The Associated Press reports that the average 30-year U.S. mortgage rate this week remained at a 52-week low of 4.10 percent for the third straight week. The average for a 15-year mortgage, a popular choice for people who are refinancing, slipped to 3.24 percent from 3.25 percent. This is certainly good news on the economic front, where some analysts suggest that the static low rates have increased home sales across the country. The AP article stated that real-estate data provider […]
Online comparison shopping is changing everything from how we buy a new television set to how we select a mortgage, and it’s allowing some mortgage lenders to get creative in order to compete. Lenders are stripping down features of mortgages to get their rates lower. Consumers have always been keen on scoring a low mortgage rate, but the ease with which they can comparison shop via their computers, smartphones and tablets has created an even greater fixation on the headline […]
Ready to buy a new home and need to sell your current one? Like most other times, today’s market can be volatile. Obviously you will need a sound plan, including the assistance of a professional realtor, to pull off the switch. 1. Interview several realtors. For many people, a home is the biggest investment you’ll make. Especially if you need the proceeds from a home sale to purchase a new home, make sure your realtor is experienced selling homes in […]
Credit scores are the number one factor in obtaining a loan. “FICO” is an acronym for “Fair, Isaac, and Company.” According to www.myfico.com, base FICO scores range from 300-850, and industry-specific FICO® Scores range from 250-900. Your FICO® Scores are calculated using the information in your credit reports. These reports contain the information that each credit bureau has on file about you. This sample credit report shows a few examples of the types of information that the credit bureaus collect, […]
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 […]