Disaster Assistance Loans

Disaster Assistance Loans
Homeowners, renters, businesses and private non-profit organizations may be eligible for disaster assistance loans for physical damage or economic injury. These loans are provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). First, you must register with FEMA (800-621-3362). Then contact the SBA to request a loan application (800-659-2955) or visit the disaster recovery center set up in Nevada at the Story County Administration Building, 2nd Floor, 900 Sixth Street. For more information, visit www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.


Brandi Nelson - The Hill-Nelson Real Estate Team
Century 21 Signature Real Estate, Ames, Iowa
Each office independently owned & operated.
515-291-0914 (cell phone) www.hill-nelson.com

Market Status

Just a little update from the Ames Multiple Listing Service... as of 6/22/2008

508 active single family homes and 60 active acreages
191 sales pending of single family homes and 8 acreages pending

and from 5/1/2008 - 6/22/2008
158 single family homes sold
9 acreages sold


Brandi Nelson - The Hill-Nelson Real Estate Team
Century 21 Signature Real Estate, Ames, Iowa
Each office independently owned & operated.
515-291-0914 (cell phone) www.hill-nelson.com

New website launched

Century 21 corporate has totally reworked the www.century21.com website. Check it out and let me know if you like it or not. Its definitely different - not sure if I'm sold on it yet or not!


Brandi Nelson - The Hill-Nelson Real Estate Team
Century 21 Signature Real Estate, Ames, Iowa
Each office independently owned & operated.
515-291-0914 (cell phone) www.hill-nelson.com

Century 21 on YouTube

Century 21 corporate ran a promotion this spring where agents could submit short videos of their individual listings on YouTube. This is a link to some of those YouTube clips - they are really, really good! http://www.youtube.com/century21 you can see that the winning entry won the owner of the home $21,000 and a HD tv. Enjoy!


Brandi Nelson - The Hill-Nelson Real Estate Team
Century 21 Signature Real Estate, Ames, Iowa
Each office independently owned & operated.
515-291-0914 (cell phone) www.hill-nelson.com

Buyer Beware

Buyers beware... interest rates are going up. Two weeks ago we saw rates under 6% and this week rates are around 6.5%.

If you are on the fence on whether you should buy now or later, keep this in mind... a $200,000 house at 6% fixed over 30 years would be a payment of $1,199.10 P&I, the same house at 7% interest would have a P&I payment of $1,330.60. That's a difference of $131.50 per month.

Another way to look at it is... if you want to keep your P&I payment around $1,200 each month you can afford a $200,000 house at 6% but only a $180,000 house at 7% interest.

Please don't wait. Interest rates are still very good and there are a lot of homes to choose from on the market right now.


Brandi Nelson - The Hill-Nelson Real Estate Team
Century 21 Signature Real Estate, Ames, Iowa
Each office independently owned & operated.
515-291-0914 (cell phone) www.hill-nelson.com

Lesson Learned

I've said it before, I'll say it again...and maybe this time I will listen to myself! If you have a sump pump, you should have a dual sump system or a battery backed-up system.

Then I urge everyone to check their home owner's insurance for septic/sewer/sump failure coverage. I was told that most insurance companies only add this coverage when asked. In most homes with basements, your most important mechanical items are down there... your furnace, water heater, washer/dryer, pressure tank, etc. Those items add up fast when your basement floods!


Brandi Nelson - The Hill-Nelson Real Estate Team
Century 21 Signature Real Estate, Ames, Iowa
Each office independently owned & operated.
515-291-0914 (cell phone) www.hill-nelson.com

Rain, rain go away!

Well folks, its been raining here forever... or at least it seems that way. The rivers are all out of their banks, fields have huge ponds in them and yes, basements have water in them. Just remember if you are looking at homes right now its actually a good thing. You are most likely seeing the basement at its worst. If it doesn't have water now - it probably never will!!

Brandi Nelson - The Hill-Nelson Real Estate Team
Century 21 Signature Real Estate, Ames, Iowa
Each office independently owned & operated.
515-291-0914 (cell phone) www.hill-nelson.com