4 Signs It’s Time to Downsize Traditionally, we think of the homeowner path as upsizing. When we are young, we buy a small starter home to fit our needs and income. Later, our needs change as our family unit grows, and we move into a larger home to fit our needs. There are times in our lives, however, when smaller spaces might make more sense. Here are four signs that might make you want to consider downsizing. Retirement Has Arrived Retirement is one of the most common reasons people decide to downsize. Retirees make the move to stretch out their retirement savings and to decrease their an ..read more

4 Strategies for Buyers in a Hot Seller’s Market A market with limited inventory and lots of willing and able buyers is known as a hot seller’s market. Once you’ve found “the one” and you’re ready to get serious, it’s time to get your game face on and beat out the competition. Here are some strategic tips that home buyers need to know when buying in a seller’s market! Get A Head Start Buying a home requires a lot of time and energy. You need a good realtor advising you on top of a serious time commitment to watch the market and see homes quickly. You also need an expert loan officer on your ..read more

The Down-Low on Down Payments A home mortgage is often the biggest financial investment you’ll make in your lifetime, so it’s not surprising that saving for a down payment can be a major hurdle for people on their journey to home ownership. While a 20 percent down payment is considered ideal, it’s not actually as common as you might think, nor is it a necessity to buying a home. 2022 Down Payment Stats In a recent report, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) examined home purchase trends in the U.S. and found that the median down payment for all homebuyers was 13%.  NAR further b ..read more

4 Tips for Long-Distance House Hunting Searching for a house locally can present plenty of challenges, but it can become infinitely more complicated when you add in hundreds of miles to the equation. If you are finding yourself in the middle of doing some long-distance house-hunting, here are a few critical factors to keep in mind! Do Your Homework When looking at relocating to an unfamiliar area, so many other factors must be considered on top of finding the perfect house. For example, what are average local commute times, what are crime rates in the area, and, most importantly, how do the ..read more

5 Reasons to Buy a House this Winter If you’re in the market for a new home, there’s no need to freeze your search during the winter months! While it is not the popular time of the year for house hunting, the home-buying market can work in your favor with timing on your side, competition at a minimum, and real estate agents and other housing professionals readily available during the winter season. So, throw on your winter coat and take advantage of these winter buying benefits! Winter-Tested Houses Harsher weather in the winter months may reveal flaws to buyers and home inspectors, so it’s ..read more

6 Strategies to Get a Better Interest Rate For many homebuyers, the interest rate is one of the most important factors they look at when house hunting. What most buyers do not understand, however, is that mortgage rates are determined by many factors. Market conditions obviously play a major role, but there are some qualifying factors within the buyer’s control that can help secure a lower rate. Here are six smart strategies for you to consider! Increase Your Credit Score The higher your credit score, the less risk you appear to have when applying for a mortgage with a lender. Paying your b ..read more

5 Benefits to Buying a Home in the Fall Although the spring and summer months are known to be the most popular time to buy a house, fall is emerging as the new ideal season to buy a home. Here are five reasons why fall can be a great time to buy! Let’s Make a Deal Typically, sellers will list their houses on the market at the beginning of spring. As the summer passes by, and no bargain has been struck with a buyer, price reductions will start to appear. After Labor Day, sellers are probably feeling a little more concerned about getting their house sold, and by October, you are likely to fin ..read more

5 Ways to Avoid Home Buyer Fatigue Kicking off your home buying journey always starts as an exciting venture, but bidding wars, unsuccessful offers and exhaustive walk throughs can easily bring on buyer fatigue. This is especially frustrating in a seller’s market where inventory is down and prices are high. Here are five tips to stay the course and avoid home buyer fatigue! Assemble a Team of Professionals In a hot market, you need a team of professionals to help you make the right maneuvers at the right time. This includes a trusted real estate professional that will locate listings that f ..read more

Reasons to Consider a Cash-Out Refinance Every homeowner has their reasons for considering a cash-out refinance with purposes ranging from home repairs to covering college tuition or buying an investment property. A cash-out refinance replaces a current home loan with a larger mortgage, allowing the owner to take advantage of the equity they built up in their home to access the difference between the two mortgages in cash. Here are just a few examples of what a cash-out refinance can help you fund! Home Projects, Repairs and Renovations One of the most obvious way to use a cash-out refinanc ..read more

4 Reasons to Buy a House in Your 30s Although buying a house for the first time is a big decision, there really is no perfect age to do it. While it’s more about individual readiness when it comes to home ownership, the average age of a first-time home buyer in 2021 was 33. Here are some indicators that people are ready to buy in their thirties! Savings By the time people hit their thirties, they are likely married and in a stable job that allows them to set aside more money each month in preparation for their mortgage down payment. While a 20 percent down payment is preferred to avoid priv ..read more