ATTENTION BUYERS! Another reason you should buy a home NOW

If you are a buyer who is looking to secure an FHA loan, NOW IS THE TIME!

In April the FHA will be increasing the MIP mortgage factors for all FHA loans. 
In 2009, the FHA charged 0.55 percent

• In 2010, the FHA charged 0.90 percent
• In 2011, the FHA charged 1.10 percent
• In 2012, the FHA charged 1.25 percent

In April 2013, the FHA may get the ability to charge 2.05 percent for annual mortgage insurance premiums. This would be the highest annual MIP in FHA history.

Here is what that looks like on a $150,000 loan.

Old Rate = 1.25% so the monthly MIP payment would be $156.25

New Rate = 2.05% so the monthly MIP payment will be $256.25

In addition, in June of this year the FHA is no longer going to remove the MIP after 5 years or when the loan reaches 78% LTV.  Instead, the MIP may be required for the entire life of the loan.

As further details are released, I will update all of you.


(Courtesy of Fred Dopman, VanDyk Mortgage Corporation)

Top Five Reasons to Stage Your Home Professionally

If you are thinking about selling your house, staging is a great investment to sell faster for more money!

1. MAKE MORE MONEY
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average staging investment is between 1 and 3 percent of the home's asking price.  But staging generates a return of 8-10 percent!

2. THE HOME WILL SELL FASTER = More Money, Less Stress
A National Association of Realtors survey found that the longer a home stays on the market, the further below list price it drops.  Homes that sold in the first 4 weeks averaged 1% more than the list price; 4-12 weeks averaged 5% less; 13-24 weeks averaged 6.4% less; and 24+ weeks averaged more than 10% less than list price.

3. YOUR LISTING WILL STAND OUT FROM COMPETITION
Over 90% of buyers, according to a NAR profile of buyers, are searching for homes online first before deciding to visit.  Homes today are being eliminated from the "must-see" list based on photographs from the internet.  Don't let this happen to your vacant or unstaged home.

4. ONLY 10% OF HOMEBUYERS CAN VISUALIZE THE POTENTIAL OF A HOME
That's why staging is critical!  You don't want the advantages of your home overlooked and left up to the buyer's imagination.

5. LEAVING YOUR HOUSE "AS-IS" CONDITION WILL ONLY HELP SELL THE COMPETITION
Right now the number of homes for sale on the market is at a record high.  Competition is stiff and buyers have very high expectations, as well as many choices.  Successful agents know that the key to competing is professional staging because it creates compelling online presentations, drives buyer traffic to the home, and turns prospects into buyers.

60 Tips for a Stunningly Great Life

This blog post comes from Robin Sharma (Robinsharma.com) but I thought it was too good not to share...

60 TIPS FOR A STUNNINGLY GREAT LIFE

I want to shift gears from leadership to a pure focus on crafting an exceptional life for this blog post. Ultimately, life goes by in a blink. And too many people live the same year 80 times. To avoid getting to the end and feeling flooded regret over a live half-lived, read (and then apply) these tips:

1. Exercise daily.
2. Get serious about gratitude.
3. See your work as a craft.
4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.
5. Keep a journal.
6. Read “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”.
7. Plan a schedule for your week.
8. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.
9. Say no to distractions.
10. Drink a lot of water.
11. Improve your work every single day.
12. Get a mentor.
13. Hire a coach.
14. Get up at 5 am each day.
15. Eat less food.
16. Find more heroes.
17. Be a hero to someone.
18. Smile at strangers.
19. Be the most ethical person you know.
20. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.
21. Savor life’s simplest pleasures.
22. Save 10% of your income each month.
23. Spend time at art galleries.
24. Walk in the woods.
25. Write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.
26. Forgive those who’ve wronged you.
27. Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.
28. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.
29. Have 5 great friends.
30. Become stunningly polite.
31. Unplug your TV.
32. Sell your TV.
33. Read daily.
34. Avoid the news.
35. Be content with what you have.
36. Pursue your dreams.
37. Be authentic.
38. Be passionate.
39. Say sorry when you know you should.
40. Never miss a moment to celebrate another.
41. Have a vision for your life.
42. Know your strengths.
43. Focus your mind on the good versus the lack.
44. Be patient.
45. Don’t give up.
46. Clean up your messes.
47. Use impeccable words.
48. Travel more.
49. Read “As You Think”.
50. Honor your parents.
51. Tip taxi drivers well.
52. Be a great teammate.
53. Give no energy to critics.
54. Spend time in the mountains.
55. Know your top 5 values.
56. Shift from being busy to achieving results.
57. Innovate and iterate.
58. Speak less. Listen more.
59. Be the best person you know.
60. Make your life matter.

Happy New Year!  Let's make 2013 the best year ever!