Real Estate Information Archive

Good Monday Morning!

Even in the hot sellers market that we currently have here in the Eugene and Springfield area, it is important to prepare your home for sale if you are going to put it on the market. Paying attention to detail and having your home in great condition can mean a quicker sale and far more money.  Even in this market, I see homes sit out there and not sell.  You still have to price your home right, but condition is an extremely important factor for most homebuyers.  Here is an article from "Realty Time" that will give you some pointers on preparing your home for sale.

Unless you've never bought or sold a house before and have never looked at home listings or watched a single show about real estate (which is pretty hard these days), you have some semblance of an idea of how your home should look when you go to sell it. You probably also have a clue about how best to show off that home in photos (or, at least, you know the importance of showing off that home in photos), even if you personally lack the skill to take them yourself.

But what happens when you ignore the rules? Does a hot market render them irrelevant? Is it OK to list a home for top dollar when the condition is more fixer-upper? "You might think that buyers can see the potential of a house that just needs a little bit of work, but most are looking for a house that is move-in ready and doesn't need any major repairs," said Business Insider. "And even a home that only needs minor repairs may still look like a bad deal to some buyers, turning them off based on appearance alone."

The truth is that if you want good money for your home, you have to do a little work to get it "show ready." Buyers expect to be able to walk into a clean, decluttered home - at the very least. If it's not updated, it better at least look like it's move-in ready.

So how do you explain this listing, then? We'll leave the address and other identifying info out of it to protect the innocent. But a few things we can say: The home is brand-new to the market, and is no bargain, as you might think from looking at the photos; It's priced at least $10,000 over what it should be, just based on comparables, which, for a house in the low $200,000s, is considerable. The photos were obviously taken by the homeowner, who clearly didn't know how to best show off the property (although there were a couple snaps that were passable for an amateur) and who, it looks like, didn't even care enough to try to get it right by: Getting the camera in focus, cleaning out cluttered spaces, and even making sure there weren't random people in the frame of one shot.

At least it will serve as a great example of "what not to do" when selling your home.

1. Don't take your own photos

We'd be remiss if we skipped over one of the main problems here before getting into the details. Don't Take Your Own Listing Photos. Oh, were we screaming? Photos that were not professionally done stick out like, well, photos that weren't professionally done.

"You already know that a listing with pictures attracts a lot more attention than one without, but do you know how to take great pictures of a home? Whether you're an agent or a person trying to sell his own home, it's vital that you make a big first impression, and pictures are the best (and maybe only) opportunity that you will have to do just that," said Inman.

If you absolutely insist on taking your own photos, at least consult some basic rules. Most of which were broken in the listing in question. Note that the photo below was one of the better of the bunch.

2. Address your kitchen

Don't want to make any upgrades to your kitchen before you get the home on the market? That'll cost you (literally). Even painting out those cabinets, a cheap and easy fix, would make a huge difference. But, if you're not going to make changes to improve this key area, at least make the most basic effort to show it in its best light by removing as much clutter as you can. That means everything off your countertops. And your fridge. And the top of our fridge. There's no reason that stuff can't be put away for photos, and for showings. Basic staging rule #1. 

3. Emphasize the space and function, not the other way around

That printer on the kitchen counterop says: "We don't have room for a home office." Unplug. Put in closet. Problem solved. 

4. Always keep your selling points in mind

People like bedrooms - clean and tidy bedrooms that they can imagine their children sleeping and playing in. What, exactly, are we trying to show off here? The dead animal on the wall? The clutter on the floor? The glare from the windows? Perhaps the unique angle of the image that ignored all those basic listing photo rules? This shot shows none of the attributes of the room and only makes a potential buyer question the seller's taste level—and gives them closet space concerns. 

5. Focus!

Maybe check the photo to make sure nothing is blurry before posting it? Just a suggestion. Also, even if this picture was in focus, it still wouldn't be effective. You're not selling bedding, you're selling a home. This image tells a potential buyer nothing about the size or condition of the room. 

6. Show off your bathroom

Where do we even start here? From the weird angle that doesn't show the space, to the missing light bulb, to the clutter in the shower/hanging robe, this is just all wrong. 

7. Emphasize outdoor space

It goes without saying that showing off your outdoor space is important. A little effort to repaint the unkempt patio would have helped. At the very least, mow the yard, trim the bushes, and remove the ladder. An unkempt backyard will only make a potential buyer wonder what else needs attention, especially if they've seen some questionable spaces indoors. 

8. Keep people out of your photos

Stalker alert! The straggler near the fence draws attention away from the other features of the yard - which, in this case, might not be so bad, really. Still…If you only have one photo of the yard or if the best of the bunch has a person in the frame, there's still one thing you can do: Learn how to use the camera's crop feature.

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

755 Horn Ln

Price: $295,000  Beds: 4   Baths: 2   Sq Ft: 1868

Tranquil & spacious property! Beautifully landscaped 0.41 acre lot provides seclusion & great entertaining spaces. Remodeled home offers updated kitchen & baths, large living rm w/ gas fp, formal dining, large windows+skylight. Private master ste w/...View Home for Sale>>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Morning!

Today, with home prices rising faster than wages and a slight bump in mortgage interest rates, the home market for first-time homebuyers is tougher than it has been in a long time.  Saving enough money for a downpayment and also enough money to keep monthly payments in check can be a tough task.  The following article from "Realty Times" gives would be first-time homebuyers some good advice on how to prepare for a home purchase.

According to Harvard University's "State of the Nation's Housing" report, while more people than ever before want to own their own home, fewer feel financially ready to do so yet. Reasons range from high rents to student loan debt. Millennials, in particular, are waiting longer to get married, start families and purchase their first home. But this is not necessarily bad news for the housing market. In fact, it could mean that the millennial generation has something to teach us all about saving consistently towards a big life goal such as owning your own home!

In this article, learn three important steps to take when you start saving for your dream home.

Step 1: Pay down your debt to clean up your credit.

Your credit score is a tricky business when it comes to saving for your first home. You have no history of carrying a mortgage, so you can't make any real impact there. What you can do is to clean up your overall credit report so your general credit score is as healthy as possible before you apply for your mortgage loan.

According to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), a surprising number of Americans think they have "above average" (60 percent) to "very good" (41 percent) credit, although a full 48 percent have not seen their credit score in the past three years or ever.

So clearly, this is where you need to start. The best way to differentiate yourself from your competition (other people who are trying to convince a direct lender to give them a mortgage loan) is to pay down your debt, clear up any disputes on your credit report and, in so doing, boost your credit score so you can qualify for the best mortgage at the lowest interest rates.

Step 2: Separate and automate your savings.

Saving money is never going to be the easiest goal you attempt. In fact, according to The Atlantic, one of the chief reasons that nearly half of all Americans have little or no emergency savings to fall back on is taking on too much mortgage debt.

So here is a clear area where you should proceed with caution. First, save. Then, buy a home. The best approach to make saving as painless as possible for you is to automate your savings. You can do this by setting up direct deposit on your paycheck and then regular auto-drafts into a savings account reserved just for dream home savings. This way, you never even touch those funds and feel tempted to spend them instead.

Step 3: Downsize to upsize

Finally, one effective change many adults today are making to save more towards their dream home is to downsize while they save. This can mean anything from moving to a smaller apartment to getting rid of your cable television subscription. Also, you must continually remind yourself why you have downsized in order for this step to work well.

But the key to making downsizing work to serve your greater goals is to make sure you deposit every cent of what you save into your dream home fund. Referring back to Step 2 here, the easiest way to do this is to calculate for yourself exactly what you are saving by paying less rent, giving up cable, etc., and then setting up a monthly auto-draft in that amount to deposit directly into your dream home savings account.

By following these three steps, you can make tangible financial progress in saving to buy your dream home. If you can save 20 percent towards a downpayment, you can avoid paying expensive Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) and you may even qualify for a lower interest rate. Scrimping and saving is never fun or easy, but it will be worth it when your realtor hands you that brand-new set of house keys!

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEKS HOT LISTING!

Hilltop Drive #1

Price: $225,000    Beds: 0    Baths: 0    Sq Ft: 0

Development property platted for 8 residential building lots. Easy access for roads and utilities. Lot sizes range from 6,700 sq. ft. to 14,000 sq. ft. Plat map and estimate on development costs available upon request....View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Morning!

With mortgage loans remaining at historic low levels and the brisk housing market, I find many home buyers making huge mortgage loan mistakes.  Here is a recent article from "Realty Times", that just might help you if you are in the market for a mortgage loan.

For most buyers, the mortgage is the largest monthly expense they will have. Yet most borrowers will do little to no preparation, negotiation, or shopping to get the best deal. And they end up paying much more for their loans than they need to. You? You're smarter than that, or you wouldn't be reading this article. Here are five of the biggest mistakes that can cost you real money.

1. Believing advertised rates are what you'll pay

Unless you have perfect or near-perfect credit, most advertised rates are out of your league. To get boasting rights on a rate that good, you have to pay part of a point (one percent of the loan amount), or more to get the best rates.

Your lender will go over your credit with a fine-tooth comb to find anything to raise the rate. That includes qualifying you at the beginning of the transaction, and then running your credit again a day or two before you're supposed to close on the home and loan. If there's been any change in your debt-to-income ratio, goodbye low mortgage rate.

2. Not comparing lenders

Just like everyone knows two or three real estate agents or more, everyone knows a loan officer or a mortgage broker. A loan officer works for a bank or savings and loan and can only offer you loan packages that the bank has put together. A mortgage broker prequalifies you just like a loan officer, and shops your deal around to various lenders.

Whether you talk to a loan officer or a mortgage broker, you're going to have to share personal financial information in order to get a realistic rate. Reputable brokers will show you what certain banks and credit unions quoted and you can pick the loan you like best.

If you'd rather do your own shopping, consider talking to a local bank, a national bank, a credit union, and a savings and loan, but remember, unless you give them personal information and permission to run your credit, it's just talk.

3. Not paying attention to terms

Advertised rates even for those with perfect credit aren't what you will actually pay. The true cost of the loan is the APR or annual percentage rate, which includes fees from the lender.

Understanding loan terms is harder than shopping for a new mattress. There are so many ways lenders can inch up the fees. A loan origination fee is also called a processing fee. It pays the loan officer or mortgage broker, so this fee can vary widely. You may pay one lender more for an appraisal than another might charge you.

One lender may charge more for pulling your credit than another. It's all in your good faith estimate, which you don't get until you've applied for the loan.

All terms are negotiable, so don't be afraid to ask what a particular fee is for and can it be reduced or eliminated.

4. Waiting for a better rate

It's great to have bragging rights on a low rate, but you don't want to lose the home of your dreams over a quarter of a point in interest.

There's a big picture here you could be missing. No matter what your interest rate is, you're going to pay thousands of dollars in interest up front before you make any serious gain in equity. If you go all the way to the end of your loan's term, you'll pay so much interest that you could have bought the same home two or three times.

Instead of focusing on the percentage rate, work on how quickly you can build equity. Make one extra payment a year. Pay $25, $100, or $500 extra per month and you'll more than offset the rate you're paying.

Down the road, if rates drop through the floor, you can refinance, but even that's not an ideal solution. You'll pay loan origination fees, title search fees, appraisal fees and so on -- enough to equal the closing costs you paid the first time around.

And don't forget, you'll start the amortization schedule all over again -- with most of your payments going to interest instead of principal.

5. Choosing the wrong type of loan

Many families were hurt post-9/11 when lenders opened the spigots and gave a loan to almost anyone who could sign the paperwork. Suckers bought homes that were too expensive using balloon loans with low teaser rates.

The type of loan you choose should depend on current market conditions and how long you plan to stay in your home, not how much home you want to buy.

Current market conditions favor fixed rates, because rates are rising from all-time lows. Yes, they cost more than hybrid loans or adjustable rate loans, but the base amount is fixed and doesn't change. Only your taxes and hazard insurance will cost you more over the years.

If you get an adjustable rate mortgage, you are at the mercy of market conditions. While there's a cap on how high your interest rate can go, it's still a risk.

If you plan to stay in your home five years or more, get a fixed-rate mortgage. If you plan to sell your home sooner, you're taking a risk. It takes most borrowers five years just to earn back their original closing costs in equity.

Once you've narrowed your choice of lenders, ask them on the same day to give you a quote. If you wait even one day, rates may have changed, so you're no longer comparing apples to apples.

If you need a good lender, contact me.  I have a list of great local lenders that I can provide you with.

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

184 75th St

Price: $295,000    Beds: 3    Baths: 2    Sq Ft: 1800

Delightful New Home w/ RV Parking! Located in Thurston with some mountain views. One level home offers laminate wood flrs, granite counters, vaulted/high ceilings. Spacious Great Rm layout w/ slider in dining area & gas fireplace in living rm. Stain...View Home for Sale >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

If you have not been to an Oregon Duck baseball game at the brand new PK Park you need to do so. What a fantastic facility this is and how much fun is it to watch a college baseball game? This is a great addition to the Eugene and Springfield area!

Most of the Real Estate news over the past several years has focused on the residential Real Estate market and it's continual slide both nationally and locally.  The situation with the residential market has certainly had an effect on the lives of most.  Now coming on the scene is a situation with commercial Real Estate that is going to also have a significant impact on most of us.  Loans for commercial Real Estate are typically much shorter in term than those made for residential Real Estate. Most commercial loans have a duration of seven years.  What we are seeing in both the local and national commercial Real Estate market is that lease rates are declining sharply. The value for commercial property is determined primarily by what the lease value is.  As a result of the lower lease rates, the value of most commercial property has dropped significantly. Over the next 3 years hundreds of thousands of commercial notes are going to be coming due all over the country. As these notes come due the commercial property owners are going to have to find new financing. Due to the lower lease rates, many of these commercial properties values will be less than what is currently owed on them.  The problem will come from the fact that the banks will not be able to loan on the buildings for the amount the owners need and historic numbers of commercial Real Estate owners will now go into default.  This has the potential for a huge economic disaster as thousands of commercial property investors lose their money.  The investor groups are broad as many of the nations largest insurance company's etc. are invested heavily in commercial Real Estate.  

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

 

3547 River Pointe Drive