During the home buying process you may be asked to provide an earnest money deposit. But what is an earnest money deposit exactly? After an offer has been made on the house and when buyers execute a purchase contract, the contract specifies how much money the buyer is initially putting up to secure the contract. It's a basically a good faith deposit, to show "good faith" and that you are serious in purchasing the house. It is money that you give to the home owner to insure an offer to buy the home. The earnest money will be applied to the final price of the house, but can be forfeited if you back out without legal cause. Earnest money deposits however should not to be confused with a down payment . How much earnest money do I need to deposit? The amount of the good faith deposit is usually dependent upon the agreed sale price of the real estate. Typically there is no set amount but deposits vary and typically can range anywhere from 1 to 3 percent of the sales price.

During the moving process you may find yourself needing a storage facility to store your belongings. You may need help storing items between leaving your old home and before you can move into your new one. If you are selling your home, you may need to store some items to help reduce clutter during the showing process. Whatever your situation, there are different options, read more below to find one that will work best for you. Self Storage Facilities These consist of mini-storage units that can be rented in a variety of sizes to accommodate your storage needs. If you are not sure of what size you may need, use this estimator to help determine the best size you may need. This option works best for items that you are likely to retrieve, but don't have available space at home. Depending on the facility, self storage is usually convenient and accessible and reasonably priced. Typically you move your items into the unit yourself, or if you have a couple of heavier items, check to

According to the annual study by Men's Fitness magazine Albuquerque has been ranked #3 on The Top 10 Fittest Cities in 2008. For the study, the magazine takes almost two dozen factors into account, such as a city's sports participation rates, time spent working out, number of parks, average commute time, television viewing rates and legislative health initiatives. Below are some of the positive facts the study noted about our town: • Our city's 361 parks are among the most in the nation on a per-capita basis. • Mayor Martin J. Chavez sets a positive example, exercising as much as 5 days per week and also participates in more fitness-related events than most mayors. • Albuquerque residents participate in sports much more than average - 8 percent more than average. • Albuquerque's park acreage per capita is 278 percent higher than average and the 2nd highest in their survey. Research has found a connection between access to parks and green space and reduced o

It's a maxim in real estate that the three most crucial factors in selecting a house are "location, location, location." It's also true! No matter how wonderful the house is, the location is key to how well you'll like living in it and how well it sells when you're ready to move on. Before you buy, carefully check the following factors to be sure the house you like is really the one you want to live in. Consider destinations Where will family members go most often from this new location? How easy is it to reach those places from the house? How accessible are schools, churches, grocery stores, medical care, public transportation, shopping malls and emergency services? Be sure rooms have a view What is the view from the house and yard? Is the yard right for your anticipated activities? What uses are possible for nearby undeveloped land? Is a new road or commercial development planned? Check around the clock Is rush hour traffic a problem? What will be the

It's a maxim in real estate that the three most crucial factors in selecting a house are "location, location, location." It's also true! No matter how wonderful the house is, the location is key to how well you'll like living in it and how well it sells when you're ready to move on. Before you buy, carefully check the following factors to be sure the house you like is really the one you want to live in. Consider destinations Where will family members go most often from this new location? How easy is it to reach those places from the house? How accessible are schools, churches, grocery stores, medical care, public transportation, shopping malls and emergency services? Be sure rooms have a view What is the view from the house and yard? Is the yard right for your anticipated activities? What uses are possible for nearby undeveloped land? Is a new road or commercial development planned? Check around the clock Is rush hour traffic a problem? What will be the i

Albuquerque Real Estate PEG YOUR HOME PRICE TO MARKET TRENDS The asking price for a home is exactly that -- an asking price. It is usually determined by sales prices of comparable homes in the community. Depending on whether your market is hot or not, the right price may be set higher or lower than the last sales price of a similar home in your community. It's usually wise to lead the market. If prices are dropping, get in front of that curve and price slightly lower than the last sales price so the home doesn't linger. Conversely, if prices are rising, it's often a good idea to set your home's price near the top compared with other similar homes that have sold in your area. The key is to price your home so that it compares favorably with other homes that buyers are considering. We can help you determine how your home compares with other similar homes that have sold recently in your area. In addition, we can keep you up to date about current home values and home-s

It's doing nicely, thank you! Lots of questions lately about how the market is doing. It is following exactly the same pattern as it always does. Location is essential. Staging and preparation is essential, and pricing is TOPS. Resist the tempation to "chase" the market with your pricing. Don't start out high to leave room for negotiation. Don't leave this up to chance. Price right NOW. Negotiations will take alot of difference faces, and price sometimes isn't one of the elements. If you are priced right, a quick sale will happen - and I don't mean overnight..sometimes days...but you will see the results quickly. The Days on the Market has increased slightly, but only by a number of days. This can be attributed to the holiday period, so now is the time to dust off the THINGS TO DO and get your home ready to sell. Request a free on-line copy of my seller's preparation booklet - http://www.realestateinabq.com/free_seller_tips.html

We have seen a decline of Single family home listing inventory – the number dropped from 6,131 in Oct of 2007 to 5,523 for Dec 2007.” The Average Sales Price for the same period has decreased from $246,522 to $240,602, so with those numbers, you can see that now is a perfect time to take advantage of the slight drop in prices. While inventory is slightly down, the sellers are more anxious to sell and more open to offers that meet both buyer and seller needs. Because the average Days on Market has increased from 51 Days in Oct to 60 Days in Dec. the sellers are anxious to see you! Ask for a free copy of my book "Get the Best Deal When Selling Your Home", Albuquerque Edition - call or email me today! Linda DeVlieg 505-440-7200 www.RealEstateInABQ.com

Most people take electrical power for granted, never thinking about whether it will be there when they need it. While a power outage can mostly be a temporary inconvenience, if prolonged it can pose some hazards. You can minimize the problems and safety hazards of an outage by following these suggestions to protect your family and home. Plan Ahead Don’t wait for a power outage to buy emergency supplies, be prepared and have everything you need on hand. If your power goes out, it’s likely you could find the store shelves raided and empty during a power outage. It is a good idea to purchase emergency home kits and store them in a general area in your home so you won’t be searching for needed supplies in the dark in an emergency. While most power outages are short-lived, but some may last days. Here are some things to consider for a long-term outage. Stock up on: • Matches and disposable lighters. • Flashlights and extra batteries. It is recommended you not use candles unless ne