Coldwell Banker Preferred Rocks in Exton!

Every now and then it’s a good idea to toot your own horn and I want to share with you that Coldwell Banker Preferred is one of the hottest franchises in the country!  CBP is #1 in the state of PA and #7 of all franchises internationally.  In a market when the average decline in business last year was 12%, CBP was up 38% — making us 50% ahead of the average real estate firm in SE PA!  In the first quarter of this year, we are up 12% year-to-date, vs an average 20% decline in the area.

 

When friends ask why I chose Coldwell Banker Preferred, I point out the strong performance of the company overall and share how that kind of strength helps me, as an agent, and my clients, in getting the best price for their house and the best service available.

 

Do you know anyone who needs a good Realtor?

 

Patty Cunningham, ePro, SRES, ABR, AHS

Coldwell Banker Preferred

office: 610-429-4400

direct: 484-881-6051

cell:    610-659-4669

email: pcunningham@cbpref.com

web: http://www.cbpref.com/pcunningham

blog: http://pcunning.wordpress.com/

 

Oh, by the way…  I’m never too busy for one of your referrals!

 

Housetrology Quiz – What’s Your House Sign?

Coldwell Banker has a quiz on Facebook that’s a fun applet to play with.  From your Facebook page, do a search for Housetrology and you’ll find the applet that you can load and the quiz you can do that will tell you your house sign.  Are you an Urbanista?  A Colonialista?

 

Patty Cunningham, ePro, SRES, ASR, ABR, AHS
Coldwell Banker Preferred
office: 610-429-4400
direct: 484-881-6051
cell:    610-659-4669
email: pcunningham@cbpref.com
web: http://www.cbpref.com/pcunningham
blog: http://pcunning.wordpress.com/

 

Oh, by the way…  I’m never too busy for one of your referrals!

 

 

 

What Bad News? Truth about The Housing Market

 

A recent article in the Washington Post (see this link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/03/AR2008080301572.html) gives another slant on the true situation with the current housing market.  The Post says “…(t)he projected losses have been wildly exaggerated. Most Americans have not experienced any significant decline in the value of their homes — nor are they likely to.”

 

While there is widespread fear of the increase in foreclosures due to market decline, only a very small number of homeowners are affected.  In fact, “Only four states — Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada — have had declines of more than 4 percent in home prices over the past year, according to the house price index of the Office of Federal Housing Oversight.”  (See this link to read more about this issue: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Office+of+Federal+Housing+Enterprise+Oversight?tid=informline)

 

Patty Cunningham, ePro, SRES, ABR, AHS

Coldwell Banker Preferred

office: 610-429-4400

direct: 484-881-6051

cell:    610-659-4669

email: pcunningham@cbpref.com

web: http://www.cbpref.com/pcunningham

blog: http://pcunning.wordpress.com/

 

Oh, by the way…  I’m never too busy for one of your referrals!

A couple of favorite quotes

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes.  Enjoy!

 

“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.”  Andrew Carnegie (1835 – 1919)

 

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared with what lies within us.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Supreme Court Chief Justice

 

Patty Cunningham, ePro, SRES, ABR, AHS

Coldwell Banker Preferred

office: 610-429-4400

direct: 484-881-6051

cell:    610-659-4669

email: pcunningham@cbpref.com

web: http://www.cbpref.com/pcunningham

blog: http://pcunning.wordpress.com/

 

Oh, by the way…  I’m never too busy for one of your referrals!

Economic Recovery Act of 2008

This article just came across my desktop from RISMEDIA, a real estate news service:

 

“Buying smart in today’s market got a little easier recently following the signing of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 by President Bush. There are significant benefits aimed at helping buyers, such as a repayable first-time home-buyer tax credit. First-time buyers are important to the health of the housing economy because their home purchases help to stimulate sales up the price points. Through the home-buyer tax credit, buyers who are purchasing for the first time or who haven’t owned a property in the last three years can now qualify for a tax credit equal to 10% of their home purchase price, up to $7,500.”   To read more, click here: http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-08-11/housing-bill-creates-great-environment-for-first-time-buyers-says-industry-leader/

Chester County Named #10 by Forbes of Top 20 Places to Live

Forbes Magazine recently published a list of the top 20 places to live in the US and Chester County ranked number 10!!  See why, here: http://www.forbes.com/2008/06/27/schools-places-family-forbeslife-cx_zg_0630realestate_slide_12.html?partner=email

Mortgage Rates Drift Up

If you’re wondering when the market will hit bottom and looking for the absolute optimum time to buy real estate, we may already be leaving that fabled land.  As someone recently said to me, “the only way you know if you’ve hit the bottom of the market is when you’re on the way out.” 

There are many “doom and gloomers” out there, but this is still a fabulous market in which to buy real estate.  Following is an excerpt from a CNN article that talks about the observation that mortgage rates have begun to rise.  While the housing market may take another year (give or take) to recover, there seems to be little doubt among experts that now is the time to invest in real property.

(CNNMoney.com) — Rates on 30-year mortgages were pushed up this week above 6 percent amid growing concerns about inflation, mortgage backer Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Freddie Mac said 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.08% with an average of 0.6 points, up from 5.98% last week. Last year at this time, the 30-year loan averaged 6.42%.

“Mortgage rates drifted up this week over market concerns that the Federal Reserve Board may raise short-term rates later this year,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist, in a statement.

“Indeed,” Nothaft added, “market inflation expectations increased over the last few weeks and the federal funds futures market now has a 25 basis point rate hike priced in by the end of the year.”

Patty Cunningham
Coldwell Banker Preferred
Exton, PA
610-363-6006

IRS Rebates Due Soon

The IRS recently published this table, identifying the mailing schedule for the tax stimulus rebates.  Individuals are to receive $600, while married couples should receive $1200.  For more details, visit the IRS website here: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=180247,00.html.

 

Stimulus Payment Schedule for Tax Returns
Received and Processed by April 15

Direct Deposit Payments
If the last two digits of your Social Security number are:	Your economic stimulus payment deposit should be sent to your bank account by:
00 – 20	May 2
21 – 75	May 9
76 – 99	May 16
Paper Check
If the last two digits of your Social Security number are:	Your check should be in the mail by:
00 – 09	May 16
10 – 18	May 23
19 – 25	May 30
26 – 38	June 6
39 – 51	June 13
52 – 63	June 20
64 – 75	June 27
76 – 87	July 4
88 – 99	July 11

 

Facts about Your Local Housing Market

You can go to this link: http://www.housingmarketfacts.com/ and find out lots of different information about your local housing market.  All data has been collected by the National Association of Realtors, one of the best sources for valid, up-to-date information.

Patty Cunningham
Coldwell Banker Preferred
610-363-6006 – Office
610-659-4669 – Cell

U.S. Officials Warn of Scams

I felt the following article was important enough to include in today’s blog, as a warning to homeowners.

By Evan Perez
From The Wall Street Journal Online

Federal officials say a wave of opportunistic scams are targeting homeowners trying to avoid foreclosure in the current housing downturn.

Monday, prosecutors in California unsealed twin cases against 19 people who, according to agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, skimmed nearly $13 million in equity from 115 homeowners coast to coast under the guise of a mortgage rescue.

Real-estate scammers “took advantage of the elevated market that peaked in 2005, and here now the vultures are waiting as the market goes down,” said U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott of Sacramento. (Click on the link above for the complete article.)

Patty Cunningham
Coldwell Banker Preferred
610-363-6006
cell: 610-659-4669
http://www.cbpref.com/pcunningham