Joe Naccarato's Real Estate News You Can Use

Friday, October 12, 2012

Cycle of Foreclosure about to be Broken? [INFOGRAPHIC]

by The KCM Crew on October 12, 2012

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

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Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Monday, October 8, 2012

Cost of a Home: Impact of Interest Rates

by The KCM Crew on October 2, 2012

The buyer should always look at the COST of a home, not just the PRICE. The cost is determined by the price and the mortgage interest rate which is available at the time. Below is a list of the interest rates over the last ten years and the impact they have on a $100,000 mortgage payment.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Reach that buyer!

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

http://www.allentate.com/videoplayer/126/Carolinas-Market-Update

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Allen Tate Market Update September/October 2012

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Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

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Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

5 Reasons to Sell Now

by The KCM Crew on September 24, 2012

Many sellers feel that the Spring is the best time to place their home on the market as buyer demand increases at that time of year. However, the Fall and Winter have their own advantages. Here are five reasons to to sell now.

Only Serious Buyers Are Out

At this time of year, only those purchasers who are serious about buying a home will be in the marketplace. You and your family will not be bothered and inconvenienced by mere ‘lookers’. The lookers are at the mall or online doing their holiday shopping.

There Is Far Less Competition

Housing supply always shrinks dramatically at this time of year. This year will be a little different as some of the distressed properties being liquidated by the banks (in the form of foreclosures & short sales) will enter the market. However, for those buyers looking for a non-distressed property, the choices will be limited. Don’t wait until the spring when all the other potential sellers in your market will put their homes up for sale.

The Process Will Be Quicker

One of the biggest challenges of the 2012 housing market has been the length of time it takes from contract to closing. Banks have been inundated with both purchase and refinancing loan requests. Both of these will slow in the winter cutting timelines and the frustration these delays cause both buyers and sellers.

There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move-Up

If you are moving up to a larger, more expensive home, consider doing it now. Prices are projected to appreciate by over 15% from now to 2016. If you are moving to a higher priced home, it will wind-up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait. You can also lock-in your 30 year housing expense with historically low interest rates right now. There is no guarantee rates will remain at these levels in years to come.

It’s Time to Move On with Your Life

Look at the reason you decided to sell in the first place and decide whether it is worth waiting. Is money more important than being with family? Is money more important than your health? Is money more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should?
You already know the answers to the questions we just asked. You have the power to take back control of the situation by pricing your home to guarantee it sells. The time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire. That is what is truly important.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Short Sales vs Foreclosures: The Banks’ Preference

by The KCM Crew on August 24, 2012

For months now, we have been letting everyone know that banks were going to begin shifting their focus when liquidating distressed properties. They would start supporting short sales over foreclosures. There is no longer any doubt this is now the new normal.
In a recent news release, the FHFA announced new guidelines to streamline the short sale process.

FHFA Acting Director Edward J. DeMarco on the new guidelines:

“These new guidelines demonstrate FHFA’s and Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s commitment to enhancing and streamlining processes to avoid foreclosure and stabilize communities.”

You can see the new guidelines here.
In a DSNews article, both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reaffirmed their desire to proceed with short sales rather than foreclosures.

**Leslie Peeler, SVP, National Servicing Organization, Fannie Mae:**

“Short sales have become an increasingly important tool in preventing foreclosures and stabilizing communities. We want to help as many homeowners avoid foreclosure as possible. It is vital that servicers, junior lien holders and mortgage insurers step up to the plate with us.”

**Tracy Mooney, SVP Single-Family Servicing & REO at Freddie Mac:**

“These changes will make it clear that Freddie Mac servicers have the authority to approve short sales for more borrowers facing the most frequently seen hardships. These changes will further empower the industry to minimize foreclosures and help Freddie Mac in its mission to minimize credit losses and fortify a national housing recovery.”

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

1132 Hawthorne Dr, Indian Trail NC 28079

Great Home. Ready for you family. Clean, Updated, Huge back yard!

Click on the link below to view full details:

http://www.allentate.com/joenaccarato/DesktopDefault.aspx?pageid=108&pagealias=ATWAgentListingDetail&ListingID=2222538&ListingPosition=5&From=AgentFeaturedProperties

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Unspoken Appraisal Problem

by Dean Hartman on May 31, 2012

As lenders, buyers, sellers, and real estate agents, the big unknown after a deal is put together is the appraisal. A proper pre-approval can smooth out the other components of the mortgage approval (income, assets, and credit- even title issues can be uncovered before the contracts are signed), so the only “unknown” is the appraisal.
The spoken challenges:

An appraised value has always been loosely defined as “what a reasonable buyer would pay to a reasonable seller”, meaning that both sides were of sound mind and under no external pressure. But in today’s environment of foreclosures and short sales, the whole concept of “reasonable” is muddled. So, appraisers are challenged, through no fault of their own, in determining a home’s value because they can’t ignore the data and the distressed transactions, but should they be considered “reasonable”?
Add to it the prevalence of seller’s concessions today (wherein the seller agrees to pay the buyer’s closing costs) and the appraiser is faced with a further dilemma> If the seller is willing to pay $10,000 of the buyer’s closing costs, doesn’t that mean that they believe the “reasonable” value of their home is less than the actual price? Many will argue that the seller’s merely looking to make their home more financially attractive to solicit more interest in it, creating more competition, and thereby securing the highest price for themselves.

So, appraisers are in a difficult position, for sure. But, there is a problem with appraisals today that goes beyond a property’s worth. It’s the unspoken challenge.

With the advent of post real estate bubble regulations (predominantly HVCC in terms of appraisals), most lenders order their appraisals through a third-party company. This company gives the appearance of independence- a company immune to the pressures of a loan officer or a real estate agent who might push a value too high. But, in fact, many of these Appraisal Management Companies are owned or controlled by the lenders themselves. And these AMCs don’t actually do the appraising. In many cases, they subcontract the work out to actual appraisers, but only pay them a fraction of the monies collected.
So, appraisers, besides being under tremendous scrutiny, today have a tougher job and they are asked to work for less money. Is it surprising that they would be conservative in their evaluations? The bubble was not the appraisers fault. There were multiple reasonable buyers willing to pay the prices in 2006, and the values reported were valid at the time. The appraisers didn’t create outrageous underwriting guidelines that allowed too many unqualified buyers to bid on those homes.
Let’s get rid of HVCC and let the appraisers do their job; otherwise, home appraisers will not be showing appreciation in any real estate market.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Sales Are Up. Prices Still Have a Way To Go.

by The KCM Crew on May 15, 2012

We believe the housing market is recovering. We believe that sales will be robust through the rest of the year. However, we also believe that the increase in demand will not impact prices in a big way as we think there will also be an increase in the supply of homes coming to the market. This increase in supply will offset the increase in demand. The increase in supply will be fueled by two categories of inventory:

Foreclosures entering the market as a result of the National Mortgage Settlement
Pent up supply of homeowners who have been unable to sell their homes over the last several years

There have been several recent headlines making strong statements about home values in the country. We must be sure to read the ENTIRE report – not just the headlines. Here are four headlines and the portion of the report that reflects the caution in their ‘cautious optimism’.

HEADLINE:

LPS Home Price Index Shows U.S. Home Price Increase of 0.2 Percent in February; Early Data Suggests Further Increase of 0.3 Percent is Likely During March

CAUTION:

“Reasons for caution are clear, as we’ve been here before. Non-seasonally adjusted prices increased for a few months in early 2009, 2010 and 2011 – trends that all ended by summer, after which all the gains – and then some – were lost. As is true this month, those temporary increases were on low sales volumes – about 30 percent lower than at any point since 1998. Furthermore, the inventory of distressed homes remains high, which will continue to put a drag on prices.”

HEADLINE:

Foreclosure hotspots show signs of housing turnaround

CAUTION:

“However, much will depend on the continued health of our economy, specifically job rates, and how lenders will release their foreclosure inventories now that the 49 state AG Agreement has been signed.”
HEADLINE:
Fiserv Expects Home Prices to Stabilize

CAUTION:

“On the other hand, nearly one-half of the metro areas, or 191, saw prices decrease by more than 2 percent, including double-digit losses in Atlanta (-12.8 percent), Reno, Nevada (-10.8 percent), and Tucson, Arizona (-10 percent).
In the fourth quarter of 2011, the average price of a U.S. single-family home fell four percent from the year-ago period, and Fiserv Case-Shiller projects a further decline of 0.8 percent by the end of 2012.”

HEADLINE:

Home Prices in March Show Monthly Gain: CoreLogic

CAUTION:

“Even with price gains above 5 percent for leading states and CBSAs, Capital Economics said in response to the CoreLogic report that over the year, prices are more likely to stabilize rather than make a dramatic climb.
“There are fears in some quarters, triggered by recent disappointing GDP and payrolls data, of a sharp slowdown in economic growth which could derail the fledgling improvement in the housing market,” said Paul Diggle, property economist for Capital Economics.”

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Short Sale vs Foreclosure – 10 Common Myths Busted

by Brandon Brittingham on May 9, 2012

It’s likely you’ve heard the term “short sale” thrown around quite a bit. But what, exactly, is a short sale?
A short sale is when a bank agrees to accept less than the total amount owed on a mortgage to avoid having to foreclose on the property. This is not a new practice; banks have been doing short sales for years. Only recently, due to the current state of the housing market and economy, has this process become a part of the public consciousness.
To be eligible for a short sale you first have to qualify!
To qualify for a short sale:

Your house must be worth less than you owe on it.
You must be able to prove that you are the victim of a true financial hardship, such as a decrease in wages, job loss, or medical condition that has altered your ability to make the same income as when the loan was originated. Divorce, estate situations, etc… also qualify.

Now that you have a basic understanding of what a short sale is, there are some huge misconceptions when it comes to a short sale vs. a foreclosure. We take the most common myths surrounding both short sales and foreclosures and give a brief explanation. LET’S BUST SOME MYTHS!!
1.) If you let your home go to foreclosure you are done with the situation and you can walk away with a clean slate. The reality is that this couldn’t be any farther from the truth in most situations. You could end up with an IRS tax liability and still owing the bank money. Let me explain. Please keep in mind that if your property does go into foreclosure you may be liable for the difference of what is owed on the property versus what is sells for at auction, in the form of a deficiency balance! Please note this is state specific and in most states you will be liable for the shortfall, but in some states the bank may not always be able to pursue the debt. Check your state law as it varies widely from state to state.
Here is an example of how a deficiency balance works
If you owe $200,000 on the property and it sells at auction for $150,000, you could be liable for the $50,000 difference if your state law allows it.
Not only could you be liable for the difference to the bank, but in some situations you could also be liable to the IRS! Although there are exemptions (mostly for principle residences) under the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act, there are times when you could be taxed on both a short sale and a foreclosure, even in a principle residence situation. Since the tax code on this is a little complicated and I am not a CPA, I advise always talking to a CPA when in this situation as you are weighing your options. Hard to believe? Well, believe it or not, the IRS counts the difference between the sale and the charged off debt as a “gain” on your taxes. That’s right-you lost money and it’s counted as a gain! (I didn’t make that rule, that’s a wonderful brainchild of the IRS). Banks and the IRS can go as far as attaching your wages. Not to mention if you let your home go to foreclosure you will have that on your credit, as well.
Guess What? A short sale can alleviate your liability to the bank, in most situations. There are also exceptions to this, but in most cases banks are releasing homeowners from the deficiency balance on a short sale.
2.) There are no options to avoid foreclosure. Now more than ever, there are options to avoid foreclosure. Besides a short sale, loan modifications along with deed in lieu are also examples of the many options. In most cases (but not all) a short sale is the best option. Either way, there are more options today than there have ever been to avoid foreclosure.
3.) Banks do not want to participate in a short sale, or, it is too hard to qualify for a short sale. Banks would rather perform a short sale than a foreclosure any day. A foreclosure takes a long time and creates a huge expense for the banks; a short sale saves both time and money. Banks have more foreclosure inventory than ever before, and certainly do not want any more. Banks more than ever welcome short sales. Qualifying for a short sale is easier than you think, you need to have a true financial hardship, or a change in your finances and your house has to be worth less than what you owe on it. Not only do consumers, but banks also now have government incentive to participate in short sales.
4.) Short sales are not that common. At this present time, short sales range from 10-50 % of sales in various markets and it is predicted that in 2012 we will have more short sales than any other year, to date. Due to economic changes in the last few years, this is something that is affecting millions of Americans. Short sales are in every market, and are not just limited to any particular income class. This has affected everyone from all facets of life. A short sale should be looked at as a helpful tool, not a negative stigma. That is why the government is offering programs that actually pay consumers to participate in short sales. It is not just affecting one community; it is affecting communities and consumers across the nation.
5.) The short sale process is too difficult and they often get denied. Though the short sale process is time consuming; it is not as difficult as the media would have you believe. The problem is that most short sales are denied because of a misunderstanding of the process. It is true that if the short sale process is not followed correctly there is a good chance of getting denied. An experienced agent knows how to avoid this. Short sales require a lot of experience, and a special skill set. If you are looking to go the option of a short sale make sure your agent is skilled and experienced in this area.
6.) Short sales will cost me money out of pocket. A short sale should not cost you any out of pocket money. In fact, you could get between $3000-up to $30,000 to participate in a short sale. In many ways, a short sale may put you in a better financial position than prior to the short sale. Almost every short sale program now has some type of financial incentive for the home owner, as long as it is a principle residence, and we are even seeing relocation money being paid on some investment/second homes. As a seller of a property you should never have to pay for any short sale cost upfront to any professional service. Realtors charge a commission that is paid for by the bank. In most communities there are also non-profits and HUD counselors who can help you with foreclosure prevention options for free. The only potential cost you could incur is if the bank would not release you from a deficiency balance in the short sale, which is happening less and less now.
7.) If I am behind on my payments, I can perform a short sale any time. The farther you get behind on your payments, the harder it is to get a short sale approved. The closer a property gets to a foreclosure the harder it is to convince the bank to perform a short sale. As they get closer to a foreclosure sale more money is spent, thus deterring them from doing a short sale. If you think you need to perform a short sale, time is of the essence; the sooner you start the process, the better. Waiting too long can trigger the ramifications of a foreclosure, losing the ability to do a short sale as a viable option.
8.) I have already been sent a foreclosure notice so I can’t perform a short sale. For the most part just because you received a foreclosure notice or notice of default it does not mean that you do not have time to perform a short sale. The timeline and specifics do vary from state to state, but having done short sales all over the country, I have seen banks postpone a foreclosure to work a short sale option as close as 30 days prior to the scheduled foreclosure auction, but the longer you wait the less chance you have. If you have received a legal foreclosure notice, please reach out to a professional right away. The longer you wait, and the closer you get to foreclosure, the fewer options you have. If you have received a notice to foreclose this means the bank is filing paperwork and starting the process to take legal action to repossess the house. You still have time at this point to prevent foreclosure, but do not hesitate! The closer you get to the foreclosure date the harder it becomes to negotiate with the bank for whichever option you choose.
9.) I was denied for a loan modification, so I know I will get denied for a short sale. Short sales and loan modifications are handled by two separate departments at the bank. These processes are totally different in approval and denial. If you got denied for a modification you can still apply for a short sale; in some cases you can get a short sale approved faster than a loan modification, as some loan modifications are denied because they cannot reduce the loan low enough based on the consumers income.
10.) If I go through a short sale I cannot buy another house for a long time. The time to buy another house depends on your entire credit picture and can vary from 12-24 months. There are even a few FHA programs that allow for a purchase sooner than that. I have worked with clients who went through a short sale and bought another house in less than 12 months.
These are just a few of the common myths surrounding short sales and foreclosure. With the options available today, no homeowner should ever have to go through foreclosure, and hopefully this information can help a few more homeowners think twice before walking away from their home not realizing the possible long term ramifications a foreclosure can have.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Yet Another Housing Bear Turns Bull

by The KCM Crew on May 1

Every day there seems to be more positive news about the real estate recovery. We attempt to give you two things in this blog:

The actual data that indicates where the housing market is headed
Quotes from analysts who have scrutinized this data

Today, we want to give you a quote by Ivy Zelman which appeared last week in a Wall Street Journal article Stunned Home Buyers Find the Bidding Wars Are Back.

“We very much believe we’ve hit bottom.”

Why is the quote from Zelman important? She is an industry expert consistently recognized by Institutional Investor, Greenwich Associates, StarMine and The Wall Street Journal as an industry-leading analyst. She has been nicknamed ‘Poison Ivy’ for her harsh positions on housing over the last several years. Now, Zelman is calling a bottom and projecting prices to moderately increase in the next twelve months.
Again, another expert on housing is calling a bottom; another bear turns bull.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Further Proof the Real Estate Market Is Coming Back

by The KCM Crew on April 30, 2012

Last week, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their Pending Sales Report which showed that contracted sales were 12.8% higher than the same month last year and higher than any time since sales were impacted by the Homebuyers’ Credit back in April of 2010. The index stood at 101.4 which represents a level that is “historically healthy” (see methodology below).
Here is a graph showing pending sales over the last twelve months:

METHODOLOGY (as per NAR)
The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.
The index is based on a large national sample, typically representing about 20 percent of transactions for existing-home sales. In developing the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity parallels the level of closed existing-home sales in the following two months.
An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales; it coincides with a level that is historically healthy.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Everybody Calm Down – The Market IS Recovering

by The KCM Crew on April 23, 2012

It didn’t take long for the naysayers in real estate to jump all over the National Association of Realtors’ Existing Sales Report which was released last week. It is true that sales were down 2.6% from the previous month. However, monthly variations should not be the determining factor in deciding where the market is going. For example, in the same report, NAR explained that sales WERE UP 5.2% over last March’s numbers.
The experts should look at the key underlying data that truly determines where the market will be heading. Here is what leading economists in the housing industry are saying:

Paul Diggle, property economist, Capital Economics

“March’s decline in existing home sales probably reflects the normal month by month volatility rather than renewed underlying weakness. The increase in households’ confidence in the outlook for the housing market, coupled with a gradual improvement in the pace of the economic recovery, should drive a rise in home sales later this year….It is possible that the pattern within the quarter has been driven by the weather, with falls in the most recent two months reflecting a degree of payback after January’s gain.”

Doug Duncan, chief economist, Fannie Mae

“Conditions are coming together to encourage people to want to buy homes. Americans’ rental price expectations for the next year continue to rise, reaching their record high level for our survey this month. With an increasing share of consumers expecting higher mortgage rates and home prices over the next 12 months, some may feel that renting is becoming more costly and that homeownership is a more compelling housing choice.”

Celia Chen, senior director of housing economics, Moody’s

“The residential property market is recovering, as the factors underlying demand and supply strengthen. Even after accounting for unusual seasonal patterns brought on by the unusually warm winter, conditions have not been this strong since the government ended homebuyer tax credits in 2010.”

Mark Vitner, senior economist, Wells Fargo

“Existing home sales dropped 2.6 percent, but are up 5.2 percent from a year ago. While existing sales are down for the second consecutive month, we are likely continuing to see payback from increases earlier this year. That said, we could see one more month of disappointing data, but we still contend the recent declines are not indicative of the trend. Stabilization will become more apparent once we return to normal weather.”

Mark Fleming, chief economist, CoreLogic

“Since the peak in home prices, mortgages rates have declined and affordability has risen dramatically. Housing affordability is at levels not seen since prior to the early 1990s …While real estate professionals often say that “now is a good time to buy,” it is clear today that April 2006 was probably not a good time to buy, while now may well be the time.”

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Monday, April 16, 2012

FSBOing May NOT Be the Answer

by The KCM Crew on April 16, 2012

With the housing market beginning to heat up, we are afraid some sellers may consider trying to sell their house as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO). Here is an article we ran last summer that sellers should consider. – KCM Crew

This blog prides itself on the quality of real estate information we deliver each and every day. We try to gather empirical evidence to validate the positions we take. We do not use just an anecdotal story to make a point. We also do not get caught up in the sensationalism of the moment. However, today will be different.
We can’t resist commenting on the story which recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal regarding Colby Sambrotto, the founder and former CEO of forsalebyowner.com. It seems the founding father and lifelong evangelist of the concept of selling your home without a real estate agent was forced to hire a broker to sell his home after failing at what he preaches others should do.
After failing to sell his NYC apartment on his own as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), Sambrotto hired a broker and paid a 6% commission in order to get the job done. His personal experience helps refute some of the myths Sambrotto has been espousing for over a decade. Let’s look at two of those myths:

Myth #1 – You Will Pocket More Money Selling on Your Own

Most FSBO sites say you can save the commission by selling on your own. What happened in Sambrotto’s sale?
From the WSJ article:

“The broker, Jesse Buckler, said he told Mr. Sambrotto the apartment in the Lion’s Head building on West 19th Street near Sixth Avenue was priced too low and wasn’t drawing the right buyers.
By May, it went into contract, he said, after attracting multiple offers. It closed in the last few days for $150,000 more than the original asking price.”

Myth #2 – The Internet Alone Can Sell Your Home

Many have said that, with the introduction of home search on the internet, hiring an agent is no longer a necessity. What happened to the FSBO guru when he attempted to only depend on the internet?
From the WSJ article:

“Looking to move his family to the suburbs, [Mr. Sambrotto] said he carefully staged his apartment for sale himself, and put it on the market. But after using a mix of websites to publicize his apartment, he said he had only ‘middling success’ and switched to a broker because many buyers were so reliant on brokers.”

Bottom Line

There is a reason the real estate industry has been around for centuries: it performs a valuable service.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Ultimate Proof I Believe NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!

by Steve Harney on April 10, 2012

I truly believe that now is one of the greatest times in American history to buy a home whether it is a primary residence, a vacation home, or an investment. Cynics may believe I speak highly of the benefits of owning real estate simply because I am in the industry as a speaker and lecturer. I want to prove that I believe in the advice I have given to our readers.
Yesterday, my wife and I were absolutely thrilled to receive the mortgage commitment on the small condo we are buying in South Beach, Florida. We are looking forward to enjoying our winters in Miami in the future. We are also excited that the condo will be able to be passed down to our children and eventually their children; enhancing our lifestyle and building family wealth at the same time. That’s exciting!!

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Monday, April 9, 2012

by The KCM Crew on April 9, 2012

If you are either buying or selling a home in today’s market, you need a real estate expert. However, we must realize what the term ‘expert’ actually means. An expert in any area cannot give perfect advice as no one can predict the future. But they can give excellent advice based on their insight into their field.
If you go to an attorney with a legal challenge, he/she will look over your case and give you your options. They realize they cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the options. Still, they give the best advice possible and allow you to decide the option with which you feel most comfortable. They then will put together a strategy which hopefully will bring about the most favorable conclusion.
If you go to a doctor with a serious ailment, he/she will give you your options and work with you to develop the best treatment program. They cannot guarantee any program’s success. They will, however, monitor your progress and adjust your treatments or medications. They will stand next to you until the best result is achieved.
Real estate is no different. A true real estate professional will understand your options and simply and effectively explain them to you and your family. Once you chose an option, they will strategize a plan to help you accomplish your goals. They will standby you as the process evolves and will help you make the necessary adjustments if necessary.
They cannot see the future any better than doctors or attorneys and thus their advice will never be perfect. However, just like those other professionals, an expert agent will give you excellent advice that will bring about the best possible outcome.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Why People Really Buy a Home

by The KCM Crew on April 6, 2012

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

New Listing: 3309 Michelle Dr , Matthews NC 28104. Check This One Out!

Click on Link Below To See Full Details:

http://www.allentate.com/joenaccarato/DesktopDefault.aspx?pageid=108&pagealias=ATWAgentListingDetail&ListingID=2159713&ListingPosition=4&From=AgentFeaturedProperties

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Monday, April 2, 2012

Housing Market: About to SPRING Back

by The KCM Crew on April 2, 2012

We believe that 2012 will be the year that home sales start to climb again. Over the past thirty days, more and more experts are saying the same thing.
Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase CEO

“I believe we’re very close to the inflection point. People look at prices that are still coming down but all the other signs are flashing green… You could come up with a pretty bullish case (for housing).“

Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac chief economist

“Even the housing market is showing some signs of shaking off the depression-like conditions that have plagued it for much of the past few years.”

Goldman Sachs Group

“Stabilization in U.S. housing fundamentals is creating an attractive investment opportunity. Many of the ingredients are in place for continued improvement in housing.”

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist

“If activity is sustained near present levels, existing-home sales will see their best performance in five years. Based on all of the factors in the current market, that’s what we’re expecting with sales rising 7 to 10 percent in 2012.”

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Spring Market Looks VERY Promising

by The KCM Crew on March 28, 2012

The Spring market is upon us. Professionals across the country are reporting that buyer activity is very strong. Purchasers are beginning to realize that this is one of the greatest times in American real estate to buy a home. There are basically four reasons for this:

They realize that it is the COST of the home that matters most, not the PRICE.
They realize that it is actually LESS EXPENSIVE to own than to rent in 98% of the country.
They realize that SHORT SALES are a real bargain.
EVERYONE is now saying it is time to buy.

The market is turning for the better. It may be time for you and your family to jump in.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183

Do you know someone buying or selling anywhere? I can help them! Please give them my phone number!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

More Affordable To Buy in 98% of Major Metros

by The KCM Crew on March 27, 2012

Last week, Trulia released their Winter 2012 Rent vs. Buy Index. In the index, they report that:

“After years of home price declines and tightening rental markets, home ownership is now more affordable than renting in all but two of the 100 largest metros – even in expensive real estate markets such as New York, Los Angeles and Boston.”

The two metros where renting was more affordable were Honolulu and San Francisco. However, Trulia explains that, even in these markets, buying a home:

“…might make sense for people who plan to stay in their next home for at least five years and can benefit from the mortgage-interest tax deduction.”

This rent/buy ratio favors buying more so then at almost any time in history. In a recent article, Forbes Magazine quotes Jed Kolko, Trulia’s chief economist:

“Certainly prices have continued to fall nationally, but rents have been rising so this would be the lowest price-to-rent ratio that we’ve seen.”

Bottom Line

It might be time to talk to a local real estate professional about the possibility that buying a home makes sense for you and family.

Joe Naccarato, Broker, Realtor

Top Performer Award Recipient

Allen Tate Realtors

Tel. 704.953.0183