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Life in Southern Utah

Posted at 3:43 PM, Nov. 12, 2008

THIS IS NOT A SPIELBERG MOVIE SET, THIS COULD BE YOUR BACKYARD!!

Homes with this backdrop have never been more affordable!

 435-680-5178 Search the Southern Utah MLS


12 Reasons to Buy during the Holidays

Posted at 12:53 PM, Dec. 4, 2008

 

The 12 reasons to buy a home during the holidays:
1. Loan programs and limits are constantly changing. Current programs and limits, such as FHA, may not be available in 2009 after changes in our government take place.
2. There are less buyers shopping for a home during the holidays, therefore you may be in a stronger negotiating position.
3. With fewer buyers on the market during the holidays, there may be fewer multiple offer situations, especially in REO and Short Sale properties.
4. The transaction load is lighter for many lenders at this time of year, so your file may be handled quicker, more efficiently, and more accurately. This holds true for Title and Escrow.
5. It’s nice to get a feel for a home when it’s decorated for the holidays.
6. You may have more vacation or free time during the holidays instead of having to ask for time off work to look at homes, complete paperwork, attend signings, etc.
7. You can show your visiting friends and family your prospective new home.
8. With fewer buyers on the market, it may be easier to schedule inspections, etc. allowing you to shorten your contingency period in exchange for more favorable terms.
9. You’ll be enjoying your new home in the spring instead of waiting to move in.
10. January is typically the best time of year to buy decorating items or home improvement items as the retail industry doesn’t want a huge slump after the boom in holiday shopping.
11. If you have kids, they can transfer to their new school at the start of the new semester and avoid “getting behind”.
12. What could be a better gift for the family than a new home for the holidays?
Are you ready to buy?  Call the Basso Group today to set up an appointment to get started.

List of short sales in St George under $250,000

Posted at 12:53 PM, Dec. 1, 2008

Click on this link for a list of short sales in the greater St George area priced under $250,000.

http://www.flexmls.com/link.html?m7jfalx0eor,6,1

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List of short sales in St George from $250,000-$500,000

Posted at 12:34 PM, Dec. 1, 2008

For a list of short sales in the greater St George area that are priced between $250,000 and $500,000, click on this link  http://www.flexmls.com/link.html?m7jf9n0t9r0,6,1

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Coins for Kids

Posted at 9:41 AM, Nov. 23, 2008

 

Where did the year go? It seems like just yesterday we were putting decorations on our Christmas trees and were busy making, or shopping for that special gift for our loved ones. Yes, Christmas is right around the corner again and the Coins for Kids Board is busy getting all of the arrangements made for this year’s fundraising. 
                 Most of you know about Coins for Kids and its history, but just to bring you up to date. Coins for Kids is a local charity that provides Christmas presents to less fortunate children in our community. The program began in 1990 by a small group of Kony radio employees who saw a need to assist to a small group of needy children in the community. That first year the Coins for Kids volunteers raised $2500 and shopped for 10 families. Last year Coins for Kids raised more than $110,000 and provided Christmas presents for more than 800 families. 
One of the questions that we receive every year is “Where do you get the names for the children that you help?”  Last year we changed our application process from an open enrollment system to a system where the individuals are identified by their clergy, school counselor, teacher, or other approved organization. This system was a marked improvement and we were able to work directly with those who know of families who are in need of assistance at Christmas and it also helped us avoid duplication with other organizations. 
We are looking forward to another successful year of fundraising and providing Christmas for less fortunate children in our community. We know that this year may be a little more difficult for attaining our goal of $110,000 due to the economy, but we will do the very best that we can with the money that we raise. 
To learn more about the Coins for Kids program, visit our website at www.coinsforkids.net. You will find the schedules, the fundraising events, how you can help, where you can donate, donate on-line, and the history of the program.
 

Habitat for Humanity Re-Store

Posted at 9:33 AM, Nov. 23, 2008

 

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Utah just recently opened their new “ReStore” at 270 E 1478 South (off Riverside Dr). Habitat ReStores, according to Habitat for Humanity’s website, “are retail outlets where quality used and surplus building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Proceeds from ReStores help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat houses within the community”.  
             The materials that are sold at the ReStores are generally donated by local building supply businesses, and individuals such as contractors, sub-contractors, demolition crews, and homeowners who are remodeling their homes. The ReStores not only benefit the Habitat organization by helping fund the construction of Habitat homes, but they offer drastic savings of building supplies to the community at large. Plus, these stores help the environment by recycling usable materials into constructive use. 
If you are undergoing a remodel project and are wondering what to do with your old cabinets, lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, appliances, etc., please consider donating them to the Habitat ReStore. They can sell them to someone who can use them, which helps them fund the construction of Habitat homes in our community, and you get a tax write-off. It is a win-win for all concerned. 
For more information about Habitat for Humanity or to donate to the ReStore, call 674-7669. For really great deals on building materials, be sure to visit their new store soon

Real Estate happenings at The Legacy Nov 2008

Posted at 4:54 PM, Nov. 12, 2008

On November 12, 2008 there were 8 homes for sale through the MLS and 1 for sale by owner.  The homes that were listed through the MLS are as follows:

Dover Way, 1389 sq ft for $210,000 on the market for 156 days

Legacy Dr, 1933 sq ft, on golf course, foreclosure, $229,000 on the market for 58 days

Hampton Dr, 1400 sq ft, corner lot no views,  for $269,900 on the market for 94 days

Legacy Dr,  1829 sq ft, on golf course, for $289.900 on the market for 59 days

Hampton Dr, 2430 sq ft on golf course for $319,900 on the market for 365 days

Windsor Dr, 2690 sq ft with views for $369,000 on the market for 10 days

Legacy Dr,  2444 sq ft, brand new w/views, for $369,000 on the market for 73 days

Hampton Dr, 2900 sq ft, with views for $409,900, on the market for 188 days


Colleges in Southern Utah

Posted at 2:39 PM, Nov. 12, 2008

Here are links to schools of higher education in Southern Utah:

http://new.dixie.edu/

http://www.suu.edu/


Washington County School Information

Posted at 2:13 PM, Nov. 12, 2008

Here is a link to the Washington County School District website.  Each individual school in the District has a link to their website where you can find information about each school. 

http://www.wash.k12.ut.us/


Tax Credit for First-time Homebuyers

Posted at 4:52 PM, Nov. 10, 2008

We have had lots of questions lately about the Tax credit for first time homebuyers.  Lot of people think that they are going to receive $7500 at closing, and we thought it might be helpful to provide a link to the information about the tax credit as all of the information is right there.  http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,

id=186831,00.html

If your questions are not answered in this article, please contact us and we will get the answer for you.  This tax credit makes buying a home even better for first time buyers:  low prices, low interest rates, tax credit, and lots of inventory.  It really doesn't get any better than this!!


How to do a Short Sale

Posted at 11:10 AM, Nov. 7, 2008

WHAT IS A SHORT SALE?

A short sale is when a lender agrees to accept less from a homeowner than the amount that is owed on the mortgage.  The property may have more than one loan, in which case both lenders must agree to a short sale.

HOW DO I DETERMINE THE LIST PRICE?

The best way to determine the list price is to enlist the help of an experienced Realtor® who can prepare a Comparative Market Analysys. This analysis, or CMA, will include comparable properties that have recently sold, are currently on the market, or have not sold because the price was too high for the market.   The list price may be less than the underlying loans against the property, and it should be listed at a price that will attract buyers.   An experienced real estate agent will be able to tell you what homes like yours have been selling for, and what price will attract the most buyers.

HOW DO YOU GET YOUR LENDER TO AGREE TO A SHORT SALE?

Homeowners who are considering a short sale need to provide their lenders with a hardship letter explaining why the seller cannot afford to continue to stay in the home.  They will also need to provide the lender with bank statements, tax returns, profit and loss statement, list of assets, list of debts, etc. 

The lender will also require that you have your home listed through your local Multiple Listing Service.  They will not allow you to try to sell your home by owner.  They want the property to be exposed to the greatest number of buyers, which includes the MLS.  Some lenders won't agree to a short sale until there is an accepted offer on the property. 

HOW LONG DOES THIS PROCESS TAKE?

Short sales, unfortunately, can take months to complete.  From the time the property is listed to getting an offer, to getting the offer accepted by the lender can take from 2 to 6 months.  It is dependent on a number of details; one of the major reasons that short sales take so long is that the Realtors® involved are not experienced in transacting short sales and haven't taken care of the necessary paperwork.  Another reason is that there are so many short sales taking place that the lenders can't keep up with the demand.  We have heard of offers that were submitted to the lenders becoming "lost" and the agents having to re-submit their offers and start over.  

WHAT IF THE LENDER REJECTS THE SHORT SALE? 

If the lender rejects the short sale, there are a few alternatives the homeowner can take.  They can find out through their Realtor® why the lender rejected the short sale and re-submit the paperwork to the lenders specifications, they can choose foreclosure, or they can request a deed in lieu of foreclosure from the lender.  These are issues that the homeowner can discuss with their real estate agent. 

WHAT HAPPENS TO MY CREDIT WITH A SHORT SALE?

A homeowner in default is technically "in collection".  These events are reported to all three bureaus as "Score Factor Code #22".  The real difference between short sale and foreclosure on the homeowners credit is that the homeowner who has sold their home through a short sale is eligible to purchase another home in two years as opposed to 5 years for a foreclosure.   Both foreclosure and short sale will stay on the homeowners credit report for 10 years.

If you would like additional information on short sales, or if you know of someone who could use the counsel of experienced real estate agents, please call of email us.

 



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