Why Am I A Real Estate Agent?

I've never given this question much thought.  I had a friend that is a real estate agent over a decade ago suggest that it might be a fit for me.  I am naturally outgoing and I love people - two requisite qualities in real estate.  I was looking for a way to make some extra money on the side and it so happened that it worked out.  With my wonderful husband supporting me along the way, the rest, as they say, is history.

Someone recently asked, "Lynda, why are you a real estate agent?"  I struggled to find a good answer.

"I just am," I wanted to say.  I think I smattered something about loving people and providing a service.  Yes, that is true.  I do believe that I am helping people to find their homes - not just their house.  It is rewarding to get to be so involved in such a major part of people's lives.

Still, that doesn't seem quite a fulfilling answer to the question, does it?

So, I began the great internet hunt for words to better describe my life's passion.

What I found is a beautifully understated quote from Frank Lloyd Wright, a notable architect of the 20th century, that describes the interconnection of form and function, of house and home.

When we come to understand architecture as the essential nature of all harmonious structure we will see that it is the architecture of music that inspired Bach and Beethoven, the architecture of painting that is inspiring Picasso as it inspired Velasquez, that it is the architecture of life itself that is the inspiration of the great poets and philosophers.

— Frank Lloyd Wright

B. Harley Bradley House in Kanakee, IL - Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

 Visit the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

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REALTOR®

Wednesday Word of the Week

Before I ventured into real estate over a decade ago, I would often hear people refer to their "realtor" or their "real estate agent" interchangeably.  It wasn't until I became a member of the National Association of REALTORS® that I discovered my faux pas.  I also realized quickly that the the registered symbol nearly always follows the word in advertising material, and it is almost always capitalized.

^{If you've never noticed that before, you will now!  That's how it works.}

I suppose it's best to begin like this - REALTOR® is not actually a word.  Go ahead and type "realtor" into your favorite word processor.  It will underline it in red and tell you it's spelled wrong.  If you're like me, you'll yell at your computer and tell it how you're right, and it's wrong, and won't it just listen to you!  But, alas, this point goes to the computer.  REALTOR (either appearing with or without the registered symbol) is a trademark of the National Association of REALTORS®.

Although conversationally people may exchange REALTOR® for real estate agent, they are not the same thing.  Like a square is a rectangle but a rectangle isn't necessarily a square, a REALTOR® is probably a real estate agent, but a real estate agent is not necessarily a REALTOR®.  I became licensed as a real estate agent in the state of Virginia and afterwards I joined the National Association of REALTORS®.  That means that as a real estate agent in Chesterfield VA, I voluntarily choose to associate myself with a distinction that upholds a strict code of ethics.

Bill Petrey of AgentHarvest provides further clarification of the distinction of the trademark in his blog.

Mary Newill, Trademark Administrator for NAR explained it this way.  "While we hope to one day have everyone understand that when someone is identified as a REALTOR they are a member of the REALTOR Association, a real estate professional who is the most educated, honest and ethical real estate salesperson or broker around.  Someone who voluntarily has agreed to abide by a strict code of Ethics that protects the public, REALTORS and other real estate licensees and has agreed to arbitrate any complaints made by any of these groups, but unfortunately we know that this has not happened yet."

The fact of the matter is that most active real estate agents do maintain membership with the National Association of REALTORS®, which I'm sure is why there may be some confusion about the distinction.  But now that I understand the difference I am very careful to use the terms properly, especially in print.

For any other real estate agents out there that may be a little confused as to when and how to use the trademark, this is a great resource.

I am Lynda Heithaus.  I am a real estate agent in Chesterfield VA.  And I am a REALTOR®.

Home Loan Pre-Approval

If you've ever seen an episode of Property Virgins on HGTV, you know that early in the show the agent asks the buyers, "How much can you afford?" 

Then, flashing across the television screen appears the buyers' down payment amount, plus the amount that they have been pre-approved for. 

The sum of these two numbers reflects the total buying power. 


There are several benefits to getting a pre-approval as early as possible in the home buying process: 

•  It enables you and your agent to look only at homes that are truly in your price range 
• You and your agent are aware of any conditions that may be associated with the loan 
• When you are ready to make a bid on a house, your offer is stronger 
• You get to avoid the possibility of finding out that you can't actually afford a house that you want 

Okay, so what exactly is pre-approval? 

 You will work with a loan officer that will ask you for documents to create a sanpshot of your financial health. A credit check will likely be run.  The pre-approval process will make sure that you meet certain criteria to qualify for a loan.  

The loan officer will then supply you with a pre-approval letter. This letter will go over the amount that you are pre-approved for and include any conditions of the loan.  

It's important to note that a pre-approval does not commit you or the lender to a final loan. 

You will want to make sure that you work with a trusted loan officer to ensure that you are getting the most accurate portrayal of your buying power. Your agent will have connections with lenders that have been vetted already. Use that resource. When I work with clients I can recommend trusted and experienced lenders. 

Once you identify potential lenders, let them know that you will be talking to multiple lenders in order to get the very best terms.  I recommend contacting a minimum of two lenders to find a product that best suits your needs.

The loan process is very detailed.  The very best advice that I can give is that you ask as many questions as necessary of both the lender and your real estate agent to make sure that you understand what is happening every step of the way.

You can find additional information about the pre-approval at REALTOR.com 


Need assistance to begin your search for homes in Powhatan, VA?  Feel free to call or text me at 804-350-2328!
Email: lyndasellsvirginia@gmail.com
Website: lyndasellsvirginia.com

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Whether you are looking for a house to call home or you are selling your current house to find a new home, keep me in mind and drop me a line!