Excitement Promised at the 74th Annual Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally™

It’s that time of year again when the 74^th Annual Sturgis© Motorcycle Rally™ brings hundreds of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts, fans, exhibitors and onlookers to South Dakota. Anytime now the onslaught of bikers will begin rolling into the Black Hills area to help kick off the rally being held this year on August 4-10, 2014.

Whether you’re a long-time resident or just passing through, the City of Sturgis always promises an experience of a lifetime where locals show you down-home hospitality and hundreds of visiting exhibitors can offer you anything and everything you’d like to dress up the bike or your body.

Even if you aren’t a biker, there’s still great fun to be had at the Rally.  This year’s entertainment includes an endless amount of concerts, great food and drink, a multitude of vendor exhibits and other activities you have to see to believe. Check out the events schedule to help you decide what to do first.

One special event you may want to participate in is the 12^th Annual Mayor’s Ride. This ride, held August 4, is a benefit ride for the Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department. Join other VIP riders and be escorted on several of the Black Hill’s most spectacular two lane roads and byways. At the end of the ride, you will enjoy a grand luncheon with Mayor Carstensen as your host at Custer State Park.

Tickets are extremely limited so be sure to get tickets now! The cost is $150 per rider (+ tax) and all participants will receive on one-of-a-kind Mayor’s Ride Souvenir Gift Pack including:

• Limited edition decanter
• Limited edition 2014 Mayor’s Ride t-shirt
• 2014 12th Annual Sturgis Mayor’s Ride pin
• 2014 Jackpine Gypsies commemorative pin, plus other collectibles from each of the 2014 Mayor’s Ride Corporate Sponsors

If you are coming in for the fun, take some time to realize the beauty of South Dakota and the surrounding communities in and around Sturgis. Now is a great time to find an investment property in Deadwood, vacation home in Spearfish, or even a home in Sturgis itself. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact Jim Peterson at (605) 574-4444 or June Johnson at (605) 786-7356 at Integrity Realty Team, or email us to discuss how we can help you with all your real estate needs.

Our office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – ours are always open for your convenience! Like us on Facebook for all upcoming events!

Protect Your Black Hills Home from Severe Summer Weather

South Dakota is no stranger to severe weather in all seasons. However, our summer weather can rapidly produce powerful storms at a moment’s notice and cause damage to your home. Because of this, it’s important to have your Black Hills home as ready as possible.

Although, you cannot ever be fully prepared to face tennis size hail balls or tornados or flooding rains, you can take some necessary precautions to protect your property and perhaps help to minimize or limit damage.

Routinely clean your gutters. Clogged gutters can back up the water and cause damage to your siding and foundation.

Keep those tree branches under control. Tree limbs can be very dangerous to the area around them especially in high winds. Make sure to routinely trim off tree limbs that could cause damage such as dead branches or diseased limbs that can easily be ripped off and come through your windows or roof.

Sump pumps come to life during storms. That’s not when you want to realize yours isn’t working properly. You should check it at least once a year, and ideally perform several checks during heavy storm seasons.

Be prepared to board up your home if necessary. It’s a good idea to have extra materials on hand in case you ever need to quickly board up your windows and weak points in your home. Materials to keep together include wooden boards, tools and screws, and filled & stacked sand bags. Keeping these handy can help you to secure your home and avoid major damage.

Secure your outdoor structures. If you have a shed or doghouse on your property, tie them down with the help of two or three tie-down cables moored to the ground. You need only a few cables and stakes to secure them and the expense versus the effectiveness is well worth it!

Designate a protected place to store outdoor furniture. Tree branches and outdoor furniture can become airborne in the event of high winds. It’s imperative to have a place where you can store all your potted plants and outdoor furniture such as a garage or tied-down shed.

In between storms, periodically check and repair leaks. Check for dark spots under pipes inside cabinets, stains on ceilings, toilets that rock and any type of drips at faucets. Also inspect your roof and repair any missing, loose or damaged shingles.

Review your homeowner’s insurance policy annually to make sure there’s sufficient coverage to protect the investment you’ve made in your home. Make temporary repairs after the storm but report any major property damage to your insurance agent or company immediately.

If you are looking to downsize your Rapid City home, upsize to accommodate your growing family or are ready to buy a Custer vacation property, I’d love to talk with you. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

Cheap Curb Appeal for Your Black Hills Home

They say first impressions are everything and this holds true when selling your Black Hills home as well. However, if you don’t have the budget or a lot of time, we have some great cheap tips for you to really spruce up the curb appeal of your home.

1. Add mulch: layer of mulch is the cheapest way to improve the look of your yard. The darker color the better. Some cities and counties recycle yard waste into free mulch, so check with the agencies in your area.
2. Focus on your front door: Making sure your walk way is accessible, your locks and doorknobs are updated and working correctly, can help make a good first impression. Also check your doorbell, light fixtures, kick plates and clear away cobwebs.
3. Don’t forget your fence: Check your fence for fading and damage. This could be one of the biggest structures of your home. Use a semi-transparent stain on the fence as well as other features in your yard to tie the look together.
4. Use some elbow grease: Stand at the front of your property and look at the house from a buyer’s point of view. Oil spots, dirt or mold may be something you are used to seeing but a good cleaning on the outside will give a fresh appeal.
5. Fill empty places in the yard: Buy some annuals and fill in flower beds and planters with seasonal fresh flowers and plants.
6. Use cool colors: Plants in shades of blue, white, pink and purples have a more soothing effect and make your home appear cooler in the summer.
7. Trim and mow: A well maintained lawn and flower beds give the appearance that the homeowner cares about the home and takes the time to take care of it.
8. Lighting: Use some outdoor lights for your pathways and highlight flower beds for those who are driving by at night.

“Keep it simple” is a good rule of thumb. People are busy these days and a lot of home buyer’s don’t have time to take care of what is considered high maintenance flower beds and landscaping. Keep it simple for yourself as well and try these simple, inexpensive tips that could make your home stand out.

We are local experts in the Black Hills region and can help you buy your first Black Hills home, Call us at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how we can help you with all your real estate needs. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress free experience selling your Black Hills Home. Our office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – ours are always open for your convenience!

Saving to Buy Your First Black Hills Home

Have you made up your mind that this is the year to buy your first Black Hills home? Now that the holidays are over, it’s a great time to buckle down and save for a down payment. As the housing market recovers and you continue to juggle other living expenses like rent, car payments and even credit card debt, it can seem like a daunting task.

Tightening up your pocket book and following these tips can help you achieve your goals of a new Black Hills home.

Open a dedicated savings account. Keeping your “down payment saving account” separate from your other accounts can help to keep track of your progress and becomes less tempted to access for those spontaneous purchases. Setting up an automatic deposit with a set amount each paycheck, or month, can help make it easier. There’s something to that old adage, “out of sight, out of mind.”

As your savings grows, you might want to transfer the funds into a money market savings or a certificate of deposit (CD). These types of accounts enable you to earn a better interest rate, further adding to the home fund. Be careful to be aware of your timeframe so that you do not enter unknowingly into an account that may penalize you for early withdrawals.

Investigate all your loan options. Most conventional mortgages require a down payment of 20% of the purchase price. However, there are some FHA loans requiring a lower down payment and the government backs these loans, which include most closing costs and fees. Because the FHA insures the mortgage, lenders are often willing to adjust terms to make loan qualifications possible. If you have a history of credit problems such as a bankruptcy or foreclosure, an FHA loan may be worth looking into. Your Realtor® can help you look at all your options.

Tighten up your monthly budget. The first step is to write down everything you spend in a month; everything! Those coffee runs, bills, groceries, dining out, etc. Then look to see where you can trim and save. Keep in mind that the payoff of a new Black Hills home is well worth cutting back non-essential expenses like dining out, concerts, and yes, even that daily cup of joe from your favorite coffee shop!

Try to negotiate lower rates on things like car insurance or phone plans and you may even contemplate moving into a smaller place that charges less rent if you can swing it. Take a look at your debt load and consider consolidating credit card debt to one card that charges lower interest.

Look to borrow from your retirement. While it’s not encouraged to take money out of retirement funds, if you are a first-time homebuyer, you are allowed to withdraw up to $10,000 from individual retirement accounts (IRA) without penalty. If you have a 401(k) plan, you may be able to borrow up to half of your vested balance, up to $50,000, or some plans allow for a hardship distribution. Please see your investment professional to determine if this is the best course of action for you and regulations on repayment with interest.

Improve your credit score. While saving for your down payment, be conscience about improving your credit score. A stronger credit score will help you secure a better interest rate when the time comes to get that pre-approval and start looking for your new home.

I am a local expert in the Black Hills region and can help you buy your first Black Hills home. Call me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience in selling your Black Hills Home. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

Enjoy the Black Hills Any Time of Year – February is No Exception

You may think that the Black Hills region is just for summer fun but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Locals who live here year-around know that there is something for everyone no matter the season.  If you are thinking of investing in a Black Hills vacation home, now is a great time to buy! Rest assured, you will have plenty of reasons to visit each season!

February has some great events in Rapid City and Hill City that you won’t want to miss.

Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo
The Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo ® is the second largest event in the state of South Dakota following the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It’s a 10-day event ending February 9, 2014 and is anticipated to host 331,000 people.

This PRCA rodeo has been nominated 15 times as PRCA’s “Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year”, winning this award twice! It promises a good time for the whole family!

The stock show features over 96 different agriculture oriented events such as the Ranch Rodeo, Bronc Match, and Sheep Dog Trials. There will also be nearly 300 vendors during the tradeshow selling everything from fine arts to front-loaders. Kids can enjoy some one-on-one time with a variety of animals in the Barnyard Petting Zoo. You can also round off the night with a concert featuring Chancey Williams and the Younger Brother with Dirty Word.

The Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo is held at the James Kjerstad Event Center on the Central States Fairgrounds & Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City. Check out their Event Calendar to plan a full day at this great event!

Main Street Square Ice Skating
There’s something about ice-skating in an outdoor rink and enjoying a cup of hot cocoa that brings you back to a simpler time. Whether it’s family time, bringing a date, or purely just an outing with friends, you will be sure to find fun at the Main Street Square Rink.

The rink is located at Main Street Square – 512 Main Street – Rapid City and is open till February 22, 2014. Hours may vary so be sure to check out their website for hours and rates.

Black Hills Photography Club Exhibit
If the arts and activities inside are more your speed, check out the Black Hills Photography Club Exhibit. It supports the photographic arts throughout the Black Hills region. The exhibit showcases over 100 artists with skill levels ranging from novice through Master Photographer.

The exhibit runs through February 24, 2014 in the event room at the Prairie Berry Winery in Hill City.  Make it a date and stay for dinner or appetizers from Prairie Berry’s Kitchen while you enjoy some art. Pieces are available for purchase as well.

Whether you are looking for a year-around home, land, investment or vacation home, our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

Get Smart Before Listing Your Black Hills Home

If you’ve decided to sell your Black Hills home, there are some ways you can start off on the right foot to work as a team with your Realtor® to help position your home the best way possible. Sure, your agent is the expert in marketing your home but giving them some pertinent information up front can go a long way in getting your home listed and sold quickly.

Know what your home is worth. Integrity Realty will offer a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) of what your Black Hills home is worth. However, it’s smart to do a little digging yourself as to what your neighbor’s are selling for. Of course you have an emotional connection to your home, and sometimes these emotions can play a part in what you feel your listing price should be instead of going by the facts.

Know your bottom line before listing. It’s helpful for your Realtor® to know your bottom line in selling price. If you would rather keep that information to yourself, it’s still easy enough for you to get the payoff amount from your current mortgage lender so that you can determine whether to accept an offer or present a counter-offer.

Educate your Realtor® on updates and renovations. Many times the improvements and upgrades you have made while living in the home can be used to determine the listing price. In some cases, renovations can be worth more than what you initially invested, or at the very least can be used to highlight the home and make it stand out among the comparables.

Take care of any liens or disputes before listing your Black Hills home. Although any good real estate agent will ask, it’s important to do some research and find out if, in fact, there are any tax issues or any types of liens that may have been put on the house due to disputes or discrepancies with contractors or creditors. Your Realtor® may be able to help clear them up and resolve any issues that would come up in closing.

Make a flexible schedule for showings. Listing your home means showing your home to potential buyers. It’s important to have your home show-ready at all times and be as flexible as possible with your schedule. Take all occupants in your house into consideration; including your pets. Keeping those pets at a friend’s, neighbors, or doggy day-care may be worth it so that your home is available during the day while you’re at work. Pre-plan meals and have a “necessity bag” available just in case someone wants to see your home in the evening hours and you need to leave in a hurry.

At Integrity Realty, we determine the value of Black Hills area homes daily. I’d love to talk with you about giving you a Comparative Market Analysis of your home to determine the best course of action for you. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

South Dakota is Top in Growth for the Nation

The numbers are in and it’s official ~ South Dakota rocks!! If you are in the market for a new Black Hills home, now is the time to buy before inventory gets slim. More and more people are coming to South Dakota thanks to the low cost of living, great school systems and prime investment opportunities.

Don’t just take my word for it. According to the new US Census, South Dakota has the 6^th fastest growing population in the nation. While the nation’s average is 2.2% in growth, South Dakota’s population grew by 3.5% in the past three years, to 844,877 people.

When asked about the boom, President of the Realtor Association of the Sioux Empire, Brandon Martens had this to say, “Obviously there’s no state income tax, which helps a lot of businesses and a lot of the people coming to the area. As well as land costs, the fact that we really did not have a housing bubble, we just kind of weathered the storm and I think that really attracted people to South Dakota.”

There is more new home construction in the Black Hills area as well as fabulous resale’s, lots of land for building your own dream home, and vacation homes if you cannot reside here year-round. If you are looking for an investment or to start your own business, you will want to trust a local Realtor® to give you the best possibilities to achieve success in your new venture.

If you are ready to buy your new home in the Black Hills Area, I’d love to talk with you. Whether you are interested in homes in Hill City, Custer homes for sale, or Rapid City new homes, we can give you the most comprehensive listings that meet your criteria. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

New Year, New Mortgage Rule

As you may have heard, there are new mortgage regulations heading our way, but how will this impact Black Hills homebuyers, Realtors, and lenders? If you’re in the market for a new home, the next time you head to the bank for a new mortgage loan, the lender may be asking just a few more personal questions. This is all thanks to the new Ability to Repay rule that lenders are now subject to under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Under this new rule, lenders are now held accountable for the loans they make, and they must be able to prove that their borrowers can actually repay it. Lenders can even be asked to buy back a loan if they make a mistake. The only way to protect themselves from these buybacks is to now follow a strict set of rules.

Basically it comes down to this, as of January 10, 2014; lenders are now prohibited from making a higher-priced mortgage loan without regard for the home-buyer’sability to repay. The debt-to-income ratio must be 43% or less, and it limits the fee that can be charged by a lender to just 3% of the total amount of the loan. Also, loan terms that are greater than 30 years, interest-only loans, and negative-amortization are no longer available since they do not meet the guidelines of a “qualified mortgage.”

I know that some of this may be confusing, but we are always here to help if you have any questions.

I am a local expert in the Black Hills region and can help you sell your Black Hills home. Call me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience in selling your Black Hills Home. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

Happy New Year from all of us at Integrity Realty!

Choosing the Right Black Hills Agent

If you’re trying to sell your Black Hills home, you probably know it can be a bit of a hassle, especially in the winter. Why not make sure you have a true professional real estate agent on your side. To help you decide which of the many real estate agents in the area qualify as the best, we’ve pulled together some important items to consider.

First impressions are very important. Before you have even spoken with a Realtor®, first impressions are made just in the response time back to you. If the agent you’ve contacted gets backs to you immediately it shows they truly want your business. However, if you haven’t heard back from them within a couple of days, they probably won’t be focused on exceeding your expectations and this generally should be the first sign to move on to another agent.

Look for someone who’s been a successful agent for at least five years. Having experience proves that they love their work. If the agent has managed to stay in this highly competitive business for over ten years, you can be sure they know their stuff. Also look into how long they’ve been in the Black Hills region. Local knowledge can lend itself to a successful closing since they have local experience in the process.

Quiz your prospective Realtor® about their marketing plan for selling your home. The agent should have a complete, step-by-step plan, and they should be able to explain how each step will work towards getting your home sold. If you aren’t clear on the process, don’t be afraid to ask questions and challenge their methods. A good agent will be able to stand their ground and prove the method to their madness.

Be patient. You may not meet the agent of choice right off the bat. Shop around and find an agent that meets your needs, shows results, and can show you why they can sell your home quickly and for top dollar.

I am a local expert in the Black Hills region and can help you sell your Black Hills home. Call me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience in selling your Black Hills Home. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

 

A Black Hills Thanksgiving Day Thanks

I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t love Thanksgiving. Besides all the great food, it’s one of those holidays where we can just be happy for our friends and families and all of the wonderful things we enjoy here in Black Hills. Did you know that there are also real estate benefits to the holiday? Being thankful for what we have and taking stock of all that we already have gives us license to realize that our real estate position may be even better than we thought.

When we compare our homes to others without taking into consideration that fair appraisal, it lends itself to frustration with what we have. If your home fits your family needs, lifestyle and budget, you should count your blessings! If it’s time to sell your home, being in a realistic frame of mind can help market your home better because you’ll already know what great features to highlight in your home.

If you are looking to buy a new home in the next 6 months, be careful not to get caught up in the shopping frenzy that ensues the day after Thanksgiving. Running up debt could affect your mortgage application, or even affect the pre-approval you may have already received. What’s more, you are trying to de-clutter to show off your home, sell it and move, not add more to clean, organize, and hide before potential buyers come to view your home.

Make a list of realistic wants and needs before you start your home shopping. Those things that are merely “wishes” can probably be added later on when the urge to spend has passed.

Throughout the year I’m reminded how lucky I am to live in the Black Hill region and what wonderful friends my clients have become. I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving! Email me or walk on in anytime to chat! You can also Call me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!