LAKE HARRIS HOMES Real Estate
Marketing your home with paint
by ERMc on 09/09/10
I think we all have heard via the decorating shows about decluttering your home before putting it up for sale. There is another very inexpensive way to improve the value of your home - paint. Whether it is inside or out, a good paint job will freshen the look of your home.
Don't make this mistake. Don't take short cuts when painting. If you don't have the patience to do the job right, have it done professionally. Have you seen paint slopped over trim and ceiling? Drips of paint on floors?
Take a good look at your home as if you were a stranger. No bad paint jobs and no peeling paint will help you sell your home faster.
HARD TO APPRAISE, HARD TO FINANCE PROPERTY
by ERMc on 03/22/10
Homes that are unusual because of design or building materials are a challenge to finance, bankers say.
Lenders are paying stricter attention to home values than they did several years ago.
Environmentally friendly houses, custom-designed by their owners, are getting caught in the valuation retrenchment because of the lack of comparables. With no other houses to compare to, assigning a value is a challenge.
New rules from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are intended to reinforce the arm's-length distance between those assigning an appraisal and those who conduct them, complicate relationships some mortgage brokers have made with appraisers who have familiarity with valuations for unique property.
Source: Wall Street Journal as printed in Florida Realtor Magazine
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS NEW WEBSITE FOR HOMEOWNERS (NON-COMMERCIAL)
by ERMc on 03/05/10
This is a site for homeowners that is not trying to sell you something! It covers all aspects of homeownership and was created to help homeowners make smart decisions and take responsible actions to maintain, protect and increase the value of their homes.
The free website (www.houselogic.com) helps homeowners plan and organize their home projects and provides timely articles and news; home improvement advice and how-to's; and information about taxes, home finances and insurance.
There are many more features in HouseLogic. It takes owning a home to the next level. Try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
FLORIDIANS AND THE WINTER OF 2010
by ERMc on 02/19/10
Something happens to Floridians
When the temperature goes down,
You would think we were in Alaska
And our smile turns to a frown.
No, we're not shoveling snow
Or even scraping ice,
There are a bunch of people
That would love weather so nice.
We whine and complain
How long will this last?
We don't remember anything like this
Even in the distant past.
We stay in our homes
Like a bunch of hermits,
And only stick our heads out
When the temp permits.
Oh! What about the coat
That we haven't worn in years,
In the back of the closet
Looking at it brings us to tears.
It's not as cute as it used to be
And the fit is not that great,
We know it's not because
We have put on any weight.
What about those furry slippers
Ugly as these may be,
They feel good on cold mornings
Just don't let anyone see.
OK Floridians, buck up
We can take this for awhile,
Let's not be a bunch of weenies,
Put on a happy face and smile!
