Fannie Mae and ENERGY STAR have both announced that they will be introducing new mortgage products and/or incentives for buyers that want to purchase an energy efficient home or make upgrades to a purchase. These will be new products from the current Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) and Energy Improvement Mortgage (EIM) that are now available.
The Appraisal Institute also reported that it is training it's members to better understand the energy efficient home and the added value it provides.
Find an energy efficient home in the Pittsburgh area! Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-779-1437 (direct) or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com.
Central Oregon Home Sellers - Avoid the 10 Biggest Mistakes Most Home Sellers Make. With the majority of the sold homes in Central Oregon being short sales and foreclosures, there is tough competition for selling your home. View this short video for 10 easy steps to avoid making the same mistakes much of your competition is making.
While some of these tips are more costly than others, any extra steps you can take to make your home more appealing to potential buyers can help.
Home prices in Central Oregon have dropped incredibly, making this an excellent market for first time home buyers. If you're ready to jump off the fence and buy your first home, make sure to avoid these
5 Common First Time Home Buyer Mistakes.
1. They don’t ask enough questions of their lender and end up missing out on the best deal.
Solution - ASK, ASK, ASK and research. Make sure you're comfortable with the lender you choose and you're happy with their ability to answer your questions. Purchasing your first home is probably the biggest financial decions you've made, so remember there are no stupid questions and you can't ask to many.
2. They don’t act quickly enough to make a decision and someone else buys the house.
Solution - Get all your ducks in a row. Get preapproved for your loan, know your price range and how it effects your monthly payment so you are financially ready to make the offer. Also, make a list of what you must have and would like to have in your first home, it's easier to make the decision when you know what you want.
3. They don’t find the right agent who’s willing to help them through the homebuying process.
Solution - Just like your lender, you need to be comfortable with your real estate agent. ASK, ASK, ASK questions so you're comfortable with the process. Your agent should be happy to hold your hand from begining to end.
4. They don’t do enough to make their offer look appealing to a seller.
Solution - Again, ASK! In addition to the offer price there are ways to make your offer more appealing to the seller such as deceasing timeframes, increasing earnest money or adding/reducing additional stipulations.
5. They don’t think about resale before they buy. The average first-time buyer only stays in a home for four years.
FHA Suspends 90-day Flipping Rule potentially increasing the availability to affordable housing for Central Oregon home buyers.
What is the 90-day flipping rule?
Prior to the suspension of the FHA 90-day flipping rule, home buyers we unable to purchase homes with FHA loans when the seller owned the home for less than 90-days.
How does this affect me, the buyer?
The suspension of the 90-day flipping rule will hopefully increase the availability of affordable housing for buyers choosing to finance their purchase with an FHA mortgage.
As of February 1, 2010, the FHA has temporarily suspended the 90 day flipping rule for the period of one year. Buyers are now eligible to use an FHA loan to purchase a home recently “flipped”. This typically applies to homes which are “Fixer-Uppers” an investor purchased, renovated / repaired and placed back on the market. According to FHA research, in many cases it takes less than 90 days for investors to acquire, rehabilitate and resell the house. Allowing FHA buyers to purchase the home within the 90-day time frame will hopefull decrease the amount of them these homes sit vacant on the market. Not only will this be beneficial to the buyer but the community as a whole.
Contact us for more information on additional stipulations or you can view the waiver on the HUD’s website.
Sell Your Central Oregon Home by Highlighting What Buyers Want! According to a recent survey, these are the top 10 amenities buyers are looking for in their next home purchase:
Energy efficiency, including energy-efficient appliances, super insulation, and high-efficiency windows.
Home offices
Main-floor master suite
Outdoor living space
Ceiling fans
Soaking tub in the master suite and/or an oversize shower with a seating area
Stone and brick exteriors rather than stucco or vinyl
Community walking paths and playgrounds
Two-car garages, but three-car garages are even more desirable
If you are currently selling or looking to sell your Central Oregon Home, be sure your listing highlights these amenities in your within your home or neighborhood and you're sure to attract more buyers!
If Prineville wasn't a fan of Facebook is sure is now! Facebook is breaking ground on a new Data Center in Central Oregon. The Bend Bulletin reported, "Enterprise zone lured Facebook to Prineville." A Prineville Enterprising zone which allows the Facebook data center to operate without paying local taxes is cited as one of the prime reasons for Facebook selecting Prineville as the new home for it's Data Center.
The Data Center will be approximately 147,000 sqft on 124 acres of land owned by Facebook. Although the Facebook Data Center in Prineville will be excused from paying local taxes, it will still be largely contributing to the local economy. Facebook will be paying around $27,000 in property taxes, a $110,000 annual Community fee to Crook County and Prineville, as well as a franchise fee from Facebook power bill to the county. The Data Center will be built on only 30 acres of the 124 acres purchased by Facebook, leaving room for expansion.
Most importantly the construction of the data center is bringing jobs to Central Oregon! According to the Bulletin article, Facebook is planing on primarily hiring local for the approximately 200 workers needed to build the facility. Once the construction is completed, there will be approximately 35 permanent jobs. Facebook is required as part of the Enterprise Zone agreement to keep an average of 35 jobs paying 150% of the county's average annual wage for 15 years. The current unemployment rate in Crook County is 17.4%, the creation of any jobs will help.
The Data Center will fit in well in Central Oregon with their efforts to keep the facility GREEN. Facebook plans on using wind power along with striving to reach LEED standards. For more information on the new Facebook Data Center in Central Oregon....
It's Spring in Central Oregon Real Estate - The Time to List Your Home is Now! Homebuyers are out early this year in Central Oregon trying to buy homes before the first-time homebuyer and move-up home buyer tax credit deadlines.
The typically height of the spring real estate buying season is March through May, however, buyers are already busy looking for homes. In 2010, the height of the real estate buying season is expected to be February through April due to the tax credit requirements. The first time homebuyer tax credit and move-up buyer tax credit requires buyers have a signed sales contract by April 30, 2010 and close on their Central Oregon home by June 30, 2010.
If you're thinking about selling your Central Oregon Home, spring into action now!
Contact us at Fred Real Estate Group for More information on selling your Central Oregon Home.
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Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
you're happy with their ability to answer your questions. Purchasing your first home is probably the biggest financial decions you've made, so remember there are no stupid questions and you can't ask to many.
when the seller owned the home for less than 90-days.
Facebook Data Center in Prineville will be excused from paying local taxes, it will still be largely contributing to the local economy. Facebook will be paying around $27,000 in property taxes, a $110,000 annual Community fee to Crook County and Prineville, as well as a franchise fee from Facebook power bill to the county. The Data Center will be built on only 30 acres of the 124 acres purchased by Facebook, leaving room for expansion.
in Central Oregon trying to buy homes before the first-time homebuyer and move-up home buyer tax credit deadlines. 
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