Good news!
The S&P/Cash-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index improved in the second quarter of 2009 versus the 2d quarter of 2008. Yes, that's good news, but keep in mind that, in the 2d quarter of last year, the nation's realty market was becoming woefully distressed. So it's wise to view the improved 2d quarter 2009 index figure with some caution. Most experts agree that, although the nation's realty market is becoming healthier, it may still be a few months way from being cured.
So, what's up with San Antonio's realty market. First keep in mind that, despite the economic gloom and doom around us, San Antonio's economy has remained relatively strong. Consequently, real estate sales activity has continue to march right along - at a somewhat slower, but steady pace. Granted, some neighborhoods have experienced deflated home values but it's too early to tell if the San Antonio area, in general, will close 2009 with lower across the board home values.
The good news is that, in July, San Antonio home sales were up, inventory down, and time to sell down. Average and median sale prices showed significant improvement; and, now, August sales data indicate the area will enter the usually slower fall and winter realty sales seasons in a much better condition than usual.
Our improving sales can be attributed, at least in part, to the increasing availability of mortgage money and the excitement generated by the $8000 first time home buyer Federal Tax credit program. It's comforting to know that the Federal government's economic initiatives may be bearing fruit. Let's hope the trend continues.
Here's this blog's take away message:
1) San Antonio's economy is sound, strong, and growing and our realty market is benefiting from the city's economic stability.
2) It's a good time to buy or sell a home in San Antonio.
3) To avoid losing the $8000 Federal Tax Credit, a first time home buyer (including someone who hasn't owned a home in the last 3 years) should act quickly to find and purchase a property. To receive the credit, the purchase must be closed before December 1, 2009.
4) Whereas homes in some San Antonio neighborhoods are not selling as well as in others, it's highly advisable for a prospective home seller to obtain the advice and assistance of an experienced Realtor (R) to determine the best marketing plan for his or her property based on actual sales data for the neighborhood and the surrounding area.
That’s all for now on this hot San Antonio afternoon (103 degrees at 3:10 P.M).
Here’s wishing you a happy home buying or selling experience. Stay cool.
Please don’t hesitate to call upon us if you need the help of experienced Realtors(R). We are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone (210) 867-8743 or (210) 863-2661, or (800) 201-9145. We put the reality in realty. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
San Antonio Realty Report
It’s Tuesday, 25 August 2009.
San Antonio’s weather continues to be hot and exceptionally dreadfully droughtful.
Temperature Projection: High 102 Low 74
No rain projected until next Friday.
Today’s realty market conditions:
Single Family Detached Homes For Sale: 11863 of which 1942 are under sales contracts
Average Time On The Market For Homes For Sale: 162 days
Latest Sales Data:
Average List Price: $196,555
Average Sales Price: $186,633
List to Sales Price Ratio: 95%
Average Time on Market: 127 days
Median Sold Price: $150,000
These data indicate San Antonio’s realty market is relatively healthy and favors buyers over sellers.
That’s all for today.
Here’s wishing you you have a happy home buying or selling experience.
Please don’t hesitate to call upon us if you need the help of experienced Realtors(R). We are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone (210) 867-8743 or (210) 863-2661, or (800) 201-9145. We put the reality in realty. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com.
San Antonio’s weather continues to be hot and exceptionally dreadfully droughtful.
Temperature Projection: High 102 Low 74
No rain projected until next Friday.
Today’s realty market conditions:
Single Family Detached Homes For Sale: 11863 of which 1942 are under sales contracts
Average Time On The Market For Homes For Sale: 162 days
Latest Sales Data:
Average List Price: $196,555
Average Sales Price: $186,633
List to Sales Price Ratio: 95%
Average Time on Market: 127 days
Median Sold Price: $150,000
These data indicate San Antonio’s realty market is relatively healthy and favors buyers over sellers.
That’s all for today.
Here’s wishing you you have a happy home buying or selling experience.
Please don’t hesitate to call upon us if you need the help of experienced Realtors(R). We are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone (210) 867-8743 or (210) 863-2661, or (800) 201-9145. We put the reality in realty. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com.
Monday, August 24, 2009
What's In Your San Antonio Builder's Name
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” So said Shakespeare’s Juliet.
That’s a nice thought, but, if you’re thinking about buying a new construction or resale San Antonio home, we strongly advise that you not do the Juliet thing and assume that a builder’s name doesn’t matter. Every home builder’s name equates to a reputation established over time and, when a builder’s reputation is bad, buying that builder’s product increases the risk of a bad outcome for you, the buyer.
So, are there some San Antonio home builders that are, right now, in the process of developing bad reputations. Frankly, in light of today’s sophisticated home building techniques and close monitoring of construction codes and standards, it’s really difficult, but not impossible, for a contemporary San Antonio builder to develop a really bad reputation. That’s especially true for the area’s high volume new home production builders who stake their national reputation on building quality homes in neighborhoods where standards are diligently maintained.
Just ask the experts. Home inspectors and other folks who monitor the building industry seem to agree that San Antonio’s new home builders are doing a good to excellent job. So, home buyers can take comfort in knowing that, although there’s an occasional exception, a poorly constructed new home is a rarity in San Antonio.
But, alas, despite currently concentrating on quality and customer service, at least one San Antonio home builder is still having a hard time living down a bad reputation. I need not name that builder, but, if you don’t know and want to know who it is, just ask a San Antonio native or a local Realtor(R). They’ll know.
Let’s just call the builder ”Blah Blah Home.”
Through transition and acquisition, Blah Blah Home’s San Antonio name has changed four times in the last 50 or so years. Although the latest name is a well known national brand, Blah Blah Home San Antonio remains linked to a tainted past characterized by bad construction, unreliable customer support, and poorly developed neighborhoods. So to use Juliet’s jargon, Blah Blah Home San Antonio by any other name would still smell as sour.
How sour? Consider this. When listing Blah Blah Home resales, San Antonio realty agents despair of having to divulge that they are Blah Blah Home products. Why? Because, it’s so well known that the odds are high that a Blah Blah Home product will resell for a price that’s significantly below the average sold price for neighboring non-Blah Blah Home properties.
So, here’s this blog’s take away message.
If you’re thinking of buying either a new construction or resale San Antonio area home, be sure to first seek a Realtor’s(R) advice or at least talk with a few long term residents. Ask about the builder with the worst name in town. They’ll know who you’re talking about and, if there are any other builders going the Blah Blah Home way, they’ll also tell you about those guys. San Antonians love to talk about builders with sour reputations!
That’s all for today.
Here’s wishing you you have a happy home buying or selling experience.
Please don’t hesitate to call upon us if you need the help of experienced Realtors(R). We are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone (210) 867-8743 or (210) 863-2661, or (800) 201-9145. We put the reality in realty. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com.
That’s a nice thought, but, if you’re thinking about buying a new construction or resale San Antonio home, we strongly advise that you not do the Juliet thing and assume that a builder’s name doesn’t matter. Every home builder’s name equates to a reputation established over time and, when a builder’s reputation is bad, buying that builder’s product increases the risk of a bad outcome for you, the buyer.
So, are there some San Antonio home builders that are, right now, in the process of developing bad reputations. Frankly, in light of today’s sophisticated home building techniques and close monitoring of construction codes and standards, it’s really difficult, but not impossible, for a contemporary San Antonio builder to develop a really bad reputation. That’s especially true for the area’s high volume new home production builders who stake their national reputation on building quality homes in neighborhoods where standards are diligently maintained.
Just ask the experts. Home inspectors and other folks who monitor the building industry seem to agree that San Antonio’s new home builders are doing a good to excellent job. So, home buyers can take comfort in knowing that, although there’s an occasional exception, a poorly constructed new home is a rarity in San Antonio.
But, alas, despite currently concentrating on quality and customer service, at least one San Antonio home builder is still having a hard time living down a bad reputation. I need not name that builder, but, if you don’t know and want to know who it is, just ask a San Antonio native or a local Realtor(R). They’ll know.
Let’s just call the builder ”Blah Blah Home.”
Through transition and acquisition, Blah Blah Home’s San Antonio name has changed four times in the last 50 or so years. Although the latest name is a well known national brand, Blah Blah Home San Antonio remains linked to a tainted past characterized by bad construction, unreliable customer support, and poorly developed neighborhoods. So to use Juliet’s jargon, Blah Blah Home San Antonio by any other name would still smell as sour.
How sour? Consider this. When listing Blah Blah Home resales, San Antonio realty agents despair of having to divulge that they are Blah Blah Home products. Why? Because, it’s so well known that the odds are high that a Blah Blah Home product will resell for a price that’s significantly below the average sold price for neighboring non-Blah Blah Home properties.
So, here’s this blog’s take away message.
If you’re thinking of buying either a new construction or resale San Antonio area home, be sure to first seek a Realtor’s(R) advice or at least talk with a few long term residents. Ask about the builder with the worst name in town. They’ll know who you’re talking about and, if there are any other builders going the Blah Blah Home way, they’ll also tell you about those guys. San Antonians love to talk about builders with sour reputations!
That’s all for today.
Here’s wishing you you have a happy home buying or selling experience.
Please don’t hesitate to call upon us if you need the help of experienced Realtors(R). We are Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone (210) 867-8743 or (210) 863-2661, or (800) 201-9145. We put the reality in realty. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com or kelleybus@aol.com.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
San Antonio Home Sales Up In July 2009
By Jason Buch - Express-News
San Antonio recorded more sales of existing homes in July than any other month in the past year.
Sales last month totaled 1,980, a 9 percent increase from the same time a year ago and the largest volume of sales seen here since June 2008, when sales broke 2,000, according to data from the San Antonio Board of Realtors. The median price also was up 2 percent.
National news reports that the country is coming out of the recession and the up to $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers have fueled sales, SABOR Chairwoman Florence Terrell said in a news release.
Add interest rates of between 5.5 percent and 6 percent, and many potential buyers and sellers who had been sitting on the fence are taking action, Travis Kessler, SABOR chief executive, said.
July is usually a peak time for home sales, but this July has been a landmark, Kessler said. “This is the first time in 12 months that we’ve seen an increase in sales as compared for that same month the year before.”
But year-to-date home sales, at just more than 10,200, did not reach where they were at this time last year, when 11,669 homes had sold.
Home prices have been relatively stable in San Antonio, Kessler said. Year-to-date median home prices are $151,600, compared with $152,200 at this time last year. The median price for single-family homes last month was $158,300, a 2 percent increase from July last year.
“Price stability is still favorable in today’s real estate cycle,” Kessler said.
The 1,675 pending sales in San Antonio last month represent a 3.7 percent increase from last July, the highest that number has been since June 2008. San Antonio’s available inventory of 11,868 is further evidence of stability, Kessler said, as that number does not represent an oversupply and has changed little h $152,200 at this time last year. The median price for single-family homes last month was $158,300, a 2 percent increase from July last year.
“Price stability is still favorable in today’s real estate cycle,” Kessler said.
The 1,675 pending sales in San Antonio last month represent a 3.7 percent increase from last July, the highest that number has been since June 2008. San Antonio’s available inventory of 11,868 is further evidence of stability, Kessler said, as that number does not represent an oversupply and has changed little in last year.
About 67 percent of July’s sales were for houses costing less than $200,000, a market generally dominated by first-time buyers. Kessler said that shows the tax credit for first-time buyers is bolstering sales.
D’Ann Harper, broker/owner of D’Ann Harper Coldwell Banker Realtors, pointed out that the tax credit applies to buyers who haven’t owned a home in three years.
“We usually have a slowdown towards end of the year, but with that home buyer tax credit still in effect, I think that’s going to help us tremendously and keep momentum going,” Harper said.
Her agents have been busier in July than in recent months, she said, and they have seen appreciation in values in the $225,000-$300,000 price range.
Kessler said 10 percent of San Antonio homes sold through the Multiple Listing Service in July were foreclosures, or short sales, compared with 50 percent of monthly sales in states like California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. Short sales and foreclosures have averaged 13 percent of total sales this year.
End of Article.
Call Randy or Stephanie Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas, for all your realty needs.
Our telephone numbers are (210) 863-2661, (210) 867-8743, & (800) 201-9145. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com.
San Antonio recorded more sales of existing homes in July than any other month in the past year.
Sales last month totaled 1,980, a 9 percent increase from the same time a year ago and the largest volume of sales seen here since June 2008, when sales broke 2,000, according to data from the San Antonio Board of Realtors. The median price also was up 2 percent.
National news reports that the country is coming out of the recession and the up to $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers have fueled sales, SABOR Chairwoman Florence Terrell said in a news release.
Add interest rates of between 5.5 percent and 6 percent, and many potential buyers and sellers who had been sitting on the fence are taking action, Travis Kessler, SABOR chief executive, said.
July is usually a peak time for home sales, but this July has been a landmark, Kessler said. “This is the first time in 12 months that we’ve seen an increase in sales as compared for that same month the year before.”
But year-to-date home sales, at just more than 10,200, did not reach where they were at this time last year, when 11,669 homes had sold.
Home prices have been relatively stable in San Antonio, Kessler said. Year-to-date median home prices are $151,600, compared with $152,200 at this time last year. The median price for single-family homes last month was $158,300, a 2 percent increase from July last year.
“Price stability is still favorable in today’s real estate cycle,” Kessler said.
The 1,675 pending sales in San Antonio last month represent a 3.7 percent increase from last July, the highest that number has been since June 2008. San Antonio’s available inventory of 11,868 is further evidence of stability, Kessler said, as that number does not represent an oversupply and has changed little h $152,200 at this time last year. The median price for single-family homes last month was $158,300, a 2 percent increase from July last year.
“Price stability is still favorable in today’s real estate cycle,” Kessler said.
The 1,675 pending sales in San Antonio last month represent a 3.7 percent increase from last July, the highest that number has been since June 2008. San Antonio’s available inventory of 11,868 is further evidence of stability, Kessler said, as that number does not represent an oversupply and has changed little in last year.
About 67 percent of July’s sales were for houses costing less than $200,000, a market generally dominated by first-time buyers. Kessler said that shows the tax credit for first-time buyers is bolstering sales.
D’Ann Harper, broker/owner of D’Ann Harper Coldwell Banker Realtors, pointed out that the tax credit applies to buyers who haven’t owned a home in three years.
“We usually have a slowdown towards end of the year, but with that home buyer tax credit still in effect, I think that’s going to help us tremendously and keep momentum going,” Harper said.
Her agents have been busier in July than in recent months, she said, and they have seen appreciation in values in the $225,000-$300,000 price range.
Kessler said 10 percent of San Antonio homes sold through the Multiple Listing Service in July were foreclosures, or short sales, compared with 50 percent of monthly sales in states like California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. Short sales and foreclosures have averaged 13 percent of total sales this year.
End of Article.
Call Randy or Stephanie Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas, for all your realty needs.
Our telephone numbers are (210) 863-2661, (210) 867-8743, & (800) 201-9145. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Cash Bonus For San Antonio Public Service Homebuyers
If you are an active duty or retired military member or family member, or a government civil service or public service employee or family member, you are eligible for SanAntonioHomeQuest's Public Service Reward Program . To qualify, all you have to do is use our buyer representation services to purchase a San Antonio area residence.
Here's what it's worth to you:
Home Value Earns Cash Bonus
$1 - $99,999 --- $350
$100,000-$149,999 --- $650
$150,000-$249,999 --- $950
$250,000-$399,999 --- $1,250
$400,000+ --- $1,550
Contact Randy or Stephanie Kelley at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio,
telephone (210) 863-2661,(210) 867-8743, or (800) 201-9145 or visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com.
Here's what it's worth to you:
Home Value Earns Cash Bonus
$1 - $99,999 --- $350
$100,000-$149,999 --- $650
$150,000-$249,999 --- $950
$250,000-$399,999 --- $1,250
$400,000+ --- $1,550
Contact Randy or Stephanie Kelley at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio,
telephone (210) 863-2661,(210) 867-8743, or (800) 201-9145 or visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com.
San Antonio $8000 Tax Credit
$8000 Tax Credit for San Antonio Homebuyers
Posted by Randy Kelley on August 17, 2009
As Credit Deadline Approaches, Race Is On for First-Time Buyers
By Kathleen Lynn Print Article
RISMEDIA, August 17, 2009-(MCT)-First-time buyers are searching for homes with a growing sense of urgency, worried that time is running out on an $8,000 federal tax credit.
Real estate agents say they’re seeing a surge of first-timers who want to close on a property by Nov. 30, the deadline for the credit. The rush has set off bidding wars and stirred up a normally quiet August market.
“We’re inundated,” said Paula Clark, an agent with Coldwell Banker in Hillsdale, N.J.
To meet the Nov. 30 deadline, buyers need to have a contract by around Sept. 30 because inspections, mortgage approvals and other details typically take about two months.
House hunter Stan Salazar of the Bronx, a 34-year-old assistant building superintendent, said that he and his wife, Marianela, were drawn into the real estate market mainly by lower home prices. But they’d like to close in time to get the credit, he added.
“Hey, $8,000 is $8,000,” Salazar said, after touring an expanded Cape Cod last week with real estate agent Sheldon Neal.
“It has pushed some of the buyers who have been watching the market into action,” said Abby Ceres-Buda, an agent in Hawthorne, N.J.
While $8,000 may not seem like a big deal when you’re talking about a purchase that typically runs $300,000 and up, it’s enough to get some cautious home shoppers off the fence.
“It’s not that much, you would think, but these are young kids starting out, so every little bit helps,” said agent Annekee Brahver-Keely.
Michael and Jennifer Marino, who recently closed on a Cape Cod, said they were motivated less by the $8,000 than by the fact that they’re expecting their first child. But the money will pay to replace a couple of aging appliances.
“That’s furnace money and hot-water-heater money,” said Michael Marino, a 34-year-old printer.
Ray Searles, a teacher who will soon close on a colonial in River Edge, said the $8,000 gave him and his wife the final push to buy a home.
“We’d been thinking about it for a year, and once we heard about the credit, we said, ‘We’re getting a house by December,’ ” said Searles, who now lives in an apartment. “It’ll just go toward furnishing the house.”
The starter home segment - under $500,000 or so - has been active since spring. According to statistics from the RealSource Association of Realtors, 1,897 Bergen County homes under $500,000 went under contract in June and July of 2009 - up 26 percent from the same period in 2008. At the same time, the number of homes going under contract above $500,000 declined 3.7 percent.
The tax credit is just one reason. First-time buyers are also attracted by lower home prices - down about 20 percent in the region from the market peak in 2006 - and mortgage rates in the 5.5 percent range. In addition, unlike trade-up buyers, they don’t face the obstacle of having to sell a house before they buy.
Still, the approaching tax credit deadline has heightened interest recently among first-time buyers.
“I have five closings in August,” said agent Roberta Whitley Gomez. “It’s the credit. I think it’s bringing a lot of people out.”
“They’re very concerned about losing the credit,” said Maria Rini, a Re/Max agent in Oradell.
Harry Elias, an agent with Friedberg Properties, said he got a call recently from a young couple eager to start the house hunt, after watching friends buy their first home. They saw that completing the sale could take two to three months, and want to close in time to qualify for the credit, Elias said.
The influx of first-timers has led to multiple offers on houses in good condition. In addition, more properties at the lower end of the market are selling at or near their full asking price, agents say.
“In the $400,000 price range, we don’t have a great deal of inventory of nice houses,” Clark said.
Some first-time buyers, strapped for cash, are negotiating to buy short sales - in which a lender takes less than is owed on the mortgage to allow a distressed homeowner to sell. These properties are usually less expensive, but the transactions tend to drag on, as the bank considers the offer. Buyers who are enmeshed in some of these deals are getting nervous, hoping that the sales will close in time to let them get the credit.
“The last two short sales we were involved in, one was a six-month ordeal and the other was a seven-month ordeal,” Rini said.
Other buyers have been trying to buy for several months, but have lost out as the competition heated up in the starter-home market.
“We’ve had bidding wars on some houses, especially in the $400,000-$450,000 range,” said Jeana Cowie, a Re/Max agent.
Now they worry they won’t be able to find a place and close in time.
Agent Ivana Crecco recently worked with a couple who were outbid on houses twice before finally succeeding with a home in Paramus. They expect to close at the end of September - in plenty of time to qualify for the tax credit.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Call Randy or Stephanie Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, for all your realty needs. Our telephone numbers are (210) 863-2661,
(210) 867-8743, & (800) 201-9145. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com.
Posted by Randy Kelley on August 17, 2009
As Credit Deadline Approaches, Race Is On for First-Time Buyers
By Kathleen Lynn Print Article
RISMEDIA, August 17, 2009-(MCT)-First-time buyers are searching for homes with a growing sense of urgency, worried that time is running out on an $8,000 federal tax credit.
Real estate agents say they’re seeing a surge of first-timers who want to close on a property by Nov. 30, the deadline for the credit. The rush has set off bidding wars and stirred up a normally quiet August market.
“We’re inundated,” said Paula Clark, an agent with Coldwell Banker in Hillsdale, N.J.
To meet the Nov. 30 deadline, buyers need to have a contract by around Sept. 30 because inspections, mortgage approvals and other details typically take about two months.
House hunter Stan Salazar of the Bronx, a 34-year-old assistant building superintendent, said that he and his wife, Marianela, were drawn into the real estate market mainly by lower home prices. But they’d like to close in time to get the credit, he added.
“Hey, $8,000 is $8,000,” Salazar said, after touring an expanded Cape Cod last week with real estate agent Sheldon Neal.
“It has pushed some of the buyers who have been watching the market into action,” said Abby Ceres-Buda, an agent in Hawthorne, N.J.
While $8,000 may not seem like a big deal when you’re talking about a purchase that typically runs $300,000 and up, it’s enough to get some cautious home shoppers off the fence.
“It’s not that much, you would think, but these are young kids starting out, so every little bit helps,” said agent Annekee Brahver-Keely.
Michael and Jennifer Marino, who recently closed on a Cape Cod, said they were motivated less by the $8,000 than by the fact that they’re expecting their first child. But the money will pay to replace a couple of aging appliances.
“That’s furnace money and hot-water-heater money,” said Michael Marino, a 34-year-old printer.
Ray Searles, a teacher who will soon close on a colonial in River Edge, said the $8,000 gave him and his wife the final push to buy a home.
“We’d been thinking about it for a year, and once we heard about the credit, we said, ‘We’re getting a house by December,’ ” said Searles, who now lives in an apartment. “It’ll just go toward furnishing the house.”
The starter home segment - under $500,000 or so - has been active since spring. According to statistics from the RealSource Association of Realtors, 1,897 Bergen County homes under $500,000 went under contract in June and July of 2009 - up 26 percent from the same period in 2008. At the same time, the number of homes going under contract above $500,000 declined 3.7 percent.
The tax credit is just one reason. First-time buyers are also attracted by lower home prices - down about 20 percent in the region from the market peak in 2006 - and mortgage rates in the 5.5 percent range. In addition, unlike trade-up buyers, they don’t face the obstacle of having to sell a house before they buy.
Still, the approaching tax credit deadline has heightened interest recently among first-time buyers.
“I have five closings in August,” said agent Roberta Whitley Gomez. “It’s the credit. I think it’s bringing a lot of people out.”
“They’re very concerned about losing the credit,” said Maria Rini, a Re/Max agent in Oradell.
Harry Elias, an agent with Friedberg Properties, said he got a call recently from a young couple eager to start the house hunt, after watching friends buy their first home. They saw that completing the sale could take two to three months, and want to close in time to qualify for the credit, Elias said.
The influx of first-timers has led to multiple offers on houses in good condition. In addition, more properties at the lower end of the market are selling at or near their full asking price, agents say.
“In the $400,000 price range, we don’t have a great deal of inventory of nice houses,” Clark said.
Some first-time buyers, strapped for cash, are negotiating to buy short sales - in which a lender takes less than is owed on the mortgage to allow a distressed homeowner to sell. These properties are usually less expensive, but the transactions tend to drag on, as the bank considers the offer. Buyers who are enmeshed in some of these deals are getting nervous, hoping that the sales will close in time to let them get the credit.
“The last two short sales we were involved in, one was a six-month ordeal and the other was a seven-month ordeal,” Rini said.
Other buyers have been trying to buy for several months, but have lost out as the competition heated up in the starter-home market.
“We’ve had bidding wars on some houses, especially in the $400,000-$450,000 range,” said Jeana Cowie, a Re/Max agent.
Now they worry they won’t be able to find a place and close in time.
Agent Ivana Crecco recently worked with a couple who were outbid on houses twice before finally succeeding with a home in Paramus. They expect to close at the end of September - in plenty of time to qualify for the tax credit.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Call Randy or Stephanie Kelley, Realtors(R) at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, for all your realty needs. Our telephone numbers are (210) 863-2661,
(210) 867-8743, & (800) 201-9145. Visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
San Antonio Homes For Sale
At SanAntonioHomeQuest.com, we believe an informed home buyer is a wise buyer. That's why our Realty Solutions Team has compiled a series of easy to remember hints and rules for our home buyer guests.
First and foremost, here is the "Cardinal Rule" that home buyers should always keep in mind.
DON'T START YOUR SEARCH WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
Sounds logical, doesn’t it, but a surprising number of buyers waste time and effort looking at houses they can’t afford. Now, if you’re wealthy enough to make a cash purchase, just make sure your money is liquid enough to bring to the closing table. But, if you’ll need a mortgage loan to seal the deal, don’t hesitate to consult with one or more lenders before starting your home quest. Mortgage loan officers want your business and, usually without charge, will happily help you determine your purchasing power based on your available assets, income to debt ratio, and credit history. So, don't be afraid to talk with at least one lender before seriously shopping for a home.
You'll receive more valuable hints about mortgage matters in coming messages. But, if you can't wait or have immediate questions, send us an E-mail or give us a call and a member of our Realty Solutions Team will tell you all the things you need to know to be a SanAntonioHomeQuest power buyer.
Randall & Stephanie Kelley, Realtors(R), at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, telephone (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, E-mail at kelleybus@aol.com or swkrealtor@aol.com
First and foremost, here is the "Cardinal Rule" that home buyers should always keep in mind.
DON'T START YOUR SEARCH WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
Sounds logical, doesn’t it, but a surprising number of buyers waste time and effort looking at houses they can’t afford. Now, if you’re wealthy enough to make a cash purchase, just make sure your money is liquid enough to bring to the closing table. But, if you’ll need a mortgage loan to seal the deal, don’t hesitate to consult with one or more lenders before starting your home quest. Mortgage loan officers want your business and, usually without charge, will happily help you determine your purchasing power based on your available assets, income to debt ratio, and credit history. So, don't be afraid to talk with at least one lender before seriously shopping for a home.
You'll receive more valuable hints about mortgage matters in coming messages. But, if you can't wait or have immediate questions, send us an E-mail or give us a call and a member of our Realty Solutions Team will tell you all the things you need to know to be a SanAntonioHomeQuest power buyer.
Randall & Stephanie Kelley, Realtors(R), at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, telephone (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743, E-mail at kelleybus@aol.com or swkrealtor@aol.com
Friday, August 07, 2009
San Antonio Real Estate Update
San Antonio's Multiple Listing Service (MLS) statistics are strongly suggesting that the area's buyers' market is rapidly weakening. If the trend continues, the market should be in balanced territory (neither favoring buyers or sellers) by mid-to-late fall.
Here are this Friday's San Antonio MLS stats:
Active Listings: 11817
Pending Sales: 1862
Average List Price: $284,373.00
Average Days On Market: 161
Last Average Sales Price: $188,082
Last List to Sales Price Ratio: 97%
If you have questions or need realty advice or assistance, visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com ,
call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145, e-mail us at kelleybus@aol.com.
Here are this Friday's San Antonio MLS stats:
Active Listings: 11817
Pending Sales: 1862
Average List Price: $284,373.00
Average Days On Market: 161
Last Average Sales Price: $188,082
Last List to Sales Price Ratio: 97%
If you have questions or need realty advice or assistance, visit us at SanAntonioHomeQuest.com ,
call us at (210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145, e-mail us at kelleybus@aol.com.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Aug Fed Meeting Might Increase San Antonio Mortgage Rates
The Federal Reserve Board is meeting August 11th and 12th, and its actions could impact San Antonio area home loan rates! Don’t Wait. Call your lender before the Fed acts and review your situation to determine if there’s anything you need to do.
If you don’t have a lender, please E-mail or call us and we’ll give you a list of lenders that our buyers have found to be reliable.
Randy & Stephanie Kelley, Realtors (R), Keller Williams Legacy, kelleybus@aol.com,
(210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145
If you don’t have a lender, please E-mail or call us and we’ll give you a list of lenders that our buyers have found to be reliable.
Randy & Stephanie Kelley, Realtors (R), Keller Williams Legacy, kelleybus@aol.com,
(210) 863-2661 or (210) 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
July San Antonio Realty Market Update
Here’s an excellent San Antonio realty market update as of July 18, 2009.
By Jennifer Hiller - San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio's real estate market continues to look a lot like the standby Saturday night date of dinner at a chain restaurant followed by a movie — not exciting, but reassuringly predictable.
With the median price of an existing home at $149,800 for the first half of the year — 1.3 percent below the median sales price during the same period last year — “stable” has become the watchword for the local resale home market.
The number of sales has dropped 16 percent for the year, to 8,251, according to new sales data released Friday by the San Antonio Board of Realtors. But the inventory of homes for sale is holding steady, which has helped keep prices from moving much in either direction.
Travis Kessler, CEO of SABOR, said that so far, the market's sales volume resembles 2003 — a time before the real estate market boomed on the strength of investor sales and exotic mortgage loans. “It looks like we could, if the trend continues, go back to a normal market for the San Antonio area,” Kessler said.
“Normal” would make the city one of the better real estate markets in the country.
Realtors have been monitoring short sales — distressed sales in which a lender agrees to take less money than is owed on a house — and foreclosures to see if the numbers start rising too high as a percentage of home sales.
So far for the year, 13 percent of the homes sold through the Multiple Listing Service had fallen into foreclosure and were owned by the lender.
“Even though we have short sales in our marketplace and foreclosures, those shouldn't be a majority of the transactions. They are in other parts of the country,” Kessler said. “When it doesn't control the market and isn't the majority of the market, it's a real strength for us.”
The number of existing homes on the market has been virtually unchanged for the past couple of months, at just more than 12,000. San Antonio has an 8.5-month supply of existing homes on the market, which means that if no new homes came onto the market, it would take eight months to sell all those homes at the current pace. The housing inventory has been hovering at the eight-month mark since last fall — a sign of a buyer's market. A resale home market of 6.5 months of inventory is considered balanced between buyers and sellers.
The time it takes to sell a home has gone from 83 days this time last year to 97 days now — a number that's an average across the market and varies by neighborhood.
Richard Zepeda, an agent with Keller Williams Heritage, said that with prices holding steady, the longer sales time has been the biggest market change for sellers to deal with this year. “We have to educate our sellers,” Zepeda said. “This is not four years ago. It takes time.”
End of Article
If you need expert San Antonio realty advice or assistance, don’t hesitate to call on the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team at (210) 863-2661 for Randy Kelley or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie Kelley. Our E-mail address is kelleybus@aol.com .
By Jennifer Hiller - San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio's real estate market continues to look a lot like the standby Saturday night date of dinner at a chain restaurant followed by a movie — not exciting, but reassuringly predictable.
With the median price of an existing home at $149,800 for the first half of the year — 1.3 percent below the median sales price during the same period last year — “stable” has become the watchword for the local resale home market.
The number of sales has dropped 16 percent for the year, to 8,251, according to new sales data released Friday by the San Antonio Board of Realtors. But the inventory of homes for sale is holding steady, which has helped keep prices from moving much in either direction.
Travis Kessler, CEO of SABOR, said that so far, the market's sales volume resembles 2003 — a time before the real estate market boomed on the strength of investor sales and exotic mortgage loans. “It looks like we could, if the trend continues, go back to a normal market for the San Antonio area,” Kessler said.
“Normal” would make the city one of the better real estate markets in the country.
Realtors have been monitoring short sales — distressed sales in which a lender agrees to take less money than is owed on a house — and foreclosures to see if the numbers start rising too high as a percentage of home sales.
So far for the year, 13 percent of the homes sold through the Multiple Listing Service had fallen into foreclosure and were owned by the lender.
“Even though we have short sales in our marketplace and foreclosures, those shouldn't be a majority of the transactions. They are in other parts of the country,” Kessler said. “When it doesn't control the market and isn't the majority of the market, it's a real strength for us.”
The number of existing homes on the market has been virtually unchanged for the past couple of months, at just more than 12,000. San Antonio has an 8.5-month supply of existing homes on the market, which means that if no new homes came onto the market, it would take eight months to sell all those homes at the current pace. The housing inventory has been hovering at the eight-month mark since last fall — a sign of a buyer's market. A resale home market of 6.5 months of inventory is considered balanced between buyers and sellers.
The time it takes to sell a home has gone from 83 days this time last year to 97 days now — a number that's an average across the market and varies by neighborhood.
Richard Zepeda, an agent with Keller Williams Heritage, said that with prices holding steady, the longer sales time has been the biggest market change for sellers to deal with this year. “We have to educate our sellers,” Zepeda said. “This is not four years ago. It takes time.”
End of Article
If you need expert San Antonio realty advice or assistance, don’t hesitate to call on the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team at (210) 863-2661 for Randy Kelley or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie Kelley. Our E-mail address is kelleybus@aol.com .
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
San Antonio Texas June 2009 Realty Market Report
Posted by Randy Kelley on June 17, 2009
Here’s an excellent San Antonio realty market update as of June 17, 2008.
By Jennifer Hiller - Express-News
San Antonio’s real estate market continues to be neither a Fourth of July extravaganza nor a dud firecracker.
With the median price of an existing home at $148,100 for the first five months of the year — about 1 percent below the median sales price during the same time period last year — the city’s real estate market continues to be more workweek than holiday.
“I would describe the market as OK or good,” said John Flournoy, managing partner with the Phyllis Browning Co. “It’s not great.”
May home sales data released Tuesday by the San Antonio Board of Realtors show the number of homes on the market has been virtually unchanged for the last couple of months, at just more than 12,000.
“It’s not like a whole lot of properties are flooding the market. It’s just that there isn’t much demand,” said James Gaines, research economist with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.
In May, sales volume was down 12 percent over the same month in 2008, with 1,612 sales of existing homes, according to SABOR.
San Antonio has an 8.5-month supply of existing homes on the market, which means that if no new homes came onto the market, it would take about eight months to sell all those homes at the current pace.
The housing inventory has been hovering at the eight-month mark since last fall — a sign of a buyer’s market. A resale home market of 6.5 months of inventory is considered balanced between buyers and sellers.
But overall, San Antonio should consider itself lucky to have unspectacular price changes and a basically ho-hum market.
“Status quo beats the heck out of a decline,” Gaines said. “There’s no reason to expect price increases. We’re having trouble creating jobs. People are nervous about the market or their jobs. Quite frankly, if you don’t have to sell, you probably don’t want to. But if you want to buy, right now is one of the best times.”
Prospective buyers should plan on being in a home at least three years, Gaines said. “We’re expecting that when we see some stability in the employment market and a sigh of relief from the stock market, that a lot more buyers will come out,” he said.
The average market is just fine with many in the real estate industry.
“Buyers are sitting on the fence a little bit,” said Tom Patterson of North Loop Inc. Realtors. “We just came back from a convention in Washington, D.C., and given the horror stories that I hear from some places, overall I’m real satisfied. I think we’re fortunate we’re where we are.”
End-Of-Article
If you need expert San Antonio realty advice or assistance, don’t hesitate to call on the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team at (210) 863-2661 for Randy Kelley or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie Kelley. Our E-mail address is kelleybus@aol.com .
Here’s an excellent San Antonio realty market update as of June 17, 2008.
By Jennifer Hiller - Express-News
San Antonio’s real estate market continues to be neither a Fourth of July extravaganza nor a dud firecracker.
With the median price of an existing home at $148,100 for the first five months of the year — about 1 percent below the median sales price during the same time period last year — the city’s real estate market continues to be more workweek than holiday.
“I would describe the market as OK or good,” said John Flournoy, managing partner with the Phyllis Browning Co. “It’s not great.”
May home sales data released Tuesday by the San Antonio Board of Realtors show the number of homes on the market has been virtually unchanged for the last couple of months, at just more than 12,000.
“It’s not like a whole lot of properties are flooding the market. It’s just that there isn’t much demand,” said James Gaines, research economist with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.
In May, sales volume was down 12 percent over the same month in 2008, with 1,612 sales of existing homes, according to SABOR.
San Antonio has an 8.5-month supply of existing homes on the market, which means that if no new homes came onto the market, it would take about eight months to sell all those homes at the current pace.
The housing inventory has been hovering at the eight-month mark since last fall — a sign of a buyer’s market. A resale home market of 6.5 months of inventory is considered balanced between buyers and sellers.
But overall, San Antonio should consider itself lucky to have unspectacular price changes and a basically ho-hum market.
“Status quo beats the heck out of a decline,” Gaines said. “There’s no reason to expect price increases. We’re having trouble creating jobs. People are nervous about the market or their jobs. Quite frankly, if you don’t have to sell, you probably don’t want to. But if you want to buy, right now is one of the best times.”
Prospective buyers should plan on being in a home at least three years, Gaines said. “We’re expecting that when we see some stability in the employment market and a sigh of relief from the stock market, that a lot more buyers will come out,” he said.
The average market is just fine with many in the real estate industry.
“Buyers are sitting on the fence a little bit,” said Tom Patterson of North Loop Inc. Realtors. “We just came back from a convention in Washington, D.C., and given the horror stories that I hear from some places, overall I’m real satisfied. I think we’re fortunate we’re where we are.”
End-Of-Article
If you need expert San Antonio realty advice or assistance, don’t hesitate to call on the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team at (210) 863-2661 for Randy Kelley or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie Kelley. Our E-mail address is kelleybus@aol.com .
Thursday, June 11, 2009
San Antonio Mortgage Rates - 11 April 2009
Local Mortgage Rates
Today
+/-
30 yr fixed mtg
6.17%
15 yr fixed mtg
5.72%
5/1 ARM
5.64%
$30K home equity loan
7.64%
If you have questions or need San Antonio area realty assistance, please contact me. I’m honored to help.
Randall R. (Randy) Kelley
MS, BS, PA
San Antonio Realtor®
Internet Realty Services Advisor
sanantoniohomequest.com
Keller Williams Legacy (210) 863-2661 or 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145
View My Newsletter
Today
+/-
30 yr fixed mtg
6.17%
15 yr fixed mtg
5.72%
5/1 ARM
5.64%
$30K home equity loan
7.64%
If you have questions or need San Antonio area realty assistance, please contact me. I’m honored to help.
Randall R. (Randy) Kelley
MS, BS, PA
San Antonio Realtor®
Internet Realty Services Advisor
sanantoniohomequest.com
Keller Williams Legacy (210) 863-2661 or 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145
View My Newsletter
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Mortgage Loans For San Antonio Homes
This is the best way to go about getting your San Antonio home mortgage loan.
When planning a home purchase, it’s best to find out what you can afford sooner than later. Any lender will pre-qualify you based on your family income, debt, and credit history.
To start, you might go to this site, enter the requested information, and get a rough estimate of how much you should be able to borrow. The site doesn’t link to other sources:
http://www.mortgagecalc.com/payment/howmuchborrow.html
Note that the site doesn’t have the ability to pull your credit score or to do the person-to-person dialogue essential to getting more definitive information about (1) the best type of loan that you should get under your given circumstances and (2) the best loan terms and conditions that a lender can offer to you. It takes talking with a lender to get that information.
You’ll find that lenders are more than eager to talk with you. They want your business. So, don’t be hesitant to call your bank, credit union, or a mortgage broker (like the ones at the end of this message).
By all means, shop your loan around. Get a good faith estimate from each lender you talk to and compare the rates and charges. You’ll likely find a lender that charges less and gives you better terms than the others. Also, if you find a lender you like personally, but that lender doesn’t offer the best deal, let him or her know and ask if you can get terms that are as good as, or better, than the best competitor.
I recommend you use a lender that has a loan officer actually located in San Antonio and, I recommend that you not use one of the on-line-lenders. Why? If you use an Internet lender, you’ll still get your mortgage loan, but might have problems with the lender’s responsiveness and punctuality when you close on the sale. I can better keep things moving for a buyer if I have a local person to complain to for delaying a closing.
Here, among dozens in town, are some lenders you might consider contacting (only because they’ve given good service to my past Buyers — I have no business affiliation with any of these folks). The listing order doesn’t indicate preference. They’ve all shown equal ability and have a record of quoting reasonable charges.
Veronica Clarke
Senior Loan Officer
Legacy Mutual Mortgage
2526 N. Loop 1604 W., Ste. 150
Office: (210) 492-4900
Cell: (210) 559-7999
E-Fax: (888) 881-2260
veronica@legacymutual.com
J.P. Watkins, Mortgage BrokerTrue Texas Lending, LLC
9311 San Pedro , Ste 100
San Antonio, TX 78216
Toll Free (1-800) 460-6990
Office: (210) 490-4253
Cell: (210) 837-3006
FAX: (210) 490-7253
Jpwatkins@truetexaslending.com
Shannon Collier
Senior Loan Officer
WR Starkey Mortgage
12500 San Pedro Ave, Ste. 100
San Antonio, TX 78216
Office: (210) 545-9300
Cell: (210) 725-8470
Fax: (866) 703-8734
scollier@wrstarkey.com
Please call or send an E-mail if you have questions, need San Antonio realty advice or assistance, or want to know the best ways and means to acquire a San Antonio area property.
Randall R. (Randy) Kelley
MS, BS, PA
San Antonio Realtor®
Internet Realty Services Advisor sanantoniohomequest.com
Keller Williams Legacy
(210) 863-2661 or 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145
View My Newsletter
When planning a home purchase, it’s best to find out what you can afford sooner than later. Any lender will pre-qualify you based on your family income, debt, and credit history.
To start, you might go to this site, enter the requested information, and get a rough estimate of how much you should be able to borrow. The site doesn’t link to other sources:
http://www.mortgagecalc.com/payment/howmuchborrow.html
Note that the site doesn’t have the ability to pull your credit score or to do the person-to-person dialogue essential to getting more definitive information about (1) the best type of loan that you should get under your given circumstances and (2) the best loan terms and conditions that a lender can offer to you. It takes talking with a lender to get that information.
You’ll find that lenders are more than eager to talk with you. They want your business. So, don’t be hesitant to call your bank, credit union, or a mortgage broker (like the ones at the end of this message).
By all means, shop your loan around. Get a good faith estimate from each lender you talk to and compare the rates and charges. You’ll likely find a lender that charges less and gives you better terms than the others. Also, if you find a lender you like personally, but that lender doesn’t offer the best deal, let him or her know and ask if you can get terms that are as good as, or better, than the best competitor.
I recommend you use a lender that has a loan officer actually located in San Antonio and, I recommend that you not use one of the on-line-lenders. Why? If you use an Internet lender, you’ll still get your mortgage loan, but might have problems with the lender’s responsiveness and punctuality when you close on the sale. I can better keep things moving for a buyer if I have a local person to complain to for delaying a closing.
Here, among dozens in town, are some lenders you might consider contacting (only because they’ve given good service to my past Buyers — I have no business affiliation with any of these folks). The listing order doesn’t indicate preference. They’ve all shown equal ability and have a record of quoting reasonable charges.
Veronica Clarke
Senior Loan Officer
Legacy Mutual Mortgage
2526 N. Loop 1604 W., Ste. 150
Office: (210) 492-4900
Cell: (210) 559-7999
E-Fax: (888) 881-2260
veronica@legacymutual.com
J.P. Watkins, Mortgage BrokerTrue Texas Lending, LLC
9311 San Pedro , Ste 100
San Antonio, TX 78216
Toll Free (1-800) 460-6990
Office: (210) 490-4253
Cell: (210) 837-3006
FAX: (210) 490-7253
Jpwatkins@truetexaslending.com
Shannon Collier
Senior Loan Officer
WR Starkey Mortgage
12500 San Pedro Ave, Ste. 100
San Antonio, TX 78216
Office: (210) 545-9300
Cell: (210) 725-8470
Fax: (866) 703-8734
scollier@wrstarkey.com
Please call or send an E-mail if you have questions, need San Antonio realty advice or assistance, or want to know the best ways and means to acquire a San Antonio area property.
Randall R. (Randy) Kelley
MS, BS, PA
San Antonio Realtor®
Internet Realty Services Advisor sanantoniohomequest.com
Keller Williams Legacy
(210) 863-2661 or 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145
View My Newsletter
Monday, April 27, 2009
Buying A San Antonio Foreclosure
Posted by Randy Kelley on April 27, 2009
Daily Real Estate News July 9, 2008
Tips for Buying Foreclosures
Buyers seeking a deal on a foreclosed property need to keep some basics in mind because the transaction isn’t simple and the competition may be stiff, says Pat Lashinsky, CEO of ZipRealty, which has more than 2,200 associates in 19 states.
“When you find a good deal, there are five or six or seven offers, and you’re up against professional investors,” Lashinsky says.
Here are some other things buyers should consider:
These homes aren’t giveaways. Typically, they are priced 10 to 15 percent below non-bank-owned properties.
Banks have their own selling strategies. Skilled at analyzing prices and market conditions, they’ll often lower the price incrementally if a home hasn’t sold after a month.
Bidding Wars are Possible. When the price is attractive, expect plenty of competitive offers.
Factor in fix-up money. Many of these properties are in bad shape.
Get pre-qualified. Banks won’t deal with prospective buyers who aren’t.
Consider borrowing from the bank that owns the property. If the bank can hold the mortgage, it will sometimes agree to a lower price.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, Carolyn Said (07/09/2008)
And here’s another tip that can save you time and aggrevation. Seek the help of a local Realtor(R). This year’s extremely active foreclosure market has produced many well qualified and experienced agents willing to help a buyer navigate the foreclosure minefields. Furthermore, lenders are always pleased to deal with a realty professional who knows the foreclosure ropes. So, if you’re a serious foreclosure buyer, do yourself a favor and join up with an experienced buyer’s agent. You won’t be sorry.
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
Daily Real Estate News July 9, 2008
Tips for Buying Foreclosures
Buyers seeking a deal on a foreclosed property need to keep some basics in mind because the transaction isn’t simple and the competition may be stiff, says Pat Lashinsky, CEO of ZipRealty, which has more than 2,200 associates in 19 states.
“When you find a good deal, there are five or six or seven offers, and you’re up against professional investors,” Lashinsky says.
Here are some other things buyers should consider:
These homes aren’t giveaways. Typically, they are priced 10 to 15 percent below non-bank-owned properties.
Banks have their own selling strategies. Skilled at analyzing prices and market conditions, they’ll often lower the price incrementally if a home hasn’t sold after a month.
Bidding Wars are Possible. When the price is attractive, expect plenty of competitive offers.
Factor in fix-up money. Many of these properties are in bad shape.
Get pre-qualified. Banks won’t deal with prospective buyers who aren’t.
Consider borrowing from the bank that owns the property. If the bank can hold the mortgage, it will sometimes agree to a lower price.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, Carolyn Said (07/09/2008)
And here’s another tip that can save you time and aggrevation. Seek the help of a local Realtor(R). This year’s extremely active foreclosure market has produced many well qualified and experienced agents willing to help a buyer navigate the foreclosure minefields. Furthermore, lenders are always pleased to deal with a realty professional who knows the foreclosure ropes. So, if you’re a serious foreclosure buyer, do yourself a favor and join up with an experienced buyer’s agent. You won’t be sorry.
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
Friday, April 24, 2009
San Antonio Mortgage Rates For April 24, 2009
W.R. Starkey Mortgage Company, weekend rates for San Antonio, TX, April 24, 2009:
FHA/VA/Conventional - with great credit, the best rate is 4.5%!
Call Tuoc 478-9610, Chad 557-6320, Tish 364-0658, Cyrena 685-5618 orAdrian 347-8100.
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
FHA/VA/Conventional - with great credit, the best rate is 4.5%!
Call Tuoc 478-9610, Chad 557-6320, Tish 364-0658, Cyrena 685-5618 orAdrian 347-8100.
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
Friday, April 03, 2009
San Antonio Mortgage Rates - 3 April 2009
From Starkey Mortgage, San Antonio:
Mortgage rates as of Friday, April 3, 2009:
Conventional as low as 4.375%
FHA & VA -4.5%.
You can call them night or day: Tuoc (210) 478-9610, Tish (210) 364-0658,
Adrian (210) 347-8100, Chad (210) 557-6320 and Cyrena (210) 685-5618. Say Randy Kelley sent you.
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
Mortgage rates as of Friday, April 3, 2009:
Conventional as low as 4.375%
FHA & VA -4.5%.
You can call them night or day: Tuoc (210) 478-9610, Tish (210) 364-0658,
Adrian (210) 347-8100, Chad (210) 557-6320 and Cyrena (210) 685-5618. Say Randy Kelley sent you.
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
San Antonio Homes For Sale By Owner
What about buying a “for-sale-by-owner” home, A.K.A., a FSBO. By definition, a FSBO seller isn’t working under a listing agreement whereby a real estate agent will administer his side of the deal. But don’t assume the FSBO seller doesn’t have a non-realtor helping out. Unless he already knows the state regulations governing realty processes and procedures, a wise FSBO seller will have sought the help of some else (like a title company or lawyer) who knows the realty ropes and can assist with the in-and-outs of making sure the sale conforms with governing statutes. If the seller isn’t working with someone who knows real estate, and, if he’s not well versed in realty, he’s putting everyone at risk, including himself and anybody buying the property.
Whereas most FSBO sellers will have someone advising and assisting in the background, the non-represented FSBO buyer is at an negotiating disadvantage. That’s why, even for a FSBO, it’s preferable for the buyer to have an realty agent in his corner to make sure the FSBO seller has the property appropriately priced & is acting in conformance with realty law, processes, and procedures.
A FSBO seller is usually an exceptionally hard ball player, even when a friend, relative, or acquaintance is the buyer. That’s because the FSBO seller is his own face-to-face negotiator, as opposed to having a listing agent handle the negotiations as an intermediary. Keep in mind that negotiations done directly by a seller more often than not become contentious, leading to hurt feelings, and a significant level of distrust.
So, why does a home owner decide to venture into FSBO territory? Usually, it’s to avoid paying a realty brokerage commission. Avoiding the realty sales commission is understandable, but what’s not understandable is the tendency of FSBO sellers to overprice their property. It just seems natural for FSBO sellers to be tempted by the possibility of having their cake (avoiding the realty commission) and eating it too (selling the property significantly above market value).
Sometimes, to encourage showings, a FSBO seller will be willing to offer a commission to a buyer’s agent. The amount of commission to be paid to the buyer’s agent should be negotiated up front and carefully documented. Also, all parties should be working under a documented understanding that the buyer’s agent is not representing the seller and must maintain the buyer’s best interest throughout the home acquisition process.
If a FSBO seller won’t pay a buyers agent’s commission, the buyer himself might agree to pay either a negotiated commission or fee-for-service charge for having the benefit of having a trained realty professional administer his side of the deal.
What about ”friend-of-friend” FSBO leads? They can be very valuable and afford a great buyer’s opportunity. But, that happens in a very small percentage of cases. Why? In my San Antonio Texas market, the average home buyer sees 20 houses before making an offer. How likely is it that a friend-of-friend FSBO seller will have just the right house for any particular buyer? The odds are very low (but it could happen).
Here’s something else to consider if you are home buying or selling in Texas. There is a unique Texas circumstance that might work against FSBO buyers and sellers in the Lone Star State. Specifically, Texas law doesn’t mandate public recording of realty sales prices. That means that neither a home seller or buyer can go to the court house to find the sales prices for homes that were last sold in a particular neighborhood. Here’s the signifigance. A realty property’s current market value is set by the recent sales data for nearby comparable properties. Whereas there’s no public realty sales price database in Texas, there’s only one alternative source for determining a property’s market value and that source is the sales data recorded inlocal multiple listing service (MLS). That MLS database is available only to Realtors (R). That’s why, in Texas, a Realtor’s (R) help is invaluable for setting an appropriate and reasonable offering bid for a realty property (as opposed to the listed sales price which is almost invariably set above the property’s real market value).
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
Whereas most FSBO sellers will have someone advising and assisting in the background, the non-represented FSBO buyer is at an negotiating disadvantage. That’s why, even for a FSBO, it’s preferable for the buyer to have an realty agent in his corner to make sure the FSBO seller has the property appropriately priced & is acting in conformance with realty law, processes, and procedures.
A FSBO seller is usually an exceptionally hard ball player, even when a friend, relative, or acquaintance is the buyer. That’s because the FSBO seller is his own face-to-face negotiator, as opposed to having a listing agent handle the negotiations as an intermediary. Keep in mind that negotiations done directly by a seller more often than not become contentious, leading to hurt feelings, and a significant level of distrust.
So, why does a home owner decide to venture into FSBO territory? Usually, it’s to avoid paying a realty brokerage commission. Avoiding the realty sales commission is understandable, but what’s not understandable is the tendency of FSBO sellers to overprice their property. It just seems natural for FSBO sellers to be tempted by the possibility of having their cake (avoiding the realty commission) and eating it too (selling the property significantly above market value).
Sometimes, to encourage showings, a FSBO seller will be willing to offer a commission to a buyer’s agent. The amount of commission to be paid to the buyer’s agent should be negotiated up front and carefully documented. Also, all parties should be working under a documented understanding that the buyer’s agent is not representing the seller and must maintain the buyer’s best interest throughout the home acquisition process.
If a FSBO seller won’t pay a buyers agent’s commission, the buyer himself might agree to pay either a negotiated commission or fee-for-service charge for having the benefit of having a trained realty professional administer his side of the deal.
What about ”friend-of-friend” FSBO leads? They can be very valuable and afford a great buyer’s opportunity. But, that happens in a very small percentage of cases. Why? In my San Antonio Texas market, the average home buyer sees 20 houses before making an offer. How likely is it that a friend-of-friend FSBO seller will have just the right house for any particular buyer? The odds are very low (but it could happen).
Here’s something else to consider if you are home buying or selling in Texas. There is a unique Texas circumstance that might work against FSBO buyers and sellers in the Lone Star State. Specifically, Texas law doesn’t mandate public recording of realty sales prices. That means that neither a home seller or buyer can go to the court house to find the sales prices for homes that were last sold in a particular neighborhood. Here’s the signifigance. A realty property’s current market value is set by the recent sales data for nearby comparable properties. Whereas there’s no public realty sales price database in Texas, there’s only one alternative source for determining a property’s market value and that source is the sales data recorded inlocal multiple listing service (MLS). That MLS database is available only to Realtors (R). That’s why, in Texas, a Realtor’s (R) help is invaluable for setting an appropriate and reasonable offering bid for a realty property (as opposed to the listed sales price which is almost invariably set above the property’s real market value).
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Relocating To San Antonio
Relocating to the San Antonio area? Go here to request our free relocation packet:
http://www.sanantoniohomequest.com/offer.asp?or=2
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
http://www.sanantoniohomequest.com/offer.asp?or=2
Do you have realty questions? Do you need home buying or selling advice or assistance? Do you need mortgage loan advice? Look to the SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team to answer all your realty questions. Our never ending goal is to serve you exceedingly well.
Our team members are Randy & Stephanie Kelley & Tara Kelley-Guariglia, Realtors® at Keller Williams Legacy, telephone toll free (800) 201-9145, or (210) 867-8743 for Stephanie, (210) 863-2661 for Randy, and (210) 792-8726 for Tara.
Friday, March 06, 2009
At SanAntonioHomeQuest.com, we believe an informed home buyer is a wise buyer. That’s why our Realty Solutions Team has compiled a series of easy to remember hints and rules for home buyers.
First and foremost, here is the “Cardinal Rule” that home buyers should always keep in mind.
DON’T START YOUR SEARCH WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
Sounds logical, doesn’t it, but a surprising number of buyers waste time and effort looking at houses they can’t afford. Now, if you’re wealthy enough to make a cash purchase, just make sure your money is liquid enough to bring to the closing table. But, if you’ll need a mortgage loan to seal the deal, don’t hesitate to consult with one or more lenders before starting your home quest. Mortgage loan officers want your business and, usually without charge, will happily help you determine your purchasing power based on your available assets, income to debt ratio, and credit history. So, don’t be afraid to talk with at least one lender before seriously shopping for a home.
You’ll receive more valuable hints about mortgage matters in coming messages. But, if you can’t wait or have immediate questions, send us an E-mail or give us a call and a member of our Realty Solutions Team will tell you all the things you need to know to be a SanAntonioHomeQuest power buyer.
Randall R. (Randy) Kelley
MS, BS, PA
San Antonio Realtor®
Internet Realty Services Advisor
sanantoniohomequest.com
Keller Williams Legacy
(210) 863-2661 or 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145
Visit Us At
Stephanie’s Blog
View My Newsletter
First and foremost, here is the “Cardinal Rule” that home buyers should always keep in mind.
DON’T START YOUR SEARCH WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.
Sounds logical, doesn’t it, but a surprising number of buyers waste time and effort looking at houses they can’t afford. Now, if you’re wealthy enough to make a cash purchase, just make sure your money is liquid enough to bring to the closing table. But, if you’ll need a mortgage loan to seal the deal, don’t hesitate to consult with one or more lenders before starting your home quest. Mortgage loan officers want your business and, usually without charge, will happily help you determine your purchasing power based on your available assets, income to debt ratio, and credit history. So, don’t be afraid to talk with at least one lender before seriously shopping for a home.
You’ll receive more valuable hints about mortgage matters in coming messages. But, if you can’t wait or have immediate questions, send us an E-mail or give us a call and a member of our Realty Solutions Team will tell you all the things you need to know to be a SanAntonioHomeQuest power buyer.
Randall R. (Randy) Kelley
MS, BS, PA
San Antonio Realtor®
Internet Realty Services Advisor
sanantoniohomequest.com
Keller Williams Legacy
(210) 863-2661 or 867-8743 or (800) 201-9145
Visit Us At
Stephanie’s Blog
View My Newsletter
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