Bossier City LA real estate listings and homes for sale, home buying, home selling information – Diamond Realty & Associates-Vanessa Hackleman, ABR

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Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana Market is Booming!!

February 8th, 2012 2:08 PM

SHREVEPORT, La -- The U.S. Housing Market suffered its worst year in half a century in 2011. So far in 2012, it has failed to recover.
According to an AP source, at the end of last week, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.89 percent, down from 4.8 percent last year. 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.24 percent, dropping from 4.09 percent last year. Several markets have seen huge declines in home values. Atlanta saw a decline of 11.8 percent, followed by Las Vegas at 9.1 percent.
While many suffered painful losses, some places saw a comparative boom. Realtor.com released a list of the five best housing markets in 2011. The Shreveport/Bossier City area ranked second, only behind Ft. Myers, FL. Our area locally saw a median list price of homes jump to $168,000, which was a 7.01% gain.
Chris LeGrand with Reality Executives in Shreveport says that one of the reasons the Shreveport/Bossier City area has thrived is the low interest rates nationally.
"Lets say seven years ago, interest rates were almost twice what they were now, over the long run that saves people thousands and thousands of dollars," said LeGrand.
Some places have been unable to take advantage of the low rates because of a slumping economy. That hasn't been the case in the Shreveport/Bossier City area, where the economy has continued to thrive.
The unemployment rate locally has hovered around 6 percent, well below the national average.
David Hoass, Professor of Economics in the Frost School of Business at Centenary College says that this has allowed job seekers the ability to tap into the wide variety of industry in the area. This includes the Haynesville Shale, the casinos and other staples.
"We have Barksdale Air Force Base, there not going anywhere, we have state and local government, that's not going away," said Hoass.

According to an AP source, with the spring home selling season on the horizon, many expect the housing market nationally could recover this year.

Source: Chris Arnold - KTBS.COM - Published 2/16/12

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on February 8th, 2012 2:08 PM

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Shreveport/Bossier City Real Estate Market is Booming

February 8th, 2012 2:05 PM

SHREVEPORT, La -- The U.S. Housing Market suffered its worst year in half a century in 2011. So far in 2012, it has failed to recover.

According to an AP source, at the end of last week, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.89 percent, down from 4.8 percent last year. 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.24 percent, dropping from 4.09 percent last year. Several markets have seen huge declines in home values. Atlanta saw a decline of 11.8 percent, followed by Las Vegas at 9.1 percent.

While many suffered painful losses, some places saw a comparative boom. Realtor.com released a list of the five best housing markets in 2011. The Shreveport/Bossier City area ranked second, only behind Ft. Myers, FL. Our area locally saw a median list price of homes jump to $168,000, which was a 7.01% gain.

Chris LeGrand with Reality Executives in Shreveport says that one of the reasons the Shreveport/Bossier City area has thrived is the low interest rates nationally.

"Lets say seven years ago, interest rates were almost twice what they were now, over the long run that saves people thousands and thousands of dollars," said LeGrand.

Some places have been unable to take advantage of the low rates because of a slumping economy. That hasn't been the case in the Shreveport/Bossier City area, where the economy has continued to thrive.

The unemployment rate locally has hovered around 6 percent, well below the national average.

David Hoass, Professor of Economics in the Frost School of Business at Centenary College says that this has allowed job seekers the ability to tap into the wide variety of industry in the area. This includes the Haynesville Shale, the casinos and other staples.

"We have Barksdale Air Force Base, there not going anywhere, we have state and local government, that's not going away," said Hoass.

According to an AP source, with the spring home selling season on the horizon, many expect the housing market nationally could recover this year.

Source: Chris Arnold with KTBS.COM Published 2/6/12

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on February 8th, 2012 2:05 PM

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Just Listed! 5402 Meadowsweet Cir Bossier City, LA 71112

November 30th, 2011 3:39 PM

$182,000.00
5402 Meadowsweet Cir

Bossier City, LA 71112

Beds: 4	Rooms: 0
Full Baths: 2	Sq. Ft.: 1554
Garage: 2	Built: 1996

This is a new listing that
I thought you might be
interested in. Visit this
listing online to see more
photos of the property,
Google Earth satellite
images, and much more.

If you have any questions
about this property or
require more information,
please feel free to call.

Vanessa Hackleman
Diamond Realty & Associates-Vanessa Hackleman, ABR
3187460011
www.bossierandshreveporthomes.com

Visit this listing here

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on November 30th, 2011 3:39 PM

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Just Listed! 4908 General Sterling Price Pl Bossier City, LA 71112

July 25th, 2011 12:06 PM

$175,000.00
4908 General Sterling Price Pl

Bossier City, LA 71112

Beds: 4	Rooms: 0
Full Baths: 2	Sq. Ft.: 1648
Garage: 2	Built: 1995

This is a new listing that
I thought you might be
interested in. Visit this
listing online to see more
photos of the property,
Google Earth satellite
images, and much more.

Visit this listing here

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on July 25th, 2011 12:06 PM

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Just Listed! 8517 Woodhill Lane Haughton, LA 71037

June 14th, 2011 4:28 PM

$155,000.00
8517 Woodhill Lane

Haughton, LA 71037

Beds: 3	Rooms: 0
Full Baths: 2	Sq. Ft.: 1460
Garage: 2	Built: 1980

This is a new listing that
I thought you might be
interested in. Visit this
listing online to see more
photos of the property,
Google Earth satellite
images, and much more.

Visit this listing here

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on June 14th, 2011 4:28 PM

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Just Listed! 3312 Salem Place Bossier City, LA 71112

May 4th, 2011 4:05 PM

$161,000.00
3312 Salem Place

Bossier City, LA 71112

Beds: 3	Rooms: 0
Full Baths: 2	Sq. Ft.: 1480
Garage: 2	Built: 0

This is a new listing that
I thought you might be
interested in. Visit this
listing online to see more
photos of the property,
Google Earth satellite
images, and much more.

Visit this listing here

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on May 4th, 2011 4:05 PM

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For Sale By Owner-What you need to know!

March 7th, 2011 10:53 AM

When the owners of houses want to sell their own house without the help of any real estate agent or broker, they are called for sale by owner. The National Association of Realtors did a survey report in 2006 that showed that only 7 percent of all sellers were FSBO. There are a lot of hurdles that they have to face when selling their house without the help of any professional. Some of the hurdles may be marketing techniques, timing among others, preparing and designing the house for sale and negotiations.

They need to undertake these hurdles and have to do proper planning because only then you can sale the property successfully. There are many advantages of having for sale by owner, because when there is no middleman, there are no commission fees, so profits are more. Another benefit of this method is that when the owner of the house makes the sale himself, he takes care of all the conditions and clauses in the contract. In case you take the help of a real estate agent for selling your house, the broker is more concerned for the commission and thus forgets other aspects.

If you want to go for FSBO, then you must take care of all the paperwork yourself, and therefore you need the complete knowledge of the market. First of all, you must consider the market price of your house. If you overestimate the cost, you will not find buyers, and if you underestimate the price, you will be at a loss, so proper cost analysis is required. Once you get the market price of your property, you need to get all the papers that are needed to do the sale.

After all these things, now you have to place an ad of your house to attract potential buyers. For this, you can use multiple listing services, and there are various websites for this purpose. You can get the opportunity of allowing tour of your house as a lot of websites give you this kind of service. If you do not want that, you can just include the images of your property so that buyers can have an idea about your property.

You have to face many challenges and hurdles in spite of having various attractive options, like saving in commission etc. You need to sort out all the matters yourself since there will not be any agent or broker to help you out.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Sawyer

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on March 7th, 2011 10:53 AM

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Are you Selling One and Buying Another Home?

February 7th, 2011 3:46 PM

Selling One, Buying Another

In a perfect world, you sell your old home and buy the new one on the same day. Given that things rarely turn out perfectly, here are some things to keep in mind as you negotiate the sale of one house with the purchase of another.

Time it right

Fall and spring are the best times for homes to move and you want to consider the season of the year when buying and selling. And if the closing dates aren’t going to coincide, a gap – rather than two mortgages – is the better. It’s easier and usually cheaper to find temporary housing than juggle two mortgages.

Selling First

Selling your home before buying a new one minimizes financial hazards. Even if you have to find temporary housing, it’s generally cheaper than two mortgages.
Get an appraisal first thing off the bat. That way you’ll have a good idea how the sale of your home will effect your purchasing power on the new one. This will help keep you from over extending your mortgage abilities.
Get pre-approved on a loan for the new home.
Until most of your contingencies have been met, wait to put an offer on a new house. You don’t want to be left holding the bag, or in this case, the house.
If you’re ready to accept an offer on your home, but haven’t found the right new home, negotiate a long escrow or a sale/lease back. This will give you more time to look for the new home. Otherwise, look for temporary housing.

Buying First
It happens. You’re only thinking of buying, and suddenly the right home shows up. Now you have to sell your old home quickly. Here are some tips on making things work in your favor:

Negotiating a long escrow on this side of the sale works, too. You can also make the purchase contingent on your house selling. This will work better in a slow market, but it’s worth a try in any market. You never know what may also work best for the seller of your new home.
Try and schedule the closing date of your current home prior to the closing on your new home. Temporary housing is generally a better situation than two mortgages.
Take a close look at what price you’re going to ask for your home. Make sure it’s realistic in the current market.
When you get an acceptable offer, check the buyer’s credit history. You don’t want any surprises that are going to delay things. If you’ve closed on the new home, but haven’t sold the old one, consider renting it out, or taking it off the market until the next season (or until the market improves).

Same Market or Across Country

Generally, if you’re buying and selling in the same market, you can negotiate closing dates to work for you. But when you’re dealing with a cross country move, it’s a lot harder. A real estate professional really comes in handy at this point. Legal documents can be faxed or sent via overnight courier and your focus won’t be stretched to the limit. You may end up renting one home or the other, or have to consider a bridge loan. But with someone local in the market on your side, it will hopefully be less stressful.

Show Me the Money

Make sure you have a tight hold on, and a clear understanding of, your financial situation. Cash reserves are always helpful, but never more so than during the purchase of a home. Two to three months is the recommended reserve, but if you don’t have it, this is where the bridge loan comes in handy. Some lenders are more inclined to make a loan if it’s for the purchase of a home. If you’re a smart shopper/seller, you’ll accept an offer from someone who’s flexible about move-in dates. It can save you money in the long run. Too many moves with storage costs can quickly eat up any profit you may have made in the transaction.

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on February 7th, 2011 3:46 PM

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I Can Relate!

February 7th, 2011 3:41 PM

As a wife of a veteran, I can relate to the difficulties of being transferred from one military base to another. If you are being transferred to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, please let me offer my services to help with making this transistion an easier one for you.

I have lived in the Shreveport/Bossier City/Barksdale AFB, LA area for over 17 years and know the area well. I am a full-time REALTOR and have worked with many Buyers and Sellers going through the transition of moving out of the area or moving into the area.

Please give me a call if you would like to receive a FREE relocation package. It will have additional information about the area and what all it has to offer. You may reach me on my cell 318-564-1869.

You may also visit my website www.bossierandshreveporthomes.com to get additional information about me and my services along with information about the Shreveport/Bossier City, LA area.

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on February 7th, 2011 3:41 PM

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First-time Homebuyers --Let Me Ease Your Mind!

September 27th, 2010 3:02 PM

First-time Homebuyers

	I will . . .
>	Work at no cost to you!
>	Provide detailed listing information not available to the general public.
>	Negotiate the deal to save you money.
>	Guide you through the avalanche of paperwork.
>	Commit my time and energy to finding you the right home.

Your decision to buy a home is both a sound financial decision and a commendable achievement. As your real estate agent . . .

I will lead you through every step of the exciting home buying process.
I will help you define your "wish list" of features you want in your home, your neighborhood and your school district.
I will walk you through the mind-boggling financial details associated with buying a home, including understanding the various mortgages and home buying programs available to you.
I will monitor all new listings and alert you to new houses as soon as they are put on the market.
I will eliminate the stress involved with buying a home by putting my years of real estate experience to work for you.

Finding the perfect home is my business. Contact me today!

Rates are at a all time LOW -- Great time to Buy!

Posted by Vanessa Hackleman on September 27th, 2010 3:02 PM

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