MOVING UP IN 2010

2010 looks to be an even better time to buy a home here in NKY. The mortgage rates are projected to stay low through the first half of the year, couple that with another wave of foreclosures and that makes for a wonderful opportunity to move up in home and possibly even keep the same payment you have now. Every week there are homes hitting the market for $10,000 - $60,000 less than what these homes have sold for in the past. That is a great situation to move to that community you've always wanted to live in but couldn't afford. (My family is preping our home for sale as I type.) If you are ready to make a move there are 4 important steps you need to take to make the most out of this market:

GOAL = to move up in home & to the community you desire --- REMAIN FOCUSED

1) Call SOZO Realty now, Chris will write out a plan to get your home ready to SELL not just be listed. Some plans will take upto 3 months to get the home ready so it is important you call months in advance, I've been slowly painting my own home since November. Chris will be honest, and unfortunately will say things you may not like or want to hear, that is a sure sign that he's focused, and working for you and not just trying to get the listing. Chris will also put you in touch face to face with an experienced lender to set up the financial side of the plan: the net from this sale & the best mortgage option for the purchase

2) Put the plan in action! get your family, friends, & small group involved with the plan and after one area is complete, call Chris over to review the plan and to help keep it moving forward. This can prove to be wonderful quality family & friend time together, remember you'll owe them one, but again another project full of even more quality time. If you get stuck....call me, I'll shoot right over to help get it on track!! I have a list of area professional as well, electricians, roofers ect. that may be helpful to you.

3) SELLERS REALITY - in this market not only are forclosures great to buy, but unfortunately they have knocked down the price of your current home. Be aware that possibly the most important part of your plan is to MOVE. This means that the $20,000 you were hoping to net a few years ago may have been reduced to nothing and a few savy buyers have brought a little money to the closing to sell their current home so they can reach their ultimate goal...to move on.

4)The home must be price at or below the current competition. Chris will set up a time prior to listing your home, to walk through the Pending homes & extensively study the recent Sold homes similar to your home to make sure we price the home accurately.

So what to do now?? call Chris Landers & have I'll come on over for around 30 minutes to discuss your 2010 goals & make them mine!

Thanks for reading & please if you know anyone else I can help, just have them call!

Sozo Realty - A NKY Faith Based Real Estate Company
Chris Landers Broker/Owner
859-630-4515

Frozen

The winter months are beginning to set in. Although the weather has been surprisingly warm and welcome so as of lately, soon it will become too cold out for much real estate movement. This is a time when many home owners find themselves in a bind, unable to afford the properties they own and all the more unable to move them on a frozen market. To those unsure about the new few months, we want to be a loyal friend who can advise or provide opportunity. Don't be afraid to ask.

Board of Ethics nomination

We are proud and excited to announce that the Northern Kentucky Association of Realtors has recently requested that Chris Landers become a member of their Board of Ethics. The nomination to this board is such an exciting event because it is designed with the purpose of protecting the public and Realtors alike from unscrupulous business practices. For us here, it is a high honor to be asked to become so directly involved on such a grand scale with something which is so clearly linked to the heart of Sozo Realty. It also means a lot that outside sources can recognize that our first priority is good business and helping all parties involved in a transaction.

A New Way To Do Housing...

This is the kind of thing we love to see, innovative, energy efficient, providing for those of low income by recycling, and aesthetically phenomenal! We highly approve!

One Man's Trash

Here are some of the images...

Enjoy!

Helping people to not buy homes...

Yesterday consisted of helping a buyer not buy a home...

Confused yet?

Sometimes buyers are very polite and thoughtful, to their own detriment. They don't want to hurt an agents feelings or think they have wasted his time, and one can sense that this is the only reason they're still moving forward with the purchasing process. So I had to look them in the eyes and tell them how much this home will cost them in major improvements, and ask them whether they really want to take that on?
So they ended up opening up to me and we killed the deal in progress. I told them there are many more homes on the market to look at and now I am so excited about their refreshed sense of mind. I can't wait to see what home they will find to call their own. Its great to see people learning to ease up and find a comfortable way to go through such a big process.

This video gives an idea of what its like for a real estate agent to work with a bank owned home.

People are talking!


Here's what a recent client has to say...

"Chris just wanted to thank you again for everything. I should have listed with you when you knocked on my door!!!! The gift basket has been extremely useful, so many things in it that we just couldn't wait to use. Work on the house has been slow, still no shingles, but we do have WATER and HEAT/AIR. The pool liner is picked out and so are our bedrooms.
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you say you have a brag page somewhere so that I can brag on you for the whole world to see?"

Well, that last question is what we're trying to work on here. Its thoughts like the ones expressed here that really make this job worth doing.
Buying and selling a home doesn't have to be a daunting prospect anymore.