When you hear the words “I’ll call you right back” or “I’ll be there”, what are the odds it won’t happen? What happened to personal integrity, did it go out the door? It seems we live in a world of excuses or lies.
How important is it to you to give your word? Verbal promises are nothing more than tongue wagging appeasement to fill up the time when one should be speaking the truth.
Think about it, when you give your word, does it really mean something? It does to me, it means you are known to be Reliable, Respectful, Trusted, Dependable and your Integrity is multiplied.
So next time you give your word, mean it. Wouldn’t you rather have someone tell you the truth? Do you want to be known as the one who always says they will call you back or be there and everyone knows you won’t? Take a step forward and think about the benefits derived from making your “word” count for something (a promise kept). If you can’t call them back, or you can’t make it, be up front and just tell the truth that you can’t make the appointment or you have appointments and won’t be able to call back right away. Sometimes, the truth will set you free.
We have received questions from many concerned sellers on what is required of them when preparing their home for prospective buyers. Due to the current economy we are seeing a large increase in the number of short sale homes available for sale. Sellers in a short sale situation are concerned about the costs to prepare their home for sale so that it doesn’t sit on the market for a long time. They also ask what needs to be done in order to fix their home up for sale for the least amount of money.
Here are a few inexpensive tips that will help you stage and sell your home more quickly:
- Wipe down all of the walls and outlets of dirty fingerprints
- Shampoo Carpeting
- Wash the Windows and Screens
- Vacuum and Dust often
- Remove all books from bookcases
- Pack up the knickknacks
- Clean off everything on kitchen counters
- Put items used daily in a small box that can be stored away when not in use
- Re-Organize Closets and Pantry
- Make Minor Repairs – Touch up any holes, scratches or damage to the walls and if you have touch up paint laying around, touch up these areas
- Keep Lawns Mown and Watered
- Trim Shrubs & Plant Colorful Flowers
- Air out House of Musty or Pet Odors
- De-Personalize – Pack up personal photos and heirlooms. Buyers can’t see past personal artifacts and you want them to see the home.
- De-Clutter – If you don’t need it, sell it, donate it or throw it away
- Get a head start on packing, you will eventually need to do it anyway
With the Sacramento Real Estate market full of Short Sale Properties for Sale it is taking longer to close on the purchase of your new home. Due to the vast number of short sale properties available, the banks are starting to back up again on the approval of short sale properties.
If you are unwilling to wait a minimum of 60-90 days for an approval of your offer then a short sale is NOT for you. With the decrease of inventory available for sale in the Sacramento area, we are seeing an increase of multiple offers on our listings for sale. We are also seeing quite a few buyers who are unwilling to wait for short sale approval. This is the main reason we take BACKUP offers on our listings and ask that our buyers be held in backup position. We have seen countless buyers who are in 1st, 2nd and even 3rd backup position get their home. Patience is the name of the game in the short sale process.
If you are making an offer on a Short Sale Property, be prepared for a lengthy process. Updates are sometimes hard to come by, but working with a diligent agent who is well versed in Short Sales will help make the process quite a bit smoother and sometimes quite a bit faster.
Where is this week’s hot market???? It seems to be Laguna in Elk Grove. This past week we had two listings in the Laguna Area of Elk Grove that were almost SOLD faster than we could get them posted in the Multiple Listing Service and Internet.
There are some great deals out there for the price and size of the homes available. The homes were 2333 sq ft for $224,950 and 3161 sq ft for $310,000. There aren’t many areas where you can pick up a home for under $100 per sq ft. for a newer home.
If you are sitting on the fence waiting for your dream home in these areas, you need to move quickly. The first home received SEVEN offers within 3 days and the larger home received THREE offers in the 1st day and SOLD in 1 day.
Don’t miss out on your dream home. You need to be extremely active in your home searching and get out and see the homes the first day they come on the market as they may not be available tomorrow.
The Obama Administration said that through the existing Housing Finance Agency Innovation Fund for the Hardest Hit Housing Markets, the US Treasury will make $2 billion of additional assistance available to housing finance agencies in 17 states to implement local programs for unemployed homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments. Yesterday the US Treasury Dept added $476.2 million to a $64 million state program. California received the largest share of the $2 billion awarded.
California Housing Finance Agency “CalHFA” will be the administrator of this program as the state’s affordable housing bank. In the capital region, unemployment has soared to 12.4 percent and the State of California has more than 42,000 laid off homeowners.
Beginning on November 1, 2010, the government will help those QUALIFIED individuals help make their mortgage payments (up to $1,500 month) while they look for another job. They aim to help 19,000 make a few months of mortgage payments between November and next July and 23,000 will receive help in the next two years.
Qualifications for this program:
- Homeowners must be out of work
- Eligible for unemployment benefits
- Live in the home tied to the problem
- They must be FEWER than 90 days behind on mortgage
- Meet LOW & MODERATE income guidelines (generally less than $70,000 for couples in El Dorado, Sacramento & Placer counties
- EXCEPTION: Loan must be purchase money mortgage and NOT a refinance
To find out additional information at the KEEP YOUR HOME website at http://www.keepyourhomecalifornia.com/ or call (916) 373-2585.
After doing a little research, we have located short cuts to assist you in obtaining your Solar Energy & Energy Efficiency Rebates for the Greater Sacramento Area:
PG&E Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Rebates for Qualifying Products:
Clothes Washer – $50.00
Dishwasher $50.00
Room Air conditioner $50
Variable Speed Motor Air handler System $50.00
Whole House Fan $100
Pool Pump Replacement $100
Refrigerator, Freezer & Room AC Recycling $25-$35
Natural Gas Furnace $300
Duct Sealing $200
Roseville Electric – Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Utility Rebate Program – Expires 12/31/10 or until funds depleted
Clothes Washers – up to $75
Refrigerators – up to $100
Heat Pumps – $200/unit
Central Air Conditioners – $550 to $750/unit
Pool Pumps – $400
SMUD Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Utility Rebate Program – Expires 12/31/10
Appliances must be ENERGY STAR rated
Duct Sealing $300
Central Air Conditioners $400, $500, $650 or $1,100 depending on efficiency
Clothes Washer – $35, $75 or $125 depending on efficiency
Cool Roof $0.10 – $0.20 per square foot
Dishwasher $30 or $50 depending on efficiency
Heat Pump $400 or $500 depending on efficiency
Refrigerator Recycling $35
Whole House Fan $100
CFL Light: reduced prices at retailers
California – Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program *
Utility Rebate Program – Expires when funds are exhausted
http://www.cash4appliances.org/consumers/Rebate-Form.pdf
Refrigerators $200
Clothes Washers $100
Room Air Conditioners – up to $50
Dishwashers $100
Freezers $50
Water Heaters $300-$750
HVAC $500-$1000
-
Equipment must be replacing older, less efficient equipment. The appliance that is being replaced must be recycled, and the program participant must provide evidence that the old appliance was recycled.
Solar Incentives
Federal Incentives – Tax Credit 30% of
State Incentives – Property Tax Exemption
Local Incentives – Rebate from local utility company (see your local utility provider)
SMUD – Solar Rebate Program
Photovoltaic – $1.90 per AC watt
http://www.smud.org/en/community-environment/solar/Pages/index.as
www.smud.org/rebates/
Solar Water Heat $1,500 – per system
Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency
www.energystar.gov/taxcredits
30% of cost up to $1,500 – Expires 12/31/10
Must be an EXISTING HOME & YOUR PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE. New construction and rentals do not qualify.
Biomass Stove
Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Insulation
Roofs (Metal & Asphalt)
Water Heaters (non-solar)
Windows & Doors
30% of cost with no upper limit – Expires 12/31/16
Existing homes & new construction qualify. BOTH PRINCIPAL RESIDENCES and SECOND HOMES QUALIFY. Rentals do not qualify.
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Small Wind Turbines (Residential)
Solar Energy Systems
30% of cost up to $500 per .5 kW of power capacity – Expires 12/31/16
Fuel Cells (Residential Fuel Cell and Micro turbine System)
CCSE (California Center for Sustainable Energy) and California Contractors State License Board also offers the following tips and recommends that you consider the following:
- Get three different contractor’s bids
- Check the status of Contractor’s License at https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/checklicense.aspx. License must be an active A, B, C-10, or C-46 in order to meet the eligibility requirements for the California Solar Initiative (CSI) Program
- Check the Better Business Bureau or personal references of contractor
- Look for feedback from previous customers, talk to customers who have used the contractor and conduct an internet search to find out about the Contractor and Company
- Find out what the average project costs, how much contractors charge per watt, etc. by downloading CCSE program data at https://csi.powerclerk.com/Default.aspx
- Don’t pay more than 10% or $1,000 whichever is less, as a down payment
- Hire only licensed contractors and ask to see their license
- Don’t hire the first contractor who comes along
- Don’t rush into repairs
- Don’t pay cash, and don’t let the payments get ahead of the work
- Get a written contract
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With utility costs on the increase, homeowners and businesses are making the move towards solar energy. We know that solar energy is a good thing, but we don’t always know why.
Advantages
- Government financial incentives available
- No fuel required
- Savings on your utilities are noticed immediately and for many years to come
- Energy from the sun is virtually free
- Solar energy is clean, sustainable and renewable which helps protect our environment
- Solar energy doesn’t release carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the air like most traditional forms of electrical generation does
- Contributes to the decrease of harmful greenhouse gas emissions
- Solar energy is generated where it is needed and can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption
- Continues to supply energy to your home in the event of a power outage
- Virtually maintenance free and will last for decades
- No additional recurring costs after installation
- If additional energy is required, you can add additional panels
Disadvantages
- Initial upfront costs to install
- Solar panels require a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency
- Efficiency of the system relies on the location of the sun; however this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components
- Production of energy is effected by the presence of clouds
- No energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem
- Pollution can be a disadvantage as it can degrade the efficiency of photovoltaic cells
- Appearance
As you can see, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for installing solar energy and with all of the government incentives now may be the time for you to consider solar energy.
Check back for the next blog on Government incentives available for Solar Energy products.
When you hear the words “I’ll call you right back” or “I’ll be there”, what are the odds it won’t happen? What happened to personal integrity, did it go out the door? It seems we live in a world of excuses or lies. 
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