home buying classes

Are Home Buying Classes Really Worth Your Time?

January 8, 2020

First Time Home Buyers Have a LOT of Info to Learn About…

Sometimes all the steps involved in buying a home, including finding the right mortgage lender, working with your broker, ensuring your home needs are met at your budget and more, can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time going through the process. So where is a person supposed to figure all of this stuff out?

As you might have guessed, this is where a little homebuyer education can come in handy. Accredited courses can not only set your mind at ease before and while you search for the right home, but they can also ease the pressure on your wallet. Here are five reasons why home buying classes can benefit your home buying experience.

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buying a home in winter

Should I Be House-Shopping in Winter? Yes, And Here’s Why

December 26, 2019

Considering Buying a Home This Year? Don’t Wait!

So you’re contemplating moving this winter. Maybe you’re a first-time homebuyer, or maybe you’re just looking for a change. Maybe you’re starting a family, or getting that dog you’ve always wanted and having a backyard has suddenly become a priority.

Whatever the reason for your search, the fact that it’s winter shouldn’t deter you from forging ahead into the market. Contrary to popular belief, there are actually many advantages to buying a home in the winter months. Read on to learn just a few, before making this critical decision for you and your family.

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buying a home in 2020

5 Reasons Why 2020 Is the Right Time for You to Buy a Home

December 4, 2019

Making the Decision to Become a Homeowner… Next Year

The decision about when to buy a home may always be a tricky one, no matter what housing market or city you find yourself in. Many people would prefer to buy than rent because they want to start building equity in their home investment right away. But this may not be the best financial decision in the long run because of changing market prices and interest rates.

Paying rent for a year and then getting a much lower interest rate on your mortgage could result in a net positive to your bank account over the life of your loan, for example. So with all this in mind, why is next year – 2020 – the right time for you to buy a home? Read on to find out the answer to this all-important question.

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credit score for mortgage

How Good Does My Credit Need to Be to Buy a House?

November 20, 2019

What It Takes to Secure the Best Mortgage

Unless you are one of those people who may be fortunate enough to be able to buy a home in cash, you’re going to need a mortgage loan. And in order to get a mortgage loan, you need credit. But not just any credit – you need good credit.

So just how good does one’s credit rating have to be in order to secure a mortgage that won’t lead to problems down the road? Before you go out seeking mortgage lenders, you should know just how good your credit is going to need to be before you can get a mortgage loan to buy a house. Read on for details!

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seeing past home staging

See Past the Staging—What to Really Look For When Buying a House

November 6, 2019

When Buying Real Estate, Seeing Is Rarely Believing

With home values dropping in the market, sellers are doing everything they can to spruce up their properties to woo potential buyers and hike up asking prices – including paying up to $100,000 or more for home staging services. Beneath all the visual glamor, however, shoddy work can show itself if you know how to look – and hear, smell, touch, and taste.

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buying a home in fall

Why the Fall Is the Perfect Time to Buy a Home

October 23, 2019

Buying a Home in the Fall Can Save You Money and Hassle

The conventional wisdom states that the only season in which you should go shopping for a new home is the summer. While it may be true that summer is the nicest season to go around the neighborhood looking at real estate, buying in the summer can actually cost you. There are several reasons for this that we’ll get into in a minute.

But first consider that summer is peak season for the real estate industry. Your real estate agent is at their busiest during the summer, and you are far less likely to get individual, personalized attention from them. That makes sense – after all, they are trying to juggle multiple clients and show scores of properties. For that reason alone it can pay to wait for the dog days of summer to pass before you go looking at homes. Here are some more good reasons why autumn may be the best season for home buying.

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mortgage myths

Busting the Top 7 Mortgage Myths

October 9, 2019

Correcting Mortgage Myths for the Homebuyer

One of the hardest things about being a first-time (or returning) homebuyer is navigating the world of qualifying for a home loan. To make matters worse, there are quite a few rumors and received truths about mortgages and how to obtain one that are floating around in the popular consciousness.

But disinformation is your enemy. So here we go, busting the top seven mortgage myths to demystify the mortgage qualification process and to help you understand exactly what you’re signing up for.

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mortgage 101

Mortgage 101: A Crash Course

September 25, 2019

What Is a Mortgage? (And Other Commonly Asked Questions)

You’re finally ready to buy your own home, but first you need a mortgage. At least, you think you do. But what is a mortgage, anyway? You probably have a rough idea, but you may not be sure exactly how they work to help you buy the home of your dreams. Here are the basics when it comes to mortgages.

The most important thing to understand is that a mortgage is essentially a loan. In this case, it’s a loan that helps you buy your home. A home is a large purchase and most people don’t have all the money they need to buy one up front, but they also don’t want to spend years without a home while they save up that money. A mortgage is the answer. Read on to learn the answers to other common mortgage-related questions now.

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home values

How to Tell the Value of a Home Before You Buy

September 11, 2019

Before You Buy Your Home, Knowing the True Value Is Key

If you’re interested in buying a home, you will first want to know exactly what it’s worth – that much is obvious. After all, it’s perfectly reasonable to want to know a home’s value before you buy it, and this is true for a number of reasons.

For one, you want to know if you can afford that particular house. For another, you might want to have an idea of how much you could get for it if you sell it. Remember: once you buy a house, it usually becomes your most valuable asset. In addition, you want to make sure the seller is not overcharging you, offering the house for much greater than its actual value. Alternatively, if they are undervaluing the house, you might want to put in a bid, fast.

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first time buyer checklist

How to Prepare to Buy a Home: Use This Handy Checklist If It’s Your First Time

August 21, 2019

Making Sure You Remember Everything With Your First Home

The first time anyone goes through the process of buying a home is a thrilling experience, to say the least, but it can also be a little intimidating. If you’ve never bought a home before, you may not even be sure where to begin. With so many critical steps involved in the process, it can be easy to overlook one.

Of course, having the right kind of counsel in the form of a qualified Realtor who specializes in the neighborhood where you’re buying is key. Beyond that, you can’t do enough reading to prepare for the experience. And fortunately, we’re here to help. Here’s a handy checklist on how best to approach buying your first home, so you don’t forget anything crucial.

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