This foreclosure home in Kokomo is just begging for new owners!
With some cleaning and your decorative touches this house will sparkle again!
Call now for details - 765-513-0354!
Finally! We got our property tax rebate check in the mail yesterday!! And, I might add, not a minute too soon - we owed the state for income taxes, so the rebate check came in the nick of time!
The way I understand the process, the treasurer's office went back in time to March 1, 2006. (Remember, this rebate is for taxes we paid last year for property taxes in 2006.) Anyway, they went back to March 1, 2006 to determine the owner at that time and if the owner on that date had a homestead exemption on file, they get the rebate.
One exception to this is if the owner has delinquent taxes, the rebate is applied to what is owed.
If this is all a little confusing to you, you are not alone! It becomes even more confusing if you bought or sold a house after March 1, 2006. You may get a rebate for a house you sold two years ago, but not the house you live in right now!
If you haven't gotten a rebate check yet, I hope you get one soon! I don't know how they are mailing them out, whether they are going out all together, alphabetically or they have some other system - but hopefully your check is in the mail!
The top questions Kokomo area real estate agents hear from both sellers and buyers are:
First of all, in the "traditional" real estate world almost anyone you talk to will tell you the seller pays the real estate fees. The net sheets your agent does for you when you list the house and when you consider an offer will generally deduct real estate fees from the sales price. Even the closing statement you get from the title company will show real estate fees as a debit to the seller.
Now, I want you to think about this!
When are the fees paid?
Where does the money come from to pay fees?
Traditionally, real estate fees are paid at closing AND they are paid with the money the buyer brought to closing!
Ultimately, the real estate fee is an expense of the real estate transaction, with the agent or agents bringing a ready, willing and able buyer and seller together who agree to enter into a contract to transfer ownership of a property.
Let's take a look at this from a little different angle...
If there isn't a buyer for a property, are there real estate fees? In the "traditional" world of real estate, the answer is "No! No sale, no fees!"
You've probably notice that several times I have used the word "traditional" when talking about real estate fees. That is because there is a movement away from the "traditional" one-size-fits-all approach to real estate services and fees - and that movement is called Real Estate Consulting.
As an Accredited Consultant in Real Estate, I have the training and tools to offer you what you want: quality choices in what services you receive and how you pay for them.
In the future I will post more information about the consulting model and how it can benefit you as a buyer, a seller or a homeowner.
Finally, a choice that makes sense...
Call me (765-513-0354) or email me today to find out how real estate consulting fits your needs!
When you are thinking of moving, it doesn't matter whether you already live in the Kokomo area or you are moving here, usually among your top priorities is a home in a "safe" area. A great way to get an idea about criminal activity in various parts of town is to take a look at the Kokomo Tribune Crime Maps. They are usually published once a month for the previous month; but as in this Crime Map, it's been two months since the last map was published and even longer since the Tribune has posted a map to their website.
Click the map for a larger view:
Other ways to "guage" an area are to:
One thing to keep in mind when you are asking other people about a neighborhood is that everyone has an opinion and someone else's standard for safety may be different from yours.
Once again, I am pleasantly surprised to find the list of houses scheduled for the April 23 Sheriff's Sale is already posted. Not only is the list posted, but some of the houses have already been taken off the list. As it gets closer to the sale date, be sure to check the list again to make sure any houses that interest you are still on the list.
And, don't forget to read the Sheriff Sale Information page before you bid on a house. There are no guarantees! When you buy a house at a Sheriff's Sale, you get what you get! Warts and all!
If you are like a lot of buyers in the Kokomo area, sometimes it's hard to decide whether a house you like is the right one. With all the houses for sale and new one's coming on the market everyday, you may be afraid to make a decision. There may be all sorts of "what ifs" going through your head:
Well, you are not alone! That is why I offer the "Love It or Leave It Guarantee" - to take many of the "What Ifs" out of buying a home.
The goal is simple - I want you to LOVE your new home! If you don't I will sell it for FREE!*
*Sure, there are some restrictions; but they are very minimal! Just call me or send me an email and I will be happy to fill you in on all the details.
Urgent message for anyone who gave or received a gift card and it hasn't been redeemed!
You may be out of luck trying to use your gift card because some retailers are facing financial troubles. If they declare bankruptcy, your card may become worthless. (Some already are!)
My sister-in-law in Iowa sent me the link to a CNN story about this. You might want to check it out for yourself.
I'm not a big fan of gift cards, so I rarely buy them - but I do have a couple of them laying around. I think it's time to find them, dust them off and use them. You might want to do the same.
By the end of 2007, we saw that the total number of houses sold was up from the prior year and an increasing percentage of homes sold were foreclosures. We also saw that overall market time for houses that sold was about the same as 2006.
In the charts below, you'll find that we have had fewer sales thus far this year than last year, the average price of homes that have sold is down, but the average time on the market is about the same as last year. Of special note is that 52% of all houses that did sell in the first two months of 2008 were foreclosure homes compared with 40% of the homes sold in the first two months last year. This fact alone has a great impact on the overall drop in the average price paid for homes that sold.
Homes Sold in Howard County -
Year to Date Comparison (2008 vs 2007)
Click the chart below for a larger view:
It's really too early to make any judgments on market trends for 2008. We know the market is down from a year ago, but in just these first two months of this year we see some stability. The average asking prices and average sold prices of homes that sold in January and February are virtually identical.
Comparing Home Sales by School Corporations -
February 2008 to February 2007
Click the chart below for a larger view:
The one thing that jumped out at me when I ran these numbers is the fact that the only houses that sold in Northwestern Schools were four foreclosure homes!
In all school corporations, the average sold prices of homes are lower than a year ago. Last month we saw some ups and downs - perhaps we'll see more of that again for March.
Well, that's it for February statistics! As always, if you have any questions or if you would like more information about a particular neighborhood or a specific house, don't hesitate to leave a comment, call me at 765-513-0354 or send me an email.
The next sale of homes set for foreclosure in Kokomo, Greentown and Russiaville is scheduled for March 19, 2008. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Sheriff's Department had already posted the list of houses planned for the sale. This gives you a chance to possibly see inside some of these houses if they are currently listed with a real estate company.
As it gets closer to the sale date, check the list again to see if the house you are interested in is still on the schedule. Here are a couple of reasons a house may "go off" the list:
Be sure to read the Sheriff Sale Information page before you bid on a house. There are no guarantees! When you buy a house at a Sheriff's Sale, you get what you get! Warts and all!
Your Closet Isn't Limited to "One-Size-Fits-All"!
Your Kokomo Real Estate Services Shouldn't Be Either!
Can you imagine a world where clothes came in just one size? Sure, they would fit some people; but would they fit you?
If you are like most people today, you want quality, transparent choices in real estate services. You want services that fit your individual needs and your comfort level.
You probably aren't real comfortable being completely on your own in a real estate transaction. You might be comfortable using a do-it-yourself website, showing your home, holding open houses, etc. But you might want professional guidance and counsel in determining market value (your home or a home you are considering), completion or review of the contract, negotiating the contract, troubleshooting once you have a contract, etc.
In the past, your only choice was to "do-it-yourself" or hire a real estate agent to do it all.
That has changed!
As an Accredited Consultant in Real Estate, I have the training and tools to offer you what you want: quality choices in what services you receive and how you pay for them. All without having to resort to a discounter or having to go it alone.
Finally, a choice that makes sense...
Call me (765-513-0354) or email me today to find out how real estate consulting fits your needs!
