Is a Bigger House Really Better?
If you are looking for your next home, it’s natural to assume that you should buy the biggest home you can afford. But if not, then there are other ways to maximize your investment that doesn’t include more square feet.
Bigger houses mean more expenses when it comes to repairs, utilities and maintenance. Bigger isn’t always better. If you don’t need 4 bedrooms, then why spend your money? There are many other ways to spend your money.
View
Homes with a view will always command higher sales prices than those without. Many buyers desire to have water or golf course...
Top Reasons to Hire a Professional
Matt Weaver from CrossCountry Mortgage talks about a sensitive and emotional topic. Divorce.
Your Trusted Team
Anytime you can have a trusted team on your side it makes it easier to make a challenging situation more manageable. Divorce is one of those times when you have the right experts it brings the results you want. Equally as important as hiring a good lawyer, having a trusted mortgage professional and trusted real estate agent is also imperative, particularly when there's real estate involved. When you hire a real estate agent, having someone that .can remain neutral and focus...
Building Wealth with Real Estate
Real Estate is one of the fastest and most secure ways to build wealth. 83% of wealth comes from real estate equity at retirement. There has been a lot of focus on real estate appreciation over the last couple of years. Today, expert projections still forecast continued growth, just at a slower pace. One of the often-overlooked benefits of rising home prices is the positive impact they have on home equity. Let’s break down three ways this is a win for homeowners.
#1 - Real Estate Move-Up Opportunity
The opportunity in the market is the move-up buyer. With the rise in prices, homeowners naturally experience an increase in home equity. Many homeowners...
Storage and Staging Tips for a Small Closet
If you are preparing to sell your home, you already know about the concept of staging. While most people think about pretty flowers in the front yard and the perfectly set table in the dining room, the fact is that staging is much more than nice lifestyle elements. Staging is something that should be considered throughout the home; it’s creating a scene in which your buyers can envision themselves living a beautiful life.
One of the most overlooked aspects of staging is the closet. All buyers will open drawers and closets, and when they do, you want them to see a spacious place for their belongings. Here are a few tips for staging your closet to attract buyers....
Your Home Inspector Matters
Congratulations on getting your offer accepted. The home inspector is an important part of the home buying process. A good inspector will share with you deficiencies as well as maintenance items to take care of to insure that you protect your investment.
Most contracts are written As-Is with the right to inspect. This contingency allows you to renegotiate the price you paid for the home, ask the sellers to cover repairs, or in some cases, to walk away. Your agent can advise you on the best course of action once the report is filed.
How to Choose an Inspector
Your agent will most likely have a short list of inspectors that they have worked with in the past that they can recommend to you. HGTV ...
Vacation Rental Ownership – Is It For You?
Investment properties used to be homes and multi-family properties used for full-time rentals. Over the past decade, we’ve seen a new crop of investment properties emerge, the short term rentals. But what’s involved in owning a vacation rental? Is it worth the work?
Is it a Good Investment?
A short term rental is a great investment for a number of reasons. In addition to creating annual income for the investor, the property could also appreciate in value during the time of ownership. Although the short term rental is still a rental property, it often pencils out too much higher income than a traditional long term...
When Should You Buy After a Divorce?
When Can I Buy a Home?
The desire is to move on and return things back to the new normal. It is understandable and makes complete sense. Doing the steps in the right order will make it easier in the long run.
Matt Weaver with Cross Country Mortgage shares his advice on the topic of when it is best to buy your home after a separation or divorce.
When we're thinking about getting a divorce or if we're walking down that path and thinking about purchasing a home, really our highest and best recommendation is to finalize a divorce prior to making any large real estate purchases.
Why do you need to finalize the divorce first?
What ends up happening is, you may find the home that you love and get it under contract....
What HGTV Won't Tell You
Real Estate and Reality Shows
If you're like most of the US, you have been watching reality shows causing us to dream of a fixer upper. It is so easy to fall in love with designing homes with shows like “Property Brothers,” “Fixer Upper,” and “Love It or List It,” all in one sitting from the comfort of our couches.
When you’re in the middle of your real estate-themed TV show marathon, you might start to think everything you see on the screen must be how it works in real life. However, you may need a reality check.
Reality TV Show Myths vs. Real Life:
Myth #1: Buyers look at 3 homes and decide to purchase one of them.
Truth: There may be buyers who fall in love and...
How to Save on a Down Payment for your New Home
Are you thinking about buying a new home? Gone are the days of 100% financing with zero down payment. So if you are not sitting on a pile of cash, the idea of finding the money to pay the down payment might feel daunting. But there are simple ways to raise the cash needed to get into a new home.
Assess Your Current Assets
The first step is to determine what cash you might have available right now. Do you have a savings account or perhaps a 401k*? Are you nursing a pet project, like a vintage car or motorcycle, which could be sold for additional cash?
Explore Loan Options
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Does It Make Sense to Buy?
Top Reasons to Buy
If you’re currently renting and have dreams of owning your own home, it may be a good time to think about your next move. With rent costs rising annually and Zero or low down loan programs homeownership may be closer than you realize.
According to the 2018 Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report, 74% of renters plan on buying within the next 5 years, and 38% are planning to buy within the next 2 years.
When those same renters were asked why they disliked renting, 52% said rising rental costs were their top reason. The results of the survey can be seen here:...
