Seller Resources
Pending Home Sales Stabilize
Pending home sales have leveled from a market swing driven by response to the home buyer tax credit, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in December, increased 1 percent to 96.6 from 95.6 in November, and remains 10.9 percent above December 2008 [...]
Existing-Home Sales Down, but Prices Rise
Existing-home sales fell as expected in December after first-time buyers rushed to complete deals during the months leading up to the original November deadline for the tax credit. However, prices rose from December 2008 and annual sales improved in 2009, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Existing-home sales—including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops—fell 16.7 [...]
Pending Home Sales Down from Surge
Contract activity for pending home sales fell after a surge of activity in preceding months to beat the original deadline for the first-time home buyer tax credit. However, it remains comfortably above the level from a year ago, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on [...]
Exterior Remodeling: Best Bang for Your Buck
Despite a slow market and a slight decrease in the resale value of most remodeling projects, REALTORS® report that the smartest home improvement investments may also be some of the least expensive. Results from the 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report show that small-scale exterior projects are the most profitable at resale, according to estimates [...]
Nine Consecutive Gains for Pending Home Sales
Pending home sales have risen for nine months in a row, a first for the series of the index since its inception in 2001, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in October, increased 3.7 percent to 114.1 from 110.0 in September, and [...]
Existing-Home Sales Record Big Gains
Driven by the home buyer tax credit, existing-home sales showed another big gain in October with a strong uptrend established over the past seven months, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. At the same time, inventories have continued to decline. Existing-home sales—including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops—surged 10.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual [...]
HVCC: Bad or Badly Implemented?
The Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) is getting a bad rap for causing what real estate professionals say is a rise in inaccurate appraisals, Alfred Pollard told a packed room of REALTORS® Friday in a risk management-regulatory issues joint forum at the 2009 NAR Conference & Expo in San Diego. Pollard, the general counsel [...]
Tech Acquisition Will Create Property Resource
The National Association of REALTORS® has acquired technology to create a database of all properties in the United States. With this resources, REALTORS® can better assist consumers in a high-tech, fast-paced business world. The technology acquisition includes licensed data and secured data aggregation services from LPS Real Estate Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lender [...]
States See Surging Sales, Moderating Prices
Most states continued to experience rising existing-home sales in the third quarter, with prices moderating in many metro areas, according to the latest survey by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Total state existing-home sales, including single-family and condo, increased 11.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.30 million units in the third quarter [...]
Six Tips to Better Online Real Estate Photographs
With a majority of home buyers looking at listings online, you would be wise to use top-quality photos in your listings. Don’t make the mistake of taking pictures of rooms without enough light, failing to focus on the room itself, or snapping photos of rooms that have not been cleaned. Dennis Huckaby, an architectural photographer [...]
What Every Real Estate Agent Owes You.
Who does the Real Estate Agent work for? You say you? Maybe not! Traditionally, the Real Estate Agent worked for the ‘seller’ even though they may spend all their time with you finding you the right home. Fortunately, the situation has changed. You have a choice. Be sure to make it! Do you want more [...]
Local leaders review the State of Our Community;Aiken.
As they addressed the “State of Our Community” at the annual Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday, four speakers sounded a common theme in describing the City of Aiken, Aiken County, the Aiken County School District and the business community – a reason for optimism despite a challenging economy. The speakers included Aiken Mayor [...]
Shorting Bank of America
We all know a short sale is when a homeowner and the bank that holds their note agree to sell for a price that’s less than the amount of that note. It’s sort of a win win, in that the seller walks away without having to fund the deficiency, and the bank doesn’t have to [...]
Landscaping correctly helps keep summer heat out of the house.
By KEN SHEINKOPF McClatchy-Tribune Q: We moved into a new development a couple of years ago and while we love our home, the barren landscape really looks terrible. We haven’t been able to afford putting in all the landscaping we’d like, but we want to start this summer. Our biggest problem is keeping heat out [...]
Luring First-time Buyers – 5 Tips to Beat the Competition, Sell Your Home
RISMEDIA, June 19, 2009-(MCT)-A federal tax credit of up to $8,000 is nudging many Americans into buying a home for the first time, good news for those trying to sell one. Still, selling a home isn’t easy in most markets today. To get the typical first-time buyer to bite and submit an offer, a house [...]
Putting the ‘short’ back in short sale
Tips on how to make process go smoother Lately, homebuyers are seeing more and more short-sale opportunities, but it seems as if fewer purchases are actually being completed. The perception in this case is correct. The short-sale process has become a nightmare: it goes on forever, sometimes never coming to a satisfactory conclusion even after [...]
Ten New Tax Breaks for Homeowners.
Congress’ inclusion of home energy incentives in the $787 billion stimulus plan it passed in February has a steady stream of customers heading to Manhattan’s Green Depot, a nationwide chain that carries environmentally friendly and sustainable housewares such as LED light bulbs and cork flooring. Most popular? Solar products, says Brian Tereza, the store’s general [...]
Best And Worst Home Improvements.
Before you install that custom wine cellar or bamboo flooring, it’s wise to make sure such upgrades won’t leave you in the red long-term. Fancy features such as these might not seem so essential to a buyer with different tastes. Rather, in a market slump, sellers whose properties have the right add-ons get the highest [...]
Best Home Improvements To Make In A Recession
Installing energy-saving technologies is a great way to save money on homeowner costs. The days of undertaking quick-fix remodels to sell a home more quickly and for more money are long gone. Now, with loans hard to come by and home sales slow, remodeling is all about projects that save you money in the long [...]
Rethinking the Open House
RISMEDIA, July 14, 2009-It’s a familiar weekend scene in American neighborhoods, the ubiquitous Open House; three signs, a flag and one seriously bored agent watching Rachel Ray reruns in the family room. It is apparent from the Open Houses I have visited that many agents don’t know why they are there. Many are newer to [...]
Faulty Appraisals Harming Housing and the Economy
Twenty-six percent of builders are seeing signed sales contracts fall through the cracks because appraisals on their homes are coming in below the contract sales price, according to a nationwide survey conducted by NAHB. “Home builders are increasingly concerned that inappropriate appraisal practices are needlessly driving down home values. This, in turn, is slowing new [...]
8 Sure-Fire Strategies for Selling a Vacant Property
Think of a house as a theatrical stage. When it is not being used and is void of props and scenery, it lacks interest and rarely warrants a second glance. However, after the set designers have worked their magic, the space comes alive and sets a “scene” for the onlookers. Whether enticing, energizing or relaxing, [...]
Simple Tips for Better Home Showings!
1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too. 2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help [...]
Tips for the first time do-it-yourselfer.
As if they weren’t already growing in popularity, do-it-yourself home improvement projects are likely to become even more popular as homeowners continue to cope with the sagging economy. While it’s tempting and perfectly understandable for homeowners to seek ways to save while simultaneously looking to improve their homes, a DIY project can prove more work [...]
Finding Your Home’s Best Selling Price!
Statistics show that the best opportunity to sell your home is often within the first few weeks of putting it on the market. This can be good news, or bad, depending on your motivation. Some homes sell right away, while others sit on the market for months without a single offer. To maximize your selling [...]
Finance Calculator and More!
Looking to buy or just want to see what your rent would allow you to buy? Want to refinance in this economic climate? Answers to these and so many other questions! Find out here! Front Gate Properties, We’re selling the BEST Real Estate in Aiken, SC.
3 things sellers must know about Short sales.
Underwater on your mortgage? A short sale may be an option, but you first have to convince the bank to erase part of your debt – and your credit will still suffer. 1. You have to prove hardship. To get the lender to forgive the balance of your mortgage, you’ll have to prove that you [...]
Avoid the Top 10 Selling Mistakes
Serious about selling your home? Before you sign anything, read about these common mistakes that home sellers make: 1. PRICING TOO HIGH: It’s no secret, price is everything. Overpricing does more to discourage buyers than any other single factor. When you overprice, you put your home in competition with homes that may be newer, larger [...]
7 Essential Steps to Selling Success
Knowing and using these 7 essential, yet simple steps is crucial to achieving the best deal possible – whether you decide to sell your home yourself or hire a professional real estate agent to help you. Take a look at the seven-step system I have outlined in this report. Then, if this new approach to [...]
Questions to Ask Before Listing
Choosing the right Realtor to sell your home can be difficult, especially when they all sound so convincing. The following list of questions will not only help you select the right Realtor, but will also help you get the very best from the agent you choose. 1. Do you work as a full-time Realtor? 2. [...]
Finding Your Home’s Best Selling Price
Statistics show that the best opportunity to sell your home is often within the first few weeks of putting it on the market. This can be good news, or bad, depending on your motivation. Some homes sell right away, while others sit on the market for months without a single offer. To maximize your selling [...]
The Seller’s List of 25 easy home fix-its
The condition of your home will have a huge impact on how fast it sells, and its eventual selling price. Preparing your home for sale can pay you huge dividends. Many fix ups cost very little and consist mostly of time and some elbow grease. Here are some simple tips to help your home show [...]
