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.
An updated kitchen can help you get top dollar from a buyer. This list tells you where to spend your remodel dollars to get the attention of buyers and your best return on investment.
Professional grade stove
Look for options like a flat griddle or a cooktop for a searing pan or wok. Even if buyers don’t cook, nothing says quality in the kitchen like a beautiful, high-end stove.
Premium countertops
Granite still reigns supreme, but quartz is becoming popular as well. With a quartz product, like Caesarstone, you get the appearance of granite without the upkeep.
Hardwood floors
Hardwood and tile are popular in the kitchen. If you are considering a flooring change, stay away from linoleum and concrete. These products are least popular.
Stainless appliances
Stainless is still the finish of choice. Investing in stainless appliances that will stay with the home when you sell is a better choice than buying less expensive white or colored appliances.
Mel Foster Co. has been awarded the Website Quality Certification (WQC) from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, a global network of 500+ real estate firms which presents the certification to member companies that demonstrate best practices in website design and Internet communications.
Mel Foster Co.’s website, www.melfosterco.com , earned the certification after achieving high marks on a range of criteria, including usability and performance, design and content, interactivity, customer service and Internet lead management, search engine optimization and mobile.
Created by LeadingRE in 2009 to recognize member websites that combine high standards for design, technology and service, the criteria for the WQC are updated annually to reflect the latest in internet marketing strategies. The WQC is an optional program available only to firms affiliated with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® and requires re-certification every two years.
“We are pleased to present the WQC to 124 members this year and commend these firms for creating websites that effectively engage today’s home buyers and sellers by providing relevant information in a compelling way, with the perspective only a local firm can offer,” said Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® President/CEO Pam O’Connor.
“We have received this certification since its inception and it just confirms that we continue to be a real estate leader in using “best practices” in website design and internet communications. Our new site was rolled out in the fall. Our website users are experiencing superior results and an excellent customer service experience on our site,” said Mel Foster Co. Lynsey Engels, President Mel Foster Co. Brokerage.
For more information about Mel Foster Co., please visit www.melfosterco.com.
Mel Foster Co. is proud to participate again in the Student Hunger Drive Corporate Challenge. The competition kicks off today and runs thru February 28.
Each Mel Foster Co. office is conducting an internal food drive by collecting donations of money and/or canned food items for the Student Hunger Drive. For last year’s corporate challenge, Mel Foster Co. received the Bronze Award for Division C and their commercial division won by averaging 116.84 pounds per person.
“Being a community partner means supporting those in need”, says Lynsey Engels, President of Brokerage Division of Mel Foster Co. She added, “Mel Foster Co. is proud to continue our tradition of supporting the Student Hunger Drive, and our agents and staff look forward to helping create awareness in the fight against hunger in our area.” To help the cause, you can drop off food at any of the Mel Foster Co. real estate offices or the insurance office.
Mel Foster Co. held its annual awards reception last night at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf, Iowa. Lynsey Engels, President Real Estate Brokerage and Marc Engels, President of Mel Foster Insurance presented awards to 122 agents that were recognized for achieving membership in the company’s different sales club levels including Chairman, Executive, President and Honor. Top honors were awarded to:
Thad DenHartog – Commercial Top Sales
Diana Franks – Residential Illinois Top Sales
Geri Doyle – Residential Iowa Top Sales
Joe Ertel – Insurance Top Personal Lines
Mike Smith – Insurance Commercial Top Producer
Mike Kessel – Insurance Top Employee Benefits
Combining all three divisions of Mel Foster Co. Inc., the total sales volume increased by 9.21 percent from 2012, surpassing the total sales of 2005, when the market was at its peak, and making it the biggest year in the history of the 93 year old company. Rob Fick attributed Mel Foster Co.’s success to dedicated staff and agents, who continue to build and maintain relationships within their teams and outside of the company. Fick also attributed the increase as a reflection of a strengthening economy and higher consumer confidence in 2013. “I am very proud of what the company accomplished this year. I know Mel Foster Jr. would be equally proud to see us continuing his vision of forward progress and leadership in this community. We’re starting 2014 with great optimism and a stronger economy than in years past, and I anticipate 2014 to be another year of growth for Mel Foster Co. We were fortunate in 2013 to welcome 39 new agents and staff, and 28 individuals are currently enrolled in our pre-license classes,” commented Fick.
Mel Foster Co.’s residential real estate sales increased by nearly 8 percent from 2012. The average sale price for Mel Foster Co. residential real estate was $148,278, a 1.18 percent increase from last year.
New construction sales are predicted to be strong in 2014. Lynsey Engels said, “We are expecting the real estate market as a whole to continue moving forward, with new home construction heavily influencing home sales volume. We are positioned to meet demand for new construction in our area and are pleased to announce that we will be launching four new subdivisions in 2014 coupled with the four that were launched in 2013. We closed 85 new residential lots last year and will have another 146 lots available in 2014.”
Mel Foster Commercial relocated to the Elmore Office Park in the spring of 2013. Engels reported that agents in the commercial division closed an average of over six million dollars per agent. After having their best year last year since 2005, Mel Foster Commercial still had a one percent increase in sales from the previous year.
Mel Foster Insurance had the biggest year in the history of the company. Marc Engels commented, “We have introduced a lot of new processes throughout the division and our agents and staff have done a great job adapting to the ever-changing insurance markets. Much of our growth can be attributed to our strong carrier representation which has allowed us to secure new business relationships in the Quad City market.” Direct written premiums were up 44.8 percent since 2009 and the insurance division has been able to more than double its employee benefits department. Engels added, “To continue to build each year is a testament to our team’s ability to meet the expectations of our Quad Cities and surrounding area clients.” In 2013, the personal insurance lines department’s sales grew 8.1 percent and the commercial department was up 15.4 percent. Engels also said, “I think individuals and business owners in this market appreciate the consistency, integrity, and professional competence our team brings to the insurance experience.”
Mel Foster Co. invested in multiple technology enhancements in 2013 to help buyers and sellers search for homes more easily. The new website was launched in fall 2013 and a new app was recently rolled out. Internally, agents benefitted from IT upgrades, a more robust intranet site, paperless transactions and enhanced consumer reports with greater details for homebuyers and sellers. Lynsey Engels stated, “We want to make sure that our agents have every tool they need to successfully meet their clients’ needs. We continually invest in technology upgrades and stay current on new features that we can integrate into our systems. With over 90% of people searching for a home online, it’s crucial for our agents to have top of the line technology.”
Mel Foster Co. launched a new, enhanced property search app for iPad, iPhone®, and Android smartphones. The app is free and available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Market.
The new app offers a premium user experience with best-in-class mapping and augmented reality. See large photos, detailed property information on the map and search faster with auto refresh when you select a new location. Users can share properties via text message and email.
The Mel Foster Co. app is the first in the area to feature a homespotter function that Mel Foster Co. calls “Foster Finder.” Foster Finder shows results for Mel Foster and all listing companies.
Foster Finder uses a technology called augmented reality that is coupled with a smartphone or tablet’s GPS and compass to overlay property information on a device’s live camera feed. Simply use your smartphone or tablet to find all homes for sale on the street where you are standing. With a quick tap, a view of the entire street and all homes for sale pop up. There is also a radar display that shows the direction and proximity of nearby properties for sale.
The new app is integrated with the recently redesigned www.melfosterco.com. Saved properties from the smartphone app, tablet app and website are automatically synced so users always have access to their most recently saved properties.
Mel Foster Co. partnered with Mobile Realty Apps, a Minneapolis based company that specializes in real estate applications.
About Mel Foster Co.
Founded in 1921, Mel Foster Co. is a Real Estate Leader of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois serving Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island and the surrounding Quad City area, and it is one of Iowa’s largest independently owned real estate companies. The company specializes in residential and commercial sales and offers services in insurance, farm and land sales, land development, relocation, career development, and new construction. Visit their website at www.melfosterco.com for more information.
About Mobile Realty Apps
Founded in 2009 and based in Minneapolis, Mobile Realty Apps specializes in custom mobile apps for the nation’s top real estate brokers and MLSs, featuring apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberry, QR codes, text and voice response solutions. Mobile Realty Apps is perhaps best known for its industry-leading HomeSpotter, an augmented reality technology that is a feature of its white-labeled smartphone and tablet apps.
When you prepare your 2013 taxes, you can use your recent home improvements to get energy-efficiency tax credits. In addition to helping you lower your energy bills, energy-efficient products eligible for the new federal tax credits actually lower the amount of federal income taxes that you pay.
Eligible home improvements
Exterior windows including skylights and storm windows
Insulation, exterior doors and roofs
Central air, heat pumps, furnaces, hot water boilers, water heaters, advanced main air circulating fans or biomass stoves
How to claim your credit
Your tax preparer can help determine your credit. There is a cap of $500 for fiscal years 2006-2013 combined. You will need to keep receipts to provide proof of purchase and have a copy of the manufacturer’s certification for the product you purchased. If you file taxes on your own, you will need to file IRS Form 5695 with your taxes.
Mel Foster Co.’s relocation specialists have helped thousands of families relocate to the Quad Cities. Our award-winning staff offers a variety of relocation and real estate services. There is so much to think about and do when planning a move and we can help!
Once you’ve found a home in your new community and set a closing date, contact a mover. Your Mel Foster relocation specialist can help you find moving companies. It’s never too soon to start sorting through your closets and storage areas and determining what you need to keep, donate or throw away.
As you pack up your photos, take a look at your furniture and decide if you need to sell pieces or purchase additional items for your new home. Measure your furniture and consider if it will fit into the floor plan at your new home.
Start a moving paperwork file and find new providers in your community or transfer your records. Be sure to find a new bank, doctor, dentist and vet. Research clubs or civic organizations in your new town and contact the local church to let them know you’re relocating.
About a month prior to your move, check these items off your list:
With a little planning and help from Mel Foster Co.’s relocation specialists, your next move can be an exciting adventure!
A $40,000 kitchen makeover is out of your reach, but there are small things you can do to update your kitchen and give it that fresh, new look.
Replace your pulls and knobs. It’s like jewelry for your cabinets. You can get something whimsical and fun or go with something traditional to change the style of your entire kitchen. Count up how many pulls and knobs you’ll need and hit the home improvement store. If you can’t decide which style you like best, buy a few and see how they look with your cabinets. If you are adding hardware to cabinets without pulls or knobs, purchase a drilling template for a few dollars to make sure you position the hardware in the right spot.
Paint your cabinets. This might be a job better left to the professionals if you have lots of cabinets. All cabinet fronts will need to be removed, sanded, and painted with several coats of paint. Accounting for drying time, this project may take several weekends. The work can be tedious and a professional may be the right answer. It’s still an inexpensive way to update your kitchen, as cabinetry is typically a major expense in a renovation project.
Change your light fixtures. Colorful pendants or a craftsman style chandelier can change the personality of your entire kitchen. You can pick a single style and get matching light fixtures or go for a more eclectic feel by picking what you like and mixing and matching. Be sure to shut off the power at your electrical panel before you install new light fixtures. If you don’t know where your electrical panel is, or have no clue what that means, call an electrician or a friend with the right experience.
Paint the walls. It’s cheap and almost everybody can paint successfully. Consider a paint specially formulated for kitchens and baths. They are often easier to clean and can withstand grease and grime that can accumulate around the stove. Take the time to wash the walls first and tape the edges of your cabinets to avoid mistakes. A good paint job starts with good preparation.
Get new window treatments. Curtains, blinds and shades all work well in a kitchen. If your kitchen opens to a family room or dining room, replace all of the window treatments to create a cohesive look among the connecting rooms.
If you need to start your kitchen renovation small, remove all the clutter from your refrigerator and invest in a good degreaser for your stove. These easy and cheap steps might inspire you to tackle more in your kitchen. If you have a little money and time, consider installing a tile backsplash, replacing your faucet or selecting a new countertop. These are not first time DIY projects and you’ll want to call in reinforcements.
Now is an ideal time to list your home for sale because there are many buyers, but not enough homes for sale. This means you can get a higher selling price now that the market is in the seller’s favor.
Interest rates are still low which encourages homeowners to move. More competition is always good for sellers who may be in a position to review multiple offers. Sometimes a bidding war can break out, driving the final sales price up higher than the listing price.
According to James D. Shilling from DePaul University’s Institute for Housing Studies, the seller’s market is driving home prices up higher. This helps homeowners with negative or low equity to make more money from a sale and eases the burden of being upside down on their home. This gives the seller a chance to enter the market as a buyer when interest rates are near record lows.
Shilling predicts rates will stay low through 2013 and most likely into 2014. But the interest rates won’t stay low forever. When rates do rise, homeowners won’t want to sell their homes and lock into a new, higher interest rate. This shift means fewer buyers and lower offer prices for your home.
It’s a sweet time to be a seller. Contact a Mel Foster Co. agent about listing your home and take advantage of the market conditions.