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Displaying blog entries 11-14 of 14

Things to Think About When Considering a Move To the Country

by Tucker Robbins

Moving to the country may sound appealing to you however there are a few things you need to think about before doing so.  Living in the country can be rewarding if you are willing to take a few things into consideration before moving there.  Getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city may be just what you are in need of.  In this blog post we are going to give you a few tips for making your move to the country a peaceful one.

  • countrysideRealize that most homes out in the country require that you have a well.   Well water although great tasting may need a bit of work in order to get it ready to drink.  Sometimes well’s can be costly if you are moving to a rural area that has hard water.  Just be sure to keep this little fact in mind before you move out to the country and you won’t be surprised by it if you end up needing to purchase some sort of water softener. 
  • Realize that your commute to work may be a bit longer if you work in the city and choose to purchase land or a home in the country.  If living in the country is important to you and your family then making the sacrifice of driving a little bit further to work may be worth it to all of you.
  • Buying land or a home out in the country is also going to mean a more difficult time driving anywhere in the event of inclement weather.   You and your family may have to settle in for a few days and just enjoy one another when bad weather comes once you move out to the country.  This can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the way you look at it.  It is just good to be aware that rural roads typically do not get cleared as fast as roads in the big cities when bad weather sets in.  You may want to consider buying a four wheel drive if you purchase a home in the country so that you can more easily maneuver around the snow covered country roads.
  • The cost of trash removal can get quite expensive in the country.  Many folks that live in the country take their trash to the local dump because they can save quite a bit of money that way. 
  • If you are considering buying a home in the country to get away from loud neighbors, be aware that you may have to deal with gun shots and folks hunting within walking distance of your home once you move out on a bigger piece of land. 

If moving to the country sounds appealing to you and none of these items we have listed for you to think about bother you, then you are likely going to enjoy living in the peace and tranquility the country life has to offer you. 

Information courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtor Tucker Robbins.

New Castle Real Estate Market Watch for June 2015

by Tucker Robbins

New Castle Market Watch for June 2015

new castle county real estate

Information courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtor Tucker Robbins.

6 Tips For Homebuyers

by Tucker Robbins

If you’re a homebuyer searching for real estate chances are you have found a low inventory of properties.

A low inventory of properties also tends to cause bidding wars to come back. That means homebuyers have to get home buyermore creative. Paul Bishop, VP of NAR suggests going beyond the usual market tactics to help you be the first to find homes. Simply getting pre-qualified for a mortgage is not enough anymore.

Here are some tips for creative strategies…

  1. Head off the competition by finding “pocket listings.” These are listings that have been contracted for, but haven’t reached the market or been posted on the MLS. There are various reasons for this to happen, many times at the seller’s request. However, the listing broker knows the property is for sale. Tell your agent you want to know immediately of any new properties for sale.
     
  2. Get real-time information. Most potential homebuyers depend on the normal flow of information from MLS sites or other sources like Realtor.com. Ask your agent about real-time MLS alerts – emails that go out immediately when a listing goes live. This avoids waiting hours or days before you know about new home for sale.
     
  3. Tell your Realtor you want to be notified immediately when the inventory of properties changes – and make sure he or she knows exactly what you are looking for! That does three things for you: it forces you to be very specific about what you want; it tells your Realtor valuable information about your wants; and, it signals just how serious you are about moving on a purchase quickly.
     
  4. Don’t be too quick to reject what you think are bad listings! Look past the need for paint, or bad lighting, or unflattering photos. Make sure not to superficially reject any listing that could be a treasure that is just packaged poorly.
     
  5. Set your search criteria a bit higher than your actual target price. You are then looking for real estate that is over-priced so you can keep an eye on them to come down.
     
  6. Look out for would-be sellers. Tell your Realtor to check property listings that expired weeks or months ago. Get him to contact the sellers to see if they are considering coming back on the market. They may jump at someone like you who is ready to buy!

Develop a strong relationship with your Realtor, get pre-qualified for a mortgage, make sure your credit is clean, and then let your agent know that you are ready to move quickly when the right property comes along. Read here for more general buying tips.

Information courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtor Tucker Robbins.

Flipping Houses - Not As Easy As You May Think!

by Tucker Robbins

If you watch home-and-garden cable channels, it looks like everyone is flipping houses. i.e. buying a piece of real estate, making minor repairs, and quickly selling it at a substantially higher price.  Basic investing 101: Buy low, sell high.

fliping housesCertainly sounds appealing--and you may be tempted to join the ranks of those who have been successful in this field.  Be forewarned, however, that like most money-making endeavors, real estate flipping requires time, money, patience and skill.

For tips on how to begin, steps to follow, and advice on how to avoid pitfalls, read on…

Do your research and be knowledgeable well in advance:

  • Talk to (and learn from) successful flippers, read up on the subject, follow real estate deals in the newspaper, use the Internet as a teaching resource, attend open houses and auctions.
     
  • Identify possible house locations, size, and style.  Educate yourself on how to recognize promising properties and how to spot a lemon.
     
  • Familiarize yourself with current prices, taxes, utility rates, HOA fees, municipal and restrictions in each area you are considering.   Study your market. Get to know it as well as you possibly can. Understand the trends, the kinds of houses, the neighborhoods, the streets.
     
  • Visit the potential homes and neighborhoods in person.  Talk to residents, Realtors, and repair companies who are familiar with the area.

Set up a budget, a time line, and financing:

  • Figure out how much money you have (or can put your hands on using investors) without borrowing.
     
  • Calculate the cost of repairs, taxes, utilities, materials, contractor/labor expenses, and the like.  Professional contractors advise flippers to add an extra 10% to their repair estimate.  Also, to be on the safe side, make sure that you’ll be able to hold on to the home as a rental property for a while, if need be.
     
  • Experts suggest factoring in the flip time into your budget and your potential profit before you purchase the home. According to investors, a successful flip is one that makes you around a 15% profit.

Be prepared:

  • When you find the right house, you must act quickly to buy it.
     
  • Have appraisers, agents, contractors, skilled laborers lined up so they can start work immediately upon your purchase.  Remember, in flipping, time is money!
     
  • Be ready to make quick decisions, devote a great deal of time (and possibly sweat equity) to this project, and face unexpected expenses.

Two major caveats:  Be patient and don’t get greedy!

Information courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtor Tucker Robbins.

Displaying blog entries 11-14 of 14

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Photo of Tucker Robbins Real Estate
Tucker Robbins
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
3838 Kennett Pike
Wilmington DE 19807
(302) 777-7744 (direct)