It’s true.  There are a lot of parallels between buying a piece of Thomasville real estate and running a marathon.

The Starting Line

At first, there is excitement. The idea of buying a new home pulses in your veins and you can’t wait to get started.  You’re like a runner in the blocks just itching to begin. Your muscles twitch in anticipation with every piece of Thomasville real estate you see. That’s when the real adrenaline rush kicks in.

Start Out Slowly

Keep to a steady, consistent pace and you’ll make it to the finish line.  There’s so much to do before you can get your Thomasville real estate. Home appraisals, inspections and financing to apply for…

You start to think about all the ‘what ifs,’ like what if you don’t get the financing, what if something goes wrong, what if… goes on forever.

Stay Mentally Tough

Don’t give into periods of self-doubt. Remember all that you’ve done and have faith in yourself and your real estate agent. Think about how hard you’ve worked and how rewarding it will be when you’re in your new home.

Hit the Wall

You feel like you simply can’t go on any more and the ordeal is never going to end. Your mind hurts from the strain, but you keep pushing onward because it’s the only direction you can go after coming so far.  Remind yourself that you’ll get past this feeling.  Keep day dreaming about that finish line.

Breakthrough Bliss

Suddenly things begin to happen.  Home inspection reports come back.  Financing is approved.  You begin to breathe easier, the pain goes away, and you are sailing free and clear toward the finish line.

The Finish Line

You sign all the papers at closing and the keys are placed in your hand.  Congratulations!  You’re a winner.

When you’re ready to buy a home, First Thomasville Realty can help you from start to finish.  Contact us today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

If you have never purchased a home before, you may not yet recognize how crucial it is to acquire the services of a professional Thomasville real estate agent.

Buying a home will probably be the most expensive purchase you ever make.  Therefore, you undoubtedly should consider enlisting the help of a REALTOR® who has experience, extensive knowledge of the area and integrity. 

Benefits of using a professional Thomasville real estate agent

Having your own buyer’s agent to walk you through the entire home buying process saves you a lot of time and stress, as well as money.

You decide:

♦    Size of home desired
♦    Style preferred
♦    Location
♦    Price range

That’s easy!  With this basic information, your agent begins the hard part: searching for the perfect home for you and successfully guiding you through the purchase process.

Your agent helps with:

♦    Generating a small defined list of good choices
♦    Forming a realistic budget
♦    Financing
♦    Determining what a home is really worth
♦    Making offers for you
♦    Negotiating with the seller
♦    Alleviating stress that’s a part of any transaction of this magnitude
♦    Overseeing your home inspection
♦    Renegotiating any problems found in the home inspection
♦    Explaining and demystifying taxes, interest, and other particulars
♦    Finalizing all the paperwork and details with the lender, seller and title company
♦    Closing on the sale

All the hours your agent invests assisting you and making sure your best interests are looked after financially, legally and emotionally are well worth the real estate commission he or she receives after you finalize your purchase.  And typically, as the buyer, you don’t pay the commission.  The seller pays it!

Where to find a professional Thomasville real estate agent

We specialize in helping people just like you buy homes.  Let’s get started!  Give First Thomasville Realty a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

Rejection is a hard thing to face in life, whether it’s from a potential client, a potential boss or a potential home seller.  As a Thomasville home buyer, your stress level might be reduced if you’re aware of some of the reasons a seller may reject your offer.

Before we give you the list of reasons, We’d like to mention that even if you and your buyer’s agent do everything right, the seller may still reject your offer.  It frequently has nothing to do with you.

With that said, here are 5 common reasons sellers reject offers on their homes:

1.  The offer wasn’t enough for them to pay off their mortgage. For most sellers, the bottom line is paying off their mortgage. If your offer won’t cover the mortgage, they cannot accept it.

2.  They may have just been testing the waters to see what they can get for their home.

3.  Their plans may have changed. People put their homes on the market because they need to move, they want to upgrade their home, or they can no longer afford their Thomasville home. If the circumstances change, they may not need to sell their home.

4.  Their deal may have fallen through. Perhaps your seller was buying another house contingent on the sale of their property. If something went wrong with that deal, they may not be able to sell their Thomasville home to you.

5.  You may be asking too much of them. The seller may not have the time or money to make any repairs they think are insignificant. Perhaps you want to close too soon or would like to move in to the home before closing.

Don’t get depressed when a seller rejects your offer. There may be many reasons for their refusal.  Help your real estate agent develop a counter offer, or move on to a new opportunity.  There are a lot of homes on the market.  You may be pleasantly surprised when you start looking again and find a home that fits your lifestyle even better.

When you’re ready to buy a home, We can help you find a great home and negotiate to a successful “Yes, we’ll accept your offer.” Call First Thomasville Realty today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com to get started.

We, meaning the real estate industry, say, “It’s a buyer’s market!”  Buyers think that means that deals are available out in the big wide world of Thomasville homes for sale. Although that’s true, it’s not the whole truth. The whole truth is that money pits, bad deals and half-hearted sellers still exist. Without careful consideration, you may not get the deal you expected.

If you’re in the market for one of the Thomasville homes for sale, follow these tips to help you get a great deal:

1.  Go back to school. In other words, do your homework. Yes, due to the buyer’s market, you have an advantage, but you still need to do your research.  Talk with a real estate agent who specializes in the area and look at the prices of homes sold within the past year. The main point of the research is to find out how much homes are actually selling for in the area in which you want to live, and to determine if you can afford to buy there.

2.  Line up the home team. Be prepared to jump on a deal as soon as you find it. Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Gather your real estate agent, home inspector and insurance agent. By having this team of real estate professionals on hand, the transaction will be smoother and faster.

3.  Look for motivation. There are motivated sellers and not-so-motivated sellers who just “think” they “might” want to sell if “the right buyer” comes along (quotes are so handy, aren’t they?). You don’t have to guess which is which, however. Has the price been reduced? Is the home vacant? These clues lead to a motivated seller, willing to genuinely negotiate to get the home sold.

4.  Don’t buy angry. One of the worst mistakes a buyer can do is to get into a war with the home seller. Emotions grab hold and you find yourself in a fierce competition based on who’s going to WIN WIN WIN! If you find yourself in this situation, learn how to negotiate and listen to your real estate agent’s advice. If you don’t, your great deal can turn into a big mess.

There are plenty of Thomasville homes for sale out there and great deals to be had, but being cautious is the best way to get the best deal.

Are you a motivated seller or a buyer looking for a great deal? First Thomasville Realty can help. Call us now at 229-226-6515 or email info@FTRealty.com to get started!

If you’re in the middle of buying Thomasville real estate, for which you’re hoping to get a Homebuyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000, you have more time to finalize it.  

After a close brush with the deadline, Congress passed a 90-day extension of the Homebuyer Tax Credit closing deadline.   The extension applies only to buyers who have written, binding contracts in place as of April 30, 2010. The new closing deadline is now September 30, 2010.  

Extending the tax credit closing deadline will provide additional stability to Thomasville real estate and real estate markets nationwide.  Additionally, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) estimates that this new extension will help about 180,000 to 200,000 homebuyers who already signed purchase agreements and were likely to miss the June 30 deadline.

Those are two of the reasons the NAR worked closely with Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to get this extension approved.  Voter pressure on House members also helped to push this bill through.

Have questions about the Homebuyer Tax Credit or any other questions about Thomasville real estate?  Give First Thomasville Realty a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .  We’re happy to help.

Thomasville condos or houses:  that is the question!

You may be thinking of getting a home but wondering how much space you really need. If you opt to look at houses, your choices are vast.  Houses, both large and small, are abundant in today’s real estate market.

Even though Thomasville condos are typically smaller than most houses, there are large condos available (even condos larger than houses).  And, just like traditional houses, there are a lot of condos available in this buyer’s market.

So, how do you choose?  Your selection should be based on your current and near-future needs.

Let’s demystify the differences and clarify your selection:

Space: Is your family large?  Are you planning to add many more?  Do you work from home?  Consider your plans for the next 5 to 7 years, and buy the size that fits those needs.

Price: Condos can be more affordable, especially the smaller ones.  But, with condos you have to pay condo association fees.

Location: If you want a condo with a great view, close to work, for example, prepare for a premium.  Conversely, many homes with great yards and neighborhoods are quite affordable.  Not choosy?  Competitive pricing awaits you with either choice!

Luxury: Lavish Thomasville condos, much like ideally-located ones, are often steeply-priced.  Luxury houses are expensive, too.  The good news is that whichever style of housing you choose, you’ll find luxurious versions.

Availability: There are typically more houses on the market than condos, so, in general, your selection is greater with houses.

Privacy: Houses typically offer more in the way of privacy.   But, the trade off is that you also have more responsibilities and maintenance when you own a house.  Want a care-free, low-maintenance lifestyle?  A condo may be your best bet.

Acreage: If a smaller yard (or no yard) doesn’t bother you, a condo can offer excellent square footage and lower payments.  Looking for land?  A home is your best way to go.

Still Unsure?

We’d love to assist in your juggling act.  Call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com and together we’ll find the perfect home to fit your budget and lifestyle.

When you first decide to look for a new home, whether you are a first time buyer, or you currently own your own Thomasville home, it is an exciting experience. Visions of perfection begin to dance in your head. Grand expectations and all of your fondest dreams begin to spring into being. But how do you balance dreams with reality so that you get what you need and maybe some of what you dream of?

Condition Counts

You can get great deals on amazing homes when they need a little repair. However, that is a big trap if you don’t take into consideration how adept you are with a hammer and nails. If home repair isn’t up your alley, that’s not a sin.  But, it is unwise to buy a fixer-upper if you’re not into fixing or not financially prepared to hire professionals to do the fixing.

Wide Open Spaces

Rural living or huge parcels of property can be very appealing. The desire to own a big spread with rolling lawns can make you feel like a real land baron—until you have to maintain it. There are other aspects to looking at property removed from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Lack of convenience that might seem like a good thing will soon become just inconvenient. Consider the trade-offs if your idea of a perfect Thomasville home isn’t exactly in the city.

Don’t Settle

While you need to be realistic if your budget isn’t unlimited, you should not settle for less than what you truly need. Take the time to determine exactly which features are most important to your family. Consider:

♦   Which rooms will be most used

♦    How many people will be living in the house

♦    How many bedrooms you need

♦    How many bathrooms are necessary

Don’t try to squeeze into something that won’t fit those needs. If you have to wait a little while until you can afford a home that is the right size, it will be worth it to avoid the frustration of being dissatisfied with something as important as your Thomasville home.

If you would like more information on what to consider before buying a home, First Thomasville Realty can help. Call us today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

As a buyer in this buyers’ market, there are plenty of opportunities to get great Thomasville real estate at rock bottom prices. Because of the large amount of housing inventory throughout the nation, home sellers (those who recognize the level of competition, anyway) are much more willing to negotiate. 

If you’re looking for the perfect piece of Thomasville real estate, here are a few tips to help you get a great price: 

Stay Updated

Looking online is a great place to start. However, be aware that you have a large possibility of getting outdated information. You can find a beautiful dream home and contact the agent only to find that the listing has expired or the house has sold. Stay updated. Ask your Thomasville real estate agent to register your email address for daily MLS (multiple listing service) updates so you can get information as soon as it comes out. 

Visit Homes with Reduced Pricing

Sometimes you may see a home that has more than one price reduction. For many, this is a sign that something is wrong with the house. Today, there’s a great possibility that there’s nothing wrong and the homeowner is simply trying to get the home sold in a competitive market. Tour the homes with recent price reductions as well as those on the market for more than 30 days. These home sellers may be more interested in selling for lower prices. 

Look for Possible Negotiation Points

Even homes with higher prices may be worth looking at, due to the many ways you and your real estate agent might find to negotiate. For instance, it’s always wise to get a home inspection before signing the contract. Depending on what the home inspector finds, you may be able to negotiate for lower closing costs or a lower price. 

Right now, it’s important to remember that just because a house is listed at a specific price doesn’t mean that price can’t change. If you’re a buyer interested in Thomasville real estate, whether as your personal residence or an investment, take a chance. Find out how low buyers will go! 

If you’re looking for a great price on a great home, we can help. Call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com  for more information.