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Mary Jane Freeman
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    ABR®: Accredited Buyers Representative
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Archive for February 2009

Why You Shouldn’t List Your Home “For Sale by Owner”

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Homes for sale by owner, also known as FSBO listings, are properties that are listed without the aid of real estate agents. Some Greenville homeowners prefer to list their homes as for sale by owner thinking they will benefit or make more money from the sale of their home without the agent being involved. In most instances, having a Greenville real estate agent will be of greater worth to the individual than putting their home on the market as a for sale by owner listing.

One of the downsides of Greenville FSBO properties is homebuyers may not trust or take seriously the homeowner who is listing the home on their own. It is easy for Greenville buyers to recognize when a licensed professional real estate agent has been handling the property. Home buyers are much more trusting of real estate agents as they are knowledgeable about all aspects of the neighborhoods as well as the condition of homes in the Greenville area. Buyers who are searching for a Greenville home will also be comfortable knowing that they are dealing with a professional and not just any neighbor or home owner who listed their home as for sale by owner.

Selling your Greenville home can be complicated process and it helps to have a trusted real estate agent to perform most of the work that needs to be done. Greenville agents will take care of the scheduling, advertising, promotions, and legal contracts in order to make the transaction of selling your home secure. Another benefit of hiring an agent is the fact that they have access to the MLS and other useful resources to really get your home exposure on the market. Greenville FSBO listings don’t get advertised as well as homes that are listed through an agent. FSBO listings risk the chance of getting very little market exposure and very possibly having no success selling at all.

Why You Should Buy a Home Now

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

Many people are shying away from buying a home in Greenville, SC because of the current market conditions. However, because of the current market conditions, now is a great time to buy a home in Greenville, SC. If you are currently thinking to buy a home in Greenville, let’s take a minute to look at the market. Because of the economy, less people are buying houses, and this is putting the home sellers in a pinch. The inventory on the Greenville housing market is becoming larger and larger, thus supply is much greater than demand. Because of dropping market demand, Greenville sellers are lowering their initial asking price, or if they haven’t yet, they are much more willing to negotiate prices with those looking to buy the home.

Those looking to buy a home in Greenville also can’t overlook the lowering interest rates. As of February 1, 2009, a home buyer could get a 30 year fixed mortgage rate of 5.25%. These mortgage rates in combination with Greenville’s lowering house prices make buying a house more affordable now than the previous 30 years.

Also, potential Greenville homebuyers now have even more incentive to buy a home with the recent tax credit. If you are buying a home for the first time, you may be eligible for an substantial tax credit from the federal government. This tax credit can help you free up some extra cash in furnishing your new Greenville home or to help with some initially homeowner costs. This tax credit is in effort to further help those buying a home in today’s market, and helps strengthen your decision to buy a home now.

If you have any questions regarding buying a home in Greenville, please feel free to call or send an email.

Real Estate Appraisals – Helping You Get the Most for Your House

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

Whether you are buying or selling a home in Greenville, you become quite familiar with real estate appraisals. At least, you should become familiar with them. Greenville appraisals are important for both buyers and sellers in for many reasons. It ensures a buyer they are not overpaying for a property, while it allows sellers to know what price to expect the property to sell. When it comes to buying and selling Greenville real estate, people are expected to know nearly everything there is about property transactions, so why should appraisals be high on that list? It determines what price a property should be listed, which directly affects how much money you can make or give up for a Greenville property.

To understand why Greenville appraisals are important, you first have to understand what it is. An appraisal essentially develops an opinion of the value of real property, otherwise known as its market value. Appraisals are conducted by certified or licensed Greenville appraisers. They determine the actual price for which a property should sell on any given day. There are different types of appraisals, such as investment and liquidation values, but the most commonly used is market value. However, it’s important to note that the price at which a property sells does not necessarily have to reflect the Greenville market value given in an appraisal. The price can be higher or lower than the value depending on the situation.

Real estate appraisals are important for both Greenville buyers and sellers because of the huge financial impact involved for each. They are key for Greenville sellers because it gives them a number on which they can base their asking price. Sellers may assume their house is worth more than it really is because of the emotional connection to a Greenville property. When this happens, they tend to ask too much and houses may stay on the market for longer than they should. For buyers, getting a Greenville property appraised lets them know what they really should be paying for the house in comparison to the asking price.

If you are in the market to sell or buy a property, doing proper research on Greenville appraisals can end up making all the difference in your transaction. Ask your Greenville real estate agent about the benefits of getting an appraisal and for additional information on appraisals. They will be able to help you find the best appraiser in Greenville who can help you get the most for your property.

What is a Short Sale?

Friday, February 6th, 2009

With the past trouble of the economy, more and more Greenville residents are finding themselves in a financial bind. As more people are defaulting on their mortgage payments, we are seeing increasing numbers facing foreclosure. Although the short sale process in Greenville has been around for years, we are starting to have more homeowners apply to their lender for short sale approval on their homes. Well, what is a short sale anyway?

Those Greenville residents who know what a short sale is, or understand the process, know that the average time required to fulfill this process is anything but short. A Greenville short sale often comes before a foreclosure, and is defined as a sale of property that falls short of the balanced owed to the lender of the loan that secured the property. One of the main reasons a Greenville short sale process is so lengthy is due to the process of applying through the lender for the approval of a short sale. Many times, especially with the recent number of foreclosed homes and short sale requests, the Greenville lenders are overloaded.

Additionally, there are a number of certain criteria that the homeowner must meet before a Greenville short sale is approved by the lender. Many times a lender in Greenville will require proof that the seller has fallen on hard financial times by requiring a letter outlining why the seller cannot keep up with the mortgage payments. Greenville lenders aren’t excited about allowing foreclosures, but quite often they don’t have many choices.

When the short sale is approved and the Greenville home is sold, the bank takes the proceeds from the sale, and the seller does not. Although the home owner does not make any money through the short sale of the home, it is beneficial to the seller of the home to do a short sale if they are cash-strapped and facing a possible foreclosure. Also, a short sale typically will not affect one’s credit score as a foreclosure will. When the Greenville short sale process is closed, the credit report will show the transaction as ‘Paid-Settled’.

Although a short sale has some benefits to the seller, either way, it is a very difficult process. Whether buying or selling a short sale property, a Greenville real estate professional should always be consulted.

Market Recap

  • Avg. Sales Price: $147,900

  • Avg. Days on Market: 70

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