MUST SEE! Breathtaking Mountain Views ~ Granite Counter Tops ~ Stainless Steel Appl. ~ Much More

ASKING PRICE: $289,900

SubDivision: Fountain Hills

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2.5

Sq. Ft.: 2,048

Garage: 2 Car

Year Built: 2000

Beautiful mountain views that will take your breath away! Watch the sun rise as you enjoy your breakfast and warm cup of coffee on the balcony with a panoramic view of the mountains. Must see to believe!! Entertain your family and friends in your large backyard with artificial grass that does not need mowing. Cooking and entertaining family and friends could not be easier with your wrap around breakfast bar. Kitchen comes with top of the line Kenmore and LG Stainless Steel appliances (Refrigerated Included) and granite counter tops. Take a soothing shower in your tiled walk-in shower (both master bath and second bath) or light some candles and drink a glass a wine in the tub. New tile and carpet floors, water softner, 9′ ceilings, too many upgraded features to list and must see to believe! CALL TODAY!!

Gorgeous Mountain Views

Granite Counter Tops Throughout

Stainless Steel Appliances

New Tile & Carpet Throughout

New Cabinets Throughout

Low Maintenance Artificial Grass

Much much more…

Position Realty ~ Sean Heideman, Broker ~ (480) 213-5251

7 Mistakes Every Real Estate Investor Makes and How You Can Avoid Them

What sets truly successful investors apart from those who are only moderately successful or – worse – those who prematurely pack it in and decide to give up on real estate investing altogether? Mistakes do it every time. However, all investors are prone to mistakes. The key to moving forward is recognizing those mistakes and working proactively to keep them to a minimum. Here are some of the most common mistakes – and how you can avoid them:

Treating real estate investing as an unusual hobby – Real estate investing is serious business. Fortunes can be made in real estate investing, so treat it seriously. Get a business card and distribute it. Successful investors pass business cards out like Halloween candy.

In addition, don’t neglect to establish yourself as a serious investor. Set up an LLC, get a Federal Tax ID number and open a business checking account. You can survive with a personal checking account, but doing so screams “amateur”. Be professional and take the steps necessary to prove that you’re serious about your success.

Thinking that your need for education ended with your first property purchase – Your need for an ongoing real estate investing education is as real as the needs your physician or your children’s teachers have for ongoing education. It keeps you up-to-date on strategies and techniques that you otherwise might never hear about.

Thinking the Internet is a passing fad – For too many investors, being steeped in the “old” way of doing things is costing you money, profits, and deals. 92% of all sellers begin the sales process online. If you don’t have a website, you’re severely restricting your options – and your cash flow. If you have an artery with a 92% blockage you’re a prime candidate for a stroke. Don’t do this to your business.

Ignoring your business credit file – If you have a pulse, you know you have a credit file, but did you know you can build business credit and expand your opportunities? Separating your personal credit file from your business credit file can help you to more quickly take advantage of opportunities, especially if your personal credit is less than stellar.

Another benefit to working to build business credit is that all business creditors don’t require a personal guarantee by you, which means that you won’t be personally liable for all of the debts of your business. An added benefit is that you might be able to get better terms for a real estate transaction with your business credit than you could secure with your personal credit, and it won’t affect your ability to buy a new car when you need one.

Thinking real estate agents and brokers are for “uneducated investors” – A good real estate broker can be one of your best friends. The key is finding one who understands your investing strategy and what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Sure, real estate brokers charge commissions, but if the value of what you receive is greater than the cost, you’ll be money ahead – and it will be reflected in the value of your portfolio.

Being secretive about what you do for a living – Let everyone know that you’re a real estate investor. Everyone. From your accountant to your veterinarian, it’s critical that you let as many people as you can know that you’re actively seeking property. The current credit crunch has some unlikely people in a world of hurt financially.

Most people either know someone or know of someone that you might be able to help out of an embarrassing and time-sensitive situation. Your stock in your community will go up if you can help a friend or even a family member of someone in your sphere of influence. That can pay off dividends now and in the future, so don’t be tight-lipped. Get the word out!

Hiding from the press – You may not think that what you have to say is noteworthy, but your local media may disagree. Newspapers and TV stations are always on the lookout for interview targets and sources for national news stories with a local spin. The press won’t come beating down your door – at first, but once they’re aware you exist and that you are an intelligent, articulate interview subject, they might.

Get the process started. Send a reporter an email explaining a real estate-related concept or principle – keeping in mind that it has to have a local spin. If you’re feeling particularly bold, issue a press release.

While it’s possible to have some success as a real estate investor even if you make some of these mistakes, why would you want to? It doesn’t take much to set yourself apart from the crowd and increase your visibility and your credibility. The fewer mistakes you make the better off you are. Go ahead, correct these mistakes that many investors make and free the entrepreneur that’s struggling to rise to the surface. It’s worth the effort. Go ahead, give it a try!

Position Realty ~ (480) 213-5251

Foreclosures Plummet to 5-Year Lows

For the third consecutive month, foreclosure filings dropped, sinking to their lowest level since July 2007, according to RealtyTrac’s April report on nationwide foreclosure activity.

Foreclosure activity, which includes default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions, fell 5 percent from March to April and were down 14 percent year-over-year.

“More distressed loans are being diverted into short sales rather than becoming completed foreclosures,” says Brandon Moore, CEO of RealtyTrac.

The drop in foreclosure activity was mixed, however.

“Rising foreclosure activity in many state and local markets in April was masked at the national level by sizable decreases in hard-hit foreclosure states like California, Arizona, and Nevada,” Moore said in a statement.

For example, in Nevada and Arizona, bank repossessions dropped about 70 percent and by more than 50 percent in California.

Meanwhile, in states like Florida, New Jersey, and Illinois, which require judicial review, foreclosure activity increased. New Jersey had the largest annual increase in foreclosure starts in April seeing a 180 percent jump.

In the 26 states that have a judicial foreclosure process, foreclosure activity was up 15 percent compared to April 2011.

Sean Heideman, Broker ~ Position Realty ~ 480-213-5251

http://www.billigaflygbiljetter.nu/

Green Homes Increase Market Share

Remodeling and construction of single-family homes to make them more green continues to grow as more attention is placed on the benefits of going green for energy efficiency savings and better indoor quality, a new study shows.

In the construction market, the green home market share has grown to 17 percent in 2011. That percentage is expected to rise to 29 percent to 38 percent by 2016, according to a new report by McGraw-Hill Construction, “SmartMarket Report: New and Remodeled Green Homes: Transforming the Residential Market.”
According to the report, the two key forces driving the green growth: Green homes are often viewed as higher quality and can potentially save consumers money on utility costs.

“In the current residential market, there is an enormous need to differentiate your homes for consumers,” says Harvey Bernstein, vice president of Industry Insights and Alliances at McGraw-Hill Construction. “When builders are able to offer homes that not only are green but also offer the combination of higher quality and better value, they have a major competitive edge over those building traditional homes.”

In the past, builders have cited higher upfront costs as a roadblock to building green. However, the survey found that a much lower percentage of builders view that as an obstacle now than in 2008.

The report was produced by McGraw-Hill Construction, in conjunction with the National Association of Home Builders and Waste Management.

Sean Heideman, Broker ~ Position Realty ~ 480-213-5251

Low-ball Offers a Thing of the Past?

Last year, 10 percent of REALTORS® complained about receiving low-ball offers on listed homes — offers usually submitted by the buyer for 25 percent or more below the list price, according to a National Association of REALTORS® survey of its members. But that number has dropped drastically.

According to a survey this March of 4,500 agents and brokers, no REALTORS® complained about low-ball offers. The main problem nowadays: The sudden drop in inventory of for-sale homes has led to fewer homes available to sell.

For home buyers who still think they have a chance of hitting it lucky with a low-ball offer, they’re finding in many markets that their offers are more often being rejected or countered closer to the original asking price, the Los Angeles Times reports.

West Neal with Prudential Olympia in Olympia, Wash., recalls a buyer who came in recently with an offer of $150,000 for a home listed at $250,000. Eventually, they negotiated a final sales price of $230,000, but it took a lot of negotiating on the agents’ parts to get the buyer higher.

Sean Heideman, Broker ~ Position Realty ~ 480-213-5251

Phoenix Real Estate Market Report ~ May 2012

Phoenix Residential Market Report Summary

As you can see from the first chart above, Position Realty Market Index, the residential real estate market is currently experiences another buying frenzy that is caused without government intervention or relaxed mortgage underwriting standards. Consumers are jumping into the real estate market because market statistics are indicating the market has hit bottom. As found in the Average Sold Price chart above, real estate prices have been increasing steadily since October 2011 due the increase in demand. The current supply of homes for sale on the market is 19,741 where a year ago there were 48,000 homes for sale.

Since November 2011 (6 months ago), the average sold price has increased approximately +18.7% (up from last month), the average days on market have decreased approximately -7.7% (down from last month) and the number of transaction has increased approximately +15.9% (down from last month). The largest average price increase over the last 12 months was experienced in March from $168,961 in February to $184,078 in March.

The volume of REO purchases since November is down -17.7% and the volume of short sale is up +3.8%. The volume of REO purchases are shrinking due to the increased volume of trustee sales, more banks are accepting short sale transaction and existing supply of inventory is getting absorbed at a faster rate.

The real estate market has reached a level of equilibrium where demand exceeds supply and all buyers are rushing into the market to take advantage of low prices. As more and more buyers enter the market and as more of the supply of residential homes are exhausted, real estate prices will continue to increase at a faster rate (depends on the sustained level of demand).

Trying to “time the market” for the perfect time to buy is nearly impossible but there is no better time than now to purchase. Real estate prices are at an all time low (not for long), mortgage rates are at a historical low and the market is improving both in terms of prices and the overall economy. Time to buy is NOW!! Give us a call to discuss your best buying strategy, TODAY!!

Sean Heideman, Broker ~ Office: 480-213-5251 ~ Sean.Heideman@PositionRealty.com

State of The Economy Update ~ National and Arizona

Americans are borrowing more, with consumer credit shooting up in March to an annual rate of 10.2 percent, the Federal Reserve reported last week. Total consumer borrowing amounted to $2.54 trillion for the month, representing a $21.36 billion gain over the previous month.

Revolving debt, such as credit card debt, amounted to $803.6 trillion in comparison to February’s $798.5 trillion, and grew by an annual rate of 7.8 percent. Non-revolving debt, such as student loans and car loans, totaled $1.738 trillion, in comparison to February’s $1.722 trillion, and grew by an annual rate of 11.3 percent for the month.

The question is whether or not the gains represented increased economic activity and confidence.

“The optimistic read is that consumers’ improved outlook on the economy and employment prospects led them to feel comfortable spending on credit, while a more downbeat interpretation is that credit is needed for consumers to keep up,” analysts at Nomura Global Economics remarked in a public statement regarding the Fed’s data.

In employment news, initial jobless claims for the week ending May 5 dipped to 367,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 368,000, the Employment and Training Administration reported last week. The four-week moving average was 379,000, a decrease of 5,250 from the previous week’s revised average of 384,250.

The Administration also reported that the total number of unemployed workers covered by insurance during the week ending April 28 dropped to 3,229,000, a decrease of 61,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 3,290,000. The four-week moving average was 3,290,000, a decrease of 10,500 from the preceding week’s revised average of 3,300,500.

In the Arizona Economy, the outlook is a bit more favorable. Employment gains in Arizona should continue at a pace of around 2.0% for now. Sales tax collections will improve moderately as the year progresses as will other government tax revenues.

More Renters Are Finding It’s Cheaper to Buy

With rising rents, more renters are being swayed into home ownership.

For example, one Phoenix renter said he started looking into owning a home when his landlord tried to increase his rent by 13 percent when his lease was up for renewal. He found that he could buy a home and get the same amount of space for cheaper than continuing to rent, plus he’d be building equity.
Other renters are starting to see that buying may be a better option for them, too.

Rents are increasing at about the same pace that home values were dropping, says Stan Humphries, Zillow’s chief economist, who says, according to their surveys, home prices have dropped 3.1 percent year-over-year whereas rents have increased 2.5 percent.

“Herein lie the seeds to eventually more interest in buying on the part of consumers, which will help put a floor under home prices,” Humphries told Investors Business Daily. Recent housing surveys, including Zillow’s, are showing home prices are starting to rise in recent months.

Affordability in housing has been at record highs from the combination of falling home values and record-low mortgages. Humphries says that housing prices have rolled back to 2003 levels.

“That increased affordability in the face of rising rental prices will begin to get buyers off the fence this year,” Humphries says. “What’s been keeping buyers on the fence is a crisis of confidence. People who don’t have a job, or who are worried about losing their job, don’t buy homes. They also don’t want to buy an asset they think is rapidly depreciating.”

National Association of REALTORS®’ Chief Economist Lawrence Yun says the tighter restrictions from lenders are also preventing many potential buyers from securing financing in order to buy. But for those who are able to qualify, Yun says “it’s better to get in now” than wait.

Position Realty now offers buyers a 1% down programs for Phoenix Renters with limited cash reserves but they still want to buy. This is an excellent program because it could allow you to purchase a larger home or make improvements to the home. For the same price as a $1,000 security deposit you could purchase a $100,000 home. For additional information….CLICK HERE

Sean Heidemen, Broker ~ Office: 480-213-5251 ~ Sean.Heideman@PositionRealty.com

Fannie Mae Posts Profit; Seeks Bailout Money

Fannie Mae, the government-backed mortgage financier, said on Wednesday that it made a profit in the first quarter and that it did not need additional bailout money — a first since the federal government took it over in fall 2008.

A slowdown in the decline of home prices and in the number of homes entering serious delinquency allowed the company to eke out a profit after paying its dividend to the Treasury. Fannie Mae also said losses on its portfolio of home mortgages had probably peaked and that it expected better profits in the future, another sign that the worst might be over for the battered American housing market.

The company reported quarterly net income of $2.7 billion, up from a $6.5 billion loss in the first quarter of 2011.

Fannie has received about $116 billion from the Treasury over the last three and a half years and paid back about $23 billion in dividends. Its brother institution, Freddie Mac, has received about $72 billion and paid back about $18 billion.

“We expect our financial results for 2012 to be significantly better than 2011,” Susan R. McFarland, Fannie Mae’s chief financial officer, said in a statement. “As our serious delinquency rate declines and home prices stabilize, we expect to reduce our reserves, which combined with revenue from our high-quality new book of business will drive our future results.”

Across the country, there are signs the housing market is stabilizing. Home prices have continued to fall but at a much slower pace. More Americans are buying houses than they were a year ago. Housing starts have risen more than 10 percent in the last year.

Fannie and Freddie, which own or guarantee millions of home loans, lose money when borrowers default — their financial fortunes are directly tied to the overall health of the housing market. Estimates for the two companies’ ultimate cost to the taxpayer vary widely. They depend on many variables, including default rates and home values. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that they will cost taxpayers $53 billion between 2011 and 2020.

Recently, the Obama administration and some Democrats have urged Fannie and Freddie to take on more losses to further aid the housing market. The White House has pushed for Fannie and Freddie to allow mortgage servicers to reduce the amounts homeowners owe on their mortgages to reduce their chances of defaulting.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fannie and Freddie’s overseer, estimated that a principal reduction program for homeowners who owed more than their homes were worth would cost the mortgage financiers $100 billion. Edward J. DeMarco, the acting head of the finance agency, has long resisted such a program on the ground that it would be too costly for taxpayers.

But recently, the agency has shown some signs of softening its resistance. An assessment released last month by Mr. DeMarco showed that writing down the mortgage principal for 691,000 homeowners who owed more than their homes were worth would actually cut Fannie and Freddie’s losses by $1.7 billion. Over all, the program would cost the taxpayer modestly, as the Treasury would pay incentives to encourage participation in the program.

Last week, Freddie Mac reported quarterly net income of $577 million for the first quarter. In the year-earlier quarter, it reported net income of $676 million. Freddie requested $19 million from the Treasury after making its $1.8 billion dividend payment to taxpayers. Fannie Mae paid out $2.8 billion in dividends to the government in the first quarter.

This is the first quarter that Fannie Mae has not made a request for additional bailout money from the Treasury. Those quarterly requests have ranged from $1.5 billion to as high as $19 billion since the government took over the mortgage financier. In the final quarter of 2011, Fannie drew down $4.6 billion; in the first quarter of 2011, it requested $8.5 billion.

Phoenix Realtors Advice ~ Five Musts Before You List Your Home

Deciding to list your home for sale is a momentous time. It means you will be moving on to a new stage of life, no matter if you’re moving up or sizing down. Take a moment to look over these tips for what every seller should do before they put their home on the market.

Organize Your Paperwork: Every homeowner should have a detailed list of all past repairs, updates, and upgrades they’ve made. This will help your agent know what should be mentioned on the MLS. Did you put on a new roof in 2010 or a install a new water heater in 2009? These are great selling features because they mean less work in the future for the prospective buyer.

Also included in this list should be any home warranty information. These warranties will most likely transfer with title of the home.

Get Ready to Declutter: Even before you’ve officially listed your home for sale, you should start getting rid of things you don’t need. Starting now will mean a more thorough and less rushed job of clearing things out.

Start with one closet and work your way through the entire home. Sort items to toss, keep, sell, and donate.

Having a yard sale is a wonderful way of making a little extra pocket change while reducing the amount of things you’ll have in your home during showings and that you’ll need to pack up and move. It’s a win-win!

Clean, Clean, and Clean Some More: Dirty homes are a real buyer turnoff. Now is a great time wash down walls, spruce up paint, and give your entire home a thorough cleaning. Do your carpets need refreshing? Consider renting a carpet shampoo machine or hiring a professional carpet cleaning company to come in and revamp your carpets.

Chances are buyers will ask for this anyway come closing time. You’ll beat them to the punch and have a shiny, sparkling home to show for it.

Get an Inspection: Did you think inspections were only for buyers? Having a pre-sale inspection can mean identifying problem areas. Perhaps you’re unaware that your foundation needs repaired. This will severely affect your listing price. It’s best to be prepared and realistic in today’s market.

Make Repairs or Get Estimates: Your inspection will likely leave you with a list of repairs, large and small, that need made. Keep in mind that prospective buyers will also get an inspection of your home and will find these same issues. Head them off at the pass and do some fixing up. You may wish to go ahead with large repairs. If not, be sure to at least get estimates so you are fully prepared for negotiations (you’ll know what the real cost should be) or so you can provide the estimates for buyers.

Start Staging: Staging is like prepping your home for its first date. You want to have it clean and well-dressed. This means amping up curb appeal with neat landscaping, fresh paint, and flowers. It means rearranging furniture and removing clutter.

Congratulations on deciding to list your home for sale. Be proactive about making a good first step by following these tried and true tips.

Sean Heideman, Broker ~ Office: 480-213-5251 ~ Sean.Heideman@PositionRealty.com

Results No Excuses

Monthly Archives: May 2012

MUST SEE! Breathtaking Mountain Views ~ Granite Counter Tops ~ Stainless Steel Appl. ~ Much More

7 Mistakes Every Real Estate Investor Makes and How You Can Avoid Them

Foreclosures Plummet to 5-Year Lows

Green Homes Increase Market Share

Low-ball Offers a Thing of the Past?

Phoenix Real Estate Market Report ~ May 2012

State of The Economy Update ~ National and Arizona

More Renters Are Finding It’s Cheaper to Buy

Fannie Mae Posts Profit; Seeks Bailout Money

Phoenix Realtors Advice ~ Five Musts Before You List Your Home

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