Are you wondering if now is a good time to buy a home?  IT IS!  Mortgage rates are at a new low this week – nationally averaging 4.57% for a 30-year mortgage and 4.07% for a 15-year mortgage.  When I bought my first house 21 years ago, I remember paying 2.5 points ($2,500) to get the rate down to 10%.  Talk about a buyer’s market – what an advantage to have the opportunity to buy a house with such a low cost of financing!   Not only are the rates low, but the house prices are great in Pocatello, Idaho.  Just this week, I am selling a cute brick home with over 2100 square feet for $89,900!  Don’t miss out on this fabulous opportunity to buy a home now.

Are you sitting on the fence trying to decide if you should buy a home now?  Wait no longer!  You only have until April 30, 2010 to have your real estate contract in writing to get the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers or the $6,500 tax credit  for existing home owners.   As long as the home you are purchasing is under contract by April 30th, you have through June 30th to close on the home.  If you are waiting because you think congress will extend the tax credit, don’t count on it!  The news out of Washington from the National Association of REALTOR’s is that congress isn’t going to extend the tax credit, so take advantage of it while you can.

The best news for you is that right now there are some great homes at great prices on the market in Pocatello, Idaho.  With interest rates still low (and projected to increase over the next few months) it’s a great time to get moving!   Call Jan Thomas at (208) 251-1970 at The Home Specialists in Pocatello, Idaho for a list of available homes in your price range.  You still have time to GET MOVING!

What does the real estate market look like for 2010 in Pocatello, Idaho?  I  am optimistic that this year will pick up from 2009 and be great.  With interest rates still low and home prices good, buyers and sellers, along with real estate professionals, think things look postitive.  What did happen in 2009?  The numbers are in for the Pocatello area and here’s what happened in single family home sales.  These statistics are taken from the Greater Pocatello Association of REALTORS (R) MLS.  There were 813 homes sold in 2009, which happens to be 157 less properties sold than in 2008.  The average price for a home in Pocatello area in  2009 was $144,409, which was down from $154,547 (the average price of a home sold in 2008).  The average days a property was on the market in 2009 was 123.  In comparing that to 2008, it is only 14 more days than the prior year.  Historically, 2007 was the year with the highest number of  homes sold in Pocatello.  There were 1267 single family homes sold that year.  The largest increase in price in the Pocatello market happened in 2005 with a 14% increase in the average home price.  In 2009, the average home price went down about 6% from the prior year.  That is a lot better than the national figure of a 13% decrease in house values for 2009.  The “experts” are saying that 2009 was the year of economic recovery and that in 2010 will be a year of growth in home sales.  Will 2010 be a good year for the Pocatello real estate?   Time will tell, but it looks like buyers are proceeding cautiously hoping to take advantage of the extended tax credit.  Sellers seem optimistic and buyers are starting to make decisions.  When buyers and sellers can agree on price, the real estate market will get moving!

As a seller in this competitive real estate market, the first impression your home makes on potential buyers is crucial!  Real estate professionals say it’s either home CONDITION or PRICE that makes the difference.  As I show homes to buyers, I’ve noticed a few items that make a difference to a positive home showing.  Some of these tips could help you sell your home sooner rather than later! 

First of all, do buyers want to come inside your home?  What can you do to improve the “curb appeal” of your home?  Many buyers drive by before a showing to see if they even want to go inside.  Clear out the overgrown bushes that block the view to a welcoming front entrance.  Stand at your curb and see what buyers see.  PAINT your front door, hang a pretty wreath and place a fresh doormat to welcome those buyers into your home.   

The next tip is to SIMPLIFY what’s in  your home!  Remember that buyers are looking for their FUTURE HOME.  Think about that as you stage your home for viewing.  If your dining room has been taken over by your kids video game system, clear it out and make it a dining room once again.   Clear out extra furniture and home decor.  Get a storage unit and fill it!  Too much stuff is a distraction to homebuyers.  They will be so busy looking at all your stuff that they can’t see your HOME.   Showcase your home, not your collections.  You are selling your house and it needs to be the focus.

Last, CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN your home!  A clean, fresh smelling home makes a great impression to home buyers.  It also leaves them with the idea that you’ve cared for your home and done the maintenance your home needed.  The cleaner your home is, the better impression it will make.  We all live busy lives, but take time to pick up, do the dishes, clean the fridge & stove, vacuum, clean the bathrooms and make your ‘home for sale’ a welcome place to visit – a place a potential homebuyer would like to live!  (If you can’t get the cleaning done yourself, then hire a professional.)  You’ve heard the adage, “you never have a second chance to make a good first impression”.  It’s true in home selling too.   Make that great first impression and get your home sold quickly!

Are you looking for a golf course property?  Well, check out this a charming ranch-style home on the Highland Golf Course in Pocatello.  This custom-built home at 329 Fairway Drive features an open kitchen/dining room with fireplace, large living room that looks onto the golf course, 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, and main floor laundry room and mud room.  This home also has a walk-out basement,  daylight windows, a huge family room all ready for you to enjoy the holidays with family and friends.  With 3500 square feet, this golf course property also boasts 2 separate storage rooms and a wonderful craft room. Walk onto the Highland golf course from your back door.  You must take a look inside this charming ranch-style home!  Call Pocatello REALTOR(R) Jan Thomas at (208) 251-1970 for your private showing.

Are you waiting to buy a home in Pocatello, Idaho?  Well, I’ve got plenty of reasons you shouldn’t wait any longer!    There are over 541 homes on the market in the Pocatello area right now.  With so many homes to choose from, low interest rates hovering at 5%, and the extended/expanded homebuyer tax credit, it’s a wonderful time to make a move.   Just looking at the Pocatello market today, there are over 80 homes under $100,000 and nearly 200 homes priced between $100,000-$150,000.  If you’re a first time homebuyer and wondering if your should rent or buy – BUY!  There’s lots of great homes to choose from.  If you are ready to move up into a larger/nicer home, there’s 100 homes from $150,000-$200,000, 90 homes from $200,000-$300,000 and 60 homes above $300,000.  There are many homes in every price range right here in the Pocatello.     In this buyers market, many home sellers are just waiting for an offer and they are ready to deal.

There’s good news if you want to take advantage of the 1st time homebuyer tax credit!  Congress has EXTENDED the 1st time homebuyer tax credit and they’ve also expanded it to include current homeowners who want to sell their home and buy a new one.  As a first time homebuyer, you now have until April 30, 2010 to get the $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit.  (You can also take advantage of this tax credit if you haven’t owned a home within the past 3 years.)

Congress has EXPANDED the tax credit to include current homeowners who wish to sell their existing home and buy a new one!  For your home to be eligible, you have to have lived consecutively in your home for 5 of the past 8 years.  The tax credit for existing home owners is $6,500.  That’s great news for current homeowners who are ready to move.  As long as there is a written contract to purchase a new home by April 30, 2010, you have until July 1, 2010 to complete the sale.  

If you are looking to take advantage of the homebuyer tax credit and want to move in Pocatello or Chubbuck, Idaho, give Jan Thomas a call at (208) 251-1970.