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Market Activity

We're one week in to December and snow is on the ground with more to come this weekend. The real estate market is typically slow in December and January due to cold weather and the holidays. During this time of the year, it is actually an excellent time for buyers to buy. Mostly, the houses on the market this time of year have sellers who are more serious about selling. And, what I laugh about often, it can be an ugly time for landscaping so if something looks nice now, just wait until Spring and Summer and you'll really like it!

We are starting to see interest edge up. Don't get me wrong......5% or 6% interest for a 30-year fixed mortgage is still outstanding, but under 5%, wow! Lower interest rates allow buyers to buy more house for the same money.

Our website has some buyer tips. Check it out...... www.CallChoiceRealty.com

Home Buyer course by City of Bloomington

I'm excited to once again volunteer my time to teach the real estate buying process with potential home buyers hosted by The City of Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development department. HAND has a wonderful program that covers the buying process, budgeting, insurance, and everything that goes along with home ownership.

In addition to learning a lot during the home buyer course, HAND also provides wonderful incentives for lower-income buyers who purchase inside the city limits. We currently have two wonderful homes that are move-in ready for lower income buyers having attended the home buyer course.

Call or email me for more details or visit HAND's website to learn more!

Holidays and Market

With the holidays quickly approaching, we typically see the real estate sales market slow down. We expect sales to remain somewhat slower through the holidays and into the first quarter of 2011. We are hopeful that we'll see an increase in activity come springtime.

If interest rates remain low, there should be no reason for buyers to remain on the fence. They will miss the opportunity and kick themselves for waiting. The only way we'll know when the best time to buy might be, is when it is past!

For those who already own, if you can reduce the interest rate by one point, you should consider refinancing to maximize your investment. I recently refinanced my mortgage. I saved enough on the monthly payment to pay for my electric bill.

Why wouldn't anyone want to take advantage of the low interest rates??

Fall Clean Up!

It's time to clean out those gutters! Don't delay! Doing routine maintenance helps keep your investment in good condition. And, if you didn't change the smoke detector batteries when the time changed, this is another good reminder! Be safe and take of your home. A little maintenance now helps prevent a lot of expensive maintenance later!

Election Day!

I sure hope all of you took time to go vote today. It is really important for us to cast our votes. If we don't vote, we really have no right to complain on decisions made. No matter what political party you support, it is important for citizens to be part of the system.

It will be very interesting to see results of the local, state and national ballots.

In a private survey I participated in recently, the school referendum was almost a 50/50. And, surprisingly, many parents were ones who were against it. In a conversation recently with some friends, we assumed we might see non-parents vote no and parents vote yes, but apparently, that isn't the case. I think this item will be a run to the end!

Market Activity