#7 of 7
Choose your agent wisely. Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Ask questions of your agent. Find out how knowledgeable he or she is about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates? Does your agent ask questions of you to have a full understanding of what you are looking for and to help you get the most home for the money?… In other words CALL ME!

Year 28 starts with me in the mix of work, a great place to be these days, click on the photo of the house to see more photos of your future home?

Good news for the week…yours truly was selected to be on the Leadership Team for 2011! Thanks everyone at Century 21 Beal for your support!

       Love,

             -Marcos

#6 of 7 Take into account your present homeowner or renter status. 

If you already own a home and must sell it before you buy a new one, it is best to get a REALTOR® to do a complete market analysis of on your present home.  This allows you to know how much you can sell your current home for before making an offer on a new one.  If you are leasing or renting, the lease’s expiration date will give you a timetable for your new purchase.  Review this with your REALTOR® well in advance of when you want to move.

What a fantastic year in real estate we’ve had! I want to thank everyone who has been part of our business growth this year. I have been blessed to have helped my clients into the next chapter of their lives, and they have been the key to get me into the next step in my life!

There has been much progress this year, from me stepping out on my own from assistant to starting Andazola Development, an umbrella company that is dealing with Real Estate sales and consultation, getting into communication and energy services to provide a full service one stop, and also the art world (Kristina takes care of that portion).  Of course the biggest announcement of the year, is that Kristina and me are engaged!

If there is anything you need, real estate related or not, please contact us and we’ll get you headed in the right direction to a solution.

Thank-you everyone for 2010, see you next year!

   Love,

        -Marcos

I’ve been jumping ahead on my New Year’s Resolutions and headed to the gym last week…as most of you who know me are aware, I have a problem of losing weight when I don’t work out, since last Monday I have thrown on 7 pounds! 7 pounds in 7 days!!!  Hope everyone is working on setting goals for 2010, it’s approaching in fast forward.  Have a great week!

      -Marcos

#5 of 7

Make your offer contingent upon a home inspection and ask the seller to make the required repairs.  Hire a professional to inspect every aspect of the home thoroughly.  This can save you thousands of dollars in costly repairs and many headaches in the future.  A good inspection can also allow you to negotiate for any repairs prior to closing.  If the seller is not willing to make the necessary repairs, remind them that the lender will also require the home to be in good condition before they make a loan for the purchase.

Well the weather outside is frightful… it has been a tad cold here in the B/CS area, we even saw snow on Friday!  Not that much snow, it might have been possible to count the flakes, non the less, there was snow.  On the home front, mom came to town!  Got a little spoiled, not going to lie.

 Hope everyone is enjoying the days as the holidays quickly approach.  Stay warm and don’t forget to wash your hands to help avoid getting sick.  Looking forward to getting more feedback from everyone who has been following along.

Talk to you soon,

      -Marcos

P.S.  Your REALTOR® should be performing tip #4 without you asking for it.  Expect it to be automatic when working with me.

#4 of 7

Ask your REALTOR® for a market analysis of the home, in comparison to similar homes in the neighborhood or throughout the city, before you make an offer.  A home is not just a place where you live – it is also an investment.  Take the time to view several homes before you make an offer so you know exactly what is on the market.  Be certain you are making a wise investment.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving weekend and had a chance to  share some time with family and friends.  We had some awesome food here! There was plenty of football and nap time involved as well.

On to this week’s home buying tip:

#3 of 7, If the seller does not offer a home warranty on the house you want, ask your REALTOR to make it a part of the written offer that you make.  A home warranty can save you thousands of dollars in repairs, and can often be obtained for a very nominal annual fee.  A standard warranty covers the electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems as well as major home appliances.

Hope this finds you well.  Talk to you soon!

-Marcos

p.s. 26 days ’til Christmas!

I would like to share some useful information to those who would like some REALTOR® advise or know someone they can pass it along to. 

First off, what a GREAT weekend! Ags Win! Enjoyed hanging out with my buddies.  Had some great food and watched a great game.

On a home front note, we’ve been busy getting ready for Thanksgiving and Kristina’s mom, dad, sister, and brother are coming over to celebrate in the feast!  It’s going to be a great week! Perhaps we will witness another Aggie victory this Thursday.  Saw a photo of the helmet that the Ags will be sporting this week, I’ll add it on in a bit, but it’s awesome and may serve as some inspiration. 

Well back to playing house, and your second note of wisdom is as follows…

#2 of 7

Getting pre-qualified for a loan by  professional lender before you begin your search for a new home will allow you to know in advance exactly what kind, and how much, mortgage you can afford.  This makes it possible for you to make an offer on your new home with confidence that enough funding is available.

Have a great week!

-Marcos

Trying to sell your home may seem to be a daunting task, however with some proper prior planing the process can run smoothly and the financial rewards will be greater.  We will concentrate in the following six areas:

1. REPAIRING
2. CLEANING
3. NEUTRALIZING
4. SPACE MANAGEMENT
5. ATMOSPHERE
6. STAGING

Ninety ways to help sell your home will be covered over the course of these six categories.

REPAIRING

1. The rule of thumb is, if something needs repairs, fix it!  There are probably a few things in your home that you have simply become used to over time…things that you have been promising yourself that you will attend to.  Well, NOW is the time!  The buyer will mentally add up the cost of repairing all those minor flaws and end up with an amount that is generally much higher than it would cost you to do the repairs.

You might be saying to yourself, “these repairs aren’t a big deal.”  But the buyer is thinking, “If the owners didn’t care for these little items, then what about the roof and the furnace?”  Needed small repairs and perceived owner neglect will either lower the purchase price or lengthen the time required to sell.

     2.  Check all walls for peeling paint and loose wallpaper.

     3.  Large repairs…Repair any problems with major systems or offer an allowance for the buyer to make repairs after closing.

90…87 Steps to go. Now get to work.

Talk to you soon,

               -Marcos

There are some simple steps that homebuyers often miss when looking for their new home. Taking the time to consider these steps can save you thousands of dollars, but more importantly, can smooth the process of buying a new home, saving time and money, as well as alleviating stressful situations in advance.

#1 of 7

Begin by being up front and honest with your REALTOR® and lender about your credit history. Your credit, whether good or bad, affects everything from your down payment to your interest rates. Your REALTOR® or a professional mortgage consultant can often advise you as to how you can get credit problems cleared up or completely eliminated from your credit report before you apply for financing or make an offer on a new home.

Hope this is a good starting point for you. Talk to you soon.

-Marcos