real estate Archives - Chen Liang, Keller Williams One Legacy Partners LLC

Real Estate Best Practices for Public Health and Safety Home Buyers & Sellers

March 17, 2020 By April Liang

We have families that want or need to buy/sell a home.

Yet, we understand your concern regarding health and safety. We are concerned for your families health and safety too.

So whatever we need to do…. that’s what we’ll do.

At Keller Williams, we’ve spent a good amount of time creating best practices and protocols so that our clients can mitigate risk and still move forward toward buying or selling a home.

We have put alot of time into this, in order to allow you to take advantage of the low interest rates and less competition while having the lowest risk possible.

When you work with me, I will be implementing the following, and I am open to additional ideas from you, so that you can continue to feel confident and safe during the home buying and selling process.

Home Buyer Practices:

Go Virtual when possible: Use Zoom video chat for buyer or seller consultations, and property tours.
Only show homes to buyers that are pre-approved.
Provide gloves for you at every showing.
Encourage children to not attend showings.
Do not sit on furniture, & touch as little as possible while in other homes.
Have a quick dialog that is not rude or alarmist to address the new “To Shake or Not to Shake” awkwardness when meeting someone new.
If you are concerned about moving into, or cleaning a new home with unknown germs we will have a local cleaning company on call and include a deep clean before moving into your new home.

Home Sellers:

Go Virtual when possible: Use Zoom video chat options for buyer or seller consultations, and property tours.
Only allow pre-approved buyers to schedule showings.
Leave all lights on and doors open to reduce the need for others to touch items in your home.
Provide a box of gloves at the entrance for all agents and buyers to use.
We will ask buyer’s agents to not let buyers sit on furniture & to touch as little as possible.
We would encourage Open Houses to be put on hold, yet if holding an open house , only one family in at a time.
Encourage you to wipe down knobs, counters and switches after the showing.
If you are uncomfortable with in person showings, we can ask for all first time showings to be done virtually through the buyer’s agent.

DO you have questions or concerns regarding the current healh situation? or housing market? please reach out to me today. I am here to guide you, and support you during this time.

7854387874

Blessings

Chen Liang, REALTOR®, Keller Williams One Legacy Partners LLC

www.facebook.com/bizliang

#1 Individual Real Estate Agent 2019, Keller Williams Topeka KS

March 17, 2020 By April Liang

🎉Congrats to Chen Liang for receiving the award for #1 individual agent in 2019 at Keller Williams in Topeka. 53 units sold, and over $8 million in volume!
Thank you to all our clients, friends and family, who trust in our service and send us referrals. We appreciate you, and the opportunity to provide great service to you!
Our goal is to serve 60 families in 2020! Bring on the spring housing market!😊🏡💜

We would love to help you and your family buy or sell a home in 2020. Contact us today

Chen Liang, REALTOR, Keller Williams One Legacy Partners LLC

7854387874

chen@lianginternational.com

www.facebook.com/bizliang

#kansas #topekakansas #topekabusiness #visittopeka #topekanetworking #topekahomes #topekarealtor #topekarealestate #lawrencekansas #lawrence #kansascity #kansascityhomes #realestateagent #realtor #iamtopeka #topcity #success

Visit Topeka…. Stay For a While…Raise a Family…You Will Love it Here!

March 12, 2020 By April Liang

I was honored to be apart of this photoshoot at Redbud Park in the NOTO Arts & Entertainment District for the Visit Topeka magazine.

The Visit Topeka magazine is an annual guide produced for visitors and community members to see all the wonderful things happening around the area.

Topeka is a place where you will feel right at home!

With a rich history and vibrant culture, there is always something to do! Whether you love nature, the arts, music, shopping, museums, or family activities….

and for me….it is a great place to raise a family. I love Topeka, and the community involvement! Visit Topeka, Stay for a while, Raise a Family….You will love it here too!

If you have more questions about Topeka, the local schools, neighborhoods, or real estate, send me a message 7854387874

Chen Liang, REALTOR, Keller Williams One Legacy Partners LLC

www.facebook.com/bizliang

chen@lianginternational.com

5 Powerful Buying Strategies

August 1, 2016 By Liang Group

5 Powerful Buying Strategies

1. Don’t Get “Pre-Qualified!” Get “Pre-Approved”

Do you want to get the best house you can for the least amount of money? Then make sure you are in the strongest negotiating position possible. Price is only one bargaining chip in the negotiations, and not necessarily the most important one. Often other terms, such as the strength of the buyer or the length of escrow, are critical to a seller.In years past, we always recommended that buyers get “pre-qualified” by a lender. This means that you spend a few minutes on the phone with a lender who asks you a few questions. Based on the answers, the lender pronounces you “pre-qualified” and issues a certificate that you can show to a seller.Sellers are aware that such certificates are WORTHLESS, and here’s why! None of the information has been verified! Unknown problems can surface for example: recorded judgments, child support payments due, glitches on the credit report (due to any number of reasons both accurately and inaccurately), down payment funds that have not been in the clients’ bank account long enough, etc. So the way to make a strong offer today is to get “pre-approved”.

This happens AFTER all information has been checked and verified. You are actually APPROVED for the loan and the only loose end is the appraisal on the property. This process takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on your situation. It’s VERY POWERFUL and a weapon we recommend all of our clients have in their negotiating arsenal.

2. Sell First, Then Buy

If you have a house to sell, sell it before selecting a house to buy! Let’s pretend that we go out looking for the perfect house for you. We find it and you love it! Now you have to go make an offer to the seller. You want the seller to reduce the price and wait until you sell your house. The seller figures that’s a risky deal, since he might pass up a buyer who DOESN’T have to sell a house while he’s waiting for you. So he says OK, he’ll do the contingency but it has to be a full price offer!

So you see, you paid more for the house than you could have because of the contingency. Now you have to sell your existing house, and in a hurry! Otherwise you lose the dream house! So to sell quickly you might take an offer that’s lower than if you had more time.

The bottom line is that buying before selling might cost you TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars. We always recommend that you sell first, then buy. If you’re concerned that there is not a house on the market for you, then go on a window-shopping trip. You can identify possible houses and locations without falling in love with a specific house. If you feel confident after that then put your house on the market.

Another tactic is to make the sale “subject to seller finding suitable housing”. Adding this phrase to a contract means that WHEN YOU DO FIND A BUYER, you will have some time to find the new place. If you don’t find anything to your liking, you don’t have to sell your present home.

3. Play the Game of Nines

Before house hunting, make a list of nine things you want in the new place. Then make a list of the nine things you don’t want. We call this “NINE OF THIS AND NONE OF THAT”.

You can use this list as a scorecard to rate each property that you see. The one with the biggest score wins! This helps avoid confusion and keeps things in perspective when you’re comparing dozens of homes. When house hunting, keep in mind the difference between “SKIN AND BONES”.

The BONES are things that cannot be changed such as the location, view, size of lot, noise in the area, school district, and floor plan.

The SKIN represents easily changed surface finishes like carpet, wallpaper, color, and window coverings.

Buy the house with good BONES, because the SKIN can always be changed to match your tastes. I always recommend that you imagine each house as if it were vacant.

Consider each house on its underlying merits, not the seller’s decorating skills.

4. Don’t Be Pushed Into Any House

Your agent should show you everything available that meets your requirements. Don’t make a decision on a house until you feel that you’ve seen enough to pick the best one.

Review the Multiple Listing printout with your agent to make sure that you are getting a COMPLETE list. But don’t over shop the market. Over the last ten years, homes have been selling quickly, usually a few days after listing. In this kind of market, you may be advised to make an offer ON THE SPOT if you like the house. If it feels right, it probably is.

Don’t forget to check into the SCHOOL DISTRICTS of the area you’re considering. Information is available on every school; such as class sizes, % of students that go on to college, SAT scores, etc.

You can get this information from your agent or directly from the school.

5. Stop Calling Ads!

A word of caution – agents create ads solely to make the phone ring! Many of the homes have some drawback that’s not mentioned in the ad, such as traffic noise, power lines, or litigation in the community.

What’s not mentioned in the ad is usually more important than what is. For this reason, we want you to be very careful when reading ads. Remember that the person writing the ad is representing the seller and not you!

The most important thing you can do is have someone on your side looking out for your best interests. Your own agent will critique the property with an eye towards how well it meets your needs and will point out any drawbacks you should know about.

So whether you decide to work with us or not, pick an agent you feel comfortable with and enlist the services of that agent as a buyer’s broker. Then you become a client with all the rights, benefits, and privileges created by this agency relationship, and you’re no longer just a shopper.

Did you know that many homes are sold WITHOUT A SIGN ever going up or an AD EVER BEING PUT IN THE PAPER? These “great deals” go to those people who are committed to working with one agent. When an agent hears of a great buy, who do you think he’s going to call? His client, who he has a legal obligation to work hard for, or someone who just called on the phone and said “keep your eyes open”?

So, to get the best buy on a property, we always recommend that you hire your own agent and stick with him.

For more information or to receive a FREE buyers education consultation contact Chen at 7854387874

email Chen@lianginternational.com

facebook: www.facebook.com/bizliang

How to Prepare Your Home for Showing

July 1, 2016 By Liang Group

Special Report : How To Prepare your home

OUTSIDE: Trim all shrubs. Pull all weeds. Flowers planted. Leaves raked. Water lawn to keep green. Pick up and discard or store all implements, materials and debris that are not part of the lawn decor. All windows washed. Garage should be swept, neat and tidy. During the winter, all walks and drives should be shoveled and salted.LIGHTING: Open all shades and draperies during the daylight hours. Replace all burned out light bulbs with the maximum light producing bulbs. Turn on all lights throughout the house and basement prior to showing the house.

STORAGE: All clothing, shoes, hats, accessories, tools, papers, magazines, books and personal items not contributing to the decor of the room should be stored in closets or dressers. All closets should be tidy, neat and clean. Basement storage areas should be neatly arranged. Kitchen counters should be clean and free of any articles not contributing to the decor of the room. All magazines, books, ashtrays, food, bottles, containers, boxes, cans, toys, hobby accessories, tools, dishes, cookware, etc. should be stored in the proper cupboards or closets or storage areas.

CLOSETS: The interiors of all closets should present an organized, tidy and uncluttered appearance. All unneeded or unused items should be discarded. Display your storage and utility space by removing all unnecessary accumulations in attic, stairways, basement, closets and garage.

BASEMENT: Should be neat, clean, dry and tidy. All materials and tools should be stored on shelves or in cabinets. Discard as much unneeded material as possible prior to showing the house to prospective purchasers.

WINDOWS: All windows should be spotlessly clean inside and out. All window sills, as well as any space between the window and storm window should be spotlessly clean and free of any flaking or loose paint. All windows should be in good repair with no cracks. Screens should be clean and in good condition, free of rust and holes. Any paint on glass should be removed with a razor blade prior to cleaning.

FIXTURES: All bathroom and kitchen fixtures and counters should be sparkling clean. Polish chrome faucets and handles in the tub and sinks. All sinks, tubs, toilets and counters should be clean.

FLOORS: All flooring should be clean and waxed if necessary. All carpeting should be very clean regardless of its age. If the carpeting has not been steam cleaned for more than two years, now is the time to do it. Basement floors should be swept and mopped.

DOORS: All doors should be free of scotch tape, posters, decals, or stickers. All door handles should be clean and in good repair.

CERAMIC TILE: All joints between tiles should be clean and white. Use DAP bathroom tile sealer to reseal the joint between bathtub and wall and floor.

WALLS: All walls should be clean and free of gouges, scratches, smudges, scotch tape, posters, thumbtacks, etc. Walls should only have decorative items. Posters and paper pictures taped to walls should be removed and all evidence of the tape markings removed.

ODOR: Nothing smells better than fresh air. On warm days, have your windows open and shades up. Make your home feel and smell bright, fresh and clean and you will have a faster sale. KEY POINT: Make very sure that there are absolutely no pet odors.

For more information and tips about how we can help you further: Call Chen Liang, Keller Williams Legacy Partners Inc 7854387874

How to Spot the Top Problems Home Sellers Try to Hide

May 18, 2016 By Liang Group

Whether you’re a seasoned house hunter or a first-time buyer, the process of purchasing a home has plenty of pitfalls. And while you may assume that sellers are being upfront, it’s not uncommon for them to gloss over some of their home’s shortcomings.

All homeowners sign a disclosure document about their property so buyers know what they’re getting into; however, it can be very tempting for some to tell white lies or conveniently forget facts. In fact, a very large number of real estate lawsuits stem from owners misrepresenting their property.

So, just to be on the safe side, here are some common cover-ups and how you can crack them.

Water damage

Water stains aren’t just ugly; they’re also signs of leaks, and a breeding ground for mold. And they’re fairly easy for homeowners to hide with strategic decoration or staging.

Many sellers try to conceal water intrusion in the basement, for example, with a pile of cardboard boxes or suitcases,” he says. You could always ask the homeowner to move the furniture a few inches and shine a pocket flashlight around. If the home has obvious red flags (an odd odor or visible wall cracks), it’s not unreasonable to request removing a large picture frame to take a peek at what’s behind it.

Another popular tactic for concealing water damage: a coat of fresh paint. Always ask the homeowner when they last painted. If it was a year ago, they’re probably not trying to hide water stains.

A contaminated backyard

If you’re looking at an older home—specifically, if it was built before 1975—odds are it used to run on oil. Back then, homeowners typically had large oil tanks installed in the basement or underground in the backyard to conserve space and maintain the home’s aesthetic.

The problem is that oil can contaminate soil, and because it’s incredibly costly to remove, some people try to hide evidence of the tank.

So while walking through a home’s backyard, look for a small fill pipe sticking up from the ground (sometimes covered by patches of grass), a dead giveaway that an oil tank is on the premises. Or double-check by asking the seller if the home was heated with oil in the past.

A shaky foundation

If the paint job in a home looks a little uneven around the door frames or windows, take a closer to look to see if it’s concealing any jagged cracks in the wall, advises Flynn. Those zigzags can signify foundation problems, a costly and potentially dangerous situation for potential buyers.

A weak foundation can prevent cabinets and doors from closing, cause supporting beams to snap from stress, or even result in a poor home appraisal, which can affect your loan and the home’s resale value.

Another clue that the house has a weak foundation: “if you feel as though you’re suddenly walking up or down—even slightly—as you move through the home,” says Flynn.

Problem neighbors

Barking dogs, rocker teens, and blaring horns are all factors that can turn off potential buyers. That’s why some owners try to downplay these situations with well-timed open houses and neighborly negotiations.

Homeowners have an obligation to disclose what are called ‘neighborhood nuisances,’ but if they don’t, buyers have to rely on their word. I know people who have asked their neighbors to keep noisy dogs inside during showings or only open their homes during strategic times of the day.

Even well-intentioned owners may not be candid if they’ve become accustomed to their environment. One workaround, is for buyers to take a stroll around the neighborhood at different times of the day to get a more authentic feel for the area. And don’t hesitate to make small talk with the locals, who can offer a more objective view of their surroundings.

Weird temperature changes

Anyone who’s lived in a home with a freezing bathroom or unusually warm bedroom knows that a temperature imbalance can result in avoiding a room altogether. That’s why tapping into your senses is key when viewing your potential new home.

If you walk into a room and there’s a subtle shift in the atmosphere—maybe the air feels dry or damp—ask the owner what the room feels like throughout the seasons. The culprit is usually poor insulation, sometimes as a result of the owner adding a second room or floor to the home. Oftentimes, an owner isn’t trying to outright conceal extension work.

For More information contact Chen liang at 7854387874

Email: Chen@lianginternational.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bizliang

(originial source: Realtor.com)

Real Estate Best Practices for Public Health and Safety Home Buyers & Sellers

Home Buyer Practices:

Home Sellers:

#1 Individual Real Estate Agent 2019, Keller Williams Topeka KS

Visit Topeka…. Stay For a While…Raise a Family…You Will Love it Here!

5 Powerful Buying Strategies

How to Prepare Your Home for Showing

How to Spot the Top Problems Home Sellers Try to Hide

Water damage

A contaminated backyard

A shaky foundation

Problem neighbors

Weird temperature changes

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