I Want to Buy a House but Need Financing, Finding Your Perfect Mortgage

Finding Your Perfect Mortgage

When it comes to buying a home for the first time, many potential home buyers can become discouraged by the prospects of finding Home Financing. Knowing which mortgage, they best qualify for and provides the greatest benefits for their needs can be confusing. But by knowing some of the most frequent mortgage offerings home buyers can make an informed decision that helps them select the perfect mortgage for the perfect home.

Which Mortgage is for Me?

It’s All Greek to Me, Real Estate Terms as a Second Language

The Mysterious Real Estate Language

Selling or buying a home can be a mysterious journey for those not familiar with real estate terms. While many home buyers and sellers have a general understanding of how the process works, the language of real estate can actually cause more fear than the process itself. However, by learning a few of the common real estate terms you can feel more at ease when approaching selling or buying your next home.

Repeat After Me…Common Real Estate Terms

5 Simple Tips for First Time Home Sellers

The housing market has been changed forever. If you are selling a house for the first time, you need to know that today's home buyers are pickier and are using more tools to help them find the right home to suit their needs. As such, it is not enough to simply list your house for sale. You need to have a solid marketing strategy to help you sell your house fast and make a good profit out of it. Here are some tips that can help you accomplish this goal.

Know your potential buyers.

You can create an effective marketing plan if you know who would most likely buy your listing. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), today's home buyers would most probably belong to the millennial generation, are mobile (use their mobile phones to search for listings and open houses), and use photos to help them make their buying decision. Moreover, today's buyers enter the market when they are ready to buy.

On the other hand, buyers belonging to the Silent Generation (those born between 1925 and 1945) start the process by getting in touch with their agents and prefer to attend open houses before making a decision.

Price it right.

You will get the most number of showings during the first two to three weeks so put a realistic price tag on your house right from the start to increase your chances of selling your house fast.

Throw in some extras.

Sweeten the deal by offering some nice extras (new stainless steel kitchen appliances, flat TVs and/or washer and dryer sets, etc.) to potential home buyers. 

Make it move-ready.

You can sell your house fast and for top dollar if you make your home move-ready before listing it on the market. Keep in mind that most buyers want to start fresh and would not want another item on their to-do list after buying a new house.

Hire the right agent.

Not all real estate agents are created equal so do your homework before choosing the agent you would like to work with. To increase your chances of choosing the right agent, get a referral from someone you trust, and talk with recent and past clients. Make sure that the agent is licensed, has the right credentials, knows your area and has considerable experience in the field. You should also look at their current listings and business websites to see what types of properties they are selling and to determine how effectively they are using their online tools.

For more valuable tips on selling or buying a home, please visit my site at http://www.pamsantoro.bhhsgeorgia.com/. You can also contact me at 678-656-6627 if you have any questions about local market conditions, financing or anything that can help you with in your search for real estate.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at freedigitalphotos.com

Closing Delays: How Can It Be Avoided?

For a home buyer, there is nothing more frustrating than experiencing a closing delay. After making sure that all the documentation is in order and making all the arrangements for the moving day, not being able to get the keys and move in to your new home can be a nightmare. Don't let this happen to you. Consider these tips to help you avoid having your closing date put off.

4 Useful Tips to Avoid Closing Delays

Communicate. 

Most closing problems can be avoided by keeping the communication lines open, so check with your lender on a regular basis. Also, don't hesitate to contact the settlement company if there is anything that you don't understand.

Have enough money. 

To avoid any delays, you should have enough funds in your bank account to cover your closing costs. Most experts agree that you should budget 3% of the final home price for this. Your lenders can give you a rough estimate of your closing costs but this may change on the day of the closing. Have some extra money to cover for any incidental costs for good measure.

Check your documents.

Any incorrect, misspelled or missing information in your documents can cause closing delays, so check all of the information carefully prior to closing.

Bring a valid ID. 

Without a valid government-issued ID, the title company will not notarize your signature on the closing documents, so don't forget to bring a current driver's license or passport on closing day. You wouldn't want something as simple as this to prevent you from getting the keys to your new home, right?  

Buying a new home can be a very exciting time for your family, so follow these tips and you can be sure that closing delays wouldn't get in your way.

For more valuable tips on selling or buying a home, please visit my site at http://www.pamsantoro.bhhsgeorgia.com/. You can also contact me at 678-656-6627 if you have any questions about local market conditions, financing or anything that can help you with in your search for real estate.

Photo courtesy of fantasista at freedigitalphotos.net

Alpharetta, GA Real Estate Agent Ready to Serve You Locally

Looking to Buy or Sell a Home?

Get valuable tips on selling or buying a home today, visit my main site at http://www.pamsantoro.bhhsgeorgia.com/. You can also contact me at 678-656-6627 if you have any questions about local market conditions, financing or anything that can help you with in your search for real estate.

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My Presentation at the North Fulton Chamber

North Fulton Chamber of Commerce ProAlliance

This is a clip from my 6 minute presentation at the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce ProAlliance Meeting. Every week, 2 presenters are selected

to give a 6 minute presentation and share their products and services to the Chamber. Learn more and register for a ProAlliance networking meeting at http://www.gnfcc.com.

Join me on Facebook and Twitter:

https://www.facebook.com/PamSantoroRealEstate

https://twitter.com/@pamsantoro

See homes for sale in Alpharetta, GA at:

http://www.pamsantoro.bhhsgeorgia.com/

Top 5 Tips for Buying a House in Alpharetta

Since buying a house is one of the most important decisions you are likely to make during your lifetime, the whole thing can both be exciting and challenging at the same time. So, how do you buy the perfect home without stressing yourself out? Here are some tips that can lead you in the right direction.

1.       Define your needs and wants. Make a list of what you need and want in a home and take it with you as you go searching for the right house. Reassess the items on your list after viewing a few homes and make the necessary adjustments.

2.       Check your budget. To get an idea on how much house you can afford, take a serious look at your monthly budget (excluding rent) and see how much you have left after paying the bills. This amount represents how much you can spend for the mortgage and other house-related expenses (insurance, taxes, repairs, etc.).

3.       Get to know the neighborhood. Do your own field work to make sure the neighborhood is everything you imagined it to be. Drive by the property or walk around the area at different times of the day to get an idea of what goes on there, and consider its proximity to schools, transport and amenities.

4.       Find a good real estate agent. Interview several real estate agents in your area before choosing one. Since you will be working closely with your chosen agent, go for one whom you feel you can trust and connect with on a more personal basis.

5.       Understand how the offer process works. When you finally find the house of your dreams, you need to know how the offer process works. To increase your chances of making a successful bid, you need to know how long the property has been on the market and how the owner’s asking price compare to other properties in the area. Don’t forget to factor in contingencies such as property inspections and financing in your offer to protect you against any untoward events.

You can find the perfect house that fits your budget by following these simple tips so keep these in mind as you go searching for the house of your dreams. Happy house-hunting! 

About me: I am a Mom and a Alpharetta, GA Realtor working with home buyers and home sellers in the Alpharetta, Cumming, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell, Duluth, Buford, Marietta, Canton and Woodstock areas. My Motto: No One Sells a Home Like a Mom. Search for Alpharetta, GA homes for sale at http://www.pamsantoro.bhhsgeorgia.com/

Home Improvement Projects: Which Brings the Most Value for Your Money?

Ask Pam Santoro: 

What are the best design choices to improve the value of my house?

Are you thinking about selling your home? If you are seriously toying about the idea of putting your property in the market, you may need to invest in it to attract the attention of potential buyers, make it sell faster, and make a good profit in the process. While there are a lot of things that you can do to accomplish this goal even if you are on a tight budget, investing a little more money on certain remodeling projects can make a huge difference. So, which home improvement projects should you focus on? Here’s what the experts recommend.

Do a kitchen upgrade. Experts agree that updating your kitchen can maximize the value of your home. So, upgrade your countertops (Tip: most home buyers love granite and/or stainless steel countertops), add a splash of color by changing the backsplash, replace old appliances with energy efficient appliances, and change cabinet doors and fixtures. To add that “wow” factor, you may want to consider adding an island (a definite must-have in most home buyer’s list) and creating a pantry.

Give the bathroom a modern look. Studies indicate that remodeling a bathroom and/or installing an additional bathroom significantly increases the value of any property. To get the most bang for your buck, consider installing a shower with body spray, a second sink, and a new tile floor. You should also consider installing stylish faucets, lighting fixtures, and cabinet hardware to complete the look.

Remember, you don’t have to do everything at once. You can tackle one project at a time since every small improvement counts.

Ask Pam Santoro: Do you have questions about how to buy/sell a home? Ask Pam Santoro, your friendly neighborhood Alpharetta real estate agent. Be sure to visit my blog and real estate website today! No one sells a home like a mom!

You may also like this blog post: Top 5 Tips for Selling a House

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