Amazingly well kept home in the Lake Park Estates area of East Dallas with the 1950s East Dallas Character we have all come to love. This home is situated on a corner lot and has a backyard oasis just ready for relaxing and reflection.
This 3 bedroom and 2 bath home is over 1700 square feet. It has the original hardwood floors and all the details that give a 1950s home the character you want without the inefficency you don’t. Formal dining area and 2 living areas give everyone the space they need and want.
The home is just a hop, skip, and a jump from White Rock Lake and the Dallas Arboretum. Feeding Hexter Elementary.. a Blue Ribbon School..just ties everything about this 1950s East Dallas Character home into a bow.
Beautiful home in gated Hackberry Creek. A wonderful community that gets involved with block parties, parades, and more! From the moment you walk in you will feel at home. Open and spacious this home is geared for family living. Views from the Living room and Breakfast look out to the pool.
The view from upstairs bedroom looks out to the lavish green trees. The home is beautifully lit with natural light coming in through the plantation shutters.The upstairs landing is part play area and study, complete with built-in cabinets and desk.
Bright and roomy kitchen with lots of counter space for all levels of the home cook. The refrigerator, washer, and dryer convey with the property.
Enjoy your own peaceful oasis with pool, patio, and still plenty of yard for the kids and pets. Residents of Hackberry Creek get special discounts for the Hackberry Country Club. The community is gated and has a guard on duty 24/7 for the perfect lock ‘n leave lifestyle.
Gorgeous, contemporary home in East Dallas with sophisticated design this home features a large open floor plan and tons of natural light. The gourmet kitchen has a large quartzite waterfall island and stainless appliances.
The patio includes an oversized LED fireplace and Samsung smart TV, perfect for entertaining anytime of year. The back yard includes French Drains and is wired for a hot tub, cable, and a misting system.
Finding your new home starts with an initial consultation with your Realtor. During this meeting she will be discovering what you are looking for in your new home. What are 5 things that a house MUST and and 5 things it MUST NOT have in order for you to purchase it? Where do you want to live? What is most important? Schools? Yard? Pool or no pool? Make sure your Realtor knows all of this information.
Your Realtor will set you up on an auto-feed of listings that match your criteria. Keep in mind these may not be able to capture “open concept” or “large island” type of criteria. So, it may be up to you to categorize the listings so your Realtor knows which properties you are drawn to over others.
You and your Realtor will select which homes to look view in person. The Realtor will create a tour and schedule all of the homes with the seller and their agent. This can take some logistical finesse so understand if you are unable to see a particular property.
Spend as much time as you need in each home. Look in closets, flush toilets, listen for background noises…these are all important details. If you drive up to a property or step inside and you don’t like it for ANY reason don’t feel obligated to look at the whole house.
“If we aren’t moving in let’s move on. “
Kelli, Home Buying client
Make an offer
Making an offer is like putting out your hand to shake. With your Realtor’s advice you come up with an offer price for the property you have found. Things that may influence what you offer can be days on market, condition of the property, and multiple offers.
You and your Realtor will discuss the terms of the offer you want to present. This is your decision with your Realtor’s council. fill in the offer contract and you will approve then sign. In the state of Texas you can have the offer contract reviewed by your attorney at any time though it is not required for them to sign off. The offer will then be sent to the listing agent to present to the seller.
1 of 4 Things Will Generally Happen…
They will accept as written (rare)
They will counter (most often)
They will tell you to improve your offer (sometimes)
They will not respond (not that often)
When any of the above occurs your Realtor will discuss all of your options with you.
The majority of the time the seller will “counter” meaning they will want to make a change. It could be price, seller contributions, closing date, or who buys a new survey.
A real estate counteroffer is generated by a home seller after a buyer has submitted an offer to purchase and the offer includes terms that aren’t agreeable. Typically, a counteroffer states that the seller has accepted the buyer’s offer subject to one or more changes.
Keep in mind you can keep countering back and forth until both sides agree. Try not to let this time get to you; remember the seller is looking for the best deal for them while you are looking for the best deal for you.
Once an agreement is found the contract is executed. If an agreement cannot be met then you go back on the hunt for your dream home.
9628 Galway in Dallas is on the market just waiting for new owners to come in and pick up the love the current owner has for this house. When I asked the seller for her favorite things here is what she told me…
The trees
The yard
The shopping center virtually across the street
Being so close to White Rock Lake
How my house has been a little gem with little maintenance
Bright and open kitchen
Lots of natural light
Stained concrete floors
9628 Galway, Dallas
Feeding into Hexter Elementary school, 9628 Galway Drive is a wonderful starter home for young families. Just a short distance from White Rock Lake and the Aboretum this house is fabulous for the walker, bike rider, and outdoor lover. At under 2000 square feet and a one-story home it is perfect for downsizing adults that are looking for a more manageable home to retire in.
This is vital! Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is a critical step in purchasing a home. An offer cannot be made without verification that you, in fact, can gain financing to purchase the home.
Most Realtors won’t show you property until they know you are, in fact, capable to finance the homes you are looking at. Your Realtor should have some very solid relationships with lenders that are respected in the market and have a history of getting transactions closed on time. This is all extremely important.
The initial pre-approval does not take long…minutes really. However it gives the lender, Realtors, and the sellers information they need to get a transaction completed. Dana Hakes of Uptown Funding explains what the loan process looks like for a residential buyer.
Dana Hakes with Uptown Funding discusses pre-approval and the loan process
Like your Realtor relationship, the lender relationship will be very important during the transaction. They will be going through your finances and ask you things that are personal and may make you uncomfortable. Understand this is required and they will not ask you for anything they do not need.
Pay stubs
Tax Returns
Employment status
Bank Statements
Under Contract…Now What?
The mortgage industry is very regulated. Since 2008 many laws and regulations have been put into place to protect the consumer. Once you are under contract the real mortgage work begins. Because of the regulations lenders must ask you for certain information…sometimes multiple times…to ensure legitimate loans are being made. Some of these things are:
Paper trail for all cash deposits into your bank accounts (no mattress money)
Tax returns for 2-4 years depending on the work that you do
Explanations of assets
Employment records and paystubs
A variety of other items of documentation depending on your specific situation. No two are alike.
The key to an easy loan process and getting the mortgage that you want it terms of rate, length of loan, and other terms. During this time do not spend any money out of the ordinary…no buying appliances, furniture, or cars. And do not change jobs! All of these things can compromise your ability to purchase the home.
Finding a Realtor can be easy or it can be hard. There are many questions that come to mind when hiring someone to assist you in what may be the largest financial transaction of your life. I have seen people take longer to choose a sofa than choosing a Realtor!
Do your homework. Ask your friends and family because they are going to tell you their experiences even if you don’t ask…so get that out of the way. HOWEVER when finding your Realtor make your own choice. I once had a friend say to me, “Robin, I am using a Realtor that I don’t know personally. Because if I want to be a brat I don’t want it to reflect on our friendship.” I TOTALLY respect that! You, as a buyer need to find a Realtor you can be totally honest and completely transparent with. This is important stuff.
What should you look for?
Experience and enthusiasm! Often enthusiasm will out rank experience. How many properties have they sold? If they are a newer agent ask what sort of support team do they have to ensure all questions and concerns are addressed. We were all new at our jobs at one point in time; this doesn’t mean we were bad at it…just that we needed assistance at times. Just make sure they have it.
Have a consultation meeting with each prospective Realtor to make sure you are on the same page and you LIKE them! They should give you at least 2 forms to sign an Information About Business Services (IABS) and a Buyer Tenant Representation Agreement. The first is required by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and discloses Realtor Agency Representation and the second is the agreement between you and the Broker that the agent will have a fiduciary duty to represent you, the buyer, in the transaction. Without this the broker/agent represents the seller by default.
Some Questions to Ask When Finding a Realtor
Why did you become a real estate agent?
Why should I work with you?
What do you do better than other real estate agents?
What process will you use to help me find the right home for my particular wants and needs?
What are the most common things that go wrong in a transaction and how would you handle them?
What are some mistakes that you think people make when buying their first home?
What other professionals do you suggest we work with and what are their credentials?
Can you provide me with references or testimonials from past clients?
Why you want your own representation…and not do it on your own or use the seller’s agent.
In the great state of Texas buyers have their own representation in a real estate transaction. In about 1993 the Buyer Tenant Representation Agreement was created by the Texas Association of Realtors (TAR). Real Estate Buyers looked up and said, “Hey, our interests are not being represented here!” and the Buyer Rep was born.
This is why it is important to have your own representation; someone that knows the contract and understands the transaction that has YOUR interests at heart. Remember, if you go directly through the listing agent of the property their fiduciary duty is to the SELLER. In Texas the seller typically pays all the commissions on the Residential Real Estate transaction though it is important to note that there are no set commission percentages and this is always a negotiable point. So…if it isn’t going to cost you anything additional to pay the agent why on earth would you want to represent yourself or use the person with the LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY to not have your interest at heart?
As we get older we start thinking about where we are going to live out our retirement. Will we move to the beach or the mountain? Possibly move in, or near, our children? Some of the Senior Living Communities are pretty nice!
More and more people are opting to stay in their homes which we call Aging in Place. Choosing to stay in their home and living out their retirement where they have lived all along.
If this is an option you are considering there are several things to ponder as you are making your long-term choices.
This article in The Fiscal Times by Janna Herron explains 5 things you have to do if you are going to spend retirement in your own home.
Make the necessary changes to your home such as walk-in showers, relocating laundry rooms, and master bedrooms for example. Do this before you need to.
Consider the cost of home health care.
Think about tapping into your Home Equity to cover some costs.
Plan ahead for home maintance costs.
Make a plan for transportation and health care access
When it comes to caring for our older adults there can be many people involved as there are items to discuss.
This is where family and caregiver meetings are imperative. We want everyone to be on the same page and everyone will have different thoughts, feelings, opinions, and beliefs.
The Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) promotes 5 Keys to holding a successful Caregiver Meeting. By following these steps we can ensure that not only does the older adult get the appropriate level of care and that all parties are doing their share.
Family-Every family is different and has a different perspective as to who is “family”. Generally you want to include the people that are a part of the team which could mean friends, extended family, paid and unpaid caregivers.
The Group Can Change-The topic (family finances vs meal-planning and housework) may determine who is in attendance at any given meeting
Mediator-Do you need one? These may be challenging discussions and often a “non-interested” 3rd Party can help.
Including the Older Adult….Or Not-This will depend on the situation and the individual. Make sure you and your team include the older adult as necessary.
How Do We Begin?
Technology provides an opportunity for everyone to attend regardless of their location. Make sure you utilize Skype and Google Hangouts as options
Have an agenda. This is very important so everyone know what is to be discussed at this particular meeting. Then you can take suggestions for topics at an upcoming meeting. The FCA has some topic examples to use as a guide.
The Meeting
Choose a location that people feel comfortable. At a family member’s house or some place neutral such as a coffee shop, library, etc.
Create a “safe place” for an open discussion. Everyone will want to be able to express their thoughts and feelings without fear of being judged or attacked.
Don’t jump into problem solving at the first meeting. Use this first meeting to hear everyone’s thoughts and concerns. Make a list of the topics.
Be respectful and use words that keep everyone calm and the meeting productive. “I feel…” rather than “you always…” If there is a disagreement find some sort of common ground.
Make sure agreements & responsibilities are clear. Before you end the meeting make sure all parties know what they are to do and what the timelines look like. Get solid commitment from each person.
Meet regularly…caring for an older adult is an continuous responsibility. You want to meet on a regular basis to keep everyone up-to-date on medical issues, etc. Setting up a regular time and place can be helpful; so it is a standing date on everyone’s calendar.
Potential Challenges
Family meetings are not always smooth. There is always some history that may or may not be helpful and conducive to a productive meeting. Also, people deal differently with sensitive subjects….especially where their mother or father are concerned.
This article includes helpful examples of potential conflict and how to work best in understanding and keeping the meeting moving forward in a productive way.
Win/Win Situations
Work toward general agreement. Not everything is going to be completely solved in one meeting or in ten. Even if a meeting gets stressful and uncomfortalble remember it is the care of the older adult that is important.
Accept compromises and appreciate help. There is no perfect solution for everyone. Each person involved with have to compromise in some way at some time.
Keep everything in writing. There are many topics that are discussed and the landscape can change. Make sure everything is in writing including who is responsible for what, deadlines, timelines, etc.
