If you've been on the fence about purchasing a home, here are 3 reasons to act quickly!
Reason #1
By now we've all heard many times about the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers that the government is offering this year. You may have also heard about the $6,500 tax credit for "move-up" buyers, people who have owned a home for at least 8 years, and lived in it for 5 consecutive years of the last 8. Those are two great reasons to purchase a home right now! Unfortunately, those programs are set to end April 30, 2010, and it does not appear that they will be extended again.
Reason #2
Did you also know that mortgage rates are at some of the lowest points in 40 years? The federal government has been trying to keep mortgage rates low in an attempt to secure the market and make home buying more affordable, but that program will end March 31, 2010 so buyers need to act fast.
Reason #3
Why give your money to a landlord when you can own your own home? With lower listing prices, lots of inventory, and another round of foreclosures on the way, plus the historically low mortgage rates and tax incentives mentioned above, you can own a home for nearly as much as you may be paying in rent. You'll be building equity and be able to enjoy the pride and self satisfaction of home ownership.
If you have any questions about the information above, or if you'd like to discuss the value of owning vs. renting a home and whether buying at this time is right for you, please feel free to give us a call! We'd love to have a conversation with you!
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
The "Art" of Staging a Home
This weekend I went to see the movie Leap Year with my friend. It was a cute, feel good chick flick, set in Ireland. Predictable, yes, but fun nonetheless--although I think I laughed a bit harder in some spots than most of the audience.
You see, the main character, Anna (played by Amy Adams,) is a stager. The opening scenes of the movie show her viewing an empty Boston condo that is apparently for sale, then moving in furniture, boxes, etc. The viewer thinks she is moving in until the scene wraps up with the condo beautifully decorated, and Anna promising the selling agent that if he bakes the tube of cookies she hands him half an hour before the Open House, he’ll have 4 offers by the end of the day!
Now, it’s no secret that we in the real estate industry do believe that staging will help sell a home. Countless articles and blogs have been written about the advantages of staging a home before a showing to improve the look and feel and make it more appealing to buyers. And, many of the steps used in staging a home will help when it comes time to pack up and move, so it’s beneficial for the seller as well.
So, here are some quick staging tips:
Exterior
Take a good look at the outside of your home. Is there paint that needs touched up? Are there loose or missing shutters, doors, etc? If your home has aluminum or vinyl siding, could it use a pressure wash to clean it up? Make sure your yard is cleaned up, lawn and bushes trimmed, leaves raked, or this time of year, the sidewalks and steps are clear of snow and ice. How do the roof and gutters look? Cleaning them up can make the house look newer and fresher. In this market, many buyers are deciding not to see a home if they pull up in front of it and they don’t like the look, so curb appeal is more important than ever!
Interior
Try to make the rooms in your home look as spacious as possible. That may mean removing or rearranging furniture to open the room up. Remove any clutter like piles of magazines, crowded bookshelves, and shelves full of knick knacks. You should also remove personal photos and other mementos so buyers can better picture the house as “theirs” rather than “yours”. Make sure kitchen and bathrooms are clean, sinks have been scrubbed out, stove and oven are clean etc. If you have pets, take extra care to clean litter boxes, food bowls and sleeping areas more frequently. You may want to add some fresh flowers or fruit, or pull out the old cookie standby I already mentioned, to make the house smell nice. And of course, dusting, vacuuming and making the beds is a must.
I think the part of the movie that made me laugh the most though came much later, as Anna was getting to know Declan, the guy helping her navigate from Dingle to Dublin. He asks her what she does for a living and she says she’s a stager. When he asks what she means, she goes into a very fantastical, artful description. He mistakes her for an interior decorator and when she tells him no, her “magic” is only temporary; he comes back with something like this: “Let me get this straight, you bring in all the furniture, the paintings, make it look like a home? The people come in, fall in love, buy the home, and then you take it all away and leave the place empty?” (I’m paraphrasing; I only saw the movie once.) When she says yes his reply is, “Ah! So you’re a con artist then!”
I busted up laughing at this point, and suddenly realized I was laughing alone. It occurred to me then that Declan is partially correct. As the saying goes, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. By that I mean, you can dress your home up and make it look fantastic, but if it’s overpriced, or hasn’t been well maintained, all you’re doing is putting lipstick on a pig. That’s why you need a qualified, experienced Realtor to help you sell your home. A professional Realtor will be able to give you an impartial analysis of your home’s condition, what it is really worth and what you can expect to sell it for in the current market, as well as some staging tips to help it sell faster.
Of course the movie had a happy ending, the girl got the guy and everyone lived happily ever after, as chick flicks always do. More importantly though, the agent did indeed have several offers on the condo by the end of the Open House!
You see, the main character, Anna (played by Amy Adams,) is a stager. The opening scenes of the movie show her viewing an empty Boston condo that is apparently for sale, then moving in furniture, boxes, etc. The viewer thinks she is moving in until the scene wraps up with the condo beautifully decorated, and Anna promising the selling agent that if he bakes the tube of cookies she hands him half an hour before the Open House, he’ll have 4 offers by the end of the day!
Now, it’s no secret that we in the real estate industry do believe that staging will help sell a home. Countless articles and blogs have been written about the advantages of staging a home before a showing to improve the look and feel and make it more appealing to buyers. And, many of the steps used in staging a home will help when it comes time to pack up and move, so it’s beneficial for the seller as well.
So, here are some quick staging tips:
Exterior
Take a good look at the outside of your home. Is there paint that needs touched up? Are there loose or missing shutters, doors, etc? If your home has aluminum or vinyl siding, could it use a pressure wash to clean it up? Make sure your yard is cleaned up, lawn and bushes trimmed, leaves raked, or this time of year, the sidewalks and steps are clear of snow and ice. How do the roof and gutters look? Cleaning them up can make the house look newer and fresher. In this market, many buyers are deciding not to see a home if they pull up in front of it and they don’t like the look, so curb appeal is more important than ever!
Interior
Try to make the rooms in your home look as spacious as possible. That may mean removing or rearranging furniture to open the room up. Remove any clutter like piles of magazines, crowded bookshelves, and shelves full of knick knacks. You should also remove personal photos and other mementos so buyers can better picture the house as “theirs” rather than “yours”. Make sure kitchen and bathrooms are clean, sinks have been scrubbed out, stove and oven are clean etc. If you have pets, take extra care to clean litter boxes, food bowls and sleeping areas more frequently. You may want to add some fresh flowers or fruit, or pull out the old cookie standby I already mentioned, to make the house smell nice. And of course, dusting, vacuuming and making the beds is a must.
I think the part of the movie that made me laugh the most though came much later, as Anna was getting to know Declan, the guy helping her navigate from Dingle to Dublin. He asks her what she does for a living and she says she’s a stager. When he asks what she means, she goes into a very fantastical, artful description. He mistakes her for an interior decorator and when she tells him no, her “magic” is only temporary; he comes back with something like this: “Let me get this straight, you bring in all the furniture, the paintings, make it look like a home? The people come in, fall in love, buy the home, and then you take it all away and leave the place empty?” (I’m paraphrasing; I only saw the movie once.) When she says yes his reply is, “Ah! So you’re a con artist then!”
I busted up laughing at this point, and suddenly realized I was laughing alone. It occurred to me then that Declan is partially correct. As the saying goes, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. By that I mean, you can dress your home up and make it look fantastic, but if it’s overpriced, or hasn’t been well maintained, all you’re doing is putting lipstick on a pig. That’s why you need a qualified, experienced Realtor to help you sell your home. A professional Realtor will be able to give you an impartial analysis of your home’s condition, what it is really worth and what you can expect to sell it for in the current market, as well as some staging tips to help it sell faster.
Of course the movie had a happy ending, the girl got the guy and everyone lived happily ever after, as chick flicks always do. More importantly though, the agent did indeed have several offers on the condo by the end of the Open House!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Ch-ch-ch-changes!
Happy 2010! It’s a new year, a new decade and a new start for The Salem Team! As you may have heard, on January 1 we joined the Keller Williams Greater Cleveland West group of realtors. Now that the unpacking is done and the dust is settling, we’re looking forward to a great year.
So what does this move mean for you–our clients, friends, family and fellow real estate professionals? Only that our offices have moved to Westlake. Our services and goals haven’t changed. In fact, moving to Keller Williams offers us better tools to serve you better. We continue to put our client’s goals and needs at the forefront while working hard to be the first you think of when you need help with a real estate matter. Our community ties and affiliations remain strong, so you’ll still see us at Lakewood Chamber events, networking events and maybe just enjoying happy hour or lunch in our favorite Lakewood establishments. Be on the lookout for a Lakewood satellite office to open soon as well!
We’ve got lots of exciting plans for this year, so be sure to watch this blog and our Facebook pages for more to come. Once we get our offices all settled, we’ll try to post a video of our new home, but in the meantime, feel free to drop by and say hi! We’d love to give you the full tour!
So what does this move mean for you–our clients, friends, family and fellow real estate professionals? Only that our offices have moved to Westlake. Our services and goals haven’t changed. In fact, moving to Keller Williams offers us better tools to serve you better. We continue to put our client’s goals and needs at the forefront while working hard to be the first you think of when you need help with a real estate matter. Our community ties and affiliations remain strong, so you’ll still see us at Lakewood Chamber events, networking events and maybe just enjoying happy hour or lunch in our favorite Lakewood establishments. Be on the lookout for a Lakewood satellite office to open soon as well!
We’ve got lots of exciting plans for this year, so be sure to watch this blog and our Facebook pages for more to come. Once we get our offices all settled, we’ll try to post a video of our new home, but in the meantime, feel free to drop by and say hi! We’d love to give you the full tour!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Real Estate Resolutions 2010
by Broderick Perkins
Sure you can lose weight, get in shape, launch a business or find a new job.
But haven't you also procrastinated long enough about buying a home?
How long has it been since you upgraded your home with a new roof, spiffed up landscaping or pulled some other home improvement?
And that post-World War II ranch home of yours could certainly use a few energy efficient do-overs.
Look to low mortgage interest rates, bargain home prices and other favorable market conditions to give you the resolve to consider home sweet home in your list of must-dos next year.
• Join the nearly 18 percent of Americans who say they've resolved to become a first-time homebuyer in 2010, according to a new Move.com survey. That's both a smart move and a timely one. Mortgage rates are at record lows, prices are down and the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit has been extended until April 30, 2010. It's also been expanded to include a $6,500 tax credit to move-up buyers.
• More than 15 percent of those who responded to the survey said saving money to purchase a new home is their top real estate resolution for the New Year. Resolve with them to learn the best way to budget, plan ahead and save money.
• Nearly 40 percent say No. 1 on their list of resolutions is starting a home improvement. Cheap home equity money should help them not only start, but also complete the job. Calabasas, CA-based Informa Research Services found home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) for $50,000, with an 80 percent loan-to-value note, were available in early December at an average variable rate of 4.98 percent. Some rates were as low as 2.74 percent.
• The Move.com survey also found 9.1 percent most wanted to fix their credit so they can buy a home next year. To get started all you need to do is take a look at your next credit card statement for a toll free number directing you to counseling help. That's part of the new, but little-known mandated disclosure provisions in the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (CARD Act).
• Nearly 16 percent are wisely considering buying an investment property as their top resolution. The couldn't have picked a better time in the last half decade. Another Move.com survey recently found more than 12 percent of homebuyers today plan to purchase a home as an investment, compared to less than half, only 5.6 percent, just seven months ago, thanks to more attractive investment conditions.
"If you anticipate inflationary conditions in the future, investment property could be a good bet to hedge against it," said Nancy Osborne, chief operating officer of Erate.com, a Santa Clara, CA-based financial information publisher and interest rate tracker.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2009 Realty Times. All Rights Reserved.
With an award winning staff of writers providing up to the minute real estate news and advice, thousands of REALTORS® in North America reporting daily market conditions, and a nationally broadcast television news program, Realty Times is the one-stop shop for real estate information. That's why over 10,000 real estate professionals have turned to us for their publicity needs.
Sure you can lose weight, get in shape, launch a business or find a new job.
But haven't you also procrastinated long enough about buying a home?
How long has it been since you upgraded your home with a new roof, spiffed up landscaping or pulled some other home improvement?
And that post-World War II ranch home of yours could certainly use a few energy efficient do-overs.
Look to low mortgage interest rates, bargain home prices and other favorable market conditions to give you the resolve to consider home sweet home in your list of must-dos next year.
• Join the nearly 18 percent of Americans who say they've resolved to become a first-time homebuyer in 2010, according to a new Move.com survey. That's both a smart move and a timely one. Mortgage rates are at record lows, prices are down and the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit has been extended until April 30, 2010. It's also been expanded to include a $6,500 tax credit to move-up buyers.
• More than 15 percent of those who responded to the survey said saving money to purchase a new home is their top real estate resolution for the New Year. Resolve with them to learn the best way to budget, plan ahead and save money.
• Nearly 40 percent say No. 1 on their list of resolutions is starting a home improvement. Cheap home equity money should help them not only start, but also complete the job. Calabasas, CA-based Informa Research Services found home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) for $50,000, with an 80 percent loan-to-value note, were available in early December at an average variable rate of 4.98 percent. Some rates were as low as 2.74 percent.
• The Move.com survey also found 9.1 percent most wanted to fix their credit so they can buy a home next year. To get started all you need to do is take a look at your next credit card statement for a toll free number directing you to counseling help. That's part of the new, but little-known mandated disclosure provisions in the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (CARD Act).
• Nearly 16 percent are wisely considering buying an investment property as their top resolution. The couldn't have picked a better time in the last half decade. Another Move.com survey recently found more than 12 percent of homebuyers today plan to purchase a home as an investment, compared to less than half, only 5.6 percent, just seven months ago, thanks to more attractive investment conditions.
"If you anticipate inflationary conditions in the future, investment property could be a good bet to hedge against it," said Nancy Osborne, chief operating officer of Erate.com, a Santa Clara, CA-based financial information publisher and interest rate tracker.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2009 Realty Times. All Rights Reserved.
With an award winning staff of writers providing up to the minute real estate news and advice, thousands of REALTORS® in North America reporting daily market conditions, and a nationally broadcast television news program, Realty Times is the one-stop shop for real estate information. That's why over 10,000 real estate professionals have turned to us for their publicity needs.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
