Local Talent

From a mortgage prospective - Weekly Update

Week in review and what to expect this week.  Important indicators ahead of us. 

First 3 Steps to complete when looking for a new home.

You think you are ready to buy a home, but don’t know where to start?

If you are a first time buyer you are not alone. If you have not purchased a home for a long time, you may not be aware of the recent changes that have taken place in mortgage industry and may not be aware of what you can and cannot afford at this time.

1. Find a qualified Buyer’s Representative – an ABR - Realtor who has been trained specially to work with buyers.
2. Commit to paper your wants and needs. Know what you must have. Is the location of your home more important than the house itself? Do you need three bedrooms, a yard and a garage or can you do with less? Can you afford more. That is where the next step comes in…
3. Assess and understand your Credit and Financial picture – your ABR Realtor will guide you and may even recommend local well trained, respected and knowledgeable Mortgage Consultants who will advise you on what you can and cannot do.

Seller invites you to our Open House tomorrow Sunday 1-3 at 406 Providence Rd in Wallingford

Interesting statistics for home sales in Delaware County

As reported by TRENDmls - multiple service in Philadelphia area there is a Positive News for home sellers - here are some interesting statistics for home sales in Delaware County in 2010.

Percent of change in number of homes sold in the top performing zip codes were as follows:

19041         Haverford             + 250.00%

19382         West Chester        + 100.00%

19074         Norwood             +   71.43%

19087         Wayne                 +     8.00%

19373         Thornberry          +      0.00%

The rest of the good news for sellers is that offered vs. settled price ratio in these areas was from 96.8% to 102% of the asking price.

Last week in review - from a mortgage prospective

Week in review

Happy Decorating, Ida J. McCausland Interior Design February SHOW HOUSE

Ida J. McCausland Interior Design 610-220-8895 ijminteriordesign@verizon.net

Welcome to the Ida J. McCausland Interior Design Newsletter Ahh, February. A short month, so a short newsletter!  First, we get dumped with tons of snow, and then the temperature hits the 60's.  It is a great month for the transition from winter to spring.  (Thankfully, according to the groundhog's calendar, we only have about 3 more weeks of winter).  Spring can't come soon enough! Springtime in Paris!!! The Philadelphia Flower Show is almost here! Philadelphia has (I believe) the largest indoor flower show in the world, and for those of you who have never been, it is not just a bunch of flower arrangements on tables with ribbons.  It runs March 5 through March 13, and this year's theme is Springtime in Paris, so expect lots of French-themed food, music, dancing, and of course flower gardens - complete with a replica of the Eiffel Tower!   It is well worth the admission price, and the perfect place to find inspiration for your spring decorating. Now is a great time to... ...Make plans!  With a few days of spring-like weather, we're all ready to go out and...garden, travel, exercise, go out to lunch, shop, change things around - do something.  But  it really is still February, so what can you do?  You can make plans, and now is the perfect time to think about your living space. Maybe you are completely happy with your space the way it is, or maybe you would like to make just a few changes.  Or, perhaps you realize that the space really does not suit your lifestyle, but don't have any idea of what it needs or where to begin.   Getting Started:   1.  Start  with your needs.   Write down what you need this space to do for you: work, play, hobbies, storage, entertaining, daily life, ages and occupations of the inhabitants (including pets) are all things to consider. What does the space have that you don't need or want? If you had a magic wand, what would you do? Which items are complete necessities, and which can be moved to your wish list? 2.  Get input from others. It is also a good idea to ask the other people who live in the space for their ideas; their answers might surprise you, and may illuminate things you hadn't considered. Next: 1.  Take stock of what space you already have:  what spaces are you not using? Maybe they can be re-assigned or repurposed.  2.   What spaces are trying to do to much?  Can some of those tasks be shifted somewhere else?  There is nothing wrong with a room doing double or triple duty - as long as it's done well.  3. Now,  get out the graph paper and start to look at the spaces you have.  Lay out the space, and then make a furniture plan of what would be best for you, regardless of what furniture you own.  4.  After you have arrived at the optimal plan, place what you have where it will fit.  This part is all about practicality, not the 'fluff' of decoration.   Or:  Call me.  I am always available to help - no matter how big or small the project. Interior designers have been trained to look at spaces and how they can best work for you.  Because I don't live in your space, it is easier for me to see potential solutions and problems. I can walk you through the process, creating furniture plans and using spaces in ways you may never have thought of.  This is the bones of the job.  Without good design, it doesn't matter how good others may think it looks; if it doesn't work for your lifestyle, it will never be beautiful in your eyes. You will always see the problems and never be able to enjoy the beauty.  I can help you find a beautiful solution to those difficult spaces. EXCITING NEWS!! I am thrilled to announce that I have been one of the few designers selected to participate in The Oxford Arts Alliance Designer Show House and Gardens at Historic Stonebridge Estate! This show house will be raising money for the  Oxford Arts Alliance by featuring chosen designers.  Each designer has been assigned a space to interpret, design and decorate.  It is a wonderful chance to view the work of many designers, and it's a great opportunity for designers to show off their artistic vision in ways they can't always do in your house. Visitors will also have an opportunity to see new and unusual ideas and products in home furnishings. The Oxford Arts Alliance Designer Show House will be May 7-May 30, 2011 at the Stonebridge Estate in Chadds Ford (at the corner of Webb Road and Baltimore Pike).  This house was built at the turn of the 20th  century and is a beautiful old stone mansion.  You can find some "before" pictures on the Arts Alliance's Flickr site; just search for "This Old House Stonebridge Chadds Ford".  Be sure to check them out before you come to the Show House, because the property will be totally transformed! Most of the house is shown, except for the area I'm working on.  (Take note of the "water fountain" in one of the pictures - you'll be seeing that again in my space!)  More info to come next month! For more information on the show house or tickets, please visit the Oxford Arts Alliance's website: www.OxfordArt.org, or contact me directly. My dream is that every one of my clients will have a home that is completely tailored to their lifestyles and needs.  I am never too busy to answer your questions, find resources, consult or help with projects for you or your referrals! I look forward to hearing from you soon. Happy Decorating, Ida McCausland Ida J. McCausland Interior Design