The DM Team Realtors Louisville Real Estate

Credit Scores Myth

DM Team Realtors — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:36:00 GMT

Credit scoring myth #1

and ways to help establish a good credit rating......

There is some confusion about what types of credit inquiries hurt your score and which don't. Applying for new credit is generally what hurts your score. Odering a copy of your own credit report or score does not. Those mass inquiries made by credit card lenders who are trying to decide whether to send you an offer for a pre-approved credit card, also aren't going to hurt unless you actually take them up on their offers.

If you want to minimize the damage from credit inquiries, make sure that when you shop for a mortgage, you do so in a fairly short period of time. The FICO score treats multiple inquiries in a 14 day period as just one inquiry and ignores all inquiries made within 30 days prior to the day the score is computed.

For most people, one inquiry will generally knock no more than 5 points off a score (scores typically run from 350 to 850)

Establish a good credit rating and hold on to it. Here are some of the characteristics that will help you get a higher score. Establishing credit and monitoring your credit rating is one of the most imprtant financial tasks you face.

1. Pay your bills on time. Even paying a few days late puts you in a different category, even if you have a grace period.

2. Own two to four credit cards. Less is bad, so is more. Keep a checking and savings account, if you have neither you will lose points.

3. Keep your debt to income ratio at 20% BEFORE you consider a house payment (this includes any debts that report on your credit report)

4. Lenders also look at your spending behavior. How close are you to the limits on cards? Try to keep balances at or below 30% of credit limit. Do not have your credit limit reduced. The further away your balance is from your limit, the better

5. Credit scores are based on longevity. The longer you have an account with good pay history the better.
6. A mixture of accounts is good, say a revolving, an installment, a mortgage, a car
7. If you have student loans, put them in deferrment rather than forebearance.
8. If you have co-signed on a loan, you will have that payment calclulated in your approval unless you can provide solid documentation that the person you co-signed for is making the payments (generally cancelled checks)

9. Establish "non-traditional credit". Having a perfect 12 month payment history on utilities, cell phones and insurance can be beneficial on some loan approvals.

As always, please do not hesitate to call us with any questions.

Linda, Larry and EdieJo

DMTeam@DMTeamRealtors.com

502-817-3536

Can You Get A Mortgage Today?

DM Team Realtors — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:31:00 GMT

Can You Get a Mortgage Today?

With the economy in turmoil and the troubled banking industry, how hard is it to get a mortgage today?

Some of the things to know before you go are: Your FICO score (new rules),Down Payment requirements (new rules),
Income Qualifications, and Proof of Funds......

You can see an explanation in this article at Realty Times today. The big question is how long will these nice rates hold?

Want to talk to a lender today? We have a few with whom we have worked and we can share with you.

Linda and Larry Dale

DMTeam@DMTeamRealtors.com

502-817-3536

March 1, 2009 Lake Forest Actives, Pending and Solds

DM Team Realtors — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:21:00 GMT

Hello to All,

March is finally here and today is bright and sunny but very cold. In checking all the year-to-date stats for Lake Forest the following is what I found.

Active Listings:

There are 86 active listing rangeing in prices from $262,900 (Abington Ridge) to $1,689,000. Follow this link and review all 86.

http://www.glarhomes.com/PropertyResults.aspx?gateway_lo_code=16743&SavedSearchID=216166

The Days on Market (DOM) range from 12 to 496.

Pending Homes:

There are just 2 homes that are pending (have accepted contracts but waiting to close)

407 Lake Forest Pkwy.
Accepted contract date of 02/05/2009
Asking/Listed Price $279,900
DOM 83 days
2905 Meadow Farms Plc.
Accepted contract date of 02/27/2009
Asking/Listing Price $660,000
DOM was first listed on 09/14/07 so been on the market a very long time

Homes Closed Year-to-Date:

As of today, 03/01/2009 there have been 9 homes that have closed year-to-date.Shown here with their sold price.

304 Wakefield Tr
$240,000
14205 Wakefield Pl
$250,000
15109 Abington Ridge Pl
$270,000
15222 Abington Ridge Pl
$290,000
14508 Mapleglenn Pl
$370,000
904 Woodland Heights Dr
$390,000
1808 Arnold Palmer Blvd
$489,679
2409 Crystal Springs Pl
$739,000
14912 Landmark Dr
$1,225,000

If you wish to see other information about Lake Forest on this blog, please let me know: DMTeam@DMTeamRealtors.com

Thank you for visiting.

Make Every Day Count!

Linda Dale

Lake Forest #2 Blog

DM Team Realtors — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:49:00 GMT

Lake Forest Community

· Lake Forest January 17, 2009 Blog

As of 1/17/2009 there are 71 active listed homes plus 11 condos within Lake Forest. The listed price ranges from $269,000 to $1,789,000. These listed prices are broken down as followings:

7 homes listed over 1 million
3 homes listed for $900,000+
9 homes listed for $800,000+
4 homes listed for $700,000+
12homes listed for $600,000+
11homes listed for $500,000+
10 homes listed for $400,000+
12 homes listed for $300,000+
3 homes listed for $200,000+

The are 11 listed condos are listed for $298,900 to $475,000. Of these 11 listed condos, 4 are re-sales: $349,900, $400,000, $409,900, and $425,000.

There were 2 homes posted sold since 01/01/2009. One home sold for $250,000 while the other sold for $370,000.

As of today, 01/17/2009, there are 5 homes pending with an accepted contract waiting to close.

Address Listed Price Contract Date

14205 Wakefield Place $274,900 12/29/2008

15222 Abington Ridge Place $299,000 12/26/2008

15109 Abington Ridge Place $299,000 2/01/2008

1808 Arnold Palmer $499,000 1/17/2009

2409 Crystal Place $749,900 12/18/2008

You can check out all of the active homes and condos for Lake Forest by using our link:

http://www.glarhomes.com/PropertyResults.aspx?gateway_lo_code=16743&SavedSearchID=216166

If you would like to see any other information here, please drop me an email and I will be more than happy to add your suggestion.
We are planning on updating the above community sales, solds and pendings on Feb.15, 2009, so be sure to check back. But if you want to know what a house is listed for or sold or any other real estate type of information before you see it on this blog, email me and I will get back with you with your specific requested information.

Make Every Day Count!

Linda Dale
DM Team Realtors, LLC
Email: DMTeam@DMTeamRealtors.com
502-817-3533

Lake Forest Community

DM Team Realtors — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:15:00 GMT

Lake Forest December 2008 Blog

Lake Forest is one of the Louisville area’s most prestigious and elite golf course communities. What began over twenty years ago is currently a community of 1700 homes and still growing. Growing very slowly because they are almost out of room to grow. Lake Forest is located approximately twenty minutes east of downtown Louisville, Kentucky in Jefferson County.

Within the impressive brick and stone entrances, you will find wide boulevards with beautiful landscaping and custom built luxurious homes. The community has many amenities such as a spacious lodge, swimming pools, tennis and volleyball courts, nature trail, playgrounds, a soccer field and social activities. Lake Forest also have a beautiful private country club within the community that features an Arnold Palmer 18 hole championship golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and a wonderful clubhouse.

As of 1/4/2009 there are 81 active listed homes plus 11 condos within Lake Forest. The listed price ranges from $249,500 to $1,789,000. These listed prices are broken down as followings:

7 homes listed over 1 million
2 homes listed for $900,000+
9 homes listed for $800,000+
11 homes listed for $600,000+
10 homes listed for $500,000+
17 homes listed for $400,000+
16 homes listed for $300,000+
5 homes listed for $200,000+

The 11 listed condos are listed for $298,900 to $475,000.

There were four homes posted sold in the month of December 2008. The lowest list price $300,000 with the highest price being $700,000. Average price being $505,000, average price per square foot was $145.50, and the average days on market was 106.

As of today, there are 4 homes pending with an accepted contract waiting to close.

Address Listed Price Contract Date

14205 Wakefield Place $274,900 12/29/2008
15222 Abington Ridge Place $299,000 12/26/2008
15109 Abington Ridge Place $299,000 12/01/2008
2409 Crystal Place $749,900 12/18/2008

This is our first month to publish our Lake Forest Community blog. If you would like to see any other information here, please drop me an email and I will be more than happy to add your suggestion. We are planning on updating the above community sales, solds and pendings every two weeks so be sure to check back. But if you want to know what a house is listed for or sold or any other real estate type of information before you see it on this blog, email me and I will get back with you with your specific requested information.

Make Every Day Count!

Linda Dale
DM Team Realtors, LLC
Email: DMTeam@DMTeamRealtors.com
502-817-3533

Louisville KY Real Estate

Limited Service Real Estate Company, Full Service Real Estate Company, Full Service Plus Real Estate Company, Buyer Representative Brokers/Realtors

Louisville Homes For Sale - Louisville Real Estate

How to get your house tidy fast

DM Team Realtors — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 12:13:00 GMT

How to Tidy a House in Record Time
The home is a pigsty and potential buyers are arriving within the hour. Here’s what home owners can do to turn chaos into order, says Julie Edelman, author of The Accidental Housewife: Your Guide to a Clean-Enough House.

Target the bathroom. Wipe down the sink, toilet, mirror and floor with disinfectant wipes. Empty the trash. No toilet bowl cleaner? Drop in denture cleaner, let it fizz for 20 minutes and flush.
Salvage the kitchen. Clear the countertops. Put dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Spray down the counter with a clean-smelling multipurpose spray.
Pick up debris. Concentrate on getting rid of clutter in the living room. Put it in a bag and hide it in a bedroom closet.
Vacuum everywhere.

Source: Chicago Tribune, Emilie Le Beau (12/21/2008)

New menu based listing options

DM Team Realtors — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:35:00 GMT

December 19, 2008

The DM Team Realtors has introduced a new and exciting menu base listing option approach to assist sellers in today's tough market. A seller will be able to choose which of the DM Team Realtor's listing services that they feel they need. But with either A,B, or C, they will be listed on 30+ major national websites, listed on Louisville's MLS and listed on all of the major local real estates websites. This could really help a lot of sellers get their homes listed and sold enabling them to move on with their lives without losing their number 1 asset, their equity in their home. Check out the following.

DM Team Realtors Menu Based Listings Options

You Choose

DM Team Realtors, is a menu based Real Estate Company. Being a menu based real estate company is a new concept in listing Louisville's Real Estate. It is better than the standard 6% or 7% or higher listing fees and offers more options and benefits than just listing with a Flat Fee Realty.

Why what we offer is so very different? Did you know that 86% of Buyers first start their home search on the Internet, we will offer you the most Internet exposure than any other Real Estate company and for a lot less commission to be paid out of your pocket. You will select which of our services you want.

Your listing will be shown on 30+ major national websites, as a featured listing on DMTeamRealtors.com, listed or showcased on Realtor.com, Louisville MLS and all the major local real estate websites, i.e., Semonin.com, LouisvilleRealtors.com, ReMax.com and etc.

Listing Broker Fees

We are excited to bring to you our menu based options! You pick which of our menu base services that best fit your needs. There are 3 ways that we can list your property. You choose which fits you the best.

A. You pay DM Team Realtors a one-time up front listing fee, good for one year, of $650.00.

B. You pay 1% of the selling price at closing for DM Team Realtors listing fee.

C. You pay 2% of the selling price at closing for DM Team Realtors listing fee.

With any of the above selections, A, B, or C, your home will be either listed or showcased on Realtor.com , on DMTeamRealtors.com, and on LouisvilleRealtors.com. Your home will be on the Louisville MLS. In total your listing will have major internet exposure on 30+ major national websites and all of the local real estate websites. This will offer the ultimate exposure for your home... Not to mention the thousands of realtors with buyers that will have access to your information.

We hope that this helps some sellers get their home sold!

What a great idea!

In Today's Market Is Anybody Happy?

DM Team Realtors — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:42:00 GMT

While I was catching up on reading one of our many informational real estates on-line newsletters, this one caught my interest and I could really relate to what was being said.

Take a few minutes and read and let us know your thoughts.

Thanks,

Linda

Is Anybody Happy?

Published on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 1:09 PM Last Update: 1 day(s) ago by Paul Pastore

Tags:

Just the other day I received a call from a seller who wanted to cancel his listing because he, “Wasn’t happy”.

What in the world makes people feel entitled to happiness just because they listed their home for sale? Listing a home for sale should make a seller feel ‘on the market’, not happy!

In the past month this seller had lost his job, was diagnosed with cancer, separated from his spouse, and his 401k lost half it’s value. I shared books, tapes, and time with him. He had breakfast with my Toastmaster group.

His property is receiving a steady stream of buyers, but no offers. He was told he needs to be patient and periodically yet aggressively reduce his price. But in addition to a sold sign, he wants to be happy.

In my opinion, it is imperative for Realtors to ask clients what they are looking for in an agent. In these turbulent times few people are happy. Many people smile, but few are elated. Agents need strong selling skills, bedside manner, compassion, and patience now more than ever before.

Agents are retained to secure a buyer in a reasonable time. They must be careful in wearing ‘too many hats’. I studied psychology in college, but I’m not a psychologist. Nor am I a priest, marriage therapist, grief counselor, or bosom buddy. I can’t sing, play a musical instrument, or make a seller happy.

Abe Lincoln said, “People are as happy as they make up their mind be”. Mr. Lincoln said that during the Civil War. Half the nation hated him. Southern Confederate soldiers wanted to do him harm. His wife was bipolar. He had a child die.

This is a wonderful time to count your blessings. Albert Einstein said, “Things that count, can’t be counted. And, things that can be counted, don’t count”. There is a reason for every season. Realtors sell houses, not happiness.