Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

Buying or selling a home (or other piece of real property) usually involves the transfer of large sums of money. It is imperative that the transfer of these funds and related documents from one party to another be handled in a neutral, secure and knowledgeable manner. For the protection of buyer, seller and lender, the escrow process was developed. As a buyer or seller you want to be certain all conditions of sale have been met before property and money exchange hands. The technical definition of an escrow is a transaction where one party engaged in the sale, transfer or lease of real or personal property, with another person delivers a written instrument, money or other items of value to a neutral third person, called an escrow agent or escrow holder. This third person holds the money or items for disbursement upon the happening of a specified event or the performance of a specified condition. Simply stated, the escrow holder impartially carries out the written instructions g

With shrinking inventories, many buyers are finding only competitive offers will win them the house they want.   Listed below are several ways that home buyers can make more competitive “irresistible” offers. Be pre-approved: Develop a strategy with your loan consultant.  They will help you review your credit reports to make sure they are accurate.  They can also advise you on short-term steps to improve your credit score.  Then you will be ready to take the next step and get preapproval.   The preapproval letter will show sellers you are a serious buyer. Don’t lowball: You may only get one chance to get the home you want in a competitive market. You may not get a second try to sweeten the deal later, so a lowball offer the first time around could cause you to lose out. Use sales prices of comparable properties in the neighborhood to submit your best offer the first time around.   Your realtor can provide a Comparative Market Analysis for the property you are considering buying

Vacant homes  aren't  memorable and won’t stand out to buyers particularly in online listings where the majority of buyers begin their home search. Regardless of price point, staging vacant homes is important to initially capture buyer interest and take them from the online listing to the front door. Once there, a well-staged home will help buyers emotionally connect to the property, ultimately taking their interest to the next level with an offer.  Listed below are two examples of before and after. Photo credit: PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating Keep these insights in mind. Your property will sell faster. A vacant property can take up to 78 percent more time to sell than comparable furnished homes, according to the Real Estate Staging Association. Buyers will see it as their home. Only a few buyers can visualize a vacant room decorated and furnished. The majority of buyers, on the other hand, cannot envision how they will live in the home or use a ro