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  • 6219 Fenway Dr. Pasco WA 99301

    6219 Fenway Dr. Pasco WA 99301

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    fenway o.house

  • 4 steps to attaining a mortgage

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    If you’re serious about buying a home, cleaning up your credit should be the first item on your agenda. After going through your credit report, identifying, paying off and closing most of your credit cards, your next step is to shop for a mortgage.

    1. Determine pre-qualification

    2. Get pre-approval

    3. Choose a lender

    4. Investigate online loans

    Ultimately The choice is yours when shopping for a mortgage, there are a variety of loans, vendors and methods of shopping. Your REALTOR can definitely give you a list of contacts that they have used and get you on the right path.  The best way for each home buyer to approach the process is largely a matter of personal preference. Some home buyers are looking for the lowest-priced program, while others prefer the most convenient. Personal relationships and specific loan requirements also play a role. While there is no right or wrong method, a little advanced planning and careful shopping will be well worth the effort.

  • Paying down your mortgage wisely!

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    From time to time, someone asks me about either paying off their mortgage entirely or paying down their mortgage in the smartest possible way. Does it make sense to pay off your mortgage? Does it make sense to pay down your mortgage? In my experience, the answer to both of these questions is actually more of a personal preference than one of actual dollars and cents.

    Should you pay off your mortgage early?

    Before you can determine the smartest way to pay down your mortgage, you must first answer the question of whether you want to pay off your mortgage early. Here are six simple questions to consider:

    Does your employer match any retirement funds you save?

    • Do you have any debt other than your mortgage?
    • Do you have at least 24 months of living expenses in liquid assets?
    • Do you currently owe more on your mortgage than your home is worth?
    • Does the amount of your mortgage bother you?
    • Do you think you could get a better return on your money if you invested it in other things?

    If you have considered the pros and cons of paying off your mortgage early and have decided that it is a goal, then it is time to start evaluating different payment strategies. You can always make bi-weekly mortgage payments and or make extra principal payments. No matter what you decide paying down your mortgage can never hurt.

  • when do you know its THE house?

    when do you know its THE house?

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    I recently worked with a client who had been looking for their home for about a year. Both online and hitting the open houses. When they felt ready to make the purchase i suggested that we look at one more area. It was a newer development. Something that fit their price range and what they were looking for. I took them out and we looked at all the floor plans (new finished construction) and then narrowed it down to two and looked at those again.  They went home to sleep on what was their biggest purchase of a life time (thus far). The next day they looked again and the following Monday we wrote an offer. They were shocked at how ready they felt. I reminded her that after seeing what was available on the market the previous year, they had done their home work, shopped around, looked and looked and then looked some more. They knew what they liked and what they wanted. When it came down to deciding it felt somewhat easy that they were even questioning themselves.

    I assured them that they were normal and had done everything right! It was THE house. A brand new home constructed just for them.

    I never want my clients to feel pressured, i want them to feel confident and know its THE house for them. Its a great feeling at the end of a transaction to know they have made the RIGHT choice!

    Congrats Amanda!

  • How to evaluate an agent?

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    How to evaluate an agent 
    In making your decision to work with an agent, there are certain questions you should ask when evaluating a potential agent. The first question you should ask is whether the agent is a REALTOR® . You should then ask:

    • Does the agent have an active real estate license in good standing? To find this information, you can check with your state’s governing agency.
    • Does the agent belong to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and/or a reliable online home buyer’s search service? Multiple Listing Services are cooperative information networks of REALTORS® that provide descriptions of most of the houses for sale in a particular region.
    • Is real estate their full-time career?
    • What real estate designations does the agent hold?
    • Which party is he or she representing–you or the seller? This discussion is supposed to occur early on, at “first serious contact” with you. The agent should discuss your state’s particular definitions of agency, so you’ll know where you stand.
    • In exchange for your commitment, how will the agent help you accomplish your goals? Show you homes that meet your requirements and provide you with a list of the properties he or she is showing you?

  • Obligations that are owed to you!

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    Using an agent and the obligations that are owed to you!
    An agent is bound by certain legal obligations. Traditionally, these common-law obligations are to: Put the client’s interests above anyone else’s; Keep the client’s information confidential; Obey the client’s lawful instructions; Report to the client anything that would be useful; and Account to the client for any money involved.

    NOTE: A REALTOR® is held to an even higher standard of conduct under the NAR’s Code of Ethics. In recent years, state laws have been passed setting up various duties for different types of agents. As you start working with a REALTOR®, ask for a clear explanation of your state’s current regulations, so that you will know where you stand on these important matters.

  • How to choose a REALTOR ®

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    How to Choose a     REALTOR®


    Not all agents or brokers are REALTORS® — there is a difference. 

    As a prerequisite to selling real estate, a person must be licensed by the state in which they work, either as an agent/salesperson or as a broker. Before a license is issued, minimum standards for education, examinations and experience, which are determined on a state by state basis, must be met. After receiving a real estate license, most agents go on to join their local board or association of REALTORS® and the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, the world’s largest professional trade association. They can then call themselves REALTORS®.

    The term “REALTOR®” is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics (which in many cases goes beyond state law). In most areas, it is the REALTOR® who shares information on the homes they are marketing, through a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Working with a REALTOR® who belongs to an MLS will give you access to the greatest number of homes. 

  • Why use a property manager?

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    You may ask yourself why do i need a property manager? Why would i pay someone to manage my property? The answer should be a fairly simple one. A property manager is the perfect buffer between you and your tenant — and if relations were to deteriorate you might be very grateful that you are not the front man.

     

    It’s important that your property manager is a licensed real estate agent with an understanding of the state laws regarding rental properties. The property manager is acting on your behalf, a professional neutral third party.  The management of long leasehold residential property is a complex business requiring a full understanding of the structure and meaning of leases, a thorough knowledge of the ever changing statutory requirements of the various landlord and tenant legislation (there are several key Acts of Parliament). Every lease is individual and therefore the experience of a professional property manager is essential for proper interpretation.

     

    You are not just looking for somebody to collect the rent on a weekly or monthly basis — that more often than not is done electronically these days. In most cases you probably need somebody to provide total management of the property from marketing, advertising, finding and screening tenants, through regular inspections to sourcing tradesmen for ongoing maintenance. Property management is a time consuming business, by employing a professional who has been trained to do so will free up your time and allow for things to be done correctly the first time around.

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"Sara is energetic, motivated and a great person to work with, she has made us feel confident in her services and we feel at ease that our property is in great hands! Hands down we recommend her for all real estate matters!”

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