According to Lawrence Yun, chief economist from the National Association of REALTORS, "Home buyers over the past year got a great deal, and buyers for the balance of this year have an edge over sellers. Affordability could reach a generational high in the second half of this year because of the rock-bottom mortgage interest rates, helped partly by the Fed's very accommodative monetary policy." For more reasons why now is a prime time to buy a home, contact me and I'll send you a free ebook.

Financial Recovery - Be a Part of the Solution

I read a great article in the New York Times on Friday. I don't typically read this paper, but every once in a while I find it and grab a copy. The writing is exceptional and I love the Op-Ed section. I am a big fan of David Brooks. He wrote an interesting article on Friday entitled "Stimulus for Skeptics." The basic gist of the article is that "bank-crises recessions are worse than normal recessions." The conclusion drawn is that we are going to be in this slumping economy for awhile and we should start looking toward long-term solutions, not the quick fix (i.e. - proposals currently being offered by the President and Congress). That is a not a very popular idea and it certainly won't get you re-elected, but I think David is correct.

So what conclusions can be drawn for the housing Market in all of this? Simply put, take a long-term view. If you don't have to move, don't. Everyone knows it is not a great market for sellers. If you choose to move, then you should be prepared to take a hit on the selling end and make up for it on the buying end. That is it in a nutshell. Too many sellers are not taking a realistic view on the sale of their home and that just adds to the problem. It adds one more unsellable house to the market. Be a part of the solution and not the problem.

One more thought: Don't succumb to Fear! No matter how hard things get, the housing market will recover. History proves this to be true. The best advice I can give is the one I give my kids when they run into challenges...Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Foreclosures in Philadelphia

On a regular basis, people ask me for a list of foreclosures, so I figured I would include one on this site. To create your own search visit my website http://www.phillyhomeinfo.com/

For a list of Foreclosures in Philadelphia, Click Here

What's Happening in Olney? September 2011

What's Happening in Olney

5th Street Revitalization Board Meeting

The Fifth Street Revilization Advisory Board had its quarterly meeting this past Tuesday night. I continue to be impressed and encouraged with the level of commitment among the staff members. We welcomed new Americorp/Vista volunteer Philip Green. We also said goodbye to Kelly McTague who is finishing up her year with Americorp. Fortunately, she is with us until November. Thank you, Kelly, for your service to the Olney community. Kelly will be pursuing a Master's Degree and a career in teaching. You will be missed, Kelly.

Upcoming Events include...

• Olney's Parking Day - September 16 @ 11 amO



• Open Mic Night - September 23 at 7 pm



• Spanish Culture & Cuisine Workshop - September 28 at 6 pm



• Community Cleanup - October 1 @ 9 am

For More Information and Other Events see the What's Happening in Olney Post on this Blog

The following is a list of top 10 tips when selling a home. I hope it proves helpful to you. It is taken from the Market Insider Section of my website PhillyHomeInfo . For the complete list, visit 10 Tips to Selling...

Top 10 Tips When Selling a Home

Selling a home in a down economy can be a painstaking decision. Use the following 10 tips when selling a home to get the most out of your investment.

Home Selling Tip #1: Hire a reputable real estate agent.
Selling a home can be stressful, and you want a reliable real estate agent you can trust to take some of the burden of selling a home off your hands.

Home Selling Tip #2: Give your home curb appeal.
When selling a home, you need to keep your home looking its best. If a buyer is turned off by what your home looks like from the street, you will never get him or her inside to look around. Clean up your lawn, patch brown spots in the grass, clear sidewalks, and keep leaves and other debris picked up. Potential home buyers also notice things like chipped paint and dirty siding, so pressure-wash your home and repaint before putting it on the market if needed. Do whatever you need to do to show buyers that you're serious about your home's maintenance. Finally, let color help you when selling a home. Yellow evokes the emotion of buying, so plant yellow flowers near the entrance.

Home Selling Tip #3: Make minor repairs to your home.
Don't give potential home buyers an opportunity to start nitpicking at the value of your home by leaving minor repairs unfixed. Replace cracked floor or counter tiles. Patch holes in walls. Fix leaky faucets. Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam. Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls. Replace burned-out light bulbs.

Home Selling Tip #4: Stage your home.
Once you have a potential home buyer inside, it's important that your home has been spruced up and has been staged for the market. Think of your home as a product for sale, and imagine walking through it from the buyer's perspective. Depersonalize it by packing up family heirlooms and photos. You want buyers to imagine themselves living in the home and they won't do that if they can't see past your stuff. Rent a storage unit and clear out the junk. De-clutter. Remove unused pieces of furniture and window coverings and light fixtures you are going to take with you. Each room should be left with just enough furniture to showcase it as the perfect room for its purpose. Remove books, knickknacks, and anything that seems deeply personal. Clear out closets and neatly arrange your dishes in the kitchen cupboards.

Home Selling Tip #5: Clean your home!
Wash windows inside and out. Clean out cobwebs from corners, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures. Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks. Polish chrome faucets and mirrors. Clean out the refrigerator. Vacuum daily. Wax floors. Dust furniture with an oil-based furniture polish that leaves a fresh scent behind. Bleach dingy grout. Remove or replace worn rugs. Hang up fresh towels in the bathroom. Eliminate any musty odors.