Existing-Home Sales Continue to Climb in November

Existing-Home Sales Continue to Climb in November.

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Strange Architecture of the World

Five Great Things About Homeownership

I wanted to share these “Five Great Things About Homeownership” as recently reported in Realty Times…

1. Equity: While buying a home may come with some hefty initial costs you will make that money back over time with equity built in the home. Historically, homes appreciate by about 4 to 6 percent a year. Homeownership is about building long-term wealth. A home bought for $10,000 in 1960 is most likely worth 10 times that in today’s market.

2. Predictability: Provided you have a fixed-rate term on your mortgage, it’s predictable. This means your payment amount is fixed for the life of the term. If your mortgage payment is $500 today, then it will still be $500 a month in 10 years. This allows for people to budget and make solid financial plans.

3. Ownership: Homeownership means you “own” your home and with that come some incredible perks. You can renovate, update, paint, and decorate to your heart’s desire. The bottom line is this is your home and you can personalize it to your taste.

4. Great Deals: It’s a great time to buy. Interest rates are at historic lows and homes are more affordable than ever. This means big savings for today’s buyers. If you have steady income and cash for a down payment, be sure to talk to your Prudential Tropical Realty Real Estate Solution Provider about what homes in your area could be a fit for you.

5. Relationships: Homeowners have yards, walking trails, or community pools and clubhouses where they can get to know each other. Research has shown that people with healthy relationships have more happiness and less stress.

Thanksgiving Every Day For a Happier, Healthier Life

Gratitude is like muscle.  The more we do with it the stronger it gets.  In this spirit here are four ways to practice Thanksgiving every day of the year as written by Jon Gordon, bestselling author of The Energy Bus.

1. Take a Daily Thank You Walk – Take a simple 10-minute walk each day and say out loud what you are thankful for. This will set you up for a positive day.

2. Meal Time Thank You’s – On Thanksgiving, or just at dinner with your friends and family, go around the table and have each person say what they are thankful for.

3. Gratitude Visit – Martin Seligman, Ph.D., the father of positive psychology, suggests that we write a letter expressing our gratitude to someone. Then we visit this person and read them the letter. His research shows that people who do this are measurably happier and less depressed a month later.

4. Say Thank You at Work –Energize and engage your co-workers by letting them know you are grateful for them and their work. And don’t forget to say thank you to your clients and customers too.

Today’s Inspiration for November 11, 2011

“Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your good health has vanished.” – Og Mandino

Real Estate Market Report for Northdale in Tampa, Florida

 

Northdale Real Estate Market Report

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Renovation: Is it Worth the Cost?

 

A stressful part of putting your home on the market is trying to figure out what to fix and upgrade to the very best price. An experienced agent will recommend projects to consider and ones to avoid. Just because you put money into a renovation project doesn’t mean you will recoup the money in a sale. More…

Todays Inspiration

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon-instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today.  – Dale Carnegie

5 Tips for Preparing Your Home for Sale

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  5 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale

  Working to get your home ship-shape for showings will increase its value and shorten your sales time. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

How Long Will it Take to Sell My Home?

It depends. There are many factors that will impact how long it takes to sell your home, but in my opinion the top three are condition, location and price.

Condition

I believe that in today’s market, condition and presentation have the most impact on how long it will take to sell your home. The fact is Buyers want the best value for their dollar. Today with 89% of Buyers starting their search online it is easier than ever for them to compare your home to other homes without ever getting in a car. Before Buyers began using the internet they had to depend on curb appeal to decide whether to see your home. Now they will decide while sitting in their pajamas in the comfort of their living room.

If you home looks clean and uncluttered in the online photos you have a much better chance of your home being shown. Even if your home has dated kitchen and baths, removing wallpaper and painting a neutral color can make a huge difference! Be sure your agent shares his online photos with you and that they present your home in the best light possible (Please make sure there are no bathroom photos of just the toilet with the seat up! Really, we see these photos every day!). I’ve seen beautiful homes with terrible online photos and ugly homes that look great online. Good online marketing will help get you more showings and a faster offer.

Location

We often hear it said that Real Estate is all about “location, location, location”. I do agree that location is a major factor and is usually a top consideration for most Buyers. Many are looking for a location that has an easy commute, nice local amenities and good schools. Other location factors such as proximity to water, busy intersections or nearby commercial properties can have both a negative or positive impact on your home‘s marketing time.

Price

Given the ups and downs of the market in the last few years price seems to be everyone’s primary concern. Buyers are afraid they are paying too much and that the market will continue to decline and Sellers are worried they are giving their home away and that the market will come back to previous levels soon. I’ve been known to take out a crystal ball on listing appointments when asked where the market is heading. The real answer is we just don’t know. As professionals, we can predict based on current market statistics and trends and offer our best advice.

If you are a Seller who needs to sell quickly, I suggest you list below market value. If you have some time, I would suggest you list just above market value. Be sure you agent shows you the most current market statistics to support their recommended list price. Statistics don’t lie. Listing your home above market price in today’s market can be risky and time consuming. If your home is priced right, it should sell quickly. If you don’t have any showings in the first two weeks, then you are priced at least 10% too high. The first few weeks are when you should see the most activity. There are buyers waiting for the right home and when a home comes up that is in the area they want to be and is priced right, they are ready to make an offer. Letting a home sit too long at a higher price sends a message to buyers that the seller is not motivated to sell and may not be realistic about pricing. The biggest thing to remember when pricing your homes is that price can overcome any objection…selling is all about negotiating the price!

If your home is marketed well and priced right, you should have an offer within the first few weeks. Please note that homes in above average price ranges can take longer to sell due to a smaller Buyer pool (ask your agent to show you the statistics for your price range). Once you have accepted a contract on your home it should take a minimum of 10 days (for a cash buyer) to 45 days (buyers requiring financing) to close.