Main

June 10, 2008

Home Buyers - Your Time is Almost Up.

I hate to say it, but I think the end is here.  My guess is that within the next year, we will be back to only one option for 0% down home purchases.  The VA loan.

Am I sad?

Not really.  I think that a lot of people are not meant to be home owners.

Do this hurt the real estate market?

Most definitely.  If we take all of the first time home buyers out of the equation that don't have downpayments, we are left with 4 first time home buyers (a sarcastic statistic - say that 3 times fast).  We already have enough problems with the buying chains being broken by every foreclosure that sells.  If we take eliminate more of the buyer pool, our problems will magnify.

But this isn't really the negative that my last paragraph makes it sound to be.  It is a good thing to pre-qualify people that would like to buy homes.  What better way to ensure that they can handle their money then to make them save some.  If someone wants to buy a home bad enough, they will save the money to get it.  I know that it sounds harsh, but if you really think about it, I think you will agree.

 

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty in St Cloud

www.StCloudEdina.com/blog - REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St Cloud MN

www.StCloudEdina.com - Search real estate in St Cloud MN

[ Yahoo! ] options

March 31, 2008

0% Down Gone? Getting Creative with Home Loan Options

For those of you in the St Cloud area who were planning on purchasing a home with 0% down, your loan options are disappearing fast.  It sounds like as of April 7th, 2008 Freddie Mac will follow Fannie Mae's lead in declaring the majority of the areas covered by the St Cloud MLS declining markets.  This means that as a minimum for a conventional loan in these areas buyers will need 5% of the sales price.  Gone are the 80/20 conventional loans that were so prevalent just last year.

So what does a home buyer with no money do? 

How can you get into a home with 0% down?

The answer: Get creative.

I know the most common program being used today is theFederal Housing Administration's (FHA) loan with 6% seller paid closing costs and down payment.  As long as the home appraises, a buyer can ask the seller to pay the minimum 3% required down payment and up to 3% in closing costs.  I have seen about 12 local lenders in the St Cloud area utilizing this new product.

What does this mean to you as a buyer?

Answer:  You are basically pulling out the equity on a home purchase (assuming that you purchase a home with some instant equity) to pay for your closing costs and down payment.  This will make it so that it takes a few years before you can even think about re-selling a home.  It's perfect if you plan on staying in the area for many years to come, but not if you aren't sure.

Numbers for reference:

List Price = $141,000

Offer = $150,000

Seller Pays = $9000 ($4500 for minimum 3% down, 3% for closing costs)

Effect = Seller gets $141,000   /   Buyer mortgages $150,000

As long as the home appraises for at least $150,000 this deal works.

If you have heard of some other creative financing options, and you are afraid about their implications, post them here for everyone to see.  If they are good, I would love to be able to tell my buyers about them.

 

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud MN

http://jptangen.featuredblog.com - Blog postings on www.REALTOR.com

[ Yahoo! ] options

March 19, 2008

When is the "Great Time to Buy"

Let's ponder this for a second.

2-3 years ago, all of the headlines in newspapers and on television told the general public it was a great time to buy.  Interest rates were still historically low and properties were appreciating at a great pace.

Fast forward to today.  Now all of the headlines in the newspapers and on television tell us about the horrible state of the real estate market.  Home prices are depreciating and nothing is selling (according to the media).

Now I want you to decide when you would have preferred to purchase a home.  Would you prefer to have bought when the home prices were inflated and the media was telling you it was great?  Or would prefer to purchase a property when home prices are lower, interest rates are roughly the same, and the media is telling you that the real estate market is horrible?

Something to think about.

"When everyone else is walking, run.  When everyone else is running, walk" - I can't find who said this first, but I know it wasn't me.

 

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty in St Cloud

www.StCloudEdina.com - Search Real Estate in and Around St Cloud MN

www.JasonTangen.EdinaRealty.com - Search for Open Houses in and Around St Cloud MN

 

[ Yahoo! ] options

March 14, 2008

REALTOR Code of Ethics Should Help Prevent Foreclosures

There is one defining thing that always comes into play when someone says they are a REALTOR and not just a real estate agent.  That is the Code of Ethics that every REALTOR is to follow.  What I would like to touch base on in this post is Article #1:

"Article 1
When representing a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or other client as an agent, REALTORS® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client. This obligation to the client is primary, but it does not relieve REALTORS® of their obligation to treat all parties honestly. When serving a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant or other party in a non-agency capacity, REALTORS® remain obligated to treat all parties honestly. (Amended 1/01)" - Copied directly from link above.

 

What I like the best is in the first line: "... protect and promote the interests of their client"

I have been given some grief about asking for more than just a pre-approval letter from a couple of lending institutions recently.  They don't want to divulge the buyer's loan package (30 year fixed, ARM, etc.) or what my buyer's good faith estimate reads.  I feel that this is a necessity if you are looking out for your client's best interests.  Am I wrong?

How would you feel as a REALTOR, bound by the code of ethics, if you got to a closing and found out there that your buyer was using a negatively amortized loan on a home they plan on living in for an extended period of time?  It would raise a red flag in my head that these people probably cannot afford this home.

Think of how many foreclosed properties could have been staved off if the real estate professional had learned the ins and outs of their client's loan package in advance.

The other aspect of this, how can you tell if your client is being gouged on their loan application with "fluff" fees if you don't look at their good faith estimate?  As REALTORS, we have the duty to tell our clients if their banks are charging exorbitant amounts for appraisals or whatever.

A plea to REALTORS:  Please re-look over the Code of Ethics and take the time to analyze your business practices.  Are you in violation?

A plea to banks:  Lets work together to get our clients the best loan, best home, and best service possible.

A plea to buyers:  Be honest with us about your comfortable range for house payments.  I realize that an extra $20,000 can go a long way in what amenities you can get in a home.  But you really want to be able to keep the home right?

 

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty in St Cloud

http://JasonTangen.EdinaRealty.com - Search real estate for sale, open houses, etc. in Central MN

www.StCloudEdina.com/blog - REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St Cloud, MN

[ Yahoo! ] options

March 05, 2008

Offer 85% of the Asking Price?

Is there a billboard (Franklin Outdoor Advertising or Lamar Advertising Company) somewhere near St Cloud MN that has this statistic printed on it?  I have heard this exact number recently from at least 10 different home buyers that are thinking about writing an offers on foreclosed properties.

Below are the statistics.  Nowhere in my research did I find that foreclosed properties are selling on average for 85% of their asking price. 

*Please note that these are average numbers.  Each real estate transaction is unique and a home's price needs to be evaluated on an individual basis to show what is (or isn't) a good deal.

Under 30 Days on Market: Foreclosed properties are being sold at an average of 98.3% of their original asking prices.

30-60 Days on Market: Foreclosed properties have had price reductions on average of just over 7%.  Homes in this range are selling at 97.8% of their new asking prices (90.9% of original asking prices).

60-100 Days on Market:  Foreclosed properties have had price reductions on average of just over 11%.  Homes in this range are selling at 96.8% of their new asking prices (85.9% of original prices)

100+ Days on Market:  Foreclosed properties on the market more than 100 days have had price reductions on average equaling more than 17% of their original list prices.  These homes are selling at 93.4% of their new listing prices (which equates to 77.4% of the original list price).

So what can you take from these stats?  If you offer 85% of the asking price on a foreclosed property that has been listed for more than 100 days and the bank counters back right in the middle, you are doing an OK job of negotiating.  I'll give you a "C".  You can also guesstimate that if you offer 85% on a foreclosed home that has been listed less than 60 days, the bank won't budge much from their asking price.

Want more information?  Are you curious what the average sales price is for a new construction home in Sartell?  Or how about what percentage of the homes sold on the St Cloud MLS are foreclosures?  Post your questions here and I can pull you just about any stat from the St Cloud MLS.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud

The 192,326th Best REALTOR in the US. - This is a joke.  I have no way of knowing (or proving) where I would rank in a nationwide "Best REALTOR" contest.  I know that I don't sell as many homes as some of the top producers in the country so I'm not #1.  But I also know that my clients love my services.  Funny enough, this stat would put me in the top 15% of REALTORS nationwide.

[ Yahoo! ] options

February 23, 2008

Beware of Fast Moving Properties

If you hem and haw too much, you'll lose the property.  I'm sure all of you have heard that over the past few years when the market was in full swing for sellers.  What is surprising to me is the amount of times this has happened recently in regards to the foreclosures available to purchase around St Cloud, MN.

There are 3 such properties that I have had people request showings on that have sold within a few hours of being listed.  The most recent property was in St Joseph.  It was a fully finished bi-level home selling for under $100,000.  I bet you that I have had 8-9 people ask to see this home within the last few days, but it sold almost the moment that it was available.

My advice to those of you who are looking for the "unbelievable" buys - don't hesitate to pull the trigger and get your real estate professional to show you a home the moment it becomes available.  It might not be available to see tomorrow.

Lastly, if you know your search criteria, get your REALTOR to have an automated search run for you that will notify you immediately when a property comes available.  The faster you know about a home that is perfect for you, the better your chance of buying it.

 

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud

REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St Cloud MN

[ Yahoo! ] options

February 08, 2008

Get Homes De-Winterized for Home Inspections

I am reminded, once again, of the value of having a home de-winterized prior to performing a home inspection when purchasing a property.  With all of the vacant properties that are on the market, it only makes sense that sellers winterize their homes to ensure no pipes burst during a Minnesota Winter.  The problem is, sometimes pipes crack even when the de-winterization performed.

My buyers (purchasing a foreclosure) were at a sticking point in negotiations dealing with whether or not the bank was going to de-winterize the home for the home inspection.  Myself and Lori Reinert (another great real estate agent with Showcase Properties) decided to just split the cost of de-winterizing the home because we knew the value that this knowledge is to potential buyers.  As it turns out, there was a bad pipe between the city's main shutoff valve and the home's water meter.  If this wasn't detected, the new home owners would not have known about this prior to moving in to the home.

For everyone who is out there looking at purchasing a home during the winter months in Minnesota, be sure to get the home de-winterized and have a professional home inspector walk through the home.  I know that it costs a little bit of money, but the piece of mind and knowledge of potential problems make it more than worth the money.  If you need a couple of names of good home inspectors in the St Cloud area, give me a call or visit some of my prior blog posts in the business testimonials area.

 

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud MN

www.StCloudEdina.com - Search Homes for Sale on the St Cloud MLS

www.StCloudEdina.com/blog - REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St Cloud MN

[ Yahoo! ] options

January 09, 2008

Websites that Show All St Cloud Area Real Estate Listings

I am a little bit in awe (not in a good way) that some of the larger real estate companies do not utilize any sort of broker reciprocity on their national websites.  It would seem that with all of the real estate technology that is available, they could easily include more than just their offices property listings.  Maybe there is something that I am missing.

For the time being, if you are looking for real estate listings somewhere in the US (not just St Cloud MN), I recommend using either a local real estate website or REALTOR.com.  If you plan on using a local real estate website, make sure that is has some form of broker reciprocity and gives you all available real estate listings.

As a last note - if you are searching for homes for sale in St Cloud MN or the surrounding Central MN area, make sure that you find a website that includes both St Cloud and Minneapolis Multiple Listing Service (MLS) systems.  With the influx of foreclosed properties in Central MN that are being listed by real estate agents in the Twin Cities, it behooves any potential buyers to see all available properties.  There are lots of real estate agents that belong to either the St Cloud MLS or the Minneapolis MLS but not both.  Without belonging to both MLS systems (or subscribing to both in their broker reciprocity agreements), specific websites might make it impossible for buyers to view all of the deals that are currently available in the real estate market.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty of St Cloud MN

jasontangen.edinarealty.com - Search Homes for Sale Everywhere in Minnesota

www.StCloudEdina.com - Home of the e-Market Analysis (Free Home Value Estimator)

If you have questions as to whether or not the website you are currently using is giving you every property available, post the website here and I will compare it against both St Cloud and Minneapolis MLS systems.

 

[ Yahoo! ] options

December 11, 2007

Renting vs. Owning Home Search Feature

I was directed the other day to Hotpads.com from another real estate informational website and was very impressed with Hotpad.com's features.  There is an easy search that will organize real estate properties that are listed for sale by their potential mortgage payments.  For example - if you are willing to spend $900 a month to rent a property, this search feature will show you what homes you can afford to purchase within that same price range.  Check it out and tell me what you think.

 

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud

www.StCloudEdina.com - Home of the e-MARKET ANALYSIS (Free Home Value Estimator)

jasontangen.edinarealty.com - Search the St Cloud MLS

[ Yahoo! ] options

November 30, 2007

Winter Wonderland of Homes for Sale

With the first snow storm of the year coming soon, it's fairly safe to say that the real estate market should start a little break as it gears up for the spring rush.

 Things to know:

1)  The best deals on homes generally happen during this time of year.  There are many sellers in the area who have to sell their homes no matter what.  Take a good look at the homes available to purchase and see if there aren't one or two that might strike your fancy - the sellers may be willing to make a deal.

2)  Rates under 6.00%.  That's right, even though the money is a little harder to come by, for those of you who can get loans the rates are phenomenal once again.

 3)  According to the St Cloud MLS, there are more than 200 foreclosed properties just waiting to be plucked off the market.  I've heard rumor that Freddie Mac wants to try and unload as many of their foreclosures as possible in December.  I know for a fact that no bank wants to hold a foreclosure through the winter months in Minnesota.

What's your thoughts on the real estate market?

 

Jason Tangen, GRI - Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud

www.jasontangen.edinarealty.com - Search the St Cloud MLS

www.StCloudEdina.com - Home of the e-MARKET ANALYSIS (Free Home value Estimator)

[ Yahoo! ] options

November 26, 2007

Searching Homes for Sale on St Cloud Times Website

I recently had a person ask to see a home that had sold almost two years ago!  Where did they find this property?  On the St Cloud Times' Home Times website.  I've done a little research and found some glaring problems with the St Cloud Times' search results of homes for sale.  Below are the statistics I found with a brief search of homes for sale in Sartell MN with a price range of $175,000-200,000*:

1)  The St Cloud Times website has 13 properties available in Sartell MN between $175,000 and $200,000 - There are currently 37 listed on the St Cloud MLS

2)  Of the 13 homes, 12 are listed by real estate professionals in the St Cloud area - One FSBO.

3)  Of those 12 homes the St Cloud Times website offered by real estate professionals, over 41% had inaccurate prices, addresses, or were no longer available to purchase.

4)  One of the homes was a property that hasn't been listed for sale by that real estate agent in almost a full year.

Until the St Cloud Times changes the way they provide homes for sale to potential home buyers on their website, I highly recommend going to any of the personal or company websites in the St Cloud area that is equipped with some sort of Broker Reciprocity home search.  For the FSBO properties, I recommend one of the national sites like FSBO.com.  With the potential to search homes for sale on a multitude of websites, why settle for inaccurate and untimely information?

*Data obtained by comparing listings on the St Cloud Times' Home Times website and the information provided on the St Cloud MLS.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud

www.StCloudEdina.com - Search The St Cloud MLS

www.StCloudEdina.com/blog - REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St Cloud MN

[ Yahoo! ] options

November 21, 2007

Sold Price vs. Assessed Value in St Cloud Area

I had this request from a person in the local community regarding what the average difference was between the assessed value for tax purposes and the average market value (sold price) for homes.  I've asked if I could include it here for everyone to everyone to review.  The following is a copied version of our e-mail communications.  If you would like similar information about a different area surrounding St Cloud MN, post your requests here or e-mail me at jason@stcloudedina.com. :

 

Inquiry Message: Jason, I was wondering if you could tell me approximately which percentage a home's market value is over the tax value in Waite Park . Ie: Your tax value is at $112,000. What percentage over that would you estimate a homes true value to be? 10-15% or something? I would appreciate any info you could give. Thank you, S.T.

Response: S.T,

You had requested information regarding the market value of a home vs. what the county tax assessor has on record, correct?  I need to say that there are differing percentages of market values vs. assessed values depending on the price range of home in which you are looking.  Where a $99K home might be assessed on average at $93K - A home with a market value of $190K might be assessed on average at $188K. 
If you could give me the price range in which you are looking, I will average out the sold prices in that price range vs. the assessed values if you'd like.
The one thing to note about assessed values is that the counties are generally 1-2 years behind the market trends and reflect accordingly.  What I mean by this is that the county is raising assessed values at a rate similar to what appreciation was in 2005 or 2006 for this year.  We might be seeing market values fall in 2007 as people sell their homes, but the assessed values will rise the same year.
Please e-mail me back with the information regarding general value range and I will be glad to get you a concrete statistic for the Waite Park area.
Thank you,
Jason Tangen
Added Information: Jason,
Thank you so much for your quick response.  The values of the homes would probably average $100-$150k.  If that is too broad of a figure, I would base it on $125k.  Again, I really appreciate your efforts and getting back to me so quickly!
S.T.
Answer: S.T.,
I've pulled out the sales in Waite Park on homes that have been listed since Jan. 1st of 2007 and found the following stats for you:
Assessed Value on average is 95.7% of the Sold Price
Highest Positive Difference was Assessed Value 17.5% higher than Sold Price
Lowest Negative Difference was Assessed Value 77% of the Sold Price
Median Difference was Assessed Value 95.7% of the Sold Price
There was only 4 homes that sold for less than their Assessed Values with numbers of 1.4, 5.8, 5.2, and 17.5.% higher than the Sold Price
Thank you for the challenge to pull together these numbers.  If you have any other questions, comments, or concerns please give me a call or e-mail me back.
Also, with your permission, I would like to take this issue and post it on my blog for everyone to see.  I won't use your name, but I will put down the general data.  Would that be OK with you?
Jason Tangen

 

[ Yahoo! ] options

October 29, 2007

The Importance of Being Pre-Approved for Home Purchase

I write this post due to an unfortunate situation revolving around a couple of potential new home buyers.  I was speaking with these potential clients about buying a property in Sartell, MN.  We decided to schedule a showing for them at a foreclosed property that was being offered at a phenomenal price in the Sartell area.  To make sure the numbers concerning the loan were accurate, these home buyers wanted to wait until the right property came along before starting the pre-approval process.  As it turned out, we went to the property that was the perfect fit for them.  We decided it would be best if they hustled bank to their bank to get pre-approved.  Unfortunately, while waiting for the pre-approval to come back from a local bank, a different offer was presented to purchase the home.  Long story short; the bank accepted the other offer with a pre-approval letter as we couldn't deliver our pre-approval letter in time.

The biggest benefit when it comes to being pre-approved is that home buyers know exactly what they can and cannot afford.  This can save everyone a ton of time and remove the potential disappointment of looking at homes outside a buyer's price range.  Another reason for being pre-approved for a loan purchase prior to looking at homes is because the good deals in real estate always sell fast.  I know that in the current real estate market a home receiving more than one offer seems kind of rare, but I have been in five multiple offer situations in the last two months.  If a home is priced below market value, there are plenty of buyers waiting to snatch it up.  Potential home buyers need to be able to act fast if they want that great deal.

If you are unsure where to go to get pre-approved for your next home purchase, below are a few of the good loan officers around St Cloud, MN.

Bill Pennings - Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Mark Timpane - Edina Realty Mortgage

Sharon Schumacher - US Bank

Aaron Reznechek - Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

There are many other outstanding loan officers in the St Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce and around St Cloud in general.  The above four loan officers are ones that I have utilized used most recently.  All of the loan officers contained in this post do a phenomenal job of making sure that their clients get the right loan package for their home buying needs.  If you have questions, comments, or concerns about making your home purchase in the St Cloud area, post them here for answers and review.

Jason Tangen, GRI

Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty in St Cloud, MN

www.StCloudEdina.com/blog - REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St Cloud, MN

[ Yahoo! ] options

October 27, 2007

Time to Buy a Home in St Cloud MN?

It seemed like there was no way we could see mortgage rates stay this low for this long.  Early this year I was expecting to see mortgage rates hover around 7.0% this winter and raise even higher next spring.  Instead, it seems that the various economic factors that come into play as banks figure out their lending rates are as uneasy as the real estate market in general.  All of the doubt and negativity that has flooded the real estate market by the recent sub-prime lending practices and the extreme deflation of markets like California, Nevada, and Florida (to name a few) has found its way across the country.  Everyone feels like the real estate market is in the tank because this is what we keep hearing. 

I propose that we look at the St Cloud, MN real estate market and the surrounding areas of Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, and St Joseph to get a feel of what we should be doing in Central MN.  Interest rates are currently just over 6.0% (I've seen 5.95% on a couple of national stat sheets) and Bernanke, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, is expected to lower the Fed's rate again on Halloween.  The average and median home prices in the St Cloud area are only down approximately 1-2% as compared to 2006.  There are a literally 140+ foreclosed properties on the St Cloud MLS as well as hundreds of other distressed sales allowing for some phenomenal deals.  So why should a buyer want to purchase a home in the St Cloud, MN area now?

Simple breakdown:

   Great interest rates allow buyers to qualify for more home with less money.

   More deals and some true steals available to potential buyers.

   Overall, home prices are fairly stable in the St Cloud area.

 

Have you heard this phrase?  "When everyone else is walking, you should run."  I'm giving a big hint that todays real estate market is the perfect time to fight the system and buy up the houses that are being sold at great discounts.  I just sold a home to one of my buyers for $125K, minus closing costs to be paid by the bank, that appraised for $153K without the improvements that can be done to the inside of the home!  My buyer is looking at $30K in instant equity for just buying this home.  I personally purchased a third property earlier this year for just over $180K that is valued at almost $220K.  These deals are everywhere with the amount of foreclosures that are currently available.  If you haven't made your home purchase yet and would like to get set up to view the foreclosures currently for sale on the St Cloud (or Minneapolis) MLS systems, visit www.StCloudEdina.com/Foreclosures.html.  If you are still a little nervous about making your home purchase, please post your questions, comments and concerns below for answers and review.

Jason Tangen, GRI

http://jasontangen.edinarealty.com/AgentHome/Homepage.aspx

http://www.StCloudEdina.com

[ Yahoo! ] options

September 21, 2007

How much does it cost to own a home?

I'm often asked what the true monthly cost is in owning a home.  I love this question because it brings up several great points about the benefits of home ownership.  Obviously you have to make monthly payments into your motgage company, so you aren't getting to live in a home for free.  Therefore the question becomes how is it more beneficial to make mortgage payments vs. making rent payments? 

It is true that purchasing a home will cost you more money out of pocket every month than making rent payments.  Once you calculate in your principle and interest payment to the bank, property taxes, insurance, and potential mortgage insurance you will find out that there is indeed a big chunk of money making up your monthly motgage payment.  But there is the investment side of home ownership that makes it truly worth a persons time and money.  There are tax deductions for property taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance payments.  There is the principle reduction on your original loan (just like putting money in a really big piggy bank).  There is also the fact that over time a home will appreciate in value.  We haven't seen really any sort of appreciation in the St. Cloud and surrounding areas over the past few years, but historically you can almost guarantee a 2-3% appreciation rate every year.  Note that we are in much better shape than some real estate markets that have seen actual decreases in property values of 10-20% or more in the last few years.

So how does it all work out?  I have attached below a sample of a recent effective monthly payment spreadsheet.  I put this together for one of my buyers on a home roughly $200k in price.  The actual monthly payment, with 0% down, was just over $1650/mo with principle, interest, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and mortgage insurance.  After all the tax breaks, priciple reduction, and appreciation (calculated at 2%) were removed from the equation, the effective payment is really only $620/mo!  Granted you won't notice this effective monthly payment while you are living in the home.  Your pocketbook will only feel the actual monthly payment.  It's at a time of sale, when you get to recoup the amount that you have stored in you "piggy bank" as your equity, that you will reap the rewards.  Go ahead and use this spreadsheet if you'd like to see what an effective monthly payment might be for you as you make a real estate purchase.  Post any questions, comments, or concerns as to the use of this spreadsheet below.

Download file

PLEASE NOTE - You have to make the actual payment every month.  Do not use this file to create a reason for over-extending yourself with a bad mortgage.  Every home at every price can be used as an investment.  Start with a home that fits into your monthly budget and from there you can work your way up to your dream house.  Also note that not all people are meant for home ownership.  If you are planning to move again within the next few years, it may be difficult to gain enough equity to sell at a monetary gain.  Please contact a professional before deciding it's time to buy a home.  In most all situations it's FREE to work with a buyers agent in Minnesota so what do you have to lose?

 Jason Tangen

www.stcloudedina.com

www.stcloudedina.com/blog - REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St. Cloud, MN.

[ Yahoo! ] options

September 19, 2007

Fed drops the rate!

An unexpected larger drop in the Fed's rate should have positive impact on the real estate market in St. Cloud as well as around Minnesota.  I was expecting a 1/4 percent drop in the Fed's rate, but the 1/2 percent drop was definitely much larger than anticipated. 

How does this affect you in buying or selling a home?  As a buyer you will now be able to qualify for a larger amount of money and purchase a potentially better home than before.  As a seller you can expect an increase in activity on your homes as buyers that have been waiting will now be thinking about moving forward with their home purchase. 

This reduction in interest rates will also help the shaky real estate maket by alleviating some of the hikes that were expected in existing ARM option mortgages.  With the high number of mortgages that are already in default, this drop in interest rates will slow down the addition of new foreclosures to an already flooded market.

If you have an existing ARM loan, or some hybrid interest only style mortgage, now is probably the time to refinance.  Many of the loan officers and brokers were willing to put people into mortgages that were not in the homeowners best interests in recent years.  Double check and make sure that you are in some sort of fixed rate mortgage while the interest rates are down.  It may cost you a little money now, but the savings will be very beneficial to you in the future.

Unsure where to go to refinance your loan or get financing for a home purchase?  Give me a call at (320) 492-2667 or post your questions, comments and concerns here for answers and review.

Jason Tangen

www.stcloudedina.com

www.stcloudedin.com/blog - REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St. Cloud, MN

[ Yahoo! ] options

September 14, 2007

Where to search real estate..

One of the greatest things about moving to Edina Realty in St. Cloud from Coldwell Banker Herges Realty is the technology advancements that Edina Realty offers its agents and clients.  Just one of the technological hits, in my eyes, is the interactive property search for home buyers.  If you haven't already viewed the Edina Realty search feature for real estate in St. Cloud MN and the whole of Minnesota, I highly recommend giving it a test drive.  The url is http://jasontangen.edinarealty.com/listing/ListingSearch.aspx?Clear=2.  I know that once you try this new property search feature you will be very happy that I am not using my old search system any more.

Another thing to consider as you are looking to make a home purchase is the recent foreclosure market.  If you haven't already signed up to get a list of the current foreclosed properties on the St. Cloud MLS, you can sign up for free at www.stcloudedina.com/Foreclosures.html.

As you are searching the internet, I hope that you are willing to post your real estate related questions, comments, and concerns here for answers and review.  You can keep your post anonymous and everyone will benefit from the questions and answers in the future.

Jason Tangen

www.stcloudedina.com

[ Yahoo! ] options