Google Changes

I have had my Google Account from when it first started 2007.

Through the years several changes have occurred including machine learning, with spell check my all-time favorite. In college my business law professor walked up to me and said "You used spell check, right?" For my term paper spell check changed words I used to very unique different words. In my defense he told everyone spelling counts for the class grade! He never took off for the Unique Words!

Why does anyone worry about AI? It is just another tool in your backpack that can make your life easier. Embrace it, but understand it and it's limitations. It does assist with your research and development!

Option and Contingency Explained

Did You Ever Wonder Why That Zillow Listing is Not Available To You?

As you browse listings on GloriaVargo.com, BerkshireHathawayHS.com or  realtor.com, you may find homes you like that appear to be unavailable, due to some kind of contingency. If you find the perfect home, but it’s labeled Active Kick Out or Contingent, should you pursue it or forget it?
The reality is that contracts fall through sometimes. If you have a back-up contract, you can buy the home should it come “Back on Market” or “BOM.”

Active kick out
Active kick out means the seller has accepted a contingent offer, such as the buyer has a home to sell before they can close on the seller’s home. The seller can reserve the right to accept a better offer and “kick out” the previous buyer. They must give the first buyer 48 to 72 hours to either remove the contingency and move forward with the purchase, or back out of the contract.

Contingency
Nearly all offers-to-buy have contingencies. Typical contingencies include provisions that the home must meet the appraised value by the mortgage lender’s third-party appraiser, or it must pass a professional third-party home inspection to the buyer’s satisfaction. The buyer may make the contract contingent upon the lender funding the purchase.

Option period
Option periods give the buyer time to get financing and complete home inspections and the appraisal. Unless the buyer acts on a contingency, the home is considered out of option but it can still fall out of escrow.

You are welcome to text me, 214-789-1076, an address that interests you and I will quickly tell a history of that home. Happy house hunting!

Five Tips To Buying In A Fast Market

If you're a buyer in a hot housing market, you may have already lost out on several homes already. How can you get the upper hand? Here are five tips:

1. Get preapproved by a lender. Sharing financial information your lender requests will get you preapproved. You'll know the limits on how much home you can afford, how much money to put down, and what your interest rate will be. A preapproval letter will assure the seller that you're ready to buy.
2. Trust your real estate professional. As a Realor, I knows the market, can feed you new listings that fit your criteria, and have many contacts to learn about homes coming onto the market which you wouldn't get to see otherwise.
3. Make a realistic must-have list. Pick a neighborhood, house type and price range with a limited number of features. Be prepared to make compromises - smaller, fewer bedrooms or baths.
4. Consider less-than-perfect homes. Buying the worst house on the best block is a proven strategy. A home that needs repairs and updates will sell at a discount to other homes. Bringing your home up to the neighborhood standards is a quick route to building equity.
5. Buy under your means. If you get into a bidding war, you'll need a little wiggle room so you can compete. Many homes will sell above list price, so it's smart to keep your cool because you know you can go up if you need to.

Home Inspection

Renegotiating After the Home Inspections

Negotiations don’t necessarily end when you and the seller sign the contract to purchase. You have the right to have the home you’re buying inspected for soundness, which you can include as a contingency to your offer. That way, if the inspection reveals a serious issue, you and the seller can address it through renegotiations.
During the inspection process, the inspector is required to tell you about the condition of the appliances, heating and cooling, electrical and plumbing systems, foundation, roofing, exterior materials and so on.
Depending on where you live, you may also get separate inspections for pests and environmental issues such as radon. You’ll also learn if your future home is up to current building codes and what needs to be done to bring it up to code.
Once the inspections are complete, you have to decide if any problems found are worth renegotiating. It’s a risk because your existing contract is no longer in force and the seller is free to accept another offer. Renegotiate only for a system that is unsafe or expensive to replace.
Most sellers expect to make reasonable repairs and replacements if the inspection reveals an issue that wasn’t obvious when you first agreed to terms. As long as communication remains open and civil, the seller should have as much desire to make the sales contract work as you do.

Selling Your Home

Some Inside Tips on Selling Your Home

Selling your home quickly and at the best possible price takes enlisting the help of a Realtor.

But your Realtor will need your help to show off all your home's best qualities. First impressions are always important to a prospective buyer! It is worth the extra time and effort you spend to get your home looking its best.

Curb Appeal

Give your home an advantage over your competition. It's important to keep your grass well manicured. Trim borders and eliminate any weeds. Remove dead limbs from trees. Clean gutters of twigs and leaves and clear any unsightly refuse from your front and back yard.

Cleaning windows and screens brighten your home. Take the time to polish front doorknobs and knockers or change out locks and knobs. Tighten any loose doorknobs.

Fresh Paint

A fresh coat of paint can actually make the difference in the sale of your home. Removing old wallpaper also greatly add to the interior charm. Repair any cracks in plaster or water stains.

Clean All the Corners

Bathrooms and Kitchens are always scrutinized carefully by prospective buyers. New faucets or polished fixtures, replace the caulking in the tubs and showers and repair any leaks. A little lubricant, candlewax or rub wax paper to squeaky doors and stuck windows.

Freshen the Air

Now is not the time to cook favorite dishes with strong smells. Freshen draps, carpets and cloth surfaces with fabric refreshers. Discrete almost unnoticable scents make your home feel and smell clean and welcoming.

Toss, Donate or Pack

Time to get a start on the move. Throwing away unwanted items in your cluttered attic or closets, donate to your favorite charity or pack things you do not need until your in your new home. It will show off the maximum utility space of these areas as well as make your task of moving a little easier.

Show Off

Curtains, bedspreads, pillows and lampshades should have a fresh clean look. Shine mirrors, picture glass and dust bookshelves. Remove all portable fans, and extra keepsakes.

It's always nice to have the fire place mantle and tables decorated, allow light to come in through the windows, turn on all lights for planned showing and leave accent lights on for the unexpected showings. Loaf of bread or a tray of cookies in the oven and fresh cut flowers add a nice touch.

Showings

It is best to give the buyers space to feel at home in their prospective new home. Don't invite friends or neighbors over when showing are known. Take your pets with you when showings are planned. Nothing frightens a prospective buyer away more than a loose cat or a barking dog.

Smallest home improvements can leave a prospective buyer with a great first impression and more importantly you with a SOLD home!