Does it Matter Which MLS Your CT Home For Sale is Listed in?

You may think of the MLS as just a database of homes, and you would be essentially correct. However, Realtors utilize the MLS and its power to get your home sold in ways that you may not have thought of.

The MLS ( Multiple Listing Service ) is essentially an agreement between brokers that incorporate the amount of compensation offered to the buyers agent upon completion of a sale. Listing Brokers want to get your home sold, and buyers brokers want to find their client a home, and this is a great tool for both.

In Connecticut, there are two highly dominant MLS service areas, as well as a few local MLS regions which are mostly in the southernmost part of Fairfield County.

The Greater Fairfield County MLS (GFC-CMLS) serves all of Fairfield County and 7,500 local agents (except that Greenwich, New Canaan and Darien's listings are served primarily by another MLS, and not always placed on GFC-CMLS)

The CTmls.ctreal covers the entire state, however, the Fairfield County listings are quite sparse on this site. If you are listing your home, or looking to purchase a home in New Haven County, New London County, Tolland or Litchfield Counties, this MLS is absolutely the place to be.

The other night, a seller client asked me if I would place her home on the statewide MLS. (Her home is in Fairfield County) Now while that seems to be like a good idea, the vast majority of the thousands of agents of the Fairfield County MLS (the GFC-CMLS) DO NOT BELONG to the statewide MLS,  for the simple reason that it does not effectively cover their service area.

Case in point: A search for all Fairfield homes for sale in the statewide MLS  (ctmls.ctreal) turned up just 15 results, where the GFC-CMLS turned up 330.

So, in order to effectively and properly represent this particular client, it is imperative to list it within the GFC-CMLS service area. That's where it would get the most exposure.

I am not saying that listing it in the statewide MLS would do any harm, it would just be in addition to. It would be most important to utilize the statewide MLS in addition to the local MLS when a home is very unique in some way.

Incidentally, if you have noticed duplicate listings on Realtor.com, Zillow, and Trulia, it is primarily because the home has been listed in two separate MLS areas.

PLEASE NOTE: My www.CTfeaturedHomes.com  incorporates ALL of the state's MLS systems, so you won't miss any property anywhere ;)

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The Featured Home of the Week is at 125 Norton Road in Easton  for $1.4M. See the virtual tour HERE

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:

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 2/8/2013

It  is exciting to see the rates bounce back from highest levels seen for months after last weeks shocking news that the unemployment rate increased to 7.9% from previous 7.8%.  The market continues to be very volatile and it's extremely difficult to put your finger on where the market is heading.  The 10 year went from close of 1.95 yesterday to current levels of 1.96.  It was great to see the rates bounce back this week and we just have to wait to see what happens next week.  My recommendation is to let rates float until you are about 15 days away from closing so that you get the best interest rate available to you.

Today's Mortgage Rates

Conventional 30 year fixed          3.75%                  APR 3.844%

Conventional 15 year fixed          3.00%                  APR 3.110%

Conventional 5/1 ARM                3.25%                  APR 3.012%

Conventional 7/1 ARM                3.375%                APR 3.141%

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. 

 

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

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The Featured Home of the Week is at 125 Norton Road in Easton  for $1.4M. See the virtual tour HERE

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:

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

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

Judy Szablak's Professional LinkedIn Profile is Top 10 Most Viewed for 2012

Linked in is a professional online business network that now has 200 million members. That's why when they informed me today that I have one of the top 10% most viewed @LinkedIn profiles for 2012, I  wanted to share it with you.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/profile/2a/818/a89

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The Featured Home of the Week is at 125 Norton Road in Easton  for $1.4M. See the virtual tour HERE

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:

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 2/1/2013

It came as a shock today when the unemployment rate increased to 7.9% from previous 7.8% but since we had so much positive news about the US economy growing the interest rates remained higher when compared to last weeks interest rates.  The market was very volatile today and it was extremely difficult to put your finger on where the market was heading.  The 10 year went from close of 2.02 yesterday to intraday lows of 1.93 and closed at 2.02.  What a roller coaster ride it was today and we just have to wait to see what happens next week.  My recommendation is to let rates float until you are about 15 days away from closing so that you get the best interest rate available to you.

Today's Mortgage Rates

Conventional 30 year fixed          3.875%                  APR 3.932%

Conventional 15 year fixed          3.125%                  APR 3.051%

Conventional 5/1 ARM                3.10%                   APR 2.890%

Conventional 7/1 ARM                3.25%                   APR 2.960%

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. 

 

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

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

The Featured Home of the Week is at 125 Norton Road in Easton  for $1.4M. See the virtual tour HERE

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:

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

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

Condominium Unit Owners in CT Need Property Insurance, Too!

You finally decided that your residence should be a condominium. Condos can be an appropriate choice for a number of reasons – fewer maintenance worries and no yard work are only some of the benefits. But, what about insurance on your property?
In most cases, homeowners insurance differs from condominium unit owners insurance. Homeowners insurance protects the building structure and the items inside, whereas condominium unit owners insurance protects the items you keep within your unit. Also, unit owners insurance may be needed to protect any additions or alterations you have made to your unit.
Know your responsibility. The condominium association insures the building structures and the common areas, like the club house or the swimming pool with the master policy. But master policies vary widely and it’s important to read the bylaws and know what is covered by your association and what items are your responsibility to insure.
As a unit owner, there are several insurance coverage options to consider.
·    Personal property – protects personal items such as clothing and furniture
·    Building property – protects the additions or alterations you made to your unit
·    Loss of use – coverage for the necessary costs to maintain your standard of living after a major fire, tornado or another insured catastrophe
·    Personal liability – protects you if someone makes a claim or brings a lawsuit against you for bodily injury or property damage for which you or a member of your family are responsible
·    Rentals: If you own a unit that is rented to another party most of the time, ask your insurance agent about any special insurance coverage arrangements
Learn to protect your personal property while living safely within your condominium community.

The information in this article was obtained from various sources. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacture or the advice of a qualified professional. Nor is it intended to effect coverage under any policy. State Farm makes no guarantees of results from use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions made.

Article submitted by Brennan Purdy of State Farm Insurance

My vision is to be an insurance professional whose actions are driven by keeping the customer's best interest as my primary goal. My staff will treat all my customers in a caring, friendly, and professional manner. My office will provide warm, efficient, and seamless services to our customers at all times. I expect my business to be comprised of knowledgeable, multiple-line customers who see my office as their first and best choice for all their insurance and financial service needs

For more information on these and other home safety tips, stop by my office or visit www.brennanpurdy.com. My office is conveniently located in downtown Bethel. 203-798-7300.                   211 Greenwood Avenue , Bethel, CT 06801

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The Featured Home of the Week is at 125 Norton Road in Easton  for $1.4M. See the virtual tour HERE

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:

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

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