Traditional
- some of the most common styles built throughout the United States.
These floor plans are designed to accommodate the American way of life.
Traditional homes are kind of a mix of several other styles but there are some
basics that are usually consistent throughout traditional designs: Simple, often
hipped rooflines. Brick or stucco exteriors are most common. Traditional plans
are often single level floor plans with steeper roof pitches though lofts or
bonus rooms are quite common. Covered porches. Open foyers. 

Colonial - style home plans are generally two to two and one half story homes with a very simple and efficient design. This architectural style is very identifiable with its very simplistic rectangular shape and the large columns. These homes are also very symmetrical with equally sized windows generally spaced in a uniform fashion across the front of the home with decorative shutters. Colonial plans usually have one gabled roof from side to side or a hipped roof. Entrances are often accentuated with tall columns extending up both stories.

Contemporary -
Throughout the late 1960's and 70's contemporary plans became quite popular.
Contemporary styling is a combination of several styles and are often multi
level homes. Some of the characteristics are: · Garage placement on the front
of the home for cost effectiveness. · Shallower pitched roofs that often extend
from a higher level down over the lower level. · Simple, clean lines that is
cost effective to build but attractive. · Windows are large and sometimes
trapezoidal following the roof pitch in gables. · Exteriors are a mix of
materials like wood, brick, rock, siding and stucco. · Vertical ornamentation
in simple patterns. Contemporary homes are still being built across the nation
and have been a very popular style in tract home developments and custom home
neighborhoods alike.

French - a unique
style that offers a lot of charm with its distinctive characteristics. These
house plans generally have asymmetrical exteriors with a combination of
ornamental attributes that complete the design. Some of the common
characteristics of this design are: · Stucco and brick exterior. · Steep roof
pitches at varying heights. Curved roof pitches are sometimes incorporated in
one or two locations. · These homes are usually two stories in height with high
rooflines. · Chimneys are usually large and sloped at the base. As with many
other styles, there are variations to French architecture. Some plans are
symmetrical with steep hipped roofs and exteriors are sometimes siding, shakes
or other materials.

Spanish or Mediterranean
- house plans are most commonly found in warm climates where the clay tile roofs assist in keeping them cool during the hot summer months. The Spanish a Mediterranean style homes are usually finished with a stucco (usually white or pastel in color) exterior and often feature architectural accents like arched
openings in the stucco or wood beams. This style is similar but different than
the southwest style of architecture, which also originated in the southwest
areas of the country. 

Southern - Also
referred to as plantation homes, southern homes are easily identified with some basic design applications. To accommodate the warm, humid weather of the south, plantation homes are spacious and airy with tall ceilings, large front porches with a series of round or square columns. Porches sometimes surround the home (sometimes called a veranda) to provide shade throughout the heat of the day. Porches are built of some type of decking material rather than concrete. Roofs are pitched or gabled of usually a medium to shallow pitch. Southern homes are single or two stories in height and sometimes are adorned with dormers. These types of plans became popular in the 1700's as plantation owners commonly built them. There are many plantation homes preserved throughout the south, usually
built on large pieces of land.

Information from: The
Plan Collection

Making an Offer

So you have seen all the houses your agent suggested and have narrowed it down to one.  Now what?  Assuming you have already been pre-approved and know how much house you can buy, now would be the time to make the offer.  Now is not the time to ask for things to be fixed.  The object is to get the best possible price for the house.  Your agent will take care of the negotiating details.  When it comes to the sale of a property, the seller may have stated that the refrigerator will not stay with the house.  If you want it, then put it in your offer.  Just because they state that they won't does not mean that they are not willing to compromise for the right price.

If the seller isn't already offering a home warranty, request that the seller purchase one.  A Home Warranty Plan is a wonderful thing to have when you first move into a new house.  Even if the sellers say they won't pay for it I always recommend that the buyers purchase one.  A home protection plan is a renewable service contract that covers many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home system components and appliances that are not usually covered by homeowner insurance.

Don't fret over what the seller will say when they read it.  The worst that they can tell you is no.  There is a chance that there will be multiple offers on the house when you submit your offer.  If this is the case you will want to offer your highest and best offer within reason.  Most of the time this means a full price offer.  The agent will set a date and time for the seller to respond, usually 12-48 hours depending on the day of the week.  In the state of Louisiana, you are bound by that offer until the offer expires.  For example, if the agent gives the sellers till 5pm on Sunday then you are bound legally by that offer until 5pm on that Sunday.  If the sellers have not responded by the time the offer expires it doesn't necessarily mean that they rejected your offer, but it does mean that you are no longer bound by that contract.

If the seller does reject the offer, just keep on looking.  Do not let a rejection get you down.  There are plenty of houses added to the market daily with which you can fall in love!

Working With An Agent

Once you have decided what it is that you want in a new home, it's time to interview agents.  Shop around for an agent.  You want someone with whom you feel comfortable, who is knowledgeable about the market, and who will look out for your best interests.  Generally the best people to ask are your friends, neighbors, and family.  Have them refer you to someone.

Remember your list from Plan Before You Look?  Now is the time to break it out.  The agent will want to know what you want in a house to help scale down the selection.  Your agent may have you meet them at their office, at your house, or they may even send you an email with a link to the houses that fall within your criteria.   This will be the time where you and your agent will decide on which houses to go see.  Although this is exciting, remember patience.  Purchasing a house is a big investment and you don't want to run into the first house you see and put an offer on it.  Shop and compare the prices and amenities of the houses.  Be sure to take notes in your notebook of each house that you like and never go by the pictures on the listing.  You may end up passing up a gem because the listing agent didn't take a good picture.  Agents are not photographers, but we try!

Always contact your agent for the homes you wish to see.  If you see a For Sale sign in a yard, write down the address, phone number, and the realty company if it isn't for sale by owner.  Your agent will be able to answer most questions that you have on the homes.  She/he will not be able to tell you anything that deals with law, or cracks in the foundation.  This is because they are not licensed in that field; however, can refer you to people that can help you with those questions.  If you wish to know the property taxes, flood zone, if the house has gas, electric, etc. they will be able to tell you these types of things.  In the state of Louisiana the seller must disclose anything they know about the house.  Lead paint, flooding, septic, water, improvements on the home, age of the AC and the water heater units, and age of the roof.  These types of things the agent will have access to.

After showing you several ouses, your agent will begin to get a feel for things that you want that you yourself may not even realize.  This will help to scale down the list of possibilities and put you in the home that fits you.  Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and enjoy looking at all the possibilities!

Plan Before You Look

The neighborhood you choose for your new investment is almost as important as the home itself.  It is best to get a notebook to keep future notes in on houses you like.  On the first page in the notebook you will want to write down the things you need in a house and the things you want in a house.  Generally buyers only get about 80% of what they want in a house so there will be things with which you will need to be willing to compromise.  Now is the time to decide what you will compromise on and what you need.

If you are having trouble here are a few ideas to help you along.  What type of neighborhood do you want? Subdivision, rural, or downtown area? How far you have to travel to work may play an important role in where you choose to live.  How many miles are you willing to travel from your home?  If you have children, would you rather they be in a certain school zones?

Those were some of the bigger questions, now that you have those out of the way its time to get down to details.  How many bedrooms and bathrooms?  Do you want a formal dining room?  How many square feet would be large enough?  Do you want a fireplace? A large kitchen or porch? Maybe a home office?

Where it may seem like a lot, writing it all down will help to keep things in perspective.  If you are a first time homebuyer, the buying process can be just as stressful as it can be fun.  Having your wants and needs on paper will help, not only to keep your head on straight, to keep things in perspective.

The last important thing you need to keep in mind is resell value.  You may be intending to stay in this house for the rest of your life.  However, life has a way of throwing curve balls.  If ever you need to sell, you will want your house to sell for the best possible price.

If you are interested in looking at homes in the SWLA area give me a call and I will help you through the process!

SWLA Market Report for April 2010

New Listings
184 properties hit the market, up from 116 last month, versus 3 last year.

Units Sold
111 properties sold, versus last month’s 116. Last year 115 homes sold.


Days on the Market
93 Days, last month was 113 and last year it was 69 days. Note: A six-month supply is considered a balanced market.

Average Sale Price
$154,012 up slightly from last month’s $148,580 and up from last year by 1.74%

Price Per Square Foot
$78.56,up from last month’s $76.30, and down 0.56% from last year

Recommendations

For buyers – More inventory means you can probably make conservative offers. Know that this inventory may not last for long.

 For sellers –   There is a lot more competition than last year.  Proper preparation for sale, marketing, and pricing can still lead to getting maximum price.