Tips for Selling Hartwell Homes and Condos
Hartwell Real Estate Cycles
One problem with attempting to time your purchase to the business cycle is that even experts have problems accurately predicting the future economy. Even when they can, the Hartwell market does not necessarily move in tandem with the stock market or the economy as a whole. Hartwell is a unique situation.
When the economy is doing well, interest rates are generally higher. The result is that fewer people can afford houses, and Hartwell is no exception. When the economy slows down, interest rates fall, the "affordability index" moves up and more people can afford houses. The Hartwell market will take the lead.
Hartwell Real Estate Title Insurance
Buyers in the Hartwell market can be tempted to save money by foregoing a title search but the risks are heavy because title problems are many and varied. Some typical problems that title searches have uncovered include a second mortgage on a home that does not appear to have been paid off. The sellers borrowed money years ago from a parent who insisted that a second mortgage be recorded. The loan was repaid but the title wasn’t cleared. Another typical Hartwell problem occurs when an owner had work done on the property but for one reason or another failed to pay the contractor in full. The contractor filed a mechanic’s lien on the property and it has never been removed. These are liens on the property and if you take title to a property without clearing these liens or encumbrances, you may be responsible them.
Hartwell. How Much Should You Offer?
Comparable sales figures is a good guide for homeowners who are pricing their Hartwell and a good guide for prospective buyers. Make sure you compare homes that are similar to the one your are considering...the same neighborhood, the same size, the same condition. Also, make sure you compare sales within the past six months.
Ask your REALTOR for a comparison of the list price and sales price of comparable Hartwell sales. This information may give you a trend and a guideline for your offer. For example, maybe homes in the area have consistently listed for more than they actually sold for. If that is the case, find out what percentage of reduction occurred. Use this information as a basis for your offer.
Building Hartwell Home Equity
As a Hartwell homeowner you have the right to pay more towards the principle loan amount each month. Let’s say your monthly payment is $700.00 a month and $100.00 a month is being applied to the principle. If you choose to pay $900.00 instead of $700.00, the $200.00 overage will be applied entirely to the principle. Thus, instead of gaining $1,200.00 a year in Hartwell home equity, you gain $3,600.00.
The only factor being considered here is Home Equity. In individual cases it may be wiser to invest than to pre-pay your home loan. It also may be wiser to pay off high-interest, non-deductible loans before considering your Hartwell home equity building options. Your financial advisor is the one to consult for these matters. If you would like up-to-the-minute information about Hartwell home appreciation values in your area, please call or E-mail me today.
Rent or Buy Hartwell
In the early years of your Hartwell mortgage, nearly all of every monthly payment is interest. This means you are only paying off a tiny bit of the loan principal, but it is good news in terms of tax savings.
The monthly payment for a $100,000, 30-year, 8% mortgage on your Hartwell would be about $734. In the first year of your mortgage, $7,970 of your $8,805 payment or 91% would be deductible as mortgage interest. Even in the tenth year, almost 81% of your payments would be deductible. What this is worth to you depends on your tax bracket but this tax savings built into the home-buying equation is why you can afford to make higher mortgage payments than your current rent payments without squeezing your budget. There is no similar tax subsidy for renters.
When Hartwell Does Not Sell
The number one, main reason why a home remains on the market is PRICE. There can be other problems as well such as the home’s condition or location and even overall market conditions but the major reason for the NO SALE sign is the Hartwell is over priced. In fact, proper pricing will often overcome most all obstacles.
Some people prefer to buy Hartwell that needs some work if the price is right. Investors look at the property, evaluate the cost of brining it up to speed and make an offer if they feel they can make a quick profit. These kinds of investors are looking to fix and flip. Others with limited budgets may see the fixer-upper as a way to get started with Hartwell ownership. They may spend years working on improving the home, making improvements as they can afford it. So, a home’s poor condition will not prevent a sale if the price reflects the situation.
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