In today’s market – making sure your home has EVERY ADVANTAGE in terms of salability is a MUST.  Spending a few hours beautifying your house can go a long way   toward a quick sale at top dollar. Taking the time now to look at several key areas will result in a dramatic increase in serious buyers. These few steps are a must for any home seller to follow:

1. Take a walk through your house with a “buyer’s” perspective. Is the house warm and inviting, or does it look run-down, old, and cluttered?
2. Touch-up paint in all rooms. If the existing paint is especially unsightly, paint the entire room with a neutral color.
3. The most examined rooms in the house are the kitchen and the bathrooms. Make sure these rooms shine by removing all clutter, caulking around sinks and tubs, and cleaning all fixtures. Dripping faucets are easy to fix yourself.
4. Prepare for a showing the same way you would prepare for friends coming over. Make the beds, pick up clothing, sweep and mop as needed. It should be easy for prospective buyers to move throughout the house.
5. Buyers will be interested in storage space in your house. Make sure your closets are clean and clutter-free. If you have clothes that you’re not wearing, consider moving these to a storage facility to make your closets look more spacious.
6. Too much furniture can make a room look small and cramped. Consider moving extra chairs or tables to a storage facility as well
7. What is the first thing your prospective buyers will see? Your front door. Make sure your door and entry are spotless. Paint if needed, and place a few bright flowers along the sidewalk.

With a wide spectrum of experience in the real estate and mortgage industries – we’re passionate about helping consumers make the most of their investments.  If you have questions or need our assistance – please don’t hesitate to call us at 727-787-2299.  That’s what we’re here for!

April showers can bring May flowers but sometimes they can make adults and children alike a little stir crazy! Here in Florida of course – we’re just on the EDGE of what will be our rainy season.  So having some family fun ideas bookmarked is a good idea all the way through the summer!

Here’s some great rainy day resources for your family!

• Check out the fun at these great kid-friendly websites: www.crayola.com, www.familyfun.com, www.parents.com. You’ll find memory making projects, learning opportunities and seasonal activities for the whole family to enjoy.

• Picture this:  Sometimes when it’s too wet to go out and there are a few minutes to spare—having fun with family photos is a creative way to pass the time!  Use the Instagram app on your phone or check out Picasa’s features at https://picasaweb.google.com/home

• Hit the road: Planning on hitting the road this spring or summer for a much-needed vacation or holiday trip? The folks over at AAA have been helping people plan ahead and stay safe on the road since 1902! Check out their helpful links, fun destinations, and safety tools at www.AAA.com/GoingPlaces.

• Cool article from Redbook: Loved the ideas shared in this article by Redbook magazine:  http://www.redbookmag.com/kids-family/advice/best-rainy-day-activities

At Your Mortgage Source, we like to be the resource families turn to for all of their mortgage and loan needs.  We care about you and your kids – this month and every month!  Wishing you a wonderful (and fun) April!

Maintenance matters aren’t normally top on everyone’s list for a good time, but in terms of retaining the value of what is most people’s biggest asset, their home; it’s a necessary part of the equation each year. As a mortgage professional, giving homeowners the tools they need to ensure the care and safekeeping of their property is a top priority. That’s why I’ve put together a checklist to help you maintain the highest possible value for your home.

House Exterior: If your house is wood, inspect the paint each year and look to see if the primer is showing. Once that wears off you can damage the wood. A good rule of thumb is to repaint every 5-10 years. Doors, window trim and shutters may need a fresh coat more often.

Brick houses should be inspected for damaged bricks or masonry. Check stucco houses and repair any cracks large enough to slide a nickel into.

Roof: Watch for loose or missing shingles and clogged gutters. Asphalt shingled roofs can need replacing in as little as 15 years, wood shingles can last 35-50, metal 50+ and tile can sometimes last as long as the house does. A trusted roofer can inspect your home and give you an estimated lifespan for your roof.

Heating System: If yours has a filter, change it annually.

Air Conditioning System: Change all filters monthly or as recommended by the filter manufacturer.

Asphalt and Concrete Driveways: Repair any cracks or buckling.

Attic: Check for signs of water leakage from the roof. Also look for any sign of termites or rodents. Squirrels, rats, even bats that nest in your attic can chew electrical wiring, which can cause a fire or damage insulation.

Kitchen: Water damage is one of a home’s worst enemies. Check for leaks under your sink and make sure all of your plumbing is sealed and in good condition. Repair grout and caulking around fixtures and countertop tiles.

Bathrooms: Same here—watch for leaks and regularly check the grout on bathtubs, showers, and tiles. Check around the base of the toilet for leaks as well. You’ll want to replace the inner workings of your toilet every few years as well to eliminate the possibility of it “running,” costing you on your monthly water bill.

Hardwood Floors: Refinish every 5-10 years to prevent permanent damage to the wood.

Smoke Alarms: Units should be tested every few months, and batteries changed annually.

These are just some good rules of thumb for keeping your home in tip-top shape. Here’s to a great spring ahead!  If you need us – we’re just a phone call away!

1. Location. Over history it’s been said the three things to look for in buying a property are  (1) Location, (2) Location, and (3) Location. There are positive and negative factors to almost every location.  Let’s pretend your property is right next door to a fire station.  You need the kind of marketing professional that can sell the benefits of not having to worry about your new home burning down, or perhaps the savings on fire insurance.  Seriously, no matter where your property may be located, there is a ready, willing, and able buyer in the marketplace.  You just have to be creative and sell the benefits.

2. Condition. Making a good first impression is important in getting a property sold.  Painting the front door and  trim,  making sure the doorbell works, putting furniture and clothing in storage, and cleaning off counter tops are just a few of the little things to make properties more marketable.

3. Price. How soon you want to sell has a direct relationship to the price you receive for your property.  A very important statistic to look at when pricing your property properly is the average sales price to list price percentage.  This gives you a realistic guideline as to what’s really happening in the marketplace.  It may not be what you want to hear; however, for an honest price analysis of your property, call a real estate professional who can share with you the price they honestly expect you to receive in today’s real estate market.

4. Terms. Are you flexible as to possession dates?  Many times serious buyers that are relocating to an area only look at those properties that offer immediate possession.  Are you willing to assist the buyer with financing?  Sometimes a seller who is willing to assist with financing will help a property to sell.  Are you buying another property? If you are willing to consider trading part or all of your equity for another property, that makes your property more attractive in the marketplace.  Call your agent directly for a complete analysis of all the terms you could offer to make your property more marketable.

5. The Agent and Company You Select. It really does matter who you have on your side in today’s market. If you’re serious about selling and not just listing your property, call me today.  I can refer you to an agent who will give you an honest evaluation of what it is going to take to get your property sold.

Selling your home in any market doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. With the right professionals by your side – it can be amazing, profitable and headache free.  Call us today to learn more.

We’re often asked to share ideas for saving money.  With so many consumers eager to take advantage of low interest rates and low home prices, many first time home buyers in particular are looking for interesting ways to start saving for their down payments.  Here are six ideas for stretching your family dollar and saving the cash you need to purchase a home.

Be a light miser: I’ll bet you didn’t know that if you spent just a few minutes to turn off all the lights in your home before taking a two hour trip, it would be equivalent to earning $50 an hour! It’s even more if you take the time to unplug unused appliances and energy sources before taking longer trips. Less energy wasted means more money in your pocket every year. So—turn it off!

Tap into your community calendar: Check online for the best source of community calendars for your area. Local news or radio stations often have these links on their websites. What you’ll find is a wide variety of upcoming and often FREE events where you and your family can pack in the fun this summer—without emptying your wallet. Check it out today and line up your own calendar for fun!

Love your local library: Public libraries are some of the most under-used resources we have—yet literally one of the most packed with value. Inside those walls you can read books on just about any topic, check out movies and music, learn a language, discover new skills, and take advantage of a wide variety of free workshops and seminars. So come on, join the ranks of “card carrying members” of your local library. (Just don’t make a lot of noise doing it!)

Tap into top coupon sites: Try these sites for money saving coupons.

• Coupons.com: Coupons are sorted by category and this site has a wide variety of resources available. Print and save!
• Savings.com: This site does some of the homework for you—it lists a wide variety of online store specials and money-saving coupons.
• CouponMom.com: Another great site that sorts by category, and has a variety of helpful hints, how-to videos and more.
• Restaurant.com: Provides deep discount coupons on national restaurant chains!
• eCoupons: Offers a wide variety of coupons for everything from technology products to travel with a rating system in place to let you know what works and what doesn’t.

Put savings on autopilot: So many of us now have our bills on automatic payment plans, why WOULDN’T you do the same for your savings?  Talk to your employer or your bank about splitting out a portion of your paycheck to automatically deposit into your savings account.

Never pay full price: If you must shop, do yourself a favor and discover the online world of discount websites.  There is no limit to what you can find on sites such as www.ebay.com, www.half.com, and www.craigslist.org or check out a GREAT site for families in today’s economy, www.freecycle.org.   This site has grown tremendously as a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills!

We’re here if you need us!  Want to learn more?  Call us today at 727-787-2299!

1. I’m all alone in this. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our shifting economy has put hundreds of thousands of families at risk of losing their homes and afraid for their financial future. The good news is there are many more resources and options available to you than you even imagined, and with the right short sale specialist on your side, you too can find answers to your questions and an opportunity to regain peace of mind and financial stability.

2. The bank wants my home. The banks do NOT want your home. In fact, in many cases, with the right advocate on your side, they will do everything they can while working in the perimeters of their legal restrictions to help everyone find a solution other than foreclosure that can be a win-win for all involved. Lenders across North America are already overwhelmed and under fire to move the foreclosed properties already in their inventory. They do not want to add yours to the mix. What’s important to note is that every situation, every family, every individual has a unique set of circumstances that needs to be properly diagnosed and “treated” for its unique qualities. A trained, designated short sale specialist can help you sort through your current situation to determine your best course of action.

3. I’ll have to file bankruptcy. While in some cases, depending on the level of debt and distress, bankruptcy is the smartest alternative, it’s certainly not in EVERY short sale case. In fact, many homeowners, once they’ve consulted with a short sale specialist and a team of professionals (including CPA, tax attorneys, etc.) find that their situation is not nearly as dire as they thought. Once again, it’s best to connect with a seasoned, TRAINED professional so that you can truly get a big picture view of what can be done to get your family to a better financial place.

4. It’s going to cost too much to hire a REALTOR®. It doesn’t cost YOU anything to utilize the necessary services of listing your home with a REALTOR® and short sale specialist and you are not obligated to pay for repairs to the home. When the lender approves the sale, they are also approving the costs of the sale, including the agreed upon sales commission and the home is sold “as is.”

5. I can call just any agent. While that’s true – you can – what’s important to know is that just like in any profession, not all agents are created equal. The current economic climate has created such an abundance of short sales and foreclosures that in order to truly get the best possible advice, help and end result for you and your family – you really do need an agent who has had the specialized training, the systems in place and the experience to take you all the way through the process – from diagnosing your particular situation – to negotiating with the lender – to getting your home sold and your family on with your future. Look for agents with special designations such as CDPE or America’s Home Rescue. They’ve put in the time, energy, expense and experience to ensure that they have EVERYTHING a distressed homeowner needs to make the best possible decisions.

If you’re facing tough times and are not sure what your options are let us know.  We have powerful referral sources you can trust to give you the best possible advice and guidance for your situation.  We’re here to help.

Determining Fair Market Value

One of the first things a real estate agent does when helping a homeowner determine list price for their home or to determine if a house a buyer is interested in is priced at fair market value is to use comparables to see what other similar homes in the area have sold for.

It’s not always apples to apples — but experienced agents know that some common sense factors such being in the same neighborhood, school district, house size, property size, age of home, and similar features all play a part in separating the ’good comps’ from the bad.

Other factors play a key role as well. It’s not enough to have similar home — timing plays a big factor in the credibility of the comp. House A and House B may be nearly identical — but if house A sold two years ago or even two months ago in a volatile market — that price point is more than likely not still viable. So a wise agent uses all the tools at their disposal to come up with the closest possible comparison, and determine the fairest market value mapping out factors such as the ones above; plus date sold, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, amenities such as pools, fireplaces, etc. all play a role.

One thing agents do have to caution home sellers on when choosing price is the dollar value they put on the improvements they’ve made. Some are wonderful, upgraded kitchens and bigger bathrooms, etc. Some are more individual tastes. Ultimately the market price of a property is determined by the market. What a buyer will pay in that market at that time.

If you want to know what your home is worth – give us a call at 727-787-2299.  We can recommend a real estate professional that can help you right away!

Fair Market Value: In its most basic form – This is the highest price that a buyer, willing but not compelled to buy, would pay and the lowest a seller, willing but not compelled to sell, would accept.

Foreclosure: The legal process by which a borrower in default under a mortgage is deprived of his or her interest in the mortgaged property. This usually involves a forced sale of the property at public auction with the proceeds of the sale being applied to the mortgage debt.

Deed-in-lieu: Short for “deed in lieu of foreclosure,” this conveys title to the lender when the borrower is in default and wants to avoid foreclosure. The lender may or may not cease foreclosure activities if a borrower asks to provide a deed-in-lieu. Regardless of whether the lender accepts the deed-in-lieu, the avoidance and non-repayment of debt will most likely show on a credit history. What a deed-in-lieu may prevent is having the documents preparatory to a foreclosure being recorded and become a matter of public record.

Short Sale: A short sale occurs when a property is sold and the lender agrees to accept a discounted payoff, meaning the lender will release the lien that is secured to the property upon receipt of less money than is actually owed.

Got a real estate or mortgage word or question you’d like to know more about? Call  us today at 727.787.2299!  We’ve got the answers!

While it’s true that this market will make it difficult to get as much for your current home as you would like, the price of that larger home you’ve had your eye on also has gone down. If you consider the price decreases in percentages, NOW is the BEST time to BUY!

For example, if your current home is worth $200,000, and the home you want to buy has a value of $600,000, the difference in value is $400,000. Right?

Not necessarily! With home prices decreasing roughly 10% on average in today’s market, your current home would be worth $180,000, and the home you want to move up to would be worth $540,000. So while your home value has decreased only $20,000, the home you want is now $60,000 less!

Understanding exactly how the shifting economy affects your buying and selling power is not just my job, it’s my passion. While you might hear a lot of media hype expounding on bad-market syndrome or buyer’s market vs. seller’s market, know that in ANY market, I am here to bring you real information… in real time… with real answers on how you can achieve your real estate goals.

For the most accurate look at how you can best meet your real estate and financial goals in today’s market, please give us a call.  We can connect you with a trusted Realtor and together we can take a look at all of the possibilities and determine the best time and circumstances for you to make a move. I’m here to help!

Interested in buying? When the interest rates are low and prices have bottomed out, you’ll find the very peak time for the best buying deals. Financing is critical, so make sure that you have a handle on that credit score and a history of steady work. We’re happy to help you best understand exactly how much you qualify for and what you’ll need to buy now!

Interested in selling? When home prices are peaking and the market has stabilized, it’s a good time to sell your home. Even in a buyer’s market, it’s a great time for consumers interested in the “move-up” market, or buying the next size home. What you may lose on the sale of one house, you usually more than make up for in the purchase of a new home. Call us today to find out just how much you could sell your home for in today’s market.

Still waiting? Not sure if it’s a good time to move, if you have enough for a down payment, or just want to weigh all your options? No problem. We can help you anytime to better understand where you are in terms of market conditions, price analysis, and buying power.

We’re a resource you can trust!