Archive | Reno
Dickson Realty announced that Eagle Home Mortgage has become the preferred lender for their clients. As reported in the Reno Gazette Journal today, Eagle Home Mortgage is a full-service mortgage banker and subsidiary of Lennar Corporation in seven western states with offices in Reno. Eagle offers services to Dickson clients that include conventional and jumbo loans, fixed and adjustable rate mortgages. In addition they provide Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Affairs loan products, Rural Housing/USDA loans, renovation and manufactured housing financing and state bond loans.
Dickson Realty’s Caughlin Ranch, Damonte Ranch and Sparks offices have an Eagle Home Mortgage loan officer on-hand to help you.
If you have more questions, please call or write me an email!
Esther Ramage - Dickson Realty
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Veterans day began as “Armistice Day” right after WWI. It is celebrated on November 11 because that is the date in 1918 that the war OFFICIALLY ended. It became an official holiday in 1954 when it was signed into law by President Eisenhower.
Reno will celebrate the holiday with a parade honoring our local military veterans who have served and protected our country. The theme of the parade this year is “Women in the military”.
Please join me and hundreds of others at the parade on Friday, 11-11-11 @ 11am (time the war officially ended) on Court & Virginia Street (downtown Reno) to cheer and thank those who help keep us FREE.
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Days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and the holidays are right around the corner. Now is the time to make your house look the best and make the most out of selling your home. This time of year often signals a slowing down in the real estate market. What better time to make your home stand out from all the rest. Just a few simple things will put you ahead of the competition.
Paying attention to curb appeal is first and foremost. It is the first impression a buyer has as they pull up to your home. Make sure leaves are raked and shrubs and bushes are pruned. Plant some cold weather loving flowers such as mums or pansies to add color to a fading flower bed. Add some fall decorating with a pumpkin or two and a wreath. Too much decorating detracts from the house so keep it modest and simple. Just a touch goes a long way and helps a buyer envision themselves living there instead of focusing on your decorations.
Lighting is also very important with shorter daylight hours. Open the blinds during the day to bring in as much light as possible. Make sure exterior and interior lights are on for later in the day showings. Set the thermostat at a comfortable temperature. Buyers won’t linger for very long if they are freezing to death and the house is dark. If there is a fireplace make it a focal point in the room. Light some scented candles. All of these things will make your home feel very welcoming and homey.
Another essential tip is to update your listing photos. Most of the time the buyer’s first impression of your home is online through photos. If your home has been listed for a while and the pictures were taken in the summer or winter your listing looks old and outdated. There is no better way to bring the life back to your listing and make it look new and exciting again. If you are just now considering selling take advantage of these tips and make the most of the season changing to make your house look its best.
Call or email me today for some additional tips and advice or to discuss your selling options. 775.303.7871 or dboscarello@dicksonrealty.com
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President Obama has expanded the existing Home Affordable Refinance Program, HARP. According to Phillip van Doorn from “The Street”; “HARP is offered to mortgage borrowers who are current on mortgage loans that are guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, whose home values have dropped so much that the current loan-to-value ratio is over 80%. The program has been extended through December, 2013, and is available for loans sold to Fannie or Freddie before May 31, 2009. Under the expanded 
HARP, borrowers will be able to refinance for up to 125% of a home’s current value, but the 125% loan-to-value cap will be removed during the first quarter of 2012.” The homeowner can ask their lending officer if their loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or you can visit the links at the bottom of this post.
There is another key requirement to qualify for HARP. According to Mahesh Swaminathan, senior mortgage strategist at Credit Suisse, “You must have made the last six mortgage payments, and have missed no more than one payment in the last year. You also must have a job or another source of regular income”.
With the interest rates being in the low 4%, and even in the mid 3% for Adjusted Rate Mortgages, it might be a great time to call your lender and ask if this is the right time to lower your mortgage payment.
If you would like to know if your current mortgage is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, plcase visit the following websites:
Fannie Mae
Freddie Mac
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It’s a great time to get your dream home, and yes, banks are lending! Currently there is a general perception that banks are not lending. This is not the case. There are many good programs available now.
According to Joni Rose, Mortgage Consultant with a 32 year track record with Wells Fargo, there are many great programs available. “Now is the time to get off the fence! Record low interest rates and the lowest sales prices in years!” Mrs. Rose said. “Buyers purchasing an owner occupied home can use a HomePath loan with 3% down without mortgage insurance. Or you may qualify for an FHA loan with 3.5% down, OR 100% financing for our VETERANS! On both programs the down payment can be gifted. Sellers may also contribute to cover some of your closing costs! Additional programs can be added to go hand-in-hand with FHA that will grant 3% of the sales price as down payment assistance, if purchasing in Sparks and outlying areas. This additional assistance may be NON-REPAYABLE! So, now is the time to take the leap!”
People hear about how difficult it is to get a loan, but a big part of that is clients now have to provide detailed information during the pre-approval process, as opposed to during the escrow. With so many options at your fingertips, it is always best to consult with a professional mortgage consultant. Please contact me if you would like to find out how I can help you achieve your dream home.
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We hear daily about the housing woes of our community but we don’t hear about all the amazing events and people that make our community one of the most special places to live in the country.
This evening, October 11, 2011, I have the honor to introduce
Mario Sepulveda, the leader of the 33 miners who survived in a collapsed mine, buried ½ mile underground for 70 d
ays in Northern Chile. It took rescuers almost 17 days just to initially locate them. I am sure you remember Mario, he was the second man to emerge as millions watched. He captured our hearts when he exited the rescue capsule chanting “Viva Chile!” at the top of his lungs
The eyes of the world turned to Chile on August 5, 2010 when the mine caved, leaving the 33 miners trapped inside. International press reported day and night carrying the news of an unlikely but miraculous rescue that united the world in wishing for the well being of the miners. It was an odyssey never experienced before. For a moment in time the world came together with the single goal “to save the 33 miners”. This unprecedented and united mission included both nations and individuals that made a rescue possible on October 13th.
Mario Sepulveda’s story of his last night in the mine and what he has been doing since the rescue is a compelling and uplifting story. It is a story of an accident that exemplifies courage, the fight against all odds and the triumph of the human spirit.
I am introducing Mr. Sepulveda on behalf of
The Latino Research Center, of which I sit on The Advisory Committee. The event is free to the public. Details below:
When: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 7:00pm
Where: Davidson Math and Science Center Nell J. Redfield Auditorium on the campus of UNR (
map link)
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Short sales still are a major factor in the Reno-Sparks market. As of today there are 817 active shorts sales and 1261 pending short sales (Area 100/All residential types). The active short sales only account for 37.2% of the active listings but 62.2% of the pending sales. In May there were 177 short sales closed which accounted for 28.4% of the closed sales. If you look at the first quarter of 2010 there were 433 short sales closed. This year in the first quarter we closed 486 short sales, roughly a 10% increase. The average time it took to close those short sales is relatively unchanged from 2010 when the average was 205 days to an average of 203 days in 2011.
Many of the banks have continued to work on their short sale process and make improvements to speed the process. Many are also starting to roll out new programs where sellers can get “pre-approved” short sales prior to listing the property so that once the property is listed the timeline is significantly reduced which greatly benefits the buyers. (These are programs in additon to the Government HAFA program.)
We still see obstacles when there are multiple liens, mortgage insurance and bond program loans. It is important to know what type of loan you have and if your lender took out mortgage insurance on your loan. Homeowners also need to know that banks are still looking for you to be in default or in danger of default in the immediate future. There has to be a hardship or reason that you can no longer afford your payments.
There appears to be a trend toward more deficiency waivers from servicers, but in some cases it doesn’t come without a cash contribution or promissory note on the part of the homeowner. Many servicers are looking at the seller’s overall financial picture – credit score, other debts, monthly income, other assets etc. to determine if the seller might be required to contribute.
The key is still to seek the assistance of an experienced short sale listing agent as early in the process as possible. It’s best not to wait until a Notice of Default is filed to consider short sale as an option.
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From May 2010 to may 2011, Average Days on Market and Median Sold Price statistics.
Days on Market Report
Median Sold Price Report
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In the recent texting challenge between the Wolf Pack and Boston College fans, Kraft has just announced that the Wolf Pack Fans have successfully sent more texts than Boston College resulting in a 20,000-meal donation from Kraft to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. The Wolf Pack will also receive an additional meal for each text sent. Wolf Pack fans came out in support of this challenge with so much excitement and commitment for which the Food Bank is so grateful for the participation.
Kraft created the text challenge for fans of each team to help make a difference with hunger issues in their region. Wolf Pack fans texted the word Nevada followed by a space and then their zip code to 71717 to show their support. Boston College fans are encouraged to text a similar message.
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is the only bowl game raising money and awareness regarding the hunger problem in the United States. The bowl will celebrate the culmination of Kraft Foods’ HUDDLE TO FIGHT HUNGER program, which is the food company’s largest-ever branded initiative to fight hunger in America. The goal of the program is to donate as many as 20 million meals or more to Feeding America – the nation’s leading hunger relief organization – to help people in need.
The Food Bank of Northern Nevada is a regional food distribution and support system serving over 100 partner agencies in Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada provides and supports programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafe (dinner program), Kids Cafe Summer Meals program, Food Stamp Outreach and much more. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada is a member of Feeding America ~ The Nation’s Food Bank Network (formerly America’s Second Harvest).
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Tuesday, January 17, 2012 By: Esther Ramage
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