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August 14, 2018
When you think about moving into your dream home, it’s easy to picture a breezy home-buying scenario. But, in a seller’s market, finding your perfect home is no small task. You don’t want to waste the better parts of your Saturdays and Sundays roaming open houses only to find multiple dead ends. So, how do you manage your time wisely when it comes to house hunting? Here are a few tips to help make your home search as productive as possible: Get pre-approved for a mortgage Getting pre-approved for a mortgage before you begin searching for your dream home is essential. If you start touring houses before you’re pre-approved for a mortgage, you won’t really know what price range you […]
August 7, 2018
If you’re buying a home for the first time, you’re probably trying to decide between purchasing a smaller home to get into the market now or stretching your budget to get a forever home that you can stay in long-term. Everyone has different ideas of what a starter home is, but in general, a starter home is something you’d be happy living in for around five to seven years. Eventually though, you’ll outgrow this home. A forever home, on the other hand, is one that you could see living in for the rest of your life, which means it meets most of the criteria of your dream home: the right location, the right size, and all of the extras you […]
July 31, 2018
Whether you’re planning on moving to a better neighborhood or you’re buying a home for the first time, saving up for a new home is a big step. If you are looking to buy a house in the near future, it’s important to build up your savings. Down payments for homes can be large sums of money – so large in fact that it can set you back years if not saved or planned for properly. Most people think this means slowly setting aside small amounts, which, as you can imagine, would take forever. But, don’t worry! You don’t have to wait around and save for years. Here’s how you can quickly save up for that down payment: Explore the […]
July 24, 2018
As a homeowner, you probably already know that keeping your home and property in tip-top shape requires dedication and ongoing maintenance. Just because you’re selling your home doesn’t mean you’re off the hook from routine maintenance tasks. A well-cared-for house simply shows better. Small things like broken doorbells and leaky faucets won’t make buyers jump to make an offer. Instead, it will make them wonder if there are bigger issues elsewhere on the property. Plus, keeping up with routine maintenance can help you avoid a catastrophic problem down the road, like burst pipes and roof leaks, that could devalue your property and derail your sale. To prevent small issues from escalating into money-sucking problems, focus on these home maintenance tasks: […]
July 17, 2018
Real estate transactions revolve around written agreements or contracts. There are essentially four major types of real estate contracts, and they each have their different uses and stipulations. As in any legal transaction, these contracts are necessary to execute the sale. Not all real estate contracts are created equal, so it’s important to know what you’re really signing. Here are the differences in the main types of real estate contracts: Purchase agreement As the most common type of real estate contract, a purchase agreement lays out the agreement between the buyer and seller of a specific property. This contract will include the purchase price, signatures, party identification, and the closing date for the transaction. Although this seems simple enough, there […]
July 10, 2018
There are so many unknowns before you put your house on the market: who will buy your house and for how much? How long will it take? Will I find a new home before I sell my current one? And while the internet can be a really fun place to search for answers to these questions and more – it can also be rife with bad, if not flat out wrong, information. We’re here to bust some of the real-estate myths that have been going around since we can remember. And yes, we know you’re reading this on the internet – but consider this part of the good information you find online. Here are five home-selling myths you can dismiss: […]
July 3, 2018
The cliché phrase, “location, location, location,” has been used more times than we can count when talking about buying real estate. And yet, ask any realtor – this one rings true. When you’re looking for your dream home, one of the most significant decisions you’ll have to make is which location you prefer. Location affects the affordability, value, and quality of life of a given neighborhood. The way to choose the right location for you and your family’s needs requires some serious thought as to your family’s priorities. So, here are a few things to keep in mind when searching for your perfect neighborhood: Your Lifestyle Before you start scoping out different neighborhoods, consider your current lifestyle. What do you […]
June 19, 2018
Many, but not all, home improvement projects will increase the value of your home. The big question is if they will improve your property value by more than the cost of the project. Deciding which renovations actually help your property value instead of just draining your account is a numbers game. How much will you spend renovating to make sure your house meets a future buyer’s expectations and what will you get in return? Which improvements add value, and which ones don’t matter as much? In the end, you should do renovations for yourself and see any increase in property value as an added bonus. That being said, I often get asked which home improvement projects boost your property value […]