I thought with everyone saving money these days, this was a great article that I had found. Please enjoy.
RISMEDIA, February 27, 2010—According to a recent survey released by Whole Foods Market, 68% of adults say the economy has affected their cooking and eating habits. More than 50% of consumers say they are eating dinner at home more often to save money. But cutting costs on dining out doesn’t mean giving up on the joys of great company and delicious foods.
Folks before you know it the tax credit will be gone we have two months and a few days. For those of you sitting on the fence and dragging your feet keep in mind that although you have until April 30th to be under contract and June 30th to close on the home, if you wait and something goes wrong like a bad home inspection or the house does not appraise at the value needed for the loan, that credit will not transfer to another house. Now is the time to get off the fence to make sure you are able to get the home you want. Here is another little helpful article I found.
Secure a Lender Quickly for Tax Credit
Home buyers who are eager to close the deal before the tax credit expires should be prepared to deal only with lenders who will respond to the need for speed.
Even buyers without A-plus credit should be able to get a loan. “If you go to enough lenders, you can typically get a loan even with a low credit score. The terms, of course, are not as attractive,” says Spencer Rascoff, chief operating officer of Zillow.com.
Another possibility is to propose a lease-purchase deal or land contract to the seller. If the deal is structured properly, both buyer and seller could walk away winners.
Source: CNNMoney.com, Jean Chatzky (02/15/2010)
Hi Everyone I found this great article on energy saving tips, I hope it helps you out. Keep in mind when you are looking for an extraordinaire Real Estate experience, look no further you have found the right Realtor, Lynn Nichols.
RISMEDIA, February 13, 2010—The Alliance to Save Energy offers the following no-cost/low-cost energy efficiency tips for homeowners across the country who are looking to reduce their home heating costs while maintaining comfort.
Conduct a “draft check.” Your heating dollars could be going out your windows, doors and electrical outlets. Check for air leaks throughout your home; check around doors, windows, fixtures, electrical outlets, wiring, plumbing and fireplace dampers. Draft-proofing is the least expensive energy efficiency investment with the biggest payoff.
This is one of the reasons I love working for Keller Williams.http://realallthingsrealestate.com/2010/01/keller-williams-ranked-top-real-estate-franchise/
Hi Everyone I found this great article and website, please take a look at it.The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® this week launched HouseLogic, a new, comprehensive consumer Web site designed to help home owners make smart decisions to maintain, protect, and increase the value of their homes. HouseLogic will help consumers take responsible actions pertaining to what is likely the largest investment of their lives.
“Backed by the resources and industry insights of NAR and its REALTOR® members, HouseLogic will engage and involve consumers throughout the lifecycle of homeownership,” said NAR PresidentVicki Cox Golder. “It makes sense that, as the first, best source for real estate information, NAR should collaborate with today’s consumers to help them make the most out of owning a home. HouseLogic will help us do that.”
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Selling a property in this tough market can seem like a challenge. Here are four factors that actually make this a good time to post a For-Sale sign. Don’t forget you can call me to help out with listing your house. Keep in mind most Realtors put your house on the market, I put your house in the market. 1. Sell low and buy low. Because all property values are down, the loss on the property a home owner sells is really only a paper loss because the next property he buys also will be a bargain. If he buys smartly, when prices come back up in a few years, he’ll be in better shape.2. Down-payment help is widely available. While nothing-down loans have disappeared, it is easy to find down-payment assistance for lower-income and first-time home buyers. Programs vary all over the country, but one good way to find them is to search online for “down-payment assistance programs” and the name of your region.3. Your uncle has money to share. Besides the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit and the $6,500 move-up credit, there are an array of energy tax credits that can make home improvements pay off in cash.4. Good help is available. Really talented real estate practitioners, contractors, and designers are available and eager for business.Source: McClatchy Tribune, Kate Forgach (02/07/2010)
Well I hope everyone is getting out safely from this huge snow that we had. Where I am at we got 26 inches. Thank goodness we did not sell our snow blower and still have it here. The big news is today is Super Bowl and I know being from Baltimore I am not suppose to root for the Colts, but sorry I am.Be safe out there everyone!!!!
This is a great article written by Emily Hsieh. If you are getting ready to sell your home these design tricks will help you get more money for your home. When you are looking to sell please think of me Lynn Nichols.It’s probably stating the obvious to say that it’s a tricky, challenging real estate market out there, and, if you’re currently selling your house, you can use any kind of competitive edge. Professional home stagers can help you get it. Part interior decorator, part closet organizer, and part magician, they offer advice on upping the value of your home by sprucing up your interiors—all without any major renovations or shelling out of major cash. Basically, a home stager’s job is to maximize your space, making rooms appear larger and feel more inviting (and desirable) with just a few clever design tweaks. Read the rest of this post »
Hi Everyone: I had found this article and thought that it was very informative, so I decided to pass it along. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me directly. Remember when you are looking to have an Extraorndinaire Real Estate experience please give Lynn Nichols a call.
Homeowners can benefit from newly expanded federal tax credits for energy efficiency by upgrading their homes! Claim up to $1,500 in tax credits by remodeling your principal residence to reduce energy consumption through the enhanced Existing Home Retrofit (25C) tax credit. The types of projects that may qualify include adding insulation, replacing doors and windows and updating heating and cooling systems. This is a great way to benefit from lower energy bills, while getting paid to make improvements! Read the rest of this post »
Mortgage Rates Hold Steady This WeekMortgage interest for the week held fairly close to the previous week’s rates, reports Freddie Mac.Average interest on 30-year fixed loans slipped a notch to 4.98 percent from 4.99 percent and was down from 5.10 percent a year ago. Read the rest of this post »
