5 Myths About Real Estate Reality TV Explained

Have you ever been flipping through the channels, only to find yourself glued to the couch in an HGTV binge session? We’ve all been there… watching entire seasons of “Love it or List it,” “Fixer Upper,” “House Hunters,” “Property Brothers,” and so many more, just in one sitting. When you’re in the middle of your real estate themed show marathon, you might start to think that everything you see on TV must be how it works in real life, but you may need a reality check.

Reality TV Show Myths vs. Real Life:

Myth #1: Buyers look at 3 homes and make a decision to purchase one of them.

Truth: There may be buyers who fall in love and buy the first home they see, but according to the National Association of Realtors the average homebuyer tours 10 homes as a part of their search.

Myth #2: The houses the buyers are touring are still for sale.

Truth: The reality is being staged for TV. Many of the homes being shown are already sold and are off the market.

Myth #3: The buyers haven’t made a purchase decision yet.

Truth: Since there is no way to show the entire buying process in a 30-minute show, TV producers often choose buyers who are further along in the process and have already chosen a home to buy.

Myth #4: If you list your home for sale, it will ALWAYS sell at the Open House.

Truth: Of course this would be great! Open houses are important to guarantee the most exposure to buyers in your area, but are only a PIECE of the overall marketing of your home. Just realize that many homes are sold during regular listing appointments as well.

Myth #5: Homeowners make a decision about selling their home after a 5-minute conversation.

Truth: Similar to the buyers portrayed on the shows, many of the sellers have already spent hours deliberating the decision to list their homes and move on with their lives/goals.

Bottom Line

Having an experienced professional on your side while navigating the real estate market is the best way to guarantee that you can make the home of your dreams a reality!

---

Members: Sign in now to set up your Personalized Posts & start sharing today! Not a Member Yet? Click Here to learn more about KCM’s newest feature, Personalized Posts.

5 Myths About Real Estate Reality TV Explained

Have you ever been flipping through the channels, only to find yourself glued to the couch in an HGTV binge session? We’ve all been there… watching entire seasons of “Love it or List it,” “Fixer Upper,” “House Hunters,” “Property Brothers,” and so many more, just in one sitting. When you’re in the middle of your real estate themed show marathon, you might start to think that everything you see on TV must be how it works in real life, but you may need a reality check.

Reality TV Show Myths vs. Real Life:

Myth #1: Buyers look at 3 homes and make a decision to purchase one of them.

Truth: There may be buyers who fall in love and buy the first home they see, but according to the National Association of Realtors the average homebuyer tours 10 homes as a part of their search.

Myth #2: The houses the buyers are touring are still for sale.

Truth: The reality is being staged for TV. Many of the homes being shown are already sold and are off the market.

Myth #3: The buyers haven’t made a purchase decision yet.

Truth: Since there is no way to show the entire buying process in a 30-minute show, TV producers often choose buyers who are further along in the process and have already chosen a home to buy.

Myth #4: If you list your home for sale, it will ALWAYS sell at the Open House.

Truth: Of course this would be great! Open houses are important to guarantee the most exposure to buyers in your area, but are only a PIECE of the overall marketing of your home. Just realize that many homes are sold during regular listing appointments as well.

Myth #5: Homeowners make a decision about selling their home after a 5-minute conversation.

Truth: Similar to the buyers portrayed on the shows, many of the sellers have already spent hours deliberating the decision to list their homes and move on with their lives/goals.

Bottom Line

Having an experienced professional on your side while navigating the real estate market is the best way to guarantee that you can make the home of your dreams a reality!

---

Members: Sign in now to set up your Personalized Posts & start sharing today! Not a Member Yet? Click Here to learn more about KCM’s newest feature, Personalized Posts.

Why Pre-Approval Should Be Your First Step

In many markets across the country, the number of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly outnumbers the amount of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search. Even if you are in a market that is not as competitive, knowing your budget will give you the confidence of knowing if your dream home is within your reach. Freddie Mac lays out the advantages of pre-approval in the My Home section of their website: “It’s highly recommended that you work with your lender to get pre-approved before you begin house hunting. Pre-approval will tell you how much home you can afford and can help you move faster, and with greater confidence, in competitive markets.” One of the many advantages of working with a local real estate professional is that many have relationships with lenders who will be able to help you with this process. Once you have selected a lender, you will need to fill out their loan application and provide them with important information regarding “your credit, debt, work history, down payment and residential history.” Freddie Mac describes the 4 Cs that help determine the amount you will be qualified to borrow:

1. Capacity: Your current and future ability to make your payments
2. Capital or cash reserves: The money, savings and investments you have that can be sold quickly for cash
3. Collateral: The home, or type of home, that you would like to purchase
4. Credit: Your history of paying bills and other debts on time

Getting pre-approved is one of many steps that will show home sellers that you are serious about buying, and it often helps speed up the process once your offer has been accepted.

Bottom Line

Many potential home buyers overestimate the down payment and credit scores needed to qualify for a mortgage today. If you are ready and willing to buy, you may be pleasantly surprised at your ability to do so as well.

---

Members: Sign in now to set up your Personalized Posts & start sharing today! Not a Member Yet? Click Here to learn more about KCM’s newest feature, Personalized Posts.

Why you should consider selling a home you haven’t even bought

You’ll consider several criteria when purchasing your first home, but have you thought about how easy it will be to sell later? Things like location, features, and nearby amenities—the same criteria you’ll consider—can affect a property’s resale value.

You like it, but will they?
If it’s your first home, you may only plan to stay in it for a few years. And while you may be willing to buy a house that, for example, is located on a busy street or close to railroad tracks, ask yourself, “Will future buyers feel the same way?”

Keep the next buyers in mind
Once the home is yours, think about how to improve or maintain the home to appeal to future buyers. This can include things like upgrading bathroom or kitchen fixtures, improving the landscaping, or using paint colors that have broad appeal.

Ask an expert
If you have questions about whether a property will be easy or hard to sell in the future, talk to a Texas REALTOR®. He or she can offer advice about purchasing a home you love that will also appeal to the most buyers when you’re ready to move.

Under New Congress, NAR Keeps Focus on You

REALTORS® are gearing up for what is expected to be a busy first three months of the legislative season as a new Congress and new Administration tackle a number of priorities that affect real estate, including tax reform, the Affordable Care Act, regulatory reform, reauthorization of federal flood insurance, and what to do about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Regulatory reform

 

Right out of the gate, the House took a stab at regulatory reform, passing a measure that would give Congress more say in the rules federal agencies propose. The… Read More

NAR Endorses Dr. Ben Carson

On Thursday, January 12th, Dr. Ben Carson testified before the Senate Banking Committee as the nominee for the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. During the hearing, Dr. Carson defended the critical role of the FHA mortgage insurance program. He also spoke about the importance of the American Dream of homeownership. Following the hearing, NAR sent a letter of support to the Banking Committee urging them to approve his nomination and move the vote to the Floor. The letter also notes Dr. Carson clear understanding of the key role that housing plays in the health of… Read More

Prices Rose 7.1% Year-Over-Year [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights:

• CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index shows that prices rose by 7.1% across the United States year-over-year.
• With mortgage interest rates rising in the short term, CoreLogic believes price appreciation will slow to 4.7% by this time next year.
• 49 out of 50 states, and the District of Columbia, all had positive appreciation over the last 12 months, with the only exception being the state of Connecticut, which experienced a -0.5% appreciation.

---

Members: Sign in now to set up your Personalized Posts & start sharing today! Not a Member Yet? Click Here to learn more about KCM’s newest feature, Personalized Posts.

Dewey Blanton Realtors® have earned the esteemed certification of PRICING STRATEGY ADVISOR.

FHA Lowers Premiums

On January 9, 2017, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced it would reduce FHA annual mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) by 25 basis points.  This reduction is a victory for the National Association of REALTORS® whose members have called for lower fees on FHA loans given the ongoing strength of the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, which exceeded the required reserve ratio for the second year in a row. 

The premium reduction will be effective for most new mortgages with a closing/disbursement date on or after January 27, 2017 (excluding Section 247 Loans,… Read More

HUD Floodplain Elevation Standard

On October 28, 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed to raise its standards for FHA insurance in high risk flood zones. Currently new homes must be built to the 100-year or base flood elevation (BFE) but the agency is proposing to add two feet for floodplain new construction or substantial rehabilitation. While NAR is open to considering a more conservative construction standard to reduce flood insurance rates and avoid other flood-related issues with selling property down the road, NAR does not believe the agency has met its analytical responsibilities under… Read More

Private Flood Insurance Regulation

On November 7, 2016, several Federal agencies (including the Federal Reserve and FDIC) jointly proposed to ease their regulations of private flood insurance. NAR generally supports clarification so lenders may accept private market options in addition to the National Flood Insurance Program. While supportive of the overall approach, NAR urged the agencies to go further and adopt the Flood Insurance Market Modernization and Parity Act (HR 2901 by Reps. Ross (R-FL) and Murphy (D-FL)), which passed the House 419-0 but was not taken up by the Senate in the last session of Congress. The bill… Read More