Veterans, active military and surviving spouses have access to the VA Loan; a home financing option with unique money-saving benefits not found in the vast majority of other home-financing options. The flagship benefit of this program is the ability to purchase a home without the need for a down payment; however, the program also includes benefits such as: -No monthly mortgage insurance premiums, saving you anywhere from 0.3 percent to 1.15 percent of the entire loan amount each year. -No […]
The Starbucks Effect: Take two identical homes; One near Starbucks would have sold for an average of $135,000, while the same home without a Starbucks would have sold for $100,000. Fast-forward almost two decades: the average US home appreciated 65 percent to $170,000, but the property next to Starbucks skyrockets 96 percent to $270,000. All renovations are not created equal: The greatest return for your investment is a mid-range bathroom remodel, a $3,000 job that returns $1.71 for every dollar […]
The California housing market has been picking up momentum since jobs have become less scarce and mortgage rates are reaching all-time lows. It is a perfect time for first time homebuyers to capitalize. With that said there are a few critical mistakes a buyer must watch for: Mistake #1: Not planning ahead. Once you have narrowed down your search and you’re ready to make on offer, confirm the demand with your agent. Take into account the amount of time the […]
You decided to look for your perfect house. Maybe it’s your first home, or a step up, or where you want to put down some long-term roots. Everyone has a dream, a perfect plan for finding and buying the optimum residence. But those ambitions need to be rooted in possibility. The website House Hunt (www.househunt.com) suggests that the first thing you need to do is figure out how much house you are going to buy. Once you have a realistic […]
By following a these simple steps, you can increase your home’s value without burning a hole in your pocket: -Invigorate Your Outdoor Living Space Wash all dirt, mildew and general grime off the outside of your house prior to initiating your renovation. A power washer is a great tool to help clean siding and renew the surface of decks. A good washing will also bring out the true color of a beautiful flagstone walkway or patio. -Invest In Quality Gardening […]
Step 1. Embrace The Sale Many of the Realtors I talk to believe that selling is a dirty word. They associate sales with manipulation and misrepresentation. If that is what you believe, you are: -Preventing yourself from being as successful as you could be. -Doing a disservice to your clients. When you embrace the fact that you are selling yourself and your services to buyers and sellers, you can concentrate on developing professional selling skills. With those skills, you can […]
A wise real estate agent will always counsel you against letting a seller know how much you are willing to spend before purchasing. This can be especially true in a home building project where disreputable, unlicensed contractors can take advantage of unwitting home-buyers. The big dilemma for many is they have no idea how much a project costs. Designing a home, without a budget in mind, can lead to wasted time and money. The decision to share your budget information […]
1. Wait Review the expenses that are coming in the near future and some long-term goals; Consider expenses coming four or five years down the road.. In order to prosper and move forward, it’s necessary extensively manage your discretionary income. Make sure you pay every one of your bills on time, every time, all of the time. Make debt repayment a habit that becomes second nature to you. 2. Save Once your current budget is under control, you’ll need to […]