Real Estate is Looking Good Today

February 5, 2010

Up, down, sideways, back and forth, it sounds like a game of hopscotch but is actually the way the economy, recession and real estate market have been moving. Mastering what is going on has had experts and professionals confounded, wondering how we can all come out ahead of the game. There is one aspect that most can agree on, good news is great to hear.

Today’s headlines show that real estate contracts are up in volume. The good news for housing affected stocks, as they increased in price. Some believe that the Spring buying season is starting early. December is rarely, if ever, thought of as a Spring month but December showed that the Pending Home Sales Index is up over 10%.

There is no doubt that the real estate industry is faring better than a year ago. To continue coming out ahead job growth needs to improve, interest rates need to remain low and consumer confidence has to continue growing. So far 2010 is looking better than 2009 and hopefully real estate sales will continue to rise.

Click here for an article at Yahoo Finance about good news in the real estate market and its effect on the stock market.

Sourced from: Kinetic Content Library

Pending Home Sales Stabilize…

February 2, 2010

Pending home sales have leveled from a market swing driven by response to the home buyer tax credit, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The association also adjusted its economic outlook for 2010 and 2011, and projects that existing-home sales will rise from 5.19 million in 2009 to 5.66 million in 2010 and 5.7 million in 2011.

Based on contracts homebuyers signed but not yet closed in December, the association’s Pending Home Sales Index increased 1 percent, to 96.6 from 95.6 in November, and rose 10.9 percent from December 2008, when the index was 87.1.

For more detailed information regarding this article please click here

Moving Day Often Arrives Sooner Than Expected

February 1, 2010

When you’re buying a new house, moving day can creep up on you before you know it and staying organized can help make the entire process run more smoothly and keep stress levels to a minimum. Some things to keep in mind that will make moving easier are:

Book your moving company.  Book a moving company well ahead of time and by being a client of the StickWithSteveTeam you will be able to get a FREE Moving Kit from Von Sydow’s moving company (i.e. if you use their services).   Leaving this step until the last minute could leave you without a solid moving company to use.

Packing. Start packing well ahead of time, three or four weeks ahead of schedule may seem early but packing is time consuming and having everything boxed, labeled and organized will make moving easier. Start with items that you know you won’t need or can live without and by the last week have only your essentials left. Storing your boxes in an unused room or the garage will make it easy for the movers to collect and move on moving day.

Survey your new home. Know where you want to put things well before you ever move your belongings in. Take a good look at each room and know where you want your furniture to go. This will cut back on time and make everything run more smoothly for the movers.

In a nutshell, the more prepared you are to move, the easier the entire transition will be.

Call our office today for more details on how to become a client of the StickWithSteve Team as well as enjoy the great benefits of working with some of the best vendors in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs.

We also offer a Moving Truck FREE of charge if you are a client of The Stick With Steve Team.  Non for Profit organizations are also able to use the Truck for Free as well.

Click here to reserve our Free Moving Truck.

Real Estate Market’s Ups & Downs Present Many Questions

January 28, 2010

Let’s face it, times are tough and on any given day the mood is a different one than the day before. The market’s up, then down, we’re in a recession, we’re recovering, it is hard to know what is really happening out there with so many mixed signals. Real estate is difficult to figure out, and remains relative to where you are.

Is real estate improving? Sales are up, inventory is down but foreclosures are expected to keep coming, especially with unemployment figures on the rise. To find out if real estate in your area is improving talk to a real estate agent and look at the statistics that they provide. The December real estate sales figures were down as a nation but some areas of the country saw an increase in sales.

Have we hit bottom? Parts of the country have hit bottom other parts still have a way to fall. Home prices are apparently steady in parts of the country and climbing in others. The areas where home prices will continue to fall are those hit hard by job losses, an increase in foreclosures and too much inventory.

In a nutshell, real estate is relative. It is improving in many areas and as soon as our recovery includes job growth real estate is going to improve in many more areas.

Click here for an article about real estate on Yahoo Finance.

Sourced from: Kinetic Content Library

Homebuyer Tax Credit EXTENDED!

November 6, 2009

Moments ago, President Obama signed into law the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (H.R. 3548) that included, as an amendment, the extension and expansion of the Homebuyer Tax Credit

 

 

Unemployment Compensation Extension & expansion of the Homebuyer Tax Credit

November 5, 2009

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted by an overwhelming 403-12 margin to approve the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (H.R. 3548) that included, as an amendment, the extension and expansion of the Homebuyer Tax Credit. The bill already passed in the U.S. Senate yesterday, so now it will advance from Congress to the White House for President Obama’s signature. The Administration already has signaled its support of the Homebuyer Tax Credit amendment as well as the President’s intention to sign the bill into law.