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Showing posts from January, 2018

How to Make an Offer on Your First Home

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Buyers should always be clear on how to make the best possible offer for a home. When a home is listed, attention is always drawn to the listing price and whether it matches comparable prices in the area. But when a buyer makes a proper offer to buy a home, matching the seller's list price isn't the only concern. In some cases, terms included in the offer can represent thousands of dollars in additional value (or additional costs) for buyers. These terms are important and should be carefully reviewed. Here are some other important items to consider for an offer to buy a home : How much should you offer? Oftentimes, you'll hear the amount of your offer should be a certain percent below the seller's asking price or an amount less than you're really willing to pay. In practice, your offer depends on the basic laws of supply and demand: If multiple buyers are competing for a home, sellers will likely get full-price offers and a house may go for over asking

Stop Renting and Start Owning!

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If you haven't read the article on my Facebook page yet, you can check it out here . It pretty much says you are wasting 13% of your income on rent. That is like real money! Vacation money! Extra pizza topping money!!!! Still not convinced? Here are a few benefits of buying a house as opposed to renting. 1 .You Will Build Equity Your rent payments builds equity for your landlord, not for you. When you buy your own house, you can put the money towards your own mortgage instead of making your landlord richer. Paying your own mortgage will gradually make you wealthier.   2. You Gain Independence  Buying your own house means there’s no landlord to tell you that you can’t change the color of the walls, you can’t have the open space that you want, or you can’t drill holes to hang your pictures. Your options to decorate your rental space are limited but if you own the home, they expand greatly.   3. No Pet Restrictions Many landlords don't allow tenants to have

First Time Home Buyer Must-Do's

We all need a little laugh sometimes, but lets get serious. Here is what to consider when buying your first home. Make sure you’re ready to buy, both emotionally and financially   If you expect to relocate in a few years, this may not be the right time for you to buy. If you don’t have cash for a down payment, closing costs and other expenses, you may be better off waiting. Look at your life, your career, your finances and your future expectations, and determine whether buying a house is the right move at this time. Find the right agent The difference between deals that close and deals that don’t are the professionals involved. You want to make sure you find a real estate agent who will move quickly when a new listing goes on the market, as well as an agent who will advise you honestly on preparing your offer. You also want a mortgage professional lined up before you start looking. The lender is the most important person to closing on time. Get your finances in order

6 Easy and Affordable Ways to Increase Your Home Value

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How Do I Stand Out From The Crowd? Have you been thinking about selling your home? Now may be the right time, but how do you get the most bang for your buck? Following some of these easy and affordable tips, can make your house someone's new dream home. Trust me, I have seen it work. Tip 1: Clean Up  Cost - (DIY) $0, (Pro) $500 Potential Return - 3-5% A clean home is a sellable home. So pick up the broom and break out the mop. I always tell my clients, "imagine you were interested in buying a home. You step into house A, it's cluttered, with stains on the carpet, chipped paint and a dirty pool. Now imagine house B, same style home, but the floors are clean, walls are freshly painted and the pool is crystal clear. Which house would you rather have? This goes for the landscaping too. Trim the over grown bushes, paint the front door and pressure wash the driveway. A couple of days of work could mean a higher sales price and quicker close on your home