Just as in any profession, there is more to becoming a REALTOR than getting your license. What is necessary to learn to pass the test may not be at all what it takes to be the kind of REALTOR that you, your friends or family will need.
We strive to provide the best service possible through our experience, by truly caring about what your needs are and how to best resolve them. Sometimes scenarios change quickly within a family, and what was acceptable and positive one day can seem a financial burden the next. In the event things go sour, who would you want to guide you? We hope it can be us.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Changes in the Market
I just wanted to let you know that there have been some recent volatile changes in the Indianapolis and Greenwood area in terms of real estate.
There is no asset better than having the right professional on your side when you are looking for your next home or looking to sell your current home. And, if you aren’t quite ready for that next step, perhaps a friend or family member could benefit from our expertise… Please keep us in mind as your personal real estate professional. It would be an honor to treat you and your friends like family.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
There is no asset better than having the right professional on your side when you are looking for your next home or looking to sell your current home. And, if you aren’t quite ready for that next step, perhaps a friend or family member could benefit from our expertise… Please keep us in mind as your personal real estate professional. It would be an honor to treat you and your friends like family.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
School & Crime Statistics
If you are an average buyer, you probably want to research the area in which you are going to live. We have found that the most common areas of concern for our clients are statistics for school performance and crime in the area. These statistics often provide a foundation for our buyer’s final decisions.
For more information on statistics for Indiana counties, please contact our office for a personal interview. There, we can provide you with the information that you can take with you. We can also obtain info on Housing, per Capita Income, Employment and School statistics as well as area cultural venues. As always, it is our goal for you to become educated on your new area and make an informed decision for your next home purchase.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
For more information on statistics for Indiana counties, please contact our office for a personal interview. There, we can provide you with the information that you can take with you. We can also obtain info on Housing, per Capita Income, Employment and School statistics as well as area cultural venues. As always, it is our goal for you to become educated on your new area and make an informed decision for your next home purchase.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
More Than Getting a License
Every REALTOR working legally in the State of Indiana has completed course material and acquired licensure through a professional licensing agency. Unfortunately, this does not mean that all REALTORS provide the same level of competent service.
David Brenton has attained numerous designations for his continuing education in the real estate profession. What does this mean to you and why should you care?
Tell me, if you were seriously hurt and ended up in the hospital emergency room, and needed their expertise, who would you want - the student or doctor who graduated at the top of his class or the one who barely made it? There is no way to know in this situation. However, when looking for a professional to represent you in your next purchase or sale, getting more information is as simple as asking for their resume and designations.
For more information on the designations David Brenton has acquired and how it may benefit you, simply call our office and ask. His resume is also available online for your review.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
David Brenton has attained numerous designations for his continuing education in the real estate profession. What does this mean to you and why should you care?
Tell me, if you were seriously hurt and ended up in the hospital emergency room, and needed their expertise, who would you want - the student or doctor who graduated at the top of his class or the one who barely made it? There is no way to know in this situation. However, when looking for a professional to represent you in your next purchase or sale, getting more information is as simple as asking for their resume and designations.
For more information on the designations David Brenton has acquired and how it may benefit you, simply call our office and ask. His resume is also available online for your review.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Buying Into a Homeowner's Association
A homeowner’s association (HOA) is an organization that governs and manages the common areas and common interests of the homeowners. Sometimes, the homeowners elect to have their neighborhood governed by a professional management company and sometimes it is more financially effective to elect their officers and staff from the homeowner population. Typical duties of a homeowner’s association would be to collect money and provide for snow removal, maintaining common areas such as playgrounds, pools, and entrance landscaping.
Authority - A HOA is incorporated within with the by-laws and covenants established by the developer prior to development and building of homes. When a homeowner purchases property governed by an HOA, he signs a rider on his deed which states he acknowledges the CC & R’s and will abide by its restrictions.
Power - Associations provide services, regulate activities, levy assessments, and impose fines. The US Bill of Rights guarantees its citizens certain protections against abusive or intrusive government -- however, these protections do not extend to private contracts which have been entered into voluntarily. HOA’s can function as governments, but structurally and operationally they are private corporations and governed by corporation law. Since HOA’s are considered private corporations, they are not subject to the Constitutional constraints that public government must abide by. Many state statutes now require HOA’s to provide certain basic protections to its members.
Membership - Boards appoint corporate officers, and may create subcommittees, such as "architectural control committees", pool committees or neighborhood –watch committees. Association boards are comprised of volunteers from the community who are elected by owners at the annual meeting to represent the association and make decisions on behalf of all homeowners. The neighborhood may also hire a professional management company to manage their needs.
Assessments – HOA’s can compel homeowners to pay a share, usually per-unit or based on square footage, of common expenses. As such,unpaid dues or assessments can become a lien on the homeowner’s property. These expenses generally arise from common property, which varies dramatically depending on the type of association. Some associations are virtually small towns -- complete with private roads, services, utilities, amenities, community buildings, pools, and even schools. Others have no common property, but may charge for services or other matters determined to be in the best interests of the membership such as collecting for snow or trash removal. Most HOA’s are considered to be non-profit entities.
Benefits - The purpose of an HOA is to maintain, enhance and protect the common areas and interests of an association (also called a subdivision or neighborhood). This can allow an individual homeowner access to an amenity (pond, pool, clubhouse, etc.) that he may not be able to afford on his own. Each member pays assessments which are levied to pay the community’s expenses, such as maintaining entrance monuments, common area landscaping, clubhouses, tennis courts, walking trails, mailing costs for newsletters or other correspondence, as well as for a management company or on-site manager, or other items delineated in the governing documents or agreed to by the board of directors.
Opinion and Participation - A study by Zogby International reported widespread satisfaction by residents of homeowners' associations: 71% overall were pleased with their experience of the homeowner's association. The majority (63%) said that the existence of a homeowner's association did not affect their choice when buying or renting; of the remainder, an HOA was a positive influence 3 times as often as it was a negative influence (28% to 9%). The same study reported that while less than one in four residents had ever brought a complaint to their HOA board, 3 in 4 of those who did were satisfied with the resolution. Just over 3 in 10 residents have served on an HOA board.
Severability - A board of directors can be sued if it breaches its duties, but board members risk nothing financially in these suits. Association insurance provides not only for a board member's legal expense, but any judgment attained against them. Homeowners must pay out-of-pocket for any case they bring to court and risk being personally liable for any judgment and/or Association's legal fees as well as their own. Unless statutory law or the corporation's governing documents reserve a particular issue or action for approval by the members, corporation laws provide that the activities and affairs of a corporation shall be conducted and all corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the direction of the board of directors. Thus, unless member approval is specifically required either by some statute or by the association's governing documents, members who are not directors or officers have little or no role to play in the day-to-day management of their development, except, however that members have the ultimate authority to elect and/or remove officers and directors, often with a simple majority vote.
After Thoughts - Critics argue that homeowner associations establish a new community as a municipal corporation without ensuring that the residents governed will have a voice in the decision-making process. Voting in a homeowner association is based on property ownership, as the by-laws and covenants of each association dictate. Only property owners are eligible to vote in elections, and voting by renters is prohibited, since the association has contractual agreements solely with owners. Additionally, only one vote per unit may be cast, rather than one vote per adult occupant, so that voting representation is equal to the proportion of ownership, and cannot be influenced unfairly by packing a unit to or beyond capacity with multiple residents. In the case of partially-built-out subdivisions in resort areas, the majority of property owners may not live in the community, but still bear the costs of running the association.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Authority - A HOA is incorporated within with the by-laws and covenants established by the developer prior to development and building of homes. When a homeowner purchases property governed by an HOA, he signs a rider on his deed which states he acknowledges the CC & R’s and will abide by its restrictions.
Power - Associations provide services, regulate activities, levy assessments, and impose fines. The US Bill of Rights guarantees its citizens certain protections against abusive or intrusive government -- however, these protections do not extend to private contracts which have been entered into voluntarily. HOA’s can function as governments, but structurally and operationally they are private corporations and governed by corporation law. Since HOA’s are considered private corporations, they are not subject to the Constitutional constraints that public government must abide by. Many state statutes now require HOA’s to provide certain basic protections to its members.
Membership - Boards appoint corporate officers, and may create subcommittees, such as "architectural control committees", pool committees or neighborhood –watch committees. Association boards are comprised of volunteers from the community who are elected by owners at the annual meeting to represent the association and make decisions on behalf of all homeowners. The neighborhood may also hire a professional management company to manage their needs.
Assessments – HOA’s can compel homeowners to pay a share, usually per-unit or based on square footage, of common expenses. As such,unpaid dues or assessments can become a lien on the homeowner’s property. These expenses generally arise from common property, which varies dramatically depending on the type of association. Some associations are virtually small towns -- complete with private roads, services, utilities, amenities, community buildings, pools, and even schools. Others have no common property, but may charge for services or other matters determined to be in the best interests of the membership such as collecting for snow or trash removal. Most HOA’s are considered to be non-profit entities.
Benefits - The purpose of an HOA is to maintain, enhance and protect the common areas and interests of an association (also called a subdivision or neighborhood). This can allow an individual homeowner access to an amenity (pond, pool, clubhouse, etc.) that he may not be able to afford on his own. Each member pays assessments which are levied to pay the community’s expenses, such as maintaining entrance monuments, common area landscaping, clubhouses, tennis courts, walking trails, mailing costs for newsletters or other correspondence, as well as for a management company or on-site manager, or other items delineated in the governing documents or agreed to by the board of directors.
Opinion and Participation - A study by Zogby International reported widespread satisfaction by residents of homeowners' associations: 71% overall were pleased with their experience of the homeowner's association. The majority (63%) said that the existence of a homeowner's association did not affect their choice when buying or renting; of the remainder, an HOA was a positive influence 3 times as often as it was a negative influence (28% to 9%). The same study reported that while less than one in four residents had ever brought a complaint to their HOA board, 3 in 4 of those who did were satisfied with the resolution. Just over 3 in 10 residents have served on an HOA board.
Severability - A board of directors can be sued if it breaches its duties, but board members risk nothing financially in these suits. Association insurance provides not only for a board member's legal expense, but any judgment attained against them. Homeowners must pay out-of-pocket for any case they bring to court and risk being personally liable for any judgment and/or Association's legal fees as well as their own. Unless statutory law or the corporation's governing documents reserve a particular issue or action for approval by the members, corporation laws provide that the activities and affairs of a corporation shall be conducted and all corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the direction of the board of directors. Thus, unless member approval is specifically required either by some statute or by the association's governing documents, members who are not directors or officers have little or no role to play in the day-to-day management of their development, except, however that members have the ultimate authority to elect and/or remove officers and directors, often with a simple majority vote.
After Thoughts - Critics argue that homeowner associations establish a new community as a municipal corporation without ensuring that the residents governed will have a voice in the decision-making process. Voting in a homeowner association is based on property ownership, as the by-laws and covenants of each association dictate. Only property owners are eligible to vote in elections, and voting by renters is prohibited, since the association has contractual agreements solely with owners. Additionally, only one vote per unit may be cast, rather than one vote per adult occupant, so that voting representation is equal to the proportion of ownership, and cannot be influenced unfairly by packing a unit to or beyond capacity with multiple residents. In the case of partially-built-out subdivisions in resort areas, the majority of property owners may not live in the community, but still bear the costs of running the association.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Selling Your Home Twice
When moving out of a house you have lived in for a long time, you may discover years' worth of dust that was previously concealed by your home furnishings. If you don't have the time or energy to clean your house for the new owners, another option would be to pay a professional to do the job. Why should you pay so much attention to your home AFTER it’s sold?!?!? Read on, and make an informed decision:
Before going to the closing table, your buyers will have a last chance to walk through the house and check the appliances, mechanical systems and overall condition to make sure everything is consistent with the sales contract. Even though they really want the house, at this point "buyers' remorse" may be prompting them to look for a reason to call the transaction off.
Because an otherwise minor problem or defect can sometimes trigger last-minute cold feet, your best insurance is to make the house look great. Everything should be working properly, and all the agreed-upon repairs should have been made before the buyers arrive to look at the house. You can promote a more relaxed, positive atmosphere for the closing if you take special care in preparing for the walk-through inspection.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Before going to the closing table, your buyers will have a last chance to walk through the house and check the appliances, mechanical systems and overall condition to make sure everything is consistent with the sales contract. Even though they really want the house, at this point "buyers' remorse" may be prompting them to look for a reason to call the transaction off.
Because an otherwise minor problem or defect can sometimes trigger last-minute cold feet, your best insurance is to make the house look great. Everything should be working properly, and all the agreed-upon repairs should have been made before the buyers arrive to look at the house. You can promote a more relaxed, positive atmosphere for the closing if you take special care in preparing for the walk-through inspection.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Home Zone
Every city and county has their own zoning laws that define and restrict how property owners can use land. The purpose of zoning regulations is to establish development standards and to ensure that land is used for the common good. There are restrictions on both the type of structures that can be built and how the property can be used.
Common zoning categories are residential, agricultural, industrial, commercial and recreational. There are sub-categories such as single-family residential zones and multiple family residential zones, (areas where condo and apartment complexes are permitted.)
Zoning ordinances also restrict the height and square footage of the buildings, the number of stories allowed and proximity of one building to another. They control the type of facilities that are required for each use -- for instance, if a residential property must have a driveway. Whether you intend to buy a new piece of property or improve one that you already own, zoning laws will dictate what you will be able to do with your land.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
Common zoning categories are residential, agricultural, industrial, commercial and recreational. There are sub-categories such as single-family residential zones and multiple family residential zones, (areas where condo and apartment complexes are permitted.)
Zoning ordinances also restrict the height and square footage of the buildings, the number of stories allowed and proximity of one building to another. They control the type of facilities that are required for each use -- for instance, if a residential property must have a driveway. Whether you intend to buy a new piece of property or improve one that you already own, zoning laws will dictate what you will be able to do with your land.
If you need more information for your home search or have questions about moving, building, selecting your first home or moving up to your next home, contact DAVID BRENTON’S TEAM.
When you are serious about moving… put our TEAM to work for you!
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