BUYER’S BOOK
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Buying and Selling Real Estate is a big decision and it is very important to put your trust in people who have the experience, tenacity, and the same objective as you have; to help you find the perfect home for you and your family. Our team has come together from different sectors of life to create a comprehensive and educated group of talented individuals. Our team covers all bases when working hard for you and we are committed to providing for you the best Real Estate experience possible. Our commitment to enhanced customer service, through constant communication, detailed updates, network of related professionals and personalities, has made our team stand out from the rest. We have everything covered for you so this process can be as enjoyable and stress free as possible. Do you have a lawyer? What do you do on possession day? Do you know what a home inspection is for? These are common questions that many people fail to even consider. Don’t worry, we have all of this and more covered for you. Our team members work with many different people on a daily basis and above all we trust them to treat you like family while being as efficient as possible. In this book, you will find testimonies from past clients so you may read first hand what it was like working with us. From exceptional communication, to exceptional marketing, to exceptional service; our agents strive to be exceptional.
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ABOUT THIS CARLOS ESCOBAR Carlos began building his Real Estate career in 2008 and currently leads a top-producing Real Estate sales group within Keller Williams Realty Downtown Denver. Carlos and his team provide World Class Service, while maximizing the dreams and goals of their clients. A master of communications, Carlos continually researches the marketplace and provides his clients with up to date and relevant market information. He has built his success on carefully listening to his client’s wants and needs and striving to assure, their wishes come true. So, whether you’re a First Time Buyer, Investor or prefer Horse Properties and Luxury Homes, Carlos has the drive, experience, compassion and personal commitment to help you realize your lifelong dreams. In his free time, Carlos enjoys hiking, biking and snowboarding the mountains, but his personal life is focused on being an extraordinary husband and loving father to three beautiful daughters and one very handsome son. No stranger to accolades, Carlos has received the Five Star Professional Award from 2012-2017, the Denver Metro Association of Realtors Excellence Award from 20142017 and was awarded the Top Producing Individual Agent for 2015. His achieved designations include Certified Negotiation Expert, Certified Short Sale Specialist and of course, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.
Exceptional Agents.
Exceptional Results. 4
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OUR TEAM WE ALWAYS OUTPERFORM Real estate is so much more than just a job, it is our passion, and our duty is to provide all our clients with the necessary services to help them reach their real estate goals. Having the RIGHT AGENTS helps. IT ALL STARTS HERE... Many agents offer great service, but not-so-great advice. Others offer great service, great advice, but lack communication. Though we are not perfect, we strive to offer our clients excellent service, excellent communication, trusted advice and a personal touch. We truly believe in people, their dreams, and care about all of our clients, who we now consider our extended real estate family.
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OUR TRUE ADVANTAGE
KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN LOOKING FOR AN AGENT...
1. EDUCATION The most important factor in choosing a real estate professional is his or her education in the real estate industry. Our professionals have advanced training and education, allowing them to be among the top agents in the world earning prestigious designations in the various fields of real estate. 2. EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE You want a full-time agent who is familiar with your area and with the type of property you intend to sell. Does he or she employ a diverse range of marketing and advertising strategies? How tech-savvy is your agent? How many similar properties has he or she been able to help clients buy in the past? 3. AVAILABILITY AND COMMITMENT Your agent should be capable of prompt and decisive action during the course of finding your home. Does your agent make it a point to keep in touch with you constantly? Is your agent easy to contact in case of emergencies or even for the simplest questions? Is your agent available on the weekends or in the evenings when most buyers are out looking? 4. RAPPORT Does your agent take the time to listen to your goals and clarify your needs? Can your agent understand your unique situation and be genuinely concerned about the outcome of the process? Your listing agent will be your guide and partner in this crucial decision, so it is important to find one with whom you can get along. 7
FOR BUYERS 7 STEPS TO A SMOOTH HOME PURCHASE STEP 1: FIND A REALTOR® Well look no further you just found one! By choosing our team as your REALTOR® you just found someone who is experienced, punctual, efficient and above all honest. We give you our email and direct phone number. You can call us 24/7 with any thoughts, questions or concerns. Ask about our one hour call back guarantee “Remember: REALTOR® fees are paid through the transaction. There are no cost to use our services & expertise!” STEP 2: GET YOUR CREDIT CHECKED Have you checked your credit lately? Before you apply for a home loan, it’s a smart idea to obtain a copy of your credit. There can be errors or things that need to be addressed. It’s easier to address these problems before you find a house, than after you have found a house and are trying to close your loan. STEP 3: GET APPROVED BEFORE YOU GO HOUSE HUNTING: Getting an approval is easy and very beneficial to you. Most lenders can hold your rate for 120 days. You may not be looking to buy right away so by doing this you are locking your rate in case rates go up. If rates go down you get the new rate so it’s a win-win situation! During the approval process the lender will verify your employment history and assets to ensure you’re a strong lending candidate. 8
STEP 4: LEARN ABOUT LOCATION Narrowing down your search location can be one of the hardest parts in finding a home. Often people find a home in a location that they never thought was a possibility. That’s why it’s important to discuss your housing needs with us. Then we can help guide you to an area. We have taken the liberty of enclosing an MLS® Map to help you narrow down your search. STEP 5: PROTECT YOURSELF: The Agent Marketing Group will provide you with a copy of the documents necessary to buy your new property. Read them ahead of time so that you’ll understand the questions that you will be asked, the things you need to know, and the decisions you will need to make. STEP 6: HAVE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS. Understanding and remembering the following two statements will help diffuse the negotiation stage, the inspection stage and the closing stage. When you go to purchase your home just remember the market value of the home is what the buyer and seller are willing to agree to. When we have come to an agreement on your property, getting an inspection is a must. It may cost a few hundred dollars but this could potentially save you thousands. During your inspection, the inspector will go over your property and discuss any deficiencies of the property with you. We will then go over the report and come up with a suitable solution if there’s a problem. STEP 7: HAVE FUN! This is a fun and exciting time in your life. We will make this process as easy and as fun as possible. 9
12 THINGS TO KNOW WHEN BUYING A HOME HOME TWELVE STEPS (1 - 6) 1. We will help you determine the price range of the home based on the mortgage payment amount you can comfortably afford. It is strongly recommended that you obtain a pre-approval for a mortgage. We will arrange this for you and work with our mortgage specialists to get you the best rates available for your situation. 2. We will review all the amenities and features you want in a home and help you find the perfect house. 3. We will help you identify the most desirable properties based on your price range and features, and will set up an automatic search to send you properties that fit your criteria. We also search For Sale By Owner properties and our list of foreclosures to help you find the right house. 4. We will help you estimate your closing costs. 5. We will discuss the process of negotiating, educate you on the contracts and explain the different condition options. 6. We are then ready to go out and look at homes. It is very important to give us feedback and your thoughts on the homes we look at. Remember its ok to say you dislike a home. Tell us why, so we can eliminate these features from your search the next time we go out. “Knowing what you don’t want is just as important as knowing what you do want.” 10
12 THINGS CONTINUED... TWELVE STEPS (7 - 12) 7. When you select a home that you want to purchase we will first do all the proper research and find comparables in the market. Once we know an initial purchase price we will write up the Real Estate Purchase Contract and proceed to send the offer to the other REALTORŽ 8. In most cases we will be negotiating to get you the best price. This process can take many hours and it requires patience. We are working our hardest to get it done as soon as possible for you and for the best price. 9. When the purchase contract is accepted by both parties the property is now “conditionally sold�. Conditionally Sold means that there has been an offer on the property and it has been accepted depending on certain conditions. Some of the conditions could be: financing, home inspection and condo document review. At this time we will be waiting for the conditions to be approved and/or waived before becoming a firm sale. 10. We will then help guide you in choosing a lawyer who is also part of the Agent Marketing Group family. 11. Copies of the purchase contract go to all selling parties and buying parties. 12. When the contract becomes a binding agreement the lawyer goes to work to finalize the purchase of your new home!
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INTRO TO MORTGAGES WHAT IS A MORTGAGE? A mortgage is an interest in property provided by the borrower as security for a loan. There are normally two people involved in this process. Mortgager: The borrower that receives funds. Mortgagee: The lender that has an interest in the property until the loan is repaid. Different Sources of Mortgage Funding: • Life Insurance companies • Chartered Banks • Credit Unions • Sellers • Loan Companies • Mortgage Brokers • Finance Companies DIFFERENT TYPES OF MORTGAGES: Conventional Mortgages: Mortgages that don’t exceed 80% of the value of the home being purchased. High Ratio Mortgages: Mortgages that can exceed 80% of the value of the home being purchased. This mortgage must be insured through a bank or trust company.
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HOME INSPECTIONS WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR To cover every nook and cranny of the house and discover its true conditions you must hire a home inspector with experience and expertise. Don’t worry we have you covered, we have inspectors for hire. Here’s what our inspectors investigate in and around your new home: • • • •
Exterior Structural Roof Electrical
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Heating Plumbing Insulation Interior
The inspection is a process to learn about your new home and determine the situation the home is in. The type of questions the inspector will ask are: • Is the home structurally sound? • Is the electrical service adequate? It is prudent to be an informed purchaser as you make one of your largest buying decisions ever. Home inspections assist in giving you peace of mind that there are no surprises in store.
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WEB SYNDICATION It’s our responsibility to represent your interests as the buyer. This includes searching for a home, negotiating the best price, and handling all the details of your next purchased property. As exceptional agents that never settle, we provide personalized access to more available property information. AS EXCEPTIONAL AGENTS WE WILL: 1. Provide you with information regarding all properties listed with the Real Estate Board online at your convenience. This includes bank sales and “For Sale by Owner” sales. Furthermore, we provide complete, daily searches of homes appropriate to your needs and budget, complete access to a member of our team at all times and instant notification on all new properties matching your search criteria. We are also always available to show you homes at your request. 2. Mortgage Brokers, Building inspectors and Appraisers, Movers, Surveyors 3. Advise prospective sellers and their brokerages that we are representing you and negotiating on your behalf. 4. At all times, our team will demonstrate quality and professional conduct to provide the best possible real estate experience. 5. Keep everything between us. We will never disclose personal client information at any time in compliance with our privacy policy. 14
first steps
buyers take when looking for a home 51%
Internet (home searches & research)
34%
REALTORÂŽ
4%
Call on yard sign
4%
Friend/relative/neighbor
4%
Open House
2%
New Builder
1%
Local newspaper & magazines
1%
Knew the seller
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TESTIMONIALS Carlos did a great job! He was attentive to our needs and what we were looking for in a home. His team made everything run smooth. When it came down to it, he negotiated and did what was right for us on both the sell and buy of our homes! We are ever so greatful for Carlos and his team! He is one realtor we would recommend! - SALAIS Carlos was exceptional to work with. Carlos and his team helped me navigate the housing market with quick response anytime I needed something. He went above and beyond by helping when my lender gave me a hard time. - JAMES Carlos is an incredibly dedicated realtor. He was excellent in every step of the process of helping my husband and I buy our first home. His expertise and guidance throughtout the home buying process was invaluable, especially in a busy market. We would recommend him and his team to anyone looking for a committed professional to help you in the home buying process. - JESS 16
I had an extremely good experience with Carlos Escobar and his team. It was a night and day experience from my last home purchase. The biggest difference between the two, was Carlos has an entire team that worked along side him to help us through the process. Carlos’ partner David was extremely responsive and flexible. My wife had texted him asking about a property and he’d respond almost immediately. Not only that but he’d even got the showing for the home my wife texted him about for that same day. This included multiple showings per day. The closing went extremely smooth and Carlos got the seller to meet all our conditions. It was a good experience and I would definitely do it all over and can easily say that I highly recommend Carlos Escobar. - ANONYMOUS Carlos was a pleasure to work with! He is knowledgeable of the areas and homes. He gives great suggestions and recommendations. He is very professional and we appreciate him guiding us through the whole process making things as easy as possible for us. :) - SABRINA 17
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY 18
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720.979.5459
Carlos@EscobarProperties.us www.EscobarProperties.us
Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC 901 Auraria Parkway #301 Denver, CO 80204