Dear Nalls Home Partners Clients, Friends and Family,

The idea of moving can be overwhelming, especially when you think about all of your "stuff". The key is to just go ahead and start. If you are preparing to move, or you're trying to get your current house ready to sell, just remember SPACE, Sort, Purge, Assign, Containerize, and Equalize. These simple steps can be a big help.

SORT: Start the process by organizing your things into different categories such as financial information, electronics, personal items like photos and memorabilia, supplies, etc. Then, sort these items by level of importance, how soon are you going to need it, is it necessary for the move, etc.

PURGE: Get rid of the things you don't want. Throw them away, recycle, or donate. If you aren't sure right now, pack it up and decide later, when you unpack. Ask yourself, "Do you need it? Do you love it? Do you use it?" If you can't answer yes to one of these questions, the item should go.

ASSIGN A HOME: Everything needs a place to be, once you've decided it stays. Place the items by use and importance. Something you use frequently needs to be accessible, so a drawer or closet should work. The once a year things, beach chairs, birthday decorations, etc. can go in the storage area, attic, or garage.

CONTAINERIZE: It's important to be able to find your things once they have been packed. Always label the boxes and containers with the contents. More information written now helps save time later. A box labeled "kitchen towels" helps you more than a box labeled simply "towels".

EQUALIZE: This is the system you use to maintain the order. Add an action step to your to do list as a reminder to spend ten minutes each day following these steps. As I always tell my own children, it takes a lot less time to keep your room clean than to get it clean. If you spend a few minutes a day, you won't have the overwhelming obstacle in front of you.

Now, these steps only help if you do the action part. Use whatever means you need to get going. Some people love the organization process, some do not. Some are good at it, others are not. Whatever works for you, use it. Treat yourself to a night out if you get the garage organized. Take a break for a day when you've really been going hard. We can certainly help by sharing what we've learned over the years about what is important and what isn't important. We have people in place to help with everything from hauling the trash away to storing the unnecessary items. The only thing we can't do is decide for you what goes and what stays. We are here to help with everything else. Just give us a call. 

  

 

Warmly,

Tom & Barbara

Nalls Home Partners

 

Pending Home Sales Up in May, Continue Pattern of Strong Annual Gains  

 

 

Information Provided by National Association of Realtors®  

WASHINGTON (June 27, 2012) - Pending home sales bounced back in May, matching the highest level in the past two years, and are well above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of Realtors®.  Both monthly and annual gains were seen in every region.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said longer term comparisons are more relevant.  "The housing market is clearly superior this year compared with the past four years.  The latest increase in home contract signings marks 13 consecutive months of year-over-year gains," he said.  "Actual closings for existing-home sales have been notably higher since the beginning of the year and we're on track to see a 9 to 10 percent improvement in total sales for 2012."

The national median existing-home price is expected to rise 3.0 percent this year and another 5.7 percent in 2013.

The PHSI in the Northeast increased 4.8 percent to 82.9 in May and is 19.8 percent above May 2011.  In the Midwest the index rose 6.3 percent to 98.9 in May and is 22.1 percent higher than a year ago.  Pending home sales in the South increased 1.1 percent to an index of 106.9 in May and are 11.9 percent above May 2011.  In the West the index jumped 14.5 percent in May to 108.7 and is 4.8 percent stronger than a year ago.

Low inventory could hold back some contract activity.  "If credit conditions returned to normal and if we had more inventory, especially in the lower price ranges, more people would become successful buyers.  In an environment of historically favorable housing affordability conditions, it's frustrating to see some consumers thwarted in the process," Yun said.

Low inventory results partly from underwater homeowners who are unwilling to list their homes, which would require a lengthy short sale process, or additional cash to complete the transaction.  NAR estimates 85 percent of homeowners have positive equity, with 15 percent in an underwater situation.

"Low inventory can be cured by increasing new home construction," Yun said.  He projects housing starts to rise by 26 percent this year and another 50 percent in 2013.

"If housing starts do not rise in a meaningful way over the next two years due to the difficulty in getting construction loans, and barring an unexpected shift in the economy, the steady shedding of inventory could lead to shortages where home prices could get bid up close to 10 percent in 2013," Yun said.

Regional
Sales Trends

Contracts Ratified Per Month
Montgomery County
(information from GCAAR) 

 

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Event

Screen on the Green 2012 in Washington DC

Free Outdoor Movies at the National Mall

Screen on the Green is a favorite Washington, DC summer tradition. Bring a blanket to the National Mall on a warm night and watch a classic film on a gigantic movie screen. Films are shown on Monday nights beginning at dusk, around 8:30-9:00 p.m. People start to claim their spots on the lawn as early as 5 p.m. Movies play except in extreme weather and there are no rain days.  

Location: National Mall Between 7th and 12th Streets (NEW location!)