Issue 1 
Issue 2
Welcome to Century 21 News Today
Keeping You updated on Market
Trends,
Conditions & Real Estate Information
IN
THIS ISSUE
1. MLS Stats
2. Taking the Buying Leap
3. Class Act
4. How to Stand Out in the Selling Crowd
5. Moving Insurance
6. Ask The Expert
DID
YOU KNOW?
…That according to MLS Regional Statistics to March 31,
2007:
The number of listings year-to-date 3566 for 2007, 3560 for 2006—up
.17%.
The number of Sales YTD: 1569 for 2007, 1627 for 2006: down -4%.
Total Sales Dollar Volume for 2007 YTD: $314,402,560.
Number of Expired Listings YTD: 1022 for 2007, 880 for 2006--up16%
compared to last year.
379 units sold between $140,000 & $179,999.
Average Sale YTD: up 3.39%
(Source MLS Statistics Report, Niagara
Association)
TAKING THE BUYING LEAP
You’ve spent weekends visiting open houses and...
...You’ve put in hours on the computer researching properties
and the marketplace. You’ve carefully reviewed your finances
to see how much you can afford. And after all that, you think you
may have found “the one.”
Now,
how do you know if you should make a bid?
First, go back and review your wish list – the roster of criteria
you set forth when you first started looking at properties.
Does this listing have some or most of those qualities?
Can you live without the ones it doesn’t have?
Or, could you add those amenities in the future?
If
you answered yes to those questions, look carefully at your finances.
Run the numbers one more time and make sure the price fits within
your budget.
Look closely at how much it will cost you to own this home on a
monthly basis. In addition to mortgage and taxes, consider things
like insurance, utilities, emergency repairs, improvements, and
furnishings.
If the numbers work, consider the area where you are looking to
buy.
Can the neighborhood support your investment?
Does it have a good school system, sound infrastructure, attractive
business district, easy access to transportation?
Those
types of things will be appealing to buyers should you ever decide
to sell. Remember, this home is also a serious investment; one you
hope will earn you a significant return over time.
Next,
consult your real estate professional.
He or she may see 100’s of transactions each year and should
know a good value when she sees it.
Discuss what would be a fair and reasonable bid. Data on what homes
in that area have been selling for during the past six months will
help you develop an attractive offer.
It is also wise to come up with a plan should the offer be rejected.
Once you’ve considered each of these questions, and the answers
are “yes” – go ahead and make that bid!
CLASS
ACT
Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn? Make time
for self-improvement and take a class. The options are endless.
Consider sports, painting, cooking, knitting, computing and writing
and see what is available at your area adult schools, colleges and
community centers.
HOW
TO STAND OUT IN THE SPRING SELLING CROWD
There
are tell-tale signs of spring: crocuses, robins, blooms on the trees
and “For Sale” signs.
Traditionally,
spring has been the prime selling season.
Listing a home during this time allows buyers, especially families
with school-aged children, to buy and then move during the summer.
Curb appeal increases when a home is surrounded by green grass and
flowering shrubs. And, this overall increase in seasonal listings
helps draw out potential buyers. Simply put, there are just more
listings to choose from and if you’re a buyer, that can be
very enticing.
But the question becomes, as a seller, how can you make your property
stand out from others?
Start by choosing a real estate professional who will make it his
or her mission to sell your home. Hiring a skilled REALTOR®
is an important step. Someone with the right experience, marketing
skills, and network can help you reach your goal faster.
Once you make the right connection, follow your sales representative’s
advice on how to prepare the home for sale. This may mean:
getting rid of clutter
storing away personal effects
painting
top-to-bottom cleaning
rearranging furniture and
updating the home with key accent pieces.
He
or she may even suggest larger, more involved improvements, like updating
kitchen countertops or a bathroom vanity. In each case, the change
should make the listing more competitive.
Finally, be as flexible and understanding as your budget and schedule
allow. Although you don’t want to be taken advantage of, letting
buyers know you are willing to work with them on things like the closing
dates can make your listing more appealing.
MOVING INSURANCE
If
you are hiring a professional mover, you want to make sure you have
the right type of insurance should anything be broken, lost or stolen.
Typically, movers offer four levels of
insurance coverage.
1. Basic Coverage is based on the weight of your belongings. Coverage
is determined by multiplying a specific amount per pound; say 60
cents, by the total weight of your property. So, if your belongings
came in at 10,000 pounds, you would be insured for $6,000.
2.
Added Value Protection increases the premium and increases your
compensation from 60 cents per pound to say $2.00 per pound, a variable
amount.
3.
Market Value Coverage: A moving company will charge an insurance
fee for every $1,000 worth of value you claim. So if you say your
property is worth $25,000 and the mover charges $10 per every $1,000
worth of value, the cost would be $250.
4.
Replacement Value is the most complete option. Property that is
lost, damaged or destroyed will be repaired, replaced or paid in
full.
Note:
Each policy may have some sort of deductible.
Some
items -- like jewelry, stamps, coins, bank papers, pictures, software
data and items not packed--are never insured.
Consult
your Homeowner’s Insurance and see what coverage is offered
to you through that policy.
Ask
Us
What is the Market Value of My Home?
Should I Renovate or Move?
Can You Help With My Relocation?
For Answers to These & Other Questions,
Give
Me a Call.
I'd be happy to help you in any way we can.
Call or e-mail: skerrett@c21.net
Air
Miles Reward Miles -- FREE
Ask for them when you buy or sell through Century 21 Today Realty
Sales Representative.
