First time buyers… excited to find a good deal, afraid of overextending themselves, confused by all the conflicting reports about real estate.  Well, that might describe any or all buyers right now, but those making their very first purchase may feel elevated levels of all these emotions.  It helps to have someone offer you some guidance.

Don’t be afraid to make your move now, regardless of what you’ve been hearing about the market.  With affordability so high, you’ll find a flurry of activity out there, so you’re not alone in making the right decision to begin your home search.

Just try not to exercise excessive caution, or you may suffer what has been termed “paralysis by analysis.”  Your real estate representative will present you with all the facts and figures you need, and help you to interpret the data so that you can make a sound choice.

Now is not the time to vacillate about whether prices or interest rates will still drop.  There is nowhere to go now but up.  If rates rise to 7.5% (still historically low), the home’s price would have to be reduced nearly 20% to offset the difference in monthly payments.

Set aside your uncertainties.  Chat with an agent who can help you determine your financial footing, and show you an inventory of well-suited homes matched to your particular goals.

For responsible service in all your

Real Estate needs call, Judy Kivela 406-491-5777

Taxpayers in high property-tax states all over the country are fighting back, including packing up and moving to states where the property tax burdens are lower.

They find it particularly galling that tax bills continue to rise as home values decline, a common phenomenon. A recent survey by the National League of Cities reported that 25 percent of municipalities raised property taxes in 2009 to replace declining revenues.

In New Jersey and New York, voters threw incumbents they viewed as tax-and-spend officials out of office. In Michigan, there have been so many tax appeals that the tax court has 24,000 pending cases.

Some observers like Ted Lanzaro, a certified public accountant who handles taxes for clients in Connecticut, predict that people are running out of savings and some are simply going to stop paying taxes.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, M.P. McQueen (03/06/2010)

Even though it may sometimes seem like it, home building and design trends are not conjured up using a crystal ball. They are the result of surveys, observations, lifestyles, socioeconomic issues, entertainment, technology, and most importantly, the needs and desires of buyers.

Here are some of the national and Butte homes trends to expect in 2010.

Green is growing.

A study conducted by Burst Media in late December, 2009, found that 90 percent of Web users surveyed have incorporated some aspect of going green into their lives, and overall, they are willing to pay a premium for environmentally friendly products.

Homes are getting smaller.

For 2010, home builders say they will focus on lower-priced and smaller homes. More than 95 percent of home builders surveyed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in January said that was the way they saw their businesses evolving.

Single-story homes are in.

Because of the rise in homebuyers who are 55 years of age and older, more single-story [Butte] homes are being purchased. According to NAHB, barely over half of new homes today are built with two stories or more. Two-story homes peaked at about 55 percent of the market in 2006.

Lower cost, more practical homes are being purchased.

In an attempt to respond to consumer demands for practicality, as well as hold the line on prices, home builders surveyed by NAHB are most likely to include these features as standard in their houses this year:

• Walk-in closets in the master bedroom
• Laundry rooms
• Insulated front doors
• Great rooms
• Energy-efficient windows
• Linen closets
• Programmable thermostats
• Energy-efficient appliances and lighting
• Separate shower and tub in master bathrooms
• Nine-foot ceilings on the first floor

Here are the features builders said they are least likely to add to houses in 2010. You’ll notice a lot of the items being eliminated are luxury features, as builders try to lower costs.

• Outdoor kitchens
• Outdoor fireplaces
• Sunrooms
• Butler’s pantries
• Media rooms
• Desks in kitchens
• Two-story foyers
• Multiple shower heads in the master bath
• Smaller kitchens

Want to buy one of the new Butte homes in 2010? Call me today at 406-491-1234 or email me at judy@montana.com to get started.

Links:

Study conducted by Burst Media

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=120962

National Association of Home Builders

http://www.nahb.org/

Energy-efficient windows

http://www.efficientwindows.org/

I can hear you now, “Oh, no! Not another article on curb appeal to sell my Butte home!” To which I reply, “Oh, yes.” One more time around the block, but this time, we’re doing it in style.

The 21^st Century Curb

Curb appeal is that thing you do to pretty up the outside of your Butte home. It’s the landscaping, the painting and the checking of the little details. However, many home sellers (and real estate agents, for that matter), don’t take into account that the curb nowadays isn’t just the view from the front of your house. In the 21^st century, the “curb” starts right here on the Net.

Your online home listing has only three seconds – three short moments of time – to catch a potential buyer’s eye and turn them into an interested party. Unfortunately, it’s hard not to be biased or become used to the problems and eyesores your home may have. Because first impressions are so crucial and the housing market is glutted with competition, you have to bring it up a notch to get your home sold.

The Right Perspective

Most real estate agents park across the street, when they’re showing a home. So, to get the same perspective of your home as potential buyers will have, walk to the other side of the street and stand where potential buyers might stand. Go ahead; walk over there.

Once you’re on the other side of the street, turn around and look at the house for a few seconds. Most buyers don’t look for very long, so don’t stare, just glance. Then, as you slowly walk back to the house, keep your focus close, no more than a few feet out. What are you seeing?

• Yard ornaments
• Plain façade
• Obstructed pathway to the door
• Driveway stains
• Yard tools
• Leaves

These are just a few things that might be detracting from the beautiful home you have to sell. Take one last look around – a long, searching look from the front door – and see if anything stands out. If it does, fix it up!

The Virtual View

Once you think you have your home’s curb appeal perfected, create a video of it for your potential buyers. Take a video camera across the street and start from there. Give your buyers a virtual tour of your Butte home, using your curb appeal to its (and your) best potential. Online IS the new curb – use it!

When you hire me as your real estate agent, I’ll create a professional virtual tour of your home, including its curb appeal. Your virtual tour will appear on key real estate websites giving your home maximum exposure with a 24/7, world-wide virtual open house.

Give me a call today at 406-491-1234 or email me at judy@montana.com for more information.

Keyword/Tag: Butte

Landscaping

http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/index.html

Eyesores

http://www.simplyjen.com/2009/05/are-you-immune-to-your-homes-eyesores.html

Video tour

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_tour

Saving money and going green are both hot topics right now. So, I’m sure you’ve already heard the tips to turn off water while brushing your teeth, turn off TVs and computers and swap out old light bulbs for the new energy-saving versions.

Here are 10 new ideas to help you save money and make your Butte home greener.

1. Swap stuff. There are hundreds of online sites where you can get furniture, books, CDs, DVDs and even a place to stay for free by swapping stuff with other people. And, I’m not just talking about Craigslist. Two of the most popular and easy to use swap sites are Paperbackswap.com and SwapaDVD.com.
2. Recycle your cell phone. According to the EPA, if the 100 million cell phones no longer being used by Americans were recycled, enough energy would be saved to power more than 18,500 homes for a year. Give your cell phone back to its manufacturer or donate your cell phone to charity.
3. Recycle other electronics. Keep old TVs out of landfills by taking them to a safe e-cycling facility. Return iPods to Apple for recycling or sell them for parts. Take e-waste to stores like Best Buy and Staples that have recycling programs. You’ll save money by not having to pay to dispose of the electronics.
4. Wait until May to buy a new TV. New government standards take effect May 1, 2010. Energy Star-labeled televisions will be at least 40% more efficient than comparable models — a significant savings.
5. Eat foods that are in season. It’s healthier, less expensive and better for the environment. Oh, and one more big plus: the food tastes so much better!
6. Install a water filter. Bottled water isn’t any healthier than tap water, and all that plastic waste is terrible for the environment. It’s also expensive! If you use a water filter in your [Butte] home, you can get great-tasting, clean water while reducing your waste and saving money.
7. Turn down your water heater. You won’t notice the temperature change, but your water heater won’t work as hard and won’t use as much energy.
8. Plant a vegetable garden. If you don’t have the space to plant a garden, plant a tree or put some plants outside. Find vegetables and plants that grow well in your area for the best results. Ask your local garden center for that information.
9. Use green cleaners. There’s no reason to use harsh chemicals to clean your home. Use biodegradable cleaners that are safe for the environment or make your own green cleaners. Use old towels and T-shirts instead of disposable wipes and paper towels to cut down on waste and save you money.
10. Check your insulation. Adding insulation to your home will cost money initially, but you’ll quickly earn it back plus more by saving long term on your heating and cooling bills. Skeptical? Start out by insulating your attic and keeping track of your energy savings. It averages out to about $116 a year in savings.

Want more tips to save money and make your Butte home greener? Subscribe to my blog now. It’s free and easy.

Links:

Swap stuff

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/53/how-to-find-free-stuff.html

Donate your cell phone to charity

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_news/16/four-ways-to-give-to-charity-by-recycling-your-cell-phone.html

Eat foods that are in season

http://www.eattheseasons.com/

Make your own green cleaners

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/54/raid-your-pantry-for-nontoxic-cleaners.html

Nothing will turn off a potential buyer quicker than an offensive odor in your Butte home for sale. It may make them think you don’t take care of your home. At the very least, the odor will interfere with their ability to picture themselves in your home. Take the time to remove odors from your home.

Here are 5 tips to make your home smell fresh and clean:

1. Clean your carpets. Your carpets are fibers that absorb odor. Have your carpets cleaned by a professional to remove odors stuck in the carpet and pad. Another option is to rent a carpet cleaner and clean them yourself.
2. Paint. Sometimes odors like smoke can be trapped in your walls. A fresh coat of paint will not only brighten your room, it can seal the walls and mask the offending odors. Just choose a neutral shade and paint at least two coats.
3. Open your windows. Open the windows to let in fresh air. This will also help eliminate odors from your home.
4. Replace your attic insulation. Cooking odors can rise to the ceiling and get trapped in your attic insulation. The only way to remove that odor is to remove the insulation and replace it. If at all possible, do this before you put up your [Butte] home for sale.
5. Light candles and bring in air fresheners. If all else fails or as an extra precaution, place candles or air fresheners in each room. Choose light scents that won’t overpower the room. You just want enough fragrance to lightly mask odors.

Get your home in its best shape possible to convince a buyer to purchase your home. Let me help you prepare your Butte home for sale. Call me today at 406-491-1223 or email me at judy@montana.com

Links:

Remove odors from your home

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/removinghomeodors

Clean your carpets

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/floorcarpetcleaning

Replace your attic insulation

http://www.ehow.com/how_4797877_replace-attic-insulation.html

From national and Butte real estate to the U.S. economy, the predictions for 2010 are in. Like any predictions, they vary from somewhat bright and cheery to doom and gloom:

CNBC’s Realty Check predicts:

• the beginning of a housing market recovery mid-year
• higher foreclosure inventory
• rising mortgage rates, probably leveling off around six percent.
• suffering commercial real estate

The National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) chief economist is projecting:

• A sustainable recovery. The tax credit expansion will help to relieve extra housing supply through mid-2010.
• A rise in existing home sales. The NAR is expecting existing home sales to rise as high as 5.69 million, even with continuing unemployment issues. That’s a 13.6 percent increase.

In fact, the U.S. forecasts for national and Butte real estate are overall positive for 2010.

Housing Predictor, one of the first places to predict the wave of foreclosures, also forecasts positive numbers for 2010. They anticipate rising home sales, market improvement and even value appreciation for some places. Again, the magic period for the start of stabilization is the middle of the year.

Although no one knows for certain what will happen in the future – especially for such struggling sectors as national and [city] real estate – we can all gain a little hope from the 2010 forecasts. There is one thing that is fairly well agreed upon according to these predictions: there will be a real estate recovery in 2010.

If you’re struggling to sell your home, I can help. Call me at 406-491-5777 or email me at judy@montana.com for more information.

Realty Check

http://www.cnbc.com/id/34110130

Existing home sales

http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/11/hopeful_leading

Housing Predictor

http://www.housingpredictor.com/better.html

Everybody wants to know how the housing market is doing, especially if they own Butte real estate. I try to keep the newsy pieces to a minimum and spend most of my Internet space on helpful pointers, but a lot of readers have asked about the market. In response to high demand, here’s a peak at the current national foreclosure trends:

Foreclosure Trends

It’s a wonderful thing to own any kind of real estate (although I’m partial to Butte real estate, of course). Unfortunately, many people have lost their homes due to foreclosure since the housing crisis started; there have been over 7.8 million since 2007. California, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois and Michigan have been topping the count for foreclosures, adding up to 62% of the nation’s foreclosures.

California’s numbers reached 349,435 foreclosures last month, and it was feared that those numbers might escalate. However, there’s some good news there. Even though homeowners are still teetering, lending institutions are caving in under government pressure to work with those homeowners. For that matter, they may even be working with the government to stem the deluge of foreclosures.

HousingPredictor.com conducted a survey of homeowners that shows we may have as many as 25 million foreclosures before everything is said and done, mainly due to homeowners who are tired of watching housing prices fall. Such a glut of the market could cause some serious repercussions for the economy. However, again, there are some positive points.

For instance, current mortgage interest rates are ranging from as low as 4% to 5.5%, cut almost in half from the “housing boom” years. While housing prices may be dropping, the fall is slowing down. As well, lower prices mean more affordable homes. While this may not be a good thing for homeowners, it’s an excellent thing for home buyers.

As prices drop and homes become more affordable, the glutted housing market of foreclosed and for sale homes is slowly shrinking. As the reserve market (the number of houses per capita that are for sale) shrinks, consumer confidence will build up (something we desperately need). Housing demand will rise, surplus will shrink, and prices will stabilize.

Of course, in the meantime, while you’re waiting for things to stabilize, hold on to your Butte real estate. Take advantages of the tax breaks available to upgrade your existing property, maybe get the renovations done you’ve always wanted. There are still opportunities in this market – you just have to find them!

If you’re a buyer looking for a great home, act now to find amazing bargains. I can help. Call me at 406-491-5777 or email me at judy@montana.com for more information.

Links:

Stem the deluge

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-foreclosures21-2009oct21,0,5605171.story

HousingPredictor.com

http://www.housingpredictor.com/epidemic.html

slowing down

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a6f3TaKJxPAQ

There are many different ways to update your Butte home to make it more eco-friendly.

• In your Butte home, install ceiling fans and thermal windows. Ceiling fans are low energy, cost effective ways of cooling your home without using the air conditioning. Thermal windows offer insulation from outside heat and cold.
• Use foam caulking around any cable lines or cords leading to an exterior wall. This will provide insulation against temperature changes.

• In the winter (or in climates that are cool year round), use the natural sunlight during the day. Opening the drapes and allowing the sun to come in decreases the amount of energy needed to light and heat your home. Closing the drapes at night adds another layer of insulation against temperature changes.
• Installing motion sensors on your light fixtures may help to decrease energy usage as well. The lights will shut off automatically when not in use.
• Use a power strip that has an on/off switch. These power strips can be used for video games, stereos, DVD players, and other items that are not in use on a constant basis. Turning off the switch when they are not in use saves energy.

If you’d like to buy an eco-friendly home, I can help. Call me at 406-491-5777or email me at judy@montana.com for more information.

Links:

Thermal windows: http://www.thermalwindows.com/

Foam caulking: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_sealing

Motion sensors: http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/security/question238.htm

More festive candles are used in your Butte condo during the holidays than at any other time of year, so it’s important to review the safety rules. Here are few tips to keep your condo safe:

Candle Placement Preparation

It may sound silly, but you need to prepare before you light that candle. First figure out where you want to place the candle in your Butte condo.

• Find a heat resistant surface.
• Make sure there aren’t any books, papers, curtains, or bedding nearby.
• Watch out for flammable holiday decorations.
• Keep the candle away from windows and vents, and check for signs of a draft.
• Place the candle where children and pets can’t reach and where it isn’t likely to be bumped into.

Getting Ready to Light the Candle

• Before burning the candle, review the manufacturer’s instructions. Most recommend that the wick be trimmed to ¼ inch before lighting.
• Make sure to use only approved candle holders. Using an unapproved glass holder could cause it to burst and send glass everywhere.
• Place candles at least three inches apart so the additional heat doesn’t cause them to melt improperly.

Burning the Candle

Now that the candle is lit, make sure to never leave it unattended.

• Watch the candle to see if it smokes or flickers a lot. This could be a sign that the candle isn’t burning properly.
• Leave about two inches of wax when you extinguish the candle. Most manufacturers recommend that you don’t burn the candle all the way down.

Putting the Candle Out Safely

The safest way to put out a candle is with a candle snuffer.

• Don’t use your fingers or blow out the candle; the flame may travel and cause a fire.
• Never use water to put out a candle; the wax may splatter and burn you.
• Wait until the wax is cooled before you move the candle.

Candles are a beautiful way to decorate for the holidays in your Butte condo. By following these simple safety suggestions, you can help to ensure that your holidays are happy and safe.

If you’d like to be in a new condo before the next holiday rolls around, I can help. Call me at 406-491-5777 or email me at judy@montana.com for more information.

Links:

Heat resistant: http://www.candle-safety.org/

Candle holders: http://www.ehow.com/articles_4355-candles-candle-holders.html

Candle snuffer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candle_snuffer