Real Estate Information Archive

Open 1-3 PM

719 Wyoming Avenue, Laurel

Sun filled rooms, lovingly cared for home!  You will be impressed with this neat & tidy home featuring 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, laundry room, country style kitchen with tile flooring, storage, huge deck, fenced yard, garage and more!  See it today!

Open 1-3

Saturday, October 22, 2011

549 Cherry Hills Road

Directions:  Wicks Lane to St. Andrews, North on St. Andrews to Annandale, West on Annandale to Cherry Hills Road

$269,900

Brand new home built by Specialized Construction and waiting for your family.  3 bedrooms, 2 baths, open living area, custom kitchen, 3 car garage plus room to expand.  Energy saver package

Open House October 2, 2011

549 Cherry Hills Road

Directions: Wicks to Saint Andrews, North on St. Andrews to Annandale Road to Cherry Hills Road, near Lake Hills Golf Course

Brand new home built by Specialized Construction with many features for today's lifestyle including energy smart package.  Be the first family to own this 2,848 sq. ft. home, 3, bedrooms, 2 baths, main level laundry, 3 car garage, unfinished lower level for future expansion, deck, large yard, views.  Don't forget your golf clubs!

ONE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT YELLOWSTONE COUNTY, ALTHOUGH MY OUTLOOK IS POSITIVE, WE ARE NEITHER AN ISLAND NOR A WALLED CITY. WHAT THAT BRING US IS THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL INFLUENCES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NET IMMIGRATION OF PERSONS FROM AROUND THE COUNTY (GIVING US POPULATION GROWTH) AND THE BAGGAGE THEY BRING FROM THE REAL ESTATE MARKET THEY HAVE LEFT.  UNFORTUNATELY FOR MY FRIENDS IN THE NEW CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS AROUND THE COUNTRY TWO MAJOR INFLUENCES THEY HAVE NO CONTROL ABOUT WILL CONTINUE TO WEIGH HEAVILY ON THEIR BUSINESS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS . THE FIRST IS THE FORECLOSURE MARKET WHICH WEIGHS DOWN PRICING AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO NATIONALLY FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND UNDERWRITING REQUIREMENTS WHICH PUT THE  BUILDER AND BUYER IN  A QUANDARY OF HOW TO BRIDGE THE GAP FROM OLD HOME TO NEW HOME SINCE BRIDGE FINANCING IS GONE FOR ALL BUT THE MOST PERFECT BUYERS AND THE BUYERS EQUITY IS TRAPPED UNTIL THE OLD HOME IS SOLD.

NEVER IN THE HISTORY, HAS HOME BUILDING BEEN IN THIS CONDITION WHEN THE RECESSION WAS DECLARED “OVER” MORE THAN TWO YEARS IN THE PAST. THE NUMBERS WERE RELEASED THIS MORING SEPTEMBER 20^TH AT 8:30 AM EASTERN

When making a major decision such as a buying a home many factors come into play. The first piece of information would be how long you plan to live in the home. In my opinion, your time frame should be a minimum of five years, unless there is some plan to convert the property to an investment property, which can change the parameters of the decisions.

Below is the information for Yellowstone county to compare what has happened since 2007 mid-September to mid-September 2011. In reviewing the information from 2007 you can see why  my opinion is that five years should be your minimum time horizon. In looking at the debt pay down and essential a flat market you may just barely cover the cost to sell. Still factoring tax savings and the cost of renting your total costs of living in the home might be slightly positive.

Now when you look at the effect of the current interest rate environment and look out where you would be after five years, assuming a continued flat market, the most probable scenario is in the positive Colum financially in purchasing a home. First is your actual principal and interest payment to own is  $150 dollars less than renting.  Second your actual debt pay down from the original balance increases to $19,015 over the first five years meaning it is highly likely your cost to sell the property are covered and you are finically in a positive position.

Open 1-3

August 28, 2011

549 Cherry Hills Drive

Located near Lake Hills Golf Course, this brand new home will please everyone in the family. Open living area, custom kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, main level laundry, daylight level ready for expansion, 3 car attached garage, 440 sq. ft. storage area and so much more! Stop by and check it out!

$269,900

With all the things going on in today's world, one thing that may not have crossed your mind is your existing interest rate on your home loan. The one positive about all the events of the recent past, is believe it or not, it has pushed home loan rates back to historic lows. So if you missed the last opportunity to lower your rate or change the length of your loan with minor impact on your payment now may be the time. Below are a couple of examples.

 Your present loan at $150,000 at origination (about 3 years ago) carrying an interest rate of 5.5% for 30 years today's going rate is 4.125% for 30 years.

 current principal and interest approximately $851 per month

 new principal and interest @ 4.125% approximately $726 per month

 savings about $125 per month it will cost approximately $4500 to refinance

 so to find your pay back, $4500 divided by $125 monthly savings, it will take 36 months to break even and start making money on your refinance.

 looking at a 15 year loan

 new principal and interest @ 3.25% approximately $1054 per month

 so you loan is  three years old, for approximately $200 per month, you save 12 years of paying on your house before it free and clear. just a thought for those thinking about retiring in about a decade.

 i hope you find the information useful , if i may be of any assistance please feel free to call or e-mail

Employment is the key to housing and we, in Yellowstone County, are moving against the national tide of flat employment. Several things of note to highlight. #1 the percentage we are behind 2010 in closed transaction has been narrowing , a positive, #2 inventory is slightly below 2010 a positive, #3 employment in the Billings MSA is 2300 jobs higher than June of 2010, #4 although not great news for my friends in the home building business, single family permits year to date are off 30%, this give the market in resale’s a positive by reducing supply to increase absorption. So what does all mean for the balance of 2011, first it really starts to supply a floor to the housing market in Yellowstone county. Second in 2012 we should start to see the sales number of both of existing and new construction move up. The best indicator is the employment situation and the Billings MSA, it is just below peak employment by a mere .0012% as compared to the national jobs market at 5.1% below peak employment. Jobs are critical since it is impossible to qualify for a loan without a job. (DUHHHHH) As a side note, my standard disclaimer, never discount what stupidity may come from Washington DC and mess things up. There are three  graphs below #1 year to date and year over year July existing home sales comparisons, #2 year to date and year over year July single family permits issued comparisons #3 employment in the Billings MSA monthly Since January 2007

Open 1-3

Saturday, June 25, 2011

579 Cherry Hills Road

$242,500

Be the first family to own this brand new home built by Specialized Construction, Inc.  Over 2,600 sq. ft. of living area.  Open living room with vaulted ceiling, lots of natural lighting, 2 bedrooms including master bedroom with private bath and walk-in closet, 2 baths including master bedroom bath, lower level unfinished and ready for expansion!  Trex deck, Energy Smart features including a high efficiency furnace, 3 car attached garage, custom kitchen with hickory cabinets and so much more!  Located near Lake Hills Golf Course