The Value of Going Above and Beyond for Clients

"Recently, the Himelstein Group helped Ann and Carol move into a beautiful new home. Ann was not looking forward to find a new house; she has friends who have had really bad experiences buying and selling real estate. 

A big part of Ann and Carol's success was due to our expertise and knowledge of the industry. We helped begin the search, market their home, negotiate with other agents, and every other aspect of the process. Our ability to get things done smoothly went a long way toward put their minds at ease!

Ann believes that the respect we've earned from the community helped our dealings with escrow officers, loan offices, other agents, and lenders. Our relationships with those people went a long way in facilitating the process for her! 

We went above and beyond Ann and Carol's expectations by being helpful in more ways than they expected. Things like setting up a trustworthy loan officer and making sure they got a wonderful insurance plan really made the experience one to remember. 

Thanks to our contacts and industry expertise, Ann and Carol never had reason to question what we were doing. We created an environment of trust so that they never had to stop and wonder whether everything was going according to plan. An added bonus, they said, was my sense of humor and friendliness!

After our experience together, I'm happy to call Ann and Carol my friends. Should they move again in the future, we'll work together yet again!" - Scott

Proof that Our Expertise and Hard Work Pay off for Our Clients

"Perry has lived in North Ridge for a little over 40 years. When he and his family got to the point where they wanted to sell their house, the only person who came to mind was me. 

They chose me because I have worked in the area for many years and have built relationships with people here. Perry liked that I'm an earnest, hardworking agent who doesn't put any unnecessary pressure on people. He also liked the fact that I was always available to answer his selling questions. 

The sale was a complete success. The first potential buyer I brought to the home ended up buying it! Not only that, but they bought it for more money than Perry was asking for! He couldn't be more excited, and would highly recommend that anyone looking to buy or sell a home work with our team!

If you're curious about how we can help you, don't hesitate to reach out to us!" - Scott

What Should You Know about Earnest Money?

Buying a San Fernando Valley home? Get a full home search,   
Selling your San Fernando Valley home?  Free Home Price Evaluation

Today we are talking about the top things buyers need to know about earnest money deposits. This is the money that is paid by buyers after mutual acceptance to prove they are serious about your offer. 

Typically in California, the earnest money deposit is 3% of the purchase price, but varies based on the purchase price as well as the financing. For example, with FHA or VA financing, the earnest money will be less than 3.5%.

Per the contract, the buyer has three days to get the earnest money to escrow. Most of our clients like to wire the money, but if you look at the purchase agreement, you will see you can send a personal check as well. 

The only time the buyer can get their earnest money back is during the contingency period. If it’s not an all-cash offer, the buyer has the opportunity to get their earnest money back with no penalty if there is a major issue with the home. 

Now, if the buyer cancels a few days before escrow just because they found another home they like better, the seller would be able to go after the buyer for their good faith deposit. Once the buyer removes their contingencies, that’s when the deposit becomes at risk. 

If you have any questions about earnest money deposits and how they work in your neighborhood, shoot us a quick email or give us a call. 

3 Things to Consider When Selling a Home with Contingencies

Buying a San Fernando Valley  home? Get a full home search,   
Selling your San Fernando Valley home?  Free Home Price Evaluation

A lot of buyers are out in Porter Ranch right now, and they're looking to purchase a home with contingencies. Today we are talking about the three most important things to remember when dealing with contingent offers. They are becoming more and more common here in California, so we want you to keep these three things in mind: 

1. Be flexible to the buyer's/seller's needs
Buying or selling a home is all about compromise, and being able to be flexible to each other's needs ensures a smooth and successful transaction.

2. You have to be committed to the process
You need to treat your home as a business decision, and be committed to selling for the long haul. Buyers don't want to buy from somebody who is not committed to selling, because they don't want the transaction to be slowed down by the owner.

3. Make sure you are prepared
You should have a good idea of what you want before the home comes on the market. This way when it does, you'll recognize it, and be ready to make an offer. 

If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Three Reasons Why You Should Price Your Home Accurately!

There are many great San Fernando Valley area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (818) 993-1300 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today I wanted to talk to you about sellers pricing their property right from the beginning. This is critical for a multitude of reasons especially today when buyers have so many resources at their disposal. Buyers can simply go online and have all the tools to be able to see what your house is really worth. Buyers already know from the beginning what your house is worth because remember, at the end of the day, the house is only worth what the buyer thinks its worth. As a seller, you can either agree or disagree with the buyer.

If you price your home right, you will most often receive multiple offers. This is especially important right now in a market with low inventory. Buyers right now are being priced out of properties and they will pay more than market value for properties if they are priced right. Also, if your home is in escrow and something happens where it falls out of escrow, your correctly priced home will have backup offers so you can avoid putting your home back on the market and waiting 35-40 days for an offer to come across the table.

In multiple offer situations, the seller also has more leverage when it comes to negotiating whether it is the physical inspection or enforcing loan contingencies. Lastly, you will find that you will end up netting more money when the home is priced correctly at the current market value. This helps you enter multiple offer scenarios and selling over asking price.

Thank you for visiting my video blog! If you are a buyer, check out our free MLS property search and if you are interested in selling, check out our free home value report. Please call me at (818) 720-9922 or email me at Scott@ScottWorks4u.com. Have a great day!