Success Magazine has come up with a list of the ten happiest cities in the US!

1.  Arlington, VA

2.  Sioux Falls, SD

3.  Madison, WI

4.  Durham, NC

5.  St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN

6.  Boulder, CO

7.  Overland Park, KS

8.  Stamford, CT

9.  Austin, TX

10. Lincoln, NE

Factors studied were health, percentages of married people in a city, wealth disparity, gross domestic products, education, number of residents that volunteer and exercise, crime rate, job availability, and travel ease through the city.  105 cities were studied.

June 2012 Success Magazine,  by

Sara Vigneri

Weather is getting warmer and you are noticing a few projects that need to be tackled!

10 home maintenance tips for spring is a must read!

Selling a home?  Check out this great article “20 Ways to Add Curb Appeal”!  Fabulous ideas for improving your home as you get it ready to sell!

Straub & Associates

717-612-9901

Selling a home can be quite an undertaking!

5 Important Reasons to use a realtor:

• Realtors have a marketing plan to gain exposure  for your property.  First and foremost, your home is listed in the MLS and is searchable by thousands of home buyers. Your home is also listed on multiple websites for maximum exposure.  Realtors have access to relocation channels.  These are potential buyers that most likely will not find your home if it is for sale by owner.
• Realtors also are key in negotiating the best price for your home.
• Showings are handled by Realtors.  Secure lock box system can only be accessed by other Realtors.
• We carry Errors & Omissions insurance to protect all parties in a real estate transaction.
• Real estate investments are important decisions . . .best to be advised by a qualified licensed professional.

Based on an article in Realtor Mag, housing values in the Harrisburg/Carlisle area are expected to appreciate 1.9% in 2012. The Harrisburg/Carlisle area ranks 4th in the five cities projected to have appreciating values. Read  the article:  http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2011/10/27/5-housing-markets-poised-for-biggest-rebounds.

Todays low rates make homeownership very affordable and desireable. Even though the market is still sluggish, it appears things are slowly moving toward improvement which at some point will bring higher rates as the homebuyer and homeseller playing fields become better balanced.

for a 1500 principal and interest payment a homebuyer can purchase the following home at the rates listed.

4% interest rate $314,000 home approx.

6% interest rate $250,000 home approx

8% interest rate $204,000 home approx.

hope this helps

tim straub

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that maximizing profit is a top priority when deciding to sell your home without the services of a Realtor. What is a buyer’s motive or perception when deciding to purchase a home that is ‘for sale by owner’ ???
Why would a buyer’s motive to save money be any different than the sellers? Potential buyers perceive a FSBO home as an opportunity to get a deal and purchase the property for less than market value.
Based on NAR statistics, the typical FSBO home sold for $140,000 compared to $199,300 for agent assisted home sales. Furthermore, FSBOs only accounted for 9% of the total homes sold in 2010.
Would you pay a commission to an agent who was actually able to sell your home and with more money in your pocket at closing?
Why not get a second opinion and consult with a knowledgeable real estate professional? In the end the decision will be yours…. My goal is to ensure your decision is based on relevant information and factual data.  Thanks! ~ Mike Mueller