How To Call It Quits With Your Real Estate Agent

In reality, not all partnerships between a real estate agent and a buyer or seller last and achieve success. Sometimes, it just does not work primarily because the buyer or seller feels that their needs are not met or they have different points of view with their realtor. When they see the first signs of a collapsing partnership, which unfortunately happens after both parties have invested time and effort into the transaction, they decide to end the partnership and move on to find another realtor to work with.

Sadly, saying goodbye to someone who has been patient and committed to you and your needs is not easy to do. This is especially true if you have been working with the agent for some time now and it is only after several months – and after several failed transactions – that you realize you need another real estate agent in Myrtle Beach. To help you gently break this sad news to your real estate agent, here are some tips that you might want to follow, whether you’re buying or selling a home.

Calling it Quits With Your Real Estate Agent

If you are a buyer

A legal contract between realty professionals and a buyer is not common. Basically, a buyer and an agent do a handshake agreement. This makes saying goodbye to the agent should you find his services lacking and unsatisfactory legally easy. Here are some tips to make this even easier.

• Start slowly. Have a one-on-one talk with the realty agent. If you feel that things are not really working out and you have decided to end your partnership with the agent, the best way to do this is through a one-on-one talk.

• Provide constructive feedback. When talking with the agent, discuss what has not been working right. Talk about the things that you find lacking and insufficient. Allow the agent to explain their actions and decisions.

• Give the agent a second chance. Sometimes, when you come out clean to your agent and have told them what is lacking in your partnership, they are willing to change and improve. If you see signs that they want to continue with the partnership, give them a chance to improve and fix your partnership. Be sure, however, to have a deadline for the agent so you can effectively assess whether or not there has been an improvement.

• Be sure you are not already working with another agent before you end your partnership with your first agent. This is insulting and disrespectful to the first agent. You can consider looking for another agent, even setting up the first interview. But you should not begin working with a new agent.

If you are a seller

What makes the relationship of Myrtle Beach real estate agents with sellers different from their relationship with buyers is the legal contract that binds the seller with the agent. This listing contract often has a term on how long the relationship between seller and agent will last. And throughout the whole period of this term, the seller is not allowed to work or even consider working with another agent or realty company.

The first thing you need to do when you feel that the partnership with the agent is not working is to talk to the agent. Discuss the current state of your partnership. Be honest in describing your feelings toward his services. Most often, the agent will try to improve his performance until the end of the working term. Other times, however, the agent will agree to let you go. This is especially true when the agent also sees that the partnership is not going anywhere and needs to be terminated.

Avoid having to be in an awkward situation where you have to call it quits with your agent by finding the most efficient and most suitable agent to work with.

Call Full Potential Real Estate for a Myrtle Beach Real Estate Agent that will go above and beyond to help you buy or sell a home.

Like our Facebook page for more great info about buying and selling a home.

Full Potential Real Estate, LLC
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-236-0203
http://fullpotentialrealestate.com

What Can Go Wrong When Buying Homes For Sale In Myrtle Beach

There are a lot of things that can go wrong when buying homes for sale in Myrtle Beach, especially if you decide to proceed on your own and without professional assistance. What is worse is that these mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars. At the end of the day, you waste your money, your time, and effort and you did not get the house that you want.

To avoid all this regret and frustration, what homebuyers like you should first consider after deciding to buy a home is to look for a licensed and trained real estate professional to work with. Full Potential Real Estate can provide you with the assistance that you need as well as guide you throughout the entire process of home buying – from house hunting to closing.

Aside from this, you should also equip yourself with more knowledge about the home-buying process. Listed below are the top mistakes when buying homes for sale in Myrtle Beach.

1. Failure to look at the neighborhood. Most homebuyers are keen to look for a suitable house for their family and sometimes not all the great houses are located in a neighborhood that is suitable to your needs. Thus, many homebuyers end up reselling the house they just bought after a couple of months as they realize the neighborhood is not appropriate for raising their children or leaving their kids at home when they go to work.

To avoid this, you should consider looking at the neighborhood when checking out homes for sale in Myrtle Beach. Experts highly recommend visiting the neighborhood at different times of the day, including at night, and on different days of the week including the weekends so you can get a complete feel of the neighborhood. This will help you determine when the neighborhood gets crowded with people and when it could get noisy.

1. Forgetting about the home inspection. Another important aspect of home buying that most buyers tend to forget is the inspection. Sometimes in their rush to close the deal for fear that another buyer might provide the seller with a better proposal, they immediately sign the contract as soon as they come to an agreement with the seller.

As homebuyers, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are buying a house that is comfortable and efficient, and to ensure this, you need to have the house inspected by an experienced home inspector. The inspector will look at and check all the major systems of the house, including electricity and plumbing. Every fixture will be tested if working properly. The inspection will help you determine whether or not there are repairs needed to be done on the house that the seller and his real estate agent have failed to inform you of. You can then use these to further renegotiate the deal. As a result, you got a better deal out of the house and you avoid spending a lot of money on the needed repairs. Remember that these are also the responsibility of the seller.

3. Falling in love with a house because of its décor. Keep in mind that the decoration of a house can be changed. There are many homes for sale in Myrtle Beach that are attractively decorated, from inviting and welcoming paint colors to shiny new tiles and cabinets. However, you should not focus on these when looking at a house that you want to buy.

You want to focus on the foundation and overall layout of the house, especially if you are buying for your entire family. If you have small kids, you want the house to have lots of free space where your children can safely play. If a member of the family loves to cook and your entire family prefers eating at home, you want to have a spacious kitchen where all of you can gather for meals.

1. Disregarding other costs of homeownership. The price of the house is not the only expense you will have to pay in the whole home-buying process. There are other costs that you need to spend money on such as the closing costs, homeowners’ association fees, property taxes, moving-in costs, a couple of months of utility bills, and more. If you fail to efficiently work on your home-buying budget, you will end up in bankruptcy after several months of moving in.

To avoid this, the first thing you need to accomplish is to get a pre-approved mortgage loan. Once you have an amount that you can work with, do not only consider the price value of the house when looking at homes for sale. Consider all the other costs of homeownership as well. This will help you ensure you will have money left to spend after you have moved in.

To ensure you avoid these expensive mistakes when buying homes for sale in Myrtle Beach, work with a trained and experienced real estate professional. Call Full Potential Real Estate now to inquire about their services.

Like our Facebook page for more great info about buying and selling a house in Myrtle Beach.

Full Potential Real Estate, LLC
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-236-0203
http://fullpotentialrealestate.com

Beware of Landscape Problems When Buying a Myrtle Beach Home in 2023

Looking to purchase a Myrtle Beach home in 2023 and you’re overwhelmed by options? You’d like a location that includes a nice spacious yard … however, beware! You may experience some unforeseen landscaping issues. Although they may not be offer breakers, the following landscape issues can effectively add to the cost of your Myrtle Beach home purchase price, along with adding a heaping helping of hassle.

Landscape Issues To Watch Out For When Buying A Myrtle Beach Home

Big Gorgeous Trees

In the Myrtle Beach area, large oak trees are beautiful and charming. They can be key factors when looking for a home to buy in Myrtle Beach. However, an extremely shady yard will make it hard to grow anything but trees. Turf, many flowers, veggies, and such require sun in order to prosper. Even worse, a large tree implies an expansive root system which can cause problems with underground water and sewage pipes. In addition, the roots can lift or crack driveways and sidewalks and contribute to foundation damage. As we experienced last fall with Hurricane Matthew, large trees can be uprooted and cause damage to roofs and crack windows.

A Completely Flat Yard

While a backyard that’s as flat as the proverbial pancake would make trimming the lawn a lot easier, this benefit typically comes at a cost. The soil surrounding your dream house structure will get filled during heavy rain unless the ground slopes gently downward away from the house, with a minimum drop of approximately 6 inches for every 10 horizontal feet of yard. When there is standing water it will seep into the concrete and can cause foundation fractures which can be a big expense. In most instances, insurance will not cover the cost.

A Steeply Sloping Lawn

The reverse of the previous issue, an excessively sloped yard can be as bothersome as a flat one. Slopes of more than forty inches for every ten feet will wear down the soil. This will make producing a lush lawn tough and might lead to gullies causing loss of soil and possible damage to the foundation which will make the structure vulnerable to collapse. Plan to budget for maintenance items like retaining walls, dry creek bed, or terracing if your mind is set on buying a Myrtle Beach home with a sloping lawn.

Patches Of Brown, Yellow, Or Bright Green Turf

A lawn that resembles a patchwork quilt might be the result of one of a variety of factors. Abnormally green or yellow spots could be the result of neighborhood stray dogs using the grass as their individual release area. Or it could indicate something more serious, like rocks under the ground or even a harmful chemical spill. Brown circles, also known as “fairy rings,” suggest fungi in the soil, which might need removal and replacement of the affected location. Lastly, splotches of brilliant green growth might be reasonably innocent– the result of irregular yard fertilizer application– or a warning for septic tank failure.

A Swimming Pool

Buying a house complete with your very own private pool might look like the ultimate high-end however facts be told, this hardscape feature may wind up being more problem than it’s worth. A backyard pool takes up a great deal of functional backyard space and you should budget for additional monthly upkeep costs such as electricity for the pump to filter the water, time for vacuuming, chemical balancing and sanitizing, and optionally, heating the pool. Some additional expenses to consider are security fencing, an increase in property taxes, and additional insurance protection.

Full Potential Real Estate, LLC has the experience to guide you in what to look for in a new Myrtle Beach home. Call us today to discuss what you are looking for and let us steer you in the right direction.

Like our Facebook page for more great info about buying or selling a home.

Full Potential Real Estate, LLC
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-236-0203
http://fullpotentialrealestate.com

A To-Do List Before You Buy A Home

The process involved when you buy a home is truly exciting for first-time homeowners. Browsing through photos of all the different houses for sale, contacting the seller or owner, and visiting the house are just some of the first things that come to mind after deciding you want to become a homeowner. The most fun part for you in the process is imagining yourself in that new home you’re looking at….no doubt a great inspiration!

There are a couple of things a homebuyer should do before browsing homes for sale, however, and these things primarily focus on preparing yourself financially. According to experts, mortgage loans today have become more complex with more restrictions and requirements.

Homebuyers need to provide more proof that they can afford to buy a home in Myrtle Beach. This does not only benefit lenders and home sellers–it’s also meant to benefit buyers, particularly to help protect them from bad lending practices. It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment and go into debt with a mortgage you can’t really afford. In the past, banks and lenders have not been very responsible in preventing this, which is ultimately what led to the housing market collapse in 2008.

This is why it is important for most of today’s homebuyers to be able to secure their finances and prepare financially before jumping into the fray of the housing market.

Here is a simple to-do list to help you be financially prepared before you buy a home

Finish tax filing

Keep in mind that one of the things that a lender looks at is your most recent tax returns. The primary reason for this is because this is the most legit document they can look at to confirm and verify your income and financial eligibility in buying a home. Although you will show lenders other alternative documents to prove your income, banks will still want to have a copy of your latest federal tax return.

Secure other important financial documents

These are primarily the documents that show your income for the last two years. Basically, these are the alternative documents that banks and lenders will look at to verify and confirm your income along with your tax return. These include W-2s, previous years’ tax returns, and, if you are self-employed, 1099 forms from the IRS to show your self-employed income.

Also, if you have a family business where you are the owner or co-owner and which is also a source of your income, you will have to prepare copies of corporate tax returns for the past two years. Keep in mind that to be able to prove that you can indeed buy a house and pay for the loan and mortgage insurance, you will need to show proof of all your assets and sources of income. The more assets you show, the better you will prove your financial ability and the easier you will get loan and mortgage approval.

Aside from proving you are financially capable of paying for the loan and mortgage, these financial documents will also help prove that you will not be financially drained after buying a house. In fact, your debt-to-income ratio should not exceed 43 percent so you still have enough reserves for your other expenses such as insurance payments, utilities, and other homeowner’s fees.

Fix your credit report

Your credit score is one of the most important factors that lenders and banks look at to determine whether or not you are able to afford to buy a home in Myrtle Beach. Most experts suggest doing this at least 6 months to one year before your home purchase. This will give you sufficient time to improve your credit score and further impress lenders and banks.

Aside from improving your credit score, however, you also have to work at finding credit report errors and having them fixed. Keep in mind that credit report errors do happen, and it is up to you to check your credit reports and look for these errors, including missed incomplete or late payments. If you have kept all your receipts, you can easily prove this. Note that fixing these errors may take up to 3 months, so you need to do this earlier to ensure your credit report is error-free.

Research home prices and know how much they can afford

After securing your financial documents, you know how much money you have to work with for buying a home. With this information, do some research on the current home prices of the areas where you plan to buy. Note that the housing market in Myrtle Beach may be different than other areas.

Knowing home prices and how much of a loan you can qualify for, makes it easy for you to look for that perfect house. Additionally, this will also help you make a smarter decision on how much to offer on the house that you are looking to buy and outbid other potential buyers.

Preparing financially is necessary to make the home buying process easier and less complicated. Do it correctly and you will save yourself from days of frustration, stress, disappointment, and pressure, which take out all the fun and excitement that you had when you first decided to become homeowners.

For professional assistance in buying a home in Myrtle Beach, call Full Potential Real Estate, LLC now and inquire about their services.

Like our Facebook page for more great info about buying or selling a home.

Full Potential Real Estate, LLC
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-236-0203
http://fullpotentialrealestate.com

When To Find A New Real Estate Agent

In most cases, you don’t get the best real estate agent in Myrtle Beach the first time you look for one. There are instances when you thought you hired a reputable agent only to find out after a few meetings that you are not hitting it off. This is when you need to find a new agent to work with.

Remember that hiring the right realtor to represent you as sell or buy a house is essential to ensure success in the real estate transaction you are pursuing. On the other hand, if you put little care in hiring and put less thought when choosing who to work with, you will surely end up with someone who will let you down and leave you hanging especially when you need him the most.

What many home sellers and home buyers do not realize is that working with a Myrtle Beach real estate agent is like building a longtime relationship. You need to be able to feel good at your first meeting. You need to be able to learn to trust each other at the early stages of your relationship. This helps both of you to easily understand each other, making sure you are both on the same page when discussing houses and the real estate market.

If you are having doubts about the competence of the real estate agent you hired, here are signs that will confirm your doubts and tell you the need to find a new one.

1. When the agent offers to sell your house at a high price

You’ll know the agent is suggesting a high price for your house if you get a listing from other agents. Note that an experienced and professional realtor will look at how much similar homes have sold in the same neighborhood and will set a price that is close to this amount.

Setting your house at relatively the same price as other recently sold homes – that are similar to your house – in the same neighborhood will make your house sell faster. An experienced real estate professional understands that your house needs to seem realistic and affordable to attract more buyers.

2. When the real estate agent works only part-time

You need to be working with someone who is 100% committed to the industry and to their job. If they work full time, they are more knowledgeable about the current real estate market, giving you the advantage that you need in the venture that you are pursuing.

If you are buying a house, a full-time realtor will be able to provide you with the most recent listings and homes for sale in the neighborhood you are interested in. If you are a home seller, a full-time real estate professional will be able to assist you in selling your home, particularly in bringing potential home buyers to your house.

3. When the agent knows little about the neighborhood you are buying or selling in

One of the reasons why you hired a real estate professional is to have access to inside information about the neighborhood where you are selling or buying. Real estate professionals either already have this information, especially if they seem centered on doing real estate transactions in the same area, or they can get the information quickly and easily through their professional connections.

If the agent knows little about the neighborhood, then they will be of little help and assistance to you. Hire an agent who you can consider an expert in the neighborhood you are doing real estate transactions to help you achieve success.

4. When the agent does not have prior experience in real estate transactions with your type of property

It is important that you hire an agent who is an expert in their field. Make sure he has worked with previous transactions with the same type of property as the one you are selling or buying. This further ensures success in your real estate transaction. Plus, you can be sure that the real estate transaction will proceed smoothly and quickly.

Looking for a real estate agent to work with? Cheryl or Jeff can provide you with an agent who is suitable for your needs. You can be sure that the agent you are working with is specifically chosen depending on the real estate transaction you are pursuing, your location, and the type of real estate property you are dealing with.

Give Full Potential Real Estate, LLC a call today and inquire about their services.

Like our Facebook page for more great info about selling or buying a home in Myrtle Beach.

Full Potential Real Estate, LLC
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-236-0203
http://fullpotentialrealestate.com

Tips To Sell Your Home Fast In Myrtle Beach

You need to prepare your home for the market if you want to sell your home fast. There are often many homes for sale at the same time, so you need yours to stand apart from the rest.

There is much more to do than to decide to sell your home and to decide on a price. You need to find out if you want to work with a real estate agent in Myrtle Beach or do it alone. Realistically, if you don’t have the time to return all the calls and emails about it or a flexible schedule to show the home you will do better with a real estate agent to represent you.

It’s a big issue to present your home. Both the outside and inside of the home need to be very clean and tended to in appearance. You want to accent the positive so that anyone driving by feels the urge to come in to take a look around as well. Get rid of items in the home that make it appear to be cluttered. The more open space you can offer the better they will view it when they are looking around.

Personal items may make your house a home to you, but not to prospective buyers. In fact, those mementos that make it uniquely yours may be too much for them. They can’t visualize the home as their own because they are seeing too much of the current owner in it. Try to remove as many of these personal items as you can so that they don’t feel that way. For example, take your wedding picture off the shelf and replace it with a healthy plant.

Know what your home is worth and what you owe on it before you attempt to sell it. That way you will know if you can be flexible on the price or if you need to stand firm. If you are willing to look at reasonable offers that come your way, then you will have a better chance of selling your home fast. If you are holding out for that magic number, it can sit for months or even a year before selling.

Take the time to fix up your home as well. A couple of coats of paint on the walls doesn’t cost much or take more than a day or two. Yet it can be a huge selling point for prospective home buyers. When they feel they can buy a home and move it without having to do any work they are more apt to do so. A fixer-upper isn’t the ideal dream home for most consumers out there. If someone points out that there is a loose step, the power doesn’t work in an electrical outlet, or the light bulb in the closet is burned out, do yourself a favor and get them taken care of immediately.

Spreading the word is very important as well. You may have a lovely home for the right price, but people just don’t know about it. Use as many methods of advertising as you can. Many of them are free too. For example, you can post fliers and tell your friends. They can help you network and get interested parties coming your way.
A combination of all of these efforts will significantly reduce the amount of time you spend waiting for your house to sell. It can be a tough market at times when the economy is in a slump or interest rates are high. However, if you do all you can to put the odds in your favor then you will be completely free of your obligation to that home before you know it.

For best results, contact a real estate agent before you decide to list your home. Cheryl Woodward will be happy to give you more tips on how to sell your home quickly. Call Full Potential Real Estate, LLC now.

Like our Facebook page for more great info about home buying or home selling.

Full Potential Real Estate, LLC
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-236-0203
http://fullpotentialrealestate.com

Real Estate Agent Tips For Buying Your Dream Home

The housing market can be tricky and buying your dream home may not be that easy, especially if you choose to go through the process without professional assistance from a Myrtle Beach real estate agent. Note that sellers are not always enthusiastic about purchase offers that are lower than their asking price. Plus, there may be other homebuyers showing interest in the same house you are considering.

To ensure that you keep on top of the buyers’ competition and that you get the seller’s approval, here are some things that you can do.

Real Estate Agent Tips When Buying A Home

Ensure a flawless credit report

The first thing you should do as soon as you decided to buy a house is to ensure that your credit report is flawless. You should check your credit history several months before having your credit report created for your use when applying for a mortgage loan. This will give you time to make it better should you notice some flaws. Also, make sure there are no errors as the process of fixing mistakes on a credit report is time-consuming. So you might want to make sure it is error-free and impressive as well to help increase your chances of getting approved for a mortgage loan.

Secure an approved mortgage loan

Having an approved mortgage loan will make you look good to sellers as it means faster purchase transactions. When a seller knows that you are already approved for a mortgage loan, he will be more likely to start negotiations with you. Plus, with an approved mortgage, you already know how much budget you have for the home purchase. As a result, your home search will be more streamlined and organized. You will not have to waste time and effort looking at houses that are outside your budget range.

Work with an experienced real estate agent

No matter how easy it is now to get all the information that you need for your home purchase, it is still necessary to work alongside a professional. Keep in mind that you are hiring not only for professional assistance but more for their expertise and skills. Full Potential Real Estate will help ensure you buy your dream house at a reasonable price that will benefit both you and the seller. Doing it alone may cost you a lot of money, particularly in the negotiation process. In addition, the process is more likely to take longer if you are doing it on your own because you lack the necessary and appropriate industry connections to make the entire process move more quickly.

Make time for visiting and checking out homes

As a buyer, you will want to ensure that you are buying the most appropriate home for your needs. Thus, it helps if you make time for visiting and checking out the houses that you are considering to purchase. Do not settle and be content in viewing photos of the house. Remember that images can be altered and that home listing photos are always made to make the house for sale look nice, irresistible and flawless. Visiting the houses will give you time to scrutinize the house and check all areas.

Obtain neighborhood information

Location plays a huge role in your home-buying decisions. Most individuals buy homes based on their locations. Of course, this will greatly depend on your current lifestyle. If you are looking to build a family, you might want to live near schools. If you are living alone, you may want a neighborhood that has easy access to entertainment and recreational centers as well as job opportunities. For seniors, however, they are looking to buy in a neighborhood that is near hospitals and senior care.

Whatever your reason might be for buying a home, it is important to obtain neighborhood information to help you make your decision on where to buy. And if you are buying on your own, you might not find this task easy. Most of the time, you will need the expertise and connections of a Myrtle Beach real estate agent to help you obtain the information that you need to assess neighborhoods.

Call Full Potential Real Estate now for professional assistance in buying your dream home.

Like our Facebook page for more great info about buying or selling homes.

Full Potential Real Estate, LLC
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-236-0203
http://fullpotentialrealestate.com