Fixer Upper is one of my favorite HGTV shows. Chip and Joanna Gaines make the process appear exciting and fun, but I imagine there are a lot of behind-the-scene negotiations and inspections we're not exposed to in order to make the show more entertaining. Chip and Joanna are a very sweet couple and seem very genuine and down to earth, so that's what keeps me going back and even recording the show so that I don’t miss an episode. But is this possible to find a home for $85,000 and put $80,000 … [Read more...]
Local Professional Earns Accredited Staging Professional® (ASP®) Designation
The Real Estate market is increasing homeowner demands for tools to help bring a profit in the sale of their homes. ASP Home Staging has become one such tool. By properly cleaning, decluttering and preparing a house before it is listed on the market, homeowners have a better chance of selling their home at or above list price. In a recent study conducted by Stagedhomes.com, of over 1000 homes, (55% Vacant, 45% occupied) across the United States and Canada, showed homes that were prepared for … [Read more...]
Real Estate Ad Abbreviations
Confused by all the letters in a real estate ad? Here's a list of the most commonly used abbreviations in real estate ads. AC : Acre(s) A/C : Air Conditioning APPL : Appliances APPT : Appointment APT : Apartment ARCH : Architecture ARCH, ARCWY : Archway ASRSV : Assigned Parking ATT : Attached Garage AVAIL : Available BA, BTH : Bath, Bathroom BALC : Balcony BCH : Beach BCHFRNT : Beachfront BD, BDR, BDRM : Bedroom BKCSE(S) : Bookcases BKR, BRKR : Broker BKYD : Fenced … [Read more...]
FHA Loan Insurance Increase on April 1 and June 1
If you're on the fence on buying a home, you may be interested in knowing that on FHA financing HUD announced that insurance on FHA loans will increase on April 1 and June 1. This will impact FHA borrowers. If you're purchasing a home loan with less than 20% down, you must obtain mortgage insurance (MI) and these rates are going up. Call me at 325-669-4005 if you need details or if you need to buy before the rates go up. I can help you with that....blessings!!! … [Read more...]
Abilene Real Estate Outlook
I'm looking forward to 2012 being a great year for real estate in Abilene, Texas. The interest rates are considerable lower than they have been in decades and buyers are out in the marketplace. This makes for an exciting time to be a REALTOR®. The buyers that I've been working with are anxious and excited about the prospects of finding their new homes. I have a single lady, a family of five, a newlywed couple, a couple with a baby on the way and a couple looking for country charm. They put a … [Read more...]