http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/ – Real Estate Appraiser Appraisals Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When you need Greater Baton Rouge Home Appraisals completed, call Bill Cobb 225-293-1500 or email us at info@accuratevg.com.

Greater Baton Rouge Home Appraiser, Bill Cobb, has been appraising homes or houses now for 21 years, 2 years in the Alexandria LA metro area and 19 years in the Greater Baton Rouge Housing Market. Bill’s specialty is:

Baton Rouge Pre-Purchase Home Appraisals

and

Baton Rouge Pre-Listing Home Appraisals

Accurate Valuations Home Appraisal Group (AVG) Serves The Greater Baton Rouge Metroplex!

With Boundaries North by Zachary, South by Sorrento, West by Port Allen and East by Livingston.

Contact Information:
Accurate Valuations Group (Home Appraisals)
P.O. Box 40515
Baton Rouge, LA 70835
Baton Rouge Office: 225-293-1500
Toll Free: 1-888-678-3544
Toll Free Fax: 1-866-663-6065
Denham Springs Office – Local #: 225-709-6013
Staff Email: info@accuratevg.com
Website: http://www.accuratevg.com/

http://www.appraisersinbatonrouge.com/ – Baton Rouge Real Estate: How Is Villa Del Rey Subdivision Performing Into 2011, Increasing, Declining or Remaining Steady?

Potential $20K Loss. This is an on-going series into the decline of Greater Baton Rouge Home Values and why potential buyers should beware and not pay too much for “some” local overpriced listings. YES, there are overpriced listings in the Greater Baton Rouge Housing Market! Bill strongly recommends in this housing environment to obtain a Pre-Purchase Appraisal to gain ALL of the facts before making a local home purchase decision. In the appraisal I recently completed, the home sold for $155,900 in 2007, a Post Hurricane Katrina high price, and is now on the market for $136,000. If this home sells for $136,000, then homeowner only loses $20,000 and will lose a total of $28,160 after paying the selling commission.

A recent home appraisal in and analysis of Villa Del Rey revealed this interesting finding. From 2009 to 2010 to 2011, the median sales price has declined from $145,000 to $137,500 to now $136,000 (chart below is not updated) into 2011 based only on 3 sales. This drop is due to foreclosure and/or distressed sales. Actually, the chart below is incorrect because GBRMLS reports “38″ solds in 2010, not just 33, with a median of $137,500. Of those 38 sales, 11 or 29% were foreclosures, which is quite high. And, in 2011, the 3 solds only sold for $119,000, $136,000 and $139,000 indicating these sold below market.

THE CORRECTION IN HOME PRICES – This is becoming the familiar “Stair Step Up and Down”…..The Climb And Then Descent Of The Stairs In This Chart Below Visually Explains The Correction!

NOTE: Based on information from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of REALTORS®\MLS for the period of January 1, 2005 to May 3, 2011. This information was extracted on 5/3/2011. YES, permission was granted by GBRMLS to use Subdivision Price Trends Chart Report!

AUTHOR’S BIO:

Bill Cobb is Greater Baton Rouge’s Home Appraiser frequently called upon by banks, homeowners, and savvy real estate investors to assess property values. A home appraiser with 20 years experience, Bill Cobb brings a wealth of knowledge to the table as a home appraiser.

Bill’s company, Accurate Valuations Group, serves Greater Baton Rouge (East Baton Rouge Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, Western Livingston Parish and Northern Ascension Parish).

Contact Bill Cobb and Accurate Valuations Home Appraisal Group for your next home appraisal:
Office: 225-293-1500, Cell: 225-953-0638
Fax: 1-866-663-6065
info@accuratevg.com
http://www.accuratevg.com/

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisers.net/ – Tremendous Opportunity in Greater Baton Rouge Pre-Foreclosures – Buyer Beware!

Tremendous Opportunity in Pre-Foreclosures – Buyer Beware! This was an email I received today and found the advice helpful!

“Real estate professionals, investors, and others that know a good opportunity when they see one, realize that today’s real estate market holds tremendous potential for helping them to reach their financial goals. If you’re thinking about jumping into this market, it’s important that you do your homework before investing, to ensure that you’re as happy after your purchase as you were before. Here are some pitfalls to avoid if you’re thinking about jumping into today’s market.

Don’t Get Loan Pre-Approval – One of the fastest ways of failing with a pre-foreclosure investment is by having no clear idea of how you’ll close the deal. Lenders want to know that they’re dealing with legitimate buyers. One of the best ways of establishing credibility with the lender in a pre-foreclosure property is to know how much you can spend. This will also allow you to pull the trigger quickly once the lender says it’s a go, which is critically important for lenders that need to move quickly.

Avoid Getting Accurate Comps – Comps – also known as comparative values – are used by potential buyers and lenders in establishing the actual value of a property. If your comparative values are flawed, you might overpay for the property, and not know it until it’s too late. Determining property value is somewhat formulaic; plug in the wrong number and the results are as deeply flawed as any politician.

Invest in High-foreclosure Areas – One of the quickest ways to get in over your head with pre-foreclosures is by investing in high-foreclosure areas. While the prospect of multiple properties in a given neighborhood might have some appeal, a closer examination of the facts shows that this is a bad investment strategy for one very good reason: too many foreclosures can mean that property values are going to decline even more, leaving you in control of a property that is worth less than you paid for it.

Guess at Repair Costs – This sounds like a no-brainer, but some investors have purchased real estate site unseen. With better market conditions, it might have made sense, but in today’s environment, you must know what your repair costs will be. Pre-foreclosures have a higher incidence of deferred maintenance and other repair issues, but in most cases, you can inspect the property prior to making a purchase decision. Take advantage of this opportunity, and accurately estimate repair costs. You’ll be in a better position to make a decision as to whether you want to move forward once you’re armed with the facts.

There are no guarantees when buying pre-foreclosures. This type of investment is relatively simple: Locate pre-foreclosure properties, negotiate a short sale (or other purchase) transaction with the borrower and their lender, close the deal, and either hold it for cash flow and potential appreciation or sell it for a quick profit (assuming you can buy it at a price that permits a fast re-sale at a good price). But to find pre-foreclosures, you need information, the kind you can find at www.defaultresearch.com“

http://www.batonrougerealestatebuzz.com/ – Don’t Let ‘Floppers’ Flip Your Greater Baton Rouge House!

Housing Watch Dot Com has an interesting article on “Short-Sale Flopping“! Read the entire article here: Don’t Let ‘Floppers’ Flip Your House. Buzz has provided a few snippets below.

“Looking to get rid of a house that’s underwater? If you’re stuck with a home that’s worth less than your mortgage, you could be bait for a new scam that’s just starting to take hold called short-sale “flopping.”

A flopper drives down the price of your home so that the lender will allow the borrower to sell your home for less than it’s worth. “You have to have an appraiser involved for this [scam] to be successful,” says Griff Straw, president of Solidifi. Straw does not think “flopping” can be successful without an appraiser who’s willing to undervalue the property.

Once the flopper gets an agreement for the short sale he then finds a buyer (or may already have a buyer lined up) who will buy the property for thousands of dollars more. The lender takes the loss — and possibly even the homeowner who agreed to the short sale, if there wasn’t a protection against being sued by the lender for a deficiency judgment.

You could be left holding the bag for thousands of dollars if the short sale isn’t handled in a way that protects you from getting hit with a deficiency judgment. (That’s when the bank chases you for any shortfall.) You can be protected with a short-sale contract, but you need to work with a reputable real estate lawyer when you negotiate with the bank. So if someone approaches you with a quick deal to get out of your house, be cautious.”

Image Source: Getty Images and Housingwatch.com.

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/ – Baton Rouge Certified Home Appraisers: Area Home Sales See Gains In March

The Advocate Newspaper and Chad Calder are reporting “BR-area home sales see gain in March“, click on the link to read the entire article. Below is a snippet:

“The number of homes sold in the Baton Rouge metro area rose slightly in March, though the first quarter was down 2 percent.

The March bright spot is largely due to an increase in Ascension Parish.

The figures, compiled by the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors, account for about 85 percent of the market in the eight-parish area.

Realtors sold 600 homes in the metro area in March, 1 percent more than the 594 sold in the same month last year. Dollar volume in March was up 2 percent to $118.0 million.

The quarter, however, still reflects the downward trend that has characterized recent years. There were 1,406 homes sold during the first three months of the year, compared to 1,431 the year before.

Dollar volume was also down 2 percent to $270.3 million for the quarter.“

http://www.zacharylouisianarealestate.info/ – Marshall Bond Estates Housing Market Report March 2010: Zachary LA Real Estate Buzz. In this video, Baton Rouge Real Estate Buzz Reporter, Bill Cobb, discusses the Zachary 70791 housing market.

http://www.accuratevg.com/ - Greater Baton Rouge Homeowners: Home Appraisal Tips – First Impressions Count

I found this helpful video and wanted to share with locals. As a home appraiser for almost 20 years now, I can certainly relate to what Sherie Smith is saying.

http://www.accuratevg.com/ - Baton Rouge Real Estate: Greater Baton Rouge Foreclosures Were Low In 2009

In a one paragraph report, the Baton Rouge Business Report is reporting the following:

“The 2009 foreclosure rate in Baton Rouge ranks among the lowest 25% for U.S. metro areas, according to a new report. Baton Rouge had the 157th highest foreclosure rate among 203 U.S. cities, according to RealtyTrac, which follows the market for seized homes. One out of 121 homes in the Capital Region was involved in the foreclosure process in 2009, a 139% jump from the year before. RealtyTrac warns the actual increase may be due to improvements or changes in reporting techniques. Three other Louisiana cities had lower foreclosure rates than Baton Rouge: Shreveport was ranked 163rd, with one foreclosure per 140 homes; Lafayette was 170th, with one foreclosure per 183 homes; and Houma-Thibodaux was 193rd, with one foreclosure per 363 households. Nationally, the foreclosure rate averaged one for every 45 households. Las Vegas and Fort Myers, Fla., were the two weakest markets, with one out of every 8 homeowners facing foreclosure during 2009.”

Tags: Baton Rouge Estate Appraisers, baton rouge real estate, baton rouge real estate agents, baton rouge real estate appraisers, baton rouge real estate trends, baton rouge realtors

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisers.net/ - Baton Rouge Real Estate Market Holds Its Own 12/2009 Report

In this video, Greater Baton Rouge Home Appraiser, Bill Cobb, presents a recent positive housing news for the Baton Rouge Housing market. Enjoy!

http://www.batonrougerealestateappraisers.net/ - FHA Commissioner Stands Behind Home Loan Programs

FHA Loan Pros is reporting FHA Commissioner is standing by FHA Policy, read here.

Here’s a snippet:

“In a recent letter to the New York Times, FHA commissioner David H. Stevens responds to allegations that FHA loans are taking the place of the sub-prime loans that were largely responsible for record foreclosure rates. Concerns about heightened risk prompted a proposal to increase down payments for FHA loans to five percent from the current minimum of 3.5 percent.“