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REALTOR Q+A – Margaret Butler

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  • By CURRY HARTMAN
  • Sep 23, 2021, Link to full article
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Name: Margaret Butler

Family: My husband, Mac Butler; our two sons, Albe, 10, and Dean, 8; our Dachsund, Bama Belle and our cat, Tut.

Years in the Golden Isles: 27

School: University of Alabama and Armstrong Atlantic State University

Occupation: Full-time Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate

Tell us about how you started your career as a Realtor: I have always loved helping people. After college, I taught elementary school. While I loved teaching, I knew it wasn’t my true calling. Teaching is similar to real estate in many ways, you have to have good communication skills, be able to multitask, and be able to solve problems quickly. I always wanted to get my real estate license, but it never seemed like the right time. Until finally it was. I love how this business is always changing and evolving. I get to meet and help so many different people. I absolutely love where I live, so being able to share it with others makes me happy.

What are some features of homes in the Golden Isles that always stand out to you? I love homes with nice curb appeal and great landscaping, it makes such a difference. I also like to see the different ways people use outdoor living spaces. I have seen some amazing homes with the coolest outdoor areas, it’s like a vacation in your backyard. Of course, homes that take advantage of views are always amazing. It’s also fun to see different kinds of homes and how people use their layout to make the home suit their needs. I love homes with personality and quirkiness, the more unique the better, not just cookie cutter or trendy.

What qualities do you think a good real estate agent should have? I think a good Realtor makes it their goal to understand their clients’ needs and wants and uses this information to help guide their clients in the right direction. Listening to their clients and asking a lot of questions is key to a great relationship. Another great quality for a realtor to have is to be there for their clients after the sale. I keep in touch with my past clients all the time. I think being able to help them find contractors, recommendations for dentists, doctors, babysitters, you name it, shows that you are not just in this business for the sale, but to help people. Communication is also vital to being a good Realtor, no one likes it when they can’t get in touch with someone, so I always try to be available to my clients. Empathy is another essential quality for a Realtor to have. Situations happen in real estate that can make or break a deal, and a good Realtor tries to put herself in the client’s shoes. Being a good problem solver is one of the best qualities a Realtor can have. Coming up with solutions takes the stress away and leads to better outcomes. You must also be a team player to be a good Fealtor because at the end of the day we are all on the same team. And finally, being able to build a good rapport with my fellow Realtors, clients, and business associates goes a long way in this business.

How would you describe the perfect weekend for you and your family? We like to do lots of fun things on the weekends. A perfect weekend for us would start with a Friday night dinner at Crabdaddy’s, Fiddlers, Barrier Island, Halyards or Tramici. On Saturday, we would ride our golf cart to the village to have an early lunch at Mallery Street Café or Palmers. Then take a walk around the pier/village area, while the boys search for SSI Rocks. They are obsessed with them and have found over 20 rocks. Next, we would either go to the Sea Palms Pool or to the beach at Myrtle Street. On Sunday, we would head to the Brunswick Country Club to play golf. I mostly watch the boys play, but occasionally I attempt to play a few holes. Mac is a great golfer, and the boys are getting really good, thanks to their golf coach, Ray Cutright. If we don’t go to the golf course, we would load the bikes in the truck and head over to Jekyll and park at the Jekyll Pier. We love riding bikes on Jekyll because of the amazing bike trails. They go all the way around the island, and it is such a beautiful ride. On our way home, we love to stop at Marshside for an early dinner. There are a lot of other things we enjoy doing on the weekends, like watching Bama Football (Roll Tide), taking out the boat, paddle boarding, fishing, you name it. Obviously, we have a lot of hobbies, LOL!

How would you describe the Golden Isles to a first-time visitor? It’s the perfect place! The Golden Isles is one of the most unique areas in the world. It has a small-town vibe, while having so much to do and enjoy. We have a beach, marshlands, awesome fishing/boating, exceptional golfing, the list goes on. The Golden Isles is much more than just a vacation destination. It’s a great place to live, raise your kids, retire, buy a 2nd home, or an investment property. Where else can you find all these options? There is a place for everyone here, in the Golden Isles.

Interest Rates and the Rising Home Prices

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Should You Wait for Lower Prices and Interest Rates?

Home prices have been rising for over seven years, and mortgage interest rates for five years. Should you wait to buy a home? The numbers say no.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the median existing home price is more than $250,000, the highest it’s ever been. If you wait to buy a home, you’re losing the opportunity to build equity, or ownership, in a home of your own.

If you’re worried that homes are priced too high and you’re afraid of losing money, consider this: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for housing were 50.88% higher in 2018 versus 2000, for an average increase of 2.31 percent a year. The average inflation rate for the same period was 2.07 percent. Home ownership beat inflation by 0.24 percent.

Mortgage interest rates hit all time highs in October 1981, when a benchmark 30-year fixed rate was 18.45 percent (with 2.3 points paid by the borrower), according to Freddie Mac. The lowest took place November 2012 at 3.35 percent with 0.7 points. At about 4.5 percent for a conforming fixed-rate for those with good credit, mortgage interest rates are tantalizingly low.

The best time to buy a home is when you want to, not when you think the market timing is best. Unless you have a crystal ball, you don’t know if prices and interest rates will recede, plateau and or rise. Look at homebuying for the long term, and you’ll be glad you didn’t wait.

As always consult your financial professional for interest rate information and advice.

Mortgage Advice: How Late Payments Impact Credit Scores

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How Late Payments Impact Credit Scores

FICO scores, the Fair Isaac Corporation credit-scoring system, are used by lenders to determine your creditworthiness. The lower your scores, the more risk you pose to lenders, resulting in higher interest rates or loan denial.

Scores fluctuate for many reasons, including your debt-to-income ratio, making minimum payments only, credit inquiries and other factors. But nothing impacts credit scores like a missed rent or revolving credit payment. And, for the best-scoring consumers, the drop in credit scores is the most punishing.

Making timely payments is one of the easiest things you can do to show you’re using credit How Late Payments Impact Credit Scoresresponsibly, which is why your payment history accounts for the largest part of your FICO score—35 percent.

Late payments remain on your credit report seven years from the original delinquency date, regardless if the payment is made and the account is current or if the account is closed and the payment is never received, according to Experian.com.

The more recent the late payment, the more it can impact your scores. If you’re late or missed a payment, make the account current as quickly as possible. The length of time it takes to recover will depend on whether the late payment is an anomaly or part of a habitual pattern.

Establish a current history of on-time payments. Use at least one credit card, paying in full each month to avoid finance charges.

On-time payments will add positive activity to offset negatives from the past, and over time your credit scores will rebound.