Since I got my IPAD I have been constantly looking for cool apps. I have a list of about 25 that I am still slowly, very slowly checking out but here are two to pass along to you.Recently I stumbled upon a couple of apps for my iPad that I wanted to pass along.The first is LOGMEIN. This is a remote access and software app that works in conjunction with your pc or mac. You can remotely access your computer, using this app, from your iPad. You can choose to access one or even multiple computers. I currently am using it to access one as this seems to be sufficient for me. If you plan to access only one computer, there is no cost to do so (other than the cost of the app itself, which I believe was around $29) but if you want to access more than one, then there is a charge for that. You can visit the app store and search for logmein ignition. In order to access your pc or mac, you must download the software, which is free, and you can do that by going to https://secure.logmein.com/. If you are traveling often, or work from the car a lot, then this app is a great solution to carrying a bulky laptop around.
The other great iPad app that I discovered is ACTPRINTER. This great iPad app allows you to “print” from your pc or mac directly to your iPad. Want to transfer a document from your pc or mac to your iPad? Simply print the document, and when doing so, choose the ATCPrinter from your list of available printers. It will then send that document or file to your iPad. It’s that simple! Documents on the go…and you save paper too! You can find this iPad app at the app store by searching ACTPrinter. You will also need to download the software to your pc or mac by visiting http://www.houdah.com/iPhone/.
I hope you find these iPad apps as cool as I did. Have some cool iPad apps that you discovered? Feel free to pass them on.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
5 More Things You Didn't Know Could Get Your Home Sold!!!
Just when you thought you’d mastered the matter, we thought we’d brief you on 5 more things that can get your home sold, some or all of which might never have occurred to you.
1. Your neighbors. Most homeowners contemplating selling their homes understand the importance of well-kept neighboring homes. Many a buyer has pulled up to an amazing house, viewed it, and left shaking their head with woe because they just can’t cotton to buying the place on account of the shoulder-high weeds, car in the yard or crumbling ruins of the house next door.
On the flip side, your neighbors themselves - not just the homes, but the people - can actually help sell your home. Many homeowners know people who want to live in their neck of the woods; this is one reason many seasoned real estate professionals hold their listings open to neighbors and send out postcards to neighbors announcing the listing - the neighbors might know people who are interested in your home!
Also, neighbors who are out and about chatting with each other, laughing and playing with their kids, mowing their lawns or painting their fences, or even who just offer a smile and helpful area knowledge to the buyer-to-be they pass on the street can make a very favorable impression on prospective buyers.
It’s a good idea, if and when you decide to list your home for sale, to touch base with neighbors you know and let them know; it’s in their best interests to get good new neighbors, so they might be able to go the extra mile in showing the neighborhood’s biggest asset - themselves - off to its best advantage.
2. The right sights, smells and sounds. It’s no news flash that the view of a used car lot; stinky foods or animal smells; and the siren song of a fire station next door could be deal-killers. What might surprise is some of the right sights, smells and sounds that can help seal the sale of your home. My experience has been - agents, chime in here! - that the more natural beautiful sights, smells and sounds are, the more favorably they’ll be received by the largest population of prospective buyers.
For example, playing a soundtrack of classical musical is fine, but will cause some skeptical buyers to wonder what noises you might be trying to cover up - especially if you’re in a condo or other potentially thin-walled property where neighbor noise might be an issue. On the other hand, birdsong can be attractive to some buyers. Artificial air fresheners? Not so much. The scent of the jasmine or lavender that grows in your yard? Even allergy victims can appreciate that.
You might be desensitized to the amazing views of trees, mountains or even water outside your window, but pulling back the curtains so prospective buyers can see for themselves is an absolute must.
Home buying is a multi-sensory experience - visual staging of the property itself is no longer a plus, it’s a must. But homes which create pleasant impressions that fire on all of a buyer’s sensory cylinders definitely have the edge on their competition.
3. Your dog. The New York Times ran a piece a few months ago about sweet, well-behaved dogs (and cats!) who reportedly helped sell their owners’ Manhattan apartments. In a departure from the conventional wisdom that dogs should be removed and every trace of their presence erased from the home during showings, the article featured several buyers and brokers attesting to their belief that the presence of a particular cat or dog “help[ed] sell a property by making the place seem warmer or more appealing.” And I’m sure you’ve all heard me tell the story of the San Diego buyer who fell in love with a tract home listed at a price higher than all the nearly identical comparables he’d seen and wanted to make a full-price offer immediately - so long as the deal included the dog!
Definitely consult with your agent before you decide to implement leaving your dog at home for showings as part of your plan. I’m a dog lover, and would be concerned that someone might inadvertently let one of “my girls” out, if I left them there while my house was being shown; as well, would-be buyers or their agents may have allergies your pet could set off.
Lately, it seems like I’ve seen many brokers attempting to capture the best of both worlds by making sure that the family pet or even the broker’s own pet is captured in a charming tableau in 1 or 2 of the listing pictures, even if they’re not present at the home during showings.
4. Your happiness. Video and even written love letters that extoll all the virtues for which you love your neighbors, your neighborhood and your property are contagious to buyers. I’ve seen sellers help buyers see their homes through their own loving eyes by posting videos on YouTube and including the link on the listing flyer or even by putting a binder containing a letter plus menus and flyers from their favorite neighborhood restaurants, dry cleaners and other local merchants out on the counter during showings.
Wide-open curtains that let light stream in, light and bright paint and decor colors and other home features that science has proven make residents more happy and functional also create this thought process in a buyer’s mind: “Hmm, these people seem happy here. I could be, too.”
Similarly, indicators that you invested a lot of love in your home, by keeping it in immaculate order and pristine condition, by tending a well-cared for kitchen garden, lovingly furnishing and making comfortable (if not overly customizing) your kids’ rooms, all create the feel that a home was happily lived in - it’s like staging your home with a life well-lived, not just paint and tile.
5. The freeway or subway you thought was too close. There is such a thing as a freeway or elevated train tracks being too close to your home; if your place rattles or roars, for example, every time the train passes, chances any buyer will view that as a selling point are pretty slim. However, homebuyer attitudes toward being located near freeways and subways or bus lines are a-changing. Every upward click of gas prices renders buyers a tiny bit more interested in a location that is more commutable.
Where yesteryear’s buyers were all about the posh exclusivity of far-out suburbia, today’s buyers are more interested in financial and ecological efficiency and convenience. I’ve never heard so many homebuyers looking to own homes that will allow them to ditch their cars entirely as I have in recent years!
What might once have been seen as too close to the freeway has gotten a new spin, lately, as a highly convenient, commuter-friendly location.
1. Your neighbors. Most homeowners contemplating selling their homes understand the importance of well-kept neighboring homes. Many a buyer has pulled up to an amazing house, viewed it, and left shaking their head with woe because they just can’t cotton to buying the place on account of the shoulder-high weeds, car in the yard or crumbling ruins of the house next door.
On the flip side, your neighbors themselves - not just the homes, but the people - can actually help sell your home. Many homeowners know people who want to live in their neck of the woods; this is one reason many seasoned real estate professionals hold their listings open to neighbors and send out postcards to neighbors announcing the listing - the neighbors might know people who are interested in your home!
Also, neighbors who are out and about chatting with each other, laughing and playing with their kids, mowing their lawns or painting their fences, or even who just offer a smile and helpful area knowledge to the buyer-to-be they pass on the street can make a very favorable impression on prospective buyers.
It’s a good idea, if and when you decide to list your home for sale, to touch base with neighbors you know and let them know; it’s in their best interests to get good new neighbors, so they might be able to go the extra mile in showing the neighborhood’s biggest asset - themselves - off to its best advantage.
2. The right sights, smells and sounds. It’s no news flash that the view of a used car lot; stinky foods or animal smells; and the siren song of a fire station next door could be deal-killers. What might surprise is some of the right sights, smells and sounds that can help seal the sale of your home. My experience has been - agents, chime in here! - that the more natural beautiful sights, smells and sounds are, the more favorably they’ll be received by the largest population of prospective buyers.
For example, playing a soundtrack of classical musical is fine, but will cause some skeptical buyers to wonder what noises you might be trying to cover up - especially if you’re in a condo or other potentially thin-walled property where neighbor noise might be an issue. On the other hand, birdsong can be attractive to some buyers. Artificial air fresheners? Not so much. The scent of the jasmine or lavender that grows in your yard? Even allergy victims can appreciate that.
You might be desensitized to the amazing views of trees, mountains or even water outside your window, but pulling back the curtains so prospective buyers can see for themselves is an absolute must.
Home buying is a multi-sensory experience - visual staging of the property itself is no longer a plus, it’s a must. But homes which create pleasant impressions that fire on all of a buyer’s sensory cylinders definitely have the edge on their competition.
3. Your dog. The New York Times ran a piece a few months ago about sweet, well-behaved dogs (and cats!) who reportedly helped sell their owners’ Manhattan apartments. In a departure from the conventional wisdom that dogs should be removed and every trace of their presence erased from the home during showings, the article featured several buyers and brokers attesting to their belief that the presence of a particular cat or dog “help[ed] sell a property by making the place seem warmer or more appealing.” And I’m sure you’ve all heard me tell the story of the San Diego buyer who fell in love with a tract home listed at a price higher than all the nearly identical comparables he’d seen and wanted to make a full-price offer immediately - so long as the deal included the dog!
Definitely consult with your agent before you decide to implement leaving your dog at home for showings as part of your plan. I’m a dog lover, and would be concerned that someone might inadvertently let one of “my girls” out, if I left them there while my house was being shown; as well, would-be buyers or their agents may have allergies your pet could set off.
Lately, it seems like I’ve seen many brokers attempting to capture the best of both worlds by making sure that the family pet or even the broker’s own pet is captured in a charming tableau in 1 or 2 of the listing pictures, even if they’re not present at the home during showings.
4. Your happiness. Video and even written love letters that extoll all the virtues for which you love your neighbors, your neighborhood and your property are contagious to buyers. I’ve seen sellers help buyers see their homes through their own loving eyes by posting videos on YouTube and including the link on the listing flyer or even by putting a binder containing a letter plus menus and flyers from their favorite neighborhood restaurants, dry cleaners and other local merchants out on the counter during showings.
Wide-open curtains that let light stream in, light and bright paint and decor colors and other home features that science has proven make residents more happy and functional also create this thought process in a buyer’s mind: “Hmm, these people seem happy here. I could be, too.”
Similarly, indicators that you invested a lot of love in your home, by keeping it in immaculate order and pristine condition, by tending a well-cared for kitchen garden, lovingly furnishing and making comfortable (if not overly customizing) your kids’ rooms, all create the feel that a home was happily lived in - it’s like staging your home with a life well-lived, not just paint and tile.
5. The freeway or subway you thought was too close. There is such a thing as a freeway or elevated train tracks being too close to your home; if your place rattles or roars, for example, every time the train passes, chances any buyer will view that as a selling point are pretty slim. However, homebuyer attitudes toward being located near freeways and subways or bus lines are a-changing. Every upward click of gas prices renders buyers a tiny bit more interested in a location that is more commutable.
Where yesteryear’s buyers were all about the posh exclusivity of far-out suburbia, today’s buyers are more interested in financial and ecological efficiency and convenience. I’ve never heard so many homebuyers looking to own homes that will allow them to ditch their cars entirely as I have in recent years!
What might once have been seen as too close to the freeway has gotten a new spin, lately, as a highly convenient, commuter-friendly location.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Great program for 1st time homebuyers in Austin City Limits
First-Time Homebuyer Resources
Down Payment Assistance Program
City of Austin, TX
The Down Payment Assistance Program (DPA) provides qualified, first-time homebuyers, with a zero interest loan to assist with purchasing a home located within the Austin City Limits.
DPA funds cover the down payment and eligible closing costs and pre-paid expenses associated with buying a home. View the DPA brochure in English or view en español.
The DPA Program options are as follows:
•Standard DPA: Up to $10,000 in a deferred, forgivable, 0% interest loan for 10 years. Up to $1,000 additional for borrowers in a Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, and up to $4,999 for people with disabilities. The loan is forgiven if the borrower remains in the home ten (10) years without transferring title. Otherwise the loan is due and payable if the borrower sells, leases, transfers title, refinances, gets a home equity loan, or pays off the first lien within ten (10) years.
•(NEW) Shared Equity DPA: Up to $40,000 in a deferred,0%-interest loan for 30 years. Borrowers must pay back the DPA loan plus a percentage of their equity (that is the same percentage as AHFC's contribution) when the borrower sells, leases, refinances, gets a home equity loan, pays off the first lien, or otherwise transfers title within 30 years. When selling the home, the borrower agrees to give AHFC the chance to purchase the house at market rate ("right of first refusal").
Eligibility: The DPA Program serves first-time homebuyers who are citizens or legal permanent residents, and whose entire household earns no more than 80% of the Austin Median Family Income established by the federal government. See the table below for income limits by household size. More details on eligibility are in the first pages of the DPA application. All borrowers must also complete the Housing Smarts homebuyer education classes before their lender submits the DPA application. View more information on the Housing Smarts Program.
80% of the Median Family Income by Household Size for Austin Effective May, 2010
Size
80%MFI
1
$41,350
2
$47,250
3
$53,150
4
$59,050
5
$63,800
6
$68,500
7
$73,250
8
$77,950
APPLYING: Only trained loan officers like Scott R. Butcher with Maker Capital Group, LLC, an Austin based Mortgage Lender is listed on the DPA Participating Lenders list may submit DPA applications for borrowers.
•View the "Frequently Asked Questions"
•View the instructions to check properties in Austin City Limits
•View list of "Participating Lenders".(Your "Participating Lender" will help you complete your DPA application.)
•View "DPA Application"
•View list of trained Real Estate Agents
•View the Housing Smarts Program
Information for Real Estate Agents: To learn more about DPA program processes and to better identify eligible homebuyers, please attend the next DPA Real Estate Agent Information Session. View the Registration Form and Schedule for the next available DPA Real Estate Agent Training.
If your a First Time Homebuyer and are interested in learning more about the City of Austin DPA program, please contact Scott Butcher with Maker Capital Group, LLC directly at 512-796-7738 or via email at scott@makercapitalaustin.com or you can pre-qualify now at http://sbutcher.ameriprofunding.com.
Down Payment Assistance Program
City of Austin, TX
The Down Payment Assistance Program (DPA) provides qualified, first-time homebuyers, with a zero interest loan to assist with purchasing a home located within the Austin City Limits.
DPA funds cover the down payment and eligible closing costs and pre-paid expenses associated with buying a home. View the DPA brochure in English or view en español.
The DPA Program options are as follows:
•Standard DPA: Up to $10,000 in a deferred, forgivable, 0% interest loan for 10 years. Up to $1,000 additional for borrowers in a Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, and up to $4,999 for people with disabilities. The loan is forgiven if the borrower remains in the home ten (10) years without transferring title. Otherwise the loan is due and payable if the borrower sells, leases, transfers title, refinances, gets a home equity loan, or pays off the first lien within ten (10) years.
•(NEW) Shared Equity DPA: Up to $40,000 in a deferred,0%-interest loan for 30 years. Borrowers must pay back the DPA loan plus a percentage of their equity (that is the same percentage as AHFC's contribution) when the borrower sells, leases, refinances, gets a home equity loan, pays off the first lien, or otherwise transfers title within 30 years. When selling the home, the borrower agrees to give AHFC the chance to purchase the house at market rate ("right of first refusal").
Eligibility: The DPA Program serves first-time homebuyers who are citizens or legal permanent residents, and whose entire household earns no more than 80% of the Austin Median Family Income established by the federal government. See the table below for income limits by household size. More details on eligibility are in the first pages of the DPA application. All borrowers must also complete the Housing Smarts homebuyer education classes before their lender submits the DPA application. View more information on the Housing Smarts Program.
80% of the Median Family Income by Household Size for Austin Effective May, 2010
Size
80%MFI
1
$41,350
2
$47,250
3
$53,150
4
$59,050
5
$63,800
6
$68,500
7
$73,250
8
$77,950
APPLYING: Only trained loan officers like Scott R. Butcher with Maker Capital Group, LLC, an Austin based Mortgage Lender is listed on the DPA Participating Lenders list may submit DPA applications for borrowers.
•View the "Frequently Asked Questions"
•View the instructions to check properties in Austin City Limits
•View list of "Participating Lenders".(Your "Participating Lender" will help you complete your DPA application.)
•View "DPA Application"
•View list of trained Real Estate Agents
•View the Housing Smarts Program
Information for Real Estate Agents: To learn more about DPA program processes and to better identify eligible homebuyers, please attend the next DPA Real Estate Agent Information Session. View the Registration Form and Schedule for the next available DPA Real Estate Agent Training.
If your a First Time Homebuyer and are interested in learning more about the City of Austin DPA program, please contact Scott Butcher with Maker Capital Group, LLC directly at 512-796-7738 or via email at scott@makercapitalaustin.com or you can pre-qualify now at http://sbutcher.ameriprofunding.com.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Should You Rent or Buy in this Market?
People are trying to determine whether or not now is the time to buy a home. Some are advising these families to sit out the current real estate market and instead rent for the next year or two. We do not agree with this advice. Homeownership means a lot to a family. We also realize that the financial aspects of purchasing a home today can be a concern. The challenge is any advice given by someone in the real estate community is immediately dismissed as self-serving.
For this reason, we want to give you the advice of three entities not involved in real estate sales:
Citigroup
“When we examine the relationships between mortgage payments and income and mortgage payments and rent, we see that these relationships have also reverted back to or below equilibrium points. In some cases, particularly when mortgage payments are compared to the cost of renting, home prices actually appear cheap.”
JP Morgan
“JPMorgan analysts said ‘the continuation of falling rental vacancies and rising rental demand will make home buying increasingly attractive’, especially as rental prices increase.”
Business School professors Eli Beracha and Ken H. Johnson
“Fundamental drivers now appear to be in place that favor homeownership over renting in the near term future…
The second finding might seem unwise to many given the recent crash in the real estate markets around the country. However, rent-to-price ratios now seem to be in place along with other fundamental drivers that favor ownership over renting…
Conditions (historically low mortgage rates and relatively low rent-to-price ratios) now seem in place to favor future purchases.”
Bottom Line
Is it better to rent or buy? According to those quoted above, it seems it may be becoming a no-brainer.
For this reason, we want to give you the advice of three entities not involved in real estate sales:
Citigroup
“When we examine the relationships between mortgage payments and income and mortgage payments and rent, we see that these relationships have also reverted back to or below equilibrium points. In some cases, particularly when mortgage payments are compared to the cost of renting, home prices actually appear cheap.”
JP Morgan
“JPMorgan analysts said ‘the continuation of falling rental vacancies and rising rental demand will make home buying increasingly attractive’, especially as rental prices increase.”
Business School professors Eli Beracha and Ken H. Johnson
“Fundamental drivers now appear to be in place that favor homeownership over renting in the near term future…
The second finding might seem unwise to many given the recent crash in the real estate markets around the country. However, rent-to-price ratios now seem to be in place along with other fundamental drivers that favor ownership over renting…
Conditions (historically low mortgage rates and relatively low rent-to-price ratios) now seem in place to favor future purchases.”
Bottom Line
Is it better to rent or buy? According to those quoted above, it seems it may be becoming a no-brainer.
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