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Stello Homes

Serving Your Real Estate Needs In Northern Virginia

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A common line in the real estate industry is that “buyers’ agents are free.” “Don’t worry,” salespersons say, “you don’t have to pay a thing for me to represent you.” While it is certainly true that the seller is typically responsible for compensating the agents that help sell their home, the quality of the agent representing you has a direct impact on the amount you pay for your home; and when we are talking about a massive purchase like a home, mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars.

Therefore, as a potential home buyer, you must be very careful and selective when it comes to choosing the person you want to represent you. There is too much money on the line and too much that can go wrong during the home purchasing process. Here are some important questions to ask the real estate professional you are interviewing for the job of guiding you through the home purchasing process:

1. How many clients have you helped purchase a home in the past 24 months?

Professional agents work in the world of real estate on a daily basis. A good, consistent agent will have closed an average of two purchases per month (this number is based on personal experience).

2. Can you provide me with a list of client references?

As with any other professional, a good agent should not have an issue providing you with references. If they do good work, their client references will reflect that.

3. Do I need to enter into a signed agreement with you?

Is that agreement binding? Are they any early termination fees?

When using an agent to enter into a sales contract, the agent will often have you sign an exclusive right to represent buyer agreement. This agreement states that you will not use another agent or broker during your purchase. This agreement will outline whether or not you will be expected to pay any early termination fees. Your agent should disclose this information should you ask.

4. How are you paid? Are there any hidden fees that I am responsible for paying you?

Buyer’s agent commission is part of the seller’s closing costs. You should not be responsible for paying your agent’s commission. If your agent charges any other fees, they should disclose them.

5. Do you practice real estate full-time?

Most professional agents practice real estate full-time, and if you are able to make a living full-time in the real estate industry chances are you know what you are doing, and represent people well. Some professionals do practice part-time and have a lot of experience. Just make sure you are clear on a professional’s experience.

6. How will you help me find the right property for me? What is your process?

Professional real estate agents will listen to what you want and need in a home. They will be able to translate that into tangible properties that you will be able to tour and decide for yourself if they are a good fit. Listen to their answer to this question and decide for yourself whether or not you feel their process meets your needs.

7. Do you have reputable lenders, home inspectors, settlement agents, that you can refer to me?

Can you provide me with those contacts?

The answer to this question should undoubtedly be “yes.” A good agent should work with other reliable people in the field and they should not have an issue providing them as references.

8. Can you tell me about your business?

How do you work? What are your processes? Do you work alone or does anyone work with you?

This is another question that should help you gauge how you feel about the agent in general. Are they thorough in their response? Does their response raise any red flags for you? This is all important to keep in mind.

9. Is now a good time to buy? Or should I wait? How is the market?

A good agent will always be aware of the current state of the real estate market. If they cannot answer this question, it is not recommended to use that agent.

10. What separates you from other agents? Why should I use you?

You should feel confident about working with this agent after asking these questions. Do they set themselves apart from the rest? Do they come off as just another salesman or are they a true home professional?

During this interview you should be very aware of these things:

  • Does the agent communicate well? How they communicate with you is how they will communicate with the listing agent and seller. How they present themselves is how they will represent you and present your offer.
  • Are they able to give you clear and professional answers? Do they know what they are talking about? Professional agents work on their craft daily, they should be able to answer these basic questions very easily.
  • Gauge how you feel overall during the process. Do you like this person? Do you want to spend a good amount of time with this person over the next few months, year, etc.?
  • The agent you choose will be helping you through one of the biggest decisions in your lifetime. Do your due diligence and make sure that it is someone you can trust to do their absolute best to make it a smooth and positive experience.

Do you have further questions, or are you looking to get started in the home buying process? Give us at Stello Homes a call – we will make sure you are represented and properly guided by a Home Professional.

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No Realtor Required

First of all, I am not a fan of the terms “Realtor” or “real estate salesperson.” I do not like how they are perceived by the general public, and I do not like the sales mindset of those individuals who conduct their business as such. I do not consider this profession a sales profession, and I do not consider myself a real estate salesperson. It is not my job to sell you on a house. It is my job to help you find the right home for you, and then guide and protect you through the complicated negotiation, due diligence, and legal processes that follow. I like the term Home Professional better.

So, the answer to the above question is no – you don’t need a Realtor to buy a house. You need a Home Professional.

A common line in the real estate industry is that “buyers’ agents are free.” “Don’t worry,” salespersons say, “you don’t have to pay a thing for me to represent you.” While it is certainly true that the seller is typically responsible for compensating the agents that help sell their home, the quality of the agent representing you has a direct impact on the amount you pay for your home. When we are talking about a massive purchase like a home, mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars.

Not all real estate professionals are, in fact, professionals

The problem in this industry is that low barriers to entry allow just about anybody to get a salesperson’s license, and most of the training and books about how to be successful are geared toward volume of transactions. How many calls have you made? How many appointments have you booked? How many deals have you closed? This quantitative philosophy makes sense since brokers only really make money on volume of agents and transactions. However, the industry is going in two very different directions: you can either be a low-cost, discount sales agent or a Home Professional.

The ease of entry into the real estate industry, the perceived flexibility that a real estate career offers, and the opportunity to work for yourself and earn a good living attracts a lot of people. However, training standards in the industry are relatively poor, and you do not need any field training/experience to represent your first home buyer. An agent can pass their state exam after completing their pre-license education (this can be done in as fast as one week) and actually represent someone on a home purchase. This is scary.

As a potential home buyer, you must be very careful and selective when it comes to choosing the person you want to represent you. There is too much money on the line and too much that can go wrong during the home purchasing process to simply choose someone just because they are cheaper, or will share the broker compensation with you (typically what an experienced agent would do). This can be a recipe for disaster if, as a home buyer, you are not familiar with the home buying process.

You need a Home Professional to purchase a home

. Whether it be new construction or a resale property, a Home Professional can save you thousands of dollars during and after your home purchase. Home Professionals are experienced and know the ins and outs of real estate contracts. They know the art of negotiation – they can win you a contract in a multiple-offer scenario or get you a great deal. They know when you have leverage and milk every ounce of it to your advantage. They buy and sell real estate themselves and are trained to know the value and costs of all things within any type of home. Home Professionals provide real value and protection to home buyers, and not only are these real estate professionals free of cost to you (paid by seller’s closing costs), but their knowledge and expertise can save you thousands of dollars throughout and after your home purchase.

At Stello Homes, we take this very seriously. Current and future homeowners often get the short end of the stick when it comes to the quality of service of their real estate professional, and it costs them thousands of dollars during and after their purchase. We create Home Professionals trained with in-depth knowledge of sales contracts, the art of negotiation, crafting and positioning an offer, establishing rapport with other industry professionals, and gaining hands on work experience in actual homes. We have field experience working alongside contractors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc., and we do all of this so that we can better serve and teach our clients throughout and after their home purchase.

Stello Homes is the only place our clients need to go to for anything home-related. We are here to serve you for life, and that’s how it should be across the board in the real estate industry! Enough of the sales business, it’s time for highly trained, educated professionals to take over and rightfully serve and protect clients.

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Selling your home can be stressful.

There is a lot to do and a lot of money on the line. It is important that you have a good strategy in place and a clear understanding of how you want the process to play out. Regardless of your strategy, chances are that once your home hits the market, you want it to sell as fast as possible for the most amount of money.  Here are the most important things you need to do to make sure your home sells fast for the most money:

1. Choose your real estate professional.

There is a reason I made this the number one tip. A professional listing agent can guide you through all 6 other tips I’ve listed below. In fact, they absolutely must! The best listing professionals understand your needs and goals for the home sale, then develop and implement a strategy to deliver you that outcome. Your goals will dictate how much preparation and investment must take place before going on the market, and this real estate professional should be able to devise a strategy to make it all happen. The best agents know the market. They know the preparations that must be made in order for a home to show exceptionally, and what, if any, upgrades need to be made. They know how to price a home effectively and market it to gain maximum exposure in order to drive demand and offers. Good agents know how to artfully negotiate and manage buyer expectations to keep money in their seller’s pockets. And finally, they know how to truthfully communicate with their sellers in order to get the job of selling the home done. Hire a professional agent, and the rest of these 6 steps should take care of themselves.

2. De-clutter and clean your house.

The general rule is to put a third of your stuff in storage, and de-personalize your home. The more stuff there is, the smaller your home looks and the less buyers can imagine it as their own. Takedown all family photos, memorabilia, or personal keepsakes. Generalize everything! The only items that should be kept in your home is furniture that highlights the floor plans and gives a general sense of what a room looks like. Renting a storage unit for a couple months will only cost you a couple hundred dollars. It’s worth the investment when you consider how much you could sell a home for. Once you have your personal items out, get the home cleaned. If you clean it yourself, make sure to do it at a professional level. You can get a deep full house cleaning for less than $500 – it is so worth doing before going on the market. 

3. Perform any necessary improvements or repairs.

Even if you don’t want to completely remodel a room, there are basic home preparation tasks that should be completed in order to protect your bottom line when it comes to selling your home. It’s important that you address any easy fixes that might deter potential buyers: 

  • Patch any open holes and paint areas that might be scuffed or peeling. 
  • Tighten any loose door or cabinet handles
  • Repair any small leaks 
  • Repair any appliances that might not be working fully
  • De-weed your garden, mow your grass, lay new mulch. 
  • Get your HVAC system serviced and cleaned
  • Power wash walkways and/or patios and decks.
It could even be beneficial to make larger improvements to your home if you have the time and money to do so.

Get the most out of your home by:

  • Fresh coat of paint throughout all rooms of the home
  • Purchase new appliances
  • Paint and change kitchen cabinet hardware
  • Install new carpet in bedrooms 
  • Install new light fixtures or recessed lighting
  • Replace vanity cabinets and toilets in bathrooms
  • Vinyl plank flooring is a popular and relatively low cost flooring upgrade being made to many homes nowadays. 
  • Refinish your hardwood floors. 
There are some real estate companies like Stello Homes that will perform these upgrades for you as part of the overall listing service that they offer. 

4. Hire a professional photographer.

Once the home is de-cluttered and the improvements and repairs have been made, it is time for a professional real estate photographer to come in. A professional agent should include the photographer’s cost within their compensation package. Buyers nowadays almost always see homes online first. The photos of your home are the first impression and drive traffic and demand to the house. This is a very important step to get right!

5. Price your home correctly.

This is such a critical, critical step. Failing to price your home correctly is perhaps the biggest mistake that you can make when it comes to selling your home. Overpricing your home will lead to higher days on market, and the longer your home sits on the market, the more likely you are to ultimately sell the home at a lower price – it just takes longer to get there. This is where the selection of your real estate professional is critical. They need to be able to price the home correctly so as to attract the most buyer demand. Real estate abides by the economic principle of scarcity. Every home is unique, each has its own unique location on the earth, and there cannot be any other exactly like it. It is important to understand the relationship between this scarcity, demand, and price. When a product – like a home – is scare (one of a kind), and has a lot of demand, price goes up. A good listing professional knows the sweet spot of price and demand to get the home sold quickly for the most money.

6. Expose your home to the greatest number of buyers.

In order attract the most demand for your home you need to expose and market it to the greatest number of buyers. According to National Association of Realtors, almost 87% of home buyers purchased through an agent or broker. Additionally, 85% of home buyers either found the home they purchased online, through their agent, or an open house or for sale sign. What does this mean? You want to check those boxes to make sure you are marketing to the 85% of the home buyer market. Start with the local MLS. Your listing professional should be able to list the home in the MLS as a part of their service fee. This is important because any home buyer working with an agent in your market should have access to a profile within the local MLS where they can monitor homes that come on the market within their search criteria in real time. So, when yours is listed buyers are immediately notified, and the madness of a home sale commences. Additionally, if your listing agent puts up a for sale sign and hosts an open house, you are sitting pretty to maximize your listing’s exposure.

7. Be flexible and allow showings.

You’ve done all this work to prepare your home and attract potential buyers to it. Now let people see it! We know that 87% of home buyers are working with agents, and it is those agents’ job to take their clients to homes to see them once they come on the market. There is technology available nowadays that allows buyer’s agents to request showing appointments that the seller can monitor and either approve or decline. There are also lockboxes that can be installed on properties that only licensed real estate professionals can enter, and they track when they are accessed and who accessed them. This ensures a seller’s home is thoroughly protected and there is always tracking and evidence of who entered a home. We want as many buyers touring your home as possible. The more showings, the more offers, and the more leverage for you as a seller. It can be a beautiful thing when done right. 

If you have any questions about any of the above tips, or are a home seller wondering what you could get for your home, you can get started here.

https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/quick-real-estate-statistics

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You’ve spent years working hard, saving your money, and preparing to purchase a new home – now you’re ready to go. Here are the very basic steps of the home buying process:

Step 1: Figure out How Much You Can Afford

To find the right mortgage lender, make sure to find someone that you are comfortable with and who makes you feel at ease. Once you have the right lender, make sure you at least get a pre-approval. A pre-approval will give you a better idea of how big a loan you qualify for. The lender will actually pull your credit and get more information about you. However, you could even take it one step further by getting an actual approval before you start home shopping. That way, when you’re ready to make an offer, the sale will be able to move much more quickly. Being pre-approved early will make your offer look more appealing than others since your financing is guaranteed. Not getting pre-approved is a mistake that could cost you thousands of dollars – learn about all 5 here.

Step 2: Find the Real Estate Agent

The agent that you choose is important, especially on the buyer side. Although the buyer does not pay the agent for their services (the seller does!), that does not mean that a buyer cannot pay for the agent that they choose. Find an agent that will act in your best interests, and takes their fiduciary responsibility seriously. Many agents see themselves only as salesmen, churning and burning client after client – find an agent who is a professional and serves their clients. A good agent will be a great resource that gives you the information you need to ensure your home-buying process goes smoothly. We’ve put together a list of 10 Important Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Professional to help you get started.

Step 3: Look for the Right Home

Make a list of the things you’ll need to have in the house. Ask yourself how many bedrooms and bathrooms you’ll need and get an idea of how much space you desire. Do you want a single-family, townhome, or condo? Do you need a big yard for your kids and/or pets to play in? Ask your agent to help you look for properties and schedule showings to go in person to see what you’d like.

Step 4: Make an Offer on the Home

Once you’ve found the home you want, you have to make an offer. Before you decide on a price, have your agent run a market analysis for you to determine whether the home is well priced. A good agent will provide you with advice and not let you overpay for something! Once the offer is accepted, you enter the contract phase.

Step 5: “Ratified” Contract to Settlement

Once the home is under contract, the real work begins. The process looks like this: Escrow Deposit = every buyer is responsible for an earnest money deposit. This is good faith money which the buyer loses if they default on the contract.

A good agent does not let this happen.

  • Home Inspection = many sales contracts are contingent on a home inspection. Meaning that the buyer (beware) has a period of time (normally 7-10 days after contract ratification) to conduct a home inspection with a licensed home inspector. If the buyer does like what they find in a home inspection, they may negotiate repairs or more money towards closing with the seller, or they may void the contract if said negotiation or inspection is unacceptable. Condo/HOA Documents = the buyer has the right to review the by-laws and rules of whatever condo or home owner’s association they are entering. It is required for the seller to provide these documents prior to settlement.
  • Financing Contingency = the majority of homes are purchased with mortgage loans. In the event that something happens to the buyer’s loan, they have until the end of the contingency period (14-28 days) to void the contract.
  • Appraisal Contingency = when a home is funded by a bank, that bank requires an appraisal to be done. If the appraisal comes back below the offer price, three things can happen: the seller can come down in asking price, the buyer can pay the difference, or the deal is off.
  • Settlement = Every home that is settled is done so through a licensed settlement agent, also commonly called a title company. These companies handle the money of all parties (buyer, seller, banks, etc.) and record the deed of the home with the state.

Step 6: Move In!

Congratulations! Your contract will specify when exactly you are able to move in to your new home, but at this point, you have officially graduated from home-buyer to homeowner.

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One of the most common ways home sellers miss out on value is by not preparing their home before attempting to sell. Buyers nowadays are very picky about certain aspects of homes that relate to you as a home seller getting top dollar. If too many of those features are outdated or damaged, it will result in a lower sales price.

The truth of the matter is that most buyers are looking for a home that is move-in ready. The amount of work that you should do in your home before you sell it, of course, depends upon the ideal outcome of your home sale. Do you want the highest sales price possible? Do you want to sell quickly? Your motivation determines the amount of money you should invest in upgrades and repairs.

You might have heard that you’ll only get 50-60% of your money back from upgrading your home, or even that the money you spend on upgrades is money you’ll never get back at all. This is true when you look at it from a general remodeling standpoint using a regular general contractor with marked-up services – but what if you were to make use of services that are geared only toward helping sellers make improvements that will appeal to homebuyers?

There is a reason that flipping houses can be a very profitable venture. When you only focus on making the necessary improvements that buyers actually care about, you can get a very solid return on your investment in them.

Many home sellers find themselves in a situation where they want to sell their home but have not had the time or money in the past to make any upgrades to it. Are these sellers forced to simply sell their home in as-is condition for a lower price? Or are there services out there that can remodel or upgrade certain features or rooms and then sell the home on the seller’s behalf so that they can make much more off of their home sale? The answer is yes – check out Stello Homes remodeling services.

An Art, Not a Science

Each home is unique and represents its own opportunities. Some upgrades might be worth it for some homes and not others. There is also the concept of improvement synergy that we have observed to be the case – improvements of a higher value than you make to a home can lead to a higher ROI percentage. For example, if your home has older features throughout and you only remodeled the kitchen, you’d likely get a much higher rate of return if you combined the kitchen upgrade with a master bathroom and fresh paint throughout. Yes, the dollar amount invested would be higher, but so would the return percentage. In fact, unless other features of the home have been upgraded at some point prior, it is usually not worth it to only invest a little bit in one aspect of the home if the home really needs a number of improvements. That one improvement is not going to solve the home’s problems.

Remodel with an ROI in mind

Upgrading a home is an art, not a science. Some homes might need things that others do not, but in general, there are common areas that we focus on to get a solid return on investment for our clients when they go on the market.

Upgrades made to a kitchen can have a very high return on investment. Cabinets and cabinet hardware, appliances, countertops, backsplashes, recessed lighting, etc. are all desirable, however, what can really move the needle on return on investment is the overall layout and design of the kitchen and how it relates to other rooms. Generally turning a walled-off kitchen into an open concept gets a very good return.

Your master bathroom is another room that can get you a nice ROI. Buyers like updated master bathrooms nowadays. New shower tile or glass, a nice vanity cabinet, fresh paint, and a new toilet can go a long way in making you more on a home sale. While your secondary bathrooms don’t get critiqued as much as the master, a new toilet and vanity cabinet along with fresh paint can be a nice ROI compliment to an upgraded master bathroom.

General flooring is an item that buyers really pay attention to. They notice if it is damaged, cheap, or inconsistent. On the main level, either hardwoods or a nice-looking laminate/vinyl plank is most desirable in high-traffic areas like an entryway or kitchen. Refinishing an old hardwood with a new stain is a great way to get a return on investment in flooring. In general, living areas such as a family or living room, bedrooms, or a finished basement recreation room can get away with carpet. New carpet in these areas can go a long way in terms of return on investment.

Other general upgrades that can contribute to a positive ROI include fresh paint throughout the home. A house that is freshly painted looks and smells much nicer – both very important for buyers. The curb appeal of the home is also important. It is the first impression that buyers have of the home. New mulch, painted trim, new plants, de-weeded gardens, and power-washed walkways and patios or decks can all be very low cost and effective ways to wow buyers as they walk in, especially when combined with the main home features like kitchens, bathrooms, and living areas.

System upgrades may or may not be a good idea, depending on the home’s situation. Typically, the old (old roof, old HVAC, old water heater, etc.) is noticed. However, if you have a new roof, you can likely get away with an old HVAC system, or vice-versa. Of course, the very top-of-the-line houses will have all new systems. However, when it comes to ROI, these items are more complimentary. You should not expect, for example, to install a new HVAC system for $7,000 and expect the sales price to increase correspondingly. It’s more so that, for example, the kitchen and master bathroom upgrades combined with fresh paint and carpet throughout with a new HVAC system costs $35,000 and allows you to list and sell the home for $45,000 more. That’s typically the way this all works. Again, an art, not a science.

Should you remodel your home prior to going on the market? Yes and no. It depends on your home and your situation. It also depends on how much you can put into it, how much time you have, and how much inconvenience you are willing to shoulder while the improvements are taking place. If you are thinking about what your home could sell for with nicer features, get in touch with us. We have created a service that gives you options. Whether you want to sell quickly, perform a remodel prior to listing your home, or simply sell your home professionally, there is no other place you need to go.

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Are you a first time home buyer?

Starting out on the home-buying journey for the first time can be confusing, and sometimes downright overwhelming. When working with first-time homebuyers, I am often met with similar types of questions, many involving getting started or just navigating the process of securing a mortgage.

Buying your first home is an exciting and rewarding experience! There are a lot of steps and choices ahead, but I’ve put together eleven tips to give you some first-hand advice to help you get started with navigating them.

First things first…

How do I get started?

1.Find a reputable and experienced real estate professional to work with you. Look around for a home professional with good reviews and call their references. Often, the best places to find a reliable referral are with trusted family, friends or co-workers. You can also do a Google search for “top realtor in [insert desired area]” and schedule an appointment to sit down and talk with them in person. Use this: 10 Important Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent.

2.Get pre-approved. A good agent will set you up with a reliable mortgage professional to get you pre-approved for a mortgage loan. This is an important first step, and I write about why in my e-book, The 5 Mistakes That Cost Homebuyers Thousands of Dollars. You do not go to a restaurant or grocery store without a means of payment. The same is true for homebuyers. Until you know what you can qualify for, there is no reason to start looking at homes. All you need to do to get pre-approved is fill out a mortgage application, provide basic financial information, and allow a soft credit check. Lenders get back you fairly quickly nowadays – if it takes them more than a few days to get back to you, I wouldn’t use that lender.

3.Go and look for homes. The best way to get a feel for where you want to live, the style that you like, etc. is to go and look for homes within your price range with your agent. Ask your agent to help you schedule showings and visit the properties that you like in person.

How do I secure the best deal on a mortgage?

4.Ask your agent about homebuyer incentive programs. I get asked a lot about incentives or discounts for first time home buyers. These programs do exist and, although they are mainly marketed towards first time buyers, qualifying for these types of programs is based on income level, and not how many houses you’ve bought in your life. For example, there are VHDA programs that provide 100% financing or an FHA loan allowing 3.5% down payments without PMI; however, these are only for certain buyers under certain income limits. If you are looking to put 20% down and get a conventional loan, you may be above the limits and, therefore, not qualify. This is definitely something a mortgage professional can help you navigate.

5.Increase your closing costs at settlement. This will help to lower your monthly payment or mortgage interest rate. For example, if you are putting less than 20% down and are charged PMI, you can use cash to pay that PMI up front instead of being charged monthly with interest. You also buy down your interest rate through basis points. For example, if you are getting a $400,000 loan and are quoted for a 4% interest rate, you can pay 1 basis point equivalent to 1% of the loan. You would pay that 1% ($4,000) at settlement, getting a new interest rate of 3.75% (in this example) and decreasing both the total amount of interest you pay and your monthly payment.

6.Always ask your lender for a fee sheet. This breaks down your closing costs, down payment, and monthly payment given different scenarios. You can compare your monthly payment if you buy down your rate, if you get a lower sales price, or if you pay PMI up front versus if you do not. It’s a good way to see everything compared right in front of you.

How do I make sure I’m not spending more than I should?

7.Understand the difference between a down payment and your actual cash to close. Cash to close = down payment + closing costs! The best general calculation for this is adding your down payment % + 2.5% of the sales price. For example, a $400,000 house with 10% down would be $40,000 + $10,000 = $50,000 cash to close. That is how much money you will need to bring to the settlement table. Most first-time home buyers assume it is just the down payment that you need.

8.Read 5 Mistakes That Cost Home Buyers Thousands of Dollars

9.The agreement with your agent is NOT binding. If you have an agreement with a certain agent you should be able to terminate the contract, free of charge, with written notice if you have not been able to find or get a contract accepted on a house.

10.Understand that, for the most part, real estate is buyer beware. It is your responsibility to perform due diligence on the property and secure financing to purchase it. Understand your legal right to exercise any void of the contract if you need to, and understand when you do not have the right to void the contract and might default.

11.Understand default. Defaulting on a contract is not good. You can lose your earnest money deposit or you can even be sued for performance – the seller can take you to court and make you buy the home. A good agent will make it clear when you can execute a void of contract if need be, and let you know when those contingencies expire. If you are unclear, ask!