Kevin took this photo in one of his favorite areas at the top of a mountain near Pardee Creek in Superior. It overlooks the Lolo National Forest towards the towns of Paradise and Plains, MT.
This area has abundant wildlife, and as you can tell, lots of timber and is a local favorite for recreation, hunting, and I guess picnicking!
9 comments • Monica Ray • September 16 2009 10:38AM69 Saint Mary's Lake Road, St. Ignatius Montana 59865 - A Beautiful Home in the Mission Valley
| Bedrooms: | 4 | Bathrooms: | 2 |
| Square Foot: | 2,097 | Lot Size: | 40,902 sq.ft. |
| County: | Lake | Property Type: | Single Family Detached |
| Year Built: | 1948 | MLS Number: | 907106 |
Beautiful home on nearly a full acre with fruit trees, lots privacy, and views of the breathtaking Mission Mountains. Country living just seconds from the center of town.
This home features beautiful hardwood floors, a cozy fireplace, large carport, a half-court concrete basketball court, loft area over the family room, woodstove, basement, a wonderful private deck with purgola and lots of original details.
Property also has heated shop with a wood stove and an insulated and finished outbuilding previously used as a sound studio, could be detached bedroom, office or studio.
View Property Website for 69 Saint Mary's Lake Road, Saint Ignatius Mission, MT 59865
View the Virtual Tour for 69 Saint Mary's Lake Road, St. Ignatius, MT 59865
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Photos Courtesy of Riversong Photography Read more about the area and also about Missoula Montana Move-in ready - make it your home today! |
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1 comment • Monica Ray • September 16 2009 10:09AMSome great information for buyers who think they may not qualify for a loan from Jeff Belonger.
Yes, credit guidelines have gotten tougher, but NO, you don’t need a 700 credit score.
Here we go again, with realtors making things sound semi easy. There was a question on Trulia last week, and the buyer said that they heard that you needed credit scores of 700. And what do you do if you have scores from 614 to 620.
Here was part of the answer from a realtor answering the question.
"You can actually purchase a home with a credit score in the 500'sdepending on job history, etc. I have several lenders who can assist you."
Sorry, but this answer sounds easy, and it's not that easy if you are under 620. Yes, there are investors out there that are allowing credit scores below 620, even down to 535. But the guidelines are much stricter. You really can't exceed the income ratios, your job history needs to be good, and your credit still needs to be decent and conform to the FHA guidelines.
Keep this in mind, even though it could be done, at what cost to you? Does your loan officer explain this to you and break this down? The rates and or add ons for lower credit scores are much higher also. And if loan officers and or realtors say, don't worry, you can refinance later, then WORRY !!!
Let's quickly review your refinance options.
- You can only do a rate and term within the first 12 months after you purchase your home. If you want to pull any equity out, on a normal refinance, you need 12 months or more.
- Let's say rates are now 5.50% with zero points, with a 620 credit score. You currently have a 585 credit score and because of this, your current rate is 6.25% and it's costing you 1 1/2 points. (yes, this is the type of penalty for that kind of rate) You really can't refinance for about 6 months, and you are working on your credit scores to improve them. Well, in 6 months, rates increase to 6.00% with zero points. You are basically stuck with that higher rate.
- Keep in mind, it still costs money to refinance, even if you do a FHA streamline refinance. Yes, there are no cost mortgages, but your rate is much higher.
What to do with credit scores if they are below 620 :
This is where a true mortgage professional comes into play. I just had a VA client referred to me by Allison Stewart, who has a client that was told on Friday that their scores dropped to 617, as a mid score. I spoke to them on Saturday and explained to them that I can work on their credit and get that up 3 points. Well, on Monday, the previous loan officer called them and told them the same thing. How come she didn't bring this up on Friday? Maybe she is new and not sure? Not good with credit? In any case, here are some basics.
- You want to keep your balances below 35% of your credit limit or lower. The higher the percentage, the more it could affect your credit scores. By paying down your balances, this could raise your scores.
- Don't pay off your collection accounts if you are applying for a mortgage. You would then want to pay these at closing. By paying off early, it could actually lower your credit scores. It does depend on how old these collections are.
- Lates over 12 months old don't hurt as much. Sometimes you can talk to your creditor to remove a questionable late mark.
Summary :
Most of what is mentioned is for FHA mortgages. If you are doing a conventional mortgage, you do need a 620 or higher, and even this costs a lot more than a FHA loan at 620. Here is a comparison with even 20% down. FHA loans vs Conventional loans with 20% down - A rude reality.
Overall, you might want to get into a home as soon as possible. You might have a loan officer that wants to help and can with the lower score, but don't forget, will it cost you more in the long run. You want to deal with a loan officer that will break this down and show you both sides, both comparisons. And be careful of broken promises, because not everyone has integrity and or is truly out for your best interest. This might sound negative, but this is a fact, from examples of past clients that have dealt with broken promises.
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Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!
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For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert
For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit
For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags !!!!
Copyright © 2009 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc
2 comments • Monica Ray • September 15 2009 09:52AM
I Thought Your Office Would Be Much Larger based on Your Internet Presence
Creating a strong internet presence through the use of websites (with good SEO), blogs (like ActiveRain and ActiveRain Outside Blogs) and posting your listings on other national sites, can help you reach more potential buyers and establish yourself as a local authority in real estate.
We had a buyer/investor from Texas contact us this week when he was in Missoula about looking at investment properties in the area. Kevin spoke to him on the phone several times about what types of properties he was interested in and they agreed to meet at our office.
When our client arrived he said,
"I thought your office would be much larger based on your internet presence. I was expecting you to have an entire two story building or something. When I was searching online, you guys took up the top 10 places on Google for what I was searching."
While we maintain two small offices, we are highly mobile and work mostly on our laptops. Our internet presence and marketing is our priority. We maintain several websites, blogs (including ActiveRain and our Outside Blog), and online ads. As a result, we tend to do very well in the search engines for local real estate terms and often come up before the larger real estate companies in our area.
What we've learned is that
How is your internet presence and how does it help you in real estate?
8 comments • Monica Ray • September 13 2009 12:43PMSpeechless Sunday: Hey Good Looking!
Photos by Kelsey Ray (Krayphish)
My daughter Kelsey took these photos of the Llamas / Alpacas at the Plains Fair that was held last weekend in Plains Montana. I thought it looked like he was whistling at someone. A lot of people in our area have llamas/alpacas with their horses or sheep to help protect them.
5 comments • Monica Ray • September 13 2009 12:14PMHere's Four Essential Elements for a Real Estate Sale:
1. Location - Everyone says real estate is about Location, Location, Location - and guess what? They are right to a certain extent. 
You can't change your property's location but there are things you can do to highlight the positives of your location. Are you close to schools, attractions, or a large employer? A professional real estate marketer will help put your home's location in a positive light.
2. Price - Pricing your property correctly determines how many potential buyers will even see the listing. If your home is overpriced by even 5%, you will miss 70% of prospective buyers which drastically decreases the odds of selling your home. Accurate pricing is critical to a successful sale. An experienced real estate professional can help you pinpoint where your home should be priced and will help you make adjustments as market conditions change.
3. Condition - Having your home in the best condition possible will increase your odds of a sale. Experienced real estate professionals will tell you that "the good homes sell in any market." Buyers will generally look at eight to ten homes or more in their price range and can easily determine the best value for their money. A home's condition is a major factor in their decision making.
4. Exposure - Getting the maximum exposure for your home's listing is also a critical part of a sale. If buyer's don't know about your home, they can't buy it. Exposure is a primary factor that many people choose to use a professional Realtor(R). Having your home on the Multiple Listing Service as part of a Comprehenisve Marketing Plan will help ensure that potential buyers can find your home.
For exposure to be effective, you also need the right price. If a grocery store was selling a gallon of milk for $10.00, it wouldn't matter how many commercials, newspaper, or internet ads they ran, buyers would still go to the store where they could get it for $5.00 a gallon. The same holds true in real estate. Price your property for a sale, not to just be a "listing".
Have you addressed these essential elements if you're trying to sell your home or property?
For more information about preparing your home for sale, pricing, or our Success Marketing Plan, contact Kevin and Monica Ray of Access Realty at 406-207-1185.
4 comments • Monica Ray • September 11 2009 11:52AMAdd a Video Tour of Your Local Area to Your Website with a Mueller Map
Awhile ago, ok it's been quite awhile now, I won a Mueller Map for listening to JC KC Social Media Edge on Blog Talk Radio (formerly Twitter Tuesday) that is hosted by ActiveRain's Jason Crouch, Ken Cook and Mike Mueller.
I'm still pretty new to video but had some videos put together using digital still photos and RealEstateShows.com. We also had access to some great local videos on YouTube from our local Realtor Association. View Our Missoula Local Tour Here
Adding a Mueller Map to your website is a great way to show people your area through local videos that you have created or that you are able to find on YouTube.
Each point on the map is connected to a video of that location. Viewers can either click on the point on the map or on the list on the right column to get the local video to pop up.
You can also set up your Mueller Map to have your contact information on the Info tab behind the video - it even includes links to your Social Media Sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, and Email)!
We plan to add more of our own videos to the site over time but are excited to be able to offer this to visitors to our website!
According to Mike's webiste AreWeConnected, you can use a Mueller Map to:
If you choose to get a Mueller Map for your site, Mike Mueller does most of the work by setting up the Google Map and the spreadsheet for you to enter your information. All you have to do is fill in the link to the video on You Tube and some basic information about the video. Detailed instructions are provided on how to complete those parts.
Some nice features of the Mueller Map:
A GREAT BIG Thank you to Mike Mueller for helping us get this set up! :)
View Our Missoula Local Tour Here
7 comments • Monica Ray • September 09 2009 03:14PMWordless Wednesday - Welcome to My Branch
Bald Eagles are a frequent sight along the Clark Fork River. They seem to come back to the same areas so we know where to look for them and enjoy seeing them on our drive. We loved that he was sharing his branch with a crow - that was the first time we've seen that!
Here's Another Bald Eagle Photo that Kevin took at a different time.
Photo by Kevin Ray
13 comments • Monica Ray • September 09 2009 10:30AM
Hope to See You at this Year's Missoula Parade of Homes September 17-20, 2009
We always look forward to attending the Missoula Building Industry Association's Parade of Homes and Remodeling Tour. This year is the 20th anniversary and promises to be one of the best Parades yet.
They are featuring eight homes throughout the Missoula valley this year with prices ranging from $190,000 to $1.5 million, giving you plenty of inspiration for whatever your budget is. This year's Parade will feature a wide variety of enticing ideas to work into your dream home.
Missoula Parade of Homes 2009
Dates: Sept. 17-20, 2009
Tickets are on sale Sept. 4, 2009 at First Security Bank, Vann's in Missoula and Hamilton, Missoulian and BMC West and are $8 in advance or $10 at the door.
For more information on this year's event, visit www.BuildMissoula.com.
Photos and Information about Last Year's Missoula Parade of Homes
2 comments • Monica Ray • September 08 2009 11:56AMI Love Your Local Photos - Would You Please Photograph the Cemetary?
Because we do a lot of blog posts about our local area and include a lot of photos and information, we get quite a few phone calls and email inquiries - both real estate and non-real estate related about the area. We welcome those requests and love to talk about Montana.
The most interesting inquiry we've received was an email inquiry from someone in Florida asking us to photograph the local cemetary:
"I loved the pictures that you posted on your web page. Superior looks beautiful. I just found out today tht my Great grandfather (name) is burried in Superior Cemetery. The family lost all contact with him in 1911. We have no record of him after he left his family until now.
I would love it if you could take a picture of the cemetery and email it to me. I live in Florida so I'm unable to do it myself. If you can't I understand. Again Superior is beautiful I wish I could've grown up in a place like Superior."
I had never been to the Superior Cemetary but wanted to help this person, so we took a few minutes one afternoon and traveled up the hill to the cemetary and took some photos and were even able to find her Great Grandfather's headstone.
We also provided her with the contact information for one of our local history-buffs at the museum. She was able to provide this person with some great information about her Great Grandfather's life. We sent her the photos and got the following response:
"Thank you so much for sending the pictures. I have been searching the last two days. I had some information sent to me thanks to you about <name>. He had remarried and they had two children - A son and daughter. I Have relatives now that I am searching for to make a connection.
I am so greatful for the information that you gave me. Now hopefully I can closed alot of gaps."
Blogging is great for our business but it can also be rewarding when you are able to help somone. I never thought it would lead to photographing a cemetary, but then again, Life is full of surprises!
7 comments • Monica Ray • September 08 2009 10:24AM
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