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Posts Tagged ‘Elizabeth Faulkner’

Elizabeth Faulkner REALTOR®: 7 Myths of Real Estate

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Are you currently buying or selling a home in the Greenville, SC area? Local REALTOR®, Elizabeth Faulkner and mortgage lender, Andrew Evans, are here to demystify common real estate selling and buying myths. Thank you to Elizabeth Faulkner for sponsoring this article!

Faulkner 2023

Myth #1: Looking for a house is the first step of the home buying process.

Starting the process by “just browsing” could be setting yourself up for heartbreak. Before you go looking for (and falling in love with) a home you need to:

  • have a realistic idea of what you can afford.
  • make sure your credit is in good shape.
  • get pre-qualified for a mortgage.
  • possibly most importantly, find a great Realtor to work with.

I can help you with that last one, I’m that great Realtor! I also have great local lender connections. Making those connections is the real first step of buying a home.

Myth #2: Buying a house requires a 20% down payment.

There are a wide variety of home loan options available to home buyers today. While some loans do indeed require a 20% down payment, others require very little money down. A good lender can explain the different types of loans to you and help you choose the one that will best fit your needs.

Faulkner Myth 2

A few loan highlights from Andrew Evans, a local lender who has helped many of my previous clients:

  • Conventional loans require as little as 3% down.
  • FHA loans require as little as 3.50% down payment.
  • VA loans are 100% financing so no down payment is required.
  • USDA loans are 100% financing so no down payment is required.

Keep in mind that the lowest interest rate isn’t always the best for your particular needs. Yes, a higher interest rate means a larger monthly payment. But it’s not that simple. What kind of loan you should consider depends on many factors.

How long do you plan to stay in the home? How much cash do you have to put down? Where is the home that you’re considering buying located?

The point is, when you’re considering buying a home, a mortgage lender should be one of the first calls you make. They will provide you with all the mortgage options available so you, as a buyer, are able to make an informed decision. And when you’re ready to speak with a mortgage lender, I know who to connect you with to help you get the right answers. Working with me means: my connections are your connections!

Myth #3: If you don’t have children, the schools don’t matter.

Unless you know with 100% certainty that you are buying your forever home, you should always take the quality of the schools into consideration. A house with good schools close by will have a greater resell value because, for many homebuyers, great schools are high on their priorities list. But good schools is far from being the ONLY important criteria when you’re shopping for a home.

Faulkner Myth 4

Here are a few of the factors to keep in mind when hunting for a home:

  • Location, location, location — This is a biggie for lots of great reasons. Is there a work location you plan to drive to regularly? A long commute to work is often a deal breaker in a home search! What else is important to you and your daily routine? Consider the distance to all the important people and places in your life when you’re house hunting. Maybe you want to be within 5 minutes of your in-laws or church. Be very specific on where you want to live when you begin your search!
  • Size matters — Is the house the right size? Even if your family could make it work for the time being, what does your future look like? Is your family growing? Unless this is a home you don’t plan to be in very long, make sure you’re hunting for a house that will fit your family in a year or two years or five years.
  • Think long term – If you expect to be in a home for many years, make sure the home functions well for your needs today and for years to come. Items on your must-have list may be things you couldn’t care less about in 3 years. For example, sending your 2 year old upstairs to play in the bonus room feels impossible right now but before you know it, that room will be invaluable! And, yes, having a master on the 2nd floor is great when kids are little. However, we are all getting older. One day you may wish you didn’t have to climb steps on repeat because your bedroom isn’t on the main level of your home.
  • The neighborhood — No matter how much you love a house, the neighborhood (or lack thereof) matters. If you have kids and want an active neighborhood full of amenities like a pool, tennis courts and playgrounds, let your Realtor know this. If you absolutely hate HOAs, you need to be sure you’re only looking at homes without a homeowners association. It won’t matter how perfect your home is if the neighborhood was never the right fit. And no one wants to go through this process all over again because they picked the wrong house the first time!

Myth #4: You don’t need a home inspection.

Faulkner Myth 5

Even now, with mortgage interest rates on the rise, the housing market is still hot. We are seeing low levels of inventory and lots of buyers. Which means, fewer homes for buyers to choose from and more buyers to compete with. Given the market we are in, you may find your dream home and be tempted to skip inspections. Because, yes, that dream home could potentially be sold to another buyer who was indeed willing to skip the home inspection. But I urge you not to waive the home inspection, even if it means you lose out on what you thought was the perfect home. Do you really want to find out two weeks after closing on a home that the roof is leaking or there is a structural issue in the crawlspace? Take the time and spend the money for a thorough home inspection, your future self will thank you.

Myth #5: Selling your home yourself will save you money.

Selling a home is no easy task. It takes expertise, skills, and so much time. I’m not saying it’s impossible to sell a home on your own, and while upfront it may sound appealing to save some cash on real estate fees, but there is a lot to consider.

Faulkner Myth 6

Here are a few factors to think about before trying to sell a home on your own:

  • Your home needs to be in the MLS — If your home isn’t listed in the MLS, buyer’s agents may not be aware of your home. After all, the local MLS is the resource most used by buyer’s agents when hunting for a home.
  • Price your home correctly — A real estate expert is the most knowledgeable source on the local market and the best bet for pricing your home accurately. In fact, FSBO (for sale by owner) homes tend to sell for less than real estate agent assisted homes. Often times, the lower price of an FSBO house negates the savings by not hiring a Realtor.
  • Making an error could get you sued — Selling a home involves lots of paperwork and legality. Unless you’re a lawyer, a real estate agent most likely knows more about laws regarding real estate than you do. Making a mistake when selling a home FSBO can cost you greatly. Do real estate agents make mistakes? Of course! But they have professional Errors & Omissions Insurance to protect them when a mistake is made, meaning the buyer has recourse without going after the seller.

There are so many reasons to not sell a home FSBO; too many to mention here! Bottom line, buying or selling a home is most likely the biggest transaction you’ll ever make. Why would you do that without professional representation?

Myth #6: Home values listed online are accurate.

There is no shortage of online tools that will help you calculate the value of your home. But it’s important to keep in mind that pricing your home is more complicated than an online tool can calculate. Consider the pricing you see online as a ballpark based on other homes nearby. There are a whole host of things an online valuation cannot take into account. What upgrades did you just put into your home? Buyers place a lot of value on certain upgrades, like kitchens and bathrooms, but your zestimate won’t necessarily reflect that. Online home valuations are often calculated using inaccurate or outdated comps, which can also throw off the home value amount you receive.

Faulkner Myth 7

Bottom line, online home values are just estimates. Before deciding what your house may actually sell for in today’s market, you need to speak with a real estate professional. If you’re looking for the hard facts, I am happy to determine the true value of your home.

Myth #7: Real Estate works the same in every state.

Unfortunately, this is the myth I run into the most. Many homebuyers in the Upstate of South Carolina are moving here from other parts of the country. And though they may have bought or sold a home in another state, the process of buying a home in SC is often very different from their past experiences.

For example, while in South Carolina due diligence fees are only paid if a buyer backs out of a contract, in other states these fees are paid up front and non-refundable. Did you know that some states require real estate purchases to be closed by an attorney while in other states, real estate can be closed by an escrow agent or lender?

My point? Before you dive headfirst into the real estate market, get your local team of experts in place. Be sure you enlist the help of qualified professionals who are well versed in their field of expertise and can guide you through your real estate purchase in South Carolina!

Contact Elizabeth

Elizabeth Faulkner, local realtor, takes great pride in working hard and providing top-notch service to her clients. Her goal is to make the buying and selling process a smooth one for each and every client she serves!

Elizabeth Faulkner
REALTOR®
864.414.2434
elizabethgfaulkner@gmail.com

Andrew Evans
Branch Manager, Princeton Mortgage
864.313.0602
aevans@princetonmortgage.com

6 Real Estate Tips for Selling Your Home Off-Season

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Has the spring and summer peak real estate market passed you by? It’s not too late to buy or sell your home! Even if the peak season is behind you, Realtor® Elizabeth Faulkner says selling a home is possible any time of the year! Check out Elizabeth’s valuable pointers and get ready to make exciting changes!

Thank you to Elizabeth Faulkner for sponsoring this article.

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Top 5 Spring Activities for Families: Greenville, SC

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Summer in South Carolina can be, um, intense, to say the least! In this guest post from realtor Elizabeth Faulkner, she shares her top 5 favorite spring activities that you and your family should tackle before the heat dictates what you can and can’t joyfully (or even safely) do! Outdoor activities are still manageable, so check out the list and plan your family’s next outdoor adventure now—before it’s too late!

As spring winds to a close I find myself bracing for the dog days of summer. Lucky for us here in the Upstate of South Carolina, June tends to be a month with some lingering beautiful spring-like days! So, before my family hunkers down at our neighborhood pool for the hottest part of the summer, we make every effort to get outside and enjoy SPRING while we still have it! Here are a few of our favorite things we try to do every year in the short season we love so very much.

Birds Fly South
Located in Greenville, Birds Fly South has a green space on which kids can run around and play. Plus, the popular White Duck Taco is right next door!

This article was formerly sponsored by Elizabeth Faulkner.

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Why Travel When You Can Plan A Staycation in Greenville, SC?!

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It happens every year. You survive the South Carolina winter, which likely includes a little snow, many cold and damp days, and even a few 60+ degree days thrown into the mix. The key here is: you made it through and spring is in the very near future!

If you’re like me, with kids in Greenville County Schools (GCS), spring includes the much loved and desperately needed Spring Break. That glorious week off of school for the kids and, hopefully, off work for the parents. What do we do?

  • Leave town.
  • Head to the beach.
  • Go west to snow ski.
  • Fly to a remote tropical island.
Faulkner Canva Photo

The options are endless! Like so many GCS families, my family typically travels for Spring Break. What makes my family unique is that every year I hear my husband grumble about how he hates winter but also isn’t a fan of the summer heat and humidity. And yet, we LEAVE town for Spring Break during his favorite season of the year.

I get it. I really do. But, let’s be honest, I’m not giving up an annual trip during Spring Break! As a result, we’ve become big fans of staycations . . . right here in the Upstate! What’s not to love? A staycation is quick, easy to plan and full of great options close to home!

If you’ve considered a staycation or are just now realizing it’s a viable option, read on. I’m sharing some of my family’s favorite staycations as well as ideas and pointers for planning your own!

A Staycation Close to Home: Downtown Greenville

Everyone loves downtown Greenville, my family included. But let’s face it, even though we are only 20 minutes away, we don’t visit downtown very often. As a result, we love staying overnight “in the city” and having plenty of uninterrupted time to check out many of the fun things to do in the area. The options are endless for a staycation in downtown Greenville. Here are a few possibilities!

Where to Stay

Clearly, not the most important element of the staycation concept—however, since the word starts with STAY, so will we!

As a loyal Marriott family, we really love the Springhill Suites on Washington Street. It sits across the street from Fireforge, one of our favorite breweries in the area, and is very close to everything on Main Street.

There are so many hotel options in downtown Greenville that you can literally pick your hotel based on which part of downtown you want to be closest to, which loyalty program you’ve pledged your undying love to, or what amenities they offer. Embassy Suites Downtown Riverplace offers a rooftop bar. AC Hotel is new and super fun with multiple places to eat or drink inside the hotel, plus it’s surrounded by all the new development where Greenville News used to sit. If you prefer the west side of downtown, there are several smaller, boutique hotels out that way too.

What to do

Talk about a loaded question! The options are truly endless.

Downtown Greenville offers one of the best Saturday morning farmers markets in the area! Happening every Saturday morning from May through October, this is your chance to walk down Main Street without dodging cars, while you shop for flowers, fruits and vegetables, fresh baked bread, handmade soap and so much more! Even though this doesn’t run during Spring Break—be sure to mark your calendars for May!

Rent bikes and hit the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Reedy Rides is right downtown and can hook your whole family up with bikes. Head north past Furman University and into Travelers Rest. Or head south to Cleveland Park. Stop by Cancer Survivors Park or Linky Stone Park along your way! So many options.

Visit Falls Park. This alone could occupy hours of your time. Walk across the bridge, explore the gardens, and venture a bit further to the galleries. You could even have a meal or snack at Passerelle while enjoying the park from above.

Find the mice in downtown Greenville! Whether your kids have never done it or done it a thousand times, the Mice on Main scavenger hunt is truly iconic and a must-do for families when visiting downtown Greenville!

Take in a baseball game. The Greenville Drive stadium sits right in the west end of downtown and makes for a fun spring afternoon destination!

Go for a hike. If you’re not quite ready to head home after checking out the last morning, sneaking in a short hike may be exactly what you need. Paris Mountain and Conestee Nature Preserve are two great options not too far from downtown.

Is the weather not-so-great? No problem! Downtown Greenville has some pretty cool places to hang out indoors too.

Get your game on at Group Therapy. This indoor fun zone offers something for everyone, including ping pong, mini golf and more! Keep in mind, Group Therapy is adults only after 7 pm. Sorry kids!

Walk and shop. Not gonna lie, this is how my family tends to spend a good chunk of our time when we staycation in downtown Greenville. My goal is to walk from one end of town to the other, then back. Stopping wherever we want along the way, we check out hotel lobbies and rooftops, boutiques, kitchen stores, antique shops and, of course, the Mast General Store.

Downtown Greenville has several breweries the whole family can enjoy. When you think brewery, you may think adult-only but you are wrong! Breweries typically offer amazing outdoor spaces, giant TVs, games, great food, and yes, beer. My family has loved Fireforge for years, though recently we’ve been known to enjoy some hot chicken and foosball at Yee-Haw Brewing Company!

Don’t Forget the Nearby Cute Downtowns

Downtown Greenville is certainly not the only option for a staycation in a cute downtown without traveling too far from home. Downtown Greer is one of the cutest downtowns in the area, has a new hotel in the midst of it all, a giant park you can walk to and so many cool festivals. Downtown Simpsonville and Downtown Fountain Inn are two more good choices for a fun staycation as there are plenty of things to do, places to eat, etc.

A Staycation Down the Road: Downtown Spartanburg

Did you know that before Gather came to Greenville, downtown Spartanburg had Fr8yard? Yep, it’s true. Downtown Spartanburg is another great option for a fun overnight trip with the family. Tons to do, lots of places to eat, a scavenger hunt of their own and so much more!

Where to Stay

You know what else downtown Spartanburg had before downtown Greenville? The AC Hotel. This Spartanburg hotel sits right downtown, is walkable to everything and offers rooftop dining at Level 10. This AC Hotel has an outdoor pool and you can even bring your pooch! The area also has other large hotel options as well, like Spartanburg Marriott, and several smaller boutique type inns as well.

What to Do

There is certainly no shortage of things to do in downtown Spartanburg! My family has loved Fr8yard for years! It’s South Carolina’s first open air biergarten. Don’t be fooled, it offers way more than beer. Great food, live music, games and tons of space to hang out and have fun with your people.

Visit a super cool park. If you’re visiting downtown Spartanburg with kids, be sure to check out the park situated in the heart of it all. Even my “I’m too old for a playground” kid loved Play on Main, which is actually a school playground but open to the public when school isn’t in session.

Experience Lighten Up Spartanburg. The art scene is legit and another fun way to explore downtown Spartanburg. We love strolling the streets of downtown Spartanburg and finding the lightbulbs. Not familiar with Lighten Up Spartanburg? You should be! Over 20 life size fiberglass lightbulbs can be found throughout downtown Spartanburg and the surrounding areas. Finding and photographing these lightbulbs is something my family loves to do each and every time we visit downtown Spartanburg. Heck, maybe finding ALL the lightbulbs should go on my personal 2023 bucket list!

Visit a street festival. Perhaps you should plan a Spartanburg staycation around one of the city’s popular street festivals! Hubs City Hog Fest, Cribbs Burger Fest and Spring Fling are all happening in downtown Spartanburg this spring.

A Staycation a Stone’s Throw Away: Downtown Asheville

Close enough for a quick overnight but not exactly a staycation, downtown Asheville is another favorite destination for my family. Here you will find lots of fun things to do, great food, cool hotels, and even a pinball museum, all with a beautiful mountain backdrop.

In the past we have stayed at Renaissance Asheville Downtown but next time, may check out the AC Hotel. Like the AC hotels in Greenville and Spartanburg, the AC Hotel Asheville also has a rooftop dining option, tapas style Capella on 9. And unlike the South Carolina hotels, this rooftop venue offers some amazing mountain views to enjoy as you sip a glass of wine.

Another great aspect of a semi-staycation in Asheville is proximity to so many outdoor activities like hiking or whitewater rafting. And don’t forget about the beloved Biltmore Estate right outside of downtown Asheville. If you plan it right, you could enjoy a staycation in Asheville capped off with a trip to Biltmore Blooms; Biltmore’s annual flower extravaganza! Perhaps a staycation in Asheville calls for a whole weekend to truly enjoy this mountain city and even a small portion of what it has to offer. Not too bad for only a hour or so drive from home!

Plan Your Own Staycation

Next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and your kids over-scheduled, consider an escape in your own backyard! When life gets crazy, a staycation is a great way to bring your family back together while having a lot of fun and making memories!

As you plan your own staycation, be sure to keep the following in mind:

  • You don’t have to travel far.
  • Make it a surprise!
  • Many hotels will even let you bring your dog.
  • Wrap up your staycation with an activity the next day.

As the years go by and kids grow up, I find myself counting down the years until my oldest daughter (now 14) heads off to college. I get a little knot in my stomach as I realize the clock is ticking! Truthfully, hanging with her boring mom, embarrassing dad and annoying little sister isn’t always at the top of the to-do list for my teenager. This is another reason my family has really embraced the staycation concept!

No weeks of planning. No friends with us. No hours on electronic devices. It’s just our family together for 24-48 hours and pure togetherness as we walk, explore, play and eat. It’s all about the memories we make! We have made some good ones on our staycations and look forward to making some more.

I hope you found this piece helpful in planning a fun staycation for your own family!

Contact Elizabeth Faulkner

Elizabeth Faulkner
REALTOR
864.414.2434
elizabethgfaulkner@gmail.com

Read more about Elizabeth Faulkner on Kidding Around.