Knowledge

Private mortgage insurance is unavoidable for some homeowners, but don’t pay PMI premiums a day longer than required by your lender.

#1 Home Inspection

A home inspection helps protect you from purchasing a home that could be a lemon. So you don’t want to forgo it. 

REALTOR® Tip: Your inspector isn’t required to be an expert in everything. If you suspect termites, asbestos, and foundational issues, for instance, you’ll need to hire a specialist.

 Inspectors will look for signs of structural issues, mold, and leaks; assess the condition of the roof, gutters, water heater, heating and cooling system; and more. Inspections cost between $300 and $500, and whether or not you end up purchasing the property, you still need to pay this fee. 

#2

The ultimate timeline ensures the smoothest of transitions.

A real yard. Closets bigger than your average microwave. The freedom to decorate however you darn well please!Making the switch from renting to owning is exhilarating, but many rookie homebuyers find the process trickier to navigate than they expected.

This is why we created our First-Time HomeBuyer Checklist. The 12-month timeline will help you sidestep common mistakes, like paying too much interest or getting stuck with the wrong house. (Yep, it happens!)

2 Months Out

Check your credit score.Get a copy of your credit report at annualcreditreport.com. The three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) are each required to give you a free credit report once a year. A Federal

First-time home-buyer advice: Ask a lot of questions.

Names: Anthony Tucker, 32, and Sammy Kallay, 31

City: Richardson, Texas, a suburb of Dallas

Year of home purchase: 2018

Sale price: $252,000

Home style: 46-year old ranch

Professions: He’s an IT business consultant; she’s a nurse.

When Anthony Tucker, and his wife, Sammy Kallay, had their first child, they knew it was time to buy their first house. Like so many new parents, they wanted the works for their son, Okiyan — safe neighborhood, good schools, nice yard. But their budget wasn’t limitless, and their knowledge of real estate was zilch.

They weren’t about to buy their first home without advice. So the Dallas-area couple started by finding the resources they needed for

Real estate negotiation tips so you can buy your dream home — and not overpay.

You’ve looked at enough houses to fill an entire season of House Hunters and finally picked one to buy. Now you’re ready to make an offer.

Your agent can help guide you through this nail-biting phase of negotiating a house price, but ultimately, you call the shots. Here’s how to negotiate like a boss.

Fail #1: Thinking House Price is All That Matters

That house with a price point $15k below your budget? It may seem like a deal — until you add on the costs of maintenance and replacing the aging appliances.

Planning on repainting, remodeling, or landscaping, too? Suddenly the price looks a whole lot higher.

When developing your offer, calculate in the

The day will come — and it will be a wonderful, joyous, do-a-happy-dance day — when you receive an offer, or multiple offers, for your home.

And on that day, you’re going to face a question you may not have previously considered: How do you know if an offer is the best one for you?

Your listing agent will be a big help here. They will understand and help you suss out the merits and faults  of an offer because — believe it or not — it’s not always about price.

One buyer’s beautifully high offer might not look so good anymore, for example, if you discover that it’s contingent upon you moving out a month earlier than planned. Or, conversely, you may prefer speed over price, particularly if you’re moving to a new city. 

Your listing agent will

What you need to know to get the best deal for you.

When it comes to evaluating offers, what’s good for the goose may not necessarily be good for the gander. One seller may be overjoyed with their offer, while another may be disappointed.

That means, in order to figure out whether an offer you receive is “good” —and whether you should negotiate — you’ll need to do two things:

• Think back to your original goals, and ask yourself whether this offer helps you meet them.
• Get advice from your agent, who can help get the best deal for your specific situation, wants, and needs.

So what do you, the seller, need to know before negotiating with a home buyer? We’ve got answers to some commonly asked questions.

What’s a Counteroffer?

June is National Homeownership Month.  Fair housing laws make our communities stronger and more diverse.  Understand your fair housing rights and share the guide below with your clients.

Source:  "A HOMEOWNER AND BUYER’S GUIDE TO FAIR HOUSING"

Selling a home has its moments of joy and frustration. Here’s your emotional road map.

image by: HouseLogic

Start looking for that contractor NOW if you want your project done by summer’s end.

Whew. The holidays are done. The new year has rung in.

That’s when smart homeowners know it’s time to do these five things that’ll save time, money, and hassles all year long:

#1 Organize Your Seasonal Storage Space  

Packing away holiday decor presents a big opportunity. It’s the best time to sort, declutter, and reorganize that space where you store your seasonal stuff.

So before simply stuffing your holiday things back in there somewhere, take inventory, then sort, filter, donate, trash, and re-home as many of your things as possible.

It’ll help keep you more organized all year long, and make it easier to find all your holiday stuff next year.

#2

Planning your next home improvement project? Consider one of these high ROI upgrades.