safety tips for homeowners and buyers

7 Safety Tips for Homeowners and Buyers

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Whether you’ve lived in your home for years or just moved in, review these seven safety tips for homeowners and buyers to better protect your family and property.

Research an area before you buy a home.

A good place to start when it comes to researching a city you may move to is with a local expert, like a Realtor. They will have the knowledge and resources readily available to help you find a neighborhood and home you will feel comfortable in.

You can also find helpful search tools, data, tips and more with online resources like SafeWise, for example.

Get to know your neighbors.

This is one of the safety tips for homeowners and buyers that is also good for your social life! In general, neighbors who get to know each other tend to look out for each other.

Not only is a sense of community created among friendly neighbors, but it also creates a safety network. Your neighbors could be the first ones to notice if something isn’t quite right, including signs of a fire or unfamiliar faces roaming around your home.

Stay diligent with your home security.

Staying safe does take a little effort. For instance, it’s a good idea to keep windows and doors locked while you are home or away. Ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your property if you are going out of town.

Leave a light on, whether you are home or away. Another good safety tip is to keep your location secure by not tagging it on social media accounts when you are on vacation or just out and about around town.

Improve the lighting around your house.

This is a simple, yet effective home safety tip. Consider adding more outdoor lights to protect your property. Options include motion-sensor lights and automated lights connected to your home security system.

Store hazardous materials safely.

From cleaning supplies like laundry pods to gasoline for the lawn mower, remember to safely store any chemicals and hazardous materials away from children and pets.  

Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

As soon as you move in, walk through your new home and find all of the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If there aren’t any carbon monoxide detectors, consider adding a few.

After finding the detectors, double check the batteries or go ahead and replace them. Remember to check all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly.

Work with a Realtor.

Finally, when it comes to safety tips for homeowners and buyers, working with a Realtor is a good place to start! Think of local Realtors as your local experts in terms of home security and community safety. Oftentimes, they can connect you with additional community resources.

Summary

Are you asking yourself where to start when it comes to finding that local expert in Lee County? Start with us! You can search for Realtors, find other community resources and learn more about the local real estate market by reading our blogs.

factors to consider when determining an offer price on a home

9 Factors to Consider When Determining an Offer Price on a Home

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You finally found it—the home of your dreams! Now what? It’s time to make an offer. Your buyer’s agent will guide you through the entire process, including sharing these nine factors to consider when determining an offer price on a home.

Making an offer

Before you can make an offer, there are several factors to consider when determining an offer price on a home. Are you ready to figure out where to start? Now is the time to ask your REALTOR® about the following.

The home’s current list price.

For starters, what is the home’s list price? Is the asking price in line with the fair market value? If so, is it within your overall budget?

The sold price of similar homes in your area.

Your buyer’s agent can provide you with valuable information, including what similar homes in your area recently sold for. Commonly referred to as “comps,” this information offers you a reasonable baseline in terms of a starting offer.

How long has the house been on the market?

In a nutshell, if the home has been available for longer than average, sellers may be more willing to negotiate or accept a lower offer.

On the other hand, if the property is new to the market, the offer may need to be higher.

Look at the condition of the home.

Before you make an offer, take the time to learn about the home’s history and pay attention to its details. When was the house built, what types of building materials were used, what is the square footage?

What are the home’s top features and amenities? Is it in need of repairs or is it move-in ready?

Consider seller concessions.

And the questions to ask yourself continue. Will you be asking the seller to make any last-minute improvements?

Or, would you want them to cover the closing costs? These are the sorts of questions to review with your agent.

Outline exactly what’s included with the home.

Make sure the agreement and offer clearly define what is included with the home, such as appliances or window treatments.

Add in the earnest money.

When you get ready to make your offer, remember to add in the earnest, or deposit, money.

Factor in home inspection contingencies.

It may be a good idea to consider the unknowns that could be uncovered during the home inspection. Leave room in your budget for any potential updates or repairs.

Is there flexibility in your offer?

Finally, when it comes to factors to consider when determining an offer price on a home, did you give yourself some wiggle room? Is your offer going to fall at the top, middle or low end of your budget?

If the price point is firm, can you sweeten your offer in other ways? Consider being flexible when it comes to requested repairs, the closing date or the closing costs, for instance.

Summary

Bottom line: even after doing your research and carefully considering several factors to determine your offer price, the sellers could turn it down. But, remember, your trusted local REALTOR® is on your side and ready to negotiate on your behalf!

Are you looking for additional real estate tips? Keep reading our blogs for more!