Looks like the government will be extending the $8000 first time home buyer credit plus some new credits for existing home owners. I will keep you posted. Here's a link to Q & A about the credit.
http://ping.fm/rYE4W

Buying and Selling Real Estate in Green County has its own unique challenges and hurdles. Pricing, selling, and buying a home can easily become an intimidating venture. With so much competition, so many different communities and such a wide selection of inventory, it is easy to become lost in the fray. As a professional real estate consultant, it is my mission to help clients sort through these difficult issues and create an open and communicative environment to help facilitate successful transactions. It's about creating lasting relationships with my clients; relationships based on respect and trust, which extend long after your closing. Scott Larson http://ping.fm/8cSHQ

Invest in the Your Home Sale. Ask clients to invest 1/2% of the home's asking price in repairs and staging. Then use that money to paint tired walls, remove out-of-style wallpaper, or store worn out furniture. The money invested may actually reap substantial returns with a higher selling price and quicker sale. http://greencountyhomeguide.com

Thinking of moving before the snow flies? Call me today the market is full of deals. The MLS has several 3br homes that a person could buy for less than renting. Remember I can show you any home listed with any company. http://ping.fm/Lymok

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Manufactured in Monroe, WI, $24,500

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Manufactured in Monroe, WI, $24,500

Tip number 4 has to do with appearances, primarily the inside of the home. If you're not comfortable making decorating decisions and you think a client needs serious help, suggest for them to hire a professional decorator or stagger that understands the ins and outs of staging a home. Not only does this keep you from having to criticize your client's home, it brings fresh eyes and ideas into play. Plus, suggestions from a professional decorator may be easier for homeowners to swallow. My office actually offers this as a Free service.
http://ping.fm/FNqBZ

Sometimes simply repositioning a chair can make a world of difference in a room. Look at traffic patterns and remove obstacles along with excess furniture.Take leaves out of dining tables. In the kitchen clear the countertops. When selling a home, less is more.

Tip part 2. When the scrubs have been tamed now you can see through the windows. Or can you, well not through dirty windows. So clean the windows then open blinds and drapes. This will automatically make a home look more open, brighter.

Home selling tip. Trim back the landscaping. Make sure your windows and entryways are not obscured by overgrown shrubs. Otherwise, you're hiding the home from the street as well as reducing the light that comes in. You want your home to say Welcome.

Home Selling Tip #1 of 5
Remove the clutter that we sometimes don't see. Old socks, magazines, and scattered toys are obvious problems, but just as distracting are the various treasures and collections that people accumulate over time. One home that I viewed had more Captain Morgan bottles than the local liquor store. Get your clients to pack up the treasures and books on shelves and tabletops. It may be a good idea to rent a storage garage to move out the mementos. Also make sure every photo is put away, buyers can't see themselves living where the current owners family pictures are everywhere and buyers tend to go down memory lane when they see sellers photos. The finished product is a home that looks more open and spacious, without the strong stamp of the present owner's life. Scott web site http://ping.fm/D8tvc

One of the great things about being a Realtor today is being part of the MLS system. A system that allows me to show a client any home listed with any real estate company in the state. http://ping.fm/PAkFF

Can you price a home, Too Low?
Homes sell at a price a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept. If a home is priced too low, priced under the competition, the seller (should) receive multiple offers to drive up the price to market value. So there is little danger in pricing a home too low. The danger lies in pricing it too high and selecting your agent solely on opinion of value.

How to Price your Home & Who sets the value of your HOME?
There is a lot of talk about who or how the price is determined for listing a home
The truth is it doesn't really matter how much money you think your home is worth. Nor does it matter what I think or ten other agents. The person whose opinion matters is the buyer who makes an offer. Pricing homes is part art and part science. It involves comparing similar properties, making adjustments for the differences among them, tracking market movements and taking stock of present inventory, all in an attempt to come up with a range of value, an educated opinion. This method is the same way an appraiser evaluates a home. And no two appraisals are ever exactly the same; however, they are generally close to each other. In other words, there is no hard and fast rule to price any home. It's an honest, educated evaluation and the market will dictate the price.
Scott Larson of Towne Square Realty in Monroe, Wisconsin
On the web at greencountyhomeguide.com
608-2124-9844 Direct

For a list of foreclosed homes in the Greater Monroe Wisconsin area contact Scott Larson at scott@greencountyhomeguide.com