CAN I WRITE AN OFFER AND THEN GET PREQUALIFIED? Simply - sure, but your offer won't get anywhere.  The seller will counter back "subject to reviewing proof of funds to close" and the offer will still be open.  This means anyone else can buy the house before you get that project done. Then, disappointment all around. I know it sounds like a simple project to get through the full approval process, and it used to be...but things have changed and so have the rules.  I have had some clients take a week, two weeks, or sometimes more to get the package put together that feels comfortable to them.  There are many things to consider like interest rates, costs of the loan, getting things cleared up like student loans, child support, estate issues, or selling an existing house! While it is easy to contact a lender and get the process started , it's much more efficient to make sure all of your ducks are in place and then go find the home of your dreams! There is so...

Why do I have to be prequalified first, all I want to do is just start looking around? Starting to look around at homes is a more sophisticated process than most people would believe.   If the homes are occupied, the owners need notification that someone is coming to see their home, which usually takes a lot of preparation and scheduling on their part.   Even if the homes are vacant, the Realtor has to set up the appointments to see the homes and plan a route.   It takes quite a lot of time and effort for the Realtor, the buyers and the sellers. If you find the perfect home, and you haven't started the process to be pre-approved, you won't have time to do it before you write the offer.   Sellers will not entertain an offer on their home until they know that you can pay for it.   Someone else will buy the home you have just picked out. If you are curious about neighborhoods and areas, open houses are a great way to get acquainted with how homes...

I WANT TO BUY A HOME, HOW DO I START? When you are ready to buy a home, contact a real estate professional.  The best Realtors will have you meet them at their office or set up a telephone conference to discuss your needs.    The first thing you must have done is to be PREQUALIFIED by a reputable lender .    They will discuss details about your credit history, your work history, and your budget to determine which loan is best for you.   It is essential to do this step first.   The loan process has become increasingly more complicated and it's much easier to move through the process with a good real estate broker and a good loan officer behind you.  They will know how to anticipate the unexpected and make the process much more pain free!         For a free consultation on how to buy a home, please feel free to contact me anytime!

Albuquerque real estate stats Inventory is lower and sales of existing homes have started to increase!  This is a great time to buy that home that you have been waiting for .  While we are in a somewhat slow moment with the NM State Fair, Balloon Fiesta and other upcoming holiday activities, the serious buyers are out to get the best homes they can find, and serious sellers are bucking the trend to 'wait for spring' and putting their homes on the market because they need to move now! It's always a great time to find your nest! Call or email me today when you are ready for a complimentary real estate consultation.

Q uarterly market 2nd Green Sheet Eco-friendly version of Market Reports. REPORT QTR This data is from the time period between April 1 and June 30 2012 of 2011 and 2012. New Listings Detached: 3,988 Attached: 369 2nd QTR 2011 Detached: 4,180 Attached: 410 % Change (Detached) -4.59% Closed Sales Detached: 2,071 Attached: 193 2nd QTR 2011 Detached: 1,915 Attached: 157 % Change (Detached) +8.15% Average Sale $ Detached: $209,780 Attached: $140,359 2nd QTR 2011 Detached: $200,314 Attached: $139,419 % Change (Detached) +4.73% Sales Volume ( in millions) Detached: $434.5 Attached: $27.1 2nd QTR 2011 Deta...

A very popular area of Albuquerque, New Mexico - here is a map of all homes currently for sale in the zip code 87111 - If you want to save this search to keep updated with all homes for sale in 87111, click away! 87111 CLICK HERE! And, just for the picture above - this is a happy lizard living in 87111 - he's found a home and so can you! Call or email me today for more information or assistance.

More cleaning tips for selling that home! So when you are cleaning your home for sale , don't forget the outside stuff too!  Thank you!

People often ask me "what is the single best thing I can do to sell my house ?" I know that some Realtors will say "price it right", which is true.  Price can overcome a lot of objections and someone will buy something at the right price.  It has been to perceived as a great value for that buyer.  There is one out there. But - if I could tell someone what the best thing is to do?  What can you do that will make someone say Yes to your home over another? CLEAN!  Clean, and I mean clean like you have never cleaned before.  Do the "Up on the ladder and clean lightbulbs clean".....Nothing is more impressive than walking into a home, vacant or full of furnishings, than smelling and feeling what 'CLEAN' is really like. So often I show a property to a prospective buyer, and while we are looking closely we see bugs in the windowsills, open up a custom cabinet and there is the drip from last night's creme brule. It's not how we live on a day...

Search for new homes, new construction, floorplans and more! NEW HOMES SEARCH! CLIK HERE Call me today to see any of these wonderful builders or get floorplans to plan your next home -

CLICK HERE TO Search for High Desert Homes in Albuquerque Find the perfect home yet, or still looking?  Save that search and get instant updates on new properties that meet your criteria. Contact us when you are ready !

My biggest question lately is - Why do consumers settle for so little when it comes to marketing their home? Every morning my first line of business is to open up the MLS and see what is on the market fresh and ready to show to my buyers. If I see a listing with no photos, or a toilet photo...I can't help but think that someone just doesn't care. But is it the listing broker? Is the seller? Not sure, but when your home hits the market for sale, it has now become a product. A product that should be ready to sell, spit polished and offered in it's best light. 3 photos with a toilet shot just doesn't cut it. Or, 10 photos if the MLS offers 25, just doesn't cut it. I see it every day - a home goes on the market and hits the MLS as a live/I'm for sale/buy me now listing. There are no pictures. Why? Not sure - but no pictures, so what do I do as a buyer's broker? I move on...I'm thinking so do my buyers. Since 90% of home buyers shop for thei...

I've often said this when I'm helping people buy or sell a house - don't look at the square foot price and think it's the final answer on what a home is "worth". Alot of factor go in to what your home will sell for, or what you should be paying for a home. First of all, it's the APPEAL. How did that property make you feel when you walked in the front door? Does the home have a feeling of calm, of good workmanship, good colors, layout and has the house been loved? I go into homes every day where I feel like running out the front door as fast as I walked in. The home hasn't been taken care of, or the carpet is soiled, stains on the walls, laundry on the floor - or no landscaping. It smells. If it makes me feel bad, it is certainly going to make a buyer feel bad. As a seller, you must do work on your home to make it feel good to a buyer. It must feel loved. As a home buyer, don't just look at the price per square foot on a home and t...

The Tech-Savvy Real Estate Solution By Andrew Hill @ www.NewHomeSource.com Before you take one more step along your real estate journey, you need to ask yourself one important question: How Tech-savvy is my Realtor? I’m not talking how many gadgets, smartphone, or tablets, they have in their arsenal. I mean how effective will your agent have you in the online real estate market. Real estate is no longer the simple business it once was and a strong Internet presence is key. You want to be sure that your Realtor is getting the most home exposure possible for both buyers and sellers. After all, no matter what type of real estate transaction you are undergoing, more exposure will always be a benefit. So how can you tell if your agent is a web-master? The following pointers can help answer that question: A freshly updated blog is a good indicator. Blogs are great for keeping you, the reader/client, informed about the real estate market and local events/ideas that may be beneficial to ...

Housing Market Bottom Found, Says Bank of America I've been feeling this way for awhile; the activity in the Albuquerque market is starting to feel a trend of 'normal'.  This doesn't mean, however, that prices are going UP , but it does mean that the inventory is trending towards meeting the demand.  More buyer interest, easier to get buyers qualified to buy , and sellers who have strategically priced their home to sell rather than 'testing' the market. The Albuquerque real estate market has a unique personality, let's profile it today!  Call or email me anytime for more information about the Albuquerque real estate market.

Super fun things to do - might I suggest one wonderful site to use to find Things to Do in Albuquerque - I have a link to it on my real estate site , because I think it's so grand, and here's another way to find it at The Collector's Guide - It's a great resource to find things to do in the area, cultural events and places to go in the Albuquerque area .

Click here to get Images & Leprechaun Pictures - Pictures Happy St Patrick's day from www.RealEstateInABQ.com

Great new ad for Coldwell Banker Legacy for 2012 - what a voice, what a promotion! Come see us today at www.RealEstateInABQ.com and see what I can do for you for Albuquerque real estate .

Open publication - Free publishing Welcome to my Marketing Plan for 2012 to get your Albuquerque home sold! Call me today for a personalized appointment.