Home Buyers Archives - Gainesville Real Estate | Homes For Sale in Gainesville

Multiple Offers: 5 Tips for Not Getting That Home

November 20, 2017 by Chris Bohn

Multiple Offers: 5 Tips for Not Getting That Home

Imagine you finally found the house of your dreams here in Gainesville, but there are multiple offers from other buyers! That home has everything you hoped for, from the right countertops to the right landscaping. You spend hours envisioning the parties you’ll throw in the backyard and the baths you’ll take in the clawfoot tub. But fate intervenes, and the seller choses one of the other offers. How do you recover? Here are some tips.

1. Get right back in the saddle

If you must have a pity party, do it quickly. Perhaps a quick toast to what could have been, then dive straight back into search mode. In today’s market, things move fast. You don’t want to miss an even better home while you’re mooning over photos of the lost listing. Everything happens for a reason!

2. Don’t dwell on one dwelling

Delete the listing of the home that got away. Erase the pictures you took with your phone when you toured. Delete it from the listing cart your agent has set up for you. Do your best not to compare new homes to the one you lost. There are lots of homes with lots of new possibilities. Keep an open mind. A better listing could be on the market soon!

3. Don’t settle

Don’t let your frustration push you into a hurried purchase of the next available property simply to get the process over with. Stay true to your shopping list of features you need and want (your wish list). Don’t concede on the features you want. Be patient and wait for the right home. You never want to have buyers’ remorse.

4. Re-evaluate your budget.

Take another look at what you can spend and what the homes you’re looking at have been selling for. Do you need to add cushion to be more competitive when making an offer? Or do you need to start looking at a less expensive neighborhood to find a home that has everything you want? Review all your search options with your buyers agent!

5. Talk to your agent.

Discuss your frustrations with your buyer’s agent. Your buyers agent is watching the market for you. He/she knows your wish list and can watch the new listings every day so you are notified immediately of new homes that match your search. Remember home hunting should be fun with minimal stress. Although it gets frustrating with a low-inventory in our Gainesville market.

We want to by YOUR Realtor in Gainesville!

Prepare for Multiple Offers in Gainesville FL

April 13, 2017 by Chris Bohn

Prepare for Multiple Offers in Gainesville FL

With new listings that come on the Gainesville market, that show well & are priced right, are MOVING FAST. I’ve experienced this twice in the last week with different buyers and different homes. This has made me want to write a post about a buyer’s need to prepare for multiple offers in Gainesville.

Depending on the price range you are searching, you may be part of Gainesville HOT Spring market. Gainesville homes priced under $ 250,000 is our hottest market. Our current inventory of active listings is low, and there are many buyers hoping that the number of homes for sale in Spring will increase to keep up with demand. Currently, we are experiencing multiple offers on homes that come on the market.

Last week a new listing in Haile Plantation came on the MLS system on Friday morning, with showings allowed starting Saturday. By 2pm Saturday afternoon, there were 5 full price offers, including one of my buying clients. The listing agent advised that the seller accepted the “cash” offer over the other others. It’s hard to beat a cash buyer, but be prepared!

Multiple Offers can be very frustrating to home buyers. If your agent thinks/expects multiple offers on a new listing consider these tips on making a strong & clean offer. The sellers WILL be comparing offers, and it’s not always just the price. Other terms of your offer will be compared with other offers.

So let’s talk about how to prepare for multiple offers:

Buyer must have a current pre-qualification letter from a local lender
If a cash purchase, use quick closing date and large binder deposit
Make your offer using our AS-IS with right to inspect format
Limit your inspection period to a 15 days maximum
Show a strong escrow binder amount (more is better)
Do not ask for seller concessions
Expect to offer full price (after discussion with your agent about values)
Do NOT make low offers
Limit contract to close to 45 days
Ask your agent to contact the seller’s agent to inquire if there are other offers
Ask your agent to provide a cover letter about you. The sellers may want to know about YOU

Let’s Talk About Your Plans for Buying a Home in Gainesville This Year!

The Bohn Team At RE/MAX is here to help!

3 Tips for Avoiding Homebuyer’s Remorse

January 16, 2017 by Chris Bohn

3 Tips for Avoiding Homebuyer’s Remorse

Buying a home is a big financial decision. Good preparation & procedures will insure you are a happy homeowner. According to an HSH.com survey of 2,000 homeowners, nearly 80 percent of homebuyers have at least one major regret about their new home.

Here are a few tips to avoid homebuyer’s remorse:

1. Keep Your Focus
When you began house hunting, you likely drafted a “wants/needs” list, prioritizing the “must-have” features and noting the “would like to have” features. It’s also important that you pay attention to features you “don’t want” too. Don’t let your want features distract you from your main objectives. As your buyer’s agent I can help you stick to your list, select the right homes to consider, and provide you with information about each home & neighborhood to make sure we are keeping on tract for the your home life & style you are wanting.

2. Triple Check Your Math
Unexpected costs can trigger buyer’s remorse. When you calculate how much home you can afford, you will have a “TEAM” on your side with regard to the financial aspects. Your lender will provide you financial details on the costs for your home purchase. What are the closing costs? What are the anticipated mortgage payments? Which loan program will you use? Then as your Realtor, I can advise you on the extra expenses you could have such as yard care, homeowner’s insurance or community association fees. A home inspection will give you an idea of what type of repairs you can expect so you can budget for those as well. Make sure to learn about a home warranty plan too. It’s all in the details, and we will plan your strategies.

3. Resist The Drama
Don’t get sucked into a bidding war and lose perspective. As your buyers’ agent, we can help you stay objective and remind you that you’re trying to buy the right home, not win an auction. You don’t want your competitive streak to leave you saddled with a home that isn’t quite what you were looking for. Or worse, a home that is over-priced for the current market stats on the neighborhood.

Your home is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your life so, home-hunting can be an emotional rollercoaster. My job is to make sure you are happy and NOT stressed.

Let’s get to work! Let’s talk about Gainesville real estate!

New Listing In Valwood Neighborhood

June 23, 2016 by Chris Bohn

New Listing in Valwood

Maps
Photos
Description
Neighborhood

$149,900

Single Family Home

Main Features

3 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
Interior: 1,457 sqft
Lot: 0.30 acre(s)
Year Built: 1983
MLS #: 375726

Location

5504 SW 82nd Terrace
Gainesville, FL 32608
USA

Our recent listings

5 Signs You’re Ready for Home Ownership

Buying your first home in Gainesville is a big step in your life. The financial aspect is key and how it melds into your personal life. If you wait until you feel completely ready to make a major move, you may never do anything. Understanding the process of preparing for purchasing a home is the key to planning your home ownership.

Are you tired of renting? Not sure what to do next to become a new home owner? We suggest that you talk to a Realtor® who will represent you as a “Buyer Agent“. We want you to call us! A good buyer-agent will help you every step of the way. Starting with explanation of the entire process on buying your first home.

There are signs that you’re ready to be a homeowner.

1. You feel ready but not sure what to do.

When you are ready to become a Gainesville homeowner, you feel reasonably confident about your decision to find or build a home. Don’t feel rushed to find the perfect house at the best price possible in a short amount of time. If you feel pressured, then you may not be ready to buy. Good planning and strategy is a solid foundation for your home ownership. While urgency is important to making a firm decision, you shouldn’t feel that you must rush into buying a particular house or any house at all. If you are ready to take your time, then you are ready to buy.

2. You enjoy being responsible for property upkeep and maintenance.

Owning a house is a huge responsibility, which you actually enjoy. As a homeowner rather than renter, you are glad not to rely on your landlord to handle repairs, replacements, maintenance, and yard work. Will you want a home, or a condominium? What do you see as your life-style?

You realize that not every moment will bring you joy. For example, you anticipate getting frustrating searching for contractors or getting through the learning curve associated with landscaping, replacing broken windows, making HVAC repairs, and more. But you are ready to take on these challenges in order to protect the value of your home and ensure its safety. And building equity in your real estate investment. And homeownership will be your best tax deduction! You’re ready to own your home if you have the willingness along with the patience, time, and money to handle both day-to-day and periodic repair, renovation, and maintenance issues.

3. Your personal life is predictable.

When your personal life is settled and not chaotic, then you are more likely to purchase a home. You might be married or single. You may be surrounded by supportive family members or a network of friends. You are connected to your city, suburb, or small town. No matter your status, you have established yourself personally & professionally and are now eager to build on this foundation. Having a predictable, reliable support system and the desire to be a positive part of your community are signs that you are ready to become a homeowner.

4. Your career has stabilized.

Gone are the days of searching for the right job, freelance gig, or business to sustain yourself. You still hope to make advances in your professional life but, generally, your career has stabilized. As a result, you have a steady source of income, which is key to qualifying for a mortgage and making payments on time for the next 15-30 years.

Regular jobs are often viewed as provided the greatest stability. But any steady stream of money from sources such as self-employment, a thriving business, or dividends on your investments can help you to afford house payments. No source of income is guaranteed forever. But, if you have worked steadily for several years and have established a career, then it’s likely you are ready to be a homeowner.

5. You can save for the future.

You are ready to take on homeownership when you have demonstrated the ability to save for the future. Being able to save money regularly is critical to getting a mortgage and managing other aspects of your financial life. The first step is the discipline of spending less than you earn so you can set aside money for items such as: