Des Moines, IA

**Click Here To See The Original Post on WealthWithMortgage.com!**

Numbers are extremely important to consider when buying, selling and financing a home. Imagine what it would be like if there was simply a national weather forecast. Crazy thought huh? (Especially since it was 6 below on my drive into work today) It is also tough to have a comprehensive national real estate market report (although some folks get caught up in national statistics). This is exactly why I appreciate getting the Des Moines Market Update from Heather Barglof at Peoples Company. As I continue to get them, I will continue to post them (with her permission of course). Here is her breif market commentary this week:

Below is how the residential market in the Des Moines area performed last week. You can compare last week's new listings, pendings, sales, etc, to those of the prior week and the weekly running average for Jan 2008 as well as Jan 2007. Sales have picked up from a month or so ago, but things are still moving slower than many of us would like to see. 2007 ended with sales seeing a 7% decline over 2006. On the positive side our inventory continues to decline. The National Association of Realtors expects that existing home sales will hold steady the next few months and then continue to improve in 2009.

(Click to Hugify)

I hope you continue to enjoy these brief updates. I know I do!

Email this • Technorati Links • Add to del.icio.us • Stumble It! • Subscribe to this feed

**Click Here To See The Original Post on WealthWithMortgage.com!**

Des Moines Market Watch 1/7/08 - 1/13/08

Numbers are extremely important to consider when buying, selling and financing a home. Each week I receive a summary of the market activity in my email and I find these statistics very valuable. Even though I cannot personally sell or help you purchase a home (I'm a money guy.. not a house guy). I can assist you in finding the right person for the job!

Below is last week's market summary. Looks like home sales were up last week!

(Click to Biggie Size It!)

Sorry for the photo quality. I will get that corrected next week.

The weekly market watch content is courtesy of Heather Barglof. Statistics are compiled from DMAAR.

Email this • Technorati Links • Add to del.icio.us • Stumble It! • Subscribe to this feed

Mortgage rates go down then jump by more than 1/2%, all in one day!
by: Brian Wentz, Relator

What a day it was! The Des Moines Real Estate market was not immune to the roller-coaster of a day brought on by the moment by moment changes in the mortgage markets.

I arrived at the office at 9:00 AM to the good news that rates had dropped from 5.25% down to 5.0%. "That's incredible", I thought.

Than, by noon- I got the update from one of my trusted lenders that rates fell even further to 4.875 % for a 30 year fixed rate. "Amazing- a 10 year low", I thought!

Then, about 2:00 things came to a sudden, screeching halt. E-mail after e-mail cried that rates were headed up. And in the aftermath, rates finished the day out at around 5.5% for a 30 year loan.

In my entire career, I have never seen single say swings like this. It was something, and I am sure many of our lenders were ready to go home and forget the day. I know their phones were ringing off the hook, and I am sure there were some frustrated customers along the way. When rates change this fast, it is impossible to keep up!

But how does the saying go; "Sometimes, that's how the cookie crumbles". I suppose tomorrow is a new day, and hey, 5.5% is an amazing rate no matter how you look at it!

Brian Wentz & Beth Ernst
Burnett Realty
515-334-4994
www.BrianWentzRealtor.com

New Construction and homes for sale in Des Moines, Iowa including Urbandale, Clive, Beaverdale, West Des Moines, Johnston, Ankeny and Waukee

An enchanting store worthy of an afternoon visit!
by: Brian Wentz

This one of a kind store is like a window into the past! Located at 9th and Cherry in Downtown Des Moines, Iowa, West End Architectural Salvage is sort of a high end junk yard for recycled home products and custom made art work- all delivered with a touch of something special!

Many of the stores offerings have been rescued from turn of the century homes that were to be demolished, or that have been removed during construction updates.  It really doesn't matter what you are looking for; if it is old, they likely have it. But unlike so many "antique vendors" who stock a lot of junk, you'll only find truly special, one-of-a-kind and hard to find items here!

Entering at street level, the large granite coffee bar and open front lobby warmly greets you. The large sitting area, complete with custom made tables constructed on site, is a great place to kick back and enjoy a cup of the stores Joe before wandering around. And speaking of wandering around, that's precisely where you will often find the store's owner, Don Short, who will likely introduce himself, and strike up a conversation if you happen to run into him.

To add to the experience, Architectural Salvage's building, by itself, is truly something to be seen. The 5 story structure is a converted warehouse, stripped to the bones; with exposed wood timber construction, brick walls and original hardwood floors. 

The main level of the store includes custom jewelry and original artwork fabricated using scrap materials from the upper levels, such as tin covered tables and mirrors fabricated from old lumber. On the upper levels you'll find a collection of antique white oak furniture (some has even been restored), recycled building products such as  6 panel doors and hinges, along with anything and everything you'd expect to find in a turn of the century home. On one particular visit, the store even had a full size front entry staircase, like something you'd expect to see in "Gone With The Wind"!

And if you are looking for a unique location to host an event, the store itself can be rented for an evening!. An event on site is a truly remarkable experience, as I found out first hand when we recently hosted a party at the store 65 or so people. The accommodations were top notch, to say the least!

If you are in Downtown Des Moines anytime soon- be sure to stop by the store, which is just under the 9^th Street viaduct. I promise, you will not be disappointed at all!

Take a tour of the building below and see some of the items I discovered on a recent visit. (Click Here if the slide show is not visible!)

Brian Wentz & Beth Ernst
Burnett Realty
www.BrianWentzRealtor.com
Homes for sale in the Des Moines Iowa area, including Ankeny, Altoona, Clive, Urbandale, West Des Moines, Waukee, and Johnston.