www.NellisGroup.com
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Northern Virginia & Washington, D.C. Home Buyer’s Guide
Alexandria City - Arlington County - Fairfax County Loudoun County - Prince William County - Washington DC
Families Moved In Our Territory Since 2000 With 13 Local Offices In The Area, The Nellis Group Can Help You Find The Right Home Anywhere In Northern Virginia or The District
Welcome To The Nellis Group Experience Ranked In The Top 10
USA*
I grew up in a military family where service was modeled from childhood. As a result of being relocated with the Navy, our family learned what it was like to transition to a new area, find the right schools, and discover the perfect community in a short period of time. We transitioned our commitment to service and our experience into creating a Real Estate Agency that takes care of each and every one of our clients. Our team’s priority is to “always put the client before the sale”. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you. Our team looks forward to helping you purchase your next home.
Sincerely, James Nellis II
* ReMAX Top 10 In 2004, 2005, 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS The Nellis Group Advantage The History Of The Nellis Group.................................................................................... 5 Our Core Values................................................................................................................. 6 The Team Advantage......................................................................................................... 7 Meet Our Team.................................................................................................................. 8 Statistics: A Cut Above.................................................................................................... 9
Home Styles & Opportunities Types Of Sales.................................................................................................................... First Time Buyers............................................................................................................... Investors..............................................................................................................................
Get Started With The Nellis Group Process Overview............................................................................................................... Initial Steps......................................................................................................................... Preferred Buyers................................................................................................................. The Nellis Group Buyer Advantage................................................................................. The 5 Pillars Of Real Estate............................................................................................... Neighborhood Research..................................................................................................... Transportation Research....................................................................................................
11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Purchasing Your New Home Finding A Home................................................................................................................. 23 Establishing An Offer Price............................................................................................... 24 Negotiation Strategy........................................................................................................... 25 The Inspections Stage......................................................................................................... 26 Mortgage Approval............................................................................................................. 27 The Final Steps................................................................................................................... 28 Closing Costs...................................................................................................................... 29
Congratulations Choosing A Charity........................................................................................................... The Nellis Group VIP Program....................................................................................... Referrals.............................................................................................................................. Success Stories...................................................................................................................
31 32 33 34
Additional Information Online Solutions................................................................................................................ Important Terms............................................................................................................... Glossary..............................................................................................................................
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CORE VALUES At the Nellis Group, our business is focused on Faith, Leverage, Excellence, and a special X-Factor. FLEX is the foundation of our service based company. We use our values as a competitive advantage to help our clients find their home. FAITH...Our faith impacts everything that we do as a company. It is the essence that drives our actions and is the impetus for how we conduct ourselves. Every client is viewed as a blessing and we are thankful to be able to serve you.
LEVERAGE...We utilize the unique skills and specialties of each team member to deliver an educational, inspiring, and smooth transaction. This combination of our knowledge, skills, and proven track record produces a successful real estate experience for our clients.
EXCELLENCE...Our team researches the market, analyzes the latest real estate trends, and adapts to changing conditions in the global real estate world. We seek to exceed the expectations of our clients in pursuit of excellence.
X-FACTOR...Our team is unlike any other real estate company in the area. Each member possesses a unique skill set so our clients know they are going to have a specialist working with them in every phase of the transaction.
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BUYER ADVANTAGE The Nellis Group Advantage is the combination of our core values, teamwork, and all of the specialized divisions of our business. When you become a preferred client of the Nellis Group, you are getting more than the services of a single agent. Along with your Realtor Specialist, you will receive assistance from the entire team and our extensive package of services. Our system doesn’t just help you find your next home, it also works to get you the best terms and services for a great buying experience.
Advantage Partners
Negotiation Specialists
Buyer Advantage Program
Online Transaction Mgmt
Client Care Representative
Property Management
Contracts Coordinator
Realtor Area Specialists
Interior Designer
REO Division
Licensed Contractors Market Specialist / Appraiser
Short Sale Division BUYER ADVANTAGE
VIP Program
As the real estate business became more complex over the last 20 years, it was abundantly clear that one Realtor or a solo practitioner could not deliver the level of service required. One Realtor becomes overwhelmed with their daily tasks and is unable to give you personalized attention. At the Nellis Group we specialize tasks to provide you with the best possible service and the personal attention you deserve.
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FIRST TIME BUYERS Many of our clients are going through the home-buying process for the first time. The Nellis Group makes the process educational and worry free so that first time home-buyers can feel secure about their big investment. The Advantages Of Owning FINANCIAL...A home is an investment that appreciates in value over the long term. Owning a house also comes with tax advantages that will end up saving you money. This equity is a form of savings that you can borrow against. LIFESTYLE...Owning a home is a chance to settle down and begin the next stage in your life. It is an opportunity to add some stability to your hectic life. As a homeowner you gain an added status in the community. Because you no longer have a landlord, you have more freedom to do what you like with your home. PSYCHOLOGICAL...No longer having to worry about a landlord’s rent increases or problems with roommates is a breath of fresh air that leads to less overall stress. Becoming a homeowner also gives you a feeling of satisfaction, pride, and accomplishment.
OWNING Settle Down Status Freedom Stability No Rent Increases Tax Advantages Investment Build Equity
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VS
RENTING Constant Moving Less Status Landlord Decides Hectic Life Rent Increases No Tax Advantage Money Disappears No Equity
OFFER STRATEGY Before you determine your offer, the Nellis Group will run a detailed market research and home pricing analysis so you can target the best possible offer price & strategy.
BUYER TIP
Take a look at the last 5 homes that were sold in the neighborhood. Compare their list price versus their sold price. You will find they generally sell at 95-98% of the list price. This can help you get an approximate figure of what the home you are looking at will sell for in today’s market. (May not be true in every market)
Our market specialists are also licensed appraisers and are experts on current market conditions. They can help determine whether the home you are looking at is over or under priced. From this conservative figure we can go in with the right strategy for your offer.
Nellis Group MMA (Most Accurate) The Nellis Group mini-market analysis is an indepth CMA performed by our market specialists. Because they are licensed appraisers, they can estimate the home’s price in the same way as the bank, providing you with a more accurate price estimate.
Realtor CMA (Less Accurate) A typical Realtor will perform a computer generated comparative market analysis. However, this method does not take into account all the necessary factors for obtaining an accurate
Online Estimate (Least Accurate) If you are looking for homes you probably have gone online to try to find the home’s price. Unfortunately, internet sites aren’t really an accurate estimate of the home and homes are often under or over priced.
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THE PROCESS Initial Consultation
Get Pre-Approved
Phone Interview
Become A Nellis Group Preferred Buyer Enroll In The Nellis Group Client Advantage Program
Neighborhood Research
Evaluate Homes Online
Visit Homes With A Realtor Specialist
Choose The Home That Is Right For You
Lock Interest Rate With Lender
Conduct Inspections
Property Survey
Order Utilities
Make An Offer
Develop Negotiation Strategy
Review Market Analysis
Negotiate Counteroffers
Offer Accepted
Negotiate Repairs
Title Search
Final Inspection
Review Association Documents
Remove Financial Contingencies
Lender Appraisal
Mortgage Approval
Settlement Day
Choose A Charity For Us To Contribute To
The Nellis Group VIP Program
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Home Ownership
GETTING STARTED Get started in 3 easy steps.
1 Call Us In our initial phone consultation you will tell us what you are looking for in a home. We will ask about your home search and try to determine what homes and areas could be good options for your requirements. This short call will enable the Nellis Group to get started in assisting you.
2 Speak To A Local Lender Getting pre-approved is an essential part and needs to be done before you start looking at homes with a Realtor. The Nellis Group can direct you to one of our team’s advantage lenders. They will get you an interest rate that is typically better than the bank or credit union. Good Faith Estimate
Your lender should be able to give you a Good Faith Estimate on what your closing costs will be at settlement.
Why Is Pre-Approval So Essential? You know in advance how much your payments will be. You won’t waste time on homes that don’t match your budget You can figure out the best loan package early in the process. Your offer will be viewed more seriously by the seller.
3 Come See Us After you get pre-approved, you are ready to come into one of our 13 offices, conveniently located throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. and meet fact to face with a Nellis Group Realtor Specialist. During this Initial Counseling Session we work together to expand on the details of the phone consultation. You will learn the latest on real estate contracts, neighborhood information, and how to find the right home.
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THE 5 PILLARS Before you choose where you want to live, become familiar with the Five Pillars of Real Estate and research them online. LOCATION...The best way to determine a location is to look at aerial maps. Online maps like Google Maps or Bing Maps can can help you with directions and alert you to busy roads, powerlines, railroad tracks and other items that could impact your home COMMUNITY...Consider where the home is located. What is within walking distance? What is only a short drive away? While you can find some information online, the best way to learn about the community is to talk to people that live there.
SCHOOLS...School districts play an important role with or without children. If you have children you want to find the best schools for your family. If you do not have children you must consider that if you plan to sell the home in the future this could impact you. CONVENIENCE...Determining how convenient it is to get from your home to different places is essential. How is the commute? Where is the public transportation? How is the traffic? Is it close to a Metro Station, VRE Station, Slug Line, or Metro Park & Ride?
CRIME...Your safety and that of your family is a very important factor to consider before making an offer on a home. Contact local police, search online crime data, and view the sex offender registry website. CRIME
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www.NellisGroup.com/HomeSearch
FINDING A HOME Now that you know the area you want to live, we can get started on finding a home. VIEW HOMES...Our local Realtor Specialist will help you visit homes in your preferred communities. Don’t be surprised if the first home you look at is the one you like the most.
CHOOSE A HOME...You may look at one home or you may see several homes. At some point, you will find the house that you can picture yourself living in. This is an exciting moment as you begin the process of purchasing the home.
PRICE THE HOME...Our market specialist, who is also a licenced appraiser, will evaluate the home, research the local market and help you figure out the current market price. The goal of this process is to make an accurate offer and safeguard your investment. (Described in detail on page 24)
NEGOTIATE AN OFFER...Once we help you determine an offer price, it is time to write an offer on the home. Our expert Realtor will submit the offer and will help you negotiate any counteroffers in order to get you the best terms. (Described in detail on page 25)
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CHARITY When you purchase a home through the Nellis Group we will donate a portion of the commission to one of the several charities that we support. Please select from one of the following charities.
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VIP PROGRAM Congratulations on the purchase of your new home and a special thank you from all of us at the Nellis Group for choosing our team. Because we appreciate our clients we have enrolled you into the Nellis Group VIP Program.
Charity Donation NG Moon Bounce Housewarming Party (Optional)
Free Monthly Drawings (www.NellisGroup.com)
Professional Sporting Events
VIP Clients Enjoying Our National’s Seats
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REFERRALS We are thankful to have been able to help you find a home and we would be grateful if you could let others know about the wonderful experience you had with the Nellis Group.
4 % 8
Of Our Business Comes From Referrals
Due to our high quality of customer care, most of our business (over 80%) comes from referrals. As someone who is looking to purchase a new home, you may come across questions from friends and family who are curious about your new home search. You will also go through the process with us and will have thoughts about our service afterwards. We at the Nellis Group would be grateful if you could direct others to us and share your experiences online.
Please Share Your Nellis Group Experience Online!
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SUCCESS STORIES The Nellis Group has served over 3,000 families in the area. It is a great honor to assist buyers today with one of their largest investments. Thank you for allowing us to play a role in buying your new home.
A FEW OF OUR
SUCCESS STORIES WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE OUR NEXT 34
ONLINE SOLUTIONS The Nellis Group is available online 24 hours a day. You can use our site to research our listings as well as all other Realtor area listings. The site allows you to research neighborhoods and communities, and find all the tools you need in your home-buying experience.
Home Search: All listings for sale through MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information System) Secret Homes: Properties that are not listed anywhere except on our web site. Community Pages: Detailed information on neighborhoods in the area. Buying Tips & Reports: Information to help you stay informed during the process. Social Media: Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and more.
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Solutions For Real Estate It has been an honor to serve the residents of Northern Virginia and Washington DC since the early 1980s. We have served over 3,000 families and look forward to helping your family next. Here are some of the different services we provide. Realtor Area Specialists
Client Care Representative
Negotiation Specialists
Digital Media Specialist
Marketing Coordinator
Feedback Coordinator
Showing Service
Contracts Coordinator
REO Division
Graphic Designer
VIP Program
Interior Designer
Short Sale Division
CLIENT ADVANTAGE
Online Transaction MGMT Seller Advantage Program
Licensed Contractors Property Management
Advantage Partners
Premier Online Search Solutions Go to www.NellisGroup.com and click on Search All Homes. You will find the easiest search tool available online.
Market Specialist / Appraiser
Short Sale Division If you are currently struggling with payments we will give you a confidential review and see if you can qualify for a short sale.
Early Bird Campaign Secret Homes This is part of our unique system where ONLY qualified buyers come to your home who are motivated to purchase.
Are you interested in buying but still about 46 months out? Sign up for a counseling session with us and we will help walk you through the home-buying process.
Nellis Group VIP Program
Anywhere Agent Relocating to a new area? Our relocation department will interview multiple Realtors to screen for the best agent in your new area.
If you buy, sell, or refer a client to The Nellis Group you become a VIP. Each month we have giveaways including Washington Redskins & Nationals Tickets, and Gift Cards. We also lend out a Moonbounce for birthdays and charity events.
Investor Watch
Nellis Group Advantage Program
Tired of seeing the ups and downs of the stock market? Want a tangible asset? We teach our investors how to find the best deals, negotiate the lease and manage their investments.
As a member, we open up our network of trusted referral partners. These partners are companies and contractors who have performed excellent service for our clients in the past.
Each Office Independently Owned & Operated 13 Offices In The DC Metro Area
Find Out More: 703-930-0655 www.NellisGroup.com