Homeowners Willing to Tackle Remodeling Projects
by Kathleen Lynn
RISMEDIA, February 25, 2011—(MCT)—Homeowners who put off renovations during the recession are thinking about spending money on their properties again.
Take Barbara Moreno and Robert Ptaszynski of Washington Township, N.J., who delayed plans to add a second story to their ranch house when the recession hit their industries—automobiles and title insurance—hard.
Now they’re ready to move forward, because they feel more confident about the economy. “Things seem to be—knock on wood—settling down a little bit,” Ptaszynski said this week at the Home Show in Secaucus, N.J.
Sellers - Don't Let Poor Photos Break Your Listing!
February 24, 2011 - Within just a few minutes of tapping into my social media connections this morning, two articles came across my feed that reiterated the same point: Quality photos are necessary when selling a home. According to Michael Estrin's article, "Red Flags: How to Spoil a Home Description", listings that include no photos often act as a "red flag" for buyers, immediately causing them to assume that something is wrong with the home. This is a concern that many Realtors® have heard from buyers and it often starts buyers off on a slew of questions as to why there are no photos - none of which seem to give sellers the benefit of the doubt. In fact, it appears that buyers often eliminate listings with no photos, or listings that only show the exterior of the home, right off the bat.
Click here to read more about how photos can make or break your listing
More CLUEs to Help You Find the Right Home
Everybody knows that there is a ton of paperwork and documentation involved in the homebuying process, most of which is required to protect both parties and ensure that the buyer has as much information as possible about the property they are about to purchase. Recently, requesting a Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) report has become popular amongst homebuyers.
Click here to read more about CLUE reports and how they can help you when buying a home
January Housing Scorecard – Data Reveals Mortgage Help Reaching Struggling Middle Class,
Underwater and Minority Homeowners
RISMEDIA, February 2, 2011—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury released the January 2011 edition of the Obama Administration’s Housing Scorecard. The latest housing figures show increased new and existing home sales as home affordability remains high, but officials caution that the market remains fragile, as prices are unsettled. Foreclosure starts and completions remained low at the year’s end, as lenders continue to review internal servicing procedures.
Common Impediments to Selling & How to Overcome Them
RISMEDIA, February 1, 2011—Even with the economy improving overall, it would be false to say the real estate market is booming, especially for home sellers. Unfortunately, negative financial headlines are causing some potential sellers to needlessly hide in fear. For many, it truly is not the ideal time to put their home on the market. But, even in a less-than-robust economy, you might be in the right—perhaps even the ideal—situation to sell. Unfortunately, some common impediments may make you run from doing so.
Click here to find out what those roadblocks to selling are and how to overcome them
Owners and Renters Agree: Owning a Home Is a Smart Decision
RISMEDIA, January 22, 2011—A substantial majority of both homeowners and current renters agree that owning a home is a smart decision over the long term. That’s according to the results of a National Association of REALTORS® survey of 3,793 adults conducted online by Harris Interactive.
The American Attitudes About Homeownership survey found that in today’s challenging economy, 95% of owners and 72% of renters believe that over a period of several years, it makes more sense to own a home. In addition, an overwhelming majority of homeowners are happy with their decision to own a home—93% of owners surveyed would buy again.
Simple Tips to Change Your Financial Behavior
By Gregory Karp
RISMEDIA, January 31, 2011—(MCT)—Americans have a renewed interest in all things frugal during this recession. They’re spending less money, using credit cards less, and the terms “frugalista” and “bargainista” have entered the daily lexicon.
Keeping up with the Joneses now means one-upping a neighbor with bargains you got at the consignment shop and bragging “my coupon is better than yours.”
Top 5 Home Improvement Projects Based on Average Cost and Return on Investment
RISMEDIA, January 20, 2011—HomeGain.com, a website to offering Web-based, free instant home values, announced that it has released the results of its nationwide home improvement and home staging Home Sale Maximizer survey.
HomeGain surveyed nearly 600 real estate professionals nationwide and configured a list of the top 10 do-it-yourself home improvements that cost under $5,000 and benefit sellers most when they sell their homes.
Housing Moving to Higher Ground in 2011
RISMEDIA, January 18, 2011—Housing will see gradual improvements in activity this year as the nation’s economy and job market continue to move to higher ground, establishing momentum that will produce more considerable gains in 2012, according to economists who appeared at the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando on January 12.
“This year’s spring selling season will be better than last year’s,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe, with job growth providing a stronger stimulus in the housing market than last year’s tax credits for home buyers.
Homeowners Recoup More with Exterior Replacement Projects, REALTORS® Report
RISMEDIA, December 16, 2010—As part of the 2010-11 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report, REALTORS® recently rated exterior replacement projects among the most cost-effective home improvement projects, demonstrating that curb appeal remains one of the most important aspects of a home at resale time. “This year’s Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report highlights the importance of exterior projects, which not only provide the most value, but are also among the least expensive improvements for a home,” said National Association of REALTORS® President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. “Since resale value can vary by region, it’s smart for homeowners to work with a REALTOR® through the remodeling and improvement process; they can provide insight into projects in their neighborhoods that will recoup the most when the owners are ready to sell.”
Shortening the Short Sale - How to Create a Win-Win Situation for Everyone Involved
RISMEDIA, December 9, 2010—In today’s complex housing market, real estate agents are handling an increasing volume of short sales. While many agents view short sales as a win-win for both homeowner and buyer, they can cause many complications if not properly understood and executed. Since there is no provision in the mortgage agreement for a short sale, the primary lien holder—the mortgage servicer—must approve the homeowner’s request for one. Any additional parties with liens against the property, such as a second mortgage holder, must also approve the request before a short sale can commence. While each short sale scenario is unique and includes numerous variables, the primary benefit to the homeowner is simple—it lets them avoid foreclosure on their credit record at a time when a good credit history is critical for financial and personal reasons.
5 Strategies to Rebuild Your Credit after Foreclosure
RISMEDIA, November 30, 2010—(MCT)—If you’ve been through a foreclosure, you may wonder if there is hope for you to become a homeowner again. The answer is yes, but it will take a while. “It doesn’t mean you’ll never be a homeowner again,” said Linda Davis-Demas, director of housing at Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas.
But you’ll need to examine what caused you to fall behind on your mortgage and take steps to fix the problem. “You have to look at what were the reasons you didn’t make the payment,” said Davis-Demas. “Was it budgeting? You can modify that type of behavior.”
12 Tips to Make Your Move Simple & Stress-Free:
Packing your belongings and moving is often fraught with high emotions and involves a to-do list a mile long. So, it’s tempting to give only passing attention to hiring a mover and the related incidental costs. That could be a mistake—for your wallet and your peace of mind. Moving can be quite expensive. A typical full-service interstate move costs about $4,300, while the same in-state move might cost about $2,500, according to the American Moving & Storage Association. And while the moving industry has many fine companies, it is notorious for fraud and dirty tactics by so-called rogue movers.
10 Reasons to Buy a Home:
Enough with the doom and gloom about homeownership. Sure, maybe there's more pain to come in the housing market. But when Time magazine starts running covers that declare "Owning a home may no longer make economic sense," it's time to say: Enough is enough. This is what "capitulation" looks like. Everyone has given up.
After all, at the peak of the bubble five years ago, Time had a different take. "Home Sweet Home," declared its cover then, as it celebrated the boom and asked: "Will your house make you rich?"
But it's not enough just to be contrarian. So here are 10 reasons why it's good to buy a home.
Click here to read more
Make Your House FHA-Loan Friendly:
Know the basics of FHA loan rules and you stand a better chance of selling your house or condo. Make your house FHA-friendly, and it will appeal to more homebuyers. Why? Because the Federal Housing Administration is insuring the mortgage loans used by about 30% of today’s homebuyers.
Click here to read more
Improve Your Credit Score Before Searching for a Home:
Many prospective homeowners find out the hard way the importance of a good credit score when they apply for a home mortgage, especially after the subprime loan crisis. If you are considering buying a home in the near future, it is a good idea to give your credit score a check-up and then take positive steps to improve your credit score if you find problems. Ideally, it is best to begin working on improving your credit score at least six months before you plan to start shopping for a home.
Click here to read more
Getting Ready for Your Home Appraisal:
Home appraisals are a necessary step in the process of selling or refinancing your home. While many homes today aren’t worth as much as they were when they were bought, it is crucial for homeowners to be realistic when it comes to getting their home appraised....
To read more about this article click here: http://rismedia.com/lowes/8355/9270
Interpreting a Home Inspection Report
A home inspection report is an important document that a potential buyer will have that accurately describes the conditions that exist in the house they are considering buying. It is crucial that your client receive a well written and detailed home inspection report and working with your client to interpret the inspection report can help eliminate confusion and indecision. This article will attempt to give you some guidance to assist your buyers with interpreting a home inspection report.
To read more about this article click here: http://rismedia.com/2010-07-07/for-your-clients-interpreting-a-home-inspection-report/
Homeowners: 5 Easy Do-It-Yourself Home Maintenance Projects
As we find ourselves in the midst of National Home Improvement month, HouseMaster, one of the first and largest home inspection franchisors in North America provides homeowners with simple tips on how to maintain and update their homes with fixes they can inexpensively do on their own.
“One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is letting small problems turn into big ones,” said Kathleen Kuhn, President of HouseMaster. “Home maintenance is crucial since a home is typically the largest investment an average person makes in their lifetime. Proper home maintenance can alleviate the need for large and often costly repairs.”
To read more of this article and learn 5 Easy Do-It-Yourself click here http://rismedia.com/2010-05-22/homeowners-5-easy-do-it-yourself-home-maintenance-projects
Philadelphia Inquirer Releases 2010 Report Card on Schools
The Inquirer Report Card on the Schools offers a comprehensive evaluation of virtually every school district and high school in the eight-county Philadelphia region. The Report Card includes
- School by school Advanced Placement, SAT and state test results
- Tools to rank schools by spending, scores, salaries and more
- The broadest look ever at science teaching across the region
- Data on 324 public, private, charter and technical high schools
Check out the report card to familiarize yourself with the school districts in your area. Post a link to the Inquirer Report Card on your website so your buyers can learn more about the school districts they are considering. Don't pass up this all-important resource; check out the Inquirer Report Card today. http://www.philly.com/philly/education/report_card/
Montgomery Township named to "Best Affordable Suburbs in America 2010"
Courtesy of http://www.montgomerytwp.org/
Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania- Business Week has just named its top "10 Best Affordable Suburbs in America."The Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors are pleased to announce Montgomery Township has been named fifth on this list. "We have always known Montgomery Township is the perfect place to buy a home and raise a family--it's great that everyone else has caught on," said Candyce Fluehr Chimera, Township Supervisor.
Business Week evaluated the suburbs using community data, with focus on "communities where families can live well for less and enjoy good schools, low crime, and reasonable commutes."The selected cities were limited to towns within 25 miles from major cities."We are pleased to have this distinction, especially since this year we passed our budget without a tax increase for the seventh straight year," said Michael J. Fox, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Supervisors.
"It is great to know we are viewed not only as an affordable suburb, but we are also considered a safe area with a low crime rate," said Robert J. Birch, Township Supervisor.The communities also were evaluated on the state of economy and school districts in the area."It is great to have a wonderful team effort across the board with the North Penn School District who provides a great education for our children and the great business community we have in our Township," said Joseph P. Walsh, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. "This shows that Montgomery Township truly is a great place to live and work," said Jeffrey W. McDonnell, Township Supervisor.
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