What Buyers Want In A Home

Most buyers looking for a home seek specific features. The following summary is what buyers want, and this may help prioritize your home improvements to attract those buyers.

Structural Features

  • Separate laundry room on the first floor
  • Open floor plan between the kitchen and dining room 
  • Patio space for outdoor entertaining
  • Walk in kitchen pantry
  • A front porch or covered outdoor space

Accent Preferences

  • Exterior lighting
  • Ceiling fans
  • Hardwood or tile in main living areas
  • Stainless steel appliances
  • Smart home technology

Energy Elements

  • Energy-efficient windows
  • Programmable thermostats
  • Proper insulation

Contact a Mel Foster Co. agent if you’re ready to sell.

Mel Foster Co. Receives Website Quality Certification

Mel Foster Co. Earns Designation
Mel Foster Co. Earns Designation

Mel Foster Co. has been awarded the Website Quality Certification (WQC) from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® , an international network of more than 500 premier real estate firms. Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) presents the certification to member companies that demonstrate best practices in website design, technology and service.

Mel Foster Co’s website, www.melfosterco.com, earned the certification after achieving superior marks on a range of measurements, including usability and performance, design and content, interactivity, customer service and Internet lead management, search engine optimization and mobile. The website was evaluated by Virtual Results, LLC, a real estate internet and social marketing firm enlisted by LeadingRE to review the websites.

WQC is a program available only to firms affiliated with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® and is awarded based on criteria that is updated annually to reflect the latest in internet marketing strategies. To maintain the certification, companies are re-certified every two years.

“We are delighted to recognize the 117 companies that earned the WQC this year and applaud them for creating websites that attract and engage today’s consumers, providing useful information on homes and communities and supporting them with local expertise,” said Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® President/CEO Pam O’Connor.

“We are thrilled to receive this designation again as we continually enhance our website to ensure users are getting the best possible experience and pertinent details from our site,” said Mel Foster Co. President of Brokerage, Lynsey Engels.

For more information about Mel Foster Co., please visit www.melfosterco.com.

 

3 Tips To Consider When Buying A Home.

Tip #1: Keep Your Money Where It Is.

One thing that you want to avoid before purchasing a new home is making any other large purchases. You don’t want anything to negatively impact your credit score before buying a home. This includes opening new credit cards, or taking on new debt. Lenders want to feel confident in your ability to be financially responsible, especially when they’re considering you for a loan. In short, don’t take any risks with your credit score if you’re planning on investing in a new home.

Tip #2: Bigger Isn’t Always Better.

When you’re buying a house, you may gravitate towards the biggest home on the block. It’s important to consider what your potential resale value will look like. If you have the most expensive home on the block, it will only go up in value as much as the homes surrounding it. The largest house only appeals to a few people. If you’re planning on reselling, you want to have the largest number of potential buyers possible. Instead of searching for the best house on the block, you should search for the house that best fits your needs.

Tip #3: Survey the Neighborhood.

People often fall in love with their homes, but they often fail to consider the neighborhood. If you’re planning on having children, you need to determine what school district the home is in. Even if you aren’t planning on children, you still should research what schools are nearby because it may impact the resale value of the home. It’s also not a bad idea to try your morning commute from the house, to determine if that would impact your decision. Don’t be afraid to drive through the neighborhood during different times of the day to really get a lay of the land.

Exterior Home Shot
3 Tips When Buying a House

Mel Foster Co. Names New President of Brokerage Division

Mel Foster Co. is pleased to announce Lynsey Engels has been named the President of the Real Estate Brokerage Division effective May 1, 2013.
As president, Engels will oversee the company’s ten real estate offices and the relocation division.  She will also be involved in mergers and acquisitions, training, and agent recruiting and retention.
During the last six months, Engels has transitioned from her position as an agent to assume general manager responsibilities.  As an agent, her efforts led to numerous multi-million dollar producer status recognitions in Mel Foster Co.’s Executive Club and Chairman’s Club.  Engels spent 10 years in residential real estate with eight of those working as a team with her sister, Kristi McFate.  A licensed broker in Iowa and Illinois, Engels specialized in new construction and relocation services and was adept at working with first-time home buyers.
Engels is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, the Iowa Association of REALTORS®, the Illinois Association of REALTORS®, and the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association, where she currently serves on the organization’s board of directors.  She is a member of the Quad City Chamber of Commerce and has served in various leaderhship roles for Junior League of the Quad Cities.  She has been a volunteer for Make a Wish, Junior Achievement, and high school-aged volleyball teams and was named a Leader Under 40 in 2007.  Engels graduated from Purdue University where she was an academic All Big Ten athlete and captain of the tennis team.
Rob Fick, Chairman and CEO of Mel Foster Co., Inc., proudly announced, ‘I am confident Lynsey’s expertise and enthusiasm will enhance our strategic vision to provide more valuable leadership experience to our managers, agents and staff.  Her attention to detail and passion for success will continue to raise the standard of excellence and leadership in our company.”
Engels and her husband, Marc, reside in Bettendorf and have three daughters.

Say what?

Feel like everybody’s speaking a different language when it comes to real estate? Get into the conversation and get comfortable understanding what’s being said. This short glossary helps buyers and sellers navigate industry terms.

Appraisal – the determination of the worth of something by a professional, in this case the market value of a property. An appraiser uses an analysis of local market data along with the characteristics of the property. Your bank or other lender may refuse to loan you money if the appraisal price is lower than the loan request.

Closing costs – the entire package of miscellaneous expenses paid by the buyer and the seller when the real estate deal closes. These costs include the brokerage commission, mortgage-related fees, escrow or attorney’s settlement charges, transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and so on. Closing costs are generally paid through escrow. Jump ahead if you’re lost after “escrow.”

Contingency – conditions that have been built in to a real estate purchase or sale agreement must be met before the sale can be completed and legally binding. For example, a buyer’s contractual right to obtain a professional home inspection before purchasing the home.

Disclosures – The seller is required to provide the buyer with certain information (disclosures). The number and types of disclosures vary by region, but they may include information about conditions affecting the value or enjoyment of the property. The seller may know of an earth-shaking construction project that is about the start around the corner, which would impact the enjoyment of the property.

Escrow – Funds, securities or other assets held by a neutral third party (an escrow company or agent) on behalf of the other two parties (in this case the buyer and the seller). The buyer will deposit the payment in an escrow account, proving to the seller that he or she will be able to uphold the other end of the deal. The escrow service will pay the funds to the seller once certain conditions pertaining to the sale have been met.

MLS – Multiple Listing Service. An MLS is an organization that collects, compiles and distributes information about homes listed for sale by its members, who are real estate brokers. All properties for sale are assigned an MLS number.

Mortgage – A loan that helps you purchase your house. You sign a contract promising to pay back the loan with interest over a certain number of years. The components of your monthly mortgage payments may be referred to as PITI:  principal (the money that goes into paying down the loan), interest (which is paid to the lender for letting you borrow the money), (property) taxes and (homeowner’s) insurance.


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