Are you a snowbird? Do you “fly south” for the winter? Why continue to rent, especially if you find yourself returning to the same place year after year. Try using Mel Foster Co.’s free relocation services to help you find and purchase a second home in your favorite winter destination. Our vast network of contacts will help you find an agent wherever you spend your winter.
Here are just a few things that we offer:
Help you find an agent in another state
Provide cost of living comparisons
Help you find a mortgage company
While you’re basking in the sun in your winter get-away town, thoroughly survey your favorite neighborhoods. How’s the traffic when the population is at its winter peak? Are stores or restaurants more crowded at certain times of the day? This information will give you an idea of what to expect during winters to come.
Ask your agent about renting out your winter home in the months that you’re away to generate more disposable income. If you pick the right property, it may pay for itself.
Contact a relocation specialist and start making connections in your winter community.
Mel Foster’s Color the Quads 5K and Kids Color Dash will be back in 2015 with a twist or two, and registration is opening early to give participants plenty of time to sign up and opportunities to save with early entry.
The Color the Quads 5k will take place Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 4:00 p.m., Cumberland Square at 2300 Spruce Hills Dr., Bettendorf, Iowa. The early registration fee is $35 until February 20, and changes to $40 for participants after February 20, and $45 for participants the week of the race. Easy group registration and rates are available at www.colorthequads.com. The registration fee includes race entry, t-shirt, XPAC pre-race color explosion, invitation to the Tri-City Electric Co. after-party and swag bag. Registration opens with the early discounted rate on Thursday, January 15, 2015 at www.colorthequads.com.
The American Bank & Trust Kids Color Dash cost for all entrants is $20. This 400-yard dash and one mile fun run is at 11:00 a.m. on May 30, 2015 at the Veteran’s Memorial Park (Band Shell area) in Bettendorf. There will be a kids’ after party with food sponsored by Tyson Fresh Meats and fun for children and their families.
Color the Quads is a unique race that allows runners and walkers to get blasted with bursts of color powder on the course. There are two new color race stations being added in 2015, increasing the colorful fun. At the foam station, participants can run or walk through walls of colored foam. At the new “paint” station, volunteers will have fully loaded squirt guns to color every runner/walker. Runners and walkers will also enjoy more music around the new route.
Mel Foster Co. is the presenting sponsor and American Bank & Trust is the kid’s race sponsor. The pre-color explosion is sponsored by XPAC and the after party is sponsored by Tri-City Electric Co. The event’s color explosion sponsors include Active Endeavors, University of Iowa Community Credit Union and Vollertsen, Britt & Gorsline P.C. Color Burst sponsors include Build to Suit, Hawkeye Paving, KWQC-TV 6, Pear Advertising, Prairie Pella Windows & Doors, Quad City Times, Radon Solutions, Terrostar Interactive Media, Victorystore.com, Mickle Communications, Tyson Fresh Meats and TMI Total Maintenance Inc. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available.
For more information, to sign up, to volunteer, or to become a sponsor, visit www.colorthequads.com.
Mel Foster Commercial Real Estate Services is pleased to announce its office ranked number one in the CMLS for 2014. Based on 2014 closed commercial transaction production, Mel Foster Commercial Real Estate Services captured over 43 percent of the total volume with $105,044,165 in closed sales.
Searching for a home can be a real drag in the winter. It’s cold, snowy and just not fun. If you are looking to buy, you can use Mel Foster Co.’s free app, Foster Finder, to search with your smart phone without leaving your warm car. Your phone’s camera and GPS technology show all homes for sale around you. All you need to do is drive to the neighborhood where you to live. It goes without saying, you shouldn’t be the one driving while you’re using the cool app.
You can download the free app for either iPhone® or AndroidTM devices. Just go to your phone’s app store or find the links by clicking here. Install and launch the app. Click on Foster Finder at the bottom right of your screen and see all homes for sale, from every listing company, right on your screen.
The Foster Finder is a great mobile tool when you have a target neighborhood but aren’t sure what’s for sale. Just drive to your desired location and use the app to show you the listings. It’s cool and saves you a ton of time.
Want to be closer to your kid’s school? Head over there and use Foster Finder to uncover all of the listings. You can do the same from work or your favorite hang out or restaurant.
Using Foster Finder is the smart and easy way to search for homes in every season.
When shopping for a home, check out transitional city neighborhoods that might just be on the verge of revitalization. You might find a great price or a really unique home that’s in the middle of the action. There are several reasons why you should consider all of your options when searching for your new home.
Urban neighborhoods are home to coffee shops and corner stores. Boutiques and other quirky shops can add the character you might be missing in a traditional suburban setting.
Young couples or singles, who aren’t ready to give up a thriving nightlife, are often drawn to downtown lofts, converted warehouse spaces or even upper floors of shops and restaurants. Living downtown may give you more opportunities to make friends who are your age.
Many times, living in an urban area gives you easier access to public transportation that could significantly reduce your annual transportation budget, if you’re fortunate enough to no longer need the use of a car.
Farmer’s markets and food co-ops are also becoming very popular in urban areas. With access to organic and farm fresh food, your health and wallet could be thanking you. Another point of consideration is that living in densely populated areas gives you the potential for exposure to other ethnic groups and cultures. New and interesting food and customs could become just another perk of your new neighborhood.
Downtown homes or lofts are often smaller than homes out in the burbs. This means less to clean, a smaller yard or maybe no yard to mow, and your utility bill may be smaller in a smaller home. You have your whole life to move out to the suburbs. Look around your downtown for the hot spots that fit your budget and style.
Count on a Mel Foster Co. agent to help you identify up and coming neighborhoods and the programs that may make homeownership more affordable to you. Find an agent at your local office.
Mel Foster Co. agents were honored by the Quad Cities Area REALTOR® Association during their Annual Holiday Party and Installation of Officers held on December 5th. Congratulation to Dave Maubach of the Bettendorf office, Scott Kelling of the Davenport I-74 office, and Herb Thompson of the Moline office.
Dave Maubach, REALTOR®
Dave Maubach was named REALTOR® of the Year Award for his exceptional real estate services. Dave started his career in real estate with Mel Foster Co. almost 20 years ago in 1995. He is licensed in Iowa & Illinois. He is a Member of the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association, Iowa Association of REALTORS®, Illinois Association of REALTORS®, the National Association of REALTORS® and the Quad Cities Builders & Remodelers Association. Dave is a current board member of the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association. He is a past board member of the Neighborhood Housing Services, mentor at Big Brothers Big Sisters and volunteered his time for Davenport Youth Baseball for many years.
Scott Kelling, REALTOR®
Scott Kelling received the prominent REALTOR® Emeritus Status by the National Association of REALTORS®. The REALTOR® Emeritus Status is for a REALTOR® with a cumulative period of 40 years in one or more local Association of REALTORS®.
Scott is licensed in Iowa with 40 years of real estate experience and all of those with Mel Foster Co. He received Mel Foster Co.’s Iowa REALTOR® of the Year in 2010. He is a Member of the Quad City REALTOR® Association, the Iowa Association of REALTORS®, the National Association of REALTORS®, Quad City Chamber of Commerce and American Political Science Association.
He earned his master Degree from Vanderbilt University and served on the City of Davenport Plan and Zoning Commission, was past Director of the Davenport Chamber of Commerce, past President of the Great Davenport Board of REALTORS®, and a veteran of the United States Army.
Herb Thompson, REALTOR®
Herb Thompson received the prominent REALTOR® Emeritus Status by the National Association of REALTORS®. The REALTOR® Emeritus Status is for a REALTOR® with a cumulative period of 40 years in one or more local Association of REALTORS®.
Herb has over 40 years of real estate experience, 26 years at Mel Foster Co., and is licensed in Illinois and Iowa. He is a Member of the Quad City REALTOR® Association, Illinois Association of REALTORS®, and the National Association of REALTORS®. Herb served as President of the Rock Island County Board of REALTORS® in 1986 and received REALTOR® of the Year award in 1987.
Since 1980, Herb has been a member of the Moline Rotary. He is a past Board member and past president of the YMCA, Salvation Army Board Member, High School Teacher and Coach for 22 years, and a Veteran of United States Air Force.
Vacation home sales are on the rise, with many people buying for a vacation home to use now and retire to later.
Second home buyers tend to be in their 40s and 50s, are still working, have children who are starting their own families and no obligations to care for aging parents. They are using their vacation home as a meeting place to gather everyone during holidays or other significant family holidays.
When the home isn’t being used, it generates rental income. In some locations, the rental fees can completely cover the mortgage, taxes and fees of homeownership, giving you a vacation home for free that can eventually become your second home in retirement.
Purchasing a vacation home where you’d eventually like to retire allows you to establish community ties for a smooth transition into retirement later. It’s also a great trial run. It gives you a glimpse into where you might want to spend your golden years before the time arrives and you have to make a firm commitment.
There are also financial benefits to owning a second home. First is the appreciation that will happen over time, especially if you purchase in a popular resort area. However even modest appreciation over time is acceptable given all the benefits of second home ownership.
Mel Foster Co.’s relocation division has connections to help you find a second home anywhere in the world. Contact a relocation specialist at 800-367-1134.
One of the smartest things you can do before buying a home is getting yourself pre-qualified. By getting pre-qualified, you’ll get an idea of what your mortgage might cost, ahead of time. This can help you prepare your budget, set your expectations and strengthen your confidence to negotiate when you’re ready to make an offer.
What is pre-qualification?
Pre-qualification gives you an estimate of what you could potentially borrow. It is based on information you give on your income, assets and credit. Many times a pre-qualification can be done online and is offered by many lenders at little to no cost. It is however just an estimation, and not a guarantee of any type of loan.
Why get pre-qualified?
Once you know how much of a monthly payment you are able to afford, and you’ve figured out a budget for yourself, a pre-qualification will allow you to estimate a loan option to fit your needs. You’ll also have a better idea of which homes you can afford during your search.
What documentation do I need in order to get pre-qualified?
You will need proof of income, this could include recent pay stubs, or W-2 statements from the past two years. You should also bring a copy of your tax return for the past two years, as well as proof of any alimony or additional income. You’ll also want to bring proof of your assets, including bank account statements to show you have the money for a potential down payment. Don’t forget your driver’s license and social security card, as the lender will need these to access your credit report.
Pre-qualification can help you be fully prepared to purchase that home you’ve been eyeing. You can get a head start by using the mortgage calculators to determine your monthly payment, figure out how much home you can afford and make a decision about renting versus buying.
Call it recycling on a grand scale. Homebuyers who want their purchase to be more environmentally friendly are turning to older homes instead of building new. In fact, architect Carl Elefante coined the phrase, “the greenest building is the one that is already built.” What he meant by that is that environmental resources that would be used to build a building’s replacement are often times spared by restoring or repurposing an existing structure.
Did you know that it can take up to 80 years for a new, energy-efficient building to overcome the energy and climate change impacts caused during the construction process? Building reuse offers significant environmental savings when compared to the energy consumption of demolition and new construction.
Older buildings constructed prior to reliance on mechanical heating, cooling and lighting systems utilize what nature offers as part of their design. This can help reduce your energy use, helping you save on heating and cooling your home.
Go green and consider purchasing an older home that just needs a little TLC. Use the option to search by Year Built by clicking here to find a home you can recycle.
You landed that new job in the Quad Cities, but now what do you do to find a home? Mel Foster Co. offers free relocation services that can help you explore neighborhoods, schools and cities that are a match for your criteria.
Your agent can help you pinpoint options that are near your new job or the amenities you most desire. Do you want riverfront? A large wooded property a few minutes from town? A renovated loft style condo without any yard work? The Quad Cities is such a diverse area, it’s easy to find a match, no matter how specific your needs seem.
Many of the area’s largest employers count on Mel Foster Co. relocation specialists to welcome new hires or transferees to the Quad Cities. Deere and Company, ALCOA and Thomson Prison employees have all used the free relocation services to get acquainted with their new town.
Getting started is easy. Click here for an overview of free relocation services or call 800-367-1134.
