Dress up your entry foyer

7 EASY WAYS TO DRESS UP AN ENTRYWAY

The entryway or foyer of your home conveys an important first impression to your guests. For homeowners bent on making it a great first impression, designers at ElleDecor.com suggest seven easy ways to make an entryway look larger, brighter, and more welcoming.

Use the power of mirrors – A well placed mirror can instantly open up a space and add a luxurious feel. Splurge on a good one.

Keep fresh flowers on hand – Nothing freshens up a room quite like a vase full of fresh flowers. They are aesthetically pleasing and will keep your entryway smelling wonderful. Using long-lasting silk flowers will hold down monthly costs, but think about replacing them with fresh flowers before a dinner party or other events.

Play with patterns and colors – Your entryway should reflect your personal style. Add a jolt of color, especially in a light, bright foyer, or bring in an unexpected wallpaper pattern to turn the space into something special.

Rethink the lighting fixtures – Swap out the lighting fixtures that came with the house for something you really love. The right overhead chandelier or well-detailed wall scones can add drama and grace to any entry.

Add a statement piece – It may be a patterned rug, tufted bench, a console table or a pair of smaller tables. There should be some element in your entryway that serves as a centerpiece and set the tone for the rest of your home.

Do use some artwork – Art bring a level of elegance to a room. A well placed piece of art, or a gallery wall of small pieces, can be the perfect finishing touch for an entryway that reflects your taste and style.

Don’t overcrowd the space – If you have an entryway big enough for several pieces of furniture, by all means go for it. But if the area is on the small side, skip the console table because the area will look better with just a few small pieces. A plant stand and a mirror may be all that is needed to dress up a small entry.

 When you are ready to change entry way, call text or email.

Is it time to plan your next move?

52% Likely to Buy in the Next 5 Years!! Are You?

 Thursday August 27th, 2015  First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Move-Up Buyers

According to the recently released BMO Harris Bank Home Buying Report, 52% of Americans say they are likely to buy a home in the next five years. Americans surveyed for the report said they would be willing to pay an average of $296,000 for a home and would average a 21% down payment. The report also had other interesting revelations.

Those Looking to Buy

• 74% of those looking to buy a new home will consult a real estate agent
• 59% said they will visit online real estate websites
• 37% will seek recommendations from friends and family
• 78% plan to get pre-approved before seriously searching for a home

Those Who Already Own

• 75% of current home owners set a budget before looking for a home. 16% ended up spending less while 13% went over their budget.
• 63% of American homeowners spent under six months looking for a new home before they made a purchase.
• 8% bought their home without participating in an active real estate search - or even any plan to buy at all - because a specific property caught their attention.

The last point is very interesting: Of those that purchased a home, 8% bought “without any plan to buy at all”. A property caught their attention and they acted on it.

Why are More People not Planning their Next Move?

Why are people that are considering a move not putting their home search to a plan, and instead, buying only when a property catches their attention? A recent article by Fannie Mae may give us that answer, there is evidence that a large numbers of homeowners are dramatically underestimating the equity they have in their current home. The report explains:

“Homeowners may be underestimating their home equity. In particular, if homeowners believe that large down payments are now required to purchase a home, then widespread, large underestimates of their home equity could be deterring them from applying for mortgages, selling their homes, and buying different homes.”

Bottom Line

Perhaps it is time to sit with a real estate professional to determine the actual equity you have in your house and take a look at the opportunities that currently exist in the real estate market. This may be the perfect time to move-up, move-down or buy that vacation home your family has always wanted.

To see how this applies to your unique situation, call, text or email.

Time for the Ride For Kids

Part of being a good citizen involves giving back to others. For many years, my charity of choice has been the Ride for Kids of the Pediatric Brain Tumor foundation. 

The 2015 local ride is only a month away. If you can both I and the kids thank you for your donation. Just click this link:

2015 Ride for Kids

The cost of waiting to accumulate a larger down payment

Should I Wait to Put Down a Bigger Down Payment?

 Wednesday August 26th, 2015  Down Payments, For Buyers, Interest Rates, Pricing

Some experts are advising that first time and move-up buyers wait until they save up 20% before they move forward with their decision to purchase a home. One of the main reasons they suggest waiting is that a buyer must purchase private mortgage insurance if they have less than the 20%. That increases the monthly payment the buyer will be responsible for.

In a recent article, Freddie Mac explained what this would mean for a $200,000 house:

However, we must look at other aspects of the purchase to see if it truly makes sense to wait.

Are you actually saving money by waiting?

CoreLogic has recently projected that home values will increase by 4.3% over the next 12 months. Let’s compare the extra cost of PMI against the projected appreciation:

If you decide to wait until you have saved up a 20% down payment, the money you would have saved by avoiding the PMI payment could be surpassed by the additional price you eventually pay for the home. Prices are expected to increase by more than 3% each of the next five years.

Saving will also be more difficult if you are renting, as rents are also projected to increase over the next several years. Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell explained in a recent report:

"Our research found that unaffordable rents are making it hard for people to save for a down payment ... There are good reasons to rent temporarily – when you move to a new city, for example – but from an affordability perspective, rents are crazy right now. If you can possibly come up with a down payment, then it's a good time to buy a home and start putting your money toward a mortgage."

Laura Kusisto of the Wall Street Journal recently agreed with Dr. Gudell:

“For some renters there may be a way out: Buy a house. Mortgages remain very affordable.”

Mortgage rates are expected to rise…

Freddie Mac is projecting that mortgage interest rates will increase by almost a full percentage point over the next 12 months. That will also impact your mortgage payment if you wait.

Bottom Line

Sit with a real restate or mortgage professional to truly understand whether you should buy now or wait until you save the 20%.

When you would like to evaluate how this applies to your unique situation, call, text or email

Rents continue to outpace wage increases

Don’t Get Caught In The Renter’s Trap

 Tuesday August 25th, 2015  First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers

There are many benefits to homeownership. One of top ones is being able to protect yourself from rising rents and lock in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their findings of a study in which they studied“income growth, housing costs and changes in the share of renter and owner-occupied households over the past five years in metropolitan statistical areas throughout the US.”

Don’t Become Trapped

The study revealed that over the last five years a typical rent rose 15% while the income of renters grew by only 11%. If you are currently renting, this disparity in growth could get you caught up in a cycle where increasing rents continue to make it impossible for you to save for a necessary down payment.

The average renter in the United States pays 30% of their income on housing compared to that of a homeowner who can expect to spend 15%.

In many metro areas the percentage of income spent on housing is even higher and continues to rise every year. Like in San Francisco, CA, where the average renter spends 59% of their monthly income on housing or nearly 65% in Boston, MA.

Homebuyers who purchased their home over the same five-year period locked in their housing costs and were able to grow their net worth as home values have increased and their mortgage balances have gone down.

Know Your Options

Perhaps, you have already saved enough to buy your first home. HousingWire reported that analysts at Nomura believe:

“It’s not that Millennials and other potential homebuyers aren’t qualified in terms of their credit scores or in how much they have saved for their down payment.

It’s that they think they’re not qualified or they think that they don’t have a big enough down payment.” (emphasis added)

As we have reported last week, over 60% of Millennials who recently bought a home put down less than 20%; 36% put down less than 5%. Your dream home may be more attainable than you ever imagined!

Bottom Line

Don’t get caught in the trap so many renters are currently in. If you are ready and willing to buy a home, find out if you are able. Have a professional help you determine if you are eligible to get a mortgage.

For help planning your escape, call, text or email.

Inexpensive 99-cent maintenance solutions

99-Cent Solutions                    

Home maintenance doesn't have to be expensive. When your home throws you a curveball, sometimes the solution can be bought for mere pennies

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-topics/99-cent-solutions/#ixzz3jk66EJMx
Follow us: @HouseLogic on Twitter | HouseLogic on Facebook

If you are thinking of buying or selling or just have a real estate question, call, text or email

Home Prices and needed income

What may be most interesting is the Income Needed column.

Home Prices Up in 93% of Measurable Markets 

Some Highlights:

• The national median home price for Q2 is up 8.2% to $229,400
• The income needed to afford the median home in each region is directly impacted by the amount of the down payment. The larger the down payment the lower the income needed to pay the monthly mortgage payment.
• The West led the way with the highest median home price at $325,200.

 When you are ready to see how this applies to your unique situation, call, text or email