Dinsmore Team

How to Buy a Home This Year!

Oct 18, 2019 5:56 pm

Written by Marie Dinsmore

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Here’s what home buyers and those who dream of owning a home need to know. Inventory’s still tight, but there are great houses waiting to be bought and loved.

Consider a fixer-upper. Instead of looking at houses above your budget, look at fixer-uppers priced below your budget and invest the rest upgrading it. You’ll end up with a home full of your own design choices, and just think of the eventual return on investment. Just be sure to buy smart: avoid fixer-uppers with red-flag issues like a crumbling foundation.

Look at old listings. Old doesn’t always mean a listing has issues—it can also mean the house was priced too high from the start. Some sellers drag their feet before lowering the price, and the house just hangs out on the market. When buyers search only for new listings, they can miss great properties with price adjustments.

Get a sneak peek. Ask your agent about “coming soon” listings for homes waiting to hit the market. Often, real estate agents have the inside scoop on homes two to four weeks before they’re listed.

Don’t let the tight market and interest rates slow down your home buying momentum. There are great homes out there, whether they’re in a hot up and coming neighborhood or your own neighborhood. For you, this year or in the New Year may just mean a new home. You can start looking for it today!

Should your real estate agent be a real estate professional?

Aug 26, 2019 10:51 am

Written by Marie Dinsmore

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A seemingly logical question might be, aren’t all real estate licensees professionals? One would hope so, but how does one distinguish this? A dictionary definition would likely say that professionals of any stripe are those that make a living in a particular trade. In that sense, any licensee actually working in the trade could be considered a professional. But can you afford to leave it at that?

By a more critical standard, real estate professionals are those that truly commit themselves to their trade. Not only do they strive to make a living out of the trade, they spend extra effort assuring competency in the work they do. They find themselves among a fellowship of like-minded people who take exceptional pride in their work. And there are plenty of statistics available that indicate that REALTORS© are far more productive, better servants.

So for a consumer to determine if their prospective agent is a professional, they might begin by asking if the agent is a REALTOR©. REALTORS© are licensed tradesmen that have committed to serve and be bound under a professional code of ethics. Licensees that do not choose to be REALTORS©, choose not to be bound by those high ideals—although surely there are some among the uninitiated that philosophically subscribe to the professional standards of the REALTOR©, they just don’t want to officially commit, for some reason.

Maybe that’s the question to ask. Why is a licensee not a REALTOR©? It’s a fair question, and one that consumers might want to ask, because if consumers become unhappy with the licensee’s work, they have a singular, logical recourse for remedy—through the judicial process, ideally via the office of the state’s real estate commissioner. On the other hand, REALTORS© have a formalized process for addressing grievances though state associations and local boards. At the associations and boards, a consumer may choose to mediate or arbitrate the matter. In such cases, a panel of REALTOR© professionals may be appointed to judge the behavior of the REALTOR© in question, and decide whether that person should be allowed to continue serving in the brotherhood. Then, if the consumer remains unsatisfied that sufficient atonement has been achieved, there is always the court system to fall back on.

Finally, please don’t forget to thank a REALTOR©, if you know one, because REALTORS© are your advocate in government. The fellowship they comprise represents the most influential voice in the entire country committed to protecting individual property rights for homeowners—from the White House all the way down to the local municipality. REALTORS© are the consummate professional.

Just remember that not all real estate licensees are REALTORS©, and there is a difference. So ask the question. Are you a REALTOR? And if you suspect a devious answer, asks to see a membership card. There really is such a thing.

The Actual Wage Needed To Rent In Forsyth County

Jul 11, 2019 12:46 pm

Written by Marie Dinsmore

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The National Low Income Housing Coalition published its annual “Out of Reach” report, finding that rental housing needs are worsening.

There is no state in which the typical minimum-wage worker charting a 40-hour week can afford to rent a modest two-bedroom apartment. Furthermore, that same worker couldn’t afford a one-bedroom rental in 99 percent of counties in the United States. That is according to an annual report published recently by researchers at the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which looked at rental costs in counties and metro areas nationwide.

The hourly wage necessary to afford a two-bedroom rental at fair market rent is $21.27, more than the $18.42 needed to rent in the state overall and less than the national wage of $22.96 in the Forsyth County area.

There is no better time to buy a new home than now. Call Marie at the Dinsmore Team @ 770-712-7789.

🏆 Alpharetta’s 2018 Small Businessperson of the Year Revealed!

Jun 18, 2019 2:50 pm

Written by Marie Dinsmore

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After two months of nominations and voting, we’re delighted to announce that there’s a winner for Alpharetta’s 2018 Small Businessperson of the Year! The winner is Marie Dinsmore of The Dinsmore Team – ReMax Around Atlanta.

Competition criteria focused on local SMB role models, who are dedicated to helping other small business people succeed. After an extended round of nominations, top nominees advanced to the finalist stage, where local Alignable members voted for their favorite candidate.

Alpharetta’s winner has received a personalized badge to celebrate this achievement. The badge can help drive more prospects, visibility and recognition on our Alignable network for the rest of 2019 and beyond. We encourage each winner to share the badge on other social media, blogs, and external sites, as well.

We were thrilled with the massive response we had after announcing this contest, which was held in 1,400+ communities across the U.S. and Canada. Special thanks go out to all participants, including more than 30,000+ nominees and voters.

Tips To Selling Your Home Faster

May 9, 2019 11:49 am

Written by Marie Dinsmore

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Hire A Professional

The housing market can be tough, and the competition even tougher. Knowing the value of a home before putting it on the market can save you a lot of frustration, time, and money. Hiring the right Realtor to fit your needs will help as well.

Realtors Know the Market: Some think that in order to cut costs, doing a For Sale by Owner transaction is the best option. What one may not realize is the amount of time and work involved with selling a home. Realtors are familiar with market trends and are able to competitively price your home.
They Know How Make a Home More Appealing To Potential Buyers: Homeowners should ensure that their homes are clean and clutter free before listing it on the market. Many times, Realtors will hire a professional home stager in order to entice potential buyers.
Realtors Know How To Find The Right Buyers: It isn’t enough to list a home, put up for sale signs and hope the right buyer appears. Realtors conduct a screening process for potential buyers. With the knowledge of a home’s actual market value, the agent is armed with all the information he or she needs to get the most money. If necessary, the home valuation will allow the Realtor to negotiate fairly.

Improve the Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is the first impression that your home will have on potential buyers, so it’s important to make it a good one. Try these simple budget upgrades to give your home the “WOW” factor that buyers are looking for!

Crystal Clean: As simple as it sounds, it is extremely important to make sure that your house is nice and clean on the outside. This is overlooked by sellers more than you’d think as they become so focused on perfecting the inside of their home that they forget about the exterior!
Knock Knock: Another important design feature of your outer home is the front door as it is one of the only features of the exterior that buyers will be forced to look at up-close. A new door will not only look great from the curb, the details of its quality will inevitably be seen by anyone who enters the home.
Raise The Roof!: If your roof isn’t in good condition; or looks like it isn’t in good condition, then upgrading it is an absolute must. Most buyers are quickly turned off when they see a roof that’s in poor condition because it can be an expensive fix.
Fantastic Furniture: Patio furniture is an easy and inexpensive way to differentiate your home from the rest! Add a pop of color to a neutral-colored house by placing vibrant chairs and planters on the front porch as featured pieces, or add a cute table and chairs to your lawn to show how useful the space can be. Be careful not to overdo it, as too much patio furniture or potted plants may give the illusion that your home is cluttered.

Stage Your Home To Sell

There are many great ways to stage your home that will immediately interest viewers, but some have the power to engage the senses and impress potential buyers all the more. Whether you’ve already put your home on the market or are looking for insider tips when you do, here are some ways to sway the eyes, ears and noses of the buyers you’re looking for.

Textures And Fabrics That Compliment: There is probably a certain kind of buyer you’ll have in mind when deciding to stage your home, so it’s important to keep in mind how your house might appear to them.
Keep A Handle On The Accessories: It’s certainly true that a personal style that gives off the sense that you really live in your home will draw in the offers, but you’ll want to keep some of it at bay so your decorating is not distracting the viewers. Instead of going for big, over-the-top pieces, stick to a style that’s neat and tidy with some quaint accents that will play it up. It may seem like a lot is required to properly stage a home, but by using these golden rules you should be well on your way to a successful sale.

Did you also know that the National Association of Realtors says most people buy from looking at the photos online and so the best place to spend money is on the exterior and professional photos in addition to staging and cleanliness.

Forsyth County Named 2nd Best Place To Retire In Country

Apr 11, 2019 9:33 pm

Written by Marie Dinsmore

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The City of Cumming has been named the second best place to retire in the country, according to a recent study by SmartAsset.

A happy, healthy retirement depends a lot on location, the study said. To find the best places to retire, SmartAsset gathered data on three separate regional factors that affect the quality of life for retirees.

First, SmartAsset looked at state and local tax rates, considering two types of taxes: income and sales. Effective tax rates were calculated based on a typical retiree earning $35,000 annually (from retirement savings, Social Security or part-time employment) and spending their disposable income on taxable goods.