IN South Fayette Summer 2014 | Page 23

Sponsored Content Business Spotlight Sponsored Content South Fayette Real Estate is Booming by Bonnie Loya South Fayette is a booming area - Why? There are many reasons: 1) Location – located in close proximity to Washington County, Southpointe, Downtown Pittsburgh, the airport, and Wexford, you can get anywhere you want in a matter of minutes. I-79, I-376, and Rt. 50 are at your doorstep. If you are a dual working family, you can have a great compromise or “halfway point” for a commute. 2) Shopping- easy access to grocery stores, Robinson Town Centre, and so much more. 3) School District – practically brand new schools and outstanding academics and afterschool programs (the school district was ranked 8th in the state by the Pittsburgh Business Times for 2013, and was added to the League of Innovative Schools as well). So buying a home in South Fayette is a “no-brainer”! With a terrific mix of resale and new construction, there is no question that you can find the “right home,” but how do you buy to maximize your investment? There are 4 strategies that I share with my clients to maximize their investment: 1) Increasing your investment due to inflation: The annual inflation rate for the United States was 1.5% from March 2013 through March 2014 (as reported by the U.S. government on April 15, 2014). So if you purchased a home for $300,000 in March of 2013, the increase in price due to inflation alone would be 1.5% or $4,500 which means your home is worth $304,500. If the inflation rate stays the same and is compounded annually then next year your home will be worth $309,067. 2) Increases due to market value: As a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Real Estate, I have access to the West Penn Multi-List (also referred to as the “Multilist”). Many areas throughout Pittsburgh have experienced substantial increases in sales price since 2012. In west Allegheny County (where South Fayette is located) the growth was 5.07%. What does that mean to you? The potential increase in equity for a $300,000 home from 2012 to 2013 is $17,100 ($300,000 x 5.07% = $17,100). 3) Leverage: This is a term that generally means to multiply your gains or losses. In real estate, we usually want to increase “gains.” That means we need to increase the equity that you have in your home. There are several ways to do this: a) Home improvements/ renovation, adding amenities – which ones will give you the best ROI (return on investment) will be the topic of my next article – so stay tuned! b) Pay down the principal on your loan (or Early Payoff). 4) Early Payoff: This is a great way to save money and increase equity — how? Suppose you have a mortgage of $300,000 with a 4.5% interest rate over 30 years or 360 months - that creates a mortgage payment of $1520.06/month (principal and interest). If you pay 1 additional payment/ year to the principal (only) you will pay off the loan in 301 months! That is a savings of 51 months x $1,520.06 of mortgage payments or approximately $77,000 in savings. What you do with that money is entirely up to you… Thank you for taking the time to review this article. I would love to speak with you in person about ma ᥵