changescapeweb, Author at Sandra Meranda

November 17, 2011 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

Now is the Time to Cash in on Rental Propety

iStock_000009666520XSmall Most of the news you hear about real estate these days seems to be bad news. Home prices have fallen, and there are still too many foreclosures occurring. But the rental market remains hot!

Rental property investments present great opportunities. There are a lot of people looking to rent in today’s market – partly because foreclosures have turned homeowners into renters, but also because a lot of people are reluctant to buy now because of falling housing prices or the security of their jobs.

Why You Should Buy Now

Among the reasons to invest in rental properties now:

· Low mortgage rates

· Rising demand for rentals

· Renters are paying more per month

It is important to realize that owning rental property is something that you plan on having for a while until housing prices come back up. Plan on 10 years or so…

Other key considerations include:

· Buy local properties

· Know the Neighborhood

· Work with an experienced realtor who has experience with rentals

· Consider multifamily dwellings

· Have a plan in place to rind and manage tenants

The goal: to make sure your rental income will at least cover your loan payments, plus a 20% cushion to handle repairs, vacancies, and property management.

Call a top real estate professional to help you find the perfect rental properties in your market. My team specializes in St. Charles County and St. Louis County. If you are considering buying rental properties in St. Charles or St. Louis, please contact Sandra Meranda and I’ll get you moving!

Read the full article – https://money.cnn.com/2011/08/30/real_estate/rental_property_investing.moneymag/index.htm

November 3, 2011 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

Tips for Keeping Your Home Healthy

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Maintaining a healthy home is critical for your family’s welfare – especially now as the weather in St. Louis and St. Charles cools and you begin to spend more time indoors. Applying a few simple solutions now will ensure your indoor living environment is safe and healthy for seasons to come.

Reduce toxins

Less desirable weather may make fall and winter seem like an ideal time to tackle your indoor painting projects. However, you need to be mindful of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in many interior paints and finishes. VOCs are one of the biggest threats to indoor air quality; they include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have both short- and long-term health effects. For indoor jobs, select paint with low or no VOCs to keep your air fresher. Additionally, some houseplants such as ivy and gerbera daisies can help to naturally remove VOCs from your indoor air.

Clean your indoor air

Ragweed and pollen will trigger allergy symptoms for millions of people this fall; however, the worst allergy triggers are often found inside the home. Installing a whole-home air filtration system can help to remove indoor allergens including dust, mildew, pet dander and pollen from the air you breathe. For example, the AccuClean (TM) System by American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning removes up to 99.98 percent of the allergens from your filtered air, so even if it’s allergy season outdoors, your indoor air is crisp and clean.

Prevent mold

During the cooler fall and winter months, people tend to seal up their homes and spend more time inside, which traps moisture and humidity – both significant contributors to indoor mold growth. Maintain healthy indoor humidity levels by venting bathrooms and clothes dryers and using an exhaust fan while cooking. Install an air humidifier to provide year-round control of your indoor moisture level, and keep your home at 50 percent humidity or lower to reduce the chance for mold growth.

Watch out for CO

Protect your indoor living environment from carbon monoxide or CO by installing CO detectors or alarms throughout your home. This fall, make sure your home’s heating system, including items such as a furnace or heat pump, vents and chimney, are inspected and serviced by a professional contractor. And, if there is a fireplace in your home, open the damper before lighting a fire to help prevent the buildup of potentially poisonous gases inside of your home.

Keep a seasonal routine

Most homeowners already know it’s important to test their smoke alarms on a monthly basis, but how often do you change the alarm’s batteries? One way to keep track of alarm maintenance is to make battery changing a seasonal activity. For example, beginning this fall, replace the batteries in your smoke alarms (and CO detectors), every time you reset your clocks.

By taking these simple steps now, you’ll create a safer and healthier home, allowing your family to relax and enjoy all the delights the St. Louis fall season has to offer – both outdoors and indoors.

Used with permission courtesy of Dan Main

October 14, 2011 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

Select a qualified and trusted real estate agent

Sandra-Meranda-Sold-Fast COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE PROVIDES TIPS ON HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT REAL ESTATE AGENT FOR YOU

A trusted real estate agent provides experienced counsel, guidance and unparalleled local expertise – all essential ingredients for anyone on the hunt for a home. But for first-time home buyers, the first step can be one of the most intimidating.

To help first-time home buyers, the professionals at Coldwell Banker Real Estate have provided the following tips to identifying the right real estate professional:

1. Ask around: Friends and family can be the first source of helpful information. Referrals are the leading source of finding an agent. If your new to the area or don’t have references, you should feel free to contact the manager of your local Coldwell Banker office. Once you explain your situation and needs, the manager should be able to suggest a few names.

2. Questions for potential candidates: As you meet potential agents, you should feel empowered to determine if the agent’s personality and skills are a good match. Some of the key questions that might help you make a decision include:

What is your experience in [name of desired neighborhood]?
What is the average price point of homes that you help people buy and sell?
Could I speak with some of your past or current clients for a reference?
Tell me about the brokerage firm where your work? How long has it been around?

3. Examine their online presence: Many real estate professionals are especially savvy when it comes to marketing themselves online. They list their areas of specialty. Some post tours of their local areas, demonstrating their expertise. If the person is highly-visible and socially active online, it is also a good indicator that he or she is connected to the right tools and technology that come in handy for home buyers. Don’t be afraid to inquire about their experience using video when it comes to real estate. Cutting edge agents can point you toward video tours, community videos and more to give you a real life sense of the areas you are considering. Buyers can also go right to coldwellbanker.com to find a local office and look at profiles for the professionals who work there.

4. Go with your gut: After consulting with friends and family, doing research and looking online, the buyer’s instinct is often right on. He or she will have a good “gut” feeling as to whether a person will be a good fit for the house-hunting process.

A top real estate agent can help you make an informed decisions about buying or selling your St. Charles or St. Louis Missouri home. My team specializes in St. Charles County and St. Louis County. If you are considering selling your home, please contact Sandra Meranda and I’ll get you moving!

October 1, 2011 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

Buying a Home with a Family

COLDWELL BANKER SHARES THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A HOME WITH FAMILY IN MIND

For many people, finding a new home is more than a matter of personal taste and individual finance – it’s a family affair. Buying a new home to accommodate a growing family is an exciting step in one’s life, but it can also be a balancing act. Communication and planning are key to any successful home-buying experience. Moving to a new home while expecting a child or preparing for a family down the road makes anticipating your future needs all the more important. What may make a perfect starter home for a couple might not work as well when children come into the picture.

A recent survey released by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC found that 65 percent of homeowners who are also parents purchased their first home before becoming pregnant or within one year of their child’s birth. For those consumers who are in a similar position, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC offers the following five factors to consider when buying a home with family in mind:

Proximity to family. Nearly half of the homeowner respondents in a recent survey from Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC reported that they live less than 10 minutes from extended family members, with 72 percent choosing to live within 30 minutes. Buying a home that is close to family members can provide support, help and guidance that can be a great benefit both emotionally and financially. With extended family nearby, families have the opportunity to spend more time together and even save money on occasion. The cost of babysitters and long distance travel to visit relatives can really add up!

Existing floor plan. Each family has its own unique dynamic and should take its distinctive needs into consideration when exploring different floor plans. While having a master bedroom upstairs and the other rooms downstairs may work for some families, others may prefer to have all of the bedrooms on the same level.

Surrounding neighborhood. The neighborhood looks different from the eyes of a parent. It’s wise to get an idea of what the neighborhood offers for children, such as local recreational centers, parks or playgrounds as well as the school system, before deciding on an area to live. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC recommends home buyers utilize online tools such as Coldwell Banker On Location that can offer consumers a wealth of local market information.

Future lifestyle needs. They say children grow up in the blink of an eye. Make sure the home you purchase leaves growing room and will still fit your family’s needs a few years down the road, especially if there are plans for more children.

Budget. One of the most important things for all potential homeowners to consider is their personal budget. Growing a family and having children usually means a growing list of expenses as well. Estimate monthly expenses along with a mortgage payment to ensure all financial commitments can be reasonably met.

A top real estate agent can help you make an informed decision about buying a home with your family in St. Charles or St. Louis Missouri home. My team specializes in St. Charles County and St. Louis County. If you are considering selling your home, please contact Sandra Meranda and I’ll get you moving!

Photo Credit – Images_of_Money

September 21, 2011 by changescapeweb Leave a Comment

10 Quick Facts About Consumer Behavior on Facebook

Facebook seems to be everywhere today. The number of users and the amount of time that they spend on Facebook is amazing. So with all the focus on Facebook, especially on eve of f8 – The Facebook Developers Conference – and all of the major announcements that are expected, it is important to consider how customers really behave on Facebook and how they interact with brands.

The study, conducted by Constant Contact and research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey, analyzed the behavior of 1,491 consumers ages 18 and older throughout the United States and revealed a number of details about how people interact with brands on the world’s largest social network.

Most people Like a business or brand on Facebook because they are either a customer, or they are looking for a discount or promotion.

Most participation with a brand is passive – by reading the news feeds. Only about 30% share experiences and news, or post about the brand.

Over three-fourths of people have never unliked a brand, with people over 35 more likely to remain a fan.

The study also pointed to a number of encouraging stats for businesses, including:

56% of consumers said they are more likely to recommend a brand to a friend after becoming a fan on Facebook

51% of consumers said they are more likely to buy a product since becoming a fan on Facebook

78% of consumers who “Like” brands on Facebook said they “Like” fewer than ten brands

I’d love to know your thoughts on your personal experiences with Facebook, either as a brand or a consumer!

10 Quick Facts You Should Know About Consumer Behavior on Facebook

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