7 Steps To A Stress-Free Home Closing

February 3rd, 2015 Categories: For Buyers, Random Thoughts

This cheat sheet helps you do your homework, so you know what you’re signing when you close the sale of your home.

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Negotiate Your Best House Buy

January 22nd, 2015 Categories: For Buyers, Random Thoughts

Buying a home can be emotional, but negotiating the price shouldn’t be. The key to saving money when purchasing a home is sticking to a plan during the turbulence of high-stakes negotiations. A real estate agent who represents you can guide you and offer you advice, but you are the one who must make the final decision during each round of offers and counter offers. Read the rest of this entry »

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How to Assess the Real Cost of a Fixer-Upper House

January 19th, 2015 Categories: For Buyers, Random Thoughts

Trying to decide whether to buy a fixer-upper house? Follow these seven steps, and you’ll know how much you can afford, how much to offer, and whether a fixer-upper house is right for you. Read the rest of this entry »

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4 Tips to Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford

January 7th, 2015 Categories: For Buyers, Random Thoughts

Homeownership should make you feel safe and secure, and that includes financially. Be sure you can afford your home by calculating how much of a mortgage you can safely fit into your budget.

Why not just take out the biggest mortgage a lender says you can have? Because your lender bases that number on a formula that doesn’t consider your current and future financial and personal goals.

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7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home

January 6th, 2015 Categories: For Buyers, Random Thoughts

Most potential homebuyers are a smidge daunted by the fact that they’re about to agree to a hefty mortgage that they’ll be paying for the next few decades. The best way to relieve that anxiety is to be confident you’re purchasing the best home at a price you can afford with the most favorable financing. These seven steps will help you make smart decisions about your biggest purchase. Read the rest of this entry »

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Buying a House Now Makes Sense

October 28th, 2011 Categories: For Buyers, Real Estate Chatter

Buying a home in Miami today just makes sense. The special combination of low prices plus really low interest rates means you save on both counts. Mortgage rates are the lowest they have ever been since they started keeping track. Did you get that? The lowest. And home prices are back to what they were 10 years ago in many areas.  Anyone able to take advantage of this will look back in 10 years and pat themselves on the back.

People are always asking me “are banks lending money these days?”  They’re always surprised when I answer with a resounding, “YES!”  Here’s the deal, they’re lending money to people who can prove that they are creditworthy.  That means the person must have verifiable employment (those stated income loans are long gone, thankfully), a good credit score and history plus some funds to put down and reserves left over.

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