Tips to Avoid These Costly Mistakes Prior to Closing

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

You have signed to purchase a home, you have done your home inspection, well inspection, termite inspection, gotten a copy of the covenants for the neighborhood, charges for the HOA, you have made it through your loans underwriting and think you are home free, and then just prior to closing you find out you made a few costly mistakes…

As a seasoned real estate agent, I see miscommunication or lack of communication all the time in regard to real estate transactions. I want to save you, the buyer, much agony, and share these tips to avoid costly mistakes prior to closing.

The list below may seem like “little things” but when you are in the middle of a real estate purchase, it can amount to major problems. Real Estate closings are like dominoes and if one chip falls wrong, there is a snowball effect.

Tips to Avoid These Costly Mistakes Prior to Closing

Tell your agent the details of your travel arrangements if you do not live in the area in which you are purchasing a home. Believe me, they do not want to be your travel agent, but making certain the logistics are in order for you to sign AND be present for 24 hours after signing of documents is paramount. Do not assume you can fly in to sign and fly out immediately. Give yourself and your bank time. There is a process called “close of escrow” or funding which is behind the scenes that most buyers do not witness. Until the funds are sent to pay for the home you are purchasing, you do not own it. Most buyers do not realize that the banks and mortgage companies will not send those funds until they “approve” all the documents you just signed and how you signed them. One closing attorney mentioned that she felt like she went to law school and now she grades penmanship, but the banks are nervous and finicky. They want you to sign a certain way and its often different from bank to bank. Which brings up the next point.
SIGN AS THE BANK INDICATES on all closing documents or forms. Do not put in an extra initial if they do not have it on your loan docs or do put in the middle name even if you don’t normally use it if its on the loan docs to sign. Sign exactly like they indicate on the docs unless of course, they have the name completely wrong. Then call, call, call!
Be consistent with your name. I see it over and over. The way buyers fill out the loan application is different from what is on their driver’s license and that is different from what they put on the purchase contract. Be consistent from the start. If you use middle initial, use it consistently throughout and have your real estate agent put that on the contract.
Get any powers of attorney APPROVED BY BOTH YOUR LENDER and the CLOSING ATTORNEY -TITLE COMPANY, and I do not just mean the form. I mean get the final signed Power of Attorney after it is signed and notarized approved by both entities. The notary may not have executed the form correctly or you may have signed differently than typed. Send in a signed copy to your lender, closing/title company and your realtor and let them all take look at it. Be certain the original is at the closing! IF not, you cannot close. That Power of Attorney is officially recorded at the courthouse with your deed.
When in doubt on anything, ask your loan officer, realtor and/or closing or title company. Communicate and address the matters that can arise BEFORE you get to the closing table. It can make all the difference. Communicate, communicate, communicate!
Keep your cool. If you see inconsistencies or mistakes, make the person aware and they will be corrected. Lots of times agents are trying to “keep you in the know” and you will see DRAFTS of documents including contracts, HUD settlement statements, etc. They can be changed, corrected, etc. The key is to keep your cool and address it ahead of time by simply saying to your agent, can you take a look at this, it does not look correct or I do not understand it?

Remember, it will be okay and we will get you to the goal line, but I tell people every day… strap on your seat belt because it might get bumpy along the way but I am committed to getting you there!

Melanie Kramer Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

Spring Cleaning Checklist

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

With Memorial day around the corner and the busy days of summer hot on it’s heals now is the perfect time to check spring cleaning off your to do list. We are blessed with a very short winter and the winter blues don’t really have enough time to settle in. The day after Valentine’s we start planning for Spring and spring cleaning is tradition in more places than the south.

Whether you are getting ready for the summer or getting ready to sell your home this checklist will take you beyond the regular cleaning routines. Spring cleaning is about going deeper.

Spring Cleaning Checklist

De-clutter. It will make cleaning a lot easier. Use the natural flow of spring to let go and lighten up. Donate to charity or plan a garage sale.
Clean ceilings, walls and baseboards, don’t forget the corners. Time to bring out all those attachments that came with your vacuum cleaner.
This is also a good time to vacuum the air vents. If it’s been a few years you might want to have your air ducts cleaned by a professional, this can cut down on the overall dust in the home and help with allergies.
Give attention to your other appliances, clean dryer vents, refrigerated coils, and disposal units.
Use furniture markers to repair wood scratches or nicks.
Wash or dry clean the drapes and curtains. Dust blinds and the window sills.
Wash both the inside and outside of your windows and rinse off the screens.

The check list wouldn’t be complete without heading outside to clean the porches, decks, grills, gutters, and of course the landscaping. All before your Memorial Day cookout!

Do you have spring cleaning traditions?

For more information about our property listings please contact Melanie Kramer at 912-658-1390 or melaniekramer@kw.com.

Melanie Kramer Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

Savannah Major Employers

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

Although we are known for our port, tourism and health systems, Savannah’s Major Employers cover a variety of industries.

Savannah Major Employers

With a new confidence in the job market, the percentage of people relocating for work in the US is on the rise (35% in 2013).

In Savannah Major Employers such as Gulfstream employ upward of 4500 and Memorial Health Medical Center and St. Joseph’s/Candler employ 8900.

Military related employment includes civilian personnel on the bases and can employee between 2000 – 5000.

Retail stores, such as Walmart, Kroger and fast food giants such as McDonalds also fall into the higher employer category, while Target and Publix employee 2000 respectively.

For more information on top employers in the area please visit The Savannah Area Chamber. The Champer shares a breakdown of manufacturing, non manufacturing and educational industries on their website.

If you are relocating to the Savannah / Richmond Hill area I’d love to help you find your perfect coastal empire home. Please contact Melanie Kramer at 912-658-1390 or melaniekramer@kw.com.

Melanie Kramer Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

3 Tips for your Southern Front Porch this Spring

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

The Southern Front Porch is synonymous with southern hospitality. And a warm and inviting front porch adds great curb appeal.

As we head in to mint julep season here are few tips for your Southern Front Porch.

1. With pollen counts reaching into the red zone, it’s probably best to wait until the yellow dust stops falling before giving your front porch a deep clean. Most of the pollen can be washed a way with water straight from the hose. For a deeper clean I suggest adding a little dish detergent into the mix. The sudsy water is a great way to deep clean some of the winter grim and thicker layers of pollen from outdoor cushions and table tops.

Note: Dry your cushions in the sun if possible, especially if they become water logged. Wet cushions can lead to mold and mildew smells which are difficult to remove.

2. After pollen season spruce up your front porch with a coat of paint. Do you use haint blue for your porch ceiling? Porches across American feature blue painted ceilings, but historians say the tradition was started in South Carolina. It was believed that ghosts (aka haints) could not cross water. By painting the porch blue, the spirits would be think it was water and would not be able to cross into the home.

There is no actual haint blue color. The nick name is used to describe any shade of blue painted porch ceiling, though it’s often a pale tone. The good news is you can pick any shade that appeals to you.

The blue color also offers a cool and calming atmosphere to relax in. And recently I heard it wards off spiders and wasps – if anyone has any feedback on this I’d love to hear about it.

3. Add color with a few potted flowers. Traditionally you will see hanging potted ferns grace the front porches of the south, but there are plenty of flowering options as well. As a rule of thumb any flowering plants that requires full sun tend to loose their flowers if placed in a shaded area; so it is important to know how much sun your porch receives when picking flowers.

A few annual plants to consider are:

Sedum, thrives in sun or shade and are drought tolerant.
Angel’s Trumpet, likes full sun and makes for a great hanging plant – will require moist well drained soil.
Summer Snapdragon, full sun, moist well drained soil. Can add a touch of white, pinks or purples to your porch all summer long.
Salvia, heat and drought tolerant with deep blue flowers.
Lantana, likes full sun with well drained soil, offers multiple colors – yellow, red, pink, white and orange.

Decorative and non traditional items used for planting pots can add a little flair to your front porch.

Note: consider ease of passing through your front porch space when adding plants and decorative elements. Pinterest is full of unique and decorative ideas for the southern front porch.

Does spring cleaning have you excited to try something new on your front porch this year? I’d love to hear about it.

For more information about living in the Richmond Hill Georgia area please contact Melanie Kramer at 912-658-1390 or melaniekramer@kw.com.

Melanie Kramer Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

3 Tips to Attain a Higher Home Appraisal

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

Attaining a higher home appraisal is crucial when refinancing or selling your home.

Although nearby properties will affect the market value of all homes in your neighbor, there are activities you can do to help attain a higher home appraisal.

3 Ways to Increase Your Home Appraisal

Pull Together Your Information

You have about 30 minutes to make a good first impression. We suggest putting together an information packet the appraiser can take back to the office.

What should go in this packet?

Facts about your home. Include the number of bedrooms and bathroom, your street address and the year your home was built. Your appraiser has access to all this information but confirmation from you can’t hurt.
We can print out a list of recent sales in the neighborhood. We specifically look for comparable homes and comparable prices to help support the price you’re asking.
Include any inside information you may have. Maybe you know that your neighbor recently sold his home at a reduced price because he was relocating for a new job.
Create a list of any improvements you’ve made to the home. Include the date and the name and contact information of the contractors that performed the work. Include any floors, windows and major systems you’ve replaced. Have you finished the basement? Include that too.

Spiff Up Your Home

“… overgrown landscaping, soiled carpeting, marks on walls — those do affect value and are part of the property’s overall condition rating,” Dean Zibas of Zibas Appraisal in San Clemente, Calif., told the Wall Street Journal.

You don’t need to stage your home for an appraisal, but it is important to showcase a well maintained home.
Cleaning the clutter, even if it’s just putting excess items into a box and storing them until after the appraisal, will help show your home in the best light.

Make Repairs

Your home will be assigned an ” effective age” which is directly correlated to the condition of the home and any improvements made.
Appraisals tend to be done in $500 increments. A broken window could mean a $500 deduction.
A good rule of thumb is to make any improvements that would age the home in the eyes of the appraisal. There may be fairly simple improvements like replacing a window screen, or more substantial ones like a coat of paint or updating your floors.

It is true that the sale prices of comparable properties are heavily relied upon when assessing a property’s value, but appraisers do not solely depend upon them. Some intangible aspects of the data collected will help determine the closest estimate of the value of a property. And these are often the aspects of the appraisal process that you can have an influence on.

For more information about living in the Richmond Hill Georgia area please contact Melanie Kramer at 912-658-1390 or melaniekramer@kw.com.

Melanie Kramer Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

Georgia Homestead Exemption Due April 1st

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

Under Georgia law the Homestead Exemption offers a $2,000 reduction in your property’s net assessed value IF the property is your primary residence.

Homestead Exemption

If you want the homestead exemption to take effect this tax year the application must be completed by April 1st. The good news is, you only need to apply once. Once approved the exemption will stay effect year after year as long as you live in that home. Because you are limited to one homestead. If you move you will need to reapply. If you retainer ownership of the first home the exception will drop off.

If you miss the April 1st dead line this year you can always apply for next year.

Are you familiar with Stephens Day?

This a county specific law that was put in to place to protect people from being “taxed off their land”. Essentially meaning you can apply to have the value of your home locked in for tax purposes. Again this is only for primary residences and works in conjunction with the Homestead.

Chatham County HAS a Stephens Day

Effingham and Bryan Counties DO NOT have a Stephens Day provision

Reference:

McManamy Jackson Law

For more information about living in the Richmond Hill Georgia area please contact Melanie Kramer at 912-658-1390 or melaniekramer@kw.com.

Melanie Kramer Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

How to Make an Offer for a Home

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

When you find the home you want to buy the next step is to make an offer. A successful offer will have a few key components.

Know Your Price

Knowing your market will help you make an offer the other party will want to sign. As a real estate agent I help pull together information about the trends and statistical data of the neighborhood. I’m always happy to offer advice on an offer price. It is important to remember that the more competition there is for the home, the higher the offer should be – sometimes exceeding the asking price.

When we present the listing agent with a written offer and the seller accepts it becomes a legal contract. As this time you should be prepared to pay an earnest money deposit. This is to guarantee that your intention is to purchase the property. Securing a pre-approval for the financing before making the offer increases the chances of it being accepted.

Negotiating Terms

After we present your offer to the listing agent, it will either be accepted, rejected, or the Seller may submit a counter-offer to you through me as your agent. This is when we will negotiate the terms of the contract, if the contract is not accepted as we presented.

The step-by-step contract procedure for most single-family home purchases is standard. The purchase agreement used is a standard purchase and sale agreement contract approved by your local real estate board.

The purchase agreement or contract constitutes your offer to buy, and once accepted by the Seller, again, it becomes a valid, legal contract. For this reason, it is important to understand what is written on the contract offer.

Inspections

Once you have an accepted offer its time to have the property inspected. You’ll probably need a number of inspections.

Termites
Property Lines
Appraisals
Title Reviews
Structural

The Structural inspection is extremely important. It usually takes a few hours. This is a great opportunity to examine the property and learn about possible repairs that may be required in the next few years.

Please call or email me today for more information or questions about buying a home.

Melanie Kramer
Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

Winter Gardens in the South

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

For a lot of my clients moving to the Savannah/Richmond Hill area from the North East, winter gardens are a novelty. For us, it’s just one more bonus to living in the south.

Flowers for Winter Gardens

You’re not in Jersey anymore! Flowers in winter? In Southern Georgia, not a problem. A few plants that will flower here during the winter include: camellias, mahonias, winter jasmine, wintersweet, witch hazels, and pansies. Adding these to your landscape will give you a cheery pop of color after the leaves have fallen.

Trees for Winter Gardens

Bark and berries can add wonderful color to a winter landscape. Here are a few ideas to spark your imagination.

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), is a small tree with red berries that grow throughout the fall and winter.
Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis) showcases a beautiful white peeling bark.
Maple Tree (Acer davidiiis) or as it is more commonly known snakebark, is a smaller tree that shows off white and green striped bark.
Japanese flowering apricot (Prunus mume) will flower in the winter. The flowers can be white, pink or rose and have a wonderfully sweet fragrance.

Winter Vegetable Gardens

Winter vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, radishes, and carrots prefer warmer soil when starting out but require cooler temperatures to mature and grow.

Winter Gardens offer unique challenges, but you can’t beat how pleasant it is to be out in the garden this time of year.

Winter Garden Tips

What about cold snaps you ask. It’s always good to plan for them by building a cold frame around your vegetable garden. That will allow you the opportunity to throw blankets over the garden should we experience a truly cold snap.

Also mulching your gardens keep them looking great while protecting the roots from drying out. We recommend a good two inches of mulch.

What are your favorite winter garden plants? Please leave them in the comments below.

Looking for a home with plenty of green space to plan your year round garden? Please call or email me today. The Coastal Empire is a wonderful place to call home.

Melanie Kramer
Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

Organizing After the Holidays

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

Organizing after the holidays is often the last thing we think about when putting decorations away. We put so much effort into setting up for the holidays that jumping back into the swing of things after a two week slow down can be a bit jarring.

Organizing after the holidays can feel like a big job, but with a few quick tricks getting organized and de-cluttering can happen all year long. It’s never too early to start spring cleaning. And it is essential if you are planning to sell your home in the near future.

It can be shocking how much space seasonal items can take up. Stackable containers and hanging storage containers are your friend. They are perfect for maximizing closet space and getting items off the floor.

5 quick tips for organizing after the holidays

A great trick to help create space in your living room is to not bring back everything you put away when the holiday decorations came out. Enjoy the space created once the Christmas tree comes down.
Those plastic Glad left over containers can take over the kitchen. It’s a universal problem to have more containers than covers. Now is the time to collect the ones that don’t have lids (and vice versa) and recycle them.
Adjustable or compartmental storage containers are a great way to organize all the little things in the bathroom. Getting items off the counter can make your bathroom feel bigger.
Another quick fix is to install hooks. Whether you need a place to hang jackets as you come in to your home or wet towels after a shower, with a minimal investment you can remove clutter from door knobs and backs of chairs all over your house.
Purging is by the far the best way to reduce the clutter. A great practice this time of year is the one for one rule. All the presents we receive add to our closets, shelves and toy chests. While putting your gifts away take the time to assess what you actually use and let go of anything you don’t. Generally speaking if you’re adding a new sweater to the closet, remove an old one.

How soon after the holidays do you put your holiday decorations away? Do you have any tips for organizing the house after the holidays, please share them in the comments below.

Please call or email me today for more information if you need help getting your home ready to sell after the holidays.

Melanie Kramer
Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct

Happy New Year! With Resolutions that Stick

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Melanie Kramer Realtor

Happy New Year!

Thank you for another great year. I appreciate all your business and referrals and look forward to serving you in the New Year!

Resolutions That Stick

We mark the 1st of January as a day to kick off the new year, usually with promises to lose weight, make more money and spend more time with family. So why is it that by the end of January we find ourselves back to our old habits? This year, lets make resolutions that stick!

Reflect on Last Year. Take a minute to look over last year and see how far you’ve come. We tend to be hardest on ourselves. Focusing too much on all the things we haven’t accomplished and skimming over our successes. Think about what you are most proud of this year. Give yourself a pat on the back and in the spirit of “I got this” step into the new year ready to go.
Pick One. You have 365 days to make it happen. Pick one goal to focus on and put all your energy in to it this year. Creating lists of resolutions is just an opportunity for distraction.
Layout a plan. It’s not enough just to want something. Plan to succeed. If you want to lose weight, decided how you plan to do that. Modifying your diet, exercising more, a combination of both? Will you be getting up early, planning your meals weekly, researching where you can find organic foods? The best way to make your resolution stick is to not wing it.
Break it up. It can be overwhelming to look at a year long goal. Breaking it up into weekly or monthly chunks creates wins along the way and helps keep you motivated.
Failure is not an option. Ok, failure is always an option but the best way counter it, is not to have a back up plan. Let’s say you plan to run 2000 miles this year but you know if you only run 1000 miles you’ll feel good about it. How about split the difference? Set a goal to run 1500 miles and stay true to that goal.
Reward yourself. Accomplishing the goal is of course a great reward, but if you’re like me it never hurts to have a little incentive. On the flip side you can always up the stakes. Maybe you can attach a financial obligation to not meeting your goal. Knowing you’ll need to hand over some of your hard earned cash if you don’t meet your goal will help to keep you focused.

Have you made your new years resolutions? How will you make them stick this year? Would love to hear your tips and hints for making the best of the new year!

Happy New Year!

Melanie Kramer
Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners
912-459-5001 Office
912-658-1390 Cell Direct