http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-trends-in-oklahoma.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-trends-in-oklahoma.html Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500 home value averages. Do me a favor and don't believe the hype. Overall, the real estate market in the U.S. is fairly balanced, having leveled out from the several-year boom experienced earlier in the decade. Knowing how real estate is doing nationwide, or what the national median home value is won't really help you anyway when you're thinking of buying or selling or relocating to a new home. (Though if you're curious, the national median home value in 2006 was $221,900).

Real estate is an investment, so you want to make sure you're putting that investment in an environment that has room to grow. Basically,you want your home value to appreciate over the years. The best way to predict where a specific area's real estate market and home value prices are going is to examine the past market (home value rates, number of sales per month, etc) as well as the specifics of the area: economy, employment opportunities, and attractions to outside visitors. These factors will have an affect on whether your home value is likely to rise or fall over the years.

Oklahoma and its capital, Oklahoma City, is one of the more populated Midwestern states, with a total population in 2006 of 3,579,212. The people of Oklahoma rely on a mix of an agricultural and industrial economy for their livelihood. Their main agricultural products include cattle, wheat, milk, poultry and cotton, while their industries produce transportation equipment, machinery, electric products, rubber and plastic products and food processing. With so many different employment sectors, Oklahoma has kept a low cost of housing and living as well steady home value rates.


Though tourism is not a major industry in the state, there's still plenty to do in the area. With cities such as Oklahoma City and Tulsa, nightlife activities are never scarce. Visit theaters, clubs, bars, restaurants, breweries and shows in the evenings and enjoy the various museums, amusement and water parks, zoos and aquariums Oklahoma has to offer during the day. For the adventurer several state parks provide the perfect environment for hiking, biking, camping, boating, fishing, etc. Wildlife refuges are prevalent in Oklahoma, as is a heavy Native American history and culture. Oklahoma has something for everyone's tastes, though in many ways it is an underrated part of the United States. The lack of attention is most likely why Oklahoma didn't experience the same kind of boom in real estate as other areas did and why their market has not crashed nor home value prices fallen drastically. There has been some decrease in home value appreciation, but nothing like what other areas have experienced.

Yet another reason for Oklahoma's stable market is its relatively low unemployment rate of about 4.2%. More than 20,000 jobs were added in 2006 and since then several sectors have seen job growth, particularly: natural resources/mining and education and health services. Unfortunately, this increase in job availability hasn't been echoed in income, as the national median household income of Oklahoma in 2005 was $38,895 which was a decline compared to some areas in the U.S. Luckily for residents, Oklahoma's housing costs are fairly low also, since the median home value in Oklahoma City in 2006 was $125,000, while in Tulsa it was about $131,000.

Homes on the market in the Oklahoma City market have an average selling time of around 72 days, with median home value sales price of $122,725. According to agents in the area, it is a fairly stable market, with buyers having the upper hand in sales with a home value of $300,000 or more and sellers having a bit more negotiating room for more affordable homes, since they are more in demand. Tulsa, Oklahoma does not have as large an inventory as some markets, and can therefore be considered somewhat of a sellers market. Homes with a home value higher than average are in a weak buyer to balanced market, while, like Oklahoma City, more affordable housing is in demand and therefore more of a seller's market. All in all, Oklahoma certainly did not hit any lows in the market or home value averages, but instead settled in for a balanced market opportunity over the next few months.




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Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.

Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-trends-in-nebraska.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-trends-in-nebraska.html Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500 home value prices are plummeting, the real estate market's crashing! Sound familiar? As it turns out, these predictions were based on the national market, and while it has definitely slowed down, rumors of a crash are greatly exaggerated. Besides, when it comes right down to it, knowing the national home value price and average time of sale isn't going to do you much good when you're thinking of buying or selling. (But if you're curious, the median home value in the U.S. was about $221,900 in 2006.) When it comes time for a real estate transaction, remember buying or selling a home is always an investment. It's important to choose an area where your investment is going to grow over the years.

To get a true idea of how a particular area's real estate market will do over the next few years, or to try and predict whether home value prices will go up or down, it's important to look at the area you're in or moving to. Taking a look at past home sales and home value averages is important, but just as important is looking into that area's economy, employment opportunities and attractions to outside visitors. These factors can give you a gist of whether home value averages will be on the rise in a given area.

Nebraska (capital city: Lincoln) is well know for its spacious plains and outdoor adventures. For a farm-centric state, Nebraska is fairly well populated at 1,768,331 residents. Nebraska has a strong agricultural economy based on cattle, hogs, corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum, while its main industries include food processing, machinery, electric equipment and printing and publishing. Unlike most states, Nebraska does not have a strong tourism industry, though that doesn't mean people aren't visiting! With rivers, lakes and wide open plains, Nebraska is an outdoorsman's dream. Visitors to Nebraska can live the simple life hiking, biking, boating, camping and fishing, or visiting one of the various national parks in the state. History buffs can follow the path of Lewis and Clark or other adventurous pioneers and relive the spirit and adventure of the frontier. Nebraska is also known for it's archaeological discoveries and the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a popular place to tour.

With two major cities relatively close together (Lincoln and Omaha), Nebraska also has an exciting nightlife to offer , with fine dining, breweries, wineries, clubs, theaters to fill the nights and museums, zoos, gardens and parks to visit in the daytime. Though Nebraska may not be as huge a tourism front as other states, there is still plenty to do when visiting the Cornhusker state. Their steady real estate market proves that tourism isn't everything when it comes to steady home value averages and sales.

Most likely Nebraska's recent low unemployment rate of 2.8% along with job opportunities rising in non-farm industries, especially education & health and leisure & hospitality sectors have contributed to a balanced real estate market. The fact that Nebraska's median household income is pretty high by national standards at about $47,900 in 2005 while it's median home value in 2007 has been as low as $156,731 is sure to have an effect on the market as well. Anywhere with job opportunities, low cost of living and housing, and high incomes is bound to be a popular relocation spot for many, which again will help keep home value averages and the real estate market pretty steady in Nebraska.

Most of Nebraska seems to be in a buyer's market at this point according to many real estate agents in the Omaha and Lincoln areas. In Lincoln the demand for higher-end residential homes has slowed, but houses with an average home value of about $200,000 are still moving at a good pace. In Omaha there are plenty of new and existing homes available and the average time a home spent on a market was about 56 days. All in all, Nebraska's real estate market has not experienced as much of a lag as most of the rest of the nation. Though home value prices did take a bit of a hit, things are picking up in the early part of the summer of 2007.


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Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.

Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-trends-in-kansas.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-trends-in-kansas.html Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500 home value averages will fall and selling or buying a home will be tougher than ever. These gloomy predictions have caused a bit of a panic in the real estate world, but so far, they've fallen a bit short of tragedy. The real estate market is slower than it's been in a while, but it certainly hasn't crashed. These predictions were looking at the state of the market on a national level, and to be frank, knowing the number of sales per month or the average home value in the nation won't be of much help when you're looking to buy or sell. (By the way, the national median home value in 2006 was $221,900).


Real estate is an investment and it's important to put your investment in a place where it has an opportunity to grow over the years. In order to get an idea of whether your new home will increase in home value, or whether there will be a flood of new people wanting to move into the area, you've got to examine specific factors of the area you're living in or would like to move to. Specifically, take a look at the area's past home value averages and rate of sales, as well as its economy, job market, and attractions to outside visitors. These factors will have an affect on whether your home value is likely to rise or fall over the years.

Kansas, with it's capital city of Topeka, has long flown under the radar of the American public – there's just not much talk about the Heart of America's West. But Kansas has a bit more to offer than most people would think. To start, Kansas has a fairly large population compared to most Midwestern states: 2,764,075 people reside in the state. Kansas has an economy based strongly on agricultural products such as cattle, wheat, sorghum, soybeans, hogs and of course, corn. Its industry sectors include a large aircraft manufacturing section, food processing, printing and publishing, chemical production, machinery, apparel, petroleum and mining. So many varied employment opportunities has led Kansas to a stable real estate market, with home value averages steadily rising.


Although tourism is not a major industry for Kansas, the state still has plenty to offer travelers, with a history steeped in the American Old West and flavored with the adventurous pioneer spirit. There are plenty of outdoor activities for adventurers: hiking, biking, camping, fishing, boating, visiting dude ranches etc. Lewis and Clark made part of the famous journey to the West through Kansas, and the state also has a strong Native American heritage. There are plenty of historic landmarks to visit, including Pony Express stations, Mine Creek Battlefield (one of the biggest calvary battles of the Civil War), Constitution Hall and various frontier forts to explore. The two major cities of Topeka and Kansas City offer plenty of nightlife experience such as dining, clubbing, breweries, shopping and other “city slicker” activities.

Though not hailed much for tourism, Kansas has enough to offer that it becomes clearer and clearer why home value and real estate in general is still doing well in Kansas. Another reason is the income potential and job opportunities available in Kansas. Unemployment is down to about 4.3% and 2006 saw 11,000 new non-farm payroll jobs added, as well as more opportunities in the government and professional and business services. The state's median household income has stayed near the national median income at about $44,000 in 2005. With a low median home value of about $157,000 in Kansas City, this means that Kansas residents have more money to spend on housing – and with the low cost of housing, they can get more bang for their buck.

Most real estate agents agree that the beginning of 2007 has seen a market that is correcting itself and settle in with reasonable interest rates and home value prices. Some areas are definitely more of a buyer's market, but overall it is balanced, as long as sellers are realistic about asking prices. In the Wichita area, the majority of homes sold so far have had a home value of less than $300,000. With such affordable housing, the Kansas market looks to be staying stable, with no major crash as in other sections of the U.S. but slow and steady gains in home value averages.



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Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.

Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/for-sale-by-owner-get-your-home-value-right.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/for-sale-by-owner-get-your-home-value-right.html Wed, 23 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500 If you've decided to sell your home but don't want to pay a real estate professional the money to facilitate the sale, you will most likely end up doing a 'For Sale By Owner' or FSBO. Selling your home as a FSBO involves a lot of work, and step one is to dive into the research phase. Your obvious first step is getting an idea of what your home value is. There are several ways to find your home value, many of which can be done for little or no cost.


You can visit many different online sites that will give you a home value based on old property records and comparables in your market. Though these sites can be WAY off the mark, it's a good base point to start. You can also use a site that will give you a free home value report in exchange for giving your information to a local real estate agent. Although this means an agent would be contacting you, you can use them to your advantage and glean as much information from them about selling your home (like an accurate home value or comparative market analysis) without actually committing to listing with the agent.


Do some research and get some comparables. Look for other homes for sale or already sold in your area and find out their home value or what the home sold for. It's best to stick with homes that have similar features in terms of size, amenities and upkeep. If you don't mind spending money, you can also get an accurate home value by hiring an appraiser to give you a home value estimate. An appraisal is more of an objective opinion, not an exact science, so depending on your appraiser, your home value may vary somewhat. When it comes to buying and selling, appraisals are usually based on market value.


Once you've gotten your home value from at least two or more sources, you should be able to find an average home value to set as a listing price. You may want to run it by a lender as well, since buyers often need a mortgage and it's important that a home value and sale price be in line with a lender's estimate of its value. If the lender thinks the home is priced way too high, it's unlikely a potential buyer could get a mortgage. It's also important to be accurate and fair as to what you're asking for price wise, since studies show that homes priced more than 3% over the correct home value take much longer to sell.

Once you've got an idea of what your home value is, it's time to ready the home to be shown. (Of course, all the while keep in mind you should be coming up with ideas to actually MARKET the home – how will you attract buyers if they don't know the home's for sale! But that's an article for another day....). You can certainly spruce up your home (though maybe not your home value) to make it more appealing to buyers. Some ideas will cost a bit of money, but most are free.

Be sure to get rid of clutter and clean thoroughly inside and out. That means cleaning the home from top to bottom, getting rid of stains, smells, etc. Take care of the outside first: deweed the lawn, clean up clutter (such as your kids' toys), buy a new mailbox if you need one and put a fresh coat of paint on door frames or shutters, wherever it's needed. Clean your gutters and give everything that should be shiny a good polish. These tips may not necessarily raise your home value, but by not doing them, there's every chance you'll lose out on buyers.

Selling your home as a FSBO is a lot of work, but can be worth it if the proper research and procedures are followed. By making your home as presentable as possible, being flexible with showings and pricing it right (no matter what you THINK your home value should be) you're more likely to attract serious buyers. Although you may think your home value is sky high, when it comes to selling, what really matters is how to make buyers feel like they just HAVE to buy. Show your house in such a light that buyers can't just walk away. Make sure their visit memorable, because if you're not memorable you will be forgotten. And that means your home too.



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Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com

Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-estimates-the-secret-of-stress-free-first-time-buying.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-estimates-the-secret-of-stress-free-first-time-buying.html Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500 home value is a bit beyond your means, you want to be able to pay as much up front as possible to lower your mortgage and/or time it will take to pay off the mortgage.

Luckily, there are 7 sure fire tips for taking some of the stress and uncertainty out of buying your very first home.

1. Do some homework before you start looking and decide specifically what features you want, what home value you can afford and what the most important aspects of property and community are to you.

2. Figure out when you can move – if you're renting, you'll have to plan around the end of your lease date.

3. Be picky, but not unrealistic – if you've found your dream place, but the home value is a bit high, start looking elsewhere. There's no such thing as a perfect home and there are plenty of other places to look for a home value in your range.

4. Get your finances in order, review your credit report and make sure you have enough money for a down payment and closing costs and cover a portion of the home value.

5. Think in terms of the future – is this just a starter home or will you be staying long term? This kind of planning can help you choose the kind of home value you can afford.

6. Don't wait to get a loan – talk to a lender and try and get pre-qualified before you even start looking. This way you know what kind of loan you can get and what sort of range to keep the potential home value in.

7. Consider getting help – buying your first home is a huge step and using a real estate professional as a buyer's agent can help you through the confusion. They have a handle on all the financial and legal obligations, they can check to make sure the home value of the interested property is fair and they are strictly there for you!

Buying your first home is a huge and exciting step in anyone's life and you might as well make it as easy on yourself and do as much research as possible before jumping in. There are tons of resources all over the web to help educate yourself on the process, websites you can go to check the home value of the properties you're interested in and of course, should you choose to use a buyer's representative, they should be able to educate further in anything you need when it comes to moving into your first home.



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Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com

Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-fluctuations-are-not-the-end-of-the-world.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-fluctuations-are-not-the-end-of-the-world.html Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500 home value prices have dropped, interest rates are rising, there's too many houses for sale and not enough buyers, etc. Real estate agents complain that they're not moving inventory and that it's impossible to make sales. Homeowners are upset that they have to lower their home value when listing and it takes forever and a day for the home to sell.

I personally say “Boo hoo and deal with it.” When did agents and homeowners alike start to think the market would stay the same forever? Now suddenly because there's more work to be done to get a fair home value for your property, many agents and homeowners alike believe the real estate industry is on a slippery slope downhill to a future of even larger inventory and lower home value.

Many veteran agents however, say that is not the case. Rory Wilfong, co-founder of GetMyHomesValue and a former award-winning agent himself says there's no way the market's dead – it's just slowed down. The early part of the 21st century saw a huge boom in the market – home value prices rising, buyers snatching up properties like hot cakes: you barely had to put a For Sale sign up before there was a buyer knocking on the door. THAT era of high home value and fast moving inventory was NOT the norm, but rather the extreme. Now the average home value is leveling out and people are a bit more settled so the market is actually returning to normal.

Some experts may be a bit TOO optimistic about the market – possibly sugar coating things just a bit. The National Association of Realtors' chief economist David Lereah even said, “Despite all the doom and gloom stories and dire predictions over the last year, 2006 was the third-strongest year on record for existing home sales.” The Marketbeat of The Wall Street Journal is a bit more realistic, finding that the number of home sales actually dropped a little over 8% from 2005 to 2006. The average home value is taking a bit longer to drop as sellers are slow to realize that as home sales drop, they need to be a bit more realistic about pricing their homes, no matter what their fair home value may be.


An issue of Forbes magazine checked out the median home value in the beginning of 2007. They found that the median home value in 2006 rose anywhere from 10-15% in Seattle, WA, El Paso, TX, Portland, OR and Baton Rouge, LA. It would appear that 2006 was the turning point of the boom and things are now leveling out somewhat. In 2007, home sales have dropped and so the average home value is slowly but surely responding accordingly as sellers realize it's a buyer's market.

If they want to sell their home, they better drop that home value, because for now in the market, the buyers hold the power. There's no telling when that may change, so buyers should enjoy their inventory of options and their ability to negotiate a home value they can afford. If ever there was a time to buy a new home, now is definitely it!



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Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com

Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/fair-home-value-did-your-realtor-forget-something.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/fair-home-value-did-your-realtor-forget-something.html Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500 As you prepare to sell your home, get an idea of your home value and start interviewing real estate agents to list with, you will find that agents will introduce you to a priceless document in real estate transactions: the comparative market analysis, or CMA. A CMA is a document that shows you in black and white where your home stands compared to it's competition. It covers facts that can be qualified and quantified, such as your home value, the home value of houses in your area with similar features, how many homes sold in your area, etc. The CMA is designed to give an overview of all the information you need on your home and to estimate a home value, such as the number rooms, bedrooms and baths, types of amenities, age of home, property taxes, etc.

In a way, a CMA is like a resume for your agent. The more in depth the info, the better it's presented, the more likely the agent that made it for you is going to be on top of matters when it comes to selling your home. Your CMA and home value is a starting point in the sale of your home. It does not offer details that are more a matter of opinion like the kind of details that will affect a perception of a home, like interior and exterior decor, the window view, the room flow, etc. Much of your home value is based on the emotional impact your home has on interested buyers. Your home value may be a million dollars, but if it doesn't interest or inspire a buyer, then your home certainly won't sell for that price.

Although a CMA can't effectively promote the the emotion or perception a home may give, it does present the facts as to where your home value stands compared to others on the market. The typical CMA will always include the real estate agent's contact information (likely several times throughout the report, if not on a header or footer of every page). An introductory letter will introduce the agent, thank the homeowner for the opportunity to worth with them and give a basic explanation as to what will be included in the CMA, explain how the information is necessary to estimate a home value and indicate an appropriate price range for the homeowner's property in today's market.

The next few pages of the comparative market analysis will show listings of several properties that have similar features as the one that is the subject of the CMA. It may show current homes for sale, properties with expired listings and properties already sold along with their home value. The details on the properties should include the address of the property, the basic information of features (number bedrooms, baths, square footage, etc). It will also include the average home value per square foot and a list of interior features.

These listings are followed by maps, charts and graphs explaining and comparing the information, including average home value and price per square foot and then ending with a summary analysis of the data presented. The rest of the CMA will usually include a leaflet as to why a homeowner would need a real estate agent to sell their home, the agent's opinion on the home value of the property and a reasonable price range for putting the home on the market. They may also include details of how exactly they would market the home once it is listed.


That is the basics of a comparative market analysis. Some agents may include fact sheets of advice for home sellers, giving them as much information as possible to understand the transaction they are undertaking. Having an agent come up with a basic CMA for you is a great way when screening agents, since a CMA is so much more than just getting a home value. The CMA is the meat and potatoes of where your home stands compared to others for sale and is the best way to sell your house for as close to your actual home value as possible. If an agent hasn't provided the above things in a CMA done just for you, it may be time to shop around a bit more.



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Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com

Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-in-the-sunshine-state.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/home-value-in-the-sunshine-state.html Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500 It's no secret that home value prices are struggling nationwide. If they haven't necessarily fallen in all areas, they are at least staying relatively static. The median home value nationwide from 2005-2006 stayed at about $222,000 with no gain whatsoever. Of course, it's hard to get accurate results on a nationwide study, only because parts of the nation vary so drastically. Even as some areas have a spike in home value prices (such as Florida) that spike will only last as long as sellers are willing to hold out – in a market where the buyer currently has more power, sellers are having to lower their listing prices just to hook a buyer.

Florida has always had a more unique real estate market then many states because it is a state of rapid development and usually rising home value rates. According to their economic and demographic research office, Florida gains 1,000 new residents a day. In the early parts of the decade, job opportunities surged in Florida and, predicting a surge in demand for housing, real estate developers grabbed up land left and right in hopes of selling at high home value thanks to the demand for residency in Florida.

Besides the fact that Florida has a high rate of economic growth, there are several other factors that lead to the high home value average in the sunshine state. First and foremost, Florida is one of the most in demand spots for retirees. Once retired, many folks nationwide decide to move to Florida. Florida also has a large seasonal population or “snowbirds” who are people spending their winter months as residents of Florida. The fact that Florida is such a popular state to get to has a lot to do with their normally high home value rates

Of course, Florida is home to some of the biggest tourist spots in the United States, which gives the state a steady source of income and keeps people coming back. Number one on the list of attractions is, of course Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World, all centering around the Orlando area. Florida has hundreds of beaches, being a peninsula, both on the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Beach front property of course has notoriously high home value rates across the US, not just Florida.

Florida has several hot cultural and spring break spots, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Panama City and the Keys, all of which have home value estimates on the high end of the spectrum. All in all, Florida has a ton of opportunities and attraction for any one looking to relocate, or to invest in real estate. Though home value averages may be slumping right now, it's only a matter of time before things even out again and people flocking to Florida, either to live full time or seasonally.

The one drawback that may hurt the flow of movers into Florida and therefore have an effect on the average home value is property taxes. Many seasonal residents, or snowbirds, of Florida are paying much higher property taxes because of Florida having an unusual dual-bracket tax system. This allows Florida to set different property tax requirements for permanent residents as opposed to seasonal. The seasonal residents do tend to wind up paying more in taxes, even if their home value and features are the same as a permanent resident.


Whether this will continue or not has yet to be seen, as residents gather at county commissioners office all over Florida to express their dissatisfaction of the way Florida's property tax is set up. One thing is certain though, this conflict is bound to have an effect on Florida's average home value if the property tax discrepancies keep more and more homeowners from relocating to the sunshine state.



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Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com

Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/instant-online-home-value-reports-are-crap.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/instant-online-home-value-reports-are-crap.html Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500 home value report online that is truly accurate. Sorry if you believe the hype of hundreds of sites out there, but all you can get instantly online is a very general estimate of your home value. That's it. It might be accurate, but more likely it's based off old tax records of what the property sold for 5 years ago. How accurate of a home value is that?

Of course you want an idea of what's your home value is before you make the decision to sell. That's just smart planning. But please, don't expect to be able to get online, fill out a few details on your property and get a 100% accurate “that's what I could sell my home for right now” home value report. It takes more than a few paltry details and a property address to come up with a definite home value. Now you may get a some home comps instantly online, but that's not the same as knowing your true home value. A comp, or 'comparable', is just a collection of recent sales prices of homes with similar characteristics as yours and therefore are most likely (but not necessarily) similar in home value.

As much as people don't want to hear it, it's true: if you want a current comparative market analysis of your home value, you'll have to get in touch with a real estate agent. Sure, you could pay an appraiser to get your home value (which you'd want if you're refinancing or applying for a home equity loan) but why pay for what an agent would do for free, just to get a little face time and hopefully earn your business later on down the line. Give 20 minutes of your time and you'll have not only an accurate home value report, but most likely a few free goodies the agent brought to win you over.


As a former Realtor, Rory Wilfong (co-founder of GetMyHomesValue) was often faced with the task of bringing a homeowner back to reality when it looked like their home value expectations were getting a bit high.

Wilfong makes a list homeowners' unreasonable expectations: “You want the Realtor to give you your home value over the phone, without ever seeing your property. Or you want your home value to be automated online without all the details necessary for a true home value report. And you want your home value to be at least $100,000.00 more than what you were expecting. You want all of this and a cash deal…right??”

In his real estate coaching blog, he goes on to admonish homeowners and ask for a bit of open mindedness when dealing with real estate professionals. “Do me a favor, as a former Realtor and speaking for the nearly 1 million Realtors nationwide….DON’T BE RIDICULOUS!! I have nothing against being optimistic in any situation however, your home value has so many variables that determine value (or lack there of) that it is impossible to do accurately without the visitation of a real estate professional. It is okay to let them into your home….they will not bite! They want to give you what you want…an accurate home value report as opposed to guessing over a phone call or hopping through an online valuation. When you are dealing with the absolute most expensive item in your life, don’t you want to be 100% accurate…at least 100% of the time? Face facts: if you want an accurate home value estimate, especially without paying a dime, you better get in touch with a local real estate agent.”


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Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com

Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.





Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/is-your-home-value-decreasing.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/is-your-home-value-decreasing.html Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500 home value. There are several factors contributing to this fall in the market, and there isn't really much homeowners can do directly about falling home value prices and decreasing property values. If you're considering moving, don't get hung up on how lousy the market may be doing or what a crappy time it is to sell (which isn't necessarily true). Instead, focus on the factors of your home value that you CAN have some control over, and that could be seriously decreasing your home value.

First off, don't think just about the home value, but the property value as well. That includes the home and the total of any land. You have to take into account home value AND property value – you may have the biggest, baddest home in the area, but if it's surrounded by weeds and cars on cinder blocks, you're asking for the total home value and property value to be lowered.

Home value isn't just based on the physical factors within your property, but on the desirability of the home and neighborhood as well – is it a place that other people would want to live? The more desirable a home, the higher the home value and the higher the likelihood of finding homebuyers easily. Unfortunately, if you're trying to sell your home, it's not just your property that is on display to prospective buyers, but your whole neighborhood.

There are 5 main factors that can go a long way to increasing or decreasing your home value:

1. Condition of homes – your home may be well-maintained, but what about other houses in the neighborhood? Do your neighbors keep up on repairs and landscaping, or are their broken shutters and junky lawn bring down your home value as well as theirs?

2. Condition of streets – does your city/county/homeowners' association take care of the streets, keeping them clean and in good repair? Do they drain water well and are they plowed often in the winter? Being surrounded by shoddy streets is a sure way to bring down your home value. If your streets aren't up to snuff, you can contact your homeowners' association or the proper authorities and see what you can get done about it.

3. Crime – how does your neighborhood statistics stack against other areas'. Obviously, the more crime-free the neighborhood, the higher the average home value is bound to be.

4. Schools – the state of the schools in your area has a huge affect on peoples' decision to move in or move out. The better the school system, the easier it is to get people moved in the neighborhood, therefore the higher your home value can get. The crappier the school system, the less likely you are to get a ton of people trying to move there.

5. Zoning – what is the future of your neighborhood? Is it pretty much going to stay small and quiet, or might the city widen the streets to allow more traffic, or build a shopping strip across the street? A home may have a higher home value when it's first bought because it has wonderful views – but if zoning allows that view to be turned into a strip mall, you've lost an edge in the market and your home value is bound to be affected.

These 5 factors affecting home value may seem like they're out of your hands, but in reality, they are all things you can have a say in by getting involved with your homeowners' associations and keeping on top of any changes going on in your neighborhood. By becoming a more active member of your community from the start, you can keep an eye on these factors and enact change when necessary, especially if you get backing from others in your neighborhood.

The fact is, you can't really do anything about home loan rates, or an economic slump, but you CAN get involved with these factors that affect your home value. If you keep your eye on them from day one, you're more likely to have a bit more control over your home value and property worth.




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Find out your own home value and other valuable homeowner information at GetMyHomesValue.com

Ashley Lichty is a webmaster and the resident SEO of Web Xtreme, Inc. She has a background in real estate and marketing with an emphasis in writing.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>