You can buy a house with less than 20% down and avoid having to pay monthly PMI.  Here is how.    There is a little known mortgage insurance product which is an alternative to the traditional monthly mortgage insurance.  It is called LPMI which stands for Lender Paid Mortgage Insurance.  In exchange for choosing a slightly higher interest rate the lender covers the mortgage insurance for you.  The savings can be significant by choosing this option even though you do pay the higher interest rate for the life of your loan where the traditional monthly mortgage insurance can eventually be removed.   Consider the following scenario where you are buying a $200,000 house putting 5% down and your credit score is a 740   Traditional Monthly                                LPMI   Interest Rate ... 10/24/2014

Matthew McKenna Group Keller Williams Realty 724-933-8663 www.SellersChallengePgh.com    Looking to sell your home in the Wexford area, but afraid that the real estate market has died down until the spring time? It happens every year as I meet with buyers and sellers to discuss making a move, Buyers are worried that there won't be enough inventory and sellers are worried that there won't be enough buyers. With the holidays right around the corner who could possibly be looking for a house, right?  Well, we did a little research for you (your welcome) and found that while home sales do slow down slightly, we think you'll be suprised to find out that our market keeps on trucking, despite any myth-understandings.   Lets take a look at 2013: July, August and September, the years busiest mont... 10/06/2014

Matthew McKenna Group 724-933-8663 www.LuxuryHomesWexford.com info@MatthewMckennaGroup.com         The Matthew McKenna Group of Keller Williams Realty in Wexford PA helped another set of buyers win their offer on a very competitive property in Wexford PA.  Move up buyers Mike and Jessica instantly fell in love with a property in Franklin Park area of North Allegheny School district. The problem was, so did multiple other buyers. Within 24 hours of the house being listed there were multiple offers on the property. Utilizing one of the vendors in our network, Ben Yocca of AJM Mortgage, they were able to structure a mortgage so that Mike and Jessica could make an offer on their new home without making it subject to the sale of their current home in West View. This along with offering the r... 06/22/2014

For more information on New Construction in and around the Wexford Area contact the Matthew McKenna Group today at 724-933-8663 or www.LuxuryHomesWexford.com     If you're looking for new construction in Wexford PA you know that developments are in short supply. Well, you may be happy to know that the Village of Pine is once again expanding the development with a brand new phase of single family homes. While the price point or the style of homes hasn't been released yet, you can bet that they will be slightly higher starting prices than the previous phase, which had a 3 bedroom option starting at $260,000. This great location puts you right in the heart of wexford next to the Market District, Bartram bakery and other great local restaurants (some of them within walking distance), as wel... 03/18/2014

Matthew McKenna Group 724-933-8663 www.LuxuryHomesWexford.com info@matthewmckennarealestate.com      This week the Matthew McKenna Group of Wexford PA had the pleasure of assisting some great clients in the purchase of a new home through the use of auction. From the start this couple set out to find a great deal on a 'fixer upper'. Our team was able to locate a property that was foreclosed on and was getting ready to be auctioned by a National Auction house.        This beautiful farm house in a country setting sat on 7+ acres and had 4 spacious bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The original list price on the property was $40,000 as this was definitely a fixer upper! Through the bidding we were able to secure the property for the buyer at a steal for only $24,500.00. After a quick closing ... 02/10/2014

As if Wexford residents didn't have enough to do on Sunday to fill their time before the Super Bowl, if you're looking for a way to kill the hours before kick off, consider visiting the home show. Just a short drive to Cranberry at the Four Points Sheraton is the Cranberry Twp home show. With over 100 vendors ranging from windows, to flooring, to roasted nuts and purified water there's something for everyone! A couple of my favorite (and Keira's) vendors are the hot tub (one of these days I am going to pull the trigger and buy one) and the swing chair vendor. If you haven't sat in one of the swing chairs at any of the other home shows, they are COMFORTABLE. The only problem is that you need to have somewhere to hang them, otherwise we probably would have ended up with a couple tonight. ... 02/01/2014

  Privacy is one of the best reasons homeowners choose Wexford to live. With spread out communities and neighborhoods that offer some land as a buffer between houses and neighbors, its a great area for those that enjoy being close to neighbors, but like privacy. Unfortunately with our climate, once November rolls around you can kiss some of that privacy goodbye until spring time! But there may be a solution to that problem: A great looking grass that stays green year round and grows tall enough to create a zen-like boarder around your yard. Yes, I'm talking about Bamboo (and yes bamboo is part of the grass family)!        Recently I was on a listing appointment, and while I was touring the owners home we were standing in the living room looking out into the yard (It was 0 degrees outsid... 01/30/2014

For More Information Contact the Matthew McKenna Group at Keller Williams Realty 724-933-8663 info@MatthewMcKennaRealEstate.com     With the holidays over, many sellers in Wexford have reduced the price of their homes to try and sell them by the spring time. You can receive a full list of these properties in the Wexford area that have reduced their list price. Additionally find out more statistics about the market in Wexford by clicking the information below, including recent sales, average home prices and more!    Price Trends- Sold vs. Listed      Understand the difference between "listing prices" (what sellers are asking for) and "sold prices" (what buyers are willing to pay). By comparing these price trends, you'll have a good idea of where the market is heading. The median listing ... 01/27/2014

Call the Matthew McKenna Group, 724-933-8663. A Premier Wexford Real Estate Team. www.SellersChallengePgh.com                 Want to find out what your Wexford PA home is worth? Call us TODAY at 724-933-8663 or visit us on the web for a no obligation analysis in 60 seconds or less!     The data on this page is consolidated from multiple sources and includes current listings, recent sales, and more. Whether you're a buyer or seller, the knowledge you gain will help put you in control of your real estate transactions.   Call or email anytime to discuss how this information can benefit you!   Matthew McKenna Group Keller Williams Realty 11269 Perry highway Suite 300 Wexford PA 15090 724-933-8500 x 8663 01/26/2014

My husband is an energy auditor and one of his primary jobs is to test homes for energy efficiency as part of qualifying the home as an ENERGY STAR home. His work puts him in contact with a number of builders, from large spec builders to small custom home builders. As these builders are working toward meeting the standard for both ENERGY STAR and for PA's recently updated energy building code requirements they have been making changes in their practices that are going to be a big benefit to new home buyers. I've heard about some of the things he has seen in the homes during the inspection process - lack of proper airsealing, missing insulation, leaky ductwork - and how the builders have upped their game to meet the new requirements. Buyers of these new homes are definitely going to be r... 06/28/2010

So you want to sell your home at the highest possible price, in the least amount of time with the most favorable terms and conditions, RIGHT?  If your answer is a resounding YES. . . think STAGING. You would never think of buying merchandise at the store that was dirty, defective or damaged so let's set the stage to sell your home by merchandising it properly.  Lots of sellers are much more informed today with shows like HGTV and STAGED TO SELL but when it comes down to your own home, knowing what to do and where to start may seem overwhelming.   But help is out there, from a seasoned Realtor to a professional Stager,  you can get the help you need.  Here are some tips to help you get started. 1. Clean.  If your home is spotless, buyers will instantly get the impression you have a very ... 05/12/2010

Home Buying Advice from Pittsburgh Buyers' Agent -- things you need to know before you start your home search.   Home buying is a complex process that can take many months to come to fruition.  Knowing what to expect and being prepared will go a long way to make the process less stressful and more successful.  Hopefully these will help you with your Home purchase and be some of the best home buying advice you'll receive. 1.  Find a Real Estate agent who is committed to forming a strong business relationship with you.  An agent who is very familiar with the geographical area that you are interested is a must.  Consider working with an Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR) who has advanced education and experience in working with buyers and in meeting their needs.  Visit http://rebac.net... 03/23/2010

Pittsburgh Real Estate--Residential Housing Market Going Strong!  Well, we may not have the best weather in the country but Pittsburgh Real Estate--Residential Housing Market is alive and well in 2010.  Pittsburgh did not experience the overzealous real estate speculation and pricing escalation experienced by other states such as California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida but neither did it experience the housing bubble bursting.  Stable and steady she goes, Pittsburgh Real Estate--Residential Housing Market generally maintained its housing prices and inventory levels throughout most of the troubled housing years of 2007-2009.  For a housing market to be attractive, it must exhibit price appreciation, overall affordability and a low number of foreclosures.  Pittsburgh Real Estate--Resident... 03/12/2010

I try to do the final walk-through with my buyer clients as close to closing as I possibly can.  At that time, I give a check list to the buyer so they know what they are supposed to be looking at and for in the home.  A lot of post-closing problems can be avoided if things are checked out properly beforehand.  Allow adedquate time to see if the appliances are working, verify there are no water leaks, are if all inclusion are still there etc.  My worst case walk-though story was a winter walk-through where the water had been turned off after inspections and when we turned it back on for the walk-through, water started pouring out of pipes in the garage.  The wife started crying and the husband was stunned.  We post-poned closing a few days until the repair work was done and everyone wa... 02/25/2010

One of the great parts of my job is the opportunity to work with many of the best Realtors from across the country.  Today I have the chance to spend time with Derek Myers of Key Real Estate in the Pittsburgh PA area. Derek was sharing with me that buyers in his market area, unlike Florida, tend to search more by school areas than subdivisions.  Some of the schools that are in the market that their brokerage supports include: North Allegheny Schools, Seneca Valley Schools, Mars School District, Hampton and others. If you are looking for a brokerage to help you with your real estate transaction in the Pittsburgh PA area the team at Key Real Estate bring you experienced agents, a Mortgage Service and have a tight relationship with a Law firm that is all there to make your transaction suce... 08/24/2009

On Friday, December 12, 2008 BAMP held the Annual Christmas Party and Housing Excellence Awards Banquet. The award for "Best multi-family home of the year over $500,000" was received by the builders, Signature Homes. This plan is marketed by Prudential Preferred Realty. To view more information about The Fields of Nicholson go to: http://www.thefieldsofnicholson.com To learn more about this custom builder go to: http://www.signaturehomesadvantage.com The Fields of Nicholson is located in the borough of Franklin Park, one of Pittsburgh's most desirable communities. There are a variety of floor plans available and they are all customizable. They offer first floor living in a community with a clubhouse and swimming pool. To visit take:  I79 North to the Wexford Exit, Left onto Wexford Bay... 12/19/2008