Monday Morning Coffee

Supporting local business's and entrepreneurs is something I find enjoyable and beneficial for my neighborhood. One way you can do that is to vote for them as the "Best of..." Think about it- People often try a new restaurant or spa because they saw it was ranked "Best" in their town. Only a few more days to vote for "Best of Main Line & Western Suburbs"
Click here to complete your ballot!

Real Estate News:
Philadelphia county homeowners should have received notices of new property assessments. If you feel your assessment it incorrect, you can appeal using the links below.

Philly property owners flood city phone lines about assessments

Philadelphia land owners took to the phone lines shortly after property assessments were released Friday and after receiving notices in the mail --some say their properties were over assessed. The Office of Property Assessment (OPA) received more than 3,200 calls and voicemails, a substantially higher volume of calls than usual, said mayoral spokesman Mark McDonald. The increased number of calls came as thousands of property owners got notices from the city detailing what their properties are worth under the new property-tax system based on market values known as the Actual Value Initiative. If a property owner feels that his or her property assessment is either too high or low, a first level review with OPA or appeal with the Board of Revision of Taxes (BRT) may be filed.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Local Events:
With Spring just around the corner, why not start your Spring Cleaning this weekend! (P.S. one of my favorite times of year!)
eForce Compliance is hosting a FREE Recycling Event in Kennett Square this Saturday. They specialize in recycling electronics in an environmentally friendly manner.
More information: http://norristown.patch.com/events/recycling-event-in-kennett-square-c3651083 and
http://www.eforcecompliance.com/collection_events.html

Real Estate Market Update

Below is a link to the Year to Date market information for the surrounding counties. It's a simple way to see the real estate trend for your particular county.

PA Trend MLS Market Snapshot

NJ Trend MLS Market Snapshot

It's important to remember this is data per county. Even within counties, townships and boroughs market statistics can vary. But I feel this snapshot is still a good resource to learn more about your local market.

If you have an specific questions, you can always contact me directly. I'm happy to help!

Monday Morning Coffee

Happy Presidents Day! Hopefully you have the day off and get to sleep in a little, maybe even get a chance to take advantage of some store sales!
I have a buyer client that is a teacher and has off for the holiday. We will be seeing her first house his morning. She's a first time buyer and very excited to start the process! I don't blame her, it's a great time to buy and new inventory is popping up every day.

I will also be working on my Keller Williams website today. It's slowly but surely coming together. One aspect that's working great is the home search application and it's actually one that I like. It's simple, easy to read and provides just the right amount of information.

You can save your searches, email to friend/husband/parent, and obviously contact me for more details or to schedule a showing.

If you are actively looking for a new home or just like browsing to see what's out there, please visit my webpage
http://kellykneeland.kwrealty.com/search/

Monday Morning Coffee

I'm excited to announce that I have switched to Keller Williams Real Estate in Blue Bell. I'm happy and honored to continue my real estate career with such a reputable and motivating company.

With the transition, I'm still serving Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia county, but will expand my services to Bucks county as well. This is a wonderful opportunity to help even more people find their dream homes!

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As you know, it's tax season. Houselogic.com put together a good checklist of "Don't Miss Home Tax Breaks"

Read full article <<here>>

Don't-Miss Home Tax Breaks

By: Dona DeZube

Published: January 10, 2013

From the mortgage interest deduction to energy tax credits, here are the tax tips you need to get a jump on your returns.

Mortgage interest deduction
Private mortgage insurance deduction
Prepaid interest deduction
Energy tax credits
Vacation or second home tax deductions
Home buyer tax credit repayment
Property tax deduction

Rent vs. Buy

I work with a lot of First Time Home Buyers. It's an ideal market to buy and I can provide these buyers with the service they require- accessible, knowledgable and understanding.

If you are on the fence about buying, here are some things to consider:
Renters typically need 1st, last and security deposit when signing a new lease. If your rent is $1500, that equals $4500 up front costs.
If you purchase a $200,000 home using FHA financing (3.5% down), that is only a $7000 down payment.
Closing costs could be approximately $6000+/-, but you could negotiate that cost into your deal- which brings your out of pocket money to about $8000 (down payment + inspections & appraisal fees).
Your monthly payment at this sale price with 3.5% interest rate (estimated rate, there are lower rates out there!) is roughly $1300- this is less than your $1500 rent payment!
In a year, you can save $2400 by having a $200 less monthly payment PLUS you will get more tax deductions when filing your tax return.
Yes, you will need more funds at first, but the long term benefits outweigh the short term. Don't have the up front money?- you can  get a gift from parents, family or a really nice friend :)

OOH and did you know that when you settle on your home, you will not have a mortgage payment for 30-45 days?! So you essentially save a month of rent/mortgage too!

Homes.com has put together a super helpful guide for first time buyers. It includes a short quiz to see if your ready to buy, important terms to know, financing information, the steps in the buying process, and more! Contact me to get a free copy!