kelly holmquist: Dare We Say It? Has The Housing Market Recovered?
- 10/09/12 05:33 AM
LONG VALLEY, N.J. – Shhhh. Don’t read this too loudly yet….but it appears that more and more experts believe that the housing market recovery is finally here. Those of us at The Holmquist Team don’t want to jinx things…but we agree.
Those experts are drawing that conclusion based on how well homes are selling and a variety of other data. For example:
· Nationally, CNNMoney talked with 14 leading economists about home prices. Nine of them say home prices already have turned higher or will make that turn later this year.
· According to the economists, housing … (0 comments)
LONG VALLEY, N.J. – Whether you own a home, or you’re a renter who would like to be a homeowner someday, a series of legal proposals and events are threatening long-held ideas about home ownership. Holmquist Team members have been urging people to visit a new website that talks about those challenges and gives people an opportunity to be heard on the topic.
The site, http://www.protecthomeownership.com, was created by the National Association of Homebuilders. It explores the mortgage-interest deduction, affordable housing issues, foreclosures and … (0 comments)
A national housing index based on the number of contracts signed by people buying houses rose to its highest level in two years last week, generating more assurances that the real estate market is stabilizing and the time to buy or sell a home is now. That national view reflects what The Holmquist Team has been seeing inChester,LongValley,MountOlive and elsewhere. Indicators that the housing market is settling down have been growing, so if you’ve been waiting for a better market to buy a house, it’s here. The latest information from the … (1 comments)
(Note: Realtor Kelly Holmquist talks about changes in foreclosures and an option to foreclosures in a video here.)
Real estate experts are predicting an increase in foreclosures due to recent court rulings. That means it’s time for people who are struggling with their mortgages, but have put off looking for a solution, to take action. One alternative people should consider is a short sale. There are lots of myths about foreclosures and short sales. As readers of this column know, I … (0 comments)
kelly holmquist: Holmquist Team, Other Realtors, Will See More Short Sales In Coming Days
- 05/24/12 09:27 AM
Holmquist Team, Other Realtors, Will See More Short Sales In Coming Days For those swamped by their mortgages, short sales may help avoid the coming tide of new foreclosures. Although the news media and real estate blogs have been talking about the improving real estate market, there’s an unpleasant fact that people in the market have to face: Even as home sales are increasing, The Holmquist Team and other Realtors in New Jersey soon will see many more foreclosures and short sales. The housing marketing is improving. Home sales in theNorthwesternMorrisCounty area up, days on market are down and the number … (0 comments)
kelly holmquist: Summer’s Here: Time To Make Your Home Bloom
- 05/14/12 05:41 AM
Realtor Kelly Holmquist recommends planting brightly colored flowers to help homes for sale sell more quickly. LONGVALLEY– It’s summer, and houses for sale are popping up like dandelions. Making a home standout in the summer means staging it so it’s the most attractive-looking home on your block from the outside as well as the inside. If you’re selling a home, you’ve heard about staging your home. What you may not realize is that staging is different in the summer than in the winter. Here are 10 things The Holmquist Team tells its customers to do to make their homes jump … (1 comments)
kelly holmquist: Holiday Decorations Present Challenges For Homes That Are On The Market
- 12/13/11 07:52 AM
Holiday decorations done right can help sell a home all year around. But experts say that decorating for the holidays when your home is on the market can be tricky. “Many people feel their homes are at their warmest and most welcoming when the Thanksgiving table is set and awaiting the turkey, or when the December holiday decorations are set up,” says Kelly Holmquist, leader of the Holmquist Team, part of Keller Williams Towne Square Realty. “We counsel our clients to take photos of their home at its best. We also warn them to decorate with care.” When people are shopping … (0 comments)
Job opportunities beckoning from a distance are exciting, but in this house market, those selling a home consider their likelihood of success a major part of the decision whether or not to pursue one of those opportunities. An experienced Realtor can help you make that decision.
Recent figures released by the Otteau Valuation Group show some improvement in the real estate market since last year in Morris County. For instance, last month, there were 483 homes sold in Morris County. A year ago, there were only 439 homes sold during May. Inventory is lower and there are fewer sellers for each buyer.
Those statistics don’t mean much if you’re living in a home you purchased at the top of the market that will never sell for a high enough sum to off the mortgage. That can mean a quick end to pursuing a dream job out of town.
That was the situation for Kathy and Bruce, who have a business and a home in Succasunna. They have a terrific opportunity waiting for them in Derby, Kan. The couple knows they can’t sell their home for what they paid for it, and they are considering working with The Holmquist Team and attorney Marty Egan to use a short sell to sell their home.
“We have questions about the effect on our credit scores,” said Bruce, who will be meeting with us to discuss such issues.
The key for people like Kathy and Bruce is to find a Realtor and an attorney that they trust. They need advice from both, working as a team on your behalf, to decide whether they can sell their home through aggressive marketing, keep and rent the home, sell the home through a short sale or pursue another alternative.
All signs seem to be pointing to an economy that is slowly beginning to improve. That can mean the creation of new opportunities. If you’re thinking about pursuing them, if you want to get out from under an oppressive mortgage, or if you need to sell your home for any other reason, work a Realtor to determine if selling your home will be a challenge.
For instance, if you purchased your home 30 years ago, you don’t have a mortgage and you want to sell it and move to an active-adult community somewhere, your home needs a relatively simple but professional marketing program by a Realtor who understands the current market.
But if your home is “under water,” meaning it isn’t worth what you owe on it, you may face special challenges, even if you are current with your mortgage. That’s when you need a Realtor and an attorney with extensive experience with distressed properties.
With interest rates low and the market coming to life, now really is the time to put your home on the market. If you need help determining how best to do that, please give us a call.
LONG VALLEY, N.J. – Shhhh. Don’t read this too loudly yet….but it appears that more and more experts believe that the housing market recovery is finally here. Those of us at The Holmquist Team don’t want to jinx things…but we agree.
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