Tip 1: Develop a spending plan

If you don’t have a plan for your money, you will end up following someone else’s plan. That’s no fun! A plan puts you in control of how much you spend and on what. Trust me, plan for spending, and you will have a much richer financial life.

Tip 2: Save for emergencies

If you don’t have savings, you will fail. End of story. Life can’t be totally predicted, so to avoid being in a hole every time a surprise happens, you must have savings. Your goal is to save six to 12 months’ worth of living expenses. Not what you earn each month, but what you spend each month. They should be different, and what you earn should be more.

Tip 3: Study up before taking on student loan debt

Starting a working career with six figures of student loan debt drastically reduces your spending options once you graduate — that is, if you graduate and if you get a job. Be smart. Limit your student debt to what your take-home pay in your chosen career can afford. Crunch the numbers before you sign on the dotted line. Remember, it is a bill you will have to pay no matter what. If you don’t have a career field in mind, don’t take on any debt until you do.

Tip 4: Don’t try to borrow your way out of debt

Consolidating debts into one lower payment sounds like a perfect financial move. It may not be, however. The main reason is because many people continue to add to their debt burden after the consolidation and end up with more debt than they can manage. Restructure your spending instead of your debt, and make a concerted effort to pay down what you owe as quickly as possible.

Tip 5: Never co-sign on a loan — never, ever

You have ample opportunity to mess up your finances. Never share that opportunity with someone else. There is a reason why a professional lender won’t approve this loan. So, why should you? Lend your support and encouragement, but not access to your credit.

Tip 6: Payday loans: No, no and no

You need money that you don’t have, so you borrow what you need for a very large fee and a promise to pay when you are next paid. The problem, and it’s a big one, is you won’t have the extra money to pay back the loan when you get paid next time, either. This begins a vicious cycle of ever-increasing fees. Do without, pay something late, borrow from a friend, work part time, but don’t take out a payday loan.

Tip 7: Avoid an upside-down car loan

If you need to sell your car, you need to make enough from the sale to pay off your car loan. Because vehicles depreciate so much, a large down payment will give you the freedom to sell when you want or need to sell.

Tip 8: Pay off no-interest offers as soon as you can

Having 48 months to pay means having 48 chances to let a mistake happen. One late payment, and the retroactive interest payment will make your head spin!

Tip 9: Never turn your back on a debt

As much as we would like to believe an ignored problem will go away, it doesn’t. Ignoring a debt means high interest rates, large fees, a summons to appear in court, years of bad credit and a possible wage garnishment. Look that debt in the eye, and get help if you don’t know what to do now, not later.

Tip 10: File bankruptcy only as a last resort

Bankruptcy is a viable choice only after all other reasonable options have been exhausted. It may not get rid of all your debts, but it will ruin your credit and job prospects, and you’ll have to wait from three to seven years before you are eligible to file again. Think of bankruptcy like a financial nuclear weapon. You may be worse off from the fallout than you were before.

- The Windermere Preferred Team

“The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing.”

That’s why we’ve teamed up with the California Association of REALTORS® to make your next Residential Purchase Agreement a snap.

Old Republic Home Protection is now integrated into C.A.R.’s zipForm® 6 platform, which means you can automatically populate the home warranty fields in your next contract with a few simple clicks.

What does this mean for YOU? You can…

• Save time and eliminate data entry errors
• Pull up our Plan brochures in your zipForm® 6 library anytime
• Deliver our Plan PDF to your clients in a flash
• Instantly access my contact information from your zipForm® 6 address book
• Quickly gain access to our website from the zipForm® 6 home screen

Call me today so we can discuss the many ways an Old Republic Home Warranty can simplify your life and keep you doing what you do best—selling real estate!

Wishing you continued success,

Suzanne Moore
Senior Account Executive
Old Republic Home Protection Co., Inc.
(800) 282-7131 Ext. 1374
SuzanneM@orhp.com
www.orhp.com

The Windermere Foundation is excited to announce that collectively our offices have raised over $885,000 so far in 2012 – up 13% from this time last year!

Funds raised are be distributed to qualifying social service organizations dedicated to serving low-income and homeless families throughout the western U.S.

Thanks to our amazing agents & staff, along with our public supporters who continue to generously contribute both time and money to the Foundation.

Here are a few of the great programs that recently received Foundation support:

Friends of the Children of King County — Friends of the Children supports the most at-risk youth in its community to help them shape a secure future by giving them skills necessary to become successful and productive members of society. They are the only youth development program in the country breaking the cycle of poverty and violence by selecting the most vulnerable children in kindergarten, and making a 12 year “no matter what” commitment to their success through high school graduation. This bond helps uncover the child’s potential and builds a lifelong foundation for success through friendship, education and advocacy.

Assistance League of Everett received much-needed support for their Operation School Bell program which provides new school clothing to low-income students grades K to 12.

Thank you again for your support of Windermere Real Estate Preferred Living and the Windermere Foundation. We  invite you to learn more about the Windermere Foundation by clicking the link below.

Learn more windermere.com/foundation.

Some real estate professionals believe that people who shop for homes during the holidays tend to be more serious about their house hunt than spring and summer buyers. By contrast, others argue that since so many potential buyers stop house-hunting during the holidays, the reduction in demand negates any advantage gained by reduced inventory. Also, some suggest that buyers might low-ball your sellers because they consider them desperate.

You probably have your own opinion on the matter, and however you advise your clients, you will inevitably encounter those who insist (perhaps out of necessity) on placing (or keeping) their homes on the market during the holidays. In such cases, most experienced real estate professionals advise reducing holiday decorations to the bare minimum. A home with minimal decorations allows the prospective buyer to envision the space as her own.

In many parts of the country, harsh winter weather presents another challenge for listing agents during the holidays. While it’s always important to feature high-quality photos online, it’s especially vital during the winter months, when prospective buyers are more selective about the properties they will visit during inclement weather. If your corner of the globe is prone to harsh winter storms and heavy snowfall, you’ll need some spectacular images to entice buyers.

In the final analysis, selling a home during the holidays presents its own unique set of challenges. If you and your clients have decided that it’s in their best interest to sell during the final months of the year, adopting an intelligent marketing strategy can mean the difference between closing quickly at (or above) market value and being forced to extend the listing into the new year.

Wishing you continued success,

Suzanne Moore
Senior Account Executive
Old Republic Home Protection Co., Inc.
(800) 282-7131 Ext. 1374
SuzanneM@orhp.com
www.orhp.com

What a great evening we had the other night! We just want to THANK everyone who attended our 3rd Annual Windermere Real Estate / Preferred Living Open House! We had a great turnout, with plenty of mingling and jingling! The highlight of the evening was a special appearance by Mr. Clause, AKA Santa himself!

Can’t wait until the next one! Happy Holidays to all!

Because most people don’t move during this time of the year, the average home seller will reduce their prices by about $2,000 to $10,000 in order to garner more exposure and to help the home move. The winter is historically a slow period for real estate transactions, and when you couple it with the stress of the holiday season and people’s busy schedules, many people just don’t focus on buying at this time of the year.

However, buying during the off-season can be extremely advantageous for buyers who are willing to fit in just one more thing to their holiday schedule. Serious sellers are the ones who list their homes during this season, and most are motivated and willing to work with buyers who are qualified and express interest. Additionally, some will include incentives during the holiday season, like washers and dryers, flat-screen TVs, and other appliances. And who wouldn’t want another gift under the tree?

With low competition and eager sellers, the holiday season really is a great time to take advantage of purchasing a home if it’s on your list. The bidding process is usually easier, Realtors® and mortgage lenders have more time to spend with buyers, and the entire process normally takes place much quicker than at other times during the year.

Carolyn Curdo
Escrow Officer / Manager
A & L Partners Inc., Escrow Division
(714) 582-8070
ccurdo@alpescrow.com

1. For a nominal fee, an energy auditor can perform a detailed diagnosis of your home, identifying problems and possible solutions. One can find auditors via the Building Performance Institute or Residential Energy Services Network.  Also, an audit may qualify you for a rebate, so check with your utility provider.

2. If you have leaky window panes, a $5 tube of caulk is an inexpensive and easy way to remedy the issue. Also, talk to a window installer about adding flashing, which is the material that’s applied around the window edges for waterproofing.

3. Heating and cooling ducts that aren’t well-sealed are one way to decrease your energy efficiency. Cover accessible ducts can be covered with inexpensive metal tape or mastic sealant.

4. Washing machines are one place where people use a lot of water and spend a lot of money. If you can spring for a new washer, a front-loading model is a good choice. They use roughly half the water of a top-loader, require less energy and detergent, and can be gentler on clothes, says Sam Rashkin of the DOE and founding Director of Energy Star Homes. If you aren’t ready to replace, most of the energy used in washing goes to heating the water, so stick with a cold- or warm-water setting.

5. Inspecting your insulation can help you see where some of your energy costs are going. Check your attic floor to see whether you need more; when the insulation sticks up above the floor joists, you probably have enough. Increasing insulation can shave about 20% off heating costs.

Carolyn Curdo
Escrow Officer / Manager
A & L Partners Inc., Escrow Division
(714) 582-8070
ccurdo@alpescrow.com

Sales of existing homes were up 2.1 percent from September to October and 10.9 percent from a year ago, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.79 million.

At $187,600, the national median price for all housing types including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops was up 11.1 percent from a year ago. The national median price last posted eight consecutive months of annual gains before the crash — from October 2005 to May 2006.

Also released, a survey by the National Association of Home Builders showed builder confidence rose in November for the seventh month in a row to its highest point since May, 2006.

Rising home prices are boosting home equity, and NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun thinks the improvement could be even greater next year.

“Rising home prices have already resulted in a $760 billion growth in home equity during the past year,” Yun said in a statement. “Given that each percentage point of price appreciation translates into an additional $190 billion in home equity, we could see close to a $1 trillion gain next year.”

NAR estimated there were 2.14 million existing homes listed for sale at the end of October, a 5.4-month supply at the current sales pace. That’s the tightest inventory since February 2006, when the months’ supply of homes stood at 5.2 months.

October’s inventory is down from a 5.6-month supply in September, and represents a 21.9 percent decline from the 7.6-month supply that existed a year ago. Many analysts view a six-month supply of housing as an even balance between buyer and seller demand.

Homes were on the market for a median of 71 days in October, down 26 percent from a year ago when the time to sell an existing home took a median of 96 days.

First-time buyers accounted for 31 percent of purchasers in October, down from last October’s 34 percent.

Distressed homes accounted for 24 percent of all existing-home sales in October — down from 28 percent last October — with an even split between foreclosures and short sales. Foreclosures and short sales sold for 20 percent and 14 percent, respectively, below market value.

All-cash deals accounted for 29 percent of October’s sales — the same as last year and a percentage point higher than September. Investors accounted for 20 percent of existing home sales in October.

All U.S. regions saw existing-home sales and prices swell in October from a year ago. The Midwest leading the way with an 18.1 percent year-over-year increase to an annual pace of 1.11 million units and a median price of $145,600, up 10.6 percent from last October.

Despite some effects of Hurricane Sandy, the Northeast saw home sales increase 13.7 percent from a year ago to a yearly pace of 580,000 units, with median prices up 4.6 percent, on an annual basis, to $232,600. The annual pace of sales dropped 1.7 percent in the Northeast from September — the only region to see a monthly drop.

NAR anticipates that Hurricane Sandy will continue to influence the region’s housing market in coming months. “We expect an impact on Northeastern home sales in the coming months from a pause and delays in storm-impacted regions,” Yun said.

Existing-home sales in the South were up 11 percent to an annual pace of 1.92 million units from October 2011. Median sale prices were up, too, to $152,200, 8.2 percent above last October’s median price.

In the West, sales were up 3.5 percent from a year ago to an annual rate of 1.18 million units, and median prices jumped 21.2 percent from last October to $242,100, the largest yearly proportional price jump of any region.

Original article posted from inman.com. Click here to view the entire article.