Category Archives: Home Buyers

Should You Buy a New or Existing Home?

Should You Buy a New or Existing Home?Maybe your dream home has the intricate details that you usually find only in older construction — wainscoting and crown molding in the interior, a large yard with an older tree shading the back yard, and a white picket fence.

Or maybe your dream home has all the conveniences of modern living — open floor plan in the living and dining spaces, large windows, connected, “smart” appliances, and minimalist design elements.

Whether you go for a brand new construction or an existing home, both types of properties have their pros and cons when it comes to purchasing. What type of home is right for you will depend on which factors are most important for your lifestyle.

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How to Buy a Home: 7 Tips and Tricks from Real Estate Insiders

How to Buy a HomeNo matter if you’re in a buyer’s or seller’s market, there are a few critical steps you can take to make a smarter purchase. Since buying a home is likely the biggest single investment you will ever make, being prepared will help you make a better purchase. Here are 7 tips and tricks to buying a home.

Know Your Buying Power

What is your buying power? It is your ability to borrow plus the cash you have available for a down payment and closing costs. Your credit-worthiness and income will affect how much you can realistically borrow for a home.

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How to Move But Not Increase Property Taxes

how to move but not increase property taxesAccording to a survey by the California Association of Realtors, one of the top reasons home owners have not considered selling is a concern that property taxes on another home would be too expensive.

For certain groups of people living in San Diego County and some other counties in California, there is a way to move but not increase property taxes.

California voters have passed several propositions, Propositions 60, 90 and 110, that allow eligible property owners to transfer the base year value of an existing principal residence to a replacement dwelling.

What do these propositions do? Who qualifies, and what are the benefits?

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Things That Can Kill Your Credit Score

Things That Can Kill Your Credit Score

Some people take their credit for granted and don’t start paying attention to it until they need it. Doing this could cause them to pay more interest or keep them from getting a loan altogether.

There are several things that can kill your credit score. Knowing what they are and dealing with them ahead of time will save you time, money and headaches.

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You Need a Champion

championThe Super Bowl and World Series determine the football and baseball champions. Since there can only be one champion, the other team loses the competition. In feudal times, a knight might champion for the king or a patriotic, romantic or religious cause.

Fierce competition can occur when buying or selling a home because each party wants to get the best deal possible. When the buyer and seller are not be equally matched, and they rarely are, it is important to have a champion on your side to fight for your cause.

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Prices on the Uptick

Prices on the Uptick

6 Myths About Credit Scores

6 Myths About Credit Scores

Selecting a Lender

selecting a lenderFinding a mortgage lender for a purchase loan or refinance is not a problem. Selecting someone who will help you find the best loan product for your situation even if it means sending you to another lender, is paramount.

There is a huge advantage to be able to sit across the table from someone you’re doing business with and look them straight in the eye. It’s difficult to make an informed decision based on a website and a phone call.

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Rent Again?

rent againAfter you take the training wheels off your bike and learn to ride it, you’d never consider putting them back on again. Similarly, once you’ve owned a home, you might think you’ll own a home from now on; but there may be some situations where it makes sense to rent again.

Big shifts in a person’s life like a divorce, death of a spouse, empty nesting or a temporary transfer to a new city are certainly things that may warrant renting, at least temporarily, until you know what your long term plans are.

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Automated Valuation Models – Fast, Easy, But Accurate?

AVM tagThere are sites all over the web that offer to tell you what your home is worth.  Simply plug in your address and email, and you’ll get a value.  It’s fast; it’s easy. But is it accurate?

The value is determined by what is called an Automated Valuation Model that analyzes public record data with computer decision logic.  Square footage, age, number of bedrooms and location are easily definable objective data.  The challenge is identifying, measuring and comparing the subjective data.

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