changescapeweb, Author at Sandra Meranda

November 28, 2012 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

How to Make Small Rooms Feel Larger

When showing a home for sale, it is very important to make the small rooms feel larger. There are several things that you can do to change the perception of the space in a home to make it seem larger.

Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine posted an article with several nice tips to open up smaller spaces. These include:

1. Remove furniture – keep the furniture basics
2. Declutter – one of the most impactful in regard to the perception of a room’s size.
3. Find secret storage spots.
4. Lighten the color – lighter tones on the wall can open it up.
5. Let the light flow in – it can make the space look bigger.
6. Hang some mirrors. Mirrors can reflect light and give the illusion of depth to a room.
7. Opt for plain fabrics.
8. Make smart furniture choices.

If you are thinking about selling a home in St. Charles or St. Louis Counties, working with a Real Estate expert than knows the St. Charles and St. Louis County market can really help you. Sandra Meranda specializes in the St. Charles and St. Louis county home markets. Contact me for help with finding or selling your home.

November 14, 2012 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

Low Valuation in Appraisals Causing Contract Glitches

Home sales numbers in St. Charles continue to increase, but there are a few glitches that occur. There are large numbers of homes at below-market prices & the Interest rates are hovering around 3.5% !! The home sale numbers have been increasing every month since June 2011.

One of the glitches that has been occurring stems from Low Valuation in Appraisals – here’s an excerpt of an article on this subject (click here for the full article).

The real estate market is recovering but still faces hurdles, notably from tight mortgage credit, but problems with a sizeable share of real estate appraisals also are holding back home sales, according to survey findings by the National Association of REALTORS®.

Most appraisers are competent and provide good valuations that are compliant with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. However, appraisals generally lag market conditions and some changes to the appraisal process have been causing problems in recent years, including the use of out-of-area valuators without local expertise or full access to local data, inappropriate comparisons, and excessive lender demands. In addition, before the beginning of last year, some lenders’ loan processors edited valuations, cutting them by a certain percentage.

Although 65 percent of REALTORS® surveyed in September report no contract problems relating to home appraisals over the past three months, 11 percent say a contract was cancelled because an appraised value came in below the price negotiated between the buyer and seller, 9 percent report a contract was delayed, and 15 percent said a contract was renegotiated to a lower sales price as a result of a low valuation. These findings are notable given that homes in many areas are selling for less than replacement construction costs.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says there has been a steady level of appraisal issues for quite some time. “Though the real estate recovery is taking place, the combined issues of stringent mortgage lending requirements and appraisal frictions are hampering otherwise qualified buyers from purchasing a home in a timely fashion, and in some cases are preventing them from buying at all,” he says.

If you are a first time home buyer thinking about buying a home in St. Charles or St. Louis Counties, working with a Real Estate expert than knows the St. Charles and St. Louis County market can really help you. Sandra Meranda specializes in the St. Charles and St. Louis county home markets. Contact me for help with finding or selling your home.

October 17, 2012 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

Common mistakes that first time home buyers make in St. Charles and St. Louis Counties

There are common mistakes that first time home buyers make when purchasing a home in St. Charles or St. Louis counties, and the list below outlines the top 5 that I’ve seen over the years.

While the most frequent first time buyer mistakes are not earth shattering, they can cause a lot of unnecessary stress, frustration, and heartache

1.TAKING ADVICE FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Every real estate transaction is unique due to the fact that buyers and sellers have varying personalities, circumstances, income, equity positions, debt ratios, credit scores, etc… In addition, the real estate industry and real estate market are constantly undergoing changes, and what was true a year ago, or even yesterday, could be completely different in today’s economic and lending climate. St. Charles & St. Louis county loan officers and real estate agents that are working in the business every day, have a depth of knowledge, and real time experience with regards to appraisals, market values, seller concessions, and more, which your friends and family do not. Although it’s natural to be nervous and tempted to rely on friends and family, as a first time buyer, it’s important that you trust what your St. Charles & St. Louis county real estate agent and/or home loan agent tells you. And, although it’s wise to get a second opinion in many cases, it should always come from another real estate industry professional, who has the FULL details or your purchase and financial profile.

2. BUYING THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOME THEY QUALIFY FOR IN ST. CHARLES OR ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Becoming a St. Charles & St. Louis county homeowner is very exciting for a first time buyer, but it can become a financial burden, if you’re not prepared for the additional costs of homeownership. This is one topic that is perfect to discuss with friends and family, and an area where they can be a great source of advice.

When choosing your first home in St. Charles or St. Louis county, consider all of the expenses you will incur, in addition to your monthly mortgage, and be realistic about how much you will have left over for food, gasoline, and even entertainment. The last thing you want to do is to become a prisoner in your own home, even if it is beautiful and everything you’ve ever dreamed of.

3. MAKING LOW OFFERS ON HOMES IN ST. CHARLES & ST. LOUIS COUNTY

As a first time buyer, you may be reluctant to offer full price, or above asking price, on a home that you want to purchase in St. Charles & St. Louis counties. You may also think that your real estate agent is simply trying to make a quick sale, if they urge you to do so. However, the St. Charles & St. Louis county real estate market is moving quickly right now, and desirable properties typically have multiple offers submitted on them due to the severe lack of inventory. With homes in St. Charles & St. Louis counties selling almost as soon as the sign goes up, and prices pushing up slightly, you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak and wasting your time, if you’re not offering a fair amount of money for the property. This is especially true when it comes to standard real estate sales in St. Charles & St. Louis counties, since the owner is not desperate to sell.

4. NOT MAKING AN OFFER WHEN THEY FIND THE RIGHT HOME IN ST. CHARLES & ST. LOUIS COUNTIES

So often first time home buyers are hesitant to place an offer on a home, if they’ve just begun their St. Charles & St. Louis county home search. The problem is that there are many other buyers that have been searching for months already, and the home you love may very well be pending by the time you circle back to it. Yes, it’s important to see what’s out there, and know that you’re making the right decision, but you should try to do this as quickly as possible, if you find a home in St. Charles or St. Louis county that you like and suits your needs.

5. LOOKING FOR A HOME LIKE THEIR PARENTS

It’s important to remember that most people do not buy their dream home right out of the gate. Your parents, or other family members and friends, probably started out in a much smaller house, or even a condo in St. Charles or St. Louis county. Most likely, they paid down their mortgage over the years, and then traded up to a larger St. Charles or St. Louis county home, when the time was right. As a first time buyer, it may be difficult to lower your expectations a bit, but by not doing so, you may miss out on a great home and the incredibly low interest rates and prices available today in St. Charles & St. Louis counties.

October 4, 2012 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

The Pros and Cons of Air Duct Cleaning

How do you know if you need to have your air ducts cleaned? You may be attracted to advertisements promoting duct cleaning, but before you hire someone to do the dirty work, consider the pros and cons. Here’s some valuable information on air duct cleaning from HouseMaster:

According to the (NADCA), National Air Duct Cleaners Association, a professional association based in Washington, D.C., air duct cleaning is a buyer-beware service. Some companies promoting duct cleaning may be either bait and switch operations or companies that do inferior jobs with unprofessional equipment.

Any professional cleaner would question a company that would employ only shop-vac sized machines with a single 2-inch hose. To do a good job, powerful machines mounted in specially equipped vehicles with varying types of hoses and attachments will be needed in most cases to adequately reach all duct areas.

But even if the technician is prepared, the above information begs the question: “Is air duct cleaning really worthwhile?” You can check some of your own ducts with a mirror and a flashlight. Unscrew several of your wall or floor vents and, using your mirror, look into the ducts.

If there aren’t any large deposits of dust, dirt or mold, or if no one in your home suffers allergies or asthma, having air ducts cleaned is probably unnecessary, according to advice provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Also, just because you have dirty return grilles doesn’t mean you have dirty ducts. It’s normal for dust-laden air to be pulled through the grates leaving telltale black streaks that can often be easily vacuumed or cleaned at the return.

The NADCA notes that ducts are more likely to need cleaning under the following circumstances:

The home has been remodeled.
Water has damaged the home.
There are four-leg pets.
Someone smokes.
Your carpeting is old.

According to industry experts, in cases where there are truly dirty ducts in a 2,000-square foot house, duct cleaners may fill three grocery sacks with dirt and debris. Expect to pay $250-500 for a typical home’s duct cleaning by a qualified professional. Larger homes with a more extensive duct system will cost proportionately more.

If duct cleaning is done improperly, or needlessly, the outcome can do more harm than good. Disturbing a basically intact and inert dust layer and then not removing the residue creates air borne contaminants that might not otherwise have been a problem. Homeowners should seek the advice and information on the pros and cons of duct cleaning before hiring a contractor.

The EPA advises that a professional cleaning should include:

Opening duct access points to allow the entire system to be inspected and cleaned.
Use of only high-efficiency particle (HEPA) air vacuuming equipment.
Protection of the carpeting and household furnishings during cleaning.
Use of well-controlled brushing equipment with powerful vacuums to dislodge dust and other particles.
Taking care to protect ductwork including sealing and re-insulating any access holes.

For more information on duct cleaning visit the EPA website: www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html

Remember, these tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a professional if you have questions about a specific issue.

If you are thinking about buying and selling a home in St. Charles, working with a Real Estate expert can help you make your home a safe and clean home. Sandra Meranda specializes in the St. Charles and St. Louis county home markets. Contact me for help with finding or selling your home.

September 16, 2012 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

Rising home prices lift homeowners out from underwater

iStock_000017671796XSmall-300x300 This summer has been busy. This was the busiest Summer season we have had in 5 years! It is still the prime time of year for buying and selling real estate. There are large numbers of homes at below-market prices & the Interest rates are hovering around 3.5% !! The home sale numbers have been increasing every month since June 2011. Now home values are starting to rise nationwide and also in St. Charles.

Rising home values helped 1.3 million homeowners get out from “underwater” in the first half of the year, and a 5% increase would give 2 million equity in their homes.

“Surging home prices this spring and summer, lower levels of inventory, and declining REO sale shares are all contributing to the nascent housing recovery and declining negative equity,” CoreLogic Chief Economist Mark Fleming said in a statement.

For more details you can read the entire article Rising home prices lift 1.3 million out from underwater

If you are thinking about buying and selling a home in St. Charles, working with a Real Estate expert than knows the St. Charles market can really help you. Sandra Meranda specializes in the St. Charles and St. Louis county home markets. Contact me for help with finding or selling your home.

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