When it comes to selling your home in Avondale , you've probably thought of the most common staging tricks, such as clearing out the clutter to make your rooms look bigger and bringing in more light to brighten things up. However, have you considered that the colors in your house might affect whether buyers are interested? First impressions are everything when you are selling a house, so think about how the colors you choose will likely influence your potential buyers. A new coat of paint could … [Read more...]
Fed Meeting Statement Points To Continuing Low Interest Rates
May 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Wednesday's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) statement indicates the Federal Reserve's commitment to keeping long term interest rates and inflation under control. The Fed will continue monitoring inflation, but does not expect inflation to rise more than 0.50 percent above its target rate of 2.00 percent over the next one to two years. Ongoing monitoring of inflation and unemployment, as well as developing economic news, will guide the Fed in its future determinations concerning policy … [Read more...]
Case-Shiller Home Price Indices Post Highest Growth Rates Since 2006
May 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Housing markets continue to improve according to the S&P Case Shiller Home Price Indices released April 30 for February's data. The Indices consist of a 10-City Composite Index and a 20-City Composite Index with housing markets for each city reported based on a three-month rolling average of home prices. Case Shiller Posts Highest Growth Rates Since 2006 The data released yesterday comprised the Indices' highest growth rates since May 2006. For the 12 months between February 2012 … [Read more...]
7 Fun and Easy Housewarming Gifts for A New Homeowner
April 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Whether you have new neighbors next door or old friends moving across town, a housewarming gift is a great way to show you care. New owners always appreciate anything that relieves the pressures of moving and settling in to an unfamiliar neighborhood. Here are seven fun and easy housewarming-gift ideas for your friends moving into their home. A Door Wreath You can choose a wreath that fits the season or that is simply attractive on the front door. Include a wreath door-hanger and … [Read more...]
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – April 29, 2013
April 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Mortgage rates fell again last week and are again near record lows. According to Freddie Mac, the average rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage did achieve a record low of 2.61 percent as compared to 3.1 percent one year ago. The average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell to 3.40 percent and near the record low of 3.31 percent. Low mortgage rates are helping homeowners with refinancing and are boosting housing markets as more buyers can qualify for mortgage loans. Home Values Continue … [Read more...]
7 Tips To Get Your Home In Tip Top Selling Condition
April 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A clean, uncluttered home is very likely the single most important thing to get your home sold quickly and for top dollar. In fact, a recent survey by HomeGain showed a whopping 568% return on investment for money put toward cleaning and organizing a home for sale! And other experts say that a well-put-together home can shorten the time on market drastically as well. Before your real estate agent lists your Avondale home, it's essential for it to look its best. 7 Tips To Get Your Home In Tip Top … [Read more...]
How To Have the Best Garage Sale Ever At Your Home
April 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment
It's getting close to that time of year again — time to have a garage sale at your home! Here are a few tips to help you have your most successful garage sale ever. Advertise Your Sale In Local Newspapers And Online Many of the habitual Saturday morning garage sale patrons around Avondale use the paper to plan their treasure hunts. They do this to make sure they hit all of the sales in certain neighborhoods. In the ad, mention your home address, date and time of your garage sale and … [Read more...]
Existing Home Sales Numbers Show Value Gains Across America
April 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The National Association of REALTORS® released its Existing Home Sales report for March on Monday. Sales dipped from February's seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.95 million to 4.92 million existing homes sold in March, a decrease of 0.6 percent month-to-month. This reading was lower than Wall Street's consensus of 5.03 million existing homes sold, but there is also good news. Sales of existing homes are up by 10.3 percent as compared to March 2012. Economists note that existing home … [Read more...]
5 Important Questions To Ask Before You Invest In Solar Power For Your Home
April 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment
If you've been considering taking your home in a green direction, April is the perfect month to make an environmentally friendly update. Installing a solar energy system may be a very smart way to help the environment. Plus, solar panels turn sunlight into energy that can save you money! The federal government and many states are now providing tax incentives and rebates for installing solar panels in 2013 which make this an excellent opportunity to go green this spring. However, there are many … [Read more...]
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – April 22, 2013
April 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Mortgage rates fell for the third consecutive week. According to Freddie Mac, the average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell by two basis points to 3.41 percent as compared to last week's 3.43 percent and 3.90 percent year-over-year. The average rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage was 2.64 percent as compared to last week's 2.65 percent and 3.13 percent year-over-year. Falling mortgage rates were attributed to reduced consumer spending. Last week's economic news includes the NAHB … [Read more...]