What is Street Appeal?
I was recently holding a house open one Sunday just up the hill from the house I grew up in. The sun was out and it was one of those warm fall days right before the bite of winter starts to roll in. As I was placing my open signs (a-boards in real estate lingo) out I noticed a group of children hanging out on the grass bank in front of my old house. A few of the kids were straddling their bikes chatting with the rest who were perched on a rather steep slope of lawn. The picture was a timeless one for me. If you were to look in our family photo albums, you’d see a similar scene played out every time the sun came out.
Times have changed. The boys on the bikes were wearing helmets. Absent was the plank of wood propped up on a flimsy metal step-stool. Evil Knievel was the rage and we were busy trying to see who could clear the most squares on the sidewalk. But the vibe of that street was still there. The kids on the street were living it. I could feel it.
There is so much more to a house than the kitchen and the color of the carpets. The intangible items are sometimes what are more valuable to the homeowner than the brand of kitchen appliance. I think this is why the new construction market has taken such a hit as of late. People are looking for a house to have a character, a soul.
Today’s market as challenged as it is a great time to shop for a new house. You’ll have the time to think actually about it, look inside and out. Check out the neighborhood. Try and catch the vibe and see if it’s right for you.
Recent data out from the mortgage brokers is that applications are down some 20%. That means nobody is asking for a mortgage. The banks have money to lend. If you bought a house ten years ago, you’ll recognize the process. The lender will ask you to verify the information on your application with tax returns, bank statements and pay stubs. Gone are the pain free mortgage applications. But if you were to lend someone $400,000 wouldn’t you ask for the information to be real?
As I was leaving I noticed the gathering had evolved, like ours used to, into a game of touch football in the middle of the street. I’m not a big football fan but the noises that rolled up the hill from their game put a smile on my face and memories rolling though my thoughts for the rest of the night.
Times have changed. The boys on the bikes were wearing helmets. Absent was the plank of wood propped up on a flimsy metal step-stool. Evil Knievel was the rage and we were busy trying to see who could clear the most squares on the sidewalk. But the vibe of that street was still there. The kids on the street were living it. I could feel it.
There is so much more to a house than the kitchen and the color of the carpets. The intangible items are sometimes what are more valuable to the homeowner than the brand of kitchen appliance. I think this is why the new construction market has taken such a hit as of late. People are looking for a house to have a character, a soul.
Today’s market as challenged as it is a great time to shop for a new house. You’ll have the time to think actually about it, look inside and out. Check out the neighborhood. Try and catch the vibe and see if it’s right for you.
Recent data out from the mortgage brokers is that applications are down some 20%. That means nobody is asking for a mortgage. The banks have money to lend. If you bought a house ten years ago, you’ll recognize the process. The lender will ask you to verify the information on your application with tax returns, bank statements and pay stubs. Gone are the pain free mortgage applications. But if you were to lend someone $400,000 wouldn’t you ask for the information to be real?
As I was leaving I noticed the gathering had evolved, like ours used to, into a game of touch football in the middle of the street. I’m not a big football fan but the noises that rolled up the hill from their game put a smile on my face and memories rolling though my thoughts for the rest of the night.
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