Oct 25
This article was originally published in the Keeping Current Matters newsletter. For more statistics and current prices of owning a home please visit RuhlHomes.com.
Oct 21
Homes in our areas are now eligible for a greater amount of assistance towards making a down payment. Homebuyers, who use the Iowa Finance Authority’s FirstHome and FirstHome Plus program to purchase a home through the end of the year, may qualify for up to $3,500 in down payment assistance. This is an increase of $1,000 above the normal amount of $2,500.
“One of the biggest barriers facing Iowa homebuyers is coming up with the cash for the down payment,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds in a press release. “The Iowa Finance Authority has recognized that need and has implemented this $1,000 bonus for a limited time to help home buyers realize their dream of homeownership.”
The FirstHome Plus Program provides targeted assistance in certain neighborhoods in the communities we serve, such as Davenport, Dubuque and Iowa City. The homebuyer may be a first-time or repeat homebuyer and must meet federal income limits by county. In addition the home purchase price must fall below $289,000.
In all other parts of the state, eligible home buyers must meet the federal income limits for the county, the purchase price of the home may be no more than $247,000 and the buyer must be a first-time home buyer or a Veteran within 25 years of active duty and have not used a mortgage revenue bond program to purchase a home in the past to be eligible.
For more information and to see if you qualify, visit www.IowaFinanceAuthority.gov.
Today, Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS, the residential company, annually sells nearly 3,800 homes in eastern Iowa, western Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin and is the largest privately-owned real estate company in Iowa. Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, the company has 275 sales associates and 50 employees based in sales offices located in Bettendorf, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Coralville, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Maquoketa, and Muscatine, in Iowa, and in Moline, Illinois. In addition to residential sales, Ruhl&Ruhl offers services in relocation, new home sales, farm and land sales, senior services, real estate investment, mortgage services through 1862 Mortgage and insurance services through the Nelson Ruhl Agency. For more information on Ruhl&Ruhl, visit their website at www.RuhlHomes.com.
Oct 20
Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS is the proud to be the sponsor of the Dubuque Museum of Art’s 2011 Annual Art Auction and Holiday Party.
“This is going to be a great event and we are excited to be a part of it this year,” said Jeff Hefel, Manager of the Ruhl&Ruhl Dubuque Office. “Art has been a long-time treasure of this community and our company shares in its passion and appreciation of history.”
The event, which features a cash raffle drawing and art auction, will take place Friday, November 4th at the Historic Masonic Temple, 1155 Locust Street, Dubuque. Cocktails will be served at 6:30pm with the Auction beginning at 7:30pm. Tickets are $50 per person and RSVP’s can be submitted by contacting the Dubuque Museum of Art at 563.557.1851.
The auction catalog preview will be available beginning October 24th at www.dbqart.com.
A family-owned company since 1862, Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS annually sells nearly 3,800 homes in eastern Iowa, western Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin and is the largest privately-owned real estate company in Iowa. Caroline Ruhl is the President and owner of Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS, and is the fourth generation of the Ruhl family to lead the residential brokerage and home services company. Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, the company has 280 sales associates and 50 employees based in sales offices located in Bettendorf, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Coralville, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Maquoketa, and Muscatine, in Iowa, and in Moline, Illinois. In addition to residential sales, Ruhl&Ruhl offers services in relocation, new home sales, farm and land sales, senior services, real estate investment, mortgage services through 1862 Mortgage and insurance services through the Nelson Ruhl Agency. For more information on Ruhl&Ruhl, visit their website at www.RuhlHomes.com.
Oct 14
Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS is pleased to announce the addition of Cathy Dalldorf to our team, as a Regional Manager, overseeing the Ruhl&Ruhl offices of DeWitt, Clinton and Maquoketa.
Dalldorf brings a wealth of real estate knowledge and expertise, as well as management experience.
“I am excited for this new opportunity to grow with Ruhl&Ruhl,” Dalldorf said. “I came to this company because of its focus on customer care and agent development. I am thrilled to be able to share those values with more individuals as a regional manager.
“With low interest rates and good inventory in our markets, now is really the time to buy or sell and I look forward to helping clients through the process at Ruhl&Ruhl.”
As manager in Clinton, Dalldorf is replacing Norm Vande Kamp, who has worked for Ruhl&Ruhl, either as an agent or manager, for over 13 years and soon will be entering retirement. “He definitely will be missed,” Dalldorf added. As manager in DeWitt and Maquoketa, Dalldorf is replacing Tiffany Mangler, who will be focusing instead on her sales and marketing to serve her clients even better.
Dalldorf, a DeWitt native, has been in the real estate business for more than 10 years and is a member of the National Association of Realtors and the Iowa Association of Realtors. She is also a member of three different Multiple Listing Services (MLSs), including the Quad Cities, Jackson County and Clinton.
“Cathy will be a great regional leader for our DeWitt, Clinton and Maquoketa offices,” said Caroline Ruhl, President of Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS. “I am confident she will continue our history of commitment to our clients and the communities we serve. In addition, her experience and professionalism will enhance the already strong team we have in those areas.”
Dalldorf’s husband, Brad, is also a licensed Realtor with Ruhl&Ruhl. In addition to real estate, he is a supervisor for ADM in Clinton. The couple has four children.
A family-owned company since 1862, Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS annually sells nearly 3,800 homes in eastern Iowa, western Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin and is the largest privately-owned real estate company in Iowa. Caroline Ruhl is the President and owner of Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS, and is the fourth generation of the Ruhl family to lead the residential brokerage and home services company. Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, the company has 275 sales associates and 50 employees based in sales offices located in Bettendorf, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Coralville, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Maquoketa, and Muscatine, in Iowa, and in Moline, Illinois. In addition to residential sales, Ruhl&Ruhl offers services in relocation, new home sales, farm and land sales, senior services, real estate investment, mortgage services through 1862 Mortgage and insurance services through the Nelson Ruhl Agency. For more information on Ruhl&Ruhl, visit their website at www.RuhlHomes.com.
Oct 14
Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS is pleased to announce the promotion of Chris Beason as the manager of the Ruhl&Ruhl Moline Office.
Beason, son of Caroline Ruhl, President of Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS, was born and raised in the Quad Cities and has grown up in the real estate industry, bringing a wealth of knowledge about the area and the business.
“I am very excited for this new opportunity to grow with Ruhl&Ruhl,” said Beason, who is the fifth generation to help lead the company. “I truly believe that we can provide the best real estate experience in our region through the world class service our agents provide. We have a great team in the Moline Office and I am glad to be a part of it.”
As manager, Beason is replacing Ann Cunningham, who has worked for Ruhl&Ruhl, either as an agent or manager, for over 18 years and now will be entering retirement. “She definitely left some big shoes to fill,” Beason added.
After graduating from Assumption High School in Davenport, Beason added the University of St. Thomas and earned a bachelor’s degree in real estate. He then went on to work at two nationally recognized real estate agencies – The Norton Agency in Gainesville, Georgia and The Group, Inc. in Fort Collins, Colorado. He has worked as a Reator and trainer for Ruhl&Ruhl for over two years.
“I am proud to have Chris join our management team,” Ruhl said. “I know he will continue our commitment to the communities we serve and will be a team player, helping to build on the quality, value and integrity we provide to all of our clients.”
Ruhl&Ruhl traces its origins back almost 150 years to 1862 when they started as an insurance agency in the back of a little German grocery store on W. 6th Street in Davenport. John G. Ruhl added real estate brokerage in 1900. By 1949, the third generation of Ruhl’s had joined the firm, totaling four full-time real estate salesmen with a successful insurance division. In 1982, the firm had a major reorganization and the real estate and insurance companies separated. A fourth generation of the Ruhl family was added to the firm with the association in 1976 of Charles A. Ruhl, Jr., in 1980 of Caroline Ruhl and in 1991 of John G. Ruhl.
A second reorganization took effect in 1997, with Caroline Ruhl taking ownership of Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS, the residential company. Chuck Ruhl, Jr. opened a new company, Ruhl Commercial, and was joined by his brother John G. Ruhl.
Today, Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS, the residential company, annually sells nearly 3,800 homes in eastern Iowa, western Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin and is the largest privately-owned real estate company in Iowa. Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, the company has 275 sales associates and 50 employees based in sales offices located in Bettendorf, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Coralville, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Maquoketa, and Muscatine, in Iowa, and in Moline, Illinois. In addition to residential sales, Ruhl&Ruhl offers services in relocation, new home sales, farm and land sales, senior services, real estate investment, mortgage services through 1862 Mortgage and insurance services through the Nelson Ruhl Agency. For more information on Ruhl&Ruhl, visit their website at www.RuhlHomes.com.
Oct 06
Today’s ever changing real estate industry has brought upon some very challenging questions from our clients. We as counselors, want to put forth the best, non-emotional advice that we can, in hopes that we can help our clients and their families navigate the rough waters of the short sale process.
The most prevalent question and one that continues to permeate the industry is:
“Why should a seller go through the short sale process rather than letting their house be foreclosed upon?”
While we cannot speak to every client circumstance, we can say one thing with complete conviction. In almost all instances in which a potential seller is contemplating whether they should short sell their house or let it go through the foreclosure process, a short sale is the better option. The following are examples to consider:
Example A- Short Sale
Mr. Smith owns a home in which he has a mortgage balance of $220,000 and a current market value of $150,000. Mr. Smith has elected to short sell his property. His Realtor successfully obtains a buyer who puts forth an offer price of $120,000 (80% current market value according to Realty Trac Foreclosure Report 5/26/2011). After reviewing the buyers offer and the financial hardship information from Mr. Smith, Mr Smith’s bank agrees to accept the short payoff of $120,000 which would leave a deficiency balance of $100,000.
The transaction closes and is final. Mr. Smith then pulls his credit report 30 days after the transaction takes place. On the report he notices that the mortgage trade line states “Mortgage debt was settled for less than full” and the balance on the mortgage is $0. Mr. Smith is now on the road to financial recovery.
Example B- Foreclosure
For the ease of illustration we will use the same value and mortgage debt amounts as in Example A. However, Mr. Smith has elected to forgo the short sale process and let the bank foreclose on the property. The bank holding his mortgage facilitates the proper legal procedures to foreclose on the property, all of which are costly. Mr. Smith is notified and his property foreclosed upon of which is taken back by the bank to sell as an REO.
Six months later, the bank finally sells Mr. Smith’s home only they sell it for $90,000 (60% of current market value according to Realty Trac Foreclosure report dated 5/26/2011). Remember, as a short sale, the home would have sold for $120,000 keeping the deficiency to $100,000. In addition to the deficiency now being $130,000, the bank has elected to add on legal costs of $15,000 and asset preservation costs of another $5000 for a total deficiency liability of $150,000. Mr. Smith pulls his credit report 30 days after being notified that the bank has sold his property and of his liability.
On the report he notices that the mortgage trade line states “Foreclosure” and the balance is $150,000. Because of Mr Smith’s choice to choose foreclosure vs. short sale his road to financial recovery has taken a major detour. He not only has a foreclosure on his credit report but now has a much larger deficiency balance in which the bank, in most cases, will report on his credit report as a balance owed.
The Best Option is Clear
While the financial and credit advantages are clear when choosing a short sale over a foreclosure, other advantages are sometimes overlooked. The most important of all of them is maintaining the seller’s dignity and peace of mind. We have heard too many stories of families having to leave their homes because of a Sheriff’s order or some other type of legal action. The short sale process alleviates this negative social impact. The process puts the control back in the seller’s hands so that they can get back on the road to financial recovery and start providing for their families. In the battle of the two evils, a short sale always wins!!!
For more information on the housing market please visit RuhlHomes.com
Originally Published By: KCM Blog
Oct 04
Old summers don’t die, they just explode into color – the bright yellows, oranges, reds and purples of our annual Midwest fall foliage show.
The performance is under way now and will peak in various spots until the end of October.
The northern halves of Iowa and Illinois are expected to experience peak colors about Saturday, Oct. 8, with the southern halves being most colorful a week or so later, according to each state’s Department of Natural Resources. The question of why leaves change color is complicated, but it basically goes like this:
All leaves contain chlorophyll, the green pigment that is critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from sunlight to make food.
In early fall – as a response to the shorter days and declining intensity of sunlight – chlorophyll production slows down, then stops, and eventually all of it is destroyed.
That is when the carotenoids, the yellow and gold colors always present in leaves, are unmasked and show themselves. They were there all along – in July, for example – but you couldn’t see them.
The red, purple and crimson colors you see in some leaves are produced by a different pigment called anthocyanin, and that is not present until fall, when warm, bright days favor its production (although not in all trees).
That’s why you get the most intense color when the days are clear and sunny, the nights are cool (but not freezing) and rainfall has been ideal.
Predicting color is dicey, and many foresters refuse to do it because it depends upon so many factors – not only the weather in autumn but also spring and summer.
Colors generally continue until the first hard frost, which varies from year to year and can drastically shorten a season. Too much rain can blow the show, too.
5 Most Colorful Trees
Maple
Color differs by species. Some maples sports red leaves, while others are orange-red or yellow. Maples produce some of this area’s brightest color in natural areas as well as in landscape plantings. Two redder-than-red maples can be seen at the Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS building on Bettendorf’s Middle Road.
Oak
Oaks turn brown-bronze, coppery-red or purplish, depending upon the variety. You can find them in natural areas as well as in landscape plantings. Black Hawk State Historic Site in Rock Island is a fine place to find oaks.
Ash
This native is under siege in many states east of the Quad-Cities because of an invasive pest called the emerald ash borer that kills these trees, so enjoy them while you can. Ashes turn brilliant yellow, red or maroon-purple, depending upon the variety. A particularly showy purple cultivar — appropriately called “Autumn Purple” — can be seen along Davenport’s East 40th Street, east of Forest Road, where they were planted by the Greenway Habitat group.
Staghorn sumac
This is a shrub, but needs to be in a list of fall color contributors because you can’t miss its red leaves on hillsides. And although it’s considered a shrub, it can grow to a height of 25 feet and 15 to 20 feet in width. Branches and twigs are covered with brown, velvety hair that resemble deer antlers in velvet, hence its common name.
Ginkgo
The distinctive, fan-shaped leaves of this ancient tree (it dates to the time of the dinosaurs) turn pure yellow in fall. And after the first really hard frost, the leaves drop all at once. You won’t find these in natural areas, but they are in landscapes here and there. Locations include the corner of Brady and Locust streets and Vander Veer Botanical Park, both in central Davenport.
Bald cypress
This is a deciduous conifer whose green needles turn rusty orange-brown in the fall before dropping off. (It’s “deciduous” because it loses its leaves in fall, a “conifer” because it produces cones.) When the leaves/needles drop, casual observers become alarmed that the tree is dying. Although native, it’s not seen much in natural landscapes. For some small examples, check out the median along 53rd Avenue in Bettendorf.
Sweet gum
The hand-shaped leaves of this tree turn brilliant red in fall; they can be absolutely striking. The tree can be iffy in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone that includes the Quad-City area, though, so it generally isn’t found in natural landscapes. Rather, it is a landscape plant in our urban areas.
Visit RuhlHomes.com for up to date information on the housing market.
Originally Published by: QC Times
Sep 27
Let’s face it, in these economically trying times going to a state that is conducive for conducting business is vitally important. If you are looking for work it does not make a great deal of sense going to a state that hinders a businesses ability to succeed.
Likewise, buying a house in a good business environment makes a lot more sense than doing so where businesses will be struggling. So if you are thinking of moving to a state that is favorable for business this list by CNBC is a very smart tool to use.
Virginia came in as the top state. With it’s pro-business state house and proximity to Washington DC, where growth in government spending has created it’s own jobs engine, Virginia is for business lovers. Texas is in second place, with southern states Georgia, North Carolina, and Colorado rounding out the top 5. The only northeast member of the list Massachusetts comes in 6th owing mainly to it’s educated workforce.
The remaining states on our top 10 list are heartland states; Minnesota, Utah, Iowa, and Nebraska. The worst state in the country is Rhode Island with Alaska not far behind.
So if you are starting a business, looking for a job, or interested in investing in real estate, check out this list of the …
Top 10 States for Business in America for 2011
- Virginia
- Texas
- North Carolina
- Georgia
- Colorado
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Utah
- Iowa
- Nebraska
For More Information keep checking RuhlHomes.com
Originally Published by: The Real Estate Bloggers
Sep 21
Sales in the housing industry have remained stagnant over the last several months. Though certain categories of purchasers have remained stable and even increased, the number of cash buyers and investors has dramatically decreased. Researchers from Capital Economics recently reported:
“The firm has found that since January, the number of homes purchased by cash buyers and investors has fallen by 26 percent.”
However, we believe these purchasers have not left the market entirely but instead have been waiting on the sidelines.
Both cash buyers and investors are normally looking for a deal/steal on the real estate they purchase. It is our opinion they are waiting for the release of the glut of distressed properties which has been kept off the market while paperwork issues were being cleared. Proof of this can be seen in the decreasing percentage of overall sales the distressed market has represented over the last six months (40% to 29%).
As we posted earlier, this distressed inventory is about to come to market. These foreclosures will have very enticing prices on them. We believe sales will jump.
Bottom Line
The supply of houses will increase; so will demand for this inventory. The impact on prices will be determined by which increases more. Our bet is that supply will still be greater than demand causing further downward pressure on overall prices.
For the most up to date information on the housing market keep checking RuhlHomes.com.
Originally Published by: KCM Blog
Sep 15
We here at KCM are often accused of allowing our belief in the benefits of owning a home to impact how we report on the housing market. We do not hide from the fact that we believe homeownership is a major piece of the American Dream. However, we still try to accurately report on the facts behind all industry news. Yet, there seems to be a consorted effort by some media to concentrate on only the negative aspects of any report which is released on housing.
As an example, when Fannie Mae released their most recent monthly National Housing Survey, DSNews ran an article titled Americans Harbor Glum Outlook for Housing and the Economy. With a title like that, you would think Americans saw both the economy and housing in a free fall.
The Economy
The survey definitely showed that Americans were troubled by the economy:
The percent of Americans who believe the economy is on the wrong track was 78 percent in August, up from 70 percent in July.
Almost eight out of ten surveyed think the economy is going in the wrong direction. That is definitely a gloomy outlook.
The Housing Market
It is true that the percentage of Americans who said home prices would ‘go down’ ticked up compared to last month (27% from 24%). However, the study also showed that sixty-nine percent believe prices would ‘go up’ or ‘stay the same’. *
Also, 69% of those surveyed said it is a ‘good time to buy a home’. That percentage is UP three percent from last month.
How is that a ‘glum outlook’?
Bottom Line
More than two out of three Americans think that prices will remain stable or increase. Over two out of three believe it is a good time to buy. Why is the media telling us that this report shows Americans are glum about the housing market?
Keep checking RuhlHomes.com for more up to date information on the housing market.
*We are not saying we agree with this portion of the survey. We do believe prices will soften. We are asking why the media is reporting on this particular survey and saying something other than what is actually being reported
Article orginally published by: KCM Blog
