John Shen

John Shen FOR A FREE MARKET SNAPSHOT CALL JOHN TODAY! Whether you're looking for that big backyard, or a quaint, cozy cottage, I can help you find it.

Let's Find Your Home Sweet Home

As a committed real estate professional, my job is to ensure you find the perfect home for your needs. My passion for this business grows every time I see the smiling faces of new homeowners, and my goal is to do the same for you! Whether you're a serious buyer or just starting to look at properties, I'm here to assist you in every way I can. I am committed to assi

sting you through the process with enthusiasm, accountability, and reliability. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about the home buying process. Let's work together to find your dream home!

02/27/2015

GAS PRICES AT LOWEST SINCE 2009, BUT BOTTOM IN SIGHT-

The average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States fell 13.3 cents in the past two weeks, dropping to its lowest level since late April 2009, but the end of a months-long slide may be near. Prices for regular grade gasoline fell to $2.07 a gallon in the survey dated Jan. 23 from the previous survey on Jan. 9, according to the Lundberg survey released Sunday.

The recent drop has taken prices down more than $1.24 a gallon from the same period a year ago, a decline driven by losses in the crude oil market from its June peak.

However, survey publisher Trilby Lundberg noted that the drop in pump prices was less steep than it had been in previous periods and that the price many wholesale customers paid for gasoline rose in the past 10 days, suggesting a bottoming-out or increase in retail gasoline prices could be looming.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://www.nbcnews.com/business/energy/gas-prices-lowest-2009-bottom-sight-n293646

02/26/2015

HOW TO BOUNCE BACK AFTER A FORECLOSURE-

Going through a foreclosure can be a traumatic experience. But it doesn’t mean you’ll never own a home again. If you’ve recently gone through a foreclosure, here’s how to bounce back and put yourself on track to buy another home.
Cleaning Up Your Credit

The first step on the road to recovery is to start repairing your credit. A recent study by FICO found that the higher your credit score before the foreclosure, the longer it would take to fully recover. For instance, a homeowner with a credit score of 680 would take around three years to get back to that pre-foreclosure credit score. But a homeowner that started out with a score of 780 would require seven years after a foreclosure to get back to where they were.

The best way to repair your credit is to continue using credit, but make sure you keep up to date with your payments. People often make the mistake of closing credit lines or cutting up credit cards when their scores take a major hit. But shunning credit altogether only leaves a large gap in your credit history, which is nearly as troubling to lenders as a bad credit history. Lenders want to see you using credit regularly, but they want you to do it in a responsible way.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/01/23/how-to-bounce-back-after-foreclosure/

02/23/2015

LOOSER CREDIT FOR HOME BUYERS-

The coming reduction in insurance premiums on mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration will make these loans more attractive to the most creditworthy, lower-risk borrowers, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center.

The F.H.A., which secures loans with down payments as low as 3.5 percent, plans to cut the annual premiums charged to borrowers by 0.5 percentage point, effective Jan. 26. The reduction comes as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are extending credit to a similar audience with new conforming mortgage programs that allow as little as 3 percent down.

Both changes will put homeownership within reach of more people. But lower premiums on F.H.A. loans will also make them more competitive with conventional loans requiring private mortgage insurance.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/realestate/looser-credit-for-home-buyers.html?ref=realestate

02/19/2015

SINGLE-FAMILY HOME STARTS ARE HIGHEST SINCE EARLY ’08-

WASHINGTON — Groundbreaking for single-family homes in the United State rose in December to the highest level in more than six and a half years. Permits also surged in a hopeful sign for the sluggish housing market recovery.

The Commerce Department said on Wednesday that single-family housing starts, the largest part of the market, jumped 7.2 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 728,000 units, the highest level since March 2008.

That offset a 0.8 percent fall in groundbreaking for the volatile multifamily homes segment, lifting overall housing starts 4.4 percent to a rate of 1.09 million units last month.

Economists had forecast starts rising to a pace of 1.04 million units.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/22/business/single-family-home-starts-are-highest-since-early-08.html?ref=realestate&_r=0

02/16/2015

6 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR YOUR INSURANCE AGENT-

Before you sign off on your homeowners policy, make sure you know what’s being covered. Many policies fail to cover basic disasters, while other may offer extras that you didn’t know about. Here are six key questions to ask an agent to make sure a policy is right for you.

Which disasters are covered?
Does it cover pests?
Does it cover mold?

See the Full Story Here! - http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/01/15/six-questions-for-your-insurance-agent/

02/12/2015

HOW TO AVOID OVERPRICING YOUR HOME-

If there is one great piece of advice I can give to home sellers, it’s this: Listen to your real estate agent! There are more reasons for this advice than I can enumerate, but for the moment, let’s talk about why it’s important to involve your agent when pricing your home for sale.

If you’re selling you home, it can be very tempting to try to land the highest price. This is exactly the reason that you need an agent. Listing a home for more than it’s worth can result in months spent waiting while it languishes on the market or having to field lowball offers from prospective buyers who are put off by the price. Your real estate agent can help you price you home to make sure that it will sell given the prevailing conditions in the local market. Your agent has the expertise, tools, and objectivity to make sure that you are listing your home at a fair price.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://hansbrings.realtytimes.com/advicefromagents1/item/32512-avoid-overpricing-your-home

02/09/2015

5 SMART VALUE STRATEGIES TO WIN SELLERS OVER-

Buyers who fixate on purchase price and mortgage size often overlook opportunities to save money on both.

Usually, the lower the purchase price, the smaller the mortgage a buyer must borrow. We're not suggesting that buyers buy less or resort to trickery or pressure to arrive at an attractive lower purchase price. Nor, are we suggesting a price chopped by tens of thousands. Instead, by adding value to the components of an offer, a lower purchase price may be acceptable to the seller.

Market value is not one price, but is represented by a price range. This means a property can sell at market value at any price across this range, especially when the offer is taken as a sum total of value for the seller, not just at its stated price.

By thinking ahead and being prepared, buyers can significantly improve their bargaining position with sellers. Here are five smart value strategies to ensure the entire offer to purchase has value to the seller beyond the purchase price.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/buyersadvice1/item/32509-20150120-5-smart-value-strategies-to-win-sellers-over

02/05/2015

RENOVATING TO MAKE YOUR HOME THE COOLEST ONE ON THE BLOCK!-

If you've got renovating on your mind, you're not alone. Strong real estate values are driving home improvement, with a majority of homeowners looking to renovate rather than buy a new home, according to the 2014 Houzz & Home Survey.

Key findings from the survey indicated that "remodeling trumps moving, except for Millennials" with homeowners looking to remodel in order "to stay in their home for the long term, and are motivated by a desire to improve the aesthetics and functionality of their home to meet their needs," said Houzz. The goals of Millennials is to renovate "with an eye on moving and increasing the resale value of their current home."

Read the Full Story Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/homeownersadvice1/item/32495-20150119-renovating-to-make-your-home-the-coolest-one-on-the-block

02/02/2015

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR HOME'S VALUE WHEN SELLING-

When selling your home, you may not be able to predict or control real estate market trends in your area and the state of the economy, but there are some things you can do to increase your home’s value. Indoor and outdoor remodeling, basic home maintenance, and eco-friendly upgrades can make your home much more desirable for buyers. A few hundred dollars of modifications can increase your home’s value by thousands of dollars, so it is worthwhile to take the time and effort to prepare your home for its new owners.
To make your home more attractive to potential buyers, you need to get inside their heads and think about what they would want in a new home. One thing that is desirable in a new home is an open floor plan with plenty of space. One way you can do this is by knocking out a few walls and making the space between your kitchen and living room more seamless. You can also remove your kitchen island if there is already plenty of cupboard space. If some rooms in your house are carpeted, you may want to consider switching to wood or cork flooring, which is easier to clean and provides the option of a decorative rug to customize the space.

Read the Full Story Here! - http://bargainagents.realtytimes.com/advicefromagents1/item/32464-how-to-increase-your-home-s-value-when-selling

01/30/2015

HOW TO DECORATE YOUR HOUSE TO SELL-

From the outside, your home is that perfect mix of classic and modern, with a nice wide lawn, mature trees, and the perfect smattering of flowers. It's in a desirable neighborhood with good schools, and it's even priced competitively. So why isn't it selling?
Here's how you can avoid having the unsellable pad: decorate your house to sell.

Make it look bigger

Too much furniture in a space can make it feel small. Pare down where you can, taking extra tables and large knickknacks out of living rooms and any extra furniture out of bedrooms. If the bedrooms are small, consider taking out large nightstands that make it feel tight and replacing with small tray tables covered in a simple tablecloth.

A space can also look smaller because of how the furniture is set up or if it's crammed full of accessories

Read the Full Story Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/sellersadvice1/item/32469-20150116-decorating-your-house-to-sell

01/29/2015

MORTGAGES ARE CHEAP. TIME TO REFINANCE-

American homeowners are quickly fulfilling their New Year's Resolution to refinance their mortgages.
Mortgage applications rose nearly 50% last week, the strongest weekly gain since November 2008, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, which tracks housing market data.
It's a closely watched metric because mortgage applications are a key indicator of not just the real estate market, but the overall U.S. economy, says Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial.
"We're looking for housing to come back this year," Swonk says. "There's no other single change in the economy other than home buying that has such a large effect on spending."

See the Full Story Here! - http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/15/news/economy/mortgage-applications-soar/index.html?iid=HP_LN

01/26/2015

YOUR CHECKLIST FOR AN IMPRESSIVE SHOWING-

Once your home goes on the market, real estate agents may call to show your home anytime, day or evening. Keeping your home "showtime" ready can be challenging, especially if you have children and pets.

What you need to stay organized is a handy checklist so you can be ready to show at any time. When you get the call that buyers are on their way, give everyone in the household a basket and assign them each to a room to pick up clutter quickly. Set a timer and tell everyone to grab up any toys on the floor, clear tabletops and countertops of junk, and quickly Swiffer-sweep the floors. Check for hazards like dog chews on the floor.

Turn on all the lights, and get ready to skedaddle. You have to let buyers have privacy so they can assess your home honestly. Take the kids for an outing. Put pets in daycare, sleep cages or take them with you:

Keep your home show-ready with these nine tips:

Eliminate clutter: Not only is clutter unattractive, it's time-consuming to sort through and expensive for you to move. If you have a lot of stuff, collections, and family mementoes, you would be better off renting a small storage unit for a few months.

Keep, donate, throw away: Go through your belongings and put them into one of these three baskets. You'll receive more in tax benefits for your donations that pennies on the dollar at a garage sale. It's faster, more efficient and you'll help more people.

Remove temptations: Take valuable jewelry and collectibles to a safety deposit box, a safe, or store them in a secure location.

Remove breakables: Figurines, china, crystal and other breakables should be packed and put away in the garage or storage.

Read the Full List Here! - http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/sellersadvice1/item/32294-20150105-sellers-advice-your-checklist-for-an-impressive-showing

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