Jul 16, 2020 | Real Estate Tips
1. Change The Locks
As the new homeowner, you have no way of knowing how many others have keys to your new home. The previous owner may have made copies for their housekeeper, their parents, the babysitter, a neighbor, or anyone else. You definitely don’t want anyone else having keys to your home. Have a locksmith come in and change all the locks. The investment will help you sleep soundly.
2. Find Out Your Boundaries
Check in with town hall to see if there are documents on file that lay out the boundaries for the land you just purchased. If not, consider having a land surveyor come out to mark the boundaries around your new home. This will ensure that you don’t accidentally do things that encroach on your new neighbor’s land, such as planting trees or flowers, erecting a fence, or setting up a swing set.
3. Introduce Yourself To The Neighbors
Pencil in a day to go around and meet your new neighbors. Don not wait too long to do this; the longer you wait, the more awkward it becomes. In theory, they should be introducing themselves to you, but these days you could be waiting a long time for an apple pie to show up at your door. Just wait for the weekend and give a light knock on the doors on your street. Your neighbors will appreciate the gesture and you might just meet a new friend.
4. Make A House Map
A house map is just a general layout of where all the important fixtures are. The map should include the furnace, all outdoor spigots, the main water shut-off valve, the septic tank lid cover (if applicable) and the circuit box. Finally, invest in some fire extinguishers and mark their locations on the map, too. Have it laminated and put it someplace where all the family members can access it.
Once you take care of these four things, you willll feel better knowing that you’ve done all the necessary chores. Now, just sit back and enjoy your accomplishment!
Jan 23, 2020 | Real Estate
For many people, owning a home is seen as a rite of passage. At the same time, purchasing a home is expensive. As a result, many people end up renting for an extended period of time.
Here are a few signs that someone is ready to stop renting and purchase a home.
1. Rental Prices Keep Going Up
Year after year, rental prices are going to keep going up. While the rental company is going to claim that these increases are consistent with the industry, they tend to be exorbitant. As a result, those who are tired of their rent being increased should think about buying property instead.
2. The Credit Score Has Gone Up
Someone’s credit score is going to play a major role in the mortgage approval process. Anyone whose credit score has gone up recently should think about buying property.
3. Debt Management Is Second Nature
Before taking out a mortgage, someone is going to have to be good at managing debt. A mortgage is simply another form of debt. It needs to be managed properly.
4. There Is A Liquidity Fund In Place
The cost of owning a home extends far beyond the mortgage. Anyone who is thinking about owning property is going to have to have money set aside to cover additional costs. These include repairs, maintenance, and homeowners’ insurance.
5. There Is Money For A Down Payment
There is going to be a large check due upfront. A down payment is essential when it comes to buying a home. In addition, be sure to set aside money for closing costs as well.
6. You’re Going To Settle Down
When someone is thinking about buying a home, they need to stay in the same place for an extended period of time. When someone buys and sells homes quickly, they are likely to lose money to closing costs.
7. A Major Life Change Is Happening
Many people elect to buy a home after a major life change. This might come in the form of marriage. This might also come on the back of having kids. These major life changes can trigger someone to settle down and buy a home.
8. Your Vision Of The Future Is Clear
Those who know where their life is headed in the near future are in a great position to buy a home. If the future is clear, you are ready for the responsibilities of homeownership.
Call your trusted real estate professional today to discuss the options for homeownership in your local marketplace.
Jun 19, 2019 | Real Estate
Whether you’ve been looking for a home for a long time now, or you’re just about to get started on the hunt, you’re probably wondering how long should you spend looking for a new home. Does it take weeks to find your forever home, or months or even a year? What’s typical?
There Is No Typical
The reality is, there is no typical amount of time it takes to find your home. There are too many variables, including how actively you’re looking. Maybe you’ve heard horror stories of people who’ve been hunting for a house for a year. But come to find out, they’ve only really devoted one weekend a month to looking at houses.
Or you’ve heard of a couple who found their dream home in just two days. Well, odds are they spent many nights online, sifting through hundreds of house images and only went to see a handful of homes in person which really met their search criteria.
The Market Plays A Part
It takes longer to find a home when the market is slanted toward sellers. In times like that, there’s less inventory and the houses that are available may be out of reach financially. Keep looking, though, because your real estate agent may find the ideal house on the market from a motivated seller who’s wiling to come down on the price. Hang in there and you’ll find your dream home in any market.
Does Your Dream Home Exist?
If you feel like your home search has been dragging on despite a favorable market, it could be you’re looking for something too elusive to find. Maybe it’s not the houses you’re dissatisfied with, but something else. You may be unconsciously trying to recapture something you’ve lost, like your old childhood neighborhood or a feeling of community.
These are all valid desires that you can acquire with the right home in the right place. Try to identify what you’re really looking for so your real estate agent can help you find it.
When it comes to finding your home, it takes as long as it takes. Enjoy the process, communicate with your real estate agent and try to keep an open mind. One day, when you least expect it, you’ll walk through the doors of your next home for the first time.
Feb 28, 2019 | Real Estate
If you find it difficult to make ends meet, these tips will help you save money in ways that are easy to do and create substantial savings over time.
Declutter
Get rid of stuff you do use or need by having a garage or yard sale or by putting things for sale on eBay or Craigslist.
Make Your Own Coffee
Do you really want to make that billionaire richer by buying coffee for $5+ a cup? Make your own gourmet coffee that costs around 50 cents per cup for the same thing.
Bring Your Own Lunch
Making your lunch the night before to take to work the next day will give you more time to enjoy lunch. You will save the money that is wasted when driving to fast-food restaurants or going to pricey lunch places.
Grow Some Food
Everyone should have a garden, even if it is only a window garden for herbs. If you have some room for pots, you can grow tomatoes and other vegetables. If you have a back yard or a front yard you can grow tons of stuff.
Buy In Bulk And Use Coupons
For the things that you use on a regular basis, stock up when the items are on sale. Buy things at discount stores. Buy bulk things like rice and pasta at wholesale prices in co-ops. Coupon clipping is a hobby that pays for itself in savings. Just be careful not to buy things you do not really need or use.
Change Home Lighting
If you have not yet changed out all your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs, what have you been doing? Change those bubs right away because you are burning up money on wasteful lights.
Install Smart Home Technology
Making a home run with more energy-efficiency is reduces your bills and helps the planet too. Smart home technology monitors comfort zones and turns things off when they are not needed.
Cut The Cable
An expensive monthly bill for cable TV is something many can do without. There are plenty of less expensive alternatives and tons of free content to view online.
Make A Change Jar
Every time you come home, put all the change you have in a change jar. You will be surprised how much money builds up over time and you will hardly even notice it is missing.
Walk Instead Of Drive
Do you have to drive your car everywhere? Try walking short distances instead. Not only will you save money on gas; walking may improve your health.
DIY Projects
Instead of paying others to do simple jobs around the house, do them yourself. There are plenty of do-it-yourself (DIY) guides on YouTube that show how to do just about anything. You will save the expensive labor cost for simple home repairs that can be up to $75 per hour.
Are you inspired? OK. Put some of these ideas into action. Ready, set, save!
Your trusted real estate professional is a skilled negotiator. Be sure to utilize this savvy resource as soon as you are considering a new home purchase.
Feb 8, 2019 | Real Estate
Savvy home buyers often get great deals on new home constructions by asking for deals and discounts and doing some up-front research.
Home builders often dislike offering steep discounts in sales prices because they want everyone in the community to feel like they bought their property at a fair price. Maintaining sales prices also helps with future home appraisal values. It helps all of the buyers in a neighborhood to keep sales prices consistent and growing.
Fortunately, you can still get great discounts that can reduce the cost of your new home.
Ask the builder if they can do the following:
Settle Closing Costs
Closing costs vary depending on your state. On average, the costs can be as high as $10,000. In Colorado, for example, a standard closing is about 3 percent of the selling price.
It’s important to note that closing costs vary widely and can be structured in many ways. Make sure to consult a trusted mortgage finance professional to get the best information on your situation. But if the builder pays the bill, that money remains in your pocket. Isn’t that a great discount?
Buy Down Your Interest Rate
Although interest rates are low, if a builder is willing to buy down your rate further as part of the closing, it would reduce the amount you pay monthly in interest on your mortgage payment. That makes it manageable in the long run. Once again, your mortgage professional can give you the best details on this idea.
Offer Free Upgrades
Most homes have standard built in appliances. To get high-end appliances, home buyers normally have to pay for upgrades. Ask your builder if you can get the upgraded home appliances or other upgrades without paying extra. It’s a great strategy to move into an improved new home.
Additional Discounts
To sweeten the deal, home builders can throw in additional discounts such as automated garage doors, landscaping, finished basements and window coverings. These discounts are worth asking about.
Although these strategies are great, there are some situations that make it more difficult to get sales concessions. Therefore, as you negotiate, keep the following in mind:
- If business is going great, deals become more unlikely as builders have little motivation to give discounts.
- You may not end up with the perfect home you want since you may be buying a home that’s near completion or already built.
- The best home locations may be taken because properties in prime lots are usually the first to sell.
Knowledgeable buyers are most capable to cut great deals. Therefore, research new construction homes in your preferred neighborhood, visit some homes and compare what deals you can get. Above all, don’t hesitate to ask questions of your trusted real estate and mortgage professionals.
