Little Pieces of me...

Preston, Hannah & Ethan
3 of 9 that call me Auntie

So in my previous blog, you found out for me a calm, tranquil and serene environment comes from being well organized. I admit it’s maybe a bigger challenge for those with children at home. And for me, a clean, organized home is more easily achieved when my nieces and nephews aren’t visiting! I love being an auntie (My FAVORITE title in life) and have so much fun when they are here; (but they do go home) and then you will find me cleaning and re-organizing!!

Maybe you will enjoy a few of these tips I’ve discovered along the way. These aren’t urban legends, but tried and true tips that may help you create that environment you are desiring…

DID YOU KNOW?
• Crayon marks come off walls with a damp rag dipped in baking soda?
• A little rubbing alcohol on a paper towel will remove permanent marker from appliances and counter tops (even the blue ink from a store receipt!)
• You can drop two Alka Seltzer tablets in your toilet bowl, wait twenty minutes, and brush and flush. (Stay tuned for more Alka Seltzer remedies in a future blog.)
• Spilled candle wax can be removed from a carpet by placing a brown paper sack over the spill and placing a warm iron on top. Wax will be absorbed into the brown paper.
• You can use empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.

Looking for ways to get your home market ready?
Contact me today for your personalized plan!

Define Home...

Define HOME...

Does it mean coming home on a 100 degree afternoon to the sound of your kids giggling and screaming pool side? Or maybe it's being greeted at the door by your 4 legged babies with their tails happily whipping back and forth...

Although both of those descriptions could be HOME to me, neither of them really apply. What got me to thinking about HOME was how very hectic things are for me in the summer (grateful to be busy!) and how much I enjoy coming home to a tidy and clean house after a busy day. I make jokes all the time about being "type a" and in all honesty those traits are what makes a house home to me. Home for me means a calm, serene and tranquil environment and having it organized helps me feel that way. My home is my haven. It’s the calm after a storm. I am doubly blessed because I not only get to work in the home industry and help others find that haven they are looking for, but once I’ve done so, can come home to experience it for myself.
 I want my home to say “welcome” when guests arrive, but I also love that it says “welcome” when my husband and I come home from work. I feel totally at peace when I can enjoy a day at home, catch up on laundry and just enjoy my surroundings. What makes your house a home?

Looking to find a house to make your haven?
 Click here to search for all MLS properties

Am I Normal?

Buyers seem to constantly wonder and ask me if their questions and concerns are "NORMAL". Is it normal to ask about utilites? Is it normal to want to know why the sellers are moving? Is it normal to be nervous?

With a look of sheer panic on a buyer's face I often get asked, is it normal to find a house this fast? 
Y E S!

Often times you're buying before you're buying. Yes, you read that right! If you've ever stayed up late to surf the net and watch Virtual Tours, spent a Saturday watching non-stop reruns of TLC's House Hunters or spent a Sunday walking through open houses "just for fun"- you've already started the buying process.

I found the article excerpt below written by Elizabeth Weintraub from Ask.com and it explains the "is it normal to find a house this fast?" question in a way I can definitely relate to. Can you guess why?

The "Red Shoes" Experience for a Home Buyer

Women will relate to this. Say, you need a new pair of red shoes. You go to the mall. At the first shoe store, you find a fabulous pair of red shoes. You try them on. They fit perfectly. They are glamorous. Priced right, too. Do you buy them? Of course not! You go to every other store in the mall trying on red shoes until you are ready to drop from exhaustion. Then you return to the first store and buy those red shoes. Do not shop for a home this way. When you find the perfect home, buy it.


Wondering if you have normal home buying or selling questions?
Call me today!
~Tanya Ruff

Realtors know EVERYTHING!

Just kidding! The title was purely to get your attention. Let’s face it, Realtors® don’t know everything, but if you’re lucky enough to have found a good one they will know what it takes to sell a house.

One of the hardest parts of my job is simply being honest with a seller when they're preparing to sell their home. My house isn't "market ready" so why should I pass judgement on theirs? Because that's what they've hired me to do!

Recently I was fortunate enough to take a listing at 1602 St John in SE Wichita Falls. The owners are ideal clients; their house was super clean, organized and smelled great. The only flaw was the master bedroom. All it lacked was a comforter set. See the pictures below to see what a difference $100 and a splash of color can do for a room. Thank you to Mr. & Mrs. Seller for following my advice and splurging on new bedding!

Click here for other ideas on getting your home ready to sell.

~TR

Prepare to be Impressed

Open House Today from 1:00-3:00

5055 Eastridge Drive in Stone Lake Estates

"Keep it Simple, Stupid"

OK OK, I'll admit I hate that saying- thanks to my mom who didn't think stupid was an appropriate word to describe anything- much less anyone, but I feel like it applies here so maybe she'll let it slide this time.... along with all of my punctuation errors.

THINK FAST, What's Earnest Money?
Unless you're in a career related to real estate the term "Earnest Money" may sound very foreign to you. Of course if you're anything like me, you'll just "Google" it and find out in a split second. (How did anyone function before Google?)

I could go on and on for paragraphs (YAWN), but instead let's keep it simple. Earnest Money as it applies to Texas Real Estate is a good faith deposit (made by a buyer) that is deposited into an escrow account at the title company within approximately 24-48 hours of your offer being accepted into contract.

A few good questions I've been asked:

• How much does it need to be?
• It really depends on the circumstance and purchase price. I've personally seen anywhere from $300-$5,000 in our market.
• Do I make the check out to the seller?
• No, make it out to the title company that will be closing the sale.
• Will it be cashed before our closing date?
• Yes, please be prepared for it to be cashed right away.
• What happens if I decide not to buy the house?
• If you back out during your option period (stay tuned for another blog topic on those!) your earnest money will be refunded to you less any inspection fees you may have already incurred. It gets a little more complicated after the option period, but your Realtor ® will be able to explain it- just ask!
• Do I get it back at closing?
• The earnest money is applied first to your downpayment and then to your closing costs. Any excess will be refunded to you.

Looking to buy or sell in the Wichita Falls area? I'd love to earn your business!
~ Tanya

Your 5 Senses

What's the one question 9 out of 10 sellers ask me

during a listing appointment?

"Do open houses work?"

I always tell them, "that's a great question!" Whether you're a Realtor or a Seller you're sure to have an opinion on open houses. For what it's worth, I'm a believer!       

I will take every opportunity I can to draw attention and traffic to my listings.

If you have an open house coming up,

   remember your 5 senses.

Sight: First and Foremost, have your house as picture perfect as possible. Turn on all overhead lights and lamps. Don't forget to open your blinds as well!

Smell: Does your home pass the sniff test?  Switch on the scentsy, light some candles or spray some Febreeze. The last thing you want is a less than passing grade on the sniff test.

Hearing: Complete silence can make an open house buyer feel awkward. Yet, I don't want them to feel like they have to talk to me non-stop either. After all, I'm there to show off the house not how much I can talk!  Turn on some soft instrumental or low volume music for background noise.
Touch: This is an easy one to overlook. When buyers shop for a home they touch surfaces, make sure the morning breakfast crumbs or tooth paste splatters have been wiped from your counter tops.
Taste: Last, but certainly not least- feel free to leave cookies or refreshments out for your open house attendees. If I happen to be your Realtor, I'll bring those with me! My husband loves the leftovers and it gives you time to get your home ready to be shown.  

Remember, your home only has one chance to make a good first impression.