Sondra Smith- Howard Hanna Real Estate Agent

08/14/2023

Buyer Tip #5-

Will this house be a starter home, 2nd home, investment, or your forever home? Whatever the case may be you want to think about the future of the property.

08/07/2023

Buyer Tip #4-

⭐️Act as an expert guide. Buying a home typically requires a variety of forms, reports, disclosures, and other legal and financial documents. A knowledgeable real estate agent will know what's required in your market, helping you avoid delays and costly mistakes. Also, there’s a lot of jargon involved in a real estate transaction; you want to work with a professional who can speak the language.

⭐️Offer objective information and opinions. A great real estate agent will guide you through the home search with an unbiased eye, helping you meet your buying objectives while staying within your budget.

⭐️Give you expanded search power. You want access to the full rangeofopportunities. Using a cooperative system called the multiple listing service, your agent can help you evaluate all active listings that meet your criteria, alert you to listings soon to come on the market, and provide data on recent sales. Your agent can also save you time by helping you winnow away properties that are still appearing on public sites but are no longer on the market.

⭐️Stand in your corner during negotiations. There are many factors up for discussion in any real estate transaction—from price to repairs to possession date. A real estate professional who’s representing you will look at the transaction from your perspective, helping you negotiate a purchase agreement that meets your needs and allows you to do due diligence before you’re bound to the purchase.

⭐️Be your rock during emotional moments. A home is so much more than four walls and a roof. And for most buyers, a home is the biggest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on the issues most important to you when emotions threaten to sink an otherwise sound transaction.

⭐️Provide fair and ethical treatment. When you're interviewing agents, ask if they're a REALTOR®, a member of the National Association of REALTORS®. Every member must adhere to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, which is based on professionalism, serving the interests of clients, and protecting the public.

08/04/2023

Buyer Tip #3- research the neighborhood.

Check to see what the neighborhood, community, and schools have to offer. Make sure it is right for you and/or family. Drive around and check it all out!

08/04/2023

08/03/2023

Buyer Tip #2!

Get pre-approved! This will help you and your agent. This way you know what your price point is. Pre-approval typically involves a credit check, and a more in depth review of the borrow’s income, assets, and debts.

Some things you will need for this letter are:
1️⃣ Proof of Income
2️⃣ Proof of Assets
3️⃣ Good Credit
4️⃣ Employment Verification
5️⃣ Other documents- driver’s license, social security number, etc

Contact me if you are interested in buying a home!

08/02/2023

Thinking of buying a house soon 💭🤔? Over the next few days I will share some tips to help get you ready to become homeowners!

Defining your Budget- it’s nice to dream and check out properties and houses that maybe outside your budget to get some ideas, but when it comes time to actually start looking have a realistic idea of what you are will to spend on a house. Getting pre-approved first will help with this! Also make sure to factor in how much your taxes will be after and save money for any maintenance that may need to be done as well.

Follow along for more tips and contact me 📲 if you are interested in buying and/or selling!

06/18/2023

Happy Father’s Day!

06/18/2023

Has owning a home always been a dream of yours? If so, you’re not alone, as most Americans equate homeownership as one of their major life goals. Owning your own home may still seem like a dream, but you can make it a reality by starting to save and planning ahead.

Read more on our blog: https://hubs.ly/Q01S4xT-0

04/14/2023

So yesterday we gave a little teaser about how Hulett's Landing got it's name...
Well here is how we (the steamboats) help:

Hulett's Landing was named after the original owners of the land in the area, the Huletts.
David Hulett, was born in Killingly, Connecticut and served as a private under General James Wadsworth during the American Revolution and fought in the battle of Saratoga.
After the end of the war, David and his family moved into the Huletts area in 1804. which was then known as Bosom Bay.

During most of the 1800's the Hulett family lived by farming the area, that is until Philander Hulett began to develop the area in the 1870s.
He started building hotels and other shops in the area, but he knew that the only way to really bring the people to town (and also to change the name) he needed to make the town a stop for the steamships. So in order to do this he had to build a steamship landing and then he had to build a post office, because back then if you didnt have a post office in your town, the steamships were not making a stop!

When he opened his post office (in 1874) he put the name 'Hulett's Landing' on it, which not only brought the steamships to Hulett's (transporting people and mail), but it officially changed the name to Huletts Landing!
And after this the area began to flourish as a tourist destination and the town grew by leaps and bounds!

Hope you all have enjoyed this little tidbit of information!

Photo courtesy of Luke Dow Photography

03/28/2023

𝑫𝒐’𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒐𝒏𝒕’𝒔 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑩𝒖𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑨 𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆

03/27/2023

4️⃣ Money 💵 Saving Tips When Buying a Home

💵 Shop around for the best mortgage rate- mortgage rates can vary from lender to lender, so it’s important to shop around and compare offers. Look for a mortgage with a low interest rate and favorable terms that fit your financial situation.

💵Make use of a Real Estate Agent- I am here to help!

💵 Negotiate with the seller- Don’t be afraid to negotiate with the seller to try and get a better deal on the purchase price. If you’re willing to compromise on certain terms, such as the closing date or repairs that need to be made, the seller may be willing to lower the price. Additionally, if you have a pre-approval for a mortgage, it may give you an advantage in negotiations.

💵Save on furniture and appliances- certain times of the year there are better deals on these items so do some research and see when they are to save some money.

03/24/2023

🖐🏼 Quick Tips for 1st time home buyers

❤️ Start saving

🧡 Work with a Realtor

💛 Evaluate for future expenses

💚 Determine your “must-haves”

💙Look for property that can adapt