Answers by Keith Jean Pierre

Troy, this would depend on the will or outlined trust, but at face value with no other details, you would need a majority for this to take place so no. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Linda, highly suggest you speak to a lending professional. We are a group of realtors here. Yes, we know the basics, but a lender would be the expert in this field. Let me know if you need a recommendation. Best of luck with your home search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

HUDHomeStore.com can allow you to source an agent. Good luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

I would suggest speaking to a local agent that specializes in mobile homes. You can find a few of them on here. Best of luck with your search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Sean, there are not rules stating that you cannot purchase a piece of land from your ex-wife. The more important question is, will she want to sell you the land given the situation. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

More details are required here, most importantly the town the property is located in. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

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Pamela, you would definitely want to reinstall a closet before resale. Removing a bedroom in any market tends to result in significant value loss. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Juan, you do not "need" to do all the repairs suggested, but the more move in condition and "HGTV" style the home is, the quicker it will sell. Alternatives to what you mentioned in your question would be painting the problem areas, steaming the carpets if they aren't too bad and virtual staging. Please note that these are not the ideal solutions if the agent has recommended with validity to do the previously requested. Put yourself in the buyers shoes, how would you feel walking into your house in its current state? Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Marissah, I am not sure I fully understand the question. Are you asking how to list a home that was converted? As long as you received all the proper permits, you should not have an issue traditionally listing the home with an agent. Let me know if you have any further questions or need further assistance. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Thomas, this is heavily dependent on your personal preferences, but what I can say with confidence is that selling a home with an AI center next door will face challenges at the time of sale. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Lin, as far as the credit pulls, typically, with the new credit FICO models, all the inquiries up to a 30- or 45-day period for a mortgage tend to only count as one inquiry. Best of luck with your home search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Veronica, you do not "need" to do professional cleaning, but the more move in condition and "HGTV" style the home is, the quicker it will sell and this goes for odors as well. Put yourself in the buyers shoes, how would you feel walking into your house in its current state being from outside culture? Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Levi, typically homeowners associations do not allow commercial vehicles on the premises, this is reflected almost always in your Bylaws. Your only option in this case is parking the vehicle off-site. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Jamie, if she is still on the deed and or mortgage, you will need her to sign off as well regardless of what the judge has stated. I would suggest speaking with an attorney to get an idea of what your specific options are. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Yes, you would need to pay the back taxes to prevent foreclosure. Contact your local tax office and they can give you the exact amount due and then work on a payment plan with you. Best of luck with bringing the property current! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Thomas, this is really dependent on your market but if we are speaking about Pennington, given we are in New Jersey, people tend to prefer having a garage space available due to our harsh winters. Additionally, price point plays another significant factor. For homes sub ~ $400K, there can be some acceptance to not having a garage, but for move up homes (the second home after a starter home) or "forever" home, a garage tends to have major importance due to the price point required. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Do you have an address for the property? We would need more information pertaining to the property. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

You can easily search for agents on this platform up for the task. If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are very familiar with the area and can get you pointed in the right direction. Good luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

William, this really depends on your personal and financial situation and there are risks to each. If you wait, you do not know what the market will be unlike now you are fully aware. Selling as is, will result in a lower price but that might be negated if the prices are lower in the future. Best of luck with your decision. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This is really a personal decision Martha as it would highly depend on needs and finances. The bottom line is, will the space/utilization, and happiness outweigh the additional monthly expense outlay. I would suggest speaking with a mortgage lender to get an idea of what the difference will be so you can use that as a basis for your decision. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Charles, there used to be a federal nationwide program years ago and many people still believe it exists. That was only during the downturn of the economy after the housing crisis. For your particular area, there are a few programs available for down payment assistance. Key options are through the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF) and regional nonprofits. Key options include the HOMEownership Program (up to 100% financing), Movin' Up for moderate-income buyers, and the Low Down Home Loan which offers up to $12,000 in assistance. Best of luck with your purchase! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Good afternoon Nora! There is no blanket answer per say, since it depends on your personal situation but selling a large home before retirement maximizes cash flow, reduces maintenance liabilities, and lowers taxes early, which can be beneficial to some. Additionally, you get to take advantage of a market you are completely aware of versus an unknown market in the future. On the other hand, selling after retirement allows you to stay in a (possibly) paid-off home and avoid rushing decisions. Generally, selling before is better if you need to liquidate equity, while selling after is better if you want to avoid stress or stay in your town/community; but selling later comes at a "cost." Best of luck with your decision! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Good afternoon Darlene, where is the referral location? Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Finn, this would be completely dependent on how the bathroom was finished. It is completely up to code? Did you pull permits? Those would be key indicators. Best of luck with your sale. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Marina, you are able to switch mortgage lenders at this time of your contract as you have not received a mortgage commitment. Best of luck with your purchase. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Andy, yes, closing costs can be included/rolled into a mortgage, but it results in a higher loan principal, higher monthly payments, and more interest paid over the life of the loan. Also there are LTV (Loan to Value) limits that would need to be considered. Best of luck with your purchase. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Sophia, it depends on your state regulations, but if it is legal in your state, it would be called a Dual Agency Agreement. Best of luck with your purchase. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

A mortgage rate buydown is a financing strategy where a borrower or seller pays an upfront fee to a lender to lower the interest rate on a mortgage. This creates either a temporary reduction in monthly payments (typically 1–3 years) or a permanent reduction for the entire loan term. Best of luck with your purchase. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Jessica, I assume you are referring to the logistics in terms of showings and such? If so, you can either do your showing virtually or fly in to have it done. If you have a very good agent, they should be able to handle all the day to day tasks and only reach out when necessary. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

To buy time for the seller of your desired home to move, the easiest move would be to ask your all-cash buyer to adjust the closing date to 45–60 days rather than a quick close. Best of luck with your situation! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Daryl, this is a personal decision. Typically, cash has less risk and does not have to go through a lengthy approval process and appraisal. There is a benefit to this, but you do have a $15,000 delta so you have to weigh this very carefully. What do the comps look like? Do you think the $400K is overpriced or that its fair and will appraise? If $400K seems like a bit of a reach, I would personally take the cash if I could get them to close in 7-14 days versus a traditional 30-45 day timeline. Best of luck with your decision. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Peggy, the best avenue is to go through your attorney because you want to have everything documented just in case. The realtor can also assist but this would not be sufficient in many instances. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Em, a contract should be established at closing, most likely called a Use and Occupancy. This would outline the terms and conditions of the arrangement and make sure there is complete clarity. Best of luck with your sale! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Noel, you do not necessarily need to be at a new job for two years to get a mortgage. While lenders prefer a two-year stable employment history, they often approve loans for people with new jobs, provided the new position is in the same field and the income is stable or higher. Best of luck with your search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This can easily be done but Googling appraisers in your area. They will ask you a few questions and then you can schedule and pay for the service. Good luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Linda, you might be able to do so but you have to read your listing agreement contract. This will most likely require sign off from their broker. Best of luck with the situation. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Joseph, that is correct. You are not tied to the pre-approval lender unless you did an application, and even then, there are plenty of ways to get out prior to say the mortgage commitment. As far as the credit pulls, typically, with the new credit FICO models, all the inquiries up to a 30- or 45-day period for a mortgage tend to only count as one inquiry. Best of luck with your search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Of course, as long as you have income and meet the mortgage requirements or have the cash to purchase you should be fine, barring any extenuating circumstances like non-citizenship or being on the FBI wanted list. Good luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Lucia, mortgage brokers act as intermediaries. Theu shop multiple lenders to find you the best rates and loan options, while going directly to a bank restricts you to that institution's specific products. Brokers offer personalized guidance and access to wholesale rates, whereas banks can provide a faster, in-house, direct-to-consumer approval process. If you are looking for the best rate, the mortgage broker avenue would be the play, unless you want to call multiple banks and do on your own. Best of luck with your search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Unfortunately, there is not enough information provided regarding your home and current neighborhood situation. We would need to know what you are priced at, the condition of your property, property square footage, what the last comps have sold for and their condition, etc. Once we have this, we can give you a much better idea of what the issue is. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Lindy, the easiest way to have this resolved is by having a proper mold inspection. A certified inspector will be able to tell you if the discovery is indeed mold. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Greg, any good real estate agent would require a pre-approval before showing you homes. The pre-approval shows intent and the benefit to you is that you would know exactly what you can afford. Putting ourselves in your shoes, if you look at properties you can not afford, you also have wasted your time. If you would like to know more about the area, you are more than welcome to take a visit and do on your own. If you want to see homes, open houses would be a viable option. Best of luck with your search. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

There is no requirement to renovate your kitchen to sell your home, but it would help with the sale. Given that you do not have the funds to do so, I would not be terribly worried about this and take care of little things to give the property the best light possible given the circumstances. Best of luck with your sale. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Repairing your credit is obviously the best play as you will qualify for better rates, but the lowest credit score needed to buy a house is typically 500 for an FHA loan with a 10% down payment. For conventional loans, a minimum of 620 is generally required. While some government-backed loans have very low requirements, most lenders impose their own higher minimums, often requiring at least 580 to 620. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Leslie, lighting is key here. Maximize natural light by cleaning windows, trimming exterior shrubbery and brush, using sheer window treatments and making sure the space shows well and is not cluttered. Additionally, you can add light with mirrors, light-colored paint (reflects light), and proper lighting fixtures with high wattage bulbs. Good luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

While you technically can ask to restrict children from home showings, doing so may alienate some of your potential buyers as they tend to bring their children with them. Best of luck with your sale. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This would definitely be based on personal choice. On one hand, where can you find somewhere else to live at $609/month plus utilities? On the other hand, do you want to live in an HOA and or condo? You might be able to roll your equity into a single-family home but again, additional details would be required for us to make that determination. Best of luck with your situation. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Have you thought about getting a company to remove all the junk with a few dumpsters? If a buyer cannot see the full potential of the home, your offers are going to be significantly less than market. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Linda, I think the big question here is what is the benefit of letting the property sit vacant and pay for carrying costs? If you are looking to sell to a family member, that is a different situation, but if you are just sitting on it until you decide what to do, capital is going out the window that won't be recovered. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Todd, the only sure-fire way to find out is to call the schools or the town board of education and they will have the certainty you are looking for. To minimize the calls, you would want to only call schools that have homes of interest that are in walking distance to the schools that also avoid major highways or thoroughfares. Best of luck with your home search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA