If you are looking for a new home, watch this video to help you decide what is important and how you can find it.

If you need an agent that will tirelessly help you find your home, give me a call and let me help you.

It is very interesting and discusses Americans changing their needs for larger homes in favor of a smaller home as a signal of the changing economy.  I am also seeing this as an agent.  Through my years I have seen many trends but people seem to be getting back to what is practical and extra space is no longer on the list of “must haves”.

Here is the link http://bit.ly/aRXe9D

Enjoy!
Connie

• the proceeds of the sale cannot exceed the tax credit
• the borrower must certify that the tax credit is not going to pay for any other bills
• the FHA must have a copy of the borrower’s tax refund or the IRS form 5045 in their files
• any fees and costs of the sale cannot exceed more than 2.5% (ex. $6,000 tax credit with all fees and costs extracted the borrower can not receive less than $5850 for the sale of their tax credit)
• the borrower must have at least 3.5% of down payment that does not include any of the funds from the sale

For information regarding this, ask your mortgage company the FHA directly.

You may be asking yourself how you can get around this, well if you qualify for the tax credit and you are getting an FHA loan or another qualifying Government agency loan, you may receive a tax credit advance with a secondary lien against the home.

The following are the conditions for this:

• the tax credit advance and the FHA-insured first mortgage may not result in cash back to the buyer
• the second lien may not exceed the total amount needed for down payment, closing costs and prepaid expenses
• the secondary financing may be “soft”, meaning no payments for a period of time or require monthly payments
• payments must be deferred for 36 months and cannot be used in the first mortgage qualifying ratios
• if the secondary financing has a short repayment term, there must also be a provision that if the borrower fails to pay by deadline, principal and interest payments either begin automatically or the loan converts to a “soft” second
• the secondary financing cannot require a balloon payment before the first ten years

There is another option!  We’ll discuss this on our next blog.

Check back soon.

Connie

Besides choosing your home, choosing your agent could be the second most important decision.  Do your homework, ask questions and talk to more than one agent.  Make sure they have what it takes to help you with your purchase and/or sale.

The suggestions may range from replacing bold colors to more neutral tones or removing old wallpaper and painting the room to make it look spacious and elegant. Speaking of spacious, if a room seems a little too narrow, hanging a mirror in just the right place can make the room seem a little larger than it actually is.

The kitchen is usually very important to buyers. The appliances may need to either be updated or at least look newer. The cabinets may also need to be cleaned up. New hardware on the doors of the cabinets may also be a huge selling point.

If your closets are small, remove half the contents and put like colors together to make them look larger and roomier than they are. Add some shelves if possible to make it look more organized.

Have the carpets cleaned and deodorized to make the room seem fresh. There is nothing worse than having a seller walk into a stale smelling room. Fresh flowers can also help this and they are also very beautiful to look at.

Bathrooms must also be very clean and luxurious. The tub must be inviting, the sink must also sparkle and the toilet should be clean the top should be down.

There are many other suggestions that can be made. If you want more information about your home, contact me and I will be glad to help you.

Knowledge:

How much do you really know about real estate?  Do you know what the market is really like or just what you read about in the paper?  How will you come up with a price for your home?  Do you understand all the legal paperwork that has to be organized and executed properly to make it a safe transaction for both the buyer and the seller?

Advertising:

Sure you can advertise your home by just sticking a sign outside and people will come by everyday knocking on your door, right?  Um, probably not!

Well then I could put an ad in the local paper…  Maybe that will work?  Well, what’s the circulation?  How many different newspapers are in your local area?  Do they charge for the ad?  How long will it take, how many months can I run the ad?  How many people will really read it?  Unfortunately not many!

I could advertise online with all those other people trying to advertise their homes online!  Ok, how long have all the other homes been online waiting to sell?

Advertising your home is a very important component of selling it.  Do you have the time to research the best places to advertise?  Do you have the funds available for the advertisement?  These are all things that are handled quite expertly by a real estate agent.  An aggressive agent that is working for you will advertise in many different ways: in print, on the web and possibly on the radio.

Time:

How much time will you spend chasing down the buyers or sellers, or writing and placing advertisements and looking up legal jargon?  If time is money, figure it out.  What is your time worth?  There is a ton of paperwork that has to be done.  Is a lawyer cheaper than the real estate agent?

Negotiation:

Are you a good negotiator?  This is a key element to buying or selling your home.  Again a lawyer could be used in place of an agent, but who will charge more in the end.  Negotiating with a construction company for a new home can be a challenge even when you are working with an agent, builders are in the business to make money not concessions.

Questions after the closing:

There are always questions after the closing regardless of how smooth it was.  Whether it be yours or the other party these questions may have ramifications if not answered properly.  Is there tax liability on either party, what is the correct amount, how was it calculated.  A good real estate agent can answer these and more.

An experienced and reputable agent will take care of all your advertising needs.  They know the market, they have the network of buyers and sellers already.  They have the knowledge to make sure you are protected properly and have all the right paperwork done at the right time, as well making sure you get what you deserve if you are selling or if you are buying, making sure you pay what you should and no more!  A good agent will even counsel you on making the right mortgage decisions.

There are so many decisions to make when buying or selling a home make sure the best decision you make is in hiring the right agent that will work tirelessly for you and your family.

Buying or Selling your new home is a huge decision. I want to make it as easy as possible for you to find your new home or to feel comfortable that I am the right real estate agent to sell your home.

If you would like to look at my listings, they are both on the front page as a gallery or you can click on featured listings. Check these often as I get new listings weekly. Even though the market has slowed some, my sales have not, so don’t wait too long if you see what you want here!

Under Search MLS you can search on your towns of interest and see the MLS listings for all agents. You can search by City, County or zip code and many other options to narrow down your requirements. Enjoy this feature.

The Advanced Map Search allows you to look at a google map. You can click on a balloon to see my listing at that location. You can also see a full map to the area.

Buyer and Seller are blogs that I will update to continually give you new information. Check out the information that is already there to get your house ready to sell or see what you need to do to buy a house.

The Contact page is just what it sounds like. If you prefer to email me, just click here and email me, I will get back to you within a few hours.

Along the right side you can see what some of customers have said after a sale. I have met some wonderful people helping them to buy or sell their home and many of them have shown their appreciation by writing me and telling me.

There is also a block that narrows down listings by the towns that I am most active in. When you click on this page you will see a slide show with those homes and it is further broken down by dollar range, click on your range and you will see all the qualifying homes.

For convenience I broke out the Condo’s and the Town homes in Mass and NH. There is still a little glitch here and you are seeing all of Mass but we are getting that fixed up to make it easy for you. You will also see The Doto Real Estate Report here, just click to read my blog postings.

Under Resources you can click on Register for free email alerts for the towns that you are interested in. Please register right away if you are thinking of buying a new home. I would love to help you in making that decision, and you can watch your email for any new listings in the area you choose!

If you are selling, you can click here and fill out a form so that I can give you a free market analysis on your home. Be informed when selling your home, know what it is worth and what the homes in your area are on the market for.

Last but definitely not least, if you have an iPhone, you can click here and register your iPhone for updates on listings in the areas you are interested in.

I have tried to supply you with all the options that I can to make your search better. Please comment on this blog so I can be of service to you better! I WORK 8 DAYS A WEEK FOR MY CLIENTS!

Mortgages and Home Buying Programs

There are many different kinds of mortgage programs available. It is best to do some research about the pros and cons of each program. A real estate broker can help you understand the steps you will need to take, and can refer you to a reputable mortgage broker or service. There are also special home buying programs available from various organizations and many local governments that offer special home buying programs to help first-time home buyers and those in a lower income bracket. Get informed – you may be surprised to discover what you are eligible for!

Determine Your Search Criteria

Begin your home search by focusing on the location where you want to buy, and the amenities you want in a home. Determine how much square footage you want, how many bedrooms and baths you need, etc. Knowing what you’re looking for will not only help you focus your search but will also help your real estate broker understand your needs so that he/she can best assist you in the process.

Shopping for a Home

There are several avenues to take once you begin your home search. Your real estate broker can supply you with listings, based on your search criteria. You may also look for property on the Internet, and then ask your broker to set up an appointment to show you the house. Reading the real estate section of your local newspaper, or driving around neighborhoods that interest you is also a viable strategy. It is important to see as many open houses as possible, so that you can develop an understanding of the market, and get a solid idea of what is available in your price range.

The Home Inspection

Once you have made an offer on a home, you will need to schedule a home inspection, conducted by an independent authorized inspector. It is extremely import to hire a reputable inspector so that you know exactly what you are buying. Do not hesitate to ask friends, family, and co-workers for advice. If you are satisfied with the results of the inspection, then you can proceed to the Purchase and Sales agreement. If the inspector finds problems with the property, you may want to negotiate with the seller to lower the price, or to pay for certain repairs.

Appraisal

Your lender will require you to get an appraisal of the house you want to buy, to make sure it is worth the money that you are borrowing. You may select your own appraiser, or you may ask your real estate broker to help you with this task.

Homeowner’s Insurance

Lenders require that you have homeowners insurance, to protect both your interests and theirs. Like everything else, be sure to shop around for insurance that fits your needs.

Settlement or Closing

Finally, you are ready for the closing. Be sure to read everything before you sign! You should have both your real estate broker and an attorney present at the closing to ensure that all is in order.

An Appealing Exterior:

* Keep the front walkway swept
* Remove newspapers, bikes and toys from the front walk or yard
* Park extra cars away from the property
* Trim back the shrubs
* Apply a fresh coat of exterior paint if necessary
* Clean windows and window coverings
* Keep plumbing and all appliances in working order
* Maintain all sealants (sink, tub, window, shower, etc.) in good condition
* Make sure roof and gutters are in good condition
* Mow the lawn frequently and plant flowers, hire a professional landscaping company if necessary

A Clean and Inviting Interior:

* Keep the kitchen and bathrooms spotless
* Vacuum carpets and keep floor surfaces clean
* Accent living and dining rooms with freshly cut flowers
* Put dishes and laundry away
* Make beds
* Open drapes and turn on lights to enhance the atmosphere
* Keep closets neat
* Put toys away
* Switch off the television
* Keep pets out of the way and pet areas clean and odor-free
* Make safe jewelry, cash, prescription medication and other valuables

Avoid clutter to enhance the spaciousness of your home

Generally speaking, potential buyers usually feel more comfortable when owners are not present. If an interested party is unaccompanied by an agent and request to see your property, please refer them to your real estate professional for an appointment. If you are leaving town, even for a weekend, remember to leave the number where you can be reached so that offers can be made promptly.