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Just listed a great property in Colchester - a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2225 square foot Townhouse built in 2001 for $269,900. It had been listed by another Realtor prior and hadn't sold yet, so now it's our turn to try to sell it. A few things we noticed that might make the home more sellable were if we upgraded the kitchen and bathroom cabinet knobs as well as paint a few rooms to more neutral colors. The cabinets in both the kitchen and full baths are a light wood color - most likely maple and they featured white ceramic knobs. We decided to upgrade the cabinet hardware to a more modern style - satin nickel! You can buy a set of 10 knobs at Lowe's Home Improvement for about $19 - that's less than $2 per knob! All that was required to switch out the hardware was a screwdriver and it only took about 20 minutes. A cheap and easy way to give any kitchen or bath a fresh new look!

We also have plans to paint the dining room and living room in this Condo. The dining room is currently a light orange color, which probably looked great with the previous décor and furniture, but it's better to have a more neutral color. This way, prospective buyers can start with a clean slate, so to speak. In addition, the dining room is the first room you see when you walk in the door and the old saying couldn't be any more true, "You never get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression!" The living room is a deep red, which again is nice and gives the room some warmth and personality, but again most buyers prefer to see homes in more neutral state, so they can picture their own furniture and decorations in the room more easily. Also, new owners can always paint later to match their specific style, but it's always easier to paint over a light color than a dark one.

These are just a couple tips to make your house more sellable, especially in the slow market we're experiencing now! Click here for more tips on how to make your home sell faster!

Some people, particularly first time home buyers, feel intimidated at the thought of making a large down payment on a house. Sometimes, too, they feel some confusion about how much will be required.

The size of your down payment will depend on the price of the home you want to buy. It will also depend on your ability to pay, and the type of mortgage you get.

As a general rule, lenders like to see a 20% down payment for a conventional mortgage.  A conventional mortgage is one that is underwritten by a bank, savings and loan , or some other mortgage company.  A 20% down payment on $100,000 home would be $20,000.

If you are selling your current home in order to buy another, you may get enough cash to cover the 20% down payment. If you are a first time home buyer, however, you may have trouble coming up with that much money.

Certain mortgage options allow you to make a smaller down payment. Some lenders, for example, will accept smaller down payments if you buy private mortage insurance (called PMI).

FHA loans require an even smaller down payment, as little as 3-5%. If you qualify for a VA loan, you don't need a down payment at all. Many special loan programs  for first time home buyers also have a reduced down payments.

The principal behind these requirements is simple. lenders know from experience that homeowners who put a substantial amount of their own money into buying a home are less likely to default on the mortgage.

And if the mortgage is secured by an insurance policy (as in PMI) or by the government (as in FHA or VA loans), the lenders feel protected and they are willing to skip the requirement for the large down payment.

Any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me. I would be happy to counsel you or recommend a good mortgage broker who can provide the specifics on the various mortgage programs available to you.

Are you a 1st time home buyer? If so, attend our FREE workshop on Wednesday June 10th from 6-8pm at the Marriott Courtyard on Cherry Street in Burlington. The Burlington Free Press along with Northfield Savings Bank and Geri Reilly, top Realtor at at Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman Realty, will be sponsoring a free workshop on how to prepare for this life changing decision. We'll cover all the basics and answer all your questions. We'll also focus on how to get the Federal Stimulus to work for you and details on the 1st Time home buyer tax credit. Join us! For more info, dont hesitate to contact me at 802.862.6677 or geri@buyvtrealetsate.com . Hope to see you there!