211 N Warsaw Ursa, IL 62376

Property Site: http://tour.circlepix.com/home/ECL7MB/211-N-Warsaw-Ursa-IL-194804

If you are looking for a home where you walk in the door and can see the pride of ownership, this is that home. New laminate floors 2013 through the kitchen, dining, living room and main level bedroom. Washer and dryer are conveniently located on the main level. 2 full bathrooms. One on the main level and the other on the upper level near the 3 large bedrooms. Landscaped yard that could be expanded by moving the fence out to the property lines. The oversized 2 car garage provides lots of storage and is connected to a breezeway so you are out of the elements when bringing in groceries. Plenty of parking for all of your fun toys. New in 2015 central air, furnace, water softener, water heater. 2016 paint throughout, Updated patio and extended, re-seeded side yard and fenced in area. 2017-garage door opener, garbage disposal, basement floor painted. Roof 2011.

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2

Square feet: 1,783

Price: $118,000

For more information about this property, please contact Misty Dowling at 2172244600 or misty.dowling@century21.com. You can also text 4220704 to 67299.

See more listings at: http://homesforsale.century21.com/agent/misty.dowling@century21.com

MLS ID: 194804

Happy Spring! Great time to build a fire pit. Sharing my favs with you today! Quincy, Il "Really Real REALTOR®"

Oh, happy day! The sun is out and the real estate market Spring season has taken off! 
 All the beautiful new of Spring inspires buyers and sellers to make a change.  It also inspires home owners to work in the yard and gardens to prepare for warm summer days and evenings.  This is the perfect time of year to add a fire pit. Enjoy those cool spring nights around a toasty fire. Check out may favorite fire pits below. :) 

  

1) The sunken fire pit!  This sunken, stone-surrounded design would be a great choice if you needed to cover the fire pit with a topper when not in use.  This would make mowing much easier! 

2) Store bought fire pit with charm. Just add the lighting and the chairs to make it a relaxing backyard getaway.

3) This is an extreme fire pit. If you love to entertain this would be a wonderful option. You can add the outdoor pillows when you have company giving it that simple but chic look. Another great option to add a cover over the fire pit and use it as a table by day!

4) Creating an area just for entertaining. You would have the best fire pit in the neighborhood with the natural stone. Plenty of seating. HUGE stone fire pit surround. Love the actual stone look of this fire pit – very organic and natural. 

5)There are also many unique fire pits available on the internet. (I bought my husband a tiki fire pit for our pool area)   Here are a few unique fire pits that you can use in your yard if you don't want to have something so permanent.

There are so many great backyard fire pit ideas. Pinterest has so many tutorials you can check out. A fire pit is a great way to bring entertainment space into any yard. Spring is the perfect time to build it before it gets too hot.


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For Sale By Owner VS REALTOR® Quincy Il "Really Real REALTOR®" Misty Dowling

                         

                                                  

The Spring season is upon us! This means you will see for sale signs popping up every where. Buyers and sellers find Spring to be the perfect time to make a change. You sell or buy a home in the Spring time and move in the Summer. The best timing for families also. This means you will move when your child/children are out for Summer break.  Today I am going to be both blunt and direct with the differences in buying or selling a home For Sale By Owner VS using a Realtor®.   You may not like everything I have to say but, I am the really real REALTOR® and promised to deliver you nothing but the truth! Let's get started

*According to the National Association Of Realtors homes listed with a Realtor® generally sell for more.  
   When a For Sale By Owner seller sells their home they are not trained like a realtor® through continued education and licensing to price a home. In my experience when I call a For Sale By Owner because my buyer is interested in seeing their home this is how the conversation goes.   Realtor: " How did you come up with your price?"  FSBO Seller: "My neighbors house sold for x amount of dollars and I think my home is in much nicer condition"

Do you see the problem here?  The price for a FSBO can be all over the place and for various reasons.  They are not trained to price a home for sale. Of course we all have a biased opinion of our home. We know exactly what we have invested in our home since we bought it and we want that money back when we sell.  Sellers, this is where you need a trained Realtor®!  Let a Realtor® help you get the most money that the current market will allow. You could be selling your home far below market value. The 6% that you are paying a Realtor for their services pays for itself 10x over in a transaction.  It starts with pricing. I have had FSBO sellers tell me "It doesn't matter what the market says on price, if a buyer wants my house they will pay it". This is not how real estate works.
1) Your home is only worth what a buyer will pay
2) A buyer can say they will pay your over priced amount but when the bank orders the appraisal and it comes back short because it is over priced. THE BANK WILL NOT LOAN THAT AMOUNT. This means the buyer can't buy your home unless they plan to take a loan for the appraised amount and pay you cash for the difference.
  **I don't know about you but as a buyer if I know I can get the same product for less I usually buy the better priced item if it is the same thing.
Buyers- When you are getting involved in a FSBO transaction remember you have no legal paperwork to protect your interest. When it comes to negotiations you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of items that should be negotiated in a contract. Things such as Appliances, HVAC,outdoor items,roof,replacement windows and much, much more.  With an experienced Realtor® they know these items can be negotiated in a contract and save you money.

*Realtor
A Realtor® has access to the multi listing service and has access to thousands of buyers who can potentially look at and buy your home.  If you are a seller represented by a a REALTOR® your marketing is professionally done. All social media platforms are utilized and you can tell your friends and family to check them out if they know someone interested in your home and call your Realtor®.  You can go to work or on vacation and know that your Realtor® is working 24/7 to find you a pre-approved buyer for your home.  When it comes to negotiations your Realtor® will give you the best advice for your negotiations so you walk away with the most money.   During the process of the sale of your home your Realtor® will set up and attend all inspections and ensure that you are represented in the transaction. Your  trained Realtor® will set up your closing with the lenders and make the entire process seem simple. In reality if selling a home was easy there wouldn't be a Realtor®. Selling a home without a Realtor® is like being a new Skier at the top of a tall mountain with one ski and no poles.  

*For Sale By Owner
A for sale by owner seller does not have access to put their home on the MLS.  They have to pay out of their pocket to market their own home. $$$$$ More money that a seller is paying to sell. (For as low as 6% you could have a professional marketing your home, a trained Realtor®)

** According to the National Association Of Realtors https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/Study-Digital-House-Hunt-2013-01_1.pdf   ----->      90% of buyers are searching for homes online!!!
As a seller if you are going at this alone these statistics are saying you better be very techie to reach these buyers.  There are lots of platforms that home buyers use to search for a home.  Let's just discuss a few Pinterest, Youtube, Realtor.com, Twitter, Facebook,Snap Chat, Instagram, Trulia and even Zillow where Zillow Zestimates are not accurate!  These are where your buyers are. This is also what a Realtor® specializes in, MARKETING YOUR HOME.  You can't just market your home on these sites and be done. You will have lot's of buyers reach out to you and it will become a full time job to figure out who is an actual qualified buyer and who are the "lookie loos" who don't really have the funds to buy a home.  You will now have to make time in your day to set up showings, keep track of buyers and negotiate your sale. You now have a "buyer" and will have to be available to have a home inspector, appraiser, termite inspector in your home.
 Do you have the legal forms to even accept a contract on your home?  

*FSBO buyer- You are now working with a seller who is showing their home to many people and you have nothing to protect your interests. The seller can say they accept terms you agree on to purchase their home and another buyer comes along and they offer more money and the seller tells you that you are out of luck.  You have no protection buying a home FSBO without a REALTOR®.

* REALTOR®
A Realtor® knows the legal ins and outs of a home's sale.
Continued education and licensing prepare a Realtor® for the job of buying and selling homes. 

*For Sale By Owner
Buyers who don't know the legal ins and outs of a home's sale could be SUED. This goes for a seller also. 


If you are reading my blog it's because the title probably enticed you. Everyone wants someone to be honest with them. I am not trying to insult anyone trying to sell their home on their own. It can be done but is not recommended for a buyer or seller because of the many loop holes in real estate that raise questions of law and ethics.  My blog is to educate and provide a service. If you are buying or selling a home without a Realtor® I highly recommend seeking legal advice.

Avoid all of the headache and interview a Realtor® to help you in the home buying or selling process. There are so many misconceived ideas of using a Realtor®. Truth is that little 6% commission is priceless for you to have peace of mind as a seller.Especially when it comes to money.Every seller wants to walk away with more money in their pocket. A Realtor® wants that for you also. As a buyer there is no charge to work with a Realtor® and you will be represented with a legal contract.


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Thank you for reading my blog! See you next time for more really real real estate information!

How much does it cost to sell your home? Quincy, IL "The really real REALTOR®"

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?

 

If you’re selling a home, you’ll want to know how much it’s going to cost you to close the deal. That way you can make a plan for buying your next house.

In addition to what’s needed to pay off your mortgage, it’s smart to plan to spend about 10% of the home price in selling costs.

Selling your home: common costs

Real estate agent commissions: The seller’s agent usually charges 5% to 6% of the home purchase price when the deal closes. This is likely the biggest expense you’ll pay. Seller’s agents usually split commissions with buyer’s agents, who generally don’t charge their clients.
Commission fees are negotiable, however, and many real estate agents charge less. Some even accept a lower flat rate for their services, so it can pay to shop around. You can ask for recommendations from friends and neighbors, and search home shopping websites for local referrals. Whichever seller’s agent you choose, make sure you agree on commission terms in writing.


Taxes and neighborhood fees:

 You’ll owe a prorated share of property taxes when you sell your home. The amount could be close to zero if you’ve recently paid taxes, or several thousand dollars if the due date is around the corner.
In some states, you may also be charged a local transfer tax, which the seller pays in order to change the title from one person to another. Depending on location, the tax is generally 0.01% to 2% of the sales price. In addition to the local taxes, you may also face capital gains taxes if the profit you make from selling your home is more than $250,000 ($500,000 for married couples on joint tax returns).
If your neighborhood has a homeowners association, expect to pay prorated membership fees. You or the buyer may also need to pay an HOA transfer fee.

Title insurance for the buyer:

 This protects the buyer in case there’s an issue with the home’s ownership history.
Buyers also purchase a title policy if they apply for a mortgage, but that policy only protects the lender. Traditionally, the seller buys a separate policy for the new homeowner. The cost ranges from about $500 to $1,000.
The title company will run a title search on the property during the sale process. If a lien on your home is revealed, you’ll also need to settle it before you can sell the house.

Your current mortgage: 

 It’s no surprise you’ll need to pay off your mortgage when you sell your home. But the payoff amount is probably different from the balance due listed on your last mortgage statement, because of interest charges. You’ll want to know the payoff amount. If your mortgage has a prepayment penalty, that will be added to the amount due.


Home repairs:

 Your buyer will probably order a home inspection before closing. If the report reveals problems, you may be asked to pay for repairs.


Moving costs:  

Whether you buy boxes, pack and move them yourself or hire a company, you’ll want to budget money for the actual move.

Selling your home: optional costs

Depending on how competitive your local market is, it can be smart to pay for extra services to attract potential buyers. They’re not always necessary, but in a sluggish market they could help your home stand out.
Home warranty: 

 To ease potential worries about buying an older home, sellers can offer a home warranty that covers most of the repair costs if a major system breaks soon after the home is sold. A typical one-year warranty costs $350 to $500.

Home staging:

 It’s wise to remove clutter and give your home a good cleaning before you put it on the market. But your agent may suggest going a step further and hiring a home stager to make your home more visually appealing.
Stagers may rearrange furniture, change the interior design and even rent furniture to display while selling your house. Most stagers charge from $250 to $1,000, according to HomeAdvisor.com.

Portion of buyer’s closing costs:  

Buyers are usually responsible for mortgage fees, home inspections and appraisal expenses, which can add up to about 2% to 5% of the selling price. If you’re in a slow market, offering to pay some of those closing costs for the buyer could help close the deal.

 If you would like more information on the local real estate market and what your home is worth, please call me. It is a sellers market right now. This means your home will sell for top dollar. What are you waiting for? Let's get your home sold together! 


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