Traci True - Realtor, NP Dodge

09/18/2026

If you’re starting to wonder about buying a house, this post is for you! Because calling an agent AFTER you’ve found a house online that you wanna look at is kind of backwards actually, so I’m gonna back it up. 😏

1. First thing’s first. Pick an agent. Find your person that you actually LIKE enough to chat about your dreams and finances with for what could be a long haul. Because sometimes it takes awhile to find the right house. Someone you trust to help you find the right lender, explain every step of the process, and keep everything organized and lined up correctly.

2. Get preapproved next. Before you start looking at houses. Because finding out what your price range is before you start looking saves time and possibly heartache, trust me. You also get to find out what your monthly payments would look like, how much you need to have saved up for down payment and closing costs, and whether there are programs available that fit whatever your situation is. And if you find out you need to do a little more prepping, you’ll know what steps to take.

3. Now we set up your house search and start looking at houses! We see and compare what you want with what you need with what you can comfortably afford.

4. And when we find the one, we write the offer. There is a ton more to consider than just price. Sometimes the inspections, closing and possession, and other terms can make or break a sale. We go over everything in detail and figure out where you can give and take to get the best deal possible.

5. Getting to closing is more than half the battle. After an offer is accepted, your agent, lender, title company, inspector and various other vendors have to work together to keep everything moving. Your agent keeps track of deadlines and details so you can be updated and helped with all the decisions you have to make along the way, and are never left to figure out what comes next or who to go to on your own.

There are so many moving parts to purchasing a home. But having the right team with a solid process definitely helps make a complicated process feel so much easier! If you’re curious about buying around CB or Harlan, asking never hurts!

09/13/2026

What Buyers Should Know About Property Disclosure Forms
When you're buying a house, the disclosure form can be easy to skim past. It often arrives alongside other paperwork, but it can provide useful background on the property before you move further into the transaction.
What sellers must disclose varies by state, so the form isn't the same everywhere....

A property disclosure form can offer useful clues about a home's history and known issues. Buyers should know what the form can tell them, what it may leave out, and where an inspection still matters.

09/06/2026

How to Compare Mortgage Options Like a Pro
Shopping for a mortgage can be difficult, since lenders present the numbers in so many different ways, and it's easy to focus on whichever number stands out first. Knowing what to actually compare is what helps you save money.
Know That the Interest Rate Isn't the Whole Story
The interest rate quoted...

Shopping for a mortgage means comparing more than the interest rate. Here's what buyers should check before picking the right lender and loan for their needs.

08/16/2026

What Buyers Should Know About Property Boundaries
You might assume the fence marks the edge of your property. In many cases, it doesn't, and that gap between what you see and what the survey shows is where boundary disputes start. Before you fall in love with a lot size or a mature tree line, it's worth understanding what actually sets the edge of a...

Property lines aren't always where you think they are. Here's what buyers should check before closing so a boundary question never turns into a costly surprise.

08/09/2026

How to Improve Your Home's Outdoor Lighting
Most people don't think much about outdoor lighting until something feels off. The front walk is hard to see, or the porch feels dim. The backyard is pleasant during the day, then disappears once the sun goes down.
Small changes can help more than a full redesign. The point is not to make everything...

Better outdoor lighting can make your home feel safer, warmer, and easier to enjoy. Start with the areas people actually use after dark.

08/07/2026

Every year in the spring, people really go after it with buying and selling. The weather is nicer, school is winding down, a lot of people would rather move when the weather is nice and be settled again before fall. And thennnn August rolls around.

All the routines start again, and everyone shifts focus back away from moving. Here’s where I feel like buyers are missing out on some of the best opportunities!

Don’t write off the fall market if you didn’t find the perfect place over the summer! Less competition from other buyers can mean a bit more breathing room, and sometimes it means taking another look at a house you didn’t initially think was an option.

08/03/2026

I just got a listing closed in Shelby last week. It was the seller’s mom’s house, and they didn’t live nearby so they had another relative doing the majority of the clean out. After they were done, I went to check the property and trim a bush a bit before the buyers did their final walk through before closing. I found these left behind in the closets…hangers that their sweet mama had crocheted on decades ago…and I couldn’t leave them! I would have wanted them if it were my mom. ❤️ So I gathered them up and took them to the seller when I met the sister to deliver the final proceeds and copies of paperwork, and she was so happy! Selling is often sad, and I was glad I could bring a small memory back to them to hang on to when letting go of the house. ❤️

07/26/2026

How to Balance Location, Layout, and Long-Term Needs
Almost every home search eventually hits the same wall. You find a layout you love in a neighborhood you're not totally sold on, or the location is right, but the floor plan needs more work than you expected when you walked in.
There's rarely a house-hunting scenario where all three of these line up...

Location, layout, and long-term needs rarely point in the same direction when you're house hunting. Here's how to weigh those tradeoffs before you make an offer.

07/19/2026

How to Think Through Your Must-Haves Before Touring Homes
Most buyers walk into their first showing without much of a plan, and it shows. They fall for a good paint job, then second-guess everything by the third house. Twenty minutes of planning fixes most of that, but many neglect it.
Start With What You Actually Need
Before you book a single showing, split...

Before your first showing, be clear on what you actually need. Here's how to build a must-have list that keeps your home search focused and realistic from the start.

07/12/2026

What Summer Weather Can Reveal About a Home
Summer tends to be honest. A house can look perfectly fine during a mild spring showing. Then July heat rolls in, the afternoon sun hits the windows, a storm blows through, or the basement starts to feel damp. Suddenly, you're seeing things that weren't obvious a few months earlier.
That doesn't mean...

Summer weather can make a home's strengths and weak spots easier to spot. Here's what buyers should notice during warm-weather showings.