Are You Ready for Black Friday?

With businesses like WalMart, Target and Toys R Us announcing that they will open on Thanksgiving Day, the lines of Black Friday shopping have blurred into the Thanksgiving holiday. Amazon has announced that they will be providing Black Friday style savings that started last week and will continue on.

Some families are turning it into a tradition of eating early, napping, and then going shopping for the best deals.  For some, it’s a way of making their limited budget go farther.

Some stores hold items back and then have a large unveiling for Black Friday.  It’s still a good idea to scope out the stores, where they have merchandise, and create your plan.
So in today’s blog, we’re going to provide some resources so you can make your plan whether it’s online, or waiting in line.

BFADS

The granddaddy of all sites is bfads.net.  It was founded by a CalPoly student who would get ahold of Black Friday circulars before they were made available, and he would post them on his site.  In the beginning, companies would hit him with a cease and desist order, but over time, they realized that it was a great way to get people excited about shopping, and now, he provides the circulars starting November 1st.

 Other Resources

• blackfriday.com
• blackfriday.fm

And you can also find out more about deals on the websites of the businesses you’re interested in.

Things to Remember

• Create your list of who you’re buying for.  If it’s clothing, make sure you have their sizes and color preferences as items may not be returnable.  It could be exchange only.  And if it is returnable, it will only be for the amount you paid.
• See if you can shorten your list.  Talk with your friends about exchanging cookies or letters of how much you appreciate one another.
• Decide on your budget and be firm on it.  It’s easy to get caught up in the moment of what appears to be a great deal, but you don’t want the credit card hangover in January.
• Consider bringing only one credit card or the cash in your budget.
• If you bring someone else, help each other to stay on target.
• Make sure you budget something for yourself.   After all, you’re the one out there.
• Be safe.  If there’s a donnybrook over the last Giggle Me Something Doll, you really don’t want to be a part of it.  Better to wait and pay a bit more later then pay for medical bills now.  And watch out for crowds that surge. You don’t want to fall down and get stepped on.
• There will always be jerks.  Remember to breathe and don’t lower yourself to their level.
• Bring water to stay hydrated.
• Wear comfortable shoes.

And don’t forget to plan in Cyber Monday when companies have additional sales!
Do you save up to buy something major during black friday?  Or do you just do your holiday shopping?  Or do you stay home and enjoy the quiet day?

How Long Should Your Close Be?

Your offer is almost accepted.  Now you and your Realtor® are working with the seller and their Realtor® on the terms of the close.  How long should it be?

 What is a "Close"?

When people talk about the close of a home sale, they are referring to the close of escrow when all the terms of the purchase contract have been met, the seller deposits the deed, and the buyer deposits the funds.  Some conditions (and yours will vary based upon your location…even in the same state) you will probably need to meet (from About.com Home Buying/Selling)

• Fully executed purchase agreement and addendums.
• Deposit of earnest money deposit.
• Home inspection or waiver.
• Fulfillment of seller obligations such as submission of pest inspection report and / or completion, roof certification, home warranty, preliminary title policy, beneficiary demand receipt, repairs, if any, according to the Request for Repairs.
• Completion of buyer inspections, including release of contingencies, if demanded.
• Buyer’s final walk-through inspection or waiver.
• Appraisal of property by lender’s appraiser.
• Lender’s loan approval and satisfaction of loan conditions by buyer such as depositing evidence of a homeowner insurance policy.
• Seller’s and Buyer’s signed escrow instructions.
• Seller’s signed and notarized deed conveying title.
• Buyer’s signed and notarized deed of trust and executed promissory note.
• Buyer’s signatures on all loan documents.
• Deposit of buyer’s funds from lender.
• Deposit of balance of buyer’s down payment and buyer’s closing costs.

Seller Usually Goes First

Usually, the seller will request a close that is best for them.  It could be long if they need to find another house, or if they want their children to finish out a school term.  Or it could be short because they’ve already moved and want their cash.
One buyer had a set date in the offer for a birthday as the final close.  The seller countered with a sooner date that happened to be his birthday.

Brand New Homes

But what if you’re purchasing a brand new house?  You should work closely with the builders as to their schedule.  If you want to move in sooner, they might have the flexibility to adjust the schedule of which houses they complete when.
Additionally, do your research and find out if the builder is known for completing on time.  If they aren’t, you may want to put in a clause where they pay for your rent for each full month past the agreed upon date.

Other Considerations

You will also need to have enough time for appraisers and inspectors.  If they’re busy, it could delay your final settlement.
Buyers with pre-approval will be able to close much sooner than buyers who are not.  If many people are going for mortgages at the same time, it may not only delay you locking in an optimal rate, but it could also delay your taking possession of the house.  The underwriters will need to process the paperwork and review the appraisal, and this can sometimes take a week or two.  If a document is missing from the file such as a title clearance, it could delay the close.
Other things that can go wrong (also from About.com Home buying/selling)

• Low appraisal or the underwriter orders a review appraisal that does not match the first appraisal.
• Additional debt found on the buyer’s updated credit report.
• Mistakes noted in the buyer’s credit report.
• New liens or judgments filed against the buyer or seller upon title update.
• Clouds on title.
• Marital status change for buyer or seller.
• Required updated bank statements or financial documents.
• Insurance information missing.
• Expired loan or program commitment.

Bottom line is that pre-approval will help.  And work with your Realtor® as to when the close of escrow is best for you, and how flexible you can be.

 

What to Do With Leftover Halloween Candy

We hope you had a happy and safe Halloween.  Whether you passed out candy and have extras, or your kids got too much (or even want to get rid of the stuff they don’t like), here are some ideas for getting through that mountain of sugar.

Donate It

Halloween Candy Buy Back works with dentists and Operation Gratitude. You can go to the website and look for participating dentists near you. Some dentists are offering prizes, or money in exchange for the candy. You can also send your candy directly to:

OPERATION GRATITUDE/ CA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
17330 VICTORY BLVD.
VAN NUYS, CA 91406
ATTN: RICH HERNANDEZ / 262-674-7281

Check your local newspaper, television or radio station for other local donation spots.

Exchange It

Some dentists are offering coupons or cash in exchange for your candy. They then donate the candy to Operation Gratitude.

You can look online at Halloween Candy Buy Back or check the websites for your local newspaper, television or radio station for participating dentists.

Create With It

Parenting Magazine
JournalStar Ideas

Freeze It

Put hard candies or fruity sweets like Starburst into tightly sealed bags. Chocolate freezes very well, and is a great treat for your brown bag lunches. Plus you wont need to use an ice pack to keep your beverage cool.

But do be careful if you eat the candy from the freezer. Let it thaw a little bit otherwise you might crack a tooth.

Bake With It

Chopped or crushed, they add a great flavor to brownies and cookes…even cake batter. Use skittles and other small colored candy to decorate cakes and cupcakes.

Drink (or Eat) It

Add it to a milkshake like the ice cream chains do, only save the money by making it yourself. Some blenders can handle chopping up the candy like Butterfinger or Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups, and some can’t and you may need to chop it up a little before blending. And while it’s not drinking, you can also use candy as an ice cream topping. If you’re really adventurous, you could thaw the ice cream out a little and smoosh in the candy, and then pop it back into the freezer.

Play With It

Have a science experiment afternoon where you try out different things with the candy. Microwave it and see if it melts. Create a mentos geyser with a bottle of diet Coke. Find more ideas here

So what will you be doing with your candy?