Homes for sale Granby CT – The Power of Paint: 10 Ways to Step Up Your Staircase – Granby CT Homes for sale

The Power of Paint: 10 Ways to Step Up Your Staircase

Date:April 19, 2013|Category:Tips & Advice|Author:BobVila.com

By Frances Bailey

Looking for a way to liven up a drab set of stairs? You might want to pick up some paint.

Make a statement

Source: livelikeyou.com

A staircase does more than connect the floors in your home — it provides you with a prime place to show off your sense of style. If you’re looking to add personality and pizzazz in a way that will be unmissable to anyone who walks through your front door, check out these inspiring designs that prove the power of paint.

Stick up

Source: Martha Stewart

We all know it’s possible to paint treads and risers, but have you ever thought about adding color to spindles? Follow the example here and beautify your balusters by painting them in graduating tones. The key is sticking to a single hue so that it still looks grown-up.

Orange crush

Source: Fabulousonabudget.com

Want to give the illusion of a rug without actually having to buy one? Paint a “runner” in a favorite color like orange and for an additional accent, paint a stripe above the baseboard to lead the way up.

Take a number

Source: Stacey Brandford

Why stop at color? These stairs are painted in a soft yellow with a burnt-orange border, then each is highlighted with a number. You can do the same with a couple cans of paint and differently sized stencils meant for house numbers.

Perfectly patterned

Source: Lowes Creative Ideas

This look was created by alternating two paint colors and two stencil patterns. The result is a budget-friendly, luxe mosaic-style creation. Even one stencil and one color would make a dramatic impression.

Rainbow effect

Source: bfardesign.wordpress.com

Love color? Want to make a big change? These stylish steps are what you might get if you combine smart color choices with only a few hours spent painting.

All aboard

Source: Jonathan Adler

With risers painted in different shades of blue and a rope used in place of a wood handrail, a fun nautical-theme design like this one is easily within reach, even for beginning DIYers. No serious talent needed! Just paint, rope and time.

Nice neutrals

Source: Apartment Therapy

If you want to jazz up your stairs but aren’t big on color, keep it simple with a neutral palette. You can played it up as much as you like using patterns, creating a layered — even opulent — design.

Words work

Source: katiebrownhomeworkshop.com

Consider your steps an open book! Write a favorite saying, a cheerful greeting or a memorable quote on the risers. Be silly or witty — or just plain welcoming, like this “come-on-up” treatment.

Green rules

Source: melanieturnerinteriors.com

Here’s an easy way to get emerald green, Pantone’s Color of the Year, into your life! Paint the color on your stairs, then repeat it in picture frames hung, for the most striking effect, on a white-painted wall.

Related:

Bob Vila is the home improvement expert widely known as host of TV’s This Old House, Bob Vila’s Home Again, and Bob Vila. Today, Bob continues his mission to help people upgrade their homes and improve their lives with advice online at BobVila.com. His video-rich site offers a full range of fresh, authoritative content – practical tips, inspirational ideas, and more than 1,000 videos from Bob Vila television.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.

Real Estate Granby CT – Practical Renovations for Investment Properties – Granby CT Real Estate

Practical Renovations for Investment Properties

Date:April 19, 2013|Category:Tips & Advice|Author:ProfessorBaron.com

If you’re a new rental property owner, or even someone just considering becoming a landlord, you’re probably wondering which home improvements make the most sense when updating your investment property. Should you replace the windows or flooring? What about painting the walls and upgrading fixtures and finishes in the bathrooms and kitchen?

The nicer your property, the longer you’ll likely keep your tenants. With that in mind, these improvements should make your property desirable without putting too much strain on your wallet.

Interior paint

New paint in a lighter shade is always nice. Glidden Soft Ecru, for example, is light and bright, and you can use a flat or semi-gloss finish for walls. Whatever color you choose, make it a lighter color and paint the whole house the same shade, except ceilings, which should be white.

Flooring

Carpeting can be relatively inexpensive but usually only lasts a few years. Plus many tenants get the “ick” factor seeing worn wall-to-wall carpet filling a space. Many landlords are opting instead for wood laminate flooring, which looks great and is tough as nails while being less expensive than hardwoods. Laminate is easy to clean between tenants, and there’ll be no arguments over who should pay for carpets to be cleaned. It’s better, however, to stick to tile in the kitchens, bathrooms and other high-plumbing areas.

Plumbing

If the property is reaching its second decade, you should consider having a plumber change out all the water valves, hose bibs, supply hoses and sink faucets (you can skip the in-wall supply or drain lines, as they typically last a much longer time). Check the dishwasher supply and drain lines, and especially the washing machine supply hoses and drain hose, which should be changed out every few years. Doing this upfront work will help reduce the risk of a pricey water-related disaster.

Bathrooms

Changing out old towel bars, toilets and sink faucets shouldn’t be too expensive. A new vanity top, medicine cabinet and/or light fixtures can be installed by a good handyman. If the property is 30-plus years old, it might be time to change out the shower, tub and floor tile as well.

Kitchen

The kitchen gets more expensive, so hopefully it’s been updated a little. If not, having the cabinets sanded and painted, and adding nice doorknobs should update the space without too much expense. Switching out old fluorescent ceiling lights for new track lighting and adding a newer countertop (laminate isn’t too pricey) could really update the look for years going forward. Consider changing out the sink/faucet, too, if you’re doing the countertop. You can find reasonably priced replacement combo packs at home improvement stores.

Door knobs and locks

These aren’t too expensive, and you can switch them out yourself. Interior knobs make the unit look much nicer, and exterior knobs and locks add security. Try Kwikset’s Smartkey exterior locks, which can be re-keyed in place between tenants.

Related:

Leonard Baron, MBA, is America’s Real Estate Professor®. His unbiased, neutral and inexpensive “Real Estate Ownership, Investment and Due Diligence 101” textbook teaches real estate owners how to make smart and safe purchase decisions. He is a San Diego State University Lecturer, blogs at Zillow.com, and loves kicking the tires of a good piece of dirt! More at ProfessorBaron.com.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.

Real Estate Agent Simsbury, CT – What Is A Market Analysis? Simsbury CT Real Estate Agent

What Is A Market Analysis?

Real Estate News

Apr 16, 2013

By: Deidre Woollard

What does it mean when a Realtor does a market analysis on a property? Today’s question comes from Stockbridge, MI.

Q: I have never sold a house before, I have a realtor coming tonight to do a Market Analysis, what is that?

I have an idea what it is but want to be sure. If they tell me a price they think the house is worth and I think differently then what?

A: A market analysis pertains to a list of information about homes that have sold in your neighborhood or surrounding area similar to yours.

Yes it will show pricing and this will be statistics that a realtor will utilize to figure out what to list your house for. Another good idea is to go view the current homes for sale in your area that are similar to yours minus a bedroom or a basement. That is another way to see what features these homes have compared to yours.

Your agent is going to tell you what the best price is to list your home that is of course their job and it may be you will not agree. You can always list for your price and try it out for a few weeks and see if get any buyer interest. You may also want to interview other agents and get at least 3 realtors opinions and choose the realtor you feel with market your property the best. In the end if you want to sell then go with an agent that has a solid marketing plan and knows your community and has sold in it before!

Study the market analysis and see if selling your home is what is financially best for you at this time. If inventory is low then you should expect a fast sale but if numerous homes like yours are for sale at the same time then maybe a good time to wait unless your home has a fabulous feature the others don’t have like a basement, pool or other – your realtor will know best! Good luck and let me know if can answer any other questions!

– Krisztine Bell, Homestager Virtually Staging Properties

Real Estate Agent Granby CT – Should We Sell Our Home With Furniture? – Granby CT Real Estate Agent

Should We Sell Our Home With Furniture?

Real Estate News

Apr 17, 2013

By: Deidre Woollard

How much does furniture matter when selling a home? Today’s question comes from Birmingham, AL.

Q: Do certain homes sell with furniture?

Would you have to put the furniture in the house or would you include the furniture in the amount of the whole house?

A: Very good question. It really depends on the floor plan and the furniture.

If it’s an unusual floor plan than yes it does help, but in most circumstances furniture properly place and in good condition can help a buyer visualize how to place there own furniture. However too much furniture can make the home look too small.

If you notice most new home subdivision have furnished models because the buyer can then visualized how to place the furniture they own and if the floor plan will work with what they have. Some homes however will show better empty if it’s a standard floor plan. Main thing to consider is stuff, too many nick knacks, personal pictures etc. take the buyer away from looking at the house they don’t remember the house they remember the stuff. So clean out the clutter, make sure you don’t have to much furniture, clean out the closets and garages as well. Pack up, you’re moving put it in storage or a POD and don’t put it on the market until it’s ready to show.

The first two weeks of marketing are the best two weeks. Clean, shine and be ready. Start at the curb look at what the buyer will see, check the front door and the shrubbery first impressions do make a difference. The market is improving quickly don’t miss out by being unprepared for the buyers that may have an interest.

– Ginny Willis, REALTOR® Re/Max First Choice

A: Should you make an offer on a property, you can ask the seller to leave specific items.

However, your offer on the property should be based on the value of the home and not the furniture. Should the seller decide that they want to leave the furniture, ideally it would have to be negotiated separately via a purchase contract for personal property. Otherwise, you should make sure that the contract indicates that the furniture is of no real value.

– Charita Cadenhead, REALTOR® BHam Wire Realty

A:That depends on the seller. Some sellers will sell their homes with the furniture. This happens in cases where they do not want to move it. Of course, you can always ask for anything in the offer. Or you can offer to pay for the furniture you wish to have. A lot of sellers with vacation homes sell the house with its entire contents when they sell.

– Terry Stiles Harrison, REALTOR® Realty Styles LLC

Realtor Granby CT – 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Decline for Third Consecutive Week – Granby CT Realtor

30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Decline for Third Consecutive Week

Date:April 16, 2013|Category:Finance|Author:Alexa Fiander

Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages fell this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace at 3.34 percent, down from 3.35 percent at this same time last week.

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate hovered between 3.41 and 3.32 percent for the majority of the week, dropping to the current rate this morning.

“Rates fell slightly this past week after lower-than-expected retail sales numbers raised concerns about softening consumer confidence,” said Erin Lantz, director of Zillow Mortgage Marketplace. “We expect mortgage rates will remain depressed this week due to apprehension related to the Boston Marathon bombing and threats from North Korea.”

Additionally, the 15-year fixed mortgage rate this morning was 2.55 percent, and for 5/1 ARMs, the rate was 2.32 percent.

What are the rates right now? Check Zillow Mortgage Marketplace for up-to-the-minute mortgage rates for your state.

*The weekly rate chart illustrates the average 30-year fixed interest rate in six-hour intervals.

Simsbury CT Real Estate Agent – The First Thing to Do Before Buying a Home – Real Estate Agent Simsbury CT

The First Thing to Do Before Buying a Home

By Gerri Detweiler | Credit.com – Fri, Feb 22, 2013 6:00 AM EST

Home prices in most parts of the country are just about as affordable as they are likely to get, and mortgage rates remain super low. Together, those factors mean that many people are thinking about buying a home. Some will be first-time homebuyers, while others will be “boomerang” buyers who lost their homes in the housing meltdown but are now hoping to get back in. Still others may see this as the best time to upgrade to a larger home, downsize to a smaller one, or to move to the retirement locale of their dreams.

Whatever your motivation for buying a home, unless you are going to pay cash for the property, there’s one essential step you must take first: get your credit reports and credit scores.

The reason? Your credit scores will help determine what type of home loan financing you can get, and the interest rate you’ll pay. You’ll want to have plenty of time to dispute credit report errors if you find any, and get them fixed. The last thing you want is to find out at the last minute that you can’t buy your dream home because of something on your credit report that shouldn’t be there.

If you will be buying and financing a home with someone else — a partner or spouse, for example — you’ll each want to get your credit reports and scores. Get them from all three major credit reporting agencies; Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, as they each collect their own data and don’t share corrections with each other. You can do this for free once annually at AnnualCreditReport.com.

You’re Not Just a Number

The three-digit number that represents your credit score will be important when it comes to buying and financing a home. A difference of a few points could make a difference in the rate you’ll pay for your mortgage. Mortgage lenders will typically use the middle of the three credit scores to determine the rate/program for which you qualify.

But that doesn’t mean you need to obsess about your score. Doing so can cause you unnecessary grief. After all:

Trying to tweak your scores based on what you think may help improve them can sometimes have the opposite effect.

There are many different loan programs with different credit score requirements. A loan officer can help you shop around to find the right program to meet your needs.

Keep in mind that you have many scores, not just one, so trying to figure out which scores matter most can be an exercise in futility. When it comes time to apply, your lender will pull the credit scores needed to process your application. In the meantime, you can find out where you stand and get an idea of what factors may be strong, and which may not be. Again, no need to obsess over the number.

In fact, when we recently included a free credit score with our free Credit Report Card — one of our most popular tools — since we wanted to make sure that consumers understand that they don’t have a single score. That’s why we provide an Experian Scorex Plus score, but also show consumers their estimated VantageScore and FICO scores along with it. After all, there are dozens of scores available at any given time, and if you focus on just a single number, you may miss the bigger picture.

What’s in a Number?

If focusing on the number that represents your credit score isn’t the most important thing, then what is? Understanding the elements that make up your scores can be much more important. Our Credit Report Card, for example, assigns a grade to each of the main factors that go into a score:

Payment History
Debt Usage
Credit Age
Account Mix
Inquiries

Within those, we recommend you put your efforts toward the things you can control. If you get a “C” or “D” for a particular factor, you’ll get suggestions for things you may do to address that grade. Some of these may be things you can address immediately while some may not be under your direct control.

If you earn a “D” for debt usage because your balances on one or more of your credit cards is close to your limits, you may want to pay some of them down if you have the cash available to do so. On the other hand, if you have a large student loan balance that you can’t afford to pay off, you may want to simply focus on making your payments on time rather than taking all the money you’ve saved for a down payment to pay it off.

[Related Article: What’s a Credit Score? Really]

What Can Your Score Do For You?

When it comes to buying a home, your credit scores can help you secure the financing you need to buy the property and pay it off over time. Your credit scores are a tool to help you achieve your personal and financial goals. If you can get the loan you need with the credit scores you have, then be satisfied with that — even if you don’t have the best score your loan officer has seen!

And finally, it’s important to put your scores in context. Mortgage lenders will look at other factors, like your debt-to-income ratios, employment history, and down payment. As any loan officer can tell you, even a perfect score can’t get you a loan if — for example — the appraisal comes in too low, or if you can’t document your income.

Simsbury CT Realtor – Renovate or relocate? 5 key questions to ask – Realtor Simsbury CT

Renovate or relocate? 5 key questions to ask

By Sarah Max @Money April 8, 2013: 4:37 PM

The Hildebrandts found a new house without having to leave their Seattle neighborhood.

(Money Magazine)

With baby no. 2 on the way, Jonathan and Andrea Hildebrandt had to face an expensive reality. They needed more room.

Their home had only two bedrooms, and nowhere for their 2-year-old to play without waking up her future little brother. Moving didn’t seem viable. The family loved their Queen Anne neighborhood in Seattle, and given that home prices had fallen 20% since they had bought four years earlier in 2007, they doubted they would recoup the $530,000 they paid. So they started talking seriously with builders about refinishing their basement or adding a second floor.

Those conversations came to an abrupt halt, though, when the Hildebrandts found their perfect house, a $618,000 three-bedroom just blocks away.

When they got a $520,750 offer two days after putting their home up for sale, they decided to move. “We essentially got the house that we would have ended up with 18 months later, but for a third of the cost,” says Jonathan.

A RELOCATION BALANCE SHEET What the Hildebrandts gained in the move: Square feet: 1,000 Bedrooms: 1
Baths: 1 What it cost them: Sales price of the old house: $520,750 Cost of new house: $618,000 Sales commission: $32,000 Closing costs: $1,900 Moving: $1,200

To move or to improve? For the first time since the housing market went bust, homeowners are seriously contemplating that question.

Until recently, selling a home was a dicey proposition. Even those who were lucky enough to find a buyer often walked away with far less than the home’s previous value, and in some cases even less than what they owed the bank.

Owners also put off renovation projects, causing home-improvement spending to fall 16% from 2007 to 2011, says the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Little wonder — who wanted to sink more cash into a home whose value had already plummeted?

Now the market has turned the corner. Houses are selling faster, and prices are climbing. In a Coldwell Banker survey, 82% of agents said they expect more home shoppers this spring, singling out trade-up buyers for playing a “significant role.”

Remodeling, too, is surging as owners, reassured by rising property values, tackle postponed projects. Spending on improvements hit $131 billion in 2012, its highest mark since 2006. “There seems to be a lot of pent-up demand,” says Paul Sullivan of the Sullivan Co., a Newton, Mass., remodeling firm.

But just as today’s market looks nothing like it did during the bubble, the decision to list or fix your home has changed dramatically. Buyers have become more conservative. The recovery is progressing unevenly, so where you live can have a huge impact on your options. And a limited supply of new homes means the relocation pickings are slim.

Are you grappling with the decision to fix up or trade up? Consider these factors, and ask yourself five key questions.

MOVING: Is selling a realistic option?

Start by assessing the prospects of your local housing market. While the biggest rebounds have come in places that were walloped by the real estate crash, they’re not necessarily the best bets for long-term gains.

Instead, experts say, many buyers are gravitating toward areas with key quality-of-life features. Good school districts have long been equated with strong home values, says David Figlio, director of Northwestern University’s Institute for Policy Research, adding that “people pay more attention to these things during times of tighter housing values than they do in go-go periods of real estate.”

The far-flung exurbs thrived in the boom years, but now an easy commute drives sales. “People want to live in closer to the city and in more walkable neighborhoods,” says Jessica Wilkie, an associate broker at M Squared Real Estate in Washington, D.C.

Related: 5 best markets to buy a home

To see how your neighborhood stacks up against others in the area, compare three key metrics: price increases, speed with which homes are selling, and inventory of places for sale (you want a number that’s higher than that of nearby neighborhoods for the first two, lower on the last).

You can ask a community real estate agent to run these statistics for you, or do your own investigative work on Trulia.com or Zillow.com, both of which have tools for making comparisons. If your area fares better than those around you, you’re in a good position to sell.

Are you among the 22% of homeowners with a mortgage who, according to real estate research firm CoreLogic, are underwater, or one of the 23% who have 20% or less equity in their homes? If so, your choices are limited.

Even if you can sell, you will probably walk away empty-handed, or at least without the 10% to 20% cash needed to put down a deposit on a new place. Renovating is the better choice. Assuming that it will cost you less than moving, that you plan to stay in your home for at least five years, and that you can pay for the project without borrowing, it’s a good bet for improving the long-term value of your home.

Related: 5 best markets to sell a home

Lisa and Josh Herman’s Palm Springs three-bedroom was recently valued around $300,000 — a far cry from the $495,000 they paid in 2008. Still, with two kids, the Hermans could no longer live with the home’s open floor plan. “All you saw when you walked in the front door were toys everywhere,” says Lisa.

Rather than sell at a loss, the couple opted to pull together $20,000 in savings and bonus money and started updating their bathrooms, converting an office into a fourth bedroom and turning their formal living room into a space for the kids.

The project’s nearly finished now, and the Hermans say it was money well spent. It may take years for the market to get back to pre-bust levels, and that’s fine, says Lisa: “I think we’ll be happy here for a very long time.”

Farmington Valley Real Estate Broker – Inventory Crunch Easing As Sellers Jump Back In The Market – Real Estate Broker Farmington Valley

Inventory Crunch Easing As Sellers Jump Back In The Market

Real Estate News

Apr 10, 2013

By: Scott Garner

Sellers Jump Back In The Market As Confidence Grows

Are the days of low housing inventory coming to a close?

There are definitely encouraging signs: the number of listings on realtor.com increased 2.36% in March, a welcome change from the -15.22% inventory free fall the market has been in for the past year. Bolstering the positive news is a .05% increase in listing prices and a sizable 20% decrease in the median age of inventory since February.

The national average list price of $190,000 seems to have changed the calculus for homeowners thinking of selling, tempting them off the sidelines with prices that may be break even – or even profit-making – depending on the structure of their current mortgage. As more homeowners are pulled out of the quicksand of negative equity by appreciating prices, a key roadblock to a widespread housing recovery could dissolve as the inventory crunch gives way to pent-up demand from sellers and buyers.

Some markets are already showing strong signs of life. California continues its rebound, and Denver, Detroit and Seattle are experiencing promising growth. The median age of inventory has dropped to 24 days in Denver, Detroit’s list prices have increased at a faster rate than San Diego and are just behind San Fransisco, and Seattle’s median list price has jumped 15.9% since last year.

National Data

In March, the total number of single-family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops for sale in the U.S. (1,529,432) increased by 2.36 percent month-over-month. On an annual basis, however, inventory decreased by 15.22 percent.
The national median list price for single-family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops ($190,000) increased by .05 percent both year-over-year and month-over-month in March.
The median age of inventory of for sale listings fell to 78 days in March, down 20.41 percent from February and 12.35 percent below the median age one year ago (March 2012).

Local Data

California continues to lead the list of the country’s top performing housing markets with largest year-over-year decline in for-sale inventories. Seattle is the only market outside of California in the top 10, and experienced a decline of 40.17 percent in for-sale inventories year-over-year. The 10 markets with the largest year-over-year declines in inventory include Stockton-Lodi, Sacramento, Orange County, Oakland, San Jose, Los Angeles-Long Beach, Ventura, San Diego, Riverside-San Bernardino and Seattle, WA. Out of the 146 markets realtor.com monitors, only nine experienced an increase in for-sale inventory.
On an annual basis, March median list prices were up by 5 percent or more in 52 markets, while only six markets experienced a decline of more than 5 percent. California markets continue to experience the largest median list prices year-over-year, in addition to the Phoenix market. While Detroit and Fresno did not make the list of top 10 performers for median list price, both markets did see list prices increase more than 40 percent year-over-year.
The 10 areas with the longest time on market continued to include the coastal areas of the Carolinas and the resort communities of Santa Fe, NM, and Asheville, NC. In addition, four older industrialized areas also appear on the list: Reading, PA, Portland, ME, Albany, NY, and Philadelphia. However, with the exceptions of Albany and Philadelphia, the average age of the inventory in the remaining areas is down compared to one year ago.

Real Estate Agent Farmington Valley – Low Mortgage Interest Rates Masking High Home Price-to-Income Ratios Farmington Valley Real Estate Agent

Low Mortgage Interest Rates Masking High Home Price-to-Income Ratios

Date:April 9, 2013|Category:Home Values|Author:Cory Hopkins

Zillow has noticed a trend that could become problematic for both the U.S. housing market and policymakers in coming months.

By looking at two metrics — an affordability index and a price-to-income ratio — Zillow researchers have determined that low mortgage rates that make homes appear incredibly affordable are overshadowing a bigger overall trend in which the overall prices of homes are actually significantly more expensive than historic norms relative to annual incomes.

The affordability index measures the percentage of a homeowner’s monthly income devoted to housing (mortgage) payments. In the pre-bubble period from 1985 through 1999, homeowners spent 19.9 percent of their monthly income on mortgage payments. But because of historically low interest rates currently in the 3 to 4 percent range, at the end of Q4 2012, homeowners were spending only 12.6 percent of their monthly incomes on housing payments — or roughly 37 percent below historic norms. Low interest rates have translated into more purchasing power for homeowners, as the cost to finance homes has gone down.

The price-to-income ratio looks at the total cost/price of a home relative to median annual incomes. Historically, the typical, median home in the U.S. cost 2.6 times as much as the median annual income (so if the median income in an area was $100,000, the median price of a home would typically be about $260,000: $100,000 * 2.6).

While historically low mortgage rates are translating into big savings for homeowners, those same low monthly payments are masking a troubling trend. While home values have been on the rise for the past year — in some areas appreciating by 15 percent or more annually — median wages haven’t kept pace. As a result, home price-to-income ratios in many areas are climbing.

Because wage appreciation has failed to keep pace with home value appreciation, once rates rise and the illusion of affordability driven by smaller monthly payments disappears, the market will be left with homes that could potentially be too expensive to afford on the typical median wage.

“The days of historically high levels of housing affordability are numbered,” said Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries. “Current affordability is almost entirely dependent on low interest rates, and there’s no doubt that rates will begin to rise in the next few years. This will have an undeniable effect on demand for housing, as home buyers will have to spend more of their incomes to buy a home. Home values will have to either remain stagnant while incomes catch up or, quite possibly, home values will have to fall in some markets. This will especially be the case in some markets that have seen strong home value appreciation.”

Homeowners in 24 of the 30 largest metros covered by Zillow were paying more for homes in the fourth quarter of 2012 relative to their region’s median income than they were from 1985 through 1999. Metros with the largest difference between their pre-bubble and fourth quarter 2012 price-to-income ratios included San Jose (52.1 percent more), Los Angeles (48.8 percent more), Portland, OR, (45.4 percent more), San Diego (44.6 percent more) and Denver (40.8 percent more).

Of the 30 largest metros covered by Zillow, only Cincinnati (3.1 percent less), Chicago (3.9 percent less), Cleveland (6.7 percent less), Atlanta (13.9 percent less), Las Vegas (14.6 percent less) and Detroit (25.5 percent less) posted price-to-income ratios in the fourth quarter of 2012 that were less than historic norms.

Metro Area	% Of Monthly Income Dedicated to Mortgage Payments, 1985-1999	% Of Monthly Income Dedicated to Mortgage Payments, 2012 Q4	Median Home Price Relative To Median Annual Income, 1985-1999	Median Home Price Relative To Median Annual Income, 2012 Q4
UNITED STATES	19.9%	12.6%	2.6	3.0
New York	30.7%	21.9%	4.0	5.2
Los Angeles	35.3%	29.0%	4.6	6.8
Chicago	21.4%	11.4%	2.8	2.7
Dallas	16.6%	9.3%	2.1	2.2
Philadelphia	17.5%	12.4%	2.3	2.9
Washington, DC	20.4%	14.9%	2.7	3.5
Miami	18.9%	13.5%	2.5	3.2
Atlanta	17.3%	8.1%	2.2	1.9
Boston	27.0%	19.0%	3.5	4.5
San Francisco	38.0%	28.8%	4.9	6.8
Detroit	15.8%	6.5%	2.1	1.5
Riverside	23.1%	14.9%	3.0	3.5
Phoenix	20.1%	12.7%	2.6	3.0
Seattle	25.0%	17.2%	3.3	4.1
Minneapolis-St. Paul	18.3%	11.2%	2.4	2.6
San Diego	31.3%	25.0%	4.1	5.9
Tampa, FL	17.5%	10.4%	2.3	2.5
St. Louis	15.6%	10.0%	2.0	2.4
Baltimore	19.5%	13.6%	2.5	3.2
Denver	20.2%	15.7%	2.6	3.7
Pittsburgh	14.3%	9.7%	1.9	2.3
Portland, OR	21.3%	17.3%	2.8	4.1
Sacramento, CA	25.9%	15.8%	3.4	3.7
Orlando, FL	18.5%	10.7%	2.4	2.5
Cincinnati	18.0%	9.6%	2.3	2.3
Cleveland	18.7%	9.7%	2.5	2.3
Las Vegas	21.7%	10.2%	2.8	2.4
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Farmington Valley Realtor – Why Buyers Should Consider Foreclosures or Short Sales – Realtor Farmington Valley

Why Buyers Should Consider Foreclosures or Short Sales

Date:April 12, 2013|Category:Tips & Advice|Author:Brendon DeSimone

For years, many buyers routinely steered clear of foreclosures and short sales. In their minds, such properties were “damaged goods” — real estate remainders that were likely to be dumps and money pits. Why risk such a big investment on a property sold in distress?

We’re now in a housing market unlike any we’ve seen in years. Inventory is tight in many areas. Meanwhile, the poor economy of the past few years has produced more properties in foreclosure or offered as short sales.

And so, as you enter the market either for the first time or as a seasoned buyer, you should be on the lookout for “distressed” sales. You might find a great property you’d otherwise have overlooked if you categorically disqualified foreclosures and short sales. And when the market is tight, looking at distressed properties makes even more sense.

The risks to buyers of foreclosures & short sales

Foreclosures and short sales aren’t just your typical buyer/seller situation. They involve more layers. In a bank foreclosure sale, also called real estate owned (REO), the bank is the seller. Because the bank employees have never lived at the home, they know nothing about the property. To them, the home you’re considering buying is simply a statistic — a cell within a large spreadsheet viewed by a worker behind a desk halfway around the country.

In the case of a foreclosure, the bank sells the home “as-is” and requires the buyer to sign dozens of documents releasing the bank of any liability. The worst-case scenario: You buy a foreclosure only to discover a major problem, such as a property line dispute or previous leaks that caused mold or dry rot.

When purchasing a short sale, the seller needs to go to their lender to “approve” the sale. In essence, the owner is trying to sell for less than the loan amount, so they need the bank to approve the sale. Historically, banks are slow to give the thumps-up. This can lead to a situation in which a buyer waits for months for the bank to approve the short sale, only to have the bank reject it. Meanwhile, the buyer has missed out on countless other properties.

Reasons to consider a foreclosure or short sale home

While there are clearly risks in buying a distressed property, we have so much more information now on homes than previous generations. Today’s Internet-connected, savvy buyer can learn a great deal about foreclosed and short sale properties before signing on the dotted line.

The old saying “no risk, no reward” certainly applies to foreclosures and short sale properties. Distressed sales tend to be priced from 5 percent to as much as 15 percent below the current market value.

Also, keep in mind that foreclosures aren’t necessarily dumps. The recession impacted people in all income brackets. It’s not unusual to find multi-million dollar homes in excellent condition and in good locations in foreclosure or offered in a short sale.

How to minimize the risks

If you’re looking for a home in a market where inventory is tight, buying a home in foreclosure or short sale can be a great option. There are many ways to mitigate the potential risks:

Search town records for past building permits to see if anything out of the ordinary was completed or planned for the property.
Have the home inspected top to bottom before getting too far along in the process.
Knock on neighbors’ doors to see what information they have about the home, the neighborhood or the previous owners.
Look at the home’s previous sales records. Many times the homeowner tried to sell once or twice before becoming distressed. If that’s the case, review the home’s sales history. If there was ever a contract on it, chances are there might be an inspection report somewhere. Have your agent call the previous listing agent to find out more about the former owners or the property.

Look for hidden values

There may be absolutely nothing wrong with the property in foreclosure or sold in a short sale. The bank has discounted the home because it sells such properties as-is, without disclosures. If you do your homework, you can use this situation to your advantage. And should you learn of a major problem with the house, negotiate with the bank for a lower price.

Don’t forget: Banks aren’t in the business of owning homes. They want these properties off their hands as soon as possible. Banks will take seriously any buyer who’s well-qualified and ready to close a deal.

Related:

Brendon DeSimone is a Realtor & HGTV real estate expert. He has collaborated on multiple real estate books and his expert advice is regularly sought out by print, online and television media outlets like FOX News, CNBC and Forbes. An avid investor, Brendon owns real estate around the US and abroad and is licensed to sell in two states. You can find Brendon online or follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.

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