Your Home’s Spring Maintenance Checklist [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: Every spring, your home needs some extra TLC! Whether you plan on selling your home this spring or not, conducting this maintenance will help ensure your home functions well for the rest of the year. Your real estate agent will have a list of specific suggestions for getting...
3 Graphs that Show What You Need to Know About Today’s Real Estate Market
The Housing Market has been a hot-topic in the news lately. Depending on which media outlet you watch, it can start to be a bit confusing to understand what’s really going on with interest rates and home prices! The best way to show what’s really going on in today’s real...
Looking to Upgrade Your Current Home? Now’s the Time to Move-Up!
In every area of the country, homes that are priced at the top 25% of the price range for that area are considered to be Premium Homes. In today’s real estate market there are deals to be had at the higher end! This is great news for homeowners who want...
Homebuyers Shouldn’t Worry About 2008 All Over Again
Last week, realtor.com released a survey of active home shoppers (those who plan to purchase their next home in 1 year or less). The survey asked their opinion on an impending recession and its possible impact on the housing market. Two major takeaways from the survey: 42% believe a recession...
5 Reasons To Sell Your House This Spring!
Here are five compelling reasons listing your home for sale this spring makes sense. 1. Demand Is Strong The latest Buyer Traffic Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing, and able...
10 Steps to Buying a Home [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: If you are thinking of buying a home, you may not know where to start. Here is a simple list of 10 steps that you will go through to purchase a home. Make sure to ask your agent for details about each step and what else may be...
How to Put Your Housing Cost to Work for You
There has been a lot written about the benefits of homeownership. One benefit that continues to rise to the top is the added wealth homeowners gain simply by paying their mortgage while their home increases in value over time. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently broke down the equity...
Data Says April is the Best Month to List Your Home for Sale
The spring housing market is off to the races! The inventory of homes for sale is increasing, buyers are out in force, and interest rates have remained low, peaking the interest of buyers and sellers previously on the fence about making a move. New research from realtor.com shows that the...
The Enormous Divide Between the Headline and the Truth
“I have observed that not the man who hopes when others despair, but the man who despairs when others hope, is admired by a large class of persons as a sage.” – John Stuart Mill (1840s) Even back in the mid-1800s, people knew that negative news sells. That is still...
Your Tax Refund Is The Key To Homeownership!
According to data released by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Americans can expect an estimated average refund of $3,143 this year when filing their taxes. This is down slightly from the average refund of $3,436 last year. Tax refunds are often thought of as ‘extra money’ that can be used toward larger goals. For...
Is Your House Priced To Sell Immediately (PTSI)?
In today’s real estate market, with more houses coming to market every day and eager buyers searching for their dream home, setting the right price for your house is one of the most important things you can do. According to CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index, home values have risen at...
Do 46 Million Millennials Know They Are Mortgage Ready?
Many have written about the millennial generation and whether or not they, as a whole, believe in homeownership as part of attaining the American Dream. Millennials have taken longer to obtain traditional milestones than the generations before them, such as getting married, having kids, and buying a home. However, that...
20 Tips for Preparing Your House for Sale This Spring [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: When listing your house for sale, your top goal will be to get the home sold for the best price possible! There are many small projects that you can do to ensure this happens! Your real estate agent will have a list of specific suggestions for getting your...
What Credit Score Do You Need To Buy A House?
There are many misconceptions about the credit score needed to buy a house. Recently, it was reported that 24% of renters believe they need a 780-800 credit score to be considered for a mortgage. The reality is they are misinformed! Only 25% of the Americans have a FICO® Score between...
Want To Increase Your Family’s Wealth? Here’s How!
Everyone should realize that unless you are living somewhere rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s. Buying your own home provides you with a form of ‘forced savings’ that allows you to use your monthly housing costs to increase your family’s wealth. Every month that you pay your mortgage,...
Don’t Let Your Luck Run Out! Buy A Home This Spring [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: Interest Rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage have dropped to 4.41% from near 5% in 2018. Take advantage of more inventory coming to market in the spring to find your dream home! Buying now will allow you to start earning equity today!
Homeownership is a Cornerstone of the American Dream
“The rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.” The famous quote attributed to Mark Twain can apply to homeownership in the United States today. During the housing bubble of the last decade, the homeownership rate soared to over sixty-nine percent. After the crash, that percentage continued to fall for the...
7 Things To Avoid After Applying for a Mortgage!
Congratulations! You’ve found a home to buy and have applied for a mortgage! You are undoubtedly excited about the opportunity to decorate your new home! But before you make any big purchases, move any money around, or make any big-time life changes, consult your loan officer. They will be able...
What’s Going On with Bidding Wars?
In a strong seller’s market, like the one we have experienced over the past few years, bidding wars are common and expected. This makes sense! A seller’s market is defined as a market in which the inventory of homes for sale cannot satisfy the number of buyers who want to...
4 Reasons to Buy a Home in the Spring
Spring has sprung, and it’s a great time to buy a home! Here are four reasons to consider buying today instead of waiting. 1. Prices Will Continue to Rise CoreLogic’s latest U.S. Home Price Insights reports that home prices have appreciated by 4.4% over the last 12 months. The same...
Preparing to Spring Forward [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: In the majority of the country, this weekend marks the start of Daylight Savings Time as we set our clocks forward an hour on Sunday at 2:00 AM EST. Whether you plan on buying or selling this spring, these tips could help you ‘spring ahead’ of your competition!...
