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King of Prussia, PA Real Estate News

By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
6 Essential Spring Cleaning Chores to Make Your Home Shine   If the thought of cleaning your King of Prussia home this spring doesn't bring a smile to your face, you're not alone. To help you get going now, here is a short list of the 6 essential spring-cleaning chores. 1. Store winter clothes. It's time to pack away your winter clothes. Coats, sweaters, and bulkier clothing need to be inspected, cleaned and packed away. Store your clothes somewhere clean, cool, dark and dry. 2. Wash window treatments. You'll be surprised at the huge amount of dirt and grime that a thorough window cleaning removes. Wash blinds, launder curtains that are machine washable and send drapes to the dry cleaners. While you're at it, dust the window casing, wash your windowsills and clean any window hardware. 3...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Don't Get Fooled By Tricky Terms When Purchasing Real Estate   When looking to buy or sell King of Prussia real estate, confusing terminology can leave you feeling somewhat uneasy. From a multitude of numbers to marketing jargon, property listings can provide you with an overwhelming amount of information — and it's hard to know what's important. So, brush up on the terms below and don't get fooled this April. Sale-to-List Ratio This is an important number to pay attention to when choosing a real estate professional to sell your home. The percentage is calculated by what a home was initially listed for, divided by the actual sale price. The closer an agent's percentage is to 100, the better. If it's low, that could be an indication that they routinely list homes too high, or you may be ...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Should You Fix And Flip Or Buy And Hold Your Investment Real Estate?   When you make an investment in King of Prussia  real estate, it's important to consider your options for turning a profit even before you write an offer. It might be best to rent out the property to cover your mortgage and build equity providing the home cash-flows with solid rents and demand. Or, you could fix up the home and flip it so that you can sell it quickly for a larger amount than you invested. Both strategies may be appealing options, so here are some important factors to consider before making your decision. Flipping May Lead To Short Term Profits Flipping a house can be tricky, so you will want to have enough experience to know what you are doing, or work with an experienced advisor who can guide you aro...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Simplified Home Loan Modification Program Recently Announced   The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently announced a new, streamlined home loan modification program to help King of Prussia home owners who are behind in their payments or own a home with a mortgage that is under water. The purpose of the recently announced program continues to focus on helping troubled borrowers avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. Simplified Modification Criteria Creates More Opportunity For Home Owners Beginning this summer, on July 1st to be exact, the new Streamlined Modification Initiative will be available to home owners that meet certain criteria. Interestingly, this new program will require home loan servicers to provide eligible home owners whose loans are owned or guaranteed by Fr...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
5 Top Tips For Purchasing Your New Home   It's a great time to buy a new home because there are quite a few King of Prussia homes for sale and interest rates have continued to stay comparatively low. Whether it's your first time purchasing real estate or you're a seasoned professional, here are a few tips to make shopping for a new house more pleasurable. 1. Get Help Searching through all of the available properties on the market can be mind-boggling. Find a professional real estate agent to help guide you through the homes for sale and select one that meets your family and financial needs. 2. Start Looking Now Finding the perfect house can take longer than you might think, especially if you're looking in a competitive market. If you're looking at getting a good deal on a foreclosure or...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
How To Spot And Treat Mold In Your Home     The first sign of mold you notice may be a musty smell in your home. After looking around, you spot what looks like mold -- don't panic! You can remove unhealthy mold from your house without it costing a small fortune. Check To Be Sure It's Really Mold Mold can look many different ways, which depends on the type. Some are grayish-white or black and can look like a dirty smudge. If you're in doubt that a spot is mold, you can do a test with chlorine bleach. Simply put a drop on the spot. If the color immediately fades away, you have mold. Mold Infestation Ususally Means Leaks Too Mold needs moisture to grow. If you find mold, you know that you probably also have a water problem in your King of Prussia home. So first, you'll need to find the sou...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
The Federal Reserve's statement after yesterday's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting left no doubt as to the Fed's dual commitment to keeping long term interest rates down and encouraging economic growth. No changes to the Fed's current bond-buying program were made during today's FOMC meeting. The Fed's monthly purchase of $85 billion in bonds and MBS works by boosting bond prices, which typically helps with keeping mortgage rates lower. The Fed reaffirmed its position that it will not withdraw or reduce monetary easing until the unemployment rate is substantially lower. Unemployment Rate Improving Nationally Fed predictions for the national unemployment rate improved; December's outlook for 2013 estimated the unemployment rate at between 7.4 to 7.7 percent; the Fed now expec...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Great Staging Tips To Set A Buyer's Mood At Your Home For Sale   Staging is the art of preparing your King of Prussia home for sale before showing it to prospective buyers. The point of staging is to highlight the house's strengths, downplay its weaknesses and make it more appealing. With the right decorating techniques, you can win buyers over the moment they step through the door. Below are a few staging tips to help make your house irresistible to potential buyers. Put Everything Away The first step is to put away anything that is not essential. This will open up the house so that it appears more spacious. Even if you have to rent a storage unit, finding a new home for all of your family's projects and collections should clear some space and help buyers imagine their own belongings i...
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By Gloria Todor, & Doug Durren (484) 431-3686 in SE PA
(Premier Property Sales & Rentals)
Market Report February 2013 Bridgeport, Conshohocken, Upper Merion & Montgomery County, PA This is a Market Report for Residential Homes located in Bridgeport, Conshohocken and all of Montgomery County Pennsylvania for February 2013.  Bridgeport and Conshohocken are located along the Schuylkill River and very close to downtown Philadelphia.  Public Transportation serves this area and make traveling around Montgomery County and to Philadelphia and beyond an option. Bridgeport Borough Highest Price:  $135,000   Lowest Price:  $126,000 Houses Sold:  2 Days On Market:  90 As of this writing….. ….Active Listings:  38 ….Lowest Price:  $80,000  ….Highest Price:  $795,000  ….Pending Listings:  2 Conshohocken Borough    Highest Price:  $499,900   Lowest Price:  $209,000  Houses Sold:  5 Average ...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Tips For Selling Your Home In The Colder Winter Months Real estate agents in Montgomery County will tell you that it can be harder to sell a home in the winter. The days are colder and shorter, leaving less time to show a home to potential buyers. The good news, though, is that most buyers looking at houses in the winter aren't just killing time. They're serious enough about finding a new home to house hunt at a time when most people might rather stay inside. There are a several steps you can take to make a good impression on home buyers this winter. First, if there's snow or ice on the ground, make sure walkways are safe. Spread out ice melt or sand to provide traction during snowy weather. Shovel the snow on the driveway and sidewalks to make your home more inviting. Be sure to place...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Selling? Improve The Appearance Of Your Home's Bathrooms Full-scale bathroom remodeling can be expensive and, in today's Montgomery County housing market, you won't likely get all of the money back that you put into it at the time of sale. Knowing that bathroom projects tend to have a low return on investment, therefore, here are a few inexpensive changes which you can make to spruce up bathrooms in a home for sale. Fixtures Most sellers will notice if the fixtures in a bathroom are old, and it can have a negative effect on their view of your home. Buy a new set of bathroom fixtures at a home improvement store. Most stores have matching towel racks and bathroom tissue holders, too. There is a wide selection of stainless steel, wood or ceramic fixtures available at most stores, too. Pain...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Improve Your Credit Score To Get Better Mortgage Rates For home buyers in Montgomery County and nationwide, credit scores can change low mortgage rates and alter home loan approvals. Borrowers with high credit scores get access to lower mortgage rates, for example, and can find the mortgage approval process to be more smooth that borrowers with low credit scores. If your credit score is low, here are some basic ways to help improve it.  Get The ReportsDownload an updated version of your credit report from each of the three major reporting bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The reports may mirror each other, but credit accounts -- especially derogatory ones -- sometimes don't appear on all three. Ordering reports from all three bureaus is a safety step. Note that the credit bur...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
What To Do When Your Home Doesn't Appraise At Its Purchase Price Experienced home sellers in Montgomery County know that reaching a sales agreement with a potential buyer can be just the start of the negotiation process. There are often inspection issues to resolve, among other items. One particular negotiation point which can present difficulties for both buyers and sellers is when a home's appraised value falls short of its contracted sales price. Sometimes, this happens because the home's price was inflated. Other times, it's the result of a faulty appraisal. As a home seller, there are some common appraisal problems of which you should be aware. Here are some of them, and how to seek remedy so that the home sale process remains smooth. Inaccurate comparisons An appraiser will assign...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
27 Months Of Consecutive Job Growth Helping Home Prices Rise The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Non-Farm Payrolls report for December exceeded Wall Street's  expectations by 5,000 net new jobs, showing 155,000 positions created in December. The December tally raised the economy's 12-month total to 1.84 million net new jobs created nationwide. Jobs added in December mark the 27th consecutive month of job growth. Job sectors showing the strongest growth to close out 2012 included: Health Care Drinking and Eating Establishments Construction Manufacturing Private-sector hiring is driving the jobs market, too. 168,000 new private sector jobs were added in December. Government jobs fell by thirteen thousand. Monthly job creation has averaged +153,000 jobs since 12 months ago. It's a fine me...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
3 Ways To Purchase Foreclosed Properties in Montgomery County The process of buying a foreclosed home is slightly different from the process of buying a non-foreclosure home.  If you want to invest in Montgomery County foreclosures, therefore, it is important to understand the different ways by which to purchase a foreclosed home. There are three main ways to buy a foreclosed home. Buying before the auction Some delinquent homeowners may want to sell their homes before facing an actual foreclosure.In this instance, the homeowner, in agreement with the lender, agrees to sell the home for less than the amount owed on the mortgage.This is called a short sale. Short sales are "pre-foreclosures", of sorts. By broadening your home search to include short sales, you can identify homes that may...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : December 31, 2012 Mortgage bonds improved last week, pushing mortgage rates lower in Pennsylvania and nationwide. Positive economic news and strong housing data was trumped by ongoing Fiscal Cliff discussions on Capitol Hill. The "Fiscal Cliff" is meant to represent January 1, 2013 -- the date on which mandatory spending cuts are enacted by Congress and on which tax rates increases for many U.S. taxpayers. Some analysts believe that if these two events are to occur simultaneously, it would derail the current U.S. economic expansion and revert the economy back into recession. That concern has spurred a flight-to-quality which has benefited mortgage bonds and, therefore, U.S. mortgage rates.   For example, last week, Freddie Mac reported the ave...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
More Winter Tips - How To Install A Water Heater Jacket A simple way to save money is to improve your home's energy efficiency rating.  For example, Montgomery County homeowners can save up to 9 percent per year on water heating costs simply by installing a water heater jacket. Water heater jackets are easy to install. Here's how you do it : First, before you go shopping, check whether your water heater is a gas model, or an electric one. Then, write down your water heater model number. Most water heater jackets list compatible water heater models on their respective packaging. Look for jackets with a value of "R-8". Then, as you start your project, be sure to turn the water heater off. Water heater jackets are pre-cut to make installation simple. Remove the outer packaging and separate...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Short Sales Outnumber Foreclosure Sales For Third Straight Quarter Foreclosure-tracker RealtyTrac reports falling foreclosure sales nationwide as banks get better at selling homes via short sale. In its Q3 2012 report, RealtyTrac says that 193,059 homes in some stage of foreclosure were sold, accounting for 19% of all residential home sales. In addition, pre-foreclosure sales -- also known as "short sales" -- climbed 22% on a year-over-year basis. For the first time since 2007, the number of short sales outnumbered the number of homes sold in foreclosure over three consecutive quarters. The average price of a short sale home fell by 5 percent as compared to a year ago which may reflect an eagerness on the part of mortgage lenders to dispose of distressed properties before they fall into...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
Last week's National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) brought positive news about U.S. housing markets and the broader U.S. economy, in general. According to the IMI, there are now 201 U.S. markets which can be considered "improving". To meet this standard, a local area economy must exhibit at least six consecutive months of improvement in terms of local employment, single-family housing permits and area home prices; and, at least six months must have passed since each of these readings were at their respective low points, called troughs. The Improving Market Index added 76 metropolitan areas in December as compared to the month prior. 45 states are now represented on the list, in addition to the District of Columbia. The cities deemed "improving...
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By Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563
(CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)
What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : December 17, 2012 Mortgage bonds worsened last week, moving mortgage rates higher. Economic news was mostly positive and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) changed some of Wall Street expectations for future monetary policy. Freddie Mac reported the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate at 3.32 percent nationwide for borrowers willing to pay an accompanying 0.7 discount points plus closing costs. The average 15-year fixed rate mortgage rate was listed at 2.66 percent nationwide with an accompanying 0.6 discount points plus closing costs. Both mortgage rates had climbed by week's end, however. Mortgage rates made their best levels Monday afternoon. Between Tuesday and Friday, mortgage rates in Montgomery County climbed. Also last week...
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