Buying or selling a home can be a complex event. This site has been designed to help you through that process and answer any questions you may have about Des Moines, IA real estate.
As your Des Moines Realtor I will make every effort to get your home the most exposure possible. I offer a video of each home that is listed with me and I put this video on other websites so that people looking to buy homes for sale in Des Moines, IA will find your listing.
I am a licensed agent with Iowa's largest real estate company. Our company has years of experience in the Des Moines, Iowa real estate market. We pride ourselves on customer service, having a courteous and knowledgeable staff and being able to assist with every need in buying or selling homes for sale in Des Moines, Iowa.
First of all let us understand that there is a difference between price and value. Price is the amount of money that the seller is asking for their property. Value is what the buyer percieves. This perception of the value can be influenced by many different factors such as features, condition, location and copmarison to other options which are on the local market. Your local Des Moines Realtor can give you many ideas to increase the "value" of Des Moines Real Estate that you have for sale.
By positively impacting the following details a seller can increase significantly the chances of attracting buyers that will pay the price that they are asking.
Perceived square footage increases value. Floor plans that are open make a home feel bigger than ones with smaller rooms. Properties that have reduced clutter or that are furniture free help to make the space feel larger.
If a home is vacant it will increase the sale-ability. Propertiy is easier to sell and quicker to take possession of when it is vacant when it is offered up for sale. When potential buyers see problems that may not allow them to take possession quickly - such as tenants who will not allow buyer tours - it will impact the value negatively.
Vacancy will also help a buyer walk throught a property and imagine living there with their posessions. Sellers should also be absent during a tour of your Des Moines real estate....let your realtor handle this.
Fresh paint, clean or new carpet and landscaping always adds more value than it costs. Add new sod and colorful flowers. Paint touch up where it is needed. If a leak has been fixed, finish the job by painting where the ceiling was stained.
If funds allow, update or remodel the kitchen and the master bathroom. These two rooms have big impacts on decisions when buying a home. Strategic renovations like these impact perceived value of your Des Moine Real Estate, but do not spend more on the renovation than you will recapture in the value of your home.
Buying or selling your home can be a complex event. This site has been designed to help you through that process and answer any questions you may have about the Des Moines Real Estate Market.
REALTOR DES MOINES
As your Realtor - Des Moines I will make every effort to work with you in listing your home and getting it the most exposure possible. I offer a video of each home I list and put this on other web sites so people looking for houses for sale in Des Moines will see it online.
I am a licensed agent with Iowa's largest real estate company and am a member of the Des Moines MLS(Multiple Listing Service) This allows me to show you as a buyer any home listed with any real estate agent in the area.
Our company has years of experience in the Des Moines area and we pride ourselves on customer service; being able to answer questions about the market; having a courteous and knowledgeable staff; and assisting you to successfully buy or sell your home.
If you are moving into Des Moines area or looking to move from your rental into a home of your own we can give you all the inside scoop. From schools, shopping, dining out, recreational facililties and so much more to help you choose the right location for you and your family.
If you are selling we will provide insider knowledge that will increase the appeal of your home and get it sold faster. We will also assist you with evaluating your home, provide information on the market that your home is located in and design a marketing program to get your home sold.
If you are looking for a realtor in Des Moines, call us today at 515-453-6196.
Knowing the price range of Des Moines IA homes for sale and what you can afford brings your house hunting into focus. Since most people will borrow money to purchase their house, it helps to look at your finances as the lenders will.
DES MOINES, IA HOMES FOR SALE
The amount that a lender will loan for your home purchase depends primarily on how much you can afford for the monthly payment and how much you have available for a downpayment.
1. Monthly loan payments consist of the principal and interest on the loan, as well as local property taxes and homeowner's insurance. These four costs often are abbreviated as PITI.
2. Usually, lenders figure that buyers should pay no more than 28% of their gross income for PITI, or 36% for both PITI and monthly long-term debts such as auto payments, education loan payments, credit card payments, alimony payments and child support .
3. The bigger the downpayment, the less you will need to borrow, which means a lower monthly payment. The obvious source of money for a downpayment is either savings or the proceeds from the sale of a house you already own. But there are other sources which you may not have considered. Talk with a lender about acceptable downpayment sources.
4. Some conventional loans require a downpayment of as little as 5% of the purchase price of the Des Moines homes for sale you are looking at. You will be required to buy private mortgage insurance (PMI) with a downpayment of anything less than 20% or in special high risk situations. This insurance protects the lender in case of default and allows the lender to approve a higher mortgage amount than would have been otherwise approved.
There are many financing options for Des Moines, IA homes for sale. You can go to savings and loans, mortgage bankers, or commercial bankers. There are conventional mortgages, balloon mortgages, adjustable rate mortgages, and assumable mortgages. Mortgages are available from the Veterans Administration, Federal Housing Administration and Iowa Finance Authority.
At Des-MoinesRealtor.com we monitor mortgage rates and programs and will provide information to help you find the right mortgage to fit your needs for any Des Moines, IA homes for sale. Call us today at 515-453-6196to let us help you figure out which avenue to proceed with when dealing with purchasing your new home and obtaining a mortgage.
Today's Des Moines IA realty market is very good for those who are searching for a new Des Moines home, but not so great for those who are looking to sell.
People who start a home search in the Des Moines IA realty market today are facing a different market than it was a few years ago. There are esentially two kinds of markets, a sellers market where demand is high and sellers can ask for and receive a much higher price. When there are many homes for sale and only a few people are buying, it is a buyer's market because those buying have the power.
DES MOINES IA REALTY
Today we are truly in a buyer's market. If you are in the market to buy a home and do not have to sell one first, you are in a great position to pick from an abundance of homes that sellers want to sell.
What this means is that you can negotiate pricing and make offers that are lower than that of the asking price of a home and many times they will be accepted. The longer time that a home is on the market the more the seller is usually open to negotiate price. There are many homes in Des Moines that are terrific bargains waiting to be had.
Bank interest rates are very low right now and as the economy improves in the future, they will rise. Therefore now is definitely the time to buy a new home if you are in a position to get approval for a mortgage. Guidelines to get a mortgage have tightened in the Des Moines real estate market. This makes it harder than it has been in recent history to obtain a mortgage. However, if a person looking for a home has good credit, stable work history and a reasonable amount of down payment, you could still be eligible for a mortgage so you can obtain one of the terrific deals that are just waiting for you.
To learn more about the Des Moine IA realty market and how it affects your home search, talk with a licensed Des Moines Realtor. Call us today at 515-453-6196, and we'll give you the guidance you need to look for your next home.
Individuals with poor credit history looking for homes for sale in Des Moines may have hard times getting into a new home, but the possibility is still available to them.
People who are looking for Des Moines homes for sale, despite bad credit are facing more problems getting approved from banks than in previous years. Banks and other lenders have tightened mortgage requirements in the wake of a severe recession.
Although interest rates are very low, and many good real estate deals are out there, many people simply can not take action, because their credit is less than perfect. To make matters worse, the sub-prime market, which was designed for people with less than perfect credit no longer exists.
However, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of buying a home for sale in Des Moines.
If a persons credit score is less than 620, they will find that it is very difficult to get a mortgage because of the new guidelines which are in use. Therefore, you must take the necessary steps to improve your credit.
This means that the credit card debt should be paid down and timely payments of all bills should also be made. Next you should save towards a deposit for a down payment. The larger a down payment you can make, the better chance you have of getting the loan balance financed.
Also, if your credit is very low, you can look into a rent to own situation that allows a person to live in the house they want to buy and their rent payment or any part thereof be applied to a downpayment with the agreement to purchase the home within a certain period of time.
Owner financed mortgages are another good option for those hoping to buy houses for sale in Des Moines, for homeowners who finance their homes do not have the same regulations and standards as lenders do.
If you're one of the people that are looking to buy a home in the Des Moines area while the time is ideal for bargain shopping, talk with an experienced Des Moines real estate expert to discuss some options. Often those that are in the industry can help find a solution to the dilemma for the purchase.
Call us today at 515-453-6196, your Des Moines Realtor. Let us help you find the right home to fit your current situation.
Video can be a powerful tool in marketing real estate in Des Moines.
We find that using video can be a great way to get your home seen by more people who are looking to buy. Social sites such as facebook and youtube can be great places to showcase real estate in Des Moines home for sale.
REAL ESTATE DES MOINES
With video the home buyer gets a chance to see various aspects of the home with music or vocal description in the background. This keeps the viewer better engaged than just looking at still pictures on the web.
The buyer stays to see all of the pictures in the listing to the end of the video and may see an item that makes the home more attractive that they would not have seen otherwise.
Another benefit of video is the many ways it can be shared on the internet. There are many videos services on the web where the video can be posted and commented. The realtor can put the video on their site also.
The seller can actually put the video on their own social media sites (facebook). Sellers have put the video on their page with the simple comment of "This is a video that our realtor put together for our home that is for sale. If you know of anyone who is moving to the area or looking for a new home have them give him a call."
They usually get comments back from friends like...."I didn't know you were selling, I will share it with.....". This gets the video spread to people who are actually looking to buy and also a recommendation from a friend who knows both of you and someone they can trust.
We offer videos for all of our listings. If you have real estate in Des Moines that you are looking to list or would like to see any of our listings in person please give us a call today! 515-453-6196.