Buying vs. Renting (Pros/Cons) Deciding when and if to purchase a home is a personal choice that demands careful deliberation. Your current financial situation will help determine how to decide. Buying a home involves a significant initial investment including a down payment, earnest money, appraisal and inspection costs, property taxes and insurance, as well as […]

Choosing A Real Estate Agent There are a few ways to find a reliable real estate agent. For example: * Ask friends and family * Ask other real estate agents * Attend a few open houses and meet real estate agents * Search online or in the newspaper * Walk into a local office * […]

FINANCING YOUR FIRST HOME Financing your first home can be the most frustrating part of the home buying process. This is the time when you will figure out how to pay for the home. Most people take out a mortgage loan to finance the home. You will have many questions about financing your first home. […]

Finding a Home Once you have been pre-qualified and have selected a real estate agent, it’s time for the fun part – house hunting! Create A List You will want to make the most of your time when house hunting. Giving your real estate agent a list of what you are looking for will help […]

Good Faith Estimates Many lenders have turned to good faith estimates to help you afford your new home. Many of the above-mentioned fees are paid at the closing. When looking for a lender, you should compare good faith estimates to see which lender is the lowest, which is the highest, and which are somewhere in […]

Home Inspection A home inspection allows you to discover more about the home before you purchase it. If there are serious problems with the foundation, mold issues, or underground leaks, you will be prepared to ask for repairs, a reduced price, or walk away from the property. The Importance of Home Inspections Finding a home […]

Increase Your Chances for Approval There are a few ways to increase your chances for loan approval that will also help you determine what you will be able to afford each month: Ask for only the amount you will need One way to increase your chances for a home loan is to not ask for […]

Playing the Housing Market: Buying vs Selling Now that you know more about finding a real estate agent, you should begin watching the housing market carefully in the weeks or months before buying your first home to get a feel for whether it is in your favor. Watching the Housing Market For the past year, […]

Ways A Home Inspection Can Lower the Final Price Even though you will have to spend money upfront for a home inspection, you may save more money than you anticipated once the results come back. This is especially true for older homes or new homes that were not built using the right materials or according […]

Where to Find a Lender These days there are many places to find a mortgage lender, such as: * Internet * Newspaper advertisements * Television advertisements * Family or friends * Your Current lender * Your Current bank As you can see, finding a lender should not be too difficult. You may have to contact […]