3 Reasons to Think About Buying Real Estate Right Now

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November2014-33-175x131 November2014-11-175x131 Average FICO Score FHA loan

 

 

 

 

 

Right now is an excellent time to be looking into financing  a home purchase.  As we can see from the charts above – it is easier to qualify and is cheaper than ever.  This should be the encouragement you have been looking for if you have not already made the purchase you have been dreaming about.  Christy and Garth Gillespie are experts in the real estate field and have the knowledge to assist you in looking for the perfect opportunity.  Inventory is low but there are still some excellent deals in certain segments of the Jackson Hole Real Estate market.

For more information please contact Christy and Garth Gillespie, the Jackson Hole Real Estate Experts, at 307-413-5243 or email us at garth@jhexperts.com.

5 Reasons To Hire Christy and Garth Gillespie – Jackson Hole Real Estate Agents

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Christy and I are proud to work with many different buyers and sellers in the Jackson Hole real estate market each and every year.  We work extremely hard is taking care of our customers in all of the aspects of a real estate transactions.  We sat down the other day and discussed what we do and why we believe Buyers and Sellers call us.  It was an extremely interesting team meeting and we came up with many reasons but we kept coming back to these 5 reasons:

1.  We help with all the disclosures and paperwork necessary in today’s heavily regulated environment.  Of course we don’t do all of these ourselves but we do have a large team of individuals and businesses that assist in this.  Buying and Selling real estate involves a lot of paperwork!  Our team consists of three of us — Christy, Garth and Audrey Williams.  Audrey Williams is a licensed agent that works as our Client Coordinator.

2. We are well educated in and experienced with the entire sales process.  There are not many real estate agents or teams in Jackson Hole that complete the amount of transactions the Gillespie Real Estate Team does year after year.  In 2013 we have already completed 33 transactions – that’s 1 transaction every week!  We have seen the difficulties in financing in the current banking environment, we have seen prices jump in the beginning of 2013 which have now settled down, we have seen inventory shrink and sellers raise their listing prices…we have basically seen the market evolve in the past year and know how to handle the current environment.

3. We act as a “buffer” in negotiations with all parties throughout the entire transactions.  We enter every transaction trying to make it as easy as possible for all parties involved.

4.  We understand today’s real estate values when setting the price on a listing or on an offer to purchase.  Emotions can run high when people are negotiating.  We try to explain the statistics, the trends and make sense out of the whole process.  Some neighborhoods are easier than others but we sit down with each Buyer or Seller and lay out reasons for Listing Prices or where current values are headed.

5.  We simply and effectively explain today’s real estate headlines and decipher what they mean.  There are so many mixed signals in the press today.  Values going up, inventories shrinking, interest rates rising, markets cooling off…..what does all this mean.  We are here to explain.

To learn more about Christy and Garth Gillespie – the Jackson Hole Real Estate Experts – Call us at 307-413-5243.

 

Buying in Jackson Hole– Make Sure You Ask About Assumable Mortgages

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Wow – Christy and I just learned some powerful information this week that we would like to share.   It was brought to our attention that buyers that are in the lower end of the market should be talking with their mortgage bankers about FHA loans and or assumable mortgages.  This is forward thinking but right now we are experiencing record low interest rates.  Buyers of properties right now are able to secure financing for under 3% in some situations.

Why are we bringing this up?  When a FHA homebuyer is buying a home today they will have the opportunity to lock in these extremely low interest rates.  Then when the buyer becomes a seller some day they will have an assumable mortgage.  This means a qualified purchaser can “take over” the loan. 

As an example, a $300,000 loan at 4% today carries with it a $1,432.25 principal and interest payment on a 30 year fixed mortgage. If offered for sale in five years, the purchaser could assume the $271,858.56 balance with the same $1,432.25 payment and remaining term of 25 years. The total payments over the 25 years would be $429,675.

Compare that to a new $272,000 loan at 6.5% for 25 years, which would carry a monthly payment of $1,836.56 (over $400 more a month than the assumption and more than $120,000 more over the 25 year term).

At 6.5% for 25 years, to wind up with the same payment as the assumed mortgage, our borrowers would only be getting $212,000…$60,000 LESS!

The point here is that, when rates go up, homes with assumable mortgages will have more value and will sell at higher prices because they are more affordable.

We hope you find this information helpful.  For additional buying tip in the Jackson Hole Real Estate market please contact the Jackson Hole Experts – Christy and Garth Gillespie at 307-413-5243 or email at garth.gillespie@jhsir.com.  You can also visit Jackson Hole Sotheby’s website at www.jhsir.com.

Fixed rate mortgages hit new low

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According to a recent article by the Associated Press, Fixed-rate mortgage rates fell last week to the lowest levels in 60 years. The average interest rate for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is now 4.12%, Freddie Mac said last week. It is the lowest rate on record since 1971, and the cheapest rates since 1951.  Furthermore, the average rate for 30-year fixed mortgages was below 5% for all but two weeks over the past five years. Similarily, the average interest rate on a 15 year fixed rate mortgage is 3.33%, also the lowest rate since the record keeping began in 1991.

HOWEVER…..These record low rates have done very little to re-energize the depressed housing market. Sales of new homes are on track to finish the year as the lowest on record in 50 years. The pace of re-sale homes aren’t doing much better – they are the worst in 14 years.

WHY…….Nation wide, an uncertain economy along with high unemployment have discouraged many Americans from taking advantage of these low rates. Additionally, many Americans have seen little wage increases and as a result of the economic climate, many are saddled by large personal debt. None the less, many can’t even qualify for loans at these low rates. Many banks are now insisting on higher credit scores and a 20% down payment for first-time homebuyers. According to a survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling,  just 1/2 of Americans say they will ever be able to saive enough money for any type of down payment, let alone a 20% down payment. Further, only 40% of US households have the necessary credit scores above 700 to receive a prime mortgage rate, according to an Associated Press analysis of Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO) data.   Many repeat buyers do not have enough equity built up in their homes to meet loan requirements. Most alarming, accroding to the real estate research firm CoreLogic, about 1/3 of American homeowners have nearly zero equity or are underwater in their mortgage.

Low interest rates usually encourage many to buy real estate, many middle and lower class Americans can’t take advantage of these record low rates. If you are able to qualify for these prime rates, there are many opportunties available. Here in Jackson Hole, there are several opportunities to purchase bank owned homes or lender approved short sale properties.

Contact us, The Gillespie Real Estate Team at Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty  at garth.gillespie@jhsir.com for a list of bank owned opportunties in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Cottonwood Flats – Brand New Townhomes in Jackson Hole

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Don’t miss the opportunity to tour Cottonwood Flats – Jackson Hole’s newest townhome development. These brand new townhomes feature hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, attached garages and plenty of windows. The covered front porches and sidewalks throughout the development contribute to an ‘old neighborhood’ feel. All units come with a 1 year builders warranty.

Cottonwood Flats is located off South Park Loop Road and Whitehouse Drive – across the street from Indian Trails, a single family home neighborhoood. Cottonwood Flats is within walking distance to the Middle School and a bike ride away from the High School. There are connections to the great bike paths throughout the development.

There are currently 24 units complete – with 8 more units under construction and should be completed by Fall 2011. There are two 2-bedroom units available for sale and two 3-bedroom units available. The 2 bedroom units are 1,105 square feet and have a 1 car garage. The 3 bedroom units are 1,602 square feet and have a 2 car garage. Living in Cottonwood Flats is maintenance free as the HOA installs and maintains the landscaping, plows the sidewalks and driveways and will maintain the neighborhood park (constructed in a future phase). Dogs and cats are allowed.

We have model units that are open and available to show – just make an appointment.  Contact Garth Gillespie, sales representative and partner of the The Gillespie Real Estate Team at Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty by email garth.gillespie@jhsir.com or call me at 307-413-5243 to set up an appointment.

Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit – Time is Running Out!

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Last fall, Congress extended the Home Buyer Tax Credit to April 30, 2010 and expanded the program to apply to non-first time homebuyers as well. These buyers are sometimes referred to as “repeat buyers” or “long term residents”.

 Here are some further details on the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit:

Deadline: All buyers must be under contract to purchase a home by April 30, 2010 and must close on that home by July 1, 2010.

Type of Property: This credit may only be applied to primary residences and can include townhomes, condos and single family homes.

Type of Buyer: In order to qualify as a first time home buyer, buyers cannot have owned a home anytime over the last 3 years. In order to qualify as a ‘repeat buyer’, the current homeowners must have used the home that is being sold as a principal residence for 5 consecutive years within the last 8 years. Additionally, the full credit is only available for taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income of $125,000 or less.

Tax Credit: The tax credit for first time homebuyers is $8,000 and the tax credit for “long-time residents” is $6,500. Buyers can apply their credit to their 2009 return or apply the credit on their 2010 tax return.

Trivia: For 2008 and so far for 2009 tax year, the IRS reported that 1.763 million tax payers applied for the First Time Home Buyer Credit and received credits of $12.4 billion. (Source: CNBC 03/17/10)

 Time is running out – must be under contract by April 30, 2010.

Check out great Jackson Hole properties offered by Christy & Garth Gillespie at www.jacksonholeexperts.com

Brand New Townhomes for Sale in Jackson Hole, WY

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Cottonwood Flats are Jackson Hole’s brand new 2 and 3 bedroom townhomes. Offered by The Gillespie Real Estate Team, all townhomes include…

  • covered front porch
  • attached garage
  • backyard
  • hardwood floors
  • large windows
  • brand new appliances
  • pet friendly
  • limited common walls with other townhomes

 Cottonwood Flats are located in a great part of the town of the Jackson near the Middle School, next to the bus stop, and surrounded by the town bicycle and pathways.

The 2 bedroom townhomes are 1,068 square feet with 2 baths and a 1-car attached garage. The 3 bedroom townhomes are 1.600 square feet with 3 baths and a 2-car attached garage.

We host an open house every Sunday from 3:00 -5:00 pm or give us a call for a showing.

 Find pictures and more information @ http://jhexperts.com/cottonwood-flats-townhomes.asp

 

Construction Update:

Block I of Cottonwood Flats Townhomes is complete and includes eight 2-story townhomes. All units have been issued their Certificates of Occupancy and are ready for move-in.  Of the eight units, two of the townhomes (a 3 bedroom and a 2 bedroom) have been sold to the Housing Authority as Affordable Units**. Unit 2, a market rate unit with 2 bedrooms is now under contract. There are 4 two-bedroom units and 1 three-bedroom unit still available for purchase in Block I. Landscaping of Block I will be completed in early spring.

Construction continues on Block II of Cottonwood Flats Townhomes. Fifteen additional units (a mix of 2 and 3 bedroom units) will be completed this summer.  Many of these homes have direct views of the Grand Teton and views of the Jackson Hole Mountain Ski Resort. Homes are stick built off site by Stratford Homes in Idaho and then brought to the site and connected to the foundations and utilities.

 ** The town of Jackson requires 15% of every new development to be deed restricted affordable, which means they have limits on appreciation (usually tied to Denver CPI) as well as limits on the income of the families that purchase the units.

Current Mortgage Rates – Bank of Jackson Hole

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In changing times it’s important to have people we can call on for advice we can trust! At The Jackson Hole Experts, one of those people is T.R. Pierce. T.R. is a mortgage broker with The Bank of Jackson Hole. He has worked with many of our clients here in Jackson and regularly provides our team of REALTORS with the latest in mortgage news. We received information below from T.R. today and with his permission we are sharing it with you.  If you have a question about your current or future Jackson Hole mortgage needs, T.R. is a great guy to call on! You can call him at 307.734.8111.  Here is T.R.’s most current update.

Interest rates are unchanged today as Goldman Sachs reported fourth quarter profits that soared above Wall Street expectations.  The Wall Street powerhouse, which has endured scrutiny over signs it was on track to pay billions of dollars in bonuses this year, earned $4.9 billion last quarter.  Their annual revenues more than doubled last year to $45.2 billion and they earned a profit of $13.4 billion in 2009.  Their biggest boost to earnings was a severe reduction in employee compensation… spending $16.2 billion (38.5% of total revenue) on wages and salaries last year.

BANK OF JACKSON HOLE

Residential Mortgage Rates for January 21, 2010

The following rates are thirty (30) day quotes for fully documented, owner-occupied and/or second home loans for borrowers with a minimum credit score of 700 which feature a one (1%) percent loan origination fee and the escrow of taxes & insurance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFORMING LOAN AMOUNTS OVER $417,000 TO $693,750

ARE AVAILABLE AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN INDICATED BELOW. 

                         PROGRAM

CONFORMING 

(Loans to $417,000)
                              JUMBO

(Loans over $693,750)
                         30 Year Fixed

4.875%

6.500%

15 Year Fixed

4.375%

6.000%

10/1 ARM

4.250%

6.000%

7/1 ARM

3.875%

4.625%

5/1 ARM

3.500%

4.250%

3/1 ARM

3.500%

6.625%

30 YEAR FIXED RATE FHA LOANS TO $693,750: 5.375%
 

PRIME RATE: 3.250%
 

ONE YEAR LIBOR RATE: 0.878%

Thanks for the info T.R.!  For additional information on Jackson Hole Real Estate please call the Jackson Hole Experts – Christy and Garth Gillespie – 877-739-8056.

Jackson Hole Mortgage Rates Updated

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In changing times it’s important to have people we can call on for advice we can trust! At The Jackson Hole Experts, one of those people is T.R. Pierce. T.R. is a mortgage broker with The Bank of Jackson Hole. He has worked with many of our clients here in Jackson and regularly provides our team of REALTORS with the latest in mortgage news. We received information below from T.R. today and with his permission we are sharing it with you. It looks like mortgage rates are on the rise. If you’re a Jackson Hole first-time home buyer this could impact your purchasing power. If you are a homeowner with a mortgage coming up for renewal, you’ll want to consider your options carefully. If you have a question about your current or future Jackson Hole mortgage needs, T.R. is a great guy to call on! You can call him at 307.734.8111.

Conforming ARM rates are lower this morning after the NAR announced that pending home sales continued their upward swing in May. Home sales rose (0.1%) for the fourth straight month… the first time this has happened since October 2004! The manufacturing sector’s activity rose to 44.8 in June as well. This was the six straight month this index has increased and the index reading indicates that manufacturing contraction has slowed, but not reversed itself. Manufacturing is a key indictor in gauging the strength of the economy.

BANK OF JACKSON HOLE
Residential Mortgage Rates for July 1, 2009

The following rates are thirty (30) day quotes for fully documented, owner-occupied and/or second home loans for borrowers with a minimum credit score of 700 which feature a one (1%) percent loan origination fee and the escrow of taxes & insurance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFORMING LOAN AMOUNTS OVER $417,000 TO $693,750
ARE AVAILABLE AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN INDICATED BELOW.

PROGRAM CONFORMING
(Loans to $417,000)
JUMBO
(Loans over 417,000)
30 Year Fixed
5.125%
7.875%

15 Year Fixed
4.750%
6.875%

10/1 ARM
5.125%
7.875%

7/1 ARM
4.750%
5.000%

5/1 ARM
4.000%
4.500%

3/1 ARM
5.125%
6.625%

30 YEAR FIXED RATE FHA LOANS TO $693,750: 5.375%
PRIME RATE: 3.250%
ONE YEAR LIBOR RATE: 1.590%

For additional information on Jackson Hole Real Estate please call the Jackson Hole Experts – Christy and Garth Gillespie – 877-739-8056.

Sotheby’s Doing Their Part To Support the Real Estate Industry

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Last week Christy and I received an email from Kathy Korte, President and CEO, of Sotheby’s International Realty, updating us on ways the private sector are trying to jumpstart the sluggish housing market. A Business Roundtable was formed and here are the results of that meeting.

Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. corporations and specifically, the Business Roundtable’s Housing Working Group – which is chaired by Realogy CEO Richard A. Smith – issued a set of recommendations for the White House and Congress that are aimed at jumpstarting the housing market in order to stimulate a broader economic recovery.

The Business Roundtable’s recommendations are as follows:
· Keep mortgage interest rates at historically low levels (below 5 percent) for at least one year;
· Expand the current First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit incentive from the lesser of 10 percent of the purchase price of the home or $8,000 to a higher limit of either 10 percent or $15,000 for all homebuyers, remove the income restrictions and include all primary residence purchases for one full year;
· Conduct a thorough review of current foreclosure mitigation and loan-modification programs in light of rising loan-modification re-default rates;
· Make permanent the current temporary conforming loan limits; and
· Continue to review and strengthen government efforts already underway to review and refine mortgage lending practices.

“We believe targeted, demand-side solutions – such as the ones Business Roundtable is recommending today – will provide a critical next step for a housing recovery that will help create jobs and boost the economy as a whole,” said Smith in the Business Roundtable’s press release.

To obtain a copy of the Business Roundtable press release and its Housing Working Group’s detailed recommendations, click here. To read an article that appeared in today’s online edition of The Wall Street Journal containing an interview with Richard Smith about the Business Roundtable’s recommendations and why they are crucial to jumpstarting the housing market, click here

NRT and The Jackson Hole Experts, Christy and Garth Gillespie, applauds the Business Roundtable for its proactive efforts to reinvigorate the U.S. housing market, and we are proud of the leadership role our parent company, Realogy, has taken in this regard.

For more information on the current housing market here in Jackson Hole please feel free to call at 877-739-8056 or visit us at our website.

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CHRISTY GILLESPIE

Associate Broker
Cell (307) 413-5242
Office (307) 732-7610
christy@jhexperts.com.com

GARTH GILLESPIE

Sales Associate
Cell (307) 413-5243
Office (307) 732-7611
garth@jhexperts.com

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Christy & Garth Gillespie is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass Real Estate, a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.

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