Posted on

Ways to Fill Your Summer Days

While the heat kicks up as we enter the month of July, confinement from the outdoors is not the way to spend your summer days. In fact you should be looking for new free activities for the whole family to enjoy.

From movies to stories to food, Tulsa has a lot to offer. Our community does a great job of providing a plethora of activities made for everyone. The following list of summer fun is FREE of admission. We hope you get the chance to try out one of these events!

  1. Movie in the Park at Guthrie Green – Every other Thursday in the month of July a new movie will be shown for free in the park. It is a free and family friendly event. For more information click the link below.

https://www.guthriegreen.com/events/month

  1. Warren Theatre Summer Kids Series – Every Tuesday and Thursday lasting until August 6th the Warren Theatre in Broken Arrow will have free tickets available to a movie of the theatres choosing for the first to arrive. Kids 13 and under will be given a free special kids combo! For more information about this event please click the link below!

http://www.tulsaworld.com/calendar/community/warren-theares-summer-kids-series/event_47bc227c-0896-11e5-ae5c-10604b9ffeb8.html

  1. Food Truck Wednesdays at The Guthrie Green – Every Wednesday at the Guthrie Green there are an abundance of food trucks that serve delicious food along with the entertainment of live music! For more information click the link below.

https://www.guthriegreen.com/event/742

Posted on

Buying a Home? 4 Things You Should Know About Home Appraisals

As you might already know, summertime is a very busy time for real estate agents. That’s why so many home buyers decide to enter the market during this time of year.

If you too are a prospective home buyer planning to enter the market soon, then you’ve visited the right real estate blog!

Today, we’re going to share four things that every home buyer should know about appraisals.

What Are Appraisals and Why Are They Important?

An appraisal is the valuation of a property by the estimate of an authorized person.

These are particularly important for those who will be taking out a loan on their next home.

And unless you’re independently wealthy (or have been successful in building a sizeable savings account), you will more than likely end up requesting a loan.

When you ask for that loan, banks reference your home’s appraisal as a way of deciding how much to give you. That’s why appraisals are so important.

Consider this example: Let’s say you make a purchase offer on a home for $120,000. You need a loan for exactly that amount.

However, when the appraisal comes back, it says the home is worth only $100,000 – and the bank isn’t willing to give you a penny more.

This means that you’re faced with a $20,000 budget gap. And that’s enough to kill many a real estate deal.

But Don’t Worry – We Can Help!

Here is some valuable information on appraisals that may help you avoid unfortunate situations like the one above:

Appraisers must meet certain criteria first. According to the Appraisal Institute, a qualified appraiser should be licensed or certified and also should be familiar with the local area. What’s more, federal regulations stipulate that the appraiser must be impartial and have no direct or indirect interest in the transaction. Fannie Mae even requires that appraisers certify that they have experience appraising similar properties in the same area.

Appraisal values are influenced by a number of factors. For instance, appraisers will consider recent sales of similar properties as well as current market trends. They’ll also factor in such things as the home’s amenities, number of bedrooms, floor plan functionality and more.

Appraisers are required to do a complete visual inspection of the interior and exterior of the home. During this time, they’re also required to note any conditions that may adversely impact the property’s value. This may include needed repairs.

Generally speaking, appraisers use Fannie Mae’s Uniform Residential Appraisal Report for single-family homes. This report asks the appraiser a number of questions, including what the home’s interior and exterior look like, what neighborhood it’s located in and what nearby comparable sales there are. Other parts of the report include: a street map showing the appraised property, an exterior building sketch, an explanation of how the square footage was calculated, and photos of the home. After providing all of this information, the appraiser offers an analysis and conclusions about the property’s value based on this information.

We’ll Help You At Every Stage of the Home Buying Process

We hope you found the above information insightful as a prospective home buyer.

Hopefully, if all goes well, the appraisal on your next home will go smoothly and you’ll be that much closer to owning your own home.

For EVERY stage of the home buying process, we want you to know that we’ll be there to assist you in order to make the experience as seamless as possible. Contact us today to learn more about the services we provide and the valuable advice and insight we can offer.

Posted on

It’s a Great Time to Invest in Tulsa Real Estate!

What a great month is has been for buyers here on the Tulsa, OK real estate market!

After all, the average listing price has gone down as has the average price per square foot. What’s more, the total number of home sales has decreased.

This indicates that it’s a great time to get a good price for a home here in Tulsa – and then turn a nice profit down the road.

If you’ve been on the fence about whether to purchase a home here, continue reading to learn more about the current state of the market.

An Overview of Real Estate Activity in Tulsa

Here’s what every home buyer should know about the current state of the market here in Tulsa:

  • Currently there are 2,057 homes for sale on the market, including hundred that are some stage of the foreclosure process.
  • Between March and June, the average price per square foot for Tulsa homes was $84, down 3.4 percent from the same period a year ago.
  • Also during that time period, the median sales price for homes here was $136,500, based on 363 home sales.
  • When compared to a year ago, the median home sales price increased 1.1 percent, or $1,500.
  • And the number of home sales decreased 67 percent.
  • During the week ending on June 3, the average listing price for Tulsa homes was $254,059, down 0.3 percent from the week before.
  • During that previous week, the average listing price was $255,000.
  • Popular neighborhoods in Tulsa, including Lynn Lane and Maple Ridge, meanwhile, had average listing prices of $225,169 and $511,012, respectively.

We’ll Help With Your Next Tulsa Home Purchase

As you can see, it really is a great time to be a home buyer on the local housing market here in Tulsa.

Thus, if you’re ready to take that next step toward finding your dream home here, please make sure to connect with us at Accent Realtors.

We would love to assist you by answering any questions you might have as well as providing you with some valuable home buying resources. We’ll also tell you all about the available listings right now on the market.

Until next time,

Paul

Posted on

Report: US Housing Market Experienced Fantastic Gains This Spring

We just love having the opportunity to share with you good news about the US housing market and this is one of those weeks!

Evidently, according to a recent article we were reading, sales of newly built homes as well as home prices in general saw some great increases during the month of April, further demonstrating that the housing market continues to improve.

If you’re considering buying or selling real estate anytime soon, we encourage you to continue reading to learn more about this exciting development.

What You Should Know About the National Housing Market

Here is some of the most pertinent information you’ll need about the current state of the housing market:

  • New home sales increased 6.8 percent from March to April, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 517,000.
  • The median price of a new home sold in April was $297,300, up 8.3 percent from the year before.
  • Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index increased 4.1 percent in the 12 months that ended in March.
  • Supplies of existing homes remain tight and home builders are still slow to start construction on new project.
  • So far in 2015, builders have constructed just more than 1 million housing units, which is not too much different from 2014.
  • The construction pace increased some in April and actually hit the best level it’s seen since November 2007.
  • Also so far in 2015, monthly sales of new homes have average 515,000.
  • Meanwhile, new home purchases have been up 26.1 percent over the last year.
  • The housing market in April had 4.8 months of supply of new homes, although this is still short of the six months inventory that experts consider a balanced market.
  • New home sales represent about a tenth of all home purchases.
  • Historically, new home sales peaked in July 2005, when they hit an annual pace of almost 1.4 million.
  • Sales bottomed out in February 2011 at 270,0000 units.

Experts attribute steady job growth, historically low interest rates and rising rental costs and key catalysts for the recent improvements on the national housing market.

They have also noted that they believe that the US needs construction of at least 1.5 million new homes a year in order to keep up with the growing population as well as the average loss of existing stock each year because of age.

We’re Your Dedicated Real Estate Experts!

We hope you found the above data as encouraging as we did. The market definitely continues to improve month after month and the memory of the housing market crash continues to fade overtime. This is great news for everyone!

Check back here next time for more valuable information on the current state of the housing market and how it may impact your efforts as a buyer or seller.

Posted on

Fun in Tulsa This Month!

Summer is officially in full-swing here in the Tulsa area! We love this time of year because it’s a great time to kick back, unwind and enjoy the company of those who matter with you most!

To that end, we wanted to share with you some upcoming community events that we thought you and your family might be interested in checking out.

If you end up attending one of these community events, please let us know! We’d love to hear how it goes!

Mark Your Calendar For These Tulsa Area Events in June

So without further ado, here are some upcoming events that are worth checking out if you live in the Tulsa area:

Zoorassic Park: Take your kids back in time with this special showcase at the Tulsa Zoo. Zoorassic Park 2 features 26 giant displays, including 11 dinosaur species. The exhibit also features two super-sized bug displays, including a grasshopper and ladybug. It’s a fascinating exhibit for the whole family!

  • When: Now through August 31
  • Where: Tulsa Zoo
  • Admission: Admission to the special exhibit is just $5 per person with regular zoo admission or $4 per person for members.
  • More Info: Visit https://www.tulsazoo.org/roar

Warren Theatre Summer Kids Series: This series is free to the public and includes fabulous productions of such fan favorites as The Croods, Puss in Boots, How to Train Your Dragon, The Lego Movie and Turbo.

  • When: Now through August 4
  • Where: Broken Arrow Warren Theatre, 1700 W. Aspen Creek Dr. in Broken Arrow
  • Admission: FREE!
  • More Info: Call (918) 893-3545

Local Farmer’s Market: Even if you’re not grocery shopping, the Wagoner Farmer’s Market is a great way to get out and meet your neighbors. The market is open every Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00pm

  • When: Every Thursday
  • Where: Cherokee and Main Street in Wagoner, OK
  • Admission: FREE
  • More Info: Visit www.tulsaworld.com

Confidence Camps: This summer, bring your kids to this camp series at Guts Church in Tulsa. It’s a great way to keep them busy this summer while giving them a new skill they’ll learn for their entire lives!

  • When: Starting Monday, June 15 and repeating every week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday until July 27
  • Where: Guts Church, 9120 E Broken Arrow Expressway in Tulsa
  • Admission: $50 per child
  • More Info: Call (918) 622-4422

Interested in Relocating to Tulsa?

We hope you get a chance to check out at least one of these events this month in Tulsa. They really sound like they’ll be enjoyable events to experience!

For now, if you’re interested in relocating to Tulsa and making this your permanent home, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Accent Realtors today.

We would love to assist you by answering any questions you might have as well as providing you with some valuable home buying resources.

Until next time,

Paul

Posted on

US Housing Market Well Positioned for Busy Summer Home Buying Season

The summer months should be quite busy for home buyers, sellers and real estate agents alike!

As we head into June, real estate analysts are saying that the national housing market is poised for a successful (and busy!) summer home buying market.

Several factors are at play, experts say, including low housing inventory, pent up demand and increasingly optimistic sellers.

One thing’s for sure: The next few months should be very interesting from a national housing market perspective!

What Every Buyer and Seller Should Know About Market Activity

According to the latest sales figures released by the National Association of Realtors, sales of previously owned homes increased in March by the most in four years.

In fact, purchases increased 6.1 percent to a 5.19 million annualized rate, which is the highest level it’s been since September 2013.

On average, homes were being purchased in 52 days on average, which is the fastest sales rate the country has seen since July.

Here are some more highlights from the latest data report:

  • The share of first-time buyers increased slightly while distressed properties made up a smaller part of the market
  • The number of homes for sale increased in March for a second month.
  • In fact, that gain was the biggest since December 2010.
  • Figures from the Mortgage Bankers Association showed that the group’s index of purchase applications increased in recent weeks to the highest level since June 2013.
  • The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index increased 0.5 percent to 2,107.96 recently, which is within 12 points of a record high.
  • More sellers expressed confidence about buyers entering the market as the weather warms, further helping to increase the supply of properties for sale.
  • In fact, the number of existing properties for sale increased 5.3 percent to 2 million in March from a month earlier.
  • And sellers’ instincts about buyer interests appear to be spot on. For instance, 40 percent of homes sold in March were on the market for less than a month.
  • The median price of an existing home jumped 7.8 percent from March 2014 to March 2015, to $212,100. That’s the most since February 2014.
  • Meanwhile, the cost of a purchased house was 5.4 percent higher in February from the same time last year, which is tied with May 2014 for the biggest gain.
  • Purchases increased in all four U.S. regions, led by a 10.1 percent increase in the Midwest. They were up 6.9 percent in the Northeast, 6.3 percent in the West and 3.8 percent in the South.
  • Sales of single-family homes rose 5.5 percent to an annual rate of 4.59 million, which is the most it’s been since August 2013.
  • Meanwhile, closings on multifamily properties (including condominiums) increased 11.1 percent.
  • Purchases of distressed properties represented 10 percent of the total, which is down from 11 percent in February.
  • Also, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage was 3.67 percent recently. The rate was 3.59 percent in February, which was the lowest in almost two years.

One Small Concern is On the Minds of Experts

Experts did express concerns about how fast home prices were rising, which they credited in part to low housing inventory. Thus, economists said the best way to fix that is to increase the supply of homes for sale on the market.
It will be interesting to see if enough sellers enter the market in the next couple of months to temper those price increases.

We’re Your Real Estate Market Experts!

We hope you have found the information above as insightful and encouraging as we did. Seeing the national housing market recover is definitely a welcome sight!

Please check back here soon for more updates on the state of the housing market. We’re confident that having this knowledge will help you make savvier decisions as a buyer or seller.

Posted on

US Pending Home Sales Rise for Third Month in a Row

We have some excellent news to report from the national housing market: Evidently US pending home sales index increased for the third straight month in April.

This is a great testament that the national housing market is getting back on track and becoming increasingly stable.

If you’re considering entering the market anytime soon as a buyer or seller, we encourage you to continue reading to learn more about this new trend.

The Latest Outlook from the Housing Market is Positive

Let’s take a closer look at the recent report from the National Association of Realtors.

According to recent data, the pending home sales index (which is based on contract signings for purchases of previously owned homes) increased 1.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted level of 108.6 in March.

This is also higher than in February, when the level was 107.4.

And evidently, the increase in the home sales index is higher than many economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal thought it would be. They had expected the increase to be 1 percent.

Here are some additional highlights from the recent report:

  • When comparing March 2014 to March 2015, the index increased 11.1 percent.
  • Completed existing-home sales increased 6.1 percent in March. This increase followed two months in which the gains were lackluster.
  • And although sales of newly built single-family homes decreased from February to March, they increased almost 20 percent from the sales pace of a year ago.
  • The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 3.77 percent in March, which is slightly above the previous month but also down from a year earlier.
  • And pending sales of existing homes increased in the South and the West during the month of March, but decreased in the Northeast and Midwest.
  • Meanwhile, markets across the country are seeing home prices increase.

Experts believe that low housing inventory have driven prices up on existing homes. And while that has helped to close the gap in cost between newer homes (which are typically more expensive) and previously-owned homes, existing home sales still account for roughly 90 percent of the overall market.

Will These Positive Housing Market Trends Continue?

Check back with us soon to see if national real estate activity continues on this upward trend or takes a dip.

Having the most up-to-date market data is critical to ensuring a successful outcome as a buyer or seller. That’s why we hope you’ll check back here again soon for the most up-to-date information on the market possible.

Posted on

2015 Shredding Event a Success!

We are thrilled to report that our recent shredding event was a great success and we just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who came out to support us!

For those of you who might not know, we hosted a community shredding event on April 25. More than 75 people came out to support the event by bringing items they wanted shredded.

More than just a place to securely dispose of important documents, however, our event was a way to get to get more connected with the community.

After all, we also provided face painting for the kids along with child-friendly games and free refreshments.

It was wonderful getting to enjoy the great weather, hang out with our neighbors and also give back to the community at large. So thanks for everyone’s help in making the event a success.

Did You Happen to Attend Our Shredding Event?

Then please make sure to head over to our Community Events page to see if you’re in any of the pictures we took at the event.

The page also has some great information about other past events we’ve held in the region.

Giving Back to the Community is Part of What We Do

We here at Accent Realtors believe not only in delivering quality real estate services to the community but also making the area better as a whole. That’s why we pride ourselves on regularly hosting events like the recent shredding event.

We hope you get a chance to check out our next event. For now, if you’re interested in buying or selling real estate anytime soon in the Tulsa area, make sure to contact us at Accent Realtors. We’d be happy to assist you!

Until next time,

Paul

Posted on

5 Baby Boomer Housing Market Trends to Watch

Regardless of where you live, experts are expecting that Baby Boomers will have a major impact on the local housing market.

That’s because this sizeable portion of the population is comprised of 76.4 million individuals. And many of them are expected to make major moves over the next several years as they continue to retire.

To that effect, we wanted to share with you the top 5 Baby Boomer real estate trends to watch for in the coming months and years.

The Top 5 Real Estate Trends for Baby Boomers

Although many Baby Boomers plan to move to the Sunbelt when they retire, others may be motivated by different factors.

For instance, some may be motivated by staying closer to families. Others may be looking for the least expensive place to live. Still others may be more interested in moving to a place with a high quality of life for seniors.

Thus, regardless of where you live, it’s important to consider the following Baby Boomer trends:

Boomers want to pay off their mortgage. Many Baby Boomers own their own home. They’ve been paying a mortgage for decades. Thus, one of their primary goals is going to be to finally pay off the mortgage and own their home outright. In fact, for many, paying off the mortgage is a crucial consideration before they’re willing to retire.

They want more convenience. This may look like a smaller home with less maintenance and less work, but it may not. Baby Boomers also care about living in homes that have modern appliances, energy-efficient doors and other features that will make their life easy. As such, many are also opting for one-story homes because of their bad knees, bad hips, etc.

Baby Boomers want a walkable neighborhood. They’ve already spent a lot of time in their car, what with commuting to work, taking their kids to and from hobbies, etc. So now they’re trying to get back to simpler times, where they lived just a couple of blocks from the grocery store or the local restaurant. They want to be able to access the amenities they want and need without having to always get in the car.

They want to remain on their own. In fact, according to a Merrill Lynch survey, only 10 percent of Baby Boomers say they want to move into any kind of retirement or age-restricted community. Instead, they want to stay in their own homes, in their own neighborhood nad have their own friends.

Baby Boomers want to stay close to their loved ones. This is also a high priority for residents. They not only want to be close to their children, but also their grandchildren as well. Proximity to loved ones is certainly key with this segment of the population.

We’re Your #1 Source for National Real Estate Trends

We hope you’ve learned something new after reading today’s real estate blog. The Baby Boomers will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the real estate market as they prepare for where they want to live their Golden Years.

Please check back here soon to learn about more trends that may impact your local housing market.

Posted on

Signed Contracts for US Homes Increase, Report Shows.

In the latest sign that the U.S. real estate market is improving, more Americans signed contracts to purchase homes in February than in nearly a year.

The National Association of Realtors released the data, which showed that the seasonally adjusted pending home sales index increased 3.1 percent to 106.9 in February.

That’s the highest it’s been since June 2013!

If you’re preparing to list your home anytime soon on the local housing market, we encourage you to continue reading to learn more about this trend!

US Home Sales Are On the Rise!

Here are some additional highlights from the recent National Association of Realtors report:

  • Buying activity increased in the Midwest and West during the month of February, although it actually decreased slightly in the Northeast and South.
  • Existing homes sold at an annual pace of 4.88 million in February, which is slightly below last year’s levels.
  • The supply of homes was just 4.6 months, compared to five months a year ago. It should be noted that a six month inventory is considered a balanced market.
  • Average 30-year fixed rates were 3.69 percent last week, according to the mortgage giant Freddie Mac. That was down from a 52-week high of 4.41 percent recently.
  • Home prices have increased 17 percent since the middle of 2012, which is when the market bottomed out.
  • Analysts are particularly encouraged by the recent gains because it means that the housing market was able to overcome such unforeseen and uncontrollable hurdles like freezing weather and a particularly harsh winter.

Experts say that the upturn suggests that the spring home buying season will be robust.

They added that home sales are likely to be further supported since the unemployment rate is down to 5.5 percent.

In fact, the unemployment rate is down to its lowest level in nearly seven years!  And employers have added 3.3 million jobs during the last year, including 295,000 jobs in February.

All of this is giving would-be home buyers more buying power as well as consumer confidence. This, in turn, is leading more to enter the national housing market in search of their dream home.

We’re Your #1 Real Estate Resource!

We hope you found the above information insightful as a prospective home seller.

As you can see, it really is a great time to list your property on the market.  After all, there’s plenty of pent-up home buyer demand and home sales activity appears to be picking up.

Please check back here soon for more valuable insight on that national housing market and how it may impact you.  We’d be happy to offer our expert insight in order to help you enjoy a successful outcome as a home seller!