Charleston AFB/JointBase – Choosing the RIGHT Agent to Sell Your Home

Once a Charleston Military family decides to sell their home and hires a professional agent to market it for them, most will interview a few agents before signing on the dotted line. This is a great idea! 

Unfortunately, many sellers don’t know how to choose the right agent and usually end up choosing an agent based on the following two questions:

Which agent will sell my house for the most money? (That leads to overpriced listing inventory that sits unsold because today’s buyer is looking for a “deal” and NOT overpaying.)


Which agent will charge me the least to do it? (That results in getting an agent less likely to invest in improving their performance through education or technology or an agent with a limited budget to spend on the marketing of your home.)

But this may not be the best way to choose your agent - You need an agent who is effective in getting results….Remember, you’re not hiring a friend; you’re hiring someone to do a job.

 

Here are questions that will give you a better indication of which agent is right for you:

 

1) “What percentage of your listings EXPIRE and how does your number compare to the average agent in the Charleston AFB marketplace?”
Expired listings are listings that didn’t sell during the time agreed to between the seller and the agent. If one agent has 95% of their listings sell without expiring and another has 25%, wouldn’t you want to know that?

                                                             

2.) “What are your Average Days on Market?”

If the average days for homes listed “For Sale” in the Charleston AFB market is 180 days, and one agent is selling their listings in 90 days, wouldn’t you want to know what they do differently to get their results? Conversely, wouldn’t you want to avoid the person who is at 270 days?

3.) “What is your Average List Price to Sales Price Ratio?”

There are many agents who take overpriced listings in the Charleston AFB market, planning to lower the price once the seller becomes frustrated…knowing full well the house won’t sell at the overpriced amount. 

But – you want to SELL your home….not drag out the process.  Agents with big gaps between List Price and Sales Price are not doing you any favors – find this out early and save yourself the heartache. Great agents price correctly from the beginning because they know that price is the best possible marketing strategy and is the best thing for the seller!

You may be surprised to learn that some of the most “successful agents” in terms of “units sold” have a large percentage of listings that expire or a high number of days on market, or a significant gap between their initial list price and the actual sales price.  Or that once they list your home, they are off looking for another listing – and NOT looking for someone to buy your home.

Contact Military Homes of Charleston today – and let us show you what a great real estate agent can do for you!

**Information provided by the KCM Crew via www.KCMblog.com**        
                        

Torri Jacobsen
Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.

Jodie Hurt
I specialize in helping military families enjoy a smooth PCS in and out of Charleston. I have a passion for helping people, and I love what I do. Call or email today and let me make this the easiest PCS yet!

Charleston AFB Real Estate, Charleston AFB Real Estate For Sale, Charleston AFB SC, Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston Real Estate

Which agent will charge me the least to do it?
(That results in getting an agent less likely to invest in improving their performance through education or technology or an agent with a limited budget to spend on the marketing of your home.)

 

Charleston AFB - 5 Reasons to Sell NOW!

Historically, we’ve been told to wait to sell a home until the ‘Spring Buying Season’. Over the years, this philosophy has worked….but the current Charleston AFB real estate market is nothing like years past. The wisdom of waiting for a spring market is another belief that is about to fall, and here’s why.




1.) Interest Rates Are Rising

Interest rates in Charleston have increased dramatically over the last ninety days and are now over 5%. As rates increase, the mortgage amount a buyer can qualify for will decrease – and this will have a negative impact on prices.



2.) Your Dream Home Will Never Be Cheaper

If your goal is to sell your current house and take advantage of the fabulous selection of properties currently available in the Charleston AFB area – Don’t Delay! While prices may continue to soften, the COST will be dramatically impacted by rising mortgage interest rates.



3.) Charleston Military Buyers Are Out Early

Buyers are coming out earlier this year.  Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia:

“We’re seeing a national resurgence of buyer and seller activity on Trulia.com. In January alone, we experienced an unprecedented level of site traffic including 11 million unique visitors – which is more than 70 percent year-over-year growth. We’ve are now experiencing 100,000 property views per minute.”

The National Association of Realtors just reported that the number of house sales increased 12.9% over last month.



4.) Charleston AFB Inventory Increases Every Spring

Every year there is an increase of inventory in the spring. Here is the number of listings available for sale in 2010.

• February – 3,531,000
• March – 3,626,000
• April – 4,029,000

It stands to reason then, that we will see the same trend this year. The longer you wait – the more competition you will face.



5.) Foreclosure Storm

While banks struggle to manage their foreclosure properties, they have been holding on to much of their inventory. This inventory will be released sometime in the next few months. Foreclosures in the Charleston AFB area sell on average at a 41% discount. If you want to sell in 2011 – DO IT NOW! Otherwise, your home will be competing for Charleston military buyers with these discounted properties.

CNN Money quoted the leadership Of RealtyTrac on this issue:

“We’ve now seen three straight months with fewer than 300,000 properties receiving foreclosure filings, following 20 straight months where the total exceeded 300,000,” said James Saccacio, CEO of RealtyTrac.


“We expect a spike in the first quarter,” said Rick Sharga, a RealtyTrac spokesman.



Bottom Line

There are five major reasons to sell now. Sit down with a Charleston AFB real estate professional today and decide the best options for you and your family.



Follow Military Homes of Charleston on Facebook



Torri Jacobsen
Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.



Jodie Hurt
I specialize in helping military families enjoy a smooth PCS in and out of Charleston. I have a passion for helping people, and I love what I do. Call me (843) 819-4398 and let me make this the easiest PCS yet!

Great Buy in Charleston AFB Area! New Roof, HVAC and Windows!

HVAC is less than 2 yrs old! Roof replaced in 2005! Windows replaced in 2005! All that's missing from this lovely home...is YOU!  And all for just $150,000!

This home is a perfect candidate for a 203k rehab loan. All it needs is a bit of updating to make it fabulous. Hardwood floors throughout living area, hallway, and bedrooms. Bathrooms have tile flooring. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. Oversized garage. Separate dining room, or formal living room - this room is huge! Large enough to be anything you need.



You get all this PLUS a home located in the desirable Dorchester II school district. Tranquil Acres is a peaceful neighborhood that is well maintained. Also close to shopping, restaurants, and convenient access to 26, close to Charleston AFB. Home comes with a transferrable termite bond. Storage shed to convey. Priced at just $150,000 – contact us today!



Visit us at Military Homes of Charleston for more photos and detail.



Jodie Hurt – Charleston Air Force Base, SC Real Estate For Sale
I specialize in helping military families enjoy a smooth PCS in and out of Charleston. I have a passion for helping people, and I love what I do. Call me (843) 819-4398 and let me make this the easiest PCS yet!


Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston – Charleston Air Force Base/Joint Base Charleston, SC Real Estate For Sale

Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.





Charleston AFB Real Estate, Charleston AFB Real Estate For Sale, Charleston AFB SC, Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston Real Estate

Charleston AFB - Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

As you prepare to apply for a home mortgage in the Charleston AFB area, understand that it is significantly better to have your best possible credit profile BEFORE applying. Working to improve your score during the mortgage process can be done, but keep in mind - “Sooner, rather than later” should be the mantra of credit score improvements.






Here are some ways to help Charleston Military families:




Credit Card Recommendations for Charleston Military families


 Look on the credit report for revolving debt, generally the balance should be no more than 30% of the credit limit. If it’s more than that, have you should make every attempt to pay it down.


 If there is nothing derogatory on the credit report, just high balances on revolving debt, you can often improve the score significantly.






Collections/Judgments Recommendations for Charleston Military families


 Paying off a derogatory account does not normally improve the score because the derogatory account still exists, and so still hurts the score.


 If you have not yet paid the collection, you can bargain with the creditor and ask for the account to be removed once you pay in full.


 You can sometimes gain points by paying charge-off accounts.






Late Date Recommendations for Charleston Military families


 If you have just one recent late date, you should call those creditors and ask for those single late dates to be removed as a courtesy.






Other things to help Charleston Military families


 Regularly check your credit report to catch errors early.






Credit Score Optimization is one of the central reasons why you should engage the expertise of a good loan officer in the Charleston AFB area right NOW.






Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston – Charleston Air Force Base/Joint Base Charleston, SC Real Estate For Sale


Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.


Charleston AFB Real Estate, Charleston AFB Real Estate For Sale, Charleston AFB SC, Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston Real Estate

Great Deals for Charleston Military Families Looking to Buy a Home

Now is the time to buy - Don't delay!

Here is our list of featured properties for this week:

Beautiful homes and great deals for Charleston Military families

Contact us today!

Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston


Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.




Charleston AFB Real Estate, Charleston AFB Real Estate For Sale, Charleston AFB SC, Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston Real Estate

Attention: Charleston Military For Sale By Owners

More and more Charleston home sellers think they can go it alone…. All they have to do is list their property on the Internet and post a sign in their yard – and Ta Da!  A buyer will come!  Right?.............

Unfortunately, this is rarely the case.  According to the National Association of Realtors, more than 70 percent of For Sale By Owner listings fail to sell.

Most people outside the Real Estate industry are not trained in things such as competitive market analysis, proper pricing, and the intricacies of the closing process.  Also, how can a home seller possibly expect to reach the right buyers?  Buyers that are interested in their property and actually qualified to buy!  Even though they might not know it yet, most sellers need a Realtor. The challenge is how to convince them of this before they’ve wasted valuable time and money by waiting too long.

Common reasons that home sellers do not want to use a Realtor:

1.      Why should I pay someone a commission to sell my home?

o       Based on a recent study, people who use Realtors net 16 percent more than FSBOs who sell themselves – and this includes the typical 6% commission paid to the Realtor.

o       What you pay is irrelevant. What is important is what you get and how quickly. Hiring the best Realtor assures you the highest dollar in the shortest amount of time.  Selling your Charleston home is one of the most important sales in your lifetime. Why wouldn’t you want to pay a commission?

2.      My last Realtor sold my house in 3 days, and got paid for 3 days work!

o       Getting a contract is great, but this is just the beginning of a lengthy process - including things such as inspections, appraisals, mortgage work, title issues, encroachment issues, surveys, timing of both parties on moving, and closing.

o       In this market, it is an exception to sell a home in three days, and the owner obviously chose the right Realtor. The fact that it sold in three days does not mean that the Realtor did not work hard; perhaps it was the Realtor’s quick expertise in marketing that produced such fast results.

3.      I think I can do it myself.

o       Statistics shows that only 2% of homes are sold by FSBO and 98% are sold by Realtors. Do you want a 98% chance of selling your home or 2% chance?

o       A good agent pre-qualifies buyers before ever letting them into your property, spends the time to market your property, is available seven days a week and handles all follow-up on inspections, financing, etc.

o       Especially in today’s Charleston military market, it takes a lot of expertise to get a property sold. An owner can try it by themselves, but will most likely end up turning to a Realtor for help, after wasting valuable time. Every month that it sits on the market costs the owner money, and generally lowers the final selling price.

o       When a Realtor brings a buyer, the third party’s interest is being protected….but who is protecting you?

4.      Can you at least lower your commission?

o       Commission is non-negotiable with agents that sell homes everyday. The commission is only negotiable with desperate agents that are not too sure of the service they are providing to the customer. Now let me ask you, do you want a desperate agent to represent you and negotiate for you or someone aggressive?

o       You get what you pay for. We spend the dollars and time to market your property. Again, it is not about what you pay, it’s about what you net. The question to ask is not who will charge less, but who can best sell your property.

Remember - Who is going to pre-qualify buyers, advertise your property, arrange showings, prepare the contract and follow up on inspections and financing? Selling a house for top dollar is an intricate process that is not as easy as it looks. Hire the best Charleston AFB Realtor to sell your property, and everyone wins.  You get what you pay for and to get the right exposure, you need the right Realtor. The right Realtor for your property will do everything necessary to get the job done and sell your Charleston home for the highest price.



Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston
                       
Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.
           

                                                                                    

Charleston AFB Real Estate, Charleston AFB Real Estate For Sale, Charleston AFB SC, Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston Real Estate

Charleston AFB - Great Home for Beautiful Indigo Fields!

Beautiful MOVE-IN-READY and available FOR RENT APRIL 1st!   Just $1600/month

8193 Governors Walk
North Charleston, SC 29418
Indigo Fields
 

2000 square feet, 3 bedroom, 2 and 1 half bathrooms, 2 car garage, and large PRIVATE fenced backyard. Most desirable floor plan in one of North Charleston's most desirable neighborhoods - Indigo Fields.


This immaculate home in the Charleston AFB area, boasts a spacious open floor plan, low-maintenance propane fireplace in family room, Downstairs Master-Suite with walk-in closet, tray ceiling, garden tub and dual vanity, plus much, much more! Formal dining room, spacious kitchen with breakfast bar and eat-in-kitchen, tons of cabinets and natural light, full sized laundry room - not laundry closet, PLUS a second living area LOFT upstairs! Perfect for office, play room, workout space or man cave! 2 more LARGE bedrooms upstairs share a nice sized full bathroom.


Need extra storage? Don't mess with an attic pull-down. How about a WALK-IN ATTIC! Upgrades throughout entire home including custom front door. Manicured landscaping and cul-de-sac to boot!


Energy efficient home in a highly sought after neighborhood  Just a few minutes to Charleston AFB, Boeing, Bosch, shopping and schools.  Call Jodie Hurt 843-819-4398


Click here to view more photos: http://www.militaryhomescharleston.com/defaultlistings.x?ListID=532089

Charleston AirForceBase - Don't Wait! Now is the Time to Buy!

Many Charleston military buyers have been waiting for home prices to hit bottom, to ensure they are purchasing at the best possible price.  We agree that prices may still fall in some markets, but we disagree that waiting is a good financial decision. Buyers should not be concerned about housing prices, but they should be concerned about cost.

The cost of a house is made up of the price AND THE INTEREST RATE they will be paying. Two different pieces of news released yesterday highlight this point.

                                  

PRICES

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their 4^th quarter housing research report. In the release, they reported that home sales rose 15.4% in the 4th quarter over the 3rd quarter. They also showed that prices remained stable during the year:

The national median existing single-family price was $170,600 in the fourth quarter, up 0.2 percent from $170,300 in the fourth quarter of 2009.

INTEREST RATES

The Primary Mortgage Market Survey was released by Freddie Mac which showed that the 30 year fixed rate mortgage was at 5.05%. Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist of Freddie Mac said:

“Long-term bond yields jumped on positive economic data reports, which placed upward pressure on mortgage rates this week…As a result, interest rates on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to the highest level since the last week in April 2010.”

So prices have remained stable but interest rates have risen dramatically in the last 90 days. What does that mean to a Charleston AFB buyer looking to purchase a home this year?

The price is the same. It just costs more.

 

 By waiting to buy, the buyer has lost:

• $89.44 a month
• $1,073.28 a year
• $32,198.40 over the life of the mortgage

If you buy a $340,000 home, double all these numbers.

Bottom Line

Even if prices fall another 10% this year, the cost of a home will increase if interest rates go up more than 1%.  So now is the time to buy!

                                                      

**Information provided by the KCM Crew via http://www.kcmblog.com/**

Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston

                                   

Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.

                                                         

                             

Charleston AFB Real Estate, Charleston AFB Real Estate For Sale, Charleston AFB SC, Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston Real Estate

Charleston AFB/JointBase - You Get What You Pay For

Recently, the New York Times published an article on whether it makes sense to pay a 6% commission to your real estate agent in today’s market. Forget what the actual amount of the commission is….the bigger question is whether to pay a ‘full fee’ when hiring a Charleston AFB real estate expert to guide you through today’s rapidly changing housing environment.



Things to consider……


Finding a buyer willing to pay fair market value for your Charleston AFB home at a time like this can be challenging. Current housing inventory includes a huge amount of foreclosures and short sales, and you need a true real estate professional to help you navigate today’s difficult market.


If a full fee was the rule in 2006 when real estate was much simpler, why would you now consider cutting your agent’s fee? Experts in other fields don’t discount their fees when the work gets harder….why should real estate agents?


In today’s market, hiring the right real estate expert can save you thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars. Each step of the way – from the original offer, to possible re-negotiation after a home inspection, to the possible cancellation of the deal based on a troubled appraisal – you need someone who can actually close the deal!


When an agent is negotiating their commission with you, they are negotiating their own salary. If they are quick to take less when negotiating for themselves and their families, what makes you think they will not act the same way when negotiating for you and your family?



Bottom Line


Charleston military families deserve the best from their agents, so choose an agent who will give you their best EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! In today’s tumultuous market, does it really make sense to try and find the agent who’s willing to settle for less? As the KCM Group recently said… this is a job for Superman… not Clark Kent!


Contact Military Homes of Charleston today!






Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston


Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.










Charleston AFB Real Estate, Charleston AFB Real Estate For Sale, Charleston AFB SC, Joint Base Charleston, Joint Base Charleston Real Estate

Charleston AFB - HGTV's "The Unsellables" is coming to Charleston!

HGTV’s “THE UNSELLABLES” is coming to Charleston in MARCH and needs homes for Listing Make-Over TV SHOW. Call (843-475-9313) or email (torri@exitcharleston.com)  for more details! DEADLINE for SUBMISSION Monday Feb 7th!




Home-owners must be willing to appear on the show, and we prefer family homes that are owner occupied (no foreclosures or short sales).



Property Requirements

- traditional sale (no short sales, foreclosures)

- owner occupied

- currently listed and not selling



HGTV will lend you their experienced team of professionals to paint, plant re-cover, de-clutter and get that property SOLD!



Filming is scheduled for February and March. Homeowners are a major part of the show and will appear on camera.



Contact me ASAP if you have a home that has been on the market for at least 30 days (For Sale By Owner), or was listed on the market within the past several months, and then withdrawn when it did not sell.

Charleston AFB - Great Time to Buy!

Three recent surveys show what Americans currently believe in the value of owning a home:

1. The National Housing Survey by Fannie Mae this past November.
2. The Housing Survey by the Gallup Organization completed last month.
3. The American’s Attitudes About Homeownership (AAAH) study completed by Harris Interactive for the National Association of Realtors.

The above surveys all show the same thing – buying a home makes sense!  It makes sense for all Americans, and it makes sense for Charleston military families!
If you’re thinking of buying in the Charleston AFB market, let’s review the highlights:

• In the AAAH study, 87% of homeowners/64% of renters believed that “owning a home provides a healthy and stable environment for raising a family”.
• The Fannie Mae study showed that the main reason people gave for buying a home is: “it is a good place to raise children and provide a good education”.
• AAAH: The study shows that an astonishing 88% say owning a home has been “a positive or very positive experience”. An overwhelming majority of home owners are happy with their decision to own a home. A full 93% of owners surveyed would buy again.
• Fannie Mae: The study shows that 95% see homeownership as a “positive experience” for them and their families.
• AAAH: Most renters aspire to home ownership. The majority of renters (63%) say they are at least somewhat likely to purchase a home at some point in the future.
• Fannie Mae: 67% of renters plan to purchase a home in the future. 
• AAAH: 78% of homeowners/58% of renters believe now is a good time to buy.
• Fannie Mae: 64% of those surveyed said it is a good time to buy a home.
• Gallup Poll: 67% of Americans think now is a good time to purchase a home.

Bottom Line

Americans believe two things: that there is a value in owning a home and that now is the time to buy!! What are you waiting for?  Contact Military Homes of Charleston today!

Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston

                                   

Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.