boise real estate: Think you aren't qualified to buy a home? Maybe you should get a second opinion! - 01/08/10 03:43 AM
Think you aren't qualified to buy a home?  Maybe you should get a second opinion!
The media has done a great job of putting the word out that the real estate market has suffered during the last 2 years.  What they haven't done is talk about what a great buying opportunity this has created for many potential home buyers across the country. 
With interest rates still very low (but expected to go up this year), the $8,000.00 First Time HomeBuyers Tax Credit (which has been extended and now includes up to $6500 for certain move-up buyers who have owned their primary residence for the … (0 comments)

boise real estate: Credit Scores...More Important NOW Than Ever! - 12/29/09 05:23 AM
As the availability of credit continues to be tight (it could get tighter!) having a good credit score is now more important than it has ever been and having a low credit score will carry with it a variety of costs both tangible and intangible. Think about it from the bank's perspective, many people want to borrow money from you and you have limited funds to lend so you are going to choose to loan your money to people who demonstrate lower risk variables (ie. those with a longer history of responsible repayment and thus maintain higher credit scores).
Of course there is … (1 comments)

boise real estate: How do We STOP the Foreclosure Process? - 12/14/09 02:58 AM
Foreclosed properties are no good for anyone (except perhaps buyers).  Banks lose money, homeowners lose their homes, neighbors and neighborhoods lose value and equity.  Many homeowners see their dream of owning a home go up in smoke.
   
How do we in the Real Estate industry help stop this snowball from tumbling out of control?
The road to foreclosure is long and there are many obstacles in the way.  It can take a year or more for a property to go into foreclosure status. These obstacles create opportunities for us to help our clients work out a solution before the foreclosure … (1 comments)

boise real estate: Are You Financially Fit? Give yourself a Financial Physical - 11/19/09 03:17 AM

 Are You Financially Fit?  Give yourself a Financial Physical
  Just like an "annual physical" with your doctor, it is equally as important to get a "financial physical" to make sure you are using your money to your optimum advantage. The following observations and questions are designed to get you thinking-thinking about how you can reduce your living expenses, improve your cash flow, pay down debt, or put money away for a rainy day.
      Every household budget has some room for improvement but they can vary based on your needs, family size, lifestyle, etc.  First, start by reviewing your … (2 comments)

boise real estate: Tentative agreement reached on extension of Tax Credit for Home Buyers. - 10/29/09 06:25 AM
Good news!  It appears we are getting closer to an approved extension of the Home Buyer Tax Credit.  According to Foxnews.com this morning the Senate reached a tentative agreement to extend the tax credit for first-time home buyers.
Fox says "The agreement would extend the existing credit for first-time home buyers, worth up to $8,000, while offering a new credit of up to $6,500 for some existing homeowners, Senate aides said. The reduced credit would be available to all home buyers who have been in their current residence for a consecutive five-year period in the past eight years."
  The success of … (1 comments)

boise real estate: Pay attention to your CREDIT! - 10/20/09 06:23 AM
Your credit score is a three digit number ranging from 350 to 850. Roughly 50% of consumers have a score above 720. The higher your credit score is, the lower you can expect your interest rates and fees on loans to be.
Your credit report indicates to lenders how you have handled your credit in the last 24 months. Credit scores are recalculated every time a lender requests it. If you’re 30 days late with a payment and your creditor reports it, a score in the mid 700s can drop somewhere around 50-100 points or more!  It can happen overnight and literally take years to recover from. 
There are … (4 comments)

boise real estate: Tell the Obama Administration you want the Housing Tax Credit Extended! - 10/08/09 02:49 PM
The Real Estate Community must be pro-active in having our voices heard by the Obaba Administration.  I don't just mean Real Estate Agents, I mean Lenders, Appraisers, Title and Escrow companies, consumers, builders, suppliers, sub contractors, and any one else who has an interest in having the housing market specifically, or the national economy as a whole recover. 
I implore each and every person to make their voices heard by submitting their comments to this website:
 http://www.fixhousingfirst.com/                    
It is imperative that you weigh in with both the White House and the Treasury Department to let them know that the homebuyer tax credit … (2 comments)

boise real estate: Running out of time to benefit from the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit? - 10/07/09 05:48 AM
Potential homebuyers are running out of time to benefit from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009’s First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. Will Congress allow the $8,000 tax credit for first-time purchasers to expire as scheduled on November 30th? Or will the tax credit get a second life and be extended, thus allowing the struggling housing market additional time to recover. This is of particular concern if you are a buyer just starting to shop and you see entry-level prices bottoming out or rebounding in your local market. The tax credit statute requires buyers to completely close on their … (1 comments)