Kat Geralis Home Team Wilmington DE Real Estate News Archives

Blog

Displaying blog entries 1-2 of 2

Market Watch: Upcoming Wilmington, DE Real Estate Trends!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

by Katina Geralis

I consider it a priority, as a Wilmington, DE real estate agent, to stay on top of emerging trends in the local real estate market. It’s important that I use the latest market news and statistics when communicating with my clients because it helps me better understand the individual needs of every Wilmington, DE real estate transaction. When I have a strong grasp of what is happening in both the local and national real estate market, I know what my clients’ needs are and can provide them the best service possible. In recent years, that meant that I had to help more people successfully complete their Wilmington, DE short sale transaction, and this is still the case in today’s market.

Each time a new year begins, I sit down and take the time to review what happened the year before and determine what that could mean for the year to come. As a Wilmington, DE real estate agent, it is how I know what areas of expertise I need to use to best service the needs of the people in my community. Over the past few weeks, I have taken the time to figure out that there are a few changes to come to the Wilmington, DE real estate market. With the intention of preparing you for what is to come, I thought that I’d share a few of the major upcoming trends:

•   Home buyers will make a comeback. Now that jobless claims are decreasing and the condition of the United States economy is slowly improving, more home buyers will be stepping up to the plate this year. Last year, Wilmington, DE real estate consumers lost confidence in the market, which caused sales to go down. Now, some of that confidence has returned, and more people will be willing to make the investment on a home. Once consumer sentiment starts to solidify, more buyers will realize that now really IS the time to buy.
•   Wilmington, DE foreclosures and short sales will likely increase. The robo-signing challenges of late 2010 caused a serious delay in the processing of several foreclosure properties, but now that the situation has been resolved, these proceedings will start back up again. This will cause the value of single-family homes to decrease and will put many homeowners underwater, which will create an increase in Wilmington, DE short sales. This sounds scary, but many lenders are already recognizing this situation and are easing the requirements needed for both refinancing and the short sale process.
•   Home values will continue to go down. With the increase in foreclosures and short sales that are about to enter the market, we will likely see the values of single family homes start to go down. This will be great news for buyers as they embark on their Wilmington, DE home search, however for sellers, this will continue to be a frustrating factor. Since the increase in foreclosures will eat up some of the buyer demand in the market and will impact appraisals, it is likely that more homes will be underwater this year.

Now that you know all about the upcoming trends in the Wilmington, DE real estate market, it’s important to be prepared. Stay smart with your finances and keep your credit scores as high as possible in order to avoid trouble with your mortgage payments. If you feel that you’re already underwater on your Wilmington, DE home, now is not the time to panic. Instead, you should contact your Wilmington, DE real estate agent and discuss your options. You may just qualify for a short sale.

Don’t hesitate to contact me with any of your questions or concerns! I’d be happy to help you out in any way that I possibly can. I will make your real estate needs my priority. I hope to hear from you soon!

Katina Geralis
Wilmington, DE Real Estate Expert
Keller Williams Realty
Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
Visit My Website
Contact Me
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter

Five Ways to Sidestep Foreclosure on Your Wilmington, DE Home!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

by Katina Geralis

As a real estate agent who specializes in Wilmington, DE foreclosures and short sales, I am sympathetic to the fact that going through the foreclosure process is soul-crushing and heartbreaking for even the strongest of individuals. Losing your home is humiliating, devastating and difficult to recover from. If there is one thing that you need to remember if you’re in danger of losing your Wilmington, DE home, it is this: you are not alone. Several people are having problems keeping themselves above water in their mortgage payments. You also need to remember that it may not be too late to rectify the problem.

Part of my responsibility as a Wilmington, DE real estate agent is to take on the role as a counselor and guide. When I come across a client who is struggling to make ends meet at home, I take it upon myself to be both a sympathetic ear and a strong resource for information. If I can help any of my clients avoid a Wilmington, DE foreclosure, then I absolutely do everything I can to help. These five tips could help you avoid the landmine commonly known as “foreclosure” and get yourself back on track to being a happy homeowner.

1. Don’t deny. Face the problem head-on. If you’re one of those people who throw all foreboding, bad news-bearing mail in the trash, I have one word for you: stop. Denying your financial issues won’t get you anywhere in resolving them. If you address each piece of mail as it comes, then you can possibly find a solution early-on and avoid the initial stages of the foreclosure process.

2. Contact your lender early-on and explain your situation. This sounds frightening, and it may not get you anywhere, but I ask you this: is there any harm in trying? If you call your lender when you realize that there’s a problem and explain your struggle, there’s a chance that they’ll adjust your monthly payments to be more affordable or come up with a repayment plan for missed payments. There’s something to be said about people who take responsibility for their issues early-on, and that will receive a better response than acting as though the problem doesn’t exist.

3. Study up on your mortgage rights. If you find that you’re struggling to make payments, then dig up the pile of loan documents that you received when you first bought the home. They may contain information about what your lender can do for you, should you fall behind on payments. This is valuable information to have, so don’t neglect to be aware of it. It could help you avoid a messy situation.

4. Consider selling your Wilmington, DE home. I know that this sounds extreme, but think about it. Selling your home is much better, credit-wise, than having it taken away from you. You could also use the money from the sale to pay back mortgage debt and selling costs. If your home takes awhile to sell, then chances are your lender will stop all foreclosure proceedings once the house in on the market, relieving stress.

5. Explore a Wilmington, DE short sale as an option! Although it is still bad for your credit rating, going through a short sale is still a much better option than going through a foreclosure. The term “short sale” refers to the process that takes place when a lender is willing to let a homeowner sell their property for whatever they can get. After closing, the lender takes what money the home was able to sell for, and all other debt is forgiven. While there is still a bit of a financial recovery process after a short sale, it is less damaging than a foreclosure, and you will be able to move on with your life much faster.

As a Wilmington, DE real estate agent who specializes in short sales and foreclosures, I do everything I can to ensure that anyone who approaches me and expresses that they are having financial issues avoid the painful foreclosure process. The five tips listed above are only a few of many ways that you can sidestep foreclosure on your Wilmington, DE home. If you have any questions about how you can stay above water in your home, don’t hesitate to contact me! I’d love to help you in any way that I can. I hope to hear from you soon!

Katina Geralis
Wilmington, DE Real Estate Expert
Keller Williams Realty
Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
Visit My Website
Contact Me
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter