Winterizing the Home

As you prepare for winter, don't forget to unhook the garden hoses to prevent busted pipes and close the crawlspace vents. It's also a good time to change the furnace filter and clean the outside dryer vent opening.

Your home is probably the biggest investment you'll make. It's very important to maintain your investment so it will appreciate. For a checklist of home maintenance, email a request to: Lori@CallChoiceRealty.com.

Back from Convention with lots of news!

Not only was it a beautiful city being in San Diego, but we were also blessed with gorgeous sunshine, good food and friendly people! The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) provides a great deal of information and education to help us in our local markets and I look forward every year to attend the annual conference.

As the Bloomington Multiple Listing Service Corp. (BMLS) President-Elect, I focused much of my studies on the tools available to REALTORS and the ever-changing technology used by REALTORS and Consumers. While the MLS is a tool for REALTORS to share information and cooperate with one another, we often forward the listing information on to the consumers so they can also view and research listings in the marketplace.

If you follow our public website, www.homefinder.org, you know it was down for a short period. We are happy to report the website is back up and better than ever! You can find listings on that website as well as my own website, www.CallChoiceRealty.com.

Home Buyer Tax Credit Update!

We have good news to report! The Senate passed the tax credit bill 98-0 yesterday while the House passed the tax credit bill 403-12 today. The bill is on its way to the White House for the President to sign into action!

The new bill means first time buyers could receive $8,000 for purchasing a house by 4/30/10 (extends to 7/1/10 if under contract by 4/30/10) and current homeowners (those owning for past 5 out of 8 years) could receive $6500.

For more information, email me: Lori@CallChoiceRealty.com.

Real Estate Market Improves!

Although Bloomington/Monroe County has not experienced the troubling times in the real estate market like many places around Indiana and the U.S., we are seeing major improvements when viewing the national stats.

According to the National Association of REALTORS, pending home sales have increased for seven straight months! That is the longest series of the index which began in 2001.

I believe the First-Time HomeBuyer Tax Credit of $8,000 (which will expire on November 30, 2009 unless Congress passes a new or extended bill) has played a huge role with the market improvements. Over 50% of my business this year has been directly related to that credit. We'll be watching closely to see what happens with Government. The REALTORS are strongly encouraging congress to extend (and expand) the bill.

First-Time Buyer Tax Credit

While September was somewhat quiet, we are expecting October and November to be fairly busy due to the looming deadline of the buyer tax credit. Many people are lobbying to get the Government to extend and amend the tax credit but with no promises yet, prospective buyers should not sit on the fence and wait!

We are seeing more difficulties and delays with financing and closings than ever before so buyers should be under contract within the next couple of weeks if they expect to close prior to the deadline of Nov. 30th.

Interest rates are very low and inventory is good so when adding the tax credit, there really has been no better time to purchase real estate! Call or e-mail me today for a buyer consulation.

List, Sell.

I received a newsletter from a Realtor friend of mine, David Brenton. He had a note about speeding up your sale and I thought you'd find these tips to be helpful!

1. Trust your agent to set the right price. A correctly priced home will always draw attention.
2. Get your house market-ready before you begin showings. Encourage your family to keep it in showing condition!
3. The more frequently your home is shown, the faster you will find a buyer. Keep your home staged in order to accommodate short notices.
4. Decide in advance what price and conditions you will find satisfactory.
5. Don't refuse to lower your asking price. Consult with your agent often.

September, already?

I can't believe August has flown by and September is already underway! August was a very busy month for the rental market, having major turnover prior to school starting up again. We are still processing the paperwork that goes along with it, but it's time now to focus again on sales so we can assist people in buying and selling houses prior to snowfall!

We typically see a surge in sales between Labor Day and Halloween. It's a period the falls after summer vacations end and before the holidays hit. Interest rates are still very appealing and inventory is well-rounded with over 600 available listings priced between $50,000 & $500,000.

And, keep in mind that the first-time buyer tax credit ends 12/1/09. That means buyers need to have a contract in process in November in order to get closed by 11/30/09. If you qualify, don't let this $8,000 opportunity pass you by!

Email me today to schedule a Buyer Consultation! Lori@CallChoiceRealty.com