INTEREST RATES???

Interest rate vs money balance

Image by RambergMediaImages via Flickr

What next???  The interest rates are going to go up starting in March.  What else is going to happen to our real estate market?  The buyers? The sellers? 

We can never really predict what the market will do to our buying power.  We can only plan the best we can and jump through the hurdles put in front of us. 

I cannot express how important it is to line up all your “ducks” and ready them for when that right house comes, you are then in position to GO FOR IT.

With all the new legislations, rules and guidelines, buyers have to be better prepared before entering into this major purchase.  Buyers don’t have the time and money to waste.  TIME IS MONEY…in every meaning of the phrase.

Follow the ABC’s of buying and selling real estate and listen to your agent.

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Starting over…again

question

It has been too long since I’ve blogged.  Perhaps I did not have anything interesting that I thought was worth mentioning?? I didn’t have time?? Or   that I was just too lazy?? Whatever the reason, I’m here now.

I had a client that was too afraid or embarressed to ask certain questions and decided to try to find out and understand her concerns on her own.  After carefully trying to skirt around the situation and digging through her concerns and actions, all she was racking her brains out with was how the whole home buying process is supposed to take place. 

I had gone through this with her and her husband already, step by step of what to do and expect.  However, either my verbage got lost in their understanding or else outside people were corrutping their brains to no end.

Damage control was instituted and the fire is now out.  They are now in a comfy place to continue on. They finally admitted that they just needed to trust me and trust that I have their best interest at hand.  We are now loan ready, home searching , and ready to make offers.

Advise…find that agent you can trust.  Ask all your questions as soon as they are a concern to you and let your agent do his/her job in helping you.

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HOT SUMMERS

Housing
Image by james.thompson via Flickr

 

                                                
SUMMER IS HOT

 

     Yes, the housing
market is HOT.  Summertime has been
traditionally the hottest time of the year to really burst in sales.  It is when families want to make the move
into a neighborhood where the school of their choice is located. It is also
when people decide to pick up and leave to another area to start anew.

 

     The interest
rates are still at its all time low.  The
inventory of houses are plentiful.  The
only major hurdle still seems to be the lack of  qualified buyers.  Buyers are having a hard time qualifying for
a loan.  However, after getting
pre-approved, the lender requirements are so difficult and lengthy that it
appears hopeless.  That is how my last
clients were starting to feel.  Some of
the conditions required by the lender referenced where and why certain deposits
were made.  How do we remember every
single deposit???  We are just happy to
have a deposit.  Lenders like to see “seasoned”
funds.  They want to see the paper trail
of where it came from.  Though it seems “crazy”
to keep track of simple things like this, it is imperative and recommended to
do so.  Don’t get discouraged or turned
off.  Provide what is needed and
persevere.

 

     My suggestion is
to document EVERYTHING, or realistically, as much as you can.  It can only be helpful to your home purchase
and hopefully make the process less stressful.

 

     Let the summer be
a profitable and positive experience for you. 
The house of your desires it out here. 
You just have to go through the proper steps to obtain this goal.

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HOT SUMMERS

To Buy or Not to Buy…That is the question???

Here is an article that may be a spark to prospective home buyers…
Cheaper to buy than rent in 78% of major cities

Trulia: Dropping prices and rising rents boost affordability

By Inman News, Thursday, April 28, 2011.Inman News™

It is cheaper to buy a home than to rent one in 39 of the nation’s 50 largest cities, according to a quarterly report released today by real estate search and marketing site Trulia.

Trulia’s rent vs. buy index compared the median list price with the median rent on two-bedroom apartments, condominiums and townhomes listed on Trulia.com as of April 1, 2011, in the 50 most populous cities in the U.S. While 72 percent of the cities favored buying in the previous quarter’s report, 78 percent favored buying in this latest report.

“With home prices nearing a double dip and more foreclosures expected to flood the housing market over the next two years, the decision between renting and buying a home across most of the country has clearly moved in favor of buying,” said Ken Shuman, Trulia’s spokesperson, in a statement.

“As we head into the summer buying season, those looking to buy a home should be encouraged by improvements in the market and feel optimistic about their chances of finding an affordable home — much more so than in previous years.”

So you have it, another sign that the market is favorable or looking more favorable to the buying market.  Good luck and Go Do It !!!

IPad 2??? What next???

Do you ever feel like you’re always playing catch up with the electronic evolution? I do. Just when I think I have the best and latest gadget, I am behind again in the next couple of months.  That is extremely expensive and exhausting.  So I have learned through the years to listen to what previous buyers of the product of interest have to say.  Use their experience from the ownership of the product as a tool to help pick out the item that suits me best.

This is how some home buyers may feel and it can be avoided or at least less of a stressful process.  I can not express enough how important it is to listen to your real estate agent and follow their guidance.  Get pre-approved first and then start house hunting.  Don’t look and then contact your agent next because working backwards  99% of the time,  is what makes the real estate buying/selling process so frustrating. So in this scenario, use the experience of your agent and listen and follow their guidance to help expedite the process with little or no pain to you.

Happy Shopping and Go Do It.

A New Resolution??

New Year's Resolution - Day 1
Image by Cath in Dorset via Flickr

Happy New Year!!!  

Have you ever made a new year resolution?  I have and every year it gets more and more attainable.  Whether it be losing 5 more pounds, to finishing a project, or getting that investment, resolutions are made because those are goals we want to achieve.

So, for those of you who want to have a  real estate investments as a new years resolution, start tightening your boot straps, gather the paperwork and let’s go.  The interest rates are still at an all time low so, what’s the hesitation?  If fear of the unknown is the factor, then we need to discuss what is really your goal. 

Best wishes for a wonderful and very Happy and healthy New Year.

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WAKE UP!!

Wake up everyone!!!  In this buyer’s real estate market, why are buyers still sitting on the fence?  The interest rates are at the all time low and what are you waiting for???

Haven’t you ever felt that you always seem to “miss the train?”  I hate to break it to you, but if you don’t grab your luggage’s and paperwork, you will miss it again.  Buying a house is here for the taking.  Of course, it won’t fall in your lap.  There are preparations needed.  All I’m saying is, what more do you want to happen.  If you have the nest egg, financial stability, family support, perseverance,  etc… then let’s make the move.  There will always be an excuse if you are not really ready to make the purchase.  But if you are ready and excuses are flushed away, then GO DO IT!!!

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More “out of pocket” expense??

 YES!!!   Buyers and re-financers need to get off the chair and really move to obtaining a new interest rate.  There are more “out of pocket” costs that borrower’s will be incurring after October 4.  This will have a direct affect on the borrower’s monthly obligation.

Interest rates are at a all time low and there is no reason to not do it. 

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missing in action

wow.  I have been enjoying the fruits of my labor and am back on track again.  How many of you have done the same and now have to deal with getting your focus again?  Been there and done that!!!

Summer is here, and home buying is still a very big adventurous opportunity for those of you that have everything ready for the “signing”.  Its a go do it time still so don’t hesitate any further.  Interest rates are creeping up slowly and I don’t how much longer it will stay this low.

Kids are out of school.  there’s alittle more time and less stress to devote your time and energy to getting your next home or investment. 

Ask all your questions and make the decision to buying or selling real estate NOW.  Trust your agent and perseverence always prevails.