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Pittsburgh Makes List of Best Cities for Riding Out a Recession

October 29th, 2008 categories: Buyers

According to a ranking by BusinessWeek, Pittsburgh was #6 on its list of the best cities to live during a recession. Cities with a strong presence in health care, education, law, energy, and the government will feel the impact of a downturn less than others.

“[E]ven in a recession some communities will fare better than others. And it’s not necessarily just the rich ones. What will be most important will be to find communities where the local economy will be relatively unscathed. That means that in the near term people who work in critical fields such as health care and education are likely to enjoy greater job security than those who work in sectors such as financial services or construction. That does not mean these communities will be recession-proof, but it does mean they may be hurt less than others.”

Here are the top 10 cities from BusinessWeek’s report. Go to their site to view the slideshow of all 20 cities that made the list.

Arlington, VA
District of Columbia
Durham, NC
Madison, WI
Boston
Pittsburgh
Baltimore
Baton Rouge, LA
New Orleans, LA
Philadelphia

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Tips for Avoiding Home Buyer Remorse

October 28th, 2008 categories: Buyers

Me, using Oprah as a source of information? Well, I stumbled across these tips on how to ”Reverse Home Buyer’s Remorse” and thought I’d pass them along:

Pick your real estate agent carefully - A good agent will go out of his or her way to make the move easier for you. Make sure that your agent communicates with you regularly, and is available to consult with you on short notice. The unpredictability of buying or selling a home can be particularly unnerving, so your agent should review the process with you in order to help you know what to expect.

If you are moving to a new area, find an agent who has experience working with buyers who are relocating - Make sure you ask for a relocation package that includes information about your new community, as well as sample listings of homes for sale.

The Internet is a great source of information - Many sites make it possible to preview listings long distance. Buyers who are buying locally can also cut down the time they spend looking at new listings by viewing homes on the Internet. (There are a lot of these sites, including Realtor.com, Trulia, and even Craigslist.)

If you’re buying or selling a home with a partner, divide the workload so that you don’t duplicate efforts - Perhaps one of you can preview new listings and the other can arrange the financing. Make good use of modern technology to lighten your load. Use email, voice mail and facsimiles rather than lengthy telephone communications to exchange messages.

Moving always seems to come at an inconvenient time - You may feel pressured just getting through the day’s activities, but make sure not to eliminate stress-reducing exercises like walking, jogging, or cycling from your schedule. Staying involved in your favorite hobbies and sports will add some semblance of order to your chaotic life, as well as providing much needed relaxation.

Tackle things that are possible - Take one step at time. You’ll eventually get where you want to be, and the journey is half the fun!

Read this article and other real estate tips in the Money section of Oprah’s website.

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Pittsburgh Ranked Third Least Expensive for Homeowners

September 30th, 2008 categories: Buyers

According to a Forbes recent ranking, Pittsburgh is the third least expensive city for buying and maintaining a home.

In determining America’s most and least expensive places to own a home, Forbes used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey. It reported the 2007 median monthly home ownership costs in the country’s metro areas with a population over 65,000. Home costs include monthly mortgage payments, real estate taxes, various insurances, utilities, fuels, mobile home costs and condominium fees.

They found that “those getting the real deal live in places like Pittsburgh ($1,187 a month), Columbus, Ohio ($1,060) and Cleveland, which boasts a median cost of $978.”

For more details, check out Most And Least Expensive U.S. Cities For Homeowners.

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5 Ways that Real Estate Agents Are Like Athletes

August 24th, 2008 categories: Buyers, Sellers

For those of you sorry to see the Olympics come to an end, I thought it would be fun to keep the event alive a little longer with this post. Michael Phelps and other Olympians are the ultimate physical athletes, the cream of the crop. While we Realtors will never be on par with Olympians in the world of athletics, there are a few things that these two groups have in common.

1. We Are Skilled - Athletes are talented individuals. Although most of us possess the basic skills from which athletes build upon, athletes further develop these physical skills in order to excel in competition. Basic athletic skills like balance, speed, and strength are enhanced to achieve new levels of performance. Like athletes, Realtors build upon basic skills – time management, problem solving, customer service, and communication. We then develop more specialized skills to excel in our field.

2. We Are Hard Workers - Little league players don’t become World Series Champions overnight; it takes a lot of practice and hard work. Likewise, you can’t learn the ins and outs of buying or selling a home with the push of a button or a ten-second internet search. Both fields of expertise require a strong determination, and a lot of sweat doesn’t hurt.

3. We Are Focused - Top-notch athletes set their sights on a particular goal or achievement whether it’s winning a game, breaking a record, or beating a personal best. Realters also focus on goals related to home buying and selling.

4. We Are Motivated - Getting to such a high level of performance requires a strong sense of motivation from athletes. And Realtors who get discouraged easily don’t last very long. Athletes and Realtors don’t give up!

5. We Have Fun - Yes, it may be hard work but would any athlete play the game if it wasn’t any fun? Realtors have fun, too! If we didn’t enjoy it, it wouldn’t be worth it.

If you’re getting ready to buy or sell a home, give us a call and we’ll help you bring home the gold!

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Foreclosure Vandalism

July 31st, 2008 categories: Buyers, Investors, Sellers

Home Foreclosure Vandalism You’ve seen or heard stories of angry homeowners who, when dealing with foreclosure, trash their house before leaving. Some spray paint the walls or siding. Others break every window with a baseball bat. Sometimes homeowners turn on all the water faucets and plug up the drains before departing.

These homeowners, angry at the bank for foreclosing, think it’s somehow permissible to turn the home into a total nightmare. They don’t stop to think about the consequences for the next set of first-time home buyers who have pinched, saved and worked hard to qualify to buy a bank-owned home priced at the bottom of the market, in “as-is” condition.

Desperate homeowners also strip assets from their house. These fixtures are not personal property, which mean they should stay with the house. The following items should not be removed from a home that is in foreclosure:

Cabinets and counter tops
Appliances such as stoves, built-in microwaves, dishwashers, etc.
Furnaces and air conditioning units
Plumbing and copper pipes
Romex or other electrical wiring
Light fixtures and ceiling fans
Doors and hardware
Flooring, ceilings and walls
Windows and vents
Medicine cabinets, sinks, tubs, toilets and showers
Sink drains and faucets
Built-in shelving / bookcases
Landscaping, fencing, built-in pools and spas

People who vandalize a home they are losing through foreclosure are not harming the bank by their illegal actions. They are harming innocent home buyers who, just like they once were, are hoping to achieve the dream of home ownership.

Spoken by Casey Smith | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Pittsburgh: A Best City for Young Professionals

July 17th, 2008 categories: Buyers

There are many reasons why Pittsburgh is one of the best places to live for young professionals (or anyone, if you ask me). It has low crime rates, affordable housing options, and look at all of the great activities the city has to offer. But don’t just take my word for it…

Earlier this month, Forbes ranked the country’s 40 biggest metros on economic opportunity for up-and-coming young professionals to gauge which cities are attracting the next generation of top business talent. Pittsburgh came in at #13!

Strong performing companies like Allegheny Technologies, Ansoft and Consol Energy have helped lift Pittsburgh’s post-industrial economy and gave the city a No. 2 ranking in its concentration of top firms from our 400 best big companies and 200 best small companies lists.

Take a look at the Forbes article for an explanation of its methodology and the complete list of city rankings.

Spoken by Casey Smith | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Frustrated First-Time Home Buyers: Avoid These 3 Mistakes

July 3rd, 2008 categories: Buyers

Looking for your first home is a new experience, so of course you’re going to make mistakes (maybe even lots of them!). House hunting can be fun, but here are 3 of the most common mistakes that will surely kill your enthusiasm and make your search seem like it will never end:

#1 - Searching for the perfect house

There is no such thing as the perfect house. Every home you look at will have its positives and negatives. Often homebuyers think that, if they search long enough, the perfect property will come along. There are always things that people change to make a house a home. You need to look past how it currently looks and see the home as it can become. It is what you make of it that makes it perfect.

#2 - Having a scope that’s too wide

Too many choices can be confusing. You really need to narrow your search to 2 or 3 communities and not drive all around the city. That may seem too difficult but, if you do enough research into the neighborhoods, you should be able to see which areas stand out based on your priorities. With so many homes to look at, too much choice can overwhelm a first-time homebuyer.

#3 - Making an offer that’s way too low

Don’t get sidetracked by how big of a discount you can get. Buyers should understand that home sellers are often emotional about their homes. They’re not automatically turning up their noses at lower offers but, if you really want the house, a very low initial offer may irritate the sellers to the point that they won’t consider a better offer, if you decide to submit one. Then you need to move on and your search continues…

So steer clear of these three mistakes, and you could actually enjoy your home shopping and buying experience!

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Pittsburgh Recognized as a Real Estate Best Bargain

June 27th, 2008 categories: Buyers

It’s no surprise to those of us living here, but Pittsburgh has been recognized as a Real Estate Most-Livable Bargain Market. This is based on MSN Real Estate’s 2008 list of the nine best, livable cities where you won’t need to trade the good life for the boring.

Pittsburgh has shaken off its steel-town image to be an attractive and desirable location for families and retirees. In addition to housing many major corporations, it is home to Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon universities. The employment picture is solid, but not as robust as some of the other picks on this list.

It’s easy to afford a home here and there are more than 90 recognized neighborhoods to choose from, each with a unique identity and personality. Steep hills rise on all sides of town, with some of these neighborhoods accessed by a19-century incline tram from the central city. The population is ethnically diverse and the downtown area is vibrant, with nightlife along the river and plenty of places to shop. The area is well-known for its sports, education and cultural amenities. Pittsburgh has major-league teams in football (Steelers), hockey (Penguins) and baseball (Pirates). Fan support and interest is legendary.

Overall, Pittsburgh is a solid place, locals say, rooted in traditional values.

Spoken by Casey Smith | Discussion: 2 Comments »

Popularity of Peters Township

June 16th, 2008 categories: Buyers, New Developments, Peters Township

For those of you who don’t live in Peters Township but are considering a move there, you may want to take a look at the article “Peters Housing Market Stays Strong“ which appeared in Peters Township Magazine. It was written last year but highlights several of the community’s strengths that are still relevant for potential home buyers today.

New developments – some featuring custom-built, single-family homes, others boasting townhouses and quad units – dot the landscape. As the community grows, township planners are trying to maintain the rural character of the 19.5-square mile area by preserving its green spaces, wetlands and woodlands.

Luring buyers away from Allegheny County are the country charm of Peters Township, its close proximity to downtown Pittsburgh (it’s located just 15 miles outside of the city) and Washington County’s low taxes.

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Don’t Waste Time Filling Your Gas Tank

June 11th, 2008 categories: Buyers

Many people spend their Saturdays driving around, hoping to come upon a house for sale that will fit their needs and desires, thinking it’s a great way to get to know the neighborhoods and what the market is like.

But it just leads to confusion, lots of questions and a waste of precious gas and time. More than likely, the perfect house is the same one lots of people are looking for and, by the time you find it and contact the agent to arrange a viewing, someone may have beaten you to it.

Please — ask a Realtor for help finding a home. If you’re seriously looking, it just saves you a LOT of time from circling neighborhoods.

Here are some of the advantages of contacting a real estate agent first:

It’s a great way to find out if the Realtor is committed to doing whatever it takes to find you the ideal home.
An agent will direct you to the price range of homes that will fit your pocketbook. He/she may even suggest you visit some open houses but will keep you from wasting your time on areas you don’t want to move into.
When you do visit an open house you can use the phase “I’m already working with an agent” that will let you off the listing agent’s hook.
If something really juicy hits the market, your agent will get you there first.
If you’re honest with your agent, let them know you’re just looking and not ready to purchase yet, they will keep in touch and get to know your likes and dislikes. By the time you are ready to buy, that agent, if they are worth their commission, will be in tune with you and will direct you to the homes that best fit your needs.
It doesn’t cost you anthing but your commitment to work with them. You’ll receive many hours of professional guidance which you will not pay a penny for — until and unless they can accomplish your goals.

And that’s just for starters. Once you’re ready to enter into negotiations, you will know your agent well enough to know he/she is on your side and promoting your best interest.

Sure, buying a home will have its share of stress and surprises, but having a guide, consultant and trusted advisor working for you from day 1 will save you from spending your Saturdays driving around the suburbs.

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