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3 years old, never lived in Upgrades galore! Bedroom #2 is also on the 1st floor and has walk in closet and private bath. Smooth ceilings, 42" upper kitchen cabinets, French doors to the rear porch. Stone front, oversized garage with 18' door, gutters. SOLD AS IS. Convenient to golf, beach and shopping. St. James school district. LISTING DETAILS
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Weekly Range of Rates 30 Year Conforming Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.625% 15 Year Conforming Fixed Rate Purchase: 3.875% FHA 30 Year Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.375% 30 Year Jumbo* Fixed Rate Purchase: 5.125% 15 Year Jumbo* Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.375% 5 Year Jumbo* ARM Rate: 3.375% Construction/Permanent Conforming Rates: 4.875% Construction/Permanent Jumbo* Rates: 4.875% *Jumbo loans are greater than $417,000 Rates subject to change Client must qualify based on income, credit and program guidelines Rates quoted may include discount points, client can elect to buy the rate down All rates are quoted including escrows; rate may increase if client elects to waive escrows
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Daily Real Estate News | April 21, 2011 |
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Has Housing Reached a 'Recovery Path'?
Sales of existing homes rose slightly in March, marking the sixth consecutive monthly rise for existing home sales in the last eight months, the National Association of REALTORS reported Wednesday.
"We're clearly on a recovery path," says Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist.
Existing home sales rose 3.7 percent in March from February, as distressed sales, such as those in foreclosure, continued to make up a big bulk of home sales (40 percent of all purchases).
"At this point, we're likely to see a steady improvement in sales," says economist Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors.
So just in time for the spring buying season, here’s what economists have to say about who’s buying and currently driving the market:
Investors: All-cash deals last month made up a record number of sales, accounting for 35 percent of all resold homes. Investors continue to make up a big part of those cash deals. Investors are buying distressed homes and flipping them for a slight profit or turning them into rentals, says Patrick Newport, economist at IHS Global Insight.
Luxury consumers: Some real estate professionals are reporting a pick up in luxury markets in some cities too. "The confidence is back in the market," says Neil Palmer, CEO at Christie’s International Real Estate.
Foreign buyers: Coastal markets, in particular, are seeing a surge of foreign buyers, such as in New York, Palm Beach, Fla., and San Francisco, AOL Real Estate news reports.
Traditional buyers: Traditional buyers are also re-emerging. Mortgage applications to buy homes rose 10 percent over a seven-week period, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s most recent report. "This pickup in demand should show up in improved existing home sales in April and May, unless lending conditions tighten," Newport says.
The market is making “slow, steady progress” and demand in housing is rising even with higher mortgage rates “so that's encouraging,” Pierre Ellis, an economist at Decision Economics in New York, told The New York Times.
"It's the new financial psychology," says Jarvis Slade Jr., Christie's managing director for the Americas. "We've had two years of hesitation, the sellers are realistic, the buyers confident and cautious, but Americans are starting to feel better."
Source: “Rising home sales point to a recovery; Prices expected to keep falling 5% to 7% this year,” USA Today (April 21, 2011), “U.S. Home Sales Top Forecasts in March,” The New York Times (April 21, 2011), and “Rich People Buying Homes Again--Should You?” AOL Real Estate News (April 20, 2011)
Read more:
Gear Up for a Housing Comeback
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HEATING AND COOLING TIPS Programmable Thermostats You can save up to 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for eight hours. You can do this automatically by installing an automatic setback or programmable thermostat. Click here to read more. Heating and Cooling Heating and cooling your home drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Typically, 43% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling. What's more,heating and cooling systems in the United States together emit 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, adding to global climate change.Click here to read more. Heat Pumps Heat pumps are the most efficient form of electric heating in moderate climates, providing three times more heating than the equivalent amount of energy they consume in electricity. There are three types of heat pumps: air-to-air, water source, and ground source. Click here to read more. Air Conditioners Buying a larger room air-conditioning unit won't necessarily make you feel more comfortable during the hot summer months. In fact, a room air conditioner that's too big for the area it is supposed to cool will perform less efficiently and less effectively than a smaller, properly sized unit. Sizing is equally important for central air-conditioning systems, which need to be sized by professionals. Click here to read more. Solar Heating and Cooling Using passive solar design techniques to heat and cool your home can be both environmentally friendly and cost effective. Passive solar heating techniques include placing larger, insulated windows on south-facing walls and locating thermal mass, such as a concrete slab floor or a heat-absorbing wall, close to the windows. Click here to read more. Excerpted from U.S. Department of Energy.
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Home Buyer Traffic Up
- According to the latest Realtors® Confidence Index, the gap between the indices of Prospective Home Buyer Traffic and Prospective Home Seller Traffic has narrowed, with an increase in Prospective Buyer Traffic.
- A continuation of the narrowing of the gap between buyer and seller interest would be favorable to the strengthening of real estate markets nationwide.
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Weekly Range of Rates 30 Year Conforming Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.875% 15 Year Conforming Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.125% FHA 30 Year Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.75% 30 Year Jumbo* Fixed Rate Purchase: 5.375% 15 Year Jumbo* Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.625% 5 Year Jumbo* ARM Rate: 3.625% Construction/Permanent Conforming Rates: 4.875% Construction/Permanent Jumbo* Rates: 4.875% *Jumbo loans are greater than $417,000 Rates subject to change Client must qualify based on income, credit and program guidelines Rates quoted may include discount points, client can elect to buy the rate down All rates are quoted including escrows; rate may increase if client elects to waive escrows
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Weekly Range of Rates
30 Year Conforming Fixed Rate Purchase: 5.00% 15 Year Conforming Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.25% FHA 30 Year Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.75% 30 Year Jumbo* Fixed Rate Purchase: 5.50% 15 Year Jumbo* Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.75% 5 Year Jumbo* ARM Rate: 3.75% Construction/Permanent Conforming Rates: 4.875% Construction/Permanent Jumbo* Rates: 4.875% *Jumbo loans are greater than $417,000 Rates subject to change Client must qualify based on income, credit and program guidelines Rates quoted may include discount points, client can elect to buy the rate down All rates are quoted including escrows; rate may increase if client elects to waive escrows
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CLICK HERE for the top 25 beaches in the United States.
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On this site, you can compare national and regional averages for 33 popular remodeling projects; you can also download a PDF with project data for any one of 80 U.S. cities. WEBSITE
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Wednesday, Mar. 10,2010 SunNews GrandStrand real estate market continues to show gains AdvaSaldinger - asaldinger@thesunnews.com The Grand Strand real estate market continued toshow gains in February with both single family home and condo sales increasingin the double digits and median single family home prices showing the firstgain in about two years. Single family home sales were up about 17percent in February from the same month last year and condo sales were up about54 percent, according to data collected from the Multiple Listing Servicetoday. The median price - the price at which half soldfor more and half sold for less - for single family homes was up about 8percent in February when compared to the same month last year. Prices rose from$173,500 in 2009 to $187,500 in 2010. Single family homes are starting to sell inslightly higher price ranges than they have been, which is driving up themedian price, said Tom Maeser, a real estate analyst for the Coastal CarolinasAssociation of Realtors. The median condo price was down about 15percent, dropping from $127,700 in 2009 to $109,000 in 2010. Prices continue to drop in the condo market inpart because it has been hit harder by foreclosures than single family homes,Maeser said. The majority of sales in February, 51 percent,were paid for in cash, with 41 percent traditionally financed and the remaining8 percent financed through the Federal Housing Administration, the VeteransAdministration or other programs.
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Weekly Range of Rates 30 Year Conforming Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.875% 15 Year Conforming Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.125% FHA 30 Year Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.75% 30 Year Jumbo* Fixed Rate Purchase: 5.375% 15 Year Jumbo* Fixed Rate Purchase: 4.625% 5 Year Jumbo* ARM Rate: 3.75% Construction/Permanent Conforming Rates: 4.75% Construction/Permanent Jumbo* Rates: 4.75% *Jumbo loans are greater than $417,000 Rates subject to change Client must qualify based on income, credit and program guidelines Rates quoted may include discount points, client can elect to buy the rate down All rates are quoted including escrows; rate may increase if client elects to waive escrows All rates are quoted for purchase of a SFR
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Common Selling Mistakes | Mistake #1 -- Placing the Wrong Price on Your Property
Every seller obviously wants to get the most money for his or her product. Ironically, the best way to do this is NOT to list your product at an excessively high price! A high listing price will cause some prospective buyers to lose interest before even seeing your property. Also, it may lead other buyers to expect more than what you have to offer. As a result, overpriced properties tend to take an unusually long time to sell, and they end up being sold at a lower price. Mistake #2 -- Mistaking Re-finance Appraisals for the Market Value
Unfortunately, a re-finance appraisal may have been stated at an untruthfully high price. Often, lenders estimate the value of your property to be higher than it actually is in order to encourage re-financing. The market value of your home could actually be lower. Your best bet is to ask your realtor for the most recent information regarding property sales in your community. This will give you an up-to-date and factually accurate estimate of your property value. Mistake #3 -- Failing to "Showcase"
In spite of how frequently this mistake is addressed and how simple it is to avoid, its prevalence is still widespread. When attempting to sell your home to prospective buyers, do not forget to make your home look as pleasant as possible. Make necessary repairs. Clean. Make sure everything functions and looks presentable. A poorly kept home in need of repairs will surely lower the selling price of your property and will even turn away some buyers. Mistake #4 - Trying to "Hard Sell" While Showing
Buying a house is always an emotional and difficult decision. As a result, you should try to allow prospective buyers to comfortably examine your property. Don't try haggling or forcefully selling. Instead, be friendly and hospitable. A good idea would be to point out any subtle amenities and be receptive to questions. Mistake #5 - Trying to Sell to Lookers
A prospective buyer who shows interest because of a "for sale" sign he saw may not really be interested in your property. Often buyers who do not come through a realtor are a good 6-9 months away from buying, and they are more interested in seeing what is out there than in actually making a purchase. They may still have to sell their house, or may not be able to afford a house yet. They may still even be unsure as to whether or not they want to relocate. Your realtor should be able to distinguish realistic potential buyers from mere lookers. Realtors should usually find out a prospective buyer's savings, credit rating, and purchasing power in general. If your realtor fails to find out this pertinent information, you should do some investigating and questioning on your own. This will help you avoid wasting valuable time marketing towards the wrong people. If you have to do this work yourself, consider finding a new realtor. Mistake #6 -- Being Ignorant of Your Rights & Responsibilities
It is extremely important that you are well-informed of the details in your real estate contract. Real estate contracts are legally binding documents, and they can often be complex and confusing. Not being aware of the terms in your contract could cost you thousands for repairs and inspections. Know what your are responsible for before signing the contract. Can the property be sold "as is"? How will deed restrictions and local zoning laws affect your transaction? Not knowing the answers to these kind of questions could end up costing you a considerable amount of money. Mistake #7 - Signing a Contract with No Escape
Hopefully you will have taken the time to choose the best realtor for you. But sometimes, as we all know, circumstances change. Perhaps you misjudged your realtor, or perhaps the realtor has other priorities on his or her mind. In any case, you should have the right to fire your agent. Also, you should have the right to select another agent of your choosing. Many real estate companies will simply replace an agent with another one, without consulting you. Be sure to have control over your situation before signing a real estate contract. Mistake #8 - Limiting the Marketing and Advertising of the Property
There are two obvious marketing tools that nearly every seller uses: open houses and classified ads. Unfortunately, these two tools are rather ineffective. Less than 1% of homes are sold at open houses, and less than 3% are sold because of classified ads. In fact, realtors often use open houses to attract future prospects, not to sell the house. Your realtor should employ a wide variety of marketing techniques. Your realtor should also be committed to selling your property; he or she should be available for every phone call from a prospective buyer. Most calls are received, and open houses are scheduled, during business hours, so make sure that your realtor is working on selling your home during these hours. Chances are that you have a job, too, so you may not be able to get in touch will many potential buyers. Mistake #9 - Choosing the Wrong Realtor®
Selling your home could be the most important financial transaction in your lifetime. As a result, it is extremely important that you select the realtor that is best for you. Experienced real estate agents often cost as much as brand new agents. Chances are that the experienced agent will be able to bring you a higher price in less time and with fewer hassles. Take your time when selecting a real estate agent. Interview several agents; ask them key questions. If you want to make your selling experience the best it can be, it is crucial that you select the best agent for you. |
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Six Simple Things You Can Do to Ensure a Smooth Home Purchase |
Buying a home can be an emotional, time-consuming, and complex process. There are a few things that you can do to help make the process go as smooth as possible:
1. Check your credit.
Before you apply for a home loan, regardless of your credit, it's a smart idea to obtain a copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus and review the information. If there are errors or things that need to be addressed, it's easier to address them before you have found a house, than after you have found a house and are trying to close your loan.
If you know that there are a few blemishes on your credit, let your lender know what they are, why they are there, and why you are a still good credit risk. Lenders look at your credit to determine how likely you will pay back the loan. If you had extenuating circumstances - like a loss of a job or medical bills - let them know so that they understand that it is not likely to happen again in the future.
2. Get approved before you buy.
An approval means that a lender has reviewed your credit history, verified your assets and employment, and has approved your loan before you have found a home to purchase. As long as the home appraises for at least the purchase price, the loan should close.
Getting approved also gives you an advantage over other buyers. Your firm approval makes it easier for you to negotiate on the price of a home, than a person who is not approved or is pre-qualified.
While getting pre-qualified may sound official, it is really just getting an idea of what you can afford. Its having a person plug in a few numbers that you give them - your monthly income and your monthly debt - and getting an approximate payment calculated. From the payment, the calculator can approximate the house price range that you can afford. No information is verified. Because your assets, income or credit is not verified, a pre-qualification has little value when purchasing a home.
3. Find a great buyer's agent.
Traditionally real estate agents represent the sellers in a transaction. When you are not working with a buyer's agent, they are less likely to negotiate the best price or contingencies for you.
A buyer's agent's job and fiduciary responsibility (meaning legal duty) is to you, the buyer. Before working with an agent, establish if they are a buyer's agent or a seller's agent. After spending a lot of time with a Realtor, it's natural to feel like you're a team. But if they are not negotiating for you, then they are not on your team.
4. Learn about the neighborhood.
Often times the house you find may be in a neighborhood that you're not familiar with, which is ok. It just means that you'll have to do a little more research. If you find a house that you like, ask for a list of the neighborhood properties that sold in the last year. How does your home rank? Is it at the top of the price range? If so, it might be hard to resell. Is it average or on the low end? If so, great - as the other home prices go up in value, they will pull your home's value up as well.
Check out the schools - are they sought after? A good school district means your neighborhood will always be valued by families which is a great reassurance to purchase, not to mention the value-add if you have school-age children.
Next, contact the police station and obtain crime statistics? Are they acceptable to you? Sometimes, if they won't give them to you, it could be a cause for alarm.
Talk to the neighbors. The more people you talk to, the better sense you will get of who makes up the neighborhood and how they will effect your time spent in it.
Check out the location of the shopping, police and fire stations, schools, and air traffic overhead. These are all things that might affect your property value or quality of your life.
5. Protect Yourself.
Ask your Realtor for a copy of the documents you will be asked to sign if you decide to buy the house. Read them ahead of time so that you'll understand the questions that you will be asked, the things you need to know, and the decisions you will need to make.
6.) Have reasonable expectations.
There is a lot of money at stake. No house is perfect. Understanding and remembering these two statements will help diffuse the negotiation stage, the inspection stage and the closing stage.
Emotions are high for both buyers and sellers. - The seller may have loving memories and years of sweat equity in the house. Maybe they are being relocated and don't want to go. Understanding their motivations for selling will help you appreciate their situation and predicament during these emotional times.
There is a lot of money at stake for all the parties involved (and that includes the realtors) - Just remember that market value (the value of a home) is the price that a willing buyer and a willing seller can agree to. If you can not agree on a price, ask yourself: Is there something you missed? Are there comparables that support the price that they want? Are there motivations that might factor into the price they are demanding? In the end, does it matter? What is the house worth to you today and what do you think you can reasonably sell it for based on the amount of time you plan to spend in it? Think about the answers to those questions before you make your move.
No house is perfect - Always get an inspection. It might be a few hundred dollars, but it's worth it. It's the inspector's job to find any problems with the house that could cost you thousands to repair down the road. Some inspectors have a tendency to over play the importance of their role and the items that they find. Get objective opinions that you trust before making a decision on an inspection report. Likewise, if an inspector says a foundation is cracked but its nothing to worry about - get a second opinion. Ask a handyman for an idea of how much repairs will cost and how complicated they are. The home buying process is an emotional, complex and time-consuming process, but it is worth it. Nothing compares to owning your own home in a neighborhood that you chose.
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Coastal Carolina University C.C.U. Website CLICK HERE to see affordable homes for sale within a five mile radius of Coastal Carolina University. CLICK HERE to receive specific Townhome, Condo and Single Home listings close to Coastal Carolina University. Information on this website is deemed reliable but not guaranteed
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