Lehigh Valley Mortgage Resource for Buyers
Every once in a while I like to share information about my Lehigh Valley Real Estate team with you. Today, I will share a link to one of my great resources: Mona Campos. Mona has great mortgage products to help first-time home buyers, move-up buyers, investors and those looking to refinance. Plus, she has the inside scoop on some Lehigh Valley loan resources that can save you money and time.
If you are looking to finance a loan or refinance an existing mortgage you will want to call my team member, Mona.
Mortgage Team Member: Mona Campos
Valley Mortgage officer" src="http://www.lehighvalleyhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mona-campos.jpg" alt="" width="119" height="95" />I have worked with Mona for several years and she is great. She is patient and helpful with my clients. If you are looking to buy a home or refinance an existing loan you want to talk with Mona. Check out the great resources on her website:
http://www.waterstonepa.com/mona-campos
Will My Ugly Lehigh Valley House Sell?
Maybe. Here are some steps you can take to get this “aesthetically challenged” Lehigh Valley house sold.
1.Admit that it is ugly.
The first step to solving any problem is admitting there is a problem.
2. Find the beauty in the home.
Is the home ugly on the outside but beautiful on the inside. Or maybe the home has one room that is outstanding. Find this beauty and accentuate it.
3.Realize that this may be just your opinion.
Maybe what you find ugly other potential buyers my find acceptable. Some buyers don’t care how a house looks on the outside as long as it fits their other needs.
4. Is the “ugly” problem something you can fix.
Is this a problem you can easily fix with some paint and a few changes or is this a structural problem? Determine if you can easily fix the “ugly”.
4. Hire a professional photographer.
I always use a professional photographer for my listings. This is especially important when working with a home that is “aesthetically challenged”. A great professional photographer may be able to help you find the right angles and light put the best face on the home.
5.Price the home to sell.
This is one of the most important points. You don’t want your home to sit on the market too long, so price it to sell. Have a qualified Lehigh Valley Realtor perform a comparative market analysis so you can get this home sold quickly.
Remember, no matter what home you are attempting to sell, proper price, great staging and far-reaching marketing in the hands of a great Realtor will get the job done.
Are My Beautiful Granite Countertops Killing My Family?
Actually the data is inconclusive. Granite countertops, while quite popular, actually emit Radon gas. Radon is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas , occurring naturally as the decay product of uranium and thorium.
According to the EPA:
“…the existing data is insufficient to conclude that the types of granite commonly used in countertops are significantly increasing indoor radon levels. While radiation levels are not typically high, measurement of specific samples may reveal higher than expected levels on a case-by-case basis.”
The EPA believes that the principal source of radon in homes is from the soil in contact with basement floors and walls. There have been reports, however, that certain types of granite countertops can emit or at least contribute to an unsafe level of radon gas. Check out this 2008 New York Times article about granite countertops and Radon.
Here are steps to reduce your risk:
1. First test the air in your home to determine the radon level. There are many do-it-yourself radon test kits available through retail outlets and on-line, starting at about $25. One Lehigh Valley Source for Radon Kits.
2. If your home has a radon level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air or more, you should take steps to fix your home and reduce the radon level. For more information check out this site.
I want you to be safe and enjoy many years in your Lehigh Valley home. Please come back often for more tips on enjoying your Lehigh Valley home.
8 Critical Things Your Lehigh Valley Realtor Must Do (Part 2)
Here are 4 more critical things your Lehigh Valley Realtor must help you do when you are buying a home. If your Realtor is not helping you get these things done, you may be at a disadvantage when buying your home in the Lehigh Valley. Here we go, your Realtor must:
5. Help you move forward once you find the right home.
A Realtor should not be pushy but he should be your trusted adviser. Many times, buyers get nervous when it comes to taking the plunge and buying the right home. A great Realtor needs to help you overcome your fears. The must give you the little nudge you need to move forward once your find the right home.
6. Write a winning offer for the home of your dreams.
There is an art to writing an offer that satisfies the buyers financial needs and yet gets the seller to sign the offer. In this Lehigh Valley market, it takes great skill and finesse to write an offer that will be accepted by the seller. This is very critical to your success.
7. Present your offer in the best light.
Although it is not often said, many times your offer will need to be sold twice. It will need to be sold to the Real Estate agent representing the seller and then sold to the seller. Your Realtor must have great social and influence skills to get this job done for you. Many good offers are killed simply because the Realtor didn’t know how to present them to all interested parties.
8. Negotiate the offer.
Successful negotiation is an art. It takes both strength of conviction and a win-win attitude. It also requires the ability to look at the big picture. When you want to seriously secure your dream home it is critical that your Realtor negotiate with your best interest at heart.
I have mentioned only 8 of the many critical things a great LehighValley Realtor should do for you. If you are seriously interested in buying a home in the Lehigh Valley, make sure you screen your Realtor carefully. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
As always we welcome your comments.
8 Critical Things Your Lehigh Valley Realtor Must Do (Part 1)
If your Realtor is not helping you get these things done you may be at a disadvantage when buying your home in the Lehigh Valley. Here we go, your Realtor must:
1. Help you find the best local loan officer to meet your needs.
The Realtor should not only be considering the best rate but also the right mortgage officer to help you get to the closing table. A great rate is important but so is settling on the home. A great rate but no settlement equals disappointment.
2. Conduct an in-depth needs analysis interview.
An in-depth needs analysis is critical. Without it, buyers spend many months missing the “right” home because they never defined it.
3.Take you out to see homes based on the needs analysis.
Once you have developed the needs analysis, make sure you use it. Your Realtor should help you narrow down your search based on your need analysis.
4. Help you widen your search.
This sounds like the exact opposite of the previous tip, but it’s not. Sometimes a home search based on a needs analysis will render no homes. A great Realtor will help you determine what is a “must-have” and what is a “would-like” and use this to help you find the right home.
Check in tomorrow for Part 2 of this post.
As always we welcome your comments.
The Promenade: Upscale Shopping In the Lehigh Valley
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The Promenade has over 65 stores and restaurants. It is home to favorites such as American Eagle outfitters,Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Kay Jewelers, Old Navy and L.L Bean.
It has some pretty good food options as well including Cosi, Melt and Shula’s Steak House.
I always have a grand time when I visit the Promenade. On a beautiful day, just walking around the well manicured grounds and interacting with the people is a refreshing experience.
Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think.
Famous People From Lehigh Valley, PA
What do all of these people have in common? They are all from Lehigh Valley, PA. Yes, there are a lot of cool people from the Valley. Here are some quick facts about them shown from left to right.
Christine Taylor – is from the Allentown area. She’s married to Ben Stiller and has appeared in several films with him including “Zoolander” and “Dodgeball.” She also played Marsha Brady in “The Brady Bunch” films.
The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) – Originally from Bethlehem, he wrestled for WWE before becoming an actor in films including “The Scorpion King” and “Get Smart”
Amanda Seyfried – She is a star of movies such as “Red Riding Hood”, “Chloe” and “Mean Girls”. Seyfried is originally from Allentown.
Johnathan Frakes – Frakes has a long career on both stage, screen and television. He is best know for his recurring role as William T. Riker on Star Trek Next Generation. Frakes is from Behtlehem, PA.
The Lehigh Valley is a cool place to live. Check back often for more interesting and cool facts about the Lehigh Valley.
Lehigh Valley Fun Places (Part 1)
Living in the Lehigh Valley can be fun and exciting. There is much to do whether you visit Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown or the surrounding areas. In this post I will send you to my Pinterest site where I introduce you to some of these places.
Click the image below to check out some fun places in the Lehigh Valley!
If you are considering moving to the Lehigh Valley, use this post and my other posts to learn about the Valley. I also have valuable resources that help you learn about the Lehigh Valley Real Estate Market. There is much happening in this market and it pays for you to have inside information. Get inside information about the Lehigh Valley Real Estate market at my site.
Make sure you visit often as I will be updating this site all the time. Enjoy!
Lehigh Valley Pending Home Sales at a 5 Year High
The Lehigh Valley Real Estate market may be in an upswing. The number of pending sales is at 620 for March 2012. This is a 52.3% increase over last year’s pending sales number and is the highest March pending sales number for the Lehigh Valley Real Estate market since March 2007, when the pending sales were at 632. Pending sales represent contracts but not closings.
Total Sales are also up this month. At 394, total sales are up 48.7% when compared to February 2012 and 3.1% compared to March 2011.
With these increases and the positive outlook of many of my fellow real estate professionals, we may be looking at a positive spring market in the Lehigh Valley.
No They Didn’t. Did Zillow Just Undervalue My Lehigh Valley Home? (Part 2)
Today’s post will be very short. Yesterday we talked about the “reliability” of the Zestimate (read yesterday’s post). Today, I will show you how you may be able to change your home’s Zestimate by editing you home’s details on Zillow.
You may be able to affect your homes Zestimate by taking the following steps:
1. Navigate to http://www.zillow.com
2.Register or log-in if you have already registered
3. Search for your home on zillow.
4.Follow these instructions to claim your home:
Click on your address on the map, then click “Edit” on the menu bar and there should be an option to claim your property. You will go through an easy process where you can claim your home by name verification or with official documentation. More details.
5. Go to your home details page and click “Edit,” then “Edit home facts.”
That’s it. If the details of your home were wrong, correcting them should change your home’s Zestimate.
If you live in the Lehigh Valley or surrounding areas and would like a professional Market Analysis to really determine the best price to list your home contact me at 484-226-0207.
