First Time Home Buyers Archives

First Time Home Buyers

If you haven’t bought a home before and aren’t sure how to start, these articles are perfect for you.

Homestead Exemptions

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Home Ownership

If you bought a home in 2019, the deadline for filing your Homestead Exemption is coming up on March 1, 2020. Save money – file it now!

How to Make Your Vacation Rental Appeal to Renters

in Commercial Real Estate, Condo & HOA, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, General, Home Ownership, Renting

Owning a vacation rental can be an exciting prospect, especially somewhere as vibrant as Florida. However, with that hustle and bustle comes competition, and you need to know how to stand out from the crowd. Here are some important ways to boost your design and find other means of making […]

Buying a FSBO (For Sale By Owner)

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, FSBO's, Real Estate

Are you considering buying a FSBO (For Sale By Owner)? There are a lot of ways it can go wrong. Here is how to get it right, using a Realtor or on your own.

Belief in Homeownership as an Investment is Far from Dead

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Move-Up Buyers

Following last year’s real estate market was like riding a rollercoaster. The market started off strong in 2018 and then softened before finishing with a mild flurry. However, one thing that did not waiver was America’s belief that owning a home makes sense from a financial standpoint. An end-of-the-year survey by the Federal Reserve Bank’s Center […]

The Ultimate Home Buyer’s Guide

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Brokers, Move-Up Buyers, Real Estate, Recommended Vendors

Buying a home isn’t as easy as clicking a button on a website. It can be a confusing, frustrating process. You need solid intel. My guide makes it easy.

3 Tips for Making Your Dream of Owning a Home a Reality [INFOGRAPHIC]

in Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers

Budgeting is boring – but immensely helpful when you are building a plan to buy a home.

93% Believe Homeownership Is Important in Attaining the American Dream

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers

Americans continue to believe that homeownership is important in achieving the American Dream. A recent survey by NeighborWorks America reported that: “Owning a home remains a core element of the American Dream.” When asked “How important a part of the American dream is owning a home?” 18% of those surveyed said it was the most […]

Buying or Selling in 2018? 5 Reasons to Resolve to Hire a Pro [INFOGRAPHIC]

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Move-Up Buyers

As we usher in the new year, one thing is for certain… if you plan to buy or sell a house this year, you need a real estate professional on your team!

The Benefits of Homeownership Go Beyond the Financial

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Move-Up Buyers

Homeownership is a major part of the American Dream.

What is the Cost of Waiting Until Next Year to Buy?

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing

If buying a home is in your plan for 2018, doing it sooner rather than later could save you thousands of dollars over the terms of your loan.

Home Prices Up 6.54% Across the Country! [INFOGRAPHIC]

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing

Based on the latest numbers and rising prices, if you plan on relocating to another state, waiting to move may end up costing you more!

Home Prices Up 7% from Last Year

in Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing

National home prices have appreciated by 7.0% from October 2016 to October 2017. This marks the second month in a row with a 7.0% year-over-year increase.

3 Tips for Making Your Dream Home a Reality [INFOGRAPHIC]

in Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers

Setting up an automatic savings plan that saves a small amount of every check is one of the best ways to save without thinking a lot about it.

The Mortgage Process: What You Need to Know [INFOGRAPHIC]

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers

Some Highlights:

Many buyers are purchasing a home with a down payment as little as 3%.
You may already qualify for a loan, even if you don’t have perfect credit.
Take advantage of the knowledge of your local professionals who are there to help you determine how much you can afford.

Trust Matters – Why You Don’t Want to Hear This from Your Listing Agent

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers

You’ve decided to sell your house. You begin to interview potential real estate agents to help you through the process. You need someone you trust enough to: Set the market value on possibly the largest asset your family owns (your home) Set the time schedule for the successful liquidation of that asset Set the fee […]

Don’t Disqualify Yourself… 52% of Approved Loans Have A FICO® Score Under 750

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers

The results of countless studies have shown that potential home buyers, and even current homeowners, have an inflated view of what is really required to qualify for a mortgage in today’s market. One such study by the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania revealed that many millennials have not yet considered purchasing homes simply because […]

Zach’s Rules for Buying a Home

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers, Real Estate, Working with Clients

I have five pretty simple rules to make our home shopping experience as stress-free as possible.

Why Use a Mortgage Broker?

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Financing, Move-Up Buyers, Real Estate

You’ll save a lot of money, they are easy to deal with, and their job is to help you.

Your bank? Probably notsomuch…

Starting to Look for a Home? Know What You WANT vs. What You NEED

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers

In this day and age of being able to shop for anything anywhere, it is really important to know what you’re looking for when you start your home search.

Do You Know the Cost of Renting vs. Buying? [INFOGRAPHIC]

in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Move-Up Buyers

Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a close decision. Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median priced home today (30%) vs. the percentage needed to buy a median priced home (15%), though…