Archive for category Real Estate

3 Rules for Hiring Home Contractors

According to an article published at CBS News’ moneywatch.com website:

…contractors’ labor costs are down about 10 percent from their 2007 peak, according to Angie Hicks, founder of the Angie’s List home services directory. But business is picking up. ServiceMagic.com, a site connecting homeowners with home service professionals, says remodeling project requests are up 49 percent from a year ago. And a recent American Express survey said 72 percent of affluent homeowners planned to make home improvements in 2010.

Three Key Rules

To save on a home improvement project, follow these rules for hiring a contractor:

  • Flash Your Cash
  • Make the Competition Fair but Stiff
  • Don’t Be Rude

The article is well written and offers in-depth observations. If you are considering using a contractor in the near future this is worth reading. moneywatch.com – 3 Rules For Hiring Home Contractors

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10 Autumn Home Design & Décor Trends

Elaine Williamson of Elaine Williamson Designs posted a lengthy article about home decor and design trends that will be noticed and noticeable this coming fall. Blogging on the Styled, Staged & Sold website, Ms. Williamson discusses what’s really new and what’s coming back from the designer’s scrap pile — brass?!?

The entire article, 10 Autumn Home Design & Decor Trends, is located on Styled, Staged & Sold website from the National Association of REALTORS®

  1. Vintage Accents
  2. Wallpaper!
  3. Timeless Art
  4. Elemental Color
  5. Space simplification
  6. Rug rage
  7. Bed Basics
  8. Pillow Talk
  9. Window Treatments
  10. Brass
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Make your old kitchen feel new

Photo courtesy amb.photography via Flickr

Money Magazine has three cheap ideas for making your old kitchen feel like new. Interesting. Here is a summary:

  • Update your backsplash
  • Dress up old appliances
  • Make your own concrete countertops

painting appliances and concrete countertops? Wow. Kitchens are really getting interesting.

Visit Money Magazine if you would like to see the complete article

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Homes will sell if priced right – USAToday

Real Estate For Sale Signage

Photo courtesy Sean Dreilinger via Flickr

According to the article that was published in USA Today on July 28th, home sellers are learning some tough lessens about pricing their home.

Perhaps the most telling lesson is that when a home is priced appropriately it will generate high traffic and interest. According to the article, nationally more than 30% of homes on the market in June reduced their price during the month. This offers us further evidence that home prices may still be a challenge for home owners and for real estate agents.

It is still evident that home buyers continue to hold some measure of extra power.

If you would like to read the entire USA Today article, follow this link.

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Buy a New Home in a Weekend

Very few people are in THAT big of a hurry to make their new home decision and get the purchase completed, but this article offers some great reminders about the tasks and processes involved in home buying.

Written by a REALTOR in San Antonio, Texas, this article offers ten useful reminders of all the home buying tasks that you should remember when you are ready to purchase a new home.

Quickie Home Buying List

  1. Establish a relationship with a local agent
  2. Focus on a specific area
  3. Clearly communicate with your agent
  4. Pick a weekend when you can have your agent’s full attention
  5. If you’re married, come with your spouse
  6. Get preapproved for a loan
  7. Don’t make contingency offers
  8. Don’t waste time looking at properties you won’t b
  9. Use technology to speed the process where possible
  10. Be decisive

Visit New San Antonio Homes for the complete article.

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Best Online Tools for Buying a Home

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

NBC’s today show had a really nice segement on Internet-based Home Buying tools today. In general the discussion was very upbeat and “cautiously optimistic” about the near term outlook for residential real estate. Among other things, websites for mortgages, foreclosures, maps/satellite images, and school information.

You can link to the Today Show’s video library and see additional real estate and home buying videos from NBC.

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Hotest U.S. Locations

As we head toward the 90-degree point again, it’s interesting to look at CNNMoney.com’s “Hotest Places to Live” list. This list, which compares the U.S. cities with the hotest average temperature in July, inspires the proverbial, “You think you got it bad…” feeling. The hotest places article lists a full twenty-five cities, but since the first tweleve are all north of 105 degrees and in Arizona, I think you get the point.

Arizona is HOT!

I believe Goodyear, AZ is the Cincinnati Reds new spring training home.

City Degrees
Yuma, AZ 106.5
Avondale, AZ 105.1
Chandler, AZ 105.1
Gilbert, AZ 105.1
Glendale, AZ 105.1
Goodyear, AZ 105.1
Mesa, AZ 105.1
Peoria, AZ 105.1
Phoenix, AZ 105.1
Scottsdale, AZ 105.1
Surpirse, AZ 105.1
Tempe, AZ 105.1
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Sibcy Cline offers iPhone App

Sibcy Cline has released its iPhone app. You can use the app to search for property in Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. If you would like additional information or would like to download the app please follow this Sibcy Cline iPhone App link.

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later.

Sibcy Cline iPhone App Pic
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Assessed Value vs Market Value

Home Market Value or Assessed Value

Courtesy Billie Hara via Flickr

In some cases there is much discussion, hand-wringing and consternation about the Assessed Value vs. Fair Market Value of a home during the selling/buying process. It’s interesting that sellers would want a low assessed value while living in the house (lower tax bills) but then would appreciate a higher assessed value when listing their home with me. Knowledgeable Real Estate Agents will always try to coach buyers and sellers to understand that the correlation between Assessed Value and Fair Market Value is very loose – at best.

To help explain and offer further insight, you may find this article about Assessed Value vs Fair Market Value from a REALTOR in Massachesetts interesting.

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Innovative Kitchen and Bath Designs

The National Kitchen and Bath Association show in Chicago this past April had a host of unique and new ideas for improving value in your home. Barbara Ballinger, an Architecture Coach from the National Association of REALTORS® visited the show and offers these ideas:

  • Rev-a-Shelf’s space-saving interior systems now include glass-lined shelves
  • Giani TM, a paint kit that transforms laminate countertops or backsplashes into granite look-alikes
  • Sinks are no longer just sinks. Kohler’s “Poise” features a removable cutting board, wine glass rack for glasses to dry upside down, and basin to protect the sink base
  • Geberit’s concealed tank and carrier system frees up 2 square feet of floor space per toilet
  • Liebherr’s fully-integrated wine and humidor equipment take up no counter or floor space
  • Kichler’s energy-efficient LED lighting strips can be installed in a variety of lengths and in any p

You can see more information for each of these ideas by visiting the Styled, Staged and Sold webpage.

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Home Buyers Seek Perfect Deal

Home buyers are becoming more demanding as the real estate market is returning to the “pre-tax-credit” envrionment. When the tax credit was in effect there was some feeling that sellers were being stubborn — thinking and positioning that buyers were getting the credit — why should the seller reduce the price or otherwise negotiate further. Now, with the expiration of the tax credit, buyers are re-asserting their leverage.

According to an article by The New York Times:

“Exacting buyers are upending the battered real estate market, agents and other experts say, leading to last-minute demands for multiple concessions, bruised feelings on all sides and many more collapsed deals than usual.”

You can have direct access to the complete New York Times article by clicking here.

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9 Decor Trends to Skip

Wall Antlers Photo

Photo courtesy
DOPAMINEHARPER via Flickr

From [the nest] and re-printed on msn.com, here are nine home decorating trends that you should consider skipping:

  • Antlers
  • Taxidermy
  • Inspirational Sayings
  • Decorative Buddha Sculptures
  • Ghost Chairs
  • Poufs
  • Accent Walls
  • Boutique Hotel Chic
  • Black Chalkboard Paint

If you would like to see the discussion on msn.com click here.

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Backyard Pool – Adds/Substracts Home Value?

Backyard Swimming Pool Photo

Courtesy Timo Heuer via Flickr

HGTV’s FrontDoor website offers some insight into the backyard pool question that so many home sellers and home buyers are asking. Will the pool add value to the home? Well, according to the FrontDoor article, a pool could actually detract from a home’s value.

According to the article, maintenance costs and operational costs add up quickly. With the requirement to maintain special chemicals and the need to run pool filters many hours per day (increasing electric bills), the monthly budget for a pool can become a financial challenge — especially during the current economic times.

You can read the complete article by following this link.

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Six unusual homes for sale

Cluster of Homes For Sale

Photo from Stuck In Customs at flickr

We are always on the lookout for unique features and unique homes. CNNMoney has found six homes that are truely unique. You can:

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Avoid that Pre-Listing Inspection

Pre-Listing Home Inspection

Photo Courtesy: homeinspectioncarolina via Flickr

According to the the Wall Street Journal’s in-house real estate expert you really should avoid the Pre-Listing Inspection. June Fletcher, writer for the Journal, believes that the Pre-Listing inspection could provide you with too much information about the condition of your property and force you to disclose flaws that might wait until the potential buyer conducts their own inspection. By waiting for an inspection you can manage your negotiating position and still honestly list your home.

Ms. Flectcher offers more advice and insight into the pre-lisitng inspection issue with this article.

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