What Is Title Insurance | Is Title Insurance Worth It?
What is title insurance | Is title insurance worth it | Title insurance explained
How Title insurance works, it’s a form of indemnity insurance that protects the holder from financial loss sustained from defects in a title to a property. The most common type of title insurance is the lender’s title insurance, in which the borrower purchases coverage only to protect the lender. Owner’s title insurance is often paid for by the seller to protect the buyer’s equity in the property and is available separately.
KEY TAKEAWAYS ➡️ Title insurance is a form of indemnity insurance that protects the holder from financial loss sustained from defects in a title to a property.
➡️ The most common claims filed against a title are back taxes that had been missed by a title company, liens (from mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, easements), and conflicting wills.
➡️ A one-time fee paid for title insurance covers pricey administrative fees.
?If you’d like some more tips on buying your next home check out my buying a home playlist here. https://bit.ly/2sw5Pu1
?If you don’t want to miss any tips on buying and selling your home so you don’t leave money on the table at a closing time click here https://bit.ly/2sHfDRr
?To look for properties in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish area click here: https://goo.gl/Pfi9W9 ?To read my blog visit yourrealestatewhisperer.com
?To Send Mail: Kristina Smallhorn PO BOX 1271 Prairieville LA 70769 #yrew
Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com,info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com eXp Realty LLC,2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401, Baton Rouge LA 70817 225-246-1812,Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149 Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana, License #0912122918
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Every home buyer is looking on the internet and using apps to search for homes. There are some pros and cons of home buying apps and we will be looking at the five top apps for home buying to check for accuracy, function, how it looks and any special features that stand out. The top 5 apps we will be looking at are Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Homesnap, and Trulia, since these are the most popular home buying apps on the market today. We will use one test subject home that’s is for sale in Ascension Parish to see how this listing shows on each app and if the information is the same or differs from each.
Regardless of your feelings personally to these companies they do have a place in the home buying process, each had its plusses and minuses but to really get the best, accurate and up to date information, you will still need to contact a licensed real estate agent to get a full detailed report. These apps are a great tool for a home buyer, but they still can’t replace the knowledge of a professional real estate agent when it comes to knowing a neighborhood, how sellers will react to certain offers and the market how it stands right now in your area.
? If you want to know more about another app homeowners are using you will want to check out this video ➡️ https://youtu.be/CK0L44gIY4s
❓To Ask Me Any Real Estate Related Question Or If You Are Looking For A Realtor In Your Area You Can Email Me @ info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com.
?Hate Emailing?, Just Call Me ☎️@ 225-246-1812
➡️If you’d like some more tips on buying your next home check out my buying a home playlist here. https://bit.ly/2sw5Pu1
➡️If you don’t want to miss any tips on buying and selling your home so you don’t leave money on the table at a closing time click here https://bit.ly/2sHfDRr
➡️To look for properties in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish area click here: https://goo.gl/Pfi9W9
To read my blog visit yourrealestatewhisperer.com Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com,info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com eXp Realty LLC,2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401, Baton Rouge LA 70817 225-246-1812,Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149 Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana, License #0912122918
There are 5 top fears that home buyers have when buying a home that can cripple them from even making a home purchase at all. I will cover some of the biggest fears that home buyers face and show you how to overcome those home purchasing fears so you won’t be too scared to buy a home. These are the top Five Home Buying Fears we will cover:
Fear Of Value Loss
If you saw the collapsing home values of 2007-2009 you saw many families and homes that go into foreclosure making homes in neighborhoods plummet as fast as they went up in value, in some areas it went lower than the boom and took years to recover, so the fear of losing value in your home is real.
So how do you combat this fear, When working with clients that have this fear I ask them to pick a home they like in their budget, this doesn’t have to be the exact home they arepurchasing just one can use as an example, and I make a full report showing them the properties value since the big housing crisis of 2007 where the home value dipped and what the home value is now, In our area of Baton Rouge it’s clear to see that anyone who bought a home during that time and was able to hold on to it since then has gained a significant amount of money and this hold true for many other areas around the country.
You can ask your real estate professional for reports like these on any home you are interested in so you know you are making a smart financial decision.
➡️The 5 Home Buying Fears Covered In The Video Time Stamps
Some people see shows on HGTV of buying a great foreclosure or auction home and flipping into a home o6f their dreams but that’s after the investors sunk into a whole lot of money with unforeseen issues prior to purchasing the home. Getting a great deal on a home usually means you will be purchasing a fixer-upper in one-way shape or form. Whether it’s just some new paint and carpet or adding a new roof and fixing foundation issues.
If you are thinking of purchasing a home like this but are scared of the costs there are few things you must do prior to signing on the dotted line,
1. Make sure you have at least a 10 day inspection period so you will have enough time for the next two things I am going to tell you will need to do.
2. Hire an inspector to go through the home with a fine tooth comb have them review the report with you at the property so you can see for yourself the issues they found,
3. Find a couple of very good general contractors with lots of reviews and previous customers and have them meet you at the property to give you an estimate of the cost of repairs. ( Don’t go cheap with your contractor sometimes cheap contractors equals cheap looking work)
h4. once you have your bids in hand estimate an extra 10% for unforeseen issues or problems that might pop up.)
Fear of Buying When You Could Get a Better Deal-
This is one that has crippled some buyers. Years ago I worked with a couple who would go from house to house putting in purchase agreements well below asking price hoping that the sellers would take their offer.8 months and 14 purchase offers later they got stuck in a situation that forced them to buy a brand new home they weren’t really happy with but since their rental lease was up and the landlord was unwilling to extend there lease they had to buy “something” all the other homes they had lowballed were long gone.
I know everyone wants a deal, this is a great time to really have deep conversations with your real estate agent about the homes comparable value to others in the neighborhood. If the market is super hot you are most likely not going to be getting a lowball offer accepted but if you are in a market that sellers are willing to negotiate that it doesn’t hurt to test the waters. When you make an offer that’s below market value write in the offer how you came up with the sales price for the house, explain in great detail why you feel its worth that amount and not what the asking price is. I have used this to get offers accepted by sellers in the past even including repair estimates from companies to support the offer.
Fear Of Mortgages & Mortgage Payments-
Everyone has heard horror stories of people getting in way over there head and bought home that made them “house poor” where the homeowners could purchase the house and not much more than make house payments, or you may have heard about a mortgage package that could have saved you on making a large down payment after they have already purchased a home. Before you have mortgage remorse be sure to meet with several mortgage lenders and discuss all the loan packages that will fit not only for your best interest rates but also your monthly budget as well, make sure you factor in regular maintenance costs of your future home also renewals on termite contracts, HOA fees and extensions to home warranties if you chose to.
Fear of Buying won’t be as safe as renting-
Every housing market is different when it comes to the cost of renting in comparison to owning. Buying wins hands down here in Ascension Parish. Currently, you can buy a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom, 1300 square ft home for about $180,000 that’s less than 10 years old.
Mortgage Monthly cost maximum loan Mortgage amount
180,000$Interest rate (%) 4.5 ,Mortgage period 30 (years)
Monthly payments
$912, taxes 900 a year, and insurance is about 800 a year= estimated at $1054.00
Now for comparison you take that house you would pay $1350 a month in rent, never gain equity over the years and your rent always goes up as a mortgage payment always stays the same.
?If you’d like some more tips on buying your next home check out my buying a home playlist here. https://bit.ly/2sw5Pu1
?If you don’t want to miss any tips on buying and selling your home so you don’t leave money on the table at a closing time click here https://bit.ly/2sHfDRr
?To look for properties in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish area click here: https://goo.gl/Pfi9W9
?To read my blog visit yourrealestatewhisperer.com
CONTACT INFO: kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com,info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com eXp Realty LLC,2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401, Baton Rouge LA 70817 225-246-1812,Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149 Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana, License #0912122918
Buying a home can really get some buyers let down with their limited budget. A home buyers only option may be to buy a home that’s, well, unattractive. But there are many advantages to buying an ugly house. In this video, I will cover those advantages buying an ugly house for the first time and even though it may not be a gem now you may be laughing all the way to the bank in a few years when the ugly home becomes the best gem on the block.
For referrals of TOP agents near you please email me directly at info@yourrealestatewhisperer.com
?If you’d like to watch more videos ?about buying a home?, here is a very useful playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL2NpJzFd3bsErmLFniI8wy2jC1309S9J
? Visit my blog to read more buying and selling a home tips: yourrealestatewhisperer.com
?To search for homes in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish Area:
https://bit.ly/2OdQw1s
??If you don’t want to miss important tips real estate tips, please consider subscribing https://bit.ly/2MEztWK
?If you have any questions about buying and selling your home feel free to reach out to me at by email or any respectable time by phone?. All my contact information is listed below.
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The walk-thru stage of home buying, The final walkthrough isn’t just to check if the sellers have removed all items from the home or check the condition. When a buyer does a walk-thru of the home they are buying, prior to closing, they may see some things they were not expecting, So its good to be prepared. In this video: I will be showing the perfect walkthrough checklist so you don’t forget anything by the time the sellers have handed over the keys and cover those things most people don’t even think about when they walk around one last time. Below the video, I will have a checklist PDF that you can download for free to take with you the day you do your walk-thru.
It’s Take A Tip Tuesday! Do you know how to be a home buying detective? I have told you in previous videos that are ways for a home buyer to do their own due diligence when buying a home. But what does that really mean to you as a buyer buying a home in an area that you have had your eye on? In this video, I will be showing you how to be a home buying detective and find out all the things you need to know before you sign a purchase contract when buying a home.
??♂️Look at the tax records online! This is a great way to know how much the sellers purchased the home for. In Ascension Parish, you can even see how much they financed the house for. How is this helpful to you? If you know that they want $250,000 for there home and they only purchased they home 3 years earlier for $180,000 you know they have wiggle room to negotiate for less than the asking price. Knowledge is POWER!
??♂️Check the local sheriff’s website: A quick Google search and a few keystrokes away from knowing if there are any predators that live close by to the home you’re researching. Even if this isn’t a personal concern for you for many it is and one day you’ll want to sell the home you are thinking of buying and the next buyers may find this to be a very big issue causing your home to stay on the market for longer than you are expecting.
??♂️Call your local homeowner’s insurance company and ask for a CLUE report? Whats a CLUE report? This is a report that can tell a potential buyer how many insurance claims were made on the property for the past 5 years, the dates those claims were made, The type of loss, how much was paid to settle the claim or if the claim was denied this information can be extremely helpful in discovering hidden problems, before you sign on the dotted line
??♂️Ask The Sellers some Great Questions: I know that I have said in a past video what things a seller should keep tight-lipped about but no everyone is going to take my advice so ask them. “Why are you moving?” “What’s your bottom line?” “How quickly are you looking to move?” “How do you like your neighbors?” “Do you have any crimes or break-ins in the neighborhood” “Do you have receipts of all the repairs you have made in the past?”
Loose lips sink ships as one customer told me in the past. The home sellers answers could be a great way for you to feel out how stuck they are in their price and how quickly they are ready to fly the coupe.
??♂️Go to the home at peak hours: To really investigate a neighborhood and your possible future neighbors go to the house during the times when people are leaving and coming home from work. Is there a bunch of cars parked on the road blocking the streets up? Also, drive around and check the yards, Are they maintained? You’re not buying just this house you are also buying the neighborhood as well.
??♂️BONUS TIP!!! I have said it before but bears repeating again, Talk with the neighbors!! You will be surprised at the great tidbits of information they will give you about the home you are t
?If you’d like to watch more videos ?about buying a home?, here is a very useful playlist: https://bit.ly/2wkl3n3https://bit.ly/2wkl3n3
??If you don’t want to miss important tips real estate tips, please consider subscribing https://bit.ly/2MEztWK
?To search for homes in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish Area:
https://bit.ly/2OdQw1s
?If you have any questions about buying and selling your home feel free to reach out to me at any time by email or any respectable time by phone?. All my contact information is listed below.
#Realtor #homebuying #tips
My name is Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer and I tell you all this “Because YOU Matter”
Cell 225-246-1812
EXP Realty, LLC
2900 Westfork Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70827
225-412-9982 ext 149
info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com, kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com
yourrealestatewhisperer.com
#realtor #homebuying #tips
Kristina Is a Licensed Realtor® with The Greater Baton Rouge Board of Realtors@ in the State of Louisiana. License #0912122918
It Is Take a Tip Tuesday and being prequalified and preapproved are not the same thing when getting a home loan. There is a big difference between being pre-qualified and pre-approved. If you are wanting to write offers on homes even the most inexperienced realtors know the difference between a pre-qualification letter and a pre-approved letter. So which one do you need to start a home search? When do you need a pre-qualification letter and when do you need a pre-approval letter when buying a home? and whats better pre-approved or pre-qualified?
In this video, I will cover those burning questions so you will know what letter you need when starting your next home search.
***If you are buying your first home you may be interested in checking out my video https://bit.ly/2OoaLut
So whats the BIG Difference in a pre-qualification letter and pre-approval letter. I recently got into an argument with a real estate agent about this, I knew it was time to explain this in a video. I figured if she was confused by the difference than many buyers and sellers may be as well. If you are starting your home search and you are unsure how much of a home you can afford you will want to reach out to a trusted lender, (if you do not have one I can get you a complete list of lenders I have used over the past 10 years) and find out how much home you pre-qualify for this is a very general amount and not set in stone. This letter is just a guideline to help you budget for your home when you first start thinking about buying.
For home sellers I would not accept an offer with a pre-qualification letter because they buyer has not given the lender enough information to get a pre-approval letter. The lender has only received a possible buyers’ basic information and hasn’t gotten the full picture of the buyer finances. They are only going by what the borrower says about their monthly paycheck, credit report and outstanding balances and knows a little about the buyers’ job history.
So why is a pre-approval letter is better? If you are a buyer the lender verifies the borrower’s information and documentation to determine exactly how much it would be willing to lend to that borrower. If you are a seller this letter lets you know that the buyer has taken the proper steps to purchase your home at the price offered and they will be able to close if nothing changes in the time your home is under contract.
In closing, if you are shopping for a home and just need to know around about price to start looking at homes online a pre-qualification will work just fine. But if you have selected a realtor and are seriously shopping homes to write on offer on you will definitely need a pre-approval letter to make your offer stronger than the person who has a pre-qualification letter especially if you are in a strong market that has bidding wars if you like to see the video about bidding wars click here https://youtu.be/DtiAbq5nlIM
I hope you found this video about the difference of pre-qualified and pre-approved when buying or selling a home if you’d like to read more real estate buying and selling tips you can visit my blog at yourrealestatewhisperer.com
If you’d like to watch more videos specifically about buying a home here is a very useful playlist. https://bit.ly/2myd6Go
If you don’t want to miss important tips so you can be a real estate home buying ninja, please consider subscribing https://bit.ly/2MEztWK
To get a copy of my FREE buyers’ e-book you can download it here: https://bit.ly/2LdyEqt
If you have any questions about buying and selling your home feel free to reach out to me at any time by email or any respectable time by phone. All my contact information is listed below.
My name is Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer for Ascension Parish and I tell you all this “Because YOU Matter”
Cell 225-246-1812
EXP REALTY, LLC
2900 Westfork Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70827
225-412-9982 ext 149
Info@YourRealEstateWhisperer.com
yourrealestatewhisperer.com
kristina.smallhorn@exprealty.com
#realtor #home #tips
Kristina Is a Licensed Realtor® with The Greater Baton Rouge Board of Realtors@ in the State of Louisiana. License #0912122918
Last week I told you about bidding wars (To Read That Article https://bit.ly/2LoaC7X ). This week I will be telling you when is the right time to lowball an offer on a home. This video will provide 5 useful tips to know when the perfect time is to lowball an offer on a house. There is often real estate lowball offer mistakes people make when making an offer and know how to construct your offer in a way not to offend the sellers by providing facts to why you made the lowball offer in the first place can be the reason why you win the deal of the century.
The first tip to consider if you are going to home buying with the idea you are going to lowball every home you make an offer on is not to be picky. DO NOT ask for items that are not important to the structure of the home, like washer, dryer, and refrigerator, Do not ask for lawn maintenance or items to be removed. Basically, you are purchasing the home as in the condition that it’s currently in and not anything more than that.
The second tip that can work in your benefit is knowing if the home you’re considering lowballing is grossly overpriced. Many sellers will have illusions of grandeur when it comes to pricing their home. If you can prove with comps that the home is overpriced to the seller they may see things your way.
The third tip that’s important to know when giving a lowball offer is to see how many times the home has been on and off the market within the last couple years. This could be a sign that the seller is in financial trouble and needs to get out. Check with your Realtor to see if the home has been put up on the sheriff’s sale website for delinquent payments or back taxes. This information could help leverage your lowball offer.
the fourth tip is to talk with the neighbors, neighbors love to dish out any secrets the sellers may not have disclosed that wouldn’t be pertinent to the structure of the home like a divorce, loss of a job or financial issues. Sometimes the neighbors can be the sellers biggest nightmare but a lowball buyers dream!
The fifth tip is to take a good look at obviously outdated items in the home to leverage your lowball offer. If the carpet is old and smelly, the kitchen looks like it from the set of the Golden Girls and every room needs a fresh coat of paint add up the cost to have those items that need remodeled and show the seller why your lowball offer was made. This could be the tip that seals the deal.
I hope you found these tips useful if you like to watch more video tips on buying your next home, check out my home buying video playlist here. https://bit.ly/2sw5Pu1
If you don’t want to miss any tips on buying and selling your home so you don’t leave money on the table at the closing time click here https://bit.ly/2sHfDRr
To look for properties in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish area click here: https://goo.gl/Pfi9W9
Nobody wants to be a bidding war loser. When making bidding war offers you want to come on top. The best offers during a home bidding war are the ones that don’t ask for extra items like, refrigerator, washer, and dryer. The trick to winning a bidding war on a home isn’t just asking for the “extras”, it’s also what loan you chose, how long will it be until you close and the way you construct your purchase offer in a way that is the strongest to the seller’s eyes but not breaking your budget for a home. This article will show you 5 tips to making your bidding war offer stronger so you won’t end up being a bidding war loser.
Tip 1
Do not ask for extras like refrigerator, washer, dryer and silly items that are cosmetic like asking for the home to be painted. Nothing will make a seller pass over your offer like asking for extras that have nothing to do with the value of the home.
Tip 2
Up the amount of your deposit, normally in the state of Louisiana, the deposit amount is pretty minimal to the amount of the home. The typical amount is as little as 250-2500 depending on the price of the home. If you’re in a bidding war you may want to consider upping that amount to 2500-5000 so the sellers know you are a serious buyer that has skin in the game.
Tip 3
Decrease the number of days for inspection. When you write a purchase offer most ask for a 10 day inspection period. If you reduce the number of days for inspection to 5 days your offer may look stronger to the seller due to the fact it will be fewer days off the market if the buyer will be removing the offer after the inspections are completed. With that said many realtors may suggest a pre-inspection prior to writing an offer if you use this tactic you may lose precious days that someone else can beat you to the punch to make an accepted offer and you will never get a chance to make yours.
Tip 4
Consider a different loan type. If you are not paying cash and you have not chosen a loan package you will need to discuss with your lender the best option for you to get the loan closed fast but still has your best interests.
Tip 5
Go with your highest and best offer with the first offer you come in with. This is not the time to test the seller on there willingness to come down in price. If you are serious make your strongest offer the first offer you make.
Bonus Tip
It doesn’t hurt to add a little human emotion to your offer, sometimes we forget that families are involved so if you add a letter stating why this home is so important to you, this may be the deciding factor when it comes to a bidding war.
To look for properties in the Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish area click here: https://goo.gl/Pfi9W9
There are many homeownership mistakes that happen when you buy a house. Often people unknowingly do more damage to their home when they believe they are doing the right thing after they buy a house. In this video, I show some of the biggest mistakes that homeowners make.
Have you ever been in a bathroom that had a weird black line around the bottom edge of the mirror? There is a reason for that, it’s from an overuse of cleaning products and moisture getting behind the mirror allowing it to lose its reflection and cause that yucky black clouds. The solution, just be aware when you are spraying your mirror to not use too much product and when getting out off the shower make sure to wipe down the mirror so no moisture gets trapped.
Another mistake in home ownership is using bleach on everything. I know I love bleach but it can really do damage on some of the most expensive things in your home like granite countertop (did you know that it will strip the sealant right off of stone?) Also, never use bleach products on vinyl it could possibly yellow or stain it. Another area to avoid bleach is wood flooring, it too can strip the finish off the flooring making it pretty expensive to restore down the road.
I’ve been to enough home inspections to know that many homeowners make the mistake of using the wrong kind of caulk in certain areas of the home. They make different kinds a caulk for a reason and make sure you are buying the right kind for bathrooms and outside windows. Not all caulk is made the same.
Over sealing countertops is another costly mistake homeowners make. I know you think you’re doing the right thing by applying it often but if do it too much it will cause a milky white film that can be tough to remove and repair. To test to see if your countertops are ready for another spray of sealant, just drip a few drops of water on the countertop and see if it beads up if it doesn’t its ready for a treatment.
So when was the last time you had your HVAC system look at? So many homeowners ignore this maintenance requirement. When I represent the buyer I always ask for it to be done and inevitably the homeowner hadn’t had it done the whole time they had lived in the house. The cost of this is too inexpensive to ignore and can help stretch out the time for replacement.
I hope you found these tips useful if you’d like more tips please visit my website @ yourrealestatewhisperer.com
To search for Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish homes for sale click here https://goo.gl/Pfi9W9
Do you have any home ownership tips? Be sure to comment them below, They make it in my next video.
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My Name is Kristina Smallhorn, Your Real Estate Whisperer For Ascension Parish, And I tell you all this “Because YOU Matter”
Kristina Smallhorn is a licensed REALTOR® with the state of Louisiana in The Greater Baton Rouge MLS, license # 0912122918,eXp Realty LLC,2900 Westfork Dr. Suite 401
Baton Rouge LA 70817, Cell Number: 225-246-1812, Office (225) 412-9982 ext# 149