Items that Repel Home Buyers

The seller’s market that was so prevalent a few short years ago seems to have shifted in favor of the home buyer. Thanks to an overall improvement in the economy and home prices that have risen by 10% or more for the past year, buyers are becoming a bit more selective about their purchase. Here are some items that scare buyers off and what you can do to fix it.

Foul Smells

Certain buyers may like fried food or indoor pets, but most people are turned off by unpleasant odors. This is especially true when the odor is noticeable when a person first walks in to the home.

Odors come in all shapes and forms. Various kinds of food, pets, and tobacco can leave behind distinctive smells. It is important to deep clean the home, the carpets and even the ventilation ducts to get rid of the odors.

Paper on the Walls

For 40 to 50 years wallpaper was quite the rage. Unfortunately, those days are gone. Since most people pick out a very particular wallpaper to go along with certain furniture and trim it is highly unlikely that the next person to buy the home will have the exact same taste. It is better to remove or cover up the paper with paint that is in a neutral tone. Wall paper on one accent wall can be a neat feature however. Using paint and stencils might be the best choice because it would be easy to paint over if it is not to the taste of the buyer.

Dirt

Many sellers fail to realize how important it is to have the home looking as clean as a brand new home. Most buyers do not look past what they initially see in order to understand the potential value of a place. They simply want to walk through and imagine their furniture, heirlooms and personal belongings in various spots in the home. That is tough to do when the sink is full of dirty dishes; the living room is a mess and all the floors need cleaning. Go through every room and thoroughly clean everything.

Sellers Standing Around

The vast majority of buyers prefer to look at a home without the seller present. When a seller is in the home during a showing it presents a bit of awkwardness for the real estate agent and makes the buyer feel pressure. This is easy to remedy: do not be present when the agent shows your home.

Old Items

If the home looks like you stepped back in time 20, or 30 or more years then it will be tough to sell. Old plumbing fixtures and doorknobs that have lost their usefulness scream out “lack of maintenance” and it will make potential buyers wonder if other things in the home are in need of major repair.

Less than the Truth

Thanks to modern technology it is easy to put together a large number of digital pictures and even a video of a home. These items, along with descriptions, need to be as accurate as possible. Putting up a description that omits the fact that a home is mere feet away from a train track or a picture that misleads about the size of a room can turn off not only buyers but agents as well.

In December 2014, national cash sales on single family homes made up for about 35% of the total of all home sales. WOW!!  However, if we turn the clock back a year we find the cash sales in December 2013 made up 38.5% of the share; so why is this figure falling and should we be worried by it? Now, I’m not saying that this # is the best gage of the real estate market, but we definitely should watch it. 

The percentage of cash sales on homes has been declining steadily since January 2013 and every month that follows the figure goes down a little more. Now, December 2014 was the 24^th month on the bounce where cash sales – as a percentage of all home sales – were down. 

Usually the drop each month would only be around half a percentage point but because there are seasonal variations, the figures should be taken as a year-on-year representation rather than a month by month one. If you are a real estate agent, you definitely understand that.

So, why are we still seeing a decline in the amount of cash sales. Turn the clock back just a little to January 2011 and you’d be amazed to learn that cash sales made up 46.5% of all home sales. 

It has to be a strong possibility that mortgage lenders were tightening up and not loaning out to any Tom, Dick or Harry and that if you wanted to buy a home, you had to pay up, especially if you were a foreign buyer. 

If we turn the clock back even further to the days before the housing crisis started, you will see cash sale figures of just 25%! Astonishingly low, but consider that these were the days when mortgage lenders were falling all over one another to lend money for home purchases. After the housing crisis hit in 2008, lenders were ordered and compelled to tighten up mortgage lending, leaving the majority of those home buyers post-housing crisis to stump up the cash, rather than getting a mortgage. 

We are expecting the levels we saw in 2006 (approximately 25% cash sales of all home sales) to return again once more. We are not saying that irresponsible lending is likely to make any sort of quick return, (although look at Freddie Mac’s latest announcement of 3% downpayment loans back again), but we can expect the cash sales figures to dip back to somewhere around 25% over the next year or 2.

pamsvas.com - Real Estate REO Virtual Assistants

First-Time Homebuyers Discounts through FHA

People in the market for their first home can take advantage of a new offer from FHA. This new initiative aims to provide more information to buyers though classroom education and will reward them with a reduction in the premiums paid towards mortgage insurance.

HAWK to the Rescue

The name of the new initiative is called Homeowners Armed with Knowledge (HAWK). The borrowers are asked to complete a series of classes prior to buying the home as well as a few courses scheduled after the home has been purchased. At the time of this writing the classes are broken down in the following ways

* 1st class to be completed before the buyer completes a purchase contract

* 2nd class will be completed after a contract is signed and before the loan is finalized

* 3rd class will be completed within 12 months after the loan is finalized

Goals of the Program

Simply put, the HAWK initiative is hoping that people buying their first home will have a better understanding of the overall process thanks to the counseling and will be in a better position to make wise financial decisions in the future not only in regards to their housing but also to their other needs.

Monetary Benefit

Once the customer has completed the necessary classes their upfront mortgage insurance premium will be reduced along with the monthly premium that is paid as part of the mortgage payments. In addition, if the customer has no delinquent mortgage payments within the first 2 years of the loan the monthly premium will be reduced again.

Some Limits and Expiration Dates

Since this is a new program with no history to review the FHA is rolling this out with limits. The program is currently scheduled to only last for 4 years. In addition, not all FHA loans are going to be accepted under this program. At this time there is no news about how many loans will be allowed to use HAWK but FHA has stated that there will be a maximum number each year.

Class Time Requirement

For the class completed before the contract signing the prospective buyers will need to finish at least 6 hours of counseling and education.

The class that is conducted after the contract signing is a one hour class as well as the class that comes after the loan is closed.

Each class will issue a certificate to the students indicating that the course has been successfully completed. These certificates will be necessary in order to get the reduction in mortgage insurance premium.

In general, this is a great program that FHA is offering. It provides critical information to potential home buyers in order to better prepare them for a prosperous future and it rewards them by reducing the amount paid on their mortgage.

Take a look at --> Madison, WI Homes for Sale or browse through --> Janesville, WI Real Estate Listings!

5 Ways to Spot a Home with Hidden Potential
Trulia | August 23, 2012
Remember metal detectors? When I was a kid, they were all the rage, holding the emotional rush of a game with the a potential real-life treasure chest at the end.

Half of Homeowners Under 40 Are Still Underwater
The New York Times | August 23, 2012
The less time you’ve been in your home, the more likely you’ve accumulated little equity and seen the value of your property fall since 2005.

Short Sales vs Foreclosures: The Banks’ Preference
The KCM Blog | August 23, 2012
For months now, we have been letting everyone know that banks were going to begin shifting their focus when liquidating distressed properties. They would start supporting short sales over foreclosures. There is no longer any doubt this is now the new normal.

New Home Sales Up 3.6% in July, Matching Two-year High
The Los Angeles Times | August 23, 2012
Sales of new single-family homes rose to a seasonally adjusted annual level of 372,000 units in July, matching a more than two-year high for total sales, the Census Bureau said.

US Home Prices Make Big Quarterly Jump
FOX Business | August 23, 2012
Home prices rose 1.8% in the April-June period compared with the first quarter of the year, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said Thursday.

Some States Rank High on ‘Housing Misery’ Index
REALTOR Mag | August 23, 2012
Are some housing markets still suffering from the blues? Trulia’s Housing Misery Index takes into account the percentage of change in home prices from a state’s peak during the last decade compared to today as well as the percentage of mortgages that are either severely delinquent or in foreclosure.

Household Income Drops Sharply
The Washington Post | August 23, 2012
Inflation-adjusted median family income fell to $50,964, below where it stood before the recession.

Lost Decade for Shrinking Middle Class
The Wall Street Journal | August 22, 2012
The middle class — defined as households with between two-thirds and double the nation’s median income — has shrunk considerably over the past few decades, a decline that has been greatly exacerbated by the recession and housing bust.

We are happy to announce that last week we had another successful Wisconsin short sale closing, this time in Marshall. As you have likely heard, short sale transactions can be complex, and an experienced Short Sale Realtor® is a must.

This was a great home that the new owner is sure to enjoy! If you are thinking of selling or buying a short sale home in Wisconsin, our short sale specialists would be happy to assist you. Give Rock Realty a call at 877-774-7625.

Or, if you are considering a short sale for your home, feel free to fill out our no obligation

Short Sale Home Evaluation Form

The $25 billion robo signing settlement was reached with 5 banks recently, but what effect is this really going to have. For most of us, nothing. But even for those who will receive payment from the settlement it will be very minimal.

However, this will have a hugh impact on the market. These banks are most likely getting ready to release a ton of foreclosures on the market that were previously unreleased because they were tied up in this litigation. Now that they have settled, and they know that they can move forward with the foreclosures, get ready,

If you are a licensed agent and not actively listing or selling foreclosures, now is a good time to start.

If your a buyer waiting for a great buying opportunity...well it has been here but now it is about to get even better.

"We expect to see foreclosure-related sales increase in 2012, particularly pre-foreclosure sales, as lenders start to more aggressively dispose of distressed assets held up by the mortgage servicing gridlock over the past 18 months," said RealtyTrac CEO Brandon Moore in a press release. http://tinyurl.com/7cff2la

Using FHA 203K Loan to Purchase a Fixer-Upper

Across Wisconsin there are a large number of short sale homes available to buyers.  A short sale is a home being sold for an amount less than the existing mortgage balance.  These homes often have a few cosmetic repairs that need to be made in order to make the home more presentable, if not safe.  For years the issue of repairing a home prior to purchase was a catch 22.  The bank or seller was not willing to spend extra money on a home that they are selling.  The buyer could not make the repairs because they did not legally own the home.  The FHA 203k loan solves that problem with ease.

Two Kinds of Loans

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) offers a loan called the 203k mortgage, named after the code section where the loan is found in the FHA guidelines.  This loan is offered as a Streamline version and the regular version.  The streamline was designed to offer lower amounts designated for repairs and slightly less paperwork.  Both loans are ideal for Wisconsin homebuyers who wish to purchase a home in need of some repairs.

How the Loan Works

The loan program allows buyers to purchase a home based on the sales price.  In addition, the buyers can borrow extra money to make the necessary repairs. Once the loan is approved and closed, the extra money is placed in an escrow account.  The contractor that is doing the work will receive payment once the work is completed. This protects the borrower and the lender against problems with the repair process.

The amount needed for repairs is added to the loan for the purchase and the homebuyer makes one payment, at one interest rate, on the entire loan.  Since mortgage rates are so cheap right now it is a wonderful way to buy a home that may be priced below market value due to some simple fix-ups.

Loan Amounts

The Streamline 203k loan will allow Wisconsin homebuyers to borrow a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $35,000 to be used towards the repairs.  The regular 203k loan allows much more as a percentage of the sales price and the estimated appraised value after the proposed repairs have been made.  The regular 203k loan will need the involvement of an appraiser, home contractor and loan officer from the very beginning to make sure the loan and repairs meet the guidelines of the program

What Can be Done with 203k?

Wisconsin homebuyers often ask about the types of repairs that can be done with the Streamline 203k program.  The following list shows some of the more popular tasks accomplished using this type of loan

• New gutters and a new roof
• New Heating and air conditioning system or repairs to the existing system
• Plumbing updates and repairs
• Electrical updates and repairs
• Bath and kitchen remodels, to a lesser extent
• New flooring of any type; wood, carpet, tile
• Painting for both exterior and the interior
• New windows and doors
• Energy efficient appliances

The 203K loan allows many types of repairs and improvements that can greatly enhance the value of a home and give buyers a chance to purchase a place at a savings. This loan is ideal for Wisconsin short sales or foreclosures.

Original Post - Using a FHA 203K Mortgage for Rehab

This communication is provided to you for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon by you. Rock Realty is not a mortgage lender and so you should contact a FHA lender directly to learn more about its mortgage products and your eligibility for such products.

Understanding the No Money down USDA Mortgage

Buying a home in Wisconsin with no down payment is still a reality thanks to the USDA program.  The Rural Development section of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made great strides in the past two years to educate loan officers and potential borrowers of the benefits of this program.  The mortgage offered by the USDA is quite different from other programs and is a great way for people to purchase a home without a costly down payment.

Mortgage Insurance

Unlike conventional loans and FHA loans, the USDA loan does not require any mortgage insurance.  This means that every dollar of every payment is going towards the principal, the interest or the escrow for the home.

Closing Costs Paid by Seller

A conventional loan allows the seller to pay closing costs up to 3% of the purchase price.  Similarly, FHA will allow the seller to pay closing costs up to 6% of the purchase price.  However, USDA has no limit on the amount that can be paid by the seller.  This means it is possible to find a house and purchase it without paying a down payment or any closing costs.

Property Location

In order to be considered for the USDA loan a home must be located in an area designated as rural by the USDA.  However, would it surprise you to learn that of the 72 counties listed in Wisconsin, 50 of those counties are considered rural?  And the remaining 22 counties have sections that are considered rural. This means that there are numerous homes that could be eligible for this type of loan.

Income Limits

There are also some limits on the person’s income.  The USDA bases the limits on the total number of people that will occupy a home.  For example, a family made up of a mom, dad, and three children under the age of 18 will be allowed more income than just a married couple.  A Wisconsin loan officer can look up the limits for each county and let you know if you meet the guidelines.

Loan Limits

The maximum amount allowed for a USDA loan is different for each county in Wisconsin.  However, the limits are very liberal.  Some counties, such as Ozaukee and Dane, will allow qualifying borrowers to get a loan up to $230,000.

Not For Select Buyers

Some people are under the impression that the USDA loan is only for Wisconsin borrowers looking for their first home.  However, nothing could be further from the truth.  People buying their first home or their fifth home can use the USDA loan.  The only stipulation is that the property must be the borrower’s primary residence.

It has been mentioned in the news a lot in the past three years that mortgage rates are at an all-time low.  When rates are so low it is only a matter of time before they start to rise.  Take the opportunity to talk to a Wisconsin loan officer and find out if you can get a home using the USDA loan.

This communication is provided to you for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon by you. Rock Realty is not a mortgage lender and so you should contact a USDA lender directly to learn more about its mortgage products and your eligibility for such products.

Original Post - Understanding the No Money Down USDA Mortgage

My client just bought a new home two years after we did a successful short sale on his previous home. He now has a mortgage at half the interest rate he was paying previously.  His new home is  approximately half the purchase price of his old home that he purchased in 2004, and his new payments are a third of the old payments. Icing on the cake is that the new home is larger, move in ready, with a two year warranty. More icing? His new payments are $315 a month lower that his small rental.  Yes, it really is less expensive to buy than rent.

How did we do this?  Of course timing is everything.  Prices in this area are 50-60% lower than they were in 2004. There is a good inventory of homes that are reduced accordingly.  When we completed the short sale on his first home, I told him to keep the rest of his credit clean, pay the rent on time, and he would be able to buy again.  It didn't hurt that he was a V.A. buyer.  V.A. buyers can buy a home again two years after a short sale. 

Unfortunately, many figure their credit is shot anyway, so they drown their sorrow in their credit card debt.  After going through the trauma of losing their home, they may think they will never buy again.  But after living in a rental house or worse yet - an apartment, they change their mind.  The desire for home ownership is very strong and everyday I am amazed at the lengths buyers will go to in order to have their very own home.

Every situation is different.  Did you sale your home or walk away?  What is your credit and employment like? What kind of loan are you looking for FHA, VA, or conventional?  See a good loan officer who can assess your situation and give you advise on how to find your way back to home ownership again. Don't wait too long; it may take time and who knows where interest rates will be this time next year.

Case Shiller report shows a deceleration in the annual growth rates in 17 of the 20 MSAs. Housing generally leads the economy out of a recession. This time its not, housing is simply suffering. Not only is money tight but job creation is still a big hurt. In some cities, the decline over the last year was quite sharp.

David M. Blitze,chairman of S.&P.’s index committee tells the NY Times that a double-dip could be confirmed before spring. He goes on to say the series is now only 4.8% and 3.3% above their April 2009 lows. Certainly nine cities set new lows, and with the only positive news concentrated in southern California and Washington DC, the data point to weakness in home prices.

S&P sounds dismal, indeed. David Wyss, S&Ps chief economist tells martketwatch that The recovery in home prices has not only stopped, it's going in reverse, that it's going to get worse before it gets better

Some Balance Is Needed

Artificial Stimulus
The tax credit
First, the index to a positive spike due to the tax credit, an artificial inducement to buy. Well it worked, and we saw buyers flood the market. But comparing new data to a spike that doesnt represent normal market behavior, but a artificial spike in home sales due to the tax credit can skew the true picture.

Seasonality
This is the slowest part of the year for home sales and must have something to do with the steep decline

Weather
Could the weather have been worse for the mid west and east coast? Winter is traditionally a poor indicator of market health.

Certainly, this market needs no excuses and Im not second guessing S&P, but lets not lose perspective - winter data is hardly a leading indicator for housing markets and there is more to the story than the data is expressing.

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NAR Existing Home Sales

Existing home sales which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 5.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.68 million in November, but are 27.9% below the cyclical peak of 6.49 million in November 2009, which was the initial deadline for the first-time buyer tax credit. Median existing single-family home prices rose year-over-year in 77 of 155 metropolitan areas and fell in 76 metro areas.

NAR Pending Sales

A forward-looking indicator, rose 10.4% based on contracts signed in October from in September. The index remains 20.5% below a surge to a cyclical peak in October 2009, which was the highest level since May 2006.

Rent Vs Buy

The argument for affordability has a few key components. Price, cost of money and a comparison to a similar property rental.

Price
Home prices are running about 22% less than five years ago. Its hard to know when price has reached a point where willing buyers step up, but pending sales clearly point to a slowing trend. The Commerce Dept. report showed that new home sales rose 5.5 percent to an annual rate of 290,000 in November from the revised October rate of 275,000.

Price will continue to decline and increase affordability. There are some that think a double dip is in progress and we will see continuede price declines through 2011 or 2012.

Cost of Money
Lower tax rates just extended for another two years may boost growth. Mortgage rates responded by increasing to a six month high with rates up more than half a point in just the past month. NAR President Vicki Golder, points out: A decade ago, mortgage rates were almost double what they are today, and they’re about 1.5% lower than the peak of the housing boom....So still historically low.

Rates remain low and are still well below where they began the year. Low mortgage rates are an important factor affordability, which in October was the highest on record

Rent Comps
Rents increased for the second quarter in a row. Asking and effective rents increased by 0.5% and 0.6% respectively in the third quarter and vacancy rates dropped from 7.8% to 7.1% nationally.To summarize, price is dropping but cost of money is rising and so are rents. Most areas havent reached a balance between the cost of renting and the cost of buyi ng, probably the main arguement for home prices continuing to descend to meet a willing buyer.

Rule of thumb: Homes are probably fairly valued at about 15 times a year's rent. So, for example, if you're paying $15,000 a year to rent a place, think twice about buying a home that costs more than $225,000. Fifteen times is the historic average.

Your home is not a growth stock. You should look to justify multiples higher than 15 to 20 by considering personal needs, proximity to schools and transportation, your own cash flow situation and job security.

It would also be advisable to get a sense of what the property would likely rent for and see how far that rent would go towards paying the mortgage should you have to move. Home sales are slowing and if you find yourself a reluctant landlord, be sure you can carry the mortgage.

REsourced from http:// www.yourpropertypath.com
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I have been hearing more and more objections from my buyers about purchasing a home TODAY because they keep hearing that the market is going to decline further, so they don't want to be in a negative equity situation. In addition, they have heard that there is going to be a "mad rush" of foreclosure properties soon, so maybe they should wait...

I wanted to start this discussion in hopes that we can all help each other handle this objection so we can all be more successful!

I have been handling it this way; Well, Mr. Buyer that may happen, however, even if you waited to purchase a home that was 5% lower in price, you may end up paying more if the interest rates increase. They are bound to increase in the near future, so do you want to take that chance?

Just some thoughts and I would love to hear your opinions...

Well everyone.

I recently engaged a discussion on Linked In about flaky REO agents and some of it was pretty heated...you know agents pointing fingers at one another...so I have reproduced some of my thoughts here because they were revelant and I beleive propel us agents (none of us are flaky agents here!) to a higher level.

...THE DISCUSSION STARTED LIKE THIS:

More REO Listing Agent Lies, BS & Laziness!

I have consistently given credit to REO Listing Agents for earning their lofty position. Now the other side of the coin! "Homes listed in the MLS that show active are active" Lie! Unreachable and lazy REO Listing agents have the rest of us running around in circles and taking their word only to find out an offer has been accepted. How about the geniuses that put only a combo box on the home and don't answer their phones? And don't most REO listing agents give their clients the best chance to buy the home? Even if it calls for (nod and wink) exchanging information about other offers?

What do you think?

Tony Lewis RE/MAX of Valencia, Ca. www.TonyLewis tonyglewis@yahoo.com 661-702-4720

AND I RESPONDED IN THE COURSE OF THE DISCUSSION:

Well I always enjoy these heated discussions and time for me to weigh in as a buyer's agent:
Price your listing correctly...if it sells more than 103% of list you did't price it correctly and it deceives my buyers...they get frustrated.
Price it with the notion that an FHA buyer wants to buy it...that means closing costs too...offer a cash discount or something like that.
Please keep the bugs out of it and I mean roaches...this looks bad and it reflects on me too.
Yes...you MUST know if the condo is FHA approved...the health of the association, etc...you want to sell it right?
While you get 40- agents calling you on it...I have one buyer that easily gets frustrated when we put in an offer and never get an official rejection. They think its my fault and want to use another agent...just think of that!
Don't require cross preapproval...by the time your LO gets with my client...the property is gone anyway...(see above). All that exists anymore are direct lenders.
Please learn something about the property you list...all 100 of them!
Answer your phone or email rapidly... my buyer wants to know....if you need to have a contact person listed for this.
Yes, I want to know how many lenders you have and who is the bank...it lets me know what the process will be like.
Put a Supra Box on...always...combo locks and me do not get along always.

There it is...apply this to be a listing agent and you have it.
Be QSC certified... I am and clients know I am quality.
Asset managers...if you are reading this...this is just a glimpse of the superior service some of us agents perform to. Maybe we didn't take you class or sell lots of listings but what you get is dedication!

the discussion went on and I concluded with some more info:

Christine, I guess life is different in Texas. Based on that concluding commentary about LOSING money on a listing, I wonder why anyone would want to manage it? I would think that in any case about being party to a contract...you are representing the interests of the seller (investor or AM) and at least out here I have run into a few that run their operation like a machine in a factory and I do not think that has changed anything...and yes I imagine the AM's are just like any other seller...I have had them dispute my BPO a time or two before (why do they need my opinion if they think they know better anyway?)
Among the more glorious things I have noted in my REO travels,is that one agent uses a message board: upon offer submission, he gives a logon and password and we can view a message board that has commentary about the process at any given time...never a need to call.
Another uses something called RapidLInk that gives us the code to any of her listings...we just register once on her website and after our info is verified, we can type in the listing address and get the code asap!...again no phoning or texting! I would never report someone to their AM because I feel that at one time justice will serve itself acccording to one's merits.
I sometimes too, Christine would like not to be a buyer's agent since we are glorified tour guides at times and I would rather have a professional realtionship with A person. Yet AM's always ask " how many properties you have listed?" Apparently selling them doesn't count and that is part of my frustration. For the record Chrsitine,I am sure you are one of the good ones that actually do what you are supposed to do as I imagine it is a struggle to just 5 REO' to list consistently.

In summation we can tell this:
Communication is paramount between agents on both sides of a transaction.
Don't bother the other agent for obvious information.
Seek feedback about your listing
Be diligent even as a buyer's agent when in escrow (real life: had an investor/agent tell me he appreciated how diligent I was and was more than willing to advise me of his current and upcoming inventory and have priority on open houses..looks forward to my next offer!)
Can anyone add something?

YES CAN ANYONE HERE ADD SOMETHING?