Cape Cod Real Estate – Leighton Team | Condo Sales and Vacation Rentals at Ocean Edge

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5 Tips to Prepare Yourself Financially to Buy Your Ocean Edge Condo

Purchasing a home is a huge financial commitment, how do you know if you are ready? There are a number of factors to take into consideration when you are thinking of buying a home. You need to prepare yourself mentally, physically and financially. Mentally you need to get yourself ready for the amount of responsibility that comes along with owning your very own condo. Physically, you will find yourself doing a lot of projects around your new home that you have never done before to save yourself the money of hiring someone else to do it. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty! Financially, you need to make sure that you are able to pay your mortgage on time along with your other expenses. How do you make sure you are financially ready to handle purchasing a home? Here are our 5 tips to prepare yourself financially to buy your Ocean Edge condo.

Create a Budget

Buying a condo comes with a lot of set expenses. You have your condo fees and your mortgage that unless you have a variable rate mortgage, should be set expenses. In addition to these set expenses, you also have expenses that are associated with your new home that typically stay the same but fluctuate. These expenses are your gas, electric, cable and other utilities for your home. These are all new expenses that need to be accounted for in addition to the expenses that you currently have to pay every month. Your current expenses include your car payment, student loans and credit cards. Creating a budget for yourself is the only way you can set yourself up financially to buy your Ocean Edge condo. Budgeting for a down payment can be tricky. Check out our blog, “How to Save for a Down Payment on an Ocean Edge Condo” for tips on how to put aside some money to make your purchase.

Pay Off Your Debt

Paying off your debt before you buy your Ocean Edge condo takes care of two birds with one stone. Eliminating debt will give you more money in your budget for non essential items such as splurging on some fun or updating your Ocean Edge condo. Paying off your debt also helps you boost your credit score so that you can get a better mortgage product when you meet with a lender for a loan to purchase your home. The higher your credit score, the lower your interest on your loan, which means you will pay less every month. Want to learn more about how your credit score impacts your ability to purchase a home? Check out our blog, “Clean Up Credit Score Before You Buy.”

Look at Your Spending Habits

In order to create a true budget, you need to take an honest look at your spending habits. With mobile banking and credit card apps, it is easy to take a look at your spending to see where most of your money goes. This will give you an idea of where your money is going that you might not be aware of. Your findings when going through your financial statements may surprise you! You may have only budgeted $75 per month to fun, which could be going out to dinner or going to the movies, but when you check your statements you may find that you pay 3 to 4 times that amount per month. Looking at your actual spending habits will help you create your budget so you have a more realistic idea of where your money is going and what you can do to cut down these expenses so you can buy your Ocean Edge condo.

Make Some More Money

It may not seem like it is possible to do more than you already do now, but you may be surprised. Saying yes to a couple extra shifts at work, or a couple of overtime hours will make a difference in your overall budget. If your job does not offer overtime, picking up a part time job could be the answer. Serving or hostessing in a restaurant a couple hours a week can line your wallet with a little extra cash so you are not living paycheck to paycheck. It can also help you save up the money that you will need for a down payment to buy your Ocean Edge condo. Take advantage of living on Cape Cod in the summer time and see if you can find a part time job that fits your current schedule to make a little extra money.

Save Your Money

Once you have decided that home ownership is your ultimate goal, you need to start saving your money. When buying your home, you need to have money for a down payment. This amount varies depending on the type of mortgage product you will be eligible for. A down payment is one of the expenses you will be expected to come up with when closing on your condo. For more information on what expenses you are expected to come up with at the closing of your home, check out our blog “Hidden Costs of Buying a Home.” The down payment is not the only cost you can expect to have to pay up front at closing, so it is best to be prepared. Closing on your home can be stressful, and it can have its issues which could cause delays when purchasing your home. Check out our blog, “5 Closing Day Problems and How to Fix Them,” so you can see what could potentially go wrong and how to deal with it. Knowing the worst case scenerio can help you prepare so it doesn’t happen to you and you could get into your condo sooner!

Prepare Yourself Financially to Buy Your Ocean Edge Condo

Preparing yourself financially to buy your Ocean Edge condo is essential in setting yourself up for success as a homeowner. For more tips on how to get ready to make the transition from renter to homeowner, check out our blog, “Renter to Homeowner – How to Make the Leap.”

June 26, 2017/by Leighton Team

Selling

10 Ways to Keep Your Ocean Edge Condo from Selling

Sometimes you need to look at things from another angle to get a clear view of what you should do to be successful. That is why we are going to look at how to keep your Ocean Edge condo from selling. If you have a clear idea of what not to do to sell your home, it may help you to be more successful in selling your home and gain some perspective on how buyers see your Ocean Edge condo. Here are the top 10 was to keep your Ocean Edge condo from selling!

Real Estate Agent

If you want to keep your Ocean Edge condo from selling, DO NOT consult a real estate agent. A full time real estate agent is a professional that is skilled and knowledgeable in their field. If you do not want your condo to sell, do not get a real estate agent involved, especially one that specializes in properties at Ocean Edge. Michael Leighton knows Ocean Edge so well that he has been named the #1 Agent at Ocean Edge since 2004. He and his team know Ocean Edge properties and can help you sell your condo quickly and for the best price. Therefore, if you want to keep your Ocean Edge condo from selling, do not consult a real estate agent! If you do want to sell your home, check out “5 Reasons to Be Thankful for a Great Real Estate Agent.”

Price Per Square Foot

If you are a fan of shows such as Million Dollar Listing on Bravo, you are familiar with the practice of pricing a home by the square footage. The real estate agents on the show typically use the size of apartments to help determine the price they will set for the homes. However, they take in a number of other factors in addition to the square footage of the homes. Pricing your home by square foot does not take into account the location of your condo, amenities available with your Ocean Edge condo, upgrades and condo style. You could over price your home or price your home under what it is really worth by using this method of pricing.

Use Zillow to Set Price

Pricing your home based on the Zillow estimate is a great way to keep your Ocean Edge condo from selling! Zillow is typically 3 weeks behind the local real estate market, so it is not a current and reliable tool to determine the price you should list your condo. A tool that could help give you an idea of what your Ocean Edge condo might be worth is the Free Home Valuation tool on the OceanEdge.net website. Plug in your information and find out what your home is worth today!

Price Above Market Value

Listing a home for above the market value will keep a lot of buyers away from your home, so if you’re hoping to keep your Ocean Edge condo from selling, this is a great place to start. A home priced above market value will typically sit on the market longer and once it does finally sell, it sells for well under the fair market price of the home. However, it is not always impossible to price your home above market value, check out our blog “5 Tips to Sell Your Condo Above Market Price.”

Repairs

Neglecting repairs such as broken fixtures, doors and windows is a great way to make a terrible first impression. Home buyers are less likely to buy a home that is in desperate need of repair if it is not priced with the cost of repair taken into account. Therefore, if you are looking to keep your Ocean Edge condo from selling, do not repair a thing and price it as if it was in perfect condition. Minor repairs that would be easy to fix yourself or major repairs left make buyers wonder what other issues have been ignored and what potential issues will arise when they buy the home.

Cleaning

Along with neglecting repairs, neglecting to clean your home is a great way to make a poor first impression on a potential home buyer. Leave the dishes in the sink, the toys all over the floors and dust on the blinds for potential buyers to see in order to turn them away from your home. A home that is not kept up will give buyers a difficult time visualizing themselves in the home, which is exactly what you want if you do not want to sell it.

Pets Out

Make potential home buyers feel at home and leave your pets out to greet them at the open house! Some buyers might have allergies, aversions to animals or find having animals out and about while looking at your home distracting. To keep from selling your Ocean Edge condo, leaving your pets to roam your condo is a great way to turn buyers away.

No Showings

Open houses or showings are a great way to get people in the door of your home, and could possibly generate offers to buy your home. If you really want to keep from selling your Ocean Edge condo, do not have open houses or showings! When a home buyer sees a condo for sale at Ocean Edge, they typically like to go see the home before presenting an offer. Stop buyers in their tracks and do not have an open house at all so buyers do not try to buy your home. Home buyers will sometimes request showings of a home if they are interested in the online ad or paper ad marketing the property. Deny the buyers the opportunity to see the home to keep them from snatching it up!

Stay for the Open House

It’s your home after all, why not stay for the open house? If you want to keep from selling your Ocean Edge condo, you should absolutely attend your open house. During an open house, home buyers walk around your condo to see if hey can envision themselves living in the home. However, if you do want to sell your home, check out our blog, “Top 7 Open House Mistakes Sellers Make” so that you are prepared for your next open house!

Highest Offer Wins

Your home’s appraisal is what the buyer should expect to pay for the home. If an appraisal comes in lower than the high offer, they could walk away. This is great news if you really want to keep from selling your Ocean Edge condo. What can you expect from the appraisal process of your home? Check out our blog, “Ocean Edge Brewster Condo Appraisals: What to Expect.”

How to Keep Your Ocean Edge Condo from Selling

Obviously you want to sell your home, and you do not really want to keep your Ocean Edge condo from selling. Seeing what you should not do in order to be successful in selling your Ocean Edge condo will help you make the right choices and sell your home quickly. For more tips on how to sell your Ocean Edge condo, check out our blog, “Ocean Edge Brewster – How to Sell Your Condo ASAP.”

May 4, 2017/by Leighton Team

Selling

How to Let Go of Your Ocean Edge Condo – A Seller’s Guide

There are a number of reasons that cause people to sell their home. Regardless of their reason, it is never an easy or light decision. You could be selling your Ocean Edge condo due to divorce, an empty nest, new job which causes you to relocate or outgrowing your condo because your family expanded. For whatever reason you decided to put your condo on the market, it is typically a well thought out decision that is not made lightly. Your home is your comfort zone, where memories were made and that can be difficult to walk away from. So how do you let go of your Ocean Edge condo and move on? Here are our suggestions to make the transition smoother and easier to handle.

How to Deal

Your home is more than brick and mortar. It is a part of you that defines a time in your life. Moving on can be really difficult because of all of the emotion and all of the memories attached to your home. However, you do need to find a way to let go of your Ocean Edge condo and move on with your life. Before you move out of your home, take a lot of pictures so you can look back on them once you move into your new home. Take a handful of dirt from your yard and use it in a planter to plant some potted flowers. There are plenty of ways to take a piece of this home with you once you leave.

Value and Love are Different

You have worked hard for your home, and you have every right to take a lot of pride in the home that you have made. Sometimes a home owner’s value of their home is different than what the true market value of their home is, and this can be upsetting. The details and work that you have put into the condo might not get you the return that you wanted when it is time to sell. It is important that you take the emotion out of selling your home and trust that your real estate agent is an expert in the field, and wants to give you the most money for your condo. On the other hand, there could be someone that comes into your condo and absolutely falls in love with it. They might be willing to pay more than what you are asking, but you want to make sure you listen to your real estate agent regarding price and not overprice your home. Check out our blog, “Why Overpricing Your Ocean Edge Condo is Never a Good Idea.” However, there are things that you can do to increase the perceived value of your home to generate higher offers. Ask your real estate agent what improvements you can make to your condo to generate more interest and higher offers. Our blog, “7 Tips To Becoming the In Demand Condo at Ocean Edge Brewster” will give you plenty of ideas to get more buyers interested in your home.

Be Flexible

Just because your home is on the market, it does not mean that your life stops, and that is understandable. However, do not make your busy life an excuse as to why you can’t do certain things to sell your condo. Carting your children to an from sporting events, work obligations and family responsibilities should not prevent you from hosting an open house or allowing showings of your condo. If you need to enlist a cleaning service to come in and clean your home occasionally to accommodate your life needs with the demands of having your house on the market, do so. However, your home was put on the market for a reason and selling your home should be your top priority. Letting your condo sit on the market too long because it is not being seen by buyers will make your listing stale and hurt you in the long run. Buyers will not wait around for you to make time for them to see your home, and they are not interested in a home that has been sitting on the market for a long time. They will move on to a home that is available for them to see and is the latest and greatest on the market. Free up some time so your condo can be viewed by buyers so you can let go of your Ocean Edge condo and find your new home.

It’s Nothing Personal

At one time or another, most sellers have to deal with a potential buyer that makes a low ball offer. Sometimes those low ball offers are a little on the low side, and other times they are flat out insulting. The trick is not taking those low ball offers personally. The potential home buyers is not trying to personally attack you by making the low offer, the majority of the time, they are simply trying to see how low you will go. Everyone loves a good deal, and that is what the potential home buyer is trying to do, score a deal. Do not take the low ball offer as an insult and flat out reject the deal. Instead, take it as a starting point for negotiations. If they walk away, they walk away. Never shut down a potential deal because you feel insulted by a potential buyer’s starting offer. For more tips on how to sell your condo, check out our blog, “Ocean Edge Brewster – How to Sell Your Condo ASAP.”

How to Let Go of Your Ocean Edge Condo

Your home is more than just a warm place that shields you from the elements. It is the place where memories are made, holidays are celebrated and children are raised. Selling your home and starting over is an emotional decision that can fog judgement. It is important that you put your emotion aside and learn how to let go of your Ocean Edge condo and move on with your life. When selling your home, it is also important that you go with the experts. Michael Leighton has been the #1 Agent at Ocean Edge since 2004 and the #1 Agent in Brewster since 2007. Recently he was named a top agent for the Lower Cape. Contact Michael and his team today to see what your condo is worth, or check out the free condo valuation to get a rough idea of what your condo could be priced today.

April 5, 2017/by Leighton Team

Selling

5 Signs the Bathroom in Your Ocean Edge Condo Needs an Update

The bathroom is the most frequently used room in your condo, but it is often overlooked when you think of remodeling your home. Typically a kitchen or living room remodel are on the top of the list, but updated bathrooms are very important to home buyers when looking to buy a home. How do you know if your bathroom is in good enough condition to sell as is, or if you should invest the money because the bathroom in your Ocean Edge condo needs an update? Here are 5 signs that will tell you that it is time to renovate:

Mold

Mold is a huge issue, especially on Cape Cod. If your bathroom is not properly vented, the moisture from the shower could cause mold to pop up. Leaks in your pipes or cracks in your bathtub surround could cause moisture to get into the ceiling, floor and walls. Inspect your shower, bathtub, ceiling and wall for dark spots. These dark spots could possibly be mold. If you do spot what you think could be mold, do not panic. Sometimes small and inexpensive repairs could remedy what is causing mold in your home, eliminating the problem. However you should get the mold situation checked out by a professional. Large areas of mold or certain types of mold can be dangerous and should be handled with caution by a skilled professional. If there is mold in your bathroom, that is a major reason that you should have your bathroom remodeled for the safety of the people who will be buying your condo from you. If you do not do it now, it has to be disclosed to potential buyers if you are aware of the problem. It is better to take care of the problem instead of hoping that a buyer would not be turned off by the idea of mold being in the condo. Mold is a scary problem to potential buyers which could cause your home to stay on the market for a long time, costing you money instead of just resolving it right away. Discovering mold is a major sign that the bathroom in your Ocean Edge condo needs an update.

Leaks

Leaks in your bathroom may be obvious, or they might not be. If you notice a leak, it is best to take care of it right away before it becomes a bigger problem. It is wise to check your pipes and faucets to make sure there aren’t any subtle leaks that could compromise the structural integrity of your bathroom. As mentioned, mold is a big problem when there is a leak in the bathroom. Leaks are often present due to corrosion or rust of the pipe and can just happen over time without anything causing the damage besides old age. A less obvious sign that there is a leak in your pipes is an increase in your water bill. If you notice your water bill go up and do not believe that you have not increased your water usage, you should check your pipes for a leak. Discovering a leak is a sign that the bathroom in your Ocean Edge condo needs an update

Damaged

Bathrooms are the most utilized room in the home. With that being said, there is bound to be some wear and tear in the bathroom with the amount of use it gets day in and day out. Cracked glass, damaged tile and chipped flooring are all signs the bathroom in your Ocean Edge condo needs an update. Faucets, light fixtures and knobs are used multiple times a day and can show it after time. Discolored paint and grout between your tiles, peeling wallpaper and missing vanity knobs are all signs that your bathroom is in desperate need of a remodel before your home is listed for sale. Want to learn more about making your condo stand out among all of the other Ocean Edge condos for sale? Check out our blog, “7 Tips To Becoming the In Demand Condo at Ocean Edge Brewster.”

Outdated

When selling your home, it is always best to make your living space as neutral as possible so you appeal to more buyers. How can you tell your home is outdated? Some signs the bathroom in your Ocean Edge condo needs an update are obvious, while some are not. If you have a bright pink toilet in your bathroom or avocado colored bathtub, it is quite clear that your bathroom is dated. While you might find it fun and retro, the majority of buyers will see it as something that they will have to spend money on remodeling, turning them away from your property. If you want to sell your home quickly, you can not wait to find the right buyer that will find your outdated bathroom appealing. To sell your Ocean Edge condo quickly, it is important to paint your bathroom in neutral colors along with updated flooring and fixtures. The more buyers that can picture themselves living in your space the more likely you are to generate offers. Interested in learning more tips on how to sell your condo quickly? Check out our blog, “Ocean Edge Brewster – How to Sell Your Condo ASAP.”

Selling

Kitchens and bathrooms are the two rooms that home buyers look at when buying a home. Renovated kitchens and bathrooms are very appealing to home buyers, as they are the two rooms that are used the most in a home. An outdated bathroom will not generate interest in your property. Whether you are thinking of selling your Ocean Edge condo tomorrow or some time down the road, you might want to consider renovating your bathroom. If the bathroom in your Ocean Edge condo needs an update, it is better to start on it now instead of waiting until you are just about to put it on the market so you have the time and money to make it appealing to buyers. However, if you are in a rush to sell your home, there are quick updates you can do yourself or hire a professional to do to make your Ocean Edge condo more appealing to buyers.

Signs the Bathroom in Your Ocean Edge Condo Needs an Update

If you discover that the bathroom in your Ocean Edge condo needs an update, it is best to make your bathroom as neutral as possible to appeal to more buyers. Michael Leighton has been the #1 Agent at Ocean Edge since 2004 and the #1 Agent in Brewster since 2007. Contact him today if you are considering selling your home so he can help you sell it for what it is worth. Check out the free condo valuation to see how much you could sell your Ocean Edge condo for in this market.

March 29, 2017/by Leighton Team

Buying

What to do if the Ocean Edge Condo Seller Rejects Your Offer

Searching for the right Ocean Edge condo can be exhausting. You have a list of must haves, and when you find a condominium that fits all of your criteria it is exciting and a huge relief at the same time. You’ve toured the home, made sure every item of your list was checked off and put in your offer. Your offer might have been your best and final or it could have been a low offer expecting to negotiate with the seller to find a price both of you were comfortable with. You have already made a big decision by choosing a condo at Ocean Edge. The amenities, different floor plans and location make condos at Ocean Edge a very desirable place to buy. See our blog “5 Reasons to Buy a Condo at Ocean Edge” for more reasons why buying a condo at Ocean Edge is a wise decision. When you hear back from your real estate agent, they tell you that the Ocean Edge condo seller rejected your offer. The seller did not want to make a counter offer, they just flat out rejected your offer. Rejection without explanation can be difficult regardless of the situation, whether it be when in a personal relationship or when buying a house. However, the bottom line is that the Ocean Edge condo seller has the right to accept your offer, counter your offer or reject your offer.

Don’t Think too Much

Just like with any rejection, you may be left standing there wondering what you did or said to cause the deal to completely fall through. Was it something you said during the open house that offended the Ocean Edge condo seller? Sometimes owners like to be present among the potential buyers to see what kind of feedback they can get for their property. Although it is not encouraged, it does happen. Some sellers do not take the criticism of their property too well, causing them to hold a grudge and potentially the seller rejects your offer as a result. Check out our blog “8 Things You Should Never Say at an Open House” to avoid that problem.

Keep in mind that people sell their homes for many reasons. Some Ocean Edge condo sellers are motivated because they need to move for their job or can no longer afford their home and need to sell it as soon as possible. Others are selling but really don’t have that motivation behind their decision to sell. The owner could be selling during an emotional time in their lives and are not quite ready to give it up just yet. This could cause them to make irrational decisions such as the seller rejects your offer for little to no real reason. It’s important not to take the rejection personally and move on.

Best and Final

If the offer you presented to the Ocean Edge condo seller was not your best and final offer, or the most money that you can pay for the property, it might be a good time to present the highest number you are willing to offer. It is a last ditch attempt to get the property, which the home owner might accept or once again reject. If this is a property that you just can’t get out of your mind and that you feel you need to have, presenting your best and final offer is your only option. After all, what’s the worst thing they can say? No again? Now that the sting from the first “no” has dulled, a second rejection shouldn’t hurt as badly.

On the other hand, they might accept your second offer, realizing that you really are serious about their property. Sometimes when a home owner realizes that someone loves their home as much as they do, they are more willing to accept offers. If you are not working with a real estate agent, it might be a good idea to hire one to represent you. They can speak to the seller’s agent to find out what the sellers might accept, if there are any conditions that would be especially appealing to them to encourage them to sell to you. Check out our blog “Buying an Ocean Edge Condo? Why You Should Consider a Real Estate Agent” for more reasons why it is a good idea to have someone represent you when buying a home.

Forget About It

If the Ocean Edge condo seller rejects your offer and you’ve offered your best and final number, it is time to just walk away from the condominium. Overthinking what happened with this home can distract you and waste your energy that could be better spent on looking for another home. One of the perks of buying a condo at Ocean Edge is that there is a variety of floor plans to choose from throughout the property. If you find that you prefer a certain floor plan, there are multiple units that offer the same layout, increasing your opportunities to buy that style condo. A condo that might even be better than the one you made your original offer on could be put on the market any day, so do not completely give up on your search.

It is important to work with a real estate agent that is familiar with Ocean Edge so they can match you with a unit that is similar to the one that you had fallen in love with initially. They can show you similar and even better units. If a condo comes on the market that can match your list of needs with only a few improvements, your agent would be able to guide you on how to make it happen. Michael Leighton has been the #1 Agent at Ocean Edge since 2004, so he is an expert on Ocean Edge properties. Contact Michael Leighton and his team to see how they can help you find your dream condo at Ocean Edge.

The Ocean Edge Condo Seller Rejects Your Offer

Finding the perfect home can be an exhausting task, but once you do find it and the Ocean Edge condo seller rejects your offer, it can be crushing. If you do find yourself in that situation, the best thing you can do is lean on your real estate agent to make one last push to buy the home and if that doesn’t work, move on. Your real estate agent can help you find a similar or even better property to buy once you move on as long as you are able to put the property behind you and focus your energy on your home search.

January 16, 2017/by Leighton Team

Buying

Buying at Ocean Edge? Why You Should Consider A Real Estate Agent

For many, buying a condo or house is the largest purchase they will make in their lifetime. You might be tempted as a home buyer to cut the cost of buying a home by not using a real estate agent. For some people that works out just fine, and their home purchase goes well as far as they are concerned without using a real estate agent. However, if you are thinking of buying an Ocean Edge condo in Brewster without the assistance of a real estate agent, you need to really evaluate your ability to do this all on your own. Are you willing to sign a legally binding contract to purchase a condominium for hundreds of thousands of dollars without a professional on your side looking out for your best interests? Every year, home buyers make the decision to go without a real estate agent and end up spending an excessive amount of time and their own money trying to find the right home. Purchasing a home without a real estate agent is taking a gamble. If you are thinking about buying an Ocean Edge condominium in the near future, here are the reasons why you should consider a real estate agent.

What it Takes to Become a Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent went to classes in order to become a licensed real estate agent. Once they pass the exam to become an agent which tests on both state laws and real estate practices, they start working for a real estate broker. The real estate broker takes the agent under their wing and gives them the practical experience that they need to become successful in the field. It is in the broker’s best interest to train the agent well in their philosophy and ensure that the agent maintains ethical standards because they are a direct reflection on the real estate broker. In real estate, your reputation is everything. It is just as important to the real estate agent to build up their relationships in the community as it is for the real estate brokerage.

The Ocean Edge Condo Buying Process

The process of purchasing an Ocean Edge condo usually starts with an initial offer to buy a home. A thorough inspection of the home is conducted, which the home owner consented to being performed before the purchase. The inspection could come back as fine, and you can go ahead in purchasing the property or the inspection could uncover some issues that may make you want to lower your offer or cancel all together. Since you wrote an offer, and that is a binding contract, you want to make sure that you are protected by writing in a contingency that states that if there is a problem with the inspection you can back out of the deal. You do not want to be stuck buying an Ocean Edge condo that will cost you lots of money to get fixed up. Your agent has the experience to know what problems could potentially pop up and how to protect you from them. Worried about the home buying process? Check out our blog “Top Home Buyers Fears and How to Face Them.”

Do Your Homework

If all of this information has you thinking about hiring a real estate agent, make sure you do some research before hiring. Ask your friends and family if they have anyone that they recommend from their experiences. Also, you want to find a real estate agent that is an expert in the area in which you are buying. For example, Michael Leighton has been the #1 Real Estate Agent at Ocean Edge since 2004. Within the Ocean Edge complex, there are a lot of things to take into account when purchasing a condo. A real estate agent that has been through numerous transactions within that condo community will know what is typical, what is not and how to make the purchase a smooth and relatively stress free experience. Hiring a friend who just got their real estate license or the first person that pops up in a Google search for real estate agents on Cape Cod is most likely not the best person to represent you in this monumental purchase.

The Cost of a Real Estate Agent

When you first meet with a real estate agent, you will discuss the agent’s compensation. Honestly, the cost of a real estate agent working with you on your Ocean Edge condo purchase will most likely pay for itself. A real estate agent is trained to negotiate and get you the best deal possible for the condo you are buying. The percentage they save you on the home could possibly cover the real estate agent’s cost. Or if there is a problem with your property that requires remedy, the agent could save you on the cost of repairing it yourself by making a contingency that the owner either fixes it before you move in or gives you the money to cover the cost of having it repaired when you do own the home.

The bottom line is that you should not focus too much on how much hiring a real estate agent takes away from your home profit, because their experience and knowledge about the market is invaluable when trying to negotiate the right price. A real estate agent wants to help you find a home and get you the best price possible. Their skill set from working in the field and learning in the classroom about the laws makes their services well worth the money. For more on what potential issues could arise when closing on your dream home, check out our blog “5 Closing Day Problems and How to Fix Them.” The blog will give you insight into what you might face and how your real estate agent can help you get through it.

Ocean Edge Condos currently For Sale

Take a look at what Ocean Edge condos in Brewster are currently for sale:

View all Ocean Edge Condos For Sale

Why You Should Consider a Real Estate Agent

Real estate agents are here to protect you and your investment. The Ocean Edge condo you purchase is likely to be one of the bigger purchases you make in your lifetime, why not hire a professional to make sure you are getting the best deal and the right property. The cost of a real estate agent is minimal compared to what they bring to the table in experience, which will make your home buying experience much easier. You real estate agent can help you avoid making some common first time home buyers mistakes. Check out our blog, “4 First Time Home Buyers Mistakes to Avoid” so you do not fall into these easy to make mistakes.

November 28, 2016/by Leighton Team

Selling

Selling Your Ocean Edge Condo? Qualities to look for in a Listing Agent

When selling your Ocean Edge condo, it is important that you seek a professional and qualified real estate agent to list your property. Think of it this way, if you needed to have heart surgery, wouldn’t you do your homework to find the best possible care? You wouldn’t choose a doctor straight out of medical school to perform your life or death medical procedure. Instead, you would choose a surgeon who has been practicing for years with a phenomenal track record. It is your life after all. Selling your Ocean Edge condo is not a life or death decision, but it can be a stressful situation with thousands of dollars of your money on the line. The home selling process is so much easier when you have a skilled an experienced real estate agent on your side going through the whole process with you, telling you what to expect and guiding you in the right direction. Here is a list of the qualities to look for in an Ocean Edge listing agent so you do not waste time and miss out on potential sales.

Creativity

Sometimes home sales are easy and straightforward, other times they are messy and complicated. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell how your home sale is going to go until you are in the thick of selling your Ocean Edge condo. One of the qualities to look for in a listing agent is creativity. Sometimes out of the box thinking is required to sell a home. The ability to come up with creative solutions when problems arise is an invaluable skill. There are so many things that can come up when in the process of closing a sale. The loan underwriter can ask for last minute paperwork, buyers back out, appraisals come lower than expected, or an inspection could uncover hidden issues. A seasoned and creative real estate agent will come up with a solution that will resolve the issue instead of floundering under pressure. With all of the competition at Ocean Edge, we came up with a list to make your condo unit stand out. Here is our list of the “7 Tips to Becoming the In Demand Condo at Ocean Edge.”

Experience needed when selling your Ocean Edge condo

When talking about qualities to look for in a listing agent, one can not overlook the real estate agent’s experience. The number of years that a real estate agent has been practicing does not matter, their record matters. It is important to choose a real estate agent with a deep understanding of the area, the generic market and metrics of the local Ocean Edge condo market instead of someone who has a general idea of how to sell a home and has been merely holding a license for a long time without much success in selling. When you’re working with a real estate agent who knows Ocean Edge and knows how to sell your property quickly for a profit, you will be grateful for the experience. Check out our blog, “5 Reasons to be Thankful for a Great Real Estate Agent” to see if your real estate agent is really working out for you and your property.

Open and Honest

Great communication skills is one of the most important qualities to look for in a listing agent. If your real estate agent is not open and honest with you, how can you trust them to sell your condominium? It is not fair to you as the seller for your real estate agent to let you believe your home is worth more than it actually is just because that’s a number you as the seller want to get for your Ocean Edge condo. It’s important for the real estate agent to listen to you and your needs, but if the price is not realistic you need to trust your agent to give you realistic expectations. It is important that you have a good relationship with your real estate agent, and it is equally important that your listing real estate agent is able to have tough conversations with you because it’s in your best interest when selling your Ocean Edge condo.

Level Headed

When problems arise, creativity is one of the qualities to look for in a listing agent, but just as important is the ability to maintain a level head during crisis. It is easy to panic when you have set up your home for an open house, spent the money on staging and the offers do not come rolling in. Instead of panicking or freezing up unsure of what to do next, a level headed real estate agent will take the feedback they received from the Ocean Edge open house and present it to you calmly with some suggestions on how to bring in offers. It is your real estate agent’s job to work as the middle man between you and the potential buyers. Check out our list of “5 Tips to Sell Your Ocean Edge Condo About Market Price.” This will help you anticipate suggestions that your real estate agent might have in how to increase the desirability of your Ocean Edge condo to buyers.

Responsive

It is important when you meet with your real estate agent for the first time that you discuss how you prefer to be contacted and how often you would like to be in touch. If one of the qualities to look for in a listing agent includes the ability to meet with your real estate agent once a week to discuss progress on selling your Ocean Edge condo, it is best to discuss this with the listing agent upon meeting for the first time. It is important to be on the same page in this regard in the very beginning so that you are not frustrated because your expectations differ from what is acceptable in their opinion. Perhaps your listing agent can not meet with you once per week, but on the days that the real estate agent can not meet you, you can meet with one of their associates who is working with them on selling your property. Another quality to look for is an agent who is eager to answers your questions. It is important that you do not feel like you are inconveniencing your real estate agent by asking questions.

Qualities to Look for in an Ocean Edge Listing Agent

Listing your home for sale can be stressful, so it is important that you take your time and choose the right real estate agent to selling your Ocean Edge condo. Save yourself the stress and aggravation that comes with working with an inexperienced real estate agent and do your homework to find the right real estate agent. Michael Leighton has been the #1 Agent at Ocean Edge since 2004 and the #1 Agent in the town of Brewster since 2007. Check out his testimonials page to see what clients have had to say about Michael and his team of professionals.

November 22, 2016/by Leighton Team

Buying

Find Your Ocean Edge Condo Under $200,000

Purchasing an Ocean Edge condo under $200,000 in Brewster is an affordable way to own your own piece of Cape Cod to live in or rent as an income property. The amenities available to owners and renters are second to none and make it a very desirable location to both buy and rent.

Ocean Edge Condo Under $200,000

Take a look at what Ocean Edge condos are currently for sale under $200,000 which is an amazing value for this sought after condominium community.

View All Ocean Edge Condos Under $200,000

When you consider the beautiful grounds, pools, fitness centers, access to the Cape Cod Bay beaches, and award winning golf course, this seems too good to be true. However, Ocean Edge has a condo style to match every taste and every budget making the Cape Cod dream a reality for most without compromising in the quality of the home you are purchasing.

Ocean Edge Memberships

Ocean Edge has a variety of membership packages to choose from. There is a sports package, a sports/beach package and a golf package. The golf membership gives you access to the exclusive and amazing 6,665 yard Nicklaus design golf course. The sports package gives you access to the pools and fitness centers on the property grounds. Lastly, the sports/beach membership gives you access to not only the pools and fitness center but also the Cape Cod Bay beach on the property.

The fees for these packages are separate from the association fees, so that needs to be taken into account when budgeting your upfront costs and monthly costs. In order to participate in the different memberships, there is an upfront/initiation fee as well as an annual fee for these packages. For details about pricing and what is included in these packages, take a look at the Ocean Edge Membership page. Purchasing an Ocean Edge condo under $200,000 is an affordable way to own a piece of Cape Cod and by joining the Ocean Edge club you also get access to these one of a kind and amazing amenities.

Buying at Ocean Edge Brewster

Now is the time to purchase your Ocean Edge condo under $200,000 because you can not beat the value and options currently on the market. Ocean Edge is a highly desirable condominium community to live in and vacation during the summer time so whether you are looking for your forever home or an investment property it is the place for you to invest. Contact the team at Leighton Realty to schedule a showing at one of the five properties today. Michael Leighton has been the #1 Agent at Ocean Edge since 2004 and the #1 Agent in Brewster since 2007.

To view all Ocean Edge condos for sale take a loot at our Ocean Edge For Sale page.

November 14, 2016/by Leighton Team

Buying

Buying an Ocean Edge Condo as a Married Couple: What You Need to Know

Before I start talking about buying an Ocean Edge condo as a married couple, congratulations on your marriage or upcoming wedding! It is an exciting time in your life with endless possibilities ahead of you and your partner. Buying a home together is one of these options that are now open to you. Of course you could have bought a home together as an unmarried couple, but you may have put it off until after marriage figuring it would be so much easier to navigate. After all, we are familiar with the struggles that couples run up against when purchasing a house together when they are not married. Unfortunately, buying a house as a married couple is not too much easier due to the fact that some serious conversations need to be had before going forward with the home search. Here are some key pieces to discuss to make the home buying process easier for you and your spouse.

Kids

Chances are you and your spouse have discussed having or not having children at this point, but have you discussed how it would impact your finances? Although it is not a romantic way of thinking about it, having children is a huge expense, and it will draw a considerable amount of money from your budget. The cost of childcare is immense, and sometimes it is not worth it financially to have both partners work. If both partners continue to work when they have children, a significant portion of one of the paychecks will go directly to daycare.

On the other hand, one parent could stay home to save on the childcare expense, but that means your income could decrease by half. Could you continue to pay your mortgage and other expenses (such as utilities and car payments) if one of you stays at home or if you have a big childcare payment every month? It may seem early to discuss, but if you are planning to buy a home, the conversation needs to be had so you are not signing up for too big of a payment. A good rule of thumb when looking at mortgages is to plan on only paying 30% or less of your income on your mortgage. Just because you are approved for a $750,000 mortgage, does not mean that you should go out and buy a house for $750,000. Look at the big picture first.

Credit and Financial History

At the beginning of a relationship, you talk with your partner all the time. You talk about your interests, hobbies, taste in music, movies and everything in between. During this time, you are finding out whether you two are compatible and discovering more and more things that you love about that person. For a lot of couples, this talking does not include discussing their credit scores and financial history. Many consider the topic of credit score taboo and avoid talking about it all together. However, if you are planning on buying a condo as a married couple, you need to have the conversation.

If you are unaware of what your credit score is, call your credit card company to see if you can get a free report, or check one of the free credit monitoring websites such as Credit Karma. You need to know what your individual credit scores are before meeting with a mortgage lender. This gives you a chance to work on any credit problems either one of you have before applying for a mortgage. A low credit score could prevent you from getting a mortgage all together, or at the very least desirable interest rate. A high interest rate due to poor credit will cause you to spend way more on your home than if you cleaned up your credit in the first place. To find out more about how to fix your credit, “Clean Up Your Credit Score Before You Buy.”

Your Housing Future. Is Buying an Ocean Edge condo an option?

Another topic that needs to be discussed with your spouse is how long you plan on living in the home that you are purchasing. Is it your forever home, home for a couple of years or is it going to become your income property? If you’re planning to live in your home for just a couple of years and then convert into an income property, buying an Ocean Edge condo could be the way to go. Many people decide to rent their condos at Ocean Edge during the summer months, as they are very desirable vacation rentals for Cape Cod’s seasonal visitors. The amenities available to Ocean Edge tenants and the variety of floor plans are very appealing to summer visitors. See what kind of income you could expect from different style condos at our Ocean Edge Investment page.

If you are only planning on living in your Ocean Edge condo for a couple years until you are able to purchase a larger home so you can expand your family, you might want to look for an adjustable rate mortgage as opposed to a fixed rate mortgage. With an adjustable rate mortgage, your interest rate would be low for a certain period of time (typically 7 years), at which time it could change to any rate within a set limit. However, if you are buying a forever home, you would want to go for a fixed rate mortgage. A set rate mortgage tells you how much you can expect to pay on a monthly basis for the life of your loan. This makes budgeting much easier for families that plan on living in their homes for a long time.

Death and Divorce

As a newly married, or about to be married couple, the last thing you can picture is getting a divorce. Or worse, one of you dying. It is important when buying a home to determine how you are going to purchase the property in legal terms in case the worst happens. As a married couple, you have the home ownership option to joint tenancy or tenancy by entirety which is only granted to married couples. With this option, you can not transfer your portion of the property without your spouse’s consent. If one spouse dies, the other automatically has full ownership of the home. The second home ownership option is tenancy in common. This allows either spouse to transfer their portion of the property without the other spouse’s consent, and if one partner is contributing more to the property, protects their investment more in case of divorce.

Buying an Ocean Edge Condo as a Married Couple

Buying an Ocean Edge condo as a married couple can be stressful, but it is important that you are prepared because it is also a very exciting time in your lives. It may not be easy to have these conversations about finances and the future, but keep in mind you are building a life together. Get the tough conversations out of the way so you can move on to more fun conversations like what kind of tile you’re going to use in the bathroom and picking out color swatches for painting bedrooms! If you are buying a condo as a married couple, and need help in your search for the perfect place to start the rest of your lives, contact Michael Leighton and his team of professionals today! Michael Leighton has been the #1 Agent at Ocean Edge since 2004 and #1 Agent in Brewster since 2007.

November 2, 2016/by Leighton Team

Selling

Ocean Edge Brewster – How to sell your condo ASAP

Selling a condominium at Ocean Edge Brewster can be an intimidating task for most home owners, whether it’s their first condo or their tenth. Their primary concern is how to sell their home, which is a multi leveled question. What part of the sale are you most concerned with? Do you want to know how to sell your Ocean Edge condo quickly? Do you want to know how to walk away from the home making the most money? Or do you just want to know how to best prepare your home for the real estate market in general? Your real estate agent will work to get you the best price for your property by comparing your home to other condos in the area that have sold. That is how your real estate agent will help you walk away from your home with the most money in your pocket. To sell your Ocean Edge condominium ASAP, your agent can help you by using some basic best practices in real estate.

Timing

Is it a seller’s market or a buyer’s market in your area? A buyer’s market is when there is more of a housing inventory than the number of people that are buying homes. In this market, the price of homes will be lower because the inventory is so great and people are desperate to sell. A seller’s market is the opposite. In a seller’s market, there are more buyers looking to buy a property than properties on the market. A seller’s market means bidding wars and high prices for the buyers because there are so few houses on the real estate market. Your real estate agent should be aware of the real estate market in your area to help you make an educated decision when to sell your home.

One thing to keep in mind is that Cape Cod is a whole different animal than the rest of the state, so you need to look at regional trends instead of state trends. The market can be different in the Boston area or western part of the state than on Cape Cod.

Price your Ocean Edge Brewster condo well

Condos at Ocean Edge Brewster that are not priced correctly will not sell. A home that is priced too high will just sit on the market, which does not look good to potential buyers. Unfortunately, these home owners typically turn down early offers that are below their asking price because the seller believes that their home is worth way more and the bigger offers are just around the corner. This is not usually the case. The more time a Ocean Edge Brewster condominium stays on the market, the less interest buyers will have in the home. An overpriced home that has been on the market shows buyers that there is little negotiating on the price, and so why bother. If you choose the right real estate agent, they will help you price your home competitively so you are able to walk away feeling good about your decision. Do you have the right real estate agent for selling your home? Find out in our blog, “5 Reasons to be Thankful for a Great Real Estate Agent.”

Season

It was once believed that the only time to sell your home was in the spring and summer months. This was due to the fact that the majority of buyers were young families with children that needed to find a home and move into it before their children started school in the fall. While it is true that many buyers with young families try to buy homes during this time of year, they are not the only audience buying homes. People are putting off having children until later in life, so many unattached millennials and child free empty nesters are buying homes throughout the year.

Use the old fashioned mindset of only listing in the spring and summer months to your advantage! If you list your home during the fall and winter months, you could be one of only a few other Ocean Edge Brewster condos that are on the market at the time. This creates more of a sellers market because your home is only competing with a few other condominiums. How do you make your home stand out among others and capture the millennial and empty nesters’ attention? Check out our blog “How to Appeal to Buyers of Every Generation.”

Fix it Up

It sounds like it should be common sense to say that you should clean your Ocean Edge Brewster condominium and fix anything that is in need of repair. However, sometimes those details are overlooked or not taken too seriously. You may be used to the chipping paint on the baseboard or dust above the cabinets, but a buyer is not. It is worth having a professional cleaning service come in and do a thorough cleaning of your Ocean Edge home before it is shown, because first impressions matter. They matter when you’re meeting someone new, and they matter when buyers see your home for the first time. If something is broken, take the time to fix it before a potential buyer turns away from your property. If you have carpeting, invest in a company or a professional carpet cleaner to make it look brand new for buyers. For more tips on how to sell your home, check out our blog “Your House Not Selling? Try this Now!”

How to Sell Your Ocean Edge Brewster condo ASAP

Selling your home is a stressful time for anyone, whether it is your first home or your fifth. If you have the right real estate agent, they will help you get the right price for your home and sell it for you in a reasonable amount of time. If you are thinking of selling your Ocean Edge property, give Michael Leighton and his professionals a call today. Michael Leighton has been the #1 agent at Ocean Edge since 2004 and the #1 agent in the town of Brewster since 2007. He will price your condo appropriately and do everything he can to sell your home quickly.

October 25, 2016/by Leighton Team