Tag Archives: Knoxville homes for sale

Will My Roof Be Finished!?

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I’m like everyone else in Knoxville.  I needed a new roof, gutters, 6 windows, 2 skylights, 2 chimney caps, custom shutters, a doorbell, an outdoor light and who knows what else!

The insurance adjuster was very nice. He did his report and four weeks later, I received a check for the above items. I proceeded to get a general contractor so that he could handle the entire job and not just the roof. Problemo —- the insurance company didn’t give me enough money.  I turned in the contractor’s estimate which was around $12,000 more than the insurance estimate. Two or three weeks later, I received the additional money and started the roofing process.

I was worried about my shrubs and my huge bed of red impatients that had grown knee high. There are so many horror stories, that I felt I needed to reiterate to the head of the crew that I don’t want nails left in the yard nor my shrubs messed up. I want the yard cleaned up at the end of every day. Frankly, I don’t want to even know you’ve been here. He said that it wouldn’t be a problem. The shingles arrived in the driveway around 7:30 a.m. while I was dressing for work.  All of a sudden, 6-8 people were climbing on the roof. A huge keg of water arrived in the backyard.  The blender showed up and was placed under the backyard tree. Soon the men were throwing shingles off the front and back while others were hammering and swinging from ropes.  It was like a swat team had engulfed my house. The driveway was covered in materials. But I really want to know how do they stand it for all those hours in the hot sun with foam pads under their knees till 9’ o’clock at night. But the roof is finished and it looks like they were never there. But all roofing jobs have not gone this well.

The nightmare! I was selling what we call a relocation house. That’s where an employee’s company buys the house through a third party holding company. Another real estate company had the house listed and hired the cheapest roofers they could find. They promised it would be done in three days and that they would start on a Saturday. We were closing the following Friday and all storm repairs had to be completed before closing. To begin with, they didn’t show up till Tuesday. The leader showed up with no dumpster, four guys with t-shirts on and no protective gear, nor foam for their knees and heads. After watching for a few minutes, it was obvious that these guys had never put on a roof. You have to ask yourself at this point, “no dumpster, no experience, no protective gear, no roof??” I went back by at noon.  Two had quit, 2 were blistered and the leader was gone to the doctor.  “But not to worry”, they said, “it will be done by Thursday for the final inspection.” They also said they would be there at 7:00 a.m.  Wednesday morning. Guess what?  I went by at 8:00 a.m. and no roofers. But, the outdoor swing set, fire pit and bench were gone.  Back at noon, I noticed there were no old shingles lying anywhere. Light bulb!!!  You’re right. They didn’t remove the old shingles. They laid felt over the old shingles and roofed on top of them. They had been paid for the materials but not the labor! I called the leader and told him about my problems. He said he would take care of it, and not to worry! I went by Thursday. No roofers. I called him. He said he was on his way. By 2:00 he and a new crew showed up. By 3:00, the back awning has been ripped to pieces. By 5:00 they had gone again. This became as bad as Nightmare on Elm Street! I had no control and the listing company had no better luck than I did. How, I really don’t know, but the roofers got it done by 2:00 p.m. on Friday and we closed by 4:00 p.m. I just hate it so much for the buyer. He had already sold his house and he felt he needed to move into this one. My guess is that he’ll need another roof in 4-5 years.  Unfortunately with a relocation house, there are no warranties. If you close, you are saying you are accepting the house “as is”.

Lesson learned: Cheap is not always the way to go when it’s a roof. Never pay up front and always check references. Get a written warranty. If you haven’t called your insurance company to have them check your roof, please do. If you let this go, you probably won’t be able to claim a hail damaged roof after a certain period of time.

 

How Low Can They Go?

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With the economic situation, many potential home buyers are sitting on the fence wondering if and when they should purchase a home or investment property. With the announcement that the Federal Reserve is pushing to keep interest rates low, the time is now to buy to a house.
With ample inventory in the housing market today, sellers are offering incentives like never before. With the incentives, reasonable housing prices, and low interest rates, home buyers are scoring amazing housing and investment opportunities.
Many savvy buyers are capitalizing on the low interest rates and outstanding value on homes and they are jumping into real estate as an investment opportunity. Reports show there is a rise in the demand for rental property. Investors are able to purchase homes for rental properties and in turn, they are reaping the rewards of a profitable venture.
For those who wonder if the low interest rates are enough incentive to purchase now, does an extra $200 a month sound good? For example, if you borrow $275,000 at 7.25 percent interest over 30 years, your payment is approximately $1,875 per month. If the rate drops just one percent to 6.25 percent, then your payment drops to approximately $1,693. That’s a savings of $181 every month.
With more than 11,600 houses on the market, there are plenty of homes to call your own! While the children are going back to school, it’s the perfect time for you to go back to house hunting.
If you are thinking of purchasing a new home or would like to invest in rental property, contact Judi Starliper and the J-Star Team.

What a Week! The Glamorous Life of a Knoxville Realtor

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Do you ever have a week planned that falls apart, activity after activity, after activity? That’s been my week! It actually started last week when I was showing a house. Usually, I try to be very professional, (LOL) but I was walking out of a house, headed to the car when my high heel caught in the crack in the sidewalk.  The shoe stayed there, but my body lunged forward onto my customer who tried to break my fall. I was overpowering for her and slammed my knee to the ground with the force of all my body weight.(Now that’s a lot of force.) I popped right up from an “ALL FOURS” position, brushed myself off and headed to the car. Once I was sitting down, I surveyed the damage. My knee was already turning black and blue on both sides. However, the show must go on, so I trudged on for the rest of the day with a limp. That is where the story begins.
Saturday, I took my staff to the Atlanta Mart to buy accessories  for houses and to celebrate 3 of their birthdays. We walked from 10am until 7pm, had dinner at the exquisite Rathbun’s Steak Restaurant, and drove home, arriving at 1am. By Monday, my knee and ankle were as big as basketballs. Instead of doing my planned grocery shopping and cooking for my Wednesday Realtor’s Luncheon, I had to go right home and pack my ankle and knee in ice. Tuesday, I worked all day and had an investment club meeting that night. After finally packing the groceries in the car, I arrived home around 10pm and began cooking. I  fixed 8.5 lbs of chicken for my 3 casseroles, 3 dozen cornbread cakes, mashed potatoes, sliced cantaloupe and pinto beans—— a real southern lunch topped off with sweet tea and dessert. Around midnight, I popped the casseroles in the oven and sat on the couch to ice my knee and ankle. I fell sound to sleep and woke up at 5:30am. You guessed it!  The 8 lbs of chicken casseroles were as black as coal. I went into panic mode.   I had a 9am listing appointment before the 12:00 luncheon and I had no idea what I could find to fill in at 5:30 am that would go with what I had cooked and would already be cooked. Cracker Barrel was not even opened yet! I took a deep breath and decided to leave a message for Kentucky Fried Chicken so that when they opened, they could have it ready at 10:45 as soon as I finished my appointment. I arrived at 10:45am. No chicken. I had to wait.  My husband, Steve, was supposed to arrive at the luncheon at 10 in order to make sure all the other food had time to heat.  When I called at 10:27, he had not even arrived yet.  Would nothing go right???? After waiting 15 minutes for the chicken, I arrived just in time for the luncheon. By the time the guests arrived, it looked like I had been having a perfectly planned uneventful day.
Lesson learned? Have your luncheons catered or don’t fall. Either will work!

Things to Do Before a Real Estate Showing

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When your house is on the market, a ringing phone can panic even the calmest home seller. A phone call might mean a showing which might mean a potential buyer is waiting to see your home. The question is, “Is your home ready to be seen by a potential buyer?”
In order to ensure that a real estate showing goes smoothly, preparation is key. Your Realtor has probably already advised you on the importance of de-cluttering and staging your home to sell. Your job is to keep it organized, clean, and ready to show. If you live in the home that you are trying to sell, keeping it clutter-free is easier said than done. One life-saving de-cluttering tip is to keep decorative baskets or totes available to stow items that you don’t want left out during a showing.
One thing that turns off potential buyers is dirty dishes in the sink. Dirty dishes can be a red flag that the home isn’t clean and maintained. So stash dirty dishes in the dishwasher before you leave home.
Another pet peeve of potential homebuyers is for the homeowner to leave the toilet seat up. Before a showing, pay extra attention to the bathrooms.
Creating an inviting atmosphere for a showing is relatively simple. Make sure each room is well-lit and open drapes and blinds. Some home sellers also use music to create a friendly environment. When selecting music, use soothing tunes like light jazz or easy listening.
When prepping for a showing, don’t overlook the yard. If there’s time, mow the grass or rake the leaves. Make sure lawn equipment and children’s toys aren’t littering the yard or porch spaces.
While you may be a cat or dog lover, the potential buyer might not be. That’s why it is crucial to remove any and all evidence of your beloved pet. Put away the litter box and the dog toys. Also, take the dogs or cats with you when you leave for the showing.
Making your home show-ready can mean the difference between your house selling or remaining on the market.

Meet the J-Star Team

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Judi Starliper and the J-Star Team

Being competitive in the Knoxville real estate market takes hard work. It also takes a team and Judi Starliper and the J-Star Team have years of experience in helping both buyers and sellers in the Knoxville area.

The real estate transaction is more than listing a house on the market or making an offer to purchase a home. With an internet marketing specialist, a professional home stager, a photographer and videographer, a loan closing specialist, buyers’ agents and an office manager who holds it all together, the J-Star Team can handle any and all of your real estate needs.