But what happens when that time is up, and the home is still unsold? If your home is still unsold, with no interested buyers, it is time to ask yourself a few questions.

How motivated are you to sell? If you’re not completely sure that selling your home is the best thing for you and your family, it’s going to be harder to sell. Take a few days and re-evaluate the sale. If you’re still sure you want to sell your home, great. If you’re not sure, take your home off the market for a while and take the time you need to decide.

The next question you need to answer is why the home isn’t selling. Is it priced competitively? Look at similar homes in your neighborhood that are for sale, or that have recently sold. Make sure that your home isn’t overpriced.

Is the home appealing to buyers? Take a long, close look at your property. Is the outside neat and clean? How is your curb appeal? Have you tried staging your home? If you don’t see any obvious problems, ask your real estate agent for advice; it can be hard to spot problems on your own. You may also ask some impartial friends or relatives to view the home, and then ask for their opinion. Sometimes you need an extra set of eyes to see what the buyers are seeing.

What is the real estate market like in your area? If most homes are selling within a month or two, but your home has been sitting for a year, something’s wrong. Find it, fix it, and try again. On the other hand, if the market has been sluggish and it has only been a few months, maybe the home just needs more time to sell.

How well was your home marketed? The job of selling a home isn’t entirely up to your real estate agent. You should be letting friends and family know that you are selling; they might know of someone looking for a new home. Your real estate agent does play a very important role in marketing the property, though. If you feel that your agent has dropped the ball, it might be time to find a Syracuse real estate agent who is better suited to your selling needs. Before you find a new agent, however, you should make sure that the prior agent was the reason the home wasn’t selling, as opposed to any other number of possible reasons.

It’s frustrating to wait for your property to sell, especially if you are in the process of buying your new home. Take the steps needed to get any problems fixed, then get your home back on the market.

Some homeowners do not qualify for refinancing because of falling home prices leaving people with little if any equity at all. However, around thirty-seven percent of all borrowers who have thirty year fixed rate mortgages have rates of six percent or higher and many of these borrowers could reduce that rate by a full percentage if they refinanced their homes at the current rates of about five percent. Also some borrowers that refinanced their homes in 2009 will save about $3.4 billion total for that year and an additional 17.2 billion over the next five years.

Due to home prices falling and home values dropping however, most people owe more on their home than it is worth and have little or no equity, making refinancing nearly if not completely impossible.  Also bank fees and other charges are turning many homeowners away from even thinking about refinancing their homes and the ones that are refinancing seem to be the ones that need it the least.

There is a little light of hope though for those having trouble refinancing; the Obama administration has decided to extend its program to help those homeowners with little or no equity in order to make refinancing easier and to make a possibility for many people. Also, other programs are being talked about to help struggling homeowners be able to refinance and save money.

It is important to refinance if you can, and if you do not know how, start doing some research and asking questions, because it could save you money in the long run. With these hard times, many of us need all the money and help we can get.

There are a lot of reasons to consider buying a property that has been rented out for any length of time. They can be a fantastic deal, and the seller may be especially motivated. If the property has multiple units, you can rent out the additional units, which may pay for most of your mortgage payments. You can also convert the extra units back into one complete home, if you choose.

The first step is to learn how long the property has been rented out. Some sellers, if their home is not selling right away, may rent a property until they find a buyer. In that case, the property may have only been rented a few months. There would probably not be any major problems with this property caused by the tenant. Alternatively, if the home has been a rental for years, you need to really pay attention to the condition it’s in. Unfortunately, renters don’t always take care of a home the same way a buyer would.

Another potential issue with a rented home is that the current renters may not be enthusiastic about the sale. This is especially true if you are intending to live in the home yourself. When the property sells, they will be out of a home. It is not uncommon for a current tenant to exaggerate problems with the home, or to otherwise try to dissuade you from making the purchase.

If you are considering a previously rented home, it is essential that you hire and work with an experienced home inspector. You need to be aware of any damage that the property may have so that you can decide if the property is worth the extra work it may require.  Make sure you are present for the inspection; the inspector will be able to explain any problems he or she comes across, and can tell you how serious the problem is.

It’s not always a bad thing to have several smaller problems in the inspection report. Small problems, while inconvenient, are easily fixed. Larger problems will require a little more thought. If there are major structural issues, you may be better off walking away from the property. If the problems can be fixed, ask for the current owner to either take care of it or to accept a lower purchase price that will make up for the time and expense of fixing it yourself. Your Syracuse real estate agent can help you determine a fair adjusted price for the home, and then can help you to negotiate with the sellers.

Contact you real estate agent and lender
It is part of their job to know about all new programs that may benefit current or future homeowners. They may be able to answer questions that you have or provide you with information of someone who can. They are a good starting point.

Qualify if you owe 80-105% of your current mortgage
If you owe this much on your current mortgage then you will qualify for refinancing under Obama’s plan. If you owe more, like many homeowners in Florida or California, you will not qualify under this plan and may need to consider alternatives.

Loan backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
More than half of single family loans are backed by either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, but many people do not know this. If you are unsure who backs your loan, it is a good idea to contact your lender for details and further help.

Have Conforming Loan
This means having a loan under a certain amount. In many places, it is under $417,000, but in areas such as San Francisco, Boston, or Washington, D.C., it may be up to $625,500.

Fill out a loan request
If you are still unsure if you qualify, you can fill out a loan request, gather up your paperwork, be informed, and be patient. Many people are filling out these requests, so it may take time to process your own.

Many people are struggling because of the economy and the housing market crisis, but some programs under Obama’s plans may help. Now that you have more information, it is important to follow these steps and to continue to stay informed about any updates or changes that may help you and your family in the future.

Many of these cities with the best jobs for this year had some advantages such as lower costs, more access to talent, and industry resources, among many other factors. However, many of these cities did not show that much of an increase in employment rates, so it is important to do research on how well one city is doing in comparison to another. This way you get as much information as you can before making any major decisions.

The top cities for job this year include:

Austin, Texas
This city has many top graduates graduating for many top schools and they also have an entrepreneurial spirit because they have a high number of self-employed workers. Austin also has been recruiting many technology companies due to the low business costs in this area and it is featuring itself in the clean technology industry which may do very well in the future.

Fort Hood, Texas
A major army base, strong health care services, and higher education options make this a top city for jobs this year. The area is working on building a major satellite company, the army base has increased its population, and it has a low rate of subprime mortgages so it has not been affected as much by the housing market crisis.

Salt Lake City, Utah
This city has a strong technology and finance industry. It was also only affected minimally by the subprime mortgage problems, and the city on a whole seems to be strong and recovering well from any problems.

Durham, North Carolina
This city has made strong advances in technology, biopharmaceutical, medical research and higher education.  It has had a population increase due to being popular for many young professionals and it has seemed to recover well from any economic difficulty.

Now with more information, many home buyers and sellers need to make some important decisions. Is it worth moving for the higher paying jobs and lower costs or not? Many real estate agents also need to pay attention to what may attract people to certain areas. This is why jobs and the job market greatly impact the housing market.

Many of these places are where people can live well for less money and still enjoy good schools, low crime rates, and not much travel time to and from work. Factors like, crime rate, education, travel time and affordability were all considered. The most affordable suburbs include:

Fishers, Indiana (Near Indianapolis)
Median Home Price: $213, 750
This place features reasonable property rates, a lower than average unemployment rate and scored well for safety. The school systems have expanded to accommodate the growing population as well.

Papillion, Nebraska
Median Home Price: $145,000
This suburb features golf courses, natural trails, parks, and many recreational opportunities. Many of the residents also only have about a twenty minute commute to and from work. Finally, students in this area score above average on national American College Tests.

Mililani Town, Hawaii
Median Home Price: $370,000
This community has a golf course, tech park, community centers, and shopping malls. It also features several schools, a low crime rate, and has many upper scale surrounding communities.

Clark, New Jersey
Median Home Price: $380,500
This community was once a farming community but now features several schools, is near many different medical centers, and has a golf course, tennis court, and parks.

Many people are looking for family friendly, safe neighborhoods near schools for their families. With this economy, these same people also want affordable places to live. After reviewing this list of some of the most affordable suburbs in America, you can now better determine what you may be looking for and if it is worth moving for or not.

Last Wednesday, February 24, 2010, the Commerce Department said that new home sales have dropped 11.2 percent in January, the lowest level on record for nearly a half a century. This came as a big shock and surprise to many economists who were expecting a five percent increase over December’s sales.  Some say that this major drop was partly due to winter weather conditions, but that the housing market has been struggling for several months despite government support and assistance.

January’s weaknesses were seen in all regions except the Midwest which saw a 2.1 percent increase. Government mortgage programs have tried to keep rates down by using the Federal Reserve to buy $1.25 trillion in back mortgage securities but that program is due to end by March 31, 2010. Other tax credits and incentives are also set to end in April.

Many people do not believe that the housing market will go under, but it will take longer to reach a good point of recovery. This means that real estate agents need to do everything they can to sell, sell, sell, and sellers need to hang in there. We all need to keep our fingers crossed, do the best we can, and hope for the very best.

Many of these programs including the home buyer tax credit have already been extended to April 30, 2010; because it was originally due to expire in November of 2009. Many people are now arguing that the government programs and support have not been helping enough to make them worth the time, money, and effort.

People are saying that despite government programs and help, housing markets are still struggling and sales are still continuing to drop, such as the 7.2 percent drop in home sales in January. The government is still deciding whether or not to change their programs or put more effort and money into existing ones, but many people feel that it would be a better idea for the government to stop helping altogether.

Home values are affected by many factors including but not limited to: the job market, health, the environment, and many more. Also, it is important to pay attention to whether or not the rental property business is doing well. If housing prices are low this may make buying more attractive and vice versa. If people feel that it would benefit them more to rent now and buy later when the economy and housing market are better than that is probably what they will do.

As a real estate agent it is important to know not only how the housing market is doing but rental properties as well. It is also important to keep in mind what motivates people to buy or sell their home. This way they can make the best decisions when working with their clients. It is also important for buyers and sellers to know about the market and current news so that well informed decisions can be made now and in the future.

Start planning your curb appeal. This is what buyers see first, so make a great first impression. A little landscaping and a fresh coat of paint can give your property the “wow” factor it needs to sell. Although it’s still to early to plant seeds or bulbs, start planning now. Make a list of which plants you want, and where you want to put them. Pay attention to colors, heights and the amount of light each flower type needs.

If you will be painting your home before the sale, start picking out colors. Soft gray, blue or white are the most popular colors, but you don’t have to limit yourself to those choices. However, try to stay away bold bright colors. You want your home to stand out in a good way; you don’t want to stand out for having a gaudily painted property. This is also a good time to start looking for patio furniture, if you have a deck or front porch. This small staging step can make the house feel more inviting.

If you have major landscaping work to complete, or if you will be hiring someone to do the landscaping for you, start preparing now. Find a landscaper you like, and book early. If you will be doing the work yourself, check to make sure your tools are all in good shape. Do any maintenance work that may be needed on your lawn mower, rototiller or other outdoor lawn care equipment. Research local pick-up days for cut shrubbery, sticks and landscaping scraps.

Inside, it’s time to lighten up and put out some brighter colors. Light purples, blues, yellows, greens and other spring colors will give your home a fresh feel. If you are showing your home, make sure your windows are very clean, and letting in lots of light. After a long, gloomy winter, the natural sunlight will make a huge impact on buyers. Don’t use any strong household fragrances– try to stick with clean linen, lightly scented rose or other seasonal scents. Don’t overpower your home, though, and it’s better to not use any scents at all. Some buyers may have allergies or may be super-sensitive to those scents.

Spring is one of the busiest times of the year in real estate. Take advantage of the increase in buyers, and make sure your home makes a great impression. With the help of an experienced Syracuse real estate agent, you could have your home sold, and be into your new home, by summer.

First time buyers, or buyers who have not owned a home in the past three years, can claim $8,000 for the purchase of a home. Current home owners can claim $6,500. This is a tax credit, meaning that the amount is applied to your 2010 taxes, either reducing the total amount you owe or increasing the amount of your refund. There are income limits, $125,000 for singles or $225,000 for couples. The amount you receive is determined by the price of the home; homes over $800,000 are not eligible. There are bridge loans available for this credit, allowing you to put the money towards your down payment, although you will probably still need to pay for a portion of the down payment on your own.

If you want to take advantage of the buyer’s tax credit, and you haven’t started your search for a new home yet, it’s time to contact a Syracuse real estate agent to get the process started. Don’t wait until the last minute, and then rush to find the perfect home with only a few weeks left. Give yourself the time you need to find the property that best fits your needs. Remember that you also need to have your offer accepted and an initial contract for the purchase of the home signed before time runs out.

This isn’t the only government refund you can take advantage of as a new, or soon to be new, home owner. New York’s Great Appliance Swap-Out, designed to replace older appliances with more efficient models, is still going. This program started a few weeks ago, and offers significant rebates for the purchase of new washers, refrigerators, freezers and dishwashers. The rebate amount for each appliance varies, and dishwashers are only available for a rebate when purchased with other appliances.  If you pay to have your current appliances removed and recycled, you can qualify for a larger rebate. This program lasts until the funding runs out. For more information, visit New York’s Great Appliance Swap-Out.

A lot of appliance stores are offering their own discounts or rebates on appliances, further reducing their cost. If you take advantage of both programs, you could be in a new home, with brand new appliances, with a discount worth nearly $10,000.