Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate » Nashville real estate agent

New Agency Formed to Promote a Stable Mortgage Market Offers Nashville TN Homebuyers and Sellers Assistance

jstaler — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:09:03 +0000

A new government agency named the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) was recently formed to promote a stable and liquid mortgage market, affordable housing and community investment through safety and soundness oversight of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. A web site premiered October 27, 2008, as the portal to information about this new agency, which was formed by a legislative merger of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO), the Federal Housing Finance Board (FHFB) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) mission team. FHFA regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks. Click here to read more about the FHFA.

Are you a Nashville TN homeowner still not convinced it is the best time to sell your Nashville TN home but concerned about your financial situation if you stay in your current home? Use the self-assessment tools provided by FHFA on MakingHomeAffordable.gov to see if you are among the 7 to 9 million homeowners who may be able to benefit from Making Home Affordable. The President’s Plan was created to help millions of homeowners refinance or modify their mortgages to a payment that is affordable, both now and in the future.

Are you thinking of buying your first Nashville TN home? As a first time homebuyer the mortgage process might be a bit intimidating. Review the Mortgage Basics….
HOW-TO GUIDES AND TOOLS FOR EVALUATING MORTGAGES provided by FHFA

GOVERNMENT

Federal Reserve Board
Website tool for comparing mortgage rates and terms
https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/mortcalc/

Handbook describing adjustable rate mortgages (produced in conjunction
with other federal agencies)
www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/arms/armsbrochure.pdf

Publication describing interest-only and payment-option mortgages (produced
in conjunction with other federal agencies)
www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/mortgage_interestonly/mortgage_interestonly.pdf

Brochure describing the basics of mortgage-rate lock-ins
www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/lockins/default.htm

Information on settlement costs
www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/settlement/default.htm

Primer on home equity lines of credit
www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/equity/equity_english.htm

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Payment calculator and affordability analysis tools
www.frbatlanta.org/partnerssoftwareonline/dsp_main.cfm

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Shopping guide for obtaining the best mortgage (produced with the Interagency
Task Force on Fair Lending)
www.fdic.gov/consumers/looking/index.html

Broad educational tutorial on the banking system and wise financial decision-making
www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/mscbi/mscbi.html

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Detailed guide to settlement costs
www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/res/stcosts.pdf

NONGOVERNMENT

Freddie Mac
Online resource detailing the benefits and costs associated with homeownership
http://www.freddiemac.com/corporate/buyown/english/preparing/right_for_you/

Simple description of how mortgages work and different mortgage types
http://www.freddiemac.com/corporate/buyown/english/mortgages/what_is/

Fannie Mae
High-level guide describing the basics of homebuying and mortgage applications
www.fanniemae.com/homebuyers/findamortgage/becoming/index.jhtml p=Find+a+Mortgage&s=Becoming+a+Homeowner ?

Monthly mortgage payment calculator
www.mortgagecontent.net/scApplication/fanniemae/monthlyPayment.do?p=Resources&s=Calculators&t=How+Much+Is+Your+Monthly+Payment ?

Home and mortgage affordability calculator
www.mortgagecontent.net/scApplication/fanniemae/specificSalesPrice.do

Tool for determining value associated with mortgage refinancing
www.mortgagecontent.net/scApplication/fanniemae/refinanceResults.do

Primer on reverse mortgages
www.fanniemae.com/global/pdf/homebuyers/moneyfromhome.pdf

Mortgage Bankers of America
Brochure discussing mortgage basics and ways of finding the right mortgage
www.homeloanlearningcenter.com/files/MtgsAtoZFirstSteps.pdf

Details on the mortgage application process
www.homeloanlearningcenter.com/files/MtgsAtoZHomeLoans.pdf

National Association of Home Builders
Short, high-level description of mortgages with tips on shopping for adjustable- rate mortgages
www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=303&print=true

You might have an idea of the loan payment and mortgage you can afford. But will the bank feel otherwise? It’s always best to pre-qualify for a mortgage so you know exactly how much a financial institution would be willing to lend you. I help buyers pre-qualify for mortgages every day. Simply click here to begin the prequalification process. Remember: I will respect your privacy and this service is also provided free of charge, without any obligation on your part. It is part of my job as a top Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin real estate agent to offer services such as these.

More FHFA sponsored links to assist Nashville home buyers and sellers….

Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey

FHFA News Releases

Latest HPI Report

Download the latest House Price Index for the 4th quarter 2008 in PDF format

Do You Have a Real Estate Related Question? I Will Email You an Answer Quickly.

As a top Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin real estate expert, it’s my job to help! It’s my job to know EVERYTHING about real estate! Click here to ask me anything. There are no dumb questions! It’s FREE, and I promise to get back to you quickly…

This information was brought to you by JoAnne Staler, REALTOR. JoAnne has lived over 30 years in Middle Tennessee, and has 14 years of full-time real estate practice. Her 3 children have attended area public, private, and parochial schools, so she can help you find the BEST SCHOOL for your child. Whether looking for a Williamson County estate, a Belle Meade mansion, new construction in Brentwood, a Vanderbilt area cottage, a downtown or midtown loft, a gated community in Green Hills, or a historic home in Franklin, JoAnne’s extensive knowledge will help you find the RIGHT HOME in the RIGHT LOCATION!

New Agency Formed to Promote a Stable Mortgage Market Offers Nashville TN Homebuyers and Sellers Assistance is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

Nashville TN Official Committed to Downtown Riverfront Projects

jstaler — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:43:03 +0000

Councilman Jameson continues criticism of Metro’s second Nashville riverfront plan

By MICHAEL CASS • Staff Writer • March 9, 2009

Ed Owens, waterfront redevelopment director for the Metro Development and Housing Agency, said Dean wants to build each of the 19 projects on either downtown Nashville bank of the river.

“What’s important to keep in perspective is that we’ve got a good plan,” Owens said this evening. “This is not a discussion about changing any of those projects or not doing any of them. I know the mayor is fully committed to implementing the plan.”

Owens said Dean asked MDHA to revisit the original plan because of the economic crisis affecting the city’s building plans. MDHA decided to present an alternative that didn’t start with the “adventure and water play park,” which would be the most expensive project, because it wanted a true alternative.

“Otherwise, you would just end up with a variation of a theme,” Owens said.

He declined to specifically rebut any of Metro Councilman Mike Jameson’s criticisms of the alternate approach.

“We’re obviously interested in Mr. Jameson’s thoughts and opinions,” he said.

Original story: Councilman Jameson continues criticism of Metro’s second riverfront plan

A new plan for redeveloping Nashville’s downtown riverfront falls short on several counts, a Metro councilman said today.

The new proposal, http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090308/NEWS01/903080391“>presented Saturday by the Metro Development and Housing Agency, is an alternative to the riverfront plan the city, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a team of consultants came up with after gathering public input over a 16-month period in 2006 and 2007.

Councilman Mike Jameson and an agitated East Nashville audience criticized MDHA Saturday for considering a reordering of priorities on the river’s east and west banks.

The http://www.tennessean.com/assets/pdf/DN13008439.PDF“>original plan would start with an urban forest on some of LP Field’s parking lots and an “adventure and water play park” south of the Shelby Avenue pedestrian bridge on the east bank. http://www.tennessean.com/assets/pdf/DN13008539.PDF“>The alternative would push those projects back to the third and fourth years of the redevelopment effort. It would start with several smaller east bank projects instead, then move to the downtown side of the river in Year 2.

Jameson said the adventure area and the urban forest wouldn’t need permits from the Corps of Engineers because they wouldn’t touch the water, so it makes sense to build them first.

The original plan was “meticulously sequenced,” he wrote in an email, to deal with environmental concerns and to generate considerable activity on the riverfront from the outset, which would create momentum for later projects.

“The Riverfront Adventure Park has the right combination of programs that will bring large numbers of people to the riverfront, is located in a highly visible and accessible location, has minimal regulatory constraints, provides an opportunity to demonstrate ‘green’ building practices, will enhance existing uses and will be a tangible project that adds excitement to the riverfront redevelopment,” the city’s consultants wrote in a presentation to Metro Parks and the Corps of Engineers last October.

The adventure area also would eliminate the only contaminated “brownfield” in the redevelopment area, and it would provide an alternative staging area for downtown events once construction started on the west bank, Jameson said.

Ed Owens, MDHA’s waterfront redevelopment director since September, said Saturday that the economic recession had forced Metro to “be more flexible and adaptable and kind of reassess our priorities.”

In a statement, Mayor Karl Dean’s office said the city needs to determine if the agreed-upon projects still make sense in the order presented in the original plan.

“After Mayor Dean took office, he appointed Ed Owens to MDHA to work on riverfront redevelopment from a comprehensive approach,” the statement said. “The riverfront redevelopment plan was completed over two years ago. Ed is now going through a public process of determining if what was set out two years ago still fits the needs of our community today. That was the purpose of the community meeting at East Park.”

Click here to read more about whats going on in Nashville TN.

Nashville TN Riverfront Park – click here to read about Music City’s favorite outdoor venue for concerts, festivals and other special events.

Search the TN MLS for downtown Nashville real estate near the riverfront.

JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in downtown Nashville, East Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee. Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help. To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Nashville TN Official Committed to Downtown Riverfront Projects is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

The Foreclosure Fix Plan and What it Means For Nashville Home Owners and Home Buyers

jstaler — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:27:57 +0000

What does the Anti-Foreclosure Plan mean for Nashville home owners and home buyers?

Obama’s Anti-Foreclosure Plan Addresses Upside-Down Mortgages

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Esq., FrontDoor.com | Published: 2/18/2009

After signing a $780 billion-plus stimulus package, President Obama revealed the details of a sweeping $75 billion foreclosure-fighting initiative. Grander in scale than many observers expected, Obama expects his Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan to save as many as 9 million homes from foreclosure by helping homeowners restructure or refinance their mortgages. On the other hand, the Plan will not, in Obama’s words, “help speculators who took risky bets on a rising market” or “reward folks who bought homes they knew from the beginning they would never be able to afford.”

The Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, set to take effect on March 4, aims to staunch the flood of foreclosures and stabilize falling home values through three key components:

Affordability through Refinancing. Under Obama’s Plan, 4 to 5 million homeowners will have access to low-cost refinancing into a mortgage at today’s low interest rates — even if their homes are worth slightly less than is currently owed on them. The reduction in rate will reduce the mortgage payment, increasing month-to-month affordability for these families, most of whom cannot currently refinance their homes due to negative equity.
Stability through Mortgage Modifications. This, the most striking element of the Plan, reflects a clear departure from earlier governmental policy and industry standard practices in the realm of mortgage modifications. Under the Obama initiative, lenders will be paid a monetary incentive to restructure homeowners’ mortgages within the Plan’s guidelines. To earn the incentive, lenders must reduce monthly payments to at most 38 percent of the homeowners’ income, and can earn increasing incentives for decreasing the payment further.Unlike former government and industry plans, the initiative rewards lenders for modifying the loans of homeowners who are not yet behind on their monthly payments, and rewards homeowners who stay current on their mortgage payments post-modification. Additionally, the Treasury Department will implement a single set of standards for loan modifications conducted under the Plan, and every bank that receives bailout monies will be required to adopt similar standards.
Keeping Interest Rates Low. This element of the initiative charges Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with buying more mortgages, and funds that expansion. The goal? To keep mortgage money flowing through this credit-crunched marketplace, making it easier to buy and refinance homes.

Homeowners wondering whether this Plan will go through as many versions or take as long to get through Congress as the stimulus package did can relax — most elements of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan will be implemented under the President’s Executive Powers on March 4th, and are already funded through other recent economic rescue legislation. The one big exception is the “cramdown” power Obama would like to include in the Plan, which would authorize bankruptcy courts to modify home mortgages by reducing the principal amount owed on the loan. Capitol Hill politicos are already gearing up for the battle over whether that provision will become law.

Who benefits from this plan? Only homeowners who occupy their homes can take advantage of this initiative, not investors who don’t live in the properties at issue. The mortgage modification element of the Plan applies only to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-insured loans — this does not include the vast majority of subprime mortgages, which comprise a vast portion of the foreclosure-prone mortgages at present. However, the requirement that all bailed-out banks adopt clear Treasury Department loan modification standards may provide a hidden, but massive, benefit to homeowners with subprime mortgages, who have by and large been unable to figure out how to successfully work with their lenders to modify their loans.

More…

JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to home buyers and home sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, West Meade, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee. Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help. To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

The Foreclosure Fix Plan and What it Means For Nashville Home Owners and Home Buyers is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

Completely Renovated 3 Bedroom 2 Bath Bellevue TN Condo for Sale

jstaler — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:55:58 +0000

You will know you are home as soon as you enter this fabulous TN renovated condo for sale located in Bellevue’s Post House community.

404 Post Creek Road Nashville TN

The spacious open floor plan in this Nashville TN condo is ideal for gracious entertaining. Located at 404 Post Creek Rd the condo features include hardwood & tile floors, new paint, new carpet, fireplace, wood blinds, and new fixtures.

Beautiful new kitchen Nashville TN condo for sale

Washer, Dryer, Microwave & Refrigerator to remain. This home is ready to move into. Hurry, it will not last long!

Click here for more information on this renovated Nashville TN condo for sale and to see additional photographs.

This Bellevue condo for sale is listed by Gina Turman, a member of JoAnne Staler’s team with Rochford Realty & Construction Company.

Search for other condo or townhomes listed for sale on the TN MLS

Nashville Tennessee REALTOR JoAnne Staler is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Bellevue, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee. Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help. To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Click here to see other Middle TN condos and townhomes for sale.

Click here for information on specific Nashville communities; Brentwood, Bellevue, Franklin, Green Hills, Belle Meade, and many more!

Completely Renovated 3 Bedroom 2 Bath Bellevue TN Condo for Sale is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

What to Expect in the Nashville TN Housing Market in 2009

jstaler — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:47:45 +0000

I read a great article on FrontDoor.com today regarding what to expect from the housing market in the new year. I hope you find it interesting and helpful. I’ve outlined the article below….

After the recent housing boom, 2008 was a dose of reality. The subprime mortgage crisis and the collapse of major financial institutions made this year a tough one for Nashville real estate. Expect 2009 to be filled with more change and adjustment in home values and expectations. Some experts say a slow recovery could begin in late 2009. Prepare yourself for the home sale and home buying challenges — and opportunities — of 2009 by getting familiar with what to expect in the Nashville TN housing market.

Continued market adjustments. With home prices in Franklin, Brentwood and some areas of Nashville having reached astronomical levels, it was inevitable a reset button be pushed. Home Sellers will continue to be challenged in 2009 as the inflated pricing of years past adjusts to normal levels. With banks and Nashville home builders willing to slash prices to sell a backlog of TN foreclosures and new homes, individual sellers will have to price their homes competitively.
Action from the new administration. The President-elect’s plan to help the housing sector includes a 10 percent mortgage tax credit for homeowners who don’t itemize their taxes and a crackdown on abusive lending practices.
More assistance programs for homeowners in danger of foreclosure. While the federal government is attempting to reduce foreclosures, a report released by the Joint Economic Committee predicts 2 million foreclosures in 2009. Homeowners who are at risk should take steps to avoid foreclosure.
Click here for a list of “rescue programs” for homeowners.
Some calm to the chaos of the banks’ restructuring. This should cause loan modifications and short sales to get easier, and it will also (eventually) decrease the number of bank-owned properties on the market.
Thorough reviews of mortgage applications. Before the subprime mortgage debacle, you didn’t have to prove you could afford to borrow $200,000 for a home and you didn’t need a down payment. Those days of sketchy lending practices are gone. Lenders now require potential borrowers to provide extensive income and expense documentation. Nashville Homebuyers with the best credit will get the lowest interest rates. Take steps now to get your finances in order and boost your credit score.
Click here to read tips for getting your finances in order and making smarter home buying decisions.
Low prices and low interest rates. 2009 could be the time for reluctant homebuyers to act, as this is perhaps the last year of the best home buying opportunity in recorded economic history.
Cool tech tricks and tools for the real estate obsessed. As homebuyers turn to the Web more and more for their real estate needs, video, webcasts and mobile search tools are becoming more prevalent. Sellers should consider using these cutting-edge tools to make their homes stand out.
Click here to read about all my tech tricks and tools I use to sell Nashville homes.
Wiser consumers. After facing this foreclosure crisis, buyers, sellers, real estate agents and even tenants will have a deeper understanding of real estate, mortgage and credit, which they can use to make better decisions and be more self-protective in the future.
Leaner, greener homebuying. Across the board, homebuying is becoming more eco-friendly, from transactions being conducted digitally to buyers opting for smaller homes within walking distance of school and work.
An increase in consumer confidence. As the year goes on and we near the projected end of the recession, home sellers can breathe a sigh of relief as home buyers regain confidence in the market.

Click here to read this article in full on FrontDoor.com.

This information was brought to you by JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee. Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help. To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

See what home buying bargains are out there! Search all local Middle TN listings for your dream home today.

Know what school district or even specific neighborhood you want to buy a home in? Use my advance property search tools to narrow your Nashville home search.

Take advantage of the super low mortgage interest rates…You can compare three loans at one time with TripleCalc software…Download TripleCalc for FREE. It’s My Gift to You.

What to Expect in the Nashville TN Housing Market in 2009 is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

Great Time to Buy a Home in Nashville TN-Mortage Loan Interest Rates VERY Low

jstaler — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:29:55 +0000

It is a great time to buy a home in Nashville, TN while mortgage loan interest rates are very low!

Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey showed that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.47 percent, down from the prior week when it averaged 5.53 percent and from the prior month with November ending with an average of 5.97 percent. At 5.47 percent the 30-year FRM is at its lowest point for all of 2008!

One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 5.09 percent last week, down from the previous month when it averaged 5.18 percent.

“After Federal Reserve actions to increase liquidity in the mortgage market, interest rates for fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs) took a dive,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “This week’s decline was the largest since the week of November 27th, 1981, and 30-year FRM rates are now almost a full percentage point lower since the last week in October.”

[SOURCE: Freddie Mac]

Click here for more Nashville TN mortgage information.

Prequalify for your Nashville TN mortage online here. Quick and easy!

Have mortgage questions? I can help…. click here to contact me directly.

Great Time to Buy a Home in Nashville TN-Mortage Loan Interest Rates VERY Low is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

Westhaven Condo – Fully Furnished Executive Rental in Franklin TN

jstaler — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:03:02 +0000

Gorgeous Condo located in the sought after Franklin TN community of Westhaven is now available for rent! This two bedroom, two and one half bathroom FULLY FURNISHED executive rental comes stocked with a Flat Screen TV, washer/dryer, and FREE high-speed Internet & digital cable.

Full access to the neighborhood ‘Resident’s Center’ which includes a fitness center and beautiful resort style swimming pool.

This Westhaven Condo has a pet friendly private courtyard! This is also the perfect place in which to extend your living space. Bring the party outdoors when entertaining or enjoy a private time relaxing. This fantastic Franklin TN executive rental is available for immediate occupancy with a six month lease term and rents for $2500 monthly.

This Westhaven condo is listed by JoAnne Staler, Franklin Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee. Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help. To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Click here to see other available rental properties.

Westhaven Condo – Fully Furnished Executive Rental in Franklin TN is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

Tips to Sell Your Nashville TN Home During the Holidays

jstaler — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:31:01 +0000

While the holiday season is a hectic time to show and sell your house, there are distinct advantages to staging and showing your home during the holidays. Nothing is more inviting than a home brimming with greenery, twinkling lights and holiday decorations. FrontDoor.com has an article with some great tips to Sell Your Home During the Holidays. I’ve outlined the article and the tips below to help you sell your Nashville, Brentwood or Franklin TN home this holiday season……

While the thought of selling your home during the winter months may dampen your holiday spirit, the season does have its advantages: holiday home buyers tend to be more serious, and competition is less fierce with fewer homes being actively marketed.

Deck the halls, but don’t go overboard. Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be careful not to overdo it on the decor. Adornments that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Choose decorations with a general winter or holiday theme to avoid alienating buyers. You may even consider hiring a professional home stager to make certain your home appeals to a wide range of buyers. If you list your Middle TN home for sale with me, I’ll provide the services of a Professional Home Stager ! Click here to see a professional home stager in action.
Hire a reliable real estate agent. That means someone who will work hard for you and won’t disappear during Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s. This will ease your stress and give you more time to enjoy the season. Click here to see Why Nashville, Franklin and Brentwood Home Sellers Choose Me.
Seek out motivated buyers. Anyone house hunting during the holidays must have a good reason for doing so. Work with your agent to target buyers on a deadline, including people relocating for jobs in your area. I work extensively with several large companys assisting with their employee Middle TN relocations so I have a large pool of motivated home buyers on a deadline!
Price to sell. No matter what time of year, a home that’s priced low for the market will make Nashville home buyers feel merry. Click here to see what other homes in your neighborhood have sold for.
Make curb appeal a top priority. When autumn rolls around and the trees start to lose their leaves, maintaining the exterior of your home becomes even more important. Bare trees equal a more exposed home, so touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Keep buyers’ safety in mind as well by making sure stairs and walkways are free of snow, ice and leaves.
Take top-notch real estate photos. When the weather outside is frightful, TN homebuyers are likely to start their house hunt from the comfort of their homes by browsing listings on the Internet. Make a good first impression by offering lots of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. If possible, have a summer or spring photo of your home available so buyers can see how it looks year-round.
I have many years of experience taking photos that showcase the best your Nashville home has to offer. When you list your home with me I’ll take top quality digital photos and use them to market your property all across the web….. Yahoo Real Estate, Microsoft MSN HomeAdvisor, Craigslist, REALTOR.com and other top national sites. I can place your home on my web site and blog site within a few minutes time!
Create a video tour for the Web. You’ll get less foot traffic during the holidays, thanks to inclement weather and vacation plans. But shooting a video tour and posting it on the Web may attract house hunters who don’t have time to physically visit your home or would rather not drive in a snowstorm.
See one of my Franklin TN listing’s video tours.
Give house hunters a place to escape from the cold. Make your home feel cozy and inviting during showings by cranking up the heat, playing soft classical music and offering homemade holiday treats like cookies and eggnog. When you encourage buyers to spend more time in your home, you also give them more time to admire its best features.
Offer holiday cheer in the form of home loan financing. Bah, humbug! Lenders are scrooges these days, but if you’ve got the means, then why not offer a home loan to a serious buyer? You could get a good rate of return on your money. Click here for more TN Mortgage information.
Relax — the new year is just around the corner. Thanksgiving and Christmas are stressful enough, with gifts to buy, dinners to prepare and relatives to entertain. Hire me to sell your home and rest easy! Request a Free Presentation On How I Will Market and Sell Your Nashville Brentwood or Franklin Home. Remember, All Real Estate Agents Are NOT Alike.

Click here to read FrontDoor.com’s article Top 10 Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holidays in full.

Quickly Find Out What Your Nashville, Franklin or Brentwood TN home is Really Worth, by Email, for Free.

More Nashville TN Home Seller Tips here.

Get the Straight Facts About What Can Make or Break the Sale of Your Nashville TN Home.

Tips to Sell Your Nashville TN Home During the Holidays is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

Are You a Nashville TN Homeowner Still in Denial?

jstaler — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:42:45 +0000

I came across on article on Zillow.com that caught my attention regarding many homeowners being in denial regarding the housing market. While Nashville and the surrounding Middle TN area isn’t suffering as drastically as other regions, our local housing market has definitely taken a nosedive. As the Zillow.com article reads…..

America is in one of the worst housing crisis in history, yet 49% of U.S. homeowners believe their home’s value has increased or stayed the same over the past year, according to Zillow’s Q3 Homeowner Confidence Survey.

In reality, 74% percent of homes have lost value in the past 12 months, according to preliminary findings in Zillow’s Q3 Real Estate Market Reports.

Another finding of the survey is that fewer people expect to buy or sell a home in the near future.

Click here to view the entire survey

What can you do as a Nashville Homeowner?

Click here to see the Top 10 Ways to Beat the Sluggish Housing Market-Tips for Nashville Home Sellers

Click here to see What Buyers Want! Find out What You Need to Sell Your Nashville TN Home

Find out what other homes in your neighborhood sold for here.

Are You a Nashville TN Homeowner Still in Denial? is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate

FHA Mortgage Loan Changes may affect Nashville TN Homebuyers and Sellers

jstaler — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:43:11 +0000

I just wanted to take a second and update you on some current and soon to be FHA mortgage loan changes that may affect Nashville area home sellers and home buyers. As of last month FHA has changed its up front and monthly mortgage insurance premiums. The new upfront premium is 1.75% and the new monthly premium is .55%. Prior to these changes both the monthly and the upfront were credit score driven.

The other change that will go into effective on January 1, 2009 is the new minimum down payment that will be required on all FHA loans. FHA will change the minimum required down payment to 3.5% which is up from 3%. The borrower is still allowed to get this gifted from a relative but no longer from Down Payment Assistance Programs.

As always, Heather, Kristi, Gary, Josh, Gena, and I are always available to answer any questions you may have regarding Middle TN mortgage loans. Click here to speak to me immediately.

The JoAnne Staler Group specializes in first time home buyers. We offer home purchase counseling to walk you through every step of purchasing your first home in the Nashville TN area. We’ll help you find your perfect Nashville neighborhood, educate you on financing options, assist in the mortgage loan prequalifying process, find your dream home, guide you through the home inspection, make sure the final contract is in your best interest and coordinate the closing. Click here to see Why Nashville area home buyers choose me as their real estate agent.

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New to the home buying process? Click here to tell me your concerns or ask me questions. It’s my job to help! There’s no obligation, and I promise to get back to you quickly…

JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee. Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help. To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

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FHA Mortgage Loan Changes may affect Nashville TN Homebuyers and Sellers is a post from: Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee Real Estate