Rebecca Jaffe

Do you have all the facts? Join us for a free educational opporutunity!

THE TRUTH ABOUT FORECLOSURES

The Risks, The Rewards, and How They Affect our Market

Saturday June 20th 11a.m. -3p.m. at First National Realty 6515 Goodman Road Ste. 1 Olive Branch, MS

Free information, Experts on Site for Advice, Current Listings Available, Door Prizes & Giveaways

No boring seminar or presentation to sit through! No pressure! Come and go as you please!

For more information, email me at strictlyrealestate@ymail.com

Hosted by Rebecca Jaffe, Renae Fulton & Carolyn Tangery of First National Realty

Thank you to our sponsors:

Primerica Financial Services

First National Financial Title Services LLC

National Property Inspections

Ciitzens Bank

The Feds announced that the $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit can now be used for a downpayment! I've seen that this has been a bone of contempt with many potential home buyers- they don't have any money to put down, or at least not enough. This will open many more doors for those of you who are wanting to own a home.If you have never owned a home or have not owned one in the last 3 years, you may be eligible for this.

Contact me today and I'll help you take that first step to home ownership!

For more information about the tax credit, go to http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009

You can't turn on the t.v., read the newspaper, or talk to someone without hearing about the effect the economy is having on not just our country but on a global scale. That truly shows how crucial it is for the US to be in good standings because we're the Breadbasket of the World. It breaks my heart to see people out of work and businesses that have been around for years shutting their doors. There are many many reasons for this dilemma we're in but it's taught us a very valuable lesson about saving money for times exactly like this. People are actually having to decide whether they should eat or pay their mortgages!

There are so many ways to save your money and the biggest thing is to not live beyond your means! We live in a world of instant gratification and we want for nothing. It's like the old saying, "Give the boy a fish, he'll learn nothing. Teach a boy to fish, he'll never go hungry." I'm not saying go learn how to fish right now, but we need to learn to be more capable of taking care of ourselves and teaching our families how to be too.

As for real estate, my personal opinion is that we will see a definite improvement within the next year. It shouldn't hinder anyone from buying since it's a buyers market, all the way! Rates and prices are low, inventory is plentiful and although there are more strict guidelines for obtaining a home loan its a preventative measure to ensure that things like this don't happen as often. Ask your realtor, bank, or trusted lender how you can qualify or what you need to do to qualify and draw up a budget with a specific timeline for your goals if you aren't looking to buy right this second. Don't wait too long because it won't be this way forever!

At the insistence of my regional director, I'm stepping up and clearing the air of all this negativity surrounding our market in DeSoto County. Folks, don't feed into the hype! The market here is holding its own. Just because other areas of the country have been hit hard, don't assume that we have too. The market is shifting, as it does, as it will do. Don't be afraid to buy, sell or invest! This is a great time to buy, the interest rates are low, there are alot of great programs out there for first time buyers, the possibilities are bountiful these days, and there's really no reason you shouldn't be able to get into a house.

But with all we have available, you have to be responsible with and for your finances. If your credit isn't great, work on it! A home is one of the biggest investments you are going to make in your life, why risk giving that up! You have great research tools at your fingertips - the Internet and the telephone- to study up on loans and prepare all your information. If you don't know your credit score (and you should!!!) talk to a mortgage consultant about obtaining a copy of your credit report and discuss with you options to getting a home loan. If you don't know any, I will be more than happy to put you in touch with one and get you on the road to owning your own home. After all, its my job!

If you're uncertain about selling your home, I will be more than happy to schedule a meeting with you to go over the aspects of everything involved. Don't be afraid to put your home up for sale; overpricing will more than likely not get you a buyer anyhow! Consulting a licensed real estate agent like myself is the best course to take in order correctly price and effectively marketing your home.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog, if you have any questions please feel free to email me; rebeccajaffe@kw.com