Archive for March, 2009
Open House Safety Tips
An open house can be a great sales tool, but it also exposes you to numerous unfamiliar people for the first time. Stay safe by practicing these guidelines. Call the local police department and ask them to have a squad care drive by during your open-house hours. Check your cell phone’s strength and signal prior [...]
Checklist: 17 Service Providers You’ll Need When You Sell
Real estate attorney Appraiser Home inspector Mortgage loan officer Environmental specialist Lead paint inspector Radon inspector Tax adviser Sanitary systems expert Occupancy permit inspector Zoning inspector Survey company Flood plain inspector Termite inspector Title company Insurance consultant Moving company Used with permission from Kim Daugherty, Real Estate Checklists and Systems, www.realestatechecklists.com. Tags: daugherty real estate, [...]
Forms You’ll Need to Sell Your Home FSBO
1. Property disclosure form. This form requires you to reveal all known defects to your property. Check with your state government to see if there is a special form required in your state. 2. Purchasers access to premises agreement. This agreement sets conditions for permitting the buyer to enter your home for activities such as [...]
5 Feng Shui Concepts to Help a Home Sell
To put the best face on a listing and appeal to buyers who follow feng shui principles, keep these tips in mind. 1. Pay special attention to the front door, which is considered the “mouth of chi” (chi is the “life force” of all things) and one of the most powerful aspects of the entire [...]
12 Tips for Hiring a Remodeling Contractor
1. Get at least three written estimates. 2. Check references. If possible, view earlier jobs the contractor completed. 3. Check with the local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau for complaints. 4. Be sure the contract states exactly what is to be done and how change orders will be handled. 5. Make as small [...]
Low-Cost Ways to Spruce Up Your Home’s Exterior
Make your home more appealing for yourself and potential buyers with these quick and easy tips: 1. Trim bushes so they don’t block windows or architectural details. 2. Mow your lawn, and turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes before the showing to make the lawn sparkle. 3. Put a pot of bright flowers (or [...]
Prepare Your Home for a Virtual Tour
With more buyers shopping for homes on the Web, photos and virtual tours are a must. There are many things you can do make your home shine on camera. 1. Understand the camera’s perspective. The camera’s eye is very different from the human eye. It magnifies clutter and poor furniture arrangement. To make a home [...]
How to Hold a Successful Garage Sale
Garage sales can be a great way to get rid of clutter — and earn a little extra cash — before you sell your home. But make sure the timing is right. Garage sales can take on a life of their own, and it might not be the best use of your energy right before [...]
How to Improve the Odds of an Offer
1. Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range. 2. Prepare for visitors. Get your house market ready at least two weeks before you begin showing it. 3. Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have a house ready to show at the spur of the [...]
How Big of a Mortgage Can I Afford?
Not only does owning a home give you a haven for yourself and your family, it also makes great financial sense because of the tax benefits — which you can’t take advantage of when paying rent. The following calculation assumes a 28 percent income tax bracket. If your bracket is higher, your savings will be, [...]
5 Factors That Decide Your Credit Score
Credit scores range between 200 and 800, with scores above 620 considered desirable for obtaining a mortgage. The following factors affect your score: 1. Your payment history. Did you pay your credit card obligations on time? If they were late, then how late? Bankruptcy filing, liens, and collection activity also impact your history. 2. How [...]
What You Can Do to Improve Your Credit
Credit scores, along with your overall income and debt, are big factors in determining whether you’ll qualify for a loan and what your loan terms will be. So, keep your credit score high by doing the following: 1. Check for and correct any errors in your credit report. Mistakes happen, and you could be paying [...]
Budget Basics Worksheet
The first step in getting yourself in financial shape to buy a home is to know exactly how much money comes in and how much goes out. Use this worksheet to list your income and expenses below. INCOME Take Home Pay (all family members) Child Support/Alimony Pension/Social Security Disability/Other Insurance Interest/Dividends Other Total Income EXPENSES [...]
Get Your Finances in Order: To-Do List
1. Develop a household budget. Instead of creating a budget of what you’d like to spend, use receipts to create a budget that reflects your actual spending habits over the last several months. This approach will factor in unexpected expenses, such as car repairs, as well as predictable costs such as rent, utility bills, and [...]
Lender Checklist: What You Need for a Mortgage
W-2 forms — or business tax return forms if you’re self-employed — for the last two or three years for every person signing the loan. Copies of at least one pay stub for each person signing the loan. Account numbers of all your credit cards and the amounts for any outstanding balances. Copies of two [...]
6 Creative Ways to Afford a Home
1. Investigate local, state, and national down payment assistance programs. These programs give qualified applicants loans or grants to cover all or part of your required down payment. National programs include the Nehemiah program, www.getdownpayment.com, and the American Dream Down Payment Fund from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, www.hud.gov. 2. Explore seller financing. [...]
Loan Types to Consider
Brush up on these mortgage basics to help you determine the loan that will best suit your needs. Mortgage terms. Mortgages are generally available at 15-, 20-, or 30-year terms. In general, the longer the term, the lower the monthly payment. However, you pay more interest overall if you borrow for a longer term. Fixed [...]
Specialty Mortgages: Risks and Rewards
In high-priced housing markets, it can be difficult to afford a home. That’s why a growing number of home buyers are forgoing traditional fixed-rate mortgages and standard adjustable-rate mortgages and instead opting for a specialty mortgage that lets them “stretch” their income so they can qualify for a larger loan. But before you choose one [...]
Take the Stress Out of Homebuying
Buying a home should be fun, not stressful. As you look for your dream home, keep in mind these tips for making the process as peaceful as possible. 1. Find a real estate agent who you connect with. Home buying is not only a big financial commitment, but also an emotional one. It’s critical that [...]
Tax Benefits of Homeownership
The tax deductions you’re eligible to take for mortgage interest and property taxes greatly increase the financial benefits of homeownership. Here’s how it works. Assume: $9,877 = Mortgage interest paid (a loan of $150,000 for 30 years, at 7 percent, using year-five interest) $2,700 = Property taxes (at 1.5 percent on $180,000 assessed value) ______ [...]
7 Reasons to Own Your Home
1. Tax breaks. The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes, as well as some of the costs involved in buying your home. 2. Appreciation. Real estate has long-term, stable growth in value. While year-to-year fluctuations are normal, median existing-home sale prices have increased on average [...]
Questions to Ask When Choosing a REALTOR
Make sure you choose a REALTOR® who will provide top-notch service and meet your unique needs. 1. How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job? While experience is no guarantee of skill, real estate — like many other professions — is mostly learned on the job. 2. What [...]
Why You Should Work With a REALTOR
Not all real estate practitioners are REALTORS®. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Here are five reasons why it pays to work with a REALTOR®. 1. You’ll have an expert [...]
5 Common First Time Home Buyer Mistakes
1. They don’t ask enough questions of their lender and end up missing out on the best deal. 2. They don’t act quickly enough to make a decision and someone else buys the house. 3. They don’t find the right agent who’s willing to help them through the homebuying process. 4. They don’t do enough [...]
10 Ways to Prepare for Homeownership
1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income. 2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list. 3. Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to [...]
What is Appraised Value?
Appraisals provide an objective opinion of value, but it’s not an exact science so appraisals may differ. For buying and selling purposes, appraisals are usually based on market value — what the property could probably be sold for. Other types of value include insurance value, replacement value, and assessed value for property tax purposes. Appraised [...]
Understand Agency Relationships
It’s important to understand what legal responsibilities your real estate salesperson has to you and to other parties in the transaction. Ask what type of agency relationship your agent has with you: Seller’s representative (also known as a listing agent or seller’s agent) A seller’s agent is hired by and represents the seller. All fiduciary [...]
5 Things to do Before Putting Your Home on the Market
1. Have a pre-sale home inspection. Be proactive by arranging for a pre-sale home inspection. An inspector will be able to give you a good indication of the trouble areas that will stand out to potential buyers, and you’ll be able to make repairs before open houses begin. 2. Organize and clean. Pare down clutter [...]
12 Questions to Ask When Choosing Your REALTOR
Make sure you choose a REALTOR® who will provide top-notch service and meet your unique needs. 1. How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job? While experience is no guarantee of skill, real estate — like many other professions — is mostly learned on the job. 2. What [...]
8 Reasons Why You Should Work With a REALTOR
Not all real estate practitioners are REALTORS®. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Here’s why it pays to work with a REALTOR®. 1. Navigate a complicated process. Buying or selling [...]
