Our Agents
Jen Kuznits, Realtor
Thanks for checking out my profile!
I've been involved in the real estate industry for over a decade. I started investing in real estate at sheriff sales, years ago, before it was cool. After the market crashed, I decided to try flipping, and haven't looked back since.
With me, you're not just getting a tour guide when I take you through a home. You are getting an education on the house, the potential, and whether or not, it is a good investment. If you need me to sell your home, you are getting a staging expert, and a person who can help you make inexpensive updates, that will bring you top dollar for your home.
Some other random facts about me: * I am a mother to 3 children. *I am from Maine-my favorite place to be in the summer. Of course, I can only ever get away for 1 week-but a girl can dream.
*I used to be a TV news producer for Channel six, and before that I was a talk show producer for Montel Williams.
*I am a huge advocate for Teachers. I volunteer countless hours at the elementary school. I've painted many parts of the school, and I work with teachers and students to create large, hopefully inspirational, murals-made mostly out of recycled goods. I'll do anything for a teacher.
*I am also a huge advocate for Veterans, and have a big place in my heart for Vietnam Veterans in particular. My father is a Vietnam Veteran, and I am very proud of him. * I have a husband who works with me on the flips. We are like Chip and Joanna Gaines but not as cute :)
* I'm not afraid of hard work. My husband does much of the labor in our flips, but I'll paint, peel wallpaper, demo, clean out debris, help move the furniture, landscape work. I've actually dug up the bushes at my house, to plant at one of our investments.
Please view some of our before and after pictures below on houses we've recently flipped.
Questions I get all the time: 1. How do you find your deals? I will readily admit that the best way to find deals at this point, is to become a real estate agent. No one will hunt as hard as you will, for the next deal. Lately, the best deals I've gotten have been through estate sales, listed on the MLS. The sellers tend to be more flexible than the banks. Bank owned properties are good too, but banks have become pretty savvy. Many banks will repaint homes, add new carpet, and slap some granite down, before listing the property for a 10% or 20% discount. There's just not enough of a profit margin to flip these homes.
2. Where do you find your materials? Believe it or not, most of the materials I use are from the Home Depot or Lowes. BUT, not all of the big box stores are created equal. I have a list of 5 stores I frequent. For instance, the best store for tile, is the Plymouth Meeting Home Depot. They have by far, the best and biggest selection in the Montgomery County area. BUT, if you are looking for bathroom vanities, I would suggest the Home Depot in Montgomeryville. They tend to get the newest models first. If you are looking for appliances, the Lowes in Willow Grove has the best clearance section, and they are willing to negotiate even further. They also offer free delivery, and haul away of old appliances. Home Depot does not deliver clearance appliances, and are not so good on negotiating. For cabinetry, I go to PA Homestore in Feasterville-Trevose. Great quality, and cheaper than the big box stores. Plus, you get to see the cabinets assembled, instead of just a door front. If you want more advice or have questions just call my cell-and hopefully I can point you in the right direction.
3. If I have an old kitchen, should I put granite in? My answer is absolutely not. If you really are aware that your cabinets are old and worn out or broken, granite will only intimidate a buyer. What's easier, ripping off granite, or ripping of Laminate countertops. My suggestion is to paint your cabinets, and add a new clean laminate countertop. The kitchen re-do will be less intimidating.
4. What colors should we paint our house before selling? The old adage that beige is best, just doesn't ring true anymore. 90% of buyers are looking online, whether they have an agent or not. A beige picture is boring, and buyers may be more likely to overlook your home. Buyers are used to watching HGTV. They are looking for actual design. You can totally fake your way through it by using paint color that is considered current. Painting an accent wall, adding colorful drapes, hanging color art work, or adding lots of colorful pillows on a large couch are all ways to bring in color. They key is to peak the buyers interest and draw them in.
5. What's the one easy thing I can do to help sell my home? The simple answer is, listen to your realtor. We have been in and out of more homes than we can count. We get instant feedback from the buyers we take out into prospective homes. We know what turns them off, and what makes them interested. I have watched my buyers get in to bidding wars over a home that is simply decorated nicely. No new roof, old boilers and so on don't matter. The paint, the decor, the finishing touches can really wow buyers. So if your agent tells you to paint a certain color, you shouldn't be offended, you should just paint! HOWEVER, not all realtors are created equal, so choose wisely. Don't just list with an agent, because they will promise you the price you want. Many agents will lock a seller in with a contract, list it at a price they know won't work, and then hope the seller will agree to lower it later down the road. Not a good strategy, because the longer the home sits on the market, the lower the offers become.