Vienna Bello, SFR, Realtor® Associate, Notary Public

What Are The Current Mortgage Rates?

February 13, 2011: The national average interest for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage surpassed 5% for the first time since May 2010, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. During the week ending Feb. 11, rates averaged 5.05%.

If you or someone you know have been on the fence about Homebuying, now is the time to make your move. With prices of homes lower than they've been in years, it is still an excellent time to buy. Why rent when you can own?

If you found this information useful or would like more information about buying a home, please feel free to call, email or text me with any questions.

Where Can I Find A Notary Public in Hoboken?

Hoboken Notary Public

New Jersey state commissioned Mobile Notary Public in Hoboken. Member of the National Notary Association. Errors & Omissions insured.

Safe & Secure. As a Mobile Notary Public in Hoboken, I will drive to your location... your home, the hospital, businesses or even your local Starbucks. Flexible nights and weekends.

Call for an appointment today.

Mobile Notary Public in Hoboken

How Can I Be More GREEN?

Turn off electronic devices
Turning off your computers, DVD players, TV's or air conditioners when you're not using them can save thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year... and save you money! Better yet, unplug all appliances and electronics when not in use.

Replace lighting
Replacing just one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb can save around 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Park the car
Try carpooling, taking NJ Transit, walking or biking more often. You can save 1 pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don't drive.

Check your tires
Proper inflation of your tires can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out the earth's atmosphere.

Recycle, recycle, recycle
By recycling just half of your household waste, you could save up to 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide. Cutting down your garbage by 10% can save up to 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb 1 ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

Use less hot water
Washing your clothes in cold or warm water can save up to 500 pounds of CO2 a year.

Adjust your thermostat
Lowering your thermostat by 2 degrees in the winter and up 2 degrees in the summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

How Can I Prevent Foreclosure?

Preventing Foreclosure

If you fall behind on making your monthly mortgage payments, you can lose your home. There are ways to protect your home, but you must act immediately.

* First, contact your lender. Chances are, your lender will want to work with you to help you find a way to save your home. DO NOT avoid phone calls or disregard letters from your lender.

* Seek counseling. A debt counselor or even your lender, can help you make a budget to structure a repayment plan. For unbiased answers go to the list of counselors approved by the US Government Dept of Housing: call toll free 800-569-4287 or go to www.hud.gov and select "avoid foreclosure" from the left hand bar.

* Negotiate a payment plan. A cure is a one time 30 day grace period for a missed payment. You could also set up complete refinancing, as long as your new plan gets you out of the mess you're in. If you are several months behind with your mortgage payments and you have not contacted your lender, they may assume you have no intention to repay their loan. If you are having serious financial difficulties, you need to seek professional assistance and/or legal counsel to best protect your home.

* Keep records. Keep a record of every conversation (dates & times) you have with the bank in case you end up in court. Keep copies of all correspondence.

* Don't sign anything you don't understand. If you are working with a counselor, ask him to refer an attorney who can explain documents to you.

* Sell your home. If your problem is serious enough that it can not be resolved in a reasonable amount of time, it may be necessary to sell your home and find a more managable living situation. Negotiating a short sale with your lender is another option. Make sure you work closely with your lender to allow a reasonable time to sell the home. If all else fails, you may be able to sign the house over to your lender, normally referred to as a "Deed in Lieu". An attorney may also be able to help you file for bankruptcy as a last resort.

If you have found this information useful and have additional questions, please feel free to call, email or text me. God Bless.

What does Under Contract mean?

Under Contract is a Real Estate term used usually when a deposit from a Buyer(s) has been accepted by the Seller(s). Both parties have signed (fully executed) an Offer to Purchase or Contract of Sale. Both Buyer and Seller have reached an agreement in regards to sales price, closing date, etc. The status of the subject property will remain Under Contract until the final closing takes place.

During this time, the contract will be subject to a 3 day Attorney Review period, Home Inspection and/or various inspections. The Buyer(s) will also have a certain amount of time stated in the Contract to obtain a mortgage. After applying for a mortgage, the mortgage company will send an appraiser to the subject property to perform and inspection to determine value.

Under Contract does not mean sold. If you have a strong interest in the property, follow up on it. There's always a chance the deal could fall through for various reasons and the property will be Back on Market.

If you found this information useful and would like to learn more about Home Buying or Selling, please feel free to call, email or text me any questions you may have.

Have a great day!