Hayden Kaechele

01/09/2023

My 2023 real estate goal: help more people love where they live ❤️

Whether that means buying your first home and experiencing that pride of ownership, moving to a new home that better fits your lifestyle or just showing some love to your current space, I'm going to be sprinkling in ideas to help you love where you live all year long.

It's not just about helping people buy and sell houses...It's about the life they're going to live there. The memories they're going to make. The features of the house that best suit their lifestyle.

So let's raise a glass to 2023 and toast to loving where you live!

01/09/2023

How to Care for Your Best Investment 👇

Keep it WELL MAINTAINED 🔨

A well maintained home and documentation of how it was maintained is like the icing on a cake to a home buyer!

Buyers always want to know:

"What is the age of the roof?"

"When was the furnace last tuned up?"

"How old is the AC unit?"

Condition is one of the top factors that will determine what you can sell your home for.

Keep it simple by keeping it maintained.

I put together a monthly checklist of home maintenance to do's for the entire year!

Print it out, laminate it, hang it on the fridge and reap the rewards! It will help you avoid major home maintenance issues when you're routinely taking care of things PLUS it will make listing your home one day a breeze!

This checklist keeps it simple and to the point! Shoot me a text or a DM and I will send it right over!

01/09/2023

After reflecting on all my roles of life, I decided to choose two words for 2023. (Attempting that work life balance right?!)

The enneagram 3 in me must set goals and strive for achievement, but I think I just need to redefine what achievement can mean.
As a business owner, I am choosing the word Consistency. I have had almost two years of education, gaining experience, trying things in my business and figuring out what works for me and my family. I’m constantly learning, but my goal is to get more consistent in my processes, systems and things I know will help my clients and myself to be more successful.

My personal word for 2023 is Fun. It’s sad, but again my type A, overthinking, inner doer has a hard time relaxing and just having fun instead of constantly wanting to get things done or thinking about what needs to be done.

Every parent including myself knows that they are only little for a short time and since I am starting 2023 with a three year old and a three month old, I’m hoping having more fun and making more memories will make this short time feel just a little bit longer. And maybe have a little more self care mama fun too. 😉

I know I can be long winded, hence this years reflection post having to be in the comments 😅 but if you are going through hard things, please know you can always reach out anytime. I know I definitely wouldn’t have made it without my support system!

Thank you to my family, friends and clients for all of the love and support this year!

Cheers to a FUN and memorable 2023!

09/26/2022

I was excited to assist my client on the purchase of an investment property in Foley last week. They have beautiful plans to update this cute cottage and get it ready for the rental market!

Investment properties are almost unheard of in this market the past couple of years, but sometimes there is a diamond in the rough to be found and purchased, you just have to have a few key things in place to get it done.

- Plan: When meeting with any potential buyer, we start the process with a consultation. This discussion includes what we are searching for, what our budget is and our plan of action when the ideal property hits the market.

- Communication: In any transaction, communication is the key component to a successful closing. Communication between agent and client, communication between agents and communication with the title company and outside vendors. Stick with one agent and communicate on a regular basis about the market and potential properties.

- Strong Offer: In this market especially, most investment properties receive multiple offers same day. The agent needs to assist the buyer in providing the strongest offer possible. These details include not just the financial specifics including purchase price, but also the contingencies in the offer.

-Patience: If this market has taught us anything, it is to be as patient as possible when searching for your ideal property, whether investment, residential, land, or rental.

These tips are guidelines for any real estate purchase in a seller’s market and while very little negotiation is likely, it is not unachievable!

If you are interested in purchasing an investment property or have any questions about the process and getting started, feel free to reach out to me anytime!

08/26/2022

When students apply at a university, the school looks at both their grades AND their after school involvement.

This is because a letter on a paper only tells part of the story. How a student spends their free time tells a lot about their character and how they would represent a school.

It's absolutely no different when it comes to picking a real estate agent.

It's important to look at an agent's stats and reviews, but it's equally important to look at how that agent spends their free time. Because how they spend their time away from real estate will tell you how well you'll click.

It will tell you how they'll likely respond when you ask a question and it will give you a picture of what you can expect your interaction to be like during a showing or consultation.

Obviously, I'm a real estate agent. But, I'm also:

- Wife to .kaechele
- Mom to Emma Rae (2 year old) and her baby sister on the way!
- Enneagram 3w2
- Small business supporter (love my local businesses)
- Follower of Jesus
- Marketing strategist
- Professional Student (I spend time learning every single day)
- Wine enthusiast (on hold while pregnant)
- FRIENDS binger
- Recovering perfectionist

I like to treat this space like my very own after school club. I want to invite you in to learn more about me as if we were sitting side by side in my living room so that you can decide for yourself if I'm the agent for you.

So tell me something about you...Do we have anything in common? And what are you binging right now because I need something new!?!?

08/24/2022

We all sat in math classes where we thought to ourselves, "When am I EVER going to need to know this?" But this math class is different!

➡️Today I want to teach you all the numbers you need to know when it comes to buying your next home. Real estate math is my favorite!

⭐️First, you need to know what you're pre-approved for. This means talking with a lender where they'll ask you about your debt, your income, and they'll research your credit score. This sounds like a lot, but it's actually a quick process and these numbers are vital to the home-buying process.

⭐️Then you need to find out how much money you need to have saved to purchase a home.

💵 Down Payment (This is NOT usually 20% down like it used to be...in this market it's not uncommon to purchase a home with just 3.5% down. Talking with your lender early on in the process is key!

🔍 Home Inspection ($400-$500)

💰 Earnest Money (1-2% of the purchase price...your agent will be able to best advise you on this!)

📊 Appraisal (Around $500)

💵 Closing Costs (Some of the items I mentioned above are part of your closing costs, but the total closing costs may vary and can be determined by your lender)

🏡 Taxes & Homeowner's Insurance (You can roll these right into your monthly payment instead of paying large lump sums every year)

I typically encourage my buyers to look a little UNDER their max budget given by their lender because I believe your home should be what allows you to live the kind of life you want. Not stretching yourself to thin is super important here!

BONUS TIP: Ask the sellers for an estimate of their monthly utilities before you write an offer to make sure you would still have some wiggle room to spend and save if you would buy it!

08/09/2022

So proud of y’all!

Todays job site!

08/08/2022

Have you been through the re-zoning process?

I had the opportunity to represent a local landowner sell his lot located in the town limits of Elberta. When we listed it, the property was zoned General Business, but access to the lot was located on a residential street. When we went under contract, the terms included that the buyer would only purchase the property if it was re-zoned to residential.
Challenge accepted!

It was a great learning experience for me and a pleasure to work with the Town of Elberta to assist the seller and buyer accomplish the re-zoning. The overall process was a bit time consuming, but not hard. It provided me with the know-how for future re-zoning requests from my clients and I was able to build great contacts with the Town of Elberta's planning and zoning committee and council.

I also had extremely patient clients on both ends of the transaction which made this experience even smoother!
The property even got a new address too! Very excited to walk away from the closing table knowing my clients are happy and another learning experience in the books!

Huge shout out of appreciation to Caryn with the Town of Elberta for her patience and guidance from start to finish!

Scout South Properties

08/08/2022

REAL ESTATE SCHOOL: FIRST TIME HOME BUYER 101

Before class starts (aka: before we start house hunting), I have a few rules to cover to make sure you're not going to fail the class!

Here are 5 rules to follow when it comes to the house hunting process!

1. Get pre-approved with a local lender: Staying local is so important when it comes to financing your home. Need a recommendation? I got you!

2. Don't agent hop - find someone to represent YOU! Choose someone you like and someone you trust so you can look to them for advice on all things home buying.

3. Don't start your search at the top of your budget - Whether you're in a competitive market or not, you're going to want to start your home search well below the top end of your budget. If you start too high, those houses might not be realistic for your budget because in a market like today, many are selling for over the list price and you won't be able to compete. Don't set yourself up for disappointment, trust me on this one!

4. Understand how online listing sites work - this goes hand in hand with agent hopping. If you contact an agent on an online real estate site thinking it's the listing agent and they'll have all the answers, you're probably mistaken! Online listing sites have designated agents who are paying to be posted there. Keep that in mind, especially if you are working with an agent already! Same goes for new construction homes. Always, always, ALWAYS call YOUR agent when you're interested in a home!

5. Understand the general flow of the entire process - this is what my buyer consultations are for! Want to get the entire overview and a copy of my home buyer guide? Let's chat!

Swipe for an overview of the "getting started" process!

08/08/2022

The kids are not the only ones going to school!

Welcome to Home Seller School! Let's walk through 3 major steps in the Home Selling process so you can ace your next listing!


1) Make a plan with your agent. Step number one involves SO MANY important decisions, it's best to have your agent by your side from the beginning. Your agent will help you make a personalized plan for you and your home. Do you need to sell before you buy? What is your projected market value? What do you need to get out of your home in order to buy what you want? All of these questions will be addressed when you meet with your agent!

2) It's time to prepare to sell! We typically want students to get all A's in class, but this time I want you to remember the 3 D's: declutter, depersonalize, and deep clean. We declutter before listing because it makes our home appear bigger and more homey. We depersonalize because we don't want future buyers to be distracted; we want them to picture themselves living there. And we deep clean because a clean home is a well taken care of home and buyers want to know your home has been loved and cared for.

3) Execute your marketing plan. This typically starts with professional pictures (because photos with glimpses of agents snapping pics of the bathroom with their cell phone doesn't scream "top dollar") and a killer description of your home in the MLS. Then we blast your listing to the masses through the MLS, social media, and other techniques unique to your agent so that you can be sure you get the most eyes on your listing.

Once your marketing plan is in action, it hopefully won't be long until we get it under contract. We negotiate so much more than price, so trust your agent as they walk through and address all the terms for you! Then we celebrate on closing day because you did it!

Congratulations! You passed Home Seller School! 👩‍🏫

If you want an in depth bootcamp for sellers, I have a surprise for you! You can request my free seller guide so you can master plan your home sale! Shoot me a DM or text with your email address and I will get it over to your inbox!

07/18/2022

Sun up to sun down, there's one thing I've noticed: the hot market madness looks like it's coming to an end 🤯

You may have noticed it too. The house down the street is still for sale after one week on the market. The (not-so) funny reels about the bidding wars over something as ridiculous as an apple have ceased. And buyers have started offering under asking price.

The hot market is cooling off.. And I am here 🙌🏼 for 🙌🏼 it 🙌🏼.

Here's why this is a good thing for you.

If you are a buyer, you now have more power. You have more houses to look at, more time to decide, and more leverage in negotiations.

If you are a seller, you are less likely to come across appraisal gaps from offers over asking price and you can still get top dollar for your home, it just might sit on the market a little longer now than it would have a few months ago.

Of course every house and every situation is different, so once again, it's vital to have a trusted agent on your side throughout the entire process. If you've read this far, there's a good chance I'm that agent for you 😉 DM me if you have any questions about how to navigate the market this summer!🙌🏻