Susan Howard Blogs

This is an interesting article that was in the Mail Tribune Saturday Oct 29 paper.  There are so many exciting things to do in Medford and it’s surrounding area .  It’s great for our local economy when we and outside tourists take advantage of  what we have here.  To see what the activities are in our area go to my website at www.susanhowardsells.com and click on Rogue Valley Information - Community Links - Entertainment and Outdoor Recreation

Despite gas prices, visitors still coming to Medford

An end-of-summer survey conducted by the Medford Visitors and Convention Bureau showed regional travel helped make up for a hit in tourism brought on by high gas prices.

The bureau contacted more than 25 businesses, including attractions, hotels and restaurants.  Despite travel costs, many attractions said they saw an increase in attendance, while a few revealed numbers consistent with last year.  The overall feeling is visitors and locals are exploring options closer to their homes.

Recreational vehicle parks reported an increase in the number of customers staying long-term, an increase in repeat customers and a big increase in the number of locals using their facilities for the first time.

Local restaurants experiencing a slow start in June saw higher numbers in July and August.  Medford hotels reported an increase in the number of corporate travelers compared to leisure travelers.  Some accommodations reported a decrease in advance reservations, but walk-in traffic helped compensate.

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This Saturday come and join us for some fun at our office parking lot on Heathrow Way across from the airport.  Our agents here at RE/MAX have purchased pumpkins to give away to those children who may not be able to afford them.  Come in costume, get your face painted and enjoy the games.  See the link below.

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Buying a home is one of the most imortant decisions of your life and it can be the most stressful.  Here are some tips to get you started and to give you a better idea of what is involved in buying a home.

Pre-qualify for a Loan

In today’s market, it is imperative that you see a lender (bank, mortgage company, savings and loan, or credit union) to get pre-qualified before making any offer on a home.  Being pre-qualified for a loan determines how much house you can afford and allows you to move more swiftly when you find the right house, especially when you aren’t the only interested buyer. Even if you can’t qualify for a loan now, your lender will show you what you need to do to qualify in the future. 

If you don’t already have a lender, give me a call and I can recommend several very qualified lenders that I have worked with in the past. Once your lender pre-qualifies you, do not make any large purchases until after the sale closes escrow as this could jeoprodize your loan and result in the loss of a sale.

Shop for Mortgage Rates and Terms

Yes, loans are harder to obtain in today’s market.  Interest rates are still great but keep in mind that the interest rate you get depends on your credit score, work history, and debt-to-income ratio.  It may also depend on how much money you apply toward a down payment.  A 30-year conventional loan usually requires a 20 percent down payment, but there are  other loans in which you can put down much less or nothing or finance for less than 30-years. 

Your lender will want you to bring in tax returns, salary stubs and other financial data.  Keep in mind that the higher your credit score, the lower the interest rate.  You may want to check your credit score two or three months before buying to make sure that there isn’t anything on your credit report that may hinder your chances of getting a loan, such as someone else’s bad credit showing up on it.  A difference of even half a percentage point on the interest rate can make a huge difference in how much you pay over the life of a loan.  For example, the difference in the monthly payment on a $200,000 mortgage at 8% vs. 7.5% is about $69 per month.  Over 30 years, that amounts to nearly $25,000.  The bottom line however, is how much you can afford monthly. 

Features that Help or Hurt Resale Value

Location is the most important feature of a home especially when thinking of future resale.  Busy streets, airplane traffic,  bad views and poor condition of neighborhoods can detract from a home’s value.  In some areas, a swimming pool actually detracts from a home’s value and makes the home harder to sell.

Let’s Go Shopping

Have a general idea of what you are looking for.  Chances are that you will not get everything you want, but list your priorities such as needing to be near a specific school, nearby shopping, single or 2-story, acreage or subdivision, large or small back yard, new or fixer, etc.  If you are new to the area, take some time to drive around to see what areas are most appealing to you, pick up a community paper and go to a few of the events they list.  Talk to people in the area. Walk around and have dinner.

The main things to check for in a home are the foundation and the roof.  If the doors aren’t square with the jamb or the floors slope, there might be foundation problems.  Roofs with missing, wavy or cupped shingles could mean that the roof has leaked or could leak in the future.  Water stains on the ceiling indicate a leaky roof.

Making an Offer

Once you find your dream home and are ready to make an offer, there will be some negotiating involved with regard to price, condition of home, time of closing, inspection repairs, etc.  Your goal is to get what you want and to imagine the seller’s reaction to everything you include.  “Negotiation” is a give and take process.  Because of the huge dollar amounts involved, both you and the seller want to build in contingencies and protections for your investment and limit your risk. 

Included in the offer will be the “earnest money” or “good faith deposit” — a minumum of $1,000 down.  This is money to “hold” the property and shows the seller that you are serious about buying their home.  The earnest money will be deducted from what you have offered on the home at close of escrow.  Once the offer is accepted, you will receive property disclosures from the seller.  I always recommend you have a whole house inspection as well including a pest and dry rot inspection. This will cost you about $350 and is for your protection.  Your offer will be contingent upon your accepting the results of this inspection and may be contingent upon the seller paying a certain amount of money in repairs. If you are buying rural property, you will want to get a well-flow test and septic inspection.  The seller is required by law to get a bacteria and coliform test on the well water.  

Your offer also will be contingent upon you getting the loan.  A pre-qualification is different from being approved for a loan.  If for any reason you become ineligible for the loan, you will not be required to complete the transaction. 

Close of Escrow

Once all the contingencies have been met, you and the seller are ready to close the deal.  This is at least 30 days after signing the initial contract and is done through a title company.  We have four title companies in Jackson County and all have competitive rates. The title company is generally chosen by the seller. “Signing” is when you go to the title company and sign all the loan and closing papers. This is when you will be bringing a cashier’s check for the balance of the down payment.  I will accompany you and often your lender will be there as well.  Once both parties have signed all the papers, it will take a day or two before the title is recorded with the county.  This is the “closing” and when the deed goes to the courthouse in your name. ”Closing” is when you officially own the house.  “Possession” is when you move in and is a mutually agreed upon day between you and the seller.  

Contact me for Happy House Hunting

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Mark and I took our grandson Rowan to the Harvest Festival at 1865 Camp Baker Rd in Phoenix, OR today.  We have been so lucky with weather when we go on our outings and today was no excetion.  This was the 5th year of putting on the festival which included several pumpkin patches, kid’s corn and sunflower mazes, hayrides, pony rides, a small zoo with goats, mini ponys, rabbits, and chickens. There were quite a few activities for kids of all ages - a pumpkin dunking tank, a haystack to climb and slide on, face painting, crafts and dancing to live music.  We could have stayed there all day if it hadn’t cut into Rowan’s nap time.  The three of us had so much fun.

With the country’s financial situation seemingly getting worse everyday and everyone cutting down on any excessive enterntainment, it was just great to see so many families out enjoying each other and not having to spend a lot to do it.  It’s free to get in and then you buy tickets ($1 each) to the individual activities.

King of the Hay Stack

Leading us through the Corn Maze

Spider Face Painting

Grandpa and Pumpkin Boy

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I spent an unusual few days in California last weekend.  It was mainly to see my 5 year old grand daughter Kaitlin’s last soccer game of the season that was to be on Saturday.  Unfortunately, it was rained out but I had a great time anyway.  I left Medford on Friday morning and headed towards Santa Rosa arriving 7 hours later at Kaitlin’s school just in time to pick her up and have her give me the grand tour.  She is a proud kindergardener.  Her favorite part of the school…the special climbing tree.

When we found out the soccer game was cancelled, my daughter Colbee, my two grand daughters and I decided to head down to San Francisco for the Annual Free “Hardly Strictly Bluegrass” concert in Golden Gate Park.  I hadn’t been to the big “City” in years and it was quite a treat as the weather was warm and sunny.  We didn’t arrive until early afternoon so had to park aways from the concert.  The traffic was insane! 

There were 5 stages with bands scheduled every 45 minutes or so and thousands of people roaming from one stage to the other.  It was just fantastic people watching.  Great bands too…Three Girls & Their Buddy (Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller), Odetta, Steve Earle, Jerry Jeff Walker, Asleep at the Wheel, The Desert Rose Band and 34 other bands.  We all had a great fun time - certainly different than the concerts in Medford. 

Walking to one of the stages through Golden Gate Park

The girls just having fun.

Interesting characters...just great people watching

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10 Cozy Decorating Tips for Fall

It’s no secret that strategic staging and decorating helps homes sell more quickly.

Changing a home’s decor to match the seasons doesn’t have to be a pricey feat if you get creative.

If you do just a few simple touches, it could make all the difference in getting your home sold faster than doing nothing.

“All of this can be done on a limited budget,” says RE/MAX agent Jenny Kotulak . “Search in the basement, crawlspace and garage. You’ll be surprised at what you can recycle. Remember the glassware, vases and candles you received as gifts? Now might be the time to find a ‘home’ for them.”

Although sellers may be nervous about listing their homes in the fall or winter because they fear buyers won’t be looking, Kotulak tries to quell those worries.

“My answer is that although there may be fewer showings, they’re usually quality showings. People who look at homes during the holiday season are usually serious buyers.”

Here’s are 10 decorating tips you can use to help sell your home faster:

Decorating for the Fall Market

1. Get new pillows for your sofas and chairs. Textured fabrics in warm jewel tones will warm up your room. Add a luxurious throw.

2. Add new candles to your room with great fall scents like pumpkin or apple spice. Don’t leave candles lit if you leave your home for a showing.

3. Change your artwork or decor. Vivid paintings will brighten up your rooms on dark, dull days.

4. Change your bedding. Replace your summer duvet cover with a warm, cozy comforter, and place an extra woolly blanket at the foot of the bed.

5. Add an area rug to hardwood floors in the living room and bedrooms.

6. Buy some new luxurious towels and hang them just for showings.

7. Change your shower curtain and liner, and don’t forget the bathmat.

8. Add a new fall wreath to the front door, as well as a new “Welcome” doormat.

9. Place some seasonal plants in an urn or in the garden.

10. Rake the leaves and clean up the deck or patio. Throw away old hanging baskets.

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