Keller Williams Columbia Broker Advises First Time Home Buyers

I am in the final stages of completing an series of articles that will discuss the different phases of buying homes for sale in Columbia SC . This is an attempt to educate first time home buyers about the critical steps in a successful home buying experience. Topics include:

•1. The Chicken or The Egg - Who Should First Time Homebuyers Hire First?

•2. Prequalification v. Preapproval: What's The Difference?

•3. First Time Home Buyer Interviews - Ricki Lake Would Be Proud

•4. MLS! - What Does Soccer Have to Do with Buying a Home?

•5. You Do Know That House Hunters is a Television Show... Don't You?

•6. You Found a House.......How Do You Make It Your Home?

•7. The Yogi Berra Saying That Offers Advice to First Time Home Buyers

If you would like for The Patterson Files to address any other home buying topic, please feel free to email the topic to thepattersonfiles@davidpatterson.net

You Do Know That House Hunters is a Television Show... Don't You?

For those of you that might not have accessed cable television over the last decade, House Hunters has arguably become one of the most popular shows on HGTV. The premise of this show is simple. Home buyers meet with a real estate agent and visit three homes with a commercial or two mixed through their shopping search.

By the time the cameras have returned from the last commercial, the home buyers have picked a home, made an offer, closed escrow on the purchase, moved and remodeled the home.

I’ve had people say to me……………That is so unrealistic! Do most home buyers know that House Hunters is a television show?

Yes. House Hunters is a television show!

However, it is possible to have a similar experience by taking the following steps:

1. Hire a real estate professional that can put the F.A.T. in your home buying experience.
2. With the help of your real estate professional, hire a reputable mortgage professional.
3. Spend time with your real estate professional to conduct a Home Buyer Interview.
4. Allow the real estate professional educate you about the Home Buying Process.

In my opinion, you should take these four steps BEFORE GETTING INTO THE CAR AND LOOKING AT HOMES.

These steps will save you time, frustration and $4 a gallon of wasted gasoline.

Having Trouble With Selling Your Home?

Guest Contribution from Patricia Kennedy, Author
The Irreverent Guide to Real Estate
Evers & Company - Washington, DC
Phone: 202.464.8400 / housepat@mac.com





A few years ago, I was approached to be the third agent for a stately colonial on upper 16th Street. The first two agents had the distinction of being the guys who ranked number 1 and 2 in dollar volume in DC. I'm nowhere close.

I reviewed the prior listing information. The price didn't look bad. Neither agent had made the place particularly easy to show - I hadn't been inside during either listing period. Then, when I got inside, I quickly figured it out.



The owners had been in the Foreign Service for decades and had lived and worked all over the planet. There was some amazing art work on every surface in the house - floors, tables and walls. In the living room, on the first wall you saw upon entering the house, they displayed a huge collection of ceremonial masks. They were beautiful, but awfully distracting, and some of them (the ones made to ward off burglars) were probably a little menacing to buyers crossing the threshold.


Then there were paintings and sculpture that was just distracting. Also, I imagined that the owners were reluctant to allow a lock box on the door of their little domestic museum.

So, my advice was to pack up almost all of the artwork and put it into storage. They did. They painted the living room and refinished the floors on the lower level.

I listed the house without any price reduction. Within a week, we had a ratified contract.

Now, sometimes it really is a price that's too high, but once in a while it's the ceremonial masks!

Columbia SC Home Values Aren't Determined By The National Media

During my last post, I announced the ability for my readers to preview homes for sale in Columbia SC, homes for sale in Irmo and homes for sale in Lexington SC.

Now is the time for my second announcement regarding the enhancements to The Patterson Files.

In my opinion, all visitors to my blog should know the value of their home. Hence, I have added the ability for you to stay up-to-date on the value of your home.

Please feel free to visit RealEstateInTheMidlands.info for area home values and home values throughout the country.

If you ever have any questions about homes for sale or Midlands Home Values, please feel free to send me an email at cma@davidpatterson.net or give me a call at (803) 960-5231.

Columbia SC Homes for Sale and Irmo Homes for Sale

Attention Future Home Buyers!

By popular demand, I have added the ability for you to preview Columbia SC homes and Lexington SC homes for sale at The Patterson Files. What did you say? You want to search homes for sale in Irmo? Well..........you will be able to search for these homes at The Patterson Files!

If you ever have any questions about any listing that peak your interest, please feel free to send me an email at cmls@davidpatterson.net or give me a call at (803) 960-5231.

Happy Home Searching!!!

Real Estate Broker David Patterson Joins Keller Williams Realty

For those of you that frequent this site, you might have noticed an extended absence from posting to my blog. I apologize for my neglect. However, you know how moving from one place to another can be time consuming and physically draining. Yes……..I’ve been moving……moving to another company.

On Friday, May 2, 2008, I left my corner office at the Forest Acres branch of Russell & Jeffcoat to join the future real estate leader in Columbia, SC. Keller Williams has welcomed me with open arms and I look forward to the next phase of my real estate career.

Since joining Keller Williams, I’ve made several calls that have required an introduction of my company. Most of the initial responses to my introduction have been “Keller Who?” Well….If you don’t know about Keller Williams, you will know soon. In the meantime, let me give you a brief synopsis of Keller Williams Realty.

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is an international real estate company with more than 780 offices located across the United States and Canada. The company began franchising in 1991 and, following years of phenomenal growth and success, has become one of the five largest United States based residential real estate firms in North America.

The Keller Williams International Mission Statement is to build careers worth having, businesses worth owning and lives worth living. Our vision is to be the company of choice for a new generation of professional real estate agents and brokerage owners.

The Keller Williams Columbia Market Center has about 70+ agents and has just moved into a new, spacious brick building at 4400 Saint Andrews Road. If you would like more information about my new company, why we should be representing you in the purchase and sale of your home or interested in starting a career with Keller Williams and/or Patterson Group, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

First Time Home Buyers Should Know About Restrictive Covenants!

Before purchasing a new or existing home, first time home buyers should ask many questions of their Accredited Buyer Representative……..

• How much will I pay in annual taxes?
• What will be the amount of my annual homeowner insurance premium?
• Is the home serviced by a municipal sewer service or do I pay a separate company for my sewer service? (In Richland County, Palmetto Utilities provides sewer service to several Northeast Columbia communities.)
  
  Here’s another good question a.k.a. The Question of the Day……….
  
  Is the home located in a neighborhood that has restrictive covenants?

Residential real estate developers have been known to establish nonnegotiable restrictions and conditions of ownership in residential communities. These restrictions and conditions are listed in the Neighborhood Homeowners Association's (HOA) Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) attached to the title of the property.

By not meeting the terms of the CC&Rs, the HOA could impose penalties that can range from placing a lien on your home to home foreclosure.

HOA CC&Rs commonly impose annual regime fees (that could possibly increase your monthly mortgage payment) and govern neighborhood standards such as acceptable home exterior colors, the maximum height of a fence and the acceptable location(s) to install a satellite dish (a requirement of the Patterson household).

Anyone can ask first time home buyers questions like......How many bedrooms or bathrooms? Do you want brick or vinyl? These are important questions.

However, there are OTHER QUESTIONS that should be answered. Knowing whether you are willing to live in a restricted neighborh0od should be decided BEFORE YOU SHOP for a home.

Postscript -- Here are some real examples of Homeowner Association covenants at these sites:

East Lake Homeowners Association Site --------------------- East Lake Restrictive Covenants

Forest Glen Homeowners Association Site ------------------ Forest Glen Restrictive Covenants

Oak Pointe Homeowners Association Site ------------------- Oak Pointe Restrictive Covenants

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