Open a home-equity line of credit -- for the right reasons Do: Open a home-equity line of credit and use it for the right reasons: to tap as a rainy-day fund, to finance college for your kids or yourself, or to pay down credit-card debt. Don't: Raid your home's equity to fund vacations, plasma … [Read more...]

Your home may be in good condition and well built, yet simple clutter will create a perception of chaos, confusion, and disorder. The purchase decision is an emotional and intellectual response, based on a level of trust in your home. When buyers see clutter, they assume that the home has been … [Read more...]

Perhaps you may have noticed and wondered what the differences are in a Real Estate agent's title such as Associate/Broker, Salespersons, etc. I want to point out the difference between a Associate/Broker and a regular salesperson. As Associate/Brokers our training entails many more hours of formal … [Read more...]

Mistake #1 -- Pricing Your Property Too High Every seller obviously wants to get the most money for his or her product. Ironically, the best way to do this is NOT to list your product at an excessively high price! A high listing price will cause some prospective buyers to lose interest before … [Read more...]

There's no point wasting time and energy house-hunting before you know what you can afford. So your next step is to assess your finances: Compare Buying with Renting Find out about interest rates Understand your closing costs Figure out your income, debt and down payment Calculate how … [Read more...]

As you start shopping for a home loan, your first questions of each lender will probably be: "What's your interest rate? How much are you charging?" Interest rates are usually expressed as an annual percentage of the amount borrowed. If you borrowed $120,000 at 10% interest, you'd owe interest … [Read more...]

On the day you actually buy your new home, in addition to your down payment and the prepaid property tax and homeowners insurance premiums, you'll need cash for various fees associated with the purchase. These expenses are known as closing costs and are paid by both buyers and sellers. Some … [Read more...]

The amount of loan for which you qualify is based on two different calculations. Using what are known as qualification ratios, lenders evaluate your income and long-term debts to determine a "safe" amount for your mortgage payments. A fairly standard ratio is 28/33. Certain mortgage plans sometimes … [Read more...]

Easing the Transition to Your New Home Use the right boxes, and pack them carefully Professional moving companies use only sturdy, reinforced cartons. The boxes you can get at your neighborhood supermarket or liquor store might be free, but they are not nearly as strong or padded, and so can't … [Read more...]

Choosing a Neighborhood With so many homes on the market you'll never get anywhere unless you narrow your choices. You can begin this process by first identifying one or a few neighborhoods that are right for you by: … [Read more...]