Prep the House....Sell Fast

A key to a fast home sale for full price is a home prepared to sell!!!

Karen Holtzclaw with ReMax shared this nice little reminder!  I share these
tips with every seller.  Yep Paint works miracles as does cleanliness!!!

Read and get ready!

10 Tips to Prepare for A Home Sale We are in the middle of summer -- one of the busiest times for any real estate market -- with thousands of homes and properties going up for sale in every town and city throughout the United States. Getting the most for a home is always a seller's top priority; heeding these ten tips and tricks when considering putting your house on the market will help toward getting you top dollar. 1. Paint Color: When choosing an exterior paint color, stick with what's popular in the neighborhood, goes well with the surroundings of the area, or fits the style of the home. Picking a paint color that is not common or completely clashes with the rest of the neighborhood is a very risky decision, especially when thinking about listing a home. When it comes to paint, choose safe colors for the biggest return on investment. The same should be considered for interior paint -- big, bold, bright colors might work for your current design scheme, but when buyers walk through a home, and the main living space is four different colors, it's likely all they'll see is dollar signs and time spent repainting. 2. Landscaping: Landscaping can make or break a home sale, or turn it into a long, laborious process. When thinking of landscaping, consider the plants or trees before anything gets planted -- trees and roots can wreak havoc with lawns, foundations and pipes; take into consideration how large a plant or tree will get and how far the root system will travel over time. 3. The Front Door: The front door is one of the first things potential buyers see -- a strong and visual front door can leave a great first impression to potential buyers. If the door is broken, doesn't work properly, or is in desperate need of a makeover, a buyer may see these things as weak points and consider offering less. 4. Upgrades: Don't assume you'll recoup every investment, especially when it comes to large upgrades. Pools are notorious for poor return on investment, as are other large home additions. If you're considering upgrading your home before putting it on the market, look to areas that are sure to make you money: kitchens and bathrooms, if tastefully done, will always add to the value of a house. 5. Fireplaces: Fireplaces appeal to a large majority of buyers, but changing out the aesthetics of a fireplace can either be a great investment opportunity, or drastically lower a buyer's offer. It's best to take trends into consideration when making updates or changes to a fireplace -- painting over exposed brick can be a huge deal breaker for some buyers, especially when a majority of people like exposed brick fireplaces. 6. Old Appliances: Potential buyers look at the appliances in a home to gauge their age and how well they've been taken care of. Appliances play a large part in any home, and if they are old, outdated and no longer working can create hesitations in potential buyers. If it's a classic that still works, don't worry about replacing it; if you can't get the door clean, or the oven temperature doesn't rise above 350 degrees, it's probably time to replace it. There's no need to go all out on the latest and greatest technology either -- while a beautiful stainless steel fridge might be alluring, it's likely you won't recoup the cost through the home sale, and it's more likely you'll want that classy fridge in your new home. 7. Deep Cleans and Small Stuff: Most buyers have an eye for the small details of a house. An initial deep clean of the house, and continued maintenance thereafter, shows potential buyers that the house has been maintained. The small details matter: windows and window tracks, light switches, molding, a garbage disposal, tile, grout, sinks, ovens and appliances are all looked at by buyers. Make sure these items are not overlooked when the house goes on the market -- potential buyers will appreciate the time you took to address them. 8. Trends: Trends can be quite alluring for those looking to dabble in interior decorating. Some buyers like trends, but the majority of buyers look for classic, neutral colors on walls and fixtures. While a chevron pattern may be the perfect accompaniment to your current sofa or bedspread, most buyers will see the pattern, when applied to walls, as a potential paint job. If you're considering listing your house, consider accessorizing with drapes, pillows and some pictures. These are simple ways of adding personality, and buyers will appreciate a neutral color scheme on the walls. 9. Hard to Clean Surfaces and Floors: Buyers always look at the floors and counters in a potential home, and these surfaces can be huge selling points. If the counter tops are stained, hardwood floors scratched up, carpet damaged, or the tile is breaking, consider cleaning or finding a quick replacement. If a solid counter top is stained, a buyer will no doubt see dollar signs. If you have hardwood floors, some products can actually dull the wood over time. If the wood needs a little TLC before the house is listed, consider having the floors buffed -- this will add some life, and buyers will see that they've been cared for. 10. Small Spaces: Kitchens and bathrooms are undoubtedly some of the biggest selling features of a house or property. If either of these areas is small, consider revamping to make them look larger. A small bathroom with no windows is going to look like a cave if the color scheme is on the darker side. Bigger in a small space is always best -- stick with neutral, light colors to help make the room look larger. Update any light bulbs that are reaching the end of their life; upgrading to a higher wattage or lumen can help enhance a small area too. Selling a home is a large task, and every seller hopes to make money on their home sale. Prepping your home before a sale will always result in better viewings and interested buyers, and the end result will be a happy seller and an even more excited buyer. Back To Top

Hope for Housing!!!!

With the nasty winter weather that has dominated the Eastern two thirds of the country, real estate have been dampened.  

One only need to listen to the news or google real estate sales to come up with stories on lower sales trends the past two months.
With the major metro areas like Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia(and many others) impacted, it is easy to understand the broad malaise in real estate sales.

Yet as Jim notes below, the warmth of Spring will not only make trees blossom and flowers to push through the defrosting landscape. Real Estate will begin to blossom also.  

Sellers will be able to finish prepping the house with fresh mulch and trimmed bushes....and snow melted from the lot!  Nothing like snow to date a picture!!

Buyers will welcome the chance to tour without worrying about removing shoes to maintain carpets and hardwood floors of "their possible new home".   Ask car dealers how much their sales hurt!!
Just  isn't as much fun to look at cars or homes when one is shivering!!!

Won't be long now and you will be burned if you wait to move!!!

Provided to you Exclusively by Jim Belote   For the week of Mar 24, 2014 | Vol. 12, Issue 12

Jim Belote Branch Manager, MBA Union Mortgage Group Phone: (757) 395-LOAN Fax: (757) 351-6471 E-Mail: jim@jimbelote.com 582 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 300 Virginia Beach, VA 23452

In This Issue

Last Week in Review: The harsh winter weather throughout much of the country had a big impact on the housing market. Plus, the Fed met. Forecast for the Week: Housing reports will be front and center, along with key news on inflation, economic growth, and consumer attitudes. View: Sharing local statistics with clients and referral partners is easy with this resource.

Last Week in Review

Time for a change. With spring officially here, the change of season will hopefully lead to a change of direction for the housing market, as the harsh winter weather contributed to several disappointing reports. February Existing Home Sales fell by 0.4 percent from January to 4.60 million units on an annualized basis. While this number was in line with estimates, it was 7.1 percent below the 4.95 million units registered in February 2013. The National Association of Realtors cited the unusually harsh winter weather, tightening of credit, and higher home prices as the cause behind the stagnant sales data. The harsh weather was also blamed for the weak Housing Starts reading for February, which came in at 907,000, making this the third straight monthly decline. In addition, the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index came in at 47 for March. Readings below 50 indicate that more builders view conditions as poor, rather than good. On a positive note, Building Permits, which are a sign of future construction, surged by 7.5 percent to 1.018 million. It will be important to see if readings improve once the weather becomes milder around the nation. In other news to note, weekly Initial Jobless Claims rose by 5,000 in the latest week to 320,000. Claims continue to hover near lows seen in November, as the labor markets work through the post-recession malaise. The 4-week moving average, which irons out seasonal abnormalities, came in at 327,000, the lowest level since the end of November. What does this mean for home loan rates? Despite some weaker than expected economic reports, the Fed announced more tapering to its Bond buying program. Beginning in April, the Fed will purchase $30 billion in Treasuries and $25 billion in Mortgage Bonds (the type of Bonds on which home loan rates are based) to help stimulate the economy and housing market. This is down from the original $85 billion per month that the Fed had been purchasing. I will be watching closely to see how this decision impacts the markets and home loan rates as we head further into spring. The bottom line is that now remains a great time to consider a home purchase or refinance, as home loan rates remain attractive compared to historical levels. Let me know if I can answer any questions at all for you or your clients.

Forecast for the Week

This week's economic calendar is packed with important data on housing, inflation, and economic growth. Housing data is plentiful this week with the S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index and New Home Sales being reported on Tuesday. Pending Home Sales follows on Thursday. We'll get a read on consumer attitudes towards the U.S. economy with Consumer Confidence on Tuesday and the Consumer Sentiment Index on Friday. Wednesday brings February's Durable Goods Orders, which are orders for items that last for an extended period of time. Weekly Initial Jobless Claims will be released as usual on Thursday. Also look for the final reading of Gross Domestic Product for the fourth quarter of 2013. Ending the week, the inflation-reading Personal Consumption Expenditures data along with Personal Income and Personal Spending will be delivered on Friday. Remember: Weak economic news normally causes money to flow out of Stocks and into Bonds, helping Bonds and home loan rates improve, while strong economic news normally has the opposite result. The chart below shows Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS), which are the type of Bond on which home loan rates are based. When you see these Bond prices moving higher, it means home loan rates are improving – and when they are moving lower, home loan rates are getting worse. To go one step further – a red "candle" means that MBS worsened during the day, while a green "candle" means MBS improved during the day. Depending on how dramatic the changes were on any given day, this can cause rate changes throughout the day, as well as on the rate sheets we start with each morning. As you can see in the chart below, Mortgage Bonds worsened after the Fed meeting but were able to stabilize. Home loan rates remain near historic best levels and I will continue to monitor them closely. Chart: Fannie Mae 4.0% Mortgage Bond (Friday Mar 21, 2014)

The Mortgage Market Guide View...

Health Website Makes Sharing Local Data Easy Gone are the days of extensive research, compiling information, and sharing numerous website links in order to provide local stats and health data with relocating clients and prospects. Now, finding that information is quick and convenient with County Health Rankings. Through the collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, the website brings together 50 diverse reports resulting in a health ranking for each county in the U.S. How Does Your Community Rank? 1. Visit www.countyhealthrankings.org. 2. Select your state from the map. 3. Once the state map appears, select your county. Within a few clicks, you can see your county's overall ranking, as well as other important local statistics such as: Population Unemployment Education Smoking and drinking Access to recreational facilities Air pollution Poverty Motor vehicle death rates Diabetes And much more! Check your local stats and feel free to pass this resource along to your team, clients, and colleagues. Economic Calendar for the Week of March 24 - March 28 Date ET Economic Report For Estimate Actual Prior Impact Tue. March 25 09:00 S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index Jan NA 13.4% Moderate Tue. March 25 10:00 Consumer Confidence Mar NA 78.1 Moderate Tue. March 25 10:30 New Home Sales Feb NA 468K Moderate Wed. March 26 08:30 Durable Goods Orders Feb NA -1.0% Moderate Thu. March 27 08:30 GDP Chain Deflator Q4 NA 1.6% Moderate Thu. March 27 08:30 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Q4 NA 2.4% Moderate Thu. March 27 08:30 Jobless Claims (Initial) 3/22 NA NA Moderate Thu. March 27 10:00 Pending Home Sales Feb NA 0.1% Moderate Fri. March 28 08:30 Personal Income Feb NA 0.3% Moderate Fri. March 28 08:30 Personal Spending Feb NA 0.4% Moderate Fri. March 28 08:30 Personal Consumption Expenditures and Core PCE Feb NA 0.1% HIGH Fri. March 28 08:30 Personal Consumption Expenditures and Core PCE YOY NA 1.1% HIGH Fri. March 28 10:00 Consumer Sentiment Index (UoM) Mar NA 79.9 Moderate

The material contained in this newsletter is provided by a third party to real estate, financial services and other professionals only for their use and the use of their clients. The material provided is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment and/or mortgage advice. Although the material is deemed to be accurate and reliable, we do not make any representations as to its accuracy or completeness and as a result, there is no guarantee it is without errors. As your mortgage professional, I am sending you the MMG WEEKLY because I am committed to keeping you updated on the economic events that impact interest rates and how they may affect you. In the unlikely event that you no longer wish to receive these valuable market updates, please USE THIS LINK or email: jim@jimbelote.com If you prefer to send your removal request by mail the address is: Jim Belote Union Mortgage Group 582 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 300 Virginia Beach, VA 23452 Vantage Production, LLC is the copyright owner or licensee of the content and/or information in this email, unless otherwise indicated.   Vantage Production, LLC does not grant to you a license to any content, features or materials in this email.   You may not distribute, download, or save a copy of any of the content or screens except as otherwise provided in our Terms and Conditions of Membership, for any purpose.

Landscaping Hints from the Pro

Need some insight on prepping that perfect bed in 

yard??

Dave Toht provides some very good insight!  Read 

all 5 brief articles.

5 Awesomely Easy Landscaping Projects

• Published: February 26, 2013
 
• By: Dave Toht
 
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Tagged in:

• Outdoors
• Landscaping & Gardening
• Curb Appeal

Ramp up your curb appeal with cool landscaping projects you can easily pull off in a weekend.

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Rigid metal edging creates a crisp barrier between grass and flower beds. Image: Jonica Designs

Project #1: Install Rigid Flower Bed Edging

The setup: A crisp edge where the lawn meets the flower beds looks great and eases mowing. Opt for rigid edging — the flexible plastic stuff looks amateurish from day one.

Use a charged garden hose to lay out a smooth curve.

Tip: A “charged” garden hose full of water makes for a smoother, kink-free curve; charge up by turning on the spigot but leaving the sprayer off.

With the hose as your guide, use a lawn edger or spade to cut away excess sod and make an incision for the edging. Tap in the edging with a rubber mallet and add the stakes. Trim the edging with a hacksaw, using a speed square to mark for cuts.

Specs and cost: Steel — $1.25 per lineal foot; aluminum — $2.25 plf; rigid plastic or fiberglass — $1.65 plf.

Tools: Garden hose, flour or powdered chalk, lawn edger or spade, shovel, speed square, hacksaw, rubber mallet, hammer.

Time: 1 day to edge a typical yard.

Read on for more easy landscaping projects:

Add an Earth Berm
Build a Wall for a Raised Bed
Install a Flagstone Path
Add a Brick Tree Surround

Next:Project #2: Add an Earth Berm

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Dave Toht

has written or edited over 60 books on home repair and remodeling for The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Better Homes & Gardens, Sunset, and Reader’s Digest. He’s a former contractor with decades of hands-on experience.

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/landscaping-gardening/easy-landscaping-projects/#ixzz2QBHNnbej