Some Productive Ways to Use Your Free Time

On the rare occasion that you have some extra time on your hands with no pressing obligations, you can be really productive. Avoid the guilt of wasting the precious free time by applying the following tips.

1. Create a To Read File.  Clip magazine articles you want to read. Print the interesting email or report you received, but don't have time for now. Place them in a folder called "Reading File." Keep it with you and whenever you have a chunk of time, such as in the waiting room at the Dr. Office, you will have some quick reading. 

2. Create a Calls List.  Create a list with non-urgent phone calls you need to make. Take it with you everywhere. Whenever, you have a free minute you can check off a bunch of those calls in a short amount of time. As a bonus tip, include the contacts' phone numbers on your list.

3. Create an Email List.  Most of us have smart phones. If you take the time to make a list of emails you need to make and keep the list with you, it will prove to be extremely useful. You can knock out quite a few emails with little effort while you are waiting for your oil to be changed, for instance.

4. Create a to Listen File.  I store MP3's and voicemails in hear for later review. I love this for the commute to work. You will too.Bonus Tip:In our digital world this can all be done on your smart phone. I suggest using Evernote. If you need any help with this please do not hesitate to give me a call.

The Top Curb Appeal Blunders

From HGTV's FrontDoor.com we've identified the top curb appeal "killers" and what to do about them. How many of these have you seen lately?

1. The Brown Thumb — Gardens rarely look good out of season, and artificial flowers are tacky. Make sure to clear dead debris and prune back overgrowth.

2. The Obstacle Course — Visitors shouldn't have to jump the miniature statues, spin around the lawn ornaments, and then leap sixteen plastic toys. Keep the lawn free and clear.

3. Haul the Decks — Old or mismatched patio furniture should be thrown out. Leave only what showcases the best use of space.

4. Car Trouble? Cars parked in the driveway telegraph a small house with a packed garage—not to mention being a photo faux pas.

5. Like a bad neighbor — If the neighbor hasn't mowed his lawn in six months, offer to do it for him. Neighborhood perceptions matter as much as the house itself.

6. Overtime pay not included — Yes, that garden can feed the entire block year round, but for a new buyer with no gardening experience, it's a high-maintenance nightmare. User-friendly is key!

7. Sour eye-candy — Sellers focus on those features they've grown to love—buyers always seem to notice rust, weathering, and dilapidation.

8. That's a mailbox? Replace or remove worn, crooked, outdated, or mismatched exterior features.

9. Fascia Facelift — A fresh coat of paint, especially a neutral color on siding with touches of color on the door and shutters, can do wonders on a budget.

"Staging" Your Purchase Offers

You already know staging your listings can result in more motivated offers, but what about staging your offers to increase acceptance? Just like a property staging, an offer staging should be clean, organized and ready to make an impression.

The best offer anyone can make is the highest, in cash, with no contingencies. If your buyers don't have such an offer, here are a few ways for their offer to get more attention.

Add a cover sheet explaining what the sellers and listing agent will see, and in what order—it looks organized and professional.

Add a letter of introduction about your buyers. Within a few lines say something positive about the buyers and why they love this particular house—sometimes it makes the deal.

Cover your bases on the purchase contract by checking for all signatures and initials where required. Show proof of financing with a mortgage pre-approval letter, attach a copy of the earnest money check, and provide anything else that will solidify your buyer's position. Make sure to follow any listing agent instructions and ensure that all paperwork is tidy.

When facing competition from multiple offers, get creative. Encourage your buyers to forgo or shorten contingency periods, shorten the escrow period, increase their earnest money deposit, and/or increase their down payment. Get as much information as possible from the listing agent to see what will make the sellers "tick."

Encourage your buyers to be first even if a house has languished on the market because it's priced too high. Often being the first one to make a reasonable offer can create a deal before the sellers decide to reduce.

Bumpy Road Ahead for First-time Buyers

Winter weather pummeled housing across much of the nation last quarter. As spring weather brings a thaw for busier months, the focus is now on whether there is enough inventory to satisfy demanding buyers, particularly first-timers. Low housing supply, tightened credit guidelines, increasing rates and rising prices are all stacking up against first-timers' odds at calling a place their own. No answer on when new Building Permits, which rose 7.5 percent to just over 1 million in March, will be approved for new home construction to meet demand.

Homebuyers in general are reportedly less confident about the market. Following January to February's 10 point drop in the monthly builder sentiment index from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), it rose 1 point (from 46 to 47) in March. Readings below 50 indicate that more builders view housing market conditions as poor, rather than good. This reflects builders' inabilities to find lots and labor, according to Kevin Kelly, NAHB Chairman. More than ever, buyers will be requiring the help of skilled real estate professionals to represent them in what could be competitive purchase transactions this season.

Fannie and Freddie on the Chopping Block?
Late last quarter, the Senate Banking Committee said it would introduce a bill to reform the U.S. housing finance system by scaling back and possibly eliminating Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC). The government-backed enterprises oversee the secondary mortgage market. By purchasing home loans from lenders, packaging them up, and selling them to investors as mortgage backed securities, they free up liquidity for lenders to continue financing homes. Both regulate home loan guidelines with the goal of making home ownership more attainable for Americans.

Fannie and Freddie were largely criticized for securitizing bad loans which contributed to the subprime crisis. This story will be watched closely for its impact on housing and potential future housing reforms for many years to come.