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Showing posts from January, 2013

5 Reasons You Should List Your House TODAY!

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By The KCM Crew Many homeowners are waiting until the Spring ‘buying season’ to list their homes for sale. Here are five reasons why that might not make sense this year: 1.) Demand Is High Homes are selling at a pace not seen since 2007. The most recent Existing Home Sales Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed that annual sales in 2012 increased 9.2% over 2011. There are buyers out there right now and they are serious about purchasing. 2.) Supply Is Low The monthly supply of houses for sale is at its lowest point (4.4 months) since May of 2005. The current month’s supply is down 21.6% from the same time last year. Historically, inventory increases dramatically in the spring. Selling now when demand is high and supply is low may garner you your best price. 3.) New Construction Is Coming Back Over the last several years, most homeowners selling their home did not have to compete with a new construction project around the block. As the market is reco

Is Today the Day You Get into Focus?

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by Matthew Ferrara Today, we are reposting a blog written by our friend Matthew Ferrara (pictured above). Insights come in ordinary moments. At dinner recently, some friends were talking about their hundreds of internet bookmarks they never return to. We’d all formed the same habit of opening ten tabs of pages we “wanted to read” but eventually closed, unread. It’s a familiar moment to many of us: so much stuff, we don’t know which to choose. And we really burst out laughing when I said: I think I have so many apps on my iPad, it’s making me a nervous wreck! Flashbulb. We live in an era of abundance, for which we’re grateful for the opportunities of modern technology. Yet we’re increasingly stressed, overwhelmed, under-rested and distracted – as the endless array of attention-grabbers beep at us. As I write this very article, two tweets have popped across my screen; I try not to look at them, to keep writing, stay focused…. Um, what was I just saying? We all must respond. To

Will 20% Soon Be the Minimum Down Payment on a Home?

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By The KCM Crew Several government agencies are reviewing data to determine what will be the minimum down payment required under the new Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM) guidelines scheduled to be revealed in the next few months. In the original Mortgage Market Note issued by the FHFA, it was suggested that loan-to-value (the percentage of the overall purchase price which was being borrowed) was a major factor in determining if a loan would default: “For most origination years, requirements for borrower credit score and loan-to-value ratio are the factors that most reduce the ever-90-day delinquency rate of mortgages acquired by the Enterprises that would have met the proposed QRM standards.” The note then made the following proposal: “An LTV ratio qualified residential mortgage must meet a minimum LTV ratio that varies according to the purpose for which the mortgage was originated. For home purchase mortgages, rate and term refinances, and cash-out refinances, the LTV r

Home for Sale in Colorado Springs

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Stunning, Move In Ready, Keller Homes Sinclair (Former Model) backing to open space! This Home For Sale in Colorado Springs Features 4 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, 4 Car Tandem Garage and over 3,200 Square Feet. Click Here to Tour This Home For Sale in Colorado Springs Today! The main level is perfect for entertaining with the perfectly appointed kitchen that features a large island, pantry, ample cabinet and counter space and eating area. The main level also boasts a formal dining room, study and a spacious family room with a cozy gas burning fireplace. Unwind in the magnificent master retreat with a gas fireplace, large sitting area, walk-in closet and 5 piece bathroom. There are 2 additional bedrooms on the upper level and a full bathroom. The finished, walk out basement includes a large recreation area, ample storage, 4 th bedroom and bathroom. This home also includes 2 furnaces with A/C for your comfort, 4 car insulated tandem garage, located in a great location and more! If

Belief in Homeownership by Age Group

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By The KCM Crew If you are considering Relocating to Colorado Springs , Purchasing a Home for Sale in Colorado Springs , considering Selling a Home in Colorado Springs , or want more information on the Colorado Springs Real Estate Market , Contact your Colorado Springs Real Estate Expert , Mike MacGuire Today! Click Here to Check out my informational video if you are considering Selling a Home in Colorado Springs . Click Here to Check out my informational video if you are considering Purchasing a Home for Sale in Colorado Springs .

What Will it Take to Reach Your Goals in 2013?

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by Matthew Ferrara Today, we are reposting a blog written by our friend Matthew Ferrara. He gives us 13 ways to make 2013 a great year. What will it take to reach your goals this year? Well, you could wait around for the politicians, economists and technology geeks to dream up with some fancy new program, but really, if that’s your plan, you’d be better off hitting the casino. Don’t worry – we have a better idea – thirteen of them, in fact. Even if you only try half of them, you’ll have a better chance of reaching your dreams than, well, just dreaming. So, let’s get started! 1. Write down four goals. One for each quarter. Be specific. No fuzzy “have more time, make more money” stuff. Identify targeted, measurable goals: A new car, paid off credit cards, fourteen sales, more sleep. 2. Do a time study. Manage your time, not your task list. Study last month and analyze what you did each day: Know where your time goes, exactly, so you can use it, purposefully. 3. Tal

Housing: Year End Reports Reveal Market Coming Back

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By The KCM Crew Every year-end housing report revealed that the real estate market is recovering quite nicely. Here is a quick synopsis of each: Existing Home Sales Report Total existing-home sales rose 5.9 percent in November over last month Sales are 14.5 percent higher than November 2011 Sales are at the highest level since November 2009 The national median existing-home price was $180,600 in November, up 10.1 percent from November 2011 Total housing inventory at the end of November fell to a 4.8-month supply; it was 5.3 months in October, and is the lowest housing supply since September of 2005 when it was 4.6 months Pending Sales Report Pending home sales increased in November for the third straight month and reached the highest level in two-and-a-half years The index is at the highest level since April 2010 when buyers were rushing to beat the deadline for the home buyer tax credit With the exception of several months affected by tax stimulus, the last time ther