Mark Gracy’s Blog

The Fed is meeting June 23rd and 24th, and its actions could impact home loan rates
Treasuries are under selling pressures after four sessions of gains. Initial jobless claims came in close to expected , the number reflected  a slow down in job losses. Today the Treasury will announce the upcoming auction amounts and this may cause more selling before debt hits the market. Rates are slightly worse than yesterday .Up an eighth.

Now is a great time for first time home buyers to find that perfect home.  Call me today (978) 861-4016.  Find out more about the $8,000 tax credit at www.GracyTeam.com

Mark Gracy
The Gracy Team
Keller Williams Realty
(978) 861-4016
<a href=”http://www.gracyteam.com”>www.gracyteam.com</a>

Andover MA real estate
North Andover MA real estate
Methuen MA real estate
Haverhill MA real estate

Andover, MA Real Estate
Rates are running between 5.125% and 5.625% on a thirty year fixed (whether or not points are paid).

Keep in mind this assumes a qualifying FICO. I have summarized a market update for you below.

MARKET UPDATE:  This morning the Housing Starts and Building Permits reports both returned data better than anticipated, adding fuel to the belief the housing market is on the rebound.  With the continuous signs of an economy recovering will rates ever return to levels from early May of the 4.75% range?  Not likely, in fact with next week’s looming treasury auctions the past few days improvements might be short lived.  More investors are likely to turn their attention to the commodities and stock markets, and a bond market that already has too much supply will have to raise its rates to attract buyers.  This morning mortgage rates are rroughly unchanged from yesterday.

FHA will now be requiring two appraisals under the following scenarios:

-loan amounts greater than $417,000 AND loan to value equals or exceeds 95%

-any cash out refi where the loan amount is greater than $417,000.

Mark Gracy  (978) 861-4016
mark@gracyteam.com
www.GracyTeam.com
Your real estate experts on the North Shore, Merrimack Valley MA and Southern NH

Search all homes for sale in MA and NH from your personal cell phone.

June 2009 (MA and NH real estate)—One of the top real estate agents in the Merrimack Valley announced today that cell phones can be turned into the ultimate house-hunting tool. Mark Gracy with The Gracy Team at Keller Williams Realty is providing consumers with a mobile application called Homes for Sale that makes it possible to search all local property listings from their phone, regardless of whether it is listed by Mark Gracy or another broker/agent. Homes for Sale can be downloaded to cell phones, iPhones and BlackBerry devices by visiting www.GracyTeam.com or http://www.smarteragent.com/hfs/kellerwilliams/gracyteam.

With Homes for Sale, consumers can be in any neighborhood and view detailed home information at the touch of a button. The GPS technology in the mobile phone, where available, locates users and pulls up addresses and information on property listings in their immediate area. Sales price, square footage, tax information, beds/baths, interior and exterior features and pictures become available instantly in the palm of their hand.

Consumers can also search by city, zip code, address, or community name when GPS is not available, or if they want to search for real estate in a particular area other than their current location.

The “Call to See” feature within the Homes for Sale application will connect users to Mark Gracy if they have further questions or want to schedule a tour of the property.

“We are dedicated to providing our clients top notch service and unparalleled results.  We do that in part by providing our clients access to up to the minute real estate information by utilizing state of the art technology.”, Gracy said.

When downloading the application from Mark Gracy’s website, www.GracyTeam.com , consumers will find a Homes for Sale Mobile tool which provides instructions on how to send the application to their personal cell phone. Users simply select their cell phone carrier, the make/model of their device and enter their cell phone number into the downloader tool. Instantly, the application is sent via text message and downloaded to their cell phone just like a game or ringtone.

Homes for Sale is available across every carrier and mobile device via a fully downloadable application or mobile web (WAP) version. The fully downloadable version is live on hundreds of cell phone models on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. If your carrier or cell phone model is not listed on the downloader tool, simply select ‘Other’ and download the mobile web (WAP) version. Smarter Agent is also available on BlackBerry devices as well as the iPhone. The fully downloadable version for Windows Mobile devices, as well as other devices and major carriers, will be added over the coming months.

Homes for Sale is free to download on BlackBerry devices across all carriers and the iPhone, in addition to the free WAP version. For other devices, a nominal monthly carrier charge may apply, dependent on device and carrier, billed directly to your carrier statement.
Visit http://www.smarteragent.com/hfs/kellerwilliams/gracyteam to get strated with homes on your mobile phone today.

Mark Gracy
The Gracy Team
Specializing in residential real estate in Andover, MA; North Andover, MA; Methuen, MA; Haverhill, MA, The North Shore, Merrimack Valley and Southern NH

(978) 861-4016 Mark Gracy - your real estate consultant

Andover, MA Real Estate Updates - Would you like $8000 back on your taxes this year?

We’ve been hearing a lot of questions about the new tax credit. Who qualifies? How does it work? How long will it last? In this special edition video, we’re taking an in-depth look at the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers.

2009 Tax Credit Explained

Mark Gracy
The Gracy Team
Keller Williams Realty
(978) 984-3107
Andover, MA

Date:    Saturday, April 25, 2009
Time:    7:00am - 4:00pm
Location:    RSVP needed please email
City/Town:    Haverhill, MA
Email:    info@lzremodeling.com or homes@gracyteam.com

Each year in April, The Gracy Team sponsors a home for Rebuilding America. The Organization helps people in need (mostly elderly, disabled people, veterans, or people who are dying) with things like basic home repairs, yard work, building ramps for wheelchair bound people, and planting trees and flowers. We are asking for volunteers for April 25th to help us, the more hands the better.
On National Rebuilding Day volunteers join local affiliate leaders to repair and restore houses and non-profit facilities, revitalizing entire communities and making a lasting impression on the families who are served. For many volunteers, it leaves them with the experiences of helping their neighbors in need, which brings them back year after year.

please email homes@gracyteam.com or call 978-861-4016 as soon as possible

23 Crown Hill Road Atkinson NH  Offered at $299,000 - Spring Has Sprung!  Great Home - Terrific yard - quiet side street location - convenient.  Details at www.GracyTeam.com

Open House Sunday March 15th 2009 Aktinkson, NH real estate

Stunning 3 bedroom gambrel renovated only $299,000

OPEN SUNDAY 12-2PM

OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY  3/8/2009  12:30PM - 1:30PM  www.GracyTeam.com

Video Clip

Like new, upgraded tri-level with 1 car garage Nothing to do, just move right in!

Mark Gracy
mark@gracyteam.com
(office) 978-984-3107
(direct) 978-861-4016 tel & fax
www.GracyTeam.com
Keller Williams Realty
Serving The Andovers and Merrimack Valley MA

Rules for 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers

•    Does NOT have to be repaid UNLESS the home is sold within 3 Years
•    You must NOT have owned a home in the previous 3 Tax Years
•    Available for homes purchased between 1/1/09 and 12/1/09
•    You DO NOT qualify if: You are an individual with an adjusted gross income of 75K or higher, or, are married with a combined adjusted gross income of 150k or higher.
•    Tax credit is for up to 10% of the purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000
•    The Tax Credit can be taken on 2008 taxes even when the purchase is made in 2009.

Mark Gracy
mark@gracyteam.com
(office) 978-984-3107
(direct) 978-861-4016 tel & fax
AIM: markjgracy
www.GracyTeam.com
Keller Williams Realty
Serving The Andovers and Merrimack Valley MA

Andover, MA real estate mortgage requirements for FHA -

Effective 3/3/09, the minimum FHA FICO score will be increasing from 580 to 620. All parties on the transaction will need to meet the minimum requirement.

Mark Gracy
The Gracy Team
Agent / Partner
Keller Williams Realty
mark@gracyteam.com
(office) 978-984-3107
(direct) 978-861-4016 tel & fax
AIM: markjgracy
www.GracyTeam.com
Keller Williams Realty
Serving The Andovers, Merrimack Valley MA and Southern NH