Home Selling Checklist
September 06, 2018
of 7 Automatic Zoom Actual Size Page Fit ...
FHA Appraiser Inspection Guidelines
September 05, 2018
FHA Appraiser Inspection Guidelines Appraisal request Prior to starting the assignment, the appraiser’s must have: The FHA case # A signed copy of the sales contract and all counter offers and addendums. Exterior items requiring repairs or inspections:Exposed ...
Home Renovations: Budgeting 101
September 05, 2018
Ready to remodel your dated bathroom or Kitchen? Looking to add a home office or space for your growing family? The easiest part is knowing your end goal. Before you start picking out flooring and paint, know your budget and have resources to call on in times of trouble are just as important as your vision in this ...
Will publishing sold data open the door to real estate disrupters?
September 05, 2018
Star Business Journal-Real EstateBy Tess Kalinowski Real Estate ReporterWed., Sept. 5, 2018 Last month, the Supreme Court dismissed TREB’s application to appeal a Competition Tribunal decision that ruled that web-based brokerages — known in the industry as virtual office websites (VOWs) — should be allowed to publish sold data on their websites. All consumers should need in order ...
Rents Are on The Rise: Don't Get Caught in The Rental Trap!
September 04, 2018
There are many benefits to homeownership, but one of the top benefits is protecting yourself from rising rents by locking in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage.Don’t Become Trapped A recent article by Apartment List addressed rising rents by stating:“Our national rent index is up 0.1 percent month-over-month, marking the sixth straight ...
Alabama - diverse housing options
September 03, 2018
Living in Alabama like all places has its ups and downs. The cost of living is affordable but it depends on what area you're going to live in. Right now there is a revitalization movement sweeping the downtown in the metropolitan areas. This is allowing for the renovation of many historical buildings into houses or apartment building. The ...
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) Ratio for the FHA Mortgage Program
September 02, 2018
If you plan to use an FHA loan to buy a house, you’ll be limited to a certain loan-to-value ratio, or LTV. The maximum loan-to-value for the FHA mortgage insurance program is 96.5%, according to official HUD guidelines. This means eligible borrowers can make a down payment as low as 3.5% of the home’s value ...
What is an FHA Loan?
September 02, 2018
An FHA loan is a mortgage that’s insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). They are popular especially among first time home buyers because they allow down payments of 3.5% for credit scores of 580+. However, borrowers must pay mortgage insurance premiums, which protects the lender if a borrower defaults.Borrowers can qualify for an FHA ...
Reasons To Get A Home Inspection | Nancy Braun on Charlotte Today
August 29, 2018
Post by: Nancy Braun, Showcase Realty In the latest episode of Charlotte Today, Nancy Braun talks about why a buyer should never skip a home inspection.It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying a new home that some buyers tend to forget to make the important decision of having a home inspection ...
Fall Home Checklist
August 29, 2018
September☐ Inspect, and possibly change out HVAC filters☐ Clean kitchen sink disposal☐ Clean range hood filters☐ Inspect your fire extinguisher(s)October☐ Inspect, and possibly change out HVAC filters☐ Clean kitchen sink disposal☐ Clean range hood filters☐ Inspect your fire extinguisher(s)November☐ Inspect, and possibly change out HVAC filters☐ Clean kitchen sink disposal☐ Clean range hood filters☐ Inspect your fire extinguisher(s)Quarterly☐ Test ...
HUD Enhanced Buyer Opportunites
August 28, 2018
HUD VOLUMES Secretary of Housing and Urban Development REO volumes have declined significantly over the previous few years. Many potential buyers look for these properties for an opportunity to build sweat equity as a step into homeownership. The opportunities are fewer and further between, yet, HUD has continues to enhance their program for the opportunities that do ...
Traffic...Great traffic = a Great place to live
August 25, 2018
With its long and rich history, Southern hospitality and beautiful coastlines you won't wonder Alabama is a desirable place to live in. If you’re thinking in moving to Alabama get ready for beautiful shorelines, affordable housings and some of the nicest neighbors you’ll ever meet. Commutes will be a breeze in Alabama if you’re ...
What Does the Recent Rash of Price Reductions Mean to the Real Estate Market?
August 24, 2018
Last week, in a new report from Zillow, it was revealed that there has been a rash of price reductions across the country. According to the report:There are more price cuts now than a year ago in over two-thirds of the nation’s largest metrosAbout 14% of all listings had a price cut in JuneSince the beginning of the ...
CONDO FINANCING
August 22, 2018
Did you know that if a condominium complex has been FHA approved in the past then there is a chance you can purchase a HUD foreclosure still on an FHA loan even if the complex has lost their FHA approval? Yes this is possible. HUD foreclosures are a result of FHA backed loans that have gone delinquent. This means ...
Your credit score may have recently gone up—here's why
August 21, 2018
Last year, major credit reporting companies announced a plan to overhaul how negative information is handled on credit reports. Now, for many consumers, credit scores are going up, in some cases by more than 40 points, according to a report released this week by the New York Federal Reserve.Your credit score is a measure of how trustworthy you ...
Presenting the Best Offer in A seller's Market
August 21, 2018
In seller’s market, buyers are often faced with multiple offers on every home they write an offer. After multiple losing offers they become discourage and just ask “how does my offer get chosen?” Many times they think it is all about the dollar and of course this is a big part but there other ...
Supply & Demand Will Determine Future Home Values
August 20, 2018
Will home values continue to appreciate throughout 2018? The answer is simple: YES! – as long as there are more purchasers in the market than there are available homes for them to buy. This is known as the theory of “supply and demand,” which is defined as:“The amount of a commodity, product, or service available and ...
Affordable Housing
August 17, 2018
Affordable HousingPosted on August 15, 2018 in UncategorizedMany people make the words affordable housing synonymous with “Low Income”. As our economy changes, the faces of those in need of affordable housing are changing too. We’d like to share some suggestions on ways we can individually all create more affordable housing for hard working Americans ...
Should I buy at the top of my budget?
August 16, 2018
Should I buy at the top of my budget? Five facts seasoned Realtors ask clients to consider? "I talk to my buyers to get to know what their financial comfort level is," says Benefield. "I tell them upfront that it doesn’t matter what you’re approved for, but what you’re comfortable paying monthly..." ...
6 Back To School Tips for Parents
August 16, 2018
Here are 6 back to school tips for parents and kids.1. Practice self-sufficiencyWorried about a younger child? The best remedy is to teach your child how to be self-sufficient. Kids need to figure out how to do things for themselves.Begin by taking a step back. Start practicing simple tasks prior to returning to school. The more ...
Teamwork Enhances a Successful Closing
August 15, 2018
They say no man/woman is an island. The list agent can not get a property closed without the assistance of others. A good team has various components to include list agent, sell agent, buyer(s), lender for financed transactions, title company…and most significant paperwork and constant communication. The paperwork begins with the HUD Disclosures located in the drop-down section ...
Marketing a home to Millennials: which room is most important?
August 15, 2018
Kitchen is kingWant to market your home to Millennials? Then you might want to upgrade the kitchen. According to a new survey, it’s the most important room in the house.All about the islandAccording to a survey from Redfin and HelloFresh, 35 percent of Millennials say the kitchen is the most important room in the house.But specifically ...
This Week's Market Snapshot from Brand Mortgage
August 15, 2018
Market Snapshot from Brand Mortgage...
Adapting Terry Watson’s “Three Sheets” for the HUD Sales Process by Tony Smith, Wanda Smith & Associates
August 15, 2018
In last month’s blog post, I talked about the great Terry Watson’s “Three Sheets” for a real estate transaction. The sheets are a wonderful tool for agents to communicate with buyers and sellers and convey things we, as agents, already know and take as a given, that our buyers and sellers might not know or understand. ...
This Week's Market Snapshot from Brand Mortgage
August 15, 2018
>> Market Update-- For the week of August 13, 2018 — Vol. 16, Issue 33 QUOTATION OF THE WEEK..."Don't talk about yourself; it will be done when you leave." --Wilson Mizner, American playwright INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE...The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports the median single-family home price edged up ...
