Youve been watching the news, reading blogs and you know this is the perfect time for you to buy a piece of Apple Valley real estate. You want to do all the right things to get the best deal, and you know one of the first steps is to line up your financing. To help [...]
What happens if you have a signed contract to purchase a piece of Apple Valley real estate and the appraised value comes in lower than your agreed upon purchase price? Unfortunately, thats happening more often these days. Dont give up! It is possible to salvage the deal. Here are four options to consider, if you [...]
You dont have to sacrifice comfort to save energy this summer. Some improvements to your Apple Valley home will make your home more comfortable and save energy. Here are some examples. Make sure your Window treatments wisely. Always try to close drapes or lower shades on the sunny side of the house. In the morning, [...]
In order to get the most buyers through your front door, youll need to do more than just stick a sign in the front yard. An aggressive and thoughtful marketing campaign can make the difference between a quick sale and your house continuing to sit on the market with little activity. Utilize the long Fourth [...]
Youve been watching the news, reading blogs and you know this is the perfect time for you to buy a piece of Apple Valley real estate. You want to do all the right things to get the best deal, and you know one of the first steps is to line up your financing.
To help you pick a mortgage that matches your goals and financial situation, heres an overview of three of the most popular mortgages available today.
If you plan on keeping your new Apple Valley real estate for more than 10 years and you dont expect your income to change, this is probably the loan for you. Although fixed rate loans charge a bit more interest, the rate will never change. This provides financial stability and the security of knowing what your monthly mortgage payment will be. By locking in the current low interest rates, youll save thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.
ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage)
With the ARM loan , the interest rate is usually very low at the beginning but can increase over time. If you plan on keeping your Apple Valley real estate for only a few years (up to 7) or you expect your income to increase, then this might be a better choice for you. If you expect your income to increase, an ARM loan can allow you to buy a more expensive home now. The drawback to this type of loan is that you do not know what your mortgage payment is going to be in the future; if the interest rate jumps dramatically, then so does your payment. A particularly popular ARM is the 5/1 ARM. The interest rate of a 5/1 ARM is fixed for a period of 5 years. In the 6th year, the loan becomes a typical Adjustable Rate Mortgage. So if you plan to own your home for less than 5 years, the 5/1 ARM may be your best choice.
FHA Mortgage
If your credit is a bit shaky, an FHA loan may be a good fit for you. The qualifying criteria for FHA loans are not as strict as for traditional mortgages. Also, because these loans are guaranteed by the FHA, lenders often allow you to provide a smaller down payment than they would allow for other types of mortgages. If youre in a time crunch, an FHA loan may not be right for you; processing times are typically longer than other types of loans because of the government paperwork involved.
If you have any questions about mortgages or need a referral to a lender, give me a call today at 760-961-4453 or email me at CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
.
What happens if you have a signed contract to purchase a piece of Apple Valley real estate and the appraised value comes in lower than your agreed upon purchase price? Unfortunately, thats happening more often these days.
Dont give up! It is possible to salvage the deal. Here are four options to consider, if you find yourself in this position:
#1: Ask the lender for a review of the Appraisal .
If you are aware of Comparable sales numbers or any other pertinent data that was not considered by the appraiser, provide that information to your lender and ask for a review of the appraisal. If problems are found with the first appraisal, ask your lender to order a second appraisal by a qualified real estate appraiser.
#2: Ask the seller to drop the price to reflect the appraised value.
The seller is in a difficult situation here. If you cannot get a loan because the house appraised for less than the agreed upon purchase price, you can walk away from the deal, as long as you have a Financing contingency in the contract. On the other hand, if the seller will not take less money now, most likely, this whole scenario will play out again the next time around. If the homeowner still needs to sell, he or she may be willing to drop their price to the appraised value.
#3: Pay the difference between the appraised value and the purchase price.
If youre willing to pay the difference between the appraised value and the purchase price, your lender will not protest. Lenders are more than willing to put deals through, as long as the lenders interests are protected. Only pay the difference if you are absolutely positive the Apple Valley real estate is worth the asking price, and youve exhausted all other options.
#4: Walk away from the deal.
You like the home or you would not have made an offer; however, there are times when the best option is to walk away. Buying Apple Valley real estate is not the time to let your emotions get in the way of sound financial judgment.
If youre ready to buy, I can guide you through the process of finding a home, negotiating a contract and getting an appraisal thatll match or beat the selling price. Please contact me at 760-961-4453 or CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
today to get started!
You dont have to sacrifice comfort to save energy this summer. Some improvements to your Apple Valley home will make your home more comfortable and save energy. Here are some examples.
If youre looking for a new home where you can be comfortable and save energy, give me a call at 760-961-4453 or email me at CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
.
In order to get the most buyers through your front door, youll need to do more than just stick a sign in the front yard. An aggressive and thoughtful marketing campaign can make the difference between a quick sale and your house continuing to sit on the market with little activity.
Utilize the long Fourth of July weekend to take the time to thoroughly market your Apple Valley home for sale by owner (FSBO).
1. Take a lot of Good photographs . You have to expect that buyers will look at your property online before they decide to take the time to visit it in person. Make sure you have a lot of photographs online and that they do your house justice. Take pictures from multiple angles in each room and choose the best ones. Also, if you have a great yard, make sure you show it off.
2. Make the most of your signage. Ensure your phone number is clearly visible. Also, check with your homeowners association and neighbors that live at busy intersections to find out if you can put a sign with an arrow pointing toward your house.
3. Put ads on every website you can. Most buyers start their search on the Internet, so make sure your Apple Valley home for sale by owner has a strong online presence.
4. Dont forget about print ads. Many buyers still look at newspaper Classifieds, so make sure your house appears there. You can often place large ads in smaller publications for relatively little money.
5. Host open houses . Not every location is especially suitable, but try it a couple of times and see how many people turn out. If youre getting good foot traffic, keep it up.
If you need help marketing your Apple Valley home for sale by owner, please call me at 760-961-4453 or email me at CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
for more information. And, have a fun and safe Fourth of July weekend!
When planning on moving from your current Apple Valley home, does it make the most sense to buy first or wait until your current property sells? There are a lot of factors that go into that decision. Hashed out below are the pros and cons of each, so that you can decide which factors are higher on your list of priorities.
Buy first if
Its the Apple Valley home youve always wanted. If youve absolutely found your dream house, you should consider buying it now even if your current house hasnt sold. You might regret it later if you let the opportunity pass you by. Just make sure the house is truly worth it.
Its too good of a deal to pass up. If youve researched the comparables and you know the home you want to buy is a great deal, then you should consider going ahead with the purchase. Waiting to sell might cost you more in the long run if you lose out on this bargain.
Theres more demand than supply. In a sellers market (not right now in most places), you wont need to worry about selling your property.
You have the money. Check with your real estate agent to find out how long its taking to sell homes comparable to yours these days. Then, do the math to determine if you have enough in savings to make the down payment on your new home and pay the mortgages of both homes while youre waiting for your current home to sell.
Sell first if
You want to get the most money for your home. If youre not in any hurry, youll be less tempted to take a lower offer. You also have Negotiating power . Its hard to hold firm on a price, if youre carrying two mortgages.
You can include a Contingency clause in your contract. Add a contingency that allows you to remain in your house until you close on a new property. It may be difficult to get the buyer to agree, but if they do, youll have plenty of time to find the perfect new house. This one may be very difficult to accomplish because you certainly do not want to lose a buyer in this real estate market just to be able to stay in your home longer.
You can handle moving twice. If you sell your home first, you can always live in a Short-term rental until you find your new place.
You dont want to be stressed about selling. The idea of carrying a second mortgage is enough to cause many people to reach for their blood pressure medication.
Give me a call at 760-961-4453 or email me at CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
, if you need help deciding the right timing to sell or buy a Apple Valley home.
With home prices nearing their bottom, now might be a great time to buy Apple Valley real estate as income property. Many more people will be looking to rent now that pre-approved mortgages are harder to come by. But, before you become a landlord, youll want to make sure your potential rental property wont remain vacant for long.
6 tips to help you evaluate your Apple Valley real estate investment:
1. Determine if your area has a strong rental market. See what kind of homes are for rent and track how long they remain vacant. If the same properties are listed week after week, it might not be the best area to Purchase a rental .
2. Get a feel for the stability of the population. Its good to find a rental property in a transient community because residents are less likely to purchase their own homes, and more likely to rent, if they know theyre only going to be there for a couple years. In particular, look for areas with military installations or colleges nearby.
3. Keep an eye on Craigslist and the local Classifieds. Track how many rentals are available at any given time, and get an idea of the size of houses most commonly listed. You wont want to be trying to rent a 1-bedroom house in a neighborhood that is full of young families.
4. Make sure your potential rental property is located in a good school district. Potential renters with children could be turned off by the quality of the local schools if they have a poor reputation.
5. Check around with local Property management companies . Theyll often have the best information about what sort of properties are the easiest to rent out. You can also check their websites to see the properties they have available.
6. Find a house thats in good shape. Would you live there? If not, either move on to a different property or immediately fix it up.
Owning a rental home can be a great investment. Do your homework, and purchase a home people will be clamoring to rent not one that continues to sit vacant.
If you have questions about purchasing Apple Valley real estate as income property, please call me at 760-961-4453 or email me at CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
for more information.
Here are five tips to help you identify the best Apple Valley real estate agent to get your home sold as fast as possible and for the most money.
1. Hire a full-time Apple Valley real estate agent . Part-time agents typically have less experience and fewer sold properties under their belts than full-time agents. Because part-time agents usually have another job, they dont have as much time to take care of your needs and market and show your home to potential buyers. Full-time agents have bigger networks they can enlist to help find a buyer for your home.
2. Find a skilled negotiator. A seasoned Apple Valley real estate agent understands the psychological nature of selling a home. They advise you during the Contract negotiations to ensure you get the best deal while alleviating your stress.
3. Pick an aggressive marketer . Without a well-implemented, far-reaching marketing program, your house will sit on the market these days. You want an agent who promotes your home both online and offline, in order to reach the greatest number of potential buyers. Simply having your home listed on Realtor.com is no longer enough of an online presence. You want your home showcased on multiple websites with a lot of professional photos and, ideally, a Video tour.
4. Choose an agent who knows your neighborhood . Each neighborhood has different pros and cons which must be promoted or overcome by the agent. An effective agent knows how to price your property because they know the local competition, which homes that have closed recently are similar to yours and how much theyve sold for.
5. Ask for Home staging services . Home staging is no longer a nice to have; its now a must have, if you want to sell your home for the most money in the least amount of time. Many agents are now professional stagers or have a home stager on their teams.
Choosing a powerful listing agent is your first step toward a successful home sale.
If youd like to work with an agent who is a skilled negotiator, an aggressive marketer, provides home staging services and works full time, give me a call today at 760-961-4453 or email me at CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
.
Summer time and the livin is buggy . But before you run and start spraying Pesticides , wait! Do you really want those nasty chemicals in your Apple Valley home, where you live, eat and breathe? Here are some non-toxic alternative methods to control bugs:
If you want more handy tips like these to use in your Apple Valley home, subscribe to my blog. Its free!
Whats the best thing about owning your Apple Valley home? Many people say its their yard. No matter your lifestyle, there are things you can do to improve your outdoor space and your quality of life. Here are a few ideas to help you get more enjoyment from your yard:
Day or night, there is nothing like having your own outdoor space. If youre looking for a new Apple Valley home with a yard you can make your own, call me at 760-961-4453 or email me at CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
.
The sound of birdsong is only one of the benefits of having birds frequent your Apple Valley real estate. Depending on the type of birds you attract, they may also reduce the insect pest population. Here are some ways to attract birds to your property:
If youre looking for Apple Valley real estate that has a nice yard for birds and humans, I can help. Give me a call at 760-961-4453 or email me at CathyAnne@goldpointrealty.com .
Sincerely,
Cathy Anne Carpenter
Gold Point Realty
CA DRE #
01115967
.