Archive for the ‘buying a home’ Category
4 Good Signs for Real Estate in 2010
It’s beginning to look like 2010 is the year to buy a home.
- Cheap Prices: After a decade of steep home price appreciation, the recent crash pummeled home prices back to levels last seen in 2003.
- Low Interest Rates: 5 percent or less for a 30 year fixed rate loan mean rates are at historical lows, at least for now. Rates are expected to rise the next 4 quarters…so if you snooze, you may loose the chance to lock in at once in a lifetime rates.
- Foreclosures: Although losing a home is a life changing, tramatic experience…large numbers of foreclosures have created wonderful opportunities for buyers and investors.
- Uncle Sam: Uncle Sam is sweetening great deals on homes by handing out thousands of dollars to first time and existing homeowners who close on a home before June.
Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com. If you have a home to sell, we can put your listing in front of millions of serious home buyers with the click of your mouse. Why Pay 6 Percent??? Visit the website for details and free marketing services.
3 Ways to Attract Home Buyers
Making your home attractive and memorable to home buyers is critical if you want to sell your home. There are a number of proven methods to attract buyer’s through your door, but the Top 3 offer the biggest payoff.
Top 3 Ways to Attract Buyers to Your Home
- The Internet. The internet is the single most powerful tool available for home sales. If you want the maximum exposure, get your home listed in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) database. Secondly, take full advantage of all social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.
- Professional Fliers. Make a nice flyer or brochure that you can place inside an InfoTube or InfoBox that is attached to your For Sale sign. In addition, you can pass them out to prospective buyers and open houses. InfoTube.net offers a Free online service that can help you create and print professional, full colored flyers about your home.
- Giveaways and Incentives. Everyone loves FREE. Adding an incentive to your offer can generate interest and make your home stand out from your competition. Some of the most popular incentive items are home theatre’s, new appliances, club memberships, pool table, hot tub, free travel vouchers, seller paid closing costs.
Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com. We have helped thousands of home sellers find the perfect buyer. We can help you, too.
Pending Home Sales Jump 32 Percent
Good news for Home Sellers and Owners. Pending sales of Existing Homes was up nearly 32 percent from October 2008!!!
Sales of Existing Homes are Up a Whopping 23 percent this year, to 6.1 million homes!!
Indeed, the housing market hit bottom months ago and more proof arrives daily. The market is shifting as buyers jump off the sidelines in order to lock in low prices and interest rates.
If you need to sell your home, NOW is the time. Get your home in front of millions of motivated home buyers with the click of your mouse. 90 percent of all homebuyers find their dream home on the internet. If you’re not there, they can’t find you, no matter how nice your home is.
Check out the fabulous marketing packages Why6Percent.com has to offer owners, builders and investors. We have helped thousands of people sell their homes and save thousands in fee’s and commisssions. We can Help You Too!!!
Housing Starts Down 30 Percent
Surprising all the real estate analysts, the number of new housing starts in October fell off the cliff in October.
Permits to build single family homes, apartments and condominiums fell 10.6 percent from September. Year over Year, the numbers are even more dramatic. Building permits in 2009 are down 30.7 percent from October 2008 levels. It goes without saying that home builder sentiment is still at an all time low.
The Upside: Fewer new home starts can be viewed as great news in the face of rising home inventories. We have months of excess supply of homes on the market, already.
Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com. Our job is helping for sale by owners market their property and save money. Our fsbo packages reach 10 million home shoppers each month. Call 1-800-381-9496. We can Help You, Too.
Home Buyers Highly Motivated
According to a survey by Move.com, 12.1 percent of homebuyers intend to purchase an investment property this year, compared to only 5.6 percent of buyers polled in April.
The percentage of investors shopping for property also jumps higher when it comes to foreclosed property. 42 percent of foreclosure buyers are purchasing for an investment. 57.6 percent of foreclosure shoppers plan to live in the home they buy.
The survey also shows that 23.6 percent of investors and buyers believe that home prices are already as low as they will go. Nearly 20 percent feel a sense of urgency when searching for a bargain.
Another factor motivating home buyer’s off the sidelines is the real threat of rising interest rates. Wall Street guru’s, who agree on very little, warn that lending rates will rise in the near future. With real estate prices at their lowest levels, buyers risk much more in waiting to purchase, than they do by locking in record low rates on their loan.
Why6Percent Prediction: We believe the leading indicator of an interest rate hike will be falling unemployment claims. When unemployment claim filings fall below 500,000 per month, a rate hike is likely!
Realtors Prediction: Home sales will jump by over 13 percent in the next 6 months.
Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com, your home selling resource center. If you are selling, buyer’s are buying. So, don’t miss the Boat. If they can’t find your property, they can’t buy it. Call us at 1-800-381-9496 today. Our MLS and Realtor.com marketing package reaches 10 million home buyers each and every month!!!
6 Reasons to Sell Your Home During the Holidays
I’m thinking Turkey. The leaves have fallen, lawn mowers are stored and furnaces are in use. It’s at this time of year that many of our customer’s ask… “Should We Take Our Home Off the Market During the Holidays?”
The answer is definitely ”NO”. There are a lot of reasons to keep your home listed right through the New Year. And, there’s an especially, timely reason this holiday season!!
- The First Time Buyers Tax Credit has been extended until April 30, 2010 AND it’s been expanded. Step Up Home Buyers, who make a lot of money, can also receive $6500 in Tax Credits until April. Big tax incentives mean that smart buyers will be house shopping vs mall shopping this holiday season.
- Interest Rates are at Record Lows. 30 year fixed rate mortgages are below 5 percent. But, with the dollar weak and falling, low rates may not be around for long. Serious home buyers are aware of the difference that even a small interest rate increase would make in their house payment. The combo of Tax Credits and Low Interest Rates create strong urgency among buyer’s. Smart seller’s spruce up their homes and play into the pressure.
- Holiday Shoppers are Serious Buyers. Trust me. Everyone of us loves the holidays. The people who are looking for homes in November, December and January are SERIOUS Buyers. Do you really want to pull your house off the market when the most serious people are shopping??
- Less Competition. Many sellers don’t read our blog. They foolishly pull their homes from the market during the holidays, and this year will be no exception. Less competition could make the difference between For Sale and Sold, this Christmas.
- Houses are Pretty during the Holidays. Staging your home is easy during the holidays. The mood is festive. Holiday colors are warm and inviting. Candles, centerpieces and decorations touch the heart and convey a peaceful lifestyle. Light the candles, make a roaring fire, bake some goodies and turn on some relaxing holiday music. Buyer’s love to see a home decorated and looking special. Don’t let this once a year opportunity pass you by.
- Curb Appeal. If your landscape and lawn isn’t that great, breathe a sigh of relief that no one else’s is this time of year, either. Add seasonal color, a wreath, perhaps some decorations. Just keep it subtle and classy. No mowing, no weeding and trimming, and best of all snow covers all…
Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com Our MLS and Realtor.com advertising packages reach 10 million serious home shoppers each month. If your home isn’t listed on the dozens of websites in our program, then you’re home isn’t really on the market. Get serious about selling and call us at 1-800-381-9496 today.
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Breaking News for Home Sellers and Buyers!!
Great news for home buyers, sellers and owners, alike. The homebuyer tax credit has been expanded to include step up buyers, who have owned a home for 5 years. It also extends the tax credit through the end of 2010.
GREAT NEWS!
It appears that Senate Democrats have recognized the tremendous value of the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit and odds are it will be renewed soon. At this time, it is believed that the credit will allow anyone purchasing a home, by April 30, 2010, to participate and receive the full credit available.
The credit will continue until the end of 2010, but the amount of tax credit will drop by 2 percent every 90 days. The graduated benefit should help the housing market recover into and through the 2010 summer selling season.
Here is the text of the story as reported in Bloomberg News today:
Senate Democrats on Board with Credit Extension
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) says Senate Democrats have agreed to extend the first-time home buyer tax credit. The latest version extends the program to home sales signed not closed by April 30. Purchasers would have another 60 days to close the sale. The credit will also be expanded to include so-called step-up buyers who have lived in their current home for at least five years.
The credit would be cut slightly to a $7,290 cap. Income eligibility for first-time home buyers would stay the same, but it would rise for step-up buyers to $125,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.
Toxic Drywall of China
Toxic, sulfur laden sheetrock, Made in China, is making people sick, causing electrical wiring to go crazy and is corroding copper, wire and stainless steel in American homes. The problem has affected thousands of homes in 20 states, yet, the US court system is powerless to hold Chinese manufacturers (most of which are owned by the Chinese government) responsible for problems caused by their products.
To learn how to spot a problem in your home, follow ongoing litigation, read about disclosure requirements and implications for homeowners insurance… CLICK HERE
Thank you for visiting Why 6 Percent. We are here to help sellers and buyers connect, while saving thousands of dollars in commissions and fee’s. Check out our program online or call our toll free number 1-800-681-9496 for questions and details!! Have a Great Weekend and Happy Home Selling and Buying!!!
Where to Find School Information
Whether you have school age children or not, the quality of the local schools is one of the biggest selling factors that helps define a Good Location.
Under the U.S. Fair Housing Laws, real estate agents are prohibited from recommending or warning buyer about the differences and reputations of local schools. So, where can home buyers find reliable information about public and private schools before they buy??
- Go to the web and look up the school’s website.
- HomeFair.com provides a Free School Report that contains information about student-teacher ratios, dollars spent per pupil, before and after school programs, gifted and talented programs, number of computers per student and percentage of seniors who attended college.
- GreatSchools.net provides information about private and public schools. It also serves up data and news about state education programs and departments.
- Many states offer online information about public schools and links to public education sites.
Tip for Home Sellers: Become informed about your local school system and provide information to buyer’s who need it. Thanks to the internet, finding useful information on neighborhood schools has never been easier, so get to know about the public and private schools located near you, whether you use them or not.
Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com. The MLS is searchable by school system for a reason. Everyone wants to know about the local schools, just like they need to know price and ammenities. Do your homework!!
Half of all Homes Sold at a Loss
Stunning News: At least one half (50 percent) of the homes sold in the US closed for less than the amount owed on the mortgage. In other words, half of all US homeowner’s were upside down, owing more money than their houses were worth.
Sadly, the national average of 50 percent was far better than a lot of regions faired. In Arizona and California, 55 percent of sales prices fell below the loan amount. In Florida, 40 percent of owners were upside down. In Michigan, 65 percent of all home sales were distressed. In Nevada, the banks lost even more money, as 61 percent of all sales were made at prices below the outstanding debt amount.
While we have seen units of sales of real estate pick up in the last four months, these sales have unfortunately been the result of deeply discounted prices. The problem for a recovery in 2010, is that another wave of foreclosures is cresting, ready to pound us once again.
To read the latest news about foreclosures and home price predictions in 2010, CLICK HERE.
Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com. If you have a home to sell, time is not on your side. Price your property aggressively and let the world know about it. Visit our website and discover how other seller’s are reaching millions of buyers a month.