Erin Romanski's Real Estate Blog

Brookston Indiana Real Estate - Home For Sale By The Romanski Group on US 231

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:28:46 -0500

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group | Keller Williams Realty | erin@romanskigroup.com | 765-532-6148

8294 US Highway 231, Brookston, IN

Great ranch on 1.35 acres!

4BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $150,000

Year Built	2007
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	1.35 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Fantastic setting on 1.35 acres in Brookston and located just 17 miles to Lafayette and Monticello with easy access to I-65. This spacious ranch was completely rebuilt in 2007 and offers four bedrooms, two full bathrooms with nearly 2,000 square feet. Quality features throughout including beautiful hardwood floors and natural woodwork thoughout the entire home. Plenty of room to entertain in the huge great room with bay window overlooking the yard and in the large eat-in kitchen with Stainless Steel appliances, a breakfast bar, hickory Kraftmaid cabinetry with custom countertops, pull-out shelves and 2 lazy susans. There is also a family room, laundry room with ustility sink and folding counter, jacuzzi tub in one of the baths and a utility room for extra storage. Additional features of this home include a huge front porch / patio area, storage shed, underground downspouts, 2 car attached garage and a 4' crawl space with a storm shelter. Plenty of room on the land to add a pole barn, garden, volleyball court and more!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Walk-in closet
Hardwood floor	Family room	Living room
Breakfast nook	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Microwave	Stainless steel appliances
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside
Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard	Jacuzzi/Whirlpool

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Water Softener

Satellite Dish

Storage Shed

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group

Keller Williams Realty

erin@romanskigroup.com

765-532-6148

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 16, 2008, 4:39am PDT

Lafayette Indiana - Vacant Land For Sale on Nearly 3 Wooded Acres!

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:20:21 -0500

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group | Keller Williams Realty | 765-807-7121

4301 Zanik Lane, Lafayette, IN

Beautiful wooded lot in south Lafayette on nearly 3 acres!

2.74 acres Vacant Land

offered at $65,000

Lot Size

2.74 acres

DESCRIPTION

BREATHTAKING FULLY WOODED LOT OVERLOOKING A RAVINE IN A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD. NEARLY 3 FULLY WOODED ACRES. BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF THE SUN RISING AND SETTING! GREAT LOCATION IN WEA RIDGE AND MCCUTCHEON SCHOOLS! COVENANTS & RESTRICTIONS AND SOIL TESTS AVAILABLE. SELLER IS A LICENSED REALTOR.

Square Feet Requirements: 2100 SQ FT RANCH; 2350 SQ FT FOR 2 STORY; MINIMUM OF 3 BR/2 BATH.

see additional photos below

LOCATION FEATURES

Wooded

Level

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group

Keller Williams Realty

765-807-7121

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 4, 2008, 12:11pm PDT

Lafayette Indiana - Ready to Buy Your First Home?

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:52:40 -0500

Considering Purchasing Your First Home? Now is a great time to buy in Lafayette and West Lafayette Indiana! Prices are great and there is a lot of selection available.

There are many steps in the home buying process. It's easy to miss something that can add significantly to the cost of your home.

A Realtor, such as myself, can help you simplify this process and get the most home for your money. Here's how:

Give you a complete picture of the costs so you know how much home you can afford.
Help you rule out homes that don't fit your needs and find new homes that do.
Make sure you have the latest alerts on homes that meet your criteria so other buyers don't beat you to the punch.
Keep you informed about what's happening in the local market.
Give you in-depth details on each home.
Quickly schedule tours and give you specific information on the advantages and drawbacks of each property

I can also help you craft offers, present offers to sellers, and much more. Contact me at erin@romanskigroup.com or 765-532-6148 and I can help make the entire process simpler and more cost effective for you. I can help make sure you make the right move.

Lafayette Indiana Real Estate - Mortgage Financing - Credit Issues

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:48:31 -0500

Financing Solutions with David Reed
Credit issues? Your lender can help.

We frequently hear we're supposed to regularly check our credit reports. And staying on top of this is especially important when starting to shop for a new home. There are three main credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These bureaus store consumer credit histories by the millions, and hundreds of thousands of businesses tap these bureaus for their data about you. Unfortunately, mistakes can happen. Especially if you're not the only "Bob Johnson" or "Susan Smith" who lives in St. Louis.

Let's say you receive a copy of your credit report and find a mistake-what do you do? What if there's an old collection account showing as unpaid when you have the paid receipt and a letter stating that the account has been settled?

Your credit report will show which of the three credit bureaus are reporting the error, and you'll get a toll-free number to call. But if you have ever called one of these numbers, you know to expect anything but friendly service. You know the drill, "Press 1 for English, Press 2 if you are a consumer, Press 3 if you'd like to enroll in our..." and so on. It's likely you'll either leave a voicemail or listen to some sales pitch for a credit protection service. But all you want is to get your credit fixed so you can clean up your report.

You'll be asked to fax your documentation, fill out some forms and then wait for the bureau to fix the report and update your file. This can take time, sometimes weeks. Luckily, there is an easier way: let your loan officer handle it for you.

That's right. You can give that very same documentation to your loan officer and they can have the offending item removed from your credit report in minutes. How can they do it so quickly?

Mortgage lenders use credit reporting agencies. Often. And those same agencies hire customer service representatives to make sales calls to all those mortgage companies. One of their services allows the lender to provide the corrected documentation showing the collection account as having been paid to the credit agency, who will then update the credit report almost immediately. What once showed up as an "unpaid" collection account now rightly shows as "paid." It's that easy.

It's important to regularly check your credit, and if you do find yourself in a situation where your credit report has an error on it, don't go to the bureaus directly. Instead, take advantage of the relationship your lender has with the credit agencies. Your mortgage specialist can fix things much quicker than you can.

Written by David Reed, author of Mortgage 101 and Mortgage Confidential.

Lafayette Indiana Real Estate - Mortgage Financing - Gift Funds

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:45:49 -0500

Financing Solutions with David Reed

Getting a cash gift? Lucky you!

Getting a gift in the form of cold, hard cash to buy real estate is a wonderful thing. Gift funds are a common way parents help their kids buy a home, but there are certain requirements to follow to ensure the gift transfer goes smoothly.

What exactly is a cash gift? Technically, it is a transfer of funds from one party to another without any expectation of being paid back. This non-repayment factor is a key element because lenders can't accurately calculate debt ratios if the gift is in fact a loan. How do lenders determine this? The "givers" are required to sign an affidavit stating that the funds being given are a gift with no repayment expectations.

Who can give a gift? Gifts can come from family members (parents, siblings or grandparents), non-profit agencies, local or state agencies, churches, domestic partners and trade unions.

The party that furnishes the gift must show an "ability to give", which means they have the money available in an account they own. This is documented by providing account statements showing the funds are available. Finally, it must also be documented that the gift funds were transferred from one party to the next and the lucky recipients (and future home buyers) must provide a bank statement showing the gift was received.

While the need for documentation might sound heavy-handed, the truth is lenders need to take every precaution to make sure that the "gift" isn't a "loan." So if you know what the lender expects ahead of time, the gift transfer can be seamless. Just remember, financial gifts over a certain limit may have income tax implications, so be sure and consult with an accountant or tax specialist before getting the mortgage process underway.

One final note to consider. Conventional loans differ from FHA programs in their requirements for reporting gifts to be used toward the purchase of a home. Buyers using conventional financing need to prove that they have at least 5 percent of their own funds in the purchase transaction. However, that requirement is waived if the gift represents more than 20 percent of the purchase price. The FHA loan, on the other hand, merely requires the buyers have at least $500 of their own money at closing, regardless of the amount of the gift.

Written by David Reed, Texas-based mortgage banker with more than 20 years experience

and author of Mortgages 101 and Mortgage Confidential.

Contact The Romanski Group for all your real estate needs!

www.RomanskiGroup.com

Lafayette and West Lafayette Indiana Real Estate - Mortgages

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:43:15 -0500

Financing Solutions with David Reed

A bad wrap!

We've all heard the term, "wrap around," but what exactly does it mean? A wrap around mortgage, or simply a "wrap," is an agreement where the buyer of a property makes monthly payments to the seller of a property, who then pays the original lender each month. This is perceived as a way of an owner "selling" a property to a buyer without the buyer obtaining conventional financing.

While a wrap can be viewed as a traditional sale, in reality it's anything but.

All mortgage loans contain a "due on sale" clause. That means if the current owner of the property sells or otherwise transfers ownership then the lender can immediately call the loan in completely. In other words the lender says, "Okay, you sold the property, we want our money." In the past, the due on sale clause was not as prevalent, but now all mortgage loans contain such language.

So how would the lender ever know? First, if it's a legal transfer of ownership, the sale would be recorded and therefore become public record. Lenders would receive notice from the companies they employ to monitor such transactions. The lender could also find out following the change of the original owner's mailing address.

Now say the owner of the property tells you that they could "carry the note" for you if all you did was make monthly payments directly to him or her. If your agreement was to pay $2,000 per month, those funds could then be directly applied to their original mortgage payment.

Many wrap arrangements require a substantial down payment from the buyer along with the agreement to make a mortgage payment above and beyond what the real mortgage payment requires. Wraps are typically made because the buyer, the seller or both are unable to secure financing. While it may appear to be a solution to a tough problem, a wrap around mortgage is inherently problematic (and generally not worth the trouble).

For example, what would happen if the seller was notified by the lender that an illegal transfer of ownership took place and the lender activates the no-sale clause and wants all its money back?

First, the seller would have to immediately refinance the current note, which would be nearly impossible because the property would have been sold. A new lender wouldn't finance the new deal nor would the buyer, because the lender wouldn't recognize the new owner.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, what if the buyer indeed made the monthly payments on a regular basis but the owner somehow fell behind and didn't make the payments to the original lender? The lender would be forced to foreclose on the original owner, meaning that the new buyer would lose the down payment and payments to the original owner!

A wrap around isn't a "last resort" method of financing, it's a "no resort." Violating the terms of a mortgage, having the mortgage called in by the lender and the buyer losing his down payment and presumed equity with no legal ownership rights is a losing proposition for everyone!

Written by David Reed, Texas-based mortgage banker with more than 20 years experience

and author of Mortgages 101 and Mortgage Confidential.

Call The Romanski Group for all your home buying and selling needs!

www.RomanskiGroup.com

(765) 532-6148

Lafayette Indiana Real Estate - Home For Sale By The Romanski Group in Julius Springs!

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:39:21 -0500

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group | Keller Williams Realty | erin@romanskigroup.com | 765-532-6148

1432 Santanna Drive, Lafayette, IN

Custom built 2-story home on 2 beautiful wooded acres in
prestigious Julius Springs.

5BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $465,000

Year Built	2003
Sq Footage	3,445
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	3 Car garage
Lot Size	2 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

This custom built 2-story home is situated on 2 beautiful wooded acres in prestigious Julius Springs. Fine attention to detail is evident throughout this spacious home with five generous bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms. This home combines warmth and charm with many upscale amenities including cherry finished hardwood floors. This home offers nearly 3,500 square feet of finished living space plus a partial finishable basement with an additional 1314 square feet. The impressive 2-story foyer entry opens to the office and formal living room that leads into the formal dining room with columns and a tray ceiling. Relax in front of the double sided fireplace in the breakfast nook or family room. In the heart of this home is the fully equipped kitchen offering cherry stained cabinetry, ceramic tile backsplash, center work island and a large pantry. The cozy family room looks out onto the wooded backyard and has vaulted ceilings and a fireplace flanked by a built-in bookshelf. The luxurious owner's retreat has crown molding, a tray ceiling, double lavs, jacuzzi tub and a glass walk-in shower. Additional features include a 16x16 patio, surround sound, security system, lawn sprinkler, hardwired outdoor lighting w/ converter, professionally designed landscaping, Kinetico water softener and drinking water system (new in '07) and a 3+ car attached garage. Enjoy the wildlife and nature right from home. Call The Romanski Group at (765)532-6148 for your private tour.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Fireplace
High/Vaulted ceiling	Walk-in closet	Hardwood floor
Tile floor	Family room	Living room
Bonus/Rec room	Office/Den	Dining room
Breakfast nook	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Microwave	Basement
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside
Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard	Jacuzzi/Whirlpool

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group

Keller Williams Realty

erin@romanskigroup.com

765-532-6148

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 4, 2008, 12:11pm PDT

Lafayette Indiana Real Estate - Home For Sale By The Romanski Group on 300 N.

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:37:01 -0500

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group | Keller Williams Realty | 765-532-6148

4701 E. 300 N, Lafayette, IN

Roomy ranch on crawl space just minutes from Hershey & East
Tipp Schools!

3BR/1.5BA Single Family House

offered at $125,000

Year Built	1962
Sq Footage	1,476
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1 full, 1 partial
Floors	1
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	0.30 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Fantastic setting near Hershey and East Tipp Schools! This spacious ranch with nearly 1,500 square feet offers three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms. Features include a large living room with a bedford stone fireplace, dining area, updated kitchen with a breakfast bar, wine rack and a large breakfast nook. Additional features include hardwood flooring in the bedrooms, updated bathrooms, ceramic tile in the laundry room and foyer entry, a great front porch and 2-car attached garage. Relax on the 50' deck or circular patio in the privacy fenced backyard. Updates include: some new carpeting, tile, remodeled kitchen and baths, all new Pella patio doors, extra insulation in roof, some new windows plus more! Call The Romanski Group today at (765) 532-6148 to see this great home!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Fireplace
Hardwood floor	Tile floor	Living room
Dining room	Dishwasher	Stove/Oven
Laundry area - inside	Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Fenced yard

Storage shed

Basketball goal

Water softener

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group

Keller Williams Realty

765-532-6148

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 10, 2008, 11:30am PDT

Lafayette Indiana Real Estate - Home For Sale By The Romanski Group on Furlong

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:35:10 -0500

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group | Keller Williams Realty | 765-532-6148

240 S. Furlong, Lafayette, IN

Lovely tree-lined privacy fenced backyard w/ a storage shed, patio, and lots f perinnials. Immaculate home in a great location near I-65 and new hosp

2BR/1.5BA Single Family House

offered at $150,000

Year Built	2002
Sq Footage	1,920
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	0.18 acres
HOA/Maint	$6 per month

DESCRIPTION

This immaculate w-story home is situated on a beautiful tree lined lot in Saddlebrook. Fantastic location near I-65 and new hospitals. This home offers a welcoming covered front porch, huge great room with a wood burning fireplace, fully equipped kitchen with a breakfast bar and a breakfast nook that opens out into the backyard. There is a 2nd floor family room, three generous bedrooms including a large master suite and a 2nd floor laundry room. Additional features include lots of storage throughout, gas and a 2-car attached garage and a lovely privacy fenced backyard with a storage shed, patio, and lots of perinnials. The neighborhood features include a community park with a playground, basketball court, walking path and more. Call The Romanski Group at (765) 532-6148 for a tour!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Fireplace
Walk-in closet	Family room	Living room
Breakfast nook	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Microwave	Washer
Dryer	Laundry area - inside	Balcony, Deck, or Patio
Yard

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Water Softener

Storage shed

Fenced yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group

Keller Williams Realty

765-532-6148

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 21, 2008, 11:39am PDT

Lafayette Indiana Real Estate - Home For Sale By The Romanski Group on Paulana Place

Erin Romanski (The Romanski Group/ Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:33:21 -0500

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group | Keller Williams Realty | 765-532-6148

4110 Paulana Place, Lafayette, IN

Meticulously maintaine Galema built ranch home on nearly 2 acres. /fube arcgutectural details!!!

4BR/3BA Single Family House

offered at $295,000

Year Built	2005
Sq Footage	3,592
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3 full, 0 partial
Floors	Unspecified
Parking	3 Car garage
Lot Size	1.905 acres
HOA/Maint	$8 per month

DESCRIPTION

Meticulously maintained Galema built ranch home on nearly 2 acres. Built with Insulated Concrete form technology, is energy-efficient and can withstand 250 mph winds. The floor plan offers fine architectural details with 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, and over 3,500 square feet of living space. Features include a great room, sitting room, lovely dining area with hardwood floors, light and bright kitchen with all appliances, a large laundry room, and a master suite with huge walk-in closet. There is a finished 2nd floor over the garatge that offers a rec room (great for hobbies), family room area, the 4th bedroom, and 3rd full bath - could make a great mother-in-law suite as well. Additional features throughout this home include beautiful landscaping around the entire home with nearly 30 trees, crown molding, built-in speakers, a covered 12X18 patio which could easily be converted into a sunroom and much more! There is a 3+car extra depp attached garage that is heated. This home has been very well cared for and is in a convenient location!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	High/Vaulted ceiling
Walk-in closet	Hardwood floor	Family room
Living room	Bonus/Rec room	Office/Den
Dining room	Breakfast nook	Dishwasher
Refrigerator	Stove/Oven	Microwave
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside
Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Water Softener

Storage Shed

Workshop

Insulated concrete form technology

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Erin Romanski and The Romanski Group

Keller Williams Realty

765-532-6148

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 28, 2008, 5:45pm PDT