Someone at the new bank should be able to give you a ballpark figure for closing costs. We refinanced our old home (twice) without a lawyer. Interest rates had dropped so much that it made sense. The mortgage company we chose had someone from the title company come to our house to sign the papers - it was very convenient. Our process: 1) started researching interest rates, closing costs, points, and comparing mortgage companies 2) Narrowed our selection down to 2 companies (one had our original mortage) and called them. Costs were about the same, but the company holding our original mortgage needed less paperwork because they already had so much information. 3) They sent us the application, we filled it out and waited. They did the appraisal. Took about 6 weeks. They called us and set up an appointment with a woman from the title company to come to our house to sign the final papers. I think the closing costs ran about 2% of the loan (this is from memory and it was about 8 years ago). Our bottom line - we went from a 30 year fixed mortgage to a 15 year fixed without a significant change in payments.

Hi JBSpook, Dave, do you believe fixed rate mortgages will get down to 4.5%, even just for a short time? We've ALREADY been grabbing locks on 30 FRMs at the 4.5% levels, and today we saw it as low as 4.375 (par, no discount points.) For the patient who get their financial files pre-prepared with a good lender (as described above... and "advisory" type, not a 'loan salesperson') I foresee the potential (knockon wood) of possibly capturing 30 FRMs at the 4% flat level. Those that your company is floating, are they looking for 4.5% with, or without, points? Well... it depends (you knew that was coming, no?) The clients we have that use our "target rate-lock watch" service name their own target interest rate and desired point structure (with our advice, if they want it.) Our service fee for this daily watch, and ultimate completion, is rolled inside the financing (almost always equity-paid, since the rates are too cheap to make sense of paying in cash, or a rate-premium (also known as "reverse points...)) so ultimately they get EXACTLY what they are looking for (without any surprise costs) if/when the market puts us in the position to get an advanced negotiated lock out of the lenders. Our firm's in a bit of a unique position with several funding lenders because over time our volume, along with the quality of the client files we package, has let us grow a reputation for delivering certain quality to the lenders. This gives us a bit of additional "rate-lock negotiating pull"... especially when they know we can deliver to them a streamlined closeable file that will take very little administrative effort and cleanly be re-sellable to Fannie or Freddie. Since virtually 100% of our clients come in to us on an advisory basis, they tend to be of a higher quality themselves, and later cause much trouble (defaults, disputes, etc.) to the servicing departments. We currently have clients with target locks set for rates from 3.75% upwards... on both 30 FRMs and 15 FRMs. Of course... those with the lowest rate targets are fully aware, and accepting, that they may completely miss out if the rates don't reach their levels... but they're OK with that. Cheers, Dave Donhoff Leverage Planner

I don't know your market and certainly can't tell you what your home should sell for, but it should show very nicely if you can do just a little for the curb appeal. If the neighborhood is good and desirable, it's too bad you aren't enjoying it, but someone else should. I suspect the realtors are having a hard time because of a difficult market and/or the fact that your charming studio could be worth nothing to one buyer and worth a great deal to another. You'll need to play it up for the later. By way of example, we are facing a 25% increase in our appraised value this year because the only two homes to sell in the last 2 years have been very large corner lots with huge backyards on a greenbelt. As our area develops out, lots are getting smaller and there are some folks who will pay a HUGE premium for a large lot and a greebelt. My backyard though, on the oppposite side of the street, is small. I have to go in and argue that the recent comps on my street are not as accurate for my home as the next street over. Some neighbors are protesting and others are not -- they want to refi and remodel. The appraisal picture will continue to get fuzzier as the area ages. Back to your home and getting it sold. From what you have shown, the inside is lovely and the studio is charming -- play them up, but you have to get folks inside to do that. That means doing what you can to help the curb appeal and draw them in. If you can't paint the whole house and fix everything, try to fix anything that is structural and small enough that you can do it yourself without a significant expense. A small piece of rotted trim or a hole that can be filled and touched up might be repaired at little or no cost to thinking of but suggest thousands of dollars -- even no interest in making an offer for a buyer. For the cosmetic side, you just need enough to draw them in. Can you use your artistic nature and create a slightly weathered, but warm and inviting picture? The white shutters do stick out like a sore thumb. They were probably picked to tie in with the white window frames, but by themselves, they aren't working. I'd paint the porch columns, spindles, trim, maybe even the brick (or sandblast off the paint on the brick railing and spindles, but that would be more money and mess if you can't do it yourself and don't have the equipment). I was originally thinking black -- reminds me of New Orleans and wrought iron, and use it as a neutral backdrop to the plants and some color. Maybe more white or another color. Maybe someone with photoshop can help you there. Looks like the garden has color but could be a little neater -- maybe just trimming. Do you have a couple of mosaic pieces to add some color and interest? A birdbath or one larger piece might do it, or a couple of smaller pieces. If your studio has a bath and can be used as in-law unit, guesthouse, a rental, etc., really play that up in your listing and perhaps also in how you stage it for showing. It may be only workspace for you, but find ways to include some furniture and/or accessories to suggest an additional living area. Do some work yourself to carefully analyze the comps you are being given. What do they have that is the same, what is different, what is their condition (cosmetic and structural -- inside and out) and what would a person have to spend to get your home into tiptop shape? Good luck.

This is probably too late, but when we sold our house, our real estate agent recommended staging our home just as we did when we had it on the market and expected people to look at the house. And we were told to not be present for the assessor. Yes, in theory assessors should be able to look past the cosmetic. So should people that are buying a house. But they don't always. I'd recommend trying to make the home look as good as you can, but don't worry too much - it will soon be over!