It is easy to become overwhelmed when you enter the home buying market. Friends, family, colleagues, and even acquaintances will give you their opinions if you are a first time home buyer. While most of them are looking out for your best interest, they are not fully aware of what is happening in the housing market. It is important for you to be prepared and have your own questions ready. No matter what other opinions you are getting, you are the one buying the home and your comfort level will help make your final decision. Here are three important questions to ask before you purchase a home ..read more

Avoiding a Delayed Closing Congratulations offer has been accepted, but you’ll need to be aware of any roadblocks or setbacks that could delay closing. From appraisal issues to home inspections, many things can go wrong before closing. To avoid a delayed closing, be aware of these common issues that could set back your closing date. Financing issues Unless you’re submitting an all-cash offer, you’ll need to obtain financing to purchase your home. One of the biggest nightmares is that the mortgage falls through on the closing day. To avoid any financing roadblocks or a delayed closing, ensure t ..read more

Easter is just a hop and a skip away! Are you still looking for plans for this weekend? We've got you! Here are some fun events for you and your family! Adult Easter Egg Hunt Lee Farms | April 16th, Times Vary | $45 and includes: One Drink Ticket The hunt and as many eggs as you can collect! It all depends on what YOU can get to before others get to them! There are four waves of hunts. The hunt takes place in a 15-acre space. Where there will be ample room to social distance, spread out, and hunt for eggs! Each wave hunt will consist of hundreds of eggs spread out over a 14-acre area. Each wav ..read more

Whether or not you have a large budget, we have listed some home improvement projects you can tackle yourself or hire a professional. These projects will help improve your home's value and for all budgets. Updating the Front Door The front door is one of the first things people see when coming to your home. Don’t underestimate the first impression your front door can make. Make an immediate statement with a new front door, or save big by sanding and painting the one you already have.  Update Lighting Lighting is a large contributor to setting the tone for each particular room. Think about ..read more

Selling a home can be a complicated process. To help you from making costly mistakes, consider these common mistakes people make when selling their homes – and avoid them yourself. Ignoring Necessary Repairs If a home inspector finds severe damage, it could halt the sale for repairs. To prevent this, evaluate any serious repairs before listing. It may seem odd to repair a home you’re leaving, but it could help you pass the inspection and increase your property value depending on the repairs. Not Preparing for Showings Prepare your home for showings by minimizing your belongs to an essential fe ..read more

If you're buying a home and are using a lender, here are a few things you should not do after applying for a mortgage. Don't Deposit Cash into Your Bank Lenders need to know where your money is coming from, and cash isn’t the easiest to trace. Before depositing any amount of cash, discuss with your loan officer how you'll need to document it. Don't Make Any Large Purchases With new debt, you increase your debt-to-income ratio. Higher ratios make for riskier loans, and you may no longer qualify for the mortgage after those purchases. Don't Co-Sign On Loans When you co-sign on loans, you’re acco ..read more

In February, rates hit a 3.5-year low and have mostly held at this level. March should be another stellar month for mortgage rates. If you’re looking to buy a home or refinance your current one, that’s good news! Right now is a great time to find and lock a low rate.  Current Rates Today: “On Friday, Feb. 28th, 2020, the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell nine basis points to 3.37%, the average rate on the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped six basis points to 3.02% and the average rate on the 5/1 ARM rose six basis points to 3.71%, according to a NerdWallet survey of mo ..read more

Buying a property is exciting but the financial side of things can feel overwhelming. Don’t worry, read our guide to learn the lingo and get better informed on which mortgage will fit your needs best.  Here are some of the common types of mortgage loans: Fixed vs. Adjustable Rate Fixed Rate: The most popular and most predictable is a fixed rate mortgage. For this loan, you pay the same interest rate for the full repayment term. Fixed loans typically come in terms of 30, 15, or 10 years. A big advantage of fixed-rate is the stability, especially appealing if you plan to stay in the home fo ..read more

Whether you’re thinking of selling in the spring or in the distant future, there are many ways to increase the value of your home. But not all home improvement projects are equally beneficial when it comes to adding value that you’ll recoup when you sell. Here are the best improvements to make: Flexible Floor Plan Upgrades that add physical square footage or make your home feel more spacious will be good investments. Increasing square footage by building (such as adding an apartment over the garage) can be an excellent choice but expensive. Another solution to save money is to reinvent an exi ..read more

From all of us at MOVE Real Estate, we’d like to wish you Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year! BUSINESS UPDATES We’ve moved offices and are excited to be a part of the downtown Oregon City community. Come say hi! Our new location is: Move Real Estate Group 216 6th St  Oregon City, OR 97045   SEARCH FOR HOMES  Attention, homebuyers: use our state-of-the-art property search at findhousesinoregon.com to find homes for sale in the Portland Metro area. These listings are updated daily from the MLS. Our interactive map search makes it easy to search. Be sure to register for a free ..read more