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Category Archives: Mortgage Advice

Tips for Searching for your First Home in the 2021 Market

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Daniel at 12:30 pm

It could be that spending months inside your house during the Covid-19 pandemic has inspired you to make your home buying dreams a reality. You are probably wondering how you can get started on this all important major purchase. Before you enlist the help of a real estate agent, we have some tips from top agents, to give you a sense of what the market is like across the United States, and some insights that can help you in the search for your first home with a better awareness of the 2021 market.

Focus on your dreams and expectations

The first step to land your dream home is to know what you’d like that home to look like. With a clear picture of the features that you are seeking you can have a better understanding of your budget. This will help you focus in on homes that will be the best fit, without getting distracted by homes that may be a waste of time. Some considerations are the number of bedrooms and bathrooms that you need, any specific kitchen amenities like a double oven, and whether you want a backyard to take full advantage of your home’s outdoor space. In 2021, a functional outdoor space tops the list of what homebuyers are looking for, and you may find yourself in competition with other buyers for homes with this amenity. You can also have two lists with ‘must haves’ and ‘nice to haves,’ to give you a wider range of options, especially if you are on a tight deadline and budget.

Expect competition

Across the United States, real estate agents are talking about a 2021 market trend that is making home buying a little trickier than in years past: a sellers’ market. With more home buyers as people are leaving cities for suburbs, and a lack of supply, a sellers’ market is in full force, where there are not enough homes to keep up with the demand. Since there appears to be a high demand for properties, the overall costs, like down payment, sellers’ pay, agents’ commission, and more can also slightly vary. When it comes to closing costs, in the end, you wouldn’t want to be surprised. Therefore, one thing a home buyer or seller might want to do would be a comparison of the closing rates of their respective state from websites similar to https://sanfranciscopremierhomes.com.

One of the situations that this can create is a bidding war, where you might find your dream home, but then need to compete with other buyers, perhaps even offering over the list price, to close the deal. This means you’ll want to study the market closely and take into consideration what percentage over the list price you might need to pay. A home value estimator can come in handy to see what comparable homes like the one you are interested in might be selling for.

Hire an expert

The number one tip for searching for your first home in the 2021 market, or anytime, is to remember that you don’t have to do it alone. Hiring a real estate agent from reputable firms like Reali (https://reali.com/real-estate-agents/) or similar ones to serve as your advocate and to help you understand the market can be one of the most important steps to ensure success. Ideally, you want to hire an agent who has experience in your targeted neighborhood and in selling and buying homes comparable to the ones that you have in mind. Of course, you should also think about hiring a realtor who has the vision of being able to grow their business further by visiting sites like boldleads and focusing on real estate lead generation as this could prove to be pivotal in how successful they are in finding your dream home. Asking friends or other trusted sources for a referral can also save you the time and hassle of trying to find someone from an internet search alone.

Be patient

Buying your first home isn’t going to happen overnight, but with some basic knowledge of the market and a strategy, you can be on your way to moving into your dream home in no time.

Buying A House: Things To Look For When Reviewing A Contract

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Daniel at 7:09 pm

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Buying a house is likely to be the biggest single investment you will ever make, therefore it makes complete sense to review the contract of sale. This is a binding contract between the seller and buyer, which is prepared by the seller – they would normally have their conveyancing solicitor draw up the contract of sale. Obviously, one wants to be absolutely sure of all the fine details in such a written agreement, and there are different requirements from state to state. From things such as pest infestations which may have led to the previous owners having to call services similar to a Pest Authority of Williamsburg or one in their local city, as well as if there have been any recent deaths this page will discuss some of the fine details of buying a house that a prospective buyer may want to keep in mind. (more…)

3 Things To Consider Before Taking Out a Mortgage

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Daniel at 9:50 pm

Buying the home of your dreams is something that most people want for themselves once they get to a certain age. When you start to consider making a family and start visualizing settling down the first thing on your mind is being able to provide a home to do it in. (more…)

Maximise Your Income from a Buy-To-Let Property

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Daniel at 2:05 am

Buy-to-let properties are fantastic investments for the future. Some people hold down a full-time job while retaining the income received from their rental properties. Other people have a whole portfolio of investment properties. This guide is aimed at people considering a buy-to-let investment and for now, want it as a subsidy to an already steady income.

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Know your figures

Before you get started, you should think about what your budget is and how much rent you think you could realistically charge. Factor in any maintenance costs too. Chances are you will have to fix things up for your tenants. This could end up getting expensive if you haven’t factored it into your budget. How big a mortgage can you realistically afford? Do you already have a deposit saved up? These are all important questions.

Shop around for the best mortgage

Don’t just settle for the first mortgage you come across. Remember, the point of investing in a property is to make a profit, so don’t lose out on the mortgage. Speak to a good mortgage broker for reliable, independent advice, and talk to your high-street bank as well. If you know friends who are homeowners, chat to them about the kinds of deals they got. Remember, the lower your mortgage repayments, the more of a profit you will make.

Talk to an investment expert

It is worth visiting investment experts to talk through your new venture. Investment property services offer helpful advice on both capital growth and rental income and will be able to assist you. They can do a lot of the market research for you and find properties you will be interested in. This will help to save you time.

Identify the best properties

When buying new homes for buy-to-let investment, it is critical to identify the best properties. First, you may need to look for new homes in locations that are in demand and that are likely to appreciate in value. Consider local amenities and transport links, as well as the potential for rental yield. Further, you may need to ensure you have a good relationship with your local letting agent, so they can provide you with reliable tenants and good advice. Finally, take time to research the local market and calculate your return on investment.

Haggle

When you come to buy your property, do not be afraid to haggle with the seller. If you have a strict budget but see something you really like that is too expensive, don’t worry. It is worth consulting with the seller to see if they can fall to your limit. The worst they can say to you is no, and you won’t be worried about having never asked.

Get a good accountant

You will have to pay property tax on your buy-to-let investment. But if you find a good accountant, they will be able to tell you how to make the best of the situation. They will let you know what you can claim back for tax relief and how to organise your accounts so they are their most efficient.

Know the risks

Buy-to-let sounds really idyllic – it is effectively having someone pay off your mortgage. However, as with any type of investment, you should always be wary of the risks

  1. Your house may be empty for months when your old tenants leave. When this happens, you may have to cover your own mortgage as well as the cost of the mortgage of your buy-to-let property.
  2. Repairs can end up costing you a fortune.
  3. If you do come to a point where you want to sell your property, if house prices have fallen since you bought it, it may not be worth as much anymore.

Ways to Use a Home Equity Loan in Toronto

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Daniel at 11:19 am

Buying a home is a very big deal and something most people take very seriously. Selecting the right home to buy will usually take some research and personal guidance for most people. Once the dream home has been found, it becomes a financial matter, are you thinking of looking into home loans from somewhere such as SoFi or are you going to be buying the property outright? Owning a home is a great investment and will allow you to do things you though impossible before the buying of the property. For homeowners looking for some extra cash, getting home equity loan information is ideal. There are a number of different uses for a home equity loan. Here are a few of those uses and how they can benefit you in the long term.

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The Pros and Cons of Fixed-Rate Mortgages

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Daniel at 1:11 am

Most people will have heard a little about fixed-rate mortgages in the past. That is because they are the most popular type of home loan in the entire US. However, there is some confusion about whether or not they offer the best deal. With that in mind, we’ve listed some of the pros and cons in the hope of setting the record straight. If you’re looking to purchase a property in 2015, it’s vital that you perform a lot of research into all the lending options available before making your decision. Nobody wants to find themselves in financial trouble in the near future because they didn’t do the groundwork.

The pros of fixed-rate mortgages

  • If interest rates should rise, people with fixed-rate mortgages will not see any difference in their monthly payments. That is because they keep the same rate from the day they sign the contract until it has expired.
  • Most fixed-rate mortgage solutions allow you to keep the same rate for at least five years. That will help to give you some breathing space, and it will make it easier to compile your budget.

The cons of fixed-rate mortgages

  • If interest rates drop for any reason, homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages won’t take advantage. Their rates will stay the same for a pre-arranged time regardless of what might happen to the economy.

As you can see, there are too good elements and one bad. We hope that has helped you to better understand whether or not fixed-rate mortgages are right for you. To learn more, take a look at the infographic.


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