10 Things Buyers Want in New Homes!

When buyers look for a home or build a new home, they look for many different features, styles, prices, and sizes. One rating company, Avid Rating Co, surveys builders all around the US and Canada to find out what buyers want in their homes (Click here for a link to the original article). Here is a top ten list:

1. Big kitchens with an island.
2. "Green" features such as energy efficient appliances, high efficiency insulation, and windows.
3. Home office.
4. Master suite on the main floor.
5. Living space outdoors.
6. Ceiling fans.
7. Soaking tubs and large showers with seating in the Master Bath.
8. Stone/Brick exterior.
9. Landscaping, walking paths, and playgrounds in the community/neighborhood.
10. Two car garage.

Many might consider these features strictly for luxury homes, however, many of these things can be included in homes of all sizes and price ranges. For more information about building a new home in the Bixby, OK area, contact Rick Oberlender of US Building Systems at 918-518-5913 or usbs@att.net.

For all your real estate needs in the Tulsa Luxury Real Estate Market, contact Darryl Baskin of the Luxury Property Group at McGraw Realtors at 918-258-2600 or www.tulsaluxurypropertygroup.com.

For all your home maintenance needs in the Bixby, OK area, contact the professionals at www.tulsahomecare.com.

Change Your HVAC Filter the Easy Way!

Changing your air filter is an easy task, but I hear more and more people say that they forget and dread to change it. For an easy solution to the problem, check out www.filters4me.com and their filter subscription program.

How does the filter subscription program work? Simply go to their website and click to sign up. Follow the steps to enter all your information and your filters will arrive as often as you like. No more remembering when to change your filters. When they arrive, you know its time to change the filters. It's that easy! In addition, the filters you receive are top quality and will reduce allergens, dust, dander, smoke, and air contaminates in your home.

How Often Should I Change My Filter? On average, you should change your air filters every 60-90 days. If you hear your air filter whistling, then you have waited too long to change the filter. Not only will your filter not catch the dust and contaminates but it will cost you more money on energy costs.

Will Filters4me have the size I need? Yes. Filters4me can make any size filter. No more hunting down a difficult to find size.

If you have any other questions about the HVAC filter subscription program or want other information about the benefits of changing your air filter regularly, contact Rick Butefish of Filters4Me at 918-292-8600 or www.filters4me.com and watch the video below.

Preparing Your Home and Family for Spring!

Spring is here and with the great warm weather this week, we will see Spring come alive. With the great Spring weather, however, also come Spring storms. Preparing our home and family for Spring and for Spring storms is very important. Read on to find some information on preparing your home, family, and landscaping for Spring.

Preparing Your Home for Spring

1. Check your windows and doors to make sure they are caulked properly and that weather stripping is properly installed. Gaps in these areas can lead to pests, water, and energy leaks.
2. Have your A/C properly serviced to make sure that it is running properly and at its best. This will save your money and help keep you cool.
3. Get your house treated regularly for pests. The warm weather can drive them inside. Prevent this before it becomes a problem with regular pest control.
4. Check your smoke detectors to ensure that they work. Change the batteries if it has been one year since you have installed new batteries. Although this is not just a Spring problem, now is a good time to check it.
5. Play the inventory game. Let your kids help by taking pictures, a video, or simply making lists of all valuables, electronics, etc in your home and their serial number and other important information.

Preparing Your Landscape for Spring

1. If you are planning on adding new plants to your garden, get proper information about when to plant the species that you want.
2. Make sure that you don't have drainage issues around your property. If you find that water sits around the perimeter of your home or in areas around your property, have those issues solved before Spring storms come and make it impossible to repair quickly. Water that sits around your foundation can cause cracks and other foundation problems later. Don't assume it won't happen to your home. Foundation problems are more expensive to repair than drainage problems and will affect the resale ability of your home as well.
3. Weed around your plants now and add 3 inches of mulch to help keep the soil moist and weeds away.
4. Ensure that you have proper insurance coverage in the event that a disaster or a theft occur. Check the link for more information.
   

Preparing Your Family for Spring

1. Make sure that you have a fire escape plan, fire escape ladders, and tornado shelter in your home.
   
2. Practice your fire escape plan and what to do in the event of a tornado. Practice will help keep your children calm because they will know what to do.
3. Make sure your children are aware of what happens in a storm, tornado, etc. and what to do if they are away from the home. For example, know not to go under a bridge (in the overpass) during severe weather/tornado could save their life. Be prepared! Local TV weather station websites are great places to learn this life-saving information.

In the event that you have property damage from a Spring storm, contact home maintenance professionals to have repairs done.

For more information on these areas contact the following professionals:

Bixby, OK Pest Control- Duane Montgomery, Montgomery Exterminating at 918-438-4885 or www.montgomeryexterminating.com.

Roofing Repair or Replacement in Bixby, OK- Jonathon Knapp, Royal Roofing, 918-398-6500 or www.royalroofingllc.com.

Residential Repairs in Bixby, OK- Jonathon Knapp, Residential Repairs, 918-621-1020, www.residentialrepairinc.com

A/C Service and Installation in the Tulsa, OK area- Stephen Taylor, Air Assurance, 258-COOL or www.airassurance.com.

Ensuring Proper Homeowners Insurance Coverage

For a homeowner, insurance is one of the most important steps we can take in order to protect our investment in the event of a disaster or theft. Whether purchasing, updating or just considering insurance, keep the following ideas and tips in mind to ensure that your property is properly insured.

1. Your insurance policy is actually a contract. As with any other contract or important document, take the time to read it. An insurance policy is not an exciting thing to read for most people, however, you may realize that your policy doesn't cover everything that you thought. Since it is a contract, realize that the insurance company will cover what they are required to in the contract and nothing more. If your contract doesn't cover it, you will be at a loss.
2. The value of your property that is listed on your insurance policy is not necessarily the appraised value of your property. Companies use different methods to find this value. Whatever method they use, find out what the maximum amount is that can be spent should your property need to be re-built. Some companies max out at 125% of the value.
3. Check your policy at least once every 4-6 years to ensure that your property is valued correctly and that the maximum coverage (from #2) is adequate to rebuild your property. Don't wait until a disaster happens to find out that you are under-insured.
4. Many homeowners are under-insured. Discuss this concern with your insurance agent and your Realtor. Your Realtor or a trusted home-builder can be a great source to ensure that the value on your policy is in line with the current costs to build a new home. Ask your Realtor for a current market value of your property and discuss with him and the builder what it would likely cost to rebuild. No figure is set in stone but you will end of with a better idea of the figure you need on your policy.
5. When selecting insurance keep two important factors in mind: the insurance company and the insurance agent. Make sure that you are not only getting a good value but that the company and the agent are reputable and knowledgeable. Don't settle for cheap insurance or an agent that is a family friend if you don't know enough about them. The right agent will help you get a good value, the right coverage, and a good insurance company.
   
6. If you have questions, talk to your insurance agent. They are the expert that you have chosen to help ensure that your investment is covered. Use their expertise in this area.
7. Check out these videos on limitations on your homeowners insurance policy and insurance coverage for expensive and unusual items. Simply click on the links or watch the videos below.
   

For more information about homeowners insurance coverage for your Bixby, OK area home, contact Mike Tedford of Tedford Insurance at 918-299-2345 or www.tedfordinsurance.com.

To find out what your Bixby, OK area home is worth, contact Darryl Baskin, McGraw Realtors at 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.

When are Add-on Fees on Your Closing Docs Illegal?

Last year the US District Court ruled that add-on fees on the HUD-1 closing document could be against federal law. Commissions on the HUD-1 can be a flat fee, a percentage of sales price, or a combination but should not exceed the agreed upon commission in the listing brokers listing agreement. If the fee exceeds that agreed upon amount then HUD can determine if the services provided justify the additional charges. Unjustified charges are against the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act or RESPA and can be subject to penalties.

Want a Realtor that won't overcharge? Contact Darryl Baskin of The Baskin Real Estate Specialists of McGraw Realtors at 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com for your Bixby, OK area real estate needs.

For questions about what fees should be on your HUD-1 document or to pre-qualify for a loan in the Bixby, OK area contact Steve Currington of Currington Mortgage at 918-394-LOAN or www.curringtonmortgage.com.

Raising Funds for Happy Hands

Happy Hands school for hearing impaired children held their annual silent auction at NSU Broken Arrow, OK campus. Founder, Al Proo, a former police officer, proudly announces near completion of their new 20,000 square foot facility on south Garnett Rd. In Tulsa,OK.

Pictured: Freddie Wasson, Beth Wasson (board member) and Darryl Baskin.

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Baskin Named to Top 5 in Real Estate

CONTACT:

Darryl Baskin

McGraw Realtors

918-258-2600

Darryl@DarrylBaskin.com 

Press Release  

Darryl Baskin, of The Baskin Real Estate Specialists with McGraw Realtors, Tulsa, OK, Named a Member of Top 5 in Real Estate Network® 

Local Realtor Earns Most Prestigious of all Industry Achievements 

Reaching the pinnacle of his profession nationally, Darryl Baskin, of The Baskin Real Estate Specialists with McGraw Realtors, was accepted as a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, the most prestigious of all industry achievements.  

More than just a sales-driven recognition, the Top 5 in Real Estate Network® meets a need that heretofore has never been addressed – helping consumers identify the most professional real estate agents in North America. To qualify, each member must first meet a stringent set of criteria, based upon performance, as well as educational and professional skills and service to the consumer.   

Members of the Network are carefully selected and managed by RISMedia, which has provided the real estate industry with objective, unbiased news for nearly 30 years. As a Member of the Top 5 Network, Baskin is among the first real estate agents to be accepted into this elite organization.   

Allan Dalton, the president and co-founder of RISMedia’s Top 5 Network congratulated Baskin for earning this top status within the industry. “Darryl has reached the very highest level of North America’s residential real estate industry. Not only are his professional accomplishments extraordinary, he has long been a true champion for home buyers and sellers in his area. It is a pleasure to welcome Darryl into this elite group of industry leaders.”    

According to John Featherston, RISMedia's CEO & publisher and co-founder of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network, the significance of Top 5 is that consumers deserve full transparency regarding all matters related to the real estate transaction, which often begins with the need to select a highly competent, experienced and results-oriented real estate professional. Top 5 in Real Estate has been established to both empower consumers with leading real estate content through Top 5 members, as well as to ensure that consumers are made fully aware that there is a material difference between average and exceptional real estate professionals. 

In 1989, Darryl Baskin entered the real estate industry as a young associate determined to bring a different experience to buyers and sellers. Today, Baskin heads The Baskin Real Estate Specialists with McGraw Realtors closing more than $30 million in annual sales in the Tulsa metropolitan area. Specializing in high-tech service, Baskin provides sellers with an unmatched marketing program and meets the needs of his clients faster than expected. Baskin is on the Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents as well as a member of Cyberstars, a tech savvy Realtor group; and Star Power, a group of high-volume agents who share experience and train at national events. Baskin serves on the Northeastern Oklahoma Real Estate Services Rules and Regulations Committee, the Oklahoma Association of Realtors Grievance Committee and is on the board for the Oral Roberts University Golden Eagle Club. His civic involvement includes serving on the board of Court Appointed Special Advocates, providing a voice for neglected and abused children in court and a classroom volunteer for Junior Achievement. To learn more, contact Darryl Baskin at 918-258-2600 or e-mail Darryl@DarrylBaskin.com. 

For more information on RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, please visit www.top5inrealestate.com or contact Member Relations at 203-853-2167 ext. 139.  

RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network^® is a membership network of leading real estate professionals providing leading real estate information to consumers. To qualify for membership in the Top 5 in Real Estate Network, agents must meet specific criteria in five key categories: experience; results; education; information technology; and commitment to community. RISMedia, the leader in real estate information systems, has been providing the industry with news, trends and business development strategies for nearly 30 years through its flagship publication, Real Estate magazine, its leading website, RISMedia.com, and its renowned networking and educational events.

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Top 5 Reasons Why Now Is the Best Time to Buy a Second Home

Top 5 Reasons Why Now Is the Best Time to Buy a Second Home

With all the negative news about the economy and the real estate market, in particular, there’s a good chance you’ve put any ideas of buying a second home on permanent hold.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, however, I can tell you that just the opposite is true. The reality is that now is the best possible time to shop for a second home, whether it be the vacation spot you’ve always dreamed of, a retirement home or an investment purchase. Or, if you’ve thought that a second home was not a possibility for you, it just might be now. Here’s why:

1. Just about across the board, prices are down…in some spots, they are actually down to 2001 levels. Those of you who may have been priced out of the market in past years are suddenly back in.
2. Mortgage rates are sticking at about 5%. This won’t last forever, however, especially as the market slowly starts its climb upwards.
3. If you're able to itemize deductions on your tax return, then the interest expense on your second mortgage is tax deductible.
4. If you’re buying in a popular vacation spot—such as on the shore, in the mountains, near a lake, in the city—then you can rest assured that your investment will increase as the market continues to recover.
5. If you’re not ready to retire or take advantage of a second home yet, bear in mind you’re creating an excellent source of additional income in terms of rental revenue…something we can all use in today’s economy. Consider making this purchase now, while conditions are favorable for buyers, rent it out, and then enjoy your home when the time comes.

I’ve seen many a savvy client take advantage of today’s market to make a desired lifestyle change or an investment that will pay dividends when the market picks up. Don’t let the media negativity prevent you from missing this great opportunity to buy a second home. Please e-mail me for more information and pass this article along to friends and family who might also find it helpful.

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