Delaware County, Pennsylvania Real Estate Blog

Putting The Cart Before The Horse When Buying Real Estate 

You probably know this expression “putting the cart before the horse”, well this is one way to describe a buyer who wants to start seeing houses before they have been pre-approved by a lender.  Sure as a buyer you might have some idea of what you can afford, but until you talk with a professional, go over the closing costs and find out what you can afford for a mortgage, you are putting the cart before the horse.

Yes looking at houses can be fun.  Open Houses are a great way to see houses on a whim.  But don’t be surprised when an agent does not want to show you properties if you are not pre-approved by a lender. 

WHY? You might ask.  Well agents need to make a living just like everyone else and if they give a lot of time to a buyer who does not know their true buying power, then that buyer is taking work hours away from that agent who could be helping other buyers with pre-approval letters and are ready to place an offer the moment they visit the house of their dreams.

“Yes, but I have to start somewhere, and I want to look at a few houses first” You might say.  Well you may get lucky and find an agent who will show you a few houses initially, but you run the risk of finding the house of your dreams and by the time you find out you can afford the house, another buyer with their ducks in a row might sneak in and buy the house before you.  Or you might find out, that house is way beyond your means.  Unfortunately, either way, a buyer tends to compare all other houses they see from that point on to that house that got away.

So be good to yourself and get that first step done by getting a pre-approval letter, by having a FREE CONSULTATION with an agent and a lender.  Once you have this letter in place it can easily be updated.

(Written by Gloria)

Putting The Cart Before The Horse When Buying Real Estate 

"How much do you think it will cost us to heat this house?" This is a question we are asked often by First Time Home Buyers. And not a question we can answer since every house is different and every household is different in its consumption of heat. But now we have something to pass on to those people who want to have some idea what their fuel bills may be in the winter.

According to a report put out by the U.S. Energy Information Administration Agency, the cost to heat an average home this coming winter with oil will cost $2,146 and $739 with natural gas.  That is a big difference between gas and oil prices and often buyers may not have a choice between oil and gas in the house they purchase.

This report, as a guideline, is a helpful start, but homeowners need to pay close attention to their bills and monitor how they are using fuel over the course of the winter to find out what is their cost to heat their house.

To save money, homeowners can install programmable thermostats to lower the temperature when everyone is away at work or school and increase the temperature during the hours when everyone is home and awake.   Upgrade windows and storm doors to save money.  If upgrades are not in the budget now, place drapes over drafty windows.  Be creative and find ways to save on heating bills.  Make it a household effort. 

Even though we cannot give a client an answer to their question of "how much will it cost to heat this house?" we can at least give them guidance on how to become aware of their usage of fuel and hopefully they will find a level of consumption that fits their budget and comfort of living.

(Written by Gloria) 

Buying A House Isn't Like Buying A Car

When you are out looking at houses and you see a house you really want to buy, you better be ready to place an offer.  No two houses are alike. No two locations are alike.

It's not like going into a car dealership and seeing a car you like, but you take a few days, maybe a week to make up your mind about actually purchasing that particular car.  And when you are finally ready, you go back to the dealership to find out that the car you fell in love with and want to buy, was sold and they have no more in stock.  So you sit down with the sales agent and low and behold, you are in luck!  The agent was able to locate the exact model in the exact color you want at a dealership across town.  What luck!

Well it does not work the same with houses.

When you start your search for a house you better make sure you are prepared to place an offer.  That is, you know what you can afford, you have a pre-approval letter from a reputable mortgage company and you are working with a trusted Realtor®.  Because if you find that house of your dreams and you loose out to another Buyer because you are not prepared, an identical house will never appear again.   It's as simple as that.

(Written by Gloria - Inspired by Doug)

(Hover over photo for caption)

Needs A Little TLC - Some Cosmetic Work - Are you sure?

Sometimes words do not convey the true condition of a house that is for sale, nor do pictures.  That is why you must visit a house more than once before buying and have a home inspection and if necessary adjust the price of your offer based on the gathered information from your visits and input from professionals.  If you go into a situation without the guidance of a professional you may just end up with more than you can handle.

Bricks - ABC's OF REAL ESTATE (A-Z/B)

Bricks have been used for constructing houses and building for thousands of years.  Remains of buildings dating back to 5000BC and earlier, have been found in the Middle East in an area formerly known as Mesopotamia made with bricks.  Needless to say, bricks can be very durable depending on how they are made.  In addition to their durability, bricks are fire resistant, require low maintenance and add a layer of insulation to any structure or home.

Red bricks are very common in construction.  Clay and shale are what give bricks their red color along with the firing process.  According to brick manufacturers, it's all in the baking time.  On average, 30 hours of baking is what makes for a good solid brick.

To test the quality of bricks, take two like bricks and bang them together.  If you hear a distinct ringing sound, that is the sound of a high quality product.  If you take lower quality bricks and bang them together you will hear a thud sound, not a ringing sound; quite a difference.  With exposure to the elements, lower quality bricks break down much quicker over time.

If low exterior maintenance is what you are looking for in your home, with colors that conjure up a warm and friendly home, make sure your next home is made of brick. 

Remember, "only stones and bricks are wolf proof".  --- as per one of the 3 Little Pigs.

(Written by Gloria - Thanks to Wikipedia and Acme Brick Company)

ABC'S OF REAL ESTATE: 
Arch Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) - ABC'S OF REAL ESTATE (A-Z/A)

Home Ownership - Part Of The American Dream

To own a home is a big part of the American Dream. To put down roots in a community where you can raise a family, have neighbors that may become your friends, to build equity in an asset that shows the fruits of your labor over the years, these are things that can come with being a home owner. No matter what stage of life you are in, you may have this dream of Home Ownership. So why not research your options?

If you are fresh out of high school or college, now is a great time to start saving your money on a regular basis towards a down payment on a house.

If you have been a renter for many years but now feel like you really want to buy your own home, go for it.

Yes it may take time if you do not have the required money to make a down payment, but find out what are the requirements and make a plan that you can stick with to get you to your dream.

Like any dream or goal a plan needs to be put in place and worked.

Hook up with a Realtor and mortgage person, listen to their advise.

Know your credit score and improve it if you can.

Become wise in your spending habits.

Be patient.

If owning a house is something you really want to experience, you can do it if you find out what is needed to become a home owner. Do your research, find out the steps to home ownership, put a plan into action and don't let fear keep you from your dream. Make it a reality!

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One Way To Rid A House Of Negative Energy - Smudging 

Have you ever gone into a house and just gotten the heebeegeebees? Or you find out something really bad happened in the house you just bought, and you want to somehow erase this negative energy from this house's history? (Please read post by Patricia Kennedy)

Well there is one way to rid a house of negative energy and bring new/good energy in if one can find a person who knows how to "smudge" with Sage and Sweet Grass.  Smudging with Sage is the initial step, it removes the bad energy.  Smudging with Sweet Grass, is the second step, this brings in the new and good energy. Do not just smudge with Sage, do both steps.

Many years ago I had the honor and opportunity to learn about smudging from a few Native Americans. For many Native Americans, smudging is used on a personal level as well as in ceremonies and in similar situations mentioned here.

If you are open to such ideas and can find someone who can do a smudging for you, by all means give it a go. On a final note, if you go forward with this, I ask that you please honor the sacredness of this tradition with sincere respect.
                                                     (Written by Gloria)

Doug Durren and Gloria Todor, Realtors^®, CENTURY 21 Absolute Realty
Serving Delaware County Pennsylvania and Surrounding Areas
Take advantage of the Tax Credit before April 30, 2010
- First Time Home Buyers and Current Homeowners -
610-909-0687 Doug       610-328-4300 x131 Office
484-431-3686 Gloria      www.RealEstateDelawareCountyPA.com
Email GloriaTodor@Century21.com