5 Reasons Why You Should Sell Your House Now

Many now realize that it is a great time to buy a home.  It might also be an opportune time to sell your house.  Here are the five reasons we believe now may be a perfect time to put your house on the market.

1. Demand Is High

The most recent Existing Home Sales Reports by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) show a double digit percent increase in sales year-over year; sales have remained above last year’s levels for over 25 months.  There are buyers out there right now and they are serious about purchasing.

2. Supply Is Beginning to Increase

Total housing inventory is again approaching historic norms of a 5 month supply compared with 4.3 months in January.  Many expect inventory to continue to rise as 3.2 million homeowners escaped the shackles of negative equity in the last 12 months and an additional 1.9 million are expected to enter positive equity in the next 12 months.  Selling now while demand is high and before supply increases may garner you your best price.

3. New Construction Is Coming Back

Over the last several years, most homeowners selling their home did not have to compete with a new construction project around the block.  As the market is recovering, more and more builders are jumping back in.  These ‘shiny’ new homes will again become competition as they are an attractive alternative for many purchasers.

4. Interest Rates Will Again Rise

Although Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that interest rates for a 30-year mortgage have softened recently, most experts predict that they will begin to rise later this year.  The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are in unison projecting that rates will be up almost a full percentage point by this time next year.
Whether you are moving up or moving down, your housing expense will be more a year from now if a mortgage is necessary to purchase your next home.

5. It’s Time to Move On with Your Life

Look at the reason you are thinking about selling and decide whether it is worth waiting.  Is the possibility of a few extra dollars more important than being with family; more important than your health; more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should?
You already know the answers to the questions we just asked.  You have the power to take back control of your situation by putting the house on the market today.  The time may have come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire.  That is what is truly important.

Courtesy: KeepingCurrentMatters.com

Will Halloween Spook your Homeowners Insurance?

According to people-in-the-know, some of the top trending costumes this year are those modeled on Breaking Bad, Duck Dynasty, Miley Cyrus and Gatsby. And you can expect Monsters, Princess Sophia and Tinker Bell to drop by.

But when Trick-or-Treaters come to your doorstep and they, er… stumble and fall, are you liable? Don’t worry, say experts, your homeowners’ insurance will protect you from Halloween mishaps like these:

• A trick-or-treater gets hurt on your property. Injuries to trick-or-treaters or your party guests are covered by the homeowner liability portion of your policy. The injured person files a claim with your insurer.
• Tricksters damage your home. Standard homeowners’ policies cover vandalism, such as dents in your siding caused by eggs thrown at your home, when repair costs exceed your deductible.
• Candles or decorations cause a fire. A fire started by a Halloween candle or a string of holiday lights will be covered. If the fire makes your home unlivable, your homeowners policy will pay for your living expenses while you wait for repairs.
• You crash your car into a telephone pole to avoid hitting a trick-or-treater in your driveway. That accident would be covered by the collision portion of your auto insurance (if you have it). If you hurt anyone, the liability portion of your auto insurance would cover the cost of their treatment.

If everything on this list of Halloween home horrors occurred, your umbrella insurance would kick in to cover costs — provided you have it.

To make your property safe for Halloween, the Insurance Information Institute has these recommendations:

• Pick up anything in your front yard, sidewalk, stoop, or porch that a person could trip over.
• Turn on your outdoor lighting so kids can see where they’re going.
• Use battery-powered lights in your jack-o-lanterns.
• Don’t put matches, lighters, or candles in places children can reach.
• Pets, candles, and trick-or-treaters don’t mix. Keep pets away from the front door on Halloween.
• Look for safety certifications, such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories), on your decorative lights.

Courtesy: Realtor Magazine. Pictures courtesy: Party City

Check out all homes for sale in Columbia and Lexington at www.homesincolumbiasc.net

For... all Real Estate matters!

Military Relocation Professional

When the National Association of Realtors offered the MRP or Military Relocation Professional certification, I jumped at the idea of honing my skills and learning more about helping military families relocate.

I have worked with many military families - after all, Fort Jackson is the largest base for basic training - and loved working with them.

Here are some cool facts:

• Active members relocate every 2 - 3 years, mostly within the US.
• There are nearly 1.5 million active military service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard (numbers as of Sep 2012)
• 16% of military personnel are women.
• Orders to deploy may mean within 48 - 72 hours!

Integrity runs deep in military culture and values like honor, loyalty and courage are lived out everyday, shaping the military personnel's interaction with others.

Every military family I have worked with has shown respect for me, my time and my knowledge. Having moved a lot in my life, I can empathize with the anxieties and sacrifices that a military family is subject to - even when they are moving within the United States, not just when a family member is deployed.

With the Military Relocation Professional certification, I can help military families better - whether they are buying a home or selling a home under tight time lines. My commitment is to be available, use my expertise and experience, and to take the stress out of real estate transactions.

For... all Real Estate matters!

Check out all homes for sale in Columbia and Lexington at www.homesincolumbiasc.net