Stage for the selling season.....

Fall, Spring, Summer or Winter - Homes sell all season long.

Give your home some added seasonal curb appeal by decorating!

If you’re selling your home in today’s real estate market, you probably know that curb appeal is your first chance to make an impression on a prospective buyer. In the first few seconds a potential buyer sees your home, they decide if they want to drive on by or come on in. You can’t change the basic structure of the house or change the location, but you can make your home worthy of a deeper look.

Maintaining curb appeal is a year round job, with different challenges each season. For winter, decorate with wreaths and pine cone centerpieces. In spring, adding fresh-cut flowers and pops of color go along way. If selling in the summer, highlight decks and patios. For fall, display pumpkins and gourds by your entryway.

The impression your home creates is the magnet that first attracts viewers and turns them into buyers. Maintaining curb appeal is a year-round job, but it’s a vital part of selling your home.

Any season is the best season to call Lisa Bear of RE/MAX Realty Center to help sell your home!

262-893-5555

Donna Lexa Art Center Fund Raiser - Gotta Have Art

Have you ever heard of the Donna Lexa Art Centers or the GOTTA have Art Auction Celebration? 

To be honest, I didn't either until about a month ago.  As it turns out it is a great community charity that a friend of ours, Greg Randa's Aunt started 31 years ago. Donna Lexa Art Centers, is a nonprofit that serves those with brain injuries, special needs and other  traumas.  It also has a new program to serve wounded veterans. Its mission is to promote creativity, dignity and community for people with special needs through art. 

The Donna Lexa Art Centers currently serve adults and teens with cognitive and physical disabilities, as well as individuals with mental health concerns. In addition, they provide art classes for senior citizens dealing with the challenges of aging.

Involvement in the art programming strengthens self-esteem, fosters independence, and provides new ways to express feelings. Art develops creative and critical thinking, which not only teaches  student artists new skills, but also provides a sense of well-being and enjoyment.   

On Thursday, April 21, 2016 the Golden Mast in in Okauchee will be hosting it's 31st Annual "Gotta HAVE ART" Celebration and Auction.  This event has helped support thousand of students over the years. 


If you would like additional information on this event or would be interested in donating or participating with the Auction. Please contact me and I will put you in touch with Kelly Randa, co-chair of this years event.

Click here to watch this video

Are you a Veteran Looking to Buy a HOME?

NO DOWNPAYMENT with VA Mortgage Loans

United States’ veterans have access to the Veterans Home Loan Program which offers guaranteed home loans to all eligible service members. While you may be aware of this benefit, are you clear on how to qualify for the program?

In Guaranteed Rate’s continued effort to offer easy-to-understand mortgage information, we present details on how to qualify for a VA home loan.

Eligibility

All circumstances require eligible veterans to be honorably discharged.

Wartime

• Service of 90 days or more; or
• Service of 90 days or less with an honorable discharged due to a service-related disability.

Peacetime

• Service of 181 days or more; or
• Service of 181 days or less with an honorable discharged due to a service-related disability.

Reservist or National Guard

Service of at least 6 years. While this is a lending guideline, the VA can be flexible and you should speak with your seasoned VA mortgage professional about your options.

Spousal Benefits

The spouse of a deceased service member is eligible for the VA benefit provided the spouse has not remarried. Additionally, the deceased service member must have passed while in the line of duty.

Children of deceased veterans are not eligible for VA mortgage loan benefits.

Credit

While the VA has no credit requirement, lenders typically require a minimum of a 620 credit score. While VA is a benefits program that allows for some lending flexibility, you must show adequate income.

Want to know more? Contact me at lisabear@remax.net or call 262-893-5555

Buying a house on emotion

You’re Buying a House – Not Dating It
 
Buying a house based on emotions is just going to break your heart. If you fall in love with something, you might end up making some pretty bad financial decisions. There’s a big difference between your emotions and your instincts. Going with your instincts means that you recognize that you’re getting a great house for a good value. Going with your emotions is being obsessed with the paint color or the backyard. It’s an investment, so stay calm and be wise.

Valentine's Day Open House - Home is where the heart is!

A parklike setting with 3 acres is the setting for this beautiful 4bedroom, 2.5 bath home

Increasing Interest Rates and Real Estate Investing

Increasing Interest Rates and Real Estate Investing

Posted: 08 Feb 2016 07:35 AM PST

In December, the Federal Reserve announced that it will be raising the short-term interest rate for the first time in almost a decade. It has held that interest rate at near zero as a method of stimulating the economy. The initial increase will be mild at an announced rate increase of between 0.25 and 0.5 percent. However, the announcement also indicated that more rate increases are coming if the US economy continues its slow growth or accelerates. However, the world economy remains constrained and that will influence US financial policy as well.

Increasing interest rates will certainly affect the real estate investment business. If you are borrowing money as a mortgage to become a landlord, your business costs will increase but rents are also likely to increase. If you are borrowing money to rehab and flip houses, your cost of interest will increase but it is still a seller’s market with selling prices on the increase.

Lending Money Is Where the Money Is At

As always, there is risk when it comes to any kind of investing, including real estate investing. One way of minimizing that risk while increasing earnings is by becoming the lender as interest rates rise. A great sources of funds for this are IRAs, 401ks, and other retirement accounts. The secondary lending market (alternative to bank loans) has become much stronger over the past seven or eight years.

While the federal interest rate remains extremely low and bank mortgages are around four percent, private lenders are earning between eight and twelve percent. Of course, with that comes a higher degree of risk. Earning the higher interest rate means lending to higher risk borrowers. However, investing retirement funds in a first mortgage provides a high level of security when it is secured by the house or other property. Security can be further increased by loaning no more than 70 percent of the property value and requiring the property buyer to invest the other 30 percent. Of course, the lower your risk, the lower interest rate you’ll be able to charge.

Alternative Retirement Investing

Investing retirement funds is not limited to Wall Street stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. There are many alternatives. One is a self-directed IRA that can be administered by a third party such as PENSCO (there are other self-directed IRA administrators). These types of accounts allow you to invest your retirement funds in alternative investments such as real estate. You can either directly purchase the real estate or loan money secured by real estate. You can also buy stocks in private companies and have many other investment opportunities.

There are very specific rules that you must follow when making alternative investments. One of the most important is that you can’t invest in a company that you personally own or operate nor businesses owned and operated by direct family members. That’s where a self-directed IRA administer comes in. You can place your retirement funds in a trust with the administrator and direct them how you want your money invested. Unlike a financial adviser, they won’t give you investment advice. You have to specifically tell them where you want to invest. Just like a traditional IRA, you don’t financially benefit until you reach retirement age. But upon retirement, you can sell your assets and begin drawing your retirement pay.

Please leave a comment if this article was helpful or if you have a question.

Author bio: Brian Kline has been investing in real estate for more than 35 years and writing about real estate investing for seven years

Office Battle ends with only one CHAMP

Thanks to the many attendees/judges (62) and for the participants (11 crocks to choose from)for our annual Chili-Cookoff. What a fun day eating and networking. It is amazing how many versions of chilis there are and varieties of tastes.

Congrats to the this years winners. Heidi Buchberger earned herself a $75 gift certificate to the restraunt of her choice for 1st place. Stacey Kruth Guzanick was a very close second, followed by Theresa Olsen Urbanchek and Kelly Savelkoul.

Thank you also to Debby Porter of AT& T Entertainment Services for your presence. We look forward to creating a successful relationship! 

We love hosting these events and have more coming. 

 I am still soooooo full!