For Sale: 3BR/1+1BA Single Family House in Claymont, DE, $319,900

Open House Mar. 21st 1-3pm -

Single Family Home in North Wilmington, Delaware.

Energy Efficient Furnace & Windows.

Great Patio for Entertaining.

Stop by to see and enter our door prize drawing.

For Sale: 3BR/1+1BA Single Family House in Claymont, DE, $319,900

Home Decorating Trends in 2010

Trends on Decorating Your Home in 2010

Frugal Nursery Ideas

It seems there is a baby boom going on in the US, or at least in my circle of friends, so I decided to add this topic of nursery ideas to the list. Nursery’s can be anything you want and can get overwhelming at times. Take these few ideas into your next nursery or pass them along to a friend.

• For inexpensive and creative art, frame pictures from old children's books. A row of framed pages can be interactive for a child as he learns to read, as well as fill a large blank wall in a contemporary way. Design by RMSer 11051402. (www.hgtv.com)
• Use your kids' handprints and footprints to decorate. You'll both love it and you get to see those tiny hands later and marvel at how little they were. Besides on walls, you can use them on lampshades, furniture, even fabric for the curtains or such. Use a safe paint and just wash immediately afterwards. To fake the look of baby footprints, make a closed fist and stamp the side of your hand (by the pinkie) onto the surface, then use your pinkie to dot toe marks. Looks very realistic. (www.magicalchildhood.com)
• Install adjustable shelves and brackets within easy reach of adults so they are functional as well as decorative. Place folded clothes, baby blankets, and other necessities on every other shelf, and place stuffed animals and decorative items in between. You’ll gain much needed storage space while decorating your baby’s nursery at the same time.
  (http://www.doityourself.com/stry/nurserydecorate#ixzz0gTTTuNNN)

Bathroom Renovations

You can still go Green and have a spa like bathroom. Check out these tips for renovating your bath. Most people start with kitchens and baths for updating a home because it gets more value for the amount you spend when selling your home.

• Installing lower water usage appliances such as a low-flow toilet, aerators on the faucet and shower heads. (http://www.hgtv.com/home-improvement/eco-friendly-bathroom-6-ways-to-go-green/index.html)
• Flooring can warm up the room if you use wood. Look for wood that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council because it has been grown in a sustainable manner. Bamboo is a sustainable wood and is great for bathrooms because it stands up well in a moist climate. (http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/eco-luxurious-bathrooms/index.html)

Total Home Update Trends

This article from www.frontdoor.com sums up perfectly the top 10 projects to get more bang for your buck in today’s home selling world. Check out the list below.

(http://www.frontdoor.com/Home-Finance/Top-10-Home-Updates/54706)

1. Spruce up or replace your siding.
2. Add a deck.
3. Tweak your kitchen.
4. Repair or replace windows.
5. Overhaul your kitchen.
6. Strip the bathroom.
7. Find cash in the attic.
8. Earn bucks from the basement.
9. Add space to add value.
10. Add low-cost landscaping.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs vs. Traditional Light Bulbs

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs vs. Traditional Light Bulbs

What is the Real Value?

While listening to a webinar on Green Building Technologies by Keller Williams MAPS program we learned about all the different aspects of what Green really means when talking about homes. There are many different aspects to look at such as the way to orient a home, build a home or replace items in a home. There are different levels of expense and also ranges of savings.

One thing I thought was an instant correlation to savings is with the light bulb switch. We have all heard it, we have seen the free compact fluorescent light bulbs being given away, and we have all heard other say you save a lot....but really how much? Well here is a good break down I learned on the webinar. The compact fluorescent bulbs do use 75% less energy than traditional bulbs.

One Traditional light bulb (100 watt) costs about $0.35. (you will need 10 of these to last as long as the compact fluorescent bulb)

If you burn the Traditional bulb for 24/7 for 1 year it will cost around $87

So total cost $90.50

If you buy a new compact fluorescent bulb for about $8 it will last about 10 years. (not dimmers)

Run this bulb for 24/7 for 1 year and the cost is about $22 per year.

So a net of $30.

Savings will be around $90 - $30 = $70/year net!

Ok, so who is going to switch to new light bulb this week? I know I will be switching out more of mine in the near future. And yes they do have some light bulbs with a softer glow so it is not a harsh light in your family room or bedroom.

New HUD Changes

Below is information I received from one of my trusted lenders. Buyers please take note on the changes! Thank you Kara White Shilling from Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. for this information. Kara's information is below if you have any questions.

HUD announced a few interesting changes regarding FHA financing.

· Up front mortgage insurance premium will be increased from 1.75% to 2.25% ; will go into effect in the Spring.

· Summer of 2010, FHA will lower seller contributions from 6% to 3%.

· Minimum credit score will be 580. That will not affect Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. (and the majority of all lenders) because our minimum credit is and has been 620. (For those lenders who do allow lower credit scores, new borrowers who have FICO scores of 580 or less will be required to put 10% down).

Below is the HUD press release for your review, should you be interested in further information.

http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2010/HUDNo.10-016

Kara White Schilling

Loan Officer

302.766.7392 (office)

302.545.2499 (cell)

www.karawhiteschilling.com

Mobile Real Estate Technology

The new trend in finding homes and keeping up with real estate is in mobile technology. I was a bit wary of this at first but after seeing a few applications and websites I think this will help get the word out on more listings.

Check out this one application by Realtor.com for the Apple iPhone. http://ow.ly/YK5U

I have this application and think it is pretty awesome so far. It will definately help me in my business when I get the random questions from friends and family about real estate when I am out and about. Also if you just want to know what is for sale around you this is a great tool to have a quick look.

I will say that you should still contact your Realtor with questions and requests. We are the experts and here to help. So give me a call if you find anything on your mobile device that you are interested in.

Happy Shopping, there are some great deals out there!

Stacey Woods

For Sale: 3BR/2+1BA Townhouse in Wilmington, DE, $239,900

Open House Sunday Jan. 17th 1 to 3pm

Great value Twin near Trolley Square and Little Italy

Stop by and check it out today! Have questions...give me a call at 302-740-5635.

For Sale: 3BR/2+1BA Twin in Wilmington, DE, $239,900

Peace of Mind Home Buyers Worried about High Unemployment

The average duration that unemployed workers are out of a job is currently more than six months, near the highest level since the bureau started tracking the figure in 1948. The total number of unemployed people stands at 15.1 million. 5.4 million of those have been looking for work for more than 27 weeks.

Currently New Castle, County DE is preliminary at an 8.6% unemployment rate as of September 2009. Statewide the unemployment rate is preliminary 8.7% as of October 2009. However the national rate is 10.2% for October so we are still below the national average.

With incentives in the housing market, including very low interest rates, a large selection of homes for sale in many markets, and highly affordable home prices, concerns about the job market and possible unemployment have held back many potential buyers.

Here are a few suggestions for potential buyers and current homeowners:

1. Buy well within your means. Although home buyers often want to buy a home they can see themselves growing into, stay within a conservative percentage of what you currently make. If you had to take a part-time instead of a full-time job, if your salary or hours were cut, or if you become a one-income household instead of two, make sure your monthly payment would still be attainable.

2. Put down a large down payment. Not only will your monthly payments be less, but the equity from the down payment creates a buffer zone. If you put 20% down when you purchase your home and home prices in the area drop 5%, you still have at least 15% equity in your home. For sellers, this built-up equity provides flexibility-should you need to sell in a hurry.

3. Have an emergency fund. Experts advise everyone, not just homeowners, to have an emergency fund of at least six months’ worth of expenses. This fund should be saved in a liquid account, like a money market or savings account, for easy access if needed quickly. With the average time to find a new job currently above six months, seven or more months of savings is a good goal.

4. Pay down other debts. Lowering or eliminating debt service is always a good move and is particularly wise in the current job climate. If you were without a job and income, lower fixed monthly expenses help ease your financial burden and stretch the money in your emergency fund.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNNMoney.com, etc.