Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Emergency Ready Kit

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that all Americans have some basic supplies on hand in order to survive for at least three days if an emergency occurs. It is recommended that the Ready Kit should be assembled well in advance of an emergency.

The concept is to be able to survive for at least 72 hours until local officials and relief workers arrive on the scene. The disaster could be wide-spread and involve a lot of people that makes it difficult for relief workers to reach everyone immediately.
  • Water, one gallon per person per day for at least three daysFema ready logo2.jpg
  • Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
  • Battery powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA weather radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Medications (prescription and basic)
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Manual can opener for food
  • Local maps
  • Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
  • Family and emergency contact information
  • Extra cash
  • Emergency blanket
  • Pet supplies if necessary
Click here for a print version of this list and additional items to consider adding to an emergency ready kit. The American Red Cross has a suggested list for first aid kits and has other items available for purchase at their online store.

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Natasha Bazile is a Realtor & Home Stager. She prides herself in being a guide to her clients and finds fulfillment in helping them achieve their goals.

Direct Phone: (404) 857-2508 
www.SoldbyNat.com Email - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Forced Savings

One of the big banks has a voluntary program available that transfers $100 each month from your checking account to your savings account. In five years, the account owner would have over $5,000 because of a type of forced savings. iStock_000059416596-250.jpg

Similarly, when a person buys a home with a standard amortizing loan, each month, a part of the payment is used to reduce the principal loan amount. Amazingly, over $4,000 would be applied toward the principal in the first year of a $250,000 mortgage at 4% for 30 years. In five years, the loan amount would be reduced by almost $25,000 through normal payments.

The other dynamic that is in play is that while the unpaid balance is being reduced, appreciation causes the value to increase. The difference between the two makes the equity grow even faster. Three percent appreciation on a $250,000 home would increase its value in five year by almost $40,000.

A 30-year mortgage of $250,000 will be paid for in 30 years. At an average of 3% appreciation, the asset would be worth about $600,000. If you continue to rent, the asset belongs to your landlord instead.

Many experts believe that the homeowner benefits from the forced savings of amortization and the leveraged growth that takes place in the investment. It has been observed in the tri-annual Consumer Finance Survey by the Federal Reserve Board that homeowner’s net worth is considerably higher than that of renters.


Tuesday, December 15, 2015

SOLDbyNat.com in Loganville, GA - What a Buyer Should Expect When Having a Home Built

CONGRATULATIONS to my beautiful client on purchasing her 1st home!

After some months of preparation and research, this savvy buyer decided on a new construction home.  



When buying a new construction home, buyers have 2 options:

1) Start from scratch like this buyer did (ex: pick lot, make all selections). Construction time on the home varies by builder and location. Acquiring permits and bad weather can also delay the process, not to mention the loan/underwriting process. At the present in Georgia, most builders are giving a time frame of 90-120 days.

 or

2) Buy a home the builder has already started constructing. Depending on how far along the home is, they buyer may be able to still make some selections (ex: carpet, appliances). In addition, since the home is already underway, a buyer can close more quickly.

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Here are some pictures of this buyer's journey...

1) Contract & Selections - The same day she wrote the contract, she made her selections. Cabinets, carpet, tile, brick, grout, you name it... she picked it!

This builder had the selections on site, but some builders will have buyers make an appointment to visit their Design Center.


And yes, those are our toes. Let's just say we picked the wrong day to wear heels!
* Lesson - Buyers, when house hunting, wear flats. :-)


2) Crickets... - Not in the house of course :o), but things will be pretty quite for a some time. While the buyer worked with the lender, the builder acquired permits and started construction. Then viola!...

3) The Pre-Drywall Walk-through 

 If a buyer will be doing a Home Inspection this is the ideal time. Before the walls go up! 

This is also the time where a buyer should verify their electrical selections. Case in point... at this walk-through we caught that an additional fan was put in the loft, instead of a bedroom. That would have been a pain to fix after the sheet rock and paint went up.




4) The Builder Walk-through is done a few weeks before closing and is very detailed. This is the one where the buyer has a chance to ask all of their questions about the mechanics of the house and note any touch-up that need to be done before closing. 


 5) Closing Day! Prior to closing we did a Final Walk-through to make sure the touch-ups from the last walk-through were completed, and then went to closing. 

The building process takes time, but you can get exactly what you want! 
*Keep in mind - Aside from dealing with the builder, you still have the loan process going on with the lender. Buying a home whether new or a resale can be stressful, but the right agent will guide you along the way. 

Check out this post: Buying New Construction ~ Do I need an agent?


If you are looking to purchase a home, I'd love to help!
I specialize in working with individuals and families in transition. Whether your 1st move or your forever move!

Click here for TESTIMONIALS!
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Natasha Bazile is a Realtor & Home Stager. She prides herself in being a guide to her clients and finds fulfillment in helping them achieve their goals.

Direct Phone: (404) 857-2508 
www.SoldbyNat.com Email - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube

More Equity...More Options

The more equity in your home, the more options you have. Since equity is determined by the difference between value and what is owed on a property, when homes lost value during the Great Recession, homeowners’ equity decreased. Equity-250.jpg

Negative equity occurs when the value is less than the mortgage owed. According to CoreLogic, 91% of all mortgaged properties have equity and only 4.4 million properties remain in negative equity at the end of the second quarter in 2015.

A homeowner, who qualifies, can release part of their equity by refinancing the existing loan and taking out additional cash or by getting a home equity loan. The benefits include:

  • To get a lower rate on your current mortgage
  • To finance capital improvements on your home
  • To payoff higher interest rate debt such as credit cards or student loans
  • To purchase items that would not have deductible interest like personal cars, boats, etc.

It could be as simple as waiting for positive home equity so owners can move to another home without having to pay out-of-pocket expenses to sell their home.


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Two things everyone needs to know about plumbing

The first thing every homeowner needs to know about plumbing is how to turn the water off in case of an emergency. It’s like having a fire extinguisher; you hope you never need it but you want it just in case you do.Plumbing-250.jpg

Generally, the cutoff is in the front of the home. There may be a separate cutoff box on the owner’s side of the meter. If not, the owner needs to be able to open the water meter and turn it off there. This will require a water meter key which can be found at a local home improvement store and a wrench. Once you have the key, practice opening the meter door and check out how the shutoff valve works. Then, put the key in a quick and easy place to find when you need it.

The second thing a homeowner needs is a recommendation of two good plumbers. Having a backup name is always good in case your first choice can’t make it when you need them.

Some homeowners prefer to go the do-it-yourself route. There are plenty of DIY videos on the Internet but having the name of a good plumber if the job gets out of hand can be the tool that saves the day.

Our business puts us in touch with some of the most reliable and reputable service providers and we’re willing to share their names with you. Regardless of whether you “do it or delegate it”, being familiar with the basics can be very helpful.


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Look at a Rental This Way

Appreciation, tax advantages, cash flow, leverage and equity build-up contribute to the rate of return on rental real estate. If that sounds confusing and it’s keeping you from investing in rentals, try looking at it a different way.Paperwork-250.jpg

Consider this, look at only cash flow and equity build-up to determine whether to buy the property. They are easy to calculate and their outcomes are both reliable and predictable.

Most homeowners, based on their familiarity with their own home, should feel more comfortable with a rental than alternative investments. A conservative strategy is to purchase slightly below average price range homes in a predominantly owner-occupied neighborhood. Collect the rent, pay the bills and make necessary repairs.

A cash on cash rate of return is determined by dividing the cash flow before taxes by the cash invested in the property. It considers all of the “real world” income and expenses related to the property.

cash flow and equity buildup.png

The equity build-up occurs from the normal process of amortization with an increasingly larger portion of each payment applied to reduce the principal loan amount.

In this hypothetical example, the combination of the Cash on Cash and the Equity Build-up is almost 12% which is considerably higher than certificates of deposit and bonds and nowhere near as volatile as stocks or mutual funds.

In most of today’s markets, rents are expected to continue to rise and due to a low inventory of homes for sale coupled with growing demand, prices will continue to rise. Even though there is value in appreciation, tax advantages and leverage, they could be considered an unexpected bonus to this basic rate of return.


Tuesday, November 24, 2015

One-button Pricing?

An Automated Valuation Model, AVM, is a computer approach that looks at public records to make a determination based on square footage, comparable sales and other elements. It is as easy as putting your address in a blank but unfortunately, AVM results may only be accurate about 20% of the time.Value BUTTON3.png

A popular AVM, Zestimate®, states “It is considered a starting point at determining a home’s value.” While an AVM contains some of the same information as a comparable market analysis, it lacks a critical human factor.

Having a pair of experienced eyes consider aspects that are not easily quantified can make a big difference. A skilled professional can tell which properties are truly comparable. A knowledgeable expert can recognize features, floorplans and other things that can affect value but are difficult to quantify.

Even if a person isn’t ready to sell their investment, they like to know its value. It is easy to find the price of stocks or mutual funds on any given day but the value of a home is more difficult.

Regardless of whether you’re just curious as to how much your home is worth or are ready to monetize your equity, I’m available to give you that information without obligation. If you’re not ready now, just keep this letter for when you are.


Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Resource Central

Homeowners should recognize that the same trusted professional who helped them buy or sell their home can be a valuable resource while they own their home too.resource central.png

Think of your REALTOR® as an indispensable homeowner’s resource who can make recommendations about a variety of services that homeowners will use throughout the tenure in their home. This experience far exceeds personal experience because of the day-to-day activities working in the industry.

  • To recommend reputable and reasonable service providers.
  • To offer information about your community, nearby businesses and local agencies.
  • To solicit general homeowner knowledge such as protesting your property tax assessment, determining fair market value, determining the best improvements and other things.
  • To assist with advice and suggestions about maintenance, protecting value and saving money.

Our goal is to have a long-term relationship with you. We want to help you be a better homeowner not only when you need to buy or sell but all of the year’s in-between. We want to earn a recommendation to your friends. We want you to consider us your REALTOR® for life.


Thursday, November 12, 2015

WEEKEND OPEN HOUSE - 3838 Broadleaf Walk Snellville, GA 30039




~Listed FOR SALE & FOR RENT~
Come see this WELL MAINTAINED, 4 bedroom / 3 bathroom, MOVE-IN READY home sits in a cul-de-sac.  
Wait until you see the master bedroom, ensuite, & closet!
Saturday, November 14th 2-4 pm
&
Sunday, November 15th 2-4 pm
 


Sale $240k - 3838broadleafwalk.checkoutmore.com

Lease $1650 - 3838broadleafwalkga.isforlease.com

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PROPERTY DETAILS:

Like New with HUGE Master Suite!
This WELL MAINTAINED, 4 bedroom / 3 bathroom, MOVE-IN READY home sits in a cul-de-sac.
Home features: 2-STORY FOYER, HARDWOOD FLOORS, GOURMET KITCHEN, HUGE MASTER SUITE, BEDROOM ON MAIN, LARGE BEDROOMS & CLOSETS, FORMAL LIVING ROOM, SEPARATE DINING ROOM, FAMILY ROOM, UPSTAIRS LAUNDRY, and BIG YARD.  
Conveniently located near the heart of Snellville, GA which is full of great shopping, eateries, and entertainment!

 Contact me at (404) 857-2508 to schedule a showing. 

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Natasha Bazile is a Realtor & Home Stager. She prides herself in being a guide to her clients and finds fulfillment in helping them achieve their goals.

Direct Phone: (404) 857-2508 
www.SoldbyNat.com Email - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube