Category: First Time Home Buyers

Are You Ready for Home Ownership?



August 25, 2010I have read many articles that help people decide if they are ready to become a home owner.  They tend to focus only on the financial obligation of home ownership.   Can you afford the monthly payments?  Do you have good credit and manage your credit?  Can you afford the maintenance of a home?  Especially now, these questions are on everyone’s mind when thinking about home...

Which Comes First: the Home Loan or the Home?



August 9, 2010Should a Home Buyer Seek Pre-Approval or a Home First? Starting a home search can feel a little bit like the “Chicken and the Egg” riddle.  Should a buyer become pre-qualified for a home loan first, before finding a home they would like to purchase?   Or, should a buyer start shopping for homes before knowing what type of loan they might qualify for? The Real Estate Division of the...

Is a Short Sale a Good Opportunity for a Home Buyer?



August 5, 2010When you hear about real estate these days, these terms come up often: “short sale” and “foreclosure.”  For the potential home buyer, these phrases can evoke both interest and fear.  Interest because it sounds like the potential for a great deal, and fear because of the potential to end up in the same boat. But what is a short sale? Is it an opportunity for a good investment?  Is it...

Can You Save Money By Not Using A Real Estate Agent?



July 27, 2010For some, convenience, advice, and peace of mind that a professional will correctly finish the job is more important than saving money. Others will go with the cheapest option, no matter what will be sacrificed. Whether you value time, money, convenience, or experience, you will be best suited by working with an agent. For me, I take this type of question very seriously. I do not carelessly...

Buyers Beware of the Home Stager



July 23, 2010I was reading today about a favorite trick of real estate agents, "home staging." In case you are not familiar with the concept, the idea is to make the house more appealing to buyers by preparing a home for viewing. For example, sometimes having a million dusty nick nacks all over the place can detract from the beauty of the home, and reduce its appeal to buyers. The home stager is advertising...

How to Choose a Buyers Agent



July 21, 2010Buying a home is probably the biggest investment I’ll ever make, and that’s true for most people.   This is not something to take lightly. I hate to say it, but I will- there are some bad agents out there.  Agents with good intentions and little experience, agents with bad intentions and lots of experience, and probably even some agents with bad intentions and no experience.  But,...

The Home Search: Experience vs. Online Tools



July 18, 2010I was just sitting down to write about why online home searches can give an incomplete picture.  Since I haven’t been home searching in a while, I went back to my old friend Zillow to look at the home we almost purchased.  One feature I really loved on Zillow is that it gives the transaction history from public record, so you can see how much the current owners bought it for, etc.  This...