MULTIPLE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION

Great job! You presented your home in great fashion and priced it correctly, so now you have multiple offers on your home. But how do you decide which contract to ratify? Obviously, price is a major factor, but it’s not the only factor you should consider. Financing, contingencies, rent backs, settlement dates and conveyances are other items you need to consider before deciding on which offer to work with.JS Realty working on computer contract

Your Real Estate Agent will guide you through negotiating the best terms and conditions possible. At JS Realty we use a spreadsheet that lists all the important, negotiable components of the offers side-by-side to make it easier to compare offers. Start with your highest offer and work your way through the other elements of the contract. This is the time you have the most leverage in your negotiations, so use it wisely!

Following is a list of the other components of the contract that you should review closely with your Real Estate Agent:

Buyer’s Financing – is the offer a conventional loan or is it a government backed JS Realty Calculating Money Finance contractloan such as an FHA or VA? Conventional loans tend to have less stringent home inspection and appraisal requirements.

Home Inspection Contingency – if an offer has no home inspection or if the home inspection is for informational purposes only, that could save you (the Seller) money on repair costs.

Settlement Date – if you would benefit from a rent-back now is the time to put JS Realty calendar close upthat in place. Sometimes we are able to negotiate a free rent back in multiple offer scenarios, which gives you the freedom to make your move easier and less stressful.

Appraisal Contingency – this can be the hardest contingency to get waived, but in some multiple contract situations we have been successful in getting the appraisal contingency waived.

Contingency Timelines – you will want to shorten the timelines for home JS Realty Checkboxinspections and any other inspections to as short as possible. The job of your Real Estate Agent is to get all of the contingencies in the contract released as soon as possible. Appraisal & financing contingencies are difficult to shorten too much, because you are relying on 3rd parties to do their job, so therefore you have less control.

Down Payment – how much a buyer is putting down for down payment and JS Realty Close up on a pen writing a checkearnest money deposit also plays a part in your decision for which contract to choose. The more money a buyer has invested in the transaction, the more committed they are.

Remember: this is when you hold the most leverage of any time during your transaction, so make it work for you!

Feel free to reach out to the JS Realty Team with any questions about multiple contracts or any other Real Estate related questions!

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

THE EARNEST MONEY DEPOSIT – WHAT IS IT?

Realtors say the oddest things and just assume you understand! I personally JS Realty Terms Word Cloudremember sitting in my Real Estate class, thinking “I am learning a whole new language!” It was a bit overwhelming, even though I had the desire to understand each and every word, along with its definition. Not everyone understands Real Estate terms, especially if this is your first time working with a Realtor. Over the next couple of months, the JS Realty Team will work towards enlightening you and helping you learn our “Real Estate Language.”

What is an Earnest Money Deposit (or “EMD”)? And why do I need to pay one?
JS Realty Deposit slipAn Earnest Money Deposit is an important part of the home buying process. It is an amount of money that you will deposit (in escrow) that tells the Seller you are committed to the purchase of the home. It’s important to know that this earnest money deposit is not an extra cost of buying a home. It will be credited towards the down payment at closing, and in case it exceeds your mortgage down payment, and settlement cost, you will receive the balance at closing.

How much should I offer?
This can differ depending on the real estate markets and can also depend on JS Realty Calculating Money Financewhether or not there are multiple offers on the property. If you feel that you are not in competition, you can expect to pay around 1-2% of the sales price in most markets. For example: a $300,000.00 sales price x 1% = $3,000.00 EMD. If you are in competition with other offers, you may want to offer more, as this will tell the Seller you are more serious about their home and could help you win the offer. This is where a good Realtor can really help you structure the correct offer with the right amount of EMD.

Where did my money go and how is it being spent?
JS Realty Handing Over Cash For House in Front of Beautiful New Home
In most cases you will write the check to your Realtors, Real Estate Brokerage Company or the company that will be assisting you in the settlement (Title Company). Never write the check to the Seller or the Realtor directly. The money is usually due very shortly after the contract is fully accepted by all parties (ratified) and will be placed in an escrow account. Shortly before you go to settlement, it will be released so it can be applied towards your settlement cost and down payment on the day you purchase the home. In the event the amount you put down exceeds the amount needed for these cost, you will get a check refunding you the balance. As you can see, this is your money, and it is treated as such. It is only applied to your cost.

What if I do not buy the house? How do I get my money back?
Every market can be different when it comes to answering this question. Make sure you read and understand the contract and that it states what happens to the EMD if you no longer qualify to by your dream home, or you discover during the home inspection process that there is something that does not meet your expectations and you decide you do not want to buy the home. If you are within your rights to cancel the contract, the Seller will agree to release the funds back to you in full. However, there are many different ways this can be handled and some are not favorable, so, understand the contract you are signing and discuss any concerns you may have with your Realtor. If you are not comfortable with the language that is written in the contract be sure to consult an attorney before signing to ensure your rights are protected too.

THE BOTTOM LINE
An EMD (earnest money deposit) is your way of telling the Seller “I love your JS Realty People shaking hands in a real estate transactionhome and really want to buy it.” In most cases the money remains yours and is applied to your cost in regards to the purchase. It can also be a great way to leverage your offer in the event you find yourself in competition with another Buyer. A great Realtor can guide you in the offer process and help you structure a deal that is more than just about a sales price.

Want to know more about earnest money deposits or have further questions? Contact us today, we are more than happy to help answer your questions!

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia. 

MEET OUR PREFERRED LENDER

The JS Realty Team is excited to introduce you to our preferred mortgage lender, Keith Harris!

JS Realty KHarris Lender
Keith Harris,               NMLS #838973

Keith is a Licensed Realtor and Associate Broker who has been in the real estate industry since 2003 and the mortgage industry since 2011.  Since then, Keith has closed over $250 million in real estate and mortgage transactions.  His previous experience as a Realtor is valuable to both real estate agents as well as the borrowers, and he views both as his clients. You can be sure that Keith is always looking to provide the best solution for the borrower. He is available to meet with clients when it’s most convenient for them – so if the typical work week makes it difficult to get together, Keith is available on weekday evenings and most weekends. Keith’s professionalism, integrity, and stellar work ethic goes above and beyond to ensure his clients get the best possible outcome.

For 10 years, Keith has coached youth sports and he takes a similar approach in coaching his clients to get to a “winning” solution!

JS Realty Intercoastal MortgageKeith Harris is a Lender at Intercoastal Mortgage Company. They are committed to spending the necessary time to understand your needs and tailor a loan best suited for you.

As a Full Service Residential Mortgage Lender, there’s no need for a “middle man”.  These are only a few reasons why Keith is our preferred Lender:

  • Direct Local Lender – not a broker
  • Extremely competitive rates
  • In-house Processing, Underwriting, and Closing
  • Uses only local Appraisers who know our market
  • Takes care of completing your loan application &  paperwork
  • Specialize in complex scenarios and First Time Homebuyers
  • Free, 1-time float down, once rate is locked (scenario specific)
  • Offers the following:
    • FHA, VA, Conventional FNMA & FHLMC, Jumbo and Super Jumbo, USDA, Construction Loans, Bridge Loans, No Money Down loans
  • Licensed in Virginia, Maryland and District of Columbia

JS Realty Equal Housing LenderTo apply online, click here to fill out the loan application. There is no cost or obligation associated with obtaining a preapproval from Intercoastal Mortgage Company.

JS Realty Free home analysisThe JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

THE HOME INSPECTION PROCESS

Congratulations – you are one step closer to owning a home! Once you have ratified a contract on the home of your dreams (meaning you have a contract to purchase a home at terms agreeable to all parties), the first & very important step is to perform your home inspection. At JS Realty we feel the home inspection is the most important step in the home buying process. Not only will the home inspection identify the good points and items that need attention, the home JS Realty Young married couple at desk in a business meeting JS Realtyinspection will give you valuable insight into maintaining your homes systems.

JS Realty has a team of qualified Inspectors for whatever is needed for a home. A general home inspector checks all the components and systems of the home interior and exterior. If specific issues are found, sometimes it is necessary to bring in a specialists from that field, such as a structural engineer, roofer, HVAC contractor, or others. We encourage our buyer’s to accompany the home Inspector as he inspects the home. Our home Inspectors provide a resource to learn as much as you want about the components of your home, gleam valuable tips on maintaining the home and what systems need regular preventative maintenance.

JS Realty Real estate comparisonAfter the home inspection has been completed, the Inspector will give the buyer a full report on all the positives and negatives of the home. Your JS Realty Agent will review the report with you and decide which deficiencies we want the seller to fix. At JS Realty, we feel the home should be turned over to the buyer with all components in working order (note that a home inspection is not for improvements or cosmetic issues).

Your home inspection is for education and transparency, and we will provide guidance on the best strategy to address any potential issues.

We are here to help! If you have additional questions regarding home inspections, or any other part of the home buying process, contact us today!

JS Realty Free home analysisThe JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

REVIEWING AN OFFER TO PURCHASE YOUR HOME – Part 1 of 2

Great news – you’ve received an offer to purchase your home! …Now what?

In this 2-part series, we’ll walk you through everything to consider when reviewing an offer to purchase your home for a successful and smooth transaction.

Fully understanding all the points of the contract is imperative to negotiating the best possible result for our seller. The JS Realty Team strives to ensure our sellers have the best possible outcome in the many facets of the Real Estate transaction.

Now that you have an offer on your home, you and your agent need to do your due diligence on researching the offer. Whether you receive 1 offer or 5 – the Hands reviewing real estate property documents.contracts need to be carefully reviewed to ensure you know exactly what the potential buyer is proposing. Only after you have reviewed and researched all offers will you be able to proceed to choose the contract that works best for you.

At JS Realty we like to list all the negotiating points of the contract(s):

  • Sales price
  • Seller subsidy
  • Down Payment
  • Loan type
  • Earnest Money deposit
  • Settlement date
  • Title Company
  • Inspections – Termite, Home, Radon, Well and Septic
  • Home Warranty
  • Contingencies – Appraisal, Financing, HOA or Condo
  • Post settlement occupancy

First we will call the buyer’s lender and confirm that the lender has verified the buyer’s credit scores, income, debt to loan ratio, and money needed for down payment and closing costs. You do not want to ratify a contract and take your home out of “active” status, only to find out the buyer does not qualify for the loan.

Next we ask the following key questions about the offer and where the money is coming from:

  • How much did the buyer offer?
  • Are they asking for closing cost assistance?
  • What type of loan (conventional, FHA, VA or other) program?
  • Does the buyer’s down payment match up to the type of loan?
  • How much money did the buyer commit to an escrow account at the time of writing the offer? Note: We like to see a minimum of 1% of the sales price.

After you’ve answered the finance questions, it’s time to talk settlement dates! Make sure (as the seller) the date the buyer has chosen will work for you. Do you have enough time to schedule your move? Does the timing fit your moving plans? Do you need a rent back?  This is when you negotiate the timing of the transaction. Once you ratify the contract, you lose your leverage to negotiate different terms.

Now we will carefully review the conveyance section of the contract, making sure only the items that are supposed to convey are checked.  For example, if you do not want to convey your new front loading washer/dryer, now is the time to make sure the buyer did not ask for it!

Check back next week for Part 2Inspections, Warranties, Contingencies & Post Settlement Occupancy.

The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

REVIEWING AN OFFER TO PURCHASE YOUR HOME – Part 2 of 2

Great news – you’ve received an offer to purchase your home! …Now what?

House contractIn this 2-part series, we’re walking you through everything to consider when reviewing an offer to purchase your home for a successful and smooth transaction.  If you missed PART 1, you can find it here.

 

Now that we’ve reviewed the offer, checked out all the loan info and gotten a settlement date, it’s time to discuss Inspections, Warranties, Contingencies, and Post Settlement Occupancy.

Most contracts have the following contingencies:

  • Home Inspection
  • Radon test
  • HOA disclosure
  • Financing & Appraisal

When the JS Realty Team is representing the seller we want to keep the timeline for these contingencies to be as short as possible. The sooner we can close the contingencies, the better chance for a smooth settlement!

So, who is responsible for ordering the pest/termite inspection?
We like our clients to be in control of that process. Termite companies don’t make money on inspections; they make their money treating homes for pests. Therefore, we want to make sure we hire a reputable company.

Ideally, the home inspection and radon test are done within 7 days of ratifying the contract. If there is an issue with the home that the buyer is not comfortable with, we want to know as soon as possible. That way we can solve the problem or release the buyer and get the home back on the market immediately.

If the seller’s home is located in a HOA, then the seller needs to order their resale disclosure packet as soon as contract is ratified. By Virginia law, the buyer has a prescribed time (dictated by how the disclosure packet was delivered) to review the disclosure packet.  If the buyer is not comfortable with the rules or finances of the community, they can void the contract. It is very important to get this contingency released as quickly as you can.

Appraisal – this takes, on average, 2-3 weeks. The lender orders the appraisal soWomen working in the real estate company you need to give them time. Financing is typically 3-4 weeks and it is the weakest of the contingencies. The buyer has control over the home inspection and HOA disclosure contingencies; however they do not have as much control over the appraisal and financing.  That is why we want the Home Inspection completed and HOA documents reviewed as early on in the process as possible.

Another item to consider when ratifying your contract is whether or not you need a Seller Post Occupancy period. This needs to be negotiated at contract time where the seller has the most leverage.

JS Realty also offers a home warranty for our seller’s during the listing period.  If we have agreed to purchase the buyer’s a warranty for their first year, it would be put into place at settlement.

As you can see, staying on top of all the different components of the sales contract is essential to a smooth transaction. Again, the sooner we can close the contingencies, the better chance for a hassle free settlement! The JS Realty Team strives to ensure that our sellers have the best possible outcome in the many facets of the Real Estate transaction.

The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.