WAITING ON RATES? READ THIS

If you are a buyer that is on the fence thinking rates will drop even more..... I'd like to show you this .....

175,000 mortgage 200,000 mortgage
$993.63 a month 5.5% 1135.58 a month
979.95 a month 5.375% 1119.94 a month
966.36 a month 5.25% 1104.41 a month
952.85 a month 5.125% 1088.97 a month
In other words approximatley 14 to 15 bucks a month is what an .125 rate drop does for your payment. And with signs pointing towards a spring/summer pick up and the possibility that prices might rise a bit. Can you afford to wait?

This is from a blog by Michael Russell in Overland Park Kansas.

Here's another quote. This is from Drew Matus, an economist for Lehman Bros. The decline in sales is "a function of both hesitant buyers and stubborn sellers. Potential buyers are sitting on the sidelines waiting for home prices to bottom and for financint to become more attractive. At the same time some sellers are hesitant to lower their offering price."

Don't be the hesitant buyer or the stubborn seller. Two Full-Time Realtors are ready to help you with your real estate purchase or sale in the Des Moines, South East Polk area.

Bob 979-2883 Bill 770-2455

UPDATE INSURANCE RECORDS

January would be a good time to update your insurance records. Here's a suggested plan.

1. Take pictures of every room. Zoom in on small items, open drawers to show belongings.

2. Photograph valuable items individually. Placing them against a white background will make details stand out. Use good lighting.

3. Use macro mode on your camers for jewelry, watches and other small items.

4. Get a picture of serial numbers on electronics and software.

5. Burn the picture files to multiple CD's. DVDs or Flash drives. Keep one copy in a fire and waterproof safe and the other copy in at a safe off-site location.

6. Hope you never need them!

The National Media Moves on...

Whew, that was a long political season for Iowa wasn't it? The T.V. ads, the newspaper articles, the mailings, and the dinner-time phone calls. It almost feels a little empty without it....almost! Do you have any stories you want to share? Bob got a picture of himselfand Kristin with Mitt Romney. More Important, he got a personalized autograph from the president of E-Bay for me(was at the same rally)! Framed it and gave it to me for Christmas. I guess with that distraction out of the way, we'll have to concentrate on selling real estate again! If you need info on anything for sale in the Des Moines/Pleasant Hill/Altoona area, or selling a house....give us a call. It's a great time for buying and selling.