Are You Prepared For A Home Inspection?

Your home is sold! Yippee!!! Now the buyer will be conducting a home inspection. Here are a few things you can do, if you haven't yet, to prepare for a solid home inspection.

1.  Clean out dirty gutters or debris from the roof.

2.  Trim trees, roots and bushes back from foundation, roof, siding and chimney.

3.  Seal asphalt driveways, if cracking.

4.  Clean or replace HVAC filter.

5.  Test all smoke detectors to ensure they are in safe working condition.

6.  Don’t do quick cheap repairs.  You may raise questions that will unfairly cause great concern to buyers and inspectors.

7.  Ensure that all doors and windows are in proper working condition, including repairing any cracks.

8.  Check and fix any leaks on plumbing fixtures.  Apply caulk if needed.

9.  Have clear access to attic, crawlspace, heating system, garage and other areas that will need to be inspected.

10.  Make sure all utilities are turned on if the house is vacant.  This includes water, electric, water heater, furnace, air conditioning and breaks in the main panel.

11.  Make sure you have installed a carbon monoxide detector.  

It’s important that your clients understand what they need to do and the issues they need to fix before getting their home inspected.  A pre-listing inspection is also recommended for potential sellers to identify items that they need to be aware of.  After all, surprises are never a good thing when it comes to home inspections and selling a house!

Want to Sell Your House? DON'T OVERPRICE IT!!!

The housing market is recovering nicely. Prices have increased nationally by double digits over the last twelve months. Competition from the shadow inventory of lower priced distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) is diminishing rapidly. Now may be the perfect time to sell your home and move to the dream house or beautiful location your family has always talked about.

The one suggestion I would definitely offer: DON’T OVERPRICE IT!!

Even though prices have increased by more than 10% over the last year, the acceleration of appreciation has slowed dramatically over the last few months. As an example, in their April Home Price Index Report, CoreLogic revealed that home prices actually depreciated by .08% this month as compared to last month’s report. What concerns us is that Trulia just reported that asking prices are still continuing to increase.

Because investor purchases are declining and there are more listings coming onto the market, we believe that sellers should be very cautious when they price their house. The alternative might be that you could lose money by overpricing your home at the start as explained in a recent research study on the matter.

Bottom Line

Though it is a great time to sell your house, pricing it right is crucial. Base your home price on the comparables in your neighborhood

New Listing In Canyon Country! Bring All Your Toys! 29007 Flowerpark, Canyon Country

Wow!!! Got RV, boat, toys? Don't miss this private flag lot home. Incredible home with tons of parking and completely remodeled from head to toe. Beautiful entry to foyer with new gorgeous front doors and open circular floor plan. Kitchen with breakfast bar open to family room and formal dining. There is a bedroom and full bathroom downstairs. Plenty of linens and storage in this house. Huge upstairs master bedroom and bath completely remodeled with sunken shower and tub and HUGE closet! Large secondary bedrooms have jack and jill attached bathroom. Furnace/air conditioner, copper re-pipe, water heater, triple pane windows all replaced in the past couple of years. Air ducts, main sewer line, paint, and completed in past year. Home backs to hill with no neighbors! Current owners have had survey completed to move forward with pool plans. Don't miss this home, just have to move in!

View The Virtual Tour and Pictures Here:
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Home Buyers Getting Priced Out of The Market???

I just read this great article at CNN MONEY about the rising prices of houses and home buyers getting priced out of the market.  Since we have seen about a 20% rise in home prices over the past year and a half you can bet that some buyers are priced out of the market for the home they may 'want'.  However, is this pricing them out of what they 'need'.  When purchasing a home, one must ask themselves the difference between what one wants and one needs.  It is important to know the difference.  Heck, we would all want to live in a 5 bedroom home with a pool, RV access, that backs to a golf course, but is it really what we need?  Could we live in a smaller community, maybe a garden home with a small back yard and less maintenance, with a home owners association pool, and still reap the benefits and affordability of a yearly tax deduction instead of paying rent!  If owning a home is important to you then the answer is YES! YES, 3 bedrooms is enough, YES the home owners association pool is wonderful without having to run the electricity or maintaining chemicals in it, YES a small yard would incur less of my time and still give me the benefits of entertaining at my home.

Not only that, there are many other options then putting down 20% on a home.  You can qualify for a home without 20% down! You can put as little as 3.5% down on a home have a 600 credit score and qualify for a home while keeping money in your pocket!

You will never know if you don't try! If you want to try, please do not hesitate to call me today!  I will put you in contact with the best lender to satisfy your needs and we can see how you can qualify now, or what steps you need to take to get into a home in the next year or two!

As well, if you are interested in knowing your current homes value go to www.wendyshomevalues.com and find out how much your home is worth immediately!

Real Estate Tips for 2014...Buying a home

BUYING REAL ESTATE TIPS FOR 2014

As the market continues to make a recovery, more and more hopeful homeowners are entering the real estate market. There are still plenty of first time home buyers, people buying larger homes, people downsizing their homes, or vacation homes!

If you are entering the market for 2014, FOLLOW THESE TIPS or you could end of waiting yourself right out of the market!

Check into reality.
Instead of daydreaming your ideal home, make a list of what things are absolutely essential: a specific number of bedrooms, close proximity to work or your child's school, a decent-sized yard. Once you know what you need, but before you begin your actual house hunt, start looking at what sold in the last six months that fits your bill. See what the selling prices are looking like, and figure out if you can afford a similar price tag. If you can't, it might mean waiting a bit, or reassessing your needs, or putting down a larger down payment.

Get pre-approved, not pre-qualified.
Many people get confused between “pre-approved” and “pre-qualified” when it comes to obtaining a loan. Getting pre-qualified means a bank has qualified you for a mortgage based on information you provided, but they have not actually checked up on your credentials. A letter of pre-approval means the bank has thoroughly checked out your financial status, and is ready to give you a loan. This holds more weight in terms of buying quickly, and can act as leverage should it come to beating out other buyers.

Don't low ball.
When it was a buyer's market, low balling was often a good way to start negotiating price. However, now that we're seeing inventory shortages and more and more buyers entering the field, low balling most likely means you will lose the deal to other buyers. Instead, present a fair offer that's in your price range and is comparable with the recently sold homes in the neighborhood.

Want your home value immediately? Get it here:

http://www.wendyshomevalues.com/

Spring Real Estate Facts

Sixty percent of all homes in 2014 will be bought and sold from May to August. Putting your home on the market at the beginning of the selling season will help your chances of snagging a winning offer before buyers turn their attention back to school starting in September.

Homes in the Santa Clarita Valley have seen double-digit price increases in the past year. But this last quarter, prices started to slow not only here, but nationally – and pricing is a critical component to getting your house sold. With this fluctuating market, you need to look at comps of similar homes in your area, and recency matters: make sure you’re looking

back no more than 60 days. The sale price of homes that sold recently paints a much better picture of what to expect than the price of homes that sold six months ago (or of homes that have yet to sell). 

Bidding wars were common in the summer of 2013, but we’re hearing less about them right now. So don’t bank on fielding two or three offers at once. There is, however, a good chance that you’ll still get the one that will be a win/win for both you and the buyer.

Trying to get a jump on the competition? Right now we’re on the cusp of prime selling and buying season, and if you list soon, you’ll have less competition than you would if you put your house on the market in May or June, when more homes will flood the market. Since it’s still early, your home can have its ‘moment in the spotlight’ more than it will when inventory increases – and the buyers who are braving the cold to house shop are clearly motivated.

In this new mobile era, a huge percentage of buyers use smart phones to start their home search online. And that percentage is expected to rise this year as more buyers take advantage of easy access to the wealth of information online. Get in on this trend by making sure your home pops on those computer screens. Prepare your home for sale, take away all the clutter, plant bright beautiful flowers and make your home look like the castle that it is!

MYTH!!!! I Have A Foreclosure...I Can Never Buy A Home

Foreclosure Myth #1

Myth 1: If my house is foreclosed, I can never buy a house again-the foreclosure will stay on my record forever.

Truth 1: Foreclosure can have a devastating effect on your finances and you personally, but you can recover. Use the time after foreclosure to prepare yourself for successful homeownership the second time around by creating a spending and savings plan and rebuilding your credit! 

CONTACT ME SO WE CAN WORK ON A PLAN FOR FUTURE HOME OWNERSHIP! 661-702-4767

Just Be Happy...

“Thinking about monastic ideals is not the same as living up to them, but at any rate such thinking has an important place in a monk’s life, because you cannot begin to do anything unless you have some idea what you are trying to do."
- Thomas Merton

CONTROVERSIAL FHA PAYOFF RULE TO END!

In the past when a homeowner has paid off their FHA loan they have been charged interest on their mortgage even AFTER it was paid off!  If your loan was insured by the FHA and you paid it off before maturity, at closing you were expectd to pay a full month's interest no matter what the day of the month was that you actually settled the loan! It was a ridiculous rule.  Click  LA TIMES STORY below to read the article  on the new mandate! 

LA TIMES STORY

Home Maintenance!

Regular maintenance is the best way to protect your home - and investment - from deterioration, but even vigilant homeowners can overlook some common defects that are found in many homes.

The following list contains the most common home defects that are discovered during home inspections:

Poor drainage - it's normal to get a little moisture in your basement after a heavy rainstorm, but if you notice standing water, a musty smell that won't go away, or mildew you may have a problem. Make sure that your gutters and downspouts remain clear of debris and that your yard slopes away from your foundation. If you continue to have water in your basement, call a plumber. A dehumidifier or sump pump can also help to keep your basement dry.

Old heating and cooling systems - by replacing outdated heating and cooling systems with newer, energy-efficient models you can save on your monthly utility bills and lower the risk of carbon monoxide fumes being emitted into your home.

Environmental hazards - like lead-based paint, asbestos and mold can often be found in older properties. If you suspect any of these harmful substances may be present in your home, contact a certified inspector promptly. You can also install carbon monoxide and radon detectors, in addition to smoke detectors, to help protect your family.

Roof problems - inspect your roof annually. Look for any loose, missing or broken shingles. Also check that all caulking and sealants are in good condition, and that the bricks and mortar of your chimney are not crumbly or damaged.

In addition to watching for these problems, you should also perform regular checks and maintenance on your home's ventilation, plumbing and electrical systems; and check any wooden decks or structures and the exterior siding on your home for signs of rot or damage.

If you care for your home, it can be a place where you and your family can make many happy memories for years to come.