Niagara Falls Real Estate & Homes : July 2008

Mortgage Pre-approval Advantages

Knowledge - You will know exactly how much you can afford before you start home shopping.
Competitive advantage - Sellers and real estate agents will consider you a serious buyer.
Speeds time to closing - Since you are preapproved you can move into your dream home much faster!

Know Exactly How Much You Can Spend!

You might have an idea of the loan payment and mortgage you can afford in Western New York. Lending requirements are changing rapidly in today's market so the bank might not agree with your thinking. Do you really want to find the absolutely perfect home only to find out you cannot get the mortgage for it?

It's always best to pre-qualify for a mortgage so you know exactly how much you will be able to borrow. In the pre-qualification process, you will find out:

• Exactly how much home you can afford.
• Your minimum down payment, and advantages of higher down payments.
• What the bank feels you can afford for a monthly payment.

If you are ready to take the next step please give me a call at(716) 743-5297 for a selection of Mortgage Professionals that you can work with to obtain this pre-qualification

There are many things that you need to do to prepare for the sale of your Western New York home. Things are changing in the WNY Real Estate market and there are several things that you should know.

Here area few things you need to understand before selling your home:

• Understanding the current market, competitive homes currently on the market, what has sold in the last 30, 60 and 90 days and the absorption rate of properties in your neighborhood.
• Why it is important to work with an experienced Real Estate Professional and what it is that they do for you.
• What is staging? Things to do, to make your home ready for sale.

First let's talk about why you are selling and what you plan on doing once you sell your property. The most important thing you need to do before you put your home is clearly define your plans for the future.

Read the rest of the story at:  What should I do to get ready to sell my Western New York home?

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Related posts

• What Should WNY Sellers Disclose to Home Buyers?
• Real Estate Explained | Deed In Lieu of foreclosure
• Open Houses don't sell houses!
• Newspaper advertising and your home for sale
• I just want my Western New York Home SOLD!

Buy a WNY Home - Western New York Favorite Buyer Articles»

You may be relocating to the area from another part of the country, others may be investors looking for just the right investment property and there are buyers just entering the Real Estate market by purchasing their first home or those buyers moving up. If any of this describes you, there is information here for you. You have questions regarding what is happening in the Buffalo Real Estate Market and may need guidance.

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Real Estate Investors - Credit Changes on Investment Properties»

As of today, the sub prime market has just about dried up. In the conventional world, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have increased the down payment requirements to a minimum of 20%. Due to the foreclosure issues that have hit the real-estate market, the mortgage insurance companies have taken a major financial hit. Due to their financial losses they are unwilling to provide insurances coverage and expose themselves to additional risk.

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Home Staging - National Internet Exposure Good for Buffalo Homes for Sale?»

What does a Buffalo home seller get with National Internet Exposure? Not as much as you would think. And that is why using a Realtor with a strong local internet presence is key to your success in selling your home.

This is a tough topic and one that is heavily discussed in Real Estate circles. I recently read a post by Eric Blackwell over at Bloodhound Blog. The folks over at Bloodhound have a way of stirring the pot and start people thinking. Eric pointed out why National Home Search Sites suck and he so simply stated the issues many home sellers don't realize may be impeding their ability to sell their homes.

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Sell my WNY Home - Get Out of Buyer's Way!»

It is an uncomfortable situation going through someone else home. If the home owner is there, buyers feel rushed to get out because they are on edge. The last thing you want is a buyer feeling uncomfortable while they are looking. First impressions are everything. Their first impression of your home for sale is that they were uncomfortable. If you don't think that will have an effect, think again!

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Mortgage & Finance - What do you think of the Housing Resuce Bill?»

What do you think Buffalo NY?

The Senate on Saturday passed a $300 billion housing rescue bill aimed at helping troubled homeowners avoid foreclosure and supporting mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Many are angered by this because those who were either unwilling, or unable to manage their finances correctly are in essence being rewarded. And then there are people who didn't understand and got into trouble. There is something to be said about people having personal responsibility. By bailing out those that were speculating, should we really bail them out too? Where does one draw the line?

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For Sale By Owner - FSBO Case Study - 7419 E Quaker Street Orchard Park NY 14217»

For Sale By Owner
I went on a listing appointment on Saturday in Orchard Park for a home that will soon be on the market.  I don't usually work in Orchard Park, but I have a great team here and I can calculate value for any home in Western New York.  
With that, I did some research, [...]

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WNY Market Report

Lockport NY Market Report July 2008»
July 2008 Real Estate Market Report for Niagara Falls NY»
Niagara County Real Estate Market Report July 2008»
July 2008 Orchard Park Single-family homes for Sale»
Allentown Market Report July 2008»
July 2008 Grand Island Market Report»
Cheektowaga July 2008 Market Report»
Luxury Development planned for Clarence NY»
Real Estate Market Report Erie County Sales July 2008»
July 1, 2008 Snyder NY Market Report for Single-family homes»
June 2008 Lewiston Single-family Homes Sold Market Report»
Depew NY Real Estate Market Report June 2008»
Clarence NY Homes Sold in Past 30 days & Market Report»
Buffalo State College area homes for Sale Market Report June 2008»
UB Area Multi-family Market Report - June 2008»

FSBO Case Study - 7419 E Quaker Street Orchard Park NY 14217

For Sale By Owner

I went on a listing appointment on Saturday in Orchard Park for a home that will soon be on the market.  I don't usually work in Orchard Park, but I have a great team here and I can calculate value for any home in Western New York.  

With that, I did some research, viewed some homes and was able to achieve a value for those people.  

In my discovery nearby there was a For Sale By Owner that I came across.  Unfortunately I was not able to contact the owners, they have registered with the National Do Not Call Registry.  

This home is listed on the FSBO website for $439,900 (Appraised value $454,900) details that were on the site include:

• 5 Bedrooms, 3.5 baths
• 3,150 square feet
• 2.5 car attached garage
•  Arts & Crafts Bungalow"
• high ceilings (9′4″ downstairs, and a full 8′ upstairs)
• 130′ x 220′ lot
• large kitchen has granite countertops cherry cabinets and Kitchen Aid appliances, including a 6 burner range.
• The basement has natural drainage requiring no sump pump for a very dry basement and 8′ high ceilings (ready for future finishing)
• Estimated taxes $7000.00

I didn't get a chance to check out the Open House on Sunday, but I find it interesting that the home owner listed at this price.  Again this home for sale in Orchard Park has almost no internet coverage.   A typical home buyer will Google the address and the only reference is to a page to find Realtors with a list of Orchard Park homes that is not user friendly.   Had they not the sign out front I may have not discovered the listing at all.   That is a shame that the site that these sellers pay a lot of money for does not come up in any logical searches an Orchard Park buyer might use...

 Related posts

• FSBO Case Study: 3321 Craig Drive Wheatfield NY 14120
• FSBO Case Study: 136 Williams Street Tonawanda, NY 14120
• FSBO mistakes to avoid - Case Study 1764 Sweeney Street North Tonawanda NY 14120
• What do Artists and For Sale By Owners have in common?
• Observations of For Sale By Owner
• Ineffective Windshield Advertising by Owner

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Colleen Kulikowski grew up in Western NY and moved to the NY/NJ/CT area in 1984 where she was a successful consultant in the technology field. She has a diverse background including event management, corporate training and a wealth of computer knowledge focuses in the latest marketing strategies, statistical analysis and logistics for her clients. An expert at presenting her clients properties to their fullest advantage and knowledgeable about vacation and second home purchases positions her to create opportunities for her clients. Call her today at(716) 743-5297 to schedule an appointment to discuss your Real Estate needs.
Email this author | All posts by Colleen Kulikowski

Buffalo Featured Real Estate Articles - July 28, 2008

Featured Real Estate Articles

Did your Buffalo Realtor "Buy Your Listing"?»

"Oh that Realtor bought that listing..." is something that you may hear and wonder how that can be. Well first off it helps if we explain what "Buying a Listing" is in the Real Estate Industry. There are Realtors out there that will take an overpriced listing to just put their sign in the lawn and give them the ability to advertise a listing in a specific Western New York community. Their goal is to break into a new market. They think that they will get the seller to drop their price after a couple of weeks. Meanwhile you lose valuable marketing time and start on the slippery slope of Chasing the Market Down.

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How to have a Successful Garage Sale in Western New York»

You don't have to be a Yard Sale Queen to have a successful Garage Sale in Western New York. And with National Garage Sale Day coming up on August 10th it is a great time to start thinking about having a Garage Sale. There are a few things that you do in preparing for a Garage Sale that will make your life a lot easier.

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Buffalo Relocation Guide»

Need more reasons why to relocate to Buffalo NY? Perhaps you are considering relocation to the Greater Buffalo region and need more information. Let me assist you in the process of deciding Buffalo is right for you! Call me today (716) 743-5297 to find out more and receive my free customized Buffalo Relocation Guide for you.

You will be curious to know about Buffalo Communities, the individual neighborhoods of Buffalo and find resources to assist you in deciding that Buffalo NY is for you! This website is packed full of community information, market reports and information to assist you in the purchase of your Buffalo home!

When people speak of Buffalo they don't always mean just the city of Buffalo. In fact many of those that live in the seven counties of Western New York will refer to themselves as Buffalonians. The pride in the area is that strong. So communities like Amherst, Cheektowaga, Lewiston, Grand Island, North Tonawanda, Williamsville, Orchard Park are just a few of the Buffalo communities here.

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Backyard improvements to enhance your enjoyment of your Buffalo home!»

Instead of taking a summer vacation this year, many people are starting to enhance their Western New York backyards for year round enjoyment. Granted, year round is a matter of your tollerance for the cold weather. Fortunately for Buffalonians a little snow doesn't stop us! Just install a fire pit!