Tulsa Area Homes for Sale...

Secluded Owasso, OK Luxury Home For Sale

15601 East 82nd Street North
in Owasso, OK.

$1,900,000

4 Bedrooms
4 Full, 2 Half Bathrooms
4 Car Garage

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Updated Owasso, OK Home!

11607 E. 84 Ct. N.
Three Lakes Village in Owasso, OK.

$94,900

3 Bedrooms
1 Full, 1 Half Bathrooms
2 Car Garage
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Gorgeous Horse Ranch for Sale in Mounds, OK!

19983 S. Sheridan Rd
Mounds, OK. with 80 Acres

$2,699,000

4 Bedrooms
3 Full, 2 Half Bathrooms
5 Living Areas
3 Car Garage
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For more information on any of these Tulsa, OK area homes for sale or for all your Tulsa, OK. real estate needs, contact Kelly Howard of McGraw Realtors at 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com.

Consumers are Making Better Money Habits...

According to a recent article, "Recession Helping to Raise Awareness of Credit Scores and Leading to Start of Good Money Habits" at RISMedia.com, consumers are becoming more aware of and beginning to make better decisions with their money. They are striving to make better money habits. According to that article:

"Budgeting and Cash Flow:

• 25 percent of users have been late at least once on their monthly bills in the last year;
• Of those who said they were behind on their bills, 28 percent are concerned they will never catch up;
• Of those respondents with children, 64 percent did not currently make any contributions to an education fund;
• Less than half (48 percent) of those surveyed keep a budget to track monthly expenses and cash flow. This is down from 52 percent in 2010.

Credit Scores and Cards:

• 18 percent of respondents have maxed out at least one of their credit cards, down from 22 percent in 2010;
• 31 percent pay off their balances in full every month. This is down from 36 percent in 2010;
• When surveyed about the amount of credit card debt they are carrying, respondents with current debt stated:
-Less than $5,000: 27 percent
-Between $5,000-10,000: 16 percent
-More than $10,000 in debt: 20 percent
• Only 6 percent of users did not know their credit score.

Retirement:

• 39 percent of survey takers are scared or uneasy about their prospects for retirement;
• Nearly half of respondents said they plan to retire between 60-65, while 16 percent said they don’t ever see being able to retire"

When it comes to buying a home, these financial decisions and money habits can make a huge difference in getting a good mortgage rate to buy a home and not being able to get a mortgage at all. Begin today by making better money habits!

To buy a Tulsa home for sale, contact Kelly Howard, McGraw Realtors, 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com.

Remodeling? Know which Projects Will Increase Your Home's Value

With many home buyers choosing to stay put as opposed to selling their home in the current marketplace, remodeling projects are gaining new ground. However, before you set out on your remodeling project, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) advises homeowners to make sure they’re getting the most value out of their remodeling dollars.

In my years of experience as a real estate professional, I have seen first-hand how the right home improvements can add to your home’s value…especially today when equity has been so hard hit. Wise remodeling decisions will also help command a higher selling price if and when it comes time to put your home on the market. To help guide you, NARI offers the following suggestions when considering a remodeling project:

• Exterior home improvements such as roofing, siding, windows and doors are subject to the elements and usually need to be replaced after a number of years. In terms of re-sale value, updated exteriors give sellers an edge over buyers who are attracted to your home before entering.

• According to Energy Star, half of a home’s energy use is dedicated to heating and cooling. If a system is more than 10 years old, it may be time to replace it. New, energy-efficient systems are not only more cost-effective but are also better quality.

• All homes benefit from increased insulation and sealing, regardless of climate. Older homes are traditionally under-insulated compared to new homes, and recent insulation innovations like spray foam or cellulose increase the ability to trap air inside. Proper insulation evens temperature flows, reduces energy use and has long-term benefits.

• Kitchen and bath renovations continue to be winning remodeling choices, as homeowners continue to see the value in updating high-functioning areas of the home that are used frequently. Be sure to take universal design concepts into account, increasingly incorporated into kitchen and bath areas to accommodate people of all sizes, abilities and ages.

While it may be acceptable to handle cosmetic updates to your home on your own—such as painting—be sure to contact a qualified professional for larger remodeling jobs like the above. Also, if your home remodel is large scale in nature—and potentially cost prohibitive—consider “phased” remodeling, where projects are broken into phases over time, for a long-term project plan.

Feel free to contact our team any time to learn more about this important information, and be sure to forward this article on to any friends or family that may be interested as well.

Sincerely,

Darryl Baskin, McGraw Realtors, 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.

For Tulsa maintenance professionals, visit the link or check out the professionals below....

For Tulsa heating and a/c repair, contact Stephen Taylor, Air Assurance, 918-258-COOL or www.airassurance.com.

For Tulsa remodeling, contact Rick Oberlender, US Building Systems. 918-734-1293.

For Tulsa plumbing installation and repair, contact Mullin Plumbing, 918-258-6636 or www.mullinplumbing.com.

For Tulsa electrical repair and installation, contact Larry Murray, Murray Electric, 918-557-3020 or www.murrayelectric.com.

For Tulsa roofing installation and repair, contact Judy Smith, A-Best Roofing, 918-587-1426 or www.abestroofing.com.

Do you know enough to get a good mortgage?

Last month, RIS Media presented an article entitled, "Nearly Half of Home Buyers Surveyed Don’t Understand Essential Information about Mortgages". Do you know enough to ensure that you can make an educated decision and get a good mortgage?

Here is some surprising information found in that article:

• "More than half (57 percent) of prospective home buyers who were polled do not understand how adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) work."
• "One-third (34 percent) of the respondents who are prospective home buyers do not understand that lender fees are negotiable and that they vary by lender."
• "Nearly half (45 percent) of polled prospective home buyers believe that they should always buy mortgage discount points when obtaining a mortgage."
• "More than half (55 percent) of prospective home buyers in the study do not understand that mortgage rates vary throughout the day."
• "More than one-third (37 percent) of prospective home buyers who were polled believe that pre-qualifying for a loan means they have secured financing."
• "More than two in five (42 percent) of the polled prospective home buyers do not understand that Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are available to ALL buyers."

One way to ensure that you are well educated about mortgages, before you get one, is to do your research. Zillow.com offers lots of great information about mortgages and other real estate related fields. Click the link for more information.

Another way to make sure that you get the best mortgage, is to use a knowledgeable, experienced, and well respected mortgage broker. Selecting the right mortgage broker can mean lots of savings for you in the long run, as well as prevent a lot of hassle and run-around.


To read the original article, "Nearly Half of Home Buyers Surveyed Don’t Understand Essential Information about Mortgages" visit the link.

For all your Tulsa mortgage needs, contact Steve Currington, Currington Mortgage, 918-394-5626 or www.curringtonmortgage.com.

For all your Tulsa real estate needs, contact Darryl Baskin, McGraw Realtors, 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.