Jennifer Paige / Central Coast Real Estate

When it comes to buying a house, the highest offer always gets the house right? Surprise! The answer is often no. Conventional wisdom might suggest that during negotiations, especially in a multiple-offer situation, the buyer who throws the most money at the seller will snag the house. In reality, however, it doesn’t always end up that way. Here are few reasons why your lower offer might just beat that higher one after all. Cash is always king... If you can pay cash, you’ll likely win out over a higher-priced offer, every time. It may sound impossible to make such a huge purchase without any financing, but many people do it. The next best thing to cash: A pre-approval letter. A pre-approval letter is a confirmation you’ve acquired from your mortgage broker or bank that confirms you’re ready to buy in a set price range and have been pre-approved for the loan. Not overloading on contingencies Contingencies are negotiating tools that give you an opportunity to walk away without consequence. The most common contingencies are the inspection, the financing, and the appraisal. Answer: False! And that’s one to grow on! DRE #01982658 #facts #highestandbest #realestate #cash #offeraccepted #contingency #appraisal #inspection #buyersagent #listingagent #805living #centralcoastrealestate #orcutt #santamaria #santamariavalley

Are there any factors that can make your home unsellable? You bet! In my previous tip, I explained why looking at your home through a seller’s eyes may not be a good approach! Not Doing Research Before Putting Your Home on the Market! Hardly any FSBO sellers check to see if there are any open permits, violations, or additional liens on the property. I’ve heard folks tell me that they were less than a week from closing when they found out that there was either an open perm...it, violation, or additional lien on the house. My recommendation is to have an attorney or a realtor ( Me! ) closely examine your situation, and guide you in the right direction before putting your house on the market! 805-801-1677 DRE #01982658 #forsale #realestate #comparitivemarketanalysis #research #no #fsbo #805living #santamaria #santamariavalley #orcutt #realtor #springmarket2021 #letsdothis #centralcoastrealestate

Crush your week! DRE #01982658 #mondaymotivaton #makestuffhappen #goals #happy #getready #crushit #805living #orcutt #santamariavalley #santamaria #centralcoastrealestate #realtor

Deferred Maintenance issues and ways they can impact your home’s worth. Let’s continue with another important tip of this series. What brings down property value | Tip #3: An Unsightly Yard.... They call it curb appeal for a reason. If your yard is in poor condition or overrun with stuff, expect your property value to suffer. On the flip side, elaborate landscaping or even a koi pond can also put a dent in your property value since many homeowners don’t want to handle the extra maintenance. Don’t sit back and watch your property value decline, take action! DRE #01982658 #homemaintenance #homevalue #yard #landscape #keepitclean #homeforsale #curbappeal #realestate #805living #centralcoastcalifornia #santamariavalley #santamaria #orcutt #realtor

After a cold winter or input case, rain and wind, it can be thrilling to see the temperatures climb just a bit higher. This might also get you thinking about your spring cleaning. I’ve got a handy checklist of chores that will get your home ready to rock when the weather actually gets warm: Check gutters, remove debris Test carbon monoxide smoke detectors... Change furnace filters Wash out garbage cans What’s on your checklist for this month? DRE #01982658 #homemaintenance #springcleaning #tips #realestate #805living #centralcoast #centralcoastcalifornia #orcutt #santamariavalley #santamaria #realtor

It’s time to Wrap up 2020! What a doozy. Cheers to the New Beginnings. Thank you for your continued support throughout the year! Should 2021 bring you a change of address, please contact me. It would be my absolute pleasure to assist you. Stay safe out there. ... DRE #01982658 #bringon2021 #nye2020 #newbeginnings #goals #healthandwellness #staysafe #realestateagent #orcuttrealestate #santamaria #centralcoastcalifornia

Today I would like to address the most commonly asked question I’ve been getting lately: What kind of credit score do I need to buy a home? Most loan programs require a FICO score of 620 or better. Borrowers with higher credit scores represent less risk to the lender, often resulting in a lower down payment requirement and better interest rate. Conversely, home shoppers with lower credit scores may need to bring more money to the table or accept a higher interest rate to of...fset the lender’s risk. DRE #01982658 #homebuyers #homebuyingtips #creditscore #ficoscore #mortgage #homeshopping #realestate #downpayment #realtor #orcutt #santamariavalley #orcutthomes #centralcoastrealestate #nipomo #arroyogrande

Wishing you and yours a very safe and merry holiday! DRE #01982658 #christmastime #holidayseason #christmaslights #familytime #seasonofgiving #christmas2020 #jolly #yummyfood #treats #familytime #realtor #orcuttrealestate #santamaria #centralcoastcalifornia

One of the biggest barriers to homeownership is not having enough cash to put down on a house at closing. While you might think you won’t be able to buy a home if your savings account is looking a bit lean, there are ways you can make it work. Tip #1: See if you qualify for a VA loan Active duty service-members, veterans, and their family members are eligible for a VA loan, which is backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This allows qualifying buyers to purchase a hom...e with no down payment and little-to-no closing costs. Stay tuned for more tips! DRE #01982658 #homebuyertips #home #firsttimehomebuyer #realestate #veteran #valoans #mortgage #downpaymentassistance #realtor #orcuttrealestate #orcutt #santamariavalley #nipomo #centralcoastrealestate

In last week’s homebuyer tips, I touched on the importance of not making big-ticket purchases before finalizing your home purchase. Let’s continue with step #2. Getting pre-approved means a lender has looked at all of your financial information and they’ve let you know how much you can afford and how much they will lend you. Here’s what being pre-approved means to you: It will save you a lot of time and energy so you are not running around looking at houses you can’t affor...d. It also gives you the opportunity to shop around for the best interest rates. Sellers may request a pre-approval letter from you before allowing you to schedule a showing. Do your research. Learn about processing fees and points to make sure there aren’t hidden costs in the loan. Last but not least, contact me in the event you have any questions. I’d be more than happy to recommend a few reputable lenders to get you started. DRE #01982658 #firsttimehomebuyer #homebuyertips #homebuyers #realestate #realtor #stayinformed #maketherightmove #contactme #orcutt #santamaria #santamariavalley #nipomo #arroyogrande

Woohoo! SOLD! A beautiful new build for an amazing client! Another happy buyer! Congratulations! DRE#01982658 #happybuyer #firsttimehomebuyer #realestate #newconstruction #beautiful #freshandclean #mortgage #moderndesign #centralcoastrealestate #arroyogrande

Unless you’re a fan of cold weather, your natural inclination might be to hunker down during the winter and wait for spring’s arrival. However, before going into hibernation mode, there are a few winter home maintenance chores you should attend to: Drain garden hoses and winterize outdoor faucets Test out your thermostat Clean air conditioning filters... #homemaintenance #gettingreadyforwinter #homeownership #chillyweather #realestate #realtor #fireplace #staycozy #holidayseason #hotcocoa #orcutt #santamaria #santamariavalley #centralcoastcalifornia

It’s not wise to make any huge purchases or move money around 3-6 months before buying a new home. You don’t want to take any big chances with your credit profile. Lenders need to see that you’re reliable and they want a complete paper trail so that they can get you the best loan possible. If you open new credit cards, amass too much debt or buy a lot of big-ticket items, you’re going to have a hard time getting a loan.... Bottom line: save money and money will save you. DRE#01982658 #realestatetips #homebuyers #homebuying101 #househunters #homeownership #dreamhome #budgeting #firsttimehomebuyer #realtor #homepurchase #orcuttrealestate #santamaría #santamariavalley #nipomo #arroyogrande #centralcoast

Wishing you all the joys of the holiday season DRE#01982658 #festiveseason #christmasspirit #holidayhome #holiday #homesweethome #christmasdecor #holidaybaking #realtor #orcuttrealestate #santa #santamariavalley #centralcoastcalifornia #realestatereferrals #thankful

From my family to yours, sending you my warm wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving. #homefortheholidays #gobblegobble #givingthanks #thanksgivingrealestate #thanksgivingcooking #orcuttrealtor #santamaria #santamariavalley #realtor #centralcoast #familytime

If you hope to get the best mortgage rate possible, you’ll need to make sure that you are well-qualified. Below are some of the key criteria that mortgage lenders evaluate, as well as some tips you can use to improve your current standing. Credit Scores: The higher your credit score, the lower your mortgage rate. Employment and Income Stability: Mortgage lenders prefer that can prove steady employment for at least the past two years. Debt-to-Income Ratio: Measures the tot...al of all your monthly minimum debt payments, plus your proposed new housing payment, divided by your stable monthly gross income. Down Payment: Since mortgages are price adjusted based on risk factors, a loan with 5% down is considered higher risk than one with 20% down, and will carry a higher interest rate. Cash Reserve: The standard requirement for cash reserves on a mortgage is two months - you must have liquid cash after closing to cover your new mortgage payment (principal, interest, taxes, and insurance) fir at least the next 60 days. Once you e positioned yourself for the best mortgage rate, it’s time to comparison shop. Don’t know where to begin? Contact me and I will connect you with a few good lenders. DRE#01982658 #homebuyertips #firsttimehomebuyer #realestate #realtor #buyers #mortgagetips #mortgageloanofficer #buyersagent #listingagent #orcutt #orcuttrealestate #santamaria #santamariavalley #nipomo #arroyogrande

November is a great month to check off your fall home maintenance tasks. This is a great month to finish up outdoor projects before any inclement weather begins. Below are a few suggestions: Clean roof and remove debris, leaves, branches.... Aerate the lawn and remove leaves. Cut back tree limbs and branches. Replace outdoor light bulbs if necessary. DRE #01982658 #homemaintenance #home #realestate #realtor #homecare #holidayseason #tips #orcutt #santamariavalley #nipomo #arroyogrande #centralcoast

Today we’re remembering and honoring those that have served! A salute to courage, honor, and commitment. Thank you for your service. License #01982658

How much do I pay my agent to help me buy a house? Agents representing buyers (buyer’s agent) are compensated by the listing broker (seller’s agent) for bringing home buyers to the table. When the home is sold, the listing broker splits the listing fee with the buyer’s agent.... So, as a buyer looking to buy a house, you DON’T PAY your agent any fees or commissions. License #01982658 #buyersagent #buyingahome #buyingandselling #firsttimehomebuyer #homebuyingprocess #realtor #realestatefacts #orcuttrealestate #santamariavalley #nipomo #arroyogrande #centralcoast

Vote. It’s your right. It counts. License #01982658 #vote2020 #yourvotecounts #yourvoicematters #realtor #orcutt #santamariavalley #nipomo #arroyogrande #centralcoast

Feeling rested? Don’t forget to change your clocks today. License #01982658 #fallvibes #fallback #rest #extrahourofsleep #holidayseason #realtor #orcutt #santamariavalley

Happy Halloween! Have a safe one! And ...there ain’t nothing spooky about real estate. If you’re in the market, have questions or need assistanceDM, text or call me at 805-801-1677. License #01982658 #spooky #halloween2020 #realestate #realtor #firsttimehomebuyer #buyingahome #sellinghomes #orcuttrealestate #orcutt #santamaria #santamariavalley #nipomo #arroyogrande