Rental Scams

The Latest Rental Scam

Written by: Chelsy Vaughn Martin

It seems like whenever I open my e-mail lately, another warning about a scam is waiting in my inbox. Today, I got a memo from the company about rental scams. According the the IRA "a typical scenario involves an individual who is not the owner or owner's agent placing an ad to scam the unsuspecting public out of money for deposits."

Great! Now I have to go to Google to check all of our listings, not that it's easy to find the scams. According to our Regional Operations Manager, one of the agents I work with had a scam reported. They were told it was listed on Zillow, but they couldn't find it when they tried to search for it. Finally they discovered that it was buried on the second page, somewhat hidden. 

This e-mail gave me tips on how to find and also prevent this scam from happening to my listings. They said not to list my email or phone number. Excuse me! How are interested parties going to contact me about my listings if I don't provide them with any CONTACT(key word here) information? Obviously checking craigslist and other sites known to advertise for rentals is a must. But what I want to share with you, is how to spot a rental scam. As an agent, I'm going to do everything that I can to prevent this from happening to one of my listings, but obviously some agents won't do the work and even the ones who do, won't be able to prevent it every time.

So, how do you spot if the rental property you are interested in is a scam? According to Indiana Realtor Advocate, these are the red flags you need to look for:

• If the rental price is too good to be true it probably is! According to Ken Vaughn, prices in Fort Wayne for rentals run from around $650-$1500 depending upon location, size and quality obviously.
• Don't send money up front to anyone you don't know or before you see a property or sign a lease.
• Don't deposit a check from someone and then agree to wire money back for an overage. Return the check if you receive over payment.
• Will the owner only interact with you online? Can the owner show you the property or make arrangements for you to see it?
• Wiring money required.
• Urgency... "I need to hear from you today!"
• Never provide your bank account number, routing number or other financial or personal information.
• Bottom line: Trust your gut!

If this happens to you, report it! You can file a complaint at www.ic3.gov if you have been a victim of internet crime. Also, you can file with the local law enforcement. File with the Indiana Attorney General by logging on to www.Indianaconsumer.com or calling their Consumer Hotline at 1-800-382-5516. File with the Indiana State Police by going to www.in.gov/isp, go to the about ISP tab and select your geographic area, it will identify a corresponding number depending on where you reside. 

This really aggravates me, it's just another thing that we as agents have to be concerned about and you as a consumer have to worry about. But, the more you know, the less likely it is to happen to you. The biggest thing here is that only the agent or the owner should be able to get inside the house. If they can't show it to you at some point, there is a reason. Also, if you notice that a listing is being fraudulently represented by someone other than the owner or agent, try to contact them if at all possible. By helping one another we can hopefully eliminate the incentives for scammers to do this to people!

Conventional Loans 3%-5%

CONVENTIONAL FINANCING MILESTONE

GUEST BLOG WRITTEN BY: GREG THOMAS

November 15^th marks another milestone for conventional financing. The minimum down payment of 3% for Fannie Mae backed loans is once again moving back up to 5%. This move will match their Freddie Mac counterpart current requirements. Many lenders will still be able to offer the Conventional 3% down payment program for folks that currently have accepted offer and are in a position to lock their loan by the end of business tomorrow. This probably goes without saying, but a limited amount of folks currently in the market will be able to take advantage of this.

This upcoming change should not be a deterrent for conventional financing for folks that need a low down payment option. Many people do not realize that a gift from a family member is allowed with conventional financing. For example, if a buyer only has 3% of the own money they can receive a 2% (or more) gift. There are even some lenders that allow for the entire down payment to be a gift and still be eligible for conventional financing. This is huge for anyone that thinks or has been told FHA is the only loan available to them. FHA loans have expense financed fees and lifetime PMI!!! Whereas, conventional financing has many more options and is a much less expensive. Be sure to check with a trusted mortgage professional for more details and find out what ALL of your options are before signing on the dotted line.

1910 Ransom Drive

Featured Listing

1910 Ransom Drive

Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Today, I wanted to feature one of our listings. I will be doing this once a week to showcase the properties we that we have listed. This beautiful, quality built home is located in Pine Valley Country Club, a neighborhood in northeast Fort Wayne, IN. It sits on the fifth fairway of the golf course, which provides for a beautiful view.

The large screened in porch provides a comfortable and private space to relax and enjoy the golfers, the view, or time with friends and family. It opens up to a patio area making this home perfect for entertaining! 

I think the kitchen is just beautiful! It has granite counter tops, new cabinets, ceramic tile, stainless steel appliances including a higher end refrigerator! The window overlooks the golf course so cleaning up after meals is made a bit more enjoyable.

I love the vaulted ceilings in the great room, which also has an excellent view of the golf course.

This beautiful home is clean and ready. It has been updated and feels fresh. You should take advantage of this premium golf course location on one of Fort Wayne's finest private golf clubs. This home makes a great impression! It's in a super convenient location near the Parkview campus and the DuPont hospital area, plus it's close to the freeway. For more information, contact Ken Vaughn at 260-413-9416 by either text or phone call, or email him at ken@fwhomz.com, you can also contact Chelsy Vaughn Martin at 260-403-8236 or by email at chelsyvm@fwhomz.com! Make sure to check out our videos below! As always, if you, or someone you know, are interested in buying or selling or are just in need of a bit of real estate guidance, please allow us the opportunity to serve you.

BEST FALL DECORATIONS CONTEST

We are so excited to have our first contest! Make sure to like us on Facebook first!

Next, upload a picture of your favorite fall or Thanksgiving decorations to our Facebook wall. 

In the description, tag FWHOMZ by typing @fwhomz and selecting us in the drop down menu. Then type #bestfalldecorationscontest in the description. Lastly, type a caption for you photo! 

After you have finished that, share your photo with all your friends and family. Tell them to like fwhomz.com on Facebook and then like your photo. 

The photo with most likes by November 22, 2013 at 11:59pm will win a $25 Starbucks gift card. The runner-up will win a $10 Starbucks gift card!

Below is a picture example of what a submission should look like.

We can't wait to see what everyone posts!!! Good Luck!

-The Vaughn Group

Best Halloween Decorations

401 E. Mansion Street

Marshall MI, 49068

Written by: Chelsy Vaughn Martin

Sarah (our administrative assistant and my mom) and I took a trip to Marshall, MI for dinner and to see the beautiful historic homes and after seeing this one home, I just had to write about it. 401 E. Mansion Street, a Queen Anne Style home, built in 1886 by Clinton T. Cook, a grocer who worked just around the corner from this beautiful home. When Ken and Sarah went to Marshall last October to eat at Schuler's, an incredible restaurant with lots of history, they happened upon this home and were in awe of the Halloween decorations. So this year, when my mom and I went back, she had to take me to see it. 

While we were at dinner, one of the waitresses named Sarah, told us where to find this house. She said that people nicknamed the owner "Holiday Holly" because she decorates like crazy for every holiday. When we got there, I fell in love instantly. We parked and walked up to the house, we weren't the only people there to see it either. Holly happened to be outside and we were lucky enough to talk to her! She even let us go inside, although her decorations inside weren't complete, to see what she does for the kids on Halloween night. We ended up talking to Holly for over an hour and she shared her inspiring story with us. We also met Holly's husband, Scott who ironically works at the GM plant in Fort Wayne. While we talked, several people walked by just to see what Holly had done this year.

Holly grew up in Michigan, but her husbands job took them to St. Louis, MO. They came back for the annual Marshall Michigan Historic Homes tour and fell in love with this house immediately! She tore the picture out of the brochure and put it up on her wall, where it stayed for 20 years. Then, in 2003, the house went on the market. She knew she had to buy her dream home and her husband agreed with her. Unfortunately, after they went to get financing, they came up $15,000 short, and knew that they wouldn't have enough time to sell their own home to come up with the extra amount. A family that she cleaned house for knew how much she loved this home and loaned Holly and Scott the money. They said that Holly was like a daughter to them. Holly's dream home was finally her own. 

Holly's decorations were the best I've ever seen. She had spooky images in many of the windows, zombies coming out of graves in the front yard, a devil in the basement window, a spider web above the front porch, a creepy butler waiting to greet guests at the top of the porch, mums lining the porch steps where a skeleton sits with his skeleton dog, an eerie girl in a swing where her skeleton parents swing her back and forth, pumpkin lights lining the sidewalk and atop her fence posts, a spooky grim reaper in the side yard, strobe lights, music, a giant cauldron that they fill with $300 in candy on Halloween night, a gargoyle with eyes that light up red, giant spiders, bloody dolls, an organ and so much more. With each glance, you see something new. Her house is decorated tastefully with a theme that's true to Halloween. On Halloween night, a line forms down the street where families will wait up to an hour or more just to get a peek inside Holiday Holly's house. It's no wonder that several articles have been written about Holly's home as well as a few features on national television specials for the holidays. 

An animated zombie on the front porch

A creepy butler that Holly found at an antique shop along with a skeleton and his skeleton dog.

A vulture pics at scattered bones on a grave site.

 Zombies emerge from their graves and move around as people pass by in the large cemetery out front.

Lights illuminate all the windows while spotlights highlight more eerie features.

Playful lighted ghosts flash brightly.

Lighted pumpkins sit atop each post on the fence.

Angry eyes peer out at passersby.

Skeleton hands reach from the earth as if trying to escape.

Holly had tombstones with clever names like I. M. Dedd and B. Lee Vingosts.

 A zombie holds his zombie dog, which lights up and moves when you walk by.

A demon peers from the basement window holding an infant skeleton.

Gory dismembered body parts hang from this tree.

Inside a clown and woman stand on the stairs, waiting to scare trick-or-treaters.

A gruesome doll sits on the organ where just hands play an eerie tune.

A witch and hooded skeleton hang from a tree, swinging in a sinister way in the wind.

I'm so excited to go back and see Holly's house for Christmas. The amazing thing about meeting Holly was hearing her story. It was a story that, as a real estate agent, touched my heart. I love that at The Vaughn Group, we can help people, like Holly, find the home of their dreams. Her putting up the picture of her dream house on her wall, and 20 years later being able to buy it, just shows that you can live out your dreams. If you, or anyone you know, happen to be in need of a real estate agent, or just a bit of real estate guidance, please call or text Ken at 260.413.9416 or email him at Ken@fwhomz.com. You can also contact me at 260.403.8236, or email me at chelsyvm@fwhomz.com

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!

(My Halloween hair and makeup this year!)

Different Types of Mortgages

Different Types of Mortgages

By: Chelsy Vaughn Martin

If you have any questions about getting a loan, or if you are interested in finding out about buying a home, please contact Ken at 260.413.9416 by text or phone call. You can also email him at ken@fwhomz.com. You can also contact me at 260.403.8236 by text or phone call. My email in Chelsyvm@fwhomz.com. Greg Thomas is also available to talk to at 260.705.4000 or email him at greg@ruoff.com. Having a real estate agent who is willing to represent you and your best interest is so important. At The Vaughn Group, we will represent you and your best interest in every transaction.

Real Estate Apps

My Favorite Apps for Real Estate

Written By: Chelsy Vaughn Martin

As the Marketing Specialist and Social Media Consultant for The Vaughn Group, I use a lot of apps for real estate. When it comes to marketing in today's high tech world, I have to think about not only marketing from my computer, but from my smart phone as well. When people get online to search for homes or a real estate agent, they are often accessing the internet from their smart phone. Since I use many great apps on a daily basis, I thought that it would be a great idea for me to share some of my favorites with you today.

Realtor.com

According to realtor.com, their app is the most accurate and up-to-date. I love the Realtor.com app because it allows you to connect with your agent. Lets say you're using their search engine to access over 3 million listings across the country, more than any other app. While searching, you find a home that seems to be what you're looking for and you want to see it as soon as possible. If you are connected with your agent through the app all you have to do is click "Request a Showing" and a showing request is sent directly to your agent, even if he or she doesn't have the property listed themselves. You can also click the "Ask My Agent" button and send him or her a question. If they have the app set up on their phone, which they should if you're connected with them, then a notification instantly pops up on their smart phone! They can respond to you quickly and easily! To add Ken as your agent after you download the app, simply click the menu button and scroll down to settings. Under my agent type in Ken@fwhomz.com, this will allow you to connect with Ken! 

RE/MAX Real Estate Search

Get it on the App Store or Google Play

With the RE/MAX app, you are able to search nearby homes on your phone just by using your location. You can also find an agent near you! You can customize your search using advanced search filters. You can zoom and navigate neighborhoods with interactive maps. This app even allows you the option to generate directions to a listing from where you are. RE/MAX is a global network of nearly 90,000 real estate agents (including Ken) helping homebuyers like you find the perfect home. RE/MAX has the most productive sales force in the industry and nearly 40 years of success helping millions of families. Nobody sells more real estate than RE/MAX.

Zite

Get it on the App Store or Google Play

Zite has more than 40,000 topics to choose from, but I use it mostly for real estate purposes. This app analyzes millions of articles each day and it shows you the best for you based on your interests from different magazines, newspapers, authors, blogs and videos. It's a great way to stay up to date with the real estate market. I can follow real estate trends easily, which I can then share with our clients via email, Facebook, Twitter or text message. I follow topics like real estate, mortgages, interior design, home improvement, real estate market, housing, home sales, home staging, marketing, iPhone apps, Android apps and because I can, animals. I love using this app to educate myself because being well-informed helps me and it helps our clients!

Magisto

Get it on the App Store or Google Play

Magisto is a great tool that I use to market homes for our clients. It uses both video clips and pictures to create a video mash up of awesome! You can choose from a few different themes, add music (you can use what they have or upload your own for an even more personalized video) and click make my movie! If you pay to subscribe, you can upload more photos and videos and download them as often as you want. This app pretty much speaks for itself. Just check out our video below for our listing 1910 Ransom Drive in Fort Wayne, IN.

Camera Awesome

Get it on the App Store

Okay, I know the name pretty much says how awesome this photography app is, but let me just share a few reviews with you.

"... it is by far one of the most full-powered camera apps I've used, and it marks an exciting advance for smartphone cameras." - The Wall Street Journal

"...makes the iPhone feel less like a cameraphone and more like a phonecamera." - TIME

"An iPhone app that Instagram and Apple could learn from" - ReadWriteWeb

I'm big on the having great looking pictures of our listings. Not only am I big on making sure the property looks presentable (you wouldn't believe how many agents take pictures of cluttered rooms from awkward angles in terrible lighting) but using an app or a camera that makes the photos look professional. I just recently found Camera Awesome and am I glad. It provides a level with the horizon so your pictures are always straight. You can set focus in one spot and exposure in another with just a touch. It has numerous filters, fx presets and textures. Oh, another cool thing, it starts recording video 5 seconds before you hit the button. Who else has missed the perfect video because you weren't able to hit record in time? Like the name says, AWESOME.

These apps are great tools for anyone to use, but if you're a buyer or a seller, the most important tool you can have, is an agent who communicates well with you and that you feel you can trust to represent you and your best interest. At The Vaughn Group, we strive to make our clients know that they can trust us to be there to represent them.