Have you become frustrated with the mortgage market and trying to get a loan to purchase your new home? Well, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

Have you ever considered doing a Bond For Deed purchase. This will give you time to get all your finances in order and to shop around for the best mortgage available. also this is a way to give you time to repair your credit if there is a problem.

Bond for Deed is:

The provisions for a Bond for Deed is found at LRS 9:2941, et seq. The bond for deed is defined as being a contract to sell real property, in which the purchase price is to be paid by the buyer to the seller in installments and in which the seller, after payments of a stipulated sum, agrees to deliver title to the buyer.

Buyers often ask, “How much flexibility is there in the seller’s asking price?” The answer varies from seller to seller, but a seller might be willing to make a concession if he or she initially priced the property too high.If a homeowner is realistic from the beginning and there was an accurate assessment of the property’s true market value, then the list price may well reflect the price the house should generate. In cases like this, there probably won’t be much need to negotiate.

Another factor that influences negotiability is the seller’s pricing strategy. This will also vary from property to property. Some believe it aids the selling process to build a little cushion in the price, just for the sake of negotiation. Other sellers recognize that they’ll never get to the negotiating stage unless they have a high number of interested buyers, and they figure that a competitive price will generate a higher level of interest.

Property value is determined largely by supply and demand factors, also known as market forces. Market forces are out of the individual seller’s and buyer’s control. A competitive market analysis should be done to accurately calculate property value.

When you are ready to buy or sell, give me a call. I can use current sales data to help you determine a price that is reflective of market values and meets your needs.

The old saying is certainly worthy of this subject: There is a first time for everything. And now seems the time for that first home. Local Realtors and housing experts agree, the timing to make the move into that first house is one of the best in decades.

Property professionals encourage acting now to capitalize on the present buyer’s market. Inventory of homes throughout the area is strong, with buyers having multiple options from which to select.

 Buying a home can be one of life’s most exciting experiences – and one of the most challenging.

I can guide you through each step of the process and help you select a home that’s right for you.  I offer:

• Unsurpassed knowledge of the market area
• Access to over thousands of properties through the Multiple Listing Service  
• Internet access
• Membership in a variety of Real Estate Associations
• Strong relationships with local lenders
• Knowledge of available financing programs
• I am a full-time realtor, dedicated to providing full-time service to all my clients.
• I am a life-long resident of the New Orleans Metropolitain area.
• Well educated in the Real Estate market in St. Bernard and surrounding area.
• Member of the National Association of Realtors.
• Member of the Louisiana Association of Realtors.
• Member of the New Orleans Board of Realtors.
• Member of the Womens Council Of Real Estate.

We frequently hear we’re supposed to regularly check our credit reports. And staying on top of this is especially important when starting to shop for a new home. There are three main credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These bureaus store consumer credit histories by the millions, and hundreds of thousands of businesses tap these bureaus for their data about you. Unfortunately, mistakes can happen. Especially if you’re not the only “Bob Johnson” or “Susan Smith” who lives in St. Louis. 

Let’s say you receive a copy of your credit report and find a mistake—what do you do?  What if there’s an old collection account showing as unpaid when you have the paid receipt and a letter stating that the account has been settled?

Your credit report will show which of the three credit bureaus are reporting the error, and you’ll get a toll-free number to call.  But if you have ever called one of these numbers, you know to expect anything but friendly service. You know the drill, “Press 1 for English, Press 2 if you are a consumer, Press 3 if you’d like to enroll in our…” and so on.  It’s likely you’ll either leave a voicemail or listen to some sales pitch for a credit protection service. But all you want is to get your credit fixed so you can clean up your report.

You’ll be asked to fax your documentation, fill out some forms and then wait for the bureau to fix the report and update your file. This can take time, sometimes weeks. Luckily, there is an easier way: let your loan officer handle it for you.

That’s right. You can give that very same documentation to your loan officer and they can  have the offending item removed from your credit report in minutes. How can they do it so quickly?

Mortgage lenders use credit reporting agencies. Often. And those same agencies hire customer service representatives to make sales calls to all those mortgage companies.  One of their services allows the lender to provide the corrected documentation showing the collection account as having been paid to the credit agency, who will then update the credit report almost immediately. What once showed up as an “unpaid” collection account now rightly shows as “paid.” It’s that easy.

It’s important to regularly check your credit, and if you do find yourself in a situation where your credit report has an error on it, don’t go to the bureaus directly. Instead, take advantage of the relationship your lender has with the credit agencies. Your mortgage specialist can fix things much quicker than you can.

Looking to buy? Want a GREAT Deal? Come look in St. Bernard Parish.

Welcome to a place with a rich heritage and tradition that maintains it’s sense of community and small town charm on the edge of the city.

St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana - is a sportsmans paradise offering some of the best fishing and hunting in the country. Boaters, skiers, anglers and hunters are served by many marinas and many public boat launches.

St. Bernard offers an assortment of attractions that reveal its rich history such as; The Chalmette National Battle field and Cemetery, The San Bernado Scenic Byway, Islenos Musemu, Ducros Museum, St. Bernard State Park, and many other memorable sites.

Prior to hurricane Katrina, St. Bernard Parish, with close access to the Central Business District of New Orleans (only five miles from the Orleans Parish line at Arabi), low crime rates and one of the areas best performing public school systems, offered the best home values in the New Orleans Metro region. According to the 2000 census St. Bernard Parish offered the most cost effective housing value in the region.

For information on homes for sale in St. Bernard Parish, please, visit my website at: joyceguidroz.com or your kellerwilliamsrealtor.com.

What Credit Score do need ?

720-800 Superb!

700-719 Wonderful. You should get top rates.

680-699 Good. Good rates and good terms.

660-679 All right. Pay a little higher costs and rates.

640-659 Okay score if you have a good income.

620-639 Weak. You need a good income and good                   downpayment.

600-619 Poor. Use creative loan broker and pay                more loan costs.

580-599 Almost impossible without large                downpayment.

Under 580 Work of fixing credit without delay

Tips to Raise Credit Scores

1. Reduce your credit card balances.
2. Pay off small loans (car, student loans, etc) before making application for a house loan.
3. Pay all your credit cards and loans on time each month.
4. Avoid unnecessary inquiries for new credit.
5. Remove expired negative records (collections, bankruptcy) from credit reports by submitting all information pertaining to your credit in a letter.
6. Identify &remove negative fraudulent records from your credit reports. 
7. Most updates take 30-60 days to appear on your credit reports. Watch your credit reports with a monitoring service to track improvements and check your credit scores often.

DO YOU KNOW?How much inventory is on the market and how to calculate the months on the market!Through calculation with the absorption rate you determine just how much in months of inventory. There is over $2 billion worth of inventory for the Southshore.Over $335 million on the Westbank with 7898 and 1560 units respectfully (active properties). We also determined that there were 641 properties sold in areas 1-85, and 141 40-55, (Westbank), specifically in the last 30 days. Divide 7898/641, and 1560/141, which equals 12.32 and 11.06.                                                            This tells us that there is over 12 months of inventory on the Southshore, and 11 months on the Westbank.

1. De-Clutter!

Make sure you pick up all those little items that are only there to take up space and make a room look small.
2. Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.

Make sure to clean out all closets and cabinets. It make you look tiddy and make them look spacious.

3. Rent a Storage Unit.

If you have more furniture than you house, PLEASE, rent a storage unit and put most of your belongings in there until you get your BIGGER house.

4. Remove/Replace Favorite Items.

If the mirror in the bathroom or the light fixtures in the dining room belonged to your grandmother then take them down and replace them with nice replacements.

5. Make Minor Repairs. The minor repairs are what will kill a deal. FIX IT!

6. Make the House Sparkle!

Make sure your home is CLEAN! CLEAN!

7. Check Curb Appeal.

Make sure your landscaping is BEAUTIFUL!

8. Then call Joyce Guidroz to list your house! 504-390-7651