Real Estate • February 21, 2025

Best Tips for First Time Home Buyers

by Austin Moyer

blue text on grey background. 5 tips for first time home buyers

Buying a home for the first time can be intimidating if you don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Here are the best 5 tips I offer to first time home buyers ahead of our partnerships.

1. Select a Reputable Realtor

A realtor will be the one who supports you through your home buying journey. This is more than just helping you sell your home or find your dream home. Do some research to find someone who has experience and expertise in the location that you want to live. Look for positive reviews online as indicators of trust.

2. It’s never too soon to start saving!

You know you need to save for a down payment. You’ll also need to prepare for closing costs and the cost of moving from one home to the next. One thing your realtor can help you with is anticipating costs as you get closer to closing.

3. Get Pre-approved!

What do my closing and housing costs look like? The only way to be certain is to get pre-approved. It’s important to know while you’re dreaming exactly how much house you can afford. This will help your realtor as well, as we try to find great homes for you that fits your needs as well as your budget.

4. Check your credit

Having great credit will help you to qualify for more competitive interest rates. Just like how saving up can never start too early, neither can getting your credit in order. Be sure to pay recurring bills on time, and in full. Keep credit card balances low. There are plenty of free opportunities to track your credit score and offer advice based on your status.

5. Research Home Buyers Assistance Programs

There are many programs incentivizing first time home buying. Sometimes it depends on where you live (by city, county, or state), how much you make, or even your student loan or veteran status. We can work together to find out what you might be qualified for as a first time home buyer.

Let’s get in touch. The Austin Moyer Real Estate Team will be able to leverage our expertise to provide first time home buying tips for you on a personalized basis depending on your unique situation. Click to contact Austin Moyer Team at Coldwell Banker Custom Realty or call 585-505-7012. We look forward to working with you!

Real Estate • February 7, 2025

Frequently Asked Question About Home Inspection Process

by Austin Moyer

blue font on white background "FAQs about your home inspection" image man inspecting a home

When you’re serious about making an offer on a home, you’ll require a home inspection. But what can you expect as a potential home buyer in the home inspection process? We’ll go over some of the most frequently asked questions about the home inspection process.

Can my Realtor Help Me Find an Inspector?

Yes! Your realtor can help you find an inspector they trust or have worked with before. Or, we can offer you some direction on doing your research and finding someone you want to work with. You want someone who will keep your best interests in mind.

Who will be there?

Most importantly: you will be there! Meet with the Inspector and share initial concerns or questions you have. Be engaged, but no need to hover. Inspectors are there to make sure you know all the little details of the home you’re hoping to buy. As the buyer, your realtor can come along if it’s been agreed upon. Who should NOT be there? The sellers and the sellers’ realtor should not be present. There is a conflict of interest there, and if they show it, consider it a red flag. The inspector will likely ask them to step out.

Can I Ask the Inspector Question?

Of course! We recommend asking a few questions up front to let them know your concerns, and then give them space to get the job done. As the inspector goes over pieces of the home, they’ll talk to you, and hear your questions. While they aren’t there to push or pull you from making your purchase, they can give you the facts and their context so that you can make the most informed decision.

What if the Inspector finds a Glaring Issue?

If this is the case, and we hope it’s not, the inspector will usually bring it to your attention immediately and explain the situation. They may even ask if you want to proceed with the inspection. As always, feel free to ask questions!

What if things go well?

That’s great! They’ll let you know and they’ll provide a copy of the report so you can be on your way and make your decision about the home.

I’ll be happy to answer more of your specific questions when you get in touch. Click to contact Austin Moyer Team at Coldwell Banker Custom Realty or call 585-505-7012. We look forward to working with you!

Real Estate • January 15, 2025

How to Ensure Your Offer Stands Out to Home Sellers

by Austin Moyer

It’s a competitive home buyer’s market. The Austin Moyer Team has the experience to help your bid stand out. Here are our top five ways to look good to home sellers.

1. Lean on your real estate agent

We are here to leverage our experience to support you through this process. We can anticipate obstacles and help you be ready to tackle them so that you can be successful in your bid. Our goal is that our knowledge will give you an edge in even the most competitive markets. Though every step of this journey, lean on us!

2. Get pre-approved

When you’re serious about bidding on a home, be sure you know how much the bank will allow you to borrow before you make any offers–even verbal. Your real estate agent can direct you to trusted lenders as well as make sure you take advantage of any incentives available to you, such as first time home buyers program or VA Home Loans for veterans.

3. Larger Down Payments and More Earnest Money

Offer a larger down payment to show the seller that you are serious about the purchase. It may make you a more favorable bidder. You could also consider increasing your Earnest Money or Good Faith Payment. This is a percentage of the sale that the buyer will extend to the seller so that they will take their home off the market while you close. The buyer will expect to do this either way, so if you can spare more of that cash, be sure to ask your realtor to discuss it in negotiations.

4. Cash Offer

If you have the cash to buy the home in full, make that offer. It will expedite the selling process and eliminate some of the red tape and third parties that come with home buying.

5. Flex

Finally, communicate with your real estate professional on the areas you’re comfortable being flexible. Knowing where you’re okay with rearranging to meet some of the sellers’ wants will help us to show our good faith. For example, maybe you’re okay with increasing the downpayment or waving certain contingencies if the seller asks. Your agent will talk with you about the possibilities.

Finally, let’s get in touch! The Austin Moyer Team has the experience to help you stand out against other buyers. Click to contact Austin Moyer Team at Coldwell Banker Custom Realty or call 585-505-7012.

Real Estate • January 6, 2025

Setting a Home Buying Budget in the New Year

by Austin Moyer

Happy New Year to all! Now is the perfect time to review your budget and understand how much house you can afford. In this article, I’ll go over some details you’ll need to consider so that you’re prepared to find your dream home.

1. Review your current household income and expenses

Total your monthly income from all sources. That means including income from all your jobs from every person who will be contributing to paying the mortgage. If you’re a couple buying a home together, write down all current expenses. After your car payments and insurance, don’t forget about things like gas money, music subscriptions, and date nights. If you get to this point see your monthly budget is spent, consider ways you can make changes to save or consider a smaller starter home.

2. Find out how much house you can afford

There are plenty of estimation calculators online, but only a lender can provide accuracy. Interest rates also have an impact on your budget. Here’s an in depth article if you want to understand more about interest rates in the housing market. There are a few tips and tricks you can consider in the meantime. For example, Freddie Mac suggests multiplying your gross annual income by 2.5. Most lenders have a 28% rule, meaning, you should not spend more than 28% of your income on a mortgage.

3. Consider the cost of home ownership

Homes in some neighborhoods require HOA fees. Houses will need the occasional repair and upgrade. Be sure you have enough money saved, or income coming in, so that you can handle these types of necessary repairs.

4. Prepare a Downpayment

This part can be intimidating because of the high cost of housing in some markets. A 20% downpayment is typical and recommended at a minimum so that you don’t have to pay extra insurance on the mortgage itself. Saving for a down payment takes time and planning. Perhaps consider a high yield savings account with an auto pay plan. Set it and forget it. There are some programs and guidelines for first time homebuyers. First time homebuyers may only need 3.5-5% down depending on your loan.

5. Don’t forget closing costs!

These are costs like paying your realtor, paying for your title, inspection, taxes, origination fees, prorated taxes for the year.

Buying a house is a complicated transaction, but we’re here to make it easier for you and guide you through it. We can also recommend lenders we trust to help you get preapproved for a mortgage. Click to contact Austin Moyer Team at Coldwell Banker Custom Realty or call 585-505-7012. We look forward to working with you!

Real Estate • December 18, 2024

Get Ready to Sell with this Home Enhancement Checklist

by Austin Moyer

It’s important to make sure your home looks great to potential buyers to be ready to sell. But how do you get your home ready?

Try this Home Enhancement Checklist.

You can even download or print it out to help you organize your home as you prepare to sell. Of course, if you have questions, we can guide you with expert advice on how to make sure your home looks peak appealing for potential buyers.

As you prepare your home to best at its best for potential buyers, keep these four steps in mind in every room, and your exterior:

Tidy up
Clean up
Patch up
Finishing touch

Learn more in the PDF. If you’re ready to list your home, let’s get in touch! Click to contact Austin Moyer Team at Coldwell Banker Custom Realty or call 585-505-7012.

Real Estate • November 27, 2024

Home Selling Timeline in 9 Steps

by Austin Moyer

Selling a home is not a one size fits all timeline. However, we can all refer to a similar order of operations to ensure the smoothest home selling process possible. This article will help you understand what to expect when you’re selling your home.

1. Assess your home

Are there any repairs you need to make, large or small to make your home either more marketable or ready to pass inspection? This could be anything from replacing the water heater to reinforcing a front porch railing for safety. Maybe it means a fresh coat of paint. We’ve got a few suggestions for easy upgrades to prepare to sell your home here.

2. Hire a Real Estate Professional

This might be the most important part of your home selling journey. A great realtor is going to help you through the entire process, making sure that this timeline goes smoothly for you and as close to your desired pace as possible. Look for someone with experience in your market. The Austin Moyer Team at Coldwell Banker Custom Realty is here to help you in the Greater Rochester.

3. Find your home’s value

Finding out your home’s value is one of the first tasks your real estate agent can help you with. While there are many online tools to help you ball park the estimate, it’s important to gain an accurate and professional assessment so that you can prepare your listing. We’ll come to an accurate price by considering the home’s condition, location, and compare the recent sales of similar homes in your area.

4. Get Photo Ready

This means tidy up, make minor repairs, and stage your home for peak admiration. Soon, your real estate professional will take pictures and help you prepare for an open house if necessary. When you’re selling a home, you want to make your home feel clean and welcoming to potential buyers. Your agent will take high quality pictures that best represent the home and attract buyers.

5. Your Agent Creates the Listing

Now that you’ve beautified your home and your real estate agent has taken pictures, it’s time for your agent to create the listing. Your agent will post the photos and highlight the best features of your home to attract potential buyers. This is a great opportunity to add details around the home itself, the community including the school district and walkability for example. An experienced agent will know what kind of details to add to catch the attention of prospective buyers. When you’re looking to hire a real estate agent, take a look at their previous and existing listings to get a sense of their attention to detail.

6. It’s Time to Receive Offers

Once your home is listed, you’ll start receiving offers–potentially within a couple of days! It all depends on the market. Your real estate agent will use their expertise to help you to set your expectations on timeline as well as quality of offers. This is also a time to consider negotiations, which your real estate professional will guide you through. When you are comparing offers, consider more than just the highest dollar bid.

7. You’ve selected an Offer–Now What?

Once you’ve accepted an offer, the buyer has an opportunity to order an inspection and appraisal. If they’re financing, they’ll seek an appraisal from their lender to be sure they’re getting a fair price for the condition of the home. This process is typically finished in less than one month.

8. Closing

This is the last paperwork step! Once the documents are signed, it’s almost done. If you received an all cash offer in New York State, it may still take about 30 days to close. If your buyer is using a lender to finance, this might take more time to finalize. These buying methods may have factored into your decision around which offer you accepted. You’re almost with the whole home selling process!

9. Moving Out

Congratulations! It’s time to move out and into your next dream home while a new person or family moves into yours. Once you close, you are expected to leave the property. Vacating the property also includes removing furniture and appliances, unless it was agreed that the buyer would keep them. Your home should be broom clean ready for the next person or family to move in with no issues.

Your best bet to move smoothly through the home buying process is to work with a real estate professional. With our expertise, we can be proactive and anticipate upcoming tasks to keep you on track to meeting your real estate goals. Get in touch! We look forward to helping you sell your home! Austin Moyer Team at Coldwell Banker Custom Realty or call 585-505-7012.

Real Estate • November 18, 2024

New Home Buyer Guide: 8 Steps to Buying Your First Home

by Austin Moyer

A Step by Step Guide to Buying your First Home

If you’ve never bought a home before, you might not know what steps to take or what steps there are. We want to make this as easy as possible for you by listing out what steps you should take, and in what order, so that you can have the smoothest possible home buying experience. This is the complete New Home Buyer Guide, which provides even more detail to get you started.

1. Meet with a Real Estate Professional

The sooner you meet with a real estate professional, the sooner we’ll be able to help you find your dream home and answer your questions about home buying. We’ll talk about home style, price, location and more. I’ll also be available for your questions throughout the process. Why not have an experienced individual by your side instead of doing this on your own! For more information on why you should work with a real estate profession, check out this article: Why Team With A Real Estate Professional to Sell Your House.

2. Get Pre-Approved

Knowing how much house you can afford is critical to the home buying process. You don’t want to overestimate your budget and then be disappointed, or sell yourself short of a more desirable home. To get pre-approved, you’ll need documents such as pay stubs, W2s, and bank statements for each person whose name will be on the mortgage. Your realtor will help you determine other documents that might help you in the process. We’ll also provide a timeline for when get pre-approved.

3. Search for Homes

This is the fun part! Your real estate agent will send you listings to search through and take you to showings so that you can explore until you find the home of your dreams. Not all real estate sites are the same! Your agent should be able to dig into advanced searches to help you find homes that may not be listed publicly yet. This goes back to the importance of working with an agent. Often, we can widen the search.

4. Make an Offer

Your agent will prepare an offer based on the price and terms you select. Don’t worry, this is something we’ll discuss and will offer guidance on based on my experience.

5. Negotiations and contract

This might take a few tries, but don’t worry, your agent will stay with you the whole way. In most cases the contract provides you with a timeline to obtain financing, as well as inspect the physical conduction of the home. Your real estate professional will inform you of all of your rights and responsibilities related to the contract.

6. In Escrow

This means that you and the seller have agreed on price and terms and the home is being held for you until closing. Typically, this requires a monetary good faith deposit. Your deposit will be kept in an escrow account which holds both parties accountable to close on the property. The buyer will want to be sure of their purchase, because if the buyer backs out, this money goes to the seller. If the seller backs out, the buyer gets their money back, or if they will be credited it at closing.

7. Final Details

Perform due diligence. This means order the appraisal, conduct inspection, and go over terms with the lender. As you prepare for closing you will be finalizing the details of your loan and discussing findings from the inspection. Your real estate agent will be managing this entire process for you.

8. Closing

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! More technically, this is the transfer of funds and ownership. A title company or an attorney typically is present to facilitate a third party. This is where you get the keys, and go home.

Congratulations! If you’ve made it through all these steps, you’re a homeowner! If you’re ready to go through these steps, let’s get started together. Reach out to Austin Moyer Team at Coldwell Banker Custom Realty here, or call 585-505-7012. We look forward to making your home ownership dreams come true!

Uncategorized • November 7, 2024

Home Renovations You Can Do This Winter To Boost Home Value for Spring

by Austin Moyer

Prepare your home to sell in the spring with renovations this winter.

If you’re thinking about selling your home this spring (or sooner!), here are a few different home improvement projects you could consider this winter to increase your home value. Potential buyers will be asking what has been updated most recently, so why not make a few updates? I’ll share a few ideas which, depending on your level of DIY savvy, you may be able to tackle some of these on your own as a weekend warrior. These improvements will also benefit you and your household in the meantime.

1. Insulate the Attic

Having a properly insulated attic will be a relief to the family who buys your home because they’ll save money on current energy costs and future repairs from mildew and water damage. Having proper insulation will save money on heating and cooling bills–which is a huge plus in a four seasons city like Rochester, NY.

2. Front Door Replacement

Add instant curb appeal with an updated door. On top of style, a new door is another opportunity to make the home more energy efficient, so you can help that next buyer reduce their utility bills. A door offers both a sense of welcoming and security for the next homeowner. If you’re feeling extra motivated, the same value of style and security can be applied to replacing the garage door.

3. Install Smart Home Features

There are so many smart home features! Installing smart lighting and a smart thermostat is a great way to start. The easy-to-control lighting is impressive to prospective homeowners. Showing that you can control the temperature of your home from anywhere offers peace of mind. It’s one more way to demonstrate that your home will be easy to live in.

4. Repaint

Painting is a fairly inexpensive way to freshen up your living spaces. If you can find a weekend over the winter that’s warm enough to open the windows for ventilation, painting is a great value add! Prioritize areas that may be a bit worn down in high traffic areas in your home. Or, neutralize bold colors to help your prospective buyers visualize themselves in your home.

5. Swap Carpet for Hardwood

Hardwood flooring welcomes potential buyers with a clean look and sturdy feeling. While carpeting can be cozy, it shows its age easily. If your home has been well lived in, your carpeting may be stained or containing odors that don’t make a fair impression.

We can talk more about ways to spend this winter preparing your individual home to sell. Or, if you’re ready to list your home right now, we’re happy to help. Reach out to Austin Moyer Real Estate Team at Coldwell Banker via email me at austin@coldwellbankerwny.com or give us a call at at 585-505-7012. We’re looking forward to working with you!

Uncategorized • October 25, 2024

Should I Sell My Home in Winter or Spring?

by Austin Moyer

Selling Your Home In Winter Versus Spring

When you’re ready to sell your current home and move on to your next dream home, you can decide when to sell based on what works best for you. But is there a best time of year to sell? I’ll break down the benefits you can find in each time of year. As always, if you have specific questions, Austin Moyer Real Estate Team at Coldwell Banker is here to support your home selling journey from start to finish.

The Benefits of Selling Your Home in Winter

Great timing for buying your home in the spring. If you’re able to sell in the winter, you may have better timing when you go to buy a new home. That’s because you can find more homes on the market in the spring boom. If you’re in a position where you can stay with a friend or family member in between homes, selling in the winter might be a great perk so that you can buy in the spring.
Find More Well Qualified Buyers. You may be able to find more qualified home buyers in the winter, meaning buyers who are ready to make serious and transactionally simple offers. This is because maybe home buying grants become available in the spring. While you can appreciate all kinds of offers, those in the winter might be more qualified and closer to the type of offer you hope to accept.
Lower Traffic Through Your Home – In the winter, there may be more qualified buyers, and also fewer casual viewers. This is beneficial because it will reduce the amount of foot traffic in your home. If you’re ready to sell, that likely means you’ve got your home in excellent condition and might not want an excess of muddy boots and strangers walking through your hallways. The winter can help you to filter out folks who aren’t looking at homes seriously.
Perfect Time for Snowbirds to Sell. If you’ve flown south for the winter and you’re ready to sell your home up north, this is a perfect time. Why? Because if you’re not home, your realtor will have more flexibility to set up open houses and organize walk throughs.

Benefits to Selling your Home in the Spring

More buyers. Typically there are more home buyers on the market in the springtime. This means you have more offers coming in, which could drive up the price of your home.
Springtime beauty. Your house might look its best in the spring! In the spring, your flower garden is blooming. You can open up the windows and show the fresh air flow and cross breeze in your home. It helps buyers picture themselves enjoying the home inside and out. As a bonus, we’re all often in a better mood in better weather. When someone feels happiness in your home, they can visualize themselves making happy memories there.
Steady Mortgage Rates. Long term patterns in the market show that interest rates tend to be steady in the springtime, so you won’t have to feel buyer-anxiety about market volatility. Your realtor can help you to understand current mortgage rates and how that impacts the selling process.
Schools are out of session – When school is out, you can direct potential buyers to check out the schools in your district (if schools are part of their buying decision). Very serious buyers might even have their kids with them at open houses. Kids love to “claim” their rooms when they walk through. Giving the whole family the opportunity to feel at home in your home could help you sell.

No matter what time of year you sell, we’ll be here to help you take advantage of the benefits of any season. Reach out to help us determine the value of your home! Give me a call at 585-505-7012 or email me at austin@coldwellbankerwny.com I look forward to hearing from you!

Real Estate • October 11, 2024

Interest Rates Dropped – Should I Sell My House?

by Austin Moyer

If you’re ready to sell your home, Austin Moyer Real Estate Team at Coldwell Banker is ready to guide you through the process. With interest rates coming down, you might be wondering if now is the right time to sell. It’s a great time to sell–here’s why! If you want to understand more about why interest rates change in the first place, we have some great information in this article.

1. Lower Rates Entice Buyers!

When someone is buying a home it can be intimidating to buy with a high interest mortgage. That’s because the buyer has to allocate extra funds to pay the interest which takes some funding from what they can spend on the house itself. Many buyers have been waiting for this opportunity to get more house for their money. That means it’s your home’s time to shine and show its value to potential buyers who are ready to make offers.

2. The buyer gets more bang for their buck

The buyer spends money on the part they actually want to spend on: their dream home. This means they have more dollar to stretch into the property that you’re selling instead of budgeting it for interest payments. With lower rates, demand rises because the terms are more favorable. Which means you’ll get more offers from buyers who are more confident in their purchase plan.

3. More Competitive Offers

With lower rates, there’ll be more buyers ready to enter the market. This means you can hope to receive more offers. You may also encounter more first time home buyers, who qualify for government incentives to help them buy. Everything that helps the buyer helps you sell your home.

4. Find Your Next Dream Home At a Better Rate

If you’re in a home right now that you’ve outgrown, it’s time for you to upsize or downsize. If you have equity in your current home, this might be a great time to put it toward a home that better suits your current or changing life. An experienced realtor can help you handle both selling and buying! You might as well take advantage of those falling interest rates, too.

5. Maximize your asking price with minor upgrades

If you’re ready to sell and you want to attract the most competitive offers, take some time to make your home look like a dream. Tidy up and make those minor repairs. When you take the time to make the windows glisten, you make a huge difference on the impression of potential buyers, which can help yield more competitive offers.

If you’re ready to benefit from selling during this market, we can help you get this started. Please don’t hesitate to reach out at 585-505-7012 or email me at austin@coldwellbankerwny.com

We look forward to working with you!