destin listing broker - Rulnick Realty

Writing the Offer – A Realtor’s Story – Part 4 in a series

Wendy Rulnick — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 20:58:31 +0000

Fourth in a Five Part Series

Deciding to Move – A Realtor’s Story- Part 1

Should We Sell or Buy First – A Realtor’s Story – Part 2

The Search for a New Home – A Realtor’s Story – Part 3

We found it! Having decided to move, buy before selling, searching diligently, we had finally found the perfect home. After viewing hundreds of properties online and looking at a few, this was “It”! Now it was time to write the offer. I knew the home would be popular, as it was in a gated golf community in Southwind, part of Bluewater Bay. In fact, I slightly freaked out, as there were other agents’ business cards on the breakfast bar. That meant – it was being shown! I was no longer a “Realtor”, I became the “Buyer”. I wanted the house and no one else was going to get it. So part of this story is a bit of a confessional.

What to offer? The house had only been on the market a few days, so I guessed the seller, probably like most, expected a strong offer. I wanted to make what I thought was a “fair” offer. I looked at the comparable sold properties, and wrote an offer just slightly under market value, which was 12% lower than list price. Let’s see how the seller would respond. Would they be reasonable or want to play the counter offer game? I was hoping for the former.

Uggghhh!! They took four days to respond – past the counter offer deadline. The buyer’s agent kept saying he couldn’t reach them. In the meantime, I had bad thoughts. Seriously, I was no longer the Realtor. I was the Buyer. Here are my thoughts: “Maybe the seller was entertaining another offer? Maybe they were stalling HOPING to get another offer?” I went back to look at the house again. YES, fears confirmed, there were more business cards on the counter!

Finally, the seller responded by countering at just 3% under list price. I knew they would counter, but I thought they would be reasonable. Their counter was over market value. My turn. They wanted to play. I countered again quickly. I increased my offer to 7% under their initial list price. I also told them (card held back), that I would waive my Realtor fee on the sale. Duhhh. Why would I want to finance or pay my own commission when buying my own property? That doesn’t even make sense. (If your company allows you do to this – I am the Broker, so I could do so). I wrote a cover letter to the seller’s agent explaining that by adding back the saved “commission” expense, the seller’s net would increase, and they would find it very fair.

Tick tock. Tick tock. Again, we waited for their response, as I was getting prepared for a major back surgery. They knew that. (Buyer thoughts: I couldn’t believe they would make me wait. Surely, they must realize the stress I was under?) Three days later, the morning of my back surgery, a late night voice mail had come in. ACCEPTED!!

Next, the final chapter in the series – Selling our Destin Florida home! And yes, I really became that “Seller”!

It’s Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

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Should We Sell or Buy First? – A Realtor’s Story – Part 2 in a series

Wendy Rulnick — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 20:41:14 +0000

Second in a Five Part Series.

Previous story: Deciding to Move – A Realtor’s Story

Having made the decision to leave our Destin Florida home, I had another decision to make with my husband. “Should we list and sell our Destin home before buying or building another one, or should we find something we really wanted first, then sell?” First, of course, we had to get “qualified” for a new mortgage, either way. Would it even be possible for us to get another loan without selling?

Knowing the amount of paperwork we would face to apply for a mortgage, I took the first step. I contacted a handful of mortgage lenders. The difference in style and knowledge was apparent. We ended up working with Joe Pelter of First Federal Bank of Florida. The instant I spoke with him on the phone, I knew he was the master. After about a 40 minute detailed conversation, he told me we could go ahead and buy or build without selling our home first. This would have to be verified by the full mortgage application process, but he was confident, and we were confident in Joe. Since First Federal Bank did not do lot loans, we also got pre-qualified for one with People’s National Bank of Niceville, in case we went the building route with a construction perm loan. (They are one of the few lenders who currently do lot loans on the Emerald Coast).

Armed with the knowledge we could buy without selling, I made a chart comparing the positives and negatives of buying a house, or buying a lot and building, either with selling first or later. The key criteria for me was “stress” (that came later anyway). I thought it would be less stressful buying first, then selling. That’s what we did! Part Three will be about “The Search”. The fun part!

Next: The Search For A Home – A Realtor’s Story – Part 3 in a series

It’s Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

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You Want to be a Destin Real Estate Agent? You Need to Buy Gas

Wendy Rulnick — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:36:56 +0000

I have two openings for real estate agents in my Destin Florida real estate office. My ad has been on craigslist for a few weeks. I got a call about a week ago from an agent. She had just moved to Florida from a northern state, and had experience selling homes. She lives two towns away from my office, Rulnick Realty. After a pleasant phone conversation, she made an appointment for an in-person interview the following Monday. On Sunday I received an email – “Gas costs too much. I don’t want to drive.”

We don’t just cover Destin Florida at my office, Rulnick Realty. We do cover the Emerald Coast, from Santa Rosa Beach, Rosemary Beach, Watercolor, all the way to Navarre Beach and ways north. My office is technically in Miramar Beach, so it’s a good central point, a couple miles from the Mid-Bay Bridge in Destin. The drive time to the furthest points, maybe Navarre Beach and Seacrest Beach, is about 40 minutes. Seriously, do you think a real estate agent only drives a 20 minute distance from their home base? That is how real estate is. Because of internet marketing, service areas are expanded from what they once were. Sellers don’t always “walk” into an office to hire an agent. It’s done online. It’s the same thing for buyers. When someone wants to buy a home in Destin, they are probably also looking in Santa Rosa Beach, Sandestin and even Bluewater Bay. They expect to be shown these properties.

You gotta drive to sell real estate. You also have to spend money. Being a real estate agent normally means you are an independent contractor. In other words, you have your own business. You need to invest in it, just like any other business.

That being said, I still have two openings for two top agents at Rulnick Realty. Only those that are willing to drive need apply.

It’s Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

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Selling Our Destin Florida Home – A Realtor’s Story– Part 5 Conclusion

Wendy Rulnick — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:02:06 +0000

Deciding to Move – A Realtor’s Story- Part 1

Should We Sell or Buy First – A Realtor’s Story – Part 2

The Search for a New Home – A Realtor’s Story – Part 3

Writing the Offer – A Realtor’s Story – Part 4

This is the last of a five part series. As a Destin real estate Broker with over 20 years experience, I recently went through the home buying and selling process myself. It was a “moving” experience.

Having found the perfect home in Bluewater Bay, now it was time to sell my house in Destin Florida. (For explanation of why I did this in reverse, see Should We Sell or Buy First? ). I decided the best way to “show” my home was without us living in there. Plus, I have three precious cats, what a nightmare to round them up prior to any showing! My husband and I decided to move most of our things out and live in the digs he had prior to our marriage, while our new home was being remodeled by Beukenkamp Building Group (future blog). One week after my back surgery, we packed up most of the house, but left items that would help stage the home. The living room, dining room set and some paintings remained. Since the carpet was beat up from years of cat-abuse, I had them replaced with a neutral and “in” carpet for a reasonable price. We had minor repairs done. The home was then deep cleaned. It looked great!

So, I listed my Destin home in the MLS and did all the normal and extensive marketing I do for all my listings. I wrote a custom blog, made a visual tour, blasted my Destin Florida listing on social media platforms, like Facebook, Google+, Twitter, syndicated the listing to about 100 different sites, such as Craigslist, Realbird, etc. The home was shown, a lot.

Each time there was a showing I would email the agent for feedback: “Hi! Thank you for showing my home. How did it go? Do you have any questions about the property? Price and condition compared to others? Offer forthcoming?” As a “homeowner”, the answers to these questions meant a lot. I was a basket case. I would overanalyze every feedback comment, dumb or not, and I am sure I drove the buyers’ agents nuts.

“What do you mean the master bedroom not on the first floor is a problem?” “If it’s so beautiful, why aren’t they writing an offer?” “Huh? Far from the beach? It’s only a four minute walk.” Since Crystal Beach in Destin Florida is not a normal “suburban” market, there was a strange mix of buyers. Some were looking at houses AND condos. Others wanted a rental property. Very few wanted a full time residence, which is how we had used the home.

Finally, after about 110 days on the market, we got “the offer”! It was great- after a little negotiation, we were sold! The time on the market had felt more like six months to me. I had wondered if the home would ever sell. I kept asking myself, “Wendy, what would you tell your seller who got positive feedback and a good number of showings?” “Chill out!” That was the hard part, I couldn’t.

What did I learn from this selling adventure? I am fairly empathetic with my buyers and sellers already. Now, I am more so. With gentle kindness, a little good humor, and a lot of patience, I am ready to guide them through their own adventure of selling and buying real estate on the Emerald Coast.

It’s Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

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The Search for a New Home – A Realtor’s Story – Part 3 in a series

Wendy Rulnick — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:49:38 +0000

Third in a Five Part Series

1. Deciding to Move – A Realtor’s Story- Part 1

2. Should We Sell or Buy First – A Realtor’s Story – Part 2

Being a Destin Realtor with over 20 years experience, it’s good to go through the home selling and buying process every once in a while. This is the third in a five part series describing my recent journey.

Having decided to move, then deciding to buy a home before selling the original, the search for a new home began. The “search” is my field, being as OCD on research as I am. One of the key criteria in my new home search was “privacy”. Never again did I want a home where the adjoining lot owner could build an edifice and take down every tree. The other criteria were location, age, size and price. And my strange minor requirements, such as not having the kitchen sink on the other side of the breakfast bar.

It’s true that over 90% of buyers start their home search online. That’s what I did. I scoured the MLS every day for six weeks. I would look at every lot or house with my target criteria that was already for sale, new to the market or back on the market – online. I went a little above and below my price range. I looked a little outside my top locations, Niceville and Destin Florida. I would pull the aerial of the lot from the Okaloosa Property Appraiser website to check the adjoining pieces – to see if there was the privacy I wanted. On some lots I would do a FEMA flood zone search. I would look at all the online photos. I must have looked at a few hundred properties in this manner. (Yes, I am nuts!)

My husband and I only drove to four lots. We eliminated those. Some were too “downhill”, one was in a flood prone area and one gave us a lot of bug bites! For houses, we only made appointments to see three over the course of the search. One was quite an experience, where the owner was home during the showing. The last house, however, was “the one”. I remember when it came on the market. Location? Check! Price? Check! Size? Check! I looked at the aerial and plat from the property appraiser website. There was an unbuildable public marshland behind and to one side, and the house was situated deep and private at the end of a cul-de-sac . I grabbed my friend and drove off during work to see the vacant house.

When I pulled in the driveway – I knew! This was it! The trees were sixty feet high. The driveway, 100 feet long. It was private. When I walked inside – I knew! The inside felt “right”. It had a huge open living room with a high ceiling, an open dining area and a sunroom beyond. The kitchen had an adjoining breakfast room with a vaulted ceiling. It would need major updating to make it perfect for my style (much later blog), but I was excited. I called my husband and told him he had to see it immediately. He liked it, too. I even showed my builder, Felix Beukenkamp. “Can you remodel it for us?” “Of course!”, he said. We wrote the offer…. just before my back surgery.

The next part of the adventure…. Writing the Offer.

It’s Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

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Deciding to Move – A Realtor’s Story – Part 1 in a Series

Wendy Rulnick — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:52:11 +0000

First in a Series: Deciding to Move – A Realtor’s Story

I want to tell you about my personal journey and the decision to sell my home and buy a new one. As a Destin Realtor with over 20 years experience, it’s good to go through the home buying and selling process once in a while. It has helped me really empathize with my customers – both buyers and sellers. A similar journey is shared by many and was poignantly felt by me.

Background. I had lived in Destin Florida for many years, about 15. The home I owned had been custom built and designed for me by my good friends and excellent builders, Beukenkamp Building Group. The architect even studied Feng Shui for me to really make the home mine. It was beautiful. I had found the perfect lot for the home by mailing everyone in a three street radius in the neighborhood I wanted, to see if they had been thinking of selling. The lot owner who interestingly listed with someone right after my mailing, had the perfect location. It was at the end of the street, away from the short-term rental properties (lots of noise), and bordered by two vacant lots filled with trees, brush, vines and nature. The Gulf of Mexico was at the end of the street. I loved it. I would sit out on the balcony and look at the trees, listen to the waves, feel the breeze and relax. I would watch for birds in the back yard, twice seeing a Marsh Hawk. I kept a log of the birds and the dates I saw them. I felt enveloped by nature in my beautiful home.

A few months ago, after 13 years in my home, the vacant lot to the north of me sold. The lots are not very big in Destin, so I was alarmed. My first thoughts were of my evaporating privacy and the trees. Oh the trees! I immediately had a gorgeous fence installed by Beukenkamp Building Group, hoping that I would still have some privacy and a treed border beside what would be a new house next door. I put up wood blinds over my kitchen window that had been bare for the treed view, to at least save some privacy from peering windows.

Unfortunately, almost every tree that bordered my house on the lot next door was removed. The eight-foot tall, meandering fence wasn’t going to stop the towering shadow of the house being erected at the edge of my property line. Then the lot to the south of me also sold. I made the decision. It would never be the same. It was time to move. And so, the adventure began.

Next in the Series: Should We Sell or Buy First? – A Realtor’s Story

It’s Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, has been featured in “Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine” and “Florida Realtor Magazine”. Wendy Rulnick sells real estate in Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Panama City Beach, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field.

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, Rulnick Realty, Inc., Destin Florida
Call toll-free 1-877-487-9639 or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

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