Tuesday, December 17, 2013

We Got Mail...

Jose & Team,

We don't know for sure how we came to choose you as our Realtor for the sale of our home, except from your great ads that promote your successes, and a great interview in which you
came across as sincerely honest.  We interviewed three other Realtors and have never once regretted our decision.  We couldn't have asked or wanted more from you.  We will refer you whenever we have the opportunity.  We really appreciate you and your business philosophy!  We wish you continued success and thank you for all your efforts on our behalf in successfully selling our home. 


Sincerely, Floyd & Joan


Jose & Team,

Thank you for your annual holiday movie and celebration at the palace.  Our family has attended for several years and it has become one of our favorite traditions!  The kids especially love the cookies, popcorn & hot chocolate!  

Thanks again, The Tabellion family

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

What a Community...

It was WONDERFUL to see so many familiar faces (over 400) at our Sixth Annual Client Party at the Palace Theater! A sincere THANKS to all who came out to share some popcorn and a movie with us.  We hope your families enjoyed the yummy treats (baked by our own little elves) and the surprise guest of honor...Santa! 

 We loved seeing you all there and appreciate your continued support.







Tuesday, November 19, 2013

FREE MOVIE AND GREAT GIVEAWAYS!

We look forward to seeing you... 

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1ST 
THE CANTON PALACE THEATER - 2PM
(doors open at 1:30PM)

FREE viewing of ELF 

Great giveaways...
ipad mini, 2 Kindle Fire HD's, restaurant gift cards 
& a $200 gift certificate to Kalahari!

    (complimentary cookies, hot chocolate, and popcorn)


WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR OUR BEST YEAR YET, 
SO GRAB YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ON DECEMBER 1ST 
AND WE'LL SEE YOU THERE!

*No RSVP required - Pass the invite along*

Thursday, November 14, 2013

NOVEMBER MARKET UPDATE...

   You may be thinking that the coming of the holidays equates to a “slow” market. I’m sure you’ve pondered “Do we have any chance of selling our home in November, December or January?” “Should we just take our home off the market?” I hear this daily, so I want to address what is on a lot of seller’s minds. One thing you will find is the number of showings slows down over the next few months. The reason this will happen is that 1) there are less sales 2) the “lookers” are busy with other seasonal things 3) the buyers are more motivated and focused on what they want so they see fewer homes. Think about it, if someone is looking at homes in November, December, and January, they are typically motivated to buy! I would expect one showing every 2 weeks for most listings. (This can vary greatly based on area and pricing.)

The other key factor to consider is that there are fewer homes on the market during these months, which means LESS COMPETITION! Last month at this time there were 1,700 homes for sale in Stark County - currently there are about 1,500 homes for sale. The less motivated sellers take their home off the market and put it back on in the spring. They are missing the “motivated” buyers that we see buying in the next 90 days.  The same holds true for the next 90 days as it did for the spring and summer months, the homes that are priced aggressively, marketed properly and show the best, will sell. If any one of these three are out of line, you will not have a chance to sell in today’s market.  If you would like to discuss any of this, please feel free to call or email me. 
                                                                                               
Your Realtor,
                                                              Jose Medina


P.S.  Don’t forget about our Client Appreciation Party!  It is Sunday, December 1st at the Canton Palace Theatre. It is a free viewing of “Elf”.  Doors open at 1:30 pm, the movie will start at 2pm. Please bring your kids, grandkids and neighbors… everyone is invited! No RSVP required.  Great giveaways!

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Don't Miss Our 6th ANNUAL CLIENT CARE PARTY!

Mark your calendars and grab your family & friends! 

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1ST AT THE CANTON PALACE THEATER - 2PM

FREE viewing of ELF (complimentary cookies, hot chocolate, and popcorn served)

Great giveaways... ipad mini, 2 Kindle Fire HD's, restaurant gift cards 
& a $200 gift certificate to Kalahari!


WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR OUR BEST YEAR YET!
No RSVP Required

Thursday, October 24, 2013

November Market Update...

Loving this autumn weather! 


As fall gifts us a majestic display of warm hues, the most popular question I am asked this time
of year is “How will the change of seasons affect the market?”   Allow me give you an overview
of what can be expected in the Stark County Real Estate market over the next three months…

Trending reveals that the market will stay brisk with buyer activity through the middle of November. During that time you will see sellers get a bit more competitive with pricing, as buyers get a bit more motivated to get under contract and moved into prior to the holidays. 

After mid November through the start of January two things will happen - First, sellers that are not as motivated will take their home off the market. This is great news for the more serious home sellers as it equates to less competition. Second, you will see buyer activity slow down. The flipside is that buyers still looking for a home during that time are going to be highly motivated. The reality is that most everyone looking to buy during those couple of months are usually driven by a serious need to purchase a home.  So, you will see less buyer traffic, BUT the pool of buyers tends to be highly motivated and realistic. 

Another key question to ask when deciding the best time to sell your home is “When does my home look its absolute best?” Often, it's right around the holidays when homes are nicely decorated and warmly accessorized. 


January will usher in tremendous pick up in buyer activity.  All of those buyers that wanted to buy a home in 2013 typically resurface and get very serious about purchasing at the start of the year. 

Each season brings with it definite pros and cons.  My advice…no matter the time of the year, if your house is priced correctly, marketed aggressively and shows nicely… IT WILL SELL. If you would like to discuss strategy regarding the sale of your home, call us at 330-649-5540. 

Saturday, October 5, 2013

"WELCOME FALL" FRONT PORCH CONTEST...

So here's how we do our fall welcome in the Medina home.  We want to see how YOUR front porch says "Welcome Fall".  Take a picture and email it to Accounts@Josesellshomes.com by Sunday, October 20th.  Our team will vote on the best fall welcome and the owners of the winning front porch will receive $25 gift card to an area restaurant of choice! All entries will be posted on our blog.  

We can't wait to see YOUR fall welcome!






Friday, September 27, 2013

Mortgage Rates after the Bernanke Announcement...


bigstockphoto_Property_Prices_814896Last week, Bernard Bernanke startled many by announcing that the Fed will not wind down their bond buying program right now. The program is part of an overall stimulus package geared at bringing back the national economy. The Fed’s purchase of these bonds over the last few years has driven mortgage rates to historic lows. The assumption that there would be a reduction in bond purchases has caused 30 year mortgage rates to spike upward over the last few months.
Surprisingly, Bernanke revealed the Fed will continue bond purchasers at the current pace. What happened and what does it mean to mortgage interest rates?

What would have happened if they reduced bond purchases?

According to Bankrate.com:
“The Fed could have caused rates to shoot up this week if it had announced the tapering of its bond-purchasing program.”

Why did the Fed decide not to start winding down bond purchases?

Moody’s Analytics reported that there were three reasons:
  1. Subpar economic data
  2. Tighter financial conditions
  3. Uncertainty surrounding fiscal policy

What does this mean to a buyer applying for a mortgage?

Those at Bankrate.com explain:
“For now, borrowers have dodged another spike in rates. The Fed's announcement might even cause rates to drop in coming days, says Paul Edelstein, director of financial economics at IHS Global Insight.
‘Mortgage rates should fall back -- not massively, but to some extent,’ he says.
That doesn't mean homebuyers and homeowners should wait for lower rates, mortgage professionals say.
Eventually, once the Fed lets the mortgage market and the economy start walking on their own, rates will probably head back to the 5 percent or 6 percent range, says Scott Schang, manager for Broadview Mortgage Katella in Orange, Calif."

When will the Fed begin winding down bond purchases?

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal:
“Federal Reserve policy makers decided this week that the economy isn't in the right place for them to start winding down their bond-buying program. By the time they meet in December, it might be.
The decision to not start winding down the bond-buying program now was close… The economy only needs to get a little bit better over the next few months for the central bank to get its nerve back. That should be an easy bar for the economy to clear.”
Bernanke himself has not ruled out that the Fed could still scale back the stimulus this year. He stated:
"If the data confirms our basic outlook, then we could move later this year.”

Bottom Line

Ed Conarchy, a mortgage planner at Cherry Creek Mortgage in Gurnee, IL had a great quote in the Bankrate article:
"Remember that rates go up like a rocket and fall like a feather."
Still, Bankrate.com itself probably put it best: Grab the gift before it's gone!

Friday, September 13, 2013

Market Update - Heading into October...


Autumn is upon us, and it sure did come quickly!  With the changing of the seasons, we are seeing an increase in activity. The last two weeks have observed buyers coming out more- and that is refreshing.  We are seeing our listings average about 1 showing per week.  This is our measuring stick against how any particular home is competing with similar homes in their price range.  Considering  the ever evolving market and price being a moving target, we need to respond with a willingness to adjust to market demands.    Physical showings remain the best route weather we are priced according to the market or chasing it .  

This is one of the best times of the year to have your home on the market for a number of reasons…
 1) There are less homes on the market compared to the Spring and Summer markets.
 2) Buyers tend to be more motivated than earlier in the year.  If buyers missed the chance to buy this summer, they are looking to make a move before holidays and winter weather set in.
 3) Interest rates are still amazingly low.  

So if you are thinking of making an adjustment in price, now is a great time to make your home as compelling as possible to buyers. I hope this information helps, and as always we are here for any of your questions or concerns!    

Your Realtor,

Jose Medina

Thursday, August 29, 2013

September Market Update...

As summer drifts to a close and kids once again board the yellow bus, we turn our attention towards a new season.  September is upon us, but what does that mean for the real estate market?  Is the prime selling season over?   What will the rest of the year look like in real estate?  These are just a few of the questions I have been hearing over the last few days… so let us discuss them!


Just because school starts, that does not mean the real estate market will stop!  Actually, September and October are the second busiest buying months of the year, outside of the spring market.  Although many are motivated to get their kids into the right schools prior to the academic year beginning, you will find that the holiday season and change of weather are equally motivating, and sometimes even more so! 

People move for all different reasons: families growing, kids leaving for college, job relocations, sickness, divorce, retirement, estate, to only name a few.  Actually, a very small percentage of the buyers are trying to time their move around the school start.

With all that being said, please keep in mind that going into the fall season we need to make sure that your home is the most attractive home in your price range in both price and staging.  REMEMBER, every house is in a beauty competition AND a pricing war!

Your Realtor, 
Jose Medina


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Weekly Back Chat...

A little client feedback...

"Jose's professionalism, the services he provides are ten steps ahead of anyone else in Canton."

"Jose's team is very professional.  They know what is needed an see that is gets done.  I cannot impress enough how greatly satisfied we are with Jose and his team."  - Diana

Thanks Diana!  It was our pleasure to be a part of your moving journey!