Best Place to Retire--Flathead Valley!

According to Where to Retire Magazine, (circulation of 200,000), the Flathead Valley was recently featured as an ideal location for retirement.  Its mountain and lake setting, recreational opportunities, international airport, medical services and cultural opportunities draw retirees. The magazine stated that nearly 700,000 American relocate to new towns after retirement. 

Bruce Solberg, Bigfork resident says, “I think that this is a fabulous opportunity. I think they nailed it; it is a fabulous place to retire. Some don’t realize how fortunate we are to live in this part of Montana.” Read the full article…

Flathead top retirement destination

 By Matt Naber Bigfork Eagle | Posted: Thursday, August 16, 2012 7:00 am

Flathead Valley was featured in Where to Retire magazine yesterday as a top retirement destination in the country. Every two months the magazine features four new ideal locations for retirees and Flathead Valley was chosen because of its mountain and lake setting for recreation combined with medical facilities, art galleries, museums, shops, and other cultural amenities.“When you look at the great places to retire, we got lakes, mountains, skiing, world-class restaurants, and lots of shops and beautiful towns to be around,” Francois Zanni, president of the Lakeside and Somers Chamber of Commerce, said. “When people retire we also have the Kalispell regional hospital and north valley hospital. With such great doctors and facilities, that makes it a big plus for retirees.”

According to Where to Retire, 700,000 Americans relocate to new towns after retirement. For the last 20 years this magazine has featured different locations throughout the country that suit the needs of retirees.

Their circulation base is now roughly 200,000 nationwide.Mary Lu Abbott, editor of Where to Retire magazine, said the valley catches people’s attention as a vacation destination and then “woos them back” for retirement. “With each new neighbor that joins us, they have extended family too, bringing economic growth and more opportunity for our businesses to thrive,” Bruce Solberg, president of the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce, said.

Flathead Valley is featured in their September/October edition along with southern Delaware’s 25-mile stretch of beaches, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Boca Raton, Florida.“With its beautiful setting and proximity to Glacier National Park and other parks, the Flathead has attracted vacationers for years, and now retirees are finding it’s a perfect place for retirement too,” Abbott said. “Those who’ve coped with congested city life in their careers especially are drawn to the open spaces and outdoor splendor of the valley.”

The author of the feature on Flathead Valley is Jean Arthur, a resident of Bozeman and frequent visitor to the valley. Carlee Mausner, advertising coordinator for Where to Retire magazine said Bigfork, Whitefish, Polson, and Kalispell are some of the towns mentioned in the feature. Throughout the feature, retirees and semi-retired residents of the valley discuss what they like about life in the valley and why they came here.

“Glacier International Airport makes it convenient when coming in and out,” Zanni said. “Besides, it is a beautiful area and we have the amenities to make it a great place to spend the rest of your days.”

Solberg said he remembers Bigfork being in the running for similar recognition as a good place to retire a few years ago.He also said Bigfork has been looked at prior to this but has never reached the top mention.

Zanni said Blacktail Mountain Ski Area had some national recognition in the past for the amount of snow it gets. He also said the valley has received national recognition before, but for being “the gloomiest” due to the amount of cloud cover the valley gets each year. Zanni said this type of national recognition will help build the small towns in the valley by supporting the local shops and businesses during the summer tourist season and during the winter skiing season as well.

“I think that this is a fabulous opportunity,” Solberg said. “I think they nailed it, it is a fabulous place to retire. Some don’t realize how fortunate we are to live in this part of Montana.”

Get your outdoor space in order!

Get your outdoor space in order!

With summer threatening to arrive, creating an inviting outdoor space is not only therapeutic, but entices a homebuyer to make that decision that we all want them to make. Buy, buy, buy!

Homebuyers see the bistro set on the bedroom deck and envision rolling out of bed to a Sunday morning brunch as they leisurely peruse the New York Times and sip a latte while enjoying the lazy Swan ripple by.  Or maybe they envision grilling brats and enjoying a chilled Kokanee at the edge of the lake. Either way, it’s a fantasy worth exploring!

Homebuyers see the picnic table on the deck and think about Memorial Day barbeques, 4^th of July clam steamers, smoking ribs or evenings spent grilling the trout with friends while sipping martinis.

Many buyers,  especially those who have always lived in apartments or condos with little or no outside space, are enamored with the idea of spending time entertaining outdoors. So encourage your sellers to spiffy up their outdoor spaces. A little bit of furniture vignette with some flowers can work some serious magic toward a sale.
Work the summer. It’s what we’ve got!

Newest foreclosure map

http://www.realtytrac.com/trendcenter/

How to Navigate the Minefield of Divorcing Clients

Studies show that divorces typically spike in the month of January when couples go their separate ways and start anew. That fresh start often means a change in real estate. Of course, working with a couple who is going through a divorce can happen to any real estate agent. So understanding some of the pressures of this emotional transition and some tips for how to handle a sale between couples getting a divorce can be helpful.

These tips come from a January 2012 article by Katherine Tarbox in Realtor Magazine.

 1. Get It in Writing: Communicate to both parties through e-mail as much as possible, so there’s always a written record. For verbal and face-to-face meetings, keep a log and write down everything exactly as you remember it. This is a highly emotional situation, and you may be called to prove what you said or did not say.

 2. Patience Is a Necessity: Realtors are used to assessing the situation, getting the home ready, and starting the process of selling in quick order. But in a divorce situation, getting approval on almost anything requires that you exercise extreme patience with two often-disagreeable people.

3. Be Prepared to Listen: Allow clients to talk for as long as they need to talk. Then, repeat what they said and add, “This is what I heard. Is that correct?” Quite often, when they hear their own words, the entire situation calms down, and you can then proceed.

4. Follow Up, and Then Follow Up Again: The more people know about what's happening, the calmer they remain. For highly charged divorce situations, multiply this feeling by 10. Keep the couple updated on everything that happens as it’s happening, right up to the point they tell you to slow down. Make that their decision.

5. Don’t Become Emotionally Involved: You cannot take their relationship problems on yourself. Make sure you focus solely on getting all the parties to the closing table. If you feel like you can’t resist getting personally involved, consider referring the work to another sales associate.

Tout your listing location!

This comes from Tara at Trulia…Typically buyers care about beds, baths, square feet, kitchens and location. But according to Tara at Trulia, there are some surprising hot buttons that inspire homeowners and drive home sales. Potential home buyers have fantasies. They imagine how their life will be different, better, even perfect if they buy a particular home. They imagine strolling a block to the summer Farmer’s Market or hanging out at their favorite bakery, coffee house or wine bar. Maybe even, they imagine nature walks along a stream, reading by the lake, or skiing from their back door. These local haunts and resources motivate buyers and provide a definite marketing outlet.

Trader Joes! On a recent Huffington Post article about the Trader Joe’s grocery chain, one visitor left a comment to the effect that they selected their home largely based on its proximity to a Trader Joe’s.

So Realtors, when you are marketing your listings, pay attention to proximity to favorite local haunts and flaunt them when and if you can! Here’s the whole article.

http://www.trulia.com/blog/taranelson/2010/09/8_things_you_didn_t_know_could_get_your_home_sold_and_why_buyers_should_think_twice_before_biting

Cheaper to Buy than Rent???

According to Trulia's Winter 2012 Rent vs Buy Index, it's now now cheaper to buy than to rent in 98 of the 100 top metros. Copy and paste the link below for the whole scoop!
http://pro.truliablog.com/news/report-rent-vs-buy-winter-2012-update-on-the-debate/?ecampaign=tnews&eurl=pro.truliablog.com%2Fnews%2Freport-rent-vs-buy-winter-2012-update-on-the-debate

Income Tax and Donald Duck

Income tax time is fast approaching and there’s a good story behind it, a story of 2 wars, a dying Supreme Court justice and Donald Duck!

During the Civil War, Congress decided to try an income tax and they made it public. Prior to that, money was collected from tariffs. Each neighbor could see what the other was paying. Abraham Lincoln paid $1296 in 1864.

By the late 1800’s, income tax was almost only paid by the rich and they had some talented lawyers. In 1895, the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. One justice was on his death bed, and the remaining eight split evenly. The dying justice came back and by a vote of 5-4, the court found income tax unconstitutional.
In 1913, Congress and the State brought it back by amending the Constitution. Again, the tax was only being paid by the rich people.

When World War II came along, the government needed more money and middle class were being asked to pay, too. Legislators thought ordinary Americans just wouldn’t do it. They wanted someone credible and easy to understand, so they got Donald Duck. He marched around his house listening to the radio telling him that his patriotic duty was to pay taxes. He filled out his tax form--Occupation: actor. Dependents: Huey, Dewey and Louis.

It worked. Donald Duck got ordinary Americans to pay their income tax. And here we are now.

Cut and paste this link to u tube:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/03/22/149058446/from-abe-lincoln-to-donald-duck-history-of-the-income-tax

Here’s the full story from Planet Money:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/03/22/149058446/from-abe-lincoln-to-donald-duck-history-of-the-income-tax

Pizzazz at the Entryway

A home’s entryway creates the first impression. As you, the Realtor, bring a potential buyer to the property, that bold color makes a strong statement. The color should complement the style and design of home, but can be more intense. Here are some good entry colors that you can suggest to your clients to spice up the entry and add some excitement and pizzazz!

A word of caution. If there is a homeowner’s association, make sure you check the HOA rules before advising your client to paint!

Peacock Blue—Works well with wood finishes and artwork framed in gold, silver, black or white. Peacock blue goes with walls that are neutral.

Black—Few people are brave enough to paint interior walls black, but it has a dramatic effect in the entry, especially when it has a gloss to reflect light.

Coral—This is a mix of pink and orange. It is a warm color, flatters most skin tones, and works well with warm woods, silver, chrome and mirrors.

Chartreuse—This eye-popping mix of yellow and green looks good with warm woods, shades of gray and metallic

Red—This is a classic and complements almost every decorating style.

For the full article and color chart, go to:
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/paint-colors-entryway-8811.html

Housing Crisis to End in 2012 as Banks Loosen Credit Standards

01/24/2012 by Krista Franks Brock

Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit.

The analytics firm notes the average credit score required to attain a mortgage loan is 700. While this is higher than scores required prior to the crisis, it is constant with requirements one year ago. Additionally, a Fed Senior Loan Officer Survey found credit requirements in the fourth quarter were consistent with the past three quarters. However, other market indicators point not just to a stabilization of mortgage lending standards, but also a loosening of credit availability.

Banks are now lending amounts up to 3.5 times borrower earnings. This is up from a low during the crisis of 3.2 times borrower earnings. Banks are also loosening loan-to-value ratios (LTV), which Capital Economics denotes “the clearest sign yet of an improvement in mortgage credit conditions.” In contrast to a low of 74 percent reached in mid-2010, banks are now lending at 82 percent LTV.

While credit conditions may have loosened slightly, some potential homebuyers are still struggling with credit requirements. In fact, Capital Economics points out that in November, 8 percent of contract cancellations were the result of a potential buyer not qualifying for a loan. Capital Economics says “any improvement in credit conditions won’t be significant enough to generate actual house price gains,” and potential ramifications from the euro-zone pose a threat to future credit availability.

For more real estate news: http://www.linkedin.com/news?actionBar=&articleID=5567733516482908167&ids=dj0PdPcNdPoVd3wUejkMdjwRdiMMczcUc3wPcz4RdPsTd3gRe3kRb38NdzwPcz8NcPARdz4McjkUdjkIcj8Rdz0TcPsMe3kMc3oUd3wRdiMTdz4Uc3AOe3gScjkPcPsTdzkR&aag=true&freq=weekly&trk=eml-tod2-b-ttl-0&ut=2jzOXmOnOBIR81

Simple, yet profound…

Do you love being a Realtor? Do you know your market? Put your enthusiasm, professional knowledge and familiarity with your community to work. Raise up your antenna, get out socially, put a big smile on your face and spread your knowledge. Your enthusiasm and expertise will shine through with the people you meet and the conversations you have. It’s called “attraction-based real estate.” The idea comes from an article by Jennifer Allan from Realty Times. Here are 2 steps to success.

1. Always be mastering your market. Speak intelligently about the local real estate market stats and trends. For example, when you're out, be knowledgeable about the specific area you are in. A real estate agent who knows the market builds confidence and draws people.

2. Put your smiling face and your real estate expertise in front of as many people as you can. Open your social calendar. Accept invitations. Go to lunch with friends three times a week. Instead of an email, pick up the phone. Go into the bank instead of the drive-thru. Go to community events. March in the parade. Join the Chamber. Mingle. Donate. Be effective.

You love your work and that is the impression you will leave with everyone you come into contact with. Have fun and good business karma will follow.

For the entire article: click http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20120220_attraction.htm

Spring Forward this Sunday, March 11...

You can thank Benjamin Franklin for Daylight Saving Time (DST)... he first conceived the idea when he was 78 years old and in Paris. His concept was to conserve energy and more fully enjoy the benefits of daylight.
At 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11 most U.S. residents will set their clocks ahead one hour for the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. However, not all states go on DST. Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands will not.
Around the world, about 75 countries and territories have at least one location that observes Daylight Saving Time. 164 do not change time at all.
So, before you go to bed this Saturday night, set your clocks ahead one hour. But don’t worry; you can get back to normal time next November 4th.

3 More Cool Apps for YOU!

Around Me: FREE
Here’s a handy app, particularly if you are out with clients and want to give them all the local info about what’s near a home you are looking at. Pull up your About Me app. You’ll get ATM machines, banks, coffee shops, gas stations, hospital, grocery store…anything you want. If something is not on the list, just type it in. After you select what you want, you’ll get a map of where you are and where you want to go plus contact information.

Yelp: FREE
This is kind of like AroundMe, but it offers reviews and pricing. It also tells you if your friends are nearby. Realtors…become a neighborhood expert using Yelp and you can write reviews too, so your face is out there…free advertising?! You can take photos of local shops/bars/restaurants/etc. and upload them. You can add your Facebook contacts as friends in Yelp and see what they're up to. You can check in at a location, and your friends will see you there, too.

HotPads: FREE
Inquire about real estate listings while you are on the go. Easily find apartments, rental homes, homes for sale, vacation rentals, foreclosures and even hotels anywhere in the US! Map-based housing search includes
* Location based housing search (or enter a specific address).
* Results displayed on a map or in a list.
* Search over 3.5 million apartments, rental houses, foreclosures, and homes for sale.
* Detailed rental & real estate listings with photos, price comparisons, school zone information, floor plans, and more.
* Cross platform syncing, to keep track of your latest search no matter what device you use.
* Find directions to each property from your current location.

10 Best Markets for Real Estate

Inman News examined housing, demographic and economic data for hundreds of metropolitan areas nationwide in developing a list of 10 markets that may be best suited for house-hunting investors.

The analysis considered markets with high affordability, low and dropping prices, a high market share of foreclosure sales, high population growth, an improving unemployment rate that is close to or better than the national average, high projected return on investment (ROI) over the next decade, and a low total cost of ownership-to-rent ratio.

Here they are:
Indianapolis-Carmel, Indiana
Winchester, Virginia, West Virginia
Gainesville, Florida
Tucson, Arizona
Tallahassee, Florida
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, Maryland
Salt Lake City, Utah
Richmond, Virginia
Gainesville, Georgia
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

summarized from Inman News, Andrea V. Brambila
For the full story, visit http://www.inman.com/reports/10-markets-invest/index.html

Self-Driving Cars!

Nevada is the first state to approve self-driving cars. Google worked with the Nevada Legislature to pass laws making the testing of robotic cars legal. The State Department of Motor Vehicles created a driver’s license for the robot cars. Although the cars are not ready for consumers (still a few years out), one has to wonder how this will affect the real estate profession. Think of it….the Realtor’s office may truly be in their car! Here is a link with more information. http://www.pcworld.com/article/231105/nevada_passes_robotic_driver_legislation.html

Pre listing Tools for Realtor and Seller

Here is a 2-part tip for Realtors who are going on a pre-list appointment and for sellers who are receiving those Realtors. The goal is to offer the client (seller) the absolute best service available by the most highly professional, credible and qualified Realtor. This article has been summarized from the 2/10/2012 article from RealtyTimes.com named “Highly Effective Pre-listing Tools” written by Dirk Zeller

1. The Realtor Pledge and Survey:

“I am here to provide you the service that you desire. I will always put your interest first before anyone else. To provide you the best and most professional job, I would like to know your concerns, so we can jointly achieve the desired result. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey below on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being Not Concerned and 5 being Very Concerned.”

Selling your home concerns:
• Communication with Realtor
• Buyer Qualifications
• Multiple Listing Service
• Marketing of your Property
• Advertising
• Open House
• Selling Commission
• Possible Unforeseen Problems
• Systematic Process to the Sale
• Time of Possession
• Pride of Your Property
• Closing Costs
• Security of Your Home
• Salability
• Negotiating the Contract
• Repairs After the Inspection

2. The following is a series of questions the seller may ask the Realtors whom they are considering. These are questions that agents should be able to answer.

• Do you work as a full-time Realtor®?
• Do you have assistants that work for you?
• How many homes did you list last year that sold?
• How many homes did you list last year that failed to sell?
• How many of the listings you took did you actually sell yourself?
• How many transactions did you do last year?
• What was your average list price to sales price for you listings?
• What is the real estate board average list price to sales price?
• What are the average days your listing has been on the market?
• What are the real estate board average days on the market?
• Where do you advertise and how often?
• How do you communicate with sellers and how often?
• Why should I hire you?

Happy Clients, Happy Realtors!

Whitefish Montana makes Best 25 Ski Towns

Just in from National Geographic – "25 Best Ski Towns" and guess what? Whitefish, Montana is one of them! If you are contemplating a visit to Whitefish, here are some tips…

Whitefish is the gateway to Glacier National Park and grew from logging and the Great Northern Railway. The train still carries passengers East and West daily.

Whitefish Mountain Resort at Big Mountain rises stunningly above this classy western town of 5000. There is a free skier shuttle that connects the town to the mountain. The ski area is family friendly with a good first-timer terrain and an abundance of long, wide-open, roller coaster groomers that skiers and snowboarders of all abilities can enjoy. A high-speed quad speeds to the mountain’s summit, which is often engulfed in clouds and studded with thickly rimmed, white trees known as “snow ghosts.”

Experts will find ample pockets of steep and deep terrain, including an abundance of backwoods tree skiing on the mountain’s less visited north side. The world-class groomers always make Inspiration and Big Ravine cruising delights. Advanced skiers should head for the East Rim and the Picture Chutes. Crowds are rarely a problem and views from the Summit House go on for miles!

Stay:
Budget - Hibernation House
High End – The Lodge at Whitefish Lake

Eat:
Budget: Buffalo Café
Gourmet: Tupelo Grille

After ski Party: Bierstube

Shopping: Pedestrian friendly Whitefish has tons of fun and eclectic shops. Enjoy!

Here is the link for more information:
http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/trips/best-ski-towns-photos/#/whitefish-skier-montana_48135_600x450.jpg

List of Improving Housing Markets Expands to Nearly 100

This post is straight from RIS media and holds some good news.

The list of housing markets showing measurable improvement expanded by 29 metros in February to include a total of 98 entries on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), released today. Thirty-six states are now represented by at least one market on the list.

The index identifies metropolitan areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. The February index adds some metropolitan areas that have been particularly weak; this is due to the fact that the IMI measures improvement from a bottom, and some of the hardest hit markets are showing signs of coming off of extreme lows. Keeping this in mind, notable new entrants to list in February include Miami, Fla; Boston; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Salt Lake City.

“The number of improving housing markets has risen for six consecutive months, and 36 states now have at least one metropolitan area on the list,” noted NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev. “This indicates that despite the many challenges that continue to drag on a housing recovery – including the tight lending environment for builders and buyers – improving conditions are slowly but surely spreading from one housing market to the next.”

“While many of the markets on the February IMI are far from fully recovered, the index points out where employment, home prices and housing production are no longer retreating and have held above their lowest recession troughs for six months or more,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “This is a sign that a large cross section of the country is starting to turn the corner as local economic conditions stabilize.”

“The fact that there are nearly 100 markets now on the improving list shows that the momentum is building for a housing recovery and that more buyers and sellers are starting to feel confident enough to return to the market,” said Kurt Pfotenhauer, vice chairman of First American Title Insurance Company.

The IMI is designed to track housing markets throughout the country that are showing signs of improving economic health. The index measures three sets of independent monthly data to get a mark on the top improving Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The three indicators that are analyzed are employment growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, house price appreciation from Freddie Mac, and single-family housing permit growth from the U.S. Census Bureau. NAHB uses the latest available data from these sources to generate a list of improving markets. A metropolitan area must see improvement in all three areas for at least six months following their respective troughs before being included on the improving markets list.

Seven markets dropped from the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index in February as they experienced softening house prices. These metros include San Jose, Calif.; Washington, D.C.; Kankakee, Ill.; New Orleans; Worcester, Mass.; Jackson, Miss.; and Sherman, Texas.

A complete list of all 98 metropolitan areas currently on the IMI, and a separate breakout of metros newly added to the list in February, is available at: www.nahb.org/imi [1].

Original post by Susanne, February 6, 2012 @ 4:53 pm In Finance and Economy, Real Estate Information, Real Estate News, Real Estate Trends http://rismedia.com

What's your style...

Traditionalist, Contemporary, Vintage or Eclectic? For the past 2 weeks our office has been streamlining, cleaning and decorating. Each person has his or her individual design sense and the challenge has been pulling together a cohesive look while supporting each person’s style. Here is a quick survey that may give you and your personality some design direction and some handy apps for you…

iHandy level – FREE and self explanatory!

Decomash – FREE and brand new. Take a photo of your living space and the apps finds complementary artwork that matches the room and tells you where to find it!

Color Snap – FREE and so cool! Capture real world colors on your iPhone camera and then match that color to a Sherwin Williams paint color.

1. I enjoy colors that are:
(a) solid and bold, such as orange or red,
(b) softer and muted,
(c) richly hued shades, such as burgundy or gold.

2. When it comes to decorating I think:
(a) less is more,
(b) more is cozy,
(c) formal is more.

3. When I conjure up thoughts of my dream house, it most resembles:
(a) an urban loft overlooking the New York skyline,
(b) a quaint country cottage with a charming garden,
(c) a beautiful manor with precisely manicured lawn.

4. My favorite furniture pieces are:
(a) clean-lined and simple,
(b) distressed,
(c) solid wood with a history.

5. I want to paint my walls:
(a) white, but with a boldly colored accent wall,
(b) cream or off-white,
(c) beige, taupe, or other earthy warm tones.

If you answered mostly a's, then you will most likely enjoy a contemporary Swedish-type design. You're not afraid of color, but you like clean lines and order in your rooms. There's no clutter for you! You like lots of open space.

If you answered mostly b's, you have a shabby chic mentality. Designer Rachel Ashwell began this movement over a decade ago with her salvaged and restored furniture pieces and vintage prints.

If you answered mostly c's, then you are a true traditionalist. You love richly colored fabrics in silk and brocade. You love the formality of it all.

If you had a mix of a, b, and c, you have an eclectic styling sense. You take inspiration from all groups to form a cohesive and very individual, look.

(Article derived from Carla Hill at realtytimes.com)

Super...Super Bowl Spaces

After researching the best spaces for watching the Super Bowl and what to snack on while watching, I have come to the conclusion that the Flathead Valley has some of the best of each! Here is the superest right here in our own backyard. McGilvray Lake Estate (mls #299341), has a poker table, beer bar, super screen TV and all the trimmings for a super Super Bowl experience. For the finest in Flathead Valley Super Bowl food, try Moose's Pizza in Kalispell, burgers from the Flathead Valley Burger Company (mobile truck), or head out to Jersey Boys in Whitefish. Go Patriots...Go Giants.

Super handy Real Estate apps from Trulia

1. Genius Scan
What it does: Puts a document scanner in your pocket. Enables you to use your phone’s camera to take a picture of a document, and then email it to anyone in PDF or JPEG format.

Why it’s useful: Many real estate agents now use digital document signature software which allows you to sign with a click and, more importantly, without faxing documents back and forth. But some don’t - and some mortgage lenders will simply not accept anything but a copy or scan of your ‘wet ink’ signature.

Throughout your transaction, you might find yourself needing to scan and email your contract documents with your original signature, a copy of your deposit check, new payroll check stubs as you receive them, your driver’s license, a gift letter from your Auntie Grace or any of a number of other documents you’ll need to get to your agent or mortgage pro across town - or across the country. Having the ability to scan documents and checks and email them right from your phone can save you a lot of time and hassle - not to mention gas and cash.

Works with: iOS
Price: Free
Android Alternative: Document Scanner (Free 7-day trial/$3.98 for full version.)

2. Dictionary of Real Estate Terms
What it does: Translates the vast universe of real estate jargon and acronyms into plain English, putting a decoder at your fingertips for easy reference any time you need it during your house hunt or transaction. The Dictionary includes over 3,000 real estate terms, charts and graphs. You can save your searches and email terms to others. Your phone does not have to be connected to the Internet to use the Dictionary, which can be useful if you need to look up a term on an inspection or appraisal report while you’re in a home or office where you don’t have a great connection.

Why it’s useful: I can guarantee few things in life, but one thing I do feel comfortable assuring you is that home buying will expose you to terms you have never heard before. You need to know what the terms used in your inspection, disclosure, contract and loan documents mean, and sometimes looking them up is the best way to do that.

Works with: iOS and Android
Price: $1.99 (iOS) and 99 cents (Android)

3. House Hunter
What it does: Helps you organize your house-hunting notes and priorities so you can more easily remember and compare the homes you’ve seen. The app also helps you evaluate the homes you’ve seen by providing a scorecard that weighs features against what you’ve identified as requirements and priorities. It includes a mortgage calculator, photo storage, and a feature that allows you to share your notes with your agent, among other bells and whistles.

Why it’s useful: After you see about five houses, they can all blend together. This app helps you keep it all straight, while also keeping you mindful of what your original priorities were and how the homes you see measure up against them.

Works with: iOS
Price: $3.99

4. SpringPad
What it does: Helps you keep track of any and every thing you want to remember in a digital notebook you can access from anywhere, on any device. You can:

• scan bar codes of home furnishings, appliances and other items you want to buy after you move;
• save ideas, property addresses, online clippings from design and news sites, photos from decor magazines and to do lists from your mortgage broker;
• categorize all these things - and more - by house hunt, mortgage and escrow, moving, and decorating; and
• set reminders, share your notes with your agent or even get an email alert when the duvet you want goes on sale.

All without a single scrap of paper!

Why it’s useful: Empowers you to organize the hundreds of elements of your home buying adventure into a single spot and access it wherever you are - without carrying a bulky, messy binder or folder around.

Works with: iOS and Android
Price: Free

5. ColorSnap
What it does: Allows you to take a picture with your phone’s camera from anything in the world that inspires you, then discover the corresponding Sherwin-Williams paint color.

Why it’s useful: If you see a wall color you love in a home you, well, don’t like too much otherwise, you can capture the color and replicate that once you do find your dream home. Same goes for if you come across any other item in a color you love and would like to incorporate into your design scheme.

Works with: iOS and Android
Price: Free

6. Karl’s Mortgage Calculator
What it does: Calculates mortgage payments using the principal loan amount, interest and term (and can solve for any of these if you input the other three variables). This app also gives you a more precise idea of what your total monthly expenses will be on a given home by factoring in line items other calculators leave out, like mortgage insurance, homeowners association dues, property taxes and homeowners’ insurance. You can also see what kind of savings you might be able to achieve - and how early you can pay your mortgage off - by running scenarios that add in extra loan payments.

Why it’s useful: Having this mortgage calculator handy during your house-hunting adventures will enable you to quickly calculate how a given increase in your offer price will change your monthly payment.

Works with: Android
Price: Free
iOS alternative: Mortgage Calculator Pro (99 cents)