Giving in...

Learning Experience

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:52:43 -0800

My parents recently relocated from the Buffalo, NY area to Newark, DE. I was their agent in the purchase of their condo. Since the marketing materials stated that the condo was rehabbed, the appliances were new and it was heat pump, as well as it was a condo. It was decided not to do a home inspection. Well, never again! The appliances were newer not brand new - the stove did not close and the dishwasher was 7 years old. Luckily my parents decided to bring their refrigerator since it was newer. The agent/owner did put in a brand new stove and dishwasher. Now the tricky part...the marketing materials said heat pump but the sellers disclosure said electric. Since I grew up with natural gas - this whole oil heat, heat pump thing has been a real learning experience to me. I thought that electric heat vs. heat pump were one and the same. NOT! What we thought would be a $100-$150 electric bill turned into a $320 electric bill due to the electric furnace. A home inspection would have told us there was a difference between the two heaters and maybe we would have bought somewhere else. Always get that home inspection.....

5 bdrms, inlaw suite, pole barn what else could you possibly want???? Open on Sunday January 17 1-3

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:43:28 -0800

What a find in Bear, DE! This home has 5 bdrms, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage PLUS and attached complete in-law suite AND a pole barn with 3 10 x 10 garage doors! The home could be used as a home office with all the above. Hardwood floors are on both levels of this home and are in fantastic condition. The master bedroom - wait until you see the walk in closet. The home is located on a half acre in a cul de sac and does have an above ground pool as well. Even though this is a short sale you could still get your share of the tax credit money available! Come get your part of it! This wonderful home will be open on Sunday, January 17, 2010 from 1-3 pm. It is being offered for $390,000.

Donna M. Weed
Integrity, Accountability and Results.
We get it done. No excuses.
Licensed in DE and MD
Long & Foster - Bear
(302) 981-6388 Direct
(302) 834-3431 Office
(866) 582-8240 Fax
www.donnamweed.com
http://www.trulia.com/profile/jimdonnaweed

Fantastic Rehab in New Castle, DE

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:32:51 -0800

All you need to do is move and relax! The work has all been done for you. This 2 bdrm 1 bath home has new gas furnace, new central air conditioner, new gas water heater, new roof with wood where needed, new siding on that 1.5 car garage (great for storage, the bike owner or hobbyist!). The paint is fresh and neutral as well as the flooring. The owners are motivated and have reduced the price of this home to $160,000. We will be happy to greet you at the open house on Sunday, January 10 from 1-3 pm. The home is located at 13 Notre Dame Avenue, New Castle, DE. Get your share of the tax credit money available when you buy this home - $8,000 or $6,500. It can be yours for buying a home before June 30, 2010.

Open House in Newark - Four Season

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:26:15 -0800

PRICE REDUCED! Nice 4 bdrm, 2 bath split level home in a cul de sac with hardwood floors on 2 levels, attached 1 car garage, beautiful yard with garden. Home is located at 11 Harvest Trail in Four Season, Newark, DE 19702 - price reduced to $242,500. Open house on Sunday, January 10, 2010 from 1-3 p.m. I look forward to greeting you! Buy this beautiful home in move in condition and get your share of the tax credit money availabe - $8,000 or $6,500 - it can be yours.

Nice Home in convenient location

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:20:23 -0800

Great home but needs a little TLC - convenient to all major routes, shopping, etc. Three bedrooms could easily be converted back to a four bedroom. Kitchen has recently been updates but the homes does require some cosmetics. The home is on a cul de sac and backs up to the woods. A wonderful home to have about $30,000+ in sweat equity. Home offered for $190,000. Great home to get your tax credit - whether it is the $8,000 or the $6,500!

Great 4 bdrm, 2 bath in convenient location

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:12:11 -0800

Great Home in Four Seasons development in Newark. Convenient to Rt 896, Rt 40, and I-95. Home has four bedrooms and two full baths. Most of the floors are hardwood and in fantastic shape. This home will be open on Sunday, December 13, 2009 from 1-3 pm. Take advantage of the tax credits you may be entiteld to! $250,000.

Donna Weed

Long & Foster Bear (302) 834-3431

In-law Suite, 3 bay Pole Barn, all on a 1/2 acre in a cul de sac

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:09:57 -0800

Fantastic home in Hickory Woods, Bear, DE. This home has 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2 car attached garage, as well as a separate, complete in-law suite and a separate 3 bay pole barn all on one-half acre. The home is situated in a cul de sac so no through traffic. This home is also a short sale. Inspections are welcome but for informational purposes only. Call me directly at 302-981-6388 to schedule your showing. Take advantage of the tax credit - this could be the only chance you'll be paid to buy a new home!

Donna Weed, Long Foster Bear, (302) 834-3431 (office)

Nice one floor living

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:59:14 -0800

Nicely rehabbed home with all new mechanicals! Get your share of the $8,000 for first time homebuyers or $6,500 for those of you who want to downsize.

Middle of November already.....

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:39:25 -0800

Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is around the corner as well as Christmas. Where did the time go? Many people are coming out of the woodwork it appears to buy themselves a big present....a new home..... and to take advantage of the tax credits available to them. First time buyers and just move up/empty nesters are eligible for a tax credit depending on certain eligibility requirements. I would too if I were in the market to buy a home. Just remember that April 30, 2010 will be creaping up on as just like Thanksgiving and Christmas are. Don't wait for the last minute to start looking for that new home.

Great Rehab open Saturday 10/10 from 1-3

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:05:55 -0700

Great two bedroom, 1 bath home with a fenced yard and a 1.5 car garage (great for the hobbyist or mechanics with own subpanel) in Wilmington Manor Gardens. Brand new hvac, roof, some windows, hot water heater, paint and flooring. Open Saturday, October 10 from 1-3 p.m. Look forward to seeing you there!

Down to the wire

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:45:27 -0700

Well, we are down to the wire for our first time homebuyers to find THE property. November 30 is really just around corner and actually we want to be done before Thanksgiving as the 30th is the Monday after Thanksgiving when all the banks are off.

I'v been working with a couple off and on since January 2008...yes that long. We started out looking at $400,000 homes and are now down to $225,000 and a totally different area and type of home. It's been interesting!

We've gotten it narrowed down to three properties. The husband said that's it as he was tired of looking. Let's hope they make a decision this week as the clock is ticking....

Phone Duty

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:22:07 -0700

Sometimes in the summer you really have to wonder if it's worth sitting for phone duty...on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. Since I was scheduled for noon today I showed a couple of homes first, ran an errand and reported as scheduled. Alas, the person who was scheduled for 9-12 wasn't there...no surprise since they've been scheduled frequently for weekends and were a no show..yet again. My hubby and I are working to build our client list so I volunteer for phone duty. I have to admit that I cringe when scheduled on Saturdays or evenngs. Come on, the strip center is not busy as the broker keeps telling us. It's Saturday and we live one and a half hours from the beach. Heck, I'd be there today myself if it wasn't for phone duty. Maybe those no-show agents no something I don't!

Build sweat equity.

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:24:37 -0700

I've just listed a property that is a 3 bdrm, 2.1 bath home. It does need some work so you'd build sweat equity on this home that backs up to the woods and on a cul de sac. The county has it listed as a 2 brm but is actually a 3. The laundry is on the second floor which makes it real convenient. The yard is fenced in and landscaped. The community is small and close to all major highways and a park. This is a gerat property for a first time buyer or an investor. Take advantage of the first time homebuyer program and get your share of the stimulus package. The property can go FHA but in the 203k program.

Trying to buy an investment property, but have to jump through hoops even through paying cash!

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:33:09 -0700

I am a principle in a family owned investment company. We have been around for six years buying, selling and holding various properties throughout the years. My company recently put an offer in on a bank owned property. So far I have had to provide four, count them four different documents stating that I can actually sign the offer, sign for the financing and any and all documents for the entity. In the six years we have been a legitmate business, filing taxes, filing all documents the state requires, paying various taxes when due throughout the year, I have never had the problems I'm having now. We have bank accounts with different banks and lines of credits with those bank. I have never had problems opening these accounts with the same forms I provided this bank. Is anyone else having this problem????

The Time is NOW

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:47:08 -0700

If you are seriously considering buying a home as a first time home buyer to take advantage of the $8,000 credit available to you through the stimulus package, NOW is the time to find yourself a good realtor, be armed with you preapproval letter from a reputable mortgage company and start looking for that new home.

You have to be settled on your new home BY November 30, 2009. The word on the street is actually try to settle by October 31, 2009. We are envisioning everyone trying to settle by November 30, 2009, and if there are any glitches and you can't make that date you lose that money. You also have to remember that November we have basically a two day holiday which further exaceberates the situation.

The time is now to start looking for your new home. There are tons of properties available so it may take you some time to find the right home for you. The mortgage process is also usually 45 days to complete the mortgage. So the time is now to get yourself into a nice first time home. Home prices are low, interest rates are low and you get $8,000 for buying yourself a new home. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so take advantage of it!

Healthcare Reform

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:41:50 -0700

This seems to be a major topic in the news. I see both sides of the debate. Being originally from Buffalo, we'd hear of people always crossing the border from Canada, which has socialized medicine, coming to Buffalo to have medical treatments as the wait was too long to get the appropriate care for whatever health condition the people may have. Waits were long for all sorts of medical tests...not enough MRI's for example. Back when I was doing customs clearance in my other life, Canada had not only a VAT but also a GST. This added over 15% to the cost of items. This GST was to help pay for the cost of socialized medicine. We already pay enough in taxes, I can't imagine paying an additional 15% on each and every item I buy.

Two of our children were treated in Canada for a rare childhood cancer. When we talked about socialized medicine, the staff would say people would always come into the emergency room which would increase the medical expenses. They wouldn't want to wait for an appointment with a doctor.

What's your feeling on this issue?

My husband is now one of us...

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:00:25 -0700

Well, my husband job got eliminated last year from one of the major banks in our area. After about 10 months of looking for a job and having a couple of interviews, but not much success, I suggested he help me out and become a realtor. We are already investors so he knew a lot of the basics to begin with.

It's interesting trying to figure out who is going to be responsible for different aspects of this "job". We have a great broker that is guiding us, as I consider myself a newer agent myself. The first two brokerages just didn't give me what I felt I needed.

Wish us luck that we don't kill each other! LOL!

10 ways to prepare for Homeownership

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:30:05 -0700

10 Ways to Prepare for Homeownership

1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.

2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.

3. Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you'd like to live in, taking into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.

4. Start saving. Do you have enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20 percent of the purchase price saved as a down payment. Also, don't forget to factor in closing costs. Closing costs - including taxes, attorney's fee, and transfer fees - average between 2 and 7 percent of the home price.

5. Get your credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report to make sure it is accurate and to correct any errors immediately. A credit report provides a history of your credit, bad debts, and any late payments.

6. Determine your mortgage qualifications. How large of mortgage do you qualify for? Also, explore different loan options - such as 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgages or ARMs - and decide what's best for you.

7. Get preapproved. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan. You might need W-2 forms, copies of at least one pay stub, account numbers, and copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements.

8. Weigh other sources of help with a down payment. Do you qualify for any special mortgage or down payment assistance programs? Check with your state and local government on down payment assistance programs for first-time buyers. Or, if you have an IRA account, you can use the money you've saved to buy your fist home without paying a penalty for early withdrawal.

9. Calculate the costs of homeownership. This should include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities, and association fees, if applicable.

10. Contact us. We are experienced REALTOR® who can help guide you through the entire process.

Donna M. Weed
Licensed in DE and MD
Long & Foster - Bear
(302) 981-6388 Direct
(302) 834-3431 Office
(866) 582-8240 Fax
www.donnamweed.com

$8,000 stimuls tax credit for first time home buyers

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Sat, 30 May 2009 17:05:26 -0700

Well, Washington came out with information regarding how first time home buyers can utilitze this stimulus immediately upon settlement of a new home prior to November 30, 2009, but with all the strings tied to it, will it really help? No liens on the property, can't be used for downpayment, can be used for settlement costs (why do that when we ask the seller to contribute?), it can be used to pay down the interest on the mortgage or additional downpayment after the 3.5% that FHA requires. I think we were really hoping this money could be used towards the downpayment. That would really jump start our market if the home owner could utilize the $8,000 for the downpayment...for the initial 3.5%, don't you think?

I think most first time home buyers would rather either amend their 2008 taxes and take the $8,000 check for a cushion in their bank account or make some changes in their new home or take the $8,000 off of next years taxes, but then that's just my opinion.

Suggested to give this blogging thing 6 months

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:06:16 -0700

Well, since I've started this journey to blogging, it's been suggested that I document the time involved and what type of results I'll get in 6 months time. It's an interesting proposal as it's low budget but it is more labor intensive if you know what I mean. Like finding names and addresses isn't right...not to mention the cost of a whole direct mail campaign.

Preforeclosure properties available in Wilmington, DE at very desirable prices

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:52:56 -0700

If you have investors looking for great investment properties, some need work, some are ready to be rented with just cosmetics, let me know. I have properties that can close quick in various areas of Wilmington, Delaware.

Is anyone else watching the boring DNC convention just to relieve stress?

Donna Weed (Keller Williams - Newark) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:49:38 -0700

I find myself watching the boringest convention on earth this week. Why??? So when I run into people who tell me who wonderful Hilliary and Bill was, how great it was to see our Senator Biden on stage. I also watch this to relieve my stress when I shout at the TV that they are a bunch of lying hypocrits! Talk about a group of people being in denial!