JILL BARRETT EARNS GRI DESIGNATION

Minnesota REALTOR® Jill Barrett was recently awarded the highly acclaimed national Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation. In completing the required curriculum, Jill Barrett, of Johnson Hometown Realty in Hibbing, MN joins other top REALTORS® in the residential real estate industry from across the nation who hold this designation.

“I am a proponent of lifelong learning, and I am always searching for more information and methods to do things better, so spending the time to get the GRI designation was a great decision,” said Jill Barrett.  “Real Estate is not “sales” to me, it is all about relationships and making the process of buying or selling real estate as smooth as possible for my clients; helping them to achieve their goals.  The GRI will help me to achieve mine!” 

Jill earned the GRI designation by attending a specific, intensive series of classroom instruction, covering a variety of subjects including professional standards, legal issues, sales and marketing, finance and risk reduction, technology and social media.

With this achievement, Jill has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional service by securing a strong educational foundation of knowledge and skills to better navigate the real estate market and serve prospective clients and customers.

The Institute is designed to educate practitioners about local, state and national real estate practices that affect them, their clients and customers.  Only members of the REALTOR® Association may earn the GRI designation.  The REALTOR® Institute is more than twenty-five years old and has graduated thousands of REALTORS® nationally.

The GRI designation indicates to the public that the designation holders are members of the National Association of REALTORS® who have obtained a professional educational foundation on which to base their services.

Obtaining the GRI designation is a beneficial way for a REALTOR® to advance their professional image. The extra measure of knowledge and prestige achieved by completing this course work is a tool that will advance a career in real estate in attracting and building new business.

“Jill has been an amazing addition to our team at Johnson Hometown Realty,” said Jill’s broker, Marcy Johnson.  “She goes above and beyond to provide excellent service and care to her clients.  You really are not going to find a better agent to take care of your real estate needs.  This designation, which is rare, is an example of the hard work and dedication Jill is committed to in making transactions go smoothly for her clients.”

Additional information about the Institute and other educational opportunities for professional real estate agents may be obtained by contacting the Minnesota Association of REALTORS® at 800/862-6097 or www.mnrealtor.com/mn-education-information under “Designations.”

Thinking About Finally Building That Dream Home You Have Always Wanted?

In order to get a home built in 2020 you are going to need to get busy in a hurry, because you will need to acquire at least four things well in advance:

  1. A Building Site
  2. Financing
  3. A Design/Floor Plan
  4. A General Contractor
  1. The building site needs to be accounted for before you can make any real progress in any of the other areas, so get on that now. There are currently lots available in and around every town on the Iron Range so contact a Realtor, find out what is available and start looking! And remember, the perfect home in the wrong place will always be in the wrong place….
  2. You probably have many ideas in mind about your dream floor plan, and perhaps even a few samples drawn out on paper. You need to take your ideas to an architect or a builder who can help you with blueprints and suggestions and estimates. This process can take time and needs to be thoroughly addressed.
  3. Which brings us to financing. You cannot go forward without the money coming from somewhere. Make sure you can qualify for enough; make sure your preferred lender can/will do a construction loan; find out how much your out-of-pocket expenses will be; and know what your monthly payments will be when all is said and done.
  4. Finding a contractor who is available when you need him may be the most difficult part of the entire process. Many of the good ones are already booked for this year. Keep in mind that most lots will require dirt work (i.e.driveway, site prep), connection to or creation of water and sewer facility, power brought in, as well as everything else required to construct a home from the bottom up. A good general contractor will arrange for all of the necessary tradesmen, permits and etc, but it all takes time (and money).

If you have questions about any of this, or if you would like information about the real estate end of the process, stop in or call one of the professionals at Johnson Hometown Realty. We are Here to Help!! 218-263-4411

Lake Shore Homes are Moving Already!!!

 

Everybody knows lake shore homes never sell in the winter…Or do they???  Our office has put together 4 deals on nice lake homes in the past 3 weeks, and we have some other buyers currently looking.  If you are interested in checking out any lake homes listed through the Range or Itasca MLS, call our office at 218-263-4411 anytime, and we will get you the information you need and set the showing appointments you want!

FYI The Range MLS currently has 14 Residential Lake homes/cabins listed under $100,000, 16 more between $100,000 and $150,000, 32 more between $150,000 and $200,000, as well as 139 more listed over $200,000.  Don’t miss out!!  Call today!!

Johnson Hometown Realty  www.JohnsonHometownRealty.com  218-263-4411.

P.S.  Lake shore owners who are thinking about selling may want to consider getting in on this early activity as well….

AEOA and KOOTASCA Homeownership Assistance Programs – Home financing translated into English a normal person can understand…Part Six

Our most recent 5 home financing blogs have been about the most common mortgage options available – FHA, DVA, Conventional, USDA, and 203K Renovation loans.  The purpose has been to give buyers an idea of the different programs that are out there and to encourage those buyers to find a good, experienced lender to determine which mortgage makes the most sense for their particular situation.  Today we want to do the same with one of the better loan assistance programs available – The Homeowner Assistance Programs offered by AEOA and KOOTASCA.

 The Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) offers help to qualified families looking to purchase homes in St. Louis (except Duluth), Lake, or Cook Counties.  Education, counseling, and financial assistance are all available through AEOA.  KOOTASCA has the same types of programs for Koochiching and Itasca Counties.

The education component involves Homestretch Workshops open to anyone interested in learning how to buy a home.  These workshops are designed to give an understanding of how real estate transactions work, qualifications for home buyer financing, and responsibilities of home ownership.  The counseling occurs during the “1-on-1” meeting that takes place BEFORE a purchase agreement is signed. And the financial assistance (funds provided by Northeast Minnesota HOME Consortium) involves money toward a qualified buyers down payment and closing costs.

At this point in the previous blogs, we have been pointing out the pros and cons of the mortgage type being discussed. This program is a bit different, however, so we will simply list the eligibility requirements necessary to participate.  They are:

·         Buyer must complete the Homestretch Workshop.  (Buying a home is a big deal, and the information offered at these workshops is invaluable.)

·         Buyer must complete 1-on-1 counseling for assistance BEFORE signing a purchase agreement. (See above.)

·         The home purchased must pass the Minimum Housing Standards Inspection.

·         Buyer must be a first-time home buyer or not have owned a home in the past 3 years.

·         Buyer must qualify for a mortgage.  (The counselor will assist in shopping for a mortgage.)

·         Buyer is required to contribute a minimum of $1,000 toward the purchase of a property from their own resources.  Some available mortgage programs may require additional buyer contributions.

·         Household income must be below the following income limits. (80% below the county median income.)

FAMILY SIZE            St. Louis                Lake               Cook
1                      $37,650             $36,600           $36,650
2                      $43,000             $41,800           $41,850
3                      $48,400             $47,050           $47,100
4                      $53,750             $52,250           $52,300
5                      $58,050             $56,450           $56,500

~ For income limits in Koochiching or Itasca counties, contact Sandy O’Fallon at 218-999-0828 or sandyo@kootasca.org

The next 3 Home Stretch Workshops in each area are as follows:

AEOA

Hibbing, Grace Lutheran Church, Saturday, Feb. 23, 8:30am – 5:00 pm

Ely, Wildwoods Land Co., Saturday, March 23, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Virginia, AEOA, Tues. April 16 & Thurs. April 18, 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm

KOOTASCA

Deer River, Sat., Feb. 9, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

International Falls, Thurs., Feb. 14, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Grand Rapids, Sat., March 23, 8:00 am – 4:30 PM

For more information on these workshops contact:

Autumn Holweger 218-735-6895 Email: autumn.holweger@aeoa.org

Or:

Sandy O’Fallon 218-999-0828  Email: sandyo@kootasca.org

As always, work closely with a good lender who understands and offers this assistance program, as not all do.  Thanks very much to Casey HinnenKamp of the American Bank, Hibbing, and to Sandy O’Fallon of AEOA and KOOTASCA for their help with this blog.

Coming next, (I think), How to create and/or improve your credit score…. 

203K RENOVATION LOANS

Home financing translated into English that a normal person can understand…Part Five.  

Thus far in our series about home financing options we have blogged about FHA, DVA, Conventional, and USDA loan options.  (Go to johnsonhometownrealty.com to review any of these blogs…)  Today we are taking a look at the 203K Home Improvement Loan program.  These are definitely “niche” loans, but the borrower looking to buy and immediately remodel a property may find this to be an ideal option.  As always, this blog is an effort to give you just enough information to make you aware that this program exists and to get you in to see a good, experienced lender who can answer all of your questions and to help you ascertain if the 203K program is the best answer for you.

The main “pros” that 203K loans offer include:  No current equity is necessary, only a 3.5% down payment is required, the buyer ends up with one mortgage, one payment, and one deduction, and finally, the borrower can finance all desired home improvements as well as the replacement of any missing appliances such as a furnace, refrigerator etc.

The “cons” of these loans include:  Do-it-yourself work is not allowed, borrowers must work with contractors for written bids, contractors must be vetted and approved by lenders, many lenders either do not understand or even offer these programs, loans are only available for primary residences (not open to investors), and  more paperwork is generally involved and closing often takes longer than with other mortgages.

As has been discussed in this series of blogs, there are many different home mortgage programs available.  Do not become confused and do not become intimidated.  Work closely with a good lender, and find the financing option that works best for your situation!!  Thanks very much to Julie Rigstad of Union Home Mortgage for her expertise and input for this blog.

Coming next, AEOA and KOOTASCA Homebuyer Assistance Programs…

USDA Rural Development – The “Top Secret” Home Loan Program!!

Home financing translated into English that even a normal person can understand…Part Four.

Over the past 3 weeks we have blogged about FHA, DVA, and Conventional financing options.  We have tried to explain the basics of each of these loan programs, and what advantages and disadvantages each one offers.  We have also emphasized the fact that a good, experienced lender is your best asset as you try to figure out which of these will work best for you. There is, however, another option, the USDA Rural Development Loan,  that will work well for some buyers…

While “Top Secret” may be overstating it a little bit, this program is certainly the least known of the available mortgage choices.  These are zero-down-payment mortgages guaranteed by the USDA for eligible rural and suburban home buyers.  They are most often used by borrowers who are having trouble getting traditional funding.

The primary advantages of a USDA Rural Development loan are:  No down payment, up to 6% seller concessions towards buyer closing costs, modular and manufactured homes may be eligible, and no lot size restrictions.

The main disadvantages include:  Geographic restrictions  (for example, property with a Hibbing zip code is NOT eligible), Mortgage insurance is required, there are certain income limits, and only single family, owner occupied homes are allowed.

As was stated earlier, there are many home loan options and much information to consider about each one.  Don’t be intimidated!!  Work closely with a good lender and find a program that suits your needs and fits your situation!!  A big Thank You to Alyssa Amic Shega of Fairway Mortgage for her input on this subject…

Next up, Renovation Loans...

The Conventional Way to Buy a Home…

Home financing translated into English that even a normal person can comprehend…Part Three.

Over the past few days, we have blogged about FHA and DVA mortgages focusing on the basic advantages and disadvantages of each. A home buyer is well-served to have some idea about all of the different funding options and then to discuss those options with a lender who can guide them down the best path.

A conventional mortgage is a home loan that that is not insured or guaranteed by the federal government, as opposed to FHA, DVA and USDA mortgages which are backed by the feds.  Nationwide, conventional loans are the most common type of home finance options.

The main benefits of conventional financing include:  Loan fees can be negotiated, creative financing is an option, down payments can be as low as 3%, total closing costs are lower than with other options, mortgage insurance can be discontinued at a certain point, and the appraisal rules are more relaxed than they are with government backed loans.

The primary disadvantages of conventional financing are:  Interest rates can be higher than FHA rates, and it is more difficult for a buyer with a lower credit score to qualify for a conventional loan.  (Credit scores are the subject of a couple of future blogs.)  The rule of thumb here is, “Conventional financing is tougher on the buyer and easier on the property.”

A buyer does not need to be a home loan expert before going in to meet with a lender, but having a little background about some of the terms and the main options will give him/her a definite “edge” when speaking with a mortgage broker.

Next up, USDA…

“Thank you” to all U.S. Veterans, and By the way, What is a VA Loan Anyway???

Home financing translated into English that a normal person can understand…Part Two.

 

Last week we discussed FHA mortgages – What they are, what advantages they bring and what disadvantages are associated with them.  As was mentioned in that blog, a home buyer needs to begin the purchasing process by finding a good Realtor and a good lender.  The lender can then explain all of the options (and they are many), and help you ascertain which type of funding best fits your situation.

Our goal here is to give you just enough information about the types of financing available so that you will be a little more comfortable when you meet with your lender.

VA Loans…

Everybody has heard of them, but what exactly are they?   A VA (or DVA) loan is a mortgage guaranteed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs.  This program is for American veterans, current military members, reservists, and some select surviving spouses.  It can be used for just about any type of single family residential property, including new construction.  The basic intention of the VA home loan program is to supply financing to help eligible veterans purchase a home without a down payment.

The main benefits of a VA loan include:  Typically no down payment is needed; no Private Mortgage Insurance premiums (PMI) are required; buyers closing costs are limited; interest rates are often lower than with other loan types; and higher debt-to-income ratios are allowable.

The disadvantages of a VA loan are:  A funding fee must be paid by the veteran (2.15% to 2.4% of the loan amount the first time the borrower uses his/her VA benefit and even higher thereafter), though this fee is typically financed or “rolled into” the loan; these loans are for owner-occupied property only, not for any type of income property, VA loans are difficult, if not impossible, to use for homes valued above a million dollars; and there is a perception among some sellers and some Realtors that VA loans are difficult to navigate and tough on the sellers. (While this last point was at least partially true in the past, it is mostly untrue today.)

In the vast majority of cases, an eligible veteran will find that taking advantage of the VA benefit he/she has earned is the best choice for home financing, however there may be some situations where another program may be more advantageous.  Again, this is where a good loan originator can guide you through the choices and help you find the deal that is best for you.

Once again, “Thank you” to all of our veterans for your service to our country, and the best of luck to you as you seek to find your new home!!

Coming next, Conventional financing…

 

 

 

 

Teaching and Learning; Learning and Teaching……Training is Teamwork!

Many great things are happening here at Johnson Hometown Realty.  All eight of us are incredibly busy; new listings and pending sales are coming in almost daily; and we are continuing to meet great clients who are just a pleasure to work with.  One of the most exciting things we have happening here however, is the intensive training program we have undertaken for the office. We are very intentional about working through case studies, discussing real-life situations that have arisen for one of us on the job and in going over forms every Monday morning, as well as pairing newer agents with more experienced partners for shadowing opportunities and one-on-one mentoring programs.  We are focused on professionalism and excellence and are working hard together to go over files thoroughly and pay attention to all the details to make every transaction go as smoothly as possible for our clients.

The way every one has has responded to this training has been fantastic!  And the things those of us doing the training have learned has also been very positive. We are proving that old dogs CAN learn new tricks, and that more inexperienced people who are willing to learn and who are eager to become knowledgeable, dependable, and professional can reach those goals quickly – It has been good for all of us; it has proven useful for all of us; and it has been fun for all of us as well!! #lovingtheofficeenvironment

 

Johnson Hometown Realty
2402 1st Ave.
Hibbing, MN 55746
218-263-4411

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