Questions and Answers
Friday, August 19th, 2011
Your home’s curb appeal can sometimes make or break a sale. What can you do? Below are a few easy and inexpensive steps.
- Clean up flower beds by weeding. Trim and prune shrubs. For a high-end look, add mulch.
- Invest in pots. Pots filled with attractive plants can make an entrance classy and a patio or deck inviting.
- Install landscape lighting, on the path to the front door and perhaps other areas of interest in the front yard.
- Replace the mailbox with a newer one…you may also plant flowers to decorate its base.
- If you have a bigger budget, consider replacing the front door. Studies have shown a 100% return on your investment.
- And, as always, keep your grass well manicured. Mowing, edging, and trimming along with fertilizer and proper watering create a fantastic first impression.
I hope these few tips help you as you get ready to put your home on the market. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for answers to other questions you may have. Helping you sell your home is my first priority. Together, we will make it happen.
Tags: Ogden is a great place to live, sell a home in Ogden UT, Selling a home in Ogden
Posted in Home Improvement, Homes for Sale, Questions and Answers, Selling a Home | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
Yesterday was a great day…watching new homeowners open the door to their new home for the first time!
They were qualified from their lender before they started looking, they knew what price range they could afford and they knew where they wanted to live. They reviewed a list of homes to look at and picked out four. They were searching for a home with a play area for their young children.
It all started on a memorable Saturday night in June. My husband was the chaufeur and, of course, this home was the last one on the tour. It was exciting because when we drove up, we all could “feel” the warmth and love radiating from this home. Once inside and down the stairs, we saw the “funnest” and most adorable playroom ever. One whole room was devoted to children with a ladder leading to a loft and a slide as an exit. It was perfect!
The offer was written, accepted and closed without a problem. Best of all, for me, was being a part of the process and being able to see smiling faces. THANKS for letting me serve you!
PS~They were also able to take advantage of the very low interest rates and the inventory of affordable homes on the market.
Tags: Buy a home in Ogden area, Buy a home in the Ogden area, first-time homebuyers, Housing Market, low interest rates
Posted in Buy a House, Financing, First Time Home Buyers, Questions and Answers | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 20th, 2011
Below is a great article for helping make the big decision to move…let me know what you think.
http://lowes.inman.com/newsletter/2011/07/20/news/147570
It is a great time to buy or sell a home in Ogden Utah…where the livin” is fun–no matter what time of year–indoors or out!
Tags: Buy a home in Ogden, Buy a home in Ogden area, Buying a home in Ogden UT, sell a home in Ogden, sell a home in Ogden UT, Selling a home in Ogden
Posted in Buy a House, Financing, First Time Home Buyers, Housing Market, Mortgages, Questions and Answers, Real Estate Agent | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
First time home sellers have a lot to consider when they list their home. It’s a whole different process and many things to go over before listing. Experienced sellers would love to be able to share the following 3 tips with you.
- Price your home realistically from the start. Price your home competitively right from the start. The largest number of showings will happen in the first two to three weeks of listing your home. The MLS (Multiple listing service) and the internet tend to drive the majority of showings and the majority of buyers are now doing their shopping on line. How you style your price is also important. A home selling for $155,000 is in a different parameter than a home selling for $150,000.
- Be prepared to lose some money. The truth is that your house is worth what buyers are willing to pay and no more. Many home sellers should be prepared to lose some money or hang onto the home until the price rises. Be aware of the agent that promises big profits & who doesn’t use comps. Study sales prices and not asking prices.
- Promote your home effectively. How do you plan on reaching the home’s target market? You have to consider who your most likely buyers are for what you’re selling and cater to that group of people. You need to effectively access the networks your buyers are tapping into to find their next home. One new example of this high tech marketing is the use of barcodes that allow smart phone users to have access to property information. You will also need to use a lot of good photos reflecting your home at it’s very best.
People are still selling and buying their homes, it is up to you to price your home right, make it show well and make sure it is being marketed at its very best!
Tags: sell a home in Ogden, sell a home in Ogden UT, Selling a home in Ogden
Posted in Homes for Sale, Housing Market, Questions and Answers, Selling a Home | 1 Comment »
Monday, June 20th, 2011
Local Housing Market in the Top of Utah
Homes in Weber, Davis & Morgan counties have had declining prices and shrinking inventory. This has been reported from the Northern Wasatch Association of Realtors comparing data for April 2011 & 2010. The drop in prices is because of bank foreclosures and sellers who are increasingly motivated to engage in short sales and are willing to negotiate with buyers in the soft housing market. The prices may be down, but these counties have fewer homes to choose from. In Davis County, home sales were down 19.9 percent in April and inventory was down 32.7 percent in Morgan County. Homes were also on the market 38 percent longer in Davis County and 14.4 percent longer in Weber County in April.
The availability of a federal tax break makes Northern Utah a home buyer’s market. For example, a home owner would pay taxes on $45,000 of income, if a homeowner makes $50,000 a year and pays $5,000 in mortgage interest. The national mortgage interest rate has been lowered to 5.11 percent on a 30-year fixed mortgage also is a great benefit to buyers. Also new home construction is starting progress now that the weather is getting better.
Tags: Buy a home in Ogden, Buying a home in Ogden UT, great time to buy in Ogden, Housing Market, low interest rates, Real Estate in Ogden, sell a home in Ogden UT, Selling a home in Ogden, Tax Credits
Posted in Builders, Buy a House, Financing, First Time Home Buyers, Homes, Homes for Sale, Housing Market, Questions and Answers, Real Estate, Selling a Home | No Comments »
Thursday, December 30th, 2010
FIRST IMPRESSIONS MATTER! What remodeling jobs will yield the greatest return for your dollar?
- Entry Door Replacement–the cost is about $1218 and the resale value about $1243 which means a 102% cost recoup.
- Garage Door Replacement–the cost is about $1291 and the resale value about $1083 which means a 83.9% cost recoup.
- Siding Replacement–the cost is about $13,382 and the resale value about $10,707 which means a 80% cost recoup.
- Kitchen Remodel–the cost is about $21,695 and the resale value about $15,790 which means a 72.8% cost recoup.
- Deck Addition–the cost is about $10,973 and the resale value about $7986 which means a 72.8% cost recoup.
So, if you are short on cash, the easiest and least expensive and best return on your money is to replace your front door. How impressive is that?
Information for this blog taken from NAR Realtor Magazine, January 2011, page 34.
PS~-If you are buying a home in Ogden or surrounding areas, contact me to help make your home buying process successful!
Tags: Buy a home in Ogden, Buy a home in Ogden area, Buying a home in Ogden UT, home improvements, remodeling your home
Posted in Home Improvement, Questions and Answers, Selling a Home | No Comments »
Friday, December 10th, 2010
Here are some helpful Spam Tips I wanted to share.
- Guard your email address. Don’t give it out to anyone you don’t know.
- Don’t open spam. If you don’t recognize it, don’t open it or unblock it.
- Don’t reply. Once you reply to a Spam e-mail, you have just confirmed for the spammer the legitimacy of your e-mail address.
- Opt Out. When you are purchasing something online or signing up for a service or promotion, be sure to opt-out on any additional services or promotions you don’t want cluttering your inbox.
- Dont Unsubcribe. Check the privacy policy and complaint procedures. Submitting an unsubscribe request can be used against you—your e-mail address may be confirmed by or sold to spammers. Take time to read the fine print.
- Don’t bite. Phishing e-mail messages are designed to steal your identity. They ask for personal data or direct you to websites or phone numbers to call where they ask you to provide personal data.
These tips courtesy of Klayton Kelly, IT Manager, Coldwell Banker UT/REALOGY
For more information, please contact me.
Tags: Coldwell Banker agent
Posted in Questions and Answers | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010
Interest Rates for Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Interest are slowing climbing up, but they are still very low!!
30 yr fixed 4.74% last week 4.57%
15 yr fixed 4.09% last week 3.97%
5/1 ARM 3.42% last week 3.42%
30 yr Refi 4.63% last week 4.46%
15 yr Refi 3.95% last week 3.82%
Please keep in mind these are general figures because credit scores, lenders, and geographical areas differ.
For your reference: http://money.cnn.com/real_estate/
Don’t hesitate to contact me for more information. Let me help you use these low rates to purchase your next home.
Tags: Buy a home in Ogden, Buy a home in Ogden area, great time to buy in Ogden, Housing Market
Posted in Financing, Housing Market, Mortgages, Questions and Answers | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Interest rates went down a smidge this week.
30 yr fixed 4.54% last week 4.55%
15 yr fixed 3.94% last week 3.94%
5/1 ARM 3.40% last week 3.43%
30 yr Refi 4.42% last week 4.45%
15 yr Refi 3.79% last week 3.82%
Please keep in mind these are general figures because credit scores, lenders, and geographical areas differ.
For your reference: http://money.cnn.com/real_estate/
Don’t hesitate to contact me for more information. Let me help you use these low rates to purchase your next home.
Tags: financing a home, qualifying for a mortgage
Posted in Financing, Housing Market, Mortgages, Questions and Answers | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
For your information, I am going to start posting mortgage rates once a week.
Today, according to CNNMoney, the rates are:
30 yr fixed 4.55% last week 4.37%
15 yr fixed 3.94% last week 3.78%
5/1 ARM 3.43% last week 3.29%
30 yr Refi 4.45% last week 4.27%
15 yr Refi 3.82% last week 3.65%
Please keep in mind these are general figures because credit scores, lenders, and geographical areas differ.
For your reference: http://money.cnn.com/real_estate/
Tags: low interest rates, Mortgage Rates
Posted in Financing, Mortgages, Questions and Answers | No Comments »
Avg. Sales Price: 379,000
Free Market Alerts 