If you are in the market to buy a home in the next few months, make sure you do preliminary research to determine exactly what your needs and wants are. Use the internet, tour the community and speak to neighbors within the prospective neighborhood. Need help figuring it all out? Call me, I can help. …
Tag: tips
Dec 01
Things school doesn’t teach you about money
Robert Kiyosaki is perhaps still best known as the author of the “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” series of books, which almost 15 years ago began indoctrinating the world on his then-unconventional wealth-building strategies. The books emphasize the use of leverage (debt) to build real estate investment portfolios and businesses, and largely eschew stock market investments, …
Nov 30
BUYERS: The Seven Steps After The Contract Is Signed!
You’ve signed the contract and are looking forward to moving into your new home, but there are a few steps that cannot be overlooked. By following these easy steps, you will ensure yourself a smooth move into your new home. 1. First, get the home inspected. Arrange a time to return to the property for …
Nov 30
Should You Consider Listing Your Home During the Holidays?
As the holidays approach, I’m always asked the same questions: Should we keep our property on the real estate market or take it off? Do we list now, wait until after the first of the year, or hold off until spring? In the past, conventional wisdom said you shouldn’t try to sell a home during the holidays. …
Nov 22
9 ways to keep lid on energy bills
Air leaks can infiltrate surprising places No one likes wasting money, especially in these tough economic times. So it certainly makes sense — dollars and cents — to make a small investment of time and supplies to close up those heat-wasting air leaks around your home. It’ll pay back big dividends in reduced energy bills …
Nov 21
BUYERS: How To Find Out What Is In Your Credit Report!
Anyone who has ever had a bank account, mortgage, credit card, car loan, or account with a retail store will invariably have a credit rating. Most information in your credit rating comes from companies you have credit with, as well as from certain public records such as tax liens, bankruptcies, judgments and lawsuits. It is …
Nov 18
HARP Mortgage Refinance Program
What is the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP)? Announced in March 2009, HARP is a federal government program designed to help 5 million underwater or near-underwater homeowners refinance into a fixed loan with a lower monthly payment. However, as of Aug. 31, only 894,000 borrowers have refinanced through HARP. On Oct. 24, 2011, President Obama …
Nov 17
Housing Must Be a National Priority
(SOURCE: National Association of Realtors) – The struggling housing market needs to be a priority on the nation’s public policy agenda, because housing and homeownership issues affect all Americans. That was the message from speakers at the Legislative and Political Forum yesterday at the 2011 Realtors(R) Conference & Expo. Realtors(R) at the National Association of …
Nov 17
Thanksgiving meal costs 13 percent more in 2011
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) announced that the total cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 will increase by $5.73 to $49.20 — about 13 percent higher than last year. The AFBF reports that the increase is the largest it has seen in 26 years of this informal price survey. The biggest bump in …
Nov 16
BUYERS: Benefits Of Owning Your Own Home!
There are many financial and personal reasons why you should own your own home rather than rent. The obvious reasons include pride of ownership, building your own equity instead of someone else’s, no more landlords, and of course the tax benefits you reap. There are a multitude of other reasons why owning your own home …
Nov 15
Selling a Home in the winter to maximize your success
With the end of the year fast approaching, it’s time to ask the question of whether it’s worthwhile trying to sell your home now. Could this be a waste of time? Will the house stay on the market and become shopworn? Should I remove my real estate from the market for the holidays? Will the …
Nov 14
Real Life Story from a real estate investor
So a few months ago, I came across a killer deal on a duplex. This was an REO located in a great area, right across from a BBQ joint whose beef brisket was so mouth-watering-good that people drove 20-30 miles from around just to have lunch! And the property was listed dirt cheap so I …
