Archive for August, 2009

I don’t know if you have the same problem I do, but my taxes continue to rise during a time when property values are not. How can the assessors justify tax increases when values have decreased by at least 10%? It is time to reduce our city budgets and fat from our ledgers. If we continue on this path, it will make it impossible for retirees to continue to hold onto their homes.  For all intensive purposes we are forcing our elderly to exodus our state because they can’t afford the cost of living.  We must speak up and do it now.

Ok, so now I have your attention. What I am referring to, is for first-time buyers to put a home under deposit and take advantage of the government’s $8,000 tax credit. If you don’t put something under deposit within that time period, you may not have time to get the property financed and closed by December 1st. If you don’t close by that date the offer expires and you have lost out on a wonderful opportunity. So, therefore, the clock is ticking and decisions need to be made. If you need help, just drop me a line. Brian

If you are a first-time home buyer, now is the time to get pre-approved and contact yours truly to find you a home. For only a short time left if you close on your first home by December 1st the government will give you an $8,000 tax credit when you file your taxes the next year. This is really a deal that seems to good to be true, but more importantly it is to good to pass up. I have been selling real estate for the last 25 years and this is the first time that I have ever seen anyone offer free money for purchasing a home. Tha’t s right it is free and you should all be taking advantage of it.  Especially since the interest rates are so low. But remember the clock is ticking and before you know it, this special offering will be over and my only hope is that you can say that you saw it here first and took advantage of it.  Drop me a line today. I can help.

Jim Ross & Linda Murphy, Realtors

Kelly Farr, Realtor

Jim Ross, Linda Murphy, and Kelly, Sales Associates with CENTURY 21 Advantage in South Burlington, were named the office’s top sales associate in the month of July.

 

We are pleased to recognize Jim, Linda and Kelly with this honor.   Their competitive intelligence, professionalism and dedication to homebuyers and sellers have made them a valued and trusted real estate resource for the Greater Burlington community and a major contributor to the overall success of our office.

 

 

 

 

Recently we have been dealing with a number of short sales in our area which have been draining to say the least. A short sale is when the seller of a property is selling their home for less than what they owe to the bank.  The bank has to approve such a transaction and therein lies the problem. In numerous cases, it takes months for the bank to assign the slowly defaulting loan a negotiator who has authority to negotiate a sale with a new prospective buyer.  Due to the large volume of loans, these companies are handling, the mortgage companies and banks are just over-whelmed and under staffed to handle the workload.  I have seen people make an offer on a property and have to wait four months only to have the bank foreclose on the property and buy it themselves. There seems to be something fundamentally wrong with the system, and because of that, I suggest you have a plan B if you are trying to buy a short sale property. Brian