Category: News

Curb appeal is real, it matters, and it's one of the easiest, lowest cost ways to increase the value and sellability of your home. All those expressions about making a first impression fit houses too! So here are a few tips for boosting curb appeal that can be done in a weekend on a budget. Make an Entrance Your entrance and front door should be inviting. You can repaint, restain or maybe replace the front door. Also plants and flowers can really help, often two pieces on either side of an entryway will help frame the entrance. Lighting Having some lights to frame the house in the evening can really make it pop, so check your garage and porch lights and consider investing in some new ones, there are good…

As we see home prices rise, home buyers (especially first-home buyers) need to determine how they will get funds for their down payment. Traditional loans require a 20% down payment, however there are other programs that do not require this large amount. VA loans require zero down payment, and if you qualify FHA loan down payments can be as low as 3.5% down. If you can’t do 20% many lenders may require private mortgage insurance (PMI) on the loan. Here are typical sources of down payments Savings – If possible, you should start saving for the down payment a few years in advanced. Gift Funds are used by many people as well. A friend, relative or employer may help you with assistance towards the down payment. If you do this,…

As we enter tax season, it seems like a good time to talk about how owning a home can help lower your tax bill. First, lets clarify that you’ll need to do an itemized return to take advantage of the deductions. Second the deductions are just that deductions from the income that is subject to tax, not just looping that number off your tax bill. So now that we’re clear 😊lets review. The biggest one, you may already be familiar with – the interest deduction. The money you pay in interest over the year on your loan is fully deductible on the first $750,000 of your loan or up to $1 million if your loan was originated before December 15, 2017. The other biggie is deducting property taxes. You can…

The good news is you went to college, studied hard and earned your education, the other side for some is student loan debt. Having loans is not a deal breaker but it will factor into the important debt-to-income (or DTI) ratio, and mortgage underwriters are primarily looking at the numbers so having it be student loan debt isn't different from a car loan in the math. Strategies to get approved with student loan debt Pay it down - this maybe easier said than done but if you have extra money or got a raise then try to pay down the debt Consolidate it - if you can consolidate your debt and lower your monthly payment (even not the overall loan amount) this will help your monthly DTI ratio Co-sign -…

A lot of Americans have moved or considered moving in the last year. When you move you aren’t just moving into a new home but also a neighborhood, so you want to be sure to check the area out carefully, here are 10 things to consider. 1. Property Taxes – you should look at property taxes and also how much they’ve increased in the last five years and if any increases are planned. It’s a good idea to build this into your budget too. 2. Amenities – check what’s nearby based on your interests, restaurants, groceries stores, houses of worship etc. 3. Future development – it’s a good idea to check and see what future development is planned – it might be a good or bad thing but either way…

With the housing market tight in many parts of the country and affordability a big issue for many would be buyers, buying a fixer-upper might be tempting. We’ve all seen the home make-over shows with amazing before and afters but should you do it? Here are a few things to consider: 1. Know Your Limits How much of the work can you do. How much time do you have to put into renovations. Are you prepared to live in a work zone for a while 2. Work Out Costs In Advance Have a contractor walk through the inspection with you and get a written estimate for work he would do. If you are doing the work yourself price the costs of supplies, either way add 15% to the costs because…