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Vital Information For
First-Time Buyers
The first-time homebuyer Federal tax credit for $8000, record-low interest rates, and nationwide median home prices dropping to the lowest point in five years, makes this an enticing time to consider buying a home. By the way, that tax incentive isn't truly just for first-time buyers -- it's defined as those not having owned a home in the last three years. Research and knowing your options are critical. Check with your tax accountant for more details. It’s increasingly likely that Congress will extend and expand the popular home buyer tax credit, which will expire at the end of this month.
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According to an article in August in the Raleigh News & Observer, 10.8 percent of buyers are motivated to buy due to Federal and state tax incentives. So far only 1.14 million buyers have filed
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Relieving the Stress of Packing
Packing can be stressful time for every member of the family. To ensure that your move goes as smoothly as possible, try the following tips!
Pack a "Red Box"
Since one in five American families moves every year, that means 22 million families may be searching for their TV remote controls!
One of the pitfalls of packing for a move is you can't always anticipate what you'll need when you arrive at your new home, and movers typically list only the obvious such as dishes, glasses, bedding, etc. The miscellaneous items you need in the first few hours invariably wind up on the bottom of a random box.
To start, you may want to create your own "red box" as some moving companies ("Removers") do in Great Britain. This is the last box loaded and the first one off the truck. The one universal item in the red box is the tea kettle (perhaps this would be the coffee maker in the U.S.). This is also the place
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Making Your Home Age Appropriate Creates Appeal
All of us have something in common with our homes. Sure, style, design, and location are at the top of the list, but how about age? As we age, buyers, especially the baby boomer generation, are looking to transform their homes into a place that they can stay in for as long as possible or they're hoping to find one that's already equipped for them to age-in-place.
So how old your home and you are, are reason to give some thought to if your home needs age-appropriate adaptation in order for you to be most comfortable. And, in doing so, you may actually make your home more valuable to a wider audience of buyers, should you ever sell it.
According to the National Homebuilders Association, making a home suitable for the golden years is economicaly sound. The baby boomer generation (77 million people) makes up 28 percent of the U.S. population. Assisted living for this generation can cost more than $60-thousand per year, not counting moving expenses.
That's pretty pricey. So, if you've taken some steps to make your home an age-in-place sanctuary, then make sure you highlight those renovations if you ever
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Stage your home for maximum results!
Leah is one of the few Realtors in the Northwest Bergen County area who is an Accredited Staging Professional! Have the edge when it is time to sell your home! My staging services are FREE for clients who list their homes with me. Call Leah @ 201-650-5500 to get more information!
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Slow Summer Sales
Well, it is no secret that home sales became even slower during the summer. Here are 5 things that you can do to actually sell your home:
1. Lower the asking price. Ask me about the statistics regarding price reductions in your area. You may feel that the other homes that are on the market need to lower their prices, but that your home is the exeption--it isn't. Even the best homes in the most desireable locations have had to significantly lower their asking prices.
2. Make your home light and bright and, of course, de-clutter.
3. Make sure there is at least one thing that is great about your home that no other home in its price range has, and then market that feature to the fullest.
4. Make your home available to show people at THEIR convenience. If the Realtor calls to say that someone wants to see your home in a half-hour, say YES and then pick up anything you need to and spot clean quickly. Even if you have to ask them to wait outside for five minutes while you make the beds (customers don't mind), it is worth not losing the potential sale.
5. Make sure your home is clean and smells good (no heavy candle smells--just fresh and clean).
Remember--you will make up for any reductions in your asking price when you buy your next house! Please call me (201-650-5500) if you would like room-by-room advice on how to properly stage your home (free for all of my listings).
Daily News and Advice
Read about the events shaping the Real Estate market today, find current interest rates, or browse the extensive library of advice and how-to articles written by some of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.
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