There is no question that economy and the real estate market are in a state of flux. However, that does not mean that homes are not selling.  It just means that a seller needs to be more aware of the market around them and even more aware of what buyer’s are looking for.

Right now in Weber and Davis County, there is currently 9-11 months worth of inventory currently on the market. This is called an absorption rate.  What that means is that it would take us 9-11 months to sell everything we currently have on the market, given the current buyer pool.  Don’t let this fact get you down. It just means that your home won’t sell in 5 days. It takes more time, perseverance, aggressive marketing and accurate pricing.

Accurate pricing and aggressive marketing are 2 of the most essential ingredients in the successful sale of your home.  Choosing a Realtor with the backing of a nationally recognized and respected brand is essential. No other company is going to provide you with the powerful exposure, market share and network that I can. For starters, I’ll be marketing your home on more than 300 websites around the country. And with 90% of buyers starting their home search online, it is essential to have this kind of aggressive internet exposure.

Pricing your home is a bit more challenging. However, you can go to www.UTHomeValue.com and enter your information to determine the market value of your home.

I have more answers to many seller’s questions in a Q&A format that I can email to you or deliver to you at your request. Just let me know. Email to kristin.graziano@utahhomes.com or call me at 801.499.6087.

The bottom line, is that YES! Homes are selling and Yes! We can get your home sold too!

Buying a home is one of life’s most important decisions. But, there’s more to it than picking out the perfect home.  Take some time to prepare yourself before you start your search. It’s important to know the stumbling blocks you may encounter during your path to homeownership.  Here are some things to keep in mind before and during your search:

1. Do the math and establish your purchasing power.Before you start cruising the neighborhood for open houses, you need to know which driveways you can afford to pull into.  Meet with a lender to determine which type of financing will work best for you and how much of a home you qualify for.  Also, getting pre-approved can put you in a much stronger negotiating position because it shows the seller that you are a committed buyer.

2. Make  a timeline.  Sit down and set up your goals for the months leading up to your potential move date. Plan on getting pre-approved for a loan and looking for an agent three to four months in advance. The next two or three months will be spent looking for a house and the details of your actual move will be made in the few weeks before moving day.

3. Start surfing. One of the important tools you’ll need for your house hunt is the internet. The majority of homes on the market are listed somewhere on the internet because real estate agents know the majority of people turn to the Web first when looking for a new home. Start looking on websites like UtahHomes.com and Realtor.com. You can register for email alerts to have homes sent to you and me so I can investigate further.  Send an email request to me at kristin.graziano@utahhomes.com

4.Location, location, location.It’s important to narrow your search before you start touring every house intown. Decide what neighborhoods work best for you and your family.  Check out school districts, shopping and dining, public transportation, recreational areas and crime statistics.

5. List your priorities and prepare to compromise. Unless you are building a home from the ground up, there are often compromises involved in deciding on a property. Make a list of the features you are looking for in a home and rate them on scale of one to five, with five being the feature you can’t live without. Then, bring your list with you as you tour homes.

6. Just a word of caution on Short Sales.  Typically short sales are a very tedious and long process and even then, there is no guarantee that the bank will comply.  Some, but very few actually turn out out to be a great deal anyway.  Be aware of all the processes involved in the short sale and don’t hesitate to ask me any questions before you embark down the short sale path!

Give the current buyer’s market, there may be no time like the present to purchase a home. In many markets, home prices have stabilized and in some cases even increased. So the perfect time to buy has likely come and to wait much longer could put you at risk of missing out on great deals and excellent inventory. With this checklist and the right market conditions, you are well on the road to home happiness.

Use the Contact me box at the right to submit your information. I will gladly contact you and provide you with a detail HomeBuyer Booklet and Packet that will give you everything you need to make your home purchase a smooth transaction.  Additionally, I can set you up on an automated search that will find the new listings each day that match your criteria. These listings are automatically emailed to you the minute they hit the market so you can see them first.

Don’t hesitate to let me know how I can help. The Real Estate industry is amazing!

As you may or may not have heard, the tax credit was both extended and expanded!  First time home buyers can receive an $8,000 tax credit. Additionlly, existing homeowners, who have their owned their current home for at least 5 years are now eligible to receive tax credits of up to $6,500 when they purchase a home. 

The credit is available for the purchase of homes costing $800,000 or less. Homes must be your primary residence. Thus, vacation homes are not eligible.  Also, the credit would be phased out for individuals with annual incomes above $125,000 and for joint filers with incomes above $225,000. 

In order to qualify homes must be undercontract by April 30, 2010. 

 This is said to be the last extension of the home buyer tax credit. Now is the time to take advantage of this opportunity!  I have been selling real estate for 20 years and I have never seen anything like this.  Couple the tax credit with historically low interest rates and you have a perfect scenario for selling a home and buying a home. 

If you’d like to learn more, please contact me today.  Call 801.499.6087 or email me at kristin.graziano@utahhomes.com

The State of Utah has launched a second grant program for home buyers. The Home Run 2 Grant is now available! This is great news for both home buyers and home sellers! This grant is a mortgage assistance program that grants $4,000 to home buyers who wish to:

 (A) Have a new home constructed

(B) Have a partially-constructed home completed, or

(C) Purchase a newly-constructed home home.

It must be the primary residence of the home buyer. Homes that have been previously occupied do not qualify.  There are income limits. For example, a married couple maximum income is $150,000. Additionally, home buyers who received the the 1st Home Run Grant are not eligible.  Cash buyers also qualify for this program and you do not have to be a 1st time home buyer.

This new Home Run 2 Grant program benefits both buyers and sellers and will continue to help in the recovery of the economy and the housing market. For more information please contact me! I am happy to help with any of you buying or selling needs.

First time home buyers….listen close…. The $8,000 homebuyer tax credit is coming to an end. The deadline is December 1, 2009. This means buyers my find, offer and close on their home purchase by November 30, 2009.  The time is now is to meet with your lender (I have a good one if you would like a recommendation) and see if you qualify for a home.  In my 20 years in real estate, I have never seen such an amazing opportunity for new buyers. It’s important to note, that this money does NOT need to be paid back.

The National Association of Realtors estimates that 1.8 million buyers will file for the $8,000 tax credit, and 350,000 of theses buyers wouldn’t have been able to buy a home with it.  Don’t miss out!  Call me today if you are considering purchasing a home and you are a first time home buyer. There are many beautiful homes that are waiting for you to choose from!

If you have questions use the ASK A QUESTION BOX or call me direct at 801.499.6087

You’re beginning to feel a little cramped in that starter home that looked so perfect several years ago. There just aren’t enough bedrooms anymore, or adequate storage or a big enough back yard …. Many Utah residents are facing a similar dilemma these days. While your home may have made perfect sense back when you bought it, you are quickly realizing that you have long since outgrown your home.  The logical answer would be to move up to a larger property, but many homeowners fear that the soft housing market would make buying that dram home difficult, if not impossible.

The surprising fact is that this may actually be a great time move up — precisely because of the housing slowdown.  It’s true that you probably won’t get every dollar you would like when you sell your existing home, but the good news is that the larger more expensive home that you may consider purchasing is also priced lower!

Walter Maloney with the National Association of Realtors said it’s important for homeowners to do the math. “Obviously, if you’re selling for less than you could have gotten two years ago, you’re disappointed, but you really need to look at your bottom line,” he said. “Whatever you’re going to trade up to is going to sell at a discount, too. You need to look at your net.”

While the financial savings on the larger home is a major benefit, there are a number of other reasons why the soft housing market may work in your favor right now:

1. Strong buyer’s market at upper end. There is just not as much competition for more expensive homes. 

2. Mortgage rates are still near historic lows.Low rates make every home more affordable, expecially the move-up.

3. Record affordability. Price declines and low interest rates have combined to offer buyers affordable homes!

4. Housing market showing signs of improvement. While no one can say for sure whether we’ve bottomed out, sales month over month have been up steadily since the beginning of the year.

Making a decision to buy a home, espcially when moving up, can be a big one! Contact me with any questions you may have. I am happy to help!

Since, I believe honesty is the best policy…I will say that no one has to use a Realtor to sell their home. There are many people who try to sell their home For Sale By Owner and some are successful. There are benefits to using a Realtor and you need to choose what work the best for your needs.  A few of the benefits include:

1. A safer home-selling environment.  Realtors use lockboxes on properties that are 100% safe. They ensure that buyers coming through your property are qualified to buy the home and are attended by a licensed real estate agent.

2. A larger marketing reach.  Realtors have the marketing tools and ability to connect with millions of potential home buyers locally and across the country. Marketing is a key component to a successful and timely sale of a property.

3. Realtor Network.  Realtors network with other real estate professionals, thus allowing them to tap into their buyer pools as well.

4. Ability to qualify potential buyers.  Qualified buyers are harder to come by these days.  Within minutes we can know if a buyer meets the qualification needed to secure a home loan. Many For Sale By Owners get into contracts with potential buyers who do have the credit or down payment to purchase their home.

5. Access to information to do pricing analysis.  Accurate pricing is critical! Unfortunately, it is the most difficult component of selling a home. The market has been up and down (mostly down) over the past year and pricing can be difficult. Market information on comparable properties is crucial to determining market value for any property.

In any event, consult a Realtor for pricing information and market statistics as well as information on the appraisal and mortgage arenas. Both appraisal and mortgage areas are both vulnerable right now and are the biggest reasons for failed sales right now. 

If you are currently a For Sale By Owner or considering selling  your home, contact me for pricing information and market statistics. These are provided at no cost and no obligation. I am available to help you in any way I can. Feel free to contact me by email kristin.graziano@utahhomes.com  or phone 801.499.6087 or you can also use the ASK ME A QUESTION BOX at the right.

1. Have a home inspection. Be proactive. An inspector will be able to give you a good indication of the trouble areas that will stand out to buyers, and you’ll be able to make repairs before buyers come through. Additionally, you could offer a copy of the inspection to potential buyers.

2. Organize and Clean. Pack up your least-used items, such as large blenders and other kitchen tools, out-of-season clothes, toys and exercise equipment. Store the items off-site or in boxes neatly arranged in the garage or basement. Clean the windows, carpets, walls, lighting fixtures and baseboards.

3. Get replacement estimates. If you have big-ticket items that are worn out or will need to be replaced soon, such as your roof or carpeting…get estimates on how much it will cost to replace them. The figures will help buyers determine if they can afford the home and will be handy when negotiations begin.

4. Find your warranties and instruction booklets. Gather up the warranties and user manuals  for the major appliances and other items that will remain with the house.

5. Spruce up the Curb Appeal.  This is absolutely critical! First impressions are everything. Pretend you are a buyer and stand outside of your home. What is your impression of the property? Manicure the lawn, landscaping and bushes. Add pretty flowers or plants to frame the entrance and make sure the address is clearly visible. Large cracks in the cement and sidewalk leadinng to the front door should be repaired.

These are 5 of the most critical and basic must-do’s before the first buyer comes by.  For more information on making your home attractive to potential buyers, contact me by calling my cell phone, email me, or use the ASK A QUESTION BOX at the right.

Good Luck!!

It’s true! The Ogden area housing market is showing positive signs of a rebound. This is good news for home sellers. Economists are now documenting signals indicating that our market has reached the bottom and is now beginning the climb into the positive. For example, existing home sales are on the rise for a third straight month. This is the first monthly gain since September 2005.  Inventory of existing homes is decreasing. That means we are selling inventory and getting our current listed inventory to a manageable size. 

The exceptional news is that Ogden and it’s surrounding areas continue to be on the national radar as a great place to live, work and play. Although our foreclosure rate is high (collectively as a state), our employement rate is fantastic, especially in comparison to the country in general. These things combined with low interest rates and a good healthy inventory of listings make for a great real estate market for both buyers and sellers.

For more information on buying or selling a home in the northern Utah area, contact me using the ASK ME A QUESTION box on the right hand side.  I am happy to answer any questions or concerns regarding the market in general or your property specifically.

One of the biggest questions on the minds of homeowners today is “How much is my home worth?”

This is a great question considering the recent year in a turbulent economy.  The truth is that home values have gone down over the past. I don’t think that surprises anybody.  However, the good news is that home sales are increasing and our inventory is finally slimming down to a manageable size.

The value of your home is determined by size, location and condition as well as other criteria and then compared with other like property in your market area.

If you are interested in a comparable market analysis to see the market evaluation of your property contact me by using the ASK A QUESTION box at the right.  These evaluations are free of charge and provide you with critical information as to what is happening with real estate in your market place.