As Spring approaches, use these tips to freshen the outside of your home!

*Prune your trees and shrubs.
*Head to the shed and do a "tool inventory" to make sure you have all the items you'll need in the months ahead. Inspect the tools you already have. For example, test your hoses for leaks.
*Spring is a good time to paint fences and the exterior of your home, especially wood surfaces, to protect them from summer heat and sun. Wood decks should also be sealed once a year.
*Now that the heating season is over, have a chimney sweep clean fireplaces and flues.
*Inspect door and window screens for tears. You can often repair small tears using a kit from your local hardware store. This will prevent insects from getting into your home, and keep you comfortable on the screened porch.
*Have your gutters cleaned.


Excerpted from www.pueblo.gsa.gov

March 23, 2009

As the housing downturn wears on, some cities are stabilizing and some aren?t.
In Las Vegas, the weakest market in the country, prices continue to drop.
"I don't know what those guys were drinking when they thought all this building made sense. If it does work out soon, then there's some force out there in the universe that I'm not aware of," Steve Cesinger, chief financial officer at Dewberry Capital, an Atlanta-based real estate investment firm.
Forbes magazine analyzed monthly declines as well as year-over-year declines in home prices. It also looked at how many months of equity homeowners have lost. With these figures in mind, it determined the 10 best and the 10 worst U.S. housing markets. Here they are:

10 Best
New York City
Washington, DC
Charlotte, NC
Portland
San Diego
Denver
Boston
Dallas
Los Angeles
Seattle


10 Worst
Las Vegas
Phoenix
Detroit
Minneapolis
San Francisco
Chicago
Cleveland
Atlanta
Tampa
Miami


Source: Forbes: Matt Woolsey (02/24/2009)

February 25, 2009

Interest rates on 30-year fixed mortgages are at their lowest levels in more than 3 years and could fall further.

Between holiday shopping and decorating the house this weekend, carve out some time to review your mortgage or rethink your home-buying plans -- this just might be the perfect time to make a major move.

Mortgage rates are already hovering around 5.5%, the lowest levels since 2005, and recent reports suggest they could fall by an additional percentage point in upcoming weeks.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson reportedly is considering a plan that would have lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac encouraging banks to issue 30-year fixed mortgages at rates as low as 4.5%. No official announcement has been made. Treasury and Freddie Mac officials did not return calls for comment. And a spokeswoman for Fannie Mae declined to comment.

Should the plan materialize, rates would be among the lowest seen in 50 years, says Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH Associates, which tracks rates on mortgages and consumer loans.

Even without the rumored plan in place, mortgage rates still remain well below those of the past year.

On Wednesday, the national overnight average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 5.70%, up slightly from 5.64% a week earlier but down from 6.33% two weeks ago, according to mortgage tracker Bankrate.com.

Consumers have been quick to take advantage. Mortgage applications jumped 112% last week, while refinancing requests were up an astonishing 203%, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, an industry group.


Courtesy: MSN Money

December 11, 2008

Winter season's unwelcome pests may soon join homeowners by the fire to stay warm and dry. Colder temperatures send wintry pests, such as rodents, spiders and cockroaches, searching for food, water and shelter indoors.

Mice are a common winter nuisance and only need a space the size of a nickel to enter a home. Once inside, mice and other rodents can cause considerable damage and pose serious health risks to people and pets. Homeowners need to inspect for rodent droppings in undisturbed areas.

During the winter months, spiders and cockroaches take advantage of damaged or missing screens on doors and chimneys to access the home. Once inside, cockroaches can easily contaminate unattended food and water sources. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) offers a few important measures to prevent pests this winter season:

1. Seal any cracks and holes on the outside of the home, including areas where utilities and pipes enter the home.
2. Screen vents and openings to chimneys.
3. Keep attics, basements and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.
4. Repair fascia, soffits and rotted roof shingles; some insects are drawn to deteriorating wood.
5. Replace loose mortar and weather-stripping around the basement foundation and windows.

If you suspect a pest infestation in your home, contact a licensed pest professional to inspect and treat the pest problem.


Courtesy: www.pestworld.org

November 13, 2008

Many homeowners get into the spirit of Halloween by turning their homes into haunted houses, carving pumpkins, and handing out treats to costumed kids who come to their door. If you're a homeowner planning on getting involved in the holiday, following a few precautions can help keep the night from turning scary in an unwanted way:

* Make sure any hazardous obstacles such as a garden hose or lawn decorations are put safely away.
* Check all outside lights and replace any that are burned out.
* Keep sidewalks and walkways clear and properly lit.
* Consider using battery-powered candles for carved pumpkins - they're safer than a real flame.
* If you do use real candles, make sure they are kept away from the areas where trick-or-treaters will be walking or standing.
* Secure all Halloween decorations. You don't want your decorations coming loose and injuring someone, or being stolen by vandals.
* If you're planning a rather gruesome Halloween display, you may want to post warning signs to give the weak-stomached a heads up.
* Only give out kid-friendly treats. Items should be prepackaged and big enough that they don't pose a choking hazard to small children.


Courtesy of Move, Inc., www.move.com

October 21, 2008

25. Buying a House for its Decor
Remember that you are buying the house, not the stuff inside of it, so make sure you see beyond the decorations and look at the bones of the home. Focus on the floor plan and the square footage.

24. Not Providing Easy Access for Showings
Make your house easily accessible to potential buyers. If there's nowhere to park or it's difficult to get into, buyers may just skip it and look at someone else's property.

23. Not Researching the Neighborhood
It's absolutely critical that you research the neighborhood before you buy. You're not just buying a house, you're buying a piece of that real estate and the land around it.

22. Losing Money With Auctions
While the starting bidding price for a house on auction might be a good deal, it doesn't mean the final price will be. Make sure that you are very strict with your budget when you are bidding; do not go over your final price because you got wrapped up in the excitement of a bidding war. Also keep in mind that you aren't able to get any of the warrantees or guarantees, and you aren't able to do a home inspection.

21. Trying to Make the "Hard Sell" While Showing
If you are selling your house, you shouldn't be at the open house. If you leave, you allow the buyers to give unbiased objective feedback to the agent, which is only going to help you in the end.

20. Waiting Until Spring to Sell Your House
Spring is the time of heaviest real estate activity, but that does not mean that people don't buy houses 365 days of the year.

19. Treating Real Estate Like the Stock Market
When the real estate market is really hot and is appreciating really fast, people tend to look at it like it's the stock market. But when you invest in real estate, you really need to take a long-term approach.

18. Failing to Market Your Home in Different Ways
Don't market your home with just a for-sale sign. Explore other marketing tools as well. Talk to your real estate agent about the marketing that he or she will do. It's something that should be set up from the initial signing of a contract with an agent.

17. Not Thinking About Resale
When you are decorating and renovating your home, you need to think about what is going to appeal to a broad section of buyers when it comes time to sell it.

16. Buying Without Actually Seeing the Property
It's really easy to buy a house without seeing it because of the Internet and virtual tours, but it's really hard to actually get a sense and feel of a home by only looking at it online. You need to actually walk through the place yourself. If that's just not possible, hire an agent and an inspector to go look at the property and provide you with an assessment.

15. Trusting Everything a Real Estate Advertisement Says
Don't assume every ad is fact. Learn to decipher real estate lingo. Follow the old adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

14. Picking the Wrong Agent
Treat meetings with agents like a job interview because that's really how it works. Keep in mind that the person is going to be working for you.

13. Not Hiring an Agent
There's a lot more to selling a house than just putting a sign on the front lawn. If you don't have an agent, you will not get on the multiple-listing service (MLS). That means that other agents are not going to know that your property is for sale. Another thing to consider is if you are willing to show the house each time someone wants to come by and look at it? It's really important to have someone on your side who understands all the complexities.

12. Buying the Most Expensive Home on the Block
The most expensive house will only depreciate in value over time, rather than appreciate. It's absolutely critical that you research the neighborhood before you buy to find out what the price point should be.

11. Not Setting a Realistic Budget
Just because the bank prequalifies you for a loan amount of $400,000 doesn't mean you can afford to make that payment every month. Before hitting the streets for a house hunt, you should sit down and make a monthly budget of what you spend every month. Come up with a number that you are comfortable spending on your mortgage payment, aside from other expenditures.

10. Visiting the House Only Once
It's important to visit a house more than once because the neighborhood itself may be very different, depending on the day of the week and the time of day. It's also a good idea to go home and think about it, even sleep on it, before you go back again.

9. Not Being Pro-Active at Closing
The best thing to do when going into a closing is to get all the paperwork ahead of time. One form that lists out all the charges, and you can legally get it in your hands 24 hours before closing. The final walk-through is another imperative part of the process.

8. Doing Major Renovations/Remodeling Before Selling
Minor upgrades usually have a higher return on your money than tackling major renovations before placing a home on the market. Huge construction projects always cost more than you think they will, and also take longer than you expect. The best place to spend money is outside. Research shows that increasing the curb appeal often returns the most value on your money. It's what gets buyers inside the house.

7. Skipping the Loan Pre-Approval Step
When you are pre-approved, the bank is saying, "we will give you a mortgage of up to this amount, so now all you have to do is find your home." Some sellers only allow Realtors to show their house if someone has a pre-approval letter as it indicates the buyer really is serious about buying a home.

6. Falling in Love With the First Property You See
Many homebuyers, particularly first time homebuyers, fall into the trap of falling in love with the very first house that they see. You want your Realtor to show you homes comparable to what you saw. At the end of the day, re-evaluate.

5. Buying a Home Without a Professional Inspection
There are a lot of things a home inspection can reveal about a property that are not visible to the naked eye. Be sure to hire someone who comes with a good referral basis, that's been in the business a while and knows what to look for.

4. Overlooking the Extra and Hidden Costs
Buying a home is not just about the money that you spend upfront; it's about all the rest of the money you have to spend beyond that. Find out what the property taxes are, what your water & electric bills might be, especially if you have electric heat vs. gas heat.

3. Buying What You Want, Not What You Need
Look at the space that you are already living in. It will help you to realize what you have been missing and what you need in your next home. Make a list those of needs and then ask your agent to start shopping these needs.

2. Setting Too High of a Sale Price
As a seller its really important to do your research. To come up with your sale price, look up what comparable homes in your neighborhood have sold for. Figure out what the going price is and try to put yours right in the middle of that, unless you have something extra special to offer.

1. Failing to Showcase Your Home and Make Small Cosmetic Changes
When you are selling your house, you have to really look at it objectively and think about it from the viewpoint of the house hunter. Make minor enhancements to the house and maybe hire a professional stager to come and arrange your furniture. A great place to start is with the front of the home and the main entryway.


Courtesy: HGTV.com

October 16, 2008

To determine where home prices are expected to rise most in the next couple of years, Forbes.com looked at projections for housing starts from the National Association of Home Builders and job-growth projections from Moody's Economy.com.

Forbes identified cities that are likely to be vibrant markets because jobs are increasing and the housing market wasn't overbuilt during the boom.

"The logic is pretty straightforward," says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. "People will spend as much on housing as their income will allow them. House prices are very closely tied to household income over the long run when you look at business cycles."

According to Forbes, these are the 10 cities where home prices are most likely to rise:

Albuquerque, NM
Charlotte, NC
San Antonio, TX
Portland, OR
Austin, TX
Salt Lake City, UT
Colorado Springs, CO
Minneapolis
Atlanta, GA
Oklahoma City, OK



Source: Forbes.com, Matt Woolsey

September 11, 2008

Mortgage rates continued the retreat in the latest week, with the average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate falling to 6.42 percent.

According to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large lenders, the average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.45 discount and origination points.

Bankrate's national weekly mortgage survey is conducted each Wednesday from data provided by the top 10 banks and thrifts in the top 10 markets.

The average 15-year fixed rate mortgage popular for refinancing declined to 5.95 percent, while the average jumbo 30-year fixed rate held steady at 7.64 percent. Adjustable mortgage rates were mixed, with the average 1-year ARM rising to 6.21 percent and the average 5/1 ARM holding at 6.05 percent.

Mounting worries about the economy and the health of the financial system drew investors out of stocks and into the relative safety of bonds. Mortgage rates are closely related to yields on risk-free Treasury notes.

Amid the nervousness, mortgage rates touched lows not seen since the first week of June. But inflation remains an issue, as evidenced by the Consumer Price Index for June, and will continue to spar with weak economic growth as the factors influence the direction of mortgage rates. The up and down yo-yo of mortgage rates seems likely to continue, with rates fluctuating within a range.

Mortgage rates have been on a wild ride since the beginning of the year. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was as low as 5.57 percent in January, meaning that a $200,000 loan would have carried a monthly payment of $1,144.38. But at today's rate of 6.42 percent, a $200,000 loan would mean a monthly payment of $1,253.63.


Source: Bankrate.com

July 18, 2008

Not every agent is a Realtor.

Only an active member of the National Association of Realtors can call him or herself a Realtor. NAR's membership of 1 million is composed of residential and commercial brokers, sales agents, property managers, appraisers, counselors, and others engaged in the profession.

Every Realtor belongs to one or more of about 1,700 local associations and boards and 54 state and territory associations.

The Realtor you hire adheres to a strict code of ethics and professionalism while protecting and promoting ownership of property.

RE/MAX Sales Associates lead the industry in real estate sales experience and education - and results!!

Courtesy: Remax.com

June 19, 2008

Apparently, there's just something about North Carolina. For the second year in a row, America's best city in which to live lies within its borders, according to Relocate-America.com's annual list.

This year, Charlotte, N.C., is in the top spot.

"North Carolina is very active on our radar," said Steve Nickerson, president and CEO of HomeRoute. "It continues to get a flood of interest from all over."

Charlotte's diversity of housing options and home affordability were two of the reasons users nominated the city, Nickerson said. The city's strong economy, boosted largely by the banking industry, was another selling point.

Bank of America and Wachovia have their headquarters in Charlotte, and it's also a hub for US Airways -- all of which seem to have increased the visibility of the city outside its boundaries. The addition of professional sports teams since the 1980s has also helped.

In recent years, Charlotte has been successful in attracting young, educated workers to relocate there.

A wonderful time to relocate!


Courtesy: MarketWatch

June 4, 2008

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