Selling Your Home: The Crucial First Week

A seller's philosophy is frequently to price a home high initiall and lower the price later.  The thinking is that there's nothing to lose by listing at a dream price- the worst that happens is that the price will be lowered in the future.  A recent study, however, proves that this strategy is actually quite risky and often spoils the opportunity to sell a house.

According to Redfin Corp, a real estate brokerage, the first week a listing is on the market it receives approximately four times more attention online than one month later. Like old news, activity quickly declines and after a few weeks (when many optimistically priced sellers will consider lowering their asking price), and buyers move on to the next new home on the market.

Below is a graph by Redfin that analyzes the website traffic for their brokerage.  The red line represents visits from the day of debut and the green shows visits to the listing after it has been updated.  As you can see, activity peaks in the first few days that a new listing is on the market, not when there is a price change.

If you would like to get your house sold, it is crucial that you price your home competitively from the start. For more information on selling your home or pricing it to sell, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Top Neighborhoods to Call Home

Philadelphia Magazine recently came out with a list of some of the area's top neighborhoods to call home. Below are five of our favorite areas from the list with Philly Mag's descriptions of what makes each of these towns so unique.  Perhaps you will consider making one of these places your new home.

“The College Town” – Swarthmore, Delaware County

Rambling Arts & Crafts houses, streets named for universities, and a hardware store that’s been around since time immemorial make this laid-back, intellectual-feeling square mile graciously tweedy.

“The Crossroads” – Phoenixville, Chester County

Pre-war twins sit cheek-to-jowl with Victorians and new condos in a borough where CEOs and construction workers all shop at the same organic grocery store. The small, but flourishing, downtown and a recent flood of young people up the cool factor, too.

“The Next Big (City) Thing”- Graduate Hospital, Philadelphia County

Seventy square blocks of vintage row homes within strolling distance of Rittenhouse — without the Square’s tony tone or sky high prices.

“The Up-and-Comer”- Ambler, Montgomery County

This borough, along the Wissahickon Creek, covers less than a square mile, including a downtown that’s five blocks small. Young professionals and families are moving here for trendy nightlife and shopping, five (five!) parks, and a mix of century-old single houses and newer townhomes.

“The Hamlet” – Skippack, Montgomery County

Rolling farmland transformed, via benevolent developer Dave Markel, into a quaint, modern community featuring ample dining, good shopping, and New Hope-esque summer traffic.

To read Philadelphia's Magazine's complete list, please click here.

Lighting Up Your Home

To enhance curb appeal to your home and add value, consider adding outdoor lighting. Illuminating your home will highlight your home’s architectural features and enhance landscaping. When a house is beautifully lit, it stands out to buyers and leaves them with a great, lasting impression. Here are some ways to light your home:

• Highlight trees: Whether illumined from below or given presence by a light mounted in the tree itself, trees make stunning features.

• Use uplights: Uplighting is dramatic because we expect light to shine downward. Used in moderation, it’s a great way to highlight architectural and landscaping features.

 
• Have a focus: The entryway is often center stage, a way of saying, “Welcome, this way in.”

• Combine beauty and function: For example, adding lighting to plantings along a pathway breaks up the “runway” look of too many lights strung alongside a walk.

• Vary the fixtures: While the workhorses are spots and floods, designers turn to a wide range of fixtures, area lights, step lights, and bollards or post lights.

• Stick to warm light: A rainbow of colors are possible, but most designers avoid anything but warm white light, preferring to showcase the house and its landscape rather than create a light show.

• Orchestrate: A timer, with confirmation from a photocell, brings the display to life as the sun sets. At midnight it shuts shut down everything but security lighting. Some homeowners even set the timer to light things up an hour or so before dawn.

To read more about lighting your home and more home improvements at Houselogic.com, click here.

Five Ways to Make Your Home Green

Making your home green does more than just help the environment, it can save you money on your monthly energy bill. Below are five simple, easy ways to make your home more green.

1. Replace Old Appliances with Energy Efficient Ones

As a general rule of thumb, if your appliances are over 10 years old, replace them with new, energy-efficient ones. This is especially true of old dishwashers, clothing washer and dryers and refrigerators. Some models use up to 20% less energy.

   
2. Use Bamboo Flooring Over Hardwood

Bamboo is an excellent alternative to hardwood floors. It is beautiful and grows abundantly, making it a great flooring option.

 
3. Install Tubular Skylights in Place of Traditional Skylights

In place of a lighting fixture, you can install a tubular skylight. These skylights are subtle and blend into a room, but are much more energy efficient than conventional skylights.

 
4. Resurface Instead of Replacing Cabinets

Instead of replacing cabinets, try simply resurface the existing ones. This will give your cabinets a new, updated look while minimizing waste.

 
5. Install and Use Fans Instead of Air Conditioning

Installing energy-efficient fans can really improve the flow of air in a house and keep your home cooler. This is a great alternative to over-using the air conditioning. Some energy-efficient models use half as much energy as conventional fans.

Remodeling Your Kitchen Q&A's

What is the biggest return you see on remodeling investments?

Kitchens and bathrooms definitely have the highest rate of return.  A well designed kitchen will pay off when you sell your house.

What is worth splurging on when you are remodeling your kitchen?

If you can only splurge on one thing, put in granite countertops.  Buyers love to see granite in a kitchen.

What is the average payback for a kitchen remodel?

In 2009 we saw homeowners receive 63-78% of the cost of the project when they sold their home.  As the market improves this figure will increase.

What are some styles of kitchens?

Traditional Kitchen

Country Kitchen

Modern Kitchen

French Country Kitchen

Tuscan Kitchen 

50's Inspired Kitchen

Disney Starts Building a

Luxury Home Development

Disney recently announced that they will start building luxury vacation homes near the Magic Kingdom in Orlando Florida. The homes are projected to be between $1.5-8 million dollars- well above Orlando’s average sale price of $243,000.

The development, Golden Oak, will encompass 450 homes and a Four Seasons hotel with 445 rooms. The community will include a clubhouse, parks, walkways for the residents, as well as wetlands and land set aside for conservation.

While buyers will be allowed to hire their own architects, they will be required to hire Disney approved builders and adhere to approved architectural styles. To see some examples, view the slideshow click here.

Many feel that this is a big risk for Disney to take. Celebration, another one of Disney's developments, is comprised of 6,000 primary-homes. In the past four years, the values of these homes have dropped an average of 60%.  Despite these negative figures, hte Walt Disney Company is confidant that the Golden Oak community will be successful.

This community will definitely offer an alternative Disney World experience for affluent vacationers.

How to Appeal Your Real Estate Taxes

Over the past few years, home values have been declining and many homeowners are appealing their real estate assessment, saving them hundreds to thousands of dollars each year. If you feel that you are paying too much in real estate taxes, now is the time to make an appeal. 

How do I know if my home has a fair tax assessment?
To verify whether your home's assessed market value is greater than it should be for the current market, multiply your home’s assessed value by the county-specific ratio:
            Montgomery County– 1.85
            Bucks County–           10.31
            Chester County–         1.89
            Delaware County–      1.63
            Berks County–           1.48
            Philadelphia County–  3.06
For example, if a home is assessed at $200,000 in Montgomery County, multiply by $200,000 by 1.85 to get an assessed market value of $370,000.

Are similar homes in your area selling for this amount or less? If the sale price of comparable homes in your area are significantly lower than the assessed market value of your home, you are probably being overcharged with taxes and may want to consider filing an appeal.

How do I appeal my tax assessment?
Once a year you may make an appeal by filling out a tax assessment appeal form.
The deadlines for the surrounding counties are:
            Montgomery County–   September 1st
            Bucks County–             August 2nd
            Chester County–          August 1st
            Delaware County–       August 1st
            Philadelphia County–   October 1st

The county will then set a hearing date that will grant you the opportunity to present evidence that your home’s assessed value is too high. To make a strong case, it is recommended that you provide data with the recent sale prices of similar homes in
your area. Pictures are also very helpful.

What if I need additional information?
If you have any questions about the process or need additional information, please visit your county’s website by clicking on the links below.

Montgomery County 
Bucks County 
Chester County 
Delaware County
Philadelphia County

Shawn Tammaro in the Newspaper

The Times Herald released an article today highlighting Shawn and his real estate business. 

Local Realtor Aids New Home Buyers

by Gary Puleo

Times Herald Staff

EAST NORRITON — Shawn Tammaro works hard to match people with the home of their dreams for a living, but he never expected his job to turn him into a reality TV star.

Tammaro, a realtor with Coldwell Banker in East Norriton, was featured on a recent episode of HGTV’s “My First Place” titled “Compromise or Clash,” guiding a couple through the sometimes tortuous bidding process as they considered a trio of homes in Conshohocken and West Conshohocken for their important first purchase.

“In January 2009, the buyers I was working with were selected to be on the show,” Tammaro recalled. “It was kind of like a documentary in a way, where they look at three houses and they select the one they want to buy. We document the whole process — the negotiations, home inspection and all that good stuff.”

He admitted to feeling a little self conscious having to deviate a bit from the normal manner of showing a house for the sake of the TV viewer.

“I know my real estate stuff very well, but it was a little awkward to have to announce every movement you were about to do for the camera ... ‘We’re walking to the master bedroom now,’” Tammaro said, laughing as he mimicked his on-screen persona.

By the time the show aired in March, the engaged couple was married and happily settled into their Conshohocken twin home on West 8th Avenue.

Because “Compromise or Clash” — the show’s title alluded to the buyer requesting that some major appliances be provided by the seller, which ultimately never happened — still airs occasionally on HGTV, Tammaro is still being recognized.

“When it was first on a lot of people were telling me they watched it, which made me feel good,” he said.

The newlyweds he had fixed up with the perfect home had taken advantage of a tax credit for first-time buyers that just ended last month.

“There was a flurry of activity, nationally and locally, with houses selling,” noted Tammaro, a former construction supervisor who has won several awards as his agency’s top seller. “In fact, 50 percent of home-buying activity over the last six months has been first-time home buyers. And a lot of that is attributed to the first-time home buyer tax credit.”

That scenario is vastly different from just a few years back when the primary buyers were investors, he recalled.

“Back when real estate was booming, between 2002 and 2006, the majority of sales were investment sales. Obviously, the investor buyer has all but dropped out of the market. Now it’s more like a normal market that we’re used to seeing, as opposed to a crazy hot one or a depressed one.

“We’re lucky in this area because Coldwell Banker has a very good business base here,” said Tammaro, who specializes in the needs of first-time buyers, extending his territory beyond East and West Norriton and Norristown, to Blue Bell, Conshohocken, Plymouth, Collegeville, King of Prussia, Worcester, and occasionally, even Manayunk and Roxborough.

Coldwell Banker Realty Professionals was started in 1975 by George Korkus and Patricia Stevens, who are still involved in the business, but sold it to George’s son Michael Korkus and his wife Jane Korkus.

Years later, the Stevens Korkus name shared the billing with nationally known Caldwell Banker but was eventually dropped.

“In the 1990s when all the mom-and-pop shops switched to the national franchises, we just became Coldwell Banker,” Tammaro noted. “We still run into people who know the name, so we sometimes refer to the company as ‘formerly Stevens Korkus.’ People in the area generally recognize us as one of the premiere real estate companies serving the Norristown area and we’ve always had such a good reputation for customer service.”

Even though the federal tax credit has vanished, Tammaro pointed out that Coldwell Banker has cooked up an incentive of its own.

“Certain sellers that we represent can elect to do a buyer bonus program, which essentially extends the tax credit if somebody were to buy one of those listings before the end of July. Anyone is eligible, not just first-time home buyers. The buyer is entitled to getting up to $8,000 back as a credit.”

The incentive was designed to keep houses moving a little after the tax credit dried up, Tammaro said.

“It’s another reason why Coldwell Banker is on the cutting edge of technology and stays up to speed on these different marketing programs and that’s why we’re able to offer great service to our clients because we’re backed very well nationally and we have a good reputation locally.

“The general realtor community is a little worried how things will go,” he added, “because there was that big incentive and a lot of people did jump in and buy. We’re expecting a little bit of a lull, but my opinion is that the market will come back and be pretty steady for the rest of the year, as the economy improves.”

To read the full article, visit The Times Herald's website: http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2010/05/24/business/doc4bf9edcd34903087715300.txt

Million Dollar Listings

Over the past few years, the price of homes has greatly fluctuated across the United States. How does Philadelphia real estate compare to the rest of the country? Using realtor.com, we have compiled some million dollar listings from various areas so you can see for yourself.

Philadelphia, PA 

First Quarter 2010 Market Update

The first quarter of 2010 showed us promising signs and figures, indicating the real estate market is slowly, but surely, making a turn.

During the first quarter, there was a huge surge in the number of homes listed for sale. Typically spring is a busy month when it comes to listing homes, but this year homebuyers had extra motivation from the expiring homebuyer tax credits. In Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties, the number of homes listed for sale rose from 14,000 to 19,000, almost a 50% increase from the 4th quarter of 2009.

In addition to the growth in homes for sale, the number of homes under contract during the first quarter surged 20%. In the last quarter of 2009 there were 7,500 under contract. By the end of the first quarter, this figure rose to 9,100 homes. The effect of these home sales will become visible in the next month or so when transactions are completed and reach the settlement table. This trend is anticipated to continue through the next quarter, as buyers will be rushing to go under agreement before the homebuyer tax credits end.

The average sale price of homes increased in the first quarter of 2010, as well. High-end homes, which had almost completely lost their presence on the market, are starting to be listed and sold. This is an indication that homeowners are gaining confidence in the real estate market- a critical step in the recovery process.

Overall, consumer confidence during the first quarter crept up from 51 to 52. This improvement, while slight, is still a move in the right direction. In the months ahead, consumer confidence is expected to continue slowly and steadily increasing.

The first quarter has been very promising, and is, hopefully, the beginning of a mending real estate market.

If there is any real estate related information that I can provide you, please feel free to give me a call.

Making the Switch to Solar Energy

From laptops and TV’s to can openers and pencil sharpeners, it seems that everything that we use today requires electricity. With rates rising, however, homeowners are starting to go green and turning to solar energy.

To encourage the use of alternative energy, the government has been offering tax credits to help pay for the installation of the solar energy systems. A family in Plymouth Township, Tom and Mary Lou Readinger, recently had Solar Pro install a full solar energy system on their roof. The system ran $50,000, but with grant and tax monies, $30,000 will be returned to them. Mary Lou explained her motivations switch to solar energy, “One of the biggest reasons we decided to put up the solar panels was because of PECO’s up-and-coming regulations, where rates may go up 10 to 15 percent.” Her husband, Tom, also wanted to be independent from foreign fuels.

The system that they installed takes energy generated from the panels and sends it to inverters, which converts the energy into AC power. It then goes to an electrical panel and meter before being sent to PECO.

While initially the system is quite expensive, over time consumers will see a high return on the investment.

Hardware stores now sell the solar panel kits at a fraction of the price of professionals ones, and claim to be “easy to install.” However, the electrical work involved is complicated and dangerous and these do-it-yourself kits do not qualify for any tax rebates. Therefore, it is recommended homeowners leave this job to the professionals.

Solar energy seems to be the solution to rising energy rates. If you would like more information on having panels installed in your house, feel free to visit the following sites:

Solar Pro in Avondale
http://www.solarpropa.com/

Aztec Solar Power in King of Prussia
http://www.aztec-solarpower.com/

Quantus Energy in West Chester
http://www.quantusenergy.com/Home_Page.html

Information from The Times Herald, “The Heat is On”, Sunday, February 28, 2010

“I provide comprehensive real estate sale services to home buyers and sellers in the greater Philadelphia, PA area including Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and the city of Philadelphia. I offer a complete education process for my niche markets such as first time home buyers, first time home sellers, and investors. I have in-depth knowledge and experience in residential resales, new construction, foreclosures, sheriff sales, and short sales. If you would like to buy or sell a house in the area contact me at 610-994-1148 to setup an appointment.”

New Site for Homeowners

HouseLogic.com

The National Association of Realtors recently launched a new website, HouseLogic.com, which I think you will find useful. The site is a fantastic resource for homeowners, with extensive information, guides and tools to help maintain and increase their home's value. HouseLogic.com even provides carefully calculated average returns on various home projects so homeowners can make educated decisions about home renovations.

The best part about this wonderful new website is that it is completely free to use. Those who register for the site will have a “virtual binder” to store ideas and information. Users who prefer not to register, however, will still have full access to all of the website's valuable information.

I highly recommend that you check out HouseLogic.com and explore how you can maximize your home's value.  Click here to visit the site.  And, as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

“I provide comprehensive real estate sale services to home buyers and sellers in the greater Philadelphia, PA area including Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and the city of Philadelphia. I offer a complete education process for my niche markets such as first time home buyers, first time home sellers, and investors. I have in-depth knowledge and experience in residential resales, new construction, foreclosures, sheriff sales, and short sales. If you would like to buy or sell a house in the area contact me at 610-994-1148 to setup an appointment.”

Shawn's HGTV Premiere! 

A Review of 2009's Real Estate Market 

The real estate market in 2009 was the best of times and it was the worst of times.  Homebuyers took over a market filled with tax credits, record-low interest rates and under-priced homes, while many homeowners were forced into short sales or foreclosures. The market saw signs of recovery as well as setbacks, reminding us that it may be a long and bumpy road to recovery. Like the rest of the country, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware County’s real estate markets experienced a roller coaster of highs and lows in 2009.

Philadelphia and the surrounding counties were faced with numerous hardships this past year. Available homes spent 15% more time sitting idly on the market before selling and significantly fewer houses were sold in 2009 than 2008. This caused an abundance of inventory which lessened demand for houses on the market and drove prices down. Philadelphia and the surrounding counties saw a 7.5% drop in the average selling prices of houses in 2009. Montgomery County saw the most severe cut, with an average sold price that dropped from $325,000 to $298,000.  While these extremely low figures have troubled sellers and homeowners, buyers have had the chance to buy properties that would have been far beyond their budget in the housing boom of the early 2000s.

By the final quarter of 2009, the real estate market as a whole showed signs of recovering. Both the volume of units sold and the selling prices of homes increased and the average number of days that homes sat on the market lessened and turnover increased. These improving trends were also apparent in Philadelphia and he surrounding counties.

These 3rd and 4th quarter improvements were largely due to the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. First-time homebuyers, who accounted for approximately 50% of November sales, raced to submit offers in order to make the November 31 deadline. Shortly after, a second bill was passed that not only extended the first-time homebuyer tax credit but added another credit for current homeowners.  This new tax credit offers current homeowners who are under agreement by April 30, 2010 a maximum of $6,500 in tax credits. 

These extensions and expansions of the tax credits have already generated significant activity in 2010. It is predicted that this trend will continue through April when the government aid will stop and incentives for consumers to buy and sell houses will diminish.

A concern for the 2010 real estate market is that it will be tainted with foreclosures. Three million homeowners received foreclosure notices in 2009, but many lenders had insufficient resources and were forced to postpone the process. These delayed foreclosures are expected to flood the market this year, which would be a headwind in the housing market’s recovery.  The drastically low price of foreclosure houses puts pressure on the rest of the market and causes home values to plummet. If banks neglect to price foreclosures carefully, the delicate market will experience even greater difficulty recovering. 

For anyone who has entertained the thought of purchasing a home, now is the time to buy.  Interest rates, which have been at record lows, are expected to creep back up in the second half of 2010. The Federal Reserve’s $1.5 trillion purchase of mortgage-backed securities, which offered much relief to mortgage purchasers over the past year, will end in March, also indicating that rates may increase.

The government has been making modifications to lending procedures in order to prevent this breakdown from occurring in the future. For example, the department of Housing and Urban Development issued a new standard Good Faith Estimate (A Good Faith Estimate is a form that is issued by lenders outlining fees associated with obtaining a mortgage).  In the past, Good Faith Estimates were distributed by lenders and mortgage companies in a variety of formats, making it challenging for consumers to compare and contrast terms.  The new standard form that is now required will describe fees and terms in a clear, simple, and consistent manner, allowing consumers to easily shop around for the best terms and rates.  HUD estimates that the average homebuyer will save $700 at the closing table with this new standard form.

The real estate market for the upcoming year looks as though it will remain shaky ground.  However, for those looking to purchase a new home, the market has never been better.   The tax credit for all buyers, low home prices, and marked improvements in mortgage documents are all encouraging for the homebuyer. 

2009 was a challenging year to say the least, but, the future of the real estate market in our local area looks good.  January of 2010 has already shown good signs of increased buyer activity and listing sales.  My business has flourished recently with multiple buyer and listing sales.  I look forward to servicing your real estate needs in 2010.  As always, feel free to contact  me if you have any real estate questions. Thank you for your continued support!

Client Appreciation Event 2010

This past Friday was the client appreciation event at the Ambler Theater.  We had a wonderful time! There was a two hour reception that included lots of food, wine, beer and spending quality time with past and current clients.  Party-goers then were invited to watch a movie that the theater offered, Up in the Air, Crazy Heart and Young Victoria, all of which got good reviews from our clients.  It was so nice to see everyone! If you weren't able to make it this year, I hope you can make it next year!

Signs of Housing Recovery

Mortgage rates declined last week after rising for the past month, according to a weekly survey from Freddie Mac. The average rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages is now hovering closer to 5%.

Many news sources have reported that the recovery in the housing market has been shaky at best.  The first-time home buyers’ credit has certainly helped to spur sales and push home prices higher.  However, the National Association of Realtors’ index for pending sales of previously owned homes declined in November, indicating the increase of home buyers in October trying to beat the deadline for the tax credit. (The tax credit has since been extended through April and also includes a provision for existing home buyers.)

Additionally, the government is planning to complete its $1.25 trillion mortgage-backed securities repurchase program in March, which has certainly helped to stabilize the mortgage market and keep rates low. Many are fearful that the Fed’s completion of the program will push mortgage rates higher and throw the fragile housing recovery off course.

I certainly cannot predict how the housing recovery will shape up, but I can share with you what I have been seeing in our local marketplace.

 - The extended tax credit has continued to incentivize buyers, as I am receiving many calls to help people find homes prior to the April 30^th deadline.

- Inventory has decreased in our area, indicating that the supply and demand for houses is leveling out.  This would cause me to believe that home prices have stopped declining.

- Many of my first time home buyer clients are taking advantage of the FHA loan. This loan allows buyers to put a minimum down payment of 3.5% and it allows up to a 6% seller assist to closing costs. Right now this is the best deal going for buyers with a relatively low amount of money to put into the transaction.

As always, feel free to contact me with any real estate questions you may have. 

Shawn Tammaro, Realtor, CRS, GRI

Source: Wall Street Journal

“I provide comprehensive real estate sale services to home buyers and sellers in the greater Philadelphia, PA area including Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and the city of Philadelphia.  I offer a complete education process for my niche markets such as first time home buyers, first time home sellers, and investors.  I have in-depth knowledge and experience in residential resales, new construction, foreclosures, sheriff sales, and short sales.  If you would like to buy or sell a house in the area contact me at 610-994-1148 to setup an appointment.”

New Standard Good Faith Estimate

Mortgage companies rang in 2010 with a new standard Good Faith Estimate.  (A Good Faith Estimate is an itemized list of expenses and loan terms given to a buyer by a mortgage lender or broker) The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development put together a Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act Reform package  (the first reform in 30 years) requiring all mortgage companies use a standard Good Faith Estimate to present mortgage information in a “true and clear” way. 

Important loan terms and closing costs that may have been difficult to find and to understand in the past are now disclosed in a plain and simple format. Prior to January 1, 2010, mortgage companies each had their own layouts of the Good Faith Estimate making it difficult for borrowers to compare mortgage companies.  Now all terms will be presented in the same manner and consumers will easily be able to weigh pros and cons of what each mortgage company is offering.

Here is a preview of the new Good Faith Estimate:

Brian Montgomery, HUD's Assistant Secretary of Housing, Federal Housing Commissioner explains how he feels the Good Faith Estimate and the mortgage crisis are tied together. "Millions of Americans simply don't understand all the fine print of their mortgages and this, in many respects, is at the heart of today's mortgage crisis."

To help borrowers better understand the fine print of their mortgages, an instructional page is included in new (three-page) Good Faith Estimate.  Also, HUD-1 settlement statements now reference lines in the Good Faith Estimate making it clearer to borrowers where their stated costs are coming from.  

Overall, the new Good Faith Estimate seeks to eliminate confusion for borrowers and to help them to easily compare what different mortgage companies are offering. With these changes HUD estimates that the average consumer will save $700 at the settlement table- a pretty nice way to start the New Year.

“I provide comprehensive real estate sale services to home buyers and sellers in the greater Philadelphia, PA area including Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and the city of Philadelphia.  I offer a complete education process for my niche markets such as first time home buyers, first time home sellers, and investors.  I have in-depth knowledge and experience in residential resales, new construction, foreclosures, sheriff sales, and short sales.  If you would like to buy or sell a house in the area contact me at 610-994-1148 to setup an appointment.”

25 Best Housing Markets in 2010

While most housing markets have been leveled out over the past year or so, there are some communities that are actually seeing some inflation.  These small towns and cities aren’t the first ones that come to mind when you think of real estate, but they will be among the few to see some growth. HousingPredictor.com analyzed numerous factors, including economics, political influences, business development, construction prices, employment levels and other socioeconomic issues, and created a list of the top 25 housing markets that are predicted to see inflation in the upcoming year.

Philadelphia makes the list at number 19 with a prediction of 2.7% inflation for 2010. Ohio is expected to see much inflation due to the fact that the current price of homes is extremely low and the prices have no where to go but up.  Another thing to note is that the majority of areas listed are in the mid-west or northern region, as these areas were not hit as hard in the housing crisis as other areas.

                                                          City                                      Forecast

1. Cleveland, OH                         10.4%

2. Columbus, OH                         9.4%

3. Cincinnati, OH                          8.8%

4. Toledo, OH                              6.5%

5. Lafayette, LA                           5.4%

6. Des Moines, IA                        5.1%

7. Arlington, VA                           4.8%

8. Juneau, AK                              4.2%

9. Davenport, IA                          4.2%

10. Baton Rouge, LA                   4.0%

11. Austin, TX                              3.6%

12. Marquette, MI                        3.2%

13. Fargo, ND                             3.1%

14. Charleston, WV                     3.1%

15. Iowa City, IA                         3.1%

16. Shreveport, LA                      2.9%

17. Bismarck, ND                        2.9%

18. Rapid City, SD                       2.8%

19. Philadelphia, PA                     2.7%

20. Grand Rapids, MI                  2.7%

21. Sioux Falls, SD                       2.7%

22. Morgantown, WV                  2.6%

23. Omaha, NE                            2.5%

24. Bellevue, NE                          2.3%

25. Pittsburgh, PA                        2.3%

This information was gathered from housingpredictor.com.  For more information, please click here.

“I provide comprehensive real estate sale services to home buyers and sellers in the greater Philadelphia, PA area including Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and the city of Philadelphia.  I offer a complete education process for my niche markets such as first time home buyers, first time home sellers, and investors.  I have in-depth knowledge and experience in residential resales, new construction, foreclosures, sheriff sales, and short sales.  If you would like to buy or sell a house in the area contact me at 610-994-1148 to setup an appointment.”

Philadelphia's Top 50 School Districts

Philadelphia Magazine recently ranked the top 50 school districts in the Philadelphia area.  These rankings were calculated using PSSA test scores in reading and math, SAT scores, student-faculty ratio, percent of graduating seniors, and percentage of graduates intending to enroll at two- and four-year college. 

The Top 10 are:

1. Tredyffrin-Easttown School District (Chester County)

2. Lower Merion School District (Montgomery County)

3. Radnor Township School District (Delaware County)

4. Unionville-Chadds Ford School District (Chester County)

5. Wallingford- Swathmore School District (Delaware County)

6. Upper Dublin School District (Montgomery County)

7. New Hope- Solebury School District (Bucks County)

8. Great Valley School District (Chester County)

9. Methacton School District (Montgomery County)

10. Central Bucks School District (Bucks County)

Other Montgomery County School Districts' rankings are:

11. Wissahickon School District

14. Hatboro-Horsham School District

16. Colonial School District

17. Lower Moreland Township School District

21. North Penn School District

26. Perkiomen Valley School District

27. Jenkintown School District

28. Abington School District

29. Springfield Township School District

30. Upper Merion Area School District

33. Cheltenham Township School District

40. Souderton Area School District

42. Spring-Ford Area School District

48. Upper Perkiomen School District

49. Upper Moreland Township School Disctrict

54. Pottsgrove School District

79. Norristown School District

85. Pottstown School District

Check out the following chart to see Philadelphia Magazine's list:

Philadelpia Magazine's Ranking of Schools in the Philadelphia Area.pdf

For more information, visit the site directly by clicking here.

“I provide comprehensive real estate sale services to home buyers and sellers in the greater Philadelphia, PA area including Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and the city of Philadelphia.  I offer a complete education process for my niche markets such as first time home buyers, first time home sellers, and investors.  I have in-depth knowledge and experience in residential resales, new construction, foreclosures, sheriff sales, and short sales.  If you would like to buy or sell a house in the area contact me at 610-994-1148 to setup an appointment.”

12.10.2009   

     Book Reivew of The Art of Racing in the Rain

While I was on a quick vacation a few days ago, my wife, Lizzie, asked me to read the same book that she was reading, so that she would have someone to discuss it with.  She claimed that it was a quick read (although nothing ever is for me) and that I would enjoy it since it was about a dog (see recent Facebook post about our dog search). Reluctant as I was, and always trying to make her happy, I decided to give it a try.  The book is called “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein, and Lizzie was right, within a few pages I was hooked.  The story is told from the perspective of a dog, Enzo, who comically, honestly, and sometimes sensitively recounts the journeys of his race car driving owner, Denny.  It’s funny and entertaining, touching and tender, and the message really resonated with me....life isn’t always about winning or losing, it’s about the joy of the ride. 

Sometimes purchasing or selling a home can feel like a roller coaster ride, filled with emotional ups and downs.  But, as was demonstrated in the book, a lot of times it is better to embrace those minor challenges and remain focused on your end goal.  As always, I am here to help you through your real estate journeys, and to make your ride as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

“I provide comprehensive real estate sale services to home buyers and sellers in the greater Philadelphia, PA area including Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and the city of Philadelphia.  I offer a complete education process for my niche markets such as first time home buyers, first time home sellers, and investors.  I have in-depth knowledge and experience in residential resales, new construction, foreclosures, sheriff sales, and short sales.  If you would like to buy or sell a house in the area contact me at 610-994-1148 to setup an appointment.”

Welcome to My Blog!

Thank you for visiting talktoshawn.com!  I hope you enjoy the new format of the website.  I made the decision to upgrade my web presence for the benefit of my clients, so I hope you find it helpful.  The new site has so many fantastic features, including the ability for you to search homes and the ability for me to share real estate trends and thoughts via this blog.  I know the site will continue to improve, as I expect to integrate the capacity to search homes via TREND as soon as possible.

Please feel free to check out the different links on my site that could be of value to you.  There are home maintenance check lists, utility company information, recommended contractors, and staging techniques.

I intend to use this blog to discuss recent housing trends in our area, to debate real estate news, and provide you with a variety of real estate advice.  

 
If you have thoughts or comments about the website or topics you would like to hear about in the blog, please let me know!  Enjoy this holiday season with friends and family.  I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Your Friend and Realtor,

Shawn Tammaro, CRS, GRI

Realtor