5 Things To Do When Moving Into a New Home

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Moving into a new home can be an extremely exciting time in a person’s life.  However, it can also be incredibly hectic.  There are some things that can be placed on the back burner during the move in process.  With these five easy tips on moving into a new home, you can be sure to back your house as safe and cost efficient as possible.

Change the Locks

At closing time, the seller of a house turns over the keys to the new owners.  Many times, though, the previous owner will have given a spare key to a friend or neighbor in case of emergency.  Enlist a locksmith to come to the house and change all of the locks and get new keys made.  This final transition from one owner to the next will give the new homeowner peace of mind.

Reprogram Your Garage Door Remote

Along with changing the locks of your home, reprograming your garage door remote will ensure the safety of your house.  Depending on the brand of remote, steps in reprograming it may differ, but the process is simple for nearly all brands.  Most remotes have a “Learn” button, which you must hold until the indicator light blinks.  While the indicator light blinks, press the button on your remote.  This should reprogram your garage door opener remote.  If this does not work, contact your remote manufacturer or local hardware store for assistance.

Change Your Home’s Air Filters

Most air filter manufacturers recommend that you change the HVAC air filters once every month. Due to the increased amount of activity of moving furniture in and out of the house, a larger concentration of dust will collect in the ventilation system.   In order to improve the air quality in your home and increase heating and cooling efficiency, make sure you change your air filters right when you move in.

Install New Batteries in Smoke Alarms 

When a person is selling their home, there are many different procedures they must do to ensure that it is ready for sale.  Often times, during the stress of the home selling process, the smoke alarms are forgot about.  Ensure the safety of your home and family by changing the batteries in the smoke detectors when you move into a new house.  This cheap and quick home improvement has the potential to save your family’s life.

Reprogram Your Security System

If you have a security system in your new house, it is a smart idea to reprogram it. If there is a number-code or word-code for the system, make sure that you choose a code that the whole family can easily remember, especially if you have young children.

By following these five easy steps, a person who has just moved into a new home can make their house as safe and cost efficient as possible.

Need a Real Estate Agent Referral? We Can Help!

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If you moved from one place to another you might ask someone from work to doctor personally recommended a doctor. This new doctor can become a trusted family resource, and you would be thankful to that person.

Referrals like this happen in the real estate field, as well.  Over the past 15 years, we have faithfully invested in our own professional education by attending a wide range of events, and we communicate with top agents across the country.  We mastermind regularly with these agents, who are providing superior results to their clients. So if you have a family member, friend, or business associate with a real estate need anywhere in North America, contact us so that we can provide you with an agent with experience and a proven track record.

Just like the field of medicine, the real estate marketplace is constantly evolving, you need to work with professionals who are willing to continually educate themselves, who innovate, invest in their businesses, and commit to world class service.

Let us help you locate those professionals nationwide.

October 2012 Real Estate Market Update

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If you have been following the real estate market, chances are you already know that things have been slowly but surely improving over the past few years. Particularly during the past two years we have seen a stronger market in terms of sales and inventory levels. Today, we are looking at inventory levels so low that sellers are finally enjoying a market controlled by them for the first time in years.

Record Setting Low Interest Rates Still Going Strong

But the news is not all bad for buyers. Though they are no longer in “control” of the market, buyers are still enjoying very strong buying power with the phenomenal interest rates still available. In fact, with the Fed keeping the base rate low, we can expect to continue seeing such low interest rates until at least late 2013.

Short Sales Continue to Relieve Many Underwater Mortgagors

One of the things we have been dealing with is a higher number of pending short sales. Banks are now streamlining the process more so than what we had seen in the immediate aftermath of the 2007/2008 housing crisis. For those that may not know the clear definition of a short sale; when a house is worth less than what is owed on it, a short sale takes place to satisfy a partial amount of the loan and the bank is left with a shortfall on the rest. There are some eligibility requirements such as there must be a hardship to qualify for a short sale, however for the right candidates it can be a good alternative to foreclosure. In some cases, banks will even provide several thousand dollars in relocation assistance to qualified short sale sellers.

Sellers Enjoying Multiple Offers and Stronger Selling Market

Along with fewer homes on the market, comes increased demand and simultaneously a push toward higher prices. One of the effects of our current seller’s market is that sellers are experiencing multiple offers. The number of days it takes to sell properties is also going down, making it an even more ripe market to sell your home.

For homeowners currently stuck with interest rates that are higher than today’s super low rates, refinances are providing a huge amount of savings. In fact, some borrowers have had multiple refinances over the past 18 months.
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If you would like to sit down to evaluate your real estate situation, goals or needs – contact us today at 661-259-1100, 818-898-2255 or email at rod@teamrod.com. We look forward to hearing from you!