Happy Earth Day

Today is Earth Day and I am finally trying to do my part in preserving, conserving, and cleaning up to make at least my corner of the world a better place to live.  I am the official gatekeeper this month for my office’s recycling efforts.  That means that I am charged with taking our recyclables over to the recycling center and keeping the bins empty. So far I have a full bag of cardboard, half bag of plastic bottles, and a half bag of aluminum cans.

I spent last weekend (April 12th) near LaVergne’s Youth Incorporated Ranch with three of my Girl Scouts picking up litter along the side of the road.  We picked up about 12 rusted paint cans (with paint still inside) and about a dozen bags of garbage.  It was nasty stuff.

I leave you with one thought… an agent at our meeting this morning told us about a friend who has a fancy long-haired cat.  The owner brushes the cat outside and doesn’t clean up the brushed out hair.  When she went to visit her, she saw a beautiful beautiful bird’s nest made of the cat hair.  She said,

“Even the birds are recycling.”

Open House TODAY

I will be at 279 Bill Stewart Blvd. in LaVergne today for an open house.  Frankly, I’m very surprised this hasn’t yet sold. The decor is phenomenal, the house is immaculate.  It’s a pet-free and smoke-free home so anyone with sensitive noses would enjoy living here!  Please stop by anytime from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.  This open house is a part of the Affordable Home Tour sponsored by the Tennessean.  You’ll receive an entry card for prize drawing valued at up to $500.

The Remains of the Pocket: Lint

My pockets are empty but for some random pieces of lint thanks to our tax bill.  I hope this will get my mind off of April 15th! 

Relay for Life Auction Coming

Bob Parks Realty - SMYRNA - is hosting a live auction for Relay for Life on Thursday, April 24th starting at 5:30 p.m.  Proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society to help fund research to find a cure. The auction location will be Dugger’s Food & Fun in Murfreesboro at 1738 W. Northfield Blvd. Murfreesboro, TN.  37129.

If you are unable to attend and would like to bid on some of the items please let us know and we will make contact with you when the items are up for bid.

The following items will be available:

1.  Albert Haynesworth autographed photo with collectible trading card and piece of jersey.

MORE AFTER JUMP

Shopping for Mortgage Rates

By Miranda Marquit, guest writer

It has always been a bit interesting to me that many people are willing to shop around for the best deals on their groceries, and even compare credit card offers. Few, however, actually shop around to get the best mortgage rate. Getting a good deal on your groceries (especially through a combination of coupons and sales) can feel good, but the money you save pales in comparison with what you could save if you get the best possible mortgage rate. Here are some things you can do in order to get the lowest mortgage rate:

Get your credit score up to specs. Especially in today’s mortgage market, you need your credit score in good shape. Plan ahead three to six months and work on getting your credit score up a bit by paying bills on time, reducing credit card balances and fixing any mistakes that might be there. (You can get a free credit report each year at AnnualCreditReport.com.)

Know your financial situation. Knowing your monthly income, and having a clear picture of your financial obligations (read: debts) and your credit history can help you when you visit different mortgage lenders. Make sure that you are completely honest. That way, the different offers you get are more likely to be accurate.

Meet with a few mortgage lenders and brokers. Make appointments with three to five mortgage lenders and/or brokers in town. Ask them about different home loan programs, as well as the kind of interest they can offer you. Make sure that you have a list of the questions to ask. You’ll get the best comparison if you have the same information from each.

Try looking online. There are Web sites like Lending Tree that allow you to put in your personal information and get back offers from different Web sites. Get this information, and take it with you when you meet with local mortgage brokers and lenders.

Remember to avoid getting “pre-approved” at this time. Rather, just find out what sort of ballpark offer you can get. Pre-approval requires a credit score check, and after a few them it can harm your credit score (which can affect final approval down the road). Also, don’t be tempted by variable rates and interest only loans. The rates may be lower, but in the long run, when the payments reset, you could run into serious problems – including possible foreclosure if you can’t make the higher payments.

Miranda Marquit writes about mortgage loans for LoanShak and the Banks.com Mortgage Blog. She also edits Creditorweb, a site that allows you to compare credit card offers.

Working at the Car Wash

Real estate is not just an 8 to 5 job (with an hour break for lunch).  We work evenings, we work weekends.  Sometimes we even work at night.  I once negotiated a contract at 11:00 p.m. – through the tail end of a hurricane – because time was of the essence.  Those clients saw my commitment to them and have subsequently become lifetime friends.

I’m at the office today.  Earlier a bunch of Bob Parks agents came together to hold a charity car wash for the Relay for Life, with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.  Here we are!

Stephanie and Karmen try to flag down drivers.

Thankfully they put all of us old women on the “drying” patrol. I can’t squat anymore like this young generation of whippersnappers.

 

We raised $168, plus pre-sold about $800 in tickets (only $50 were used today).  We’ll be there again next Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Questions to Ask Your Buyers Agent

I’ve written before questions you should ask when interviewing a listing agent.  But how do you know if you’re working with a competent agent when you buy a home?  Here’s a good start!

1. What is agency?
2. What systems do you have in place to assure attention to detail?
3. What is a CLUE report and how is it important?
4. Do you have testimonials from other agents (your peers)?
5. What percent of your business is by referral?
6. What is the absorption rate of this market?
7. Do you hold the ABR designation?
8. Can I call your last buyers or sellers and ask their opinion of your work? Or ask to see copies of letters or thank you cards given to you from buyers or sellers.
9. How long have you been in residential real estate?
10. Would you hire yourself?  Why?
11. Should I ask for or purchase a home warranty?
12. What is a comparative market analysis?
13. How much money do I need up-front when I buy?
14. What is PMI?
15. What is title insurance and what does it cover?
16. Do you personally look at my income and financial situation?

There are so many more questions you should ask, but these should help you get started.  You should expect an intelligent answer with any of these questions.