Month: April 2016

Importance of Owning a Home

Posted on by Ann Gupta

Real estate is a great long-term investment.  Over the long-term, real estate prices and values tend to go up , especially, in a highly desirable area like the Bay Area.

Several of us have grown up in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai. We can see that how much the real estate prices have appreciated over past 10, 20, 30 years.

It provides tax benefit. The interest on the home mortgage is tax-deductible. So it provides a great tax break.

Equity – the money you pay up in rent is just gone. But mortgage payments let you build equity in the house.

Unlike rent, the mortgage payments do not change, especially if you have fixed-rate mortgage. With rent you have no control over your monthly payment, unless you live in a rent controlled area. A lot of people in Bay Area are having a tough time as the rents have gone up so much over the past few years.

Freedom – Your home is yours. You can do pretty much anything with it, especially, If you do not have HOA (Homeowner Association). Even with HOA, you can make any changes to the inside of your home. You can remodel. You can make upgrades. You cannot do that with the rental property.

Above all, remember home is where our sweetest memories are made. This is where the kids make connection to the friends, and you develop relationships with the neighbors, not so much with a rental.

Make sure you have an AGENT who is competent, honest, sincere and ethical.  Who has knowledge, experience and a  great reputation. Who will guide you and handhold you thru out the transaction. Not only will it save you money, stress and headaches. You will be much happier in the long run !!

Advertisement

Roles and Responsibilities of a Good Real Estate Agent

Posted on by Ann Gupta

In the last blog, I talked about the real estate agency and why a buyer should have his or her own buyer’s agent.

Today I will talk about roles and responsibilities of a real estate agent, and what a good agent does for you.

A good agent guides and educates you throughout the process. He or she will take the time to learn about your needs, wants, preferences,  budget and lifestyle. The agent will advise you about financing and getting pre-approval with a good lender.

He or  she will  educate you about the local market conditions and neighborhoods.

An agent will help you look for the right home in the right location that meets your budget. The agent will also guide you what to look for in a home. A good agent will stop you from buying a house that is not right for you. For example, a home on a busy street, or one that has bad floor plan. A home that is in bad condition needing too many repairs. A  few weeks ago we were looking at a home. The garage entrance was thru’ one of the bedrooms. That is certainly not very convenient floor plan.

Now that you have found  a Perfect home, your agent will  proactively show you comparables, disclosures and reports.

She will help you make a winning offer. What is a winning offer ?
An offer which is competitive with the right terms and conditions, so you can get the house in this competitive market without missing out.  I usually MAKE A winning offer the very first time or the second time depending on the client readiness and comfort level…

Also, your agent will manage the real estate transaction process, Promptly deal with any problems and issues. She will be proactive in –
Keeping on top of the transactions at all times and planning ahead.
Keeping clients informed.
Keeping communication with not only the clients, but with other agent, loan officer, escrow officer too.

She will ensure that you have a smooth transaction.

Look for a Realtor who is competent, honest and ethical.
Who has a good reputation and is knowledgeable. Not only will you get excellent service, it will save you money, stress, and headaches.  You will be much happier in the long run.

I’ll be very happy to assist you and provide you with a great service.. You can check me out on YELP