Blog

How To Create Real Estate FOMO

June 27, 2019 by Tatiana Delaserna 2 Comments

This week, we turn the keys over to agent Tatiana Delaserna and let her take over the blog. In this post, Tatiana discusses “FOMO” – we don’t want to spoil her article, but we have to say, it’s a very real thing and we love that she’s teaching her clients about it (and now, we benefit from it, because she’s sharing the knowledge with all of us).

FOMO – “Fear Of Missing Out” is real. It is especially real in real estate – According to an expert estate planning service practicing Knoxville, it is the very reason we see multiple offers on a freshly listed home. The ability to leverage this emotional response from buyers has never been so powerful as it is today thanks to our integrated world of social media, websites like zillow.com, and instant satisfaction consumers crave on all aspects of life. Because buyers can see in real time when a home hits the market, the idea of “you only get one time to make a great first impression” is more impactful than ever which can be easily done if you know about Deutsche Tiktok Likes kaufen. If a buyer sees a home that looks great on pictures, in an area they have been looking for, and for the right price, they start wondering who else saw it too and the race begins.

Unfortunately, the opposite has also never been more damaging to sellers. When a buyer disqualifies your property, they will never revisit it online (they can block that home permanently!). When you hire estate planning lawyers, it would be better if you mention such cases. If they feel it is overpriced, they will save it, and wait on the sidelines to see when seller will drop the price.

The three components of creating the perfect FOMO are visual appeal, being at the right place at the right time, and price.

Visual appeal – Over 96% of all buyers start shopping online…and they will move on if you do not catch their attention within the first 3 seconds. If they cannot see how great your home is from the pictures, then you may have lost the “perfect buyer.” Taking the time to prepare your home before it hits the market is not a luxury, it’s a must if you want to ignite the desire of buyers. At Kimberly Howell Properties, many of our agents work closely with stagers for this exact reason.
Being at the right place at the right time – Your property has to be seen by the right people at the right time (when they are in the market to buy!). If a buyer sees your property popping up in all the places she has been looking, the reality that other buyers are seeing it too hits home quickly. Unlike at our favorite clothing store, there is no way the buyer can hide your home behind the out of season sweaters – the only way of hiding it from other buyers is to submit a competitive offer and take it off the market!
Price – There is that saying, “everything sells…at the right price.” The thing is, many times that “right price” is very different from what a seller has in mind and what the market will bear (what a buyer will ultimately be willing to pay for it). There are several pricing strategies for each seller situation but if we want to create that fear of missing out, there are some time tested principles successful listing agents utilize.

Remember, the biggest enemy of creating FOMO is days on market. The longer you property sits on the market, the less buyers worry someone will come and snag it from them. They have less and less desire to submit a strong offer and start to wonder why no one has bought it yet. It becomes a vicious cycle – they wonder what is wrong with it. Do not let your home become victim of “nobody wants what nobody wants,” let’s work together to create the perfect FOMO storm!

image courtesy of Jesper Sehested and PlusLexia.com

You Passed Your Real Estate Exam – Now What?

June 17, 2019 by Jessica Flores Leave a Comment

Once upon a time, we all started at the beginning, with a fresh new real estate license in our hands and a ton of things to learn in front of us…being licensed is one thing, but becoming an incredible agent takes time. Jessica Flores remembers her days at the beginning and in this post, she speaks to those that are just wrapping up their licensing process and entering the world of real estate for the first time. We’ll step aside and let her do the rest…

Congratulations! You just passed your state and national real estate exam and you are ready to go sell houses. But where do you start?

Well, first off, you are now an independent contractor, but you are required to be sponsored by a broker. So how do you choose your brokerage?

This may seem like an easy answer, but in reality your choice can be the difference between making it or giving up.

There are many brokerages that you can choose to interview with. You should take the time to find out which is the right fit for you. Some questions you may want to ask include: Will training and education be offered? What are office fees, if any? What type of support system is included? What are the commission splits? The answers you receive can help you decide where you will thrive.

Once you have decided where you will hang your license it is time to get to work. This is the hardest part. What you learned in real estate school does not fully prepare you for what you will be doing. What you have seen on the cable TV network shows is even further from the reality of the amount of hard work, hours, and dedication that is needed to become a producing agent.
But don’t let that scare you. If it is something that you really want to achieve then it will require work and often anything of worth requires hard work.

Now, don’t fret, get to work. Go help people to sell their homes and help others make new memories by getting them into their dream home.

image courtesy of j.o.h.n. walker

Credit Healthy – Build It Right From Ground Zero

June 5, 2019 by Joyce Marie Jackson Leave a Comment

When it comes to buying a home, few things are more important than your credit. The better it is, the more buying power you have. In this article the first is a series of posts entitled “Credit Healthy,” agent Joyce Marie Jackson breaks down your credit score and takes a look at what it takes to build your credit health from the bottom up. Whether you’re a first time homebuyer or this is one of many purchases you’ve made in your lifetime, it pays to understand what goes into your credit score so you can be prepared when it comes time to buy. Enough from us…we’ll let Joyce take it from here…

Too often a buyer is so excited about buying a home, the basics are forgotten.

You’ve saved some money, that’s good, and maybe paid down some of you debt. Your lease is coming to an end soon, so I guess it’s time to shop for a home. Is that it or are there other steps?

Here’s an option:

Contact your financial institution and inquire if they offer a credit score and/or monitoring plan for free or for a small fee. You may ask yourself, “Why do I need to do this?”
The reason is because before you can start a plan, you must know where you stand. Knowing what’s in your credit report is the first step in identifying the health of your credit worthiness. If you are looking for fast money options, visit here the new post on guaranteed approval credit cards for bad credit.
Your credit worthiness is what a lender will use to approve or disapprove you for a mortgage loan. It’s all in the report, but it’s up to you to make sure it’s accurate.
Know how your FICO score is determined.
- 35% – Payment History – Always make your payments on time.
- 30% – Amounts Owed – Knowing your credit limit is key. The amount you owe and the amount your have available will determine your utilization ratio and debt ratio.
- 15% – Length of Credit History – The age of an account is important. The longer you have a particular credit card, the better. If you decide to pay it off, that’s great! Just don’t close it out. Closing out a credit card that you’ve had for a long time can lower your credit score.
- 10% – Type of Credit Used – Similar to building your retirement portfolio, your credit should also contain a mixture of different types of credit, such as credit cards which are usually revolving credit, fixed loans, and other mixtures of credit.
- 10% – New Credit – New credit and the available amount. Don’t max it out.
- So, 35+30+15+10+10 = 100% of your FICO score.
List your expenses, make a budget and track your spending.

You’ve identified what’s in your credit report and taken steps to make the report accurate. You know what makes up a credit score and what parts you may need to work on in order to increase it. Saving is also key and must be part of the budget. In addition to having a great credit score and low to no debt, there is still a need to have available funds for various buyer expense such as inspections, appraisal, earnest money, option money, closing costs, and down payment. Based on the information given by lawyer’s help with a bankruptcy attorney, sounds scary and it can be, but if you are prepared it will be less stressful. Does this mean buyers have to have perfect credit and be debt free before they should purchase a home? No, it just means that the more you know and the better prepared you are, the better your home buying experience will be. So, “Build It Right from Ground Zero.”

image courtesy of zeevveez

Things to Do After You Move In

April 30, 2019 by khproperties Leave a Comment

It’s move in day! Moving into a new home is an exciting time. So much to do; trying to remember where you put your spoons or your coffee mugs, running up and down steps, paying the movers, meeting the neighbors for the first time while your hair is sticking up and you look like you just rolled out of bed, calming the cat down because she’s probably freaking out right about now…whew. You may also need to rent a storage unit if you need extra time to sort out which of your stuff to keep and which ones to let go. Who else is tired already? Now you’re probably daydreaming about decor and paint schemes and new furniture, but before you get into the fun stuff, there are some basics you should cover first.

Change the locks. Even if you’re promised that new locks have been installed in your home, you can never be too careful. You can check this site if you wish to get your locks changed. It’s worth the money to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that no one else has the keys to your home. Even if the sellers handed you all of their keys, you never know if they made one for their uncle that time he stayed for a week or the maid and their best friend has one “just in case.” Changing the locks can be a DIY project, or you can call in a locksmith for a little extra money. It’s also advisable to change the garage door code if you have a keypad entry. Not sure how to do it? Find your model and then look up the manual at ManualsLib. If people need modern interior sliding door, they can check it out here at affordable prices.

Steam clean the carpets. It’s always a good idea to get a fresh start with your floors before you start decorating. The previous owners may have had pets, young children, or just some plain old clumsiness. Take the time to steam clean the carpets so that your floors are free of stains and allergens. It will also help freshen up the smell of the new place – it’s amazing how much odor gets trapped in those carpets! It’s pretty easy and affordable to rent a steam cleaner – most HEBs carry them as well as the big box hardware stores. Not in the DIY mood? Call a steam cleaning company and have them arrive before your move in day. People can also check out House Washing Bel Air MD for the best cleaning services.

Call an exterminator. Prior to move-in, you probably haven’t spent enough time in the house to get a view of any pests that may be lurking. You’ve probably had a WDI inspection, but those only look for wood destroying insects. Call an exterminator to take care of any mice, insects, and other critters that may be hiding in your home. Here in South Texas we have a lot of creepy crawlies and a good, regular HOA pest control service like Prime Pest Control Brampton will help keep the insects at bay.

Clean out the kitchen. If the previous occupants wanted to skip on some of their cleaning duties when they moved out, the kitchen is where they probably cut corners. Wipe down the inside of cabinets or even get them redone or cleaned from kitchen cabinets from Gamma Cabinetry, clean out the refrigerator, clean the oven, and clean in the nooks and crannies underneath the appliances. If you’re feeling brave, see if you can pull out appliances like the refrigerator, stove/range, and dishwasher to get under and behind those. Be careful though, those appliances may be attached and can be heavy. You might want to contact a commercial cleaning company if you need help with these tasks.

image courtesy of Genista

HomeBuild4Heroes – 650 Winding Ravine

April 25, 2019 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Breathtaking contemporary, luxury home in Hidden Canyon being built for a cause! This four bedroom, three and a half bath home by Stadler Custom Homes will be sold with the proceeds benefiting Military Warriors Support Foundation and the San Antonio Food Bank. The Preserve at Hidden Canyon is Stone Oak’s latest, premier, gated neighborhood and features an amenity center with pool, soccer fields, and clubhouse as well as nature trails and protected green spaces.

To purchase this home, please contact Kimberly Howell at (210) 861-0188 and ask about the HomeBuild4Heroes home, located in Hidden Canyon.

To learn more about the home and its construction or if you would like to know how you could customize the home to your liking, please contact Stadler Custom Homes at (830) 980-4198.

For more information about Military Warriors Support Foundation, please visit us at www.militarywarriors.org.

For more information about San Antonio Food Bank, please visit them at www.safoodbank.org.

To donate towards the cost of the home:, please visit HomeBuild4Heros at Zola.com

Audionautix: Acoustic under Creative Commons licensing

What We Look At When Pricing a Home

April 18, 2019 by khproperties Leave a Comment

When you put your home up for sale, there is a lot that happens “behind the scenes” in order to come up with the right price. You’ve heard about comparable sales (or “comps” as they’re often referred to) and they are hands down one of the best ways to determine the asking price for your home. There’s rarely a perfect apples-to-apples comparison, so a pricing decision often relies on comparisons to several recent sales in the area. It’s both an art and a science and finding the balance between the two is the key to successfully pricing a home. Here are a few of the things we look for when working on pricing your home and preparing a CMA (comparative market analysis).

Location. Homes in the same neighborhood typically follow the same market trends. Comparing your home to another in the same neighborhood is a good start, but comparing it to homes on the same street or block is even better. We typically will start with a very narrow focus (street level, neighborhood) and then widen the scope to look further out if we’re not finding a lot of sales in the area.

Date of sale. We don’t want to use homes that sold too long ago as market conditions shift over time. A good rule of thumb is to look within the last three months, although exceptions can be made for unique properties that are not as easy to define. The closer the date, the better for comparable purposes as even a couple of months can shift the market in a different direction. Other factors, like time of year should also be considered (ie a home in the springtime market is more likely to sell faster and for a higher price than one sold in December).

Home build. Look for homes with similar architectural styles, numbers of bathrooms and bedrooms, square footage, and other basics. We will often try to compare to the same builder or floorplan if possible. Knowing who built in a neighborhood and where else they have built can be a huge help in knowing where to look for potential comparable sales.

Features and upgrades. Remodeled bathrooms and kitchens can raise a home’s price, and so can less flashy upgrades like a new roof and residential gutters or HVAC system (done by a local hvac contractor). We want to be sure to look for similar bells and whistles. Some people will do nice upgrades like exterior waterproofing to their home to find a buyer faster. You should look for properties with upgrades like these, as that will save you time and money that you can use on other fixes and changes once you’ve moved in. If properties with similar upgrades can’t be found, adjustments can be made to compensate although it is worth noting that these upgrades never come with a dollar-to-dollar value.

Sale types and terms. Homes that are sold as short sales or foreclosures are often in distress or sold at a lower price than they’d receive from a more typical sale. These homes are not as useful for comparisons. Other items like seller paid closing costs and concessions should be looked at as well. A home that sold for $10,000 over asking price that included $10,000 in seller paid closing costs isn’t the same as a house that sold for $10,000 over asking with no seller concessions.

image courtesy of AlanH2O

Which Down Payment Strategy is Right for You?

April 10, 2019 by khproperties Leave a Comment

You’ve most likely heard the rule or had one of your friends give you the advice: save for a 20 percent down payment before you buy a home. The logic behind saving 20 percent is solid, as it shows that you have the financial discipline and stability to save for a long term goal. As with any financial plan, you have to look at the pros and cons and determine which benefits you more both in the short and long term. It is always advisable to discuss with your lender and your CPA to see where and how you can maximize the benefits. Larger down payments can help you get favorable rates from lenders, but there can actually be financial benefits to putting down a smaller down payment, something as low as three and a half percent, rather than parting with so much cash up front, even when you have the extra money available.

THE DOWNSIDE

The downsides of a smaller down payment are pretty well known. You’ll have to pay Private Mortgage Insurance for years and the lower your down payment, the more you’ll pay. You’ll also be offered a lesser loan amount than borrowers who have a 20 percent down payment, which will eliminate some homes from your search.

THE UPSIDE

The national average for home appreciation is about five percent. The appreciation is independent from your home payment, so whether you put down 20 percent or three and a half percent, the increase in equity is the same. If you’re looking at your home as an investment, putting down a smaller amount can lead to a higher return on investment, while also leaving more of your savings free for home repairs, upgrades, or other investment alternatives and opportunities.

THE HAPPY MEDIUM

Of course, your home payment options aren’t binary. Most borrowers can find some common ground between the security of a traditional 20 percent and an investment focused, smaller down payment. Your real estate agent can provide some answers and introduce you to a lender as you explore your financing options. Sitting down with the lender and discussing the finer details of your goals and your plans can help you make the best decision for you at this particular point in your life.

image courtesy of Mukumbura

Dominion Luxury Tour Spring 2019

April 9, 2019 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Every spring, LRES Marketing puts together an incredible tour of some of the finest luxury homes available in The Dominion and is always a terrific day full of amazing houses. We’ve been participating in the tour for years and look forward to both the spring and fall additions each and every year. The tour gives you a chance to see some of San Antonio’s most luxurious and fabulous homes. This year’s tour will be held on April 14th from 2-5pm. You’ll want to RSVP for the event as The Dominion is guard gated and your RSVP will help facilitate your entry. You can download a printable brochure (PDF) with a map, a list of all the homes, and information about each of the participating agents. This year’s tour features 34 homes from 21 agents and has something to offer everyone from garden homes to sprawling estates, single stories and two stories, new construction to pre-owned homes, and prices ranging from $515,000 all the way up to $3.2 million. Stop by the homes we’ll be presenting, both built by McNair Custom Homes: 6311 Sevilla Way and 7130 Bluff Run.

Dominion Luxury Tour Spring 2019

Please note, some properties are not listed here as they are non-MLS listings. All properties are listed by their respective brokerages as noted.

No properties found

6 Steps to Take Before Selling Your Home

April 2, 2019 by khproperties 2 Comments

Whether you’re ready to sell today or thinking about selling your home in the future, it pays to make sure you’re prepared. These helpful tips can get you prepared to sell quicker and get your home sold faster. Call one of our real estate agents and schedule your pre-listing meeting today. Want a downloadable PDF to share with your friends?

However, if you are in the process of a divorce, it can be messy and time-consuming when selling home. You have a whole life to separate, from possessions to living arrangements. The best way to sell your house in divorce is to sell it to a trusted cash buyer.

You can also read the text of the infographic below…

Meet with your trusted real estate agent: Your agent can save you a lot of time and energy by guiding you through the pre-listing phase. They are there to serve you and help you decide if listing your home is the right option.

Pre-qualify to buy your new home: Get pre-qualified to buy your next home before putting your current one on the market. Working with a reputable mortgage professional will help you understand what you need to net from your current home and achieve your goals for your next one.

Price correctly: Listing your home at the proper market value is critical to selling your home within a reasonable time frame. Be cautious of making decisions based on valuations online and instead use your agent’s in-depth knowledge of the local area as a resource. Then don’t forget how important the choice of estate agent is, as the best will get you the best price for the property and reach many more of the best buyers. We often sell properties in Bristol in the UK and use who are easily the best estate agents Bristol have available and they always get an amazing price, so make sure that you get an estate agent of that quality when selling property in the UK.

Pre-inspection: Home inspections are often a sticking point where a home sale can go wrong. Material defects may need to be repaired prior to a buyer purchasing the home, so determine these potential fixes before you list, instead of during the negotiation process. One important thing to check is your garage door. You must determine if a garage door repair is needed in order to prepare your home for sale. You should also check the condition of your roof to determine if a roof repair is needed.

De-clutter: If your house is cluttered or filled with personal mementos, it can be more difficult for a buyer to picture themselves living there. Placing large pieces of furniture or family photos in storage is worth the effort to help your home sell quicker.

Professional photography: The modern-day home search almost always starts online and first impressions are very important. Make sure your real estate agent uses a professional photographer or company specializing in real estate photography to show your home in the best light. Do you offer photography services to capture special moments and other important things that need to be featured? Then finding a good services to help your wholesale backdrops to be printed in large sizes and on a variety of materials depending on your specific needs is something that you should look for.

If you’re thinking of selling your home to a cash buyer, you may get in touch with a company like House Buyers Of America.

Congratulations to Our McNair Madness Winners

March 29, 2019 by khproperties Leave a Comment

McNair Custom Homes and Kimberly Howell Properties are proud to announce the winners from their McNair Madness event hosted Thursday, March 28th from 4-7pm in The Dominion. Realtors were invited to preview four fantastic homes built by McNair Custom Homes and get their McNair Madness brackets stamped at each home. The tour started at 7130 Bluff Run (4 bedrooms, 3 baths) in The Bluffs section of The Dominion and went through 6310 Malaga Way (4 bedrooms, 4 baths), 6314 Sevilla Way (5 bedrooms, 6 full and 1 half baths), and the final stop, 6311 Sevilla Way (4 bedrooms, 5 full and 1 half baths) in Andalucia. A game day selection of food and drinks was provided to the participants in the event. Top prize was a pair of tickets on Southwest Airlines and several other great prizes were offered as well. We’d like to thank all of the real estate agents and others who came out to see the homes and support the event. We’ll be contacting all of the prize winners to get their prizes to them.

McNair Madness Winners

Grand Prize – Two Southwest Airline Tickets
James Rodgers with eXp Realty

Second Prize – Patron
Scott Snyder
Carlos Chavez with Kimberly Howell Properties

Third Prize – Crown Royal
Raul Garcia
Fabiola Poulat with Keller William Heritage

Fourth Prize – Various Gift Cards
Amy Weilbacher Lewis with Real Estate 210
Mackenize Honeycutt
Olga Jimenez with Kimberly Howell Properties
Alexandra Rodriguez with Avenue Realty