Posts Tagged ‘Ann Arbor Home Search’
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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
If your home is listed for sale during the Holidays, it is important to remember that the same staging principles apply as during other times of the year. While nobody wants to be “Scrooge” during the holidays, you want potential buyers to be able to easily see the great features of the home and not have to fight their way past the giant wreath on the front door. Since it is important to keep holiday decorating under control, listed below are some suggestions from REALTOR Magazine on how to decorate for the holidays while keeping your house ready for a buyer.
Do not overdo it.
Wait to decorate for the Holidays until after Thanksgiving. Be selective in what you decorate with. Avoid “cute”. It is always subject to personal taste. Don’t allow your decorations to create clutter or dominate a space. Covering up major selling features of the home with a Christmas tree or other decorations prevents a buyer from seeing them. Keep it simple, warm and welcoming.
Use Holiday colors.
Using the traditional Holiday colors red and green will create a Holiday atmosphere and can be simple to accomplish. Poinsettias as a centerpiece on a table, red ribbon tied around candle sticks or used as bows on wreaths add splashes of color through out your home. Studies have shown that those viewing warm colors, such as red, have an increase in their energy and excitement. Try to keep the same colors in each room of the house you decorate by using the same ribbons, ornaments and decorative accessories. This will keep your Holiday decorating consistent through out your home. One thing to keep in mind: don’t use colors that clash with your homes basic décor.
Remember to use scent and sound.
Research reported in the Journal of Business (Vol.58, Issue 11) 2005, shows that holiday music and the smell of Christmas boost peoples’ attitudes while shopping and made them more likely to buy. When preparing the house for a showing, put on some soft holiday background music, buy some potpourri, scented candles or simmer some mulling spices on the stove.
Keep the Christmas tree simple
The Christmas tree makes the biggest statement but is also your biggest challenge. Lights are always important. Consider using a string of 100 lights for each foot of tree height. If your tree is taller than 6 feet, you may need to remove some furniture from the room so that the room doesn’t feel too small. Most of the filler ornaments should be one basic color. Use approximately 20 for every 2 feet of tree. Mix in elegant, stylish ornaments to make a decorating statement. You should use 10 of the elegant ornament for every 2 feet of tree. Ornaments can be in different sizes. Hang them on the tips of the branches and inside the tree to create depth and visual interest. Lastly, personal decorations like “Christmas in Cancun” or “Baby’s first Christmas” should not be used or at least not placed in a prominent location on the tree.
Holiday curb appeal.
Use clear white lights if you decorate the exterior of your home. Place candle lamps in each window. Hang a wreath on the front door. If you have a deck, put some lights on the railing or add a weather proof Christmas tree. Stay away from the 10 foot inflatable Santa, reindeer on the roof and using so many lights you cause a brown out in the neighborhood. Remember you are trying to ensure that your home shows well during the day and night.
When the Holidays are over, take it down.
All Holiday trim should be taken down right after New Year’s. You are trying to sell your house, not extend the Holiday season.
For additional Holiday ideas go to World of Christmas.net or About.com.
We here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
From all of us at Prudential Snyder & Company, Realtors: Have a Joyous and Peaceful Holiday Season!
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Tags: Add new tag, Ann Arbor Area, Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor House, home buying, home selling, Homes, Prudential Snyder & Company
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Monday, October 25th, 2010
Last week we talked about daily steps a homeowner could take to reduce their water usage and in turn their municipal water bill. This week we’re going to touch on a few things a homeowner can change or install in their home to aid their conversation efforts.
Low-flow toilets are specifically designed to use less water during each flush. This is an important feature in an increasing number of areas throughout the country where water is limited. In all parts of the country, low-flow toilets make simple sense by conserving a natural resource used for routine and mundane tasks.
Water is still an under-valued resource but general understanding of its importance is growing. A state-of-the-art low-flow toilet may consume less than two gallons of water per flush compared to five or more gallons with “old” technology toilets. The new toilets can cut your expenditure for flushing in half, or more. Yet flushing is only part of your annual water budget and you should pay some attention to the performance of your clothes washer and dishwasher as well.
For new homes, getting a low-flow toilet may not be an option – it may be required by local building codes. Like most consumer items, retrofit models can vary in their design and effectiveness. Toilet options may depend on local building codes and sources of supply.
Showers account for 16-25% of the total water use in a typical home. One easy way to reduce this number and minimize your home’s total water usage is to install a low-flow showerhead on each of your showers. The current standard for low-flow models is 2.5 gpm (compared to the 5.5 gpm of standard models, especially those manufactured before 1992). Some models are available with flow-rates as low as 1.6 gpm, using about 1/4 the amount of water of standard models. This means that low-flow showerheads can save you 20 to 30 gallons of water for every ten minute shower you take. Low-flow models are inexpensive, easy to install and can have substantial ramifications for your home’s annual water use.
Typically, low-flow showerheads cost between $10 and $20 and can be purchased from your local hardware store. Despite this initial expense, low-flow models can reduce the amount of water used in the shower by 25-50%, saving families hundreds of dollars every year. EPA’s WaterSense program reports installing a low-flow showerhead can save families more than 2300 gallons of water a year.
Many consumers are concerned with their showers becoming “weak” after installing a low-flow showerhead. However, there are many different models available with various settings that can allow control over the strength of the water flow, whether it is strong and pulsing or soft and misty. If you prefer stronger water flow, opt for a laminar-flow showerhead as it creates individual streams instead the mist that aerating models produce.
Low-flow showerheads can easily be replaced yourself or with the a little help from your local plumber. When purchasing a new showerhead, make sure its specifications (threaded or non-threaded, size, etc.) match your current one. Consider removing the old one and taking it with you to your local hardware store to ensure you get a proper match. Look for models that have earned the EPA’s Water Sense label to ensure the highest quality and greatest efficiency. Once you purchase the showerhead, simply take it back home and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for install. Usually this just requires removing the old head and screwing in the new one. Make sure there is a tight seal to prevent leakage.
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
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Tags: Add new tag, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor House, First Time Home Buyers, home buying, HOME SALES, home selling, rental
Posted in Ann Arbor Real Estate |
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Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
In the U.S. alone, over 410 billion gallons of water is used every day. The average household uses about 350 gallons daily, adding up to over 120,000 gallons a year. Not only does this high water usage deplete our global water supply, it costs money in heating and utility bills. By switching to water saving technologies and implementing simple conservation measures, households can reduce their daily water use by up to 35%, saving billions of gallons per day nationally.
There are numerous measures you can take to help reduce the amount of water used in your home. One of the easiest ways to save water is to turn off faucets when you aren’t using them.
- This includes while you are shaving, shampooing your hair, washing dishes, or soaping up. Just turning off the water while brushing your teeth can save you over 25 gallons of water every month.
- Instead of running the water while doing dishes, consider filling up the sinks with soap on one side and rinse water on the other. This will save you gallons of water every time you clean. If you have to use the dishwasher, be sure and run full loads.
- The same applies to your clothes washer and dryer. By doing so, you can save thousands of gallons of water every month and minimize the amount of soaps and detergents you use. Don’t do laundry unless you have to.
- Reuse towels multiple times before washing them to prevent unnecessary water usage. When preparing meals, defrost food in the fridge or microwave instead of running hot water over them. This will prevent you from literally watching water go down the drain without truly serving a purpose.
- Finally, dispose of spiders and tissues in the trash can instead of flushing them down the toilet. Since toilets (even low-flow models) use between 1.5 and 6 gallons per flush, unnecessary flushing is a direct drain off your water supply.
In addition to implementing water conservation methods inside your home, there are some things you can do outside to help minimize water use as well.
- Consider using a commercial carwash that uses recycled water instead of washing your car yourself.
- Cover pools, spas, and hot tubs to prevent evaporation, especially in off-seasons when you rarely use them.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean porch, driveway, etc. Both serve the same purpose, but using a broom can help save gallons of water every time.
- One of the biggest uses of water in and around homes is outside in the garden and lawn.
Some areas have strict water use codes, especially areas prone to droughts. Check with your city administration to find out what the water codes are in your area and be sure to follow them. Regional codes typically provide water saving techniques that can help save you money, so it is a good idea to always keep them in mind, even if droughts end and codes relax.
Making daily choices to help conserve water can help reduce your water use and heating bills by up to 35%. Many of the choices you can make are either free or very inexpensive, yet can save you hundreds of dollars every year. In addition to financial benefits, saving water helps conserve the world’s natural resources, making it friendly to both your wallet and the environment.
Next week, Ann Arbor Real Estate Series will talk about additional steps a homeowner can take to reduce water consumption and save on their water utility expense.
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
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Tags: Add new tag, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Area, Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor House, home buying, home selling, rental, Sell My Home, water conservation
Posted in Ann Arbor Real Estate |
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Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
Last week we wrote about housing prices in the greater Ann Arbor market showing signs of stabilizing and we urged our readers to be confident about buying a home during the fall season before prices started to rise.
But what do we know about consumer confidence in the rest of the country?
Between June 12 and July 14, 2010 Fannie Mae conducted 3,399 telephone interviews with Americans 18 years and older. The purpose was to assess their confidence in homeownership as an investment, the current state of their household finances, the housing finance system and overall confidence in the economy. The survey included 870 homeowners, 1020 mortgage borrowers, 900 renters and 289 underwater borrowers, who are defined as owing at least 5% more on their mortgage than their house is worth.
Here’s what they had to say:
78% of the respondents believe that home prices will remain flat or go up over the next year.
39% believe residential rental rates will go up over the next 12 months.
Consumers continue to believe it is a buyer’s market. 70% said this is a good time to buy a house. Underscoring the belief that it is a buyer’s market, 83% of those surveyed believe it is a bad time to try to sell.
69% of renters believe it makes more sense to buy a home rather than rent.
Our experience in the greater Ann Arbor real estate market reflects the trends seen nationally. People across the country know this is a good time to buy. There’s an ample supply of homes for sale and interest rates are tantalizingly low. Like the rest of the country, be confident and buy the home you have always wanted.
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
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Tags: Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor House, buy a home, Fannie Mae, HOME SALES, home selling, homeowner, Homes for Sale, Sell My Home
Posted in Ann Arbor Real Estate |
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Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
 Who are “Fannie Mae” and “Freddie Mac” and what do they have to do with buying Ann Arbor Real Estate?
It’s not so much who they are but what they are.
The Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), or more commonly known as Fannie Mae, was chartered by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on February 10, 1938.
The primary purpose is to ensure a reliable supply of mortgage credit throughout the United States by purchasing, holding and selling mortgage loans insured by FHA. After World War II, its authority was expanded to cover loans guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. When banks sold their mortgages to Fannie Mae, they received cash that they could then use to write new mortgages thereby making it easier to purchase a home. This on-going cycle of cash to banks for the purchase of their mortgages stabilized the availability of mortgage funds for consumers
In 1968, Congress converted Fannie from being a government agency to a for profit private corporation. The new Fannie is stockholder owned and independently managed however its original mission has not changed and it continues to provide a substantial amount of cash used by lenders for residential mortgages.
While Fannie Mae purchased first, second and adjustable mortgages, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) or “Freddie Mac” primarily deals in conventional mortgages.
It was created by Congress in 1970 and originally served as a secondary market for savings and loan institutions. It would buy mortgages, hold them and pool them together then issue securities backed by those mortgage pools. In 1988 the savings and loan institutions who held Freddie Mac’s stock sold the stock to the general public. Like Fannie, its original goal of increasing the availability of financing for residential mortgages has not changed.
When the housing and mortgage industries went into a free fall and millions of properties were in foreclosure, Fannie and Freddie found that they were now holding mortgages that had little or no value.
In 2008, Congress stepped in to stabilize the mortgage markets by passing the “Housing and Economic Recovery Act”. This returned both organizations to strict government oversight and reemphasized that their primary mission was to meet the needs of the mortgage market by making home ownership more affordable.
If you’re interested in learning more about Fannie & Freddie or anything else real estate related, give us a call. As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
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Tags: Add new tag, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor House, Fannie Mae, fha, fnma, freddie mac, home buying, home selling, mortgages, purchase a home, rental, veterans administration
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Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
We started this series to talk about internet real estate jargon. Last time we took a look at one of the basic search criteria that most folks use and described some of the differences between condos and single family homes.
Today, let’s talk about home styles.  It’s interesting to note that most homes do not fit precisely into any one category. Lots of times, older homes have gone through renovations that took on different architectural details that the current homeowner liked. Newer homes often incorporate samplings from a variety of historical periods and styles. Let’s look at a couple of the styles represented in the Ann Arbor real estate market.
BUNGALOWS: Bungalows are one-and-a-half story homes. Typically most of the living space is on the main floor and the house centers around the living area with minimal hallways to connect to other rooms. In the Greater Ann Arbor Area, we typically find the upstairs used as a bedroom or added living space, and if it has a garage, it will be detached from the structure. Even within the bungalow family there are many distinctive styles, but they’ll all have the centralized living area.
RANCH STYLE: Ranches were a uniquely American style and are single story homes. In the Ann Arbor real estate market, theres a pretty even mix of those that have attached garages and those that don’t. The thought behind the original builds was to have a long, low-to-the-ground profile, with minimal use of exterior architectural decoration - a casual home.
TWO STORY HOMES: The majority of the homes not identified in one of the two categories above falls into this division. There are a plethora of homes styles to choose from – Cape Cod, Victorian, Colonials, Gothic, Greek, and on and on. So how do you know what style you’re looking at or for? There are some great websites available to help you define your tastes. If you Google “architectural styles”, you’ll get fabulous references with photos to scroll through that can help you put a name with a style!
If you’re interested in learning more, just email us, or respond below and we can help you!
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
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Tags: Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor House, Ann Arbor MI, home buying, home selling, Homes for Sale, Prudential Snyder & Company
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Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
 Summer is coming with its warm breezes, maintenance concerns and seasonal chores for homeowners. In addition to the inevitable mowing, tree trimming and other yard work, summer is also a great time to step up maintenance efforts around the home. Despite the hassle and time scheduled repairs can take, quarterly home maintenance and preventative measures can keep all areas of the home in good condition for years to come. To help homeowners accomplish this goal, we recommend the following summer maintenance tips:
- Clean and seal decks. Apply deck cleaner and scrub the deck. Let it dry 24 hours and apply deck sealer.
- Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean chimneys. Taking care of this task in the summer-rather than in the peak autumn season-allows plenty of time for repairs before the next heating season.
- Wash the exterior of your house using ordinary garden hose pressure and a mild detergent. Pressure washers are not always the best idea-they are powerful enough to force water under the siding, where it can encourage mildew and rot.
- Caulk exterior joints around all windows and doors. Caulking helps keep the house weather-tight and reduces energy bills. It can also help keep insects and vermin out of the house.
- Clean lint from the entire clothes dryer vent system, from the dryer to the exterior vent cap. Because lint is incredibly flammable, this common build up can create a fire hazard.
- Check the operation and condition of attic fans and roof-mounted turbine vents. Attic fans run on little energy and can greatly reduce cooling costs.
- Repair cracks in concrete patios and driveways. For most cracks less than ¼,” applying concrete caulk is a good way to make repairs. For larger cracks, substitute concrete patch for caulk. Whether the cracks are large or small, repair is necessary because water that finds its way into cracks will soften the ground underneath and cause more cracking. Prevention is key to avoiding costly future repairs.
- Clean and repair rain gutters. For clogged downspouts, try using barbecue tongs to reach in and remove leaves. To repair loose gutter nails, consider replacing them with extra-long lag screws.
- Remove/drain sources of standing water in the yard that could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, including birdbaths and kiddie pools.
- Ants and flies are attracted to typical barbecue fare. Serve food and beverages indoors and reserve outdoor space for eating and entertaining.
Courtesy of:
If you have any other ideas or recommendations, we welcome your comments or suggestions!
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
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Tags: Add new tag, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Home Search, home buying, home selling, Homes, Prudential Snyder & Company, real esate needs, Realtors, rental, summer home checklist, summer home maintenance, summer honey-do list
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Thursday, July 1st, 2010
 Photo: Seansie Per CNNMoney.com article - By Tami Luhby, senior writerJune 30, 2010: 10:40 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — First-time homebuyers will have until Sept. 30 to close on their purchases and land an $8,000 tax credit under a bill passed by the Senate late Wednesday.
President Obama is expected to sign the bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the House on Tuesday. The deadline had been June 30.
The bill doesn’t help anyone currently shopping for a home. Buyers must have signed a contract by April 30 to qualify for the tax break. At issue is when the deal must be finalized.
Qualified existing homeowners also have until Sept. 30 to close on new homes and receive a tax credit of up to $6,500.
Congress has been trying to pass the extension for the last month, but it got caught up in Washington politics. Only when it was separated from a larger jobs bill did deficit-wary lawmakers sign off on it. The extension will only raise the deficit by $9 million.
An estimated 200,000 people have missed out on the tax credit because they wouldn’t have been able to close by the end of business Wednesday. Many are trying to take advantage of short sales, which are complicated deals to complete.
The Senate approved the stand-alone homebuyers tax credit shortly after a failed attempt to advance a bill that combined the credit with an unemployment benefits extension.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the chamber will take up the benefits bill again once a replacement for the late Senator Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., is named. Byrd, the longest serving member of Congress in history, died Monday at age 92. 
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Tags: Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor House, Ann Arbor MI, Ann Arbor Properties, home buying, home selling, Homebuyer Tax Credit, homebuyer tax credit extension, Homes for Sale, Sell My Home, Tax Credit
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Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
If you have a home built prior to 1978 and you’re interested in doing any renovations, you need to know about recent changes in the laws regarding lead-based paint remediation.
Make sure that when you’re interviewing contractors you ask if they have already completed their certification and training courses so they’re compliant with the new directives.
In general, any activity that would disturb lead based paint in a home, apartment, daycare or school will be included. Any contractor who is paid to perform renovations is required to adhere to the new EPA regulations. Violations can result in fines of up to $32,500 per day!
If you, as a homeowner, are making the changes to the home, you are exempt. Other exemptions can apply for contractors in certain situations (emergency repairs are one such example).
If you’re interested in learning more, you can find more information on the EPA site at: http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm.
As always, we are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other real estate needs. Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
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Tags: Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor House, Ann Arbor MI, Ann Arbor Properties, EPA, home buying, home renovations, home selling, lead based paint, Prudential Snyder & Company
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Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Things to Consider: Buying Ann Arbor Investment Property
 One of the most common mistakes that Investment Property buyers make is forgetting to figure in the additional costs in handling the property. Make sure you have an additional funds ready. Here are the most common extra costs; all these must be taken into consideration when buying an Ann Arbor investment property.
· Vacancy times (when renters aren’t present)
· Property taxes
· Insurance
· Maintenance
· Repairs/Capital Improvements
· Legal fees (in case of bad tenants)
Also keep in mind that you’re dealing with people management, not just property management when dealing with residential investments. If you have tenants who are unhappy, unruly, or destructive, lose a job, have a medical emergency or other loss of income issue, you may have to deal with the repercussions of their misfortune.
If you’re interested in learning more about investing in real estate, please give us a call. We can help you learn about the profits and pitfalls and can assist you in making an educated decision as to whether or not it’s right for you.
As always, Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other real estate needs. Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available anytime at info@prusnyder.com or www.prusnyder.com online. Choose Prudential Snyder and Company for the best Ann Arbor Realtors!
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Tags: Add new tag, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor House, Ann Arbor Properties, home buying, Homes, Investment, Investment property, Realtors
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