Home Buyer FAQ!

All home buyers have questions!  That's totally normal!  No one is born with the innate knowledge of how to buy a home, or how to navigate the home buying process.  That's why we're offering a FREE Home Buyer Education Workshop on February 6, 2014!

This informative workshop is designed to educate consumers who may be thinking of purchasing a home in the near future!  We're at the start of a new year, so let's start on the right foot!  Lauren Boger with OnQ Financial will be on hand to discuss all loan programs, down payment assistance, available grants, and offer a FREE Credit Report!  Carol Moore with Nationwide Insurance will discuss homeowners insurance and how it can impact your investment,  And I will be able to discuss the home buying process, as well as offer real estate market information!

Call 910.353.2970 or contact me at 910.545.0450 to register- space is limited!

Amanda Parmer

Keller Williams Realty

910.545.0450

www.JacksonvilleNCHomeSeller.com

Have you been renting? You're still paying a mortgage!

Jacksonville, NC is growing by leaps and bounds!

If you've been in the Jacksonville, NC recently, you've noticed a lot of road construction, new routes, new signs, and lots of new stores coming to town!
Recently published in the Jacksonville Daily News, an article highlights a lot of the new growth Onslow County will see this year!  Residents can expect another 30 businesses coming into our local area.

•New Wal-Mart in Richlands, NC!  Not only will it add convenience, cut down grocery trip time, but the Richlands Wal-Mart will provide about 300 job opportunities to the area!
•Tons of new restaurants and eateries coming to the Jacksonville area- Chuy's Tex Mex, Zaxbys, Tropical Smoothie, Asian Bistro, Krispy Kreme, Chipotle, and yes- you guessed it- another McDonald's & Taco Bell!  Rumors have been circling about another Starbucks, but I haven't seen anything to get hopeful about yet.
•The Jacksonville Mall is planning to expand their footprint as well.
•Downtown Jacksonville has been experiencing a face lift with the rehabilitation of many of the older buildings, which allows the integration of Jacksonville's vintage historical charm with a breath of fresh air.  You'll see Biagio's Italian Coffee & Espresso Bar under construction on New Bridge Street, with spaces for more local eateries and shops!

Biagio's Italian Coffee & Espresso Bar

City planners expect more commercial growth in the Piney Green area, once road construction completes.  Here we grow again!  Jacksonville, NC is becoming a retail landmark for surrounding areas, bringing the economy up and helping to provide jobs to residents.

For information on how this can impact the local housing market, give me a call!  I'd love to sit down at one of the new eateries with you and discuss what it looks like!  For an up to date market analysis on your home, check out this helpful link!

Amanda Parmer

REALTOR®

Keller Williams Realty

910.545.0450

www.JacksonvilleNCHomeSeller.com

Know someone who needs some real estate assistance, we love when folks pass our info along and we love an excuse for an extra special thank you!

 

Want to Win $50,000? OF COURSE YOU DO!

What's going on with the mortgage interest rates?

Mortgage interest rates seem to be a hot topic among economists, housing market analysts, and the media these days.  But what's really going on?

The facts are:
•Mortgage rates hit a historical low in October 2012 at 3.8% (at an average 30 year fixed rate loan) according to Freddie Mac.
•Mortgage rates slowly creeped up and then dropped back down in 2013, still remaining relatively low all year.
•The Fed announced in December 2013 that they'll be cinching the purse strings on the bond buying program- which is the program that kept the lid on long-term interest rates in an effort to stimulate a relatively weak economy.

What the analysts are predicting:
•Home Values will rise, some are predicting as much as 3%
•Mortgage rates will creep toward 5.5%
•Mortgages will be easier to obtain

What this means to Home Buyers:
Today's fixed rate mortgage is hovering right around 4.5%, and with the expectation of 5.5% in the near future, the 1% increase will decrease a buyer's purchasing power by as much as 10%.  So if you were looking at homes for sale in the $200,000 price range, you may want to consider similar homes in the $180,000 price range.

What this means to Home Sellers:
If you took advantage of the historically low interest rates in the last few years, whether as a purchase or as a refinance, you may consider letting a buyer assume your loan, as part of the negotiations.  Or, consider the amount of equity you will gain with the slowly rising home values.

As with anything, we need to try to make the most informed decisions, and there are no crystal balls in real estate!  For the most accurate, local real estate information, give me a call!  I'd love to discuss what's going on in the Jacksonville real estate market with you!

Amanda Parmer, REALTOR, Keller Williams Realty

910.545.0450

www.JacksonvilleNCHomeSellers.com

FAQ's Buyers Ask When Buying A Home

There are a lot of details when buying a home and homebuyers ask questions-  a lot of them!  The adage remains true, "You don't know what you don't know.  And if you don't ask, you still don't know!"

Curiosity is at an all time high during the home search as buyers and sellers try to size up each other and their motivations.  These are some of the most popular questions from homebuyers:

How long has the home been on the market?
Buyers should be asking this question.  Many times the longer the marketing time usually means it lags as a result of price in relation to its condition and competition.  They view it as "something is wrong with the property" as to why it's still on the market.  Likewise, if the home is priced accordingly, they'll sense the motivation and jump on it, in fear of missing a good deal.

Why is the seller selling?
Every buyer wants to know this and is another question used to try to determine motivation. However, buyers can't assume that the seller's reason is any more of a motivation to sell than the buyers motivation is to buy.  It's a gamble to try to guess.  This is not a material fact, but if either the buyer or the seller knew the other's motivation, it could be used as a negotiation point.
How long have they owned it?  How much did they pay for it?  What do they owe?
Buyers always want to know how much equity sellers have, so they know how much to offer or ask for as far as concessions.  And for the most part this is all public knowledge in North Carolina.  The deed of trust is recorded with the deed and shows how much money is lent.  Any good buyer's agent will figure this out and structure an offer to best suit the buyers.
Any Maintenance/home improvement questions!
How old is the roof, when was the heat pump last serviced, how much are the utilities?  And on and on!  Taking on the responsibility of home ownership is a big deal for many people, and knowing if they're also taking on a money pit can be a deal breaker.  I always recommend to all my homeowners that if they see any "honey-do" projects or little fix-its when they put their home on the market- go ahead and get them fixed!  The less a potential buyer sees wrong with the home, the less they'll investigate for more issues!

For more questions about buying or selling homes, give me a call!

 These are just the most popular- there are PLENTY more to talk about!!  For a complete list of homes for sale in the Jacksonville area, click here.