Do’s and Don’ts

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Big Bear Real Estate

Here are 24 ways to prevent any delays with your home loan approval. Some of them may surprise you!

DO

DO continue to live at your current home.
DO continue to make your home loan payments or rent payments.
DO continue to use your credit as normal.
DO keep working at your current job.
DO keep your same insurance company.
DO stay current on all your existing accounts.
DO call your home loan expert if you have any questions.

DON’T

DON’T start any home improvement projects.
DON’T buy any furniture.
DON’T apply for new credit cards (even if you seem pre-approved).
DON’T close any credit card accounts.
DON’T consolidate your debt onto one or two credit cards.
DON’T max out or over charge on your credit card.
DON’T open a new credit card.
DON’T pay off any loans or credit cards without discussing it with your home loan expert.
DON’T change bank accounts.
DON’T pay off charge offs without a discussion with your home loan expert.
DON’T pay off collections without a discussion with your home loan expert.
DON’T take out a new loan.
DON’T transfer any balances from one account to another.
DON’T finance any elective medical procedures.
DON’T join a new gym.
DON’T make a major purchase (car, boat, fur, jewelry, etc.).
DON’T open a new cell phone account.

Credit: Carrie Mandel of Tri

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Testimonials

Will is not only a great agent, he is intelligent and always looking out for his clients best interest! Thanks Will!Heather Hilliard

This was our first home purchase since we retired 2 years ago. During my 35 year career, we were moved 7 times domestically and 6 times internationally. The property purchase in your area was, by far, the easiest one we have experienced. We were guided through the process by our agent, Lisa Seifert. Lisa was patient with our ever changing goals, as we viewed dozens of properties and learned more about the area. She provided concise guidance, communicated with us on a daily basis, …Mike & Roseanne Mollere

Tarl Wood was awesome and I had a great experience with The Rahill Real Estate Group and the progress. Thank you!Rick Pathi

As both a homeowner and a real estate investor in California and out of the U.S.A. over the past forty years, I’ve worked with many realtors. I truly think you are one of the best. You helped our family sell our wonderful but quite dated Big Bear vacation rental home by tactfully suggesting reasonable improvement ideas and recommending trustworthy contractors, and by realistically pricing it and steadfastly showing it during a very bad sellers’ market. Furthermore, you exuded confidence that you would sell it, and …Shirley Kedes

Will is honest, trustworthy, and an all-around great person! He is very intelligent and a hard worker (and a lot of fun too!). I trust him with my real estate needs!Chris Nagel

I’ve known Will for well over 20 years and has my highest recommendation as a professional who pays attention to detail while looking out for the best interests of his clients.Sean E Stall

We had a very nice experience dealing with Rahill Real Estate. In particular, our agent, Lisa Seifert!! She was patient, informative, and made herself very available to any and all questions and requests we had for her. Her knowledge of the area and understanding of what we were looking for in a family cabin helped the process be as efficient and easy as possible. We feel very fortunate she answered the phone when I called inquiring about the property that caught our eye. Thank …Ron & Carol DePompa

Best down to earth and honest real estate agent I know.Kim Nunes Bailey

Very attentive, Will will help you find what you’re looking for.Karen Scholl

Will has the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. He is intelligent, honest and capable, and he has my strongest personal recommendation.Kenneth M. Klein

Will is the type of real estate consultant that everyone needs: honest, extremely bright, thorough and just a fantastic person. He is passionate about helping people and finding the right fit for his clients. Procuring real estate is a huge financial investment and often times an emotional one. He takes great care in his work and takes the prudent approach to conducting ethical business. I highly recommend him.Sue Schroeder

Lisa did a great job helping with our close. Thanks!Frank & Maryann Horak

Tarl did an excellent job. He was professional, honest, on time & worked extra hard even though it was a small commission. Thanks Tarl and Rahill Real Estate Team.Kevin McKee

Rick was great! House was priced right, sold quickly, smooth transaction and short escrow. Thanks you!Sudie Smartt

Lisa is a great agent who worked very hard to keep us informed of every step of the house sale. Her knowledge of the industry and her honesty are well appreciated by us all in a very stressful time. She made it a lot easier. She always kept us informed almost on a daily basis. David & Judy Behrens

I would like to recognize Tarl for providing the best experience possible as our agent. Tarl met all my expectations as a professional and my expectations are high! Thank you!Maritza Makemson

Will has the professional integrity that it takes to ensure complete customer satisfaction. He has my stamp of approval.David Owings

Will is integrity all the way.Tara Rokstad

Lisa did a fantastic job as our agent. Her approach was always positive and helpful, yet not pushy and was always respectful to us as home buyers understanding our desire to find the perfect Big Bear home. Once we entered into a contract with the seller, Lisa was extremely knowledgeable and willing to respond to our questions or concerns day or night, in a very timely manner! It is obvious Lisa Seifert is a very hard-working and caring individual. We feel fortunate to have …Andrea

Thank you very much! We had a wonderful experience of buying land with Tarl Wood. He provided excellent services and he was always prompt, helpful and informative. I would not hesitate to recommend Tarl’s services to anyone we know. We also loved the easiness & convenience of signing all documents online.Glenn & Vera Savage

Lisa, my son Joe was spot on when he recommended the Rahill Real Estate Group. It was comforting to have a person who could understand the emotional problems in having to give up my dads cabin. Thank you for being so sweet.Lois Lillibridge

Superior local knowledge and a true dedication to both his personal and professional lives are what set Will apart from the masses. Will’s integrity in his craft is unsurpassed. You could not choose a finer practitioner.Kevin Dougherty

Will Rahill’s team have proven to be professional & efficient. I am thankful to Will for his accurate suggestions to upgrade the property and to Rick Seifert for his caring & availability. The combination made the sale immediate & smooth. Excellent team! Highly recommendable!!!!Fariba Rofougaran

I decided to sell my house in Big Bear, so I contacted a few realtors. After looking at Will’s marketing plan to sell my house and his realistic evaluation of the market value of my house, I decided to list my house with Will’s team. Other realtors gave me decent evaluations, but no one had such a strong marketing plan as Will’s team. Within a week after it hit the multiples, I received a strong offer. After brief counter offers the property was put into escrow. …James Evans

Will was great to work with. He showed me several homes that were within the parameters of my price point, and only homes with the size and amenities I was looking for. The foreclosure purchase I made went very smoothly, and Will kept me updated throughout the process. Will is extremely knowledgeable about all facets of the Big Bear area, and is very involved in the community. I highly recommend Will for your real estate needs.Manuel Gutierrez

Lisa Seifert was an excellent representative of your agency. She was always available, knowledgeable and got us all the answers to all of our questions. She has a great positive attitude, and is very friendly. I chose Rahill Real Estate because of your affiliation with the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce, and I’m glad I did. Not having any experience with working with a realtor before, I was a little apprehensive. The experience was perfect.Susan Pearson

We could not be any more pleased with the job that Tarl has done on our behalf. Throughout the whole process he has been available and sensitive to our questions & worries. I would like to thank all of you at the Rahill Real Estate Group for helping us make our dream come true. Especially you, Tarl!Bob & Terri Miller

I’ve known Will for 25 years, and there is nobody I would trust or recommend more highly.Mark Spurlock

We appreciated all of Rick’s efforts & professionalism. It made the sales transaction easy & straight forward.Rich Roche

Lisa & Rick were absolutely fabulous!! We were referred to them by a friend from down the hill, called and scheduled to meet, and the same day found a house we loved. The best part is that we came up with a long list of homes we wanted to see, but Rick & Lisa also brought us to a few houses not on our list and came up with a home that we instantly fell in love with. Lisa was available at all hours, …Todd & Yorley Blacher

Will, You were great during the whole process of selling our cabin in Big Bear. Very professional, honest, firm and trustworthy. You did whatever you promised you would and did it in the best way. Thank you!Hashemi's

Having worked side by side with Will when I lived in Big Bear, he’s my go-to agent for every referral I have. I trust sending my LA based clients to him, because I know they’ll get the same great service from Will that they do when they work with my own team locally.Deanna Wallo-Whipp

Brian Atkins was the realtor I used for buying my Big Bear Lake Cabin. He was AMAZING! I actually researched Big Bear Realtors and chose him. Brian met all of my expectations. He had so much knowledge of the area. Brian was very good at returning all of my emails and texts. He was so friendly and made me a priority when I was available to look at cabins. I would recommend Brian to any one. Thank you, Brian! Aubrey KingAubrey King

My wife and I listed and sold our home in Big Bear Lake with Tarl Wood of The Rahill Team. We cannot say enough about the excellent level of professionalism that was present during each aspect of our relationship with this group! Starting with Tarl Wood who was absolutely the most helpful, knowledgeable, hard working, and positive Realtor we have ever worked with! We received weekly updates on our listing and really appreciated the assistance we got from the Rahill Team. We highly recommend …Ed Lineberry

Best experience I’ve ever had! From day 1 through escrow closing & beyond, Rick of Rahill Real Estate was there for “me”……….Sheila Pitts

Lisa is the most amazing person I ever met. It is a good thing we have no plans to move again, because I can’t imagine going through another transaction without her. Every person I spoke with while going through the rigors of selling a home have only had the highest praise for her. She was on time for every meeting, she was available every time I needed her, she worked well with all the people involved in this sale including the contractor, buyers, other …Donna Cooper

Our experience with Team Rahill was very positive at all times. We worked with Tarl Wood over several months. Tarl provided advice & important knowledge of the area which helped us make decisions. As a result, we made a purchase we are very happy with.Max & Julie Perdue

Brad King is very personable, thorough, and efficient.His number one concern is looking out for his clients and will take the extra time needed to make you feel comfortable and minimize the stress. I would definitely use and recommend Brad and the Rahill Team. They did a great job. Linda FerrisLinda Ferris

Both my wife & I were very happy with all the work Lisa Seifert did to find our Big Bear property. Lisa worked hard for 6 months to find the property where we can build a cabin in Big Bear. She stayed in touch and kept us aware along the way. We are both very pleased. Thank you! Dave & Jeanne Jensen

Lisa & Rahill exceeded our expectations. I feel Lisa is just as interested in making friendships as she is in selling real estate. She showed us 19 properties in one afternoon. That must be some kind of record. Talk about organized & multi-tasking all at once. Very impressive. I wish she worked for me at my firm.Mark & Diane Frank

I truly appreciated my time at the Rahill Real Estate Group. My agent, Tarl Wood, was a pleasure to work with. I felt zero pressure to buy a house and he didn’t get mad when I lost his favorite pen ! 🙂Richard O'Connor

I can’t thank you enough for all you did to make this whole process go smoothly. I couldn’t have done it without you Lisa.Cheryl Soave

When my wife & I started getting interested in purchasing a vacation home in Big Bear, we really didn’t know for sure what we wanted & weren’t entirely sure with the area, so I started searching the web to find a real estate agent to help answer our questions. The first real estate agency I emailed replied a couple days later and then I didn’t hear back from them for over a week. Therefore, I decided to try a different agency. However, I never …Brad Gilpin

Very happy we chose Will Rahill to sell our property. He gave us great advise, very communicative, down to earth person. If you are looking for a Realtor who is smart, well connected and will market your property the right way…hire Will.Patrick Beneventi

I have known Will for over 20 years. You will not find a real estate professional with more integrity, honesty and knowledge of the Big Bear area than Will. He is the first person I call when I need investment advice and/or have questions about real estate.Paul Skip Sjoberg

Lisa was wonderful to work with. We had dealt with several realtors on the mountain and had noticed a lack of professionalism until Lisa. She made us feel as though we were really important. Not just another buyer, she cared about making sure we were happy and well taken care of the entire process. Jeff & Noel Donahue

I would like to take a moment to say thanks to your agency so very much for helping us find our perfect home in Big Bear. We love it, and your website was perfect for searching the Big Bear Valley Area for the one special place. Our realtor, Lisa Seifert was amazing. She is very knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, and very patient. She always seemed to have time to answer our questions, no matter how small, and would even respond late at night. It felt …Scott & Elaine Hudson

Lisa was really fantastic from the initial contact, through closing and beyond. Friendly, professional, and clearly an expertTzvi Haber

We thoroughly enjoyed working with Tarl Wood. He was engaging, quick to respond and professional. We were regularly updated as to time frames, condo repairs & paperwork. Thank you, Tarl.Don & Elizabeth Harris

I have known Will for over 15 years. We met while working for an organization that teaches people with disabilities to ski. I agree with the previous testimonials that are singing his praises, and I would add loyal and conscientious. He truly cares about treating people right and standing by friends.Jason Schetter

Seldom does one receive customer service as satisfying as was provided by our agent, Tarl Wood. He was professional & personable and made a process that might otherwise have been stressful, progress smoothly & efficiently. His warm and friendly personality made him a pleasure to work with and I would whole-heartedly recommend his services to anyone in need of a competent agent. Thank you Lisa Seifert for referring us to one of your best.Sandy Smith

I was tasked with finding a realtor in Big Bear Lake 2 days before Thanksgiving. We were located 500 miles north of Big Bear in the SF Bay Area. After reading the positive reviews about Rahill Realty, I took a chance and gave them a call. We were lucky to have Brad King answer the phone (even though a lot of people were not working that week – Brad was!) I explained we were planning to purchase a company cabin in the Big Bear …Lori Brown

Lisa was professional and yet friendly and caring. She was not just interested in making a sale, but she made sure that I would be happy & comfortable in whatever home I chose. Lisa always used the utmost integrity. She will be my first choice for a Realtor in the future. Adrienne Schubert

When I was looking for a Realtor, I looked on the computer and there were many people to choose from. I chose Brian Atkins because he had many reviews and they were all positive. Now I know why. Brian is not only a Great Realtor, he is a very sincere person. He is very professional, down to earth, easy going and he makes you very comfortable while looking at many houses. Brian was always available to us by phone or texts. He always promptly …Vicki Wheeler Whitley-Earnest

Over the years I have purchased & sold many properties including commercial & rentals. During this time I have been involved with numerous realtors and Tarl is one of the best. After I purchased this home, Tarl did not disappear (as most agents do) but continued to be very responsive to my needs & is still helping me get settled. I have no doubt Tarl will be even more successful going forward as I will go out of my way to recommend him to …Pete Buenzli

Will is a very helpful and knowledgeable realtor!Jessica Stack Yeoman

Rick was great from the start. He was not pushy and answered all our questions. If there was something he didn’t know he would be honest about it and got back to us with an answer. He was very easy going and always on time. Since we live in Anaheim, he made all arrangements to accommodate us. He also referred us to a great lender and kept us in the loop at all times. This was the best home buying experience we’ve ever had. …Hyong & Hilda Perkins

If you’re looking for a professional, intelligent and personable Realtor who knows Big Bear, Will Rahill is the guy for you.Megan Blaney

Will helped us find the perfect home in Big Bear. During our hunt he showed us many homes, fine-tuned the search as we gave him feedback, and did not high pressure us for a sale. Will is very knowledgeable about the properties in Big Bear and readily available to answer questions. We appreciated his honesty and patience. Thank you, WillOlivia Kennedy

Mr. Rahill, thank you for the informational disc and your interest in my experience. In short, “the best experience of my life”. Jonathan is an asset to your business and a delight to work with. The time flew by and I’m very happy with my purchase. I look forward to meeting you on the mountain soon.Rick Negrette

Relying on an agent to represent you in a real estate transaction is all about trust. The profession sometimes draws “salespeople” that are more interested in their wallets than your needs. There isn’t anyone I would trust more than Will to be my advocate buying real estate, both from a technical perspective in understanding the angles of the “deal” and more importantly, knowing that integrity and helping people are more important to Will than what’s in his wallet.Wade Griffis

We have used Will on several properties and have found him & his staff to be very knowledgeable & courteous to me and our staff. Closings go smoothly which we like very much and Will & Nicki follow up with escrow to make sure there are no loose ends. We are happy, satisfied clients!Portia Frost

Tarl did an amazing job finding the right house & connecting me with others that made the process quick & easy. I closed in less than 21 days & was very happy. I can’t say enough about Tarl’s service & I would recommend him to anyone looking for a place in Big Bear. I thank Tarl again for everything.Cyndi Dart

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Rahill Team, especially Rick & Lisa Seifert. At first the sale of our cabin seemed like a daunting task. Rick & his wife dug in and helped us prioritize what needed to be done. They were constructive….never pushy. We were amazed at the difference de-cluttering made. Rick patiently helped us through each step of the process. The last time we entered an escrow was in 1992. The computer made it easier in so many ways …Dan & Delayne Stotts

Will, we had heard your real estate team was great, but now I can say firsthand I know why your company is considered the top real estate group in Big Bear. I am someone who owns a service business, and did specialized studies in service delivery in graduate school. I really value great service. I am serious when I say that Tarl Wood is the best service provider I have worked with this year (and possibly ever, but I’d have to go way back …Colin & Cathy Walker

Will knows Big Bear. He is a man of integrity and understands what you are looking for. If you are reading this recommendation then you are looking for someone to trust. Trust Will.Julie L Appel

Will was a pleasure to work with!Travis Martinez

Tarl Wood was our agent that helped us with the purchase of our house. He did a fantastic job. He went above & beyond in helping us with the process of buying a home in Big Bear. It was a pleasure working with him every step of the purchase. Top notch!!! Ken & Cindy Epema

Will was a real treat to work with…professional, experienced and he sold our home the first weekend it was on the market. We had a difficult buyer and if it wasn’t for Will “talking me off the ledge” a number of times, I’m sure I would have blown the sale. He’s calm and cool under pressure and made selling our home easy. Thanks Will.Christie Walker

Thank you for the great service you and your team provided.Karim

Lisa Seifert was such a blast to work with. She patiently showed us cabin after cabin until we found our dream getaway. All along the way we learned so much about Big Bear & all the special places to go & have fun with our family & friends. She helped us through each step & was always there to answer any questions quickly. We feel blessed to have our family getaway so enjoyed what would have otherwise been a stressful process, thanks to Lisa …Sean & Elizabeth Stephens

I would like to say how great my agent Lisa Seifert at the Rahill Real Estate was in helping me find my new home in Big Bear Lake. She has to be the best agent that I have ever had in all the years that I been buying homes. She took the time to show me all the homes that were in the Big Bear Lake area and never gave up the hunt to find me my home. She is a supper person and …Jim Bullard

I was very pleased with the service I had from Will Rahill. I found him to be very professional yet very nice to deal with & very informative. I have bought & sold many homes over the past years and can honestly say that working with Will & Nicki was the easiest & most pleasant.Jane Alexander

Tarl Wood was a true professional and an absolute pleasure to work with. We are out of state buyers and he made us feel as though we were next door during the entire transaction. His follow up was great and he over delivered on everything we needed. Thank you Tarl for a great buying experience as it rare to experience such a seamless transaction, you are an asset to your team and I look forward to seeing you when we are up there! …Robert Dubel

My wife and I bought a house in Big Bear Lake from Will Rahill in 2008. We love our home here. Will, made the experience wonderful. He is very knowledgeable and he knows how to do his job in a quick and efficient manner. Will also gave us a lot of pointers on the town and people here and he gave my son his first set of skis and boots. We would highly recommend him.Paul & Andrea Columbis

My husband and I couldn’t be happier about the service we received from Will Rahill and his team. His knowledge of the market and unique strategies for listing our higher-end home were unimpeachable. The process was efficient and resolved much more quickly than we’d ever imagined possible. He was also extremely responsive, encouraging, and persistent in getting us through it all without undo stress. We wouldn’t hesitate to use him again or recommend him to friends. Thanks for the opportunity to let us share …Lorraine Wolfe, Ph.D.

Will never quits and keeps looking for the best possible outcome. Thanks to Will’s integrity, tenacity, and compassion, we were able to sell a family home.Lisa L. Magnuson

I live in San Diego and wanted to find a local realtor in the Big Bear area who could help us find a property that would be great for personal use – but most importantly for vacation rental purposes. I actually came to Yelp and contacted Rahill through Yelp messages and Brad King reached out to me in minutes. Brad was great from the beginning – he had great knowledge of the area and most importantly knew what we needed to find to make …Alyssa R.

Brad was an incredible resource for us. We had originally been referred to a different realtor who was slow and very disinterested, so we put our a request for a local realtor and Brad immediately responded to us and gave us the local lay down and was very willing and enthusiastic to answer questions, promptly. Also, Brad was extremely willing to help us with vendors and other procedures outside of the closing process. We couldn’t have been happier to have such a knowledgeable, professional, …Josh Golden

Will is the best realtor in Big Bear!Angela Priola Naylor

You are the best! Thanks so much for making it as effortless as possible during the process of buying. We’re grateful for your attention, warmth, knowledge and enthusiasm. We think of you as a friend in Big Bear and hope to see you soon. And thanks for offering to answer any further questions regarding improvements and maintenance. Chal Pivik

We had been looking for a property for about 3 years and in our search, we met Tarl Wood. He was very accommodating. He showed us properties when we came to town and also sent us some to view online. He would always make himself available and gave us some insight on rentals and regulations. The process was very smooth with no problems or issues. We would definitely recommend to future buyers.Mike & Cathy Butkus

Lori & I are very pleased with your service. Team Rahill is very lucky to have Tarl as your agent. Tarl is very special in all his skills and is an asset to your firm. I have sold life insurance for 30 years and know a gem when I meet them. Thanks for all your services!Frank & Lori Garcia

I’ve recently utilized Lisa Seifert’s talents to close on two properties within the past year. She is the most competent and reliable real estate professional that I’ve come across. Going forward, regardless of who is listing the property, I will always call Lisa first. I hope you realize what a gem you have within your company. Cherish her because good people are hard to find these days.James Black

Thank you for all of your hard work in making this happen! My house was the last of about 5 properties to go on the market on our street and I think the first to sell. Donna Gurule

Our experience with your office was great from the moment we walked in and fortunate enough to connect with Tarl Wood. Tarl listened to our concerns, needs and budget and went over and above our expectations to find us the cabin we wanted. Tarl understood that we lived far from Big Bear so when we made the drive up he maximized our time & showed us every available property. Tarl also kept in close contact through email & phone conversations to let us know of “new” …Perry & Colette Gustafson

What a grand experience I had working with Rick & Nicki. You have a very professional, efficient crew at your office. I felt as if I was kept informed on my listing, progress of sale, and the negotiation process. Rick guided me through it all with clarity and patience. I appreciated the constant communication that I had from/with Rick & Nicki, along with the MLS emails. I look forward to spreading the word about the exceptional service that I received from the Rahill Real …Karin Powell

Will is an amazing Real Estate agent with a wonderful team that is always on top of what is going on in Big Bear. He is an honest and trustworthy person who will help you with your real estate deals and questions.Nicole Lathrop

Lisa, John & I have bought and sold over ten properties with eight different real estate people. You by far exceed them all in every way. You simply are the best and a wonderful person. John & Karen Schofield

I’ve known Will for 18 years from snow skiing, investing in stocks, and buying and selling homes! You’ve got a great guy working for you!Bryan Dilbeck

I was very happy with my agent, Tarl Wood. He was very responsive, professional, and dependable. He took more than sufficient time to keep us up to speed & meet our needs. His service was top rate, exceptional!Ryan Miller

Will consummately blends his extensive market knowledge and attention to detail with keeping things simple and in a lay-person’s terms. His skill, confidence and familiarity with all aspects of the process ensured that my home purchase as convenient and effortless as possible. I will no doubt use his expertise again and I unequivocally recommend others do the same.Tom Peirce

Lisa, you have been such a breath of fresh air in this process. When we began working with you, you really helped put our minds at ease. Thank you for your guidance and support it has made all the difference.Javier & Cassandra

Will did an exceptional job selling our cabin. Always honest & upfront. Always kept us informed of what was happening. Thank you!Bill & Pam Hartley

Will was always prompt, knowledgeable, courteous, & helpful throughout the entire home-buying process.Bill LaGrosso

Will was good, very good. I felt I knew who I was dealing with, which you don’t get with most real estate agents. He was great!Keegan McGrath

Excellent Agent! Will did a great job for me!Fred Liebel

Will is talented, hard working and professional. I highly recommend him!Mary Scott

It is always great working with Will. He is very trustworthy as well as kind. I would highly recommend Will to anyone interested in real estate. He genuinely enjoys helping people.Sara Gordon

Loved working with “real” real estate professionals. You & your team provided us with on time performance with regards to paperwork requirements & deadlines. Your Docusign made everything easy, hassle free and on time. Thank you for making this real estate experience painless & successful.Roland B Scott

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