Home Buyers

For many of us, our home represents the single largest investment we will ever make. One of the best ways to protect that investment is through the purchase of homeowners insurance. The problem is that many of us don't truly understand how a homeowners insurance policy works and exactly what our insurance policy will cover should a disaster strike. Rest assured, the home buyers essential guide wil

San Diego Real Estate Blog  Home Buyers in Chula Vista have a great way to search for all real estate available for sale in the Chula Vista MLS. They can use our Chula Vista Home Buyers Search tool to find all homes, condos, land, duplexes that are for sale in Chula Vista. Our search engine is [...]

Buying a home for the first time can be both exciting and intimidating. If you are looking for St. Johns County real estate for sale, your search will be an easy one. St. Johns County property has a lot to offer first time home buyer. Thus, the only ...

San Diego Real Estate Blog Home Buyers in San Diego have a great way to search for all real estate available for sale in the San Diego MLS. They can use our San Diego Home Buyers Search tool to find all homes, condos, land, duplexes that are for sale in San Diego County. Our search engine [...]

According to the report from Business Times, HDB's BTO saw a sharp drop in the number of applicants in the recent 2 projects.2 BTO projects draw only 111 on 1st day - Thu, Jul 03, 2008The Business Times The Housing and Development Board launched two new BTO projects yesterday with a potential 1,587 flats. But at the end of the first day, only 111 applications were received - a big drop from previo

A hint… if you’ve seen 30 properties, and you can’t picture yourself living in any one of them, it’s not that there’s something wrong with all of the properties on the market, it’s that your search criteria is unrealistic. If you get to this point, it’s time to reevaluate your search, and ask yourself “Do I [...]

Sacramento Real Estate Voice has had a wonderful week. The best part of helping home buyers besides finding just the right house is handing over the keys to the home buyer’s new HOME. This week was no exception. I love preparing a home buyer’s basket of goodies and presenting them their gift along with their keys. It

Reading in between the lines on HDB Market No Slowdown: Mah Bow Tan , I again sense the minister putting subtle pressure on developers to lower prices. "Those people who can afford to wait, they'll wait", said Mah Bow Tan.His continuous assurance to home seekers of adequate HDB supply, I believe, has a lot to do with the huge buyers resistance we see currently in the property market, especially in

In real estate, the big all powerful rule is, location, location, location. That does not seem to change. You will always know that waterfront property, property with scenic views, property in a cul de sac, property in most desireable areas, will have a higher value. Who determines value? Not the seller, not the real estate [...]

This is an article that recently appeared on CNN Money's website on May 12. It outlines some good rules of thumb and urges you to make your move soon before you get bit:There's no guarantee that prices have hit bottom yet - but that doesn't mean that you can't get a great deal now.(Money Magazine) -- There's no telling how long the housing crisis will drag on. Here's what you need to know before y

I got an e-mail today that was very similiar to many that I've received in the past. It read, "My husband, Peter, and I are thinking about buying a house in the near future as we are quickly outgrowing our apartment (we have 2 young children). We have so many questions, and have no idea where to start. Do you have any advice?" I referred them to a blog that clients of mine did several

"Land.  They're not making any more of the stuff."  Will Rogers That quote was made many years ago.  But it's still true today, isn't it! If it were possible to make more land, where would you want it located? That's your future neighborhood. Do you know where you want to live? Do you need help selecting the best home for the money? If so, you'll value my experience and our RE/MAX P

It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny."  Jean Nidetch In my business as a real estate professional, I encounter a wide variety of situations in a given week. It may include a first-time buyer searching for a starter home.  It may be an out-of-towner exploring many neighborhoods.  Or it may be a couple, having raised their family, now ready to move to a smaller home

I Want My Own Home... But How Do I Begin...Even if you are certain of your financial readiness, perhaps you don't know how to start looking for a house, or all of the preparations necessary before making a purchase or how to deal with realtors, banks, mortgage companies, all the complicated legal docs and more?Buying a home is a great idea if the timing is right and if the purchase is made for the right reasons. Although there is certainly no problem with being a perpetual renter there is also a great deal of pride that goes along with owning your own home"First Time Home Buyers: The Insider's Guide" answers the questions potential first-time home buyers have, and many that they never knew to ask, as well. It provides the direction and information you need to go from being a frustrated re

When you first decided to start in real estate investment that you were probably instructed to formulate a buyers list. This was a list of names of people that were looking for property. You were told that “with a good buyers list you may never have to put a property on the open [...]

April 29, 2008 PropNex takes home buyers to court over fee dispute Case hangs on whether flat buyers who deal without agents should pay a commission, too By Tan Hui Yee A COUPLE who bought a home and refused to pay the seller's agent the 1 per cent commission are being taken to court by a property company. PropNex associate director Ricky Low Yong Sern is seeking about $4,000 in commission or a service fee in a case that is likely to turn the spotlight on the issue of whether home buyers should pay a fee to sellers' agents. He was the exclusive agent handling the sale of a terrace house in Whampoa built over 30 years ago and classified as a Housing Board flat. Marketing specialist Loh Yi Min, 29, and his wife, polytechnic lecturer Ariel Wee, 33, bought it for $400,000 in April last year.

Significance of Home Information Pack and Home Buyers Information Pack          In order to make the process of buying and selling homes fair the government of England and Wales introduced Home Information Pack. The Home Information Pack was introduced on 14th December 2007. Home Information [...]

From the AP:In an ominous snapshot of how the sagging real estate market and sour economy are intersecting, the Associated Press-AOL Money & Finance poll also found that 60 percent said they definitely won't a buy a home in the next two years.That was up from 53 percent who said so in an AP-AOL poll in September 2006. Only 11 percent are certain or very likely to buy soon, down from 15 percent two years ago.In today's economic climate, even holding onto what they already have is a challenge and source of distress for significant numbers of homeowners. Nearly three in 10 said they are concerned their home's value will decline over the next two years, while 14 percent of mortgage holders expressed worry that they might miss payments in the next six months.

"Your wish is my command."  GeniePart of my job as a real estate professional is to listen to my customer's "wish list" and then work to find a home that grants those wishes. With each new customer comes a whole new set of "wishes." Some want a home in the country with five bedrooms and a family room big enough to play volleyball. And some others want a small home in the suburbs with two bathrooms and a formal dining room.  No matter what type of property you are looking for, you'll find it on my web site at www.RichmondVAHomes4Sale.com.  You can even build your dream home and let the computer search for properties as they become available - all without talking to a real estate agent.If you'd like to talk to me personally, I've l

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."  Yogi BerraThe real estate market is crowded with choices. Homebuyers are faced with choices about areas, properties and agents with whom to work. I'm making time to deliver Premier Customer Service to you and your friends.I'd like to stand out from the crowd. That's why I offer you more information and more real estate knowledge.  Please visit my web site at www.RichmondVAHomes4Sale.com.  You'll find community information, recent home sales, and thousands of homes for sale.  We have all the news and information on real estate.  You can even use our dream-home finder to search for homes and get emails when the right home comes on the market.I'm writing because you may know of someone m

Tallahassee and Leon County, Florida, offers a big variety of neighborhoods, in all price ranges and with various architectural styles. One of my favorites is Killearn Lakes Neighborhood in the north end of Leon County, with Lake Iamonia, one of the areas largest lakes, bordering the northern boundary of this community. Killearn Lakes is a popular community with [...]

A draft regulation submitted to the Government by the Ministry of Construction would make it easier for Viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese) to own homes in Viet Nam.While the Housing Law of 2005 paved the way for Vietnamese expatriates to own a house or apartment in Viet Nam, the requirements are demanding and the procedures complicated.Only 137 Viet kieu have been able to buy property legally here since the restricted qualifications to buy a home in the country took effect two years ago, according to the Ministry of Construction.

A draft regulation submitted to the Government by the Ministry of Construction would make it easier for Viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese) to own homes in Viet Nam. While the Housing Law of 2005 paved the way for Vietnamese expatriates to own a house or apartment in Viet Nam, the requirements are demanding and the procedures complicated. Only 137 Viet kieu have been able to buy property legally

Buying a home is exciting. FHA Mortgage programs are back! Well they never went away, it is just that not many mortgage companies were using them because there were so many other programs that competed with FHA that these loans had decreased in popularity. Learn more about these great mortgages in this article.

Site Description: 0 Eppraisal provides free home valuations, data on comparable homes, recent sales, neighborhood details and local market trends. If you are looking to buy, sell or refinance a property let our valuation tools be the first step. Eppraisal can also help you o Keywords: house, home values, real estate, property, property value, market value, real [...]

ABQjournal Homes: '08 May Be Good for Home Buyers: "The year 2007 was a banner one for home sellers in the Albuquerque area, with houses fetching the highest prices on record. But if January sales numbers are an accurate forecast, 2008 will be more favorable for the buyer.The average sales price for an existing single-family detached home last year was $243,089, a 6.3 percent increase over 2006; the median was $198,500, a 5 percent increase, according to year-end statistics from the Albuquerque Association of Realtors."Albuquerque Real EstateRio Rancho LandAlbuquerque Real Estate News

You’ve stacked up bills and late payments for months, unable to pay anything. You’re facing the repossession of your home. You’re so worried about where money will come from that you have trouble sleeping. Pretty soon you won’t even have a house to call your own. What can you do to escape this financial nightmare? Does [...]

The quick answer is yes. It seems to be a buyers market for home sales almost everywhere thanks to the media. The media pounds us everyday with bad news about the credit industry, foreclosures, high gas prices, the weak dollar, etc. Some of it is true and some is, well just over exaggerated to say [...]

We have been looking at all the economic indicators, paying close attention to the media, listening to all the economic pundits to make sense of the Daytona Beach Real Estate market. We have decided it's all off target!

Many sellers with their homes on the market are wondering, "Where have all the home buyers in Loudoun County gone?" Well, the answer is they haven't gone anywhere - they're still right here. The reason why some sellers haven't seen...

Sacramento First Time home buyers often ask if their credit score is REALLY all that important. The answer is a big, YES. Your credit score is like the grade you received in school. The higher points you made on a test the better grade you got. The higher your credit score, known as the FICO score, the better [...]

ABQjournal Homes: '08 May Be Good for Home Buyers: "The year 2007 was a banner one for home sellers in the Albuquerque area, with houses fetching the highest prices on record. But if January sales numbers are an accurate forecast, 2008 will be more favorable for the buyer."Albuquerque NM Real EstateRio Rancho Real Estate BlogAlbuquerque Real Estate Blog

Before you buy a new bigger house Tips for second time home buyers I’m writing this article from personal experiences. Many times in life we look back on financial decisions and not necessarily regret those decisions but wish we would have though through the consequences more before signing the paperwork. Buying a home is definitely no different and [...]

Now is the BEST TIME for First Time Home Buyers to purchase a home in Florida within the last decade due to a combination of several factors:  Decrease in Home Prices High Inventory Levels means lots of choices for buyers High number of foreclosures Higher Property Tax Exemptions Low Interest rates Here is some information for buyers with low or moderate [...]

Over the last decade, typical conventional lenders have been offering 100% financing to home buyers This usually involves creating an 80% first trust deed and a 20% second trust deed. This further allows home buyers to purchase a home with no money down. To understand how this works, you will also need to understand two basic types of loans: Conforming and Jumbo.Conforming interest rates cover loan amounts up to $417,000. Jumbo loans amounts cover loans over $417,000.The differences between conforming and jumbo loans are usually the interest rates and certain conditions required. Conforming interest rates are lower than jumbo interest rates.When you are looking on the internet for current interest rate quotes, the typical rates shown are for conforming rates.Your first trust deed or the 80

Highland Park - The second phase of Intracorp's real estate development offers luxurious townhomes and duplexes and a long list of on-site amenities. The Highland Park townhomes in Intracorp's neighbouring Glenmore community are no less impressive. Published in Westcoast Homes in December 2007. Move-up homebuyers yearning for a lock-and-leave lifestyle without compromising space or location are flocking to Intracorp's Highland Park townhomes development in the upscale Morgan Heights area in South Surrey. With the first release now sold out, Intracorp has just released the second phase of this luxurious collection of townhomes and duplexes. Susan Rutledge, Intracorp's Director of Sales, says the Highland Park homes at Morgan Heights South Surrey are aimed at homebuyers who love the space of a single-family home but who are looking for a lifestyle that doesn't involve entire weekends spent doing yard work."Most of our buyers are coming from the immediate area and are fi

As a First Time Home Buyer, you have probably weighed all of the options of buying v.s. renting your own home, and you've come to the conclusion that buying a home is still a great investment into your future.In my series for First Time Home Buyers, I have outlined the steps that you should take to ensure that your first home purchase is a smooth transaction. If you have been following the steps, you know that it is very important to know what you can afford. You also know that you will have a distinct advantage in purchasing your new home, if you've taken the time to get pre-qualified, or better yet, pre-approved.If you are like many other First Time Home Buyers, you might have concerns about the down payment, and the closing costs. If you live in Oregon and you are in the low to moderate income range, Oregon Housing and Community Services offers many options to assist you in your goal of home ownership. Some of these services include down payment assistance programs

There is one book that home buyers and interested real estate aficionados should refer to, and that is the Real Estate Book. This small size, easy to carry, book, provides photos of homes on the market, great quality descriptions for the homes, and a listing of dedicated real estate agents. To get the book is [...]

  First Time Home Buyer’s Seminar January 24, 2008 6:30pm-8:00pm 2401 Lake Park Drive Suite 300Smyrna, GA. 30080 Are you looking to buy your first home? Join us for a free First Time Home Buyer’s Seminar! There is absolutley no cost to you! Reservations must be made by January 22,2008! Call (404) 348-0420 to reserve your spot! Training materials will be given to each family! This seminar will give you the great information and preparation you will need to purchase a home! Light refreshments will be served. Registration starts at 6:30pm! Seminar presented by: Jennifer CowanMaxsell Real Estatewww.TheCowanConnection.com and Sally W. HambySunshine Mortgage Corporationwww.sunshinemortgage.com/sally.hamby Share This

Congratulations! Now that you have made an offer You are on a fast track to owning your first home! But your work is not complete. In order to protect yourself, and your investment, you need to order a complete home inspection, prior to closing on the home.Why is a home inspection important?  A Home inspection is crucial because you should make sure that the home you intend to buy is in good condition. Several years ago, the actor Tom Hanks did a movie called "The Money Pit".  The story centers around a couple who buy a beautiful home, one that they consider to be the home of their dreams. It is highly unlikely that they had a home inspection done, as problem after expensive problem begins to surface. For every dime they spend to resolve one issue, another expensive issue would appear, hence the movie's title "The Money Pit"Although the story is fictional, the movie could serve as a precautionary tale of what NOT to do when buying a home. The circumsta

I can't count the number of times I pre-approved people before the Holidays, only to see their credit scores have dropped by the time they find a home during the Spring market. The culprit you ask, why its excessive Holiday spending of course. Lets face it, we as red blooded Americans spend to much money, a lot of which is credit debt. This just in, revolving trade lines (i.e. credit cards) that have a balance of more than 50% of the limit WILL LOWER our credit scores. Credit cards that are maxed out with consistent minimum payments is a sure fire way to have the old credit scores in the low 600s. I won't bother to insult your intelligence by telling you the impact of late payments on our precious ficos.I know what your thinking, "but Steve, I'm doing a conventional loan with 10% down and the rate is the same whether my credit score is a 600 or an 800." Well not any longer! New guidelines from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for most conventional mortgage products state that rates will b

The process of finding a home for the first time can be challenging, but if you are properly equipped and know what to expect during the process, looking for your first home can be an exciting, and rewarding experience. If you have been following my First Time Home Buyer series, then these are the steps that you've completed so far:Common Mistakes Smart People Make When Buying Their First Home      First Time Home Buyers - Consider Five Reasons Why You Should Buy      First Time Home Buyers - Find Out How Much You Can Afford         First Time Home Buyers- Getting Pre-Qualified Buying Your First Home? Find A Great Buyers Agent!First Time Home Buyers- You've Hired A Buyers Agent- What's Next?Now, your Buyers Agent has been working hard for you, looking for homes that match the wish list that you submitted and reviewed. Keep in mind that you may have to view a few homes before

In my series for First Time Home Buyers, I have been covering the steps that a First Time Home Buyer should follow in orderto make sure that the purchase of your first home runs smoothly.If you are reading this for the first time and want to re-visit my previous blogs on this subject, here is what we've covered so far...Common Mistakes Smart People Make When Buying Their First HomeFirst Time Home Buyers - Consider Five Reasons Why You Should BuyFirst Time Home Buyers - Find Out How Much You Can Afford First Time Home Buyers- Getting Pre-Qualified Buying Your First Home? Find A Great Buyers Agent!So, to pick up where we left off, you should be in the process ofinterviewing and hiring a Buyers agent to begin the process of looking at homes. Because you have gone through the process of getting pre-qualified, or pre-approved, you know what pricerange to provide your Buyers agent with, but have you given any thought to what you really want in a home?  If you haven't done s

If you have made the decision to purchase your first home, Congratulations! Home ownership has many advantages and benefits, and you are in a perfect market to find the home of your dreams. Before you employ the services of a Realtor®, there are several steps that you will want to follow to make sure that the purchase of your new home is as smoothas possible. One of the first things you'll want to do is to find out how much you can afford for your new home. Getting pre-qualified by a qualified lender is one of the first things that you can do to get the ball running.   There are many reasons why this will give you an advantage;  Pulling a credit report will give you the chance to correct any errors that might appear.Shopping for rates will give you more knowledge about rates, fees, and the monthly payment you will be making and more.Knowing how much you can afford gives you bargaining power when you do find the home you would like to own.Pre - qualification

Now that you've made the decision to buy your first home, the process of buying a home can be confusing, andcomplicated. Where should you start?  Find out how much you can afford. To get started with the process, consider getting pre-approved with a lenderprior to making an appointment to view homes with a Realtor®. This will give you more leverage when you areready to make an offer once you've found the house you'd like to call home. In my blog Common Mistakes Smart People Make When Buying Their First Home ,   I explain how important it isto decide which lender you would like to work with. Multiple credit inquiries may affect your credit rating and have a negative impact on loan amount, interest rate, etc.  Avoid Giving your Social Security Number out to severaldifferent mortgage companies while shopping for rates. The Department of Housing and Urban Development offers these free links to calculators that can assist you,but

If you've considered the benefits of buying a home, and you are like most first time buyers, you've probablyhad reservations about whether buying a home is right for you.The more you know in advance about buying your first home, the easier the whole process will be for you.Here are five great reasons why you should buy a home now:Property Appreciation:Even though real estate moves up, and then down, over a period of years real estate has consistently appreciated, and many who purchase their home consider their  investment as a hedge against inflation.Property Tax DeductionsReal Estate property taxes paid for a first home and a vacation home are fully deductible for income tax purposes. Read what the IRS has published regarding tax information for first-time home buyers.Mortgage Interest DeductionsOur tax rates highly favor those who own their home.  Mortgage interest is fully deductible on your tax return, as long as the balance on your mortgage is smaller than the pr

Don't bite off too much house...The age old method of home loan affordability could lead you to disaster and we're finding more and more queries and complaints about affordability and first time home buyers getting themselves into debt. Here's how to get a better idea on what you can afford.I was going to start this off by saying "20 years ago..." but it's not, it's not even 6 months ago that first-time home buyers were encouraged to maximise their profitability and put all their investments and savings into a massive house. Stretch yourself and buy that R2,000,000 apartment. Hey, for first time buyers back then it even made sense.Lets face it folks, today, it's asking for SH!T, pardon my french.Here's what's changed in 20 years (or more) since your parents bought their first house:Inflation. Price increases in the last 5 years meant you could count on hefty annual raises.It's no longer just you. A generation ago, single-income families were more common. If the breadwinner los

When a person starts to buy their first home there is a lot of excitement, fear and tons and tons of stress.  The statistics show that buying or selling a home is one of the leading causes of divorce in our country.  I discovered that there are areas that first time home buyers need explained to them, to help decrease the amount of stress throughout the process.One of these areas that need to be explained is the differences between a pre-approval letter and good faith estimates. I can count numerous times when clients come to me after I tell them to get pre-approval and they bring back a letter in which they are pre-qualified and show me a good faith estimate, many times without their credit being ran. I explain to them that their good faith estimate is just that (an estimate) and that there is no guarantee they will get that rate or approval, and that they need to have their credit run so that I can effetively target the price range that they actually do qualify for. I also

The average age of a Realtor is 51.  The average age of a first time home buyer in the United States is 31.  That is an entire generation gap.  And it is not an easy gap to cross. I am 40 years old and I wouldn't take much advise from most of the 50 year olds I come across in my daily life.  They are, for the most part, too far behind the technology curve.  They have a sense of style that is stuck in the 80's.  They have flowery wallpaper in their houses and bisque colored appliances in their kitchens.  Their furniture is big and oak.  Their family rooms are small and their formal dining rooms are huge.  Their basements are dark, dank and dungeon-like. And these are the people that want to sell homes to first time buyers.  No wonder first time buyers never give their phone numbers out and do all the research themselves.  They don't trust that the 50 something-year-old ladies that answer the phones at real estate offices can

CENTURY 21 Key Realty is sponsoring a Home Buyers Seminar on Tuesday, November 13th, 6:30 pm at the Westgate Community Center. Home sellers are welcome as well! Free information on buying or selling a home from the experts. Representatives from select mortgage companies, home inspectors, and pest control companies will be on hand to answer your questions. Several door prizes will be given away and there is no obligation! Bring a friend! Register early for the best chance at a door prize! Sponsors include- Mortgage America The Mortgage Shop Wachovia Bank Terminix Southern Home Inspections CENTURY 21 Key Realty Home Buyers Seminar Tuesday, November 13th, 6:30 pm Westgate Community Center For more information, please give one of these REALTORS a call Judy Spears - 334-333-3612 Dick Henk - 334-803-7272 Margaret Patrick - 334-701-6357 Keshia Nix - 334-618-5242 Gloria Lefebvre - 334-805-8500 Share This

We as real estate agents get asked a lot of questions. Answering those questions is one part of this business that I love the most. There are questions that are asked more often than others, and here are arguably the five we are ask most often. How much home can I afford? Generally speaking you can probably qualify to purchase a home with a value of two or three times your annual household income. However, the amount that you can borrow will also depend on your employment history, credit history, current savings and debts, and the amount of down payment you are able to make. You may also be able to take advantage of special financing options. You never want to purchase a home that will have payment that you can not afford. How do I find a good agent to work with? One sure way to find a good real estate agent is to ask friends, family, or a neighbor that has purchased a home recently. Get them to tell you what they liked best about their experience, and what they didn’t like. If

5 Things You May Not Know About Buying a Summit, NJ Home  Realtors are free for buyers in New Jersey! If you are a buyer interested in learning about real estate, curious about the market, or actively seeking your dream home you should begin to build a relationship with a Realtor. Realtors can provide you with [...]

Several months ago I received a First Time Home Buyer referral for the Pleasant Hill area of Contra Costa county from Susan Kingsley of Empire Realty Associates who has worked with these clients for two years.   These hard-working, diligent, financially responsible people passionately want to own a home and have run into one road-block after another in their quest.When I initially met with these potential buyers, I also was unable to provide a mortgage approval but I did not want to be just another "NO" so we sat down and prepared an Action Plan.   The Action Plan included correcting credit report errors to improve their credit scores, debt repositioning, reviewing their budget, and looking at their long-term financial goals which included setting aside funds for their 11 year old daughter's education.In the middle of completing the Action Plan, two major road-blocks popped up:  mortgage  guidelines for $0 down payment loans became more

 Homebuyers buy a "house" and immediately want to make it "their home".  Here's a couple of tips to help in that process.1.  Make a list of EVERYTHING you would like to change about the house to make it more appealing to the buyers.  2.  Prioritize all of the items.  Most important item on the top and least important on the bottom. Do not over whelm yourself with too many little small things to do, but the major curve appeals and 3.  When you are ready to start on your list....FLIP IT OVER! ! !    Yes...that's right....flip it over and start from the bottom..  You will ALWAYS get the most important items done but inevitably you will learn to "live with" the items that aren't as important.  As an example:   When you start painting your house.....start at the back of the house....because you know that you will ALWAYS paint the front....Right???    the Mother

It's no secret that real estate is experiencing a market slump; in fact sales are lower than they've been in 16 years. Wall Street economists compile a seasonal market forecast; a rating higher than 50 indicate a positive market. The current forecast was only 30 and has remained below 50 since may of 2006. Gone are the golden years of bidding wars or listings at unrealistically high prices. For the seller, it's time to come back to reality and do whatever it takes to sell your home. For the buyer, your time has arrived!What has caused this slump? It's actually a combination of factors including high mortgage rates; 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages average over 6 percent, the highest in over a year. Also, tighter standards have been imposed for obtaining a mortgage, thus decreasing the amount of qualified buyers. The overall market uncertainty has created some wary buyers who are content to stand by and watch the housing trends.With new homes creating about 15 percent of all home sales

Welcome to Ms. Latina Renee Enterprise, LLC. Be sure to subscribe to receive free updates before you leave the page.Many home buyers are looking to make wiser deals now more than ever since we are in a national housing crash. Here are a couple things to consider when inquiring about a new home loan...Try to borrow as less as possible. The borrowers who borrowed to much are now facing foreclosure.Get a fixed rate. Adjustable rates are okay, but in today's market and this country's deficit, rates are being adjusted upward.Be sure to keep this in mind when you are applying for free mortgage quotes and comparing mortgage rates from top national lenders.

Sometimes the best way to get more business is to simply ask for it.  I want to be your Realtor.  I want to help you purchase your new home.  Specifically, I’d like to document your home buying experience here on the blog from the first point of contact through the closing.  A Real World-Columbus for home buyers.  While it won’t make you rich, famous, or even generate much space for your Wikipedia entry, it could be fun. It may have been done somewhere else before but if so, I haven’t run across it.  What could be more informational to home buyers than watching other home buyers go through the process from start to finish?  We’ll keep the cameras rolling, make some podcasts, videos, and see what develops.  You’ll have editorial control but you can’t be camera shy. If you’re going to buy a home in the Columbus area in the next 6 months anyway, why not try it and create a global precedent?  I’m probably looking for a first time home buyer(s), more of a blank sl

Almost a third of properties in Bulgaria are being bought by foreign nationals with 20 to 35 year-old Britons a big proportion of Bulgarian real estate buyers. According to reports Bulgaria has seen a significant increase in the numbers of 20 to 35 year-old Brits buying Bulgarian property. They now account for a fifth (20%) of all UK buyers and are prepared to pay more for their property.

Austin, Cedar Park & many other cities around Central Texas have passed laws in regards to bandit signs, and a very small handful of brokers have engaged in knowingly violating those very laws.  The problem was before September 1, 2007, the authorities had to witness the placement of illegal bandit signs to actually fine you.  They simply removed & destroyed the signs at an unauthorized cost to tax payers. As of September 1, 2007, that law has been updated.  Now all levels of Government can fine & prosecute abusive bandit sign owners. The county & state entities can prosecute you regardless if you were seen placing the sign or not, and it’s our understanding the fines are not a slap on the wrist by any means and can even be criminally prosecuted.  I’ve watched several brokerages around the city do their best to bend the laws, placing 10 or even 15 signs on a single street corner to simply test the waters.  The city or county would simply remove the sig

According to a new survey of mortgage brokers, one in three prospective home buyers who had signed purchase agreements in August ended up cancelling. The survey of 1,744 mortgage brokers, conducted by Campbell Communications, Inc., found that the cancellation rate for subprime borrowers was 56 percent while the cancellation rate for prime borrowers was 21 percent. Compare this to a cancellation rate of only 4 percent for mortgage related reasons during the booming real estate market in 2004. In addition, the survey found that: one-third of all subprime mortgage applications (purchase and refinance) were declined in August a lower percentage of prime conforming and prime jumbo loans were declined LTVs for prime jumbo loans had tightened up, averaging 90 percent with minimum credit scores now 679 loan production was down 20 percent in August for prime conforming loans and 50 percent for Alt-A loans 57 percent of borrowers facing interest-rate resets on their ARMs were unable to ref

In the previous mutiple offer market, First Time Home Buyers continually lost in the bidding wars because they didn't have the equivalent (or any) downpayment and weren't in a position to waive property inspections and repair requirements.  With the increase of seller credits toward the buyers mortgage financing, this is the perfect market for First Time Home Buyers.  Most renters want to own a home but they self-select out of the market for three primary reasons:  Fear they cannot afford the monthly payment.  The average renter compares their rent payment ($1,500) to the monthly payment on a home purchase ($3,000) and thinks, "Well I sure don't have an extra $1,500 extra per month in my budget so I can't buy a home."  What they truly don't understand is how the tax deductibility of home ownership allows them to legally take money normally paid toward income taxes and apply it toward their house payment so the actual out-

Congratulations to all of the First Time Home Buyers! This past week, Tabitha and Jacob moved into their new Beazer home in Natomas. It was a pleasure working with you both and getting the very best deal for the two of you. Who says you don’t need a Realtor to represent you when dealing with a Builder? That statement wouldn’t hold water with the two of you, would it? And to Cheryl and David, enjoy your new home in Elk Grove, CA. It was a long time coming but it is yours and the excitement I saw in both of your faces was exhilarating. It was my pleasure to help find just the right home for the two of you and to introduce you to your new neighbors. It was fun taking that photo of you carrying Cheryl across the threshold… have you recovered??? Mark, I think we saw every house on the Real Estate market for sale. Mid-town is a great place and within walking distance to all of your shopping, restaurants and coffee shops. What a great old home you have with a full b

Finding an Arizona home is not difficult, but knowing what to do next to purchase it requires a little research and effort. First time Arizona home buyers sometimes have the most trouble purchasing a home because of their inexperience. Here are some tips to help first time Arizona housing seekers purchase their first home successfully.Make Sure That Your Finances Are In Order: As a first time home buyer should spend at least the six months prior to purchasing a home getting your financial situation in order. This means checking your credit report to make sure that there are no blemishes.Paying off collections and other debts to improve your chance at obtaining and affording a mortgage is also an important step to take as a first time home buyer. It is important that you take a good look at your budget to determine how much you can comfortably afford to spend on a mortgage. It is not a good idea to stretch your money too far.Get pre approved for a mortgage. Once you have done the work t

Placer County Utilities Home Buyers new to Placer County or moving from one area of Placer County to another, here is a listing of Utilities by City. For your convenience, I have listed the Utility information by City for turning on and off your gas, electric, water, garbage,TV, phone, long distance, police and fire.  Websites and an easy link right to the left  can accommodate all of your needs on-line for setting up your utilities by simply clicking on the photo. I hope that you enjoy your new home in our Placer County. Give me call, if I can be of any help with your Real Estate questions.  Auburn Service  Company   Phone   Address Electricity/Gas PG & E 800-743-5000 1050 High St. Auburn web site Water Nevada Irrigation 530-823-2466 12200 Locksley Ln Auburn Garbage Auburn-Placer Disposal Svc 530-885-3735 12305 Shale Ridge Ln Auburn TV Cable COMCAST 1-888-COMCAST web site Phone Local AT & T Business 1-800-222-0400 Phone Local AT & T Consumer 1-8

The government has recently introduced a clause in the Real Estate Management & Regulation Bill under which penalties have been capped at 1% of the value of a house. The move has been decided to rescue house owners from stringent penalties by real estate companies for failing to pay on time during development stage of building. Real estate developers charge penalties as high as at a rate of 8-12% in the absence of any regulation. Almost 30-35% property transactions are associated with development and construction while the remaining is done on the basis of down payments. In construction linked projects, customers are required to pay to the developer directly as the building is constructed. As far as second scheme is concerned, the customer deals with the bank which makes one time payment to the developer on behalf of the customer. The Bill would be taken up by the Cabinet, after which it would be tabled in Parliament. Strict action will be taken against the property developer who

Okay so you’ve found the perfect  home and negotiated a ”great deal”, now what?  Part and parcel of a “great deal” is the opportunity for purchasers to back out if issues are discovered as a result of inspections and attorney review of documentation All “great deals” include an opportunity for buyers to have professional inspectors inspect the physical and environmental aspects of the property and to have an attorney review the contract language, title evidence, and association rules and bylaws.  The inspections and reviews must occure within certain time frames detailed in the contract. If the tasks outlined in the contract are not completed within the time frames outlined in the contract, the contract is usually voidable by either party by written notice to the other at which time the Earnest Money Deposit is usually fully refundable. My purchasers

Adjustable Rate Mortgages Offer Alternatives For Home Buyersby: W. Troy SwezeyWhen looking for a mortgage to meet your needs, consider these key questions: Is your income expected to increase in the coming years? How long do you plan to live in your new home? And, which mortgage will provide the lowest interest rate?While 15 or 30 year fixed-rate mortgages are the most popular, and Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) offers some interesting alternatives for home shoppers who plan to move again within four or five years. Although interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in 20 years, an ARM provides even lower interest rates during its introductory period.An Adjustable Rate Mortgage is a home loan with an interest rate that fluctuations with market interest rates. Instead of paying the same rate of interest over the life of the loan, as you would with a fixed-rate mortgage, you usually pay a lower interest rate the first four or five years. Your interest rate then changes in accordance wi

 Clearwater Florida Home BuyersI had something happen today in Clearwater, Florida that made my jaw drop and I just had to share it with you all.  It made we think about the extinction of Full Service Gas Stations. How did it happen? When did it all start.....maybe it was when buyers no longer "valued" the extra service over price...we often discuss our services as Listing Agent, however today I'd ask that you answer wearing your Buyer's Agent hat?    We had a potential buyer today, we'll call him Bob. Bob was referred to us by one of our past Tampa Bay real estate clients - normal enough, right? So one of the first questions we ask Bob is, "Have you been pre-qualified for your mortgage?" What Bob said next made me drop my jaw...He said, "Yes, I was prequalified for a mortgage by "big national real estate company". Ok at this point I'm wondering why he's talking to us and not the other Clearwater real estate agent??? Well I didn't have to wonder long because

Warning: This post is intended to start a dialog on the topic for the general edification of everyone involved. I’m not billing myself as an expert on the subject. I’ve been the recipient of much love from Google as of late for the search terms “Mortgage Implosion.” Frankly, when the whole thing went down, I had no idea what was going on. That’s one of the main reasons why I brought on the Mortgage Godess….to explain it to me and everybody else. She broke it down Barney style. Now I’ve pretty much got the hang of it. Here’s what it means to the potential home buyer: 1) You can still buy a house. There’s no need to panic. There are still houses for sale, and there are still ways to get into them. There are many great first time home buyers programs out there that can even help you if you don’t have much of a down payment. Certain municipalities will even give you a grant for the down payment. I know… 2) Down

As in all phases of life, buying your very first home can be both an exciting and stressful experience. Not only is finding the right property and reputable developer crucial but getting your first home loan as well especially with the right financing package for your needs both present and future.Thankfully there is an online resource which will help you through many of the processes from banking to mortgages. MortgageLowdown.com is truly filled with countless informative tips such as '43 Must-Know Tips for Every First-time Home Buyer' where they feature a detailed action plan for new home owners. Some of the points made truly strikes the heart when it comes to different perspective of home owners and their many concerns.Overall, their site design is nothing to shout about but for a news and tips site such as theirs, this is the way it should be for fast access to information.

Selling a home can be quite a long and stressful. That stress is amplified if you are selling without a realtor. According to Marshall Loeb from Marketwatch, there are 3 types of buyers that you... View the Full Post at San Fernando Valley Blog

My sentiments regarding the current housing market are very clear. Do not buy in overpriced metropolitan areas. However, there are many of you out there that are ready to buy and plan on staying in... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]