According to a nationwide survey from Move, Inc., real estate investors are likely to be three times more active than other types of homebuyers in their local markets within the next two years.  If you’re one of those soon-to-be real estate investors, you may want to consider buying Thomasville foreclosures.

Here are a few tips to help you get the best buy:

♦     Don’t judge Thomasville foreclosures by their appearance.  A million dollar mansion may have a beautiful façade but may be hiding extensive termite damage to its foundation.   On the other hand, a fixer-upper may look rundown but may have excellent structure and can be fixed up easily for a fairly small amount.  Always get a professional home inspection to determine exactly what you’re buying.

♦     Don’t focus on sales price alone.  You still need to take into consideration the location, school districts, crime rates, and price for repairs.

♦     Work with a real estate agent.  You knew this one was coming, didn’t you?  But it’s true.  Because real estate agents are knowledgeable about the market, they frequently know about local properties that are nearing foreclosure before the average buyer. They also know the Thomasville foreclosures to stay away from and those that are true diamonds in the rough.

♦     Don’t buy in a neighborhood with a lot of foreclosures.  You’re looking for an investment that is going to increase in price sooner rather than later, so move on to another neighborhood where the real estate market is doing better.

♦     Think like a real estate investor.  There’s a lot of money at stake here, and you cannot allow emotions to get in the way.  Do the math and your research to figure out if this is a good financial choice for you, not whether or not you like the house. 

Whether you’re a real estate investor looking for a foreclosure or a traditional property to purchase, First Thomasville Realty can help you find it and get it at the best price and terms.  Give us a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com  for more information.

The process of buying a new home is daunting enough without having to track down all the various paperwork necessary at the last minute. Don’t endure extra stress! Get your paperwork together early, so that you can feel piece of mind when purchasing Thomasville real estate. 

You should have the list of documents below in hand before you make an offer on a home. This will ensure the purchase process is as quick as possible. Every mortgage lender’s requirements can be different, so double-check with yours for a comprehensive list. 

♦     ID – This might seem like a no-brainer to most people, but just make sure you have official identification.

♦     Pay stubs – Your lender will want proof that you’re still earning an income, so inquire about how many months worth they’ll want you to provide.

♦     Gift letter – If someone else is helping you with your down payment, the mortgage lender will want to know if you’re receiving a gift or a loan. If someone else is loaning you money, your lender will want to take that debt into account before approving your mortgage.

♦     Tax returns – Your lender is going to want almost any financial document you can think of. Bring at least the last two years of tax records to be on the safe side.

♦     Bank account statements – Bring at least the statements from the most recent two months, especially if the bank where your accounts are is not your mortgage provider. Also bring any other financially-related paperwork — that includes proof of child-support or alimony payments.

♦     Divorce decree – Especially if it’s recent, you’ll want to be able to prove that you’re no longer responsible for your ex’s debts.   

In short, if you receive anything at all in the mail regarding your personal finances, make copies and bring them with you when you’re seeking mortgage approval. You never know what the bank will ask for, so try to have everything. 

If you want to learn more about preparing Thomasville real estate purchasing paperwork, we can help.   Call First Thomasville Realty today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

You know our recommendation is that everyone should have a professional property inspection before they close on a house. Wouldn’t it also be a good idea to discover problems with a piece of property before you ever make an offer? With some attention to detail, you can find out a lot about the condition of Thomasville homes. 

Here’s a pre-offer, do-it-yourself property inspection checklist to get you started: 

♦    Basement - A basement can give you information about the structure of a house, especially if the basement is unfinished. You’ll want to make sure there are no cracks, the electrical wiring is organized, and there is no evidence of water damage. If there isn’t a basement, examine the exposed foundation on the exterior of the house.

♦    Electrical panel – Upon examination, it should look orderly and neat. If it is, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear, but a disorganized panel can often be a sign of shoddy electrical work throughout the house.

♦    Faucets and fixtures – Is there hot water? Does the shower drip? Does the oven work? Does the toilet run? Not every problem is a major issue, but it’ll give you a good idea of how much care went into the property’s construction and maintenance.

♦    Attic - Not only should you be looking at available storage space, you’ll want to see how well the insulation was fitted. That can make a huge difference in your monthly electric and gas bills.

♦    Roof - Missing shingles or interior water damage in Thomasville homes are bad signs.

♦    Windows - Make sure they all open and close properly and that you can’t find any drafts, gaps or condensation.

♦    Interior and exterior finishings – Check out the baseboards and siding to see what kind of shape they’re in. If the builders didn’t pay much attention to what you CAN see, imagine what the internal structure might look like. 

Want to work with a professional real estate agent who can help you weed out badly-built or poorly-maintained Thomasville homes before you make an offer?  Give First Thomasville Realty a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com  for more information.

With the struggling economy and the move toward living greener, small houses are becoming more popular.  You may have heard about the Small House Movement and wondered if living in a small Thomasville home is right for you.  

To help you decide, here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about small houses: 

How tiny is a small house?

What is typically referred to as a small house varies widely in size from about 650 square feet down to the extremely miniscule house of about 120 square feet. However, any home with fewer square feet than you’re living in now can be considered a small house.  If you’re currently living in 3,000 square feet and you move to a Thomasville home with 1,500 square feet, you’ve downsized by half.  It all depends on your perspective. 

Does smaller equate to less expensive?

Most smaller Thomasville homes are less expensive simply because of the reduced square footage.  For the same reason, smaller houses cost less to heat, cool and maintain.  Of course, if you add on luxury features like marble counters and hand-carved built-ins, a small home can quickly go from economical to expensive. 

Do I have to have it built from scratch?

Although the Small House Movement is fairly new, there have been small houses around for centuries.  Depending on the area in which you live they may be called cottages, bungalows, row houses, town houses or even shotgun houses. 

Whether you want a micromini house, a mcmansion or any size in between, First Thomasville Realty can help you find and negotiate a good price for it.  Give us a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com  to get started.

Buying a home is a business transaction, but it’s hard to keep emotions completely out of the process. Most sellers in today’s market already know that they need to avoid unnecessarily angering their buyers. And buyers shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that just because the Thomasville real estate market is down they can get away with annoying sellers. Keep your cool this summer and avoid upsetting sellers so that your home purchase goes smoothly and for a fair price. 

Don’t put down their home. By pointing out everything that is wrong with a house, you could force the sellers to take less money, but this strategy hardly ever works. You’re more likely to anger the seller to the point that they won’t continue negotiations. That doesn’t mean you can’t fight for the best deal possible, but be careful not to shoot yourself in the foot.

Don’t present an absurdly low offer. In today’s market, there’s often room to negotiate on Thomasville real estate, but offering something WAY to low will often insult the seller. You’re better off coming in with what you think is a fair or a slightly low offer — and negotiating from there.

Don’t put off getting a pre-approved loan. There’s nothing that will frustrate a seller more than getting almost all the way through the purchasing process only to find out you can’t get financing. With your pre-approval, you’ll know exactly what you can afford so you won’t waste your or the seller’s time.

Don’t renegotiate at the end. Never offer over what you want to pay and then attempt to ask for a massive price reduction to fix every minor repair. Of course, if a major repair needs to be completed, you can certainly expect that to be reflected in the price. Just don’t attempt to lure the seller in with a price you know you’re unwilling to pay. 

If you’d like to work with real estate agents who can help you stay cool while purchasing Thomasville real estate this summer, call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com  for more information.

The real estate market is flooded with homes for sale.   Interest rates are at an all time low on fixed rate mortgages.  And, terms for acquiring a home loan are still fairly open.  This is expected to change and possibly soon, which means now is prime time to buy Thomasville homes for sale. 

To help you with this process, here are answers to four of the most popular questions I’ve recently received from home buyers: 

Q:  Where can I find the best deal on Thomasville homes for sale?

A:  The answer is almost anywhere.  Because homes are sitting on the market for a long time, most homeowners are more willing than ever to negotiate. 

Q:  What about buying new construction?

A:  The option for new construction is open to more people than ever before.  Builders are offering extended home warranties and many upgrades to help move their inventory.  Some builders now offer financial assistance to reach an even larger number of buyers.  

Here’s the number one tip to get the best deal in new construction:  Before starting your search for new construction, hire a real estate agent.  Your real estate agent can negotiate the best deal for you, even in new construction.   Be sure to visit new construction with your agent so the builder knows you’re represented.  This representation costs you nothing and can save you a lot of money. 

Q:  Should I look at short sales and foreclosures for my best deal?

A:  Not really.  Although there are good deals to be found, the time and effort involved in purchasing short sales and foreclosures can be a huge negative.  Negotiating with a homeowner can be much easier than trying to negotiate with a lender for the short sale or foreclosure. 

Q:  Should I wait for home prices to go even lower?

A:  Definitely not.  Prices of Thomasville homes for sale have come down from a few years ago and are much more stable and accurate.  The days of inflated home prices are long gone.  This does not mean that homes will not increase in value.  It only means that they will do so at a rate that should prevent the upside-down mortgages that some people are facing today. 

This is a prime time to purchase a home.  With the large number of homes on the market, you are certain to find one to call home.  Let First Thomasville Realty help you in your home search.  Call us today at 229-226-6515 or email info@FTRealty.com.