Rates that will knock your socks off!

Do you need to refinance or thinking about purchasing a home. Now is the time, rates are great. Take a look at this information from a great website that tracks rates of major lenders! Check out my blog to find the rates. Julie Moore, Betty Seay Team 502-349-0051

1009 Colvin Court...Buy your dream home, what are you waiting for?

Current 30yr Mortgage Rates *As Low as 4.875%*I'm in the process of refinancing my house and have been checking interest rates daily. Below is a compilation of the banks I have been checking. For the most part, TD Bank has been one of the lowest rates without having to pay points / origination fees. Check out the calculators at Bankrate.com to see if refinancing will save you money. Last Updated: Monday February 17th 12:53pm EST
· Artisans' Bank (Delaware) - 5.375% (No Points)
· Chase Bank - 5.125% (1 Point)
· Bank of America - 5.0% (1 Point)
· Indy Mac Bank - 5.25% (0 Point - $246 Credit)
· TD Bank - 5.25% (No Points)
· Wachovia - 4.875% (.25 Point / .75 Origination Fee)
· Wells Fargo - 5.0% (1 Point)
· HSBC - 5.0/5.375 New Purchase / Refinance
· EverBank - 4.875% (No Points)

Real Estate Never Stops

Recently I left KY for a week's vacation in Florida and found that wherever I went people were talking about the real estate market and their related problems.  

It began with a conversation on the plane with a steel company executive who had bought a lake home from a friend two weeks ago in Alabama.  The home was built in the 1960's and needed some cosmetic renovation.  He had hired two contractors for bids and hoped to have the work done by June to enjoy the summer at the lake.  He had just received a frantic phone call from his wife who informed him that both contractors said he had a structural problem under a section of the house that was a major problem and had to be addressed quickly.  I had previously told him I was a real estate broker and he asked for advice.  I asked him if he had had a home inspection and he said he had done so by a certified inspector in Alabama.  I felt for him and I hope the inspection company had insurance.  I hope it works out well for him.  

In Kentucky home inspectors are now required to be licensed.  When I began real estate in 1999 I was amazed that home inspectors were not licensed.  I was pleased when Kentucky made it a requirement just a few years ago.  Home inspectors have an important part to play in a real estate transaction.   A home inspection is not required to obtain a loan so it is an individual consumer decision.

For more information on licensed Inspectors check out the Kentucky Real Estate Inspectors Association at http://www.kreia.org/

GREEN Tips from Edward!

Don't leave electric appliances or devices plugged into the outlet. When leaving the house, unplug it. Even when the device is not in use, energy is still sent into the plug. I unplug my coffee pot every morning!

February 20th Kentucky Standard Real Estate AD

View it on our Blog before you can see it in the newspaper!!! :) Julie

Have you ever been to Kroger?

Have you been to Kroger lately? If so then check out my banner, it is right by the cart pick-up. Remember when shopping for a Realtor, call us at Betty Seay Realty or you can stop by our office at 108 South Third Street.

Earth Hour 2009

Earth Hour. You have probably seen commercials for this, or heard about it on the radio. Earth Hour is an amazing event to witness. Entire cities turn off the lights for an hour to make a global statement of concern and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions. There are Key Cities and Participating Cities throughout the Globe. You dont have to live in one of these cities to participate though. You can go to the website http://www.earthhour.org/ to learn more and you can join me on March 28, 2009 at 8:30PM by turning off your lights to help make a statement!

Why are you not taking advantage of great real estate deals?

Why are you not taking advantage of great real estate deals?

What are you waiting for? On average banks are selling foreclosed properties for less then 80% of the homes current market value. Often times there are minor repairs and maintenance required to bring the house back to a livable status but not always. For example we just sold a house with 7 acres and a walkout basement that could easily bring $190,000.00 on the resale market for $140,000.00. The house was in excellent condition and only needed minor cleaning and repairs. As a buyer there is a certain amount of risk when buying a house “as is”, but that’s what home inspections are for! A licensed home inspector can find repairs or problems that you may not have see yourself and you can decide at that point to proceed or not to proceed with the contract to purchase the property. On the flip side there is also a certain amount of extreme equity to be gained by the buyer as well. That is the trade off.
So the moral of this story is that not all foreclosures are trashed or need a lot of repairs. Some are move-in ready! Don’t be afraid to take the risk because there are many ways to protect yourself. These deals won’t last for ever, so stop waiting!!! Call me today! Julie Moore, Betty Seay Team 502-349-0051 office 502-507-5151 cell

Green Tips from Edward!

At the Grocery

Take your own bags to the grocery store. They can be more durable, and hold more stuff! If you do not have your own bags to take to the store, I believe that most stores have some for sell with a fancy graphic on them, and they are not expensive at all.

If you do use plastic grocery bags use them again for a small trashcan liner or for doggie poop bags, they work well.

Are you devaluing your home???

Could you be devaluing you own home? The current market is crazy enough without the idea that your lifestyle and lack of pride in homeownership could be making your home’s value take a nose dive! But the answer is yes! Recently I have witnessed some of the most extreme cases of the coined fraise “lack of pride in homeownership.” The definition is simple: taking pride in your investment and not devaluing your home in which the way you live in it. Examples; we all love our pets but one also knows that they can wreak havoc on your home, not finishing projects and repairs, overlooking your homes general maintenance needs, or maybe even your cleaning regimented. It is not uncommon to see thousands of dollars of lost value do to the homeowner themselves.
Ok so I’m not trying to sound like Misses Clean or Brie from desperate housewives but all of these things can devalue your home and make it very hard to resale! What I suggest is that you take a good hard look at your home. Have your pet taken over the people space and are you cleaning up after you pet properly? Do you have half finished or sloppy projects or repair jobs? Have you conducted general maintenance on your home inside and out? Is your house clean in general?
My helpful hints: 1. Pet’s are a tough one because they are often a part of the family. Set up boundaries and stick with them and stay on top of the dog messes. 2. Finish repairs and projects. If you get in over your head call a local handyman, they can do the job right and for a reasonable price. 3. Conduct general maintenance!!! Clean the gutters, washing the windows, make sure your down spouts are draining properly away from the foundation, replace seals around doors if needed, change filters, all general things that anyone can do. 4. Deep clean your home at least once per year. This is when you will find all the things you missed during regular cleaning of your home.
Bottom line is don’t be to blame for your home’s value taking a nose dive! Julie Moore, Betty Seay Team 502-349-0051 office 502-507-5151 cell