You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
I want to extend a very special and BIG WARM WELCOME to all of the email subscribers & clients. It contains tips and information that will help you stay abreast of the Real Estate Market & become more successful, both personally and professionally. The goal is to make it a quick read.
Housing on the move
The houses in the Fargo Moorhead area have been moving steadily over the past 6 months. The $8,000 stimulus package has made an opportunity for both buyers and sellers to remain in the driver seat. With the November deadline coming and the winter coming, we may predict a slowdown in housing, as a consistent year event. The houses effected by the stimulus are typically in the first time home buyers range which are around $80,000 to $135,000. 2nd Homes are typically in the next price range and up to around $225,000. There will be a winter buyers market coming very very soon!!! In addition, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Housing Market index rose to the highest level since June 2008, indicating an improvement in home builder confidence. The NAHB also reported that housing affordability during the second quarter of 2009 remained near record levels. The improvement in home builder confidence was reflected in a fifth consecutive month of increased single-family housing starts in July. High affordability, low interest rates, and the first-time homebuyer tax credit combined to improve sentiment and stimulate housing market activity.
•1. Quote of the Month
"The choices we make during adversity and conflict show our true character."
Interest Rates
Interest Rates are currently still below 6% and holding. We have seen a long string of rates from 5.3% to 5.75% depending upon credit and additional factors. The glass ball looks like rates may climb, but that is all speculation. Watch the 10 year treasury to see how that is doing as that usually gives us the most accurate indication or green light of the future. I predict the rates to climb and inflation to start taking some toll on rates. Looking back on the past, I found my first vehicle loan paperwork, and the interest rate was at 8.5% and we still bought cars and houses back then too!!!
ALZHEIMERS' EYE TEST Count every ' F ' in the following text:
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS... (SEE BELOW)
HOW MANY ? Really?
The reasoning behind is further down. The brain cannot process 'OF'. Go Back and Try to find the 6 F's before you scroll down.
Invest In Your Future - How to Avoid Being the Victim of an Investment Scam
It is a common occurrence to see newspaper headlines about investors being scammed. These crimes are not isolated to the senior citizen population or to a specific geographical location. Scam artists victimize all sorts of investors across the country.
The question becomes "How do you protect yourself from becoming the next victim?" The following contains a listing of suggested tips that you can use to defend yourself:
•1. Never spend money on investments solely on the basis of a phone call.
•2. Don't be rushed by "buy now" investments. Legitimate investments will always be available.
•3. No one can guarantee a risk-free investment.
•4. Never give personal information over the phone, especially social security number, credit card number, or bank account information.
•5. If you don't understand it, don't buy it.
•6. Always remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
•7. Do not invest due to fears (e. g., health care, inflation, or interest rates). Fear clouds judgment.
•8. Request written information and consult your financial advisor.
5 Things that make you wonder??????
1. Was learning cursive really necessary?
2. Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say". 3. Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
4. I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
5. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in
Work with someone who knows HUD properties, foreclosures, Short Sales, and save yourself countless hours of waiting for a response! Lets get you started so contact Dave and lets get MOVING!
Purchasing your first home will be one of the biggest financial decisions you make in your lifetime. Welcome to the First Time Homebuyer Center
This is not a decision you want to go into with your eyes closed. Many times in this process you will be asking yourself "Who can I trust? What is the next step? How do I know if I am getting a good mortgage product?" Dave Werth Real Estate First Time Home Buyer Educator/Instructor is here for you!
Dave Werth works with Family Life Credit Services located in Fargo ND & Serves North Dakota & Minnesota First Time Homebuyers. Family Life Credit Services are Certified First Time Homebuyer Educators serving Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo, Dilworth, FM Rural areas, and all of ND & MN. They offer an eight hour workshop that will educate you on all you need to know about purchasing your first home. Once you have completed the workshop you are entitled to a one-on-one counseling session where you and your homeownership counselor will develop an action plan to help you realize your dreams of owning a home. Each person will recieve a First Time Homebuyer Certificate after completion of the class.
Most communities offer incentives for First-Time Homebuyers such as Down-Payment and Closing Cost Assistance as well as below market interest rates guaranteed by the government. Many of those funding program will only be granted if you attend a Certified Homebuyer Education Workshop.
Some of the topics covered in our workshop are:
Is Homeownership Right for You?
Lifelong Money Management
Financing a Home
Qualifying for a Mortgage and the Loan Application Process
Shopping for a Home
The Closing Process
Preventing Foreclosure
Life as a Home Owner
Predatory Lending Practices
Dave encourages you to attend if you are considering purchasing a home within the next year as this workshop would be very beneficial to you. Contact Dave for dates & times the classes will be held.
The Village - Fargo
The Village Financial Resource Center is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as a comprehensive housing counseling agency. Counseling is provided in the areas of pre-purchase, mortgage default, foreclosures, credit issues and reverse mortgages.
"Homebuyer Education Workshops" Attend The Village Homebuyer Education Program to learn about purchasing and owning a home. You will also work one-on-one with a Village financial counselor to create a personal financial action plan. Local lenders, realtors and housing assistance programs will also give you ideas on making wise housing choices. Finding a home you like is just the beginning. Learning about what is involved in becoming a homeowner will save you time and unnecessary worry and will probably save you money in the process.
"Homebuyer Education Class Schedule" Mortgage Default and Delinquency Counseling If you are behind in your mortgage payments, the thought of losing your home can be terrifying. Foreclosures are occurring at record rates. Our counselors can help you establish a budget, set priorities, and determine the appropriate strategies to help you keep your property. Landlords and lenders are often willing to be flexible about repayment of late or missing payments. Our certified housing counselors will discuss your options and develop a plan to get you back o n track.
"Reverse Equity Mortgage Counseling" Available to homeowners over the age of 62, a Reverse Equity Mortgage permits clients to tap their home equity, allowing them to increase spendable income without selling their home or making loan payments. Our counselors will review your financial situation, determine if you qualify for a home equity mortgage and help you evaluate other options for increasing income.
"Tenant Education Project" The program is designed to give new renters essential skills to help them find and keep a decent, safe and affordable place to live. The program also teachers renters how to better their housing situation and to address problems specific to individual rental histories. Attending the class can help you recognize and address problems to make you a more marketable tenant.
Family Life Credit Services
We're Family Life Credit Services, a nationwide nonprofit Christian Financial Counseling agency founded in 1986. Our Goal is to strengthen and encourage families and individuals through Christian faith-based financial & credit counseling. We offer programs geared at educating and financially strengthening individuals, families and communities. We offer financial educational materials free of charge as well as the opportunity to work with a certified counselor in your area of need.
We offer a number of different programs which include: Credit Counseling, CreditWise, and First-Time Homebuyer Education and Workshops. Family Life Credit Services also works with independent affiliates to provide additional services.
Family Life Credit Services is affiliated with several other Christian faith-based ministries to provide services to individuals and families within our community. Our independent affiliates include a Maternity Home, Family Legal Clinic, Christian Counseling Center, Crisis Pregnancy Clinic, Christian Radio Station and a Chaplaincy Group.
Start your journey today to get back on your feet with debt relief through our non-profit agency
Dave Werth is a Fargo Moorhead First Time Home Buyer Educator you can trust. If you have any questions in regards to First Time Home Buying or any other questions, contact Dave Werth your local First Time Homebuyer Educational Realtor! Dave was the director & founder of the First Annual First Time Home Buyer Fundraiser making the classes Free of Charge to First Time Homebuyers!!!
First Annual Fundraising Golf Tournament - 2007
Family Life Credit Services sponsored its First Annual Golf Tournament May 18th, 2007 at the Hawley Golf Course with 68 area realtors, insurance agents and lenders participating. The event included a Silent Auction, a Hole-In-One contest with a 2007 Ford Fusion offered by Muscatel-Burns Motors in Hawley and a ‘Splash for Cash' contest. The proceeds will be used to offer the Homebuyer Education program free for the balance of 2007. The winner of the Golf Tournament was the Gate City Bank team. Next years golf tournament has already been scheduled for May 16th, 2008. Contact Dave to sign up!
Family Life Credit Services is a Christian nonprofit organization that assists individuals and families who are struggling with debt by offering budget counseling, education and a debt management program. Family Life Credit Services also offers CreditWise, an educational program that presents the sensible use of credit to high schools, colleges, churches, service organizations, youth groups, parolees and to anyone who needs more information regarding how to use credit wisely. Upon completion of the 8 hour certified Homebuyers Education program, attendees may qualify for assistance with down payment and/or closing costs through their local community.
Check out the Golf Tournament Pictures!!!
Gate City Bank - 2007 Champions
2008 Results - The Tournament Raised over $6,000 towards First Time Homebuyer Education. Gerald Croaker was named Family Life Credit Services First Time Homebuyer Educational Director for the end of the 2008 Year. He has been working with FLCS and will be an asset to the new challenges facing first time homebuyers in the upcoming years. Kvamme Real Estate scored a 17 Under Par for the lowest Gross score and Park Company scored the lowest Net Score with a 17.3 Under Par. There were 18 teams registered to play as each year the tournament seems to get more player participation & better prizes. Thanks to Hawley Golf Club, FLCS Staff, & The Tournament Advisory Committee, for making this event such a huge success!
2009 UPCOMING GOLF EVENT INFORMATION:
Fargo Moorhead First Time Home Buyers, Realtors, Insurance Agents, Mortgage Lenders, Bank Employees, Anyone & Everyone, are welcome to participate in the 3rd Annual Charity Golf Scramble on May 15th, 2009. Contact Dave Werth to sign up for the Golf Tournament. The tournament will be held at the Meadows Golf Course in Moorhead, MN and registration is at 9:00 AM w/ a shotgun start at 9:15AM. We will have silent auction items from the Fargo Moorhead businesses, Professional Sports Companys, Professional Sports Teams & Pro Sports Players, and surrounding area businesses, as well as golf course passes & much more. We hope to see you in this years event!
Contact Dave Werth for more tournament information @ 218-790-7653 or Jeral w/ Family Life Credit Services @ 232-HOPE.
Standard ways to determine how much a home is worth. A comparative market analysis and an appraisal are the two most common and reliable ways to determine a home's value. Dave can provide a comparative market analysis, an informal estimate of value based on the recent selling price of similar neighborhood properties. A CMA will have comparable homes that have sold within the past year and includes the listing, asking price, current homes for sale, days on the market and values per square foot. An estimate of value is given and there are variables that make a difference such as specials, closing costs, additional fees, or improvements to the property. All of these influence the CMA to give you true market value or what your property should be listed at or the value of your home. City and County tax values should not be used for the CMA as each area varies and marketable property values are separate from taxable property values.
2. Listing prices
The difference between listing price and a sales price. The list price is your MLS advertising price or the asking price for a home. The sales price is the final price paid for on a property. The sales price is the actual amount the home sells for.
3. Disclosures
Property Condition Disclosures are used by sellers to give the buyers a chance to see information about the property while the sellers have lived there. Such as any changes to the property, improvements, damages, flooding, hail, environmental concerns, methamphetamine production, and basic facts about the property and structure of the home. This is a report that the sellers provide when selling their home, of all facts of the property while they lived there. If the house is a foreclosure, the banks do not have to offer a disclosure condition report. Usually the property in a foreclosure is sold as is.
4. Staging the home to sell.
Rule of thumb is bigger, cleaner, and not broken. What sells a home the most is the price. Houses must be ready to sell, and cleaned free of debris inside and outside, and must appear to be clean and spacious. Clutter is a houses worst enemy. For example, go to a furniture store, and look how that is staged. Clean, organized, and free of bad odors. Smoking, pets, and environmental smells will create a bad stigma for buyers. From the curb to the good bye, the house should be prepared and ready to sell, or put the listing on hold until this is done. Ask Dave how to get a house ready to sell. Putting money into your house before you sell, can make a difference, only if it is to bring it more marketability, not improvement to the price. Improvement to the price must be looked at closely with an agent, as this is the biggest myth sellers do not discuss with their agents when trying to increase the value of their home. Money spent in areas of improvements should be: Professional cleaners, carpet cleaners, paint, window cleaners, professional movers cleaning out the house to look bigger & spacious using storage units if possible, fixing minor broken things to repair, and the entry into the house should be clean and free of anything. Contact Dave to help you understand where to spend your money wisely instead of wasting it on your old home, when you could of used it on your new home.
5. DOM or days on the market
How many days on the market is it going to be before my house will sell? The biggest question is how well is your home priced. The right price will bring you more traffic and more offers. If you are too high, you may scare away buyers and don't think that someone just might place an offer just to shoot you low. Pricing your house accordingly to what your agent knows what it will sell for, is the best way to go. Your mindset of how much it's worth to you, is not how much it is worth the buyers. The market will dictate the price, and length of time it will take to sell. Check with your agent on the average days on the market for a home similar to yours as this should also be included in your CMA or market analysis. Each area varies, and each market will fluctuate year to year.
6. Contracts and Offers
There is no such thing as a low ball offer. Its only an offer the buyers are willing to start the negotiations with. Do not be offended by any offer, as the rule of thumb is sometimes your first offer might be the only one you might see, or the only one you can negotiate with. Your agent will advise you of techniques within a contract to make things come together, and bring more buyers offers coming. The purchase agreement will give you the terms and strengths of the contract which usually indicates a lot of information, as the buyer's agent cannot disclose any information besides price, terms, and motivation. Reading into a contract is impossible to do, so don't spin your wheels to fast. The earnest money is sometimes an indication, but not to be a determining factor. Offering price, date of closing, where the buyers are from, pre approval letter, additional addendums, assumed specials, closing costs, and warranty & inspections will give you an idea of how serious they are. There is not one thing on a Purchase Agreement that will give you more insight than another. If the property is offered cash, this is sometimes the stronger offer, as there are no financing hang ups or money that will be asked to drop because of appraisal issues. Also home inspections are also a buyers source of negotiations which can hinder a buyer from purchasing your property. I do not recommend getting a home inspection report to give to buyers as this is sometimes a waste of your money, that can be used in negotiations. Contracts and offers should be looked at carefully with your agent and bad or good, do not get discouraged, as it is a sign that your agent is successfully marketing your property in the eyes of the public and realtors.
7. Closing Dates
When are we going to be closing and they are going to take possession of our home? The closing dates are in the purchase agreement and should be followed through with. There are some cases the closing dates do change so don't get too worried. Talk with your agent about any closing date changes and opportunities that may arise. When getting ready for your closing date, make sure to follow instructions from your agent about times and closing information you will need to provide your closing company. You have the choice of choosing a closing company or having your agent choose one for you. Your agent may have good relations to make the closing smoother with a preferred closing company, and I suggest letting them choose one for you. Just correspond what times work best for you. Who goes first? It will change sometimes as the buyer usually will go before the seller and the other way around, so don't worry about whom goes first. Money has to be released to the closing company in order to consummate the sale of the property and final numbers are final. Make sure to get a HUD 1 statement a day or two in advance to see what your final amount will be if you are or are not receiving money back. In some cases sellers will have to pay in some money if they are upside down on their homes. The closing company will provide you with a HUD 1 statement and your agent and you should review all of the line items on each statement to make sure everything is accurate before you go to closing.
8. The day of closing
Under the purchase agreement you have till the closing time, to have the property removed. You do not have to have everything out before the final walk through. Some agents are impatient and want their clients to check out your home before closing, which is fine, but they need to understand moving is not an easy process. To make your house readily available for possession is certainly the right thing to do. Round up all keys, garage openers, brochures on included items being sold, receipts of improvements, mechanical companies you worked with, and let your agent know where they are at so they can get dispersed to the buyers at the time of closing. Make sure to contact all utility companies, phone companies, city records, post office, rental agreements, fuel companies, and additional bills you have coming to your property and advise them that you are moving. You may decide to have your carpet professionally steam cleaned as this is not a requirement of selling your property, but if it is in the contract, you must have it completed before closing. Some people will have the carpets cleaned just in good standards for the new home owners to show them appreciation of buying their house. Try to clean the house as you would like to have done when you move into your next home. Do not try to get sneaky about things, as everything must be disclosed before you close, as some final walk through will come across issues that can create problems. Follow your purchase agreement terms, and get ready to close on time. Bring a drivers license to your closing. If you have to pay for any liens, mortgage satisfactions, or any money, contact the closing company to make sure what type of funds you may pay them with. At the closing, you will have quite a stack of papers to be signed. Make sure to sign your name just as they ask, and to make sure to keep all documentation you receive that day, and store it in a safe place for records. Tax information may be used later by your tax advisor, so have all information readily available for easy access. Other than that, congrats, as you just sold your home, and it's time to move on!
Purchasing your first home will be one of the biggest financial decisions you make in your lifetime. Welcome to the First Time Homebuyer Center
This is not a decision you want to go into with your eyes closed. Many times in this process you will be asking yourself "Who can I trust? What is the next step? How do I know if I am getting a good mortgage product?" Dave Werth Real Estate First Time Home Buyer Educator/Instructor is here for you!
Dave Werth works with Family Life Credit Services located in Fargo ND & Serves North Dakota & Minnesota First Time Homebuyers. Family Life Credit Services are Certified First Time Homebuyer Educators serving Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo, Dilworth, FM Rural areas, and all of ND & MN. They offer an eight hour workshop that will educate you on all you need to know about purchasing your first home. Once you have completed the workshop you are entitled to a one-on-one counseling session where you and your homeownership counselor will develop an action plan to help you realize your dreams of owning a home. Each person will recieve a First Time Homebuyer Certificate after completion of the class.
Most communities offer incentives for First-Time Homebuyers such as Down-Payment and Closing Cost Assistance as well as below market interest rates guaranteed by the government. Many of those funding program will only be granted if you attend a Certified Homebuyer Education Workshop.
Some of the topics covered in our workshop are:
Is Homeownership Right for You?
Lifelong Money Management
Financing a Home
Qualifying for a Mortgage and the Loan Application Process
Shopping for a Home
The Closing Process
Preventing Foreclosure
Life as a Home Owner
Predatory Lending Practices
Dave encourages you to attend if you are considering purchasing a home within the next year as this workshop would be very beneficial to you. Contact Dave for dates & times the classes will be held.
The Village - Fargo
The Village Financial Resource Center is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as a comprehensive housing counseling agency. Counseling is provided in the areas of pre-purchase, mortgage default, foreclosures, credit issues and reverse mortgages.
"Homebuyer Education Workshops" Attend The Village Homebuyer Education Program to learn about purchasing and owning a home. You will also work one-on-one with a Village financial counselor to create a personal financial action plan. Local lenders, realtors and housing assistance programs will also give you ideas on making wise housing choices. Finding a home you like is just the beginning. Learning about what is involved in becoming a homeowner will save you time and unnecessary worry and will probably save you money in the process.
"Homebuyer Education Class Schedule" Mortgage Default and Delinquency Counseling If you are behind in your mortgage payments, the thought of losing your home can be terrifying. Foreclosures are occurring at record rates. Our counselors can help you establish a budget, set priorities, and determine the appropriate strategies to help you keep your property. Landlords and lenders are often willing to be flexible about repayment of late or missing payments. Our certified housing counselors will discuss your options and develop a plan to get you back o n track.
"Reverse Equity Mortgage Counseling" Available to homeowners over the age of 62, a Reverse Equity Mortgage permits clients to tap their home equity, allowing them to increase spendable income without selling their home or making loan payments. Our counselors will review your financial situation, determine if you qualify for a home equity mortgage and help you evaluate other options for increasing income.
"Tenant Education Project" The program is designed to give new renters essential skills to help them find and keep a decent, safe and affordable place to live. The program also teachers renters how to better their housing situation and to address problems specific to individual rental histories. Attending the class can help you recognize and address problems to make you a more marketable tenant.
Family Life Credit Services
We're Family Life Credit Services, a nationwide nonprofit Christian Financial Counseling agency founded in 1986. Our Goal is to strengthen and encourage families and individuals through Christian faith-based financial & credit counseling. We offer programs geared at educating and financially strengthening individuals, families and communities. We offer financial educational materials free of charge as well as the opportunity to work with a certified counselor in your area of need.
We offer a number of different programs which include: Credit Counseling, CreditWise, and First-Time Homebuyer Education and Workshops. Family Life Credit Services also works with independent affiliates to provide additional services.
Family Life Credit Services is affiliated with several other Christian faith-based ministries to provide services to individuals and families within our community. Our independent affiliates include a Maternity Home, Family Legal Clinic, Christian Counseling Center, Crisis Pregnancy Clinic, Christian Radio Station and a Chaplaincy Group.
Start your journey today to get back on your feet with debt relief through our non-profit agency
Dave Werth is a Fargo Moorhead First Time Home Buyer Educator you can trust. If you have any questions in regards to First Time Home Buying or any other questions, contact Dave Werth your local First Time Homebuyer Educational Realtor! Dave was the director & founder of the First Annual First Time Home Buyer Fundraiser making the classes Free of Charge to First Time Homebuyers!!!
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
