How The Robin Group Found the Perfect House for Jess

“We got some really great results with The Robin Group. Scott was awesome, he took us to a whole bunch of different houses, he really listened to what we were asking for in a house. So the houses that we actually saw with him all fit our list. They were in budget, they were exactly what we were looking for in a house.  He went above and beyond to really see what house best suited us. We ended up buying a house, obviously, and it’s perfect. It’s in a cute little neighborhood, great starter home which is what we were looking for. We worked with him and with our lender and they helped us get it at a great price and we were really satisfied with everything that we did with them. We highly recommend them, he (Scott) worked really well with us, he listened to us and we’re very nitpicky and awful when it comes to Realtors. We went through several groups of Realtors before coming to The Robin Group and Scott was the first one that actually sat and understood what we were asking of him. So we really appreciated that and he was just fantastic.”

Why Sue Thinks The Robin Group are an Excellent Team

“They’re very good, they are all very knowledgeable and always willing to help. Always willing to get what they need to get done for you. I just think they’re a great group, a great team, they do everything that they can to help you. They go beyond and above what they should, they’re very good. Excellent, excellent people. “

Why Christy says Working with The Robin Group was Great

“Well working with Tiffani and her group was great. My house was on the market you know as soon as I was ready, and done fixing it up. And within 9 days it was off the market. We’ve already got a contract and everything has worked out. She is wonderful, I’ve really enjoyed working with them. You know what I like about them, Tiffani takes the time every week to call me and she’s very personable. I really enjoyed the fact that any time anything came up she was constantly texting me, letting me know what’s going on, keeping me updated. I think that goes above and beyond. Just the fact that she would take the time out of her day to check on me, make sure I was doing okay or if I had any questions.”

Why Chris had an Exceptional Experience with The Robin Group

“The results were great, everything got handled the way it was supposed to.  Everything that we were told was going to happen happened.  It happened when it was supposed to, how it was supposed to. I think they’re a great company actually. The fact that they do extra things to give back to the people that have worked with them, they are a good bunch of people. I can’t off the top of head think of anything that left a sour taste in my mouth by any means. When I think of an experience that I’m having, if everything goes smooth it’s basically an exceptional experience.”

5 Ways to Get Ahead as a New Construction Buyer

Buying a new construction home is a whole different ballgame than buying a resale home. Today I have five tips that will help new construction buyers start on the right foot.

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Purchasing a resale home is a vastly different process than purchasing a new construction home. Today, I wanted to provide some tips for understanding the difference between the two and how to successfully purchase a new construction home.

1. Hire a professional real estate agent. When you walk through model homes and speak with a customer service rep, that person represents the builder. They have the builder's best interests in mind, not yours. Make sure you have your own representation when buying new construction.

2. Research the builder. Just because a builder can set up a pretty house doesn't mean they have a great reputation. When you buy new construction, customer service is your number one concern. When you purchase a new build in Louisiana, the New Construction Act is tied to it, meaning the builder is responsible for repairs to the home for a certain number of years after purchase. Having a good rapport with the builder and knowing how to work with them is very important. When choosing a builder, read their online reviews, ask for testimonials, and see if you can view homes they've built in the past.

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Work with an agent that has experience negotiating new construction.

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3. Don't rely on the model home. When you view a model home, you'll see a gorgeous home with a beautiful furniture setup that's staged to perfection and has a lot of upgrades. Ask questions to make sure you know which features are standard and which are upgrades. If you have an agent representing you, they will have all this information for you.

4. Negotiate wisely. When purchasing a new build, wiggle room may not be to your advantage. Builders want to be sure they keep their sales price because the price they settle on will not only affect your sale, it will affect all future sales in that area. This doesn't mean that you can't negotiate certain things on the back end, however. You can negotiate things like a fence, certain upgrades, appliances, or paint, for example. That's why it's so important to be represented by an agent who has experience negotiating new construction homes.

5. Document everything. Say you're having a home built and you have a certain floor plan in mind—you need to document everything you want to be done on that property. At that stage, you only have a blueprint or floor plan to go off of, which doesn't have every spec or feature written out. Do you want brick or vinyl siding? Is there a driveway? What kind of hardware will the home have? What kind of countertops will it have? Make sure you document all your preferences that aren't represented in the floor plan or blueprint.

If you have any other questions about buying new construction homes, we're here to help. Just give us a call and we'll help you out in any way we can.

10 Tips for Decorating Your Home to Sell This Holiday Season

In decorating your home to sell during the holiday season, you must remember to keep your aesthetic tasteful, elegant, and easy. 

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Buying a Louisiana Home? Click here to search homes for sale

For those of you who have your home on the market this holiday season, we have 10 tips for how you can decorate it so you strike the right balance between celebrating Christmas and appealing to all potential buyers:

1. Maintain curb appeal. We’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what buyers do when they pull up to your home. Don’t turn into the Griswolds! Be modest about your lights and outdoor accessories.
 
2. Don’t overdo the little things. This includes both the exterior and the interior. You don’t want a bajillion little reindeer trinkets sitting around. Too much tableaux can distract from the spatial flow of the home.
 
3. Declutter. We tell all of our home sellers this, no matter what the season. During the holidays, though, you need to kick the process into overdrive before decorating. Clear off any kind of flat surfaces in your home, like the mantle places, countertops, and foyer tables.
 
4. Make your fireplace shine. If you have a fireplace, now’s the time to showcase it. It’s Christmas, after all, and who doesn’t love a good fireplace? As always, keep it elegant and simple.
 
5. Be sensitive to different cultures. Above all else, you’re trying to get your house sold. Not all of your potential buyers may celebrate Christmas, so keep that in mind when you’re decorating.
 

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One man’s taste is another man’s tacky.

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6. Mind your colors. Keep your color schemes tasteful, elegant, and easy. Anything else can be distracting to a buyer.
 
7. Make your decorations fit the style of your home. If taupe is the dominant interior color of your home, for example, your decorations should have the same accent to it.
 
8. Smell your way to the sale. Christmas definitely has a certain smell to it, and that involves cinnamon, pine, and candy. Set out a nice bowl of potpourri to generate this scent.
 
9. Pay attention to scale. If your tree is big enough that you have to rearrange how you walk through the room it’s in, that’s a bad sign.
 
10. Skip the holiday card display. Cards and letters of your extended family can be distracting to buyers. From our perspective, this only counts as more clutter.
 
If you’re looking to make a move in the market in the near future, please don’t hesitate to give us a call so we can get started on finding your next dream home. We look forward to hearing from you!