Your Local Realtor Terez B. Harris

TerezHarris@kw.com

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Metairie Homes For Sale

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Terez B. Harris Terez Harris NOLA Realtor Group 504-297-2619 www.TerezHarris.com

Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100

Each office independently owned and operated. All brokers and agents licensed in the state of Louisiana.

The Metairie Mortgage Payment Detail that Many Overlook

Posted on March 23, 2015 by terezharris

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It can be a true three-ring circus as you close in on signing day for your new Metairie home. Sometimes there’s a near-simultaneous sale of the previous house that demands attention. There are the timing issues connected with moving out and then moving in. You may be dealing with furnishing the new house, school schedules, and sometimes work requirements have to be juggled; and everything seems to be happening at the same time.

Amidst all the details you are attending to, there is one that appears so simple that it may not get as much consideration as it deserves. Seeming almost like a non-decision, this one actually has major implications. It’s a true ‘sleeper.’

The subject is your decision on how you want to time the new mortgage payments for your new Metairie home. It turns out that “once a month” is not necessarily the best answer.

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Many lenders offer a variety of mortgage payment options, and they vary in ways that can make a surprisingly great financial difference over the long haul. No matter how busy you get, this is a decision which deserves some serious attention (and probably a hand calculator).

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First, there is an English language oddity to straighten out: it’s about the prefix “bi.”

If you think “bi” is a prefix that means ‘two,’ you’re right—but it also has two meanings:

‘Bimonthly’ means twice a month (but not once every two months).
‘Biweekly’ means every other week.

At first glance, “every other week” and “twice a month” seem to be the same thing; but they’re not. The difference is significant, because there are 52 (not 48) weeks in a year. As everyone comes to realize sooner or later, there are 4.3 weeks in an average month (not four). So the number of mortgage payments you will make could be 12 (if you go with the standard ‘once a month’ mortgage payment), or 24 (a bimonthly mortgage payment), or 26 (the biweekly choice).

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Most people who choose either of the ‘bi’ payment choices consider a mortgage payment amount that’s exactly half of the monthly amount. If you choose the bimonthly plan, you might save a bit on interest by paying the first half a little bit early. But most lenders just hold the money and apply both payments at the end of the month—if so, the advantage disappears.

The real significant difference arises if you are offered a biweekly option. You can use any of the online mortgage sites to work out the precise details for yourself. Because you are making two extra payments a year, for instance, what would have been a 3.8% 30-year $225,000 loan for a Metairie home actually turns into a 26-year loan. All else being equal, you’d own your Metairie home free and clear four years earlier—and save more than $23,000 in the process!

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No matter how hectic a house hunting and moving process becomes, it’s part of my job to help my clients keep the important details and decisions front-and-center. Getting the best answer to the mortgage payment choice is one of them; and of course, another best answer is to give me a call!

Our city has so much beautiful culture to offer… Love our city, New Orleans.

Questions about Buying or Selling a Home? Give me a call! Terez B. Harris (504)297-2619

Terez B. Harris

Terez Harris NOLA Realtor Group

(504)297-2619

TerezHarris@kw.com

homeval

FSBO1

What is Your Metairie Home Worth in Today's Real Estate Market?

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Terez B. Harris Terez Harris NOLA Realtor Group 504-297-2619 www.TerezHarris.com

Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100

Each office independently owned and operated. All brokers and agents licensed in the state of Louisiana.

3 Key Ways You Can Help Your Metairie Real Estate Agent

Posted on March 6, 2015 by terezharris

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In the weeks before you decide which of our local real estate agents will represent you and your home once it goes on the market, you’re probably looking for a Metairie Realtor^® with the qualities that make a great sales person: knowledgeability, directness, personality, trustworthiness. Likeability is always helpful, but it’s only one among many qualifications. This is a business decision, and an important one for you and your family.

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Then, the instant you make your selection, the landscape changes completely! You are no longer on your own: you and your Metairie real estate agent are members of a team that’s ready to get to work on the project. You both want your home on and off the market as quickly as possible, so the smoother the workflow with your real estate agent goes, the better.

Your real estate agent will already be hard at work assembling the marketing program that will attract prospects from near and far, but you can be helpful even with that effort. It’s the first of three key ideas that are often pointed to as key contributions owners can make:

· Help your agent with unique selling points

What makes your home different from all the others that will be listed for sale? Every property has unique selling points that don’t fit into the standard check boxes, so let your agent know. Qualified agents are already thoroughly familiar with Metairie’s broad attractions, but you’ve experienced specific advantages to living in this home, in this neighborhood. Each selling point is another facet that could fire a buyer’s imagination. Having a rich store of real life anecdotes to draw upon will strengthen your agent’s ability to put your home in the limelight.

Keep it cozy without clutter

Most times, an owner is still living at home, so your Metairie real estate agent will be working with what you have available when it comes to furniture and home décor. It’s a strongpoint when prospective buyers are able to project themselves into being the comfortable homeowners. If they’re prevented from envisioning your home as their own, they’ll be out the door and onto the next! Clearing away personal items helps with that—and keeping the clutter level low increases the sense of spaciousness. If buyers see an overstuffed closet, they’ll sense a house that lacks storage space. If kitchen counters are cluttered, they’ll think the space is too small.

· Be flexible with your schedule

Your real estate agent lists your house, makes sure to market it in all the many venues available, arranges open houses and showings, and spreads the word throughout the industry. During this part of the process, you help greatly by being as flexible as possible when it comes to showings. Sometimes potential buyers may seem to be placing insensitive scheduling burdens on the team—but as any serious-minded house hunter can tell you, they have their own scheduling issues, too!

Selling a home is a team effort, for sure; one you can decide to launch with a simple phone call to me at my office! Terez B. Harris (504)297-2619

Terez B. Harris

Terez Harris NOLA Realtor Group

(504)297-2619

TerezHarris@kw.com

homeval

FSBO1

KellerWilliams_125_NewOrleans_Logo_RGB

Terez B. Harris Terez Harris NOLA Realtor Group 504-297-2619 www.TerezHarris.com

Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100

Each office independently owned and operated. All brokers and agents licensed in the state of Louisiana.

The Virtue Metairie Home Buyers Learn to Value Highly

Posted on February 10, 2015 by terezharris

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Patience + a Metairie Real Estate Agent = Job Done!

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Unless you’ve had occasion to buy a corporate jet or office building recently, the sheer size of a home purchase puts it in a class of its own. One indicator is that most people decide to engage the services of a Metairie real estate agent to help them out. This is not a trip to the mall… Metairie Homes 100K-200K

It follows that first-time home buyers usually approach the whole process with a great deal of caution—an entirely appropriate attitude. Buying a home is one purchase you will be living with for a long time, so getting it right is worth any amount of effort. Metairie Homes 200K-300K

Veterans of the home-buying fray start out with the advantages experience brings. They know the how’s, when’s and why’s of the home inspection and loan application processes, and when their real estate agent supplies them with listing printouts, their eyes quickly fall to the details that are most important in their current quest (which could be anything from property tax figures to details about the mechanicals). If they aren’t yet familiar with all of Metairie’s neighborhoods, they know to quiz their real estate agent about the pertinent local characteristics, especially when some features like school ratings or traffic patterns are likely to be key factors in the final choice. And they know that the first property that looks good on paper may not pan out in person. Metairie Homes 300K-400K

For first-timers as well as home-buying veterans, there is one key mental predisposition that is sure to make the experience less stressful—and possibly more rewarding. It’s a mindset that doesn’t always come without effort—especially when time pressures are involved. The virtue in question is straightforward: patience.

· Don’t Rush

Don’t give up after the first five (or eight) houses. Home buying is a process, and it can be a glacial one at times. By showing you houses, your Metairie real estate agent gets an ever-sharper idea of what you’re searching for. You may not wind up with the first or even tenth house you are shown. If you prepare yourself for a house-buying process that could take several months, you’re much less likely to let impatience cause you to settle for less than otherwise.

· Bid for Value

The offer and negotiation processes are more of an art than a science—and this alone would be reason enough to want a Metairie real estate agent to be on your team. A Metairie agent knows the comps in the area, how truly comparable each is, what they sold for, and how the market is moving. If an offer is countered, your agent can suggest non-monetary inducements where appropriate…and let you know if it might be time to move on.

Don’t Be Discouraged

If you bid on a home but wind up losing it, don’t become discouraged. It’s hard to temper emotions when house hunting, but it works to your interest when you continue to view the entire process as a business proposition.

Even should a house offer fall through, you can rest assured that there are other viable candidates out there. With patience, a businesslike frame of mind, and an experienced Metairie real estate agent by your side, the odds are definitely stacked in your favor. Giving me a call is a good way to start taking advantage of them!

Terez B. Harris

Terez Harris NOLA Realtor Group

(504)297-2619

TerezHarris@kw.com

homeval

FSBO1