Should I trust the internet to find out what a home is worth?

It's ok to start there to see if the home is in your ballpark, but you need a Real Estate expert to ask the right questions about the home and put value to the upgrades that have been done. The key is in the details like what street it is on. Prices vary so much block to block, it helps to be very detail oriented.

As an example of the limitations of big data - One of the biggest marketing and home valuation company Zillow (Zestimates)...LOST $881 Million dollars in their home flipping business. (Source WSJ)

What are some questions to ask when looking for a lender?

Internet vs Local ? - Does your lender underwrite their loans in your city? Why is this important? When you go to closing and there is an issue, even as little as a typo and you need docs resent...Its great when your loan officer can walk across the hall and get it done. Vs leaving a message for someone out of state in a different time zone that does not have any sense of urgency. Our clients have been best served by local lenders and closings are consistently smoother.

Do they offer extended locks? Most rate locks are based on closing within 30 days. With the interest rates climbing it is nice to have piece of mind to know your rate is locked even though you may be 6-12 months away from closing. This is especially important for New Home buyers. And unfortunately, some builder lenders do not offer extended locks. But no worries, we know lenders that do. Buyers can shop multiple options and put them in control of their finances.

Experience? Experience is such a huge thing when you are talking about a loan. An experienced loan officer can not only know how to package your deal to get you the best rate but they can also assess the best ways to use your cash on hand vs 401k monies. A good loan officer can help you maximize your cash, direct you on how to fix or continue to build your credit, tell you when refinancing makes sense, and keep you on the wealth building path.

Types of loans? There are many types of Real Estate loans to choose from depending on your need. Outside of the traditional primary home loan, there are lenders for fix and flip properties, rental properties, multi-family, commercial and many more. When you venture into these opportunities it is all about the math.

The market is changing, should I invest?

Building wealth in Real Estate can happen on the way up and on the way down. Opportunities will present themselves. The key is to be ready.

Can we get professional coaching/training for a group?

Definitely! Just give us a call and we can work through the details.

Do you do training similar to the big brokerages?

Definitely Not! That blanket style training is not our style. We find people all learn at different speeds and have different goals. We focus on YOU and help you build the business YOU want. We help you create a framework for success as well as give you the tools to grow your wealth.

Are Cash deals a good deal for sellers?

It depends on the situation. We have seen companies in this space mislead sellers. Hopefully the time has come where these companies are forced into more oversight and the customer gets more protection. Great reason to hire an agent to represent you.

Check out this FTC article: