Who Wouldn't Want a Kitchen Like This?????????????

Don't you loveeeeee this kitchen???? This kitchen belongs to 2 new homeowners that closed on their property this morning. Being a homeowner is feeling beyond measure. I can remember purchasing my home like it was yesterday. It was March of 2010. I was 27 years old and scared out of my mind because I thought "What in the world am I getting myself into? I'm too young, I don't know how to maintain a home my myself, I'm no handy-woman......" What I realized in time is that you don't have to be a Ms. Fix it to own a home, you just have to get to know someone that is. Being a homeowner is a wonderful feeling and I have to tell you a secret.......There are people out there that will help you along the way. Within 3 weeks of owning my home, my grass was starting to grow and I was thinking "darn, i forgot about that, i have to find someone to do that." My brother had two jobs and you can imagine how long it would take to get a family member to cut my grass; I would have a forest by then lol. Luckily a neighbor came to my door the following day and told me he cuts grass in the neighbor for a small fee. How did I respond.....you guessed it, I told him to get started right away. So, trust me when I tell you, maintaining a home does not have to be a one person job. 

Want to own a home? Contact me today Jay Cooper (New Realty) 443-869-1364. Need a lender??? Let me know because I also can refer you.

Til next time,
JC

Economy Picks Up Steam; Housing Recovery, Consumer Spending, and Manufacturing Pave the Way

Economic growth continues to gain momentum in the second half of the year, as expected, despite the slow start at the beginning of 2013. Fannie Mae’s Economic & Strategic Research Group’s full-year forecast for both the economy and housing market remains on track, with GDP expected to come in at approximately 2.0 percent in 2013 and to accelerate to 2.6 percent in 2014. Fiscal drag is waning, the housing recovery continues, and manufacturing and business investment are rebounding, helping to boost growth.

     Furthermore, consumer spending and the employment sector appear to be growing sustainably, which may help to offset downside risks from the expected tapering of the Federal Reserve’s securities purchases.

“Our macroeconomic and housing forecast shows very little change from July, and the steady pickup during the past few months validates our expectations for the second half of the year,” says Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan. “The biggest risk to this forecast is the expected reduction in the Federal Reserve’s asset purchases, which would likely put additional upward pressure on interest rates and lead to some volatility in capital markets. Although the nature and timing of the tapering are still to be determined, we continue to expect the Fed will scale back its asset purchases and end the program by spring. In addition, we may see some fiscal tightening this fall as the debate over federal spending and the debt ceiling takes place.”

The housing recovery appears to have weathered some of the uncertainty, although additional growth is expected to be modest rather than robust while the market awaits an easing of credit conditions in the presence of rising interest rates. The rise in mortgage rates has led to a drop-off in refinance activity but does not appear to have had much impact on home purchase activity to this point. Home prices are expected to continue to climb, although the pace should slow significantly from the dramatic levels seen during the past 12 months.

2013 RISMedia

The best time to buy a home is now, before rates get any higher. Contact me today 443-869-1364

Til next time,

JC

So Your Ready To Move.............

Get Your Move On

Figure out how much help you need with your move
Depending on how much you have and how far you’re going, you may want to consider hiring a mover. Your three basic options are:

·         doing all the packing and moving yourself with the help of some willing friends - pizza, anyone?

·         you handle packing up the boxes, but the movers load, move and unload the truck for you - this is a great option if you’re moving to a completely new area and need a little muscle for your belongings!

·         the moving company handles the whole move from the packing of boxes down to unloading your stuff at your new home - this is obviously more expensive, but great if you’re physically unable to load and unload, if you’re going far, if you have a lot of fragile items or if you’re in a big rush

Read more about these different moving options by checking out our post on preparing to move out of your home and compare moving companies to figure out whose prices and services meet your needs.
Get your utilities up and running
Do a little research on your service providers, so you can get your utilities set up right before you move. Compare different service providers to make sure you get the best deal for your new neighborhood.
Set up mail forwarding
It’s totally easy to set up mail forwarding, so you can have all your mail rerouted to your new home - just request a change of address with the United States Post Office.

Make It Your Own

One of the most exciting things about becoming a homeowner is finally having a place that’s yours and that you can personalize any way you want! That’s right, no more ugly wood paneling or blank white walls (unless that’s your thing).
Take it a step (and a room!) at a time. Whether you’re an expert DIYer, or just want to do a few simple things to your new home to show off your personal style, there are loads of ideas out there to get you started! Find a project you like that fits in your budget, and enjoy creating a home that’s all your own.

Stay in the Know

Keep track of tax deductions.
Make sure you’re up-to-speed about tax deductions you’re entitled to as a homeowner, such as your mortgage interest payments. Get educated on your property taxes and what tax breaks you qualify for.
Keep an eye on your neighborhood
Now that you have a real vested interest in your local market, stay on top of nearby property values by using ZipRealty's Watch This Home tool. By “watching” your home, you’ll get weekly updates about what’s happening with the real estate around you.
We hope these tips make your move a stress-free and smooth one – enjoy settling into your new home!


See more at: http://www.ziprealty.com/blog/smooth-move-how-make-your-move-new-home-easy-possible#sthash.WRbreGDm.dpuf

Til next time,

JC

EXTRA, EXTRA, Read All About It

Check out this press released for JDC Investments




http://www.pr.com/press-release/493453


Til next time,

JC

Report Shows Housing Recovering Accelerating

This is what everyone has been waiting for; buyers should act now.

I have been telling people (especially buyers) that if there is anytime to buy a home; it is now. Properties are the lowest as I have ever seen them and this is not going to last for too much longer. Seller have been suffering because they are not receiving market value for their home, which means that this is a buyers market. On the contrary, home prices are starting to rise which is great news for sellers.

Check out this article:

http://rismedia.com/2013-05-15/april-realtor-com-report-shows-housing-recovery-accelerating/



Til next time,
JC

Top Expensive/Most Affordable Housing Market

Below is a list of the Top 10 Most Affordable Housing Markets with the current ratio of median home sales prices to median household income shown for each metropolitan area. 

1. Dallas-Fort Worth        5.27x
2. Houston                        5.43x
3. Minneapolis                 5.50x
4. Orlando                         5.89x
5. Las Vegas                    5.98x
6. Raleigh, N.C.               6.03x
7. Austin                            6.13x
8. Denver                          6.31x
9. Nashville                      6.47x
10. Phoenix                        6.59x

ZipRealty’s list of the most affordable housing markets was created using the most accurate and complete data in the real estate industry, which is detailed in the company’s Data Quality Report,http://bit.ly/107LMMp, which was released on March 6, 2013. ZipRealty discovered that prominent real estate websites consistently fail to display a significant number of MLS-listed homes for sale, while also presenting a large number of sold homes as if they were currently for sale. The study results show that up to 30% of MLS listed homes for sale are missing from other real estate websites, and over 15% of the listings on these websites are stale, expired or inactive. In contrast, ZipRealty never includes sold homes in search results, and has an accuracy rate of greater than 99% on MLS listed homes for sale.

Based on ZipRealty data, the Top 10 Most Expensive Housing Markets are:

1. Washington, D.C.                        16.78x
2. Brooklyn, N.Y.                                16.58x
3. San Francisco Bay Area             13.81x
4. San Diego                                     13.60x
5. Los Angeles                                 13.52x
6. Miami                                             12.11x
7. Orange County (California)       10.63x
8. Boston                                           9.47x
9. Westchester (New York State)  9.29x
10. Baltimore                                      8.56x

(Zip Realty)

Til next time,

JC

Navigating in a Competitive Housing Market

Navigating the Home Buying Process in a Competitive Market

Whether you are buying a home for the first time or the tenth time, you probably have a long list of “must haves” and “wants” for your dream home. With recent real estate forecasts announcing a housing market recovery in 2013, many pockets and niches throughout the nation are already experiencing a competitive market with low inventory of homes and bidding wars. Finding a home that has everything on your checklist can be a challenge, particularly if you are searching in a competitive market. There are, however, some tips that can help you navigate the home buying process in the midst of a competitive market and help ensure that you find your dream home at a price that meets your budget.

1.     Expand your database when there is low inventory of homes for sale. When the home buying market is competitive, a buyer must use all of the tools available to find just the right home. While it is not a good idea to rely solely on a single source to find available listing, it makes even less sense to do this when the market is competitive. An experienced buyer’s agent (someone who specializes in representing home buyers), for instance, will make use a MLS service, newspaper advertisements, open houses, and word of mouth to find you your dream home. Especially in a competitive real estate market, you want to secure the services of an experienced real estate agent who is well connected with the area you are interested in.

2.     Be prepared to make tough decisions. Before you even begin your search, review your lists of “must haves” and “wants” and prioritize them. You want to divide up your "negotiables" from your "non-negotiables." When the market is competitive, you may need to be more flexible because you may be competing with other buyers who are also interested in purchasing the property. If, for example, your desired neighborhood is a deal breaker then maybe, you might have to let go of the idea of having a pool or a three car garage.  Having a clear idea of what you can and can't live without will help you and your real estate agent narrow down your focus.

3.     Be prepared to act. In a slow market a buyer can take more time during the home buying process to decide whether or not a home is “the one”. When the market is competitive, a buyer needs to be ready to act when the right home comes along because it will likely not stay on the market for long.  You probably want to start your search expecting to pay the maximum amount that you can afford when you are buying a seller's market, and it will be to your benefit to make a large earnest money deposit with your offer - the larger the amount, the more appealing your offer will be to the home seller.

4.     Sharpen your negotiating skills. Buying a home in a tight market does not necessarily mean that you have to pay a price that is more than what the home is worth nor does it mean that you will have to settle for less than what you want. It does, however, mean that you need to sharpen your negotiating skills and be creative when you make an offer. For example, try to figure out what is important to the seller so that you can cater your offer to them. For instance, if the seller needs to be out of the home quickly can you offer a quick closing? Maybe the opposite is true and the seller needs extra time before they vacate the home in which case you could offer to extend the date of possession.

5.     Consider a fixer-upper. If you cannot find your dream home because the market is too competitive, consider buying a home that you can turn into your dream home. Even in a seller’s market, homes that need considerable work still tend to move slowly because many buyers cannot see the potential or are not willing to renovate. If you are open to a fixer-upper, you can increase your range of choices as well as the likelihood of finding the perfect home.

Although the home buying process may be a bit more difficult when the market is competitive, if you start by following these simple tips and work closely with your real estate agent you will soon be able to find the home of your dreams in no time (Zip Realty).

Til next time,

JC