We know the term “motivated seller,” but there are motivated buyers, too. There are many reasons a buyer would want to get their purchase done quickly. Perhaps they are relocating and stuck in temporary housing, their own home sold quickly, they are trying to get kids started at school, or are adding a baby or live-in parent to the family. The buying process can take a long time these days, so motivated buyers must be super organized if they want to complete their purchase on a tight schedule.

The first thing the motivated buyers should do is make their list of priorities. It’s important for those who want to buy quickly to be very realistic when it comes to their features. They will have to separate their “needs” from their “wants.” They may have to focus on number of bedrooms and location and let go of the need for hardwoods or other desirable features. If a speedy buyer has too many “needs” on their list, it’s going to be hard to find a home that meets all of them — thereby delaying the process.

If  buyers are motivated, they should also have their finances in careful order. They will want to meet with a lender, get pre-approved, and know what the budget is. These buyers in a hurry will not want to deal with problems at the bank. (We recommend the mortgage checklist.)

Thirdly, our motivated buyers should do their research. There’s only a limited amount of time during the week when they can tour homes. The rest of the time they can spend looking at homes online. Rushed buyers will want to have a good idea whether or not a home is viable before they tour it, otherwise they are wasting valuable time.

A perfect marriage is a motivated buyer and a motivated seller. These buyers should look for a few key things if they are really in a rush and want to find a rushed seller, too. Sellers of vacant homes likely want to unload quickly. This is an indication that they’ve already moved and are paying two mortgages. Also look for homes that are recently reduced, perhaps a sign of a little bit of desperation. Or, if a home is clearly priced under market value, it could be an indicator that the seller wants to unload quickly.

It goes without saying that our motivated buyers should work with a good agent with a strong record of getting homes to closing!

Other Posts

• August 2, 2010 -- Documentation Checklist for your Mortgage Application
• October 23, 2006 -- 3651 Heekin Ave., Mt. Lookout, Cincinnati, OH 45208
• May 24, 2010 -- Oakley Real Estate Market Conditions (May 24, 2010)
• February 22, 2009 -- 3361 Everson Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45209

One of the biggest local events of the year takes place this weekend. Riverfest 2010 will occur Sept. 5 at 9:05 p.m., and here’s a quick list of the stuff you might want to know.

• The first Riverfest was in 1977. It was never meant to be a tradition, it was simply a celebration of WEBN’s 10th anniversary
• There are three music stages operating that day. The P&G Pavilion, the Lower Serpentine Wall, and the Newport Stage. (Schedule here.)
• You can purchase a package from BB Riverboats for a prime view. Other locations for viewing include: Newport Catholic High School, James Taylor Park, 10th Street over I-471, Great American Ball Park/The Banks/Freedom Center/Paul Brown, Sawyer Point, Riverview Park, Eden Park, Jackson Hill Park, Bellevue Hill Park, Mount Echo Park, Devou Park, Covington Catholic High School, Covington Floodwall, Alms Park, or a boat on the Ohio River. (See Map with details.)
• The Rubber Duck Regatta starts at 3 p.m. If you haven’t purchased your ducks yet, do now for a chance to win! Last year’s duck drop went something like this.
• Events start at 12 p.m., come down early to get a good spot. TV Coverage of the fireworks will be live on WLWT Channel 5.

Other Posts

• May 13, 2010 -- Facts about Cocoa Mulch and Pet Dangers
• May 4, 2009 -- Go Green in Your Urban Garden
• June 30, 2009 -- 1849 Mills Ave., Norwood, OH 45212
• October 23, 2009 -- Cincinnati Market Overview – Mt. Lookout – 10/23/2009

Want to be a recycling genius? Attend Hamilton County Solid Waste Management’s Master Recycler Workshop. Attend three sessions over three weeks and learn how best to reuse, recycle and compost from the experts. A great opportunity for anyone wanting to learn how to live greener.

The workshop is $10 for early registration (payment received by Sept. 16) or $15 later. Refreshments are provided. Registration deadline is Sept. 21, and space is limited. The workshops begin Sept. 23. You must commit to attending all three classes, you cannot pick just one.

Week 1: Reduce and Reuse

• Sept. 23, 6-8 p.m. at Building Value, 4040 Spring Grove Ave.
• Introduction to solid waste with a focus on reducing and reusing

Week 2: Recycling

• Sept. 30, 6-8 p.m. at Hamilton County Dept. of Environmental Services, 250 William Howard Taft Rd.
• All about recycling household waste; Learn about the journey of your recyclables after pick-up

Week 3: Composting

• Oct. 7, 6-8 p.m. at Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road
• Learn all about backyard composting.

To register: contact Susan Schumacher at 513-946-7734 or susan.schumacher@hamilton-co.org

Related...

• November 4, 2009 -- New Recycling Guidelines in Cincinnati

We’ve discussed before the importance of gaining Title Insurance when you close on your home purchase (or refinancing). Now, a local case is another example of how this important insurance can save your home and fiances.

A lawyer acting as a title agent for Fifth Third Bank is accused of stealing more than $1.1 million dollars from the closing of several home mortgages through the bank. The bank is now suing Donald Richardson and his Commitment Title Agency for the lost funds.

The homeowners involved expected their first mortgages to be paid through the refinancing. However, the owners started getting foreclosure warnings. It seems that the title agent may have run off with those mortgage funds. In this case, Fifth/Third took responsibility for the funds. In other cases, the person on the losing end can be you!

I can’t stress enough how important it is to get title insurance with your home purchase. Also, this is why I work with title agents I trust. To refresh your memory, read these entries about why title insurance is important. To learn about the rest of this story, read more here.

More at AmyBSells.com

• Why Should I Get Title Insurance?
• 73 Reasons to Get Title Insurance

Related...

• November 18, 2009 -- 73 Reasons to Get Title Insurance

Our Lender Sharon Natarus at Wells Fargo has supplied this handy checklist of all the documentation you will need if you are going to apply for a loan. Prepare these items in advance to streamline your process. You can get Sharon’s PDF file here.

INCOME INFORMATION
☐ 30 days’ pay stubs with year-to-date information for all jobs and for each borrower
☐ Federal tax returns for the years (1040’s)
☐ W-2s for the years
☐ Written explanation if employed less than two years or gap in employment in last two years

CREDIT INFORMATION
☐ Most recent two months asset statements listed on the application – all pages (Example: checking account, savings account, CDs, money market accounts, IRA, 401k, etc.)
☐ If applicable, landlord name, phone number and address
☐ If you have any obligations due to legal action, (for example: child support, lawsuit judgment) bring in any judicial decree
☐ If applicable, complete Bankruptcy papers including discharge papers – also provide documentation supporting circumstances leading up to the bankruptcy, if able
☐ If applicable, credit explanation letter for any late payments, collections, judgments or other derogatory credit items
☐ Documentation for any large deposits outside payroll or gift fund deposits shown on asset statements
☐ Payments for utilities, rent and car
☐ Public utilities company name and phone number
☐ Phone company name and phone number
☐ Cable company name and phone number
☐ Car insurance company name and phone number

OTHER INFORMATION
☐ Copy of Driver’s License
☐ Copy of Social Security Card
☐ Homeowner’s Insurance information: Agent name and phone number

SPECIAL INFORMATION
☐ Last 3 years’ complete Federal tax returns (both personal and business returns)
☐ Year-to-date profit and loss statement
☐ List of all business debts

Other Posts

• March 1, 2009 -- 615 Valley Trails, Harrison, OH 45030
• November 6, 2008 -- Up on the Hill: Meet your Congresspeople
• November 26, 2008 -- What is Black Friday?
• June 22, 2009 -- 826 Linden Ave., Newport, KY 41071