Eldridge home for sale – Page 2

Four Things To Tell Your Agent

Posted on April 13, 2014

Selling your home can be a complex process. How will you get the correct paperwork taken care of? Who will handle showings to potential buyers? A professional real estate agent can help ease your burden, and solve the majority of challenges you might face. However, when hiring an agent, it is important that you find a good match, and work with someone who will fit best with your unique situation. As a good rule of thumb, the following are four things you should feel comfortable expressing to your agent.

Negotiations

It is extremely important that your agent be equipped to handle any and all challenges that may come your way. The ability to negotiate is crucial. Let your agent know that you expect he or she to be aggressive and firm when negotiating with potential buyers or their agents.

Relocation

Your agent should be able and willing to help you with the moving process. Being without a roof over your head is not acceptable, and paying two mortgages may not be either. Ensuring that your agent can coordinate the closing of your current home with the closing of your new home simultaneously is key. Mel Foster Co. has an award-winning relocation department that can support your agent and provide you with the tools to make a smooth transition to your new city.

Timetable

Will your move into a new home revolve around the start of a new job or school year? Planning a move this structured can be mentally and emotionally draining. It is imperative your agent understands your time constraints and can work within your needed parameters. Be up front about your timing concerns and share this information with your agent before you agree to go under contract.

Sell My House!

You hired your agent to sell your home so you can focus on the changes you are undergoing, which prompted your move in the first place. It is ok to remind your agent of these motivations. Set your expectations with your agent appropriately and this could be one of the best working relationships you will ever encounter.

What Millennial Buyers Want In A Home

Posted on March 21, 2014

A number of factors come into play when considering a home purchase, especially among millennials, who represent a significant niche in today’s real estate market. The following are a number of considerations a buyer may find important when making their purchase decision. How does your home stack up and how appealing is your home to younger buyers?

The Neighborhood

Although neighborhood choice is strongly dependent on household composition, most buyers take the surrounding neighborhood into strong consideration when deciding on the purchase of a home. Younger buyers like to walk to shops and restaurants, especially in larger urban areas where parking or even owning a car may be prohibitive.

Affordability

With the current unstable job market and rising higher education costs, housing costs need to be kept low, experts suggest no more than one third of a buyers pre-tax income.

Proximity to Work

Homes that are close to places of business or work enhance work-life balance, a growing priority for many. A shortened commute can make a buying decision much easier and can make your home more attractive to buyers. Biking or walking to work is a desire of many millennials.

Schools

In a recent Realtor.com survey, it was shown that almost 45 percent of buyers are willing to spend more to ensure their children live in a quality school district.

An Open Floor Plan

More space for entertaining may mean more quality time with friends and family, which is quite important to the millennials.

Technology

Millennials value technology, in many instances, above all else. Having a home that allows for technological control can make it that much more marketable.

Energy Efficiency

In a recent study by the National Association of Homebuilders, it was found that energy efficiency topped the list of items most important to buyers interested in new home construction. Things like energy-star rated appliances, energy-star rated windows, and ceiling fans topped the list of “must-haves.”

Five Reasons To Buy Now Instead Of Spring

Posted on February 28, 2014

With housing prices and mortgage rates on the decline, now may be the best time to consider purchasing your new home. It may seem like a hassle to consider a major purchase and a move, especially during this year’s exceptionally brutal winter, however there are several reasons why waiting it out might not be in your best interest.

Rising Interest Rates

According to Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, the National Association of Realtors, and the Mortgage Bankers Association, 30-year mortgage interest rates are projected to be over 5% by February 2015. This increase brings interest rates almost an entire percentage point higher than current market rates.

Dwindling Supply

Inventory in many regions is on the decline. Buyers in markets nationwide are beginning to find that their choices are becoming ever smaller, as the once large assortment of homes continues to decrease.

An Increase in Prices

Homebuyers will find that they are going to pay both a higher price and incur a higher interest rate if they wait until spring. In the long run, higher sales prices and interest rates could mean hundreds of dollars more in a monthly mortgage payment.

Home Ownership Creates Wealth

In a recent study, it was found that the net worth of an average homeowner was 30 times greater than the net worth of a renter. Whether you rent or own, you pay a mortgage. Would you rather pay down your own mortgage or your landlord’s?

Mel Foster Co. Nominated for Performance Awards

Posted on February 18, 2014

Lynsey Engels, President, Real Estate Brokerage at Mel Foster Co. Inc. is pleased to announce that their Relocation Division, lead by Deb Boland, has been nominated by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® for five 2013 Awards. Mel Foster Co. is one of five real estate companies nominated for these awards in their size category. The five Awards of Excellence nominations include:

Equivalent Closing Sales Production – determined by the number of closings with the average sales price for 2013
Outgoing Sales Production – determined by the number of outgoing closings
Outgoing Referral Production – determined by the number of outgoing referrals
Incoming Conversion Rate – determined by the number of incoming closings with the number of incoming referrals
Crown of Excellence – awarded to the member with the highest points total earned from performance ranking within their company-sized categoryThe awards will be presented during the Annual Performance Awards Dinner and Ceremony in Las Vegas later this month. For the past 19 years, Mel Foster Co.’s Relocation Division has been nominated for an award from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is a global network of over 500 premier real estate firms. Leading RE is comprised of select independent real estate companies who set the standard of quality service, while generating a highest volume of referral, relocation, and real estate business opportunities for its members. Mel Foster Co. has been with the prestigious affiliation for 20 years.

Mel Foster Co. Gets a New Home

Posted on February 7, 2014

Mel Foster Co. Real Estate is relocating to 250 E. Main St, Suite 110 in Downtown Galesburg. The Henderson St. office will remain open until March 28, 2014 during the remodeling of the Main St. location. The phone number will remain the same (309) 343-6168.

There will be a ribbon cutting and open house in the spring. Watch for more details.

Mel Foster Co. Announces New Residential Website

Posted on October 31, 2013

Mel Foster Co. launched a new website at www.melfosterco.com that gives users more search options and promotes the communities that Mel Foster Co. serves. Over 90% of buyers search for a home online and the newly developed website offers buyers additional tools to streamline their search and easily pinpoint a desired neighborhood.

Demonstrating its commitment to innovation, Mel Foster Co. is utilizing the latest technology available in the real estate Industry. Potential buyers visiting melfosterco.com have access to a wealth of search tools to find their next home, including Market Watch, a report that shows current prices, listings and trends in any geographic area. Market Watch is a useful tool for those relocating to the Quad Cities and those buying or selling locally who want a snapshot of homes for sale, average list price and new listings within the last 30 days. By merging property, school and community information with statistics, including price changes and time on the market, this new online tool displays an interactive map for the user to customize their geographic area. This map feature is simple and easy to navigate and includes a large amount of data specific to a selected address or neighborhood. In other markets where this technology is utilized, users have shown much higher rates of interactivity and satisfaction when researching their local real estate market, leading to a better buying and selling experience.

Mel Foster Co. continues to offer agent specific websites that inherit the core functionality available on the main company site. Agents can leverage the web tools to assist clients and potential buyers while promoting their professional experiences and unique real estate sales capabilities. The company site, melfosterco.com, is mobile friendly, as are the agent specific websites.

Mel Foster Co. selected Reliance Network, one of the largest suppliers of enterprise-level real estate sites in the country, to program the website and bring the advanced features buyers and sellers expect from a robust website to the Quad City market.

The Pitfalls Of For Sale By Owner

Posted on May 16, 2013

Selling a house sounds easy. Take some pictures, get them on a for sale by owner website and watch the offers come in. The reality is, your home may sit on the market longer and you may price it below market value. These mistakes could cost you thousands of dollars.

Get an agent on your side when you decide to list your house. Agents and FSBO companies have different motivations. Your agent is working hard to sell your home for you and is only compensated once your home is sold. An FSBO website makes money when your home doesn’t sell and you pay for another month of listing.

Only your agent can help you determine a fair selling price based on comparable listings and sales in your neighborhood. This competitive market analysis can give you a realistic sales price. A home that is priced right will sell quickly in most situations. An FSBO site won’t offer specific information to determine how to price your home.

With an FSBO listing, you are responsible for scheduling and facilitating the open houses. It can be frustrating to watch potential buyers enter, then exit, your home in less than five minutes. They won’t stick around long enough to tell you honestly what’s keeping them from choosing your house. But an agent knows how to engage potential buyers in a meaningful dialogue that can reveal buyer concerns that might be keeping your home from selling.

Your agent also has the necessary paperwork for a buyer to make an offer. Selling you house is a transaction of many thousands of dollars. This is not the time to play agent and lawyer for yourself. Be smart when you list your home and use an agent.