Qualify to buy before you sell Inman News This story is bringing you absolutely great information! Don't go home shopping or selling before qualifying - failed processes result in failed expectations! When selling your Albuquerque home , be sure you have gone down each path, that you have looked at every possible outcome. Absolutely make sure of your total payoffs on your property, including liens, mortgages, credit lines, etc. What you gain from the sale of your present home will have everything to do with what new Albuquerque home you can buy. Contact the eTeam today and talk to a professional.

is completely fun!  Seriously, it is.  There is such a variety of homes out there, and I see all of them from one 'end' to the other every week. Albuquerque has a variety of styles!  Adobe homes , Scottsdale style homes, brick homes, traditional 'ranch' style homes - it's just a kick to get out and tour these properties.... Gotta go for now - more photos and videos to come! Oh, this is my favorite yard buddy....

Realtor® - a real estate broker or an associate who holds active membership in a local real estate board that is affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS ® Not all real estate agents or licensees are Realtors® - why does that make a difference?  A real estate licensee that is not a Realtor® is not bound by the Code of Ethics which governs our interaction with the public and other Realtors®. In order to be a member of the Southwest Multiple Listing Service, you have to have a Realtor® membership and be a member of the Great Albuquerque Association of Realtors® So, not all individuals that hold a real estate license are Realtors® - for more information, please contact  Linda DeVlieg's eTeam  anytime!  The team can keep you updated on all listings, market information and sales activity for all of the Albuquerque metropolitan area.  For your next Albuquerque home, contact the eTeam

Title Insurance: Insurance that protects the lender (lender's policy) or the buyer (owner's policy) against loss arising from disputes over ownership of the property. In Albuquerque real estate transactions , it is a customary practice that the seller will pay for the owner's policy on the closing of their Albuquerque home.  The interesting part is that Albuquerque home builders (as sellers) will pass this cost on to the buyer, thus causing the buyer to have to pay this cost again when they sell the house.  Buyers of Albuquerque homes should be aware of this when they factor in the costs of purchasing a new construction home in Albuquerque. For questions regarding title and the process - contact Fidelity Title Have questions about real estate in Albuquerque?  Come see/email/chat/ with us anytime!

We are often asked 'what are closing costs' when a buyer is purchasing a home and a seller is selling a  home.  These typical closing costs vary from market place to market place. In Albuquerque, for example, customary closing costs for sellers are the title fees, and the buyers' closing costs are typically anything associated with their loan.  The buyer may be asked to pay for the inspections and home warranty if these are desired. "Expenses (over and above the price of the property) incurred by buyers and sellers in transferring ownership of a property.  Closing costs normally include an origination fee, an attorney's fee, taxes, an amount placed in escrow, and charges for obtaining title insurance and a survey.  Closing cost percentages will vary according to the area of the country; lenders or Realtors® often provide estimates of closing costs to prospective homebuyers and sellers." In my co-authored book "Get the Best Deal When Selling Your H...

First in a series of articles regarding 'real estate words' that you might encounter in your search for an Albuquerque home or while selling your Albuquerque home. Acceleration clause A provision in a mortgage that gives the lender the right to demand payment of the entire principal balance if a monthly payment is missed, or if a provision of the mortgage is violated. You may run across this term during the course of a Real Estate Contract (or in common terms Seller Financing ).  If you are buying a home with a NM Real Estate Contract and someone talks about the 'acceleration clause' be aware of the practical applications of this term.  If the home you are purchasing (or selling) has an existing mortgage on it, most likely the mortgage document has an 'acceleration clause' contained in the document which prevents you from transferring ownership of the property without paying off the existing loan.  If you buy a home with a NM Real Estate Contract, y...

#8 in a Series of 8 Articles - THE IMPORTANCE OF HIRING A PROFESSIONAL Why hire a professional designer - to avoid costly and time consuming mistakes, for one. Secondly, to save on your time – a professional knows where to go and who to talk with. Your time is valuable and a designer can save you time, money and headaches, especially when it comes to knowing where to go. Thirdly, to obtain the desired result/outcome of the project. Many people think that watching HGTV gives them liberty to do everything themselves. This is a mistake. When you do not really know what you are doing – only think you do – that is the result a potential buyer sees, a “do it yourself job”. Not the result you should be going for. In this economy, time is money and selling a house takes time – why waste it. Hire a professional – if only for a few hours. Perhaps you need help with picking out a new paint color, ideas on staging your home, what to take & what to keep, etc. The point is to sell your hom...

Is always better than a great day at work.  Don't forget to relax and enjoy your day.

Look at landscaping as the “Cherry on the Sundae” – you need potential buyers to want to stop and look at the house. Curb appeal is very important – I can’t stress this enough! If the landscaping is lacking the general overall impression is so is the rest of the house – not good. Remember, Xeriscaping does not mean rock and only rock. Here in the Southwest, water is a very important commodity and today’s savvy home buyers are keeping this in mind. The backyard is just as important – it needs to be manicured and if possible, staged as an extra entertainment area. Even small patios can be used as an extension of the home almost year around in Albuquerque. Create an atmosphere that not only is inviting and welcoming to the buyer, but helps them envision the possibilities of entertaining in your home. _________________________________________________________________________ For more great information about staging and presenting your Albuquerque home to your next buyer, plea...

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Three Reasons to Buy a Home Now A great article about why now is the perfect time to buy your Albuquerque Home

Chart 1: Month over Month increases in Median Sale Price Summary of Chart 1: This chart shows the 10 MLS areas that saw the greatest increase in the median sale prices from the previous year. With 42 Areas reporting 2 or more sales, 19 saw price increases and 23 Areas saw price reductions. Interesting to note is the fact that four of the areas had decreases in the number of home sales yet still had increases in the sale price. Chart 2: QTR over QTR increases in Median Sale Price Summary of Chart 2: This chart shows the 10 MLS areas that saw the greatest increase in the median sale prices from the previous quarter. With 44 Areas reporting 5 or more sales, 17 saw price increases and 27 saw price reductions. Chart 3: Year over Year increases in Median Sale Price   Summary of Chart 3: This chart shows the 10 MLS areas that saw the greatest increase in the median sale prices from the previous Year-to-Date sales. With 46 areas reporting 5 or more sales, 17 saw p...

Here are some more great tips for Selling your Albuquerque Home - staging is so important that I have asked my friend Karla to give us these great tips - be sure and contact her for more information about how her services can help you sell your own home! The “Biggest Bang” for your money continues to be updating &/or remodeling your Kitchen. This is not only a good investment, but also a powerful tool to help sell a home. Even in this market a homeowner should be able to recapture their investment. Bathroom remodels/updates are also important – especially the MBR Bathroom. Everyone wants a luxurious bathroom – make it an inspiring selling point with dual sinks, contemporary plbg. and light fixtures, new flooring, noteworthy countertops, etc. Powder Rooms are a superb opportunity to make striking statements – think of them as little jewel boxes. This is where you can get very creative with unusual wall treatments, artwork, one of a kind sinks and so forth. A Powder R...

You are surfing the web, or driving by your favorite neighborhood and there you see it, a house you want to know about!  It's so exciting to see the opportunities! So, you pick up the phone or email the broker and ask about the property.  You might even click on the link that says " request a showing ". When the Realtor® responds, one of the questions they are going to ask you is "Are you working with a broker?"  Why do we ask this question?  Can't we just show you the house? Many times the home you have called on is not our personal listing.  If you see it on the Internet, you might be seeing it via our IDX feed, which is a service we provide to show you all of the listings in MLS on the websites .  If you call on a sign, it might not be the listing broker that is taking the call personally - it might be someone in the company who is on duty to take inquiries on properties.  Only a licensed real estate professional can answer questions about a...

Want to find a Green home for your new Green car?

A most definite YES!! Adding a “Pop of Color” with an Accent wall painted sporadically through-out a home (using one or two accent colors) can not only have an impact, but can create architectural interest - in addition to effecting one's moods, emotions, blood pressure, etc. Even to the point of producing physical sensations such as joy, calmness, a feeling of luxury and romance - just to mention a few. With proper placement, an accent &/or contrasting color(s) within an interior space can enhance the atmosphere and make a space appear larger and more interesting to the visitor. An interior with accent shades of color will captivate a possible buyer’s imagination to visualize themselves within the home - thus creating a feeling of “I’m home” or “this is it!” Karla McWhorter Interior Styling by Karla Ph: 275-6819 & Cell: 228-3489

Today I'm starting our Albuquerque Real Estate FAQ's....a series of simple answers to often asked and seldom answered-in-plain-English questions about real estate. "Why do you always ask if I'm prequalified ?" Let's see, you call on a property and ask to see a home that you find on the Internet, or drive by - and the broker will ask you "are you prequalified"?  While it probably feels like an invasion of your privacy or too picky-uney - here's why you are being asked: When we, as real estate professionals, list a property, very often one of the items that we go over with the seller is that we are making sure that the security of the property is on the top of our priority list...we make sure that the alarm codes are kept private, and that the home will be secured after a showing.  During these discussions a seller will almost always ask "can you make sure that the buyers are prequalified, and not just lookie loos"?   It takes quit...

Does a fresh coat of paint really make a difference when selling a home ? Absolutely! It can hide a multitude of issues, as well as help make the home look and feel new. It is important that you use the correct type of paint - a flat finish thru-out the home and an enamel in the bathrooms &/or the kitchen only when a gas stove is present. The current trend is to paint the ceiling the same color as the walls. Trim and doors should be a contrasting color – bone/off-white, beige, stained, etc. This allows the architectural trim to be more prominent and dress up the room. Paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to immediately improve the overall impression of a home. After all, isn’t that what you are going for – a good impression ? Karla McWhorter Interior Styling by Karla Ph: 275-6819 & Cell: 228-3489

Had another great experience with technology in my business yesterday. Coming back from the holiday...one of our closings had been delayed and suddenly happened while we were driving home. The title company emailed me saying docs were ready and the buyer would be in to sign. My client, one in Arizona and one in Poland, were to review everything prior to closing. Title emailed everyone the closing statement....I reviewed and found a change, then my seller in Poland emailed to ask questions..same from client in Arizona and all the while I'm riding home and reviewing everything via iPad.  The sellers had also been signing the contracts via Docusign so the entire process had been so easy and fast.  No delays. By the time I arrived to lunch in Santa Fe the buyers were on their way to closing and by the time I got home to Albuquerque the buyers were getting the keys! No delays and no fuss....what a great time to practice real estate sales !

Have you had a hard time finding a rental through the MLS ?  A hard time finding a real estate broker who works in traditional sales to help you find a rental? Don't feel alone.  Everyone does.  In case nobody has taken the time to tell you why, here goes - In many areas of the country, there is a centralized database - either in the MLS or a similar product - which allows showing and cooperation between brokers and brokerages to show and lease out properties.  This is a system very much like the use of the MLS for selling properties.  This system establishes the inventory, and offers it with compensation to other brokers to show and lease the properties for their clients. In Albuquerque there isn't any such product.  Real estate brokerages that specialize in sales live in a separate world than property management companies.  The property management companies will show and lease their own inventory.  There is no centralized database to f...

More tips and ideas about staging your Albuquerque home for sale Do you know which rooms are important to stage when putting a house on the market and why? • Living Room/Great Room (LR) • Dining Room (DR) • Master Bedroom (MBR) • Bathrooms • Kitchen It is important to make a house look more like a Home. You want to produce a warm & welcoming effect on the visitors, encouraging them to linger. The longer the prospective visitors are in the Home – the better the chances are of making a positive & lasting impression. Staging a home will help the potential buyers to visualize their furniture & furnishing within the house. When staged correctly, it can also be used as a tool to help make a room appear larger than it actually is – this is especially important when it comes to the Master Bedroom, and living areas. For more information about staging, contact Interior Styling by Karla today! If you would like a free copy of my book for Sellers - please fill o...