| |
realtor: Price your home to Sell - 10/28/08 03:09 PM
It's important to carefully look at your neighborhood activity, before deciding on a price for your house.What you paid for the house + improvements you have made to the house DOES NOT EQUAL the selling price of your house.You should seek out a Competitive Market Analysis (otherwise known as a CMA) of your area, take a look at active, expired, pending and sold listings.The active listings are obviously your competition.Take a look at the expired listings and be sure you don't follow their lead on price, since you actually want to sell your house, instead of it expiring.The sold listings is
(0 comments)
|
realtor: Dream Media! LACK OF CONFIDENCE! - 10/24/08 08:52 AM
WHAT'S UP WITH THE REAL ESTATE MARKET? Lack of confidence is really what we are talking about here. Reality is that the price of homes has declined. Long-term investments have their ups and downs and real estate is, after all, a long term investment. NOT IN THE NEWS - If you look at the market over the past decades and decades, real estate increases over time.. no matter what the market is in the short run. The media version of the real estate market and mortgage lending, for that matter, does nothing to help build it up. Another example of how Bad
(4 comments)
|
realtor: US Real Estate Market Value trends - 07/23/08 03:26 PM
Below are some numbers that I found to be pretty interesting. The housing market has been consistent over time with appreciation and continues to be a solid investment. Similar to other long-term investments, real estate will have it's ups and downs, but over time will increase in value. Here is The Current Median Sales Price of U.S. Homes (found on Realtor.org) WEST - $341,300 MIDWEST - $165,300 SOUTH- $185,000 NORTHEAST- $276,800 National Trends in the US on Average Home Value 1990 $95,500 1995 $112,900 2000 $139,000 2005 $219,600 2007 $222,600 Purchasing a home is a good investment because it builds equity
(2 comments)
|
realtor: How to get to closing! - 07/07/08 01:53 PM
Steps to a Successful Closing your new home! You have finally found that perfect home, signed a purchase agreement, had your inspections and received approval on your mortgage. Congratulations! You are almost there! The only thing that awaits you now is the closing - where you officially receive your property and you have some documents to sign. Here is an overview of what will be taking place once the closing date has been set: •· A survey of the home's property will be conducted. The title will be researched to verify the seller actually owns the property and that there are
(0 comments)
|
realtor: What is your credit score? - 07/01/08 09:25 AM
Your credit score The first step in managing your credit score is to know where you stand. Everyone is entitled to 3 free credit reports per year. annualcreditreport.com is the ONLY authorized online source for you to get a free credit report under federal law. You can get a free report from each of the three national credit reporting companies every 12 months. Some other sites claim to offer "free" credit reports, but may charge you for another product if you accept a "free" report. Figure out the facts Take a good look at the date on your report. Credit reports
(0 comments)
|
realtor: Getting rid of DEBT! - 07/01/08 08:58 AM
HOW TO RID YOURSELF OF DEBT! The one we always hear... WHOA on the CREDIT CARDS! I have heard the adage from every direction that if you want to get out of a hole... STOP DIGGING! STOP DIGGING TIPS! Carry Cash - give yourself a weekly cash allowance and you'll be more aware of how much you spend. Plus once you run out of money, you're more inclined to stop spending! It's very easy to overspend when you just run a card through a machine! When only plastic will do.... Use a debit card, instead of a credit card. LEAVE YOUR CREDIT
(0 comments)
|
realtor: Get your financial goals in order - 07/01/08 08:35 AM
Financial Goals! Setting goals for today and the future may not be easy, but getting your plan in order will get you where you want to go faster! IDENTIFY YOUR GOALS! WHAT? What do you want to accomplish (ex. pay off credit card, save for a home improvement, etc.) WHEN? Set a specific start and end date for meeting you goal WHERE? Where are you getting the money to meet your goals? Will it come from saving, cutting other expenses, investing, etc? WHY? The most important question. Decide why your goal is important to you. Your "why" is what keeps you
(3 comments)
|
realtor: Tips to Sell a Home in this Market - 02/27/08 08:52 AM
Real Estate values have been falling in much of the US. The pace of new homes is down, as well, with many on the market for months. There are strategies that can help you sell your home - For a fair price - even in this market. First of all, you might have to be very aggressive, especially if your local market has tons of homes for sale. ** DON'T START WITH A HIGH PRICE - Asking price is the single most important reason that a house does not sell. In this buyer's market, it is a mistake to set a high price and
(4 comments)
|
realtor: Maintenance Calendar - 12/12/07 07:04 AM
For ongoing safety, efficiency and livability of your home, put these maintenance projects on the top of your list!! January - Organize your home improvement files. Review warranties and product manuals and jot service reminders on your calendar. February - Schedule an energy audit with your utility company. Repairing energy leaks can save significantly on your utility bills all year round. March - Check for moisture in your crawl space, garage or other storage areas. If you see a problem, have a professional resolve it quickly before mold or mildew sets in. April - Clean out rain gutters - Collect leaves
(1 comments)
|
realtor: Dayton Area Stats since 1973 - 12/12/07 06:49 AM
I thought this was interesting information on the single family home appreciation in the Dayton Market. The chart below shows the average sale prices, dollar appreciation, percentage and cumulative appreciation for single-family homes in the Dayton area from 1973 to 2006. The average sale price is the mathematical average of all sold homes reported during the calendar year, and the appreciation rate is calculated from this average. While the average sales price does not necessarily mean each and every home will appreciate every year, it's a good indication that the Dayton real estate market has been slowly but surely increasing in value.
(0 comments)
|
realtor: Could Mortgage rates be lower than Last year? Indeed! - 09/19/07 08:43 AM
Interest rates on prime conforming loans fell across the board in the past week, with rates on 30-year fixed mortgages averaging 0.15 percentage points below the previous week's level. The drop in mortgage rates may give some relief to borrowers who are looking to refinance or purchase a home. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.31% for the week ending Sept. 13, 2007, down from 6.46% last week, according to Freddie Mac's weekly survey. The mortgage averaged 6.43% a year ago. The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.97% for the week, down from last week's 6.15% average. The mortgage averaged 6.11% a year ago. Adjustable-rate mortgages also
(2 comments)
|
realtor: Good Faith Estimate - Do you understand it? - 09/13/07 06:30 PM
The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) sent a joint letter to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary on August 8, 2007, encouraging HUD to undertake reform of the Good Faith Estimate under Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). The letter, co-signed by Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) President, in an effort to address abusive lending practices, in part, through a summary Good Faith Estimate . The letter also states that additional strong legislative and regulatory action will be required. Specifically, the letter recommends a Summary Good Faith Estimate that highlights key loan terms and payment information in an easily understandable format and accompany the full Good Faith Estimate that would provide
(0 comments)
|
realtor: Remodeling by the numbers - 05/17/07 10:51 AM
Maybe you've been feeling the need for more space, less space, or just different space. You've been wondering-which solution will give me what I want with the least financial hit? Here's one gauge to use: Expect moving to cost about 10% of your home's current value. If your remodel project can be done for less than that, stay and do it! But plan it with an eye on the potential resale value. When you are ready to firm up your plans, here are suggestions from industry experts: Kitchen: Add usability with dual sinks and cooking stations. Add aesthetics with commercial-quality and stainless steel appliances, stone
(1 comments)
|
realtor: Is your house Smelly? - 05/04/07 12:06 PM
Here is a subject that REALTORS have to sometimes address: If your home is on the market, Use your nose. Many people are oblivious to scents, but others are extremely sensitive to offensive odors. To eliminate bad smells, do the following * bathe your pets * freshen the cat litter box frequently * shampoo your carpets * dry clean your drapes * empty trash cans, recycling bins and ash trays. (better not to smoke in the house when it's on the market!) *Place open boxes of baking soda in smell-prone areas, and refrain from cooking fish or strong-smelling foods before a showing * Introduce pleasing smells by placing flowers or potpourri in your home
(1 comments)
|
realtor: Buyers benefit from open house - 05/04/07 11:24 AM
Home buyers all too often leave an open house simply because they didn't like the house. But what they really should be doing is taking advantage of a prime opportunity to pick up useful information that might aid in their search for a new home. From learning about the area to finding a good real estate agent, an open house can provide a wealth of knowledge whether you like the home itself or not. So, outside of learning about the home, what other kinds of information might you learn by attending an open house? RealEstate.com shares some helpful facts: Shop for an agent If
(0 comments)
|
realtor: Sub-prime lending continues to effect the Market... - 04/23/07 10:23 PM
The sub-prime problem continues to make the news. It has led to lenders to tightening lending standards, and so there will be continued home sales decline. The delayed housing recovery, experts say is now postponed to the fourth quarter of this year, will not significantly decrease housing inventory levels even as home builders cut back on new construction. As a result, the national median home price is projected to decline an expected 0.7% in 2007. But as industry professionals are well aware, the health of the real estate market is determined by local factors. The drop in home price is a national average. On the up-side, NOW is a great time
(1 comments)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Laurie Scalf
Beavercreek,
OH
More about me
RE/MAX Resources
Office Phone: (937) 427-2525
Cell Phone: (937) 470-7879
Email Me
Links
Archives
|