January 2012 Steve & Jack's Home News

Happy 2012!! Click here for a link to our first newsletter of the new year as well as a link to our Indy-area real estate blog, & VIP savings site. Enjoy!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of our loyal clients, friends, and colleagues who have been so supportive this past year!!! While many agents have struggled, we continue to have a strong business and it is because of you. May your 2012 be exciting, prosperous, and fun and feel comfortable knowing we are always here for you and those you care about for your real estate needs. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

December Steve & Jack's Home News

Click here for our latest newsletter full of fun articles and entertaining articles, learn about little-known facts and take a quiz. Also, take a look at the coupons and discounts you can use at places you shop every day! Enjoy!!!

Housing Numbers Up in Hamilton County

The following article appeared in the Current Newspaper on November 8, 2011 in an interview of Steve Rupp by the editor Jordan Fischer: According to the MIBOR third quarter report, the number of closed sales in Hamilton County increased by 27.7% compared to 2010. Steve Rupp, REALTOR for Prudential Indiana Realty Group spoke with Jordan Fischer from The Current Newspaper about these figures. “The third quarter is turning out to be the best quarter of the year so far,” Rupp said. “new listings are down, and that’s excellent. We need those numbers to come down. And part of that is that foreclosures are down.” The monthly supply of housing inventory for Hamilton County dropped 3.5% in September to 8.3 months. That’s lower, Rupp said, than MIBOR’s average inventory, which is hovering around 9.5 months. The median sales price did drop 3.9% compared to this period last year, however, which Rupp said is a sign homeowners are still having to negotiate “pretty hard” to sell their homes (homeowners on average received 90.4% of their original list price sale in September). Rupp said he was optimistic MIBOR numbers were signs of an upward trend for the market. “It will be interesting to see where we are in February-March-April of next year, relative to 2011. My guess...is that we’re going to continue the trend of pretty good numbers. If you couple that with still significantly-lower than historical average interest rates, you’re going to have some pretty strong numbers...and you’re not going to have anything holding it back.” In fact, November's numbers just came in and they are even better!! Now is a great time to buy a home, especially in Hamilton County!!

November Steve & Jack's Home News Newsletter

Check out our November edition of Steve & Jack's Home News with some fun articles about curses, princes, employee surveys, 9/11, cleaning your phone before discarding it, and some common abbreviations. Also, some notable (and good) housing numbers just in for the Indy Metro Area: *Closed sales are up 24.1% *Median Sales Price is up 4.1% *Housing inventory is down 7.7% to 9.5 months *Interest rates are still low at around 4.25% Click here for our November Newsletter. Enjoy!!!

Sub-4% Interest Rates? Really?

Yes! Really!! On Friday of last week, we saw for the first time in decades interest rates below 4%!! This is for 30-year fixed, conventional, conforming mortgages. One client recently remarked, 'That is almost like free money!'. Unfortunately, due to the weak global economy and the significant action the Fed is taking on monetary policy, mortgage interest rates continue to drop. How low can they go, you say? No one knows, but if you are in the market for a house, rates like this literally can't get much better. Take some time to talk with a reputable and local mortgage consultant to show you know much more house you can buy with these low rates. Of course, I am not encouraging you to buy a bigger house than you need, but if you have been dreaming about a bigger/nicer/better location house, this might be THE time to seriously look into it.

September 2011 Steve & Jack's Home News

Check out the latest edition of our fun and informative newsletter. The link will also take you to our VIP discount site and a first-ever video introduction!! Let us know what you think!!! Enjoy!!

http://bit.ly/oFxDDy

Half Price Indiana State Fair Tickets!

Like to visit the Indiana State Fair, see all of the animals, interesting people, ride the fun rides, and eat that yummy food? What is better than that? How about getting in for HALF PRICE? Click the following link for a half price coupon courtesy of your Indiana BMV.

http://bit.ly/pvfjTT

Buy Your First Home from Your Bridal Registry? Yes!!!

Newlyweds say “I DO” to FHA Bridal Registry Gift Funds

Are you planning to get married and buy a home in Colorado, but wonder
where your down payment funds will come from?
FHA has a Bridal Registry program where the money you receive as a wedding
present can be used towards your down payment. Just like registering at a specialty or department store, the FHA Bridal Registry program allows you to register with a lender. Then your friends and family are able to make gift payments into an interest bearing account on your behalf.
It's a win win! Not only can your gifts earn interest, but they can be used as a down payment towards an FHA Loan.

Bridal Registry Guidelines

Bridal Registry Accounts were originally introduced in 1996, but still remain a little known fact when it comes to down payment assistance. The
misunderstanding of how this program works might be the fact that it was
originally only allowed by banks. Soon after, FHA modified the program and
offered new flexible options and the opportunity for the newlywed to set up the account at any bank. Plus, newlyweds are now able to make deposits on their own from the gifts they receive.

Here's how it works in 3 simple steps:
• You will open a savings account at your bank prior to the wedding
• Friends and family will be given the banking information where the gifts will be deposited
• All of the gift funds can go towards the FHA required 3.5% down payment
• Anyone with an interest in the purchase cannot be party to the gift funds (i.e. realtor)
• There is no requirement that you be married prior to closing on your new home

Another huge advantage is that there are no gift letters or other documentation required other than proof of your savings account
named "bridal registry account." It's that simple!
AGENTS: Marketing Ideas to Spread the Word in Your State
• Explain it on your website
• Blog about it
• Let your “to-be-married couples” know about it
• Send an email to past clients
• Attend wedding fairs & distribute brochures
• Mention it at your homebuyer seminars

The great news about this program is it is available Nationwide!

To learn more: Check out our FREE Top 20 Homebuyer Secrets that can save you thousands of dollars! Plus browse our Home Buying Resources section and fill-out a free no-obligation secure online application or call us in Colorado Springs, Colorado at 719.387.1368 with any questions.

Bad credit or No credit? Check out our Credit Repair Program and get started on the path to homeownership today!

Overcome loan application stage fright by reading my Simple Steps to a Complete FHA Loan Application
Newlyweds say "I DO" to FHA Bridal Registry Gift Funds was written by Rebekah Radice.

Activity is UP!

Wow!! The number of listings in Indy has dropped 24.4% per MIBOR since March and I am seeing it in the low inventory available to show my buyer clients. What I have found is that there are fewer homes in good condition at market-acceptable prices than in the recent past. This is making it more frustrating for buyers to see a number of feasible options when house-hunting, however it is having a positive effect on sellers in that the average sales price is increasing-a simple law of supply and demand.

If you or someone you know is thinking of selling their home, please talk with your real estate agent to see how the market has changed and how you might benefit from the low inventory. In many cases and areas, inventory is below 3 months right now, which is indicative of a strong SELLERS market.

The $250,000-$350,000 Vacuum

Do you or someone you care about have a house valued between $250,000 and $350,000 on the north side of Indianapolis? If so, ever thought of selling it? It just so happens the north side of Indy right now has a depleted inventory of homes in this price range and there are a lot of buyers wanting homes in this price range. What does this mean to you?

Many homes in this price range are selling in days, with multiple offers, for above asking price. It is a simple supply and demand problem. If you would like to know specifically how homes in your neighborhood are moving in this price range, shoot me an e-mail and we can talk specifics.

Spring Is Here!

Spring has sprung (optimistic thinking, I know), but unofficially the spring real estate market in Indianapolis begins the weekend after the Superbowl. The recent harsh weather has tempered activity, but if you are thinking of taking advantage of the spring selling season during which 72% of all homes in Indy are sold (February-June), then NOW is the time to make your preparations to get it show ready. Interest rates are creeping up (currently at 5.125% for a 30-year fixed conventional mortgage with a 740+ credit score), but that is still a really good rate given the 40-year average for a 30-year fixed conventional interest rate is 7.875%.

Start preparing your house by decluttering, depersonalizing, and pre-packing items you don't use on an everyday basis. A fresh coat of paint goes a long way and is probably the best investment in preparing your home for sale you can make. Paint over any bold colors with earth tones and for heavens sakes if you have wallpaper, please, please, please remove it.

A good, thorough, deep cleaning goes without saying paying particular attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. Your house should pass the 'white glove' test. If your carpet is clearly worn, please replace it. If it just needs to be cleaned, hire a professional carpet cleaner who will breathe new life into them. Any dirty grout should also be cleaned by a professional grout cleaning company.

When the weather warms, plant some colorful flowers and plants outside your house and make sure the front door is clean and welcoming. Cleaning the windows will allow more light into your home, too.

These are just a few tips and tricks. Feel free to contact us for more ideas and suggestions. Happy staging!!!!