Chance Gates' Blog

The Entryway Sets the Stage

The buyers’ first moments in a house are their moments of greatest anticipation about what’s to come.  It’s here in the entryway that you set the stage for their experience throughout the rest of the house.

Here are some tips to make the front entry experience a great one:

• Do your front entrance and front door make a good first impression?  A fresh coat of paint and a seasonal wreath make a good door great.

• Hanging plants or potted plants can add some color and define an entry way.

• Does the front entrance light work?  Replace the light bulbs to brighten up the entry, and make sure the light is on if people are coming at dusk or after dark.

• Make sure the doorbell works.

• Replace any torn or worn screen doors, and make sure the door is in perfect working order.  No squeaking, jamming, or sticking locks.  Make it effortless to get in the house.

• Once inside, make sure the immediate entryway is free of clutter, shoes, coats, umbrellas, and anything that takes up space.

• If your entryway is small, brighten it up with a bright light bulb and a light-colored coat of paint if appropriate.

• Weed out all the “stuff” from the entry table, or shelves in the front entry.  Pick up extra key rings, mail, and other stuff that gets piled up at the front door.

• Clean out the front closet of all but immediately used coats, boots, shoes, hats, gloves, and all the other clutter that gets thrown in the closet.  Make the closet look spacious and uncluttered.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance@ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates .  If you are behind on your house payment and looking for a loan modification, go to making homes affordable to request a modification.  If the modification fails, contact your local real estate professional to help short sale your home.  To make sure there is no deficiency judgment a homeowner might find it necessary to hire an attorney. For a free copy of my blog titled  “5 Steps For Reno/Sparks Homeowners To Prevent Foreclosures” go to my about page http://chancegates.com/about and ask for more information on preventing foreclosures.

Housing starts rose 10.5 percent in August to an annual rate of 598,000 homes, the most since April, the Commerce Department announced Monday.

Housing starts were up 2.2 percent in August compared to the same month last year, while permits decreased 6.7 percent.

Construction of single-family houses rose 4.3 percent to a 438,000 annual rate after declining 6.7 percent in July.

Construction of multi-family homes increased 32 percent to an annual pace of 160,000.

Housing starts increased 7 percent in the South, 34.3 percent in the West, and 21.7 percent in the Midwest. Starts fell 24.3 percent in the Northeast.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates
Source: Bloomberg, Courtney Schlisserman (09/21/2010)

A survey by Fannie Mae shows that 70 percent of Americans believe it is a good time to buy a home.

That is up from 64 percent in January 2010.

Still, 33 percent–up from 30 percent in January–say they’ll rent next time around.

About 67 percent believe housing is a safe investment, down from 83 percent of people questioned in a similar survey in 2003.

Source: Reuters News (09/16/2010)

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates

Image by www.urbancityarch.com via Flickr

By Paige Tepping

RISMEDIA, September 11, 2010–Finding the home that is right for you can be a time-consuming process. The experts at Move.com offer the following tips to help make sure you don’t just settle for a home, but instead find the home that is perfect for you.

Once you’ve settled on a couple of neighborhoods where you would like to live, it’s time to pick out a few homes to view. Your wish list can remind you which features are absolute requirements and which amenities you’d like to have if possible. When narrowing down your home search, consider:

-Types of homes
-Home purchase considerations
-Home comparison chart
-What to do when you’ve found the right home for you

Types of homes
In addition to single family homes (one home per lot), there are other forms of home ownership to consider as you begin looking for the next place you will call home:

-Multifamily homes: Some buyers, particularly first-timers, start with multiple family dwellings, so they’ll have rental income to help with their costs. Many mortgage plans, including VA and FHA loans, can be used for buildings with up to four units, if the buyer intends to occupy one of them.
-Condominiums: With a condo, you own “from the plaster in” just as you would a single house. You also own a certain percentage of the “common elements”—staircases, sidewalks, roofs and the like. Monthly charges pay your share of taxes and insurance on those elements, as well as repairs and maintenance. A homeowners association administers the development.
-Co-ops: In a few cities, cooperative apartments are common. With those, you purchase shares in a corporation that owns the whole building, and you receive a lease to your own apartment. A board of directors supervises management. Monthly charges include your share of an overall mortgage on the building.

Home purchase considerations
Most buyers’ first consideration, after neighborhoods are chosen, is the number of bedrooms. As you begin to view homes, keep the following purchase and resale considerations in mind:

-Weigh your needs, budget and personal tastes in deciding whether you want a home that’s a newly constructed, an older home or a home that requires some work—a ‘fixer-upper.’
-One-bedroom condos are more difficult to resell than two-bedroom condos.
-Two-bedroom/one-bath single houses generally have less appeal than houses with three or more bedrooms, and therefore less appreciation potential.
-Homes with ‘curb appeal,’ (a well-maintained, attractive and charming view-from-the-street appearance) are the easiest to resell.
-When resale is a possibility, don’t buy the most expensive house on the street, or anything that is unusual or unique. The best investment potential is traditionally found in a less expensive, more moderately sized home on the street.

Home comparison chart
While house-hunting, it’s a good idea to make notes about what you see because viewing several houses at a time can be confusing. Create a comparison chart before you begin looking at homes so you can keep track of your search, organize your thoughts and record your impressions.

When you’ve found the right home
Before you begin the home buying process, resolve to act promptly when you find the right house. Every Realtor has stories to tell about a couple who looked far and wide for their dream home, finally found it, and then revealed that “we always promised my Dad we’d sleep on it, so we’ll make an offer tomorrow.” Many times the story has a sad ending—someone else came in that evening with an offer that was accepted.

Resolve at this point that you will act decisively when you find the house that’s clearly right for you. This is particularly important after a long search or if the house is newly listed and/or under-priced.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog.  Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods.  I can be reached by email @  chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates

By Stephanie Andre

RISMEDIA, May 28, 2010—Within the next month, the kids will be out of school and for a lot of families, it might just be time to move. Moving brings an entire new set of stresses and tasks.

Check out these tips for moving, courtesy of Move.com. It might just help save your clients a bit of time, stress and heartache.

4 weeks from move date: Get organized and start notifying the right people and companies that you’ll be moving soon and give them a date to forward or terminate service. Start looking for licensed and professional moving companies, moving guides and relevant coupons.

Tip: If using a professional mover, get quotes from multiple moving companies to get the best deal that is right for you and your needs. Ask plenty of questions like whether or not they give binding quotes and what kind of insurance is included. Be sure to talk with them about the different options available with full-service moves such as packing and unpacking services and providing boxes and packing supplies.

Tip: Important documents such as your child’s school records may need to be accessible during your transition. Make sure to put these items aside and make copies of any records for yourself, in case you forget what box they’re packed in.

3 weeks from move date: Once you’ve selected a mover, begin by taking inventory of your belongings and their worth and decide what will be coming with you to your next home.

Tip: Start cleaning out closets, drawers and storage areas of your home and divide things into categories: “pack,” “recycle” and “give to friend.” You can always have a garage sale or donate old items to charity. This will make packing day a lot easier and you may reduce the total weight you’ll be paying for to move.

Tip: If you’re moving yourself or contracting for a self-service move, pack the items you know you won’t need until 30 days after the move. It will feel great to get started early.

Tip: If possible, take pictures of rooms and areas inside the home or apartment you’ll be moving into so you can start thinking about placement of furniture, artwork and other items. This will help save time, headaches…and money…on moving day.

2 weeks from move date: If you choose not to take advantage of full service mover packing services, or are planning to do it yourself and rent a truck, start packing things into boxes. Figure out the logistics of the move, travel plans and if other specialized plans need to be made.

Tip: If you are using a professional mover find out what items are on their “non-allowables” list and discard those items or find a way to transport them separately.

Tip: Instead of stacking plates, pack them vertically; they will travel safer this way.

Tip: If you are moving long distance, remember travel arrangements for your pets. There are pet-exclusive airlines available such as Pet Airways but regular airlines have travel options for pets as well.

Tip: If you have young children, you may want to make childcare arrangements so you can be 100% focused on moving day and your little ones remain safe and busy with fun activities.

Tip: Schedule “move out” cleaning service, carpet cleaners and heavy appliance disposal if necessary for once you’ll be out of the home you’re vacating. Even if you’re selling your current home, it’s a nice welcome for the buyers to move into a clean and tidy home.

1 week from move date: Set aside valuable items and keep those with you. Clean before moving and leave your house or apartment as clean as it was when you moved in.

Tip: Make sure the details for paying the moving company are taken care of. Some will require money orders or cashier’s checks upon delivery; know their policy in advance to avoid stress on moving day.

Tip: Start eating all the frozen foods you have, or give them to a neighbor or friend. This way you won’t have to throw them away on moving day, or worry about packing an ice chest.

Tip: Also think about necessities for managing moving day like confining your pets and anticipating the amount of time you will need.

Tip: Place necessities such as toiletries, toilet paper, rags, “must-have” cooking supplies and organize them in boxes marked “open first” so it’s easy to find the initial items you’ll want handy on those first few days of being in your next home. Don’t forget the flashlight!

Tip: If possible, take one last tour of the new location and identify water and gas shut off locations, as well as the electrical breaker box just in case something happens in the first few days so you’re prepared. Might be smart to drop off a fresh box of light bulbs too!

Moving day and beyond: Take one last walk through and make sure nothing has been forgotten or overlooked. Also, make sure all doors and windows are locked and switches turned off, then you are on your way to your new house or apartment.

Tip: Go back to the photos you took when you began to pack up. Now you can show the movers or those helping you unpack exactly where everything goes with photos.

Tip: Unpack one room at a time according to basic needs starting with the kitchen and at least one bathroom…and don’t forget to make a bed as early in the day as possible if you’ll be sleeping in your home that evening! Remember, you don’t have to unpack everything in one day, or even in one week.

Tip: After you’ve settled in a bit, introduce yourself to some neighbors, ask for advice on the best places to eat, grocery shop, etc. This way you will feel like part of the community and can get some great local tips.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional; I encourage all questions and comments, on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog.

http://chancegates.com/2009/12/21/time-to-relocate-here-are-some-helpful-hints/

http://chancegates.com/2010/03/04/getting-ready-to-apply-for-your-mortgage-checklist/

http://chancegates.com/2010/01/12/non-traditional-credit/

The clock is ticking on the federal homebuyer tax credit.

Homebuyers still have time to buy a home and meet the deadlines, but they will need to act soon and be proactive throughout the transaction.

The homebuyer tax credit is worth 10 percent of the home’s sale price, up to $8,000 for buyers who haven’t owned a home in the previous three years and up to $6,500 for buyers who have owned and occupied a principal residence for at least five consecutive years during the eight-year period that ends on the day the new home is purchased.

Here are some tips for last-minute buyers:

• Buyers should be “upfront with their Realtor about their must-haves and their wish list,” says Allyson Bernard, owner of Real Estate Professionals of Connecticut. Buyers who aren’t realistic could find themselves up against the deadline with fewer houses from which to choose.
• Harsh weather may be “a help or a hindrance,” Bernard says. Buyers who are willing to trudge through snow to find a house may have an advantage over buyers who wait until the weather improves.
• Contract contingencies allow buyers some breathing room to take care of big items such as financing, inspections and the sale of their current home, Bernard says. But contingencies shouldn’t be an excuse to delay once the deal is pending.

“If you run into a problem and you no longer want to buy that house, it’s great that you had those contingencies to protect you, but you may not have time to find another property,” she says.

• Anecdotal reports suggest that some buyers have included a tax-credit contingency in the purchase contract. Whether that’s a necessary protection to make sure the deal closes on time depends on the situation and local practices. Either way, buyers should read the contract to make sure the closing will occur before the deadline.
• Buyers should get preapproved for a mortgage, because glitches such as a mistake on a credit report or a lender’s request for tax returns that must be retrieved from the IRS can cause a delay, says Patti Ketcham, owner of Ketcham Realty Group in Tallahassee, Fla.

“You don’t want to wait until the last minute, because you could end up shooting yourself in the foot over something that’s no one’s fault, but you just run out of time,” she says.

• Buyers also should allow extra time in case the mortgage lender requires a second appraisal, which can delay final loan approval.

“The appraisal process in residential lending is going through some painful changes. It is not uncommon to have a mortgage lender require more than one appraisal,” Ketcham says

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=23657587

As a Reno – Sparks real estate consultant I encourage any questions or comments on the Reno – Sparks real estate market or any other article I post here.

Related articles by Zemanta

• End of Home-Buyer Programs May Stall Housing Recovery (time.com)
• The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Is Winding Down (rerockstar.com)

With the start of  2010 , what will you be looking forward to in the New Year? Buying your first home in the Reno/ Sparks area? Sending your last kid off to college? Or obsessing over your own personal mountain of debt, even more worrisome in this uncertain economy? It may feel like “Resolution Impossible,” but if you follow Eric Tyson’s advice, you’ll remember ‘10 as the year you finally took control of your financial future.

“While the situation is improving, Americans carry too much consumer debt,” says Tyson, author of Personal Finance for Dummies, 6th Edition.. “If you have credit card debt or auto loans, take some solace in the fact that you’re far from alone and that many others have overcome these hurdles. Consumer debt is not okay, particularly in a slow economy such as this one. It can damage your personal relationships and mental well-being, not to mention the stability of your financial future.”

Here are a few tips from Tyson that will help you improve your financial health in 2010:

Partake in a little self-reflection. A misaligned mindset toward spending and shopping—compulsive or otherwise—can severely affect your financial and personal well-being. If you think you might have a problem with shopping or spending, there are several questions you should ask yourself:

-Do I feel guilty about shopping?
-Is my shopping causing financial trouble?
-Is my shopping, spending, and accumulated debt leading to feelings of helplessness, anger, confusion, fear, or depression?

Make a plan and stick to it. The reason so many New Year’s resolutions fail is that we simply state the thing we want to improve and then never create a plan for helping us get from point A to point B. Most people don’t like to plan unless we’re talking about something fun, like a vacation. But actually, planning for your financial future is a little like planning a vacation. You’re organizing your money and time so that you get to do all the great things you want when you get there. Look at it that way, and you might actually enjoy the process.

Get rid of your four-wheeled debt. Too many people define necessities by what those around them have. A brand new car is not a necessity, although some people try to make it one by saying, “I need a way to get to work.” Guess what? There are plenty of far less expensive used cars out there that will also make it to your office. If you take out an auto loan to buy a car that you really can’t afford and you take a similar approach with other consumer items you don’t truly need, you’re going to have great difficulty saving money and accomplishing your goals. Moreover, you’ll probably feel stressed all the time—which is a poor trade-off for the (short-lived) “new car smell.”

Start making your purchases based on need, not emotion. It can be easy to give in to all of those advertisements telling us how much we “need” that new car, expensive gym membership, or trendy outfit. Marketers play on insecurities, fears, and guilt and suggest that you can feel better about yourself by buying their products. You won’t be able to overcome spending and consumer debt until you recognize these pressures and how they corrupt your buying decisions.

Research before you enter the store. Prior to going shopping for necessities that aren’t everyday purchases—say, a new refrigerator—do some research first. Your research will help you identify brands, models, and so on that are good values. You don’t want to make an expensive mistake.

Watch your food budget. Dine out less and keep stock of the groceries you already have. Learn to cook if you don’t know how. Try to keep a healthy inventory of groceries at home. This will minimize trips to the store and the need to impulsively dine out because your cupboard is bare. Try to do most of your shopping through discount warehouse-type stores, which offer low prices for buying in bulk, or grocery stores that offer bulk purchases. Saving on the amount you spend on food will help you put more money toward paying off your debt and eventually setting money aside for investments.

Become more energy efficient. Check out opportunities to make your home more energy efficient. Adding insulation and weather-stripping, installing water-saving devices, and reducing use of electrical appliances can pay for themselves in short order. Many utility companies will even do a free energy review or audit of your home and suggest money-saving ideas.

Watch what you are paying for insurance. Many people overspend on insurance by carrying coverage that’s unnecessary or that covers small potential losses. Coverage of small losses, such as $100 or $200, is not useful for most people since such a loss wouldn’t be a financial catastrophe.

“It won’t be easy getting out of debt, and it’s certainly not something you will be able to achieve overnight,” says Tyson. “Like losing weight, it’s something that takes constant dedication but has a great payoff in the end. Whenever you lose focus or feel like giving in, think about the wonderful benefits of financial well-being. Once you’re out of debt, the money you are able to invest will mushroom into substantial savings that will allow you to get more for your money,” concludes Tyson.

About the Author
Eric Tyson is one of the nation’s best-selling personal finance book authors and has penned five national bestsellers. His work has been featured and quoted in hundreds of local and national publications and media outlets. He was also a featured speaker at a White House conference on retirement planning. A dynamic and provocative speaker, he has spoken at many corporations and nonprofits.

For more information, visit www.erictyson.com.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Primary school children to be given compulsory lessons on avoiding debt (telegraph.co.uk)

In the current Reno/Sparks real estate market it is important to take advantage of everything a seller can.

Related articles by Zemanta

• How to Get Your Property Ready To Be Sold in a Hard Real Estate Market and How a Home Stager May Assist You (wealthyways4you.com)