Bucks County Living

Buying A Home After A Bucks County Short Sale

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 19:48:42 -0800

Since 2006, The Kim Tokar Team has helped hundreds of sellers avoid foreclosure with a Bucks County Short Sale and helped them put their dark moment behind them. We know through both our clients and personal experiences that this stage in their life is more emotional than anything one can experience. Equipped with both professional and personal experience, we are here to help. If you are currently deciding on a short sale in Bucks County, it is important to hire an expert that can understand. Throughout the years of short selling homes in Bucks County the one comment that we do hear consistently is that the seller swears that they would never buy a home again. Although I do understand their mindset, I also know that this is short sighted. Since we have been doing short sales in Bucks County from before the banking crisis, we have seen many of our short sale clients repurchase. So as absurd as this may sound, you need to take our advice; there is always light at the end of the tunnel and you will want to purchase a home again. One day your life will be back on track and you will want to continue to achieve your life dreams and usually purchasing a Bucks County property is part of that dream. So how soon can you buy after a short sale in Bucks County? The good news is that if you were current with your mortgage up to the end of the short sale, you can purchase immediately with a FHA loan. If you did fall behind on payments, you have a waiting period of 2 years before you can repurchase. For more information on this see http://www.shortsalepahomes.com/foreclosure-vs-short-sale.html If you would like more information about buying again after a short sale in Bucks County, call Joel Gruenke with The Kim Tokar Team at Keller Williams Real Estate, 215-962-4326 or email me at Joel@KimTokar.com or visit our website at www.ShortSalePAHomes.com.

Helpful Hints for Moving To A New Home – An Essential Guide to Buying

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:02:05 -0800

Helpful Hints for Moving To A New Home – An Essential Guide to Buying Here at Bucks County Area Homes, our realtors are kept constantly busy by a stream of potential homeowners looking to move into the area. This, we believe, is due to the great community spirit and wealth of family friendly activities on offer for residents of Bucks County, as well as the welcoming and neighborly attitude adopted by the vast majority of those already living here. Yet while we are delighted to help as many families as possible find their ideal home, we recognize how stressful a process moving home can be – especially if the move is particularly long distance. This is why we have compiled a short guide to assist anyone preparing for a move in streamlining all aspects of this difficult time, taking into account financial aspects, money saving methods and those last minute checks that we all forget once in a while! Shop Around for a Moving Company One of the most important aspects of your move in Bucks County, after signing all the paperwork and receiving your contracts, is making sure your furniture and belongings can be transported in a safe and efficient way. This is where the moving company comes in – but although this is an essential part of the move, it can prove to be expensive. Setting a reasonable budget for removals and sticking to it can prevent moving home becoming out of hand financially, so receiving quotes from a number of different firms is a good idea. Thanks to the internet, reviews and customer testimonials are now easily accessible so it is easy to choose a company with a good reputation. If you have a large number of belongings and are worried that more than one truck may be required, hiring a van or pickup to drive yourself is a great way of saving additional expense. Alternatively, if you are not moving too far, drafting in friends and family members to help can take a lot of the strain off your shoulders and also assist in unpacking at the other end! Re-directing Important Documents In a survey conducted by My Move, collecting and sorting important papers was found to be one of the most stressful parts of moving to a new home for Bucks County buyers. This is backed up by home-movers around the globe, with a survey of UK property owners revealing that mail re-direction came second only to financial aspects as a primary cause of stress, so we're definitely not alone in that aspect! The ideal solution to this problem, of course, is to go paperless – after all, email and online banking services are always available no matter where you are. If this is not an option, giving yourself at least three weeks to sort through documents you are likely to need soon after moving and transferring them to an accordion file with separate sections will mean you know exactly where information is when you need it urgently. This file should remain with you during the move, so put it in your car rather than on the moving truck; that way, you can keep a close eye on it. Money.co.uk also recommends informing your bank of your change of address as soon as possible, saying; “Keeping them informed is not only a good idea because it will mean they can get hold of you in an emergency, but it will also stop any important financial documents falling into stranger’s hands. Write to each bank in advance to inform them of your new address and your moving date to ensure that their records remain up to date.” Preparing your New Home for Moving Day Unless you are moving into a home which has been newly built, chances are there are certain areas of the property which could use a little TLC before you move in your furniture. At the very least, the entire house could probably use a thorough clean and small areas of the interior may require painting in order to bring it up to your standards. If your budget will allow for it, bringing in professionals to provide you with a clean blank canvas come moving day is a great way to reduce stress, especially if you are moving long distance and cannot spare the time to race backwards and forwards across the country! In general, the best thing to do is start at the top and work your way down. Starting by removing cobwebs and dust from ceilings and windowsills, wiping down walls and cupboards and disinfecting bathroom surfaces should be your starting point. Don’t forget to clean light switches too – it’s surprising how many germs can accumulate here! It is much easier to clean an empty home than attempt to negotiate around furniture and boxes, so getting a head start will save hassle in the long run. Child and Pet Care While kids and pets are a huge part of any house move, the general view is that it is much easier to move furniture and boxes without them underfoot! Older kids are a great help when it comes to unpacking boxes, yet if your children are smaller it may be a good idea to ask a relative or babysitter to keep them entertained during the bulk of moving day. Even better, arranging a playdate followed by a sleepover gives you a wider window in which to get your new home in order before having to take on childcare duties once again! Before the move, checking your new yard is fully enclosed and pet proofed is essential if you plan to move your pets to your new home first, as they can then be left to explore without the worry of an escape attempt distracting you from the job at hand. And Finally… The littlest things can often prove to be the biggest problem come moving day, as all of your possessions need to be uplifted and transported, so organization is key in reducing stress. Making sure you have the keys for the old and new houses, the car and any additional moving vehicles on your person at all times prevents panic and arguments over who had them last! A checklist of last minute items – locking windows in the old house before vacating, dropping keys off with the realtor, final meter readings for power and gas etc etc – will similarly keep you on track. Moving can be incredibly stressful, but with proper planning and a loose schedule the little factors which can build up to a big problem can be tackled in an organized manner and is why you need a full service real estate team. Just keep in mind the reasons for your move, take deep breaths and, if all else fails, make sure the liquor cabinet arrives intact!

Buying A Home In Falls Township

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 06:52:40 -0700

After 12 years of being a Real Estate Agent, I have found myself once again purchasing my primary residence along with my daughter in Falls Township. My search was quick and precise and I was able to purchase a home of great value well within my budget. Following are the steps that my daughter, Danielle, and I followed in purchasing our home in Falls Township: 1. We gathered our requirements and wrote them down. My daughter’s requirement was simple; kids in neighborhood. We both agreed we wanted a small house so that we didn’t have to spend a lot of time cleaning and maintaining it and that we didn’t want to be “house poor.” My particular requirement was that it had gas cooking, in Falls Township or Yardley and that it had a sizable yard for our dog and an area for to fulfill my love of having a vegetable garden. 2. We found the neighborhood. Since Falls Township has significantly lower taxes and more free services for their residents, we decided to focus our search there. After doing initial drives throughout Falls Township, we picked the following neighborhoods: Fairless Hills, Vermillion Hills, Thornridge, Penns Grant, Yardley Farms, and Pennsbury Heights. With our requirements in hand we focused on driving through the selected Falls Township neighborhoods multiple times at different times of the day to determine if they would fit our needs. Driving through them we kept an eye out for clues that would meet our requirements. The items we were looking for were things like toys in yards, oil tanks and how the other homes were being kept. In the selected Falls Township neighborhoods we found Vermillion Hills, Thornridge and Penns Grant had smaller yards with electric cooking so we put them on the bottom of our list. Fairless Hills in Falls Township has gas cooking but most of the yards were 50 x 100. In Pennsbury Heights and the Falls Township part of Yardley Farms the yards are mostly 70 x 110 with gas cooking and those areas ended up at the top of the list. 3. We looked for the homes in Falls Township on the internet that had the worst pictures. Being an Internet Marketing Specialist I know that homes which are staged and have professional pictures sell quicker at a higher price. With that knowledge in mind, I started looking in Falls Township for the “Ugly Ducklings” since they were not getting as many showings and fewer offers. 4. We had an imagination. When we list properties for sell, it does not matter if we list properties in Falls Township or in Upper Makefield, the advice is always the same. We tell our clients that a couple of gallons of paint and some sprucing up of the flower beds could increase the value of their home by 10 percent. Being a buyer we needed to think in reverse. Paint is the cheapest home improvement that a lot of people don’t do. Focusing on the ones that needed a paint job got us to buy a home at a huge discount. Take a couple of weekends after you purchase to paint so that you can buy a home at a discount. 5. We made sure the major systems were in good working order. This is the most costly expense of being a homeowner and can create huge stress in your life if you cannot afford to replace them. In Falls Township they do have a Use and Occupancy requirement which requires the homeowner to get their heating and chimney certified which ensures you are moving in to a safe home. 6. We met the neighbors. That’s right, we met them. We walked through every neighborhood in Falls Township and looked to see who was working in their yards and even knocked the neighbors’ doors to find out if we would fit in. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself have your Real Estate Agent do it with you since it is a common practice in our profession. Remember that they are as interested in you as you are in them. During our home buying process in Falls Township my family was focused and had a clear vision of what we wanted before we started the process. By doing this we saved everyone a lot of time and money. We currently are scheduled to close on our Pennsbury Heights home in Falls Township in August and we are excited to move in and make this house our home. If you do ever see us around the neighborhood please feel free to say hi. Joel Gruenke The Kim Tokar Team 215-962-4326 Keller Williams Real Estate www.BucksAreaHomes.com

Removing Your Underground Oil Tank

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:44:47 -0700

Removing your underground oil tank in Levittown, PA. is a needed home improvement for many homeowners in either Levittown or another area in the country. Because of the environmental impacts, even New Jersey has made it illegal to sell a home with an underground oil tank. Here in Levittown, PA the area is known for affordable housing and its underground oil tanks which all need to be removed. The average oil tank leak costs the homeowner thousands of dollars as well as a personal visit from the Environmental Protection Agency. The trend to remove the underground oil tanks from the earth and put them on the side of the home is highly recommended but also creates a question of who to hire to do the job. The proper process to remove your underground oil tank is to have a licensed contractor get the permit, come out and remove the underground oil tank and then take soil samples before backfilling the hole. It is also the responsibility of the contractor to contact the township when the work is complete. There are various companies out there who are able to remove your underground oil tank; however, recently we have found some unscrupulous companies creating hyped up charges. These companies normally charge a very low fee to remove the underground oil tank but then make claims that the soil is contaminated without even doing a soil test. We have even received reports that some of these contractors don’t even have the proper insurance so make sure you call their insurance company to ensure they are covered to perform the work. My recommendation for anyone who is planning on removing an oil tank is to contact your local real estate office and ask them for recommendations for reputable companies to remove your underground oil tank. If you are local to Levittown please feel free to contact us here at The Kim Tokar Team.Joel Gruenke Keller Williams Real Estate 215-962-4326

1510 David Terrace Yardley, PA 19067

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 21:37:29 -0700

Welcome to 1510 David Terrace Yardley, PA in the neighborhood of Milford Manor. The neighborhood of Milford Manor is a community of homes that were built in the latter half of the 20th century. The typical home is approximately 2,100 square feet with each home resting on a third of an acre. Start your tour through this Milford Manor home by entering through its welcoming foyer with inset tile floor and two coat closets. Cooking is a pleasure with the remodeled kitchen with its cream cabinets, granite counters, stainless steel appliances and tile backsplash. The eating area has replaced sliding glass doors to a maintenance free deck, surrounded by a generous, fully fenced yard. The living room features custom built-ins and recessed lighting. The family room is warmed by a brick, gas fireplace. A formal dining room, large laundry room and remodeled powder room complete the first floor. Upstairs you’ll find the main bedroom with completely remodeled master bath, granite topped vanity, and two closets. With three more generously sized bedrooms and remodeled hall bath with granite topped vanity. hSome of the updates in this Milford Manor home are: Brand new roof in 2013, replaced heater in 2011, water heater in 2010, central air in 2003, replaced windows, tankless hot water heater, newer driveway and front walk, fully fenced yard and separately fenced in-ground heated pool which was installed in 2006. Virtually everything has been replaced and this decorator home shows beautifully. This fantastic home in Milford Manor is situated in the highly rated Pennsbury School District. Convenient commuting via Rt. 1, Rt. 95, the Rt. 1 corridor, the PA and NJ Turnpikes, trains to Philadelphia and New York plus many shopping and recreational venues. For more information on homes in Milford Manor and the rest of Yardley, PA visit us at www.BucksAreaHomes.com/Yardley-Real-Estate. To get a personal tour contact Kim Tokar at 215-266-2253 or reach us online at www.BucksAreaHomes.com

207 Winding Way, Pennsbury Heights, Falls Township, PA

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 05:52:59 -0700

207 Winding Way is situated in Falls Township, in the desirable neighborhood of Pennsbury Heights. Pennsbury Heights features larger lots and wide, spacious streets. This home has 4 bedrooms and 1.5 baths with a very spacious backyard. Walk through your beautiful front door to gleaming hardwood floors in the living and dining rooms. The living room is brightened by a large bay window and offers an open floor plan leading into the kitchen and dining room. The remodeled kitchen boasts loads of counter space and is also open to the dining room featuring sliding glass doors leading to the low maintenance deck. Down stairs you will find a generously sized family room leading off to the fourth bedroom. As you will see, the lower level offers a newer powder room and a very large laundry room with access to the backyard.Upstairs are three more bedrooms with hardwood floors throughout and updated hall bath. This home also has replaced windows, newer Trane gas heater, central air, siding, roof, driveway, electric service plus large storage shed. There is tremendous value here making this the best buy in the neighborhood. For more information on the neighborhood visit neighborhood webpage at https://www.facebook.com/PennsburyHeightsYardleyFarms The Kim Tokar Team www.BucksAreaHomes.com www.KimTokar.com Keller Williams Real Estate 215-266-2253

Neighborhood Of Penns Grant

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 05:39:51 -0800

Penns Grant is a neighborhood in Falls Township, Bucks County and is located behind the Morrisville Post Office on West Trenton Road. This neighborhood consists of 229 homes that were constructed in the early 1980’s by the Ryland Corporation. Penns Grant is a community of numerous colonials, split-levels and a few ranches. It has a playground with tennis courts. The history of this land can be traced back to the 1940’s when it was called Horton Aviation and then The Morrisville Airport. This airport was established at some point between 1945-1949 and closed sometime in 1970. The airport was first used for crop dusting for Kings and Horton Farms which are now the neighborhoods of Hedgerow Woods and Pennsbury Heights. In the later years the Airport was used for flight instruction and easy access to the Philadelphia Airport. The school district for Penns Grant is Pennsbury School District with the elementary school being Eleanor Roosevelt and the middle school being Pennwood. Homes in Penns Grant are affordably priced and range from the mid $250’s to the lower 300’s. To see all homes for sale in Penns Grant visit www.Bucksareahomes.com .

How Do I Avoid Foreclosure In Bucks County

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 22:27:02 -0800

Bucks county foreclosure solutions If you are facing a Foreclosure in Bucks County and do not know where to turn you are not alone. Currently 1 out of 33 residents in Pennsylvania are behind on their mortgages and 1 out of 25 residents owe more on their home then it’s worth. The following is a brief outline of your options to avoid foreclosure in Bucks County. Reinstatement : The homeowner contacts their lending institution to find out how much they are behind, then pay all the back payments, penalties, and the bank’s attorney bill. In Bucks County this will end foreclosure immediately. Forbearance or Repayment Plan: A forbearance or repayment plan involves the homeowner negotiating with the mortgage company to allow them to repay back payments over a period of time. In Bucks County you can begin this before your foreclosure starts. Mortgage Modification: A mortgage modification involves the reduction of the interest rate, principal balance, or a combination of both. In Bucks County the Bucks County Housing Authority can be of assistance and try to stop your foreclosure, call for information. Rent the Property: With the Bucks County rental market being at an all time high renting may be an alternative to foreclosure. This option can only be used if you are able to reinstate your mortgage and avoid foreclosure. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure (Friendly Foreclosure): A deed in lieu allows the homeowner to avoid a foreclosure in Bucks County and return the property to the lender. This option needs lender approval and the credit implications can be as severe as a foreclosure. Bankruptcy: If the homeowner has non-mortgage debts that cause a shortfall in paying their mortgage payments and a personal bankruptcy will eliminate these debts, this may be a solution. We have found that in most cases declaring bankruptcy only delays foreclosures in Bucks County so check all options before proceeding. Refinance: If a homeowner has sufficient equity in their property and their credit is still in good standing, they may be able to refinance their mortgage. If you are reading this I would assume it is too late for this option. Sell the Property: Homeowners with sufficient equity can list their property with a Short Sale PA Homes that understands the foreclosure process in their area. Here in Bucks County this is a great option since housing prices are on the rise. Short Sale: If a homeowner owes more on their property than it is currently worth, then they can hire a Short Sale PA Homes agent to market and sell their property through the negotiation of a short sale with their lender. If you received your foreclosure notice and are in Bucks county you are not too late. Foreclosures can be stopped even on the day of the foreclosure but you need an expert to help. Avoiding Foreclosure in Bucks County can be accomplished but action must be taken. In a quick 20 minute meeting we can cover your possible avenues and you can walk away with a new game plan. Call today for a free confidential evaluation of your individual situation and possible options.

Bank of America Paid Off My Mortgage

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 19:15:24 -0800

I received a phone call from an Alumnus Brother a couple of weeks ago stating he received a letter from Bank of America forgiving him of his obligation to them. He stated the loan was for $45,000 and was a 2nd loan on his home which we was currently paying and was never late. He further asked me many questions of why they are doing this and what repercussions he could incur for accepting it. Although this may sound odd it is not. Back in October Bank of America announced that they are erasing about 150,000 mortgages to help struggling homeowners. In reality, Bank of America is doing this as part of the settlement of the National Foreclosure Settlement. What seems odd is that it was suppose to be for struggling homeowners but we are seeing it happening to both good and bad loans. If you are one of the lucky ones you will be receiving a letter from Bank of America stating that they will completely pay off your mortgage unless you decline the offer within 30 days. If you wish to accept this gift you will not have to do anything. You will be automatically enrolled into the program and your mortgage will be paid off. According to Bank of America your credit report will be listed as “paid in full” but no one is clear if the homeowner needs to pay taxes on the debt as they normally would. It is my recommendation that anyone receiving this letter talk to their accountant and find out the benefits and potential penalties before accepting the forgiven debt. This Bank of America program is to reduce the amount owed in hopes that more Americans find themselves above water and able to move forward with their lives. Joel Gruenke The Kim Tokar Team Keller Williams Real Estat www.PA-NJRealEstate.com

Why Sell Your Bucks County Home This Fall

Joel Gruenke, The Kim Tokar Team (Keller Williams Real Estate) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:48:21 -0700

Bucks County real estate is changing. We have been ingrained to believe that spring is always the best time to put a home on the market. While many buyers do come out looking as the weather gets warmer, there are very good reasons to list in the fall instead of waiting. People Looking Now Are Serious Buyers In the fall and winter, only serious buyers will be in the marketplace. You will not have to prep and show your home to mere “tire-kickers” who are only browsing. In areas like Yardley, Newtown and Washington Crossing, for instance, many potential buyers are relocation transferees who tend to move now, before the end of the year. They may be working in Philadelphia, New York or the Rt. 1 Princeton corridor, and they need to buy now. There Is Far Less Competition Inventory of real estate in Bucks County (the number of homes for sale) has already shrunk almost 22% this August versus August 2011. The number of listings usually also shrinks noticeably in the fall months so buyer’s choices will be limited. In the spring you will compete with all the other sellers who are waiting to list their homes all at the same time. The Whole Process Will Be Faster and Easier One of the biggest frustrations for both buyers and sellers this year has been delays in getting to closing. With record low mortgage rates, banks have been processing a huge volume of purchase and refinance loans, often beyond the capacity of their underwriting departments. Both will slow into the fall, making the process much easier and quicker for both buyers and sellers. This Could Be the Best Opportunity in Your Lifetime to Move-Up If you want to move up to a larger, more expensive home, this is the time. Now that prices have corrected, you will get a larger cut on a more expensive home in both percentage and actual dollars than the cut in price you will take on the lower priced home you will sell. Also, prices are projected to rise over 15% from now to 2016. If you are moving up to a more expensive home, it will end up costing you more in actual dollars (in both down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait. You can also lock-in record low interest rates right now (currently about 3.5% for 30 years fixed). It is highly unlikely rates will remain at these levels for very long, let alone 30 years! It’s Time to Finally Get Where You Want to Be Look at why you decided to sell in the first place and decide whether it’s worth waiting for a certain price that may take months, or even years, to realize. Ask yourself if you are truly being realistic in your price. If not, then ask yourself if money is more important than being with your family. Is money more important than your health or having the freedom to go on with your life in the way you really would like? Only you can answer those questions. You have the power to take back control of the situation by pricing your home to guarantee it sells. Marketing it in the fall and winter can give you that much more of an edge so you and your family can move on and start living the life you really want. -Kim Tokar