Christopher Block

Even if your question gets to the listing agent they won't tell you if the seller is going to come down in price. That is unethical and would be going against the confidentiality aspect of the contract. I agree that at the end of the day you need to know MV (market value of the home) so that you can make an educated offer. Buyer's agents get paid by the seller, so you have nothing to lose working with one of us when it comes time to buy.

I think you can find statistics, but in my professional opinion they are meaningless from a practical standpoint as a listing agent. Most of the things a seller has to do is universal. De-clutter the home, clean the heck out of it to make the home shine, and make sure the lighting is good for showings. For some of my sellers I bring on a staging consultant. She gives them ideas of cheap artwork or very minor items to add into the existing home for a good touch. I walk into a lot of homes that don't even have the basics. But 7% increase by just doing that, and on top 100 day cut on DOM? I don't think so. For marketing it still comes down to objections and features of the home. I can stage a home, but if there is a lot of deferred maintenance it is going to have little impact. It also does not make sense to have a seller stage their home, and then the agent does not get professional photos done. Where I see staging the most powerful is in 100% move-in ready homes then where the "stuff" inside is actually hurting sales price. At the end of the day remove the objections and highlight the features period. That is marketing 101.

The MLS requires listing agents to have minimum 1 photo, so yes you most likely just were looking at a new listing. I hate when there are no inside photos, but it pretty much tells me that the inside sucks. Keep that in mind for yourself when looking at photos.

Typically homes priced under $50,000 will be in "war zones" as some in real estate say, but basically the worst neighborhoods in the metropolitan of where you currently live. Every state has them, and at least in Minnesota the government is doing their best to rebuild and stabilize these neighborhoods. I know of one federal grant that was given where you got $15,000 DP assistance for these areas. Just research programs online for Jackson and I am sure you will find them. And for Mattie the answer is still no. Financing won't change just because the purchase price is lower. The banks need to see 640 minimum, and you might find a national lender that can do a little bit lower. Your best solution is to look at rent-to-own or contract-for-deed until you can get traditional financing.

FHA is typically the lowest you can do at 3.5% down payment, but at $130,000 I have to believe you will qualify for down payment assistance. Every state has them. Your average credit score needs to be 640, and lenders want to see minimum 3 credit accounts with a 12 month continuous good standing. If you have all of this you can get pre-approved in a short period of time. FHA takes a good 30 days to close once you have an offer accepted on a property. Good Luck!

The first step in the home buying process is to get pre-approved from a lender. Some buyers do this themselves by researching the internet, but I will say that the majority of them use a lender by referral. A realtor on here can also refer you to a local one too. But the financial aspect of purchasing a home is 90% of the equation. What is your down payment? DO you qualify for down payment assistance? What is your monthly payment including everything going to be? What purchase price works for you? Can you even qualify right now, or do you need time? The financing part is what PREPARES you to buy. The rest a realtor can help you out with, but I am telling all my buyers to see a loan officer 1 year out from purchase if they are first time.

Oops double answer I hate technology sometimes LOL!

Just click on the listing, and the Top middle of the page under list price will be the listing agent's contact information. Just remember that their job is to protect the seller and get them the best deal, and they could care less how you end up. A buyer's agent works for you solely at all times, and the seller pays our commission in Minnesota. I can also get you set up on a property search from the MLS that only realtors have access to. Blaine is one of my primary areas, so if you would like to discuss more about what I have said just contact me using the Blue Link on the top of this reply. Good Luck and Happy House Hunting! ~Chris

All you have to do is click on the listing, and right under list price in the top middle should be the listing agent and phone number to get into contact with. Just remember that their job is to get the best price and terms for their seller not you Joseph. A buyers agent gets paid by the seller, and when it comes to representation they work solely for you. Blaine is one of my primary areas, so if you have any questions or would like to discuss what I have said further just get in contact with me (Just CONTACT ME in blue). Otherwise, good luck and Happy House Hunting! ~Chris