How to Read an MLS Sheet the RIGHT Way

There's a lot of great information on  MLS data sheets, but do you know how to TRULY read it all?

Realtors are accustomed to looking at all the data included, but when you begin to look at houses, those MLS sheets can be difficult to read- and you also need to know how to read between the lines.

There are a few things to take note of right away, and you will learn where that information is on the sheet pretty quickly, but there is also lots of information that almost seems hidden if you don't know what you are looking for, or should be looking at.

The first thing your eyes will be drawn to is the picture, of course. Then you'll see the price, and some particulars on the house, such as total number of rooms, how many bedrooms, and how many baths. Lesser known information that is on the MLS home sheet is the annual property taxes, property assessment, school information, and room features, besides the biggie, which is how long the home has been on the market. In our area, hidden in plain sight on the listing sheet  is  "ADOM 145", and unless your agent told you where it was, and what that meant, you probably wouldn't know. It means "Active, days on Market" that house is 145 days. Also, CDOM means "Cumulative days on market", so if the property had been listed with another agent prior to this listing, the total market time would be shown here. Hmmmm. Interesting.

Another very important thing to look at is the listing agent remarks. There are MANY subliminal messages here, and they ring true the vast majority of the time.

Just look at the remarks on that listing in a different way- think of yourself as an agent, and if you know that these remarks are  THAT important to help sell the house, it would behoove you to point our the finer features of the home in this section. There are only so many alphabetic characters that an agent is allowed in this section, so its important that nothing is redundant. As a real estate agent, you would want to make sure that you have everything covered, right? Of course, you would.  

So when you look at the remarks section of a listing, and there is redundancy, what should that indicate? Maybe there is not any great things to say about that house, because the agent could't even fill up a small area of advertising space with anything other than what's already on the listing.  And another thing while we're on the remarks section- if all the MLS says is how great the neighborhood is,and nothing about the interior of the house, you can pretty much expect that the house may need some cosmetics.

Even the most seemingly minor details to someone else are very important to you when it comes to your  biggest investment. I'm always happy to share my knowledge, and help my clients  in the very best way that I know how. So when you're ready to buy or sell  real estate in Fairfield County, CT , I'm honored to help you, and eager to assist. :)

"When You Deserve the Best, You Deserve Judy"

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 The Featured Home of the Week is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home at 20 Hickory Drive, Westport  for just $549,900. See the virtual tour HERE 

 .....or better yet, call Judy to schedule an appointment to see it!

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 Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

Tips on Choosing the Right Size Home For You in Fairfield County CT

One person's idea of small is someone else's idea of just right, and yet someone else's idea of large.  The right size is quite a subjective question.

There are a few great ways to be able to tell what size home is right for you, and bigger isn't necessarily better, just as smaller isn't necessarily easier to maintain.  Here are a few easy ways  to figure out the square footage range that will make you most happy for your next home.

Your first step is to ascertain the size home that you are living in right now, and whether you feel it's just a tad too small, way too small, or on the flip side- a tad too big, or just way too much for you to want to continue to handle.

If you don't know the size home that you are living in right now, your real estate agent (me!) can easily find that out through town records- that also holds true for rentals, by the way.

After having a conversation with you, your Realtor should be able to tell  just how much bigger or smaller your next home's square footage should be, in order to optimize your home search.

For example, let's say that your current home is just under 2,000 square feet, but you want another bedroom and a family room. That may very well mean that you should look in the 2500+ square footage category.

Maybe your 2,000 square foot home just does not have enough storage for your liking- so let's make sure we have some unfinished areas for storage that can at least double what you have.  The actual living area may not need to change, so if we need to stay within a particular budget, we may still be able to look at 2,000 square foot homes with different configuration, or even a different style.

Or maybe that 2,000 square foot home is just too big, or too much to reasonably maintain. We can look at smaller homes that offer you the same, or reasonably similar interior features that you have grown accustomed to, while, downsizing unnecessary rooms.

Square footage is a number to start with, but not the be-all and end-all. An experienced real estate agent (like me) can guide you the process of what's right for you.

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 Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

Connecticut Financing Update and Today's Mortgage Rates 2/2/2014

Rates dropped a bit when compared to last weeks rates, due to significant financial market drop.  The 10 year treasury is at 2.67%.  In recent months rates have been going higher and higher since early May.  Anyone looking to close within the next short term period then you might be better off locking into a rate now.

Today's Mortgage Rates

Conventional 30 year fixed          4.5%             APR 4.557%

Conventional 15 year fixed          3.625%         APR 3.719%

The above rates are based on a loan amount of $417,000 for a single family home, a borrower’s middle credit score of 780 and a 20% down payment.  If you would like a customized rate quote for your own specific loan scenario then please feel free to email me at nima@primeres.com or call me directly at 203.913.6016.

This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend. All loans must satisfy company underwriting guidelines. Information and pricing are subject to change at any time and without notice. This is not an offer to enter into a rate lock agreement under any applicable law.

As a lending professional, Nima Rezvan meets a wide range of real estate lending needs, whether it be a first time purchase, second home purchase, or refinance. He welcomes the opportunity to serve your needs with quick and accurate real estate financing advice. With his expertise and knowledge, he will make sure you understand the features associated with the loan program you choose and that it meets your unique financial situation.

With more than 10 years of mortgage lending experience, Nima specializes in  Conventional Mortgages,  Jumbo Loan Financing, Refinance, First Time Home Buyers and Federal Housing Administration/Veterans' Administration (FHA/VA)

782 Clinton Avenue

Bridgeport, CT 06604

Phone: 203.913.6016

Email: nima@primeres.com

"When You Deserve the Best, You Deserve Judy"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 The Featured Home of the Week is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home at 20 Hickory Drive, Westport  for just $549,900. See the virtual tour HERE 

 .....or better yet, call Judy to schedule an appointment to see it!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

Sellers- Make Sure You Have Enough Data to Price Your Home Correctly

As the average and median prices of homes are starting to creep up, soon-to-be home sellers should be wary NOT to outprice their home for the market.

In our main service areas of Fairfield County, where we do weekly statistics for Easton, Fairfield, Norwalk, Southport, Trumbull and Westport, it has been increasingly evident that sellers are pushing the envelope with regards to pricing their home for sale.

Of course, supply and demand do have a lot of influence on pricing, however, pushing the envelope on a value that may not necessarily be in line with past comparables, even given price increases can very easily result in your home sitting stagnant on the market, or a bank appraisal not coming in at the purchase price.

Detailed statistics and thorough analyses (more than one) will usually point to the appropriate value, where no one needs to guess- including you, as the homeowner.

There have been plenty of times that I have pushed the pricing envelope for my seller clients because of the amount of research conducted prior to listing the home for sale.  The proper reports will tell you just how high we can price your home, and still effect a timely sale. It thrills me to be able to tell a homeowner that supply and demand is so lop-sided that we may can obtain MUCH more for their home than they expected.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that without due diligence, it is very easy to overprice your home for the market.

Want an expert to help you value your home correctly, and get the highest price you possibly can, without worry that it was all a front to get your business? Contact me. My experience, qualifications, and track record speak for themselves.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Featured Home of the Week is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home at 20 Hickory Drive, Westport  for just $549,900. See the virtual tour HERE 

 .....or better yet, call Judy to schedule an appointment to see it!

Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY

Million Dollar Details in Trumbull! New Listing at 295 Church Hill Road for $450,000

Gorgeous 4 BR, 2.5 bath listing will be on the MLS on 2/1/14, so ACT NOW! Nearly 2800 square feet has been remodeled from top to bottom in a comfortably elegant high-style. SIMPLY STUNNING- see the virtual tour- you just won't believe your eyes.  Excellent commuter location is convenience at its best, too.

 See the tour and floor plans here, or call for your private showing before its too late!

Call Judy right away! (203)257-5892

Buying or Selling a Home in Fairfield County?  Contact us!

If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in  Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me. I know the market like the back of my hand, know marketing inside and out, am a skilled negotiator- and I'd love to be on your side :) - Judy

Search for properties on any of our sites, or get the very best visibility available for your home. Visit us online wherever you like: Find out more about Judy here

www.CThomesAndRealEstate.com      www.TheCTrealtyBlog.com     www.TheCTRB.com    and   www.CTfeaturedHomes.com 

 Email us or  call Toll Free (855) GET-JUDY