Monthly Archives: November 2022
Home Equity: A Source of Strength for Homeowners Today
Equity is the difference between what you owe on the home and its market value based on factors like price appreciation. In today’s real estate market, many homeowners have far more equity in their homes than they realize due to the home price appreciation we’ve seen over the past few years. Read More
What Are Mortgage Points? Upfront Fees That Could Save You Money
The interest rate your mortgage lender offers you when you buy or refinance a house is not necessarily the rate you have to stick with. In fact, you can lower your mortgage rate by shelling out at closing for something called mortgage points. But what are they and how can they save you some serious cash (like, thousands of dollars over the years you make monthly payments)? Read on for the answers from loan experts. Read More
Must-Know Facts for the Self-Employed Homebuyer
You might have heard it’s more challenging to get a mortgage if you’re self-employed. And it is true that self-employed homebuyers do have to jump through a few more hoops than a W-2 employee. Namely, you’ll have to gather a bunch of paperwork to validate your income and self-employment history. Yet taking the time to organize documents will be well worth it when you’re holding the keys to your new house. Just ask the 14 million nontraditional earners who became homeowners! If you want to join them, here’s everything you need to know about applying for a home loan when you’re self-employed. Read More
How to Find a Good Investment Property
If you are thinking about purchasing an investment property, you want to make sure that the home you buy is going to make your investment well worthwhile. Trust the experts as those who have gone before you and see what they did before finding the right investment home. Here are some best practices on what to do before you purchase an investment property. Read More
5 Ways To Sell Your Home for More Money (Without Spending Big Bucks)
Real estate over the last two and a half years can really be summed up by one phrase: Epic seller’s market. We’ve seen countless people list their homes and receive multiple offers over asking—all while doing the bare minimum to fix up or market their property. Home sellers, we have to be honest here: you’ve had it made in the shade. And while the current real estate market still technically favors sellers, experts see a balance on the horizon that’ll put buyers and sellers on more even ground. The result? Home sellers can no longer bank on getting a bunch of offers over asking. So if you’re about to list your house and want to maximize your profits (who doesn’t?!) there are plenty of strategies you and your real estate agent can employ. Here’s how to get a higher price for your home—without spending a penny more than you initially planned for. Read More
3 Trends That Are Good News for Today’s Homebuyers
While higher mortgage rates are creating affordability challenges for homebuyers this year, there is some good news for those people still looking to buy a home. As the market has cooled this year, some of the intensity buyers faced during the peak frenzy of the pandemic has cooled too. Here are just a few trends that may benefit you when you go to buy a home today. Read More
7 Easy, Effective, And Inexpensive Ways To Stage Your Home
Getting top dollar for your home means making it look its best. Sure, you may need to invest some time and money to make a few repairs or repaint some walls. However, once those chores are finished, you can turn your attention to staging steps that don’t have to put a significant dent in your budget—and can easily be accomplished in tandem with your moving plans. After all, moving means packing. When you’re ready to start boxing things up, use these tips to think like an interior designer. Decide what goes, what stays, and how to maximize your staging efforts. Read More