The home inspection... revealing the good, bad and ugly. 

Most offers include a contingency that allows them to have any types of inspections, tests and investigations done on the property they are purchasing.  There are strict guidelines and dates that must be adhered to within this contingency.  Most typical transactions will include anywhere from 5-10 business days.  In Idaho, if items are found in the inspection that are unacceptable they(buyers) must give the seller an opportunity to repair the disapproved items, the deal cannot just be canceled.  The inspection is not a time to renegotiate, and I often warn buyers not to knit pick the inspection and ask for random items to be repaired.   I have a couple of points below that will help you take advantage of the home inspection.

1.  Make sure you give yourself enough time to adequately get all of your inspections completed without being rushed or pressured.  Also, use all the time you are given and don't feel like you need to respond too early.

2.  Take into consideration the items that you can repair yourself.  Keep in mind the cost of the repairs as well as the time it will take to get them completed.  If you don't have the money or time, it may be a good idea to ask the sellers to take care of some things.

3.  Take some of the larger concerns and get a couple bids from different contractors.  Sellers typically will respond better to items that have already been looked at by a contractor who has also bid the repair.

4.  Most inspectors will do a walk-through after the inspection to point out the items that have been found.  Keep in mind, they are looking for items that need attention or are not up to our current building standards so it can be a negative experience.  The Seller is not required to bring the home up to code.  I highly recommend buyers do a walk-through with the inspector, it is an education experience that will beneficial.

5.  Here are the options that you have as a buyer after the inspection:  (a) ask the Sellers to complete some of the repairs, if they wont you can cancel the transaction; (b)  if the sellers refuse to make the repairs you may be able to get a slight price reduction; (c) take the home as is and make the repairs on your own.

​1.  Seeing the right number of properties.  ​It is common for the excitement of looking at homes to become overwhelming.  With modern technology it is easier to rule out homes that you know are not going to work for you, it is a good rule of thumb to keep your list of homes to 12 or less.  It is also good advise not to fall in love with the first property you see.  Even if you do have "love at fist sight" with the first home you see it is a good idea to go see 3-5 other comparable homes just to make sure you make the right decision.

​2.  Finding the best deal.   ​It is no secret that our current market is a buyers market and everyone wants to feel like they got the best deal.  The word of caution here is to be careful to not pass up some nice deals waiting for the perfect deal.  There are many buyers who end up never buying because they cannot find the perfect deal.  As the market improves so does the number of buyers, you don't want to be in a multiple offer situation and end up missing out on the property because you tried to come in with a low offer.  Counsel with your buyers agent and make a good offer.

3.  Keep on budget.    It is always a good idea to get pre-approved for a loan prior to looking at property.  Nothing is more frustrating than finding the home that you love only to find out you can't get approved.   On the other hand you may be qualified for more than you want to have for a monthly payment.  Do you want extra money to spend on vacations, eating out, entertaining or even saving for your kids college.  Be smart not only about what your monthly mortgage payments will be but also the maintenance costs.  You don't want to buy a beautiful property that you can't maintain.

​4. Cheap Homes.  ​Our current market is full of short sales and bank owned properties.   Some of these homes are good homes and have been well cared for while others have been abused.   Don't totally shy away from these homes, there can be some good deals.  Just make sure you do your due diligence and be sure you are not getting a lemon.

​5.  The Right Representation.  ​The internet is great for searching for homes.  There is so much information out there.  You can search for homes without any assistance.  However, you still deserve to have the representation by a Realtor, one who continually researches the real estate market and has some inside information that cannot be found online.  You are entitled to free representation by an Exclusive Buyers Agent who will take the time to walk you through the buying process.   The buyers agent will work to find you the property that best meets your needs.  If you are looking to purchase a home in the East Idaho Real Estate market please contact us.

Last week I discussed some things you can do to improve the interior of your home to help you get your home sold quicker and for more money.  This week I want to discuss some options you can do with the exterior of the home and property to help get that buyer in the door.  Most buyers wont even want to step foot in a home that has a lousy yard.  I will outline some basic points that will make a big difference in getting your home ready to show.

Curb Appeal

It is estimated that more than 50% of homes are sold before the buyers even get out of their cars. Stand across the street from your house and review the curb appeal.

• Mow and water lawns, use a trimmer as well...clean lines are the trick
• Seed bare spots in the lawn
• Sweep or pressure wash walkways
• Remove Toys and make sure any litter is picked up
• Prune shrubs, weed flower beds and rake leaves add some fresh bark to flower beds
• Repair any broken fences, planters, trellises or walls
• Plant shrubs or install fencing to block unpleasant views

Exterior Maintenance

Again, remember the importance of curb appeal.  A well maintained home on the outside gives the buyer the initial impression that the home is well maintained on the inside as well

• Paint or varnish doors; polish door hardware
• Paint or replace street numbers on house
• Clean/wash siding, windows and screens, and A/C unit
• Repair or paint siding, trim, gutters, shutters, glazing, and window frames
• Clean oil stains from the driveway and garage
• Make sure all lighting is working
• Repair leaky faucets

Garages, Carports, & Sheds

• Keep areas clean & uncluttered, rent a storage unit if necessary.
• Replace burned out lights
• Clean up cobwebs
• Remove oil stains from floors
• Lubricate, adjust, or repair garage doors
• Organize & put away toys

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Making some preparations prior to listing your home can make a big difference in time that it takes to get it sold and the amount of money you will take home at closing.

Here are some great tips to help you get your home sold quicker.

Interior Maintenance

Remove as much clutter as possible, if nesessary hire a professional company to do a deep clean.  When buyers walk through a home that has been deep cleaned they get a sense of pride from the Sellers.  This will also help them feel like the home has been cared for.

• Vacuum Carpets and have them professional cleaned by the "Deep Steam Method"
• Replace old worn out carpet, us an area rug where needed
• Repair any dings or holes in the walls and apply a fresh coat of paint.
• Wash curtains and draperies as well as window blinds.
• Lubricate Window slides and make sure doors close smoothly and quietly
• Clean ceiling fans and light fixtures
• Buyers will open your closets and cabinets so make sure they are clean and well organized
• Clean cobwebs out of corners. 

​Kitchens & Bathrooms

Overall, kitchens and bathrooms should be spotless.  These two rooms alone can sometimes sell a home.  Cabinets should be neat and organized.  Neutralize any odors and clean all mold and mildew.

• Clean all appliances inside and out
• ​Replace all light bulbs, make sure they match if they are visible
• ​Deodorize disposal, dishwasher, & refrigerator
• Repair or replace leaky faucets
• ​Test all electrical outlets
• ​Unclutter Kitchen counters and cabinets
• Clean shower doors or replace curtain
• ​Put out fresh towels on towel racks
• Remove soap residue and lime deposits from sink, shower and bathtub
• ​Clean caulked edges to remove any mold or remove and replace with new caulk
• ​Make sure toilet flushes properly and does not continue to run.

Create Atmosphere

• ​Turn on all lights, open drapes and blinds
• ​Light candles & put out fresh flowers or bake something that smells good
• Play quiet background music
• Be absent during showings & keep pets locked up 
• Turn on Air Conditioner or Heater

The stats that I reported in January showed the general market improvement for the East Idaho Real Estate market.  The market for the 1st Quarter of this year has continued that trend.  This has been the busiest 1st Quarter for the East Idaho Real Estate market in the past 4 years.  

The median price seem to have dropped from those 1 year ago but I think that tells us that buyers are out there and ready to buy but are just being conservative with the homes they are buying.  Also, there seem to be more investors getting back into the market.  The investors are buying cheaper properties that cash-flow, or even possibly fix up and flip...yes I said flip, that is a term that has not been used in the past couple of years.

The distressed properties are still more than 1/3 of our total sales but are 5% less than 1 year ago.  The bank owned properties only make up 5% of our active inventory but because of the lower than market prices they sell much quicker than a "fair market sale"  Last year the bank owned inventory was above 10% at times.

​Overall the Real Estate market for east Idaho is up 22% for the 1st Quarter when compared to the same period last year.   Some counties reported numbers that were nearly flat but others like Madison (Rexburg) as up 44% and Bonneville (Idaho Falls) was up 25%.

​The numbers are encouraging and because of the higher demand for home our inventories have began to drop in some counties, now is not only a good time to buy but may also be a good time to sell.  If you are a homeowner and have been thinking about selling but don't know what your home is worth, click here for a no obligation home evaluation.

For a complete breakdown for all East Idaho Counties Click Here.

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Even though we woke up to snow on the ground this morning, spring is upon us.  A little snow in April is not uncommon, spring in East Idaho can be a little stubborn.  There have been several sunny days over the past couple of weeks and it seem like everyone is enthusiastically getting into their yards to get them cleaned up from the winter.  I have 5 steps to take this spring to help improve your curb appeal.

​1.  Lawn:  ​I am a person who really enjoys a nice lawn and spends time making sure that my lawn is healthy and weed-free. A nicely manicured green lawn can make a big difference to a curb appeal.  Over the past couple of years we have seen the brown burned up lawns on all of those bank owned properties, they look terrible and the bank does take a hit on price because of it.  I recommend having a lawn care company help you with weed control and fertilizer treatments, they seem to be able to get stronger product to help you maintain that beautiful green lawn.

​2.  Trim those bushes:  ​Late fall and early spring are the best times to trim back all of those overgrown bushes and trees.   Overgrown bushes can be an eyesore around homes, they look un-kept and can give buyers a negative opinion of your property.  Sometimes it may be better to just pull out some old bushes and plant some newer ones.

​3.  ​Clean up flower beds:  ​Flower beds and areas around perennial plants can be a catchall for leaves, weeds and garbage to gather from the winter winds.  Take some time to clean up the flower beds and if needed add some additional bark or rock to cover areas that have become bare.  The new bark or rock will add a lot and gives your beds a fresh look.

4.  ​Clean your window and Screens:  ​Clean windows add a lot to your curb appeal, and don't forget to clean the screens as well.  Replace old torn screens.  It is not a bad idea to pressure wash the exterior of your home as well, you would be surprises how much dirt gets builds up around your siding, brick and windows.

​5. ​Add some color:  ​There are some hardier flowering plants that will hold up while mother nature is trying to make up her mind.  Flowers add so much to a home and to the curb appeal.  Add some planter boxes or hanging baskets for more detail.

​All in all it is important to maintain a good curb appeal to help maintain the value and desirability to your home and neighborhood.  Even though you may not be selling your home it is still important to maintain a good curb appeal.  By making your home attractive will make the neighborhood attractive and help to keep values healthy, you never know when you may need to sell.  If there is 1 tip to leave with you it would be to maintain clean lines and a clean look, keep weeds down, and edges trimmed.

With an increased demand for homes in the Rexburg area over the past 6 months it has caused us to have a lower than normal inventory of homes.  Typically the winter months are our slowest time of the year, except for this year.  As I reported last week, we have had a drastic increase in activity as compared to years past.  Currently there are only 100 single family listings in Rexburg and typically we will see an increase in listings as spring comes and the weather improves.  This year we don't seem to be seeing the increase in listings which has helped the prices level off and even increase in certain price ranges.

​If you have a home or piece of property in Rexburg, Rigby or the surrounding area and have thought about selling give me a call or visit www.SEIdahoHomeValues.com and fill out the form. I would be happy to sit down with you and let you know what the market is doing in your price range.  The bank owned and short sale properties have declined in numbers which is making way for a healthier market.

Now may just be the best time for you to list your property, contact me today to discuss your options.

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The Real Estate market in East Idaho is off to a great start in 2012.  Our local market has been gaining ground since last summer and has continued to move in a positive direction for the first time in 4 years.

​As posted in my year end numbers on the January blog post, Rexburg was up nearly 20% when comparing homes sold in 2011 vs 2010.  When comparing the months of January and February of 2012 vs Jan.-Feb. 2011 Madison county was up significantly, nearly 44%.  Buyer seem to be feeling more comfortable and willing to get back into the real estate market.   Overall 2012 is up 28% in the first 2 months compared to the same period last year.  

​The percentage of distressed properties have dropped slightly so far in 2012 to 39% of our total sales.  That number was as high as 48% in the middle of 2011.  Just for clarification, when I refer to distressed properties I am talking about bank owned and short sale properties.  They may be in good or bad condition but all are referred to distressed properties.

Overall, things seem like they may have turned the corner.  The demand for homes and real estate in East Idaho seems to be increasing and our inventory seems to be stable.  With record low interest rates and great prices on a lot of real estate, now is the time to make the move.

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In an effort to continue to provide the best tools available for you as a buyer or seller, we have upgraded our website to better accommodate searches from mobile devises such as smart phones or tablets.

​The mobile devises seem to be the direction the world is heading so we hope we are ahead of the game in having a mobile friendly site.  You can still access your account from the mobile site and perform searches on all listed properties.  Of course you can still switch back to the full site if you choose

We would appreciate any feedback on the new mobile site as well as with our standard website.  We want to make sure you are happy with the site and continue to come back and use it.   Go to www.TonyStallings.com from your mobile devise and check it out!

As far as I understand each state has a variation of Real Estate Agency law.  In Idaho you have the choice as a buyer or seller whether you want to be represented exclusively by a real estate agent. 

As a Seller, if you have real estate listed in Idaho and have signed a Exclusive Seller Representation Agreement you have an exclusive sellers agent, pretty simple right? You have the choice when you sign the Seller Representation Agreement whether you will allow your listing agency to represent any buyers in the sell of your home.  The issue arises when the listing agent represents both buyer and seller, which creates a conflict of interest.  Usually this is not a big problem, you need to understand that in this situation you only have limited representation because and an agent cannot fully represent both parties at the same time.

As a buyer you have the opportunity to be represented by an agent exclusively.  The benefit for a buyer to sign a buyers representation agreement is having an Realtor that is more committed to helping you find a home or piece of property.  By having a buyers representation agreement you have some protection as you look for properties and negotiate offers.  Typically your Realtor will work harder for you with one of these agreements in place because they have the reassurance that you are committed to them and won't be working with other agents.  You can review the Agency Law Brochure in Idaho by clicking here.

There are several different roads that you can take to get to Jackson.  We chose to take Hwy 33 through Driggs and Victor. The Tetons looked beautiful as we crossed the rolling farms. We had a great time in Jackson as we hit some of the local shops, went ice skating and ate at the famous Cadillac Grille.

The quickest way to get to and from Jackson from Idaho is over the Teton Pass, it is a 10% grade, which is a fairly steep grade to drive over.  They do a good job keeping the roads clear but it is a good idea to check on the road report if traveling in the winter.  When coming home we chose to take the turnoff in Victor and come back across the Pine Creek Pass road.  This is a particularly beautiful drive in the summer.  All in all the trip was beautiful and another great day trip through some of the most beautiful country.

There are some things the you need to know when you are getting your home owners insurance for your home in East Idaho.  Of course you should discuss all aspects of your insurance with an insurance agent that you feel comfortable with and trust.   First of all, most people don't know that there is usually a clause in most policies that require you to change your policy of you are moving out of the home and it will be vacant for more than 30 days.  The reason for this is a vacant home is more susceptible to problems since nobody is monitoring it daily.  I have seen several instances where the home was vacant, the heat was not set at the right temperature and the pipes froze.  If this happens you will have a unwanted water feature in the home with will not be covered by insurance and can cause some major financial problems down the road.  If you are leaving your home vacant, make sure to contact your insurance agent to make sure you  have the right coverage.

Another thing to discuss with your insurance agent is whether you have the proper coverage if you were to have a septic or sewer backup in the home.  A lot of standard policies do not cover this problem.  The additional coverage is not that expensive and will be well worth it if you have some unexpected floaters come into your home.

All in all it is a good idea to quiz your insurance agent often to make sure you have the proper coverage.  If you are new to East Idaho and don't have an agent that you trust, contact me and I would be happy to refer you to an agent that can help you.

After I left Rexburg, he really went the extra mile in taking care of all the details in my new home purchase.  Tony has been absolutely wonderful to work with!  He arranged the appraisal and closing, recommended an insurance agent and sent me utility information, so that everything went perfectly in my move to Idaho.  I highly recommend him to anyone interested in purchasing a home in the Rexburg area.  If I ever have need of a Realtor in the future, he will be the first person I call!"

-Lynne Anderson

I would also appreciate an feedback on how I could make the site better.  I want you to be able to use the site with ease and provide the information that is pertinent and useful.  Click here to send any suggestions.

There will be some more exiting updates to be announced within the next week!

Overall, the East Idaho real estate market was down approximately 3% when comparing units sold in 2010.  In my opinion the market seems to be leveling off to a new normal... is there such thing as normal?  Most market ended the year slightly lower than the previous year with the exception of Madison County (Rexburg) which ended the year 19% higher than the previous year when comparing units sold.  The demand in Rexburg seems to be in the lower price range homes $150,000-$200,000.  

The number of bank owned and short sale homes sold were significantly higher in 2011 and seemed to have spiked mid year.    During 2011 there were some periods of time when the bank owned properties made up nearly 40% of our sales.  When the year finished out, bank owned properties made up 31% of all sales.  From our current inventory of homes for sale, bank owned properties make up 7% of the market. To view all statistical data from 2011 click here.

I am optimistic that we have reached the bottom of our market, the demand seems to be picking up and with that will eventually come higher prices.  Don't wait for prices to rise, take advantage of low prices and awesome interest rates now.

In looking forward to the new year ahead, I want to talk briefly about the real estate market.  We are now over 4 years into the downturn that has been way too long and way to deep for anybody's comfort level.  I have not finalized the numbers from 2011, I will be posting those numbers on the blog in 2 weeks.  If you read my blog post on the 3rd quarter of 2011, you would have seen an increase in units sold in a couple of counties while others were slightly down.

I like to think of myself as an optimistic person but also a realist.  From what I have seen in the past year I think that we hit the bottom and are working our way out of the pit we have been in for so long.  Are the prices where we would like them to be?  If you are a seller, probably not.  If you are a buyer, you bet!!  Right now is such a good time to buy, there are still great rates and there is an inventory of homes that are priced really well.  I have seen some deals on homes in the past year where flipping is possible again, yes I said flipping.  If you are an investor and looking for a long term investment now is a great time to buy.  I built a 4-plex in 2006 and sure wished I would have held my money and waited to buy until now, the return on investment is so much better.

Watch for my blog post in a couple weeks with the complete numbers from 2011, I am excited to see them myself.  If you are thinking of becoming a homeowner in 2012, please give me a call and lets see if we can find something that works for you!  If your plans are taking you somewhere outside of East Idaho in 2012, please call me for a free market analysis.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is going to Island Park with my family.  Usually, there is a lot of snow and the snowmobiling is fantastic.  Mother nature has not been cooperating this year and we barely have a skiff on the ground in Rexburg while Island Park has only half of what is common for this time of year.  Island Park Idaho has some of the best snowmobiling in the country and it is a beautiful time of year to go up there.  We hope to still make our trek up there this year and take advantage of quite, winterous wonderland. 

I would love to hear about anybody's Holiday traditions.  Happy Holidays to you all and best wishes for a Happy New Year!!

When I was just a young lad I was really excited to buy my first home, I was looking for a cheap investment property that I could buy, fix up and sell, basically, I was looking for a flip.  I called several local real estate companies and asked for a list of homes that fit my criteria.  I was a little confused when each of the lists I received was basically the same homes.  As I investigated further I found that Realtors belong to an MLS (Multiple Listing Service) which allows each of them to cooperate with other each other in selling their listings.  I needed to find an agent that fit my needs, and I did.

Now that I am now a Realtor I have the chance to help clients find Real Estate that fits their needs.  It is my suggestion for Buyers to find a Realtor, not only a Realtor, but find the RIGHT Realtor.  What I mean by that is for you to find a Realtor that you are comfortable with.  You may want to interview a couple different Realtors or even do some research and see if you can find one that will best match with your personality.  Finding the RIGHT Realtor will benefit you as you search for the right home.  Finding an experienced Realtor will bring insight not only about the real estate market but also about East Idaho.  Some Realtors may ask you to sign an Exclusive Buyers Representation Agreement, this should not scare you, but make sure you are comfortable with the Realtor and that you have reviewed the form prior to entering into the agreement.  I have a full bound packet that I provide to buyers that will go through the entire process.

I hope that in your search for the RIGHT Realtor you would consider me.  Let me be your RIGHT Realtor and help make the process of buying or selling real estate in East Idaho as easy as possible, like I have done for hundreds of other clients over the past 8 years.

My wife says the only reason I went to convention was for a "Mancation"...okay that may be partly true.  I went with 2 other agents from our Idaho Falls office.  We did play hooky on one of the days to attend the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, it was a lot of fun and cool to see how a show like that is produced.  The rest of  my time in California was spent at the convention.  I was able to take some classes on photography, marketing and some glasses on how to integrate a lot of the Google tools into my real estate business. 

The Realtor Trade Show and Expo was almost overwhelming.  There is so much new technology and information available. I am excited to be able to integrate some of the new tools into what I have going at this time.  In the future you can watch for a mobile web page as well as a new Facebook page for real estate.  Century 21 sponsored a tailgate party at convention and had Terrell Davis come.  They raffled off some autographed jerseys and I was lucky enough to win one of them.