The lease to own market is exploding! We have a list of home buyer’s who just miss making the qualification for FHA loans! We now have that database and can provide a solution for both sellers and buyers in today’s market!

Buyer’s get to lease for 12-18 months while going through credit counseling to increase their credit score. Then after 12-18 months the buyer’s credit score is better and they close on the home they want.

Sellers get full appraisal price for their home, lease income for 12-18 months which is guranteed by an insurance policy, and sell and close on their home for full appraisal price.

In this scenario everyone wins! Please contact us at info@brokermonster.com for more information if you are a lease to own buyer or a home seller that will consider a lease purchase.

In this article, I’m eager to bestow some real help to those who find the total option of packing for moving house slightly overwhelming. You’re probably dreading the idea of having to decide where to start and what to take, so let’s set up a step plan for you to check on, and I think, after you take the number one step, you’ll understand that just getting going is the highest hurdle you’ll stand in front of.

Step 1: The Big Clear Out.

This sounds like an obvious step, but from my experience, it’s overlooked all to often. An opportunity has arisen at this point where you can get rid of a quantity of rubbish and open up a little valuable room, and lessen your workload on removal day. This is especially significant if your move is over a long distance, or if there’s going to be a storage phase during your moving out and moving in days. Remember, the higher the volume of goods to be moved, followed by the more packing equipment, men , time, bigger vehicle and bigger storeroom unit necessary. It all has a knock on effect, so strip your house down to the essentials and save your time and money. Take a good long look at your furniture, and ask yourself if you really would like to shell out to have that weary old rec-room couch taken to your brand new address. Are your beds or mattresses due for replacement? Do you really need to keep all those back issues of your favourite magazines? A clever suggestion is to ask yourself when was the last time you used that thing, and force yourself to throw it away. Use it or lose it. Get this step best by being as merciless as you can, and you’re on your way to a much smoother and much cheaper move. I like to think of it this way; if I haven’t used it in a year then I don’t need it!

Step 2: The Non Essentials

We all get those items which we can’t be parted from, such as personal photo albums, ornaments and trinkets, artwork, and of course our clothes and cookware, but a large amount of us it can be packed, weeks in advance of moving date without impacting on our lives. If you can cut down to manage on the bare essentials, and box up the remainder ahead of time, you’ll suddenly hit upon that the workload on moving day is now down to a much more convenient level. If you can get this stage done before you call in the moving companies for quotes, it follows that you can expect the prices to be much more reasonable. The agent from the moving company will respond far more favourably to a tidy organised household, than he would to a jumbled house with a mountain of graft to get through. So get ahead of time and box up the things you can manage without. Don’t be concerned too much as regards what goes away on this stage, as you can leave your boxes unsealed in case you need to search out that special pair of shoes or your kids other toys. Stack your packed boxes to the wall in each room, ready to seal them up right before moving day.

Step 3: The Night Before

Relax. With steps one and two prepared you’ve already prepared much better than the majority. You can award yourself a pat on the back at this moment and know that your moving day is going to plan. Now, all that needs to be done is to place everything in your essentials collection which is no longer wanted into the unsealed boxes. You’ll need fresh clothes, wash kit, a couple of towels and the breakfast items for the morning, but everything else can go away. My own reminder is to keep the coffee pot out and a number of mugs and teaspoons, milk and sugar. We all like a mid-morning break on the day and it’s so much nicer to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Especially vital at this point, is that you get a fair night’s sleep. Moving day is a long day so catch your rest and wake up refreshed and energised ready to rock and roll.

Step 4: Get up and go off!

If your movers are coming by 8am, it follows that you’ll need to be up, washed, dressed and fed earlier than they arrive. Then you’ve got to get the breakfast dishes washed dried and packed, get the wash kit away, but leave a towel and a little soap in the bathroom. Strip your beds down and box up the sheets, pillows and duvets. Seal up all the boxes which have been left unsealed up to this moment and presto, you’re prepared. When the movers arrive, they can move straight to work lifting boxes off to the van while you polish off a small amount of last small tasks. Once your boxes and furniture are moved out, you’ve got to turn out the lights, lock up, hand over the keys and get after that truck.

Hopefully right now you’re looking forwards to moving. If you take my advice and abide by the plan then you to will be able to sleep well the night beforehand and meet your movers with a smile. Moving day can be a very exciting day especially for the kids, so If you take the time to get it all organized you can avoid the moving day stresses and look forward to moving into your new home.

Warmest regards from me, and let me know how it went.

Source: Call to Decision

Subject: Homeowners take note………..

HR2454 Cape & Trade Bill, a/k/a Carbon Tax Bill, is another way for the government to take control of you and your finances.

 OBAMA, REID, WAXMAN, PELOSI, KERRY, BOXER and all other Democrat supporters…..this is a MUST READ for you, especially!

 We ALL are in for EXTREMELY hard financial times if this bill and the health care bill pass…….

 Read the entire bill….if you have a couple of weeks. Like the Health Care Bill, it is also designed to confuse you: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2454

 A License Required for your house 

Thinking about selling your house – A look at H.R. 2454 (Cap and trade bill) a/k/a Carbon Tax Bill. This is horrendous! 

It’s only the beginning from the Obama administration! Home owners take note & forward to your friends and relatives who are home owners! 

Beginning 1 year after enactment of the Cap and Trade Act, you won’t be able to sell your home unless you retrofit it to comply with the energy and water efficiency standards of this Act. H.R. 2454, the “Cap & Trade” bill passed by the House of Representatives, if also passed by the Senate, will be the largest tax increase any of us has ever experienced! The Congressional Budget Office(supposedly non-partisan) estimates that in just a few years the average cost to every family of four will be $6,800 per year! No one is excluded! However, once the lower classes feel the pinch in their wallets, you can be sure these voters get a tax refund (even if they pay no taxes at all) to offset this new cost. Thus, you Mr. and Mrs. Middle Class America will have to pay even more since additional tax dollars will be needed to bail out everyone else! 

But wait. This awful bill (that no one in Congress has actually read) has many more surprises in it. Probably the worst one is this: A year from now you won’t be able to sell your house. Yes, you read that right. The caveat is (there always is a caveat) that if you have enough money to make required major upgrades to your home, then you can sell it. But, if not, then forget it! Even pre-fabricated homes (“mobile homes”) are included!

In effect, this bill prevents you from selling your home without the permission of the EPA administrator! To get this permission, you will have to have the energy efficiency of your home measured. Then the government will tell you what your new energy efficiency requirement is and you will be forced to make modifications to your home under the retrofit provisions of this Act to comply with the new energy and water efficiency requirements. Then you will have to get your home measured again and get a license (called a “label” in the Act) that must be posted on your property to show what your efficiency rating is; sort of like the Energy Star efficiency rating label on your refrigerator or air conditioner. If you don’t get a high enough rating, you can’t sell! And, the EPA administrator is authorized to raise the standards every year, even above the automatic energy efficiency increases built into the Act! 

The EPA administrator, appointed by the President, will run the Cap & Trade program (AKA the “American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009″) and is authorized to make any future changes to the regulations and standards he alone determines to be in the government’s best interest! What happened to We The People?Requirements are set low initially so the bill will pass Congress; then the Administrator can set much tougher new standards every year. The Act itself contains annual required increases in energy efficiency for private and commercial residences and buildings. 

However, the EPA administrator can set higher standards at any time. Sect. 202 Building Retrofit Program mandates a national retrofit program to increase the energy efficiency of all existing homes across America . Beginning 1 year after enactment of the Act, you won’t be able to sell your home unless you retrofit it to comply with the energy and water efficiency standards of this Act. You had better sell soon, because the standards will be raised each year and will be really hard (i.e., expensive) to meet in a few years. Oh, goody! The Act allows the government to give you a grant of several thousand dollars to comply with the retrofit program requirements if you meet certain energy efficiency levels. But, wait, the State can set additional requirements on who qualifies to receive the grants! 

You should expect requirements such as “can’t have an income of more than $50K per year”, “home selling price can’t be more than $125K”, or anything else to target the upper middle class (and that’s YOU) and prevent them from qualifying for the grants. Most of us won’t get a dime and will have to pay the entire cost of the retrofit out of our own pockets. More transfer of wealth, more “change you can believe in!” Sect. 204 Building Energy Performance Labeling Program establishes a labeling program that for each individual residence will identify the achieved energy efficiency performance for “at least 90 percent of the residential market within 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.” This means that within 5 years 90% of all residential homes in the U.S. must be measured and labeled. The EPA administrator will get $50Million each year just to enforce the labeling program. The Secretary of the Department of Energy will get an additional $20Million each year to help enforce the labeling program. Some of this money will, of course, be spent on coming up with tougher standards each year.

Oh, the label will be like a license for your car. You will be required to post the label in a conspicuous location in your home and will not be allowed to sell your home without having this label! And, just like your car license, you will be required to get a new label every so often – maybe every year. The government estimates the cost of measuring the energy efficiency of your home should only cost about $200 each time. Remember what they said about the auto smog inspections when they first started: that in California it would only cost $15. That was when the program started. Now the cost is about $50 for the inspection and certificate; a 333% increase! Expect the same from the home labeling program.

Sect. 304 Greater Energy Efficiency in Building Codes establishes new energy efficiency guidelines for the National Building Code and mandates  304(d) that 1 year after enactment of this Act, all state and local jurisdictions must adopt the National Building Code energy efficiency provisions or must obtain a certification from the federal government that their state and/or local codes have been brought into full compliance with the National Building Code energy efficiency standards. 

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2454  

http://www.stealthfusion.com/forum/big-government/7573-cap-trade-license-required-your-home..html

WORKING WITH AN INTERNET PROFESSIONAL

When you decide it’s time to sell your home in Orleans there are over 2,200 Realtors available to you – but how do you select which one?

First it is important for you, as a Seller, to understand that the Real Estate market is changing and the way Realtors market your home is changing.  Some of us are embracing change while others seem to want to stick to their old ways.  There was a time when a sign on your front lawn and MLS is all you needed to sell your home – however with so many more options available to buyers who are looking to purchase a home it’s important for you, as a Seller, to select a Realtor who is ahead of the game.

I have selected to adapt to change since it is what will benefit my current and future potential clients as well as my growing business.

Bilingual service, Experience, Market savvy, Negotiating skills, Dedication to the job, Flexibility and Honesty are only some of the qualities that best describe myself and the way I approach my business.  I have a vibrant and fresh look on new technologie and I’m always learning and researching new venues to promote myself, my business and my listings! I have a very strong online presence and consider myself to be an “Internet Professional Realtor”. Your home will get maximum exposure and will be advertised to the most potential buyers possible!

When you’re ready to sell your home in Orleans I will provide you with a FREE home evaluation which will help us determine the right price. From there you will meet w/ Kristy Morrison-Bowen for a FREE 2 hour staging consultation. Once your home, which has now become a product, is ready to hit the market we finish up the pre-listing process with a visit from my Professional Photographer! I look forward to hearing from you and making this a quick stress-free and profitable experience for you.

* First-time home buyers who purchase homes between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010. * Current home owners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, who have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for five consecutive years within the last eight.

To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase. If you or your client purchased a home between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, please see: 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. Which Properties Are Eligible? The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops. How Much Is Available? The maximum allowable credit for first-time home buyers is $8,000. The maximum allowable credit for current homeowners is $6,500. How is a Buyer’s Credit Amount Determined? Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by tow additional factors: 1. The price of the home. 2. The buyer’s income. Price Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, credit may only be awarded on homes purchased for $800,000 or less. Buyer Income Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, which is effective on November 7, 2009, single buyers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000—may receive the maximum tax credit. These income limits have changed from the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit limits. If you or your client purchased a home between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, please see 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. If the Buyer(s)’ Income Exceeds These Limits, Can He/She Still Get a Credit? Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit. The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000 for single buyers and between $225,000 and $245,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as his/her income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income—over $145,000 for singles and over $245,000 for couples are not eligible for the credit. Can a Buyer Still Qualify If He/She Closes After April 30, 2010? Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, as long as a written binding contract to purchase is in effect on April 30, 2010, the purchaser will have until July 1, 2010 to close. Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid? No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the property is sold during this three-year period, the full amount credit will be recouped on the sale.

The person who leads the football team is the quarterback.  The person you select to sell your home is just as important.  There are a lot of factors involved in the selection, and just as in football, it’s easy to be influenced by the wrong things.

Heisman Trophy winners are not always the most successful quarterbacks in the NFL and just because an agent won awards doesn’t always mean he’s the best person for your needs.  First of all, the quarterback can only be as good as his team.

What company is behind your quarterback?  Does the “team” lead in market share? Is the team owner involved in the team and is it a person of integrity?  You can have a rookie quarterback that is surrounded by a talented team and come out a winner.   And you can have a new agent who is backed by a company with knowledge and support and resources and come out with the same kind of success.

Behind every successful quarterback there are coaches and trainers that have helped with his success.  A quarterback who is trying to go it alone and do everything himself is one that is going to get sacked.  A good agent needs experience and leadership in his company and resources at his disposal in order to be successful in the sale of your home.

Pick the right team and the right quarterback to sell your home if you want to come up a winner when the game is over.

Real Estate Blog: http://maryboe.com/news-tips/
Bringing you the very best real estate advice & tips from around the internet!

A disorganized corner nook…
Problem: Buyers could see this area of the house from the entryway. A haphazard placement of tall plants, toys, and a huge TV made it feel awkward and cluttered.

...is recast as a reading spot

Solution: The plants were given to a friend and the electronics and toys stored. Gould replaced them with a comfy reading chair and lamp to give this sunny spot a cozy focal point.

This house languished on the market for three months before it was staged. It was the only two-bedroom home that sold in the area that season.

Listed: $329,000
Sold: $327,000 (99% of list)
Staging costs: $2,500

– From Debra Gould, founder of Staging Diva, via CNNMoney.com

The good news is that there are buyers out there, especially since the passage of the expanded home buyer tax credit which now offers a tax credit for current homeowners who want to sell their home and buy another primary home (see details HERE).

The problem is that some of those people thinking of selling their home don’t understand how home purchases and mortgages work.  That causes them to be tempted to price their home too high when they list it.  I call this the “waiting for someone to show up with more money than brains” syndrome.  Fact is, that just will delay the sale of the property, if it sells at all.  If the case of the tax credit, not selling soon enough means you’ll lose the tax credit because of the time limits.  There are two  main reasons for this.

1. Most buyers will be working with a “Buyer’s Agent,” an agent whose responsibility is to help the buyer find the best property at the best price.  No, they won’t try to jack up the sale price just to get a few more dollars in commission.  First, they have a fiduciary duty to their buyer client to help them get the best deal.  The second reason for this is tied to the point below.
2. Unless a buyer is going to make the purchase with all cash, then there is a lender involved.  If you think about it, at closing, the lender owns most of the house, with the buyer having equity equal to their down payment.  The lender sends their appraiser (who actually works on behalf of the lender. not the buyer) to appraise the value of the house relative to the local market.  If the house does not appraise at a value at or above the contract price, then the lender will refuse the loan unless the buyer is willing to make up the difference.  The lender does not want to be stuck with a big loan on a property that was over-priced, in case the borrower defaults on the loan.  So, to go back to point #1, the buyer’s agent will advise the buyer not to agree to pay too much because the lender will refuse the loan in most cases.

So, like I said, there’s just no point in listing too high.  When agents are looking at sold properties on the MLS, we can see the entire history of a property’s listing.  It is not unusual to see properties that sold 10, 15, or 20% below their original listing price, and see that the seller kept dropping the price for a year or two, always being behind the curve of price changes, until they finally got desperate and set the price in line with the market, when it then sold.  Some of them waited too late and were forced into a short sale or foreclosure.

Pricing it right with the current market will get it done and cause much less stress on the seller.  By the way, I can help you set a proper listing price based on research I do on recent sales and current competition.

I just saw an article in Business Week online that ranks Fishers among the top Best Places to Raise Your Kids. This ranking was carried out by Business Week and Onboard Informatics. Fishers came in at number 15 on this ranking; Mishawaka and Carmel were runners up.

So what is it that makes Fishers kid friendly? Great schools, lots of things to do and safe, friendly neighborhoods are among the most important factors when considering where to raise your children and Fishers has all of these things and is also close to more metropolitan areas where parents can find work right close to home as well as great restaurants and entertainment. Unlike Indianapolis however, Fishers is not very metro, it maintains a friendly sense of community that makes living here a real pleasure. The secret has gotten out though, because currently, Fishers is the fastest growing city in Indiana

But Fishers is not the only great place in Hamilton County to raise children. I raised my children in Noblesville, and like Fishers it is also a great place to raise kids. There are many great neighborhoods in Hamilton County and I am sure that one of the cities in Hamilton will make this ranking again next year.

It ‘s interesting  how a  lot of the time we only think about certain, seemingly non-important things until after the fact. I was just reading some articles in INDYSTAR.com, when I saw one entitled, “Flue fire causes $40,000 in damage in Noblesville”  that reminded me of the fact that it is time to have my chimney cleaned again.

According to this article, Dale Lackney’s home in the Windwood at Morse neighborhood suffered $40,000 on Wednesday due to a chimney fire. Noblesville Fire Division Chief, Rick Russell has stated that this was an accidental fire caused by heat, which escaped into the wall cavity from the metal fireplace box.

Thankfully, Mr. Lackney and his family were able to get out of their home in time and no one was hurt.

When I saw that heat had escaped from the metal fire box into the wall cavity, it made me wonder whether this may have been a case of shoddy construction, and how such faulty construction managed to pass code. Surely there has to be a certain amount of insulation surrounding the fir box to avoid just this type of situation…

Although this fire was not directly attributed to creosote buildup in the flue, it reminded me that lack of proper flue maintenance can also lead to a similar situation, or worse. It also reminded me of other potentially dangerous heating mechanisms that many of use, such as space heaters.

Hopefully more folks will read this article and practice more caution with regards to their space heaters, fireplaces and other potentially dangerous residential heaters. A little more caution can go a long way towards avoiding a situation similar to that experienced by the Lackney family.

To find out what you can do to make your home less prone to fires, please visit the City of Noblesville’s Fire Prevention Bureau. You can also contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at 317-776-6336.

There are many qualities that go into being an excellent real estate professional: integrity, in-depth market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how I work. That said, throughout my career working in your area I’ve also found that providing high-quality service is essentially about putting my clients first – by keeping myself accessible, being a good listener and responding quickly to your needs

This “client first” philosophy has always been my approach. So when you decide to sell, please call or email me. I’ll provide first-class service that will help you get more money for your home and make the selling experience as enjoyable as possible.

There are many qualities that go into being an excellent real estate professional: integrity, in-depth market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how I work. That said, throughout my career working in your area I’ve also found that providing high-quality service is essentially about putting my clients first – by keeping myself accessible, being a good listener and responding quickly to your needs

This “client first” philosophy has always been my approach. So when you decide to sell, please call or email me. I’ll provide first-class service that will help you get more money for your home and make the selling experience as enjoyable as possible.

There are many qualities that go into being an excellent real estate professional: integrity, in-depth market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how I work. That said, throughout my career working in your area I’ve also found that providing high-quality service is essentially about putting my clients first – by keeping myself accessible, being a good listener and responding quickly to your needs

This “client first” philosophy has always been my approach. So when you decide to sell, please call or email me. I’ll provide first-class service that will help you get more money for your home and make the selling experience as enjoyable as possible.

There are many qualities that go into being an excellent real estate professional: integrity, in-depth market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how I work. That said, throughout my career working in your area I’ve also found that providing high-quality service is essentially about putting my clients first – by keeping myself accessible, being a good listener and responding quickly to your needs

This “client first” philosophy has always been my approach. So when you decide to sell, please call or email me. I’ll provide first-class service that will help you get more money for your home and make the selling experience as enjoyable as possible.

There are many qualities that go into being an excellent real estate professional: integrity, in-depth market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how I work. That said, throughout my career working in your area I’ve also found that providing high-quality service is essentially about putting my clients first – by keeping myself accessible, being a good listener and responding quickly to your needs

This “client first” philosophy has always been my approach. So when you decide to sell, please call or email me. I’ll provide first-class service that will help you get more money for your home and make the selling experience as enjoyable as possible.

I’m currently working on the details of an upcoming closing for my clients in which the home has a septic tank, pump and drain field.  The house is 8 years old, and my clients will be using an FHA loan.  Both of these details point to the need for an inspection of the septic system.  The seller agreed to pay for the basic inspection since most buyers would likely be using a loan using FHA standards.  So, yesterday, we met with the septic system inspectors to take care of this.  Turns out, it won’t be that easy.  We discovered after considerable effort that the septic tank and pump is right behind the house, and so is a full-length deck that provided no access to the parts of the system that have to be physically inspected.  What’s more, the deck was designed in such a way that the decking could not just be pulled up to gain access.  They will have to be cut and then re-fashioned into several hatches for future access.  There’s a lesson here for folks who are placing new septic tanks. 

Consider the modern septic system.  I think you would agree that it’s a major improvement over an outhouse!  Lots of people install them and expect that once they’ve paid for the installation, they’ll be able to “do their business” for free.  Well, according to NC State Soil Science folks, you’ve got to at the very least have them pumped out periodically or risk ruining the whole system.  Below is a chart they offer along with lots of other useful information at their web site HERE.  If you want to know more about your current septic system or think you may eventually buy and build where you’ll need one, this site is full of good information. 

I know some “city folks” who are scared to buy property that uses a septic tank and drain field, but they normally work very well, and with proper maintenance allow homes to be built where there is no access to city or county sewer systems.  That opens the possibility of building in some of the most beautiful sites out in the country.

Most people are aware of the importance of a qualified home inspection when buying a home, but the advantages of a pre-inspection for the seller may not be immediately obvious. Several arguments are frequently made against pre-inspections. Skeptics note that buyers usually will perform a home inspection before buying, rendering the seller’s inspection redundant. The cost of a home inspection is raised as an objection, as well. Sellers sometimes argue that since they live in the home, they are already aware of its condition and thus do not need a home inspection to confirm what they already know.

In fact, performing a pre-inspection can actually be a selling point for your home. Knowing the exact condition of your home before it goes on the market can allow you to plan for repairs, if necessary, and will give you a better idea of your home’s real value, essential for pricing it correctly in today’s volatile housing market. Additionally, a pre-inspection can provide potential buyers with confidence, allowing them to offer a higher price for your property than they might otherwise be prepared to do.

If your property qualifies for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance, pre-inspections are especially important. FHA regulations require certain minimum property standards be met; a pre-inspection will ensure that your home meets the eligibility requirements for FHA insurance, increasing the number of qualified buyers for your home.

Because a pre-inspection takes place before your house goes on the market, you will have additional time to make any necessary repairs. Your home inspector will explain the extent of the problems and may even make suggestions about possible ways to repair them yourself, saving you money and avoiding the necessity of hiring a contractor or scheduling a repair. By performing needed repairs and replacements before the buyer sees the property, you ensure that your home makes the best possible first impression. Additionally, the decision about who will do the repairs will be in your hands, not the buyer’s. This will allow you to better control costs and allow you to plan your expenditures more accurately.

Precise knowledge of your property’s condition will allow you to price your home competitively. Especially in current housing market conditions, an accurate assessment of your home’s worth can make the difference between a home that sells quickly and one that remains on the market for months. A pre-inspection will give you the edge in determining your home’s asking price and in negotiating the best possible financial outcome for you.

Perhaps most importantly, a pre-inspection report can reassure prospective buyers about the condition of your home. It will showcase your home’s assets, describing in detail the improvements and upgrades your home has to offer. Potential buyers can place their offers with confidence, knowing that your home has been thoroughly inspected for any defects or problems. Pre-inspections eliminate the worry of last-minute negotiations, demands for repairs or, worst of all, having a sale fall through due to problems discovered during the standard pre-closing home inspection.

Pre-inspections provide many advantages to home sellers. In fact, most Realtors recommend that a pre-inspection be performed prior to placing your home on the market for the reasons listed here, and for one more reason: peace of mind. A thorough pre-inspection of your home will let you avoid unwanted surprises while selling your home, allowing you to relax and concentrate on your upcoming move.

Many have been waiting to find out – will the First Time Home Buyer tax credit be extended?  Now we have the answers – it has been extended, and now  current homeowners may be eligible for a tax credit also.  Here are the guidelines for the extended & expanded tax credit:

First Time Home Buyers
* Tax credit is for 10% of purchase price of the home, with a maximum   
   available credit to be $8,000
* Purchase contracts must be in effect  by April 30, 2010 and
   close no later than  June 30, 2010
* The home must be used as your primary residence
* Buyer cannot have owned a home during the past 3 years
* Annual income caps to qualify for the tax credit will increase
  $125,000 – single filers, $225,000 – joint filers.
* Partial tax credit can be granted for incomes over those caps and up to 
  $145,000 for single filers and up to $245,000 for joint filers

Current Homeowners Purchasing a Primary Residence
* Tax Credit for those eligible is $6,500.
* Homeowners must have lived in their current residence for five
   consecutive years of the past eight years.
* The new home’s cost need not exceed the current home.
* Purchase contracts need to be in effect by April 30, 2010 and close no
    later than June 30, 2010.
* Annual income caps to qualify for the tax credit is $125,000 for single
   filers and $225,000 for joint filers.  Partial tax credit can be granted for
   incomes over those amounts and up to $145,000 for single filers &
   $245,000 for joint filers. 

For additional information and frequently asked questions – visit our website at www.WendlingTeam.com

Being a real estate investor, one of the most important things you should do is to find a good source of funds. It is because having someone who can help solve your financial problems will give your investing business a boost. Without such a partner, you won’t be able to make offers to motivated home sellers as well as buy properties that you can flip or rehab. Fortunately, there are lots of hard money lenders who might be willing to help you out, even if you have a bad credit score.

A hard money loan is the perfect alternative for those people who want to secure funds in a short time. It is basically a type of asset-based financing in which the lender relies on the value of an investment property to assess the eligibility of a loan.

Unlike their traditional counterparts, hard money lenders do not require the borrower to provide documents, his credit history, and other credentials. Thus, securing a hard money loan is faster and easier. In addition, most of these lenders are private individuals or small venture capital type groups that have a huge amount of cash on their hands and are willing to finance investment projects.

To find a partner who’s willing to provide you with quick cash, you can join a real estate investing club or visit mortgage companies and ask for referrals. You can also surf the Internet since most hard money lenders advertise their services online.

But if you want to learn how you can use hard money loans to your advantage, you can log on to www.Rehab-Real-Estate.com. This amazing website is home to quality articles, audio files, and videos on hard money lending and real estate investing. Visiting the site can surely improve your skills as a real estate investor because you can learn from the best in the business.

A recent article in The Bulletin indicates that the local real estate market may be shaping up for recovery. The number of homes for sale is roughly 50% off its peak of August 2007. Low home prices, low interest rates, and the tax credit incentive  have all contributed to the increase in home sales. An inventory of 6 months is considered to be a balanced market. Anything less signifies a seller’s market and anything greater indicates a buyer’s market. For homes listed at $300,000 or less, which is the most active segment of the market, the inventory is currently 3 months. Bend’s median home price seems to have bottomed at $195,000 in April of this year and currently sits at $220,000.

Read the entire article here: Housing Inventory Plummets in Bend

Lemons to lemonade.  Black cloud with a silver lining.  Silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

There are a number of expressions that we sometimes hear when someone finds something good in an othewise bad situation.  For example, I work with the Citizens for a Troutman Library.  When the new library was designed, the architect estimated the cost to be well over $1,000,000.  Then the economy went south.  When we put it out to bid, we were able to get a contract for under $800,000.  That allowed us to move ahead with construction.  In another example, the Town of Mooresville has lately been getting some needed re-paving of streets done, largely because paving prices are substantially lower than normal, and that’s the best use of our town funds now.

This same silver lining can help some people move ahead with their plans for buying a house or trading up (or down).  Right now, 30 year mortgage interest rates can be had for under 5% with good credit.  Right now, many first time buyers can get a tax credit of up to $8,000 and many repeat buyers a credit of up to $6,500.  Right now, home prices are historically low.  (Sellers, if you’re moving in the same market, you’ll enjoy the same discount on the house you buy that you may have to give to get yours sold- so that’s no reason to wait.) 

Do you think this silver lining will last forever?  Well, we know the home buyer tax credits will end by the middle of next year.  We know that mortgage interest rates have been held artificially low due to government buying our own bonds, and that will likely go away next year.  We see that in other parts of the country that are ahead of us in the downturn-upturn cycle, that prices are starting to edge back up.  I’d say now is really a remarkably good time to make a move, if that’s part of your long-term plan.

Who’s ready for some lemonade?  Oh, by the way.  I help people buy and sell houses.