My Philosophy for Buyers

When I work with buyers my goal is to provide a well rounded high quality experience. Whether you are renting, purchasing a home for the first time or are a savvy real estate client with experience, I will provide a personalized approach to make the process as easy and fun for you as possible. Moving is said to be the 3rd most stressful life event and normally it coincides with many other stressful life events - a wedding, divorce, death of a loved one, relocation, etc. Whatever the reason for your move, you should be focused on choosing the place that suits you, your budget and your needs. My job is to do all of the research, the appointment setting, have the difficult conversations, fight for your best interests, maintain all of the paperwork, deadlines and keep you up to date in a concise manner every step of the way so you don't have to be stressed.

I firmly believe that what type of home you live in and where that home is located directly affects your lifestyle. There are a lot of factors when it comes to choosing a home and there are practical, functional, and aspirational aspects that need to be prioritized. A great real estate agent can tell you whether or not you can find what you're looking for in your price range. Sometimes a small bump in price range can make a huge difference. However, a lot of buyers are pre-approved for a lot more than they need to spend to be happy and that extra money a month has an impact on their lifestyle. If you love to travel and eat out frequently or require a babysitter often the home you choose shouldn't limit those aspects of your life, where you live should enhance your lifestyle. 

Why do you need a REALTOR?

As a licensed real estate professional I provide much more than the service of helping you find your ideal home.  Realtors are expert negotiators with other agents, seasoned financial advisors with clients, and superb navigators around the local neighborhood.  They are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and must abide by a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice enforced by the NAR.  A professional Realtor is your best resource when buying your home.

Let me be your guide!

As a knowledgeable Realtor I...

•Can save you endless amounts of time, money, and frustration.

•Know the housing market inside and out and can help you avoid the “wild goose chase.”

•Can help you with any home, even if it is listed elsewhere or if it is being sold directly by the owner.

•Know the best lenders in the area and can help you understand the importance of being pre-approved for a mortgage. I can also discuss  and negotiate down payments, closing costs, and monthly payment options that suit you.

•Am an excellent source for both general and specific information about the community such as schools, churches, shopping, and transportation --plus tips on home inspections and pricing.

•Am experienced at presenting your offer to the homeowner and can help you through the process of negotiating the best price. We bring objectivity to the buying transaction, and we can point out the advantages and the disadvantages of a particular property.

AM FREE! The best thing about me as your Realtor is that all this help will not cost you a cent.  The Seller pays my commission to my Brokerage so there is no reason not to be represented by someone with your best interest in mind. 

  1. Contact me so that I can connect you with a mortgage agent to get pre-approved and find out what you can afford to spend before we start the search process.
  2. We'll meet and discuss your budget, housing needs and dreams (Pinterest is a BIG help here) to create a profile of what you're looking for. I will set you up on a listing search through the MLS that only agents have access to so you will receive an email every time a home that matches your criteria comes on the market. Getting these listings through an agent before they pop up on the third party sites (zillow, realtor.com, trulia, etc.) is KEY to gain a competitive advantage for negotiations. 
  3. Once the right property is found, an offer to purchase is written up, presented and negotiated. If accepted, I will prepare a timeline with responsibilities for all parties involved and you are officially in contract!
  4. While you are in contract you will need to fulfill any contingencies like financing and inspection, but don't worry I'll guide you through the entire process to get you to the closing table.
  5. On closing day you will sign lots of paperwork, transfer funds, get your keys and start the next chapter of your life (with a special closing gift from yours truly)!

To learn more about the home buying process or for help finding the perfect rental for you in the least stressful way, get in touch with me! You can email me at pfjohnson@kw.com or call/text me at 614.638.5817 so we can meet for coffee or a drink and get to know each other. I specialize in urban neighborhoods but can help anywhere in greater Columbus! Keep in mind that my commission is paid for by the seller of the home so there is no reason not to have me doing all the dirty work for you and fighting to get you the best deal on your dream home!

This Month in Real Estate: February 2016

Here are the national statistics for February 2016!

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The National Statistics show that the projected home sales went up from 5.4 million in January 2016  to 5.5 million in February 2016.

 

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The median home price rose this month from $220,000 to $224,000. This is a 1.9% increase from last month and a 7.6% increase from February 2015. If you're thinking of listing your house now would be a great time!

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The great news for home buyers is that the interest rate for a 30 year fixed mortgage has actually gone down from 3.96% to 3.81%.

For more information on our local market or how these numbers affect you, please contact me at pfjohnson@kw.com.

Practicing Seller's Etiquette

Let's face it: When your house goes on the market, you're not only opening the door to prospective buyers, but also sometimes to unknown vendors and naive or unqualified buyers. As with any business transaction, there is an expected protocol to how sellers, buyers and their respective agents interact. Should you find yourself in a sticky situation, alert your agent so he or she can address and remedy the problem. 

The Aggressive Agent

When your agent puts your house on the market, typically all promotional materials state clearly that your agent is the primary contact for buyers and buyers' agents. However, sometimes a buyer's agent will contact a seller directly to try to either win over their business or cut the seller's agent out of the deal. This is not reputable behavior and you should report it to your agent immediately if it happens to you. 

The Unscrupulous Vendor

Have you ever started a business or moved into a new house and suddenly found your mailbox full of junk mail? Unfortunately, this also can happen when you put your house on the market. When you sell your home, it necessitates all kinds of new purchasing decisions and less-than-ethical vendors are keenly aware of this. Though MLS organizations enforce rules on how posted information is used, some companies have found ways to cull information from various sources to produce mass mailing lists. If you find yourself regularly emptying your mailbox of junk, let your agent know. He or she can tap the appropriate sources to prompt an investigation into the matter. 

The Naive Buyer

Yard signs, Internet listings and other advertisements can generate a lot of buzz for your home. Some prospective buyers - particularly first-timers - will be so buzzed to see your home that they'll simply drop by. If this happens, no matter how nice these unexpected visitors are, it's best not to humor their enthusiasm by discussing your home or giving an impromptu tour. Instead, politely let them know that your real estate agent is in charge of scheduling tours and provide them with the agent's contact information. If you attempt to handle these surprise visits on your own, you might inadvertently disclose information that could hurt you during negotiations down the road. Keep this is mind when talking to friends, coworkers and nosy neighbors!

The most important thing about selling your house is the agent & brokerage you choose to list with. Everything from timing, pricing the house, staging, describing, photographing, marketing and more is dependent on the listing agent. I excel in these areas as well as communication, negotiation and other skills that contribute to a successful and stress free transaction!

For a free comparative market analysis on your home, please fill out the form on my home page under "Sell" available here.

Home Buying Happy Hour

Join me at The Pint House in the Short North to find out everything you need to know about purchasing a home while enjoying a complimentary drink and appetizers!

You will receive expert insight from Lisa Billings, a VP of Mortgage Lending and myself, a local real estate agent who would be happy to answer all of your specific questions. Regardless of what stage you are at in the home buying process we feel confident we can provide helpful information from improving your credit score and deciding on your budget to how to find the best home for you in the right area!

THE PINT HOUSE I  THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH  I  5:30PM - 7:30PM

Please RSVP for this free event by clicking here as space is limited. We hope to see you there!!

This Month in Real Estate: January 2016

The National Statistics for January show that the projected home sales dipped, however the median home price rose to $220,000 and the interest rate is lower than in December at 3.96%. For more information on our local market or how these numbers affect you, please contact me at pfjohnson@kw.com.