Confessions of a First Time Home Buyer

October 27, 2010I have experienced two surprise benefits of home ownership in the 4 months since we became owners . The first: I no longer have a Property Manager. The second: I am becoming handier and handier. Good Bye Scrooge, Hello Better Business Bureau. When weighing the pros and the cons of Renting versus Buying, our loving consultants (friends, family, neighbors, exclusive buyer’s agents)...

Everything You Wish You Knew BEFORE Calling a Listing Agent

October 22, 2010I am interested in a home I found online. Should I call the listing agent and set up a viewing? Nowadays, many home buyers begin their home search from the comfort of their own home using online home search tools. These sites also conveniently provide the contact information of the listing agent so that you can schedule a home viewing. What the sites conveniently don’t tell you (and...

Home Buyers: Do a Little Research Before Picking Up the Phone!

October 20, 2010When I first started the home search process, I did what most people these days do- I started looking online. I went to a few popular home search sites, punched in a few parameters and bam- had hours worth of home shopping to spend looking at pictures, and fantasize. I found a few homes that I wanted to see among the listings. Conveniently, there was a Listing Agent, with a phone number and...

Home Buyer Tip: Don’t buy the most expensive home in the neighborhood

October 18, 2010Buying your home is a large financial investment, maybe even the largest one your family will make. As a home buyer, you want to get the most value for your money. If your primary motive for purchasing the home is to sell it and make a return, this tip is for you. Room to be Promoted Location, location, location: The most important rule in Real Estate. Everyone knows that the location...

Home Buyers: You Don’t Want to be an Agent’s “Aha moment.”

October 15, 2010I read a blog by Lenn Harley describing experienced buyer's agent’s strategy to address home repairs. An experienced agent knows when a repair should be included in the Contract of Sale, or when it should be addressed after the Contract has been accepted during the Inspection Resolution period. This is just another important reason to work with an experienced agent, and equally important, that...

Home Buyer’s Interested in Fannie Mae Homes, Hurry!

October 14, 2010A few weeks ago, Fannie Mae announced their new incentives for HomePath properties. In case you are not familiar with the offer, Fannie Mae is offering up to 3.5 percent of sales price to qualified home buyers to put toward the closing costs. For a home of $200,000, that is up to $7,000. Time is Running Out: Deadlines are quickly approaching! Offers must close by December 31, 2010, and...

First Time Home Buyers Tip: Optimize Your Credit

October 11, 2010In the process of getting ready to buy, it is very important to do some soul searching to determine what you are looking for in a home, if renting or owning is better for you, and the time frame you intend to live in your house. For many of us, what we are looking for in a home is largely determined by our budget. Or, maybe for all of us ;) Yes, I’d love a brand new home with walk in...