If you are interested in this new tax credit or have questions regarding real estate send me a email/comment and I will work to answer your question.

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Houston is the workplace for many hospitals and medical research facilities along with the oil and gas industry and Space center facilities.

If you would like more information regarding Houston, Spring, The Woodlands, Lake Conroe please feel free to email me at patti@PattiMace.com.

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The United States tax policy rewards house buyers who borrow, not renters.  The “dream of homeownership” gives hope and the goal of a future endeavor.  When couples first wed they dream of starting a family and that dream of owning their first home.

 I find it amazing that anyone would suggest that people should rent instead of ever buying, he must be an investor making money off people who are renting.  It takes a special set of people to go out on the limb and purchase the property for others to rent.

 I would like to hear what your thoughts are on whether it is time to Rent or Purchase a home.  Whether you choose to rent or purchase a home I will be glad to assist you in your housing needs www.PattiMace.com.

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In trying to help a friend I learned something new today regarding remodeling projects and wanted to pass the information on just in case you had not heard or might have forgotten.   Contractors are required to register interior renovations on a project that exceed a cost of $10,000.00 with the Texas Residential Construction Commission. The commission charges fees to the contractor/remodeler for the application and for follow up inspections. The TRCC will review the application and do a background check for the registered agent of the contractor/remodeler.

The contractor is also required by law on home improvements/repairs that exceed $5000.00 to deposit your payments in a construction account with a financial institution.  Homeowners can ask for written verification of the existence of the construction account and how the disbursements are being done. Access to the account record should be included as a requirement in your written construction contract.

I hope this helps people become aware of these requirements and if you see or know of  things you would like me to get the word out on please place it on my blog.   Knowledge helps all of us.

As our new President Obama stated earlier today “What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly,” Obama said. “This is the price and the promise of citizenship.”

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On the good side first-time home buyers have the same advantage they have always had, which is that they do not have to sell their old place before buying a new one.  This purchase is a positive for the economy, plus once the first-time home buyer purchases the home it leaves the door open for the seller to move on or up to a larger home which continues to help stimulate the economy.

Unfortunately for sellers home prices have dropped significantly especially with all the foreclosures and short sales on the market.  Depending on where the home is located it may be a few years before home prices begin to move in an upward direction.

Post to me your thoughts!  Also, keep working on your credit score and saving towards your new home.

www.pattimace.com,  or patti@pattimace.com

hope to hear from you all….

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While working on your budget look to make sure your debt to value ratio is following along the 28/36 percent rule.  This is a rule that is followed by the mortgage lenders when a person is looking to purchase a home.  Your MORTGAGE payment should not exceed 28 percent of your monthly income, and your total outstanding debt should not exceed 36 percent of your monthly income.

With your budget in place try not to add any new debt and stay diligent to pay off your current debt by starting with the credit card debt with the highest interest rate.

When you set up your budget and your savings goal be sure to have a seperate fund for Emergencies. Unfortunately it is those unexpected expenses that can throw the budget completely so always try to put aside funds from each check for these type of expenses..such as car breaking down, or an illness.

As you learn to manage and stay within your budget you will see how life seems to be easier to deal with when you are not stressing over your finances.  Good Luck!

Talk to you Soon,

Patti

patti@pattimace.com

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Let me know your insight on how you feel people can adjust to our Changing Economy.

Take Care

Patti@pattimace.com

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Bank of America, Wells Fargo and other banks cut their prime rate by half a point to 4.5 percent, also the lowest in more than four years, after the Fed announced its decision early Wednesday.

For millions of Americans, the Fed’s cut means borrowing money becomes less expensive. Home equity loans, credit cards and other floating-rate loans all fluctuate depending on what the Fed does.

Following in step with USA, Central banks in England, China, Canada, Sweden and Switzerland and the European Central Bank, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan also cut rates.

Today, the market (Wall Street) closed at its’ lowest since 2003 even though the Fed cut rates on Wednesday. Globally people are hoping for an upward change in the markets on Friday.

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First, to help clear some of the confusion, these two companies are mortgage guarantors.  Fannie Mae was created back in the Great Depression by Roosevelt’s administration to back loans by private banks in order to make homeownership more assesible.  Years later the government allowed Fannie Mae to be privately managed. Freddie Mac was created by the government to keep Fannie Mae from becoming to big.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee more than $5 trillion in mortgages, almost half of those in the United States, With many of the mortgages defaulting, the companies are, in effect, bankrupt.  These two companies are such a large part of our financial system that failure of one or both would be detrimental Nationally and Globally.

This takeover was put in place to protect us, the taxpayer. How, well the U.S. government will be creating more demand in the marketplace by buying Fannie and Freddie mortgage bonds, homeowners and buyers should start seeing lower mortgage rates.  This may become one of the best times to purchase or refinance your home.

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NeighborWorks/HOPE NOW/Homeownership Preservation Foundation Hotline
Homeowners facing foreclosure can call a tollfree hotline at (888) 995-HOPE, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Federal Housing Administration
Government-insured refinancing for credit-worthy borrowers who went into default after their ARMs reset may be available by calling (800) 225-5342 or by visiting http://www.fha.gov.

Other Resources

Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams
Federal Trade Commission
Equity Stripping & Loan Flipping  –  If you agree to a loan that’s based on the equity you have in your home, you may be putting your most valuable asset at risk. Certain abusive or exploitative lenders target borrowers, who unwittingly may be putting their home on the line. These abusive lending practices range from equity stripping and loan flipping to hiding loan terms and packing a loan with extra charges.

Foreclosure Rescue
MassHousing

Foreclosure Resources for Consumers
Federal Reserve Board of Governors

HomeOwnership Preservation Foundation

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The following are some important questions to ask before making your final selection;

1. How long have you been in the home inspection business?
2. What are your qualifications?
3. Are you a member of any inspection organization or association?
4. How many resale home inspections have you completed?
5. If I hired you today, when would you be available to complete my inspection?
6. What will the inspection cover?
7. How long is your average inspection and how long after it’s completed will I receive my report?
8. How much will the inspection cost?
9. May I attend my inspection? May my real estate agent also attend?
10. Do you provide estimates for repairs and improvements?
11. Can I contact you post-inspection for any questions?

These are just a few questions and you may have more but hopefully this will help you when it is your time to need a home inspection.

Talk to you soon, Patti

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by Jack M. Guttentag

The blame game for the development of the current mortgage crisis is now in full swing, and, with one exception, no major participant escapes unscathed:

1. Lenders and investment bankers drastically relaxed their underwriting standards in response to the euphoria associated with rapidly rising home prices during 2000-2006. They approved loans that could not possibly be repaid without an indefinite continuation of house price inflation.

2. Bank regulators ignored the breakdown of underwriting standards until it was much too late to take effective action.

3. Mortgage brokers and loan officers encouraged borrowers to buy more house than they could afford, and to accept toxic mortgages that they did not fully understand.

4. Consumers allowed themselves to be seduced into buying houses they couldn’t afford, into purchasing second and third homes on speculation, and into depleting their existing equity through cash-out refinances, in order to maintain lifestyles they could not sustain.

5. Rating agencies provided AAA and AA ratings to securities issued against pools of new types of extremely risky loans, when they had no adequate statistical basis for estimating potential losses on the loans.

6. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac invested in such securities, taking large losses and weakening their capacity to be a source of strength during the crisis period.

7. The Federal Reserve kept interest rates low well past the point where they should have raised them, and, as a regulator, was as asleep at the same switch as all the other regulatory agencies.

The exception is the private mortgage insurance (PMI) industry. It is the one sector that has not been cited as contributing to the crisis.

Since the industry was reconstituted in the late 1950s, it has enabled borrowers to obtain conventional loans — those not insured or guaranteed by the federal government — with down payments of less than 20 percent. Insurance premiums were scaled to down payment — the smaller the down payment, the higher the premium.

PMIs must place half of their premium inflow in contingency reserves which can’t be touched for 10 years except to meet unusually large losses. This encourages the companies to set premiums based on estimates of losses over long periods, so premium rates change infrequently. And it severely dampens the temptation to make a lot of money in a short period by taking advantage of ebullient markets. PMIs can’t pay themselves premiums net of losses in the current year, as most lenders and investment banks can.

The PMIs did not fully participate in the euphoria and excess that preceded the crash. They did insure some risky loans that would not have been acceptable to them earlier, but for the most part they stuck to their guns. As a result, their market share declined with the emergence of “piggybacks” (when a home is purchased using more than one mortgage from two or more lenders).

Lenders discovered that they could make 95 percent and even 100 percent loans by getting other lenders to offer second mortgages for the amounts over 80 percent of property value. Piggybacks carried higher rates than the first mortgages, but in many cases the cost to the borrower was smaller than the cost of mortgage insurance. The interest on piggybacks was deductible, while mortgage insurance premiums were not. In addition, borrowers could pay off the second mortgage in full at any time, whereas getting rid of PMI was a hassle.

Of course, the PMIs did not give up market share willingly. They induced Congress to make mortgage insurance premiums deductible, at least for a period, but this had only a small impact.

Had PMIs followed the prevailing pattern during the go-go years, they would have cut their insurance premiums sharply and gone after the riskier loans. But they didn’t, and the piggyback market thrived until the crisis hit. At that point, the market got an object lesson in the value of PMI. First mortgage lenders discovered that piggybacks provided substantially less protection against loss than PMI. As home prices declined and the crisis grew, a large proportion of piggybacks (the market has now virtually vanished) lost all or virtually all of their value.

Borrowers experiencing payment problems discovered that having to deal with two lenders was a substantial barrier to getting loan contracts modified. In contrast, mortgage insurers will often help borrowers negotiate modified contracts with first mortgage lenders.

Nonetheless, the PMIs have been badly hurt. Losses have been eroding their capital and reserves, and their stock prices have tumbled badly. Yet the industry is doing exactly what it was set up to do, which is to cover losses to lenders during a period of stress, out of reserves that they accumulated during periods of prosperity. The industry should play a more prominent role in the very different housing finance system that emerges in the future.

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2. I am very familiar with competitive houses so I can help you position your home well.

3. It is hard negotiating for yourself. I have lots of experience in writing contracts and can negotiate aggressively on your behalf.

4. Buyers are not always forthright about their financial situation. I insist on pre-qualifying before I even bring you an offer.

5. My lender contacts and mortgage experience help buyers get the financing they need.

6. Most buyers don’t want to tell the seller why they don’t make an offer. I can probe the buyer or his agent for that information.

7. Any follow up you do with a buyer can be seen as desperation. I follow up as part of my job so that you are not perceived in a compromising light.

8. I can showcase your improvements better so that you don’t appear like you are “selling.”

9. Most sellers who spend their time as a For Sale By Owner end up by listing in the end. A recent NAR survey found that only 11% of sellers nationally ended up selling by owner. Why spend your time and money if in the end you will hire a REALTOR?

10. Unqualified buyers can tie up your home. I make sure that doesn’t happen.

11. Personality conflicts with a buyer can get in the way. I come between the buyer and the seller so that personalities don’t enter in.

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 Most of the time you will find that a home will be located in a 100 year flood zone, but what does that mean? Well, it means that there is a 1% chance that a major flood will occur in any given year, not once in a 100 years as the name implies.

Can a home that has flooded before be covered under flood insurance.. the answer depends on if the home is in an area that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.   Areas that flooded two consecutive years are considered to be in a flood plain also know as Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).  These homes are at a high risk for a major flood event - a 26%+ chance over the life of a 30 year mortgage.  If a home lies within an SFHA the lender will require flood insurance.

Should you get Flood insurance? Statistics show that 25% of the homes that flood come from areas considered to be low to moderate risk. FEMA works hard to redraw the imaginery lines for flood zones.  So it is up to you as a homeowner to decide whether or not to purchase flood insurance just keep in mind that it doesn’t take a major Hurricane like Katrina to flood an area. A slow-moving system can do just as much damage.

If you still are unsure please visit www.floodSmart.gov for more information on flood insurance, risk of flood and tips for homeowners.

Talk to you again soon,

Patti

p.s. “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did.”
“But people will never forget how you made them feel.”

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Accentuate the positive. Be upbeat.

Be flexible.

2. During The Move.

Schedule family recreation time to get away from moving stress.

Seek support from friends and family.

Eat regular, well-balanced meals. Hunger amplifies stress.

3. After The Move.

If you or a family member are having difficulty adjusting to your new surroundings after the relocation don’t be shy, consider counseling.

It takes a keen knowledge of the area to pinpoint the homes that supply your “desires” and also meet your “needs.” If you are relocating to Houston or its’ surrounding area (the Woodlands, Spring, Tomball, Magnolia, Conroe, Atascocita, and Kingwood. Please allow me to assist you and your family with your relocating needs. Email me at pattimace@pattimace.com or pattimace@sbcglobal.net or view my blog at http//www.pattimace.com.

Hope to chat with you soon…Patti

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This is a MYTH: Home addistion, insurance cost, renovations, condo/HOA fees are not tax deductible like your property taxes and mortgage interest can be.  Remember to always check with a tax advisor or a financial planner when determining what home related issues are deductible.

see you again soon,

patti -pattimace@pattimace.com or pattimace@sbcglobal.net

www.pattimace.com

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Now that the offer is accepted the contract is sent over by your realtor to the Mortgage Broker or Bank and they will start the loan completion process.  Up until now you as the buyer have a pre-approval letter.  It is your mortgage broker/bankers’ responsiblity to stay on top of getting your loan closed.  There will be various documents needed to complete this process.  Whatever you do, do not go purchase anything on credit that might change your approval status. 

While this is going on there is an option period that you as a buyer can pay a small fee normally $10 a day for 10days.  This will give you time to have the home inspected to ensure there is no costly damage, such as foundation or roof repairs needed and to ensure no termite damage.

Once the inspection is done and the loan is approval process is completed  the mortgage folks will order an appraisal, and the title company orders the survey,

This process is normally done within a 30 day period unless it is a foreclosure and then it can take longer. Before you go to closing your realtor will receive a HUD statement which breaks down the expenses for closing on the home and will let you know what $$ amount is needed. There are a lot of documents that must be signed so expect the closing to take about 45 minutes.

Heres to wishing you luck on your new home purchase, give me a call I will help you….www.pattimace.com or pattimace@sbcglobal.net.

Talk again soon,

Patti

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Realtors do not want to disappoint their clients in anyways so as a realtor when a client comes in the first step is the pre-qualification with a mortgage broker or bank.  This prevents the realtor from showing clients homes that are not within their ratio and ultimately making it more difficult to find them a home that fits their personality.

The next step in your home purchase is knowing where you want to live. Is there a subdivision or rural area that particularly interest you?  If you are new to the area then this could be a difficult decision but ask around your job or friends to see what opinions they have. 

Now that you have the pre-approval and know what area you would like to live in then the next step is to get with your realtor and/or find a realtor if you do not have one yet.  This step is easy if you live in Texas near the Woodlands, Houston, Spring, or surrounding areas you can contact me at pattimace@sbcglobal.net, if not then I would be glad to assist you in finding someone in your area, or speak with a family member, or friend.

Realtors and clients then work together to find out what type of home you like, traditional, colonial, modern. Then how many bedrooms, bathrooms, and other areas you desire such as a study, or a gameroom. Do you want an older home in a mature area with grown trees or do you like the feel of a new home in an up and coming area.

Once this is all figured out off we will go to look at the inside of the homes to see how well they have been maintained and if the home fulfills your desires.  Most clients like to see 8-10 homes or more before making a decision and will usually narrow down to two and go and look at them again to make their final decision.

See you back here soon to check out my next blog on ….Now that the home has been chosen what is the next step……..

 www.pattimace.com  …. pattimace@sbclgoblal.net

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Credit ratings are determined differently in each country, but the factors are similar, and may include:

• Payment record – a record of bills being overdue will lower the credit rating.
• Control of debt – Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means. Experts estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15 percent of the borrower’s after tax income.
• Signs of responsibility and stability – Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the borrower’s home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability. Having a respected profession can improve a credit rating.
• Credit inquiries – An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file. There are several kinds of notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score. Soft pulls don’t affect the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples:

A credit bureau may sell a person’s contact information to an advertiser purchasing a list of people with similar characteristics, like homeowners with excellent credit. A creditor can check a person’s credit periodically. Or, a credit counseling agency, with the client’s permission, can obtain a client’s credit report with no adverse action. Each of the preceding examples are commonly referred to as a “soft” credit pull.

However “hard” credit inquiries are made by lenders. Lenders, when granted a permissible purpose by a borrower for the purposes of extending his credit, can check his credit history. Hard inquiries from lenders directly affect the borrower’s credit score. Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a person’s credit rating. A lender may perceive many inquiries on a person’s report as a signal that the person is looking for loans and will possibly consider that person a poor credit risk.

• Credit cards that are not used – Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have an adverse effect on a credit score, closing these lines of credit will not improve your score. The credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the amount being used, so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit. And the lower the percentage of available credit, the more the credit score will drop. The credit formula also factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open, so closing an account with several years of history is another avoidable credit mistake.

Consequences

The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering whether to offer credit to individuals or companies. It is also available to other entities with a “permissible purpose.” The consequence of a negative credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for credit under favorable terms, if at all. Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit history—the higher the credit rating, the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating, the higher the interest. The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low credit rating group of individuals.

In the United States, in certain cases, insurance, housing, and employment can also be denied based on a negative credit rating.

Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is “adverse.” It is the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision, each lender has its own policy on what scores fall within their guidelines. The specific scores that fall within a lender’s guidelines is most often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to its nature as a trade secret. In the United States, a creditor is required to give a reason for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the decision.

Credit Bureaus

Several credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion .

I know that this is a lot of information to take in, but the lower the interest rate the more home you can purchase. I will let you absorb this information and then blog more on the various mortgage notes based on the interest rate.

If you have guestion email me at pattimace@sbcglobal.net.  Hope to see you subscribe to my blog at www.pattimace.com.

Chat again soon,

Patti

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Another item to consider for your “green house” would be Bamboo flooring which is a renewable plant and is not killed during harvesting.  Bamboo unlike Wood is a harder more durable and longer lasting product.

When considering going green the homeowner needs to keep in mind that when they place their Eco-friendly home on the market a new buyer may not consider these amenities a value thus not pay for these extras.

As the world shifts toward different eco-friendly amenities it will also help to establish a value for these products. Are these products considered “Value in use” or Value in Exchange”?  Basically does it make a contribution to the market?

For Appraisers who estimate a homes Value in Exchange only this is based on what consumers are willing to pay for a certain amenity.

For Lenders under the current system accepting Green Homes can be of deep concerns.  Most lenders make money when the loan is put together and then they bundle them up to sell.  Green homes are not widely used yet therefore they are not in conformity with other standard type of home loans.

In time these Green homes will become more familiar to consumers and become more acceptable by builders, lenders, and appraisers.

Talk to you soon and let me know your thoughts at www.pattimace.com.

Patti

p.s…another product to look into is Photovoltaic solar electric systems.

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If asked, most people want to go green, but how far are they willing to go?. There has to be a compromise somewhere between what’s ‘over the edge’ green and what can get be placed in the housing market so that people can have a home that’s environmentally safe and attractive.

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The first step in the process is making sure that to acquire a current copy of their credit report. Congress recently amended the Fair Credit Reporting Act so that consumers may now receive one free credit report annually. There are three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. Since entries can vary across bureaus try to request a free report from each of the three companies. (www.annualcreditreport.com)

It’s also important to know just what a good credit score is. Most A-Paper scores generally begin around 680. Don’t despair if it comes up shy, there is always room for improvement. Increasing your score just 5 points can save a significant amount of money. For example, if your score is 698 and you increase it to 703, then you could save yourself thousands of dollars over time as a result of a slight improvement to your loan’s interest rate.

According to the various affiliates, while credit repair is necessary for some, it’s not the only way to increase your credit score. Even if you have stellar credit, you can enhance your score through these steps:

• Evenly distribute credit card debt to change the ratio of debt to available credit. Let’s say you have a credit score of 665. If you have debt on only one card, and four additional credit cards with zero balances, evenly distributing the debt of the first card could move you closer, and possibly into, that ideal bracket.
• Keep your existing accounts open and active. The average consumer is usually anxious to close credit card accounts that have zero balances, but doing this can cause them to lose the benefits of a long-term credit history and increase their ratio of debt-to-available credit.
• Keep credit inquiries to a minimum. Each inquiry into your credit history can impact your score anywhere from 2-50 points. When it comes to mortgage and auto loans, even though you’re only looking for one loan, multiple lenders may request your credit report. To compensate for this, the score counts multiple auto or mortgage inquiries in any 14-day period as just one inquiry, so try and stay within that time frame.

Remember, credit scores don’t change over night. Improving them requires time and diligent effort, so it’s a good idea to get the ball rolling at least three to six months prior to submitting an application for home financing.

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The California Federal Judge has ruled in favor of the Down Payment Assistance Programs. This is definitely Great news especiallay since Hud has been trying to have the Down Payment Assistance programs ruled against by the Federal Judge, however, the Judge has ruled against Hud and for the Down Payment Assistance programs. Hud has now been stopped from ruling against the DPA’s permanently, Safe at last!.

Another issue that is good for buyers and was approved is the FHA Loan amount has now increased to $271,050.00 for Harris and surrounding counties. This will give buyers more options when deciding on which loan option to take FHA, VA, or Conventional.

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Selling your home shouldn’t be a stressful ordeal. Making the smart move of choosing a REALTOR® is your first step to ensuring that your investment in your home pays off. My services and experience allow you to focus on your move while I manage your home sale from our initial consultation to the closing deal, and beyond. I pride myself on repeat business and hope you’ll come to understand why.

As Your Agent, I Will:

* Complete a comparative market analysis that will compare your home’s value to that of your neighbors.
* Compile a comprehensive plan detailing all the efforts I will employ to sell your home, including Internet and local media.
* Present your home to as many qualified buyers as possible getting your home maximum exposure.
* Help you stage your home and generate curb appeal to ensure you get the highest price.
* Assist with obtaining offers and help you in negotiating the best deal as smoothly as possible.
* Help you find your next home and answer all of your questions about the local market area, including schools, neighborhoods, the local economy, and more.

Recent Home Sales

What are homes selling for on your street? Feel free to contact me to find out what neighborhood homes are selling for, free of charge, or to receive a more detailed analysis of the value of your home.

Getting the Highest Price for Your Home

Curb appeal is key and could make a difference whether people stop and take a flyer, or drive right by. Here are a few tips to increase the curb appeal of your home. Staging your home is important. Many buyers will stay in your home longer if it’s staged appropriately. I have compiled some ideas to present your home in the most effective manner.

Closing Costs to Expect:

* Title insurance fees depend on the sales price of the home.
* Broker’s commission is a full-service fee and will cost anywhere between 5% to 7%.
* Local property transfer tax, country transfer tax, state transfer tax, and state capital gains tax are the charges that you’ll pay for the privilege of selling your home. Credit to the buyer of unpaid real estate taxes for the prior or current year are variable and depend on when you close and when your taxes are due.
* FHA fees and costs are all fees are now negotiable between an FHA buyer and seller.
* Home inspections fees are in some circumstances paid for by the seller and include pest, radon and other inspections.
* Miscellaneous fees can accrue from correcting problems noticed during the home inspection.

Find out how much your closing costs could be. contact me.

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Buying a home is an exciting time in one’s life. Making the smart move of choosing a REALTOR® is your first step to ensuring that your new home and community meets your needs. My services and experience range from financial aid to helping you find the home that best suits you and your family. For your convenience, I also provide listings by email. I pride myself on repeat business and hope you’ll come to understand why.

As Your Agent, I Will:

* Assure that you see all the properties in the area that meet your criteria.
* Guide you through the entire home buying process, from finding homes to look at, to getting the best financing.
* Make sure you don’t pay too much for your new home and help you avoid costly mistakes.
* Answer all of your questions about the local market area, including schools, neighborhoods, the local economy, and more.

Before You Start Looking For Your New Home:

* Check your credit rating. Straighten out any errors before its too late.
* Determine a comfortable monthly budget for your new purchase, including down payment and monthly payment.
* Find a loan program that meets your needs and get pre-qualified (preferably pre-approved).
* Choose a REALTOR® that you trust and who understands your needs.
* Determine what neighborhood best matches your needs.
* Identify important features you need your new home to have.

Closing Costs to Expect:

* Lender fees include charges for loan processing, underwriting, preparation and establishing an escrow account.
* Third-party fees include charges for insurance, title search, and other inspections such as termites.
* Government fees include deed recording and state & local mortgage taxes.
* Escrow and interest fees include homeowner’s insurance, loan interest, real estate taxes, and occasionally private mortgage insurance.

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