Is Timing Really Everything?

It's hard not to notice it. If it's not on NPR as you're driving to work, it's in the headline at the corner. Now is the Time to Buy a Home! Don't Make that Real Estate Purchase Now! In some cases, it may be the topic of the water cooler in your office. Some market analysts continue to spew the idea that your timing on a real estate purchase is actually valuable. As we at Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors have found, though, if you're in the market for a home, the time to buy is right now.

The biggest difficulty with trying to buy a home at the perfect time during any given business cycle is that nobody can actually predict what the future economy is going to bring. Everything in the business prediction cycle is based on guesses. While they're accurate at times, at other times, the people guessing are simply charlatans who just don't know what they're doing. Moreover, as Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors knows all too well, the real estate market just doesn't move the same way the business cycle or the entire nation's economy does, and part of that is because of the way interest rates change.

When our economy is in great shape, our interest rates are typically fairly high. That means that not as many people can put together the money necessary for a mortgage on a home. Banks can charge more, and we get a bit tighter with our dollars. As our economy slacks off, the interest rates drop. More people can afford to buy homes, and that's a great time for Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors. The only thing that makes perfect sense is to buy a house and hold onto it. Don't panic and try to get out when you think the market is going south. Hang onto that property. The market will swing back your way in just a matter of time.

It's virtually impossible to tell when the real estate market is going to explode or implode. That means that the bottom line is that if it's the right time for you personally to buy a house, give us a call. We'll help you find the home of your dreams in your price range. Timing is truly everything, but it's your timing that matters. Not the timing of the market around you.

July 29, 2010

Things To Think About Before Contacting Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors

If you're in the market to buy your first home, let Macy & McKee help. The first step is to make a number of prepurchase decisions.

Consider both the location and the type of neighborhood you're looking for before you ever talk to Macy & McKee. It will help to narrow your decision field. Keep in mind that if you're shopping the suburbs, the homes tend to be cheaper. However, they're also a bit further from grocery stores, businesses, and other important locations. Urban areas, though, have their own problems. The homes are more expensive and the crime rates tend to be a bit higher.

Once you've decided on a general area, think about the neighborhood. Homes on busier streets tend to sell for less, but they can be noisier. Homes with corner lots have fewer neighbors, but they also tend to be more vulnerable to noise pollution and trespassers. Cul de sacs are one of the prime locations for families, but they tend to have less privacy.

Another thing to think about before you talk to Macy & McKee is the type of home you're searching for. If you want a single family property, you'll get the privacy and value appreciation that you're looking for. However, they also come with higher price tags than other housing options. Condos, town homes, and coops are cheaper, and you don't have as many maintenance difficulties as you might with a single family home. However, you sacrifice privacy and yard space for a smaller price tag.

In addition to the type of home, you should also think about the features of the home you're looking for before you talk to Macy & McKee. Do you want a single story home? Remember that you can also choose from options like a split-level home to meet your needs. Think about the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and the overall square footage you need your home to have as well. If you want your home to have optional rooms like dens, offices, or workout facilities, think about that before meeting with Macy & McKee.

Once you've made these all important prepurchase decisions, take a moment to contact Macy & McKee to find the right home in the right location at the perfect price.

July 29, 2010

Why Let Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors Help You Buy a Home?

Many renters eventually have thoughts of homeownership, but is it really worth the hassle? You bet! Check out some of the reasons why you should consider letting Macy & McKee help you find the right home.

Owning a home means that you finally have a place that belongs only to you. If you're thinking about starting a family, your own home is a great place to raise your kids and allow yourself to be part of the community around you. Your children can build the long lasting friendships and educational connections to help sustain them over a lifetime. Moreover, a home can be a legacy to your children and grandchildren, which will give you and your family a measure of security as the generations multiply.

Letting Macy & McKee help you find a home means paying less than you currently pay in rent, and the best part is that you own it after the payments are made. Not only may your mortgage payments be cheaper than rent, you get a tax break for the interest on your mortgage. That can truly offset the costs of maintenance on your new home.

Many fear home ownership because of increased payment costs over the years. However, working through Macy & McKee to find the right home with a fixed interest rate loan means that you never make higher payments on your home. Choosing a fixed-interest rate mortgage means one single payment amount over the life of the loan. You don't have to worry about interest rates fluctuating in the market. Just write your check every month.

Buying a home through Macy & McKee means building the nest egg you never thought possible. Most analysts consider a home to be the single best investment that you can make, and most achieve financial independence after they've purchase the right home in their price range. The equity you build in your property will give you something to fall back on time and again if necessary.

There are hundreds of reasons that homeownership might be right for you, and if you're ready to explore your options, consider placing a call to Macy & McKee today. They'll help you make all of the necessary prepurchase decisions, and you'll get the chance to look at some of the amazing homes they currently have listed.

July 29, 2010

Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors The Best Blog In The Industry

If you're in the market for the right home in Summit NJ, you should first consider the right realtor. Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors are a great choice, but how do you know for sure? Check out their blog for starters.

Understanding What You Need In A Realtor
Real estate is the premiere arena for service that is, and should be, wholly oriented toward you. Whether you're a buyer or a seller, you'll spend days, weeks, or even months working very closely with your realtor, and in most cases, every transaction is one that has a financial impact on your life. Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors are the only ones in the area that can prove their commitment to you. You need someone you can depend on, someone who has likeable qualities, and somebody who knows the Summit real estate market well. Let Macy & McKee be that someone.

Why Real Estate Blogs Are So Useful
With the recent explosion of blogging technology, lots of Summit realtors use blogs to help attract new customers and inform current ones. Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors are one of the few who use it well. Reading realtor blogs help you to understand a bit about an agent before you ever meet them. It's amazing how much of a personality you can feel through an agent's writing. You may also get a sense of their skills and the areas they specialize in just by the blog topics they choose to handle. It allows you to literally screen an agent before you ever even meet them. Moreover, looking at a number of blogs from realtors in the area may also help you understand more about the inner workings of your particular market. Knowledge like that is invaluable when you're trying to buy or sell a home. Because blogs are typically handled on a daily or weekly basis, you get the current market information you need from an insider source "“ a realtor. Subscribe to the RSS feed, and you've got information delivered to your virtual door automatically.

If you're looking for the right help now, don't look past Macy & McKee Summit NJ Realtors. Take a look through the blog entries. The chances are good that you'll find the right combination of skills, personality, and knowledge needed to make them your Summit Real Estate agents of choice.

July 29, 2010

Improving the Value of Your Home
Part I "“ the Kitchen

As real estate prices rose in many of the New Jersey towns we serve, homeowners were able to just sit back and watch the equity roll in. But as anyone who's ever watched a commercial for an investment advisor knows, past performance is no guarantee of future performance. This is as true in the housing market as it is in the stock market.

But you don't have to sit around and wait for the market to add value to your house. Be proactive: Make an honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of your property and find ways to enhance them by adding physical value, making home improvements.

This could mean a project as big as renovating a kitchen or bathroom or something as small as sprucing up the landscaping in front of the house. Whether you do it yourself or hire professionals, the goal is to give your house what we call the "Wow Factor"� "“ something that will make your property stand out from the crowd.

When thinking about how to create "Wow"� spaces in your home, remember that people buy two things: space and light. So whatever projects you choose, plan to lighten your dark spaces and visually open up areas that seem small.

Here and in the following columns, we offer a few home improvement ideas that will add value: KitchenEverybody eats "“ and now more than ever before, family life is focused on the kitchen "“ so that is usually the one room you can count on to "sell" the house all by itself. And whether you invest a little or a lot, you should see a good payoff. The average return on an upgraded kitchen is 168% of the investment.

A few minor improvements can add significant value here: Consider painting the cabinets "“ nothing changes the look of a kitchen faster. Or, give cabinets extra flair by staining them with three different stains: a light shade on the upper cabinets, one slightly darker on the drawers, and the darkest on the bottom cabinets. Probably the easiest (and least expensive) way to update the look of your kitchen is to install new cabinet hardware. Specialty stores carry many shapes and finishes to fit a range of styles. Long, rectangular handles and drawer pulls are quite popular these days, and brushed nickel always looks nice. Adding molding to cabinets is another simple, but very effective, fix: Panel molding redefines flat doors and drawers, and crown molding placed where the cabinets meet the ceiling creates an elegant look. While you're at it, add a tile or beadboard backsplash to the countertop. Backsplashes are wonderful additions that have a great return. Finally, clean up the appearance of tiled countertops by recaulking or laying down fresh grout.Appliances are among the most costly items in the kitchen "“ but they're a doubly good investment to make in a kitchen upgrade. First because they contribute to the updated, modern look that will help to sell your house and second because you'll be able to take everything that's not built in to any new home you purchase. Coordinate all of your appliances, whether they're black, white or stainless steel "“ perhaps the most popular look for kitchens today "“ to match colors in your decor. Maintaining one color theme will make your kitchen look polished and efficient. If your existing dishwasher is white and the rest of your appliances are black, don't despair "“ most modern dishwashers come with interchangeable covers, so you might be able to flip it over or replace just the facing. Consider replacing linoleum or other flooring with ceramic tile for a fresh, modern look. The kitchen will receive the most traffic in your home and this flooring will be the first thing a potential buyer will notice. Homeowners who upgrade their kitchen flooring have seen a 101% average return on Investment If your kitchen has windows, consider dressing them up with wooden blinds or Roman shades made of colorful fabric. Just adding some sort of window treatment will brighten the room. Updating the lighting in your kitchen can help your house sell faster as well. Consider installing track or spot lighting. Track lighting gives off more ambiance and is most useful in the kitchen. Gourmet cooks will appreciate your enhancements "“ and you'll appreciate them too when you consider the average return on investments made to change lighting and brighten up the kitchen is a whopping 865%!Finish the room off by painting it in a pleasant, neutral color that will compliment the patterns in your ceramic tile or countertops. The average return on investment for a fresh paint job in the kitchen is 148%. Improving the Value of Your Home

Part II "“ The Bathroom

In our last entry, we talked about why home improvements can be a great investment "“ whether or not you plan to sell your house in the near future. We started with the kitchen (see Part I) because more and more it has become the center of family life in our homes. Upgrading this room not only gives you a more pleasant, more efficient space while you're living in the house, it also provides the "Wow Factor"� that will make your house stand out from the crowd whenever you're ready to sell it.

Whether your investment is large or small, whether you do the work yourself or hire professionals, you can expect to see a good return on the money you spend.

The Bathroom
Like the kitchen, the bathroom is a space that everyone uses, so it's a major selling point. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to do a major remodel in order to have a major impact on the look and feel of your bathroom. Here are some relatively small, easy projects "“ any one of which can be completed over the course of a weekend. The best news of all: A bathroom update can average a 168% return on your investment. The first order of business is painting "“ walls and trim. In a bathroom you can step up your creativity and play around with different painting and glazing techniques. For instance, stippling or sponging can give your home variety and break up the monotony of the paint schemes throughout your home. If you think you're not good at this sort of thing, don't worry. You can buy kits with templates, designs, and all the tools you'll need for this project. And when you're done, you can expect a 148% average return on your investment.Replacing the cabinets can transform the bathroom quickly, especially in an older home with ugly, outdated cabinets. A cheap fix is to paint the cabinets and replace the hardware. (See our comments on Kitchen renovation for some cabinet-refreshing ideas.) Update your faucets and toilet. Toilets are relatively inexpensive, but they should be professionally installed. Make sure you consult a plumber when choosing your new toilet, so you buy one that fits. Faucets can make a fashion statement "“ contemporary and bold "“ or fit in with the style and period of your home. There's an exciting range of styles available these days at a number of price points. Whatever you choose, new fixtures will make your bathroom sparkle and seem polished.
Installing custom shower doors is one of the most dramatic changes you can make. You'll be amazed how much it will improve the appearance of your bathroom. There are a lot of different styles to choose from such as sliding glass, swinging, fixed, and frameless which can be had with colored glass, etched glass, mirrored glass and more. Many options are available off-the-shelf or on order from home improvement stores, or you may choose to have a door custom-designed. For a project that's likely to take more than one weekend to complete "“ but that will pay big dividends "“ look down, at your bathroom floor. New flooring will quickly change the look and feel of your bathroom. Tile is the best choice for bathroom floors "“ either ceramic, porcelain or natural stone or, if you're feeling extra fancy, marble. All of these choices are available in a range of styles and colors. This project requires extensive planning and preparation, and although it is possible to do the work yourself, we recommend investing in professionals. Average return on investment for new bathroom flooring is 101%.Finally, consider repairing or replacing any defective plumbing or electrical items in your bathroom. Call around for estimates and get references from previous customers to make sure the job will be done right and on time. Yes, plumbers can be expensive, but repairing faulty plumbing can yield an average 260% return on your investment when you sell "“ and if you don't make those repairs now, you could end up having to make them later, after your home is under contract and subject to home inspection. Improving the Value of Your Home

Part III "“ Indoors and Outdoors, Upstairs and Down

Your home must flow, and if you've updated the kitchen and/or bathroom (see our previous two posts), then the rest of your home must reflect the same modern sensibility "“ inside and out, from the top floor to the basement.
Outdoors
Start with the yard. The lawn is the first thing a buyer will see, and if it has been poorly maintained then most buyers will shy away from even looking inside your home. Start by removing personal effects from the front yard and storing them elsewhere, out of sight. If your time is at a premium, hire a gardener or landscaper to trim back the overgrowth, weed and feed the lawn and replant as needed. Give your lawn the regular maintenance it needs to maintain a healthy, green appearance, with crisp edging around the driveway and sidewalk to give it a definite shape. You don't have to turn your lawn into a botanical garden, just make sure it fits well into the neighborhood and reflects well on your house. The return on your investment in lawn improvements can average 426%. A new coat of paint will also improve your home's curb appeal "“ and value. Repainting or resurfacing the outside walls of the house is enough to make your home stand out from its neighbors. Also, patch and repair any damaged areas. While you're at it, clean out the gutters and replace damaged shingles.
Master Suite
People spend a third of their lives in bed "“ at least those of us lucky enough to get eight hours of sleep each night! "“ so the master suite can be a major selling point for your home. Most prospective buyers have wish list that includes a nice bathroom, lounging areas for down time, and a spacious walk-in closet. And all of it, of course, with a light, airy feel. Take the time to add storage and organization to the closet by adding shelves and drawer units "“ available in materials from wire to wood.
Basement
The basement may be the last thing that prospective homebuyers look at. A clean, well-maintained basement "“ finished or not "“ can quickly solidify the impression given by the improvements you've made upstairs and in the yard: that your home is well-maintained, modern and a great value for the price. A dirty basement that looks like a messy storage closet can ruin that good impression just as quickly. Rent a storage space or sell any excess items to clear up some of the space. Tend to any water problems your basement has. Give the walls and ceiling a fresh coat of paint. Install some sort of low-maintenance flooring such as industrial carpet. Remember, keeping every room clean continues the flow of your home. These are just a few ways that you can add value to your home. Whether you tackle all of the remodeling we've outlined, or just one key project, the returns can be well worth the effort.

July 29, 2010