April 2009 Archives

47 year old Susan Boyle of “a cluster of villages” in the UK shows the world that

  1. You can never judge a book by its cover, and
  2. You should never, ever give up on your dreams.

This performance is absolutely amazing and I hope it warms your heart as much as it did mine!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

[media:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY]

Filed under Fun Stuff, Random Thoughts, Videos by  #

Filed under Home Buyers, Market Trends, News Reports, Videos by  #

I’ve called in guest author Jason Wyatt to tackle this question for us today:

Ask a few mortgage brokers how to avoid paying PMI, or private mortgage insurance, and you are likely to find out that the agents you are speaking with have never heard of such a thing. Ask them how to get USDA financing and they may be even more confused. Nevertheless, you can avoid paying PMI with a loan from the rural division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

A Better Loan?

USDA loans offer many benefits. The biggest benefit for most people is 100% financing. Actually, the loan specifies 102% financing with an appraisal to support the numbers. This is so that you can have closing costs not paid by the seller lumped in. Your credit does not have to be perfect and there are fewer restrictions on gifts received if you are getting help from someone financially. In addition, you are not required to carry PMI.

For example, let’s say that you would like to purchase a $100,000 home in a qualifying area. For our illustration this home appraises for $105,000. Since the loan allows for 102% financing of the appraised value, the actual loan amount can be $107,100. If your closing costs are six thousand dollars that puts the loan at $106,000, which is okay because it is under the maximum. Suppose you needed to do some repairs – these can also be included! There are other fees involved with a mortgage, but this example is to illustrate the basics. Now you can see the wonderful opportunity available here.

How Do I Qualify?

The reason that the USDA finances in the first place is to encourage housing and development in rural areas. These areas are determined by population density and there is a maximum limit on annual household income. You may be surprised to find out just how many of these loans are granted. For example, in Texas, for the years of 2001 through 2008, over five and a half billion dollars were granted for over twenty thousand home loans.

To find out more you can visit the USDA website at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov

Also, there are several areas around the Rock Hill SC and Fort Mill SC areas that qualify for these USDA loans.  To find out if the house you’re looking at qualifies, simply contact me and let me help you find your Rock Hill SC Dream Home.

Filed under Buy Your Dream House, Mortgage Rates by  #

Wondering what’s going on this week in and around Rock Hill SC?  The Rock Hill Herald offers a nifty calendar search feature.

Check it out HERE.

Here’s a quick highlight of some of the activities:

Open Mic

Thursday, Apr 23 7:00p to Friday, Apr 24 9:00p

Family Friendly Music and Comedy welcome

 

Friends of the York County Library Book Sale

Friday, Apr 24 9:00a
at First ARP Church gymnasium, Rock Hill, SC

Browse more than 15,000 books for adults and children, with proceeds benefiting York County Libraries. Members’ preview night is April 23 5-8 p.m. for Friends of the Library members only. Memberships are available at the door, beginning at $10.

Be sure to visit Erin’s Tea Room on April 24-25, 10:30 am

 

Game Night

Today, Monday, Apr 20 7:00p to 9:00p

Come out Monday evenings and have fun playing board games. Bring you own game or enjoy one of our classics.

Come out Monday evenings and have fun playing board games. Bring you own game or enjoy one of our classics.

Filed under Fun Stuff, Get Involved, Rock Hill SC by  #

Looking to sell your Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC area home quickly?  Keep these 10 critical ‘sell your home fast’ tips in mind as you prepare to put your house on the real estate market:

  1. Price it right. This one can’t be emphasised enough.  Especially in today’s tough real estate market, pricing your home correctly is the #1 most important thing you can do to guarnatee a quick sale.
  2. De-clutter your closets. Storage is an important feature of any house so if your closets are stuffed to the gills, it could be  HUGE turn-off for potential buyers.  Take out at least 1/2 the stuff to show off the storage space your home offers.
  3. Maximize the lighting in your home. No one wants to live in a dungeon so you want to maximize your home’s lighting.  Don’t be afraid to turn on all the lights when you have showings as this will help highlight all the great benefits your home has to offer.
  4. Choose the right agent. If you want your home to sell quickly, it’s important that you find the right agent for the job.  Don’t be afraid to interview several agents to find the one that fits you best.  Also, don’t be afraid to ask for references and go ahead and check with them.
  5. Hide the pets. Sorry, but not everyone’s a pet lover so be sure to hide as much of their stuff as you can.  Food bowls, toys, beds, and anything else that might tip off a potential buyer to the fact you have pets should be hidden as much as possible because even though it may not be true, it might give buyers the impression your house isn’t clean!
  6. Don’t overdue the upgrades. Doing some quick fixes before putting your home on the market are certainly advisable, but there’s no need to sink thousands of dollars into serious upgrades if you’re only going to put the house on the market.  If you have problems areas, go ahead and spend a little bit of money to minimize the problem as much as possible, but chances are you’ll never get your investment back if you go overboard
  7. De-personalize your home. You want potential buyers to envision themselves living in your home, but it’s difficult to do if you have too many personal items lying around or if the decor is too individualized for your tastes.  It’s okay to reflect your personality, but the more neutral you can make everything, the easier it will be for people to see themselves enjoying your house as much as you do.
  8. The kitchen is the one room where you can break the rules. Lets face it, a great kitchen can sell a house, just as quickly as a bad kitchen can keep it on the market longer than it should.  So if you’re going to spend a little money upgrading your home, the kitchen is the one room you can do it in.  Spending a little more in the kitchen may guarantee a full-price offer, or at the very least will help ensure potential buyers don’t ask for a serious discount because they think the house is ‘dated’.
  9. Be ‘show-ready’ at all times. Yes, having your house on the market can be a chore, but if you want it to sell quickly you really do need to keep it in tip-top shape at all times.  You never know when the ideal buyers might be minutes away from stopping by for a ‘surprise’ visit and you certainly wouldn’t want them to see it in any state other than it’s best.
  10. First impressions are really the lasting impression. If you want potential buyers to remember your home in a positive light, then it’s imperative that they’re first impression is a good one.  Invest a little money and sweat equity into making sure the outside of your home is inviting, otherwise it may not matter what potential buyers see on the inside because they can’t get the horrendous image of the outside out of their heads!

If you’re thinking about selling your Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, or surrounding area home, I’d love an opportunity to share with you the various ways I work to ensure you get top dollar for your home!