“Mac Facts”: What Real Estate Investors Need to Know

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 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

Today on “Mac Facts,” I’m here with buyer’s agent Michele Hrusovsky to discuss what people ought to know before investing in real estate and how a buyer’s agent can help.

Michele worked in the hotel business for 18 years. She loved the customer service aspect, but was ready for a change. That was when she and her husband began flipping houses on the side. They had a lot of interactions with agents when finding the right house to buy, flip, and sell. Eventually, she had the bright idea to try becoming an agent.

Before investing in a property, potential real estate investors need to know their money. They need to understand what they’re going to be putting into the house. If they’re flipping the house, for instance, they’ll need to get bids and understand what the costs are going to be and determine whether or not the return is worth the investment. 

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Even experienced investors should use the services of a buyer’s agent.

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Even experienced investors should use the services of a buyer’s agent. They’re extremely helpful in that they’ll not only negotiate on your behalf and have your best interests at heart, but they can also do comparative analyses before and after the flip to ensure that you’re investing in the right property, that you’re not over-investing in an area, and that you have realistic expectations for what you can sell the property for.

If you have any questions about buying, selling, or investing in real estate, please feel free to reach out to us. We'd be happy to help you.

Meet Erin Munich: Buyer’s Agent

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 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

Today, I’m here with our buyer’s agent, Erin Munich, to discuss her role on our team.

Erin has been a buyer’s agent for almost three years but has aspired to become one since her early 20s. She was finally able to make the jump, and now she loves it.

She is motivated by the fact that buying a house is probably the biggest investment that most people will make, so she really wants to help clients make the right decision. Her goal is to make sure that they’re looking at the right details when buying a house, instead of just glossing over the superficial details like paint color and decoration. More important details to pay attention to are the price point, location, and structure, since it will be where they spend the rest of their lives.

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Buying and selling a home is a very emotional transaction, which is why Realtors are there.

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According to Erin, buyers should be aware that the market right now is quite competitive, so it’s really important that people know what their top budget is. Ask your lender about your budget and monthly payments because the worst thing that could happen would be to find a home that you love and have it get swept out from under you by another buyer. Get pre-approved to know what price point they should be looking in and to know what potential roadblocks can get in the way during the buying process.

The process can be fun, and it can also be frustrating. Depending on the financing you qualify for, there are certain conditions that the home must satisfy. This is why we do an inspection to make sure that the home can satisfy all those qualifications for the loan. This may involve some negotiations to remedy those issues.

Buying and selling a home is a very emotional transaction, which is why Realtors are there. A listing agent’s first priority is to care of the seller’s needs. A buying agent’s sole purpose is to make sure their clients know exactly what it is they’re buying and that they’re getting it for the right price. They’re not there to talk you into buying a house; they could care less if you buy this or that house. Buyer’s agents don’t get paid until they’ve fulfilled their duties, which won’t happen until the client is happy with their purchase. When that happens, it’s the best.

If you have any questions about the services buyer’s agents provide or about real estate in general, please feel free to give us a call. Remember, it’s our job to make sure that you’re informed and satisfied.

Mac Facts: Inside Sales Agents

Looking to buy in Greater Lansing?  Perform a full home search

 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

Welcome to this week’s episode of Mac Facts.

I’m Sara Craft and I’m an inside sales agent here at MacIntyre & Cowen Realty Group.

So, what is an inside sales agent?

Well, the job is actually something like being a matchmaker. Our team approach comes with the goal of making home purchases less stressful for our clients.

When people contact my team’s office about purchasing a home, this information comes to me. My role is to speak to you about your financing, what it is you’re looking for, and help you search for that perfect home.

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Our team approach comes with the goal of making home purchases less stressful for our clients.

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There are a couple of ways I can assist you with this search. The first way is by setting you up for an email search. This will automatically email you listings that meet your criteria, which can be tailored as specifically as you like. You can filter homes by neighborhood, price point, or even the kind of financing you’re approved for.

Another option I have is to connect you with one of our team’s expert buyer’s agent. These agents are the professionals who will take you out and show you homes, and they have years of experience in this field.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Don't Try to Sell Your Home Without This

About 90% of today's homebuyers start shopping for their next home online. That has major implications on how you present it.

Looking to buy in Greater Lansing?  Perform a full home search

 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

In this week's edition of Mac Facts, we're discussing the importance of photography and video in buying or selling a home.

Up to 90% of homebuyers shop for homes online, so it's crucial that a property's photos are shot by professionals. I'm always surprised at how bad some photos of homes I see online are. Sometimes I think, “Really? Did anybody look at this at all?"

When you have a photographer come to your home, you also need to be mindful of the home's condition and that everything is in the right place because some things you just can't change. We're lucky enough to get to put up to 50 photos of a home online, and that's a lot. They really let you get a good look the property, which is why it's so important for the space to look nice and present well.

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You need to be mindful of your home's condition as well as its showability.

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Since we live in Michigan, you have to think about the season as well. Since it's winter, do you have some photos of the home from the summer that we can possibly show? Keep that in mind if you're thinking about selling your house before the springtime. The buyers out looking in the winter are real, not tire kickers.

If you'd like some more information about professional photos or about selling your home, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be glad to help you.

What Makes Pricing Critical in Our Market?

When you sell your house, pricing correctly is critical. Here’s why.

Looking to buy in Greater Lansing?  Perform a full home search

 Looking to sell in Greater Lansing? Get a Home Price Evaluation

Our market is starting to gather pace, so if you’re selling your house, pricing it is correctly in getting it sold. 

Whenever I go on listing appointments, my advice to my sellers is to list their home to sell it—not just to let it sit there. The longer a home sits on the market, the harder it is to sell. People will naturally wonder what’s wrong with a house that’s sat on the market for a long time.

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Why is pricing critical in our market?

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When it comes to pricing, don’t let your emotions dictate your decisions. Just because someone down the street has their home listed for a certain amount and you think your house is worth more doesn’t mean you should automatically list it at a higher price.

Even with price reductions, people will still want to know what’s wrong with the house. 

If you have any questions about this or any other topic relating to real estate, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.