Are you getting the itch? - January 23, 2018

If so, they make an ointment for that.  Well, that is, unless your itch only happens when you think of your home.  Maybe you've outgrown your space and feel like your family is on top of one another. You're running out of junk drawers, closet space and bedrooms. In many cases, you've spilled into your garage so much the summer heat and winter ice wreak havoc on your cars because there's no room for them in the garage.  All those cabinets you never thought you'd fill are now overflowing with mismatched cups, more mugs than you can pack into a coffee shop and storage containers forevermore missing their lids.  How does that happen?  Oh yeah, life! I've been here before for sure...have you...are you there now? 

Perhaps it's the other way around and you're an empty-nester wondering why you're still cleaning that large house you only had because of all the kids (I'm almost to this phase, thank goodness).  You've got at least one room that absolutely no one, including you, has used or even stepped foot in for months. That doesn't absolve you from the pressure of having to keep it looking perfect and dust-free though, right?  If you're like me, you just let the dust sit because no one goes in there anyway. #nofeardustbunnies 

The other concern for all that space...what if the kids want to come back home!?!?  😳😳  Uh, no thanks...at least that's my take on it right now.  I'm sure I'll feel different when they bring me grandbabies but that's WAY off...at least it better be!!! It seems a lot of this next generation is perfectly content living at home as long as they can.  I'll be honest...I'm not about that life, hahaha!!

Maybe your itch doesn't stem from too much family or the lack there of.  Maybe...you just don't like it anymore.  The kitchen needs updating, you're done with all the stairs and if you have to look out your window one more time and see the neighbors'..uh well, we'll just leave it at that...  There's a ton of reasons why you get the itch to start looking at the possibility of a new home. Regardless of what about your beloved home keeps you up at night scratching, there's absolutely no harm in checking out your options. So where do you even begin?  Here's a few high-level tips to get you started but the bottom line is, get the help of a real estate professional.  I would love for it to be me but ultimately you've got to choose someone you feel is capable, reliable and that you click with.  (Hopefully, you think I'm those things even if you don't choose me, lol)

Ok, back to those tips...

• Talk to your family, spouse, roommate, or whoever first.  It does no good to do all the research and get yourself excited if the others affected by the move are just going to poo poo the idea.  
• Check out your buying power and find out what type of loans will work best for you.  FHA, VA, Conventional, etc..  You can go to your current mortgage company, local bank and shop around a bit to find the best rates.  This will help you know where you are credit-wise and give you the chance to perform any necessary clean-up so you can increase your purchasing strength. This is good practice yearly anyway. (We like CreditKarma for regular monitoring but you can get an annual copy of your report free from the FTC.)
• Daydream a little.  If you could build the home of your dreams, what would it look like?  Where would it be located?  How do you want to feel when you walk into your space or when others come to visit?  Are there things you've wanted to do but couldn't, like gardening or a working in a real office for your at-home business.  When you've got an idea of what's really important, start searching.  Did you know you can set up a property tracker service on my website?  Click here to check it out and set yourself up to get a heads up notice when new properties matching your dreams pop up on the market. 
• Lastly, talk to a professional in the real estate industry.  I'm sure you know several agents, or at least one (me, if you're reading this).  Sure, you can go through this process by yourself but as agents we have taken special training, classes and have passed a state and nation-wide exam to have the knowledge to be of HELP to you during one of the largest purchases/sales you'll ever make.  There's contracts, negotiations, laws and more that can cost you dearly if you're not careful.  

If you don't have anyone specific in your contact list to talk with, I'd love to have the opportunity to chat more about whether I'm a good fit to help you find your next home. You can contact me by clicking here but I'd also suggest asking your friends who they've had success with and get referrals.  Trust me, as an agent, we 💗💗 the chance to help friends of past clients. We work for your best interest and let's be honest...if you aren't satisfied and have good results, you aren't going to recommend me to your friends and I won't get paid so it really behooves us to make your home sale/purchase as stress-free and the best deal possible, right?  Plus, it's pretty amazing to know you can create an entire new life for a young couple that are first-time home buyers or a financially stress-free lifestyle for the baby boomer who's ready to retire.  Yeah, there's nothing quite like that feeling. #warmfuzzies #makeadifference

Contact me for more information:

Rebecca Graham

Real Estate Professional

Sweet Homes KC Realty

Cell: 816-651-7894

Office: 816-629-4494 ext: 255

beccag1418@gmail.com

www.sweethomesKCrealty.com

www.unitedrealestate.com