Now if you are planning on moving to Elkhart County, you will want to know all there is about the place. Here is a look at what Elkhart County is all about.

The Kind of Life You can Expect

Elkhart is quite the nice community and currently has a population of around 48,000. You will not be too far away from the border of Michigan. The county has all Midwestern charm that these areas come with. However, do not be mistaken, the population is as cosmopolitan as it can get. The community is largely into manufacturing and banking and is most definitely a social hub. The population is diverse and you will enjoy being a part of it. As part of the Midwest’s beautiful countryside, it has the gorgeous St Joseph River flowing through it. It also has the Elkhart River. Both of these have beautiful and stately homes that are bordered by pretty parks.

What you can most definitely indulge in here is some fishing, skiing, skating or some old fashioned walks down the river boulevards. Chicago and Indianapolis are also not too far away. When you reside in Elkhart, you are saved for the commotion and noise that is so integral to big city places. And if that contrast is not enough, you can also take a look at the largest Amish population in the area. These are people who seem caught in time in the most magnificent ways. You will find horse driven buggies here and much more.

The Thriving Economy of Elkhart

One of this economy’s largest selling points is its rivers and access to water power. This made it a great manufacturing unit around the 1850s. It is from as early as that the economy has thrived on manufacturing. There is a lot of growth and diversification that has happened in the recent past. The spirit of entrepreneurship is also very high in Elkhart and that has taken the economy to greater heights; all of this makes Elkhart quite the economical place to invest in a home.

One of the greatest things produced in this region are band instruments. C G Conn started this business with the making of trumpets as well as cornets and horns and over the last century, hordes of talented people added to this list,making Elkhart one of the foremost places for the best band instruments.

Another thing that has brought Elkhart to the forefront is its penchant for the Recreational vehicle industry. This is home to Coachmen, Four Winds, Starcraft as well as Dynamax. This industry began post the Second World War and today is representative of the largest part of this county’s economy. It is also a hub for the several suppliers as well as assemblers and those who work in support of the RV manufacturing business.

What’s the Weather Like?

This is of course a question on everybody’s mind. Elkhart enjoys very moderate Midwestern weather. It has all four seasons clearly distinguishable and only rarely will you be faced with extreme in temperatures. It does snow in winter, but the accumulations are not too high. In fact, if it is skiing and snowballing you are interested in, you will have to head to Michigan.

Springtime is nature at its best here is Elkhart. Trees shake out their fresh leaves and flowers are at their blooming best, all seasonal birds make a comeback ensuring that nature is in complete harmony. Summers can be hot with the occasional thunderstorm and clouds. It is also a great time to go boating on the rivers and lakes around. Fall is when the foliage is at its best and there are some great seasonal holidays to take in the beautiful climate.

Entertainment in Elkhart

Minutes away from the Notre Dame campus for those interested in catching a Fighting Irish football game in the fall. Everyone likes some good shopping options and Elkhart does not fall behind in this aspect. Some of the major shopping roads are Cassopolis Street, which is north of Elkhart, and US 33, which is northwest of Goshen. The closest malls are:

• The Concord Mall, which is off US 33 and lies between Hively and Mishawaka Road. It houses some popular stores such as Elder-Beerman, Penney’s and also Hobby Lobby, ABC Warehouse and a wide variety of specialty shops. There are also a number of restaurants in the area.
• Another mall is the Pierre Moran Mall, which can be found at Hively and Benham. This has Sears, Kroger’s, among other stores.
• Then there is the Northpoint Plaza, which is at Northview Drive and Cassopolis. This has the Super K-Mart, Radio Shack as well as Martin’s (groceries) among other places.
• The Midway Plaza lies in between Elkhart and Goshen and is on US 33. This has Wal-Mart and also Super Target, Sam’s Club and of course the Meier’s specialty merchants.

Once you are here, you will see that the people of Elkhart know how to appreciate good food. You will find a number of specialty restaurants here to cater to every taste. You will also see that all religious faiths are well appreciated and have their representation. There are a number of activities here that either a family or an individual could take part.

If you are planning to sell a home in Elkhart County, you can’t just put it on the market straightaway. You can prepare your home in several ways. Here is a checklist that will help you get more than just the basics in order. One of the first places that create an impression is the exteriors of your home. Here are ways in which to improve it:

• If you have the space for a lawn and some hedging, take the trouble to get in a few professionals to landscape the area neatly for you. Nothing looks more inviting than a well-kept lawn and some flowering bushes.
• Depending on the season, you may want to give your existing lawn an extra dose of fertilizer, as this will make your grass look beautifully green and exquisite.
• If you do have shrubs, make the effort to trim them down nicely and remove anything that obstructs light coming into your home.
• If it’s been a while since your home has seen a fresh coat of paint, now would be the time to do it. If nothing else, paint over the window shutters and the panes.
• Give your driveways and walkways a thorough cleaning.
• Look at the roof as well as the gutters and make all the necessary repairs.
• Do up your front door so that it looks attractive and welcoming.
• Give your mailbox a nice shiny coat of paint and if you do not have one, get one!
• A nice new mat on the front porch would be great.

The main places that a woman would look into, especially those keen on buying a home is the kitchen and of course the bathrooms; so you should put some work into these areas to create an impression.

• Spring clean all the cabinets to begin with. Clean them well, line them and arrange all your items again neatly.
• If you have an oven range, make sure the hood is squeaky clean. The same goes for the sink and the insides of the oven as well.
• Scrub your kitchen floor until it is spotless.
• All appliances that aren’t used on a daily basis should be stowed away.

When it comes to the bathrooms, make it a point to:

• Fix any faucets that are dripping. These tend to spoil the look of the sink and often give the impression that the plumbing is faulty.
• Always keep some fresh towels handy in the bathroom. No one likes to look at everyday dirt and grime.
• Scrub your toilet bowl as well as the bathtub until they are their original color. If necessary, you could use caulk as well.
• If you have any drains that are a bit slow, use drain cleaners to unclog them.

One of the most important spaces in the house is the living room and here is how you can spruce it up:

• If you have drywalls, then look for any cracks or holes that need attention.
• Ceiling fans and light fixtures tend to bring in a lot of dirt and grime, clean them thoroughly.
• If you are planning on repainting the house, stick to good and often preferred colors and themes.
• It would be a good idea to get your best linen and curtains out at this time.
• A fireplace will need thorough cleaning, as will your windows.
• You will also need to fix windows, insulation and any broken screens. Also, make sure the windows do not squeak when you open them. You should also be able to lock them down tight.
• Make sure all your light fixtures have bulbs in them that work.
• Check all light bulbs and replace them if necessary.
• All your closets have to be clean and sliding partitions well oiled.
• Rooms with air vents have to be cleaned well.

The garage and the attic are also places that you will have to give some special attention. Repair any major cracks that you can see and remove any oil stains. Also, check on the opening and closing of the garage door and the security locks for it.

Finally, when you are actually showing the house to people, make sure that you allow as much natural light as your house permits. It gives the impression of the house being expansive. If the showing is at night, leave the porch light on and your exterior lighting as well. Have all the rooms in presentable condition with the beds made, the sink empty and the TV cranked down low. Never have stray toys around the house.

It would be a good idea to leave the house showing to an experienced realtor. At the time of the showing, it would make sense to take your pets and leave giving the prospective buyers the space to get a feel of the house.

In real estate circles, short sales are perhaps one of the least understood types of transaction. This is by both the owner of the home as well as those in the realty industry. For those homeowners who are facing foreclosure, understanding the meaning of short sales is vital.

The Long and Short of It

Short sales are part of the foreclosure process and the least understood or even explained. There are times when financial difficulties will not allow you to make all the mortgage payments on your home. You may find yourself in such a situation where you may end up having the home foreclosed. Depending on the state you are in, it can take anywhere between 6 months to a year. It can also end up being auctioned off at the Sheriff’s Sale.

It is in such cases, when you as a homeowner are left with absolutely no alternatives as far as financing goes or luck in getting your loan altered that a short sale will help. What it simply means is that you can take the opportunity to sell your home for a bit less than what you owe on it in the first place. This means that if the total cost of selling your home, inclusive of the costs of closing and commission is more than the house’s current market value, you are then a perfect candidate for short sales.

Getting out of the Deep End

A short sale should not be treated as an escape route but rather a good chance for you to avoid foreclosure on your home. It of course comes with its own set of consequences. But even these are not as bad as having a bad credit history inked in your name thanks to foreclosure. Things work out for both the owner of the house as well as the bank involved in this way. Some of the positives are:

• As a homeowner, you can prevent foreclosure on your home
• With a short sale, you can actually finance another home for yourself in lesser time than a foreclosure would allow you
• In a short sale, you can continue to occupy the home as long as it takes to complete the sale. For the lenders, it is good thing that the house is occupied.
• The impact on your credit history is significantly lesser

How does a Bank Benefit?

Banks are not interested in owning property. For them the business of lending money and getting their interest on it is more than enough. A non-paying homeowner is considered a non-performing asset and in the end will cost them. If the homeowner opts to have a short sale, here is how the bank will benefit:

• The cost of foreclosure is removed for the bank, especially on properties where they are owed in excess of $40,000.
• They are not saddled with property they do not require.
• Non-performing assets can be quickly liquidated.
• In a short sale, the lender is sure to get a bigger share of the money than he would in the case of a foreclosure.

The Short Sale Process

There is a significant amount of paperwork involved in a short sale. You should also have a provable hardship such as being pink-slipped, or having a business failure, the death of an earning spouse, sickness, inheritance, medical bills that you are unable to handle, excessive debt, job relocation you can’t avoid and the like.

The bank will make it necessary that a realtor has the listing of your home. The bank will definitely want proof that you have tried your level best to get the best price you can for the house and no one is better than a realtor is for this kind of job.

Consequences of a Short Sale

Just as with any transaction, the short sale too has its own set that you have to deal with. There are times when a lender may file a deficiency judgment in court and they can pursue the action related to this whether or not you sell via a short sale or foreclosure.

There are also chances that the lender will ask you for a promissory note for the full amount or a partial one to the value of the deficiency. The promissory note is something that you can negotiate with the bank, before you close a deal on the house. As expected, another consequence will be that your credit rating will definitely go down. There are no definite levels on how much it will come down and this will depend on how your score has been so far.

There are also tax consequences. This means that if you are not eligible for the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, you will find yourself in a position where you have additional tax burdens. Right up to the end of the year 2012, forgiveness of debt can be taxed.

Sitting down with your accountant will be a good idea here. As far as any of the legal and financial matters go, it would be best to consult with lawyers and accountants so that you are guided correctly.

Once you are done with the offer on the home and it has been accepted, you have a wide range of inspections that you can choose from. Agencies that provide this service give you a number of ways in which you can go about this. You could opt for complete home inspections or separate ones, or those that are a combination of both methods. You along with your agent will specify in your offer to the seller on what you have in mind to be inspected.

Why a Home Inspection?

In a home inspection, in Elkhart County, a home inspector take a good long look at the structure of the house. He provides feedback on other systems functioning in the house like the air- conditioning, or the heating and even the insulation against windows. The main idea behind a Home Inspection is to give either the buyer or the seller the right idea on what he is about to get for his money. A visual inspection of the site is a must for accuracy.

Many may doubt the need for home inspections. Since they are not mandatory you may feel its ok to let go especially during closing times. However, the fact is that you may move into the house and find that there are many problems with the essentials such as the electrical systems or possibly the chimney in the kitchen. As a seller, you should do this so that your potential buyer does not void the contract and move on. As a buyer, you will need to do this so that you know that you are getting your money’s worth.

At the time of inspection, if certain problems are uncovered, then you should have covered your bases as a prospective home buyer. Your offer letter to the seller will have to include a clause where you can void the contract should there be problems at the time of inspection that are more than what you are willing to handle. Such contingencies should be verbally added in the document. It is wrong to assume that every repair you demand be taken up. It is not mandatory for the homeowner to do so. Nevertheless, going through your contract document in great deal will be necessary.

How a Home Inspection Works

Choosing the right inspector is also very important. Experienced ones will have looked through thousands of homes and will have the necessary order of things down straight. They will know what to look for and will do so without you having to tell them. If you do have friends and family who can do the job for you, it would be a good idea not to use them. In the small chance that they do miss a problem with the house, you would not want bad blood to be there.

It is natural to think that every new construction is problem-free. Fact is, it need not be. There may be oversights and minor issues that could snowball later. This is where a house inspection will really help. The home inspection industry is not a regulated one and hence there are no set qualifications or certifications. The only thing you can do is go on the basis of recommendations, do your own research and interview at least 3 inspectors before you actually settle on any one of them. One of the questions you could ask is about the number of homes he has covered; if there are any in the vicinity, you could speak to its inhabitants regarding the inspector’s work, etc.

You could also check and see if they are part of any professional organizations that may have a minimum qualification for them to get in. Check on these qualifications. An important thing you can look for is if these inspectors carry Errors & Omissions insurance? This is a form of malpractice insurance which is really good to have should they not noticed a significant issue.

In general, the home inspection will cover the following aspects:

• Interiors i.e. the non-cosmetic part
• The foundation
• The bathrooms and the plumbing system
• The electrical system
• Heating and air-conditioning
• The basement
• Any crawl spaces
• Frames of the house
• Areas such as the attic, loft
• The kitchen and the chimney

Ideally, it would be best if you were present for the inspection. It often takes not more than 3 hours. What a good inspector will do is provide the buyer with pre-inspection agreement with his fee included. He will invite you to join the inspection and explain things as he goes. It is the duty of the inspector to report every minor defect he sees, no matter how insignificant. Understanding all of the issues with the inspector close at hand will allow you to take charge of what needs to be done going forward.

(source: American Society of Home Inspectors)

Elkhart County is based in the state of Indiana and has a population of close to 200,000. Post the huge recessionary period in 2007, this little county began to grow rapidly, all thanks to its flourishing RV industry. In the northern parts of Indiana, Elkhart County is also referred to as Michiana. Among its notable claims to fame are:

• RV manufacturing (Elkhart County manufactures one of every two recreational vehicles on the road today – source AmishCountry.org)
• It is also home to a sizable Amish population.

For those planning to make a move, Elkhart county would be an interesting place to consider. It has everything that you will need for a good lifestyle as well as way of life. The neighborhoods are friendly. There are a number of schools to consider. Recreational outlets are available for almost every interest. There are also theme parks and restaurants and of course churches. In short, everything you will need for a comfortable life.
Thanks to its location, the climate for business and the River Walk Commons development, the hospitality industry here has grown immensely. Every form of accommodation can be found and had here. Most popular are the Amish Bed and Breakfasts.

Over time, Elkhart County has had a number of folks turn to it for housing. It has some pretty favorable demographics. For example:

• The cost of living as of January this year in Elkhart County is around 81.9 percent, which is low compared to the rest of the country’s 100 percent.
• The median contract rent for this area is $590
• The value of a condominium is around $123,200
• Independent houses as of 2009 stood at a value of $151,488
• Town houses are at $128,007
• Mobile homes stood at $70,833

If you are planning to buy a home in Elkhart County, there are procedures that one will have to follow. Here is an idea of what they are and how you can go about getting things done smoothly.

Financing your purchase

The first thing you need to get in order is of course your finances. There are three ways to look at it – the first is making sure you are pre-qualified. This will mean going to a loan officer and making sure that you are qualified for a loan. They will look into your loan history and ensure that you are qualified for a loan. This however, does not really give you any negotiation power in the deal. In a pre-approval, all the necessary details will be taken by the loan officer and submitted to an underwriter who will then look into the kind of credit history you have. The only thing you have to make sure of is that the documents and details regarding you and the property remain unchanged. Before you get into a loan commitment of any sort, make sure that the highest amount payable to the lender is mentioned on your agreement. Also, make sure that the amount goes with both of your principals as well as interests.

Finding the Perfect Realtor

Getting the right real estate agent should be a top priority, especially if you are from out of town. If you have friends in the neighborhood, do make your inquiries on who would be the right person to approach. Also, make sure that they have the ABR designation to their name. This designation says that they have been through the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council and are completed committed to finding the right homes for potential clients. They have also received professional training, which takes them a step further from the minimal qualifications needed to be a real estate agent. Once you find the right kind of real estate agent, finding the right kind of home will be all the more easy.

Finding the Elusive Perfect Home

There is the traditional way of using a realtor to show you homes that are based on the description of your wants and needs. If you are however using the Internet to find homes in Elkhart County, then you will find that realtor professionals who are certified with the Realtor e-Pro Designations are the ones that are best capable of helping you find that perfect home. This designation ensures that they have the training that is required to perform via the Internet. The professionalism you are greeted with is unrivalled.

Getting the Best Deal

Once you are done with seeing a few homes it would be best to sit down and chart out all the amenities that you know will fit in your budget. Narrow down on homes you like based on this. Once you are done and are ready to make an offer, ask your agent to make a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) for you. This is basically an evaluation of the current market to determine the best possible price for the house that you like. Once this is prepared, the realtor will be able to submit your offer to the seller of the house and you can take things forward.

The Final Details

As you approach the final step of negotiations and getting close to your dream home, there are a few aspects that you will need to look into. First, your agent will let your lender know that you are almost done with the finalizing on the house. The lender will be given the contract copy and also any information that is deemed necessary for him to know. This is where being pre-approved comes in handy. You can move to the next step of the bank appraisal of the property and things will move faster.

House inspections are a very important aspect and your realtor will give you all the copies of the inspections as and when he receives them. Make sure you review each and every one of them and do not take things for granted. Any doubts you have must be cleared at this stage.

Title insurance is the next stage once an offer has been accepted. The main reason for this is so that the lender is not liable to any claims based on disputes related to the property. Getting yourself home owners insurance at this point is also a good idea. Once you are settled on the insurer you will have to give a copy of a year’s worth of payment receipts to your lender.

Closing is the last step – this is when the bank as well as the title company get together and draw up the closing papers. Any money transactions here will have to be in the form of a cashier’s check. You will be given the papers for review a day before closing. Also give yourself about an hour on closing day since you will have a large number of papers to sign. Once you are done with the closing you will have to call all the utility companies and have everything transferred into your name.

The process of finalizing on a home can take anywhere from 15 days right up to 90 days. In includes the time it will take for all the formalities in between. If there are any complexities involved in the transaction, then you can be sure it will take a bit longer. To smooth out the process for you, your real estate agent should:

• Be able to tell you in advance the entire process involved. He should be able to anticipate your queries and answer them all.
• Based on the contract that you sign with the real estate agent, he should work in close quarters with the seller’s broker and ensure you are getting everything that has been agreed on.
• He should also be in constant touch with the settlement officer, the officer for the title deed, as well as your lender and anyone else involved in making the process a bit smoother.
• He should also be in constant touch with you so that you know exactly what is happening in your deal.