By Bonnie L. DaSilva Buying a home or property from out of state can be easier than you expect—especially if you have the right professionals working together to protect your interests. Since your professional team will manage all aspects of your transaction, from finding the perfect home to finalizing the purchase at closing, read this…
After Your Contract is Ratified In the home buying process, a real estate contract is “ratified” once the buyer and seller have both agreed to terms, but have not completed the final execution. This takes place after an offer has been accepted and earnest money has been exchanged. Once the contract has been ratified, it…
What are closing costs, anyway? Closing costs are essential factors in real estate transactions, but inexperienced home buyers may not consider them when planning their home search. The term is broad, but can include many different fees and costs that the buyer is expected to pay out-of-pocket during the purchase process as opposed to financing …
by Debbie Elliott, SRES® Adapted from the November/December issue of The SRES® Professional Newsletter If you’re considering buying or selling your home—or helping your parents with a move—you’ll want to select a real estate professional who is both qualified and aligned with your priorities and preferences. And if you or your loved ones are 55…
What else you NEED to KNOW. By: Leanne Brittain Owning a home comes with a lot of perks, such as getting to cutesy it up with all the latest trends, planting beautiful tulips in the spring, along with more serious topics like the deduction for your mortgage interest and property taxes. Buying a home is…
Thinking of buying a home this year? Let’s talk about how much money you REALLY need to buy a home! It’s a huge myth that you MUST put 20 percent down. Today, approximately 68 percent of buyers put down less than 20 percent; 40 percent of buyers put down less than 10 percent, and many…
A Buyer Broker Agreement makes your relationship with your agent official. It outlines the services an agent will provide as you search for a home—in essence it’s an employment contract between you and your agent. Before signing and “hiring” an agent, you can ask questions and discuss your expectations, so you don’t have any surprises.…
Location, Location, Location Where do you want to live? Seems like a simple question, but it’s an extremely important one to ask when considering a home purchase. Ask yourself—do you want to be close to: Your place of work? A specific school? Your preferred grocery store? That coffee shop where you spend way too much…
When it comes to your home, better safe than sorry A clear title to the property you’re buying is essential to completing the transaction and taking ownership. In some cases, unknown issues can arise during the title transfer process; this is where title insurance can protect you and your mortgage lender. Read on to learn…
Act with Care to Prepare Buying a home is most likely the largest financial decision you’ll ever make. Therefore, it is essential to keep in mind a few tips for things to do and things to avoid as you begin the process. To Avoid: Don’t apply for any credit cards. Applying for new credit can…
