Who's Paying Your Mortgage?

As a homeowner, you obviously pay for your mortgage but as an investor, your tenant does.  Equity build-up is a significant benefit of mortgaged rental property.  As the investor collects rent and pays expenses, the principal amount of the loan is reduced which increases the equity in the property.  Over time, the tenant pays for the property to the benefit of the investor.

Equity build-up occurs with normal amortization as the loan is paid down.  It can be accelerated by making additional contributions to the principal each month along with the normal payment.  Some investors consider this a good use of the cash flows because interest rates on savings accounts and certificates of deposits are much lower than their mortgage rate.

In the example below, is a hypothetical rental with a purchase price of $125,000 with 80% loan-to-value mortgage at 4.5% for 30 years compared to a 3.5% for 15 years.  The acquisition costs were estimated at $3,000, the monthly rent is estimated at $1,250 and $4,800 for operating expenses.



Notice that both properties have a positive cash flow before tax.  The cash on cash return is the revenue less expenses including debt service divided by the initial investment to acquire the property.  The 15 year mortgage will obviously have a smaller cash flow and lower cash on cash but the equity build-up is significantly higher.

If the goal of the investor is to pay off the property to provide the highest possible cash flow at a later date, a shorter term mortgage with a lower interest rate will help them achieve that.  A simple definition of an investment is to put away today so you’ll have more tomorrow.  Sacrificing cash flow now, during an investor’s earning years, is a reasonable expectation to provide more cash flow in the future when it might be needed more.

Contact me if you’d like to explore rental property opportunities with an experienced buyer agent.

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Marilyn Messenger is an Accredited Buyer Representative and a member of the Real Estate Buyer Agency Council and has been representing buyers and sellers in Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, Concord, and the towns west of Boston since 1993.

Why Borrowers Pay Different Rates

While it is tempting to contact the mortgage company/lender that advertises the lowest rates, it is important to understand that the advertised rates are what people who have excellent credit scores, solid employment, etc. get.
Most likely you will be offered a different rate, here's why.

Lenders, like any business, have to make a profit.  The cost of acquiring the funds, the operating costs to service and the expected profit margin are easily identified.  The variable in pricing is the type of mortgage and the credit worthiness of the borrower.

A loan with a 3.5% down payment is riskier than a loan with 20% down payment.  If the lender has to take the property back to recover their expense, the margin is greater between what is owed and what the property is worth on an 80% mortgage.

Credit scoring is a risk-based pricing method that allows a lender to be competitive in the market for the best loans from different borrower groups.  Individual lenders set their own levels for what they consider “A” credit which is reserved for the best rates.  If good credit is approximately 710 to 740, scores below that are considered higher risk and will have higher rates.

Risk must be assessed for both the borrower and the property that collateralizes the loan.  The borrower’s credit history and income stability are strongly evaluated by the lender but if a default should occur, the property must secure the loan to avoid a loss to the lender.



The challenge for some buyers is they are unaware of what their credit score is and how it will affect the interest rate offered by the lender.  It is to the buyer’s advantage to be pre-approved by a reputable lender prior to starting the process of looking for a home.  In some cases, the lender can actually improve the borrower’s credit score to help them qualify for a lower interest rate.

Contact me for a recommendation of a trusted mortgage professional - marilynmessenger@realtor.com
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Marilyn Messenger is a Certified Residential Special (CRS) and an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) associated with Andrew Mitchell and Company based in Concord MA. She has been managing the home buying and home selling for process in Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, Stow and the town west of Boston for 20 years.

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Inventory is dramatically shrinking and it is commonplace in many markets to have multiple offers on a home. While the sellers would prefer to be able to choose the best offer for them, it can be incredibly frustrating for the buyers who might consider the following tips to get their offer accepted.

1. Remove the uncertainty that you may not be approved for a mortgage by having a pre-approval letter from your mortgage company.  

2. Show your sincerity by increasing the normal amount of earnest money customary for the area and price of the home. The earnest money will be applied toward your down payment and closing costs.

3. Specify a closing date in the contract but acknowledge that you can be flexible to accommodate the sellers moving date. If it becomes an issue, it still must be mutually agreed upon.  

4. Make the contingency periods shorter if possible to make the seller feel that they’ll know sooner that the offer is solid.  

5. If the contingency really isn’t important to you, leave it out of the offer. The more contingencies included in a contract, the more the seller will feel might happen to keep it from actually closing. However, do not waive contingencies if it means risking your deposit. Even in a hot market, be careful.

6. Write a personal note to the seller explaining why you like and want their home. Consider including a picture of your family and pets. 

7. Physically sign the offer with a felt tip pen of contrasting color. You’d be surprised how this adds a personal touch to the offer.

Offer a fair price for the property in your initial purchase agreement. It shows sincerity and good faith that you’re actually trying to purchase the home and not trying to take advantage of the seller. The old adage that you can always go up later may never happen if there are multiple offers on the property in the beginning.

And, remember as a buyer you are entitled to have your own agent represent you and negotiate on your behalf. Sometimes buyers either don't understand what a buyer a can do for them or else they think going directly to the sellers' agent will benefit them. This could not be further from the truth - the sellers' agent is legally bound to act in the best interest of the seller.
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Marilyn Messenger is an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) who has been representing buyers and sellers in Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, Stow, Concord and the suburbs west of Boston since 1993.

Call Marilyn at 508-596-3501 or visit www.marilynmessenger.com for more information about buyer agency.

Connect with Marilyn Messenger on Google+

Get Your Offer Accepted

As the market shifts from a buyer's market, it's good to know how to improve your chances to have the seller accept your offer.

Once you decide on a home, don't waste time; write an offer and submit it as soon as possible.

Competing with another buyer happens more frequently than you'd expect. Multiple offers are a seller's advantage but here are some tips to level the playing field:

• Realistic offer - don't give the impression you're trying to "steal" the property. Ask your agent for comparable sales that can justify your offer.
• Pre-approval letter - this satisfies seller's biggest concern that an unqualified buyer will unnecessarily take the home off the market and the seller will lose other opportunities.
• More earnest money - it shows you're serious and makes the seller feel like the contract will actually close.
• Minimize contingencies - from a seller's standpoint, each contingency is one more reason why the sale won't go through. They feel the home is "off the market" and they're in limbo.
• Shorten inspection period - your buyer agent can help you set a reasonable date but let the seller know you're willing to close prior to that if possible.
• Write a personal letter to the seller telling them why you want their home - this can be the emotional connection to the seller that makes the difference in you getting the home.

A seller wants to feel confident that the offer they accept will actually close so they can plan for their next move. Following tips like these can definitely affect negotiations and help put together an offer that is more likely to be accepted.

Note: The number of homes for sale in Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard and the towns west of Boston is the lowest it's been in years. Click here to stay updated about new listings and price changes. Contact me to start planning your move.

Handling the Eyesore

It can be unsightly and upsetting when a home in a neighborhood isn't being maintained like the others. It might be an overgrown yard, a fence in need of repair, paint peeling on the home or even a car parked in front of the home that hasn't moved in weeks.

I believe most people want to be good neighbors and may be willing to correct the issue once it is brought to their attention. In some cases, they may not agree with the same urgency and it might be necessary to seek other remedies.
The most expedient solution may be to contact the responsible person and describe your perception of the problem. An owner-occupant may be sympathetic to the neighbors and more than willing to correct the issue.

However, if you suspect that it is a rental property, check with the county tax records to identify the owner. They may be unaware of the situation and would actually welcome the "heads-up" to protect their investment.

The next step might be to notify the homeowner's association if there is one. The covenants or bylaws will specify how properties must be maintained and the association can enforce them.

The final step would be to notify the city for a possible code violation. Most cities have a separate code and neighborhood services division and some cities have 311 for non-emergency assistance.

Wayland Real Estate Report -Active Early Spring Market!

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Single Family Homes: Spring market has started early in Wayland and home buyers are recognizing that this is a great time to buy. Although there are 84 single family homes for sale in Wayland compared with 57 last year at this time, 14 already have accepted offers that are being shown for backup offers only. Pending sales are also high for this early in the season; there are currently 22 single family home with sales pending.

Prices for single family properties in Wayland range from $244,900 to $14,900,000. The median price is $779,000; lower than last year when it was $826,500. The average list price is $1,152,814 only a few dollars less than last year. The average list price for properties with offers accepted is $753,407 and $674,559 for sales pending. Offers accepted are the most recent activity.

Closed Sales: There have been 23 closed sales in January and February 2012, up substantially from 9 for the first 2 months of 2011 however, sale prices are similar. The median sale price was $470,000, the average was $503,739. The median sale prices for January and February 2011 was $466,000; the average was $504,800. The average time on the market was 181 days, 20 days longer than last year.
The average sale price to the original list price ratio was 89%. The average sale price to adjusted list price ratio was 93%, proving that asking a higher price does not yield a higher sale price.

Condominiums/Townhouses: There are 33 condominiums/townhouses for sale in Wayland; last year there were 30. However, as with single family homes, many of the active listings already have accepted offers. List prices range for townhouses in Wayland range from $299,900 for a 1 bedroom townhouse to $1,100,000 for a 3200+ square foot luxury unit at “The Meadows.”

New construction townhomes are selling especially well in Wayland. There are 3 one-level garden style age restricted condos for sale ranging from $299,000 to $340,000. There were 7 condominiums sold in Jan/Feb in Wayland, only one more than last year. The median and average sale prices were both higher than last year.

Luxury Homes: As in most towns in the area, the luxury homes market in Wayland still has the best opportunities for buyers. There 26 properties listed in Wayland for over $1 million. Some of these properties have been on the market for a year or more so there are deals to be made!
 

Data source: MLSPIN (Multiple Listing Service Property Information Network.

Visit http://www.MarilynMessenger.com for the latest market reports for Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, Stow, and Acton Massachusetts. "Like" our real estate and community page on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/livingwestofboston.

You Have the Right to Remain Silent.. Anything You Say..."

Anyone who has ever watched a crime show on TV can finish that sentence. We all know about Miranda rights when someone gets arrested. Hopefully, no one reading this blog will ever have to hear those words but there is a good chance that you or someone you know will at some point talk to a real estate agent or broker about buying or selling a home.

If you are like most people, you don’t think about “rights” or “relationships” when you contact a real estate agent; you just want information about a property or a town or about financing. The agent will ask questions about where you live, where you work, when you need to move, how much money you make, your source for financing, how much you want to spend on a property… all kinds of personal and financial information that you would want to have kept confidential; and certainly not shared when you want to win a negotiation.

Now this is not legal advice (you need a lawyer for that), just a heads up for buyers and sellers that in Massachusetts whenever a consumer asks a real estate licensee to discuss a particular property, the licensee must disclose in writing whose interests the licensees represent, the buyer or the seller, or both. Without such a warning consumers can make tactical mistakes in negotiating the best possible deal, such as disclosing their bottom line price to a real estate licensee who is actually the seller's representative..."anything you say can and will be used agains you..." How about a seller asking for advice about pricing their property; what if that agent represents a buyer who may have an interest... who does that agent work for?

A recent investigation by Patrick-Murray Administration's Division of Professional Licensure shows real estate licensees regularly fail to disclose whose interests they represent. Investigators found 94 percent of licensees checked were not in compliance in Boston. Pairs of investigators from the Division of Professional Licensure, posing as consumers, visited 200 real estate offices throughout Massachusetts and found that in only 12 instances, or 6 percent of the time, real estate licensees properly disclosed to consumers whose interests they represent.

Have you contacted a real estate agent lately…did they provide the Mandatory Licensee-Consumer Relationship Disclosure form for you to sign?

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