 |
Why Buy a Home?
 The past few years of rocky real estate markets has left some people wondering, why buy a home? If you find that thought running through your mind consider these things.
A recent survey commissioned by the National Association of Home Builders found that 72 percent of its respondents opposed any effort to get rid of the homeowners' mortgage interest deduction. That's despite the fact that doing so could help ease the nation's budget deficit.
Gil Gross host of Real Estate Today Radio reported that, "The survey cut across partisan lines, and even across homeowner status. 76 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of Democrats oppose eliminating the
|
|
|
|
Mortgage Rates
U.S. averages as of November 24, 2010:
30 yr. fixed: 4.40%
15 yr. fixed: 3.77%
1 yr. adj: 3.23%
30 yr. jumbo: 6.98%
View current rates
|
|
|
|
deduction, as do 75 percent of owners and even 55 percent of renters. They all recognize the importance of homeownership to the nation's economy."
But why when you hear the horror stories of markets crashing, housing underwater and homeowners facing
CONTINUED >>>
|
|
|
|
Disclosure: Safest Way
To Sell A Home
 If you're putting your home on the market, better be sure you're ready to tell all -- good and bad.
"The majority of lawsuits or claims that occur are as a result of buyers finding out about something that is wrong with their property after the close of escrow and coming to the belief that the seller knew but didn't tell them," says real estate attorney, Peter Solecki of Winton & Larson, LLP.
Disclosure is vital. In one extreme case, it may have spared a seller from going to jail and even saved lives. The New York Times reported on a trial back in the late eighties that found the seller of a home guilty for not disclosing to the buyers that the home's heater had malfunctioned. The buyers and one of their children were asphyxiated by fumes from a gas-fired heater used to de-ice the driveway of their home. Only their four-year-old child survived. The seller was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. This case is believed to be the first of its kind where a home-seller was held CONTINUED >>>
|
|
|
|
Should I Take My Home Off the Market During the Holidays?
 When you look at your calendar you may find the months already overloaded with seasonal obligations -- shopping, entertaining, children's pageants, charity work, decorating the house, and so much more. If you are also trying to sell your home, you are under extra pressure to keep your home in "showtime" condition. And that could be the last thing you need before the holiday spirit is broken.
It is understandable why you would be tempted to take your home off the market during the holidays. And the list of justifications is long. If you are too busy, buyers may be also, and you may find your efforts unrewarded with not enough showings. And what if you do get an offer? You may be faced with the possibility of packing and moving during the busiest time of the year. Besides, you can give your house a rest, and it will have better momentum after the holidays. Better to just pack it in and start fresh in January, right?
But wait! Most top Realtors agree that taking your home off the market during the Christmas season is a mistake. The house surely isn't going to sell off the market! What is the advantage of that? So you're busy. Let your Realtor do the work. You can leave in the morning, go to work, go shopping, and let CONTINUED >>>
|
|
|
|
|
Read My Blog!!!
You can find many great Davenport real estate agents and loan officers on ActiveRain.com Lucky Lang is a proud member of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, a free online community to help real estate professionals grow their business.
|
|
Could Your Closets Be
Turning Off Buyers?
 Homeowners are always looking to fine-tune the look of their homes before they put their house on the market. But all too often an area that gets forgotten is the closet.
Everyone seems to have more stuff than ever before and a lot of that stuff gets crammed into the closets. Then when you list the home on the market, and Mr. and Mrs. Buyer come to have a look, they reach for a closet door and are greeted with an overstuffed, unorganized mess. The prospective buyers don't see your valuables as prized possessions; instead what they see is too much stuff and too little space. Often buyers can't picture their belongings in a home that's filled with clutter. That's why a lot of agents will recommend organizing, not just the space you see immediately upon
CONTINUED >>>
Local Market Conditions
Daily News and Advice
Read about the events shaping the Real Estate market today, find current interest rates, or browse the extensive library of advice and how-to articles written by some of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.
|
More Articles
|
|
|
