Exciting news for Northwest Indiana Real Estate!

Sales in Lake and Porter counties are up! 28.5% in Lake and 27.2% in Poter County in June 2010 compared to June 2009 according to the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors.

There of course was a slight slowdown after April 30th, but sales are on the up! Portage has an estimated nine month supply of homes and people are rushing to list their homes with the news that sales are rising and some say, hints at prices rising too!

Mortgage rates are of course still low and prices are still great. Those who missed out on the $8,000 need not worry – now is very much still the time to buy! NWI is not as hard hit as other areas of the country and it is still a top relocation destination across the nation.

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

Ok, so looking for a new home is stressful!

Or is it? You can take out the stress of house hunting in Northwest Indiana by being prepared and knowing what you want! Take some time out of the search, or ideally, before the search begins to think about what you want!

Well, where to start? You need to think long and hard about what you want/need from your new/dream home. Creating a wish list is a great idea. Work with your agent too for pointers!

Think about the following areas as a start:

Neighborhood - Local Schools? Community Features you desire? Crime rate?

Location, Location, Location! – How far away is school, work, friends, family, fun?

Type of home - Brick built traditional? Art deco apartment? Cape cod? Colonial? Townhome? open plan? The choices may seem overwhelming!

Property Features/Must Haves – home office? Mother in law suite? are these features sounding like must haves/needs, think about what you want from a home that could help narrow the search!

Property Condition –  No home is perfect, but we might want the condition to be! New vs an existing property is an age old debate – however most homes these days are excellently built and stay relatively maintenance free for years! But still, do you prefer a home that requires no work, or a handyman special?

By trying to think more deeply about what you want you can really speed up the home search process and narrow down your likes and dislikes. Don’t forget the whole Jana Caudill Team are here with you every step of the way!

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

From Crown Point IN through to Gary IN, those who have been hunting for a home and who are under contract – before the end of April may have felt they got a raw deal when the clock ticked past June 30th and they were waiting to cose.

However, those Northwest Indiana homebuyers who are under contract right now should be rejoicing!

Exciting news from Congress early this month; the home buyer tax credit closing deadline that expired on June 30th has been extended. In part thanks to the National Association of Realtor’s who were key in pressuring Congress to move the deadline to its new date of September 30th 2010.

 The new legislation will allow the estimated 180,000 homebuyers who are waiting for their under contract homes to close who missed the June 30th deadline to now be allowed to claim the credit if they close by September 30th, which is much more managable for lenders who have been swamped with the amount of buyers rushing loans in at the last minute to take advantage of the credit.

However, even if you are not under contract and can claim the credit, prices are still great and rates are still at historic lows – even without the credit, those considering buying a property now have an enticing market to take advantage of! Start searching now before prices and rates increase here in Northwest Indiana!

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

Looking after your home can be a tough task. But using this summers weather and longer daylight hours..get out there and do some work on your home!

After all, a properly maintained home is a happy home that will save you money over the years in unnecessary repair bills.

Here are some areas to focus on in summer maintenance in Northwest Indiana:

1. Outside space – This is when to dig out the power washer! Clean all decks and patios. Check and repair cracks in the concrete and if you have a deck, check for any rot and problem areas and replace and treat the wood.

2. Roof – Clean, clean, clean! Debris and dirt can build up on an roof thanks to storms, heating and cooling. Even if you are not worried as your roof has a warranty, spending a little time on it can save you thousands of dollars in potential repairs. Replace broken slates/tiles and visually inspect for problem areas.

3. Water/Piping – Check exposed pipes for loose joints, cracked pipes and leaks. Drain your water heater tank if you have one – this will help sediment build up. This can add years to the lifespan of the tank. Also, if you have a septic tank, why not get it pumped?

4. Air conditioning and heating – give your heating and air conditioning system a miantenance check. Check for any problem areas and have it serviced by a professional. Change air filters to protect your home from allergent and air pollutants – this is very cheap and easy to do.

5. Outside your home – check for areas needing paint touch ups, siding that needs replacing and more. This is an area where being proactive can save a lot of money in the winter if you take care of this now.

We hope these tips will help you have a great, productive summer around the house!

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

NAR praises senators who are proposing that the homebuyer tax credit be extended!

Three Senators have been trying to introduce a measure to extend the deadline to September 30th 2010.

The measure was offered as an amendment to H.R. 4213, a tax extension bill now in the Senate. The Senators supporting the bill are Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn.

NAR and all of us are acutely aware that there are so many buyers rushing to close on their home before the deadline! In fact, NAR estimates the number of home buyers who have qualified for the tax credit and met the contract deadline of April 30, but who would not be able to close their transaction by the June 30 deadline, could go as high as 180,000. Delays are often on the mortgage side of things as the sheer volume of applications is delaying processing.

After all these buyers have worked hard to secure a home before the contract deadline but might not close due to a work flow jam.

An extension of this date to the end of September would allow some much needed breathing space for those buyers here in Northwest Indiana.

We will keep you posted on what happens.

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

Exciting news for Crown Point, Indiana as the Crown Point Community Library Board voted unanimously to issue bonds for the construction of a new building. This is great news for residents and those relocating to Crown Point!

This vote is the stepping stone to a brand new state of the art library resource center for the community. The new library is expected to be double the size of the current facility which isn’t just too small it is also inefficient in its energy use and uses outdated technology.

The library has bought property between Main and East Streets just south of Robinson Court with active negotiations to purchase more land.

Although there is still a way to go to get to opening day, if things keep moving the way they are Crown Point could have a new library by January 2013, with construction starting next May!

The cost is estimated at around $12 million which would add another $12.76 to $88.14 per year to taxes on homes ranging in value from $100,000 to $400,000.

But those championing the new Library say that asides from a great facility for Crown Point residents they have stated that the existing buiding is 100 years old, meaning that this investment in a new library is for Crown Point’s future!

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

Relocating and moving in general is stressful, but if you have a growing family or shrinking family or job offer then a move is often necessary. Life changing events can often facilitate the need to relocate whether locally, regionally, nationally or even internationally. 

There are always considerations to answer this question:

SHOULD I MOVE? – Think about:

Income – Can you afford to move? Can you afford a potential bigger payment?

Equity – If you have equity then transferring that into a new property is important – or are you comfortable using that equity for other things and then having a higher payment?

Interest Rates – Interest rates make a big difference, right now rates are still at history lows of around 5%! However, for those that remember, back in February 1983 rates were around 13% – this makes a huge difference in payments! Rates right now are still at those historic lows so it is definitely the right time to take advantage of a low fixed rate loan!

Wish List – Think about what criteria you want from a home and area, consider schools, commuting times and more!

Market Conditions – contact the Jana Caudill Team for the latest on Crown Point, Hammond, Valparaiso and other Northwest Indiana community’s Market Conditions. Read our post – 2010 is the time to buy in Northwest Indiana!

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

Planning is underway!

Forth of July is just a few weeks away which means – preparation!

During a tough economy it is expected that sales slow, but fireworks around Independence Day – NOT SO MUCH!

The weather forecast for Northwest Indiana is expected to be fantastic! So firework sales are expected to be high and with the forth of July falling on a Sunday this year – it is expected that people will take the whole weekend to celebrate!

Asides from private parties at home, there are other public events going on that are being planned for Northwest Indiana (this is not exhaustive of course!):

Crown Point, – July 4, 2010 Parade, Fireworks etc – Lake County Fairgrounds, For more: www.cpjuly4.com.

Hammond – July 3, 2010 – Harrison Park 2:00 pm, food, entertainment, and more, fireworks at 10:00 pm. For more: www.gohammond.com.
  
Merrillville – Hidden Lake Park Independence Day Celebration, July 3&4, 2010, 9pm premier fireworks and festival celebration in Northwest Indiana. Annually, the park has over 15,000 visitors on these two days. Admission is only $3 for cars, $5 for vans, and $10 for buses, 6355 Broadway, Merrillville.
  
Portage – July 3, Parade, symphony concert, fireworks.

Schererville, July 2, 2010, Fireworks Display, Rohrman Park. For more: www.46375.org.

Valparaiso, – July 4th 2010, Fireworks, fun, and more! Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 1600 Roosevelt Road.

Whatever you have planned for next month – have fun and celebrate the birth of our great nation!

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

It’s been some time since we have spoken about mortgage rates for our buyers.

Well that’s because the mortgage market has in some ways been quiet and not had anything newsworthy.

Rates remain unchanged at historic lows – which is great for buyers and those who are refinancing.

Well qualified buyers right now can expect 30 year fixed rate mortgages around the 4.5% range paying around 1% loan origination fee. (according to Realty Times)

Even 15 year conventional loans are around 4% – WOW!

FHA Loans are even matching conventional rates - (of course APR costs are higher for FHA due to MI and other FHA specific fees)

VA is even averaging under 5% and what about elusive Jumbo? For those who thought Jumbo products were confined to the past, well here goes, Jumbo products are around and rates are in the high 5’s% for “conventional” 30 year fixed rate loans.

Great for buyers and those looking to refinance across the whole price range. But let us say this: BUYERS – Now is the time to buy!

Mortgage news is very important for the real estate market – one of the first things buyer often check is mortgage rates and available products so they can be sure to afford the home they want. Don’t forget to contact us here at the Jana Caudill team for professional real estate advice here in Northwest Indiana.

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!

Exciting News for Northwest Indiana!

NAR has released its 2009 Home Equity report - it has collected data from 154 Metro Statistical areas and published PDF reports on its findings. 

The report creates a snapshot of the equity individuals who purchased a home at the median price 5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago would have built up if they had kept that home through 2009.

Locally here in the Gary-Hammond, IN statistical area  in 2009 if a purchaser had bought a home 20 years ago they would have equity of $80,514, if 15 years ago $52,118 and if 10 years ago $26,892 – also, more shockingly is the 5 year equity figure (which is negative in most areas) is actually a positive number – despite the market correction we have seen! Of + $5,562.

Also, the median price has only slightly dipped compared to crashing like most regions. Northwest Indiana’s market proves to be strong and stable yet again.

Nationally, for the US as a whole, the typical net worth of a renter is around $4,200 whereas the typical net worth of a homeowner is $205,200.

Homeownership in our region is the way to go! Click here to see the report in detail.

Also, exciting news in the Pending Home Sales arena – Pending home sales have risen for three consecutive months, NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index rose 6% following gains of 7.1% in March and 8.3% in February. Pending home sales are at the highest level since October 2009. Here in the Midwest the index rose 4.1% which is 17.9% above April 2009.

Remember that the home buyer tax credits brought close to 1 million additional buyers into the market which stabilized home prices more quickly and has preserved about $900 billion in home equity.

Thinking of relocating to the Northwest Indiana area? You can use our moving truck for FREE!

As one of the top producing teams of experts in our field both locally and Nationally, our full service team strives hard to make sure your real estate transaction is a truly rewarding experience.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Northwest Indiana Real Estate using our complimentary Northwest Indiana Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Jana Caudill and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Northwest Indiana Real Estate needs. You can call the office on: 219-661-1256 or email us on: jana@janacaudillteam.com

We believe you win in life by helping others. Thank you for this opportunity. We would love to help you too!