Susan Cattey

Susan Cattey As a devoted real estate professional I will make every effort to ensure your experience is as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

08/17/2015

7 RENOVATIONS YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE YOUR MONEY ON-

Home renovation is a $400 billion business. But that doesn't mean every renovation is a successful one. So how do you know which ones bring home the ROI and which ones you shouldn't waste your time - and money - on?

We consult Remodeling magazine's Cost versus Value Report to find the highest return on investment for home projects. But how about the ones that don't pay you back?

Here are seven you should be wary of.

1. Mid-Range Bathroom Remodel
2. Master Suite Addition
3. Family Room Addition

Read the Full Story Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/homeownersadvice1/item/34132-20150406-7-renovations-you-dont-want-to-waste-your-money-on

08/14/2015

IT DOESN'T PAY TO WAIT TO BUY A HOME-

There will always be those who try to "time the market," but there's one factor you can't know -- when buying a home will become more expensive.

Certainly you can tell from recent trends whether or not prices and mortgage interest rates are in your favor. Monthly prices have risen year-over-year for three years. Mortgage interest rates are slowly rising, but remain at extremely attractive levels.

You could wait for prices to fall, but there are two problems with that idea. First, it would take an economic recession to lower prices, which could take months or years. With the exception of the Great Recession, you won't know if you're in or out of a recession until the talking heads online inform you.

Second, mortgage interest rates have been kept artificially low for five years. That's a very long time. With steady gains in employment, it's not likely they will go any lower. In fact, higher interest rates could wipe out any gains you could save by waiting to buy.

Read the Full Story Here! -http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/buyersadvice1/item/34045-20150402-it-doesnt-pay-to-wait-to-buy-a-home

08/13/2015

FIXED RATE DOESN'T MEAN FIXED PAYMENTS-

This is one of the best times to get a fixed-rate mortgage. A fixed rate simply means that the mortgage lender charges you a fixed rate of interest that doesn't ever change over the life of the loan.

If you get a fixed rate of 4.00 percent, you will be paying four percent in interest until you sell the home. At such a low rate, it's unlikely you'd refinance.

You can see how much you pay in interest in an amortization schedule. The longer you pay on a fixed rate, the more interest you pay down because your interest payment is front-loaded into the beginning years of your loan schedule.

The longer you own your home and pay on your mortgage, you'll see that a greater percentage of your monthly payment goes to reduce principal, helping you to build equity or ownership in the home.

An adjustable rate mortgage is initially lower than a fixed rate, but the loan will adjust periodically according to market rates after one year, three years, five years, or whatever you and the lender have agreed to.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/mortgageadvice1/item/34071-20150403-fixed-rate-doesnt-mean-fixed-payments

08/10/2015

WHY ARE HOME INSPECTIONS SO IMPORTANT?-

Purchasing a home is a lot different than purchasing a loaf of bread at the grocery store. If the bread goes bad, you can go back to the store and return it. At worst, you are only out a couple of dollars if you decide to just throw it out instead. However, you can't just walk away or cut your losses when you are investing as much as $100,000 or more on a house. Therefore, you need to inspect the property before you buy it.

House Inspections Can Find A Variety Of Problems

When a trained professional such as Home First Property Inspections inspects a property, he or she is going to know exactly what to look for. While you may miss the discolored wallpaper or the dying tree branch that can indicate water or termite damage, a house inspection professional is not going to miss those signs. Your inspector will also be able to find any damage to your foundation or whether or not your roof needs to be repaired right away.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://sarahsmith.realtytimes.com/advicefromagents1/item/33956-why-are-home-inspections-so-important

08/06/2015

SELLERS: RAMP UP YOUR CURB APPEAL-

Curb appeal is one of the most important factors in selling a home, and one of the most difficult to quantify, but one thing is certain -- homes sell for more money when they have it.

It's common knowledge that drive-up first impressions count. Buyers want to be charmed and excited about a property as a whole. A clean, tidy front yard, front walk swept of leaves and snow, pavers laid safely and evenly, and an attractive frame of landscaping set the tone for a positive buyer experience.

On closer inspection, buyers can see that the trim has been freshly painted and that you've put out a cheery new welcome mat by the front door. So how much more work do you need to do to win buyers over?

Since 2003, replacement costs have generated more value at resale than remodeling, according to the latest Remodeling Magazine 2014 Cost vs. Value report. That's good news for sellers who want to ramp up their home's curb appeal.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/sellersadvice1/item/33875-20150327-sellers-ramp-up-your-curb-appeal

08/01/2015

LONG RANGE PLANNING IN YOUR HOA-

A manager of a seniors homeowner association once commented "We have to approach long range planning carefully around here. Many of our residents won't buy green bananas."

While it's understandable that some folks may not relate to long range planning for practical reasons, the truth is that many, regardless of age, live "in the now". This attitude is reinforced by the incredible abundance with which our country is blessed and a sense that no matter what happens, someone will be there to catch us if we fall.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/hoaadvice1/item/33801-20150325-long-range-planning-in-your-hoa

08/01/2015

4 REASONS TO SELL YOUR HOME NOW-

Attention potential sellers sitting on the fence: It could be time to make a move.
Mid-March to mid-April is the best time to hang the sale sign nationally, with homes selling 15% faster and for 2% more than the average sale, according to Zillow. The window tends to be a little earlier for sellers in warmer climates and a little later in colder climates.

"It's still predominately a seller's market, but less so than the last year or two," said Stan Humphries, Zillow's chief economist. "Some advantages are moving back to buyers; but largely and broadly ... it's still favoring the sellers."
Here are four reasons you might want to list your home:

1. Low housing supply: Tight inventory is a main reason the ball is still in the sellers' court.

2. Fewer cash buyers: All-cash and investment buyers helped buoy home sales in the last couple years. And while the acceleration of home prices has slowed from its recent double-digit growth, experts still expect modest gains this year, but with fewer cash buyers.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/25/real_estate/sell-home-real-estate/index.html

07/29/2015

THE HOME POSSIBLE ADVANTAGE MORTGAGE-

Freddie Mac recently launched a new affordable mortgage option that allows a down payment as low as 3 percent. The Home Possible Advantage(sm) mortgage is ideal for low and moderate-income borrowers with limited savings, including first-time homebuyers.

The loan can then be sold to the secondary market as a conforming loan, offering borrowers with good credit and the ability to pay closing costs the ability to chase the American Dream without saving for years and years to pay 20 percent down.

Closing costs vary widely depending on where you live, but they average $2,539 for a $200,000 home. With the Home Possible Advantage, borrowers can use gifts from parents, grants, savings and other sources to provide the 3 percent down payment.

Required credit scores depend on the type of loan product you want and whether or not you're buying a single unit or up to four units in the same building, but you can count on at least a minimum of 660 to 680 for single occupancy.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/mortgageadvice1/item/33834-20150326-the-home-possible-advantage-mortgage

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