These days, tax credits and high housing inventory make it a buyers’ market. If you’re a seller, don’t despair. There are a variety of renovations that can help make your home stand out. Many buyers look at numerous homes when shopping for a house; so enhancing your home to make it more memorable is vital and increases the chances of a successful sale.

One of the most important things that you need to do is make sure that the pictures that are on the internet via MLS or other sites are good looking pictures.  Buyers are making their decisions to look at or not look at based on what they see on the internet.  So look at your pictures as a buyer would see them and adjust if necessary.

Clearing clutter, taking down personal photos, applying a fresh coat of paint, making minor repairs, and keeping a pleasant aroma are all basic techniques to make your home more appealing. But there are a few other creative enhancements that you can do to wow buyers without emptying your wallet. The results not only attract more attention, but also paint a picture of a well-cared-for home.

While not everyone has the same taste in housing, typically buyers are attracted to larger kitchens, extra storage space, light and bright rooms, and open floor plans. Special finishing touches on a home can be the needed incentive to generate an offer.

Industry experts agree; Americans are expected to spend $217 billion on remodeling in 2009. Here are five areas where homeowners may spend some of their remodeling money to add the “wow” factor to your home.

1. Go green. Energy efficient products and household goods are attractive to buyers. Renovations or replacements that help make the house more energy efficient are popular. Things such as better insulation, replacing old windows, caulking, and adding skylights can increase value.

2. Crown molding and wider baseboards. Some homeowners are shy to experiment with this, especially if they live in a small home, but it can be very attractive in any size home. Wider baseboard. The measly baseboard that builders often use in tract homes doesn’t draw attention. Adding a wider baseboard and a fresh coat of paint makes the room come to life. Also, framing windows and doors helps complete the look of a room.

3. Textured paint. Faux finishes, accented walls, or even just a little fresh paint on them makes a lasting impression. Choose colors and textures wisely. Don’t get carried away with a color you love (e.g. purple walls—I’ve seen it in a home for sale). Remember, that you want your home to appeal to the masses. You can always paint your new home purple—and then change it when it comes time to sell it!

4. Improved flooring. Wood, tile, and new carpet can be a showstopper. But if the flooring is chipped, torn, or dirty, you’ll get the opposite reaction from buyers. They’ll think your home hasn’t been cared for properly which could result in a lower offer — or no sale at all.

5. Add a deck or arbor.  Adding a deck or arbor can add value to your home. It’s a nice feature in a yard and many buyers are happy to purchase a home that already has a deck or arbor so that they don’t have to take on that home improvement project.  Out door living areas are a definite attraction.

For more information or information on the Frisco Area or on any Frisco Foreclosure call: TEAM DECELL at 214-957-3210.

INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE  The best housing news we’ve seen lately is that homes now are very very affordable. In fact, the National Association of Realtors reported that homes haven’t been this affordable since they began calculating their Housing Affordability Index in 1970. This measures the degree to which a typical family can afford the mortgage payments on a typical home. When the median family income is the same as the income needed to qualify for a mortgage for the median priced home, the reading is 100. The preliminary Housing Affordability Index for February was 173.5, meaning the median family income is 73% higher than necessary to qualify for a loan on a median priced home. The highest previous number was 154.8, back in 1972.

This historic level of home affordability is the result of both historically low mortgage rates and reduced home prices. First time homebuyers also benefit from an $8,000 tax credit if they close on their purchase before December 1, 2009. If inflation happens, as some fear, buying now is particularly smart, as you wind up paying back your mortgage with devalued dollars. Bottom line, this is a terrific time to buy a home.  If you would like more information regarding the Frisco Market and buying or selling a home please contact TEAM DECELL at 214-975-3210 or go to their website at www.teamdecell.com.

2039 Hague Dr in West Frisco is a brand new FORECLOSURE!  Priced under appraisal! This 2-story custom home is stunning with high ceilings, detailed scroll staircase and expansive GREAT room that opens to the kitchen with granite counter tops. The master has separate vanities, jetted tub & large WIC with built-ins. The 2 story study offers a library affect with cat walk to the beautiful bookshelves. The covered patio outside opens to a large backyard and is located in the subdivision of Christie Ranch! THE HOME HAS NEVER BEEN OCCUPIED!!!! This Frisco Home is ready for you to make an offer.  Let’s see how low they will go.  Banks do not want to be in the business of owning real estate.  For more information or information on the Frisco Area or on any Frisco Foreclosure call: TEAM DECELL at 214-957-3210.

The 26 cities with the highest foreclosure rate in the nation are all located in four hard-hit states, with Las Vegas topping the list, according to a report released Wednesday.

Of the 803,489 total foreclosures for the nation 60% of those, 479,516, were in the 4 Metro areas in California, Florida, Nevada and Arizona for the first quarter of 2009 in a report from RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed properties. A foreclosure filing includes default papers, auction sale notices and repossessions.

Las Vegas had the highest rate of foreclosures of any city, with one in every 22 homes subject to a foreclosure filing in the first three months of the year. The rate of foreclosure filings was 4.5%, seven times the national average.

Merced, Calif., had the second highest rate, with Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., Stockton, Calif., and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., rounding out the top five.

“The metro areas with the highest levels of foreclosure activity in the first quarter of 2009 paint a picture of concentrated problems in a relatively small number of hard-hit areas,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac, in a written statement.

Foreclosure rates have been very high in the 4 key states throughout the bursting of the housing bubble, and so it was to be expected that cities from those states would pepper the top of the list..

“The concentration of troubled metro areas within the hardest-hit states, candidly, was even more severe than we expected it to be,” Sharga said. “The degree to which those four states dominated the rankings surprised even us.”

New problem cities: Meanwhile, some metropolitan areas had a surge in foreclosures. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho, in 27th place, Provo-Orem, Utah, in 37th, and Charleston-North Charleston, S.C., in 51st were examples Sharga gave of areas that had particular strong gains in filings.

The Dallas Fort Worth Market of North Texas again comes out as a strong area with not only a growing job market but an increase in housing prices.  Areas like Frisco, McKinney, Allen and Plano seem to be suffering very little.  Frisco and West Frisco are at the top of the list for fastest growing cities in the country, largely due to the strong job market. 

The data for RealtyTrak’s metro area foreclosure report is collected from 2,200 counties across the nation, and those counties represent more than 90% of the U.S. population. Some 203 areas are covered by the report.

For more information or information on the Frisco Area or on any Frisco Foreclosure call: TEAM DECELL at 214-957-3210

10847 Haversham Dr Frisco is a new foreclosure on the market today.  This home has 4 Bedrooms, and 3 Bathrooms is located in the prestigious neighborhood of Dominion at Panther Creek.  Ready to move in with all the amenities including fresh interior and exterior paint, carpet, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances and includes wood floors! This property also offers a board on board wood fence for lots of privacy in the back yard. THIS IS A MUST SEE!  This Frisco Home is ready for you to make an offer.  Let’s see how low they will go.  Banks do not want to be in the business of owning real estate.  For more information or information on the Frisco Area or on any Frisco Foreclosure call: TEAM DECELL at 214-957-3210.