Jane McMullan

I have been working with HUD foreclosed homes these past few months, and I have to say that the deals have been smooth and fast. You must be a HUD registered agent to place a bid which is done initially online. Once the bid is accepted there are forms to fill out which your agent will overnight to the HUD office. Turn around time with a good lender and title company is 4-6 weeks. To look at available properties go to: http://www.tenmanagement.com/listings/state.do?code=IN. Click the counties in which you would like to see and it will bring up current homes being sold by HUD. New listings are posted each Friday morning.

Real estate is really selling well in Northwest Indiana. My listing in DeMotte is very motivated to sell and has reduced their price to an unbelievable price of $210,000 for 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, 2.5 attached garage, 2.5 detached heated garage on 1.1 acres in a peaceful subdivision. Great deal. Other homes have recently sold in this subdivision for a similar price that do not include the 2.5 car detached garage. This home is located in Newton County so the taxes are very low, but the schools are Kankakee Valley in DeMotte. Very desirable home for this price. Here's the link to take a look...

http://www.5929East1156North.com

First time home buyers getting some really great deals, not to mention the $8,000 - $10,000 tax credits that are available to them this year. I've written 5 offers for buyers in the past 6 days. Our prices are down some, but certainly not as much as other areas in the country. It's a great time to buy even if you're not a first time homebuyer as well. Call a Realtor or get online to check out some of the beautiful properties for sale in your area.

Many families are facing the possibility, even the probability of a foreclosure due to unfortunate circumstances in the economy. There are programs available for some to restructure their loans which I will address in the following blog. For those that feel there is no way out, don't despair. A short sale might be the answer. This type of sale enables you to walk away without going through the drawn out stress of a foreclosure. While it does ding your credit, it makes it easier to buy another home in the future when your circumstances improve, unlike a foreclosure which makes it very unlikely that you will able to buy again for awhile. Please call me for more information. I can help you decide if this is something for you to consider and get you started with the process. If you feel more comfortable emailing I answer all emails.

Phone: 219-508-3598

email: Jane.McMullan@Century21.com

The housing market has always been a bit of a gamble and certaintly 2009 is no different. If you're thinking about buying or selling in our current market there are some things to consider.

Is it a buyer's or a seller's market? If making money isn't your objective then finding the best deal on a home that meets your needs and desires makes it less of a gamble. Historically, real estate has gone up and gone down in cycles. If you're looking at the big picture it's a pretty safe bet whenever you weigh the cost of rent vs own. Now is a great time to buy because it's definately a buyer's market.

Selling can also be advantagious if you are buying up and saving more on your new purchase than you are losing on the sale of your current home.

If you are confused about whether you should sell right now, look around, do the math and if you are comfortable with waiting to see what next year will bring...nothing lost.

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER'S. This is definately the time to buy with the tax credits available. Read below on my my blog for further details.