real estate
| Tina Bernard is married and the mother of 4 boys, ages 4 through 17. She lives in the San Fernando Valley and has been working as a Realtor for 19 years. |  Tina Bernard CRS, GRI, ABR, ePro |
seller's tips
- Find a reputable Realtor to work with. How long have they been licensed? How many houses have they sold? How knowledgeable are they about real estate?
- Proper pricing is THE most important consideration when selling your home. Look at your property through the buyer’s eyes. Take time to view the comprable properties in your neighborhood 1-2 months before putting your home on the market.
- Remember, price is what the Buyer is willing to pay, not what your neighbor is asking for his home. Seller’s can ask whatever they want. The houses which have also sold are the comparables.
- If your house needs improvement (eg., paint, landscaping, etc.) do it before you put the house on the market. Thoroughly clean your home from top to bottom and remove all clutter.
- If you plan on painting the outside of the house, get a termite report first. You might want to have the work done before painting as the termite companies do not repaint once they complete their work.
buyers's tips
- Before talking to a lender, check your credit. You can get a free credit report at www.AnnualCreditReport.com. Check for mistkes or problems & clean it up. Your credit score will be a factor in determining which interest rate you can get.
- Get pre-approved before you look at houses so you know exactly what you can afford. Make sure you get a copy of your pre-approval letter/certificate.
- If you are serious about buying a house, find a realtor to work with. A realtor can email you a list of properties that meet you specific criteria.
- Even if you are considering 100% financing; remember, you will still need cash in the bank for the deposit (which you get back at closing), the the lenders usually want to see closing costs and 6 months of your monthly payments.
- LOCATION is always the most important criteria when buying a house. You can always change the house, you can’t change the location. This could be the neighborhood, the street, apartments next door, neighbors, etc.
- Don’t overlook properties that need some cosmetic work such as carpet, paint, new kitchen or baths. These might be your best deals.