Real Estate Information

Open House

Sunday, February 12th

1209 South Park Ave., Oshkosh, WI

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Foreclosure Activity Declined in May
Foreclosure activity fell 2 percent in May from the previous month and 33 percent from a year ago, according to RealtyTrac. One in every 605 homes, or 214,927 properties, received a foreclosure filing during the month. Foreclosure filings include default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions.

RealtyTrac’s CEO, James J. Saccacio, attributed the decline in part to holdups at banks. “Foreclosure processing delays continue to mask the true face of the foreclosure situation, although there were some clues in the May numbers of what lies behind that mask,” he says. “First, activity spiked in May for various stages of the foreclosure process in some states, a pattern that has occurred in several states over the past few months. This pattern provides evidence that lenders are somewhat unevenly pushing batches of bad loans through foreclosure as they overhaul their paperwork and documentation procedures and as they determine that some local markets are able to absorb more foreclosure inventory.”

Nevada posted the nation’s highest foreclosure rate for the 53rd straight month in May, with one in every 103 homes receiving a foreclosure filing during the month. Arizona posted the nation’s second-highest foreclosure rate, with one in every 210 homes receiving a foreclosure filing, and California was third, with one in every 259 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing.

Article per CRS Member Connect

A general check around your home, both inside and out, is important at the first sign of warm weather. In between exercising and playing with your kids, Spring opens the perfect opportunity to have your air conditioning and other mechanical systems checked by a home maintenance professional. Some of these additional tasks listed below can be performed by you as well, so take the time to spruce up your home for Spring because it will save you money and time over the season.  

Loose Objects
Check for loose gutters, downspouts, shingles and siding or cracks in the sidewalk and driveway that need repair and cleaning.  If shingles are missing, curling, broken or cracked they should be replaced.

Clogged Gutters
Gutters should be cleaned in the spring and again in the fall. Leaves and twigs clogging your gutters will prevent rain from draining properly. While cleaning your gutters, check for holes or rust and make sure they are securely attached to the house.

Shrubs & Trees
Prune trees and bushes as necessary; clean away organic debris that has gathered during the winter. Pruning removes deadwood, improves shape and maintains the plants health.

Decks & Patios
Test your deck for any boards or railings that need replacing. Maintenance to your walkways will help prevent guests and your family from tripping or falling. Take the time to examine all the wood carefully to see if any boards are rotten. Walk around your deck and listen for squeaks. Try to feel for soft spots or sagging areas.

Pipes
Inside the house check the pipes in the kitchen and baths for leaks that need fixing. Repair any dripping faucets or tubs. Check the shutoff valve at each plumbing fixture to make sure they function.

Sump Pump
Check your sump pump for proper operation and change the battery in the backup. A yearly cleaning is recommended before the rainy season hits. If you spot an oily film on the surface of the water in your sump pump, verify the condition of the oil seal. The appearance of oil may indicate a faulty oil seal which could cause the motor to burn out in the pump.

Batteries
Inspect and replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Batteries weaken with age and should be checked regularly and replaced generally once a year.

Oven/Stove Top
Give your kitchen range, hood and oven area a good cleaning to remove all built-up grease to prevent fires. Keeping this area clean of cooking grease will help keep a stovetop fire from spreading.

Air Conditioner
Have a professional air conditioning contractor inspect and maintain your system as recommended by the manufacturer.

Water Heater
Check around the bottom of your water heater to make sure there are no leaks or rusting. Replace it if you find any.

Fireplace
If you have a fireplace, have it cleaned and inspected by a certified chimney sweep.

HOME WARRANTY OF AMERICA, Inc.

So far this year, Waupun’s real estate market (53963 zip code) is staying steady as far as the number of homes sold compared to last year.  As I look at the sales statistics for the period of January 1 through April 1, there were 19 closed sales reported to the Multiple Listing Services in 2010 and 19 closed sales reported this year.  The stats also indicate more Waupun area country homes sold this year than last year at the same time.  Last year, during these first three months, the sales reported were at 94% of list price.  This year, the ratio is down to 91 %.   This year there were more lower priced (usually foreclosure homes) and an increase in higher priced properties sold in the first quarter of 2011.

As you know, WE LOVE TALKING REAL ESTATE…So if you ever have questions about the Waupun real estate market, do not hesitate to call us at 920-324-5200.

RISMEDIA, March 26, 2011—The IRS recently released information on processing issues that are impacting a small percentage of tax returns involving repayment of the First Time Homebuyer Credit (FTHB), primarily involving 2008 home purchases. While most of these returns are processing normally, the IRS recognizes the hardship caused by delayed refunds, and it has assigned additional staff and resources to address the issues promptly.

It is important to note that taxpayer returns claiming a home purchase in 2010 are not affected, and those returns are being processed as are the vast majority of other homebuyer returns.

For more information click the link below.

What good is a tidy home when the cleaners you're using are polluting the environment?  Here are some ways to cut back on harmful and toxic cleaning.

• Do as much as you can with baking soda and water, which are safer, effective cleaners for your tub and shower.
• Pop a mildewed shower curtain into the washing machine after presoaking heavily mildewed areas in a bucket filled with 1/4 cup bleach per gallon of water (make sure it's safe for the fabric first). The solution can then be used on other bathroom surfaces.  Hang the washed curtain back up in your bathroom to dry. Ventilate well when working with bleach.
• Vacuum floors, or dust-mop them with a microfiber dust mop; don't sweep them.  Microfiber mops trap and hold fine dust and grime better than your broom does.
• Use a lambswool duster to remove cobwebs and dust from ceiling fixtures, exposed beams and corners.
• Freshen your fridge with baking soda.  When thinned with water to a grainy consistency, it's the perfect weapon for attacking chilled-on food, grime and fridge gunk.  Rub on with a white nylon sponge, let set a minute or two, and rinse clean with damp paper towels.

#1.  DO NOT MAKE PAYMENTS LATE!!!  Even if you catch up later the late payments will show up and hurt your credit score.  Anything other than ‘paid as agreed’ on accounts on your credit report hurts your score.”

#2.  Dollar amounts don’t matter in FICO scoring.  The effect on your score is the same whether you have a $1 late payment or if you have a $1000 late payment.

Always pay your bills on time, every time.  If you must be late and want to avoid damage to your score, pay the accounts that report to credit bureaus first.  You will find this information by getting a copy of your credit report.

#3.  Do not close credit card accounts.  You could be throwing away years of positive credit history.  A long term positive account history can boost your score.

Some unexpected good news for anybody working to get into a home, especially first-timers who don't have much down payment cash on hand: The door to an FHA-insured mortgage just opened a little wider.

 Two of the largest FHA-approved lenders have backed off their controversial "overlay" requirements on FICO scores (lender overlays are qualification requirements that can be more stringent than FHA's own requirements).

 Wells Fargo and another national lender confirmed to that they will now lend to applicants with 580 FICOs and 3.5 percent down payments.

Their revised standards conform in most respects to FHA's own minimums, and open the agency's financing to large numbers of buyers whose credit scores have sagged during the recession. Wells Fargo is the largest originator of FHA-insured mortgages.