Buyers

The Top 3 Things Buyers Should Beware of Doing

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying a new home, however it can be intimidating or even dreadful for some people. The key is to  make the process as painless as possible.  The truth is, that you could be causing a lot of your problems.  Sure, no one finds contracts fun

Making Neighborhood Connections

It’s hard when you move to a new neighborhood to make fiends and become part of the community, but neighborhoods are only as good as their neighbors.  Frequently, people recognize cars more than the faces of people who live around us.  There are many benefits of knowing the neighbors though, such as security and company. 

Other Buying Factors To Consider

When you’re buying a home there are some obvious things you’ll look for.  That it has enough beds and baths, it’s in your price range, and your commute won’t be bad.  If you have kids, the school district might also make a big difference.  However, there are other details that you shouldn’t overlook. Staying Connected

How to Refinance a VA Loan

The benefits of a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs continue beyond the day your loan closes. You can lower your rate, tap into your home’s equity or even bring your conventional loan into the VA program by refinancing.   Two types of VA refinances You can refinance your VA loan two different ways:

A Home Equity Loan Is a Smart Choice as Rates Rise

In recent years, home equity loans have gone the way of boy bands. So last-century. In an era of low interest rates, home equity lines of credit and cash-out refinances have been the equity-tapping products of choice. Home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs, have been popular because they usually are built with low introductory rates,

How to Find and Finance Bank-Owned Properties

Home prices are still rising — they’re currently averaging just below all-time highs set in 2006, according to the Case-Shiller Home Price Indices. Combine that with slim housing inventory in many markets, and you may believe you’ve missed the opportunity to buy your first, or your next, home. But bank-owned properties, also known as real-estate

How to Know You’re Mortgage Preapproval Worthy

  It’s the biggest hack to homeownership, and probably the most misunderstood: a home loan preapproval. How do you know when you’re financially set to get preapproved? Here’s what lenders look for and what you need to do if you’re not quite there. What you need for a mortgage preapproval Unlike a mortgage pre-qualification, a

6 Things To Know Before Buying a Historic Home

The amount of work and money required to maintain a historic home can vary, depending on the condition it’s in. However, if you go in prepared, this labor of love can be less laborious. Here are six things to keep in mind before you make your home in a little slice of history. 1. Historic

4 Awesome “Smart Home” Products

The Coolest “Smart Home” Products In this advanced age, it’s a miracle that we don’t all have houses that talk to us, cook for us, and generate our shopping lists. Slowly but surely, we’re making our way toward a completely “Smart Home” and these products are some of the coolest available. Enjoy! August Smart Lock

The Future of the “Starter Home”

Why ‘Starter Homes’ Aren’t What They Used to Be The concept of a “starter home” is quickly becoming a real estate relic, like track lighting and brass hardware. Time was, young families with average incomes who were shopping for a first house would choose a small one in an affordable neighborhood — maybe with just