FAQ
The Power of Sold Information
In real estate, the market speaks when a house is sold, not when it is listed. The ‘Active List Price’ can be misleading because some homeowners start out by listing their homes above or below what similar homes are actually selling for. In the last year in Washington County, Utah, the ratio of list price to sold price varied from about 98% to 102%. Depending on the current market demand this ratio can change as much as 10%. Southern Utah has been in what is considered a “Sellers” market, meaning our local real estate industry has been booming, and in April 2022 St. George had been ranked the fasted growing metropolitan city in the United States. Since our market is cyclical, as the market changes, the ratio of List Price vs Actual Sold Price will change. The power of Sold Price information is enormous. A well-informed seller is less likely to overprice or underprice, and a well-informed buyer is less likely to waste everyone’s time low-balling. So how can you see what homes have sold for? On this Website go to the Home Page and click on the link to search the real, live Flexmls system that the agents use. Go to the Map and draw a circle or box around your neighborhood. Zoom in until you see the individual homes or lots. Then at the bottom of the map, click on the blue circle with the letter “i” in it. It’s called the Nosy Neighbor tool. With that tool selected, you can click on any home or lot and see its 10-year history! Since Utah is a “non-disclosure” state, and not all sales are listed through the MLS, there may be some homes that do not have the recorded Sold Price information. The majority of homes though are sold using the MLS. You can also go to the top toolbar and click on “Login.” This will prompt you to register with a Portal into the real Flexmls system. Once you have a Portal, I can place a “Saved Search” for sold properties in there that you can view anytime. Using the map feature, you can zoom in to your neighborhood and see what all of the recently sold homes sold for. Knowing what homes actually sold for is the key in real estate. Homebuyers and sellers will have a much more efficient experience in their transactions when solidly grounded in reality. And there’s no better way to get these than looking at Sold information. David Whitehead is a professional Buyer’s Agent specializing in helping clients buy homes in St. George and Washington County, Utah areas.
Contact David at 435-632-2900 for a no-obligation buyer consultation.
Why Buyers Should Avoid Short Sales
Short Sales have been a hot topic among home buyers since mid-2008. Many buyers believe Short Sales represent the best opportunities to get a “deal” on a home here in the St George, Utah area. What many buyers don’t know is that Short Sales are much more likely to be a waste of time and effort, in addition to the tremendous risks they pose.
The concept of the Short Sale is sound. The banks agree to forgive the difference between the amount owed and current market value. Unfortunately, it’s the way the banks are managing these sales that make them something a serious buyer should avoid. There are two keys. The first is whether or not the bank is really serious about selling the home. The second is the backwards system the bank is using by NOT giving the listing agent an approved price up front.
Here’s how I explain Short Sales to my clients. Imagine you are in a grocery store and you see your favorite cereal with a price sticker that says “$1.00.” “Oh yea,” you say as you put the cereal box in your cart. When you get to the cashier she says “that cereal is not $1.00.” “But it says $1.00 right on the box,” you protest. “Let me explain,” says the cashier. “I’m the cashier and I have final approval on the price. We hire stocking clerks to put the cereal on the shelf, and they can put whatever price they want to on the box to get you to put it in your cart. But when you get to me, I have final approval!”
“Ok, I surrender,” you say. “How much is the cereal?” “Come back in four to six months and I’ll tell you,” replies the cashier. “And even then I might not sell the cereal. I might send it back to the warehouse or simply sell it to someone else.”
This is a crazy scenario, I know. No one would buy groceries, or cars, or appliances, or anything at all that way. And yet this is the way the Short Sale properties are sold. So if you really want to buy a home, skip the Short Sales and look for a “clean listing” or a foreclosure. At least you’ll know where you stand after making an offer and your chances of closing are astronomically higher than with a Short Sale.
David Whitehead is a professional Buyer’s Agent specializing in helping clients buy homes in the St. George, Washington County Utah areas. Contact David at 435-632-2900 for a no-obligation buyer consultation.
CLICK HERE TO SEARCH FOR HOMES USING THE SAME SYSTEM REAL ESTATE AGENTS USE!
* Special thanks for contributions from Brett Woolley, Boulter Properties, Gilbert, AZ.
Why Buyers Should Avoid Short Sales
Why Use a Buyer’s Agent?
In 1983, a Federal Trade Commission study revealed that over 72% of all home buyers nationwide mistakenly believed they were being represented by the agent who was showing them homes. As a result, laws requiring agents to disclose exactly who they represent have been passed all over the country. When consumers became aware that most agents worked for the Seller, they began demanding their own representation.
Buyers Agent: A real estate agent that represents the Buyer exclusively, and has minimal responsibilities to the Seller. Using a buyer’s agent, means the agent is working with your best interests (and wallet) in mind. A buyer’s agent will work to negotiate the best price, ensure the property is inspected, is very knowledgeable of the local area, and make sure you have the representation you need. Things you tell a buyer’s agent remain confidential. Most of the homes listed on the MLS already have agreed to pay for your own exclusive Buyers Agent at no cost to you.
In the following reports on this website, you’ll find the information you need to make a wise buying decision. We’ll take you through the planning process step-by-step, to help you determine which home is right for you. You’ll find a host of informative articles on mortgages, viewing homes, the offer, closing details and moving.
Please contact me if you have any questions about buying a home at (435) 632-2900.
Looking to Buy?
Are you looking to buy a home or a lot? Let me help you. Just let me know what you are looking for and I’ll get right back to you, with no obligation to you. I guarantee your privacy.
Why Use a Buyer’s Agent?
Top 10 Reasons to Choose David Whitehead as Your Buyer’s Agent!
- I have years of experience successfully buying and selling homes in the local market.
- I know the neighborhoods, schools, market conditions, zoning regulations and local economy.
- I’ll do the leg work keeping you up-to-date with new listings and conditions as they impact the market.
- I’m a full-time real estate experienced agent and have closed over 300 transactions in our local real estate market– anything less and you’d be short-changed.
- I’ll use my connections throughout the mortgage industry to get you the best deals possible.
- You’ll be my only client in the real estate transaction.
- I’ll guide you through the complexities of buying and/or selling a house, eliminating hassles and stress.
- As a standard business practice, I preview homes as they become available keeping you apprised of market conditions as they evolve.
- I won’t waste your time. When an offer is made, I’ll require acceptance or a counter offer within 24 to 48 hours.
- You’ll have the advantage of personal, one-on-one attention as well as my dynamic web and e-mail resources.
Let’s get together to talk about your home buying and/or selling plans. You can reach me on my cell phone at (435) 632-2900 or send me an e-mail at dw@ifox.com. We’ll set up a convenient time and location to meet to discuss your needs.
If you’re not ready to meet in person, please tour my website. I’m sure you’ll find the no-obligation MLS search and other resources here useful and helpful.
David Whitehead is a professional Buyers’ Agent specializing in helping clients buy homes in the St. George and Washington County, Utah areas. Contact David at (435) 632-2900 or dw@ifox.com for a no-obligation buyer consultation.
CLICK HERE TO SEARCH FOR HOMES USING THE SAME SYSTEM REAL ESTATE AGENTS USE!
Avoid the Top 5 Home Buyer Mistakes!
Buying a home does not need to be aggravating if you can avoid making some fairly common mistakes. Here’s a quick list of five things TO DO to avoid these mistakes and make your home buying experience a good one.
1. Getting caught up with looking at homes before meeting with a lender. Solution: Contact a Lender first! Wait, can’t I go right out and start touring homes I see on the Internet? No, do first things first. You need to contact a Lender at least by phone and have the Lender evaluate whether you can qualify and determine your purchasing power. You will also need a “Loan Status Report” from a qualified lender to accompany your offer in many cases. Without this critical first step, nothing else matters unless you are an all cash buyer.
2. Looking all over town at too many houses. Solution: Decide where you want to live. Narrowing your area choice down to the zip code, if possible, will save you countless wasted hours of looking at houses. Distance to work, schools, shopping, etc. should be considered. Drive around the various communities before looking at specific houses. Then make a decision! If you don’t find a house a in your price range you can expand your area at that time.
3. Reducing your choices with too many home features. Solution: Narrow your “Must Haves.” A big mistake buyers make is wanting too many things or what I call the “dream home” syndrome. Unless you are actually building your dream home new, you will be settling for an existing home. Things like square footage, number of beds/baths, and floor plan are important. Items such as type of carpet, countertops, paint, etc. are not as important as all those things can be changed to your taste over time.
4. Diminishing your ability to close on a property. Solution: Prepare Financially. Many homebuyers, especially first time home buyers, do not prepare financially to purchase a home. In ADDITION to your down payment, you need to have cash on hand to pay for some up front, non-reimbursable items such as home/termite inspection and the appraisal. Then you will need cash to close, with 3% of the purchase price a good estimate. Be sure to protect your credit during this time by not opening any new accounts or making any large purchases.
5. Wasting everyone’s time making inappropriate offers. Solution: Know the market! This is where you combine your own Internet research with the expertise of your Buyer’s Agent. Web sites such as this one can help you see what is for sale in your price range. However, before making an offer you need to see a statistical analysis of that neighborhood or area so that you can make an intelligent offer. Depending on the market, an appropriate and winning offer can be less than, equal to, or even greater than the asking price!
David Whitehead is a professional Buyer’s Agent specializing in helping clients buy homes in the St. George and Washington County, Utah areas. Contact David at 435-632-2900 for a no-obligation buyer consultation.
CLICK HERE TO SEARCH FOR HOMES USING THE SAME SYSTEM REAL ESTATE AGENTS USE!
* Special thanks for contributions from Brett Woolley, Boulter Properties, Gilbert, AZ.
Avoid the Top 5 Home Buyer Mistakes!
Adhering to the Ethics in Real Estate
As your agent, I promise to adhere to a strict code of ethics in conducting any and all activities related to your sale or purchase of a home. In some businesses, simply doing what is legal may be good enough. But in my real estate practice I demand an ethical standard that goes above and beyond the legal requirements. The guiding principle of ethics comes from the Latin primum non nocere, meaning first do no harm. By adhering to strict ethical guidelines I will earn your trust. By establishing trust I’ll build a long term business model based on long term clients.
As a member of the National Association of REALTORS, I am bound by our code of ethics which you can find at Link Here.
There are rules pertaining to: Disclosure of agency, financial arrangements, following the law of the land, marketing practices, negotiation methods, how clients are charged for services, how offers are presented, confidentiality, and more. All of these rules are intended to protect your interest.
David Whitehead is a professional Buyer’s Agent specializing in helping clients buy homes in the St. George and Washington County, Utah areas. Contact David at 435-632-2900 for a no-obligation buyer consultation.