Real Estate Information

Today's real estate landscape offers some great buys for savvy real estate consumers, especially when it comes to foreclosure properties. Unfortunately, even though there are already a large number of foreclosures on the market, analysts are predicting that yet another wave of distressed properties will crop up in the coming months.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I've consulted with many clients seeking to capitalize on a foreclosure purchase. I always advise them, however, to weigh the pros and cons. While a foreclosure could represent your best chance to get a great deal, make sure you educate yourself about the potential pitfalls of purchasing a distressed property in advance - and what correcting those pitfalls might cost. In most cases, it's not so much about what damage occurred but rather the source of the damage and how long before the problem was addressed.

Here are the top 10 signs that may indicate trouble in a foreclosed home:

1. Unheated house in winter months. If the home has been properly winterized, there's no need for heat. But if the home has not been properly winterized, pipes will burst and cause water damage.
2. Missing sinks, toilets and other fixtures. Make sure they've been properly removed and not ripped from walls and floors.
3. Peeling, bubbling and discolored paint; swelling in walls or ceilings (especially around kitchens and bathrooms), or a musty odor all indicate water damage and, potentially, the presence of moisture and mold.
4. Fungus growth inside cabinets, behind drawers and built-ins. Fungus could mean that there has been water damage. Since water falls down, look for the source above the mold.
5. Blocked drains or pipes will cause future problems and may have already created sewage backups.
6. Black cobwebs, greasy gray residue on walls and/or a strong oily odor. This could point to potential soot damage or a malfunctioning furnace.
7. An older home with extensive renovations. Check with the city for pulled permits in order to get remolding details. If asbestos is present and has been disturbed, be sure it's been remediated by a certified specialist.
8. Excessive painting of every nook, cranny, door and floor may mean that the seller is covering up mold.
9. Discolored subflooring. From the basement, check the subflooring above for stains and small holes, both caused by mold.
10. Air quality. The air quality within a home tells a lot about the home's condition. Be sure to include air and surface testing in your home inspection. It's a few hundred dollars well spent.

There are indeed many great opportunities in today's market, but proper education and preparation are essential to making the right investment. Please e-mail me for further information and be sure to forward this article to others who might be considering a foreclosure purchase.

While many great deals exist in today's real estate market, securing the optimal mortgage is a critical part of your home purchase decision.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have worked with many home buyers over the years and am well versed on the factors in every mortgage loan package that will determine whether or not you can afford the house you want to buy. The most important things to take into consideration are: interest rate, points, mortgage type, closing costs and fees, and down payment and mortgage insurance. Here’s a closer look at each:

1. Interest Rate: The interest rate determines the amount of your monthly payment. Keep in mind that different lenders offer different interest rates, so it is important to shop around. Generally, a short-term or adjustable-rate loan will offer a lower interest rate because you agree to repay the lender more quickly or to pay fluctuating rates.
2. Points: Points are fees charged by the lender to originate your loan. A point equals one percent of the total mortgage amount. Lenders will charge different numbers of points for different loans, so it is important to understand how many points a lender will be charging. For example, in some cases, lenders may advertise very low interest rates, but build a high point charge into the cost of issuing the loan, making the deal less valuable than a loan at a higher interest rate.
3. Types of Mortgage Options:
   • Fixed Rate. On a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate does not change for the entire life of the loan.
   • Adjustable Rate. Adjustable rates, on the other hand, are interest rates that fluctuate based on market conditions. Since no one knows how the market will behave, they are riskier than fixed-rate loans. Over the life of the mortgage, you could end up paying more or less than you would have with a fixed-rate loan.
   • Balloon. The next common type of mortgage is a balloon payment loan. A balloon payment loan allows you to make relatively small monthly payments for an initial period, but requires a lump-sum payment toward the end of the term. These are risky to consider unless you are confident that you can either refinance the loan or sell the home at the end of the initial loan period.
4. Closing Costs: Closing costs and fees are additional amounts that the buyer and seller must cover during the course of the mortgage loan transaction. They include items like credit report fees, appraisal fees, title search fees and title insurance.
5. Down Payment and Mortgage Insurance: When searching for the right type of mortgage for you, the amount of your down payment, the need for private mortgage insurance (PMI) and other factors, such as whether you are a first-time home buyer, a teacher or a peace officer, will also affect your monthly mortgage payment.

A professional real estate agent, such as a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, or a trusted mortgage broker can help you decide what makes the best financial sense for you. Please e-mail me for more information and be sure to pass this blog on to others who might be in the market for a mortgage.

While we're all aware of the health risks posed by lead, you might not realize that even common renovation projects can be hazardous in terms of lead. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), activities like sanding, cutting and demolition can create dangerous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to both adults and children.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I am committed to keeping my clients informed on current regulations pertaining to home safety issues. To protect against the lead risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, as of April 22, 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child-care facilities and schools built before 1978 must be EPA certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

If you are embarking on a home-improvement project, be sure to use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers to follow lead-safe work practices. Lead dust can form when lead-based paint is dry scraped, dry sanded or heated. Dust also forms when painted surfaces bump or rub together. Lead chips and dust can get on surfaces and objects that people touch. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air when people vacuum, sweep or walk through it.

Make sure that your renovators employ the following practices - and you, too, if you're a do-it-yourselfer:

• Contain the work area
• Minimize dust
• Clean up thoroughly

According to the EPA, to permanently remove lead hazards, you must hire a certified lead "abatement" contractor. Abatement (or permanent hazard elimination) methods include removing, sealing or enclosing lead-based paint with special materials. Just painting over the hazard with regular paint is not enough.

For more information on the dangers of lead and the new regulations regarding remodeling, please visit www.epa.gov, or e-mail me directly. I encourage you to pass this important information along to anyone you know who might be renovating their home soon.

Other than vacations, summer is the time of the year most popular for home improvement. The long days and warm, sunny weather make a great time to work on repairs and renovations without much of the hassles and delays that rain and other elements bring.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have years of experience and understand how taking on a remodeling project is beneficial to you, both now and then later down the road should you choose to sell.

For these reasons and more, a good number of homeowners undertake home improvement projects, especially during the summer.

Following are tips and projects—both large and small—for homeowners looking to spruce their homes up this summer.

Patios and Decks
What better way to enjoy the warm days than by creating an outdoor living space for the family to enjoy.

Decks and patios are among the most popular summer remodeling ideas. There are various factors to take into consideration when deciding on whether a patio or deck is the most appropriate project to undertake. Such factors include soil condition and consistency, site terrain, use, capacity and privacy, as well as the cost and maintenance you are willing to put up with.

Home Maintenance
Throughout the seasons, your home has taken good care of you and your family and now is the best time to give back.

Go through your property to evaluate and create a checklist on areas that need mending or replacement. This list is a crucial preparation before calling a contractor or handyman for maintenance/repair services. Some common maintenance and repair include:

• Waterproofing the basement
• Re-caulking and replacing weather-striping
• Cleaning and sealing wooden decks
• Trimming bushes and trees
• Realigning downspouts and gutters
• Repairing the roof
• Cleaning the pool
• Mending the fence
• Sealing cracks along driveways, foundation, walkways, etc.
• Maintenance of HVAC systems

Energy-Efficient Renovation
When it comes to summer remodeling, there's no better way to invest your hard-earned dollars than by making your home energy efficient. An energy-efficient summer remodel is truly a worthwhile endeavor as it will result in years of savings on your energy bills. Some of the common items you can buy and integrate into your energy-efficient renovation include:

• Insulation systems and materials
• Roofs that resist heat gain
• Biomass-burning stoves
• Energy-efficient windows
• HVAC systems with the highest efficiency tier
• Solar panels
• Fuel cells
• Geothermal heat pumps
• Wind energy systems

Taking on one (or more!) of these projects is a great way to give back to your home this summer…and, in some cases, save you a bit of money, too. For more information on home renovation projects, please e-mail me - and please feel free to forward these tips to any family and friends you think might benefit from them as well.

If you’re looking to sell or refinance your home, you know that a home appraisal is a necessary step in the process. While the value of your home may not be what it once was, it is important for homeowners to be realistic when it comes to getting their home appraised.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I know how vital it is to list your home at the right price. Price is, after all, only a part of marketing…but it is crucial, and having an appraisal done is the first step toward making the right pricing decision.

Here are 11 ways to prepare for a home appraisal:

1. The appraiser will need approximately 30 minutes to one hour to complete the inspection phase of the appraisal process, which includes: exterior photos of the front and rear of the home and a photo of the street in front of the property; measurements of the exterior of the home, garage and any outbuildings; a walk-through inspection of all rooms and levels of the interior of the home, including the basement.
2. Get organized. Put together a checklist that will help you get ready for your appraisal.
3. Be flexible when scheduling the appointment.
4. Have a copy of your home’s blueprint to help verify measurements and lot size.
5. Provide a list of improvements made to the property since the purchase. Improvements that should be noted include adding a pool, patio, updating your kitchen or bathroom, and any room additions, etc.
6. Allow your appraiser access to the entire property, including access to any crawl space or attic areas.
7. Keep in mind that a clean home makes a good impression. Be sure to trim the lawn, clean the pool and garage, repair cracked windows or torn screens, check for leaky faucets and secure gutters and down spouts before your appraisal.
8. Point out any amenities that may not be obvious to the appraiser: sprinkler systems, patios, pools, security systems, built-in pool vacuum, etc.
9. Provide a copy of last year's tax assessment information.
10. Know what year the house was built and when improvements were made.
11. The first thing appraisers look for is comparables, so be prepared and have a list of recent sales of similar properties in the immediate neighborhood.

Following these steps will go a long way toward making the home appraisal process a bit easier. For more information on home appraisals and preparing your home for sale, please e-mail me—and please feel free to forward these tips to any family and friends with a home sale in their future.

If you have a vacation home that you had hoped to retire to some day but have since changed your mind, don’t jump to sell it…consider renting it out instead.

For many, it seemed like a great idea to buy that vacation condo 20 years ago. The plan was to vacation there as often as possible, then some day sell your primary residence and retire there for your Golden Years. But lifestyle changes or financial situations might now be causing you to consider selling it instead.

However, as a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have seen many a client successfully rent a retirement home instead of selling it. Author Christine Karpinski, director of Owner Community for HomeAway.com (HomeAway.com), offers some good reasons to consider renting your second home:

1. Circumstances have changed. Maybe grandchildren have arrived on the scene and you can't bear the thought of moving hundreds of miles away from them. Or your parents are in poor health and need you nearby.

2. You've suddenly realized there's no place like home and you've simply changed your mind. You've decided you like being near your friends and you don't want to leave your church or synagogue. Renting your second home out during the time you are not staying there makes it financially feasible to keep both homes.

3. You've decided to "retire" from retirement. These days, it’s not unusual for people to test-drive retirement and find that it's just not for them. Work can provide many rich rewards—structure, social interaction, mental stimulation, a sense of purpose, and so forth—that people keenly miss when they retire. And, let's be honest—sometimes people simply can't afford to retire.

4. Your fixed income hasn't kept up with your lifestyle. Even when you're happy to give up the daily grind of your job, losing the paycheck that comes with it can be pretty painful. Factor in inflation, rising taxes, and unexpected "new" expenses, and you may find that what seemed like a manageable cost of living five years ago doesn't seem that way anymore. Your second home, even if it's paid for, may start looking like a liability due to property taxes, homeowner's association dues, and maintenance costs. Not if you rent it out, says Karpinski. Then it becomes a source of new income.

So don’t give up and seek to unload your second home just yet! There are still many ways to make this investment pay off. For more information on renting or buying a second, potential retirement home, please e-mail me. And please forward this email to any friends and family who could benefit from these insights.

According to credit experts, 42% of U.S. consumers have credit scores between 550 and 699. As a result, these consumers typically don’t qualify for preferred interest rates and, depending on their overall credit profile, they may not even qualify for certain loans and credit cards.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have worked with many clients throughout my years in the business and have seen first-hand how credit scores can wreak havoc on securing a favorable mortgage. Most clients I work with don’t have a clear picture of what impacts their credit profile and, more importantly, don’t know what steps they can take to help improve it. I find this short quiz, from credit consultants ApprovalGuard.com, to be immensely helpful when it comes to understanding how your credit profile works. Take a few minutes to see if your credit knowledge is up to par.

1. To have the best credit-profile impact, what is the maximum amount of your monthly credit line that should be used?
a) 70%
b) 30%
c) 50%

2. What is the number-one contributing factor to a good credit score?
a) Length of credit history
b) Amounts you owe
c) Payment history

3. If you pay 2% each month on your credit card (typical minimum payment), when will you pay off a $3,000 balance at 10% interest?
a) 18 years
b) 6 years
c) 3 years

4. After paying off a high-interest credit card, you should:
a) Continue using it occasionally
b) Close the account
c) Use the full amount of available credit every month

5. Applying for credit cards in order to just receive a free sign-up gift (t-shirts, mugs, etc.) has no impact on my credit profile?
True or False

6. Rewards points on credit cards are a good deal when:
a) I get cash back
b) I get free airline tickets
c) I carry no balance each month

7. To have a credit score, I must have at least one creditor reporting activity on my credit report for:
a) 12 months
b) 8 months
c) 6 months

8. Credit bureaus that manage your personal credit report data and credit scores are a:
a) Government entity
b) Non-profit agency
c) Regular business corporation

9. Banks and credit card companies think you are creditworthy by how many credit offers you receive by mail?
True or False

10. Credit scores are used by lenders mainly to:
a) Tell how I compare to other consumers
b) Tell if I make my payments on time
c) Predict the likeliness that I will repay my loan on time

Answers: 1 – c, 2 – c, 3 – a, 4 – a, 5 – False, 6 – c, 7 – c, 8 – c, 9 – False, 10 – c

If you find you answered more than half of these questions wrong, you’re not alone, says ApprovalGuard, whose surveys reveal that the majority of consumers do not know the answers to these and similar types of questions. The good news is it’s not too late. With a good understanding and proper guidance of how credit works, consumers can learn how to effectively manage their personal credit profile. For more information, please e-mail me, and please feel free to forward this quiz to others.

Thanks to the perfect storm of low prices, attractive inventory, and affordable interest rates, this continues to be a lucrative time to invest in a home, whether it be a first home, a move-up home, or a second home.

Choosing a home is no easy process, however, and many factors must be carefully weighed before making your selection. As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I advise my clients to pay careful attention to a few details in particular when considering a home—these important details will significantly impact your long-term happiness in the home as well as the home’s appreciation over time. So, as you begin to consider properties in our neighborhood, here are a few issues to think about that may help you find exactly the right home for you and your family:

Type of home: One-story or two, single-family, duplex or condo? How will paying homeowner dues affect your overall buying power? Will a swimming pool be a bonus or a hindrance? Making these decisions in advance will help you focus on the right types of home to look at.

New or existing: A new home is all shiny and clean, but will carry with it some hefty initial costs such as landscaping and window coverings. An existing home will have many of these things, but repairs or renovations that may need to be made will also impact your budget.

Features: Weigh the costs of gas vs. electric heating and cooling, and the possible need for fencing. How important is a fireplace? Does the home have enough bedrooms and bathrooms to support your family in the coming years?

Ease of maintenance: What is the condition of the roof? The appliances? Will you have to paint the interior or exterior and/or replace the carpeting? Be sure to factor in such costs in your budget and your negotiations.

Location: Do you want to be in the city or in the country? Nearer to libraries, parks and entertainment or set among tall trees and lakes? What about the need for public transportation? Nearby hospitals and schools?

Crime rate and public schools: Check with local enforcement and local residents to get a feeling for statistics and quality. I can also provide you with up-to-date statistics on this information.

Economic stability: Whether an area is growing or not can affect its future property value—as will the economic stability of the area.

Property tax: Examine the annual amount of real estate taxes and other assessments levied in the neighborhoods you are considering.

I can help find the answers to the above concerns as well as provide more suggestions on what to look for in a new home—just e-mail me. Also, please pass this article onto others who may benefit from this information

June not only marks the commencement of the summer season, but more importantly for homeowners, National Home Safety Month. While our thoughts turn to smoke detectors and child safety locks when considering a safe home, many homeowners often overlook the risks of poor indoor air quality—especially important as the temperature and humidity rise with summer.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I’ve worked with many clients who have suffered from health-related issues due to poor air quality in their homes. Yet rarely do people think about the quality of their indoor air. Service experts recommend using the following checklist to ensure your air is as healthy as possible:

• Do you smoke in your home?
• Do your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room have ventilation and exhaust fans?
• Do you change your air filters once a month?
• When cleaning or doing laundry, do you use bleach, ammonia, or aerosol spray cans?
• Is your gas fireplace and/or gas stove checked yearly for emissions?
• Was your home built before 1978? If so, has it been checked for lead-based paint?
• Do your bathrooms have carpet where moisture and dust can build up?

If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, it’s time to consider making some changes. Many of the quick fixes to improve one’s indoor air quality at home can be accomplished through a few simple adjustments to your regular maintenance practices.

Others, like checking for lead paint, can often be handled through local, county or state programs that are partially or wholly subsidized, and heating source emissions checks can often be done through one’s own utility provider.

For more information on home safety or for a referral on companies that can help you with home maintenance, please e-mail me. And feel free to pass this email on to friends and family members who may have concerns regarding their indoor air quality.

With summer officially upon us, many homeowners will be confronted with rising electric bills as fans and air conditioners kick into high gear in an effort to keep cool. Demand for electricity can also increase if you have house guests or children home for the summer.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have access to lots of great ideas for planning ahead to control energy costs this summer. The following tips are from the experts at Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G):

• Use ceiling fans in the counter-clockwise direction to create a wind-chill effect, making you feel cooler. Also, whole-house fans that bring in cooler night-time air can pre-cool a house and reduce energy use in the daytime if heat is kept out by closing windows and shades.
• Install a programmable thermostat. If health conditions permit, raise the setting from 73 to 78 degrees. You can save 3-5% on your air conditioning costs for each degree you raise the thermostat.
• Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home. If you have central air conditioning, close off vents to unused rooms and be sure to keep filters clean.
• Plant shade trees close to the house on the South and West sides.
• Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. Eliminate air leaks between window air conditioners and windows with foam insulation or weather-stripping.
• Turn off power sources. TVs, computers and other electronic devices draw power when they are in standby mode or turned off but still plugged in. Plug electronics into power strips and turn off the power switch when the items are not in use.
• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use 75% less electricity and burn more coolly than incandescent bulbs. Keep in mind that CFLs are especially handy in hard-to-reach fixtures and won't need to be replaced for about five years.
• Use timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.
• Delay heat-producing tasks such as laundry until later in the day. Wash full loads, using cold water whenever possible.
• Run the dishwasher at night, using the shortest cycle that will get the dishes clean. If manufacturers' directions permit, turn the dishwasher off before the dry cycle or use the air dry feature if your machine has one.
• Take short showers as they use less hot water than a bath.
• Replace old appliances with new energy efficient Energy Star appliances.
• Unplug the extra refrigerator in your garage or basement and use it only when necessary. Refrigerators that are only 10 years old can use twice as much electricity as new Energy Star labeled models.

For more information on preparing your home for summer, please e-mail me. I encourage you to pass this email along to your friends and family as well.