7 Things Financial Planners Wish You Knew About Buying a Home
By Daniel Bortz | Nov 30, 2017 Financial planners don’t just help people balance their budgets or plan for retirement; they also help their clients buy homes. After all, a house is very often the biggest financial investment you’ll ever make—so, it makes sense that these professionals would have some strong opinions on just how to go about it. Curious what they want you to know? Read on for their top, no-nonsense tips. 1. Buy only if you plan to stick around When you purchase a house, you have to...
read morePlanning a Kitchen Remodel? Ask Yourself These 8 Questions First
By Margaret Heidenry | Dec 11, 2017 Are you contemplating a kitchen remodel? After putting up with your outdated countertop and electric stove for far too long, you may feel it’s time to take the plunge. A remodel of any kind comes with its fair share of ups and downs, so before you commit to multiple months’ worth of construction in your home, there are some crucial questions you’ll need to answer. From setting your budget to choosing the best time of the year to break...
read more4 Reasons to Buy Your First Home in Your 30s
By Credit.com | Dec 7, 2017 There was a time in my life when I thought I’d never own a home. As someone who had preferred life in big cities and prioritized travel above homeownership, the idea of settling somewhere permanently never really appealed to me. Then I got married, then I got pregnant, and suddenly the idea of living in an actual home to call my own (with a little more space, to boot) became very appealing. By the time my husband and I closed on our first-ever home, I was 32 years old, and I’m so glad I waited until then to buy....
read moreMillennials Are Taking Over Real Estate—but They’re Going Deeper Into Debt, Too
By Cicely Wedgeworth | Dec 5, 2017 Millennials are quickly ascending in the world of real estate, taking out the greatest share of all new mortgages and buying up the most homes in the lower price tiers—but they’re taking on way more debt to do it, according to a new analysis of mortgage origination data from Optimal Blue by realtor.com®. The realtor.com economic team examined records for over 3.2 million mortgages originated from January 2013 to October 2017, and sliced the data by age group to get a sense of how the buying habits of...
read moreLooking for a Newly Constructed Home? You Have Good Timing
By Clare Trapasso | Nov 27, 2017 After several years of a frenzied housing market characterized by many more home buyers than sellers, builders may finally be taking note. The number of newly constructed homes for sale and sold shot up 6.2% from September to October, according to the seasonally adjusted numbers in a joint report by the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. They jumped 18.7% annually. (realtor.com® looked only at the seasonally adjusted numbers in the report....
read moreAtlanta’s Small Town Charm is Right Around the Corner
Atlanta is a city beaming with innovation, tech and excitement around every corner. With a rich history and deep culture, Atlanta has something special embedded in each town. One of the unique qualities Atlanta has is small town charm throughout the city. From Virginia Highland and Brookhaven to Alpharetta and Roswell, Atlanta has subcultures that span the entire metropolitan area. Here’s a spotlight on 5 of our favorites. Decatur With local community events, festivals and plenty of character, downtown Decatur is one of the hippest suburbs in...
read more7 Reasons to Buy a Home Before 2017 Ends
2017, a year with one of the strongest real estate markets in a decade, is quickly coming to a close. As the market naturally settles and leaves continue to fall, this winter has become the ideal time for Americans to buy a home. Here are the top reasons why buying a home should be on your radar before the new year. 1. Mortgage Rates Are Rising Mortgage rates have been steadily climbing since the Federal Reserve recently raised its key interest rate. As of 2017, the average rate is above 4%, and experts say rates could easily be at 6% by...
read more10 Tips to Sell Your House Fast This Fall
Fall means Sunday football, sweater weather and apple cider: whether you are a fan of the cooler weather or not, you have to admit that autumn brings on one of the coziest seasons. Fall also means the time to get serious about selling a home before the holidays are upon us for others. As we move into the fall selling season, we are seeing that homes priced right are still attracting multiple offers. The market is primed and ready, and it is the perfect time to get your house set to sell in one of the homiest times of the year! So, grab your...
read moreIs This Home A Good Deal?
There’s no perfect home, but some homes are more ideal for your household than others. When you look for your next home, carefully consider these four criteria – price, features, location and condition. The closer you get to meeting all four criteria, the better your chances are of making a good buy. Price In any market, price has to come first. To determine what you can comfortably afford, talk to your real estate professional. He or she can recommend a lender who will prequalify you for a purchase...
read more5 Smart Value Strategies to Win Sellers Over
Buyers who fixate on purchase price and mortgage size often overlook opportunities to save money on both. Usually, the lower the purchase price, the smaller the mortgage a buyer must borrow. We’re not suggesting that buyers buy less or resort to trickery or pressure to arrive at an attractive lower purchase price. Nor, are we suggesting a price chopped by tens of thousands. Instead, by adding value to the components of an offer, a lower purchase price may be acceptable to the seller. Market value is not one price, but is...
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