1. House hunting too long. As many as 60 percent of the homes for sale in some markets are short sales. Many other listings are bank-owned (also known as real estate owned or REO) properties, and those homes tend toward two extremes: terrible condition, or so nice at such a low price they receive multiple offers.

Even the nicer, nondistressed homes on the market can end up in and out of contract over and over again due to appraisal or other lending-related issues.

As a result, it is not at all bizarre to hear homebuyers today say they’ve been house hunting for a year, 18 months, even two or three years. When you house hunt that long, you become susceptible to house hunt fatigue, which causes irrationally extreme overbidding out of sheer exhaustion.

Alternatively, it can cause you to settle for whatever house you can get, even if it doesn’t actually meet your needs — then spend the next 10 years obsessively spending to upgrade, improve, repair and furnish the place to try to make it more like the home you actually wanted.

Both of these outcomes negate and deactivate the bargain you stood to score.

To avoid house hunting too long, it’s uber-important to get and stay clear on the differences between what you want and what you need, and to work with a local real estate professional you trust.

Look to your agent to get and keep your expectations centered in reality, so you can make more strategic decisions throughout your entire house hunt, like house hunting in a price range where you’re likely to both find homes that will work for your life and be successful in your efforts to obtain one.

2. Making lowball offers way too low. Overbidding seems like an obvious way to cancel out the bargain potential of your deal. But making excessively low offers — offers sellers couldn’t afford to take if they wanted to — can have the very same result.

Buyers who think they can operate strictly on the basis of buyer’s market dynamics — without realizing that most sellers will need to make enough to pay off their mortgage or at least receive the fair market value for their home — are cutting off their own noses to spite their faces, all in the name of trying to score an amazing deal.

Note to “lowballers”: If you don’t actually secure the home, the superlow price you offered is no deal at all.

3. Freak-outs, stress, drama and mayhem. Once was, it was mostly the buyers uneducated about the homebuying process who tended to freak out and stress the most, especially at the top of the market. These were the folks who found themselves defeated at every turn by buyers who knew what they were up against and were prepared to make their best offer on their first offer.

Fast forward, and now the norm is for buyers to spend much more time reading up on what to expect, but the inundation of information can create brand new mindset management challenges.

Almost every buyer is stressed about whether they can qualify for a loan, and about buying into a down market. Some buyers try to apply national headlines about home prices being depressed to the superlocal dynamics of their neighborhood market.

This is unwise if you happen to be, for example, trying to buy a home in the boomtown real estate markets of Silicon Valley. Others go the opposite direction and deny that the basic truths about, say, buying a short-sale listing will actually apply to them (attention homebuyers: buying a short sale usually takes a long, long time).

The emotional freak-outs that result from having your expectations shattered, sometimes brutally, in the course of buying a home often lead to panic-based and fear-based decisions, which can be costly in the short and long term. Additionally, the stress itself can take a toll on your ability to be productive at work, and can even impair your relationship with your mate, neither of which are worth any deal you think you stand to strike.

Again, managing your expectations by working with a trusted broker or agent you feel comfortable relying on to understand the market in your neck of the woods and the type of transaction you want to pull off is essential to downgrading the role emotion plays in your real estate decision-making.

John Bendall

Broker/Owner

RE/MAX Classic Group

908-231-0700

www.centralnewjerseyhomes.com

Recent studies show us that people on the Internet do not read. According to social media website Mashable, users read 20 percent of a webpage before moving on. “We spend 15-20 seconds on a webpage before we move on. We are a global planet of fruit flies.”

There are plenty of buyers and sellers online looking for a reliable realtor to help them sell their home in a turbulent market or find that perfect house in an uncertain economy. How do we distinguish ourselves from the thousands of real estate professionals with an online presence?

The answer is social media. PR professional Steve Rubel suggests being “a source of knowledge” through social media. If your friends, followers, and readers know that you’re in-tune with the industry, then they’re more likely to turn to you when they need real estate advice. If your ‘fans’ see that you’re constantly updating your online presence with more information and content, they’ll be more likely to think of you when they decide to invest in a property. 

RE/MAX of New Jersey Associates get the chance to listen to social media expert Gary Vaynerchuk guide them through the steps to establishing an online presence and reaching a new audience. The Tech Rally on September 15th is exclusive to the RE/MAX of NJ Associates and features Vaynerchuk, real estate coach Tom Ferry and an afternoon session with Google. More information on this event is available at www.remax-nj.net/techrally. 

As of 2010, 90 percent of buyers and sellers were online while more are following in the same footsteps. We can’t afford not to be there for them.

 The customers have spoken!  I’m pleased to announce that buyers and sellers realize what we have always known, RE/MAX agents are the ones that consumers trust most when it comes to navigating a sometimes challenging real estate market. In the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Home Buyer/Seller Study released Wednesday, buyers and sellers award RE/MAX the highest rankings in customer satisfaction. 

View the buyer survey results

View the seller survey results 

“I want to personally thank and congratulate every one of you for contributing to this prestigious recognition,” says RE/MAX Chairman and Co-Founder Dave Liniger. “It truly reflects your professional excellence, your enthusiasm for education, your commitment to distressed sellers, your individual drive, and many other qualities that serve the interests of your clients. Your efforts change lives, and those people have spoken.”

Obviously Dave Liniger is very proud of our associates and I am too.  Thank you to our RE/MAX agents for your hard work and dedication to the highest level of customer satisfaction.  As well, thank you to the hundreds of cooperating agents we do business with regularly.  Without the continued teamwork of all the great agents in the marketplace we could never continue to achieve all of our dreams, aspirations, and lofty goals.  Thank you!

Sales of new U.S. homes fell in January 2011, almost completely retracing the strong gain seen in December, the Commerce Department recently estimated.

Sales dropped 12.6% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 284,000. Economists had been expecting a pace of 300,000.

For December, sales were up a revised 15.7% to a 325,000 level, compared with the previous estimate of a 17.5% rise to 329,000.

Economists had been leery of the initially reported surge, attributing much of December’s gain to home buyers who rushed to take advantage of a tax break in California that expired at the end of 2010.

The less volatile three-month average edged up to 297,000 from 295,000.

In the West, sales pulled back in January, falling 36.5% to 66,000 units after a 62.5% jump in December. Sales also fell 12.8% in the South to a record low 143,000. Analysts were expecting weak sales in the region due to several severe winter storms during the month. Those declines were partially offset by a 54.5% rise in the Northeast and a 17.1% gain in the Midwest.

Compared with January 2010, last month’s sales were down 18.6%. Economists say new-home sales have remained in a relatively narrow range for months. Activity is expected to pick up this spring, but economists see no early hints of a pickup in activity.

In January, the number of unsold new homes on the market slipped 0.5% to 188,000, the fewest since December 1967. That represented a 7.9-month supply at the January sales pace, up from 7.0 in December.

The inventory of completed-but-unsold homes fell to 78,000, down about 21.2% in the past year.

The median sales price of $230,600 in January was up 5.7% compared with a year earlier.

New-home sales are reported when a contract is signed, not at the closing of the sale.

The government cautions that its housing data are subject to large sampling and other statistical errors. Large revisions are common.

The National Association of REALTORS® recently reported that sales of existing U.S. homes rose a seasonally adjusted 2.7% in January, the fifth rise in six months, as buyers snapped up cheaper homes.

In a separate report, the government said orders for durable goods rose 2.7% in January, largely as a result of an increase in orders for civilian aircraft. In addition, initial claims for state unemployment insurance fell 22,000 to 391,000 in the latest week.

(c) 2011, MarketWatch.com Inc.

Existing-home sales rose sharply in December 2010, when sales increased for the fifth time in the past six months, according to the National Association of REALTORS.

 Buying a home can be both exciting and stressful but, for those with past credit problems, the process may also seem intimidating.  The good news is that many lenders have adapted to the idea that many hopeful homeowners simply need a second chance, which means that past credit problems no longer have to define your future.

Credit Blemishes

When life unexpectedly takes a turn for the worst, it’s not always possible to come out without a few bumps and bruises.  Every day, people are faced with late or missed credit card payments, mortgage foreclosures, bankruptcy proceedings, auto repossessions and even civil judgments that will affect their credit reports for years to come.  Whether it’s from a job loss, injury or just a simple case of temporary hardship, credit blemishes are often a part of life.  The good news is that they no longer have to prevent you from becoming a homeowner.

Give Yourself A Little Credit

After experiencing a credit problem, most lenders will want to see an attempt to rebuild your credit through a steady payment history with a new account.  This can be accomplished by applying for a credit card and maintaining a responsible use of the account.  If you aren’t approved for an unsecured card, you can always apply for a secured credit card.  Either will rebuild your credit over time and will help to show lenders that your past credit problems are just that – in the past.

Clean Up Your Credit Report

Before applying for a home loan, make sure that you check your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies.  Every 12 months, consumers can request a free copy of their credit report from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.  If anything is incorrect or found to be inaccurate, filing a dispute with the credit reporting agency can help to get the information corrected before speaking with a lender.

When you apply for a home loan, the lender will access your credit report for the purpose of determining your creditworthiness.  In an effort to ensure that you have the best possible chance at being approved for the loan at the best possible interest rates, making sure that your credit report is accurate is a must.

Save Up For A Down Payment 

Some homebuyers often qualify for a mortgage with down payments as low as five percent (three percent for FHA loans), but those with past credit problems may be required to shell out up to 35 percent or more for a down payment on their new home.  A buyer who pays a larger down payment obviously has more vested interest in the home and may, thereby, be less likely to default on a loan.  If you have past credit problems, check with your lender about specific down payment requirements and start saving!

Creative Financing Options

If you’ve exhausted all of your conventional efforts and are still turning up empty, don’t give up just yet.  Alternative financing is an option that many homebuyers use to purchase a home.  Your REALTOR® can provide you with details regarding any lease purchase and/or owner financing properties, which may require no credit check, no bank qualifying, a low down payment and competitive interest rate options.

Here we are going into the 1st week of October and I am still being asked the same question over and over since the beginning of summer… Is now a good time to buy????

 Is now a good time to buy? Yes, even if prices continue to drop! And here is why…. I know in some markets prices are still dropping slightly (although they have gone up slightly during the last 2 months) but is it a good time to buy? The answer is a resounding yes!!! I  stated this in one of my posts over the summer, if you bought a $200,000 dollar home (and for the purpose of illustration obtained a $200,00 loan), and the housing drops 10% in the next year the math is easy, you just lost $20,000. BUT- and this is a big BUT- if you obtained a loan today for the house at 4.25% and if that same loan in one year costs 6% then the difference in payment is a lot less if you buy the house now! ($200k @ 4.25% = $984 payment vs $200k @ 6.0% = $1,199) for a difference of $215 every month. Over 30 years that difference is a whopping $77,400!!! One thing we have been assured of is that interest rates have to and eventually will be going up as the economy improves. Also every time the interest rate goes up 1 point that lowers your spending power by 9%. So if today you were looking to buy a $200,000 home but waited and the interest rate was now at 6% your spending power would be lowered 15.5% so you would be buying a $169,000 home. In most markets that’s a big difference in homes.

 Did I mess up by missing the Obama tax credit???

 At the end of April (when the tax credit expired) the interest rate was hovering around 6% so as state above and before you would be spending $77,500 more if you bought a house on April 30th vs today.

 Despite what you read and hear, homes ARE selling. Our company has been having a stellar year selling lots of homes for our sellers and finding quality homes at good prices for our buyers. We also have become experts at distressed sales (short sales) and we even have a few bank owned home (REOs). So if you are looking to buy or sell and move up…this is a good time!

For missing the $8000 you gain $54,612 in interest charged for your loan. On a $200,000 mortgage at 5.5% interest over 30 years versus the current 4.25% you will have saved $54,612.

 Buy now and gain so much more than the $8,000, you really do not want to miss out on this benefit. These rates will not last long, so call us today!!!!

^[1]RISMEDIA, July 3, 2010—FHA Pros, LLC, a national FHA condo approval service, has developed a list of facts speaking to the top misconceptions associated with FHA loans in order to help home buyers better navigate an already confusing market. FHA loans are mortgages issued by qualified lenders and insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

“We have seen home buyer interest in FHA loans go from practically zero three years ago to upwards of 87% today,” said Christopher Gardner, founder and president of FHA Pros, LLC. “Despite this rapid rise in popularity, many buyers still do not fully understand the benefits of these loans, and we believe it’s time to change that.”

1. FHA loans are not only for lower-income borrowers. FHA loans are available to everyone. There is no maximum income restriction associated with FHA loans, but borrowers do need to substantiate income and assets by submitting proper documentation. This requirement ensures that borrowers are well-vetted and truly able to afford their future homes.

2. FHA loans are not only for first-time buyers. Many people believe FHA loans are available only to first-time home buyers, but this is not the case. Whether borrowers are making their first home purchase or their fifth, they can look to FHA loans as a home financing option.

3. FHA loans are not just small loans; in fact, loan amounts can be as high as almost $800,000. The government recently raised the maximum loan amount from its original cap of $362,790 to $793,750 as a way to help stabilize the housing market. The amount a buyer can borrow varies from county to county though. Later this summer, condo buyers interested in FHA loans can visit www.checkfhaapproval.com ^[2] to instantly identify FHA-approved condo associations and review maximum loan amounts for a given location.

4. FHA loans are not affiliated with the section 8 housing program. While both programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FHA loans have nothing to do with low-income subsidized housing. FHA loans are simply mortgages insured by FHA. This insurance provided by the federal government allows lenders to lend more freely by assuring them that they will be repaid in the event of default. Most traditional lenders, including Wells Fargo & Co., JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup are able to provide FHA loans to their customers.

5. FHA loans are often more affordable than conventional loans. While FHA loans typically offer the same interest rates as other loans, borrowers benefit from a much lower down payment of as low as 3.5%.

6. FHA-approved condo developments are more desirable to buyers. With 87% of home buyers indicating that they plan to use FHA loans, condo associations that are not FHA approved are missing out on a significant pool of prospective buyers. Under rules in place since February 2010, an entire condominium development must now apply to HUD and be granted FHA approval before a buyer can purchase a unit in an association with an FHA loan or before an existing unit owner can refinance into an FHA loan.

Due to the general unwillingness of today’s lenders to extend credit with respect to conventional loans, many borrowers find that FHA is their best bet. Lenders don’t mind lending when the federal government (FHA) assures them of repayment.

Homeowners associations (HOAs) should note that although FHA-insured mortgages might be easier to obtain, they are not “risky” loans, due in large part to the strict “full documentation” requirements placed on borrowers. Individual buyers or sellers can initiate the approval process or current owners can encourage their HOA to apply.

7. FHA loans are assumable. In addition to lower down-payment and credit-qualifying requirements as compared to conventional loans, FHA loans are assumable. This means that when a seller with an FHA loan sells his or her property, the loan and its financing terms (interest rate) can be transferred to the new buyer. This unique feature will certainly make a property more valuable in times of rising interest rates.

“Now, more than ever, buyers and sellers need to understand the options available to them when it comes time to buy a home,” continued Gardner. “At FHA Pros we have worked with countless HOAs, attorneys and individuals to easily and efficiently navigate the historically tricky FHA-approval process.”