February 2nd, 2010
Foreclosures are still hitting the market in the East Texas area, not as bad as the beginning of 2009, but they are still appearing. Some forecasters are saying that about 20% of the mortgages are significantly behind and they believe there is another wave of foreclosures coming along this Spring.
Though there can be some bargains out there - the road to buying a foreclosure or distressed sale is pitted with potholes! There are a number of myths being propagated on television and other media that I want to address.
…continue reading Foreclosures and Distressed Properties – Bargain or Bad News?
Posted in Buyers | 4 Comments »
November 9th, 2009
Many of you have heard that the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit has been expanded and extended which I believe will keep the real estate industry from coming to a complete standstill after the original November 30, 2009 deadline. The new deadline is that you must be under contract by May 1, 2010 but must close by June 30, 2010 to collect the credit. They also raised the annual income limit from $75,000 to $125,000 for a single person and from $150,000 to $225,000 for a married couple.
…continue reading Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit With A Twist!
Posted in Mortgage | No Comments »
July 30th, 2009
It’s no secret that the Tyler area real estate market has slowed down in the last several months. Though the inventory of homes is not dramatically higher, the absorption rate is. In the last dozen years, selling a home was fairly easy because just about everyone qualified and was able to get a loan. Today, financing is more difficult and the pool of qualified buyers is significantly smaller. Now, instead of buyers competing for listings, listings are competing for buyers. And believe me, after listening to the talking heads on the national news and financial channels on television, buyers believe they can call all the shots and make fantastic deals.
…continue reading 10 Tips to Sell your Home in Today’s Market
Posted in Sellers | No Comments »
July 30th, 2009
Though not the economic disaster many other parts of the country are experiencing or as reported in the national media, the Tyler market slowed at the end of 2008 but is showing signs of picking up since the first of the year. It is currently very advantageous to be a buyer in the Tyler market today. Inventory has grown, sales rates have slowed and interest rates are at near historical lows. The pool of qualified buyers is smaller making for less competition to purchase a home - the days of multiple offers and bidding wars are now over. Needless to say, it has made it easier for buyers to find the right home and negotiate the right deal.
…continue reading 10 Tips to Buying a Home in Today’s Market
Posted in Buyers | 1 Comment »
July 30th, 2009
Yes, we have the magic keys that get us into the houses you want to look at, but what else do we offer? Texas law allows us to represent sellers as listing agents and buyers as Buyer’s Agents and with informed consent of both parties to a transaction, we can be intermediaries, but all that is for another, later, legal discussion. Today I want to discuss the general services that aren’t often thought of by the consumer.
…continue reading So What Does a REALTOR Really Do
Posted in About | 4 Comments »
June 23rd, 2009
Sue Horchem has been with our group since January 2008. She reactivated her license in the early spring of 2008 when I needed a new assistant and someone to organize us (and by us I mean me). She has been training ever since, learning all the nuances of this crazy business. A few weeks ago she innocently asked (after we had put out one of many real estate “fires”) if there was ever a routine deal. My answer was an emphatic “No!”
…continue reading “We specialize in a unique real estate experience… Yours”
Posted in About | 1 Comment »
June 8th, 2009
After much “to do” then “Indian giving,” the powers that be have finally decided that first time home buyers (defined as anyone who has not owned a home in the last 3 years) can now get an advance on the $8000 tax credit. They can now use it for their down payment and closing costs through the use of a temporary or “bridge” loan. Opponents say that this is going back to the old days of 105% financing and will get us back into the mess we are trying to stop.
…continue reading $8000 Tax Credit Advance - Back to the Future?
Posted in Mortgage | 5 Comments »
June 4th, 2009
And we think they mean it this time, HUD issued Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2009-15, “Using First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credits for the Down payment” on May 11, 2009 only to pull it from their site the same day. Needless to say there was much rumor and speculation about the “whys” and “what-fors” but they have now re-issued the Mortgagee Letter and here’s the skinny…
This is not really a new concept. At least 10 states have already enacted some form of “Tax Credit Advance” legislation. They offer secondary financing and/or short-term loans to get the $8,000 tax credit provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to the homebuyer BEFORE closing to use as down-payment and/or to cover closing costs. …continue reading FHA OKs First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Advances - Buy Now; Pay Later
Posted in Mortgage | 3 Comments »
May 4th, 2009
Well you already learned a good bit about me, Claudia, so now for the rest of the group. I asked Rick to come on board in a more visible role about 3 years ago. He had been extremely involved as the creative genius of my original web site and was enjoying being behind the scenes, but his great ideas were getting results and I needed help! Clients love Rick and his “to the point” opinions and advice when house hunting and making decisions. He has a real gift for helping clients figure out just what they want then helping them find it. …continue reading About the Group
Posted in About | No Comments »
April 27th, 2009
Claudia Carroll
Thanks for wanting to know a little bit more about me – Claudia Carroll
I’ve been selling real estate full-time right here in the Tyler Texas area since 1995, and I LOVE it!
I have been involved in real estate most of my life in some way or another. How many people can say their real estate career started in high school? Well, I can. I was an army brat having moved all over the world and the eastern half of the United States when Dad retired while I was in middle school. All the moving (3 times in one year!) has helped me realize what folks go through when they are uprooted and move to a strange city and that sometimes not all family members are on board for the transition!
…continue reading About Claudia Carroll
Posted in About | 1 Comment »
