If you're thinking about selling

We've all heard the old adage "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." This is especially true when it comes to your home. If you're thinking about selling, there's no more important audience to attract than potential buyers, who are highly influenced by how a home looks the first time they get a glimpse of it. Even if your goal is just to impress your neighbors and guests you should pay close attention to the first impression your home in making. Here are a few simple tips and techniques that can positively affect your home's "curb appeal" and perhaps even its value.Clean Up and Repair:The most useful chores to tackle first are basic maintenance and repairs before moving onto larger projects. Clean windows and siding, make sure outdoor lights are working, stow away yard tools and equipment, and clean up dead branches and leaves. Make sure that fences, walkways, and the driveway are in good repair too - a home that looks well taken care of is always more attractive to buyers.Landscaping:A full landscape overhaul may not be necessary, but your yard, especially in the front, should look neat and well maintained. Trim any overgrown shrubs, remove weeds, and tidy up planting areas. If the season is right, add some colorful flowering plants to brighten up areas around walkways and the front entrance. It's an easy and inexpensive way to create an instantly welcoming feeling.The Entrance:The front door is another key element of that all-important first impression, and should reflect the style of the home. If replacement is cost-prohibitive, consider reviving a tired, faded door with a fresh coat of paint in a great accent color and swapping out the hardware.Paint It New:Brighten up the exterior of your home with a new paint job. Driving around your neighborhood may inspire some ideas of what may be flattering to your home. If you're planning to sell your home, it's usually best to go with colors that have widespread appeal so that potential buyers won't be put off by unusual colors or combinations. Painting the exterior can add significantly to the home's value.

The Treasury’s Struggle

The question is, can the Federal Reserve Board keep rates on Treasurys down? The Fed has been buying U.S. Treasury notes in the past several weeks in order to keep a lid on long-term Treasurys, particularly the benchmark U.S. 10-year note. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions. So more demand for bonds should drive rates down. A day before the Fed said on March 18 that it would begin buying Treasurys, the yield on the 10-year was about 3.0%. Following the announcement, bonds rose and the yield fell to about 2.5% - exactly what the Fed wanted. The Fed’s success was temporary, though. Even though the Fed reiterated it would finish purchasing $300 billion in Treasurys by this autumn, the 10-year sell-off continued until the yields crossed over the 3.0% mark. .
"The bond market has sold off because the Fed isn’t changing the amount of bonds they are going to buy," said Brian Battle, vice president of Performance Trust Capital Partners. a fixed-income trading firm in Chicago. As we have indicated since the beginning of the year, there will be an on-going battle that will cause rates to fluctuate significantly. The slow economy and government support both will serve to keep rates down. On the other hand, the government spending to spur the economy will cause rates to increase. Every evidence that the economy is recovering will tilt the balance in favor of higher rates. Thus far, rates on home loans have been able to withstand this pressure because the government has also purchased mortgages, narrowing the spread between mortgages and Treasurys. However, this spread is approaching what it was before the financial crisis hit and any movement of the 10-year higher than 3.25% will likely also cause a corresponding rise in the cost in home loans. Stay tuned as the "tug of war" continues…

U.S. Housing Market

U.S. housing market to stabilize this summer click link

What is a home warranty?

What is a home warranty
A home warranty is a one year residential service contract that provides repair or replacement coverage for the major operating systems and appliances in a home that fail due to normal wear and tear.
Home Buyers’ BenefitsMove in with assurance knowing your home is covered.
You are covered for unexpected home repair or replacement costs on many of your home’s major systems and appliances.
Coverage is regardless of the appliances’ age, make or model.
It only takes a phone call and a small service fee to fix the problem.
Service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
You’ll have budget protection knowing you only have to pay a nominal service fee per trade call.
Home Sellers’ BenefitsSell with confidence.
Having a home warranty as an additional feature will give you a competitive edge over other homes on the market.
Buyers have more confidence in your home and there is usually less negotiating in getting closer to your asking price.
If something breaks after the sale, there is limited liability for you. Buyers will contact the warranty company rather than calling you.
Protect your budget, one major breakdown before or during the sale of your home can very costly and delay things.
Did you know:
- A customer uses their warranty 2 times on average? If they didn’t have the warranty, then the expense for the repair would be out of pocket