Audrey's Adventures in Real Estate

Should I Have My House Appraised Prior To The Listing?

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:13:52 -0500

This is one of the most popular questions I get when meeting with sellers when they are preparing to put their homes on the market. The answer is, it depends.

Appraisals cost between $400 to $700 in our area. Most of the time your REALTOR'S® market analysis will provide you with much of the same information as an appraisal.

When an agent comes over to talk to you about selling your home, they will most likely, have a market analysis of the current market conditions in your neighborhood and the nearby surrounding areas. They will compare what homes, similar to yours, listed for and sold for in your area. An appraiser will potentially use the same information, but will go into more depth about each property.

So, how do you decide whether or not to have an appraisal done prior to listing your home?

If you live in a typical suburban neighborhood where the homes are similar in style and square footage, you probably don't need to have the home appraised prior to listing your home. The information on your REALTOR'S® market analysis should be current and give you a very good idea of the market value of your home. If you are still not sure, maybe you should talk to a couple of different agents and see that they are all in about the same price range, that should give you a good number for your home's value.

My advice to a seller would be that you should have a professional appraisal done prior to listing your home if you have a VERY unique property. Maybe something that is on the historical register or something that was built exclusively for you by an architect and there is not another similar home in the area. If you fit into one of these categories, I would strongly suggest pre-appraising your home.

If you do decide to have your home appraised prior to listing, hear me when I say that the appraised value is one person's opinion. If you hire 3 appraisers, you will probably get 3 different values. Just because one person's opinion of value is one number, the market value might be a different story. What someone is willing to pay for the house is the market value and what your home is ultimately worth. Don't let yourself get hung up on what an appraiser says your home is worth. If it takes time for your home to sell, other homes may come on the market and go to closing which will affect the value of your home.

The other thing that is important for you, a seller with appraisal in hand, to know is the appraisal you have is for your own knowledge. If a purchaser is placing financing on your home, the purchaser and the purchaser's lender will have their own appraisal.

The bank will most likely use an appraisal from an appraiser that is on the bank's approved appraiser list. They want to make sure that the buyer is not paying too much and that they are not lending too much money for a property.

Now with all of that said, Appraisals are very controversial these days with all of the new lending laws and guidelines. We have appraisers come from out of local areas doing appraisals and it is making the sales and loan process difficult. I think it is important for sellers to understand that the buyer's appraiser, in most cases, is going to be the appraisal that will be used for financing.

Ultimately it is up to you, if it you believe your home needs to be appraised before listing, you can do that. Just make sure you listen to your professional REALTOR® to tell you how much your home will sell for!!

Original Post Here

Time Is Running Out For First Time Home Buyers!!

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:50:47 -0500

First off let me say that I am the queen of procrastination. I am not getting on to you, but I know human nature and I am here to tell you, time is running out. I can't tell you how many research papers I did the night before they were due in school. I made my believe I did my best work "under pressure".

Well, the same for you if you are a first time home buyer and you would like to take advantage of the potential $8000 credit, time is a wasting. You need to take action and take it now!! You have, at this point, waited until the last minute. You have 80 days from today to qualify for your tax credit . Today is "the night before your project is due".

You say, "what do you mean? I have until December 1st to buy my home?" Hear me loud and clear, YOU HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER 1ST TO CLOSE AND OWN YOUR HOME, NOT WRITE YOUR OFFER!!!! There is a big difference. Closing and owning the home and having an accepted offer on a home are two different things. Hear me one more time, you must close and own the home to qualify for the credit.

Okay, so what does that mean, what's the big deal you say? That means you need to find an agent, get qualified for a mortgage and find a home by the end of November. If the average closing takes 30 to 60 days, that means you only have 20 days to find your home!!

This means that you can search for the home you want to make an offer on, negotiate your contract and get to closing by November 30th to beat the clock for December 1st!!

So let's look at some of the details involved in getting you to closing by November 30th;

Have all of your finances in order to hand over to your loan officer to get your loan done in time
Finding a seller that can move and close by the deadline
Making sure all inspection items can be finalized by the deadline
Competing with other buyers who have procrastinated who will take up time slots to close at the last minute

Here is the most important thing I would like to say to anyone who is now trying to take advantage of the tax credit, DO NOT SCHEDULE YOUR CLOSING ANY LATER THAN NOVEMBER 15TH. LET ME SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, DO NOT SCHEDULE YOUR CLOSING ANY LATER THAN NOVEMBER 15TH IF YOU ARE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TAX CREDIT!!

Why? Because there are so many details involved with your loan and what and underwriter wants in a file these days it may delay your closing. You may need a week for a seller to make a last minute mandatory underwriter repair and you will need the time, with a major holiday in the middle of your closing, to make it by the deadline. The underwriter may ask for documentation from you for your loan package, there are many things that can go haywire at the last minute and you need a time cushion to get to closing on time. Just think how many other people are going to try to close at the last minute. The banks and title lawyers are going to be swamped trying to get everything done by the deadline.

You still have time but you will need to act now. Call your real estate agent and loan officer to get started right away. Remember, it is the proverbial "night before your project is due

Silver Spring Price Reduction! OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 1-4pm

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:02:18 -0500

Audrey June-Forshey | RE/MAX Reatly Group | 301-921-2672

2100 Marymont Road, Silver Spring, MD

OPEN HOUSE Sunday 1pm to 4pm PRICE REDUCTION!!! Luxury One Level Living! Gleaming Hardwood Floors, New Gourmet Kitchen. Four En Suite Bedrooms. S

5BR/4.5BA Single Family House

offered at $639,900

Year Built	1948
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	4 full, 1 partial
Floors	Unspecified
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	127,631 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

OPEN HOUSE Sunday 1pm to 4pm

Large Custom Rambler, with new kitchen. Maple Cabinets, granite, Thermador 5 burner cooktop, double ovens.
Beautiful Sunroom across the back of the house over looking back patio and pool.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

• Central A/C	• Central heat	• Fireplace
• Walk-in closet	• Hardwood floor	• Tile floor
• Family room	• Living room	• Bonus/Rec room
• Dining room	• Breakfast nook	• Dishwasher
• Refrigerator	• Stove/Oven	• Microwave
• Granite countertop	• Attic	• Basement
• Washer	• Dryer	• Laundry area - inside
• Balcony, Deck, or Patio	• Yard	• Swimming pool

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

• All Brick Construction

• Built In Swimming Pool

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Front	Living Room w/fireplace
Kitchen	Sunroom
Rec room w/firplace	Swimming Pool

Contact info:

Audrey June-Forshey

RE/MAX Reatly Group

301-921-2672

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 16, 2009, 11:53am PDT

Absolutely Fabulous Home 22 Inkberry Circle, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:04:05 -0500

Audrey Forshey | RE/MAX Realty Group | 301-921-2672

22 Inkberry Circle, Gaithersburg, MD

Absolutely Fabulous Home

3BR/2.5BA Townhouse

offered at $389,000

Year Built	2003
Sq Footage	1,924
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	1,867 sqft
HOA/Maint	$83 per month

DESCRIPTION

Absolutely fabulous home! Large home with a 3 level bump out. Center island kitchen is the hub of the house w/ sunroom & FRoom - with fireplace off of the kitchen. Large living room welcomes you right into the home. New trex style deck off of the kitchen level. Enormous MBR suite, bath with large jetted tub. Lots of storage. Rough in basement only needs fixtures, floor & bath finished.

see additional photos below

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 6	Photo 1
Photo 2	Photo 3
Photo 4	Photo 5

Contact info:

Audrey Forshey

RE/MAX Realty Group

301-921-2672

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 6, 2009, 9:42am PDT

Designer Top Floor Loft Condo Germantown, MD 20874

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:07:17 -0500

Audrey June-Forshey | RE/MAX Reatly Group | 301-921-2672

20412 Shore Harbour Drive, Germantown, MD

Two Story Loft Condo Completely Remodeled from top to Bottom. High End Designer Finishes through out. Chef's Custom Kitchen, Maple Hardwood Flooring

2BR/3BA Condo

offered at $310,000

Year Built	1992
Sq Footage	1,780
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	3 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	1 Uncovered spaces
Lot Size	Unspecified
HOA/Maint	$320 per month

DESCRIPTION

Top Floor Condo flooded with Light, big paladian windows. Granite counter tops, built in top of the line kitchen appliances. Every pull out, spice drawer, lazy susan you could want in the custom 42 inch Maple cabinets. Slate flooring in the kitchen, extra storage, sky lights. Custom bathroom vanities with marble tops and vessel sinks. High end fixtures through out

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Fireplace
High/Vaulted ceiling	Walk-in closet	Hardwood floor
Tile floor	Family room	Living room
Dining room	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Microwave	Granite countertop
Stainless steel appliances	Washer	Dryer
Laundry area - inside	Balcony, Deck, or Patio

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Guest parking	Clubhouse	Storage space(s)
Swimming pool(s)	Tennis court(s)	Lake
Playground

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Heated Kitchen and master Bathroom Flooring

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Living Room	Kitchen
Master Bedroom	Master Bath
Loft	Fall Lake

Contact info:

Audrey June-Forshey

RE/MAX Reatly Group

301-921-2672

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 5, 2009, 8:31pm PDT

Five Tips To Be a Successful Landlord in Montgomery County Maryland. . .

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:08:36 -0500

When I meet with sellers these days the discussion of renting their home has become a popular topic. Maybe they are in a situation where they cannot sell and clear enough money to justify selling the home, but they are in a situation where they can keep their current home and still move on to their next home. sell.

In order to do this there are some financial requirements your next lender will require of you in order to qualify for your next mortgage, please consult with a competent mortgage professional to make sure you qualify and help you make sound decisions about your mortgage situation.

In the event you decide to become a landlord because it makes financial sense for you some of the things you will want to consider are ;

1. Get a good accountant. They will be a Godsend at the end of the year for the items that will now become tax deductible to you. Things like capital improvements, depreciation, writing repairs off etc. When you have these types of things to consider as a landlord, you don't always have to get even steven rent to mortgage payment. For me personally, I lose a little on one property but it comes out in the wash at the end of the year and I have a great tenant, which is worth it's weight in gold to me.

2. You will need to emotionally detach yourself from the property. You notice I called it a "property"? It is not your home so much anymore, think of it as an investment. I will tell you that you will need a strong stomach to be a landlord. One reason is that most people will not love your property as much as you do and you may have to deal with a tenant that doesn't pay the rent on time and you may have to juggle the payments sometimes.

3. Make sure that each person interested fills out an application that lets you verify their employment and their credit. You will want to make sure that your potential client has a steady job and that they make the income that they say they do. There are a couple of ways that I verify this as an agent. The first thing I will do is ask for a copy of identification and two copies of pay check stubs. That way you can see that they get paid about the same amount every couple of weeks. If the potential tenant wants you to verify their employment with a phone call to a supervisor, make sure you call the main company phone number and ask for the human resources department to verify their income and employment. You will want to make sure they don't have you calling their friend. Get something in writing from the HR department verifying the information.

4. Pull Credit. When you have pulled credit on the potential tenant, you will want to review their credit. If you do not know how to read a report, contact the person who pulled the report and ask them to explain it to you. Optimately you will want to have someone with a score near or above 700. That is the number I look for. This will show that they tenant has a good track record of paying their bills in a timely fashion. It is really the only gage that shows how timely they pay their bills. It is not a guarantee, but it is probably your best gage of how timely you will be paid.

5. The last item I make sure that EVERY landlord in Montgomery County Maryland knows about is the fact that you must have a license to be a landlord. It costs $95 a year and you have got to have it. The county says so, and it is part of a standard Montgomery County lease. If you, as a landlord, have a dispute with your tenant - I am even talking about whether or not the rent has been paid or not - and you do not have a license you may not be able to make a claim on the back rent. You will need to consult an attorney, but I personally know someone that lost thousands of dollars by simply not having their county license to be a landlord. If you need an application Click here for one now.

These are basic tips to get you started as a landlord. Remember the people living in your house are people and have feelings. I find that by treating my tenants with respect, fixing things immediately if they are broken they in turn take better care of my property and treat me with the same respect in turn.

If this information seems like too much for you to deal with, you can always hire a professional property management company to manage the property for you. They will most likely charge you a monthly fee, but will be the person that screens the applicants, fields the calls in the middle of the night when the A/C breaks for you so you don't have to deal with these items.

If you would like information on property management companies feel free to contact me and I can put you in touch with a professional management company.

Spending Some Green, Making Some Green, and Keeping Mother Earth Green . . .

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:09:19 -0500

Seems I have been green longer than I care to admit. Ever since I was a kid, like 40, there I said it, years ago. My mom is from Germany and they have always recycled and reused as part of their culture for years before we showed up.

We never wasted anything, brown grocery bags, they were our trash bag, when they changed to the plastic kind, ditto. If we ever got food in those plastic containers, we reused them to save leftovers. We always found at least a second use for everything. Thanks Mom, who knew you were so cool??

We had those grocery bags that you took to the grocery store way back when. However, when I went to the grocery store we would never use them back then, they weren't so cool. None of my friends did it , you know what I am talking about. Now it is the THE thing.

Fast forward to today, I am the recycle police in my office. Actually, I am pretty obnoxious about it and making sure others follow the green rules as well. Living in Montgomery County Maryland, it is pretty easy to recycle. They provide residents with recycle bins for paper and plastic and we have free pick up once a week.

I was showing a condo in a high rise in Bethesda and there was a representative from the county speaking to the building manager. He was telling, actually insisting, the manager that they need to have the paper recycle bin next to the mailbox area in the lobby so the residence could automatically throw away their junk mail/paper right there in the lobby.

If you are a business in Montgomery County, MD it is mandatory that you have recycle bins for paper and plastic. I swear I will pull regular paper I find in the trash can and put it in the bin. My assistant thinks I am a nut. Too bad, I have my convictions.

I was looking for a marketing idea for a "Pop by". If you are a Buffini student you will know what a pop by is. For those of you who are not, a pop by is when you have an item of value to drop off to your past client. One day I had an "Aha Moment" for a great pop by idea and it was a very green one that I thought I would share with you.

I was in Whole Foodsand they had the reusable grocery bags. You know the ones I wouldn't be caught dead with when I was younger? Well there they were, .99cents each. I bought 150 of them for my pop bys.

So what I did was group the bags in twos and made a postcard that said the bags were from me. I tied them together with a ribbon with the note that said they were a way to pay it forward to our Mother Earth. Then drove around to my past clients homes and dropped them off. Some of my folks were home and it was fun to see them too.

I will tell you that I got the most calls and emails from those bags. I still need to do another run to more of my clients and will because I had such a great response from the bags.

The good news is that you spend some green and everyone is happy to help Mother Earth breath a little easier.

By TwitterIcon.com

Social Networking and The Montgomery County Women's Council of REALTORS(R)

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:11:27 -0500

I was asked by the Montgomery County Maryland Women's Council of REALTORS® to give a presentation about what I have learned about social networking in the last couple of years. I was honored to be asked and so I went last Wednesday to see the members of WCR

I put my presentation together, keeping it simple for myself and for the members to not be overwhelmed by the massive amount of information that goes along with social networking. I thought Blogs, Social Networks and Micro-blogging would be the a good place to start. I am far from being and über geek or any kind of expert, but I have taken many classes over the last year, and still do now, to learn about this ever evolving way of doing business.

I put my presentation together, simple and what I hoped would be clear for the members to understand. My RE/MAX broker was great and loaned me the projector for my presentation. I got there, set everything up, had my cup of coffee, waited for the meeting to be called to order and wouldn't you know the bulb burns out in the projector!! Never a good thing for a presentation, let alone my nerves. Trying to fix it, to no avail, we decide to just us my laptop, turn down the lights and press on.

My main focus of the presentation was what Social Networking was, why we should care about it, and how can someone get started.

My suggestions for the group, that have worked for me personally were:

ActiveRain because it is a real estate community
RealEstatetomato because of the extensive training
Facebook because we all need friends and exposure
Twitter is easy and part of my social network

I told the members that social networking was the future of real estate marketing not only for Listing and selling homes, but also for branding ourselves in our community.

I think several understood what I was saying and asked me several questions. I told them I was not a technical person but would find out the answers for the things I did not know. I think one of the biggest things I had going for me was that I am not a technical computer person, I am a REALTOR® who can explain this type of information in a way that non technical people can understand. We speak the same language of marketing homes not html.

I had a great time with the members and was flattered to be asked. Funny though, I think if I am involved with these groups, I think I am pretty mainstream, but I found that it is not popular as I thought. I hope the members found my information helpful and will become active in social networking.

I hope that the members will take some time to explore these networks that I have shared with them. I think they will be amazed at the support that they will receive from others who are already active in Social networking, there is nothing to be intimidated about, jump in! I hope the members of WCR will try to join one network at a time, slowly learning how to be a participant in the paradigm shift of our industry.

Besides, I got new followers on Twitter :)

Fabulous Top Floor Condo

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:02:11 -0500

Audrey Forshey | RE/MAX Realty Group | 301-921-2672

18020 Chalet Drive #301, Gaithersburg, MD

Bright Top Floor Condo

2BR/2BA Condo

offered at $169,000

Year Built	1989
Sq Footage	1,062
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	Unspecified
HOA/Maint	$170 per month

DESCRIPTION

Fabulous top floor condo. Light and bright with skylights in kitchen eating area. Newer appliances in the kitchen. Cozy fireplace in the living room. Full size laundry room with washer and dryer. Large bedrooms, Master with walk in closet. Balcony and storage room for all your extra things. Neutral decor throughout. Great price --- shows well. Lender letter and financials with offers.

see additional photos below

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Cozy fireplace	Spacious living room
Newer appliances	Skylights in kitchen
Full size washer/ dryer	Lots of light

Contact info:

Audrey Forshey

RE/MAX Realty Group

301-921-2672

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 30, 2009, 7:54am PDT

Buyer Information Package content

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:10:21 -0600

This is to help some of you newer agents or agents that just dont have a good support system. I am not as tech savvy as most of you, but my "hard marketing" materials help me out a bunch. My return rate of a buyer choosing to work with me is well over 90% once I have had my initial appointment with them.

Thank all of you for helping me with techie stuff, here is my help from my side of the transaction. Over the years I have put this package together and this is currently what I have for my buyer clients. I have a similar package for sellers, but this will concentrate on Buyers.

You will want to put all of this info in folder. I use a 8 1/2 X 11 folder, I have seen some agents actually put this in a 3 ring binder and give it to the buyers, Whatever you feel is your style. Make it all coordinate. My folder, card, brochure, letterhead are all coordinated and match - Looks more uniform and professional!!

I have a previous post about a Buyer listing Presentation and how important I think it is when getting a new buyer. This is what I use at my appointment.

Sellers and listing agents love doing transactions with me because we are spot on and ready to go, no messing around- my buyers are clear and know what is going on during their transaction!

First of all, sorry if the photos aren't so great, I just put everything on my desk and did the best I could with my digital camera.

Okay, so the contents are as follows;

1. I buy the folder box for my clients at Staples, they come in every color. They love that thing. I tell them it is to keep all of their important real estate papers, inspections, loan papers. Most of them bring that to settlement with them!

2. Local area information. I get most of the stuff FREE from my state capital. Free state maps, calendar of events. Call your state and see what they have for you.

3. My marketing information about me. A personal brochure, note pad, calculator, magnet, pen you know. . .

4. Several of the settlement companies have a Buyer Guide. It has copies of a contract, HUD-! Glossary of terms that sort of thing.

5. Lead paint disclosure, credit lending brochures, home buying tips etc.

6. Blank copies of forms they will be asked to sign, Agency disclosures, BBA, Good Faith Estimate.

One of the best brochures and a company that has several different kinds for every situation is this brochure; You can order these at from Conquest Corporation 800-922-6629 www.conquest-corp.com

Sorry for the Glare!!

Good luck, Hope this helps you with your buyers!!

www.Audreyjune.com

West Riding Subdivision Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:15:12 -0500

When I think of the word "neighborhood" I think of West Riding. It is an established neighborhood located in the heart of Gaithersburg. It is part of the City of Gaithersburg. There are different home styles in West Riding. There are two styles of Colonial, a split colonial, split foyer, rambler and a raised rambler. The homes were built in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

When you look in West Riding at homes, you will see that most of the homeowners have updated and remodeled many of the homes. You will find new kitchens, replaced windows, roofs, HVAC systems. The homes sit on lots that are close to a half acre.

Those are some of the asthethics of the neighborhood, but the people are really spectacular. Whenever I have a listing in the neighborhood you can be sure that the neighbors will stop by and say hi. They are some of the best critics of my listings and are always eager to share the things they have done in their homes.

The other special part about the community is that they know each other, you know like the old days. There is a Moms group that all support each other and socialize together. I know that one of my past clients had a baby and the baby was born with some difficulty. The Moms group pulled together and helped the family while Mom had to go to the hospital to be with their newborn. Cooking meals and that sort of stuff.

A real tribute to the neighborhood is that the kids that grew up in West Riding are now adults and are buying the homes in their old neighborhood to raise their families. I think that is are real testament to the neighborhood.

West Ridging is one of my favorite neighborhoods to sell in because people get so much more than just a house.

Who Should Attend The Home Inspection. . .

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:21:26 -0500

Today I had a home inspection. I was there with the inspector and the buyers. I don't do much other than let everyone into the house and answer questions about what the seller is obligated to do as per our MAR contract. That is about it.

The last inspection I went to, the same group of folks, me, the inspector, and the buyers. However, the inspection I had last week the listing agent was also present. I didn't think much of it at the time, but as I was driving back to the office I started to remember that the last few inspections I have had when I have sold homes from this particular company, the listing agent has been present? I will have to ask the listing agent the next time, but wondering if this has become a company policy?

While I don't really mind them being there and 9.5 times out of 10, I have a great relationship with an agent I do a transaction with, I think it hinders my buyers inspection?

I know that the inspector did not speak as freely as he normally does when a listing agent is not present. While there are no hard and fast rules that I have read on the contract, I don't think the seller nor the listing agent should be present at the inspection. I am sure if the company has a policy there is a reason, but I don't think that the buyer or the inspector feels as open during the inspection if someone is there "watching over" them.

I have read on some posts, where in some areas it is not customary for anyone but the inspector to be at the inspection so the inspection is not influenced in anyway. To that train of thought, I think it is good for the inspector to show buyers preventive maintanence items and helpful homeowner hints. If the inspector finds something, I think it is important for a purchaser to be there with the inspector so that the purchasers can see the item in question.

When I am the listing agent, I tell my sellers that they should not be at the inspection. I find that the seller takes everything so personal anyway. I tell them what they are responsible for in the contract and that the inspector is going to find something wrong with the house, it is their job to find defects, not to take it personal

I believe the if the buyer pays for the inspection that they have the right to be present at the inspection and shoudl expect some privacy during the inspection.

Long and Foster Head to take over reigns at FHA...Obama got this one right !

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:45:32 -0500

My Friend John MacAurther from Long and Foster, posted this announcement. I thought I would pass it along to show one of our local folks will be heading up FHA.

Via John MacArthur Branch Manager (Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc.):

Long & Foster Leader to Get Top FHA Post

By: Diana Olick, CNBC Real Estate Reporter | 21 Mar 2009 | 08:01 PM ET

President Obama is planning to name the head of Long & Foster Real Estate to lead the Federal Housing Administration, CNBC has learned.

Dave Stevens

Dave Stevens, president and chief operating officer at Long & Foster, likely will be named to the post Tuesday or Wednesday, sources said.

With housing at the centerpiece of the White House's economic rescue plan, the leader of the housing agency will be critical in making sure the plan is implemented.

Among Obama's goals are to help rescue homeowners facing foreclosure and to improve the regulatory process in the mortgage industry. FHA would be central in dealing with many of the issues the president has outlined.

David H. Stevens is a personal friend of JMac while also serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Long & Foster Companies which includes Long & Foster Real Estate and its' Affiliated Businesses including Mortgage, Title, Insurance, and Home Service Connections, and David joined the Long & Foster Companies in July, 2006 as President of Affiliated Businesses. Prior to joining The Long & Foster Companies, Stevens was Executive Vice President, National Wholesale Manager responsible for all sales, operations, and finance for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage's wholesale channel.

Prior to his joining Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Stevens was Senior Vice President of the Single family business at Freddie Mac where he was responsible for all sales, marketing, affordable lending, product development, communications, and loan prospector for the firm. In this role, David served as lead spokesperson for the firm and managed all aspects related to sales, customer management, market share, and business strategy.

Stevens began his career at World Savings bank, where after 16 years; he was promoted to Group Senior Vice President, National Sales Manager for the mortgage division.

Stevens was the founding Executive sponsor of the Woman's Mortgage Industry Network, and coordinated the first Latino initiative joint venture with Freddie Mac and Latino mortgage industry leaders. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Long & Foster and the Real Estate Settlement Service Providers Council.

First Time HomeBuyers Tax Credit - $8,000 Homebuyer Tax Credit - The specifics

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:23:33 -0500

Thanks to Jeff, here is a clear concise list of the details of the First time home buyer tax credit.

Via Jeff Belonger -- The FHA Expert.com -- FHA Loans -- FHA mortgages - USDA loans (Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc):

First Time Homebuyers - In my opinion, this is one of the best times to buy in the last 10 years. Here are a few reasons why.

Home values are done 10% to 15% in many areas

Many foreclosures to choose from, possibly getting a better deal

Mortgage interest rates are just about the lowest in 25 years - interest rates from 4.5% to 5.5%

$8,000 first time homebuyers tax credit - Up to $8,000 depending on your purchase price

The tax credit was revised in the 2009 stimulus bill. So how does the first time homebuyers tax credit work and how different is it from last years $7,500 tax credit? It's very simple and I won't got into full details, just the basics. But let's first define a first time home buyer - someone who had not owned a home 3 years previous to January 1st, 2009. In regards to the $7,500 tax credit, you couldn't own a home from July 2, 2005, through July 1, 2008. This revived tax credit is good for any first time homebuyer buying after December 31st, 2008 and up to November 31st, 2009.

So what do you need to know?

The maximum tax credit is $8,000 for either a single taxpayer or a married couple filing jointly. It is 10% of the purchase price. So in order to get the maximum credit, the purchase price must be $80,000 or more.

This tax credit is not paid back like the first one of $7,500.

There are income restrictions which can range from $150,000 to $170,000 for a joint return or from $75,000 to $95,000 for a single return. There are other factors involved when determining the actual income restrictions.

This credit can't be used if you are buying a home from a close relative, which is to include a spouse, a grandparent, child, or even a grandchild.

You can only use this tax credit for your primary home, not for a second home or an investment property.

Purchasers who utilize revenue bond financing can use this credit. With the $7,500 credit, this was not allowed.

If you sell your home within 3 years of the purchase date, the entire credit is recaptured.

There are a few ways to obtain this first time homebuyers tax credit. You can certainly file for your monies after you buy your dream house. You can also file an amended return if you buy your home after April 15th. But there is one other way to obtain some of this tax credit before you buy your home. Here is how.

If you believe that you are buying a home prior to the deadline date of December 1st, 2009, you can actually reduce your income tax withholdings. You can reduce up to the amount of the credit allowed, which will allow you to accumulate cash. This is done by raising your take home income, in which the money accumulated can then be applied to the purchase of your new home.

I am not a tax accountant, so it is mandatory that you speak to your accountant. But you would need to adjust your withholdings amount on your W-4 through your employer or if self-employed, through your quarterly estimated tax payments. Here are the rules and guidelines for your income tax withholdings. IRS publication 919 in how to adjust your withholdings. Keep in mind, if you don't use this money, you will have to repay it back. Overall, the $8,000 tax credit should be thought about when buying a new home.

Disclosure : This information is based on what I have read in regards to the new stimulus bill of 2009. Please talk to your tax accountant when it comes to the specifics of this tax credit and in regards to gifts and what is allowed before being taxed.

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages -

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- Mortgages -

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

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For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags !!!!

Copyright © 2009 by Jeff Belonger

The Kentlands in Gaithersburg Maryland 20878

Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:21:45 -0500

If have been shopping for a home in Montgomery County Maryland, then The Kentlands was surely one of the stops or considerations you made. If you are not familiar with the Kentlands it is a Neo Traditional Neighborhood.
The Neighborhood is designed where you could Live, play and work in one area. Smaller yards, sidewalks and all of the amenities and shopping are within walking distance. The Kentlands is a very active, social community in the heart of Gaithersburg.

There is shopping of every kind from food to lawn mowers. Office space is available to run any and all businesses. The warmer months bring out the Farmer's market, you have Whole Foods and Giant Grocery Stores. Lots of restaurants and pubs as well.

There are several differnent styles of homes. Everything from condos to Luxury single family homes and towns are available for all tastes and lifestyles. The Kentlands even has a senior apartment community.
The condos start, these days, in the low $200,000s and the single family homes can go up to the low $1,000,000. The style is a colonial Williamsburg theme through the neighborhood. The homes sit on small lots, we refer to them as zero lot lines.

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