You’re on your way to buy a new home, congrats! You’ve found the one you love… your offer has been accepted… you’ve completed the inspection with little-to-no issues… you’re almost there, right? There’s just one more hurdle before you’re ready to sign on the dotted line and finance your home—the home appraisal. If you’re seeking a mortgage, you must have your prospective home appraised for a value that is higher than your purchase price. So, what happens if your bank appraisal comes in lower than that agreed-upon price? Are your home purchasing dreams destroyed? Do you have to start your home ..read more

How exciting! The home has been purchased; inspection is done, and the closing date is set. Now what? It can be overwhelming to think about the packing and moving, especially when there are some things to consider at the new home. Here is a list of 8 items to take care of before moving to make it a little easier. 1. Turn on your utilities In order to make any repairs, clean, or really do anything in the new home before you move in, utilities need to be turned on. While you may not need cable TV or internet, you’ll want to at least make sure you have water, electricity, and gas working. 2. Tak ..read more

The square footage of your home is an important specification for valuation purposes, but sometimes the appraiser’s calculation of your property’s square footage differs from the square footage used in your tax assessment. Here’s what to do in that situation. How to Determine if the Square Footage is Inaccurate You should start by requesting to see your home’s property card from your county’s department of assessment. Many cities and counties allow you to look it up online. Make sure that any recent (permitted) additions are included in the records. Here’s how to calculate the square footage ..read more

Consider these factors before making history your home. Some home buyers want new, modern and move-in ready. Others prefer older homes, with character and charm they can’t find in new construction. If you’re interested in historic homes, take these factors into consideration as you shop. Historic neighborhoods often impose restrictions Many towns throughout the U.S. have zoning and planning commissions that, among other things, set out to preserve and protect historic homes and neighborhoods. As a result, renovating and altering a historic home — particularly the building’s facade — will requ ..read more

The housing market is hot. On fire, actually—and it doesn’t seem to be dying anytime soon. This can be scary because of how tough it is to buy a home in a competitive market. 1. Do Your Pre-Approval Homework Before you even start looking at actual homes, head on over to a lender (or multiple lenders, to get different quotes) and get a pre-approval letter. We know it’s not very exciting, but it just might save you later. Don’t bother getting pre-qualified because it’s not the same thing as getting pre-approved. Pre-qualification is a quick process based only on information you provide; it isn ..read more

There are things that can happen to their homes that their homeowners insurance policies don't cover. Fire is the basic coverage provided by an insurance policy, while other common perils are water damage, theft, wind and liability. Earthquake and flood usually require a separate policy. In some states you can add earthquake coverage as an endorsement. It is important to discuss the risk you face and purchase the proper coverage. Just so you'll be forewarned, here are eight other perils, besides damage from an invading squirrel, for which you probably aren't insured. 1. Floods Damage caused b ..read more

There are things that can happen to their homes that their homeowners insurance policies don't cover. Fire is the basic coverage provided by an insurance policy, while other common perils are water damage, theft, wind and liability. Earthquake and flood usually require a separate policy. In some states you can add earthquake coverage as an endorsement. It is important to discuss the risk you face and purchase the proper coverage. Just so you'll be forewarned, here are eight other perils, besides damage from an invading squirrel, for which you probably aren't insured. 1. Floods Damage caused b ..read more

If you've ever gone shopping for a home mortgage or refinance you've probably seen an interest rate advertised as, for instance, "Rate: 2.65%; APR: 2.7%." The annual percentage rate (APR) represents the average annual finance charge you'll be paying on the loan when including all the fees and costs associated with getting that loan. This can include things like closing costs, broker fees and discount points (a lower interest rate charged in exchange for an additional upfront fee). The APR is usually higher than the interest rate. The APR is a valuable number to know so you can compare directl ..read more

Homeowners are looking for large, high-tech bathrooms with sleek color palettes and finishes, according to the Houzz 2017 Bathroom Trends Report. On average, homeowners spent $21,000 to remodel bathrooms exceeding 100 square feet. That cost drops to about $12,300 for homeowners with smaller bathrooms that are less than 100 square feet. When it comes to age demographics, those aged 55+ spent the most on remodeling their bathroom since the majority of them reported that they don’t plan to sell their home anytime soon. Meanwhile, millennials, who see their home as a short- to medium-term residen ..read more

If you are on the market for homeowners insurance, you are probably wondering what questions you need to be asking - especially if this is your first time buying a home. You may not know what constitutes the right type or amount of coverage you need for your home - and that’s okay. Experts in the field are there to help you, and these are some of the basic questions you should ask them. 1. How much would it cost to rebuild my home in its current location in the event of a total loss? Your homeowners insurance policy should cover the cost of building a new home completely from scratch. Your ag ..read more