Archives for Uncategorized

Color Psychology for Homes

29th July 2015 | 2 Comments

I frequently suggest that homeowners paint before placing their homes on the market. Don’t be offended! I want my customers to understand “color psychology,” which focuses on color’s effect on human behavior and emotion. Since people’s reaction to color is immediate, color has a tremendous influence on the choices they make every day. Color choices are very personal and when selling your home, it’s critical to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. With so many people beginning their search for a home on the Internet today, your home and listing photos must stand out from your
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Flood Insurance for Coastal and higher risk areas

16th October 2013 | Comments Off

A little known act which is only now rising to the attention of all of the U.S. coastal cities is now becoming a nightmare to homeowners. The Biggert-Waters flood insurance reform act of 2012 is now set to affect millions of homeowners from the coasts of Maine down to Florida through Texas and then over to the west coast.
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3.8% Property Sales Tax may affect you after Jan 1, 2013

10th October 2013 | Comments Off

The 3.8% Tax effective January 1, 2013 Beginning January 1, 2013, a new 3.8 percent tax on some investment income took effect. Since this new tax affects some real estate transactions, it is important for you to clearly understand the tax and its impact. It is a complicated tax, so you won’t be able to predict how it will affect every buyer or seller. The tax was passed by Congress in 2010 with the intent of generating an estimated $210 billion to help fund President Barack Obama’s health care and Medicare overhaul. Understand that this tax WILL NOT be imposed on all real estate transactions,
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How to Sell a House!

27th August 2012 | 2 Comments

Still a tough market. Words of wisdom: Listen to your Realtor. If he or she isn’t talking – get a new one. Getting your home sold requires effort. If you have your home on the market and there are no showings – there could be a number of things wrong. Price, condition (people see the photos online), poor marketing (poor photos), bad location or all of the above. To get your home sold now for TOP DOLLAR, your home has to have “WOW” factor. No “wow” factor and you’re just a plain Jane! Granite, travertine, stainless appliances, iron stair railings,
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Is it time for a Discount Broker?

6th April 2012 | 5 Comments

Why not hire a discount broker? One who charges less – in some cases, apparently a lot less. This has been asked time and time again. All agents are the same, right? Then why not just put my home up for sale with a discount broker and sell and save? After all, I’ve seen ads that say “We’ve saved our clients Thousands of $$ over conventional brokers..” First, let’s show you the break down of how agencies get paid. Let’s assume a $310,000 home sells for $300,000.00 and there is a 6% commission. Usually there is the listing broker and
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Short Sale Guidelines are Making a Difference

19th January 2012 | Comments Off

The theory behind short sales seems simple enough: If a homeowner owes more money on a house than the house can sell for, and the homeowner is struggling to pay the mortgage, the lender will allow the house to be sold for less than is owed. For obvious reasons, lenders are not big fans of short sales and often make it a complicated process. In April 2010, The Home Affordable Alternatives Program (HAFA) released new guidelines designed to streamline the short-sale process and allow more delinquent homeowners to sell their homes and move on with their lives. In its first
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Check us out on Facebook!

1st January 2012 | Comments Off

Sell This Place Now!!! Promote Your Page Too
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Using "Feng Shui" for Balance & Broader Appeal

28th September 2011 | 1 Comment

The ancient philosophy of feng shui, which translates as “the wind and the water,” is the Chinese art of correct placement. In real estate, those who prescribe to feng shui believe that home sales can be better achieved by arranging furniture and décor to establish harmony and energy. “In feng shui we evaluate a house and its property for sufficient qi (pronounced chee), the living energy of all beings, but also for the land and even a house,” says Werner Brandmaier, a consultant at the Institute of Feng Shui & Geopathology in Portland, Maine. “When there’s not enough qi, it
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Why Zillow's "Zestimates" are "Zilly"

9th September 2011 | Comments Off

I often hear sellers using the Zillow “Zestimate” when trying to ascertain the value of their home – at least when the “Zestimate” benefits them. But the question is: How accurate are these “Zestimates”? In a nutshell: Not very. Zillow’s data is extrapolated from sales that have happened in the area, regardless of neighborhood and regardless of size, condition, amenities. It does not take into account the local buyer’s preferences for “all bedrooms up” or “master down”, homes that sit on more than one lot with separate tax id’s, functionality of floor plan, school, busy street or cul-de-sac and a
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The 203k Mortgage

24th August 2011 | Comments Off

Real estate consumers today can find ample value in distressed homes – properties that are under a foreclosure order or up for short sale. In many cases, however, “distressed” speaks more for the condition of the homes than their recent financial histories, as they’ve sat empty for extended periods and have been subject to vandalism and theft. Those considering homes in need of repair and renovation should consider a 203k mortgage, which enables homebuyers to finance both the acquisition and rehabilitation of the property with just one loan. “FHA 203k purchase loans are the perfect financing
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