3 Reasons Your Home May Be Worth More Than You Think!

Today’s housing market is very different from the market of the last few years.
 

Homeowners in the last 5 or 6 years seemed to fall into two camps: One group found themselves underwater, owing more on their mortgage than the property was worth. Many of these homeowners were in danger of losing their home to foreclosure. The other group, due to dramatic decreases in the value of real estate, had to put off moving into new homes because the equity they had built up in their current home had all but evaporated.

For homeowners in both of these groups, it is understandable that they’d be hesitant to sell their homes today after the roller coaster of the past few years. However, the reality of today’s market is that home values have increased, in some markets dramatically, and it might just be the perfect time to sell.

Your home might be worth more than you think. Here are three reasons why.

1. There are Fewer Distressed Homeowners
One of the big reasons why prices dropped so dramatically in the first place is because millions of homeowners, hit hard by the recession and falling prices, could no longer afford their mortgage. Facing foreclosure, they attempted to sell only to find that the value of their home was less than they owed on them.

These homeowners are called “distressed” homeowners, and to date there have been millions in this situation. Today, however, distressed homeowners may find themselves in a much better position!

However, according to the National Association of REALTORS, distressed sales are at their lowest point since 2008, when the foreclosure crisis started. This means distressed sales are no longer affecting the market as strongly. Non-distressed sellers today find themselves in a much better position than at any point since the housing crisis began.

2. Prices have increased
Many homeowners may not realize it, considering how far the real estate market fell when the housing bubble burst, but in the past 12 months, prices have actually rebounded at a fairly remarkable pace.

In fact, according to the National Association of REALTORS, prices rose 11.8% year over year in March of 2013. This is the biggest yearly increase in prices since November of 2005, when the market was near its peak.

For homeowners, this incredible increase in prices means that much of the value that was lost during the housing crisis may have returned, and people who put off selling their homes are beginning to see the value of their properties arrive at levels where selling makes sense again.

For people who were underwater, this is welcome news. These homeowners may very well have equity again for the first time in years. For people who had planned on moving up into a bigger home but held off because the value of their current home was too low, these price increases are a sign that it may be time to start considering moving up again. But price increases aren’t only reason why selling today might make sense.

3. Housing Inventory is Low, and the Number of Buyers is Growing
Generally speaking, the real estate market needs about 6 months of inventory in order to keep up with normal supply and demand. This means that at the current rate of sales, it would take 6 months for all of the homes for sale in the market to get sold.

In today’s market, there is significantly less inventory than that. In fact, nationally there is about 4.7 months worth of inventory available. This number doesn’t tell the whole story, however. In some areas, there is less than a month of inventory. There are even some places that only have a few days of inventory for sale!

At the same time, more people want to buy homes today than at any time in the past 5 or 6 years. Interest rates are at near record lows and a new generation of homeowners are trying to buy their first home.

The result is a simple supply and demand issue. There are fewer homes to sell and more people who want to buy them. Make no mistake about it, today’s market is a seller’s market and people who sell their home today are in the strongest bargaining position in years.

You Are in the Driver’s Seat!
If you have been waiting to sell your home, especially if you or someone you know is having difficulty with their mortgage, it is time for you to start exploring your options because your home may be worth significantly more than you realize. The important thing is to know where you stand.

Do you know what your home is worth today? What are homes in the area selling for? These are all questions to which the answers have changed significantly in the last few months and knowing what your specific situation is can help you make more informed choices.

As a real estate agent in today’s market, I make it my business to have the most up-to-date information and can help you understand exactly what your current situation is. If you have been underwater, it is entirely possible you are not anymore. If you have been holding off until the market started to recover, that time is now.

Contact me today for a free market analysis and let me help you determine your best options. Arm yourself with information and make a more informed choice. It might just end up being an incredibly profitable decision.

Eleven Reasons to Use a Real Estate Sales Professional When Buying a Brand-New Home

Existing and potential homeowners are looking at real estate from all angles as the U.S. economy and local housing markets continue their recovery. For many, there is strong appeal in buying brand-new homes as myriad builder incentives and low interest rates create significant value.

Today’s new homes boast exciting floor plans and designs tailored for specific lifestyles, complete with a huge array of features and appointments. They include energy efficient products and building techniques, reducing buyers’ utility bills. Of course, new-home consumers love that their properties, from roofs to appliances, will not need replacement for many years.

It might not seem necessary to involve a real estate professional in a transaction where a buyer can deal directly with a builder. Yet by using a real estate professional you gain a skilled professional to protect your interests and guide you along the right path.

Here are 11 advantages to using a real estate professional when buying a newly constructed home.

1. Just as a real estate professional calls on experience and knowledge of an area to help buyers locate pre-owned homes in a community, he or she can also direct buyers interested in newly built homes to developments and communities that match client specifications.

2. A sales professional can suggest builders with reputations for delivering a high-quality product, responding quickly to issues, and being financially sound.

3. A sales professional may be familiar with how a builder prices his products and where there may be room to negotiate price or upgrades.

4. Without representation, you are one buyer purchasing only one home. But a sales professional can significantly impact a builder’s bottom line by providing a steady supply of customers. This leverage may work in your favor at the negotiating table. [Note: The builder may require your sales professional to accompany you on your first visit to the site. Check with the builder.]

5. The lender approval process may go smoother if a sales professional schedules visits, accompanies you to lenders, and helps expedite required documents.

6. What may seem like a simple transaction can grow legally complex and risky. A sales professional is familiar with those complexities and risks inherent in the homebuying process. When such questions arise, we can steer you to the right advisors and services you may require.

7. If your contract includes a contingency to sell an existing home your real estate sales professional assuredly can help, though your sales professional will explain that buying before selling isn’t always in your best interest as it can undermine your bargaining.

8. When relocating to a new area, sales professionals can be particularly valuable resources. In addition to providing local area information regarding schools, day care or elder care services, public transportation, proposed development, and so on, once construction is under way, they can periodically stop by the work site, supply you with progress reports, and photograph or videotape phases of the construction.

9. A sales professional can assist you as you face hundreds of design choices and consider which upgrades could potentially add value to the home when it comes time to sell.

10. A sales professional can accompany you at the site while you okay the plumbing and electrical locations prior to dry walling, as well as on the walk-through or builder orientation.

11. Lastly, most often the builder pays the sales professional’s commission. You enjoy individual attention and support at no cost to you.

Builder incentives and heightened affordability have many real estate consumers considering brand-new homes. Rather than rely on builders’ agents – who are paid by the builders – savvy shoppers are hiring real estate sales professionals to help them through the buying process and on to the American dream.

Floor the Competition

When people enter your home they usually look down before up, so that first step is vital for attracting a homebuyer and making a great first impression. This is one reason why more people are installing hardwood floors in their homes.

Hardwood flooring enhances the look of any room and can create a classic ambiance that will beautify the interior design of your home. Residential real estate agents agree that homes with wood floors hold their value better, sell faster and fetch higher prices.

Last year, 99 percent of real estate agents responding to a national survey conducted by the National Wood Flooring Association agreed that homes with hardwood floors are easier to sell. The survey also found that 82 percent believe that homes with hardwood floors sell faster and 90 percent said they would sell for more money.

The American Hardwood Information Center adds that restoring hardwood flooring in the home is one of the best long-term investments to be made.

“Hardwood floors are environmentally friendly, forever fashionable, and will last for generations,” said Pembroke Jacobs, president of the Hardwood Manufacturers Association. “Plus, with an expected life span of up to 100 years for certain premium hardwood flooring, you can be assured that that the hardwood really is a one-time investment with a very long-term payoff.”

Real estate agents also agree that carpeting does not impress potential buyers, but hardwood floors are always a draw. Engineered wood floors impart warmth, depth and richness to a home’s decor that cannot be matched by carpeting, tile or vinyl flooring. Despite the existence of modern architectural trends in flooring, hardwood can still compete with floor tiles and other artificial materials. It comes in a variety of colors and grains; light, medium, or dark shades; and a variety of sizes, styles, finishes and species.

Maple, mahogany and oak are the most popular woods, but some homeowners are investing in exotics such as Brazilian cherry and purpleheart.

The Environmental Protection Agency has said that indoor air quality is one of the top health threats and wood floors can help contribute to a healthy living environment. In fact, a recent EPA study found that pesticides used in gardens and homes accumulate on floors and other surfaces in the home, but that wood floors greatly reduce the accumulation of such toxins. Hardwood floors also do not trap or harbor dust mites or molds.

Though wood floors will probably need to be refinished at some point, when properly taken care of they are much easier to maintain than other floor surfaces.
The NWFA recommends regular sweeping of hardwood floors with a soft-bristle broom or dust mop to remove surface dirt and debris. If your floor contains beveled edges, it recommends using a vacuum with a soft bristle brush attachment to remove dirt and debris from between the floorboards.

Having hardwood floors could be the difference between selling your home or watching a potential buyer walk out the door on a less-appealing type of flooring.

Make Sure Your Property Is Ready for a Warmer Market

Spring is a season of renewal – this year in particular. Just as the birds are chirping and flowers are starting to bloom, the U.S. economy is moving forward with real estate sales percolating in many markets. Indeed, the days grow longer in spring, allowing more time for consumers – especially those motivated by current, historically low interest rates and attractive home prices – to shop for their American dream.

If you’re considering selling your property this spring, now's a good time to complete some spring maintenance to make sure your home is in tip-top shape. Even if you aren't planning to sell your home, you should still add these chores to your list to help preserve your home's value and help avoid major repairs later on.

Walk Around the Outside

Check for any damage caused by winter's cold weather. Look for those sagging or loose gutters, window frames or siding. Is your roof missing any shingles, or is there any water damage under the eaves? Promptly schedule repairs for those items you can't do yourself.

Over the fall and winter, leaves, mud and debris may have accumulated in your gutters. Check your gutters for clogging and damage and schedule an appointment for cleaning.

Walk around your yard as if you were a first-time visitor. What impression does your home make? Be sure to clear away fallen branches and leaves. Loosen the soil around perennials, plant annuals or a vegetable garden. Prune shrubs and trees.

If your water supply has been off for the winter, turn it back on. Test your automatic sprinkler system or connect your water hose and check for cracks and leaks. Replace old washers or sprinkler heads.

Don't forget the backyard! Is it time to condition your deck? Be sure to hammer in any loose nails, or replace them with galvanized deck screws. Replace any broken boards or rails. Consider renting a power washer to clean dirt and mildew from the wood, and then apply an all-weather sealer or stain. Then dust off that patio furniture you kept protected over the winter.

Repair any broken fence boards and paint or seal them as needed. Clean the pool if it has been covered all winter. Wash windows, screens and windowsills; repair any winter damage.

Take a Tour Inside

Start making a list of things to do in each room. Then go to work. Dust walls and ceilings to remove cobwebs and wash any grimy areas. Wash window curtains or remove drapes for dry cleaning. Deep clean rugs and carpets. Dust and polish wood or laminate floors.

Clean fan blades using mild soapy water. Check the central air-conditioning unit for debris and obstructions; vacuum the main condenser coil on top of the unit. Check the operating condition of window air-conditioning units; remove and wash filters in mild soapy water.

Make sure all exhaust fans and vents are clean and clear. Don't forget to remove the lint buildup from the clothes dryer vent.

One often-overlooked area is the fireplace. Be sure to sweep ashes carefully into your fireplace's ash pit or into a dustpan. Clean and lightly oil fireplace tools. Remember it's springtime, so you may want to decorate the fireplace or wood stove with a large silk flower arrangement.

Look around for clutter. Are there items you don't use any longer? If you are planning on moving, what items will you not need? Consider having a garage sale and then either donate or trash the remaining items.

And lastly, don't forget to replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. A good time to change them is when you change your clock for daylight savings.

Although performing these spring chores may be dreaded task, they go a long way in maintaining and even enhancing the attractiveness and quality your home. With more buyers out and about, you must be sure your property is ready for its next new owner!

How To Make the Most Out of the $8000 Tax Credit

Three weeks ago, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced a program that would allow borrowers to use the first-time homebuyer tax credit for a down payment or closing costs on an FHA insured mortgage at the NAR Mid-Year Conference. Forty-eight hours later that program was pulled due to insufficient details as to how to implement the program.

Last Friday, Secretary Donovan once again issued Mortgagee Letter 2009-15 detailing the guidelines of that program. Under the guidelines, FHA-approved lenders can develop bridge loans that home buyers can use to help cover their closing costs, buy down their interest rate, or put down more than the minimum 3.5 percent. However, according to senior HUD officials, loans cannot be used to cover the minimum 3.5 percent requirement. Thus, buyers applying for FHA-backed financing with an FHA-approved lender that offers a bridge-loan program can get a bridge-loan to significantly bring down the upfront costs of buying a home, but would still have to come up with the minimum 3.5 percent down-payment.

Secretary Donovan said “We think the policy is a real win for everyone, ensuring that borrowers can tap into the numerous organizations that are already part of the FHA network to receive this additional benefit.”

If you are a first-time home buyer and qualify for the tax credit this new program may be an option for you. Please keep in mind that you will need to have funds available for the 3.5 percent down-payment and you must close on the home by December 1, 2009. For more information about the tax credit visit my article titled First Time Home-Buyer Tax Credit FAQ's.

If you or anyone you know is interested in purchasing a home I would be happy to help you with your home search, no strings attached. Just contact me and I can have available homes that meet your criteria sent to your inbox, updated on a daily basis.

Recharge and Sell!! a.k.a. Our Indiana Landscape

It's Tuesday!! It's a great Tuesday!!! Okay you say, what's so special about Tuesday? Well, okay, not just a Tuesday but THE Tuesday. Tuesday after the Monday that was Memorial Day! To me, it's a great day!

As I look out the window, all I can see are clouds, the forecast calls for rain and thunderstorms after a dreary day yesterday but I'm rejuvenated and energized! I'm ready to go! I'm ready to have a great week working hard for my clients, setting showings, talking to builders, working on pending offers, helping track down the rightful owner of a property, buying, selling, helping solve all the real estate problems of the world! Okay, that may be a stretch, but I'm enthused to start a new week and end the month on a good note. Why all the energy for someone who typically hates a "Monday" morning like the best of them? I spent a fantastic weekend communing with nature at one of the best known secrets in Indiana and I'm ready to go!

Years ago, the Indiana tourism bureau had a campaign titled "Wander Indiana." I"m not exactly sure how many years that was the slogan and why it was changed but I loved it! I thought it was a great and that was what my family did. With two small children, I decided that this was one family that was going to wander Indiana. And so we did!

Each spring and summer, armed with our trusty Wander Indiana guide, we would plan out and execute our adventures around the state, seeing a wide variety of flora and fauna, geologic and man-made wonders of the state. Over the years we explored the state from the white sands of the Dunes to the fossil beds of the Ohio. During which we discovered many wonders that as a life-long resident of the state never even dreamed where here. I always enjoyed the time, it's a great, inexpensive way to see the world and had somewhat gotten away from it. Recently, I rediscoved the passion.

This past weekend I had the pleasure to rediscover a part of Central Indiana that I had forgotten existed. I spent the weekend camping at Lieber State Recreation Area at Cagles Mill Lake near the Putnam/Owen County line. It's a great little park with some hidden treasures. Because of the lake, it mostly brings out the boaters and fisherman, but offers a quiet campground to rest and relax.

Just outside the park, is another state property, Cataract Falls. Located just a few minutes drive from Lieber SRA, at a cascading drop of 86 feet, it is the state's largest waterfall and is truly worth the trip. The falls are magnificent and one could sit for hours watching the water rush and churn as it flows through the limestone creek bed. On the site there once stood a mill and today you can still see the stone foundation and remains of the walls that were built to channel the mighty forces of the water. It's a great place to fish, share a picnic or just relax and enjoy nature.

So you say, what does this blog have to do with real estate? I don't know. Maybe nothing. But maybe making readers more aware of the great wonders this state has to offer makes them a little more proud to be called a Hoosier and will make them a little more proud of their home and neighborhood. If it does nothing except to help connect me with readers through a common bond or allow clients and readers to know more about it, it has served it purpose. I hope you all get out and have a chance to Wander Indiana!