Homeowners Battle Rising Utility Costs

Savvy homeowners are battling all-time-high energy costs by incorporating building techniques to make their homes more energy efficient. As more people begin to struggle to meet rising utility costs, these practices are expected to grow in popularity.

Just as current owners are renovating with energy savings in mind, new home builders are seeing increased demand for green buildings and energy-efficient homes.

Here are some ideas for how you can reduce your energy consumption – and costs – by selecting building materials and appliances that promise to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Use Highly Rated Energy-Star Appliances: This is not a new idea, but as costs rise, buyers are looking at the yellow energy-consumption tags on new appliances more seriously. Retailers know that buyers are paying more attention to the higher-rated appliances, and this could lead to more advertising and discounts for such products.

Consider How You Heat Your Water: Most homes have a traditional tank-style water heater. However, with rising heating costs, this practice may change. Other options for heating water in your home include solar heating and tankless water heaters.
Solar water heating requires a significant upfront investment, but once it is installed you no longer need to pay for heating the water. Installation includes a pump, plumbing through which the water circulates for exposure to the sun, and possibly large glass tanks for storing the hot water.
A tankless water heater has no storage tank and the water is heated as you need it. Heating water on demand is much less expensive than heating water and storing it until it is needed.

Supplement Your Electricity: Installing photovoltaic roof shingles instead of standard asphalt shingles lets you use the sun’s energy to generate supplemental electricity for your home. A wire is pulled from each shingle and connected to the home’s power grid. You might not be able to generate enough electricity to meet all your needs, but with rising costs, every bit of savings can be a huge help to homeowners.
If you are considering a new roof or you are building a home, consider using this roofing material to decrease your utility bills.

Consider Your Home’s Placement: If your home was built 50 or more years ago, it probably is already more energy efficient than most new homes. This is because central air-conditioning was not prevalent in the past. To keep homes cool in the summer, windows were located strategically for cross-drafts. Also, the largest windows were designed to receive the morning sun, thereby helping to heat the home.
As energy prices declined, many homes were built without these considerations. However, today’s builders are beginning to return to traditional building practices in order to have more energy-efficient homes.

Consider Your Window Treatments: Whether you live in a new or old home, or are building your home, you can control your window treatments. What you put on your windows can make a serious different in your home’s heating and cooling costs. Light- and heat-filtering blinds and heavy draperies may significantly reduce the need for continuous air-conditioning.

Hopefully, this information has given you some ideas for countering rising energy costs. By using one or more of these suggestions, you can make your home more energy efficient. If you decide to sell your home in the future, these updates may make your home more attractive to buyers.

This is an excellent window cleaner that costs about a quarter per bottle. Use it with newspaper for a clean you won’t believe!

Window Cleaner Recipe (Compliments of Heloise)
12 to 16 ounces water
1/2 cup white or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol (70%)
1-2 drops blue or green food coloring, if desired1-2 drops lavender, cinnamon, clove or orange essential oil.
Combine the ingredients and pour into a labeled spray bottle.
1. Spray the newspaper.
2. Wipe down the window to avoid drips.
3. Wipe one side of the window vertically, and the other horizontally, so you will know which side a streak is on!
This bottle of nice-smelling window cleaner can cost as little as 25 cents. The solution also works well on mirrors and glass shower doors.

Fire Safety!

TAKE THE FIRE SAFETY QUIZ (answers at the bottom)!!
Fire Prevention Week Quiz
"It's Fire Prevention Week October 5 – October 11. Prevent Home Fires is the theme for 2008!"
Your home should be a safe haven. But do you regularly check for home fire hazards? If not, there is the potential for danger. Take this new Fire Prevention Week quiz and see how many questions you can answer correctly. Good luck!

1. The leading causes of home fire deaths are:
A. Cooking and heating.
B. Cooking and electrical.
C. Smoking and electrical.
D. Smoking and heating.

2. You should stay in the kitchen when you are:
A. Baking.
B. Frying.
C. Simmering.
D. Steaming.

3. Most heating fire deaths are caused by:
A. Chimneys.
B. Furnaces.
C. Space heaters.
D. Wood stoves.

4. You should never smoke in a home with:
A. Gas heat.
B. Older adults.
C. Oxygen in use.
D. Paper clutter.

5. When you leave a room in which there is a candle burning you should?
A. Blow out the candle.
B. Move the candle away from anything that can burn.
C. Take children and pets with you.
D. Check the candle frequently.

6. Smoke alarms should be replaced every?
A. 5 years.
B. 10 years.
C. 15 years.
D. 20 years.

7. Smoke alarms should be placed in?
A. Bedrooms, outside sleeping areas and kitchens.
B. Bedrooms, outside sleeping areas and on every level of the home.
C. Kitchens, outside sleeping areas and on every level of the home.
D. Outside sleeping areas and on every level of the home including the attic.

8. Space heaters should be how many feet from things that can burn?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

9. To prevent electrical shocks in the bathroom you should have?
A. Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters.
B. Circuit Breakers.
C. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters.
D. Tamper Resistant Receptacles.

10. You should call a professional electrician when?
A. Your circuit breaker trips.
B. You lose your electricity.
C. You purchase a home.
D. Your outlets are warm.

11. A home fire escape plan must show?
A. Two fire escapes from each level and an outside meeting place.
B. Two outside meeting places and the fire department phone number.
C. Two ways out of the home and an outside meeting place.
D. Two ways out of each room and an outside meeting place.

12. If there are smokers in your home, they should smoke
A. In the kitchen.
B. In the basement.
C. In the garage.
D. Outside the home.

13. Extension cords should be
A. Used only if it has the label of a recognized testing laboratory and following instructions provided.
B. Secured under furniture so it is out of the way.
C. Placed under a carpet so it doesn't get damaged.
D. All of the above.

14. Heating equipment should be inspected
A. Every year.
B. When you move into a house.
C. When it's not working properly.
D. All of the above.

15. If the oil catches fire in a pan while cooking, you should?
A. Carry the pan to the sink.
B. Put the fire out with baking soda and turn the burner off.
C. Throw water on the pan and turn the burner off.
D. Slide a lid over the pan and turn off the burner off.

ANSWERS:
1. Smoking and heating
2. Frying
3. Space heaters
4. Oxygen in use
5. Blow out the candle
6. 10 years
7. Bedrooms, outside sleeping areas and on every level of the home
8. 3
9. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters
10. Your outlets are warm
11. Two ways out of each room and an outside meeting place
12. Outside the home
13. Used only if it has the label of a recognized testing laboratory and following instructions provided
14. All of the above
15. Slide a lid over the pan and turn off the burner off

Looking To Sell?

Here are some tips to get your home ready!

Fence:
Replace missing slats, stakes and posts.
Repair broken hinges and paint or stain the fence if necessary.

Yard:
Mow, trim and fertilize lawn.
Weed flower beds and replace dead plants and trees.
Driveway and garage:
Clean up grease or oil spots on concrete surfaces.
Make sure the garage door opens freely and the automatic door opener is working.
Provide an unobstructed view of your home from the street by not parking cars, boats or other vehicles in the driveway.

Front Entry:
Polish door handles and door knockers.
Replace worn or broken items, such as an unsightly mailbox or rusty doorbell.
Be sure porch lights are working and add welcoming features such as a new door mat and flowering plants.

Siding and Trim:
Consider painting the highlight features of your homes, such as trim work, shutters, gutters, down spouts and railings.
If necessary, add a fresh coat of exterior paint to the siding.

Roof:
Remove debris such as tree branches and leaves.
Make any necessary repairs to worn shingles or cracked surfaces.

Patio and Deck:
Flowering plants and outdoor furniture add appeal.
Remove any unnecessary items such as gardening equipment.
Tidy any visible items, such as an outdoor grill or barbeque.

Doors and Windows:
Consider adding a fresh coat of paint to your front door.
Polish brass fixtures and be sure door locks work properly.
Oil hinges to both doors and windows.
Keep stairways tidy and secure handrails.
Repair or replace bent or damaged screens and window glass.
Cut back outdoor plants that restrict natural light.
Keep windows clean and tidy with draperies firmly affixed and in proper working order.
Repair or replace missing or damaged tile, hardwood, vinyl and baseboards.
Steam-clean or shampoo carpets.
Secure loose carpeting and replace damaged areas.
Be conscious of odors caused by dampness, high-traffic areas or pets.

Closets and Storage Areas:
Ample storage space increases the desirability of the home.
Keep closets tidy.
Discard any unnecessary items and consider storing those things you do not use frequently.
Remember that less is more!
Bedrooms and Living Areas:
Keep living areas clean and inviting.
Arrange furniture to allow a spacious at atmosphere.
Make beds, arrange couch cushions, dust shelves, vacuum carpets and touch up walls with paint or spackling as necessary.
Wallpaper should be clean and adhere smoothly to walls.
Finishing touches such as flowers or candles add to the home’s appeal.
Remember that less is more!

Kitchens and Bathrooms:
Clear counters, drawers and cabinets of unnecessary items.
Clean soap dishes, mirrors, faucets, and appliances (inside and out).
Store cleaning supplies and hang freshly washed towels.
Be aware of and eliminate odors caused by dampness and hampers.
Remember that less is more!

Counters and Cabinets:
Store infrequently used counter-top items to allow a spacious look in the kitchen and bathroom.
Keep drawers and cabinets tidy and organized.

Garage and Workshop:
Items should be neatly stored in the shelving or wall units.
Allow appropriate space for the home buyer to visualize their vehicle or workbench.
Consider moving excess or over-sized items to mini storage.

First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

The $7,500 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit for homes purchased April 9, 2008 - June 30, 2009.

What is the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit?
The Tax Credit is part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, signed into law on July 30, 2008. The intent of the tax credit is two fold:
• To provide a financial resource for home buyers in the year that they purchase a home
• To provide a stimulus to the housing market and the economy, helping to stabilize home prices and increase home sales.

The law provides a tax credit equal to ten percent of the qualified home purchase price. The credit is capped at $7,500.

The credit is essentially an interest-free loan. Home buyers are required to repay the credit to the government, without interest, over 15 years in equal installments or when they sell the house.

Who is Eligible?
• First-time home buyers, defined as a buyer who has not owned a principal residence in the previous three years
• U.S. citizens who file tax returns
• Eligible properties include any single family home that will be used as a principal residence (including condos and co-ops)
• To qualify, buyers must close on the sale of the home between April 9, 2008 and June 30, 2009

Income Limits
• The full $7,500 credit is available for individuals with modified adjusted gross income (per IRS definition) of no more than $75,000 ($150,000 for couples filing jointly)
• A partial credit is available for individuals with modified adjusted gross income between $75,000 and $95,000 (between $150,000 and $170,000 for couples filing jointly)

Is the Tax Credit “Refundable?
• Yes. The credit reduces the income tax liability for the year of purchase
• The credit can be claimed even if the taxpayer has little or no federal income tax liability to offset. Typically this involves the government sending the taxpayer a check for a portion or even
all of the amount of the refundable tax credit

Payback Provisions
• Home buyers claiming a $7,500 credit would repay the credit at $500 per year via their tax returns. They do not have to begin repayments until two years after the credit was claimed
• If the home owner sells the home, the remaining credit would be due from the profit of the home sale
• If there is insufficient profit from the sale, the remaining credit payback would be forgiven

The Twin Cities is Clean....

Thanks to Renee Erickson of Bloomington, MN for the following tidbit!

Forbes ranked Mpls/St. Paul as the 9th cleanest city in America!

9: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
The Twin Cities rank first among major metros for healthy ozone levels, which counters so-so rankings for waste removal spending and water quality.

What The New Housing Law Means For You..

Thank you Leslie Swimms from Dallas GA, for the following article!

The housing rescue bill, signed into law July 30, 2008, is full of goodies and not-so-goodies for homeowners and those who aspire to be homeowners. Here are some highlights.

First-time homeowner tax credit-The law will extend a tax credit of up to $7,500 to first-time homebuyers. A first-time homebuyer is defined as someone who hasn't owned a home in three years. The tax credit is for 10 percent of the purchase price, up to $7,500, but phases out for higher-income homeowners. Homeowners are eligible for the tax credit if they bought after April 8 of this year and before July 1, 2009. This is a tax credit, not a deduction. It reduces the homeowners' tax bill by up to $7,500 for the tax year in which the purchase was made. If you buy a house this year, you get the tax credit for the 2008 tax year -- the one with a filing deadline of April 15, 2009. If you buy a house next year by the end of June, you get the tax credit for the 2009 tax year. It's a one-time credit; you don't get to keep taking it year after year. There is a catch, and that is that the money has to be repaid over 15 years, starting two years after you buy the house. That makes the tax credit an interest-free loan. If you take the full $7,500 tax credit, your income tax bill will increase by $500 a year for 15 years. If you sell the house before then, you'll have to pay Uncle Sam the remaining balance. Complex issues, such as divorce, death, sale of the house at a loss and conversion of the house into a vacation home are accounted for in the law.

Forgiveness to allow refinancing into FHA- A lot of people have fallen behind on their mortgage payments after the rates went up on their adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs. And they can't refinance into fixed-rate loans because their homes have lost value, and they owe more than their houses are worth. The housing rescue law seeks to help these people get out of trouble. It encourages lenders to forgive some of their debt so they can refinance at lower amounts into mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA. It works like this: The lender has to forgive all the debt above 90 percent of the home's current appraised value. If that leaves you scratching your head, here is a hypothetical example, using round numbers: Sometime before Jan. 1 this year, you bought a house for $125,000 and got an ARM for $110,000 after making a $15,000 down payment. But the house lost value. Now it's worth $100,000, based on an appraisal. Meanwhile, the ARM's rate went up and you can't afford the full payment every month. Under this law, the lender would forgive everything you owe above $90,000. Let's say that you owe $105,000 of that original $110,000 loan. The lender would forgive $15,000, and let you pay off the loan for $90,000. The lender would not be allowed to seek any of that $15,000 later. That allows you to find another lender who would underwrite a $90,000 mortgage to be insured by the FHA. That loan amount would include the upfront FHA insurance premium of roughly $2,700. Again, there is a catch. If you take refuge in this program, you'll have to share your home-price appreciation with the FHA. If you sell the house (or refinance the loan) less than a year after refinancing into the FHA loan, the FHA gets all of the house price appreciation. The FHA's cut decreases over the next five years -- but never goes below 50 percent. What does this mean to the borrower? Take the example above. You refinanced when the house was appraised at $100,000. A little over two years later, you sell the house for $120,000. You split that $20,000 difference with the FHA. In this case, because it's between two and three years later, the FHA gets 80 percent. The FHA would get $16,000 and you would get $4,000. The equity-sharing arrangement goes like this: If you refinance or sell less than a year after getting the FHA loan, the government gets 100 percent of the home price appreciation. If it's more than a year but less than two years, the FHA gets 90 percent. The FHA's cut then decreases by 10 percent until the five-year mark. Anytime after that, the FHA gets half of the appreciation, no matter how long you have the loan or own the house. This arrangement will encourage homeowners to keep their FHA-insured mortgages for at least five years, but to refinance before home prices zoom upward again.

Working with home equity debt- The government has been trying all year to encourage lenders to forgive debt so homeowners can refinance their loans for lesser amounts and remain in their houses. Lenders have been reluctant to forgive the debt. The FHA-refinance plan is another way of encouraging debt forgiveness. Among the sticking points: Many homeowners have home equity lines of credit or home equity loans. In most cases, these lenders will lose that entire loan balance under the FHA-refinance plan. The new law is low on specifics, but it gives the FHA permission to give second lienholders a cut of the home price appreciation proceeds that the FHA collects.

Down payment assistance soon to be a thing of the past- The new housing rescue law bans down payment assistance programs such as the ones offered by Nehemiah and AmeriDream. The ban goes into effect Oct. 1. Down payment assistance programs took advantage of a loophole in the way the FHA treats down payments. To get an FHA-insured mortgage, the homeowner has to make a down payment of at least 3 percent. Homeowners don't have to save even that much; the 3 percent can come as a gift from family members or nonprofit organizations. Regulations don't allow the home seller to provide the down payment money. That's where down payment assistance programs come in. They are nonprofits. That allows the seller to give the 3 percent down payment money to Nehemiah or AmeriDream, and then Nehemiah or AmeriDream can turn around and "give" the down payment to the homebuyer as a "donation." Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac don't allow sellers to indirectly give down payments to buyers. But the FHA has allowed this type of transaction for years. The FHA has long complained that down payment assistance programs artificially inflate house prices, and that loans using down payment assistance are more likely to default. But prominent congressional democrats have protected the down payment assistance programs on the grounds that they allow many minority families to become first-time homebuyers. House Democrats wanted to keep the loophole open, and Senate leaders wanted to close it. With this law, the Senate won.

Property tax deductions for all homeowners- Under current law, you can deduct your property taxes from federal income tax -- but only if you itemize deductions on Schedule A. That leaves out people who don't have enough deductions to warrant filling out Schedule A. They have to take the standard deduction -- and that means they can't deduct their property taxes.
The housing law changes that. For homeowners who pay property taxes, it increases the standard deduction by $500 for single filers and $1,000 for couples filing jointly. This will be a boon to people, such as retirees, who own their houses outright, and therefore don't pay any mortgage interest, so they can't itemize. You can't increase the standard deduction by more than the property-tax bill. So if you're married filing jointly and you pay $800 in property taxes, you get an $800 deduction, not a $1,000 deduction.

More regulations on reverse mortgages- A reverse mortgage is an advance against home equity. It's for homeowners age 62 or older, and the reverse mortgage doesn't have to be repaid until the borrowers die or move out. Because reverse mortgages are for elderly borrowers, there is concern that dishonest lenders and brokers take advantage of borrowers. Borrowers are required to get counseling first, to learn the pros and cons of reverse mortgages. The law will result in strengthened qualifications for counselors. The law bars insurance salesmen from originating reverse mortgages and prohibits originators from requiring homeowners to buy annuities or insurance products. (There's one big exception: The FHA insures reverse mortgages, and borrowers will buy that coverage.) Finally, the law limits origination fees on reverse mortgages. They can't exceed 2 percent of a reverse mortgage of up to $200,000. For a reverse mortgage amount above that, the limit is $4,000, plus 1 percent of the loan amount above $200,000. Origination fees can't exceed $6,000 in any case. In future years, this upper limit is indexed to inflation.

Veterans- Service members returning from active duty abroad will be given breaks, effective immediately now that the bill has been signed into law. Some protections apply to service members whose military obligations affect their ability to repay debts -- primarily, reservists and members of the National Guard who are called to active duty. They have to leave their jobs and, in many cases, take pay cuts. For these service members, there are protections having to do with foreclosures and interest rates. If a service member had a mortgage before entering active duty, a lender can't start foreclosure proceedings until nine months after the service member returns from active duty. Formerly, the protection period was 90 days. Also, when someone with a mortgage is called up to active duty, the interest rates on all previously existing debt are capped at 6 percent. That goes for mortgages -- and for home loans, that 6 percent cap extends until one year after the service member returns from active duty. The Defense Department will be required to provide foreclosure-prevention counseling upon request to service members who are returning from active duty abroad.

What Is A Reverse Mortgage?

President Ronald W. Reagan signed the FHA Reverse Mortgage Legislation (S. 825) on February 5, 1988 and congress has been improving this program ever since. If you are a senior over 62 and own 35% or more of your home, you may be eligible to tap into your equity and pull funds for whatever your need is.

According to AARP 48% of all senior citizens (half!) are pulling funds from their retirement, savings, equity and other solutions to help their children during these struggling times.
The economy is in a recession, we're in a war, natural disasters, high gasoline prices etc... Most senior homeowners are looking for a solution to remedy the above problems. Fortunately, there are options. A reverse mortgage may be the right option for you. We have found that senior homeowners are using this equity strategy to utilize services such as:
Pay off existing mortgage(s)
Stop mortgage payments
Enhance lifestyle
Take a vacation(s)
Pay off credit card(s) or any debts
Repair/remodel home
Add extra monthly income
Pay for medication(s)
Stop a foreclosure
Help out a family member
Buy a recreation vehicle

Congress approved this program and it is FHA insured.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Mortgage rates are rising because of the troubles at loan finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, threatening to deal another blow to the faltering housing market.
Even as policymakers rushed to support the two companies, home-loan rates approached their highest levels in five years.

The average interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose to 6.71 percent on Tuesday, from 6.44 percent on Friday, according to HSH Associates, a publisher of consumer rates. The average rate for so-called jumbo loans, which cannot be sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, was 7.8 percent, the highest since December 2000.

Loan rates are rising because of concern in the financial markets about the future of Fannie and Freddie, which own or guarantee nearly half of the nation's $12 trillion mortgage market.
Worried about the companies' financial health, bond investors are driving up interest rates on their debt, and the added cost is being passed on to consumers through the mortgage markets. For a $400,000 loan, the increase in 30-year rates in the last few days would add $71 to a monthly bill, or $852 a year.

The rise in rates is of greatest concern for homeowners whose mortgages require them only to pay the interest due on their loans for the first few years. If such borrowers are unable to refinance into lower-cost loans, many of them will face the prospect of having to pay both interest and principal at higher, adjustable rates. For borrowers with a $400,000 loan, such a jump could send their monthly payments to $2,338 from $1,417, estimated Louis S. Barnes, a mortgage broker at Boulder West Financial in Boulder, Colo.

While mortgage rates approached those levels earlier this year and in 2007 during times of stress in the financial markets, the latest move adds urgency to the government's efforts to restore confidence in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Lawmakers this week are expected to vote on a measure that would give the Treasury Department authority to lend more money to and buy shares in the companies if they falter.

The uncertainty surrounding the two companies is the latest in a series of pressures bearing down on the housing market and the broader economy. Higher interest rates make it harder and more expensive to refinance existing debts and buy homes.

"When we get to rate levels like this, the market just shuts down," Barnes said.
While mortgage rates remain relatively low by historical standards, they are higher than what homeowners and the economy became accustomed to during the recent housing boom. Lending standards have tightened significantly in the last 12 months, and many popular loans no longer are available.

A government report based on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan data said on Tuesday that home prices fell 4.8 percent in May from a year earlier. That compared to a 4.6 percent decline in April. Other home price indexes that track a broader set of loans show much bigger declines.
Analysts say the rise in rates is a result of weaker demand for securities backed by home mortgages and of rising concern about inflation, which tends to send bond prices down and bond rates up.

In a securities filing released on Friday, Freddie Mac suggested that it might have to reduce or slow the growth of its mortgage portfolio to bolster its capital.

Freddie and Fannie together own about $1.5 trillion in mortgage securities and home loans, and they guarantee another $3.7 trillion in securities held by other investors. The companies have a combined net worth of $55 billion as of March. Analysts and critics say the companies need significantly more capital to cushion the blow of growing losses on the more-risky mortgages made during the recent boom.

Five Reasons To Hire An Agent...

Selling your home is a daunting task full of potential blunders for a novice. Here’s why an agent is worth the commission.

Judy Moore of Re/Max Landmark Realtors in Lexington, Mass., says that today's topsy-turvy housing market is just too treacherous to go it alone. She offered five reasons why homeowners are better off selling their property with an agent:

1. Employ an expert: A typical property owner does not have anywhere near the home-selling experience of a real-estate agent. Agents can recommend relatively simple improvements — painting, repairing, decluttering — that can help a home sell faster and for a better price. "The Realtor is the neighborhood expert," Moore says. "We can walk through a property and see right away what needs to be done to [get the home sold]." Independent sellers might not be aware of these tricks of the trade.

2. Use better tools: Homeowners using agents can get their property listed on Realtor.com, "which has more far-reaching access to market that property — with over 3 million properties on it — than the for-sale-by-owner sites, which have tens of thousands," Moore says. Independent sellers do not have access to this service. (Realtor.com is an MSN Real Estate partner.)

3. Sidestep lawsuits: Agents can also protect sellers from potential litigation. "There are all kinds of liability issues that a seller could potentially face when ... dealing one-on-one with a buyer," Moore says. A homeowner could, for example, tell a potential buyer that hardwood floors extend to all corners of the house underneath the wall-to-wall carpeting. But if even one room has concrete flooring, the homeowner could be sued, Moore says. Agents, who have experience dealing with these liability issues, can help homeowners dodge such scenarios.

4. Duck the riffraff: Independent sellers might not have any idea whom they are letting into their homes during open houses. These potential buyers might not have the credit to make the purchase — and would therefore be wasting the home owner's time — or could even "try to rob them later on," Moore says. "It's a very scary kind of thing." She says that homeowners working with agents will have qualified buyers visiting their properties.

5. Avoid hardball tactics: It's a buyer's market out there. And with all the information available online, today's well-informed buyers are tough negotiators. Real-estate agents have been through the home-selling process before and are trained in negotiating tactics, giving them a potential edge in hammering out a deal in the seller's best interest. "It's hard to do that with your own property, particularly if you are not a professional," Moore says.

article courtesy of msn.com