List Low, Sell High

In today’s hot sellers market, setting a list price that's lower than market value can be an effective strategy as long as you combine it with an aggressive marketing campaign. In this article from The Boston Globe, the author states that if sellers expose an under priced listing to a broad-enough segment of the market before accepting offers, the market will establish the price through a process of competitive bidding. This strategy is most effective in markets that lack enough homes for sale to meet the demand. Further the author cites that to be a successful seller, you need to manage your expectations. Using gimmicks to attract buyers, may increase the number of showings your listing receives. But, it's unlikely to result in a sale if your listing is priced too high. [Dian Hymer, The Boston Globe, August 27, 2007]

Risky Loans Get Harder To Come By

Some nontraditional mortgage loans have vanished from
lenders' menus, while others have gotten more expensive during an eventful week for
those in the mortgage industry.
But a looming credit crunch for riskier mortgage debt has not yet spilled over to
traditional, creditworthy borrowers, who can still obtain conventional financing at
market rates, mortgage lenders say.
"What we're seeing is because of the mess in the subprime market world right now. It
is definitely blowing over to the [parts of the] prime market," said Ginny Ferguson,
co-owner and broker of Heritage Valley Mortgage in Pleasanton, Calif.
It's the riskiest part of the nonsubprime market that is feeling the squeeze as the
secondary mortgage market has curbed its appetite for these loans.
Mortgage offerings changed daily this week as some companies took Alt-A loans off
the table...[Amy Hoak, MarketWatch, Aug 3, 2007]

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Lakeview Colonial with In-Ground Pool

Selling your home for the best price in an up or down market

A good, full service Realtor will be able to help you sell your home for the best possible price, terms and conditions. In this article from Jacksonville.com, the author states that for obvious reasons, the asking price is the most important factor in determining how fast your home sells. Professionals know that the longer a house stays on the market, the lower the selling price will be in comparison to the original asking price. It is important to look at all the feedback with your Realtor to determine the next steps to take. The author further adds that if your home has languished on the market for several months, it may be a good time to take another look at your competition and determine a more aggressive strategy. [Phyllis Staines, Jacksonville, June 08, 2007]

The right price is right way to capture buyer

Selling a home "as-is" in the current market is not all that easy. In this article from The Washington Times, the author states that there is a very big difference between an as-is sale and a house that has a lot of defects. He further recommends that sellers do not call their property as-is when they list it. Rather, they should raise that with buyers or perspective buyers at contract time once there's an offer being negotiated. Buyers should be interested in all the best properties available on the market. Without doing more research, you shouldn't rule out any property for any reason. Before you decide for certain how to market your home, be sure to consult with a Realtor regarding your state's disclosure regulations. [Sara Sicks, The Washington Times, June 01, 2007]

Will market warm up this spring?

The spring market always is the hottest period of the year for home sales. The pertinent question is that whether this spring will be better than last spring was. As per the article from The Washington Times, the author states that the increase in traffic that agents were reporting caused some to hope that the spring market would pick up in a big way. Cumulative data for the District actually shows sales there up by 2 percent over the first four months of the year, but that is the only jurisdiction where sales have risen this year. April's lackluster sales meant that home prices are falling or stagnant in most of the region. [Chris Sicks, The Washington Times, May 18, 2007]

Professional Staging Edits Clutter and Smells

Sellers with small children or pets might consider hiring an accredited professional stager (ASP) who can provide simple guidelines to help them redirect potential buyers' focus to the home's highlights as a welcoming, livable space. As per the author from The Washington Times, professional staging edits clutter, smell. A good stager knows the demographics and can calculate when a property should be staged to sell to buyers with one or more children. Homeowners with a large family, including many pets, may not recognize the disorder and accumulation of items in their homes. A stager can help them with a fresh perspective on how to rearrange, organize and get rid of unnecessary items. [Cary Lee Dailey, The Washington Times, March 30, 2007]

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Imagine the possibilities! Gorgeous 50.46 ac Estate with Views of the Catoctin Mountains & Monocacy River access! Located just 30 minutes from Frederick, this Custom built Colonial features 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths and 1 half bath. Hard Wood Floors, Crown Moulding and Chair Rails accentuate the Formal Dining Room and Living Rooms as well as the Grand Two-Story Foyer. The Gourmet Kitchen has a Center Island as well as a Breakfast Nook with bay window that overlooks the beautiful fields. A Wood Burning Fireplace with Marble Surround is the center piece of the first floor Family Room. The main level is also the location of the Library or Professional Office. Upstairs, you will delight in the Luxurious Master Suite with 2 huge walk-in closets as wells as a Master Bath with a Two-Person soaking tub, large vanity with Dual Sinks and Separate Shower. Three additional bedrooms with plenty of closet space, a full bath and laundry room complete the second level. The finished basement showcases wainscoting in the Recreation Room, a rough-in for a full bath, utility room, storage room and walk-up outside entrance. The Professionally Landscaped Yard surrounding the house has fencing to include the home and one acre which can all be enjoyed from the Wrap-Around Porch or huge Bi-Level Trex Deck. The farm is two separate parcels with an extensive Fruit and Nut Orchard, 3 Wooded Acres, an 18 Acre 3-Board Fenced Pasture, and 25 Tillable acres. A 30' x 40' Pole Building with water & electric is included as well as access to the legendary Monocacy River. Bring your horses and make this amazing farm yours today! Exceptional value at $899,000 Contact Maggie today for more details &to set up your private showing! (301)418-2135

FR6439912 - (SI14-169)

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Is Remodeling Worth The Expense?

Prospective home remodelers need to ask themselves whether doing remodeling can be a worth the expense. As per the author from Boston.com, according to one of the report, the cost of remodeling increased at the same time that the return on the dollars invested decreased. This report underscores the importance of remodeling with a long term perspective in mind. It does not make sense to embark on a major kitchen remodel just before selling your home. The report covers 25 remodeling projects, and for the first time PDF files are available for the 60 cities that were surveyed. The author suggest homeowners before they take on a remodeling project, talk to local contractors for input on costs, and to a trusted realtor for information on how much they can expect to recoup when they sell. [Dian Hymer, Boston.com, February 19, 2007]

New Home Sales Post Second Straight Month of Gains

A report issued by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, sales of new homes increased for the second straight month, rising by 4.8 percent over sales in November 2006. According to Quicken Loans, the increase means December new home sales were at their highest level since April 2006. As per the economists the increase is good news for a housing sector that had seen some set-backs earlier this week. The report of increased new home sales comes as a big relief to many, following a week of otherwise discouraging real estate. [ Quicken Loans, January 26, 2007]

November Key to '07 Forecast

The number of listings in November was down by nearly 3,000 compared to October and that drop could be a sign that things will improve soon for sellers. In this article from The Washington Times, the author states that November's drop in home listings can be a good sign for 2007. One statistic in particular is going to have a lot of impact on them: home listings. According to the author two things are going to make a difference for sellers in 2007: healthy interest from buyers and a drop in the number of listings. However, as listings data become available for December and January, one may gain some insight into the fate of area home sellers this year. [Chris Sicks, The Washington Times, January 05, 2007]

Price, condition, site grab buyer attention

The best way to determine price in our market is to start looking at two categories of real estate: sold and actives. As per the author from The Washington Times, price and condition is the two most important things that grab buyer’s attention. Sellers need to look at where the competition is priced and price lower than the lowest price. Condition is the second part of this equation that sellers have control over in today's market. Mentioned below are the steps that must be taken for a successful sale. New paint everywhere, New flooring and paint make people drop open their mouths with "wow", getting all the windows cleaned and caulked, new faucets throughout, new hardware on the doors, and new switches and switch plates take the house from merely cleaned up to new. [M. Anthony Carr, The Washington Times, December 22, 2006]

Time to Buy is Before Seller's Market Builds

When it has been officially deemed a buyer's market by all the national real estate associations then it is said to be a good time to buy. According to the author from The Washington Times, seller’s markets need to build, while buyer's markets happen overnight. Buyers of resales have a while now to choose from the homes they want, and interest rates are still fairly low. Buyers are waiting for the bottom to hit and sellers are holding onto prices or removing their homes from the market. The author think buyers should get off the fence, get financed and purchase a home due to historically low interest rates and high inventory. [M. Anthony Carr, The Washington Times, November 24, 2006]

Holiday Selling Tips

The following last few months of the year are full of holidays, occasions and year-end must-sell homes often are snapped up by year-end must-move buyers. There is a good chance of a sale if anybody makes an appointment to see your home during the holidays. In this article from Jacksonville.com, the author cites few holiday selling tips. Sellers should work to strike a balance between at-home holiday time with family and time when the house will be available for showing, consider your home's appearance and what your decorations say about it. The bottom line of selling a home at the holidays is that sellers should do their best to make sure the home is shown in its best light and for the right price. [Angela Bauer, Jacksonville.com, October 29, 2006]

Pamphlet Spells Out Risks of 'Exotic' Loans

Federal banking regulators last month issued a strongly worded warning to lenders about the dangers of nontraditional, or "exotic," mortgages, telling them they feared that borrowers did not understand the implications of the loans. Now regulators have issued a similar warning directly to consumers in a pamphlet that explains how these loans work, including a glossary of terms that represent a new vocabulary for borrowers accustomed to traditional lending. [K. Downey, The Washington Post, October 21, 2006]

BUYERS! Prices, interest rates put a value on buying

The prospective buyers in this real estate market watches the prices and the interest rates adjustments together and then makes an offer at the optimal time to get the best house for the best price and terms. According to The Washington Times, the reality about real estate is that sometimes you have to buy when your life situation dictates it, not when the price is right. The author recommends buyers to buy when prices are stable with a low interest rate and then hold on for the ride. He also adds that if buyers are waiting for prices to hit bottom, it could happen while they wait or they could create their own bottom price by making an offer now before interest rates start their upward climb once again. Get the house they want for the price they want at today's interest rate. [M. Anthony Carr, The Washington Times, September 29, 2006]

All Home Loans Are Not Created Equal

Consumers who are looking for home loans can get lower monthly payments in some cases by getting a home loan with mortgage insurance rather than a piggyback loan. In this article from The Detroit News, the author reveals that mortgage insurance has become competitive with piggyback loans because of two developments. First, short-term interest rates rose during the Federal Reserve's two-year rate-hike campaign. Second, mortgage insurance companies started pushing single-premium policies that could be financed as part of the loan. Mortgage insurance is a really good alternative now for consumers. [Holden Lewis, The Detroit News, September 01, 2006]

Get The Most From A Slow Market

Despite rising interest rates and a glut of homes for sale, homebuyers can still get the most from a slow market. In this article from The Detroit News, the author highlights some important tips on how to do that. Some of the prominent tips are buying quality and not quantity, investing for income and not capital gains, think real estate if you want long-term investments, considering buying several properties at these low prices if buyers can afford to do it, and rent them out. As long as buyers can hold onto them for several years, they eventually see a profit when the market rebounds. [Lynne Meredith Schreiber, The Detroit News, August 18, 2006]

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6510 Ridenour Way E, #2B in Eldersburg

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This lovely, fully accessible, second floor, 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo in the sought after, 55 + community of Nell’s Acres is the perfect home to call your own. Easy access is provided via the Elevator and Secure Entrance. The large (16'x15') Master Bedroom boasts a full bath and walk-in closet. You'll enjoy relaxing on the TREX deck Balcony, through glass sliding doors in the Living Room. There are many seller paid upgrades in this home including the Smooth-Top Range, Built-In Microwave, Oversized Washer & Dryer and Large Ceramic Tile Shower as well as the upgraded Carpeting. Use of the Community Center, Which can hold up to 200 guests, the Gym and Secure Storage are included in the monthly maintenance fee. Assigned parking is also provided. Offered at $234,900. Contact Maggie today to set up your private showing! (301) 418-2135 CR6166236 (RI65-169)