The Somers

Lovescats,

I love cats too! I have 2. Ashley (almost 20yrs old) and Charlie (every one loves Charlie). I have photos of them on our facebook page. But, I also have a great website for you to look at to get specific info on crime activity per block. Here it is:

http://citymaps.phila.gov/CrimeMap/StepByStep.aspx

I know this will help you a lot! Have a great day. - Earlier today

Ann,

I agree with Marge. In this day and age of technology, for a Realtor who takes the job as a Listing Agent, there is no excuse not to have photos (good, bad, or ugly). Even if the seller requests no photo (which 99% of the time I am sure is not the case) then an alternative photo can be put in it's place.

Imagine all of the other things that Realtor is not doing to sell the listing. We get ruffled a bit when we see zero effort being put forward to do the job right let alone just do the basics.

As far as no sign, that is a more common request that sellers make. Some folks do not want neighbors to know they are selling. Others who are no longer live in the home want to avoid potential invasions since a sign may indicate the property is vacant. Privacy is the most popular reason.

If a Realtor is not doing the elementary basics to sell your home: 1) Listing it on the MLS, 2) Posting at least 1 photo, and 3) Placing a sign on the property, then it may be time to have a frank and candid discussion with them. - Yesterday, 06:00

The monthly condo fee is $373 per month and the taxes are $1979 per year. It is a sharp condo. It would be perfect if it had parking included! Do you want me to send you the details? (No strings attached) If so, just shoot me a quick email from our contact page on our website. I'll email the page for the full description.

Have a great week. - Mon Jul 6 2009, 05:23

Lisa,

That is a good question. I have a long answer for you all they way from Philadelphia where I work.

A rent to own agreement (at lease the way we do them) is a lease with a slightly inflated monthly rent accompanied by a full agreement of sale with an agreed upon sales price. It is between you and the seller to determine how long the lease will be and if you will loose any deposits if you do not buy in the end.

Having a solid work history and money in the bank makes you a stronger renter. But a poor credit history (due to: not paying bills for example or a high debt to income ratio...) will lower your standing and may raise a red flag to the seller. As a buyer of a lease purchase property, you will need to show the seller that you are ready willing and able to correct your credit to the point that you will be able to procure a mortgage by the time the lease expires. Speak to a mortgage person now and do a credit repair program. Make sure you are claiming all of the money you make on you tax returns. Under the table money hurts people's chances getting a loan.

You seem to have a good grasp of the concept. But the Lease Purchase options out there are super slim. You may need to have your Realtor throw the idea out to the Seller to see if they'd be interested in entertaining that type of purchase option. It may be a challenge to find a Realtor who knows how to structure a purchase like this but there is so much info out there to assist them, I am sure with some intelligent investigation, they can figure it out. It takes a lot of work to put these contracts together and the Realtor does not get paid (except possibly 1/2 of the 1st month rent) until the property settles.

I have attached a few links from our Blog that you may like regarding the lease purchase and related process:

http://philadelphiarealestatevoice.com/post/783695/lease-pur…
http://philadelphiarealestatevoice.com/post/1045387/renters-…
http://philadelphiarealestatevoice.com/channels/home_buying/…

Hope this helps you and anyone else who is interested in the lease purchase process. As a Realtor, I think this may be part of the solution to get some homes off of the market now. The payoff for this is low for the amount of work it requires but I am willing for the Big Picture Benefits. Others are too!

Stephanie - Sat Jul 4 2009, 06:15

Patric Lopez at Cardinal Financial is a great commercial broker that we have used for years with 100% success. His cell phone number is 267-688-6010. Let him know Stephanie Somers referred you from Trulia. He's not much for Social Media but I am trying to get him interested.

He is fantastic and knows the industry. - Thu Jul 2 2009, 10:48