Fun Facts

I feel like most people are interested in the Real Estate market. Whenever someone learns that I'm a Realtor, the first question is "Hows the Market?" Maybe it helps them characterize the overall economy, or maybe they are wanting to buy/sell but want professional opinion, or possibly they don't know what else to say to me... Whatever the reason, people care to know what's going on with the industry.

Here are some recent stats and surveys about the general real estate market that I find interesting to share:

                               

 

                           

SOURCES: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, BUSINESS WIRE, MARKETWATCH, WALL STREET JOURNAL, CNBC & Brian Buffini 

Spring Cleaning Guide

I love HouseLogic.com
They really provide great information for homeowners; maintenance checklists, tips on cleaning & organizing, decorating, gardening, you name it!

Here is an article on Spring Cleaning (personal favorite)
Quick Tips

Bathrooms:
If you want more scouring power, Rathey recommends mixing baking soda with acidic vinegar. The concoction is just as effective as conventional cleaners, and there are no toxic fumes to inhale. This approach works equally well on tub and shower stains.

Buy your supplies in bulk to save. A 64-ounce bottle of vinegar costs about $4; a 12-pound bag of baking soda, about $7. Both items can be used throughout the house. For just $1 you can mix equal parts vinegar and water in a 32-ounce spray bottle to make a terrific all-purpose surface cleaner. That’s about $4 cheaper than buying a spray cleaner at the store.

Spring cleaning is the perfect time to extract dirt from porous grouted surfaces. For tile floors use your usual cleaner, but don’t mop. Instead, run a wet/dry vac, which will suck contaminants out of the grout. Mopping drives the grime into the grout rather than removing it. According to Rathey, grout can harbor stinky bacteria that leave a bad odor in the bathroom. This technique is more time-consuming than mopping, but it’s worthwhile to do at least once a year.


Kitchens:
Before you break out the broom, go through your cabinets and drawers, and put together a box of items to donate and a box of items to store somewhere besides the kitchen. Clear your countertops of everything except items you use nearly every day.

After you’ve de-cluttered, you can get to work cleaning. Cloud Conrad, vice president of marketing for cleaning company Maid Brigade, says one tool you shouldn’t overlook is an all-purpose microfiber cloth (about $5). These aren’t run-of-the-mill dusting rags. Microfiber is a densely woven synthetic fabric that picks up dirt and greasy deposits without chemicals thanks to its unique composition. You should be able to clean surfaces like countertops, sinks, and stoves with warm water, a microfiber cloth, and a bit of elbow grease, Conrad says.

Microfiber, vinegar, and baking soda will clean and disinfect almost every kitchen surface at a fraction of the price. Don’t neglect once-a-year chores like vacuuming refrigerator coils (unplug your fridge first), and tossing out expired food from the back of the pantry.


Bedrooms:
Most homeowners should at least rotate and flip innerspring mattresses, and store out-of-season sheets and clothing. Also go through your closet, and donate or Freecycle items you haven’t worn in the last 12 months. For carpets and mattresses, consider using a professional cleaning service. Figure a typical mattress will cost about $70-$90 to clean, a bargain considering how much time you spend in bed.


Living Area:
Another surface you should consider getting professionally cleaned is living room upholstery. It can be tricky to know exactly how to deep-clean different types of fabrics, says Rathey, especially if there are stains you can’t quite identify. Costs vary widely depending on the size of the furniture piece and the quality and state of its covering, but a typical sofa might run $70 to $90.

Microfiber cloths are great to use in the living area as well. Make sure you have cloths for each area of the house, though, so you’re not cross-contaminating bathroom, kitchen, and living areas. Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down windows, wood, mirrors, the tops of bookshelves, ceiling fan blades, and even the plastic housing of electronics for a quick, chemical-free clean.

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/seasonal-maintenance/spring-cleaning-guide/#ixzz2RIXRiiOA

Monday Morning Coffee

Market Update:
According the Trend, Philadelphia's regions real estate Multiple Listing Service (MLS), statistics show more areas are seeing an increase in foot traffic, contracts, and prices compared to this time a year ago. Montgomery County reported a 15% decrease in Total Inventory in March 2013 compared to March 2012 with significant jumps in Pending and Settled homes- driving Median and Average sale prices up!

If you waiting to buy or sell a property, now is definitely the time to start.

Here are 3 Tips for Home shoppers this Spring
Source: Realtormag.Realtor.org

With shrinking inventories and more competition, buyers are finding they have less negotiating power in today’s market. CNNMoney recently highlighted some of the following tips to help home buyers be more successful in their purchases this spring: 

1. Lowball offers are a waste of time: “The days when you could scoop up a house for 20 percent less than the list price are long gone,” the article notes. Homes are selling much closer to their asking price nowadays, surveys show. Michael Murphree, a real estate professional in Birmingham, Ala., says he advises his clients that if homes are selling below the list price in an area but are still being sold in less than two months to make an offer that is no more than 2 to 3 percent below the asking price. If homes are selling above the listing price, Murphree advises clients to make their first offer at the full asking price.  

2. How to win a bidding war: To do that, agents say come with a higher price and fewer contingencies, and be flexible with when you can move in. In some transactions, the sellers could be left trying to find new housing for themselves, so some real estate professionals suggest leaving the closing date blank on the contract and allow the seller to fill it in, or be willing to negotiate a leaseback if the seller needs more time to vacate. 

3. Shop around for financing: Credit unions and small banks tend to offer the lowest rates and may even be less strict about their underwriting, Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance, told CNNMoney. Cecala recommends getting a good-faith estimate from one lender and then showing it to other lenders to see if they can beat it. 

3 Tips for Home Shoppers This Spring

Monday Morning Coffee

Yesterday was a perfect day to visit some Open Houses in the neighborhoods you may want to live. In various neighborhoods I work, buyers need to jump on a home they love or it may be gone the next day. Crazy to think that just a year ago this was not the case! Inventory is low, making it more of a sellers market. And sellers are pricing their homes to sell, eliminating the 10-20% below asking prices. 

As a buyer, have you listed your most desired features in your new home? Below is an article with the 2013 Home Trends that both Seller and Buyers should take notice. 
My favorite are the outdoor living spaces and energy efficient mechanicals! 

13 Hot Home Trends for 2013

Local Events:
This weekend the King of Prussia mall is hosting the Simon Fashion NOW event- Guests will learn about the latest trends in fashion and makeup while sampling items from participating King of Prussia Mall retailers and restaurants. Mall retailers and restaurants will be providing VIP swag bags, food and cocktail samples, mini manicures, makeup and fashion demonstrations featuring the latest trends, and runway fashion shows throughout the weekend. 
The Junior League of Philadelphia will be hosting a Silent Auction on Friday from 6-9 during the Trends & Friends lounge event to be held in the Lord & Taylor court!
The event is free, open to the public, and will be promoted through major local media outlets and social media networks.
Simon Fashion NOW event details

Finally feels like Spring!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to be at the unveiling of the new FARM EXPORER, a hands-on mobile farm that lets youth and families dig-in and connect with food from seed to plate created by Greener Partners. The 24 foot custom trailer is an innovative farm and kitchen that will help inspire and educate people to eat healthy.

In the spirit of fresh, healthy eating, below are some Gardening App suggestions to help you grow your own garden!

• 5 Great Gardening Apps

  These apps take the guesswork out of gardening. All you have to do is dig. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2013 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Monday Morning Update

This is no April Fools joke-  houses are moving FAST in the Philadelphia region. Last week I had multiple offers on a home I listed on Monday!
If you are in the market- buying, selling or investing- it's a great time to start getting serious. A home you see online today may not be available tomorrow. Inventory is low in a lot of areas, resulting in good properties going under contract quickly.

If you are wanting to buy a home, you need to have some documents in place before you can even submit an offer; most importantly- your mortgage pre-approval letter. Sellers and Realtors want to know that the buyer submitting an offer to purchase their home 1. has the money to do so 2. has already started the process with a bank. This makes your offer so much stronger than competitors.

If you are looking to sell your home, get your home ready now! Declutter, clean, plant flowers, etc. Once you hire your Realtor, they can get your home on the market fast, so have your property ready.

A lot of people have general questions about the market and the buying/ selling process.  It can be complicated and stressful to enter the real estate market, so I'm never too busy to help answer those questions.
I've had quite a few people in the "move up" phase- they want to sell their current home to move into a larger home or more desirable area. They bought years ago and in the meantime the market and mortgage process has changed. This may also be the first time they have sold a home, so they have numerous questions and concerns about that process. Part of what I love about my job is answering those questions and being a resource for them. Feel free to contact me today!