Happy New Year! By all indications, 2012 is looking good for real estate. Throughout 2011, pending home sales stayed above 2010 levels and, according to a recent report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sales of existing homes rose for the third straight month in December, providing encouraging news as we enter 2012.

Although the overall trends are positive, Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, concedes that contract failures remain a problem. As much as one-third of all escrows are affected by contract delays or failures because of appraisal discrepancies and loan contingencies. But Yun says that home buyers are not giving up, saying that many buyers successfully complete the sale after a contract delay, while others stay in the market after a contract failure and make another offer.

“Housing affordability conditions are too good to pass up,” he said. “Our hope is lending conditions will gradually improve with sustained increases in closed existing-home sales.” If you are considering buying, I suggest we meet and talk about the best way to assure your loan will go through smoothly. Working with top professionals has never been more important.

JUST ASK

Q: Can you help me with real estate in other areas of the state or country?

A: Absolutely. I work closely with agents from all over. It does not have to be local or just in our state. The benefit of working with a referral agent is you’ll receive more personal service and attention since they’re accountable not only to you, but to me as well. What’s more, you can call me at any time. I am your advocate. I will intercede for you. For moving, remember that our company has a list of preferred service providers, including cleaning services and movers. I have my favorites too.

If you know anyone who is thinking of relocating, please feel free to have them contact me. Referrals are always appreciated and I am committed to giving you and your friends the best service possible.

MOBILE APPS FOR HOUSE HUNTING

Did you know there are a host of phone apps on the market to help you through the entire process of purchasing a home? If you're just starting out and need help understanding the language of the real estate industry, try the Dictionary of Real Estate Terms ($1.99 for iPhone and iPad. Other dictionaries available for different devices). Do you know what you can afford? The Mortgage Calculator tells you what your monthly payments will be, the price per square foot and your amortization schedule (99 cents for iPad and iPhone. Other calculators available for different devices). Home Buying Power goes one further, helping you calculate the percentage of your income, down payment and loan terms ($1.99 for iPad and iPhone).

When you're ready to start looking, check out Realtor.com for homes for sale near you and upcoming open houses (Free for iPhone, Android, Windows). You can also search for properties using APR's mobile search. The mobile app will be launched on March 1 (Free for iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices.)

After you locate a home, you'll want to research the neighborhood and outlying areas. WikiHood will give you a mini-tour of any neighborhood in the world, including details on the history, culture and local companies (Free for iPad and iPhone). Suburb Scout searches for possible nuisances near a home - airports, landfills, sewage plants and more ($1.99 for Android). Crime Stats reports crime statistics by location using FBI data (99 cents for iPhone and iPad). Walk Score is a great tool for rating the best neighborhoods for walking to nearby amenities (Free for iPhone and iPad). The higher the neighborhood’s score, the more you can find within walking distance. Finally, Sitewise gives you the demographics on the residents of a prospective area, detailing such information as age, education level, family size, income and more ($9.99 for Blackberry, Android and iPhone users).

It's never been so easy to gather all the information you need in the palm of your hand to help you find the perfect home for you and your family.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT

As buyers drive around the neighborhood, does your home stand out from the rest? Here are some ideas for setting the stage for your home.

• Install a border along your driveway. Edging materials such as bricks, pavers and stone bring asphalt slabs to life and imply a higher level of detail. Quality counts.
• Install lights along the sidewalk and path that leads to your entryway. Solar lights don’t require running electrical cable and are easy to install and most have a run time of at least six hours.
• Do you have trees in front of your house? If so, cover up dead spots that appear near their roots. By adding two inches of mulch, your entire yard will look healthier.
• Bigger projects that have a good payback include a new garage door, new hardware and paint on the front door, and a new mailbox.

First impressions can sell your home. Let me know if you want me to come over and give you my thoughts.