Thank you for all your hard work on our behalf.

Donald and Roisin Sterling

Dr. Eric and Tegdra Samuel

An essential first step in real estate buying to apply for a loan before embarking on the process of home shopping. In today’s strict loan market, real estate agents want to work with home buyers that will be able to get a mortgage. When searching for lenders with the best rates, check commercial banks, mortgage companies, and credit unions.

Make sure you do your research when looking for the right lender. It is important to know the estimates for the monthly loan payments, interest rate, loan term, and type of loan. In addition, you should get an estimate of the closing costs and any other fees, such as transaction costs, broker fees, and/or underwriting fees. Since many of these fees are negotiable, you should ask potential lenders if they will waive or reduce these fees.

It is important to note the significance of gaining preapproval for a loan rather than being deemed prequalified. Advantages include saving time looking for houses, increased negotiating power, and faster closing periods. Lenders base decisions on the completed loan application, employment verification, and credit history.

Improving your home does not have to be costly in order to add value. Society has ingrained in us the idea that “first impressions aren’t everything,” but when it comes to selling your home, first impressions are everything. Poor first impressions can turn away prospective buyers in a matter of seconds. When improving aspects of your home, the general rule of thumb is to focus on areas and items that are in visible sight of the buyer

The first part of a home the buyer sees is the exterior. Therefore when making home improvements, start with the outside. A few non-expensive improvements that will immediately increase the value of your home include the following:

Remove all clutter. Unnecessary objects such as trash cans, old bikes, or anything broken should be removed and organized in your back yard or garage in an orderly fashion.

Landscaping. Low-maintenance activities such as gardening and pruning hedges will improve the aesthetic appeal of your home and add significant value.

Physical Exterior (Garage, Roof, Walls). In order to add value when selling your home it is important to ensure that your garage door is intact and working, your roof is clean, and the walls are free of visible dirt, algae, etc. An attractive exterior adds real value to a home.

Maintenance & Repair. If anything around your home is broken, missing, or visibly needs improvement you need to take necessary actions to replace and repair. As long as the repair is not dangerous or substantial, you can save money by doing these low-maintenance activities yourself with little cost of materials.

After improving the exterior, the value of your home just increased significantly. The next step is improving the interior of your home by updating, repairing, and replacing items. A few easy tasks to further increase the value of your home are as followed:

Bathroom. Ensure that the bathtub, toilet, and sink are all in proper working condition and are thoroughly cleaned.

Kitchen. A clean kitchen is equally as important as a clean bathroom. All countertops should be cleaned and repaired if necessary. Painting, installing lighting fixtures, and additional small repairs are inexpensive but add substantial value.

Lighting. Lighting of individual rooms is a simple but important task. Bright rooms create a welcoming atmosphere and appeal to buyers. A poorly lit room can negatively impacts buyers and instantly turn them away from the home.

Carpets. The carpets throughout the home should be free of any stains. Carpet removal is an inexpensive alternative to purchasing a new carpet. In addition, carpets with significant wear and tear are unappealing and should either be replaced or removed.

When improving the exterior and interior of your home it is important not to over do it. You need to take into consideration the overall look and feel of the neighborhood and make home improvements that are worth it to the buyers.

In the most recent study published by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), statistics prove that the act of home staging is highly effective during the selling process.

When homeowners embark on the process of selling their property, an integral part of the process is preparing the home for sale. The preparation process includes cleaning and decorating, but most integral part of the process is referred to as “Home Staging.” The purpose of home staging is to highlight the home’s best features to prospective buyers. In order to make a home appealing to potential buyers, the homeowner and real estate agent will arrange furniture, lighting, and accessories to maximize aesthetic appeal.

Home staging may sound like a daunting task, but if done right the process can be relatively simple yet highly effective. Numerous studies have proven that staged homes sell faster than homes without staging. RESA’s 2009 study shows that property spends 78% less time on the market after staging.

Even in current market conditions home staging is proven to be an integral part of the selling process. The slow-growth economy and increasing number of foreclosures have made selling a home tougher than usual. By perfecting the art of home staging, sellers have the opportunity to differentiate their homes and maintain an edge in this tough market.

Becoming a homeowner for the first time is an exciting, memorable, and empowering experience, but how do you know if you’re ready? The decision to buy that first home is different for everyone but there are a few key factors that need to be taken into consideration.

Affordability. When making any type of purchase you need to ensure that you have adequate savings to complete the transaction. When buying a home, it is important that your monthly income covers the mortgage payments and all related costs. A buyer should have enough savings and to put at least two months of mortgage payments in reserve.

Resources. When considering the purchase of your first home you need to determine if you are able and willing to maintain and/or repair your property. Homes require constant  upkeep and as a homeowner you will be responsible for ensuring all tasks get done.

Employment. Since buying your first home is an extensive financial commitment, it is important to have a consistent source of income. Steady employment at a particular company or in the same field over the past two years is a necessary qualification. Lenders look for stability in employment, signifying an ability to finance your home.

Lifestyle. Buying your first home is not just a financial commitment, but also a personal and emotional commitment as well. You must make sure you are financially and emotionally capable of buying and sustaining a home. It is necessary that your state of residency is certain and you do not intend on moving out of the area in the near future.