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To make lenders more accountable, the mortgage application process is getting more stringent.

According to regulations stemming from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, mortgage lenders must be more

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thorough in their documentation of loans and limit risky lending behavior.

As of Jan. 10, 2014, lenders must follow the qualified residential mortgage rules, otherwise they cannot make a loan and sell off their stake in the secondary loan market, which is their preferred practice.

The QRM rules align closely with the “qualified mortgage” rules released earlier last year by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Because of this precedent, many banks already adhere to the requirements. CFPB Director Richard Cordray estimated that 95 percent of loans in the current market qualify.

The rules are as follows:• Fees and points – additional

charges that increase the cost of the loan – can equal at most 3 per-cent of the loan, except loans less than $100,000.

• The CFPB will not qualify loans with risky features such as negative amortization, interest-only and balloon payments.

• The loan term can be no more than 30 years.

• Lenders must obtain extensive paperwork to verify that borrow-ers have the ability to repay loans by the Ability to Repay Rule. A borrower’s total debt-to-income ra-tio can be no more than 43 percent.

This last point is the most impactful, and it puts more burden upon banks to ensure a borrower is in sufficient financial health to repay the mortgage.

For homebuyers, those at ex-treme ends of the income scale are likely to feel the pinch. Low-income borrowers and those with debt or credit problems may be denied mortgages that they could have ob-tained in the free-wheeling financial years preceding the housing crisis.

High-net-worth individuals seeking large mortgages for luxury properties may also find it difficult to meet the debt-to-income require-ment.

However, the new mortgage rules are not more stringent than

the majority of current mortgage loans, so the average homebuyer is less likely to feel immediate differ-ences in the housing market.

And, the qualified residential mortgage rules don’t apply to loans from federal programs such as the Federal Housing Administration and the Veterans Administration.

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on’t take it personally – some buyers simply won’t like the way your space looks. That’s why staging a home can make a big difference.

If you can’t get expert help to stage your home (some real estate agents provide staging services), consider hiring a stager or enlisting the help of a friend to view your home through a stranger’s eyes.

In the meantime, follow these five basic rules to market your property to potential buyers.

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ou’ve heard it before: Buying a home is one of the biggest financial transactions you’ll ever make. Talk about pressure.

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decision, if you’re like most buyers, you’ll first want to decide on a real estate agent who will help you through the process.

A 2013 survey from the National Association of Realtors reveals that 88 percent of buyers in the previous year purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker. Especially for first-timers, a trusted, knowledgeable ally can reduce stress and leave buyers feeling confident.

“With the Internet, it’s easy to find properties that match your needs today,” says Bob Larson, real estate agent with First Weber Group in Milwaukee. “The value of a real estate agent or broker is to get through all the paperwork and ne-gotiations, working with lenders, inspectors, title companies… Finding a house is not the biggest part. It’s crossing all the t’s and dotting all the i’s.”

It’s important to shop around before settling on a real estate agent. Referrals from family and friends are a good starting point, Larson says. Prospective buyers should also consider inter-viewing a few different agents and asking if they can contact some of the agents’ past clients.

“Look for an agent who is making the client’s

priorities their priorities, not one who is just looking for commission,” Larson says. “One who actually gets satisfaction from helping people ac-complish their dreams.”

The top real estate agent might not always be the best fit. Like any business relationship, a good synergy between the two parties is key.

Conversely, a buyer should be wary of picking a professional simply because they are friends or family, says Kelly Marsh, a real estate profes-sional with Atlanta-based Keller Williams Realty. There needs to be a balance of personal connec-tion and professional experience, as well as room for honesty.

The general consensus is that buyers should also go local when it comes to real estate agents.

“Oftentimes in San Francisco, we’ll have an agent come in who is not familiar with San Fran-cisco homes and values,” says Patrick Barber, president of Pacific Union International’s San Francisco region. “I’ve heard of so many people overpaying for properties.”

Instead, the most valuable real estate agent is one who is familiar with the specific market in which the buyer is looking, he says, and can nego-tiate for the best price.

“There’s so many pieces to this puzzle of pur-chasing the largest investment these people are making,” Barber says. “It’s crucial you have an advocate.”

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hat you don’t know could hurt you – at least in the case of a real estate transaction. That’s why every home-buyer should ensure a contract is contingent upon a

satisfactory home inspection.Especially for older construction, building standards and

construction materials have drastically changed. Plus, many properties on the market now have been vacant or in disrepair due to the foreclosure crisis and economic downturn.

With those uncertain variables in play, it’s critical to hire a professional home inspector.

“A home inspector in the early 1970s didn’t have to concern themselves with lead-based paint or asbestos – those materials had yet to be deemed unsafe,” says Reggie Marston, president of Residential Equity Management Home Inspections in Springfield, Va. “In the early 1980s, no one was concerned with radon gas or anti-tip brackets on stoves. In the early 1990s, mold was not on everyone’s high priority list, and composite building materials were just starting to be installed.”

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Those are just a handful of the problems that today’s home inspec-tors can detect. It’s also essentail to check staples like the HVAC system, wiring, roof and foundation.

In addition, home inspectors are uniquely qualified to catch hard-to-see problems like code violations.

Hidden hazards can include im-properly spaced balusters on rail-ings, defective garage-door safety features and inoperable windows that reduce the number of fire exits in a residence, says Kurt Salomon, past president of the American Society of Home Inspectors. Once, he says, an inspector found residual chemicals in a house that had been used as a secret meth lab.

And, the rash of repossessed homes has only made their jobs harder. Since many foreclosed properties have sat vacant for months – even years – damage from water, mold, deterioration and van-dalism are prime concerns.

According to a 2012 poll con-ducted by ASHI, nearly 90 percent

of all American homeowners sur-veyed said home inspections boost their confidence in a home pur-chase. Eighty-four percent said they would be more likely to purchase a foreclosed or short-sale property if it passed a home inspection.

“The purpose of a home inspec-tion is not to assemble a list of normal wear-and-tear or cosmetic items but to identify the home’s most pressing problems to be addressed in an effort to save the buyer money in the long run,” Salomon says.

After the inspection, the buyer and seller negotiate to see if any of the problems will be fixed or if there will be price allowances for necessary repairs. Even if the contract doesn’t change, Salomon says, “The buyer will still benefit from having the knowledge of defective or unsafe components and systems.”

Some sellers will have a home inspection completed prior to list-ing a home, says Susan Aviles, bro-

ker with Aviles Real Estate Brokerage in Mount Pleasant, S.C.

In other cases, a real estate agent may insist that a home inspector of the buyer’s choice con-ducts the inspection. Either way, Aviles says, she would never recommend that a client forgo a home inspection.

Regardless of the age of the structure or appearance, an inspection is neces-sary. Even brand-new homes could have issues with build-ers cutting corners or recent DIY home improvement projects gone awry.

When shopping for a home inspector, choose one who meets state licensing/certification regulations (visit www.ashi.org for

more details). He or she should have several years of experience and come highly referred by someone you know.

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fter the negotiation and closing, homebuy-ers might breathe a big sigh of relief. But don’t get too comfortable. Moving can be a

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under control, follow these four steps.

Summer and the end of each month are high-demand periods for most moving companies. Prices are more expensive and it can be difficult to hire a truck or a moving company at these times.

Consider moving during the “shoulder” season – spring or fall – when weather is good and there’s less competition, recommends Diane Schmidt, moving adviser at About.com.

To hire a reliable mover, you should do research first on the com-pany’s reputation. Ask friends for recommendations. Check reviews on websites such as the Better Busi-ness Bureau, Yelp or Angie’s List.

If you decide to move yourself, research truck rental companies first. Calculate the right size of truck and make sure some trust-worthy friends are available to help you on moving day.

Remember to ask the rental truck agency for extra tools like a dolly and moving straps, Schmidt adds.

Here is a golden rule to decide whether to keep or throw your stuff: “If you haven’t used it in the last year, toss it. A pair of jeans you’ve never worn or a set of weights you swore you’d use regularly – every-thing adds up,” Schmidt says.

For a long-distance move, get rid of junk you’re not using to save money, since moving companies usually charge by weight.

Giving away your stuff can be another way to declutter, advises Laura McHolm, co-founder of NorthStar Moving in Los Angeles. Extra clothes, home accessories, decorations or media can be gifted to neighbors or friends. If you have more time and patience, arrange to sell them at a garage sale. Another

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he good news is that residential real estate values increased impressively in 2013. The even better news is that, if you’re eager to

trade up to a bigger, better home but have been waiting for market conditions to improve, 2014 is shaping up to be a great year to make that move.

Nobody wants to get saddled with paying two mortgages. That’s why people prefer to sell their current home before completing the purchase on a move-up property, the experts say.

But real estate transactions – like life – don’t always proceed smoothly and according to pre-ferred timetables.

Keep in mind that many lenders require hom-eowners to sell their residence or make an offer contingent on its sale before purchasing another home, which makes matters fairly cut and dry for most sellers.

On the other hand, those who have the earning power and resources to qualify for two mortgages are afforded a lot more flexibility.

Consider that, in markets favorable to sellers, many sellers would select an offer from a party without any contingencies, rather than accept an offer in which they’ll have to wait for the buyer’s former residence to sell.

However, move-up buyers have some leverage for their own home sale.

They can make the sale of their house contingent on finding a home to purchase, and they can include

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a rent-back agreement in the contract that enables them to reside in their old house while they get ready to move. Renting briefly from a buyer not only grants extra time to find a new residence, it means the seller will not have to move twice (although lenders limit the rent-back term to no longer than 60 days).

How do you carefully time such a complicated dual transaction within a limited window of opportunity? Enlist the help of an experienced team of real estate professionals, including a savvy agent, trusted mortgage broker/lender, and a responsive property attorney, says Ken Maes, with Skyline Home Loans in Clackamas, Ore.

“Make sure you are pre-approved for your next mortgage before you list your home, look at move-up homes well ahead of time and not after you get an offer on your current home, and have everything ready to move,” Maes says. “Also, structure your closing date for as long away as possible to give yourself extra time.”

The best circumstance is to have simultaneous closings on your sale and purchase properties, which a good real estate agent should be able to facilitate, says Bruce Ailion, broker/attorney in Marietta, Ga. “You may also want to be prepared to lease your former home to avoid paying two mortgages.”

Dan Gjeldum, at Guaranteed Rate in Chicago, says a simultaneous clos-ing involves structuring the contracts to occur on the same day, “which is typically set up as a morning sale and an afternoon purchase.”

— Erik J. Martin© CTW Features

Just consider the numbers: Property prices in 20 key cities rose 13.6 percent from October 2012 through September 2013, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index – the biggest 12-month jump since February 2006.

What’s more, recent data released by the Federal Reserve indicates that net equity in household real estate increased $2.2 trillion from the third quarter of 2012 to third quarter 2013.

Rob Levy, principal broker with Keller Williams Realty Professionals in Portland, Ore., says now is an ideal time for a move-up purchase for several reasons.

“In most cases, more expensive move-up homes have dropped more in value than more modest or average homes,” Levy says. “Also, many larger homes are owned by Baby Boomers who are now downsizing, so there are more of them available or becoming available on the market.”

At the same time, the starter homes that many move-up buyers come from are in high demand from first-time buyers and investors looking for rental properties.”

Moreover, would-be move-up buyers sitting on the fence may never again get such opportune timing.

“This may be the last time [a move-up purchase] is this affordable for many. As mortgage interest rates and prices increase, it becomes increas-ingly less affordable,” says Bruce Ailion, broker and attorney with RE/MAX Greater Atlanta in Marietta, Ga.

“Consider that the approximately 4.5 percent interest rates of today remain historically very low,” he says. “Almost universally, economists and analysts expect rates to rise to 5 percent by the end of 2015, and prices to continue to increase.”

© CTW Features

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Decided to sell your current home to upgrade to a new one? Shopping around for the right residence is only one part of the process.

You’ll also need to shop around for the right mortgage deal to finance that bigger, better house you’ve been dreaming about.

If it’s been a few years since you’ve applied for a mortgage loan, be prepared for changes. That’s be-cause banks and lenders today have to abide by tighter financial restric-tions and are much pickier about whom they approve.

“If you purchased your current home before 2008, there’s a good chance that you really didn’t have to provide much documentation when applying for a mortgage,” says

Dan Gjeldum, senior vice president of mortgage lending at Guaran-teed Rate in Chicago. “The current mortgage environment is heavy on documentation, and mortgage professionals review every buyers’ ability to repay the loan carefully before granting a mortgage now, so be prepared for that.”

That means doing some extra homework.

To be ready, gather at least three years of tax returns plus several months of bank statements and pay stubs.

Also, check your credit report and make sure your FICO credit score is better than it was the last time you applied for a loan, Portland, Ore.-based broker Rob Levy says.

While you can always try financ-ing your new mortgage with your current mortgage lender, it pays to compare loan offers from several dif-ferent lenders and to compare total loan costs – including rates, points, fees and closing cost – carefully.

“Using the same mortgage repre-sentative or broker makes sense if you had a positive experience,” says Marietta, Ga.-based broker/attorney Bruce Ailion. “When comparing the rates you are quoted, they should not vary more than an eighth of a

percent.”For a referral to a reputable

mortgage broker or lender, ask your real estate agent, family, friends and other people you trust.

Lastly, “make sure you are pre-approved for a mortgage before you list [your current home for sale], which is different than getting pre-qualified,” says Ken Maes, northwest divisional vice president for Skyline Home Loans in Clackamas, Ore.

— Erik J. Martin© CTW Features

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ome ownership remains a dream for many people. But on the heels of the

recession that began in late 2008, prospective home buyers are find-ing it far more difficult to secure a mortgage than it was in the years before the economy took a turn for the worse. Stricter guidelines now govern both borrowers and lenders alike, and the process can quickly frustrate prospective homeowners.

But strict guidelines and more diligent lenders do not mean pro-spective borrowers will not be able to secure a loan to finance their home purchases. It just means those borrowers might want to take every stop possible to ensure their loan applications are ap-proved and their mortgages are affordable.

Poor credit is a prospective borrower’s worst enemy, and it’s an instant and glaring red flag to lend-ers. And thanks to inaccuracies on their credit reports, some people may have poor credit and not even know it. Before they even begin the process of applying for a home loan, would-be applicants should go over their credit reports with a fine tooth comb, ensuring there are no potentially harmful inaccuracies that may affect the ability to secure an affordable mortgage. Inaccura-cies or poor credit histories can bring down individuals’ credit scores, which lenders use to deter-mine home loan interest rates. So prospective applicants should have any errors to their credit reports

corrected and/or work to improve their credit scores before applying for loans.

Even if an applicant’s credit score is solid, lenders may scoff at applicants with substantial amounts of debt. Credit card debt should be paid down before begin-

ning the process, and it also may benefit applicants to pay off any additional loans, such as car notes or student loans, before applying for a home loan. The less debt an applicant has, the more attractive that applicant becomes.

Either embark on a de-clutter-ing mission or commit the majority of your possessions to storage (or a relative’s home) in order to remove all extraneous details.

For essential items, store behind closet doors or inside decorative baskets. With so few items in place, it might not look natural – but that’s fine. You’re aiming for the look of a cata-logue or furniture storeroom.

Once your place is clean, you shouldn’t be shy about throw-

ing light into every corner.Open all the windows and blinds

and have at least two sources of light available in every room.

Nothing’s worse than an empty room lit by a single overhead light. It makes a space feel sterile and small.

Buy or borrow standing lamps to

fill corners with light. Move table lamps to maximize the light they cast in a room.

Use the illumi-nation as a tool to highlight features in the home, such as a reading corner or a task area in the kitchen.

Take that

assortment of vases, set of fine china and candle collection out of storage and put them to use. While you don’t want to increase clutter, a well-placed design touch on empty countertops and tables could provide a homey feeling.

Use those beautiful vases for fresh flowers, which will smell great and brighten the room. Just remember to refresh them when they start to droop.

Most importantly, don’t go out and buy a new set of décor just for staging, un-less you intend to use them in your new home.

The aim is not to create the perfect model home but rather to showcase all the possibilities of the space.

Make note of features that could be selling points that you

don’t personally use – clean an unused grill or put some bar glasses by an entertaining sink.

You may need to edit down your furniture – most homes have too much. Place the remaining pieces in functional ways by creating a conver-sation area adjacent to the kitchen or a sitting area on the patio.

Any room that you’re using mostly to store miscellaneous items should be emptied.

Most real estate agents will recommend home sellers stick

with neutral colors and furnishings. While that’s true most of the time, there are certain locations and neigh-borhoods that attract certain buyers.

For instance, in an artists’ enclave, colorful walls and large displays of art-work can play well. These listings tend to attract buyers who are interested in art.

Keep in mind, the money you spend on neutralizing your home could have a low return on investment. In a study by Johns Hopkins University in March 2012, people did not significantly value a home with a neutral wall color over a home with ‘unattractive’ wall colors.

In that case, keeping an interesting design choice could help your home stand out in the midst of property viewings.

© CTW Features

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or Stephen Collins, his vast knowledge of architectural styles, furniture, decorative

arts and history all fits into one category: “The love of beauty on every level.”

The London native has traveled the world from the Bay of Bengal to Morocco, where he opened a bed-and-breakfast in his late twenties, collecting beautiful objects and absorbing local design landscapes as he went.

Nowadays, his face is probably most familiar as the host of Bravo’s “Property Envy,” a television show

that examines luxurious proper-ties for their real estate value and design acumen.

Still, Collins’ interest in aesthet-ics started long before his television career. “I was probably 8 or 9 when I became obsessed with Victorian and resort architecture,” he recalls. “Not public or municipal architec-ture… but domestic architecture in the way that it tells the story of people.”

Collins is able to pursue this interest now as a decorator who consults on interior decoration and furniture acquisition in the U.S. and in Europe.

We caught up with Collins as he prepared to film a new web series, “Man About Modernism,” providing a view of Modernism Week festivi-ties, hosted in Palm Springs, Calif., where he currently resides.

How would you describe your design philosophy?

I think buildings and decoration make absolutely no sense without the people.

On the one hand, I love decorat-ing – executing projects in the old-school way. But I don’t go around matching rooms and organizing. Modern-day decorators are organiz-ers for the most part.

I think a decorator should be on a par with the client, equals. It’s not about making a statement of ego or to impress. Real decorating passion comes from long-term investment.

Beauty takes time, and it takes effort.

What is your No. 1 recommendation for travel?

For where you travel, it’s entirely dependent on what you really want from your experience.

I lived in France for 10 years – all over, Paris, Normandy, Cap d’Antibes. The French are the people who I think have got it most right.

The reason is, they still value the human element in life. They value stopping, taking a pause. They think we are crazy the way we rush out of our offices in the Anglo-Saxon

world, with telephones in our ears, grabbing a sandwich in a wrapped plastic box.

What is the best part of working on Property Envy?

The best part is to have 3 dif-ferent viewpoints of very differ-ent people that all seem valid. For instance, Brandie in Chicago looks at the pure real estate value. Jeff is in the middle – the linchpin – of designing to sell. And I particularly love my interaction with Mary; of the three on the panel, she has the strongest design background.

What’s the most amazing prop-erty you’ve seen on the show?

The one that I liked the most was Villa Lauriston, outside of San Francisco, which was owned by an old-school American robber baron. The design is so elegant and light of hand. I love the way it adheres to many classical rules of architecture but has a distinctly American feeling.

Let’s help our readers set aside their property envy. How can they bring some luxury and beauty into a new property, even if it’s not in Morocco or on the beach?

It’s about being appropriate. And I don’t mean that a Georgian house has to have a Georgian interior. By appropriate, I mean the scale and the color.

For instance, if you have a home with a lot of wood, you can either paint it or find the right color to complement it. Oak has a lot of yel-low in it. Blue pulls out of mahogany.

It’s about authenticity. Like fashion, people can appreciate it even if they wouldn’t wear it. I can go to someone’s house that’s not, for me, in great taste, but if it’s ‘them’ then I feel warm in it.

It’s about people being true to themselves.

© CTW Features

Learn more at www.stephenmcollins.com or on Twitter @MisterSCollins

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any consumers are aware of the importance of having a good credit history. A strong credit history means consumers have a high credit score, which can help them secure home and auto loans with rea-

sonable interest rates. But while consumers may know the significance of a good credit score, they might not know about the credit score itself. The fol-lowing are a few things even consumers with strong credit histories may not know about that three-digit figure that can have such a substantial impact on their lives.

The success of websites offering free credit scores, and those sites’ popular television ad campaigns, opened many consumers’ eyes to the reality that they have multiple credit scores. That’s because each of the three credit bureaus has its own way of determining an individual’s credit score. Experian, Equifax and TransUnion each has their own proprietary scoring model. As a result, consumers typically have three credit scores. Though these scores are often within a few points of one another, that’s not always the case. Adults planning to apply for loans should find out all three of their scores before beginning the loan application process. If one score is considerably lower than the other two, examine each of the three reports thoroughly to determine if there are any discrepancies. Even credit report-ing agencies make errors, but those mistakes can prove quite costly to less careful consumers.

Just because you have a great credit score today does not mean that score will be just as stellar tomorrow. That’s because credit scores are con-stantly in flux. When determining your credit score, credit bureaus consider a host of factors, including what’s known as a credit-utilization ratio. This compares the amount of debt an individual is carrying to his or her total available credit. If your credit score last month was excellent but you have spent much of the past month piling up charges, then that score has prob-ably lowered, even if you haven’t missed a payment. A low credit-utilization ratio is ideal, so piling up charges will hurt your score unless you are imme-diately paying those charges off. Carrying balances and/or missing payments can quickly turn a great score into one that raises a red flag with prospec-tive lenders.

Many consumers are aware there’s such a thing as good debt and bad debt. Credit card debt is typically considered bad debt, as credit cards often charge much higher interest rates than lending institutions that give con-sumers chances to build good debt. Installment loans, which include mort-gages and auto loans, give consumers the opportunity to demonstrate they can make steady payments over a prolonged period of time, and each timely payment can boost a consumer’s credit score. However, men and women should be aware that missing installment loan payments can have a very detrimental impact on their credit scores.

— Metro

option, if the items are in good con-dition, is to donate them to a local charity.

Set aside at least two weeks before moving day for packing. Lisa Taylor, vice president of Florida-based Taylor & Sons Moving, recommends only doing a couple of hours a day because the work can be hard on your back.

Start from the least-used room like a guest room or laundry room, and then pack up each room in turn so you are not putting away items that you’ll need before you move.

Taylor recommends leaving the kitchen for last, since it’s always the hub of your household activity.

When packing, beware the com-mon mistakes of over-stuffing boxes and not adequately wrapping the items, Taylor says. Get the proper packing material for each item. Roll up paper into balls and put it on the bottom and top of each box for addi-

tional protection of valuable items.If you are moving a long dis-

tance, pack a suitcase for each family member with items he or she will need for the next few days, including clothes, toiletries and medications, McHolm suggests.

You’ve heard the axiom that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. McHolm says that the best way to be prepared is to plan, plan and plan more.

Here’s a brief checklist of just some of things you’ll need to do to be prepared for the truck’s arrival:! Go over to your new house a

day before and check if it is clean and ready to greet a new family. ! Make sure your moving truck

have a good place to park at your old home and new. ! Measure all walls and furniture

and have a layout in mind for your new house. If you have a huge piece of furniture, check if it can make it through doorways and up stair-ways. ! Lastly, don’t forget to change

your address, McHolm adds.© CTW Features

Using credit too frequently also can make it more difficult for pro-spective home buyers to secure a home loan. Credit card holders each have a maximum limit on their credit cards, and financial experts recom-mend using less than 20 percent of available credit to maintain a strong credit rating.

Some borrowers might be tempted to inflate their earnings on home loan applications, including counting overtime or bonuses they haven’t yet earned when listing their annual income. Borrowers can expect lenders to request documentation of any extra income, including bonuses, so applicants should avoid including

additional income on their applica-tions unless they can prove it.

Applicants also must avoid hiding past issues on their applications. Banks performing their due diligence will eventually discover any past problems, so applicants should be straightforward from the start. Appli-cants concerned about their earnings should know that it’s acceptable to include information about assets such as retirement plans and savings even if those funds don’t figure to be used to pay the mortgage.

Lenders look fondly on borrowers who can afford hefty down payments, feeling that such borrowers are less likely to default on their loans. In addition, the larger the down pay-ment, the less the monthly mortgage payment will be, saving borrowers a significant amount of interest fees over the course of the loan.

— Metro

CTW Features

n Colorado, residents of Bucking Horse in Fort Collins will be able to eat from fruit trees, buy hand-made jewelry and even go milk a cow at the neighborhood farm.

In Michigan, those in Cherry Hill Village, located in the Detroit suburb of Canton, can take in a show at the 400-seat Village Theater at Cherry Hill, which is built right into their neighborhood.

Homeowners in Patriots Landing in Quinton, Va., have four lakes in which to fish, a grocery store near the neighborhood entrance and more than 80 acres of undeveloped woodlands they can explore.

Communities like this turn the classic question “City or suburbs?” on its head.

t started with a fixation on video games.

Or rather, the fixation of a 13-year-old boy with video games, who happened to be the son of Gino Campana, the founder of Bellisimo Inc. in Fort Collins, Colo. Campana, 43, wanted to give his son, his three other children and his neighbors a lifestyle that embraced the kind of childhood he had, that would focus not on screens but rather on people. And animals. And nature.

“My parents would say, ‘Be home before dark,’ and I was out,’” Campana says. “We learned how to build our own communities on the playground, and kids today don’t get to do that. I told my wife, ‘That’s it. I’m buying a farm.’”

And so began the development of Bucking Horse and Jessup Farm, all within Fort Collins city limits.

The Bucking Horse develop-ment will contain more than 1,100 dwelling units priced from $140,000 to $750,000, Campana says, with about half of them built so far. Central to the 240-acre community

is Jessup Farm, which will provide fruit, vegetables and dairy to the neighborhood from the animals and crops on site.

Within the farm, an artisan vil-lage, which is slated to open this spring, will house an antique dealer, a jeweler and a locally sourced soup-and-salad restaurant. Plans also call for a brewery at Bucking Horse, should residents want to gather for local craft beer.

A one-acre park will contain trees of historical significance, serv-ing as a kind of urban forest.

Campana, who’s on the Fort Collins City Council, and his team at Bellisimo obtained numerous land-use variances to allow this van-guard urban-agricultural, health-conscious community.

“We throw out an idea like this, and some people look at me and say, ‘You’re out of your mind,’” he says. “It’s not always looking at how much money you’re going to make. It’s, how do you leave a legacy?” — Erin Chan Ding

© CTW Features

After all, recent surveys have shown that people are more interested in walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods that have a sense of community.

These neighborhoods redefine, or at least blur, what it means to be urban, suburban or rural.

The mantra in real estate has always been “location, location, location,” but these neighborhoods show that location may not be as important as something else: community.

It’s an increasingly popular concept, considering Americans are showing an increased preference for neighborhoods that invite walking and contain a mixture of houses, shops, eateries and other businesses.

In the National Association of Realtors’ 2013 Community Preference Survey, 60 percent of respondents would choose a walkable neighborhood over one where they would have to drive more between work, home and leisure activities.

Seventy-eight percent of 1,500 people surveyed also said the neighborhood where they live also is more important than the size of the house.

The most popular choice for an ideal community, respondents said, would be a suburban neighborhood with a mixture of homes and businesses, with the least popular being a neighborhood with only houses.

The result has been the rise of developments and neighborhoods focused not on being just another cluster of houses but rather their own self-con-tained villages and towns. The emphasis in these neighborhoods is not living near something but within something – namely, a dynamic environment.

The gravitation toward mixed-use neighborhoods has been made possible by the ability of more people to work remotely, says Ray Zabielski, manag-ing broker of Charles Rutenberg Realty of Illinois (Naperville).

He points to the historic migration from farms to cities that came with the rise of manufacturing centers, and later, central offices that concentrat-ed jobs in metropolitan areas. Now, technology has changed everything.

“Right now,” he says, “people can choose what appeals to them the most. They can survive making a living in any area. These alternative opportuni-ties are a real boon to the economy.”

A desire for well-rounded, healthy lifestyles also is a major factor in these holistic communities, says Gino Campana, the founder of Bellisimo Inc., and the Bucking Horse farm-adjacent community.

They are noticeably veering away from the McMansion-subdivision mentality and placing more importance on smaller, high-quality homes that promote healthy living.

“In general, I think people are becoming more aware of what people are putting into their bodies; if we think a generation back, jogging was a weird thing,” Campana says. “Some of these changes are taking place in society and trickling down to where you live.”

He also attributes the new emphasis on health and community to the change in family structure over the last several decades.

“We went from ‘Leave It to Beaver,’ Mom stays home and cooks, to dual-income families,” Campana says.

With both parents working, some families are getting less time to be together, he says: “Now we’re seeing some guilt associated with it, so if we can design more efficiency and time [into our lifestyles], that will allow people to spend more time with their families.”

© CTW Features

o make the most of their time

with a real estate agent, prospective homebuyers will need to do a little homework. • Get pre-approved: Real estate profes-sionals say the first step is to consult a reputable mortgage lender for a loan pre-approval. Once buyers know the price range they qualify for, Atlanta-based real estate professional Kelly Marsh suggests people evaluate their financial com-fort levels. What you can pay on a house can differ from what you should pay. • Understand your limits: Buyers should have a thorough understanding of their financial situation and their limits before any planning begins. A mortgage lender will need verification of your assets and income to issue you a loan. Also, homebuyers need to know how much they’re willing to spend. It’s best to begin with a conservative price range so there is some room to increase the allowance if the available properties aren’t up to par.“Many people will qualify for a certain amount and then go to the top of that range,” Marsh says. “Sometimes their payment is more than they’re comfortable with.”• Decide on a time frame: Financials aside, buyers should also share with their real estate agent the time frame in which they’re hoping to move and clearly communicate their expectations.• Separate ‘needs’ from ‘ wants’: Patrick Barber, president of Pacific Union International’s San Francisco region, says he asks his new clients to create a “need” list and a “wish” list before beginning the house search. Having this separation of crucial characteristics from desires written down on paper from the get-go can keep buyers grounded later on. “Those two things can sometimes conflict,” Barber says. “When we’re looking at a property, we can say, ‘hey, pull out the list… does it meet all your needs? Does it have some on your wish list?’ That keeps them from an emotional standpoint a little more centered.”With the pre-planning out of the way, Barber says, then “you can really enjoy the act of finding a home.”

— Rachel stark© CTW Features

“I would find out what that person’s value system is,” says Kelly Marsh, with Atlanta-based Keller Williams

Realty. “You don’t want to work with someone who’s just doing it because they think they can make a lot of money; you want to hire someone who loves what they do.”

For agents representing both the buyer and the seller, it can be difficult to get the

optimal price for both parties. “Always understand who the agent is representing,” recommends Bob Larson, with First Weber Group, Milwaukee.

“The answer you’re looking for is not necessarily how many houses they sold, but what they

say about how many houses they sold,” Marsh says. If their numbers are lower because they’re not a full-time agent, that could mean the buyer won’t get the time and attention he or she wants.

Especially in bigger cities, buyers will want an agent who is not just

local, but hyperlocal. They will benefit the most from a professional who has worked and sold homes in the specific area of the city in which the buyer is looking, Marsh says.

Does the buyer want to be contacted once or twice a week? By phone or text

message? Setting these expectations will keep both parties happy. “The number one thing we know to be important in any service industry is communication,” says Elizabeth Mendenhall, RE/MAX Boone Realty, Columbia, Mo., and regional vice president of the National Association of Realtors. “It’s critical in a complex real estate transaction.”

— Rachel Stark© CTW Features

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Seneca

Deserada HomesFor 27 Years Deserada Homes has led the way in

Innovative Design and Quality Construction of Homes in the High Desert

After Building Nearly 1000 Custom Homes,Deserada Continues to Provide Our Customers with the Utmost

Quality, Professionalism, Customer Service & Value!

Come visit our furnished model home located at

14480 Apple Valley Rd., Apple ValleyMonday - Friday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Or Call (760) 559-8264 to make an appointment

Coming Soon - Custom Homes Ready For Move-In!Located on Beautiful Premium 2.5 Acre Custom Home Sites in Oak Hills

Paved Roads, Underground Utilities, Natural Gas

www.DeseradaHomes.com

©2013 REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS®

There are moments in life that cause us to hesitate.Selling your home shouldn’t be one of them.

If you’re thinking about selling your home, don’t hesitate. The combination of low interest rates for home buyers and a shortage of homes for sale in many areas across the country indicate that now may be the right time to sell. When you’re ready, be sure to contact a real estate agent who’s a REALTOR®. REALTORS® have up-to-date information on market conditions in your area and can show you options that best fi t your situation.

What’s my home worth?For accurate and up-to-date

information go to www.realtor.com

11890 Hesperia Rd., Hesperia760-244-8841