Happy Labor Day to All!

Enjoy the day and relax before the fall rush of school and events.

Remember that this is still a great time to buy or sell with historically low interest rates, higher inventories, and more opportunity to take the time to find your perfect home before the holidays. If you are thinking of a move or just have some questions, please feel free contact me anytime. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc - Newtown Square, PA/Bear, DE
Office: 610-353-1199/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawarePAHomes.com

Philadelphia Metro Realtor Philadelphia, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties of Pennsylvania.

$1 Commission Program With Full Service!

THE DEAL IS REAL!!!!!

IF YOU PURCHASE YOUR NEXT HOME THROUGH JAN GAWEDA OF REALTY

MARK ASSOCIATES, JAN WILL LIST YOUR HOME FOR $1.00 IN COMMISSION!

(WHEN ANY AGENT SELLS YOUR PROPERTY(INCLUDING THE LISTING AGENT), THE MAXIMUM COMMISSON YOU WILL EVER PAY IS 2.5% +$1.00)
This is not a misprint, and we guarantee it in writing. In limited areas of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, if you list your property with Realty Mark Associates, that Agent
will list your property for $1.00. All you need to do is purchase your next property with a
participating Realty Mark to take advantage of this limited time offer!*
If you participate in my 2.5% plus $1 promotion, you will receive full Real Estate Services.
Your property will be placed on the Multiple Listing Service, Realtor.com, and
www.RealtyMark.com. In addition to these services, we will supply professional lawn signs and
advertising to sell your property on over 500+ websites. We will put your home in front of hundreds
of thousands of potential buyers!
If participating in the $1.00 only promotion, your property will NOT be listed in the multiple listing
service and a lawn sign will be provided.

If participating in the $1.00 only promotion, your property will be listed under the "exclusive listings" section of the Realty Mark Website, and a lawn sign provided.
(SEE TERMS AND CONDITIONS at http://www.RealtyMark.com then contact Jan Gaweda)

LET JAN GAWEDA OF REALTY MARK ASSOCIATES SELL YOUR HOUSE!!!
CALL TODAY TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT

Jan Gaweda | Realty Mark Associates
352 Second Street Pike | Southampton, PA 18966

Direct: 610-653-0386

Office: 215-376-4444
Email: Jan@JanGaweda.com
License Number: PA RS290259

http://www.jangaweda.com/

If You are Planning to Buy in 2010 - Start Preparing Today!

Now is the time to plan and prepare if you are considering buying a home this year.

= Inventory is down after the Holidays but is already building in anticipation of the "Spring Market".
= Interest rates are low but are expected to increase as we go forward in the year.
= You can still take advantage of an up to $8,000 Tax Credit if you are a First Time Home Buyer (or possibly $6500 for existing homeowners).
= If you are in a position to receive a Tax Credit, the property must be under contract by April 30 and settled by end of June.

With the continued focus on the economy and finances, this is a great time to take advantage of the historically low interest rates and available tax credits - but you do need to have a plan and the sooner you start, the more options you will have.

The most important thing to remember as you look at this is that the more you prepare and educate yourself on the process and the options available, the better your decisions will be as you make your way through your purchase.

You are given ample time to review, ask questions, and inspect items at each step of the transaction. Take advantage of these opportunities and ask questions as they arise. Don't assume anything. The laws and forms are designed to make you a fully informed and responsible consumer. You aren't going to be able to say "I didn't know" in the future. It seems like a lot of paper work and forms, but these are all designed to protect you. Read them and understand them.

If you have not purchased before, the process can be broken into basically eight steps:

1 - Commit to the Process and Enjoy It! -

It takes time and commitment from all parties in a real estate transaction. You may find what you want immediately or it may take time. Be prepared, if you are not committed and bail, you will be wasting your and other peoples' time and effort. Time is money - use it wisely. Conversely, enjoy yourself. There are many options out there - take advantage of them.

2 - Investigate -

= The Areas:

Where do you want to live? Why? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Think of your lifestyle and expectations. If you think it through, there are usually several logical options and areas that quickly become apparent. Before you go out and look at any properties, do your research online. Get an idea of prices and availability in the various areas. Then investigate the schools, shopping, traffic, commutes, businesses, and any other items that may be of importance to you.

= The Process:

That's what you are reading right now. Just ask if you have any questions.

= The Forms:

There are a variety; you need to become familiar with them before you sit down to write your first offer. As already mentioned, these are designed to protect you.

3 - Get Pre-Approved -

Before you look at any property, you should be pre-approved. You do not want to waste your time and efforts looking at properties that you will not be able to purchase. In addition, you will need to have your financing in order before you make an offer. In today's market, a seller will not accept an offer unless the financing is solid. You need to do this now! If you need contacts - let me know.

= To break this up a bit, I'll continue with the next step in the next post. =

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc - Newtown Square,PA/Bear, DE
Office: 610-353-1199/Direct: 610-359-3853/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawareCountyPennsylvaniaHomes.com

If You are Planning to Buy in 2010 - Start Preparing Today!
(continued...)

Well from the last post - now you have a good idea where you want to live, are pre-approved, and you basically understand the areas, process, and forms that will be needed. Now you can actually begin your search:

4 - Search -

The fun (and frustrating) part. You've done your research as explained in the previous post. Now drive the areas, compare, and familiarize yourself with the type of housing available. Then key in on the homes and areas that may be of interest. Also look for a Realtor that you are comfortable working with and trust and stay with them. We generally see new listings up to 24 hours before they show up on the public websites. We also often have information on properties that "could be" listed. Find a Realtor that you like. Call me - I could be a perfect choice - but maybe not - you choose.

5 - Buy -

One warning - Don't get caught in the endless search loop. Yes - new homes are always coming on the market, but this goes with your commitment to buy a home. Set yourself a time frame to make a decision (this is particularly important this year if you want the tax credit!) and buy a home or withdraw from the market and wait for a better time. Otherwise, you will become frustrated with the process and "the one that got away". Also familiarize yourself with the contracts. You do not want to wait until you are ready to write the offer to first lay eyes on the agreement of sale.

6 - Inspect -

If you take a moment to look at the Agreement of Sale, you will see multiple inspection options. Take advantage of these opportunities. You are not given a second chance to do them later. Do the inspections as soon as possible after you have a signed agreement Nobody likes surprises and you do not want to move into your new home to discover one week later that something is not the way you wanted it or it does not work as you expected. You may also want to add a home warranty to help handle any unexpected issues. These all cost money, out of your pocket, today. This is money well spent and is peanuts compared to the cost of the overall property.

7 - Financing -

This is the second part of your financing job. You have already been pre-approved, now you have to complete the paperwork to make the purchase. Again, do it today, do not put it off. You have loan commitment dates and contract settlement dates. Lenders will not be rushed. It is up to you to take these steps in a timely fashion. Your deposit is on the line. We will all work with you to complete them as easily as possible.. Again, if you have questions or just don't understand something - ask!

8 - Close & Enjoy! -

Sweet success. Yes - at the end of the process you will have a new home with no surprises that you will be able to enjoy for years to come. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

SO...

This is a great time to be in the real estate market. There have been many changes over the past year and you can count on them continuing this year, but we are here to help. With change comes opportunity, now may be one of the best times to buy that we have seen in years.

As always, if you have any questions or are considering buying or selling in the area, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime:

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc - Newtown Square,PA/Bear, DE
Office: 610-353-1199/Direct: 610-359-3853/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawareCountyPennsylvaniaHomes.com