A Missed Opportunity Sparks a New Partnership
We had a new listing of a home for sale in a Carlsbad 55+ community and were contacted by a recently married husband and wife about the property. Unfortunately, we had just accepted an offer from another buyer for the property and it was not available for this nice couple.
After discussing their hopes and dreams and how we could help them achieve those, we mutually decided to work together. The husband was former military and wanted to utilize a VA Loan to purchase the property for which he already had a lender and a loan pre-approval.
The Challenges of Competing in a Competitive Market
Together, we looked at many homes over the course of a year. Several of these homes would have worked well for them, and we made offers, only to lose out to cash buyers or those using conventional loans, time after time. VA Loans are viewed by many to be less desirable due to some restrictions and an incorrect perception that they take longer to close escrow.
Our Veterans deserve better – we owe our freedoms to these wonderful people.
Setbacks Along the Way
We finally got an offer accepted, only to have to cancel the purchase when our home inspection revealed an unacceptable level of mold and termite damage.
We made an offer on another property soon after, only to have the VA Lender sabotage the deal with incorrect information that caused the home seller concern about out ability to close the deal. That lender was immediately replaced with a lender that we recommended that was much more knowledgeable and more of a reliable advocate for our Veterans.
Advocating for Our Clients Every Step of the Way
With this new lender on our team we got an offer accepted and moved full steam ahead towards completing the sale. This manufactured home did not have the required certification that the foundation was up to code for a VA Loan. We were able to negotiate into our purchase offer that the seller would pay to get that certification, which cost around $5,000. The home’s listing and the seller said that the roof was new. Our home inspection revealed that only a small portion had been replaced and that a large portion of the roof was in need of replacement. We quickly got an estimate and negotiated a $12,000 credit to replace the roof, which came in on budget after escrow closed.
Also during this time period, while performing our due diligence, we learned that there was likely a special assessment coming from the HOA for some deferred maintenance within the community’s infrastructure that needed replacing.
Uncovering Hidden Issues and Finding Solutions
The property had also already been inspected, treated for termites and cleared as ready for inhabitation. However, we noticed some damage that did not seem to have been repaired. After requesting a re-inspection from the listing agent, another termite inspection was performed, and it was discovered that the home needed to be tented and fumigated, as well as some damage to the front porch flooring repaired, which we negotiated the seller to perform and pay for, saving our clients another several thousand dollars.
A Happy Ending for Our Veterans
This all turned out so well for our buyer clients, as their monthly mortgage for their new home was actually less than what they had been paying for in rent. Now that’s what we call a win-win!
Helping my clients, especially our brave veterans, achieve their dream of homeownership is the greatest honor of my career. I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure every client feels supported and valued. To all the veterans out there: your service inspires me every day, and it’s my privilege to serve you in return. Please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m here to help every step of the way.
-Ken Tritle
Contact Jean and Ken Tritle, a husband and wife real estate broker/agent team at DreamWell Homes Realty.
Call or Text: 760-798-9024
Email: jeanken@dreamwellhomes.com
