisions and purchases ever made will occur in 2008. It is great time to be a buyer and the choices are almost endless. I encourage you to hold tight these next few months, tell your sellers the hard truths, and help your buyers take advantage of what is a GREAT market for them.
And once again, congratulations for making the commitment to your real estate career for 2008. I hope you have one of your best years ever! And, hey, please go show some of my listings (“this family really needs to sell…”)!
— Patti E. Ketcham, CLG, CRS, e-PRO, GRI
Ketcham Realty Group

If you’ve ever thought about owning a home, now may be the time to take action. Lower interest rates combined with a large inventory of homes in most markets across the U.S. may translate into a good opportunity for buyers in negotiating the terms of a sale with a seller.

The home buying process may seem daunting to someone who has never purchased a home before. But, through home buying educational seminars offered in your community, and with the assistance of an experienced loan officer, a first-time home buyer can obtain a better understanding of their financing options, leading to a more positive home buying experience.

“Whether you’ve been dreaming of owning a home for years or you’ve just decided it would be a smart financial move to make, your first home buying experience will be a memorable one,” says Jim Ferriter, executive vice president for GMAC Mortgage. “It’s important to learn about your financing options in order to find the mortgage that’s right for you.”

Ferriter offers the following tips for first-time home buyers:

1. Educate Yourself About the Mortgage Process - By taking the initiative and learning about the mortgage process, you can be more confident in the financial decisions you are making. It’s important to learn about different types of mortgages, how much you can afford, how your credit impacts your interest rate, and the benefits of home ownership. A mortgage tutorial is available at http://smartedgebygmac.com, which breaks down the home buying process into easy-to-understand steps.

2. Save Just a Little Bit More - It’s not only important to save money for the down payment and closing costs, but it’s important to factor in some of the other costs of home ownership such as decorating, repairs and maintenance. Many mortgage lenders recommend that first-time home buyers have at least three to six months of additional savings in their possession in anticipation of these additional expenses.

3. Check Your Credit - An individual’s credit score will have a significant impact on his or her mortgage loan approval and interest rate. A good first step in financing a home purchase is to check your credit history. You can request a free credit report from any of the three credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion or Experian. Carefully review your report and contact the credit reporting bureaus to correct any inaccuracies.

4. Shop Around for a Mortgage Lender - As you start thinking and preparing for the home buying process, start shopping for the mortgage lender from whom you would like to obtain a mortgage for your new home. Because this process is new, it’s easy to go with the first lender or loan officer you meet. Instead, take your time and shop around. Start by asking friends, co-workers and family members for recommendations. When you’ve identified two or three loan officers, ask for references. In addition to pricing (interest rate and closing costs), focus on customer service as well as other services and tools that a mortgage lender may be able to offer you.

5. Get Pre-approved - Before you start working with a real estate agent, consider contacting a mortgage lender to obtain a pre-approval credit decision. A loan officer will review your financial status, including your income, cash flow and credit score, to help you determine the maximum monthly housing payment for which you may be able to qualify, and, if qualified, “pre-approve” your mortgage before you’ve found a home. Armed with a credit pre-approval, you can start searching for homes with a much better idea of your price range, and in turn save time as you will know the right homes to focus on. Obtaining a pre-approval may offer more confidence and certainty to home sellers in your ability to purchase the home.

6. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions - Once you’ve found your new home, the mortgage lender will help you through the details of the loan process. From application to closing, your loan officer will work through the financing process with you, just as your real estate professional should do in the home buying process. Throughout the process, read all loan documents carefully, and involve an attorney, if necessary.

7. Inspect - Before you commit to purchasing a home, don’t forget to hire a licensed home inspector to conduct a thorough assessment of the property. An inspector can alert you to any major problems with the home, and/or help you understand potential short-term and long-term home maintenance issues.
Courtesy of ARA Content

Former Florida State football star Warrick Dunn was announced Wednesday as the inaugural Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP.
Dunn, an Atlanta Falcons running back, was honored for his community work with the Warrick Dunn Foundation. Since 1997, Dunn has helped 74 single parents and 1992 children gain first-time home ownership. In December, Dunn’s foundation assisted its first single father, when Dunn, presented a new home to Osei Nyahuma of Tallahassee.
Dunn was one of 17 NFL players Home Depot recognized for their community efforts. Dunn’s award was presented in Phoenix, site of Sunday’s Super Bowl.
“It’s a great privilege to be honored for my accomplishments off the field and to be recognized among so many great athletes and humanitarians,” Dunn said. “Community service has always been the cornerstone of who I am, and I can’t stress enough he value that giving back adds to your own life and how it truly enriches others.”
Dunn played for FSU from 1993-1996. He is the school’s all-time rushing leader with 3,959 yards.
Article by Steve Ellis
Tallahassee Democrat