Evansville, Newburgh IN Real Estate Blog

Friday, 03 February 2012

2011-2012 Cost vs. Value: Which Remodeling Projects Pay Off the Most?

When tackling home remodeling projects, you’ll find some projects pay off more than others at times of resale. Remodeling Magazine, in conjunction with REALTOR® Magazine, recently released findings of its annual Cost vs. Value report for 2011-2012, revealing which remodeling projects offer the biggest bang for your buck.

Overall, the trend right now is replacement over remodeling–swapping out the old for the new rather than doing a total gut job, which can be much more costly.

This year’s Cost vs. Value report found that exterior replacement projects–such as new garage doors and a new entry door–offer some of the best returns at resale, allowing home owners to recoup close to 70 percent or more of the costs of the project at times of resale.

The following are the top, mid-range projects from this year’s report, based on what home owners stand to recoup at time of resale:

1. Replacing the entry door to steel

Estimated cost: $1,238

Cost recouped at resale: 73%

2. Attic bedroom (converting unfinished attic space into a bedroom with bathroom and shower)

Estimated cost: $50,148

Cost recouped at resale: 72.5%

3. Minor kitchen remodel (including new cabinets and drawers, countertops, hardware, and appliances)

Estimated cost: $19,588

Cost recouped at resale: 72.1%

4. Garage door replacement

Estimated cost: $1,512

Cost recouped at resale: 71.9%

5. Deck addition (wood)

Estimated cost: $10,350

Cost recouped at resale: 70.1%

6. Siding replacement (vinyl)

Estimated cost: $11,729

Cost recouped at resale: 69.5%

Source: http://styledstagedsold.blogs.realtor.org/2012/01/25/2011-2012-cost-vs-value-which-remodeling-projects-pay-off-the-most/

POSTED BY: Rolando Trentini AT 08:00 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | E-mail this

Wednesday, 01 February 2012

Foreclosure Listings: What You Should Know

The bedrock of the residential real estate industry is the American Dream of owning your own home. But the current market has seen a rise in another facet of the industry: the ‘strictly business’ opportunity created by the rise in Evansville and Newburgh foreclosure listings. Everyone from first time buyers to seasoned investors are newly aware that housing market conditions warrant a serious look at the unusual bargains that are opening up.

The appeal is understandable due to some commonsense consequences caused by the mortgage meltdown (and the headlines that followed). When banks come into possession offoreclosed properties they find themselves in an unenviable position. Incented to sell them as soon as they can, they aren’t free to wait until the market rises to meet historic price levels. As a result, mounting numbers of those foreclosure listings are carrying price tags that are a fraction of their original market price.

For homeowners who see a second home as a path to create a passive rental income stream, foreclosure listings comprise tempting investment vehicles. And for first time homebuyers, the information in the same foreclosure listings can mean nothing less than a foot in the door of homeownership.

In both cases, the first step to buying a bank-owned property comes with finding reliable foreclosure listings. Looking for a trustworthy source means finding one that features up-to-date and accurate information. Too many dedicated “foreclosure” websites offer endlessly duplicated, incorrect, or woefully outdated information. Relying on them can send would-be buyers on a frustrating series of time-eating wild goose chases that end up locating houses that have already been sold.

One way to test a source of foreclosure listings is to take advantage of free trial subscriptions where they are offered. It’s a money-saving way to determine whether a foreclosure source can be trusted to include attractive properties listed soon after they come on the market. The good news is that the online field is developing rapidly -- so much so that it may even be possible for you or your agent to inquire (or even begin negotiations with the bank) through the Internet.

In any case, the opportunities that foreclosure listings represent also carry special characteristics that canny buyers need to take into account. Home inspection rules are one example. Banks are under no obligation to disclose information about a property’s flaws in the same way that regular homeowners must, so it’s imperative to make a physical investigation of a foreclosure listing before proceeding further.

If you are curious about your chances of finding a great deal in the foreclosure market, I will be happy to send you theforeclosure listings as well to help you identify any and all that may fit your goals. You can reach me at 812-499-9234 or by email Rolando@RolandoTrentini.com

POSTED BY: Rolando Trentini AT 08:00 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | E-mail this

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Should It Be a New or Pre-Owned Home?

January’s typical Evansville homebuyer assumes that buying a pre-owned residence saves money. Period. And in fact, most often that is true. Buyers rightly expect that pre-owned houses are more affordable than comparable new homes for sale. But what about the buyer who can qualify for a slightly higher mortgage? Would it be a better idea for them to also consider new homes for sale rather than to simply fixate on the immediate cash savings that go along with buying an older property?

The fact is, there are both benefits and drawbacks that deserve looking at no matter which choice you wind up making.

One practical advantage to buying new homes for saleis that you know that you and your family will be living in a house built to conform to the latest standards in materials and construction. Evansville building codes are continually adopting advances in energy efficiency and materials sustainability. They automatically reflect the community’s experience with construction techniques: what works and what doesn’t; what lasts longest; what’s safe. With contractors and inspectors both working the insure that new homes for sale are built to code; the result is an extra dose of peace of mind when it comes to the durability you can expect in a new home.

Another advantage to buying a newly built house is the pleasure and convenience of living in a home with brand new features. No time-consuming and costly remodeling will be needed to obtain the extra pride of ownership that go with a sparkling new kitchen and bathrooms boasting the latest fixtures. And it’s often the case that newly-built homes for sale better reflect today’s lifestyle patterns. Twenty-first century floor plans apportion space in ways that agree with most people’s living preferences, so new homes for sale in today’s market are more likely to accommodate modern entertainment systems (just as they frequently leave less space for gigantic dining room tables).

In contrast, one disadvantage to purchasing some of the new homes for sale can be a tradeoff in lot size. Though not always the case, older developments sometimes reflect an earlier era which accommodated smaller populations featuring less crowded landscapes.

Of course it’s your budget that will largely determine which combination of neighborhood and new or pre-owned home that will make the best fit for you and your family. The wisdom of planning carefully before investing hard-earned money in any property goes without saying. Since you are looking forward to many years of occupancy in either a pre-existing or new home for sale, I hope you will contact me for a consultation. I know the area and can help you sort out the choices that are available right now. You can call me at 812-499-9234 or you can email me at Rolando@RolandoTrentini.com

POSTED BY: Rolando Trentini AT 08:00 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | E-mail this

Monday, 30 January 2012

Evansville Group Touts 2011 Impact

The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville is reporting what it describes as a record 2011. The organization says it helped 10 companies with their decisions to locate or expand in the Evansville area. GAGE also says it has helped secure commitments for nearly 1,000 jobs over the next five years.

he Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville (GAGE) released today, its 2011 Annual Report to the Community.

The Growth Alliance began 2011 with new areas of strategic focus, a reallocation of resources, and specific performance objectives. GAGE focused on their mission of bringing jobs and revenue growth to Evansville and Vanderburgh County and met or exceeded those objectives by focusing on attraction, retention, and expansion of businesses that can drive long-term sustainable economic growth; as well as on new business incubation and technology commercialization.

In addition to the economic and community development accomplishments outlined in the Annual Report, GAGE developed a Business Licensing and Permitting Guide and a variety of promotional materials used to attract and retain businesses and workers in Evansville and Vanderburgh County. New this year, the Growth Alliance implemented economic impact modeling to accurately evaluate projects. GAGE also conducted multiple entrepreneur workshops and obtained Shovel Ready Certification for another local property.

GAGE President Debbie Dewey says, “We look forward to more success in 2012. We will continue to drive a City Branding effort, operate as the One Stop Resource for Business in Greater Evansville, and participate in establishing a technology corridor vision for the region.”

The Growth Alliance would like to send a special thanks to their volunteer Board Members, investors and sponsors, and partnering organizations for making their efforts possible.

A downloadable version of the 2011 GAGE Annual Report is available on the GAGE website, www.evansvillegage.com.

The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville is a non-for-profit 501c(3) that was created in early 2007 because government and business representatives were searching for a comprehensive focused approach for economic development. The Growth Alliance provides support for strategic programs that enhance the overall economic vitality of the area.

Mission: to drive and support economic development activities for the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana aimed at: attracting and creating new jobs and new revenue dollars, retaining existing jobs and revenue dollars, effectively allocating available resources and recognizing the priorities of basic industries in driving sustainable growth.

• GAGE assisted 10 companies with their decision to locate or expand in the City of Evansville or Vanderburgh County in 2011: Sugar Steel, Mead Johnson & Company, SS&C Technologies, Rotary Corporation, Windstream Technologies, Berry Plastics Corporation, Global Blade Technology, Vantage Oncology, Heartland Pump, Uniseal, Inc.

• Number of jobs GAGE will have added to Evansville/Vanderburgh County over the next five years: 973

• The 5 year Economic Impact of the new jobs added in Evansville/Vanderburgh County: $967.4 Million (source: Economic Impact Model)

• Innovation Pointe, the high-tech business incubator managed by the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville is 83% occupied.

• The Growth Alliance engaged six (6) regional businesses in activities to explore federal lab resources that may be a benefit to their products or processes. As a result, to date, one new product idea and a joint technology development effort is being evaluated.

• GAGE assisted twenty-eight (28) businesses through the Downtown Design process.

• A walking map of Downtown Evansville is complete and available on the GAGE website, www.evansvillegage.com

• The Business Licensing and Brochure Guide created by GAGE is available on the GAGE website, http://www.evansvillegage.com/gage-reports/

• The Growth Alliance obtained Shovel Ready Certification for another local property.

Source: Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville http://://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=51881

POSTED BY: Rolando Trentini AT 08:00 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | E-mail this