WE are here
for you.
Here are a
few things
we think
you’ll find
useful.
MEET OUR TEAM
Meet our team of locally experienced real estate agents who LOVE Asheville and WNC. We work closely and collaboratively with agents who specialize in residential homes, luxury homes, urban condos, country-side acreage, and everything in between.
Asheville Realty Group is a boutique brokerage firm offering full-service real estate services across Western North Carolina. We consider ourselves to be local market experts in Asheville and the surrounding areas. We welcome all, we embrace Asheville’s rich history, and support its growing future.
Downtown Office
47 Patton Avenue
828-252-1910
North Asheville
788 Merrimon Avenue
828-252-1916
CONTENTS
- BUYERS GUIDE
- THE STEPS
- DO YOU NEED AN AGENT?
- PRE-APPROVAL
- MAKING AN OFFER
- ELEMENTS OF AN OFFER
- HOME OPERATING COSTS
- HOW MUCH CAN I AFFORD?
- MOVING CHECKLIST
- CLOSING
- FAQ’S
- THE TESTIMONIALS
THE STEPS
A quick look at the asheville realty group home BUYING process
- Get Pre-Approved
From knowing what you can afford to being more attractive to sellers, this step is essential.
- Choose your agent!
One whose personality meshes with your own and whose experience can work in your favor!
- Get informed
Learning about the current market conditions
will give you a leg up when looking for a house.
- Start hunting
We’ll take note of your requirements and start searching for properties that fit the bill!
- Find your home
Consider what’s important to you when choosing an area like schools and commuting time.
- Make an offer
We’ll draw up an offer and negotiate on
your behalf.
- Complete inspection
Home inspections will ensure the home doesn’t have any costly defects.
- Moving day
Congratulations! Your home is sold! Schedule the closing, hand off keys and collect the check!
DO YOU NEED AN AGENT?
Most of the homes you’ll be viewing will be listed by a Realtor. The sellers will have hired someone to represent their best interests and you should have the same. When it comes to negotiating, buyer’s agents know how to negotiate on your behalf. A buyer’s agent’s priority is making sure you as the buyer get the best deal for the best home.
PRE-APPROVAL
Mortgage pre-approval should be your first step when you start the home buying process. If you are pre-approved, it means that a lender has stated that you qualify for a mortgage loan based on the information you have provided.
Why should you get pre-approved?
- You’ll know what you can afford
- You’ll be more appealing to sellers
- Realtors will know you are serious
- There is zero cost to you
MAKING AN OFFER
SO YOU FOUND “THE ONE”. HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MAKING AN OFFER ON YOUR DREAM HOME.
The time has come to make an offer. You’ll need to decide the terms and conditions of what you want to offer the Seller (price, deposits, closing date, conditions, etc.) Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through everything.
If yours is the only offer, we might want to include some conditions like financing and home inspection, if we are in competition it’s wise to remove any conditions (especially in a seller’s market) to make your offer as competitive as possible.
Making an offer is an exciting and stressful event but we’ll help you choose the best strategy to get you the home you want.
OFFER ELEMENTS
PRICE
- The price you are willing to pay for the home. We will help you understand the market and what to offer.
DEPOSITS
- . Due Diligence is a non-refundable fee paid directly to the seller for a due diligence period. Earnest Money shows good faith you intend to close.
TERMS
- Terms include the total price offered and the financing details.
CONDITIONS
- Conditions are items that must be completed or fulfilled before the closing.
INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS
- Your offer may be contingent on certain items being either included or excluded in the sale.
CLOSING
- The day the title of the property is legally transferred and the transaction of funds finalized.
UPFRONT COSTS
MOVING COSTS – Moving supplies, renting a truck, and booking movers.
CLOSING COSTS – This includes attorney fees, appraisal, lending fees, pro-rated taxes, title insurance, and etc.
DOWN PAYMENT – Varies but Conventional ones require 3% at minimum.
FEES AND TAXES – These include real estate taxes and fees charged by the city, county, state, or federal government.
ONGOING COSTS
Landscaping + yard work
deck and siding maintenance
Maintaining the HVAC system replacing air filters
Pest treatments and prevention
Replacing batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
BUYERS CHECKLIST
Once under contract your agent will help orchestrate the following:
Providing contract to the attorney and lender (if applicable)
Drop off earnest money to the closing attorney
Drop off due diligence money to the seller
Schedule inspections (all are optional)
Home
Pest
Radon
Well
Septic
Survey
Additional Systems: Roof, HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Structural
Things to consider:
Noise / lights (train tracks, airports, MAMA helicopter)
Steep slope, flood plains
Registered environmental sites
HOA restrictions, fees
Property taxes
Megan’s law
Future developments
Roads/highways
Easements / shared driveways / right of ways
CLOSING CHECKLIST
Once under contract your agent will help orchestrate the following (continued):
Negotiate repairs within due diligence period
Secure home owners insurance
Schedule utilities to be transferred into your name
Do your final walk through
Preparing for the closing
Review the closing statement (1 to 2 days prior to closing)
Plan for the closing (either remote with a notary or in person)
Make sure you have your driver’s license
Schedule the wire. BE AWARE OF WIRE FRAUD… never wire funds without calling the attorney first
Close and Celebrate!
DO I HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING TO MY REALTOR?
Usually, real estate commissions are paid by the Seller and are split between the agent who represents the Seller (the ‘listing agent’) and the agent who represents the Buyer (the ‘buyer’s agent’).
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO BUY?
As soon as you have money saved for your downpayment and are ready to take on the responsibilities of home-ownership. If you already own a home the best time to buy is when you are ready. Often your lifestyle will dictate when you should move ie. your kids are off to college, or your family is growing and you need more room.
SHOULD I BUY OR SELL FIRST?
It depends on whether or not you can afford to carry 2 mortgages which could occur if you find your new home before your current home sells.
DO I NEED PRE-APPROVED FINANCING?
Getting pre-qualified is one of the first steps in buying a home. We wouldn’t want to waste your time, or the seller’s time by showing You a home that’s not within Your budget or having no idea what our price range is.
WHAT IS A DUE DILLIGENCE FEE?
Due diligence is a fee paid directly to the seller and is non-refundable. The buyer can back out during the due diligence period and only lose this fee. All inspections and appraisals need to be done within the due diligence period.
WHAT IS AN EARNEST MONEY FEE?
Earnest money is on the line after the end of the due diligence period through the close date. If a buyer terminates within this time frame they lose both due diligence and earnest money deposits.
DO I REALLY NEED A HOME INSPECTION?
A little investment up front can potentially save you lots of money down the road. An inspector will make sure there aren’t any serious issues with your home before buying.
DO I NEED TO ATTEND CLOSINGS?
In this post Covid day many closings happens remotely or as “mail aways”. If you are doing a remote closing your documents will likely need to be signed in front of a notary, and you need to plan to build in enough time to overnight documents by the close date.
IS A CLOSING DATE SET IN STONE?
Closing dates are often moving targets, and most of the time merely a suggestion. It is good to know this and prepare to be flexible should unforeseen items come up.
SELLERS GUIDE
- SELLERS GUIDE
- THE STEPS
- THE MARKETING
- THE STAGING
- THE PRICING
- THE OFFER
- THE BROKERAGE
- THE COMMISSION
- CHECKLIST
- THE FAQ’S
- THE TESTIMONIALS
THE STEPS
A quick look at the asheville realty group home selling process
GET IT READY
Make repairs and updates and give your home a thorough cleaning so it shows well.
SET THE PRICE
We will review comparable listings together and arrive at a price you feel comfortable with.
STAGE IT
Staging your home may be necessary to get you the largest return. We’ll walk you through it.
TAKE PHOTOS
Our photographer will make your home look its best!
CREATE MATERIALS
We’ll have our in-house graphic designer create everything we need to market your home!
SHOW IT
This is often the hardest part as your home has to remain presentable and in tip-top shape every day.
REVIEW OFFERS
We will negotiate on your behalf and review all offers with you.
CLOSING DAY
Schedule the closing, hand over the keys, collect the proceeds!
THE MARKETING
BROCHURE
Professionally designed brochures highlight the best of your home.
PHOTOS
Our photographer knows how to shoot your home so it looks right out of HGTV!
360 TOUR OPTIONS
Buyers have complete control while they walk through your home from the comfort of theirs.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Our followers LOVE to shop online and that means a lot of interested eyeballs on your home!
ADVERTISING
We advertise on multiple websites to make sure your home gets the most visibility.
EVENTS
We host neighborhood events as well as weekend and agent open houses.
THE STAGING
Buyers want to imagine themselves in your home, which means the most neutral we can make your space look the better.
INSIGHT
Staged homes sell for
1 to 5% MORE! ON A MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE THAT’S
$10,000- $50,000
more in your pocket!
THE PRICING
We know how to price your home. Here are some things that we look at before arriving at the perfect list price.
PAST SALES
Take the time to study past sales for homes in your area and areas similar to yours. Having a clear understanding of true market value is the first step in establishing your list price.
CONDITION
We put ourselves in the buyer’s shoes and ask what they would find most valuable in homes like yours. Updated kitchens? Renovated rooms? These all factor into the final price.
MARKET STATS
Pricing your home largely depends on what type of market we will be listing in. If it’s a buyer’s market you’ll be pricing lower, if it’s a seller’s market you’ll be pricing higher.
LISTINGS
We study active listings to see what homes we’ll be competing with. Buyers tend to compare your home to these homes.
UNDERSTANDING MARKET CONDITIONS
SELLERS MARKET
Arises when demand exceeds supply. Since there are fewer homes available, sellers are at an advantage.
BALANCED MARKET
Supply and demand are about the same. Sellers usually accept reasonable offers, while homes tend to sit on the market for an average length of time.
BUYERS MARKET
Occurs when supply exceeds demand. Typically, sellers will drop their asking price to gain an advantage in the market.
THE OFFER
If you’re a FIRST-TIME home seller, the offer process might seem overwhelming. Knowing what to expect will give you a little context before we dive in.
PRICE
The price a buyer is willing to pay can be higher or lower than the listing price.
DEPOSITS
Due Diligence is a non-refundable fee paid directly to the seller for a due diligence period. Earnest Money shows good faith you intend to close.
CONDITIONS
Conditions in a buyer’s offer that must be satisfied before an offer is legally binding. A home inspection, financing, or home insurance are some.
CLOSING
This is the day on which the title of the property is legally transferred to the buyer and the transfer of funds finalized.
INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS
These might include appliances, light fixtures, window coverings and anything else you agree to leave behind or take with you after you vacate.
SELLERS CHECKLIST
SELLER
- Hire an experienced agent
- How will they market your home?
- Will they provide professional photography?
- Will they have it professionally measured?
- Will they help give you staging tips?
- Do they do open houses? Broker open houses?
- Prepare your home for market.
- Clear the clutter.
- Get the yard in nice shape.
- Are there any issues with the home you want to address before listing?
- Fill out the listing paperwork:
- Exclusive Right to Sell
- Residential Property Disclosure Form
- Mineral, Oil and Gas Addendum
- Lead Based Paint Addendum
- Professional Services Disclosure
- ASHEVILLE REALTY GROUP AGENT
- Have professional photos taken.
- Have your home professionally measured.
- Create a marketing binder for the home that has:
- MLS Sheet
- Deed
- Residential Property Disclosure
- Mineral / Oil / Gas Addendum
- Plat
- HOA Docs
- Features List for Property Highlights
AGENT CONTINUED:
- Create listing flyers for buyers to take with them, as well as have MLS sheets available.
- Put your listing in our store front window.
- Enter your listing into MLS.
- Place the sign and the lockbox.
- Determine what your showing instructions.
- Be as flexible as possible with showings to maximize exposure.
- Promptly provide feedback once received after showings.
- UNDER CONTRACT, NOW WHAT?
- If you haven’t already selected a closing attorney, ask your agent for recommendations if needed.
- Review the closing statement, usually 1-2 days prior to the closing date.
- Start packing and planning for the move.
- Have your home professionally cleaned after you have moved all of your belongings out.
- Transfer all utilities from your name.
- Consult with closing attorney on how you will receive your funds.
- Confirm wiring instructions – BE AWARE OF WIRE FRAUD… never wire funds without calling the attorney first.
- CELEBRATE!
FAQ’S
HOW LONG DOES IT GENERALLY TAKE TO SELL A HOME?
Complete transparency here, it depends! I know that’s not the specific “I’ll sell your home in 3 days” type of answer you want to hear, but we want to be truthful and the reality is your home could sell in 3 days or it could take months depending on price, location and size to name a few. There are so many factors that go into how fast your home will sell and we’ll walk you through all of them.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SELL MY HOME?
Such a great question! The spring market is always a great time to sell but that doesn’t mean you won’t be just as profitable in any other month. It also depends on market conditions which, again, we’ll walk you through thoroughly.
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH ASSESSED VALUE BEING SO LOW?
The assessed value is not the same as the market value. The assessed value of a home is used for taxes in your local municipality. The assessed value has no impact on how much your home is worth to a potential buyer in the marketplace.
HOW MUCH COMMISSION DO YOU CHARGE?
The total commission ARG charges to sell your home is 6%. 3% goes to the co-operating brokerage and the rest is distributed among brokerage fees, marketing your home, realtor fees and admin costs. While it is true that some realtors do negotiate their commission, we do not. The majority of our fee goes right back into making sure your home sell’s for top dollar.
WHAT IS THE DUE DILLIGENCE DEPOSIT?
Due diligence is a fee paid directly to the seller and is non-refundable. The buyer can back out during the due diligence period and only lose this fee. All inspections and appraisals need to be done within the due diligence period.
WHAT IS THE EARNEST MONEY DEPOSIT?
Earnest money is on the line after the end of the due diligence period through the close date. If a buyer terminates within this time frame they lose both due diligence and earnest money deposits.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DISCLOSE TO BUYERS?
There are certain things that we MUST disclose by law, but we also don’t want to scare potential buyers away by pointing out every single little dent and scratch in our home. It’s a delicate balance for sure, but we will help guide you AND help prep your home for sale to minimize any “defects”. As agents, if it’s a material fact, and we know about it we must disclose it.
KIND WORDS
Hadley tenaciously worked on my behalf during a ten month closing process; due to inheritance laws it became more complex than any of us dreamed! However, Hadley’s forthrightness and experience persevered and she successfully landed my dream property for me.
Absolutely fantastic job! Emily’s ability to communicate, negotiate, and manage, places her above her peers. She goes above and beyond what is traditionally expected of a real estate agent, which immediately solidifies trust in her abilities. We highly recommend her, to all.
Sara was not the first realtor we worked with on our journey to find our new home. However, she was our last and thats because her dedication, expertise and responsiveness was untouchable, consistent and a welcomed surprise!
Lisa was great-she helped walked us through local laws and was very knowledgeable about the area and was super responsive to our requests! We were interested in condos as a potential rental property and also looked at potential land purchases. She offered advice, guidance, and connected us with local builders and contractors to help with some of our inquiries.
I worked the seller side of a transaction with Christian. He was great to work with – responsive, kept us informed throughout the process and reasonable due diligence negotiations. Thanks Christian!
Dina went above and beyond for us. As out of state buyers, we knew we had to be quick if we found a house we liked. Dina was able to preview several houses and give us a tour virtually. With her help, we were able to find our dream North Carolina mountain house.
VENDOR LIST
ATTORNEYS- Clement Law
Eva Clement , 828-281-8160
Worley and Peltz
Jason Peltz , 828-255-2728
Goosman, Rose, Culvard, and Cramer
Beth Cramer, 828-258-0150
HOME INSPECTORS- Asheville Inspections
Jon Woodward, 828-772-0007
Blue Mountain Home Inspections
Michael Van Hall, 828-484-2202
www.bluemountainhomeinspections@gmail.com
Quality Home Consultants
Jim Rauland, 828- 687-7221
www.QualityHomeConsultants.com
MORTGAGES- Fairway Mortgage Company
David Kanis, 828-350-8886
American Securities
Bill Baggett, 828-768-6402
GoPrime Mortgage
Zachery Adam, 828-348-1907
Movement Mortgage
Kim Winters (828) 460-1300
RATON MITIGATION AND TESTING- Affordable Radon Solutions, LLC
Austin Boleman, 828.242.7687
Quality Home Consultants
Chandler Ward, 828.329.2169
Randy Stafford, 828.767.1423
INSURANCE- State Farm Insurance
Rebecca Sandavol, 828-252-8222
The Juengle Agency
Matt Juengle, 828-274-6036
UTILITIES
Water / Sewer
City of Asheville, 828-251-1122
https://www.ashevillenc.gov/service/pay-water-bill/
Power
Duke Progress Energy
https://www.duke-energy.com/home
Gas
Dominion Energy
