Guest Bloggers

Tips to Keep Your Dog from Ruining Your Home

by admin on February 3, 2012

Tips to Keep Your Dog from Ruining Your HomeOf course Fido is a beloved member of the family. He provides unconditional love, a protective presence, and an opportunity to teach your children a sense of responsibility, not to mention is an always-enthusiastic walking partner.

Tips to Keep Your Dog from Ruining Your Home

However, it’s important to make sure Fido doesn’t ruin one of your largest personal investments–your home. Here are three tips to make sure your favorite four-legged companions understand their place in the family pack and keep your home in tip-top shape.

Establish the ground rules.

Dogs are very smart animals; don’t let those sweet expressions fool you. They serve in the military, as service animals to those with disabilities, as therapy dogs to brighten the days of others in hospitals, nursing homes and schools, even as a “listening companion” to children who need extra help reading. With some training and ongoing reinforcement, they will certainly understand where they are and aren’t allowed to be within the family home.

Furniture - Do you want a couch companion or would you rather have your furniture fur-free? Before bringing home a pet, decide if they will be allowed on the furniture.

Room access - There may be certain areas of your home where your dog is not allowed, such as a living room with cream-colored carpeting or the spare bedroom where your guests would prefer their privacy instead of a welcoming committee.

Food and water bowl placement - It is reassuring for your pet to know where his or her food and water bowls are located. Depending upon their dining habits, it may be best to place these items on a surface that is easy to clean. If your dog happens to be a “slurpy” drinker, be sure to place the water bowl away from lower cabinet doors that could incur water damage.

Consider the great outdoors - No matter what type or size of dog you have, they will love to spend some time outdoors every day. This enables them to sniff out messages from their canine buddies, get some exercise to maintain their weight and burn off excess energy. They’ll probably enjoy a daily walk around the neighborhood or a good romp in the local park, but it’s expected they’ll spend time in your yard as well so they’ll need a tutorial on outdoor etiquette as well.

Designated potty area - The last thing you want is landmines all over the yard. Determine the best area in your yard for this important activity and reinforce the location with your pet. This will make cleaning up a much easier task. The same goes for salvaging your lovely green lawn; sometimes dog urine will burn the grass, resulting in unattractive yellow spots.

No digging allowed - Some breeds have an inherent desire to dig. This can be a huge problem because you don’t want massive potholes all over your yard. Don’t leave your digger unattended if he has this tendency; do some research on ways to tamper down this habit.

Sprinkler heads are not a food group - Especially for water-loving breeds or curious puppies, sprinkler heads may be a huge temptation. Don’t leave your pet unattended if he or she has tendency too much on these items.

Baseboards - If your dog enjoys lying against the wall, be sure to clean the baseboards on a regular basis; a Magic Eraser can help keep baseboards looking new if their coat leaves a residue or dirt. Be extra vigilant if your dog is teething; baseboards can be a tasty temptation.

Flooring - Dog hair can become embedded in carpeting, so regular attention to this area, whether it’s ongoing vacuuming or the occasional professional cleaning should be part of your home maintenance program.

Don’t Let Fido Ruin your Home!

Every member of your family knows the family rules and your dog is no exception. By training and reinforcing appropriate behavior and providing a consistent message to your pet, your home will remain attractive and filled with the love that a canine companion to bring to your life.

Article written by Kimberley Kelly a Palm Springs real estate agent. You can visit Kim’s site to search La Quinta CA golf homes, Palm Desert CA Golf homes, and Palm Springs CA Golf homes.

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Overcoming the Challenges of Selling a Home in the Winter

by admin on January 26, 2012

Overcoming the Challenges of Selling a Home in the WinterWinter is not peak home selling season by any means, but homes do sell in the wintertime, nonetheless.  Someone is always looking for a home, and just because it isn’t the most optimal time of the year to sell in terms of the number of buyers who are out-and-about house hunting, that doesn’t meant that you can’t sell your home at all.

This is partly to do with the changing times.  Spring and summer are historically the best times of the year to sell or buy a home, but since people are more mobile now than ever before, any season can be a good time to list your home for sale.  Waiting to spring, after all, means that there are more listings available, so there’s more competition for you to deal with.  Still, most would-be sellers and buyers who live or are looking to buy in colder areas of the country put an end to their efforts between November and the last of February!

Regardless of the temperature outside, however, people are always getting divorced, relocating for their job, or just deciding to purchase for other reasons.  And although there may not be as many people shopping for homes in the winter time or as many homes to shop for, the folks that are out there buying and selling are serious about doing so. They have an urgency to sell or buy, or they would not be looking this time of year.

Can sellers attract buyers to come in and have a look, when there’s very little natural light, the flower beds are dead, and there’s ice outside on the walkway?  Sure they can.  These tips will make your property look attractive to wintertime buyers:

  • A realistic price.  Some buyers are only buying in the winter because they know it’s the best time to snag a good price.  List your home at a price that is realistic to start with.  You don’t need to play around with the buyers this time of year, since they really are interested in buying.  You won’t need to worry with negotiating that much, so you can price your home for what you really want for it.  By pricing the home at what it’s really worth to begin with, you will get more people looking at the house and increase the chances that it will sell before springtime.
  • Use pictures of the home taken during sunnier days in the spring or summer when advertising.  Most folks can imagine the home better this way, even if the lawn and landscaping are not thriving at the moment.
  • Showcase your fireplace if you have one.  Now is the best time to build a fire to showcase the warmth and beauty of the fireplace, which can be a huge selling point in the winter.
  • Combat poor natural lighting by adding more lighting inside.  Clean the windows to allow what lighting is available outside to permeate the room better.  Hang light colored window treatments or sheers.  Replace your 40-watt bulbs with 75-watt bulbs (be sure the fixture allows for this wattage, first).
  • Work with your Realtor to devise more strategies to move your home quickly.  Chances are good that your realtor will be glad to work with a seller that is motivated to sell, and will have a few tricks up his or her sleeve to get the home sold as fast as possible.

This guest blog was provided by Allison Klein who specializes in helping sellers with their Fort Collins real estate listings. If you’re interested in learning more about Allison please check out her Loveland real estate and Windsor real estate pages.

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Using A Real Estate Agent To Buy A Home

by admin on January 16, 2012

Using A Real Estate Agent To Buy A HomeWhether you are a first-time homebuyer or not, purchasing a home can be an overwhelming process. And, it can also be very exciting and rewarding. It can be fun to think about how many bedrooms you would like in your future home?

How many bathrooms? What kind of flooring do you want? Are you completely set on a walk-in closet? What kind of floor plan are you seeking? Or, is the price of the home the most prominent factor?

Using A Real Estate Agent To Buy A Home

Asking yourself these types of questions can help you decide sometimes upon first glance if a home may or may not be right for you. Still, on average, buyers who have earnest intentions of buying may take up to six or eight weeks before they actually find and purchase the home that seems right to them. And, once you do find a home that seems to be “perfect,” many experts suggest that you still walk through it a few more times—even at different times of the day so as to assure that this one really is “perfect.”

Buying a Home – Real Estate Agents Save You Time

Working with a real estate agent will certainly save you time. If you really enjoy walking through countless open houses and spending lots of time looking online for your home, then maybe you don’t need an agent. However, if you are like most people, your time is limited, you kind of know what you are looking for, and an agent can really help you narrow your search and increase your chances for ultimate success.

A good real estate agent will gain a thorough understanding of what you are looking for, and then start sending you information about listings that match your hopes. They will preview those homes for you and evaluate if they are worth your visit. Often, real estate agents even know of homes that are “about” to come on the market, and they can help you get a first look and first opportunity at such homes that you would otherwise know nothing about.

Another thing to consider besides just finding the right home is the financial end of things. Real estate agents can send you towards a lender who can preapprove you while you are searching. Knowing how much money you have to work with will obviously help you narrow your search and will speed up the final purchasing steps.

Buying a Home – An Important Investment

Working with a professional real estate agent truly gives you an advantage. They are professionals in this field, and you (most likely) are not. Your agent can help you recognize overpriced listings, your agent knows neighborhood and school reputations in the area, your agents knows the reputations of builders, and your agent knows how to negotiate on your behalf with excellence.

Investing in a home is most likely the largest transaction that you will make in your lifetime. Paying a professional to help you with such an important purchase makes great sense. Real estate agents work for you, and when they help you reach your goals, they also reach theirs. It can be a great working relationship.

This guest blog was supplied by a Melbourne FL Realtor named Mitch Ribak. You can learn more about Mitch or search homes for sale in Palm Bay Florida and homes for sale in Port ST. John on his website.

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How To Secure The Best Interest Rates

by admin on January 13, 2012

How To Secure The Best Interest RatesEven today, people are still turning to loans to finance their housing mortgage needs. These mortgage loans can be easily accessible in the housing lending market. But, borrowers need to be cautious of interest rates being offered to them by various lenders.

How To Secure The Best Interest Rates

This will determine the difference between the initial amount you get to borrow, and the overall repayment that you will have to make. The following are some important tips to help you secure the best interest rates on loans:

Offer a Security

Although you can still qualify for some loans without offering security, it is advisable to apply for secured loans if you own some valuable assets. This will be enough to convince the lender you are dealing with that you really intend to honor your debt. This reassures them because the asset you pledge can be seized if you default the loan. This gives them more confidence in giving you access to the funds you need to purchase a home. Offering the lender a security can raise your chances of obtaining a home loan with a lower interest rate than if you applied without a security.

Have a High Credit Score

Credit scores are calculated by the separate credit reporting bureaus. Each bureau has its own way of measuring credit worthiness based on their own criteria. These scores are based on a person’s credit history. A high score is an indication that the consumer has a history of paying debts on time. It can also reflect the fact that these debts are paid down quickly as the debtor continues to make payments above the minimum payments due.

High credit scores tell lenders that the applicant can be trusted to pay mortgages on time. It also tells them that the borrower can be trusted to pay property taxes, homeowners insurance and other housing expenses on time. In order to maintain this high score, mortgage borrowers must continue make on time mortgage and other debt payments according to the agreed upon payment schedules.

Carry Out Quotes Comparison

By taking time your time and doing extensive research when searching for lenders, you will find a number of them offering various  types of loans. Different loan packages will offer different interest rates. It would be wise to compare quotes from various lenders, being sure to calculate points and closing costs, as well. By following these tips, you should be in a position to get into the best deal for the type of loan that you are applying for.

This will greatly help in lowering your cost of borrowing, which determines your monthly mortgage payments (PMI). Remember, it’s not as important to get financed for a home as it is to stay in your home. The only way to be able to stay in your home is to ensure that your interest rates are low enough for you to afford your monthly payments.

About the Author: Paula Henry of Sycamore Group Associates provides Fishers real estate services and providing information about Fishers Indiana Homes for Sale to those people searching Fishers Neighborhoods to buy or sell their home.

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There Is Nothing You Can’t Accomplish, Including Homeownership

by admin on January 8, 2012

There Is Nothing You Can't Accomplish, Including HomeownershipGeraldine Ferraro once said: “If you take advantage of everything that America has to offer, there is nothing you cannot accomplish”. This is a powerful statement that should be an American motto.

There are so many advantages in the US that many other countries don’t offer. One of them is the right of homeownership. As we know, this American Dream is achievable, as long as you have the right attitude and the proper tools. Homeownership is definitely something we can all accomplish.

Homeownership is an Investment

Buying a home can be a great investment, especially if you plan on living in or keeping the home for at least five years. This is because most of your monthly payments for the first five years gets absorbed by interest. That means that you are not really building any equity within that time. After about five years, your payments will start reducing the principal debt.

It is believed that the majority of us are not great at saving money on a monthly basis. Dr. Eli Beracha of East Carolina University, who co-authored a paper with Ken H. Johnson of Florida International University, said that, “buying a home is better than renting one, because the mortgage becomes a forced savings account.” He also added that, “people renting should invest in their savings.”

The research found that most of the people who do save money, do not invest it. And, those who invest in mortgages, don’t save money. Basically, he believes that paying a monthly mortgage is a way of saving money. You are building up equity, which can be turned into cash someday, if needed.

Making an Offer

Making an OfferOnce you find that perfect home, you will need to make an offer. The offer tells the seller that you are interested in purchasing the home, and let’s them know how much you would like to pay for it. When making an offer, you should consider the following:

  • The price should be in line with comparable prices.
  • The condition of the home. Will it cost you a substantial amount of money to make it livable?
  • How long has the home been on the market? If it’s been a while, the seller may be eager to sell at a lower price.
  • Make sure your offer is an affordable one. No matter how much you like the house, you need to ensure that you can afford the monthly payments.

The price you are offering should meet the comparable prices of the area. Comparables are houses sold recently in the same neighborhood with the same square footage and similar floor plans. Offers do get rejected. The seller is more likely to accept a fair market value offer. Your real estate agent will be able to give you comparable information and help you negotiate the offer.

Trustworthy and educated sources of information such as: Forbes Magazine (The Next Mortgage Crisis); Wall Street Journal (It’s time to buy that house); MarketWatch.com (Now might be the best time ever to buy a home) and JP Morgan Market Insights (Housing: a time to buy) suggest that there has never been a better time to buy a home. To invest in a home now will be a wise decision. The current housing market offers homes at the record-low prices, along with the lowest interest rates we’ve seen in decades.

This guest post was provided by Real Estate Merritt Island FL specialist Linda Hare of Tropical Realty, a real estate brokerage helping home buyers purchase Melbourne Florida real estate and some of the most fantastic Merritt Island homes for sale.

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What is shadow inventory?

by admin on January 5, 2012

Shadow InventoryShadow inventory is an inventory of homes entering the market as distressed properties with a discounted price. Data companies define shadow inventory in different ways.

What is included as shadow inventory?

When banks decide which of their properties to include in their shadow inventory reports, they use the following criteria:

  • Distressed – Any and all properties where the mortgage payments are more than 90 days overdue.
  • Foreclosures – All properties that are currently in foreclosure status, are placed in the shadow inventory.
  • REO – Properties that are real estate owned are also listed, as banks lose money everyday that these properties are not owned by a real mortgage holder.
  • Cured –  Cured loans are those that were over 90 days past due, but became current again within the past year. 70 percent of these are included because the banks believe that they will go into default again in the near future.

According to the report many parts of the country are experiencing a decrease in the shadow inventory. This is because banks are releasing the distressed properties into the housing market. The report states that it can take 45 months to clear the shadow inventory. This is seven months earlier than the peak estimate and three months longer than the estimate of a year ago.

How can the shadow inventory affect the real estate market?

Either the inventory will continue to get bigger and affect the housing recovery negatively or the inventory can be placed on the market. Placing them on the market for sale will definitely have an impact on housing prices.

There has been some major leeway made recently in the “months-to-clear estimates and liquidation rates” of shadow inventory. But, so many of these properties still exist, that it’s a little hard to actually see things getting better. Things are still uncertain as distressed homes stay tied up in foreclosure processes that seem to take longer, as more and more properties are added to the foreclosure lists.

Until servicers are able to come up wit a process that improves and speeds up the time it takes to liquidate these properties, the shadow inventory will continuously be a threat to the housing market’s stabilization.

Many believe that if the shadow inventory can be placed back into the market faster, this can an effect on housing prices now. The belief is that this will bring about housing recovery in a shorter period of time than originally expected.

Housing Market Optimism

Although experts are more positive than before, they are cautious about being so optimistic. With the current total volume being at about $384 billion, there has still been a drop in the amount of distressed home loans. In the third quarter of 2011, the number declined to its lowest level since November of 2008.

Even though the recovery phase of the foreclosure crisis may be still be years away, we can finally start to see the light. Balancing the supply and demand in the housing market will help to bring home prices back to normal. One way to speed this process along is by clearing away as much of the shadow inventory of distressed properties, as fast as possible. Then, and only then, will we start to see a speedier housing market recovery coming in our future.

Article provided by Kimberley Kelly a Realtor in Palm Springs, CA. You can get to know Kim by visiting her Rancho Mirage CA real estate website where you can also search Thermal CA real estate.

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