Lisa Meier Coldwell Banker United

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Buying Your Home
Your step by step guide to the home buying process
This presentation is a condensed version. At our
first meeting you will receive a complete Buyer
Guide
Lisa Meier is a REALTOR licensed in Texas. Equal
Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is
Independently Owned And Operated.
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Thank you for the opportunity to assist you!

• I know that the right Realtor makes all the
  difference. There are literally hundreds of
  realtors in the Austin area. Why choose me?
•  
• Keeping you informed- As your Realtor, I
  represent only your best interest. I am here to
  keep you informed, answer questions, present your
  options and give honest advice. Anytime you need
  anything, just ask! You will be ready and
  prepared for each step. I will do everything in
  my power to keep the process smooth, easy and
  stress free!
• Tackling challenges with grace- Any time you sell
  or buy real estate, challenges may present
  themselves. I treat all parties involved with
  respect and kindness. The best negotiations are
  done when everyone feels satisfied.
• Constant communication Fast and thorough
  communication reduces stress and keeps everyone
  in the loop. I answer e-mails, calls and
  messages promptly.
• Home hunting gone high tech Being a tech savvy
  Realtor, I take full advantage of the edge that
  technology brings to the home finding process.
•  
• May I recommend
• Read this guide. It will prepare you for what
  lies ahead and make decisions easier
• Ask questions. The only dumb question is the one
  that wasnt asked.
• Give me feedback. My goal is to find the home
  YOU will love. Let me know what you do and dont
  like about the homes we see.
•   
• If I can help in any way, just let me know!
•  

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About Lisa Meier
About Lisa Meier

• Education
• Bachelors of Science, Interior Design at Texas
  State University, Magna Cum Laude
• The University of Texas Arlington, Real Estate
  School
• Certified Negotiation Specialist
• Experience
• Texas Licensed Realtor, Coldwell Banker United
  Realtors
• Specializing in first time, move up and
  relocation buyers
• Specializing in move up, relocation and
  downsizing sellers
• Background in designing high end residential
  interiors
• Affiliations
• Williamson County Association of Realtors
• Texas Association of Realtors
• National Association of Realtors
• 2006 - 2008 Coldwell Banker Multi-Million Dollar
  Producer
• 2006 - 2008 Coldwell Banker Million Dollar A
  Month Club

• Community
• Williamson County Association of Realtors
  Community Service Committee
• Volunteer for the Austin Humane Society
• Volunteer for the American Cancer Society
• Member of Heart of Texas Greyhound Rescue
• Personal
• A Texas Native, originally from Amarillo
• Lived in Round Rock since 2000
• Hobbies include hiking, mountain biking,
  traveling (Hawaii), Round Rock Express games,
  fantasy football
•  

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What my clients say about me
What My Clients Say
Lisa, Thank you so much for being the perfect
Realtor! We really appreciate everything you did
to help us find a home! Sincerely, The Pappens
Lisa, Thank you so much for being the perfect
Realtor! We really appreciate everything you did
to help us find a home! Sincerely, The Pappens
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The Home Buying Process
Decision to Buy
Securing Financing
The Home Search
Making an Offer
Contract to Close
Coldwell Banker Resources
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Decision to Buy
Decision to Buy
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What are your goals?
Decision to Buy

• Your goals will shape the focus for your search.
  
•  
• Important things to consider
• Do you have another home to sell before you can
  buy?
• Are you expecting a change of marital status?
• When is your current lease expiring?
• How long do you plan on owning your next home?
• When would you like to be in the new home?
•  
• Should you buy instead of rent?
• A home is a long term investment.
• When you rent, you write your monthly check and
  that money is gone forever.
• When you own a home, you can deduct the cost of
  your mortgage loan interest and the property
  taxes you pay from your federal income taxes.
• The value of your home will likely rise with
  time.
• With every payment you make, you are building
  equity in your home.  

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Needs Vs. Wants
Decision to Buy
Get clarity on what youre looking for

• Find out what you can afford (by speaking with a
  mortgage lender) BEFORE you start your search.
  This will help prevent you from financially
  overextending yourself.
• Fill out a needs vs wants list and discuss with
  your spouse
• If you are purchasing with a spouse, discuss
  whats most important to each of you. Focus on
  nice to haves and need to haves
• Keep in mind that there is no perfect home.
  Expecting compromises will make your decision
  easier.
• Think about your home in a different light. Your
  home should not only fit your wants and needs,
  but also be a good long term investment.

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Securing Financing
Securing Financing
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Getting Pre-Approved
Securing Financing

• The first step, even before searching for a home
  is deciding how you will finance your home. I
  ask all of my clients to contact their mortgage
  professional first so that they have a realistic
  idea of what their expenses will be.
•  
• The mortgage professional will
• Decide what type of loan you qualify for and how
  much you qualify for
• Help you find a loan amount that will yield a
  monthly payment that you can feel comfortable
  with
• Provide a good faith estimate that will detail
  estimated costs such as down payment, closing
  costs, monthly expenses like taxes, insurance and
  mortgage payment
• Be your contact for all financial questions
  related to the transaction (outside of the
  contract)
• Provide a pre-approval letter (we will need this
  when writing an offer)
•  
• Recommended Lenders
• I recommend shopping around and comparing rates
  AND fees.  Ask for a good faith estimate so that
  you can compare each lender's fees and rates most
  easily.  Shop for lenders within a 14 day period
  to ensure that your credit report only reflects
  one credit request.  I will give you the names of
  a few recommended lenders to start your search.

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Meeting with a Mortgage Lender
Securing Financing

• At your first meeting with your lender, be sure
  to discuss
• What rate and amount you qualify for?
• What if any down payment will you need to bring
  to closing?
• What are your estimated closing costs?
• When does your loan pre-approval expire?
• What documentation do you need to provide them
  with?
• Get a good faith estimate reflecting the amount
  you wish to purchase
•  
• Documentation that your lender may want to see
• Social security numbers for both you and your
  spouse
• Copies of your checking and savings account
  statements (past 6 months)
• Evidence of any assets like bonds or stocks
• A recent paycheck stub detailing your earnings
• List of all credit card accounts and the approx.
  monthly amounts owed on each
• A list of account numbers and balances due on
  outstanding loans (ex car loans)
• Copies of your last 2 years income tax statements
• The name and address of someone who can verify
  your employment
•  

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What will it cost?
Securing Financing
Knowing what costs you will need to budget for
will help you on track throughout the process.
The above numbers are estimates and can vary
depending upon the home you purchase.
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The Home Search
The Home Search
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Searching Online
The Home Search
Your Online Gateway to Viewing Homes After
discussing what you are looking for in a home, I
will set up an online gateway search for you.
The gateway will e-mail you results and allow you
to mark your favorites, make notes and keep track
of whats new on the market. Many of my clients
tell me that they become addicted to getting
these e-mails daily.   What if you want to
search for a home not on the gateway? There are
literally hundreds of websites to search for
homes, but they are not equal. Your best bet for
finding the most comprehensive and most up to
date listings are searching the IDX links
supported by the Austin Board of Realtors MLS
system. Below are a few links that I
suggest   AustinHomeAgent.com ColdwellBanker.com
AustinHomeSearch.com  
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Viewing Homes
The Home Search
Yard signs, open houses and builders When you
find a home that you are interested in, always
call me first. Never call the listing agent.
The listing agent represents only the sellers
best interest and is obligated to pass along any
information you may give them which could
inadvertently affect your negotiating power
later. I can find out any information that you
want to know and am happy to schedule a time to
show you the home myself. Likewise, if you visit
an open house, let the agent know that you
already have representation and that I will
contact them if you have further interest in the
home. If you decide to visit a new home
community on your own, let the builder know that
you have a Realtor you are working with. Again,
the builders salesperson is only looking out for
the builders best interest. Our first
meeting At our first meeting, we will meet at my
office and form a plan. At this time, I can
answer any questions you may have. We will go
over the process together and complete the
initial paperwork. The state of Texas requires
that we form a Buyers Representation Agreement
in writing before I can represent you. This
usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Taking a
look at property Anytime you want to take a look
at property, call me and I will get you on my
schedule. I typically like to show buyers around
4 to 8 homes during each meeting. Any more homes
than this and its difficult to remember what
youve seen!  
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Making an Offer
Making an Offer
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Writing an Offer
Making an Offer

• Now that you know which home you would like to
  purchase, its time to make an offer. Offers are
  always made in writing. The first step is
  deciding the details of the offer.
• A few things to consider
• How much you want to offer?
• Do you want the seller to pay for a portion of
  the closing costs?
• What would be an ideal closing date?
• Is the homes sales price in line with comparable
  area homes?
• Negotiations are always unique to the home and
  the area the home is located in.
• Steps for making an offer
• I will complete a Market Analysis for the home.
  This will let you know how well the home is
  priced compared the the homes that are active and
  have sold recently.
• I will help you decide how much you want to
  offer, what contributions you would like the
  seller to make, and what closing date is best.
• I will suggest a couple of options for
  negotiation. You can select the one that you are
  most comfortable with.  
• You will need the earnest money check made out
  to the title company (typically 1 of the sales
  price), option money check made out to the seller
  (typically 100), pre-approval letter or proof of
  funds (if paying cash)
• All offers are made in writing and signed.

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Negotiation of the Offer
Making an Offer

• I will present your written offer to the sellers
  or the sellers agent and negotiate on your
  behalf.
• The sellers will have the choice of
• Accepting your offer as presented
• Rejecting it completely
• Countering it
• I will negotiate on your behalf to help you
  obtain the most favorable price and terms, and I
  will work on your behalf to successfully close
  the sale.
• Negotiations can happen within a couple of hours,
  or sometimes as long as week or more. Once all
  parties have agreed, the contract will be signed
  and executed. Your option period will start the
  day after the contract is executed.

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Important Negotiation Strategy
Making an offer
In order to maintain the strongest negotiating
position, I recommend that you do not discuss the
following information with the seller, builder or
other real estate agents.

• Reason/Urgency for buying
• Willingness to make an offer more than listing
  price
• Financing terms
• Personal property you might want included
• Timing and benefits from your company
• Any other confidential information

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Contract To Close
Contract to Close
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Option Period and Inspections
Contract to Close

• Option Period - The option period is much like a
  buyers remorse period in that you may
  terminate the contract for any reason and your
  earnest money will be refunded. The time starts
  as soon as the contract is executed. Depending
  upon how the contract is written, your option
  period may be around 7 to 10 days. During this
  time, it is important to have all of your
  inspections completed as well as any negotiations
  for repair.
• Inspections - I highly recommend that you have
  your home inspected, whether you purchased a
  brand new home or a resale home. Any inspector
  will tell you that there is no such thing as a
  perfect home. An inspector can help you find the
  flaws in your home and let you know about
  upcoming maintenance issues.

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Closing
Contract to Close

• The closing day is the day that you will sign all
  of the final paperwork, both title and mortgage
  loan. Once the seller has signed, your lender
  provides the title company with funds, you are
  free to take possession of the home!
• Tips for closing
• We will complete a walk through the day before or
  the morning of closing.
• If you know that you cannot attend closing,
  please let me know as soon as possible. Your
  lender will need to approve the change and
  arrangements will need to be made.
• The HUD Settlement Statement is the closing
  statement that totals all of the buyers and
  sellers debits and credits for the transaction.
  Typically you will receive the HUD the day before
  or the morning of closing.
• Never plan on moving on the day of closing.
  There are always unforeseen events that could
  potentially delay closing. In addition, if your
  loan does not fund, you will not be able to take
  possession.
• Its a good idea to set up your utilities a week
  prior to closing to ensure no lapse in service.
  I provide a Concierge department that will do all
  the work for you!

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Coldwell Banker United Resources
Coldwell Banker United Resources
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Client Benefits
Coldwell Banker Resources
Connecting Utilities Concierge Can Connect will
work with your utility providers such as
electric, water, gas, etc. to connect or
disconnect the utilities at a date you specify. I
highly recommend them and I will pick up the tab
for their services. Moving just got a lot
easier! Discounts My clients are eligible to
receive discounts on services like moving,
storage, rental cars, hotels, Lowes and more!
Even after closing!! Reminders As we proceed
through the process, Ill be sending you
reminders to keep you on track. Helping Homeless
Pets find a Home I donate a portion of the
proceeds of every sale to a central Texas animal
shelter on my clients behalf. Ongoing Service If
you ever have a question or need anything, Im
here to help!
I can help take the stress out of moving!
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Recommended Links

• Area Links
• Austin Relocation Guide
• Texas Online
• Area Schools
• Average temperatures
• Austin Info
• City Data
• Guide to bein' from here
• Texas Almanac
• US Census
• Coming Metro Rail
• City of Round Rock
• Power to Choose

Real Estate Links AustinHomeAgent.com (my
site) Coldwell Banker Mr. Coldwell Mr.
Bankers Office Personal Retriever Video
Library Buyer Resources Real Estate
Glossary Homeowner Resources Home Price
Comparison Index AustinHomeSearch Gracy Title
Relocation Info
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My Commitment to You
Coldwell Banker United Resources

• My personal commitment
• There are many decisions to consider when
  choosing to buy or sell real estate. Choosing me
  as your agent means having guidance and support
  every step of the way. I wont rest until your
  goals are met and your expectations are exceeded!
• After closing my clients are sent a survey and
  are asked to rate my performance. I have an
  average of 5 out of 5 possible stars and all
  answered that they would refer me to friends and
  family in the future!
• Most of my clients come from referrals of past
  clients. Reputation is everything in real
  estate. There is no higher compliment than a
  referral from a client!
• I look forward to helping you finding your new
  home. Let me know how I can help!

Lisa Meier
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Coldwell Banker United Resources
Stacked against other agents, Im more
productive!
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Coldwell Banker
Coldwell Banker United Resources
Number 1 in Coldwell Banker Coldwell Banker
United, Realtors was named the number one company
in sales transactions among 1,287 independently
owned and operated Coldwell Banker companies
worldwide. 32,792 Number of closed
transactions 6.83 Billion Closed sales
volume Number 8 in the Nation REALTrends 500 and
RISMedia (based on closed transactions in 2006)

• Coldwell Banker, the nations oldest real estate
  organization, was founded on a commitment to
  professionalism and customer service that remains
  the core of our business philosophy today.
• Colbert Coldwell and Benjamin Banker formed the
  real estate company out of the ashes of the 1906
  San Francisco Earthquake. Most of the public
  records were destroyed and unscrupulous brokers
  put up false for sale signs and tried to profit
  from the sale of properties that werent theirs
  to sell. Coldwell Banker was built upon
  representing the consumers interest first.

1906 San Francisco Earthquake
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Helping Your Friends and Family
Coldwell Banker United Resources

• My Goal
• Most of my business comes from word of mouth
  referrals by my past clients. I am always
  honored when my clients think of me and send
  their friends and family my way. I promise to
  take good care of your referrals!
• Rewards!
• In appreciation, Ill send a thank you gift for
  each referral you send and again when the
  referral closes. Its such a complement when a
  past client refers me, its the least I can do to
  say thanks!!
• Helping find Out of Town Realtors
• Do you or someone you know need a Realtor in a
  different area? I can help find a qualified
  referral. Just ask!

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I look forward to working with you!
Coldwell Banker United Resources
Please dont hesitate to call or e-mail me with
your questions or concerns. I am here to help!
Coldwell Banker United 810 Hesters Crossing, Ste
100 Round Rock, TX 78681
Click here for a map
Lisa Meier is a REALTOR licensed in Texas. Equal
Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is
Independently Owned And Operated.
This presentation is a condensed version. At our
first meeting you will receive a complete Buyer
Guide