We accomplished a lot for a very worthy cause - THE HOUSE OF PEARLS in Wingate, NC.  Check it out!

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What other company lives by the motto: “God, Family, and THEN Business” ?

This Mother’s Day weekend, I do know what is important to me.  My faith and my children.  And I celebrate them and am grateful for them.  Here is a video of my beautiful, unique, funny children – Jacob and Hannah.

Both of them mean the world to me.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Many of these apps are even offered free of charge, although they may request your location information in order to produce the results you desire. If you want more specific information or ideas on specialized apps for your tech devices, please give me a call so we can brainstorm on how I can help meet your real estate needs.  In the meantime, though, check these out!

Not sure where you want to live?

• Nabewise Get to know neighborhoods in-depth, complete with pictures, reviews and ratings ond rankings on the things you care most about.
• GreatSchools Get to know local school options and read reviews by staff and parents of children attending the schools. Schools are also scored based on scores and ratings.
• Yelp Find the best restaurants, shopping, and entertainment in the area you are researching directly from the people who live there. A true “insider’s view.”

Trying to keep track of everything?

• Evernote Keep track of your buying process, including the information on homes you have seen, complete with your personal notes!

Want to compare?

• House Hunter This tool allows you to set priorities on your wants and needs and match them to homes you are considering with the feature list and also has a mortgage calculator built in.
• Trulia – Easy to use and even includes a help button! Depending on your mobile device, you can check and compare listings and even search by feature using your voice.

Looking for actual numbers?

• Zillow Zestimates and make me move allow you to get an idea of what homes cost on any street and even permit you to make offers to home owners who do not have their property for sale.
• Realtor.com Get stats on new homes, sold homes, and homes for sale easily and quickly, including price changes in any neighborhood.

Interest rates have been reduced to historic lows allowing you, the home buyer, to get more home for the same amount of money, which sounds fantastic. However, if you do not “lock” in your rate and then follow through with providing the necessary paperwork in a timely manner, you could lose your opportunity. More than ever, now is the time for you to know the rules and play to win in the housing and lending market. If you are wondering about how you can make sure you are doing all you need to qualify for your loan and your home, contact me or consult the following list.

• DO get your paperwork in time.  Whether you are asked for a letter of employment verification or 27 pages of bank statements, do not delay in submitting these documents to your lender.  Any delay can result in your loan taking longer than necessary, making the seller potentially question your ability to purchase, especially when back up offers have been submitted.
• Do not encourage the seller to begin any construction work until after the appraisal, even if your inspection warrants changes being made.  An appraiser could see the hardhats and debris and devalue the property.  Wait until AFTER the appraisal is complete to request repairs OR agree to do the work yourself once you own the home.
• Do not buy a new car or new furniture or go on a celebratory shopping  spree until your escrow has funded!  Credit ratios are VERY important at this time and if they become out of balance or new credit is extended, it can make you less likely to qualify for your home loan.  It does not matter if the offer is ZERO percent interest… it still affects your credit line.
• DO pay your current financial obligations.  During the busy home buying time, it can be easy to forget to pay bills or miss deadlines – be careful because late payments will reflect negatively on your credit and could even result in your loan being denied.
• Do not make changes in your employment – including changing jobs to make more money.  The key to getting a mortgage is showing a picture of stability and a job change could tarnish that image.  Wait until after escrow closes to accept the new position.

Now is the time to have the home inspected to make sure you are aware of any possible issues in the home before it’s too late and the deed has been transferred. An independent inspector can evaluate your potential home on a structural and functional level and give you a full report, generally in under two hours. This report can help you feel at ease with your purchase and alert you to any areas of concern.

If there is a swimming pool or spa or unusual home appliance or fixture, you may want to have that inspected individually by a reputable repairman in that field. Questions and concerns relating to asbestos, lead or chemicals, mold and mildew, or pests will need to be directed to an inspector licensed in those specific areas of expertise.

Generally speaking, a home inspection on a property for sale will cover the following areas:

• An evaluation of the walls, ceiling, floor, roof, firewall, windows, foundation and slab.
• Inspection of the landscaping, looking particularly at grading and drainage, although drives and walkways, fencing, trim, doors, windows, and outlets will be checked as well.
• General framing as seen in exposed beams or attics, ventilation, duct and plumbing systems, and the condition of roofing materials, plumbing and rain gutters will be noted, too. Water heaters, fireplaces and the sprinkler system should be evaluated.
• The electrical sources and wiring in the home will be inspected, from circuit breakers and grounding systems to exhaust fans and receptacles.
• All appliances, including the garbage disposal, alarm system (if needed) and all smoke detectors.

Every county and state has different regulations in regards to home inspections, so it it best to use a local inspector recommended by someone you trust. If the inspection uncovers issues in the home regarding health and safety issues, a need for the roof or ventilation system to be replaced, a problem in the home’s foundation or significant drainage concerns, you will want to further explore the problem at the seller’s expense.

Try as they might to create a home that will meet every need and every taste, home builders are aware that it just can’t be done.  As with shoes, versatility lies in key components – simple design, elegant tones, and a combination of shine, style and comfort.

As with your shoe purchase, buying a home requires you to consider what is most important to you and your future plans.

• Open design vs. cozy comfort?
• Modern storage options vs. vintage style?
• Planned, pre-designed landscaping vs. creative gardening?
• Modular vs. eclectic structure?

You should also consider how and who will be using the home.  Should it be tailored to you or is it an investment property?

• Primary residence or vacation home?
• Adults only? Adults and pets? Adults, children and pets? Renters?  College students?
• Will it be used to entertain often and is parking sufficient?  Do you need a guest room?

Of course, there are many other questions to be considered, so take your time with your home purchase. Enjoy the journey as you find the home that is the perfect fit for you and your circumstances. And when you find the home that makes you want to click your heels so you can return?  Make an offer!  As to shoes?  If the shoe fits… buy it in every color!

The recent real estate market resulted in 45,623 short sales closed by Freddie Mac in 2011, an increase of 140% from the amount of short sales they serviced in 2009. According to Tracy Mooney, Senior Vice President, Single-Family Servicing and REO, of Freddie Mac, “Short sales are more complex than routine home sales since they may involve multiple parties and long-distance negotiating. Freddie Mac’s new timelines are intended to help make the decision process more transparent and timely for short-sales under the Obama Administration’s HAFA program or Freddie Mac’s traditional short-sale option.” Mooney went on to say that, “Today’s announcement underscores our commitment to help reduce credit losses and taxpayer risks by supporting more opportunities for sustained occupancy in our nation’s homes.”

Keep in mind that if you are purchasing a home through the short sale process, you may need to spend more time and research in identifying the home you decide to purchase and expert help is always advised.  Make sure you compare and physically view the property, research any liens or mortgages and contact lenders directly, along with completing your application and offer before negotiating and completing the sale.  To find out more about this process from a home seller standpoint, please click here.

Actual national home inventory displayed an increase between February 2012 and March 2012, as well, and the average days on the market for a home decreased from 111 days to 89 days in that same month span, which are other positive indicators.  While median list prices vary across national markets, the data collected by Realtor.com indicated a slight upward swing, causing many a home owner to take note.

If you are considering buying a home or selling your current home, these statistics can provide insight into the current real estate market.  Combining these statistics with historically low interest rates (3.88% for a conventional 30 year mortgage last week), could help you in determining your decision. To get more details on the study and comparisons to previous months and years and see the actual graphing trends, please click here.

Child safety may not be something that you reflect on when preparing your home for sale, but it really does matter in the minds of most buyers. While they won’t expect your home to be outfitted with the latest in baby proofing technology, they will expect some general safety parameters to be followed.  Most safety measures require little effort or cost, but contribute greatly to a sense of well being in the minds of potential home buyers.

The following questions may help your home for sale to be considered (at least subconsciously) as a safe place for their future home.

• Are your floors clean and walkways clear?
• Are cleaning supplies and garage materials placed together in a secure or out of reach cabinet?
• Are your windows and doors lockable and do your interior and exterior doors shut securely?
• Can you replace any corded mini-blinds with alternative window coverings?
• Are there modifications needed to fireplace hearths, concrete, or brick work that will make your home safer?
• Can you remove or secure any electrical or cable cords and are your electrical outlets in good condition?
• Are there areas in your home that can to be fixed or tightened up inexpensively? Children have a way of loosening and removing anything that is not absolutely secure.
• Have your knickknacks and fragile items been removed or packed up so that they are not harmed if children attend the open house?
• Have you removed or secured all toiletries (ie. razors, medicines and toothpaste) in your bathrooms so they are not generally accessible?
• Should you purchase a throw rug to deter the possibility of someone slipping in any area of your home?
• If you have a pool or spa, do you have the required number of barriers or gates in place to protect children?

Lastly, consider having someone crawl through your home on their knees, viewing it as a child might. If something looks enticing or potentially dangerous, eliminate it until your home is sold.  Considering these items will not only help sell your home, it will also help you to rest easy knowing your home and personal items are safe from harm when families view it during the selling process.

Tara Christianson, Mike Mueller and Lori Bee strut "the runway" at RETSO.

The rest of this week I will be traveling to Atlanta, for what I feel is the best real estate conference there is: RETech South aka #RETSO (hashtag on Twitter).   Yeah, the education and learning is great.  But the networking with the smartest agents across the country (and even the WORLD!) , regardless  of firms, is priceless.

I will be hanging out with many friends I’ve known for years, such as Jeff Turner, Heather Elias, Andy Kaufman, Ginger Wilcox, Ines Garcia,Todd Carpenter, Gahlord Dewald, & Amy Harris, amongst many, many others,  and making new ones too.  I’m in particular looking forward to meeting the legendary Peter Brewer, who is traveling all the way from Australia for this event.  Yeah… it’s that special.

And I will miss a few others including Diane Guercio,  Nannette Turner & Maya Pavez, who have attended in the past but can’t make it this year for one reason or another, but I know they all will be following closely online via Twitter.

And although I know Clint Miller never got the opportunity to join us in Atlanta, I absolutely know he will be there in spirit in many of our hearts as well as one of my RETSO mentors, Joe Ferrara. We love and miss you guys!

This event always feels like an RE.net Reunion. And it’s the one that I learn the most from, and grow the most from. Inside and out. I’m looking forward to recharging my batteries, my knowledge, and making memories.  Follow me online on Twitter at @OutdoorLori for all the updates.

Joe, Ricardo, Lori, Andy & Diane. Picture by Joe Spake.