Adult Truths: Something to make you go...hmmmm.

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing is more awful than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. Seriously, how in the world are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood!

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. Stop trying to sell me something. If I really wanted it, I would have called you!

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay. Sorry, the commercial is cute, but it's probably true.

17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

10 Simple Tips to Take the Stress Out of Home Buying Process - Focus on the Positives!

Tip 10: Buyer's Remorse After the Purchase.

 

 

Buying a home is a big financial commitment, but many first-time home buyers suffer from buyer's remorse after they complete the closing on their brand new home. This is common not only because it represents a significant change in the life of one's family, but also because it is an enormous financial decision that often creates waves in the family budget. If you're suffering from home buyer's remorse, follow these tips to deal with the regret you feel.

Talk to Friends and Family

Someone - your spouse, your sister, your aunt or your best friend - can remind you why you fell in love with the house in the first place. Often, home buyer's remorse is a result of new problems you find in a home, so try to remember why you thought it was such a good idea during your first tour. In most cases, your fears are just products of stress and worry, which are making small issues seem like big ones. Deep breaths, everyone.

Get to Decorating

Perhaps you're experiencing home buyer's remorse because your house just doesn't feel like home yet. If you start decorating your house - new paint, new floors, new window treatments, new counter tops - it will start to look like a place in which you want to live. If you don't have the cash to replace things just yet, start putting your own pictures on the walls and knick-knacks on the shelves.

Surround Yourself with Familiarity

Don't let regret overshadow the real reasons you feel depressed. Home buyer's remorse can be the product of unfamiliar territory. You've uprooted yourself from your old home and now you're in an unfamiliar place. Remind yourself that you have family and friends who love you, and you still have the belongings you brought to the new house. Get rid of that pesky regret by going through boxes of old books or looking through scrapbooks.

Get Off the Internet

A major pitfall that can cause home buyer's remorse is the continual scouring of the Internet for other, better houses. You can't return the one you just bought, so quite looking at MLS listings on the Internet.

 

Sure, that other house might have a bigger master bedroom or prettier landscaping, but that isn't the one you chose to buy. You'll sink yourself farther into regret by looking at houses you just can't have.

Shun the Negativity

You'll have people in your life who will praise your new home and congratulate you on a job well-done. You'll also have people who want to criticize everything from the ceramic tile floor to the sloped bedroom ceiling, so get rid of that negativity. Home buyer's remorse can be created through the negativity of others, so please don't let them get to you. It's better to focus on the positives.

Distance Yourself

If you've found that your home buyer's remorse is more than overwhelming, take a brief vacation with your family to get away from it all. The weeks after you buy a new home might seem like the worst time to leave, but it can help you distance yourself from your worries and bring a healthy new glow to your life. Perhaps the stress of packing, moving, closing and unpacking has just clouded your judgment. 

Finally...

Take time to make it yours. With each area of the house you "settle" -- that is, get the room to the point at which you can enjoy being in the room without distraction by the undone items in the room. Prioritize structure over cosmetics, and heavy use rooms over out of the way corners, and prioritize anything that affects your day to day living -- water, heat, electricity, kitchen functions, etc. Take the better part of the day and do one area that you know you can finish that day and truly notice the change and feel more settled for having done it. 

Start having people over. They will tell you how great your home is. They won't see all the little things you see. Take pleasure in the pleasure others take in your house.

Congratulations! You are a home owner...and everyone loves your new home and how you have made it yours!

 

12304 Swanhaven Dr - Rivendell on the Lake

You will fall in LOVE with this incredible 2 story home in prestigious Rivendell on the Lake. The features are endless: hand scraped wood floor, marble & ceramic tile, designer fixtures, Pickled Oak cabinetry, stainless steel appliances,  Sub Zero fridge, huge pantry, granite breakfast bar, beautiful open staircase w/ wrought iron railing, wired for surround sound, wonderful whirlpool tub in master, huge shower, dbl vanities w/granite, 6” crown molding & baseboards, plantation shutters, Romeo balcony, library paneling, 3rd living room upstairs has wet bar & lots of hall cabinets. Study for him, computer nook for her by the kitchen. Huge laundry room. Square footage of a 5 car garage, but 3 car side entry, keyless entry, intercom system, insulated garage doors, tons of storage. Upstairs: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3rd living, wet bar, library, & media room. Salt water heated pool. Lots of details & charm await you. Call TODAY for your private viewing!

Be sure to visit: http://www.rhondasrealestate.com for more information.

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10 Simple Tips to Take the Stress Out of Home Buying Process - Focus on the Positives!

Tip 9: Negotiation in Real Estate.

Whether you're a buyer or a seller you want to succeed in the real estate market. That's natural and reasonable, but what are the steps you need to triumph?

Negotiation is an important part of the real estate buying process. It's a complex matter and all transactions are unique. Negotiating too much...trying to get an extra low price, or even refusing to budge on your offer may cost you the home in the end.

Both sides—buyer and seller—want to feel that the outcome favors them, or at least represents a fair balance of interests. In the usual case there is a bit of bluff, some give-and-take, and neither party gets everything they want.

 

So how do you develop a strong bargaining position, one which will help you get the most from a transaction? Experience shows there are five basic keys which will determine who wins at the negotiating table.

 

• What does the market say?

At various times we're in a "buyers" market, a "sellers" market, or a market where housing supply and demand are roughly equal. If possible, you want to be in the market at a time when it favors your position as a buyer or seller.

Because all properties are unique—it is possible to buck general trends and have more leverage than the marketplace would seem to allow. For instance, if you have a property in a desirable neighborhood with only a few sales, you may be able to get a better deal than elsewhere. Or, if you're a buyer who can quickly close, that might be an important negotiating chip when dealing with an owner who just got a new job 500 miles away.

• Who has leverage?

If you're on the front page of the local paper because your business went bust—and the buyer knows it—you have little going for you in the bargaining process. Alternatively, if you're among six buyers clamoring for that one special property, forget about dictating an agreement—the owner can sit back and pick the offer which represents the highest price and best terms.

• What are the details?

A lot of attention in real estate is paid to transaction prices. This surely makes sense, but the key to a good deal may be more complex.

Consider two identical properties that each sell on the same day for $275,000. The houses are the same, the sale prices are the same, but are the deals the same? Maybe not. For instance, one owner may have agreed to paint the property, replace the roof, purchase a new kitchen refrigerator, and pay the first $3,000 of the buyer's closing costs. The second owner made no concessions.

 

In this example, the first house was actually sold at discount—the $275,000 purchase price less the value of the roof repairs, closing credit, and other items. If you're a buyer, this is the deal you want! If you're a seller, you would prefer to be the second owner and give up nothing.

• What about financing?

Real estate transactions involve a trade—houses for money. We know the house is there, but what about financing? There are several factors that impact the money issue:

1. Has the buyer been pre-qualified or pre-approved by a lender? Meeting with a lender before looking at homes does not usually guarantee that financing is absolutely, unquestionably available—a loan application can be declined because of appraisal problems, title issues, survey findings, and other reasons.
   But, buyers who are "pre-qualified" or "pre-approved" (these terms do not have a standard meaning around the country) at least have some idea of their ability to finance a home and know that they are likely to qualify for certain loan programs.
   The result is that pre-qualified buyers represent less risk to owners than a purchaser who has never met with a lender. If the seller accepts an offer from a buyer with unknown financial strength, it's possible that the transaction could fail because the buyer can't get a loan. Meanwhile, the owner may have lost the opportunity to sell to a qualified buyer.
2. The lower the interest rate, the larger the pool of potential buyers. More buyers equal more potential demand...good news for sellers.
   Alternatively, high rates or even rising rates may drive buyers from the marketplace—and that's not good for anyone.
3. It used to be that downpayments were a major financing hurdle—but not anymore. For those with good credit, loans with 5 percent down or less are available. Reduced downpayment requirements are good for both buyers and sellers.

• Who has expertise?

Imagine you're in a fight. The other guy has black belts in 12 martial arts—and you don't. Who's going to win? Who do you want representing you at the bargaining table?

Successful negotiation depends on give and take, so make sure you are being fair in your requests. Work with a Realtor who has the negotiation skills to make the transaction come together...one with collaboration, competitive, and compromise knowledge and expertise that comes with being a Certified Negotiation Expert.

Tip 10: Buyer's Remorse After the Purchase.

10 Simple Tips to Take the Stress Out of Home Buying Process - Focus on the Positives!

Tip 8: Buy it because you Love it!

A home's most important role is to serve as a comfortable, safe place to live, so don't get bogged down with thinking about your home's appreciation.

It's easy to love the home when it has great curb appeal...is perfectly staged with gorgeous furnishings and smells good. Those are the obvious things. But...before we can fall in love...

Remember our first steps in our Home Buying Process:

1. Getting Pre-Approved - so once we see that perfect home and we love it...we can buy it! 

2. Stick to that Budget - let's not look at homes we can't afford!

3. Keep your Emotions in Check - did you fall in love and forget being practical!

4. Your Lifestyle - will this home fit the way you live?

5. Physical Aspects - don't get caught up loving it that you aren't even thinking!

6. When to Buy - just because you were looking doesn't mean this is the right time for you.

7. Family & Friends - they may talk you out of it, or may even talk you into it because they love it...but remember...some advice isn't always good advice.

Thinking about how much of a home you are buying...in the neighborhood you are buying...and how much equity you will have doesn't mean a thing if you don't stay in the home long enough to recoup any of it. Don't get bogged down with all that if you don't even care about the home. Buy it because you love it!

Tip 9: Negotiation in Real Estate.

10 Simple Tips to Take the Stress Out of Home Buying Process - Focus on the Positives!

Tip 7: Family & Friends Opinions

 

It's natural to want to get opinions from those you trust before you make your final choice, but too much input will ultimately make the decision process much harder.

You may be getting down payment assistance from family. For that reason, it's good for them to know why you are choosing a particular home. It's an investment on their part as well, but remember you will be the one making monthly mortgage payments. You may be needing approval or an extra set of eyes in the beginning stages of looking at homes if you are a first time home buyer. Once you get an idea of what to be looking for, you should be ready to step out and make those decisions on your own.

If you have friends come along, their taste may be completely different from yours, and you may miss the house you like because you were only focusing on their opinion. You may end up looking at more homes than are needed because you were distracted.

Your home is yours because it fits your family, your lifestyle, your needs, and your location of choice.

Remember to focus on what your immediate wants and needs are so that YOU will be happy with the final decision. 

Next...Tip 8: Buy It because You Love It!