We have access to the Multiple List Service for entire metropolitan area. We are licensed in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. In order to ensure there has been no infringement as to agency relationships it is not recommended to use other agents at the same time when looking for a home. Your time is our time! Remember our services our free, when looking for a home we will only be paid when the home is found and closed. The seller, in most cases, pays for the agents’ compensation.

Well that’s easy…In order to get qualified with a mortgage lender the loan officer will need to run your credit report to verify open credit lines. The loan amount that you qualify for will be determined by viewing your last two years of taxes, and two most recent paystubs. The timeframe to get a qualification letter when all the documentation has been reviewed can take about a day or so.

Well, any lender can qualify you for the maximum amount that your income/debt will allow; however, you need to come up with an estimate budget of what you and your family can handle. The qualification amount is not our focus but your budgetary needs. Whether you are approved for $150,000 or $500,000, your monthly budget is what matters most with the Escobar Realty Group.

2.        Prioritize your wants and needs in a home.

3.        Focus on one to two areas of interest

4.        Be open to homes that need a bit of work.

5.        Do not be afraid to write on the home that you love, if you like it, write on it.

There are many 100% financing programs out there however there are other costs that are involved in the transaction that you should take into account. You will need an earnest money check to accompany the Offer to Purchase. This may be in the form of a personal check or in some cases a certified check. A minimum of 1% of the sales price is deemed adequate in most cases.

In addition to, if the offer is accepted and we recommend every client to conduct a home inspection to determine the condition to the property. A home inspection ranges in costs to the size of the property and the price point; a good estimate would be $300 - $400.  

If you have collections, that’s okay you are not the only one. We can help you in the negotiation process to bring those payments into reasonable amounts. What do we charge? Not a thing…You are able to qualify for a loan as long as those collections are paid and are older than twelve months.

Where as we saw as a trend year after year, buyers were unable to have the negotiating power that they have in this trend of a buyer’s market. A buyer’s market clearly means that there is more of an inventory of homes for sale as there are buyers. What does this mean for you? This means you can get the most bang for your buck, easier negotiations on price and closing costs/repair assistance. The buyer’s market will get you more value in your home for the long term.

We are able to show you ANY home, new or resale, no matter who the listing broker is.

If you see a home advertised in the newspaper, or if you drive by a home that interests you, please call us! If you visit an Open House or a New Home Community, please tell the seller's agent in the home that you are being represented. Remember, we have access to the home information, even if it is not our own listing.

We will show you the research on the price by showing you what has sold within the last six months and what is currently active on the market. We also recommend showing you the active properties that are for sale in your neighborhood to open the discussion on comparing condition and pricing.

But we do not just stop there, buyers often times do not look at just the neighborhood but what is in the general vicinity, therefore, we look outside the neighborhood to see how the competition is looking. Overall it is your decision on the price point of the house, we offer you the tools to make the decision.

Regardless of the market change you should always use a Realtor to sell your home. The Realtor that you choose should be able to explain your rights and options to sell your home, market the property with flyers, open house, place the home online, etc. A Realtor will assist you through the contract process in detail so you are getting the most out of the deal and get the deal to the table.

      Financing Contingency – a set amount of days where a buyer has to get the financing fully approved from the bank. This is not a pre-qualification but a fully committed loan meaning all the documentation has been verified, an appraisal has been conducted and the bank is awaiting title work and the clear to close from the underwriting/closing department.

      Home Inspection Contingency – a set amount of days where a buyer can conduct a home inspection on the property. The inspection is conducted the buyer has the option to either release the contract, send a notice of repairs along with the inspection report or take the property as-is. If the notice is delivered to the seller, you then have only a couple of days for review to either release the contract, accept in doing all or some of the repairs or provide a credit for all or some of the repairs.

   Closing Credit to Buyer - a set amount used as credit to the buyer's closing costs. The amount is subtracted from the net amount of the sale. In most cases, the amount is only up to that figure, the amount can not be exceeded unless agreed upon. In addition to, the amount can only be credited as allowed by the lender's program, if the amount is too high for the program, then the credit is reduced to the allowed amount as per lender's instruction.

There are some basics things that you can do to get the home ready for sale. First, store whatever is valuable to you, ex. Jewelry, heirlooms, etc., away in a safety deposit box, storage facility, etc. Second, DECLUTTER…You may not know it, but your home may be cluttered and the buyer’s first impression is always the strongest. Third, keep the home tidy and with a fresh scent. A trick of realtors for Open Houses is light scented candles or to bake cinnamon apples to give off a warm scent to the home. These are just some of the basics, when we meet with you in your home we can discuss other ideas that will bring out the most from your home.

There is a contingency that we can put against the buyers to uphold in the contract and that is “Seller to Purchase Another Home” (or SFHOC), that is allotting a set of days after you have received a contract on the sale of your house to find another. Once you have found the property within those days we can conduct both settlements on the same day as long as all parties have agreed to do so. If you do not find a property within that timeframe we can go back to the buyers of your property for an extension or cancel the sale all together. You will never be left without a home

A latent defect is defined as a material defect in real property or an improvement to real property that:

1 – A purchaser would not reasonably be expected to ascertain or observe by a careful visual inspection of the real property; and;

2 – Would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of: a purchase and/or an occupant of the real property, including a tenant or invitee of the purchaser.

As Realtors we are unable to tell you what is or is not a latent defect. You must disclose what you feel is a defect with the house that anyone would be unable to notice while viewing the property and even in home inspection. Of course if you are unaware of any defects and there are defects with the house you are not held liable for conditions of the property that were truly not of your knowledge.

There are various home improvement that will bring out the most of a home overall, it is the creature comforts that bring the most out of a home. What we have seen with our own buyers have been improvement in the kitchen and bathrooms. These rooms do not have to be the top of the line but should reflect some care from the owner. If the cabinets are older but have been refaced, painted, etc with newer appliances will show more and possibly sell faster than one that is original and in poor condition. Curb appeal is a big factor with buyers; if the home is we taken care of on the outside it is sure to reflect that on the inside.