Mortgage News, Homebuying Tips and Advice

Bargaining Chip For Damaged Properties

Spring can be a great time of year to spot a property that is dealing with water problems, either on the outside or inside a home. But water damage and drainage issues don’t have to spell an automatic “no” for the homes you’re considering. With the right know-how and a willingness to negotiate, damage to a property – whether water damage or otherwise – can be a great bargaining chip to help you get the home you want at a price you can be proud of. But make sure not to underestimate the costs of repairing the problems!

Spring Market Competition

Spring is traditionally the time of year when most properties are bought or sold. Many homeowners wait until this time of year to put their property on the market to minimize time on the market and try to get the best price. But smart buyers know that this is the time of year when all the other buyers are out looking, too. So it’s important to be prepared for competition in the Spring market, and maximize your chances of getting the home you want by being ready to make an offer when the right home comes along.

It may be only February, but the spring housing market is just around the corner! This time of the year is traditionally the busiest in real estate; with many sellers waiting for the spring market to list their homes, and many buyers swarming good homes during this season. How can you make sure to get your dream home during the spring market?

When most people think of home shopping, they think of buying a single-family home, complete with house, driveway, yard and all that goes along with that. But different people have different needs, and single family homes are not a one-size-fits-all solution. People with limited budgets may prefer patio homes or other clustered construction. In the city, the most viable home types may be condominiums or townhomes. These different types of homes also require varying levels of upkeep and maintenance. What type of home is right for you?

Slow Market Strategies

Selling a home in a slow housing market represents a unique challenge. Most people want to sell in a timely manner without having to drop the price dramatically or lose money on the deal. If your home sticks around on the market for too long, it can actually hurt your chances of selling it, or force you to drop the price. With the right approach, though, you can sell your home – even in a slow market. Use the bargaining chips at your disposal and partner with the right team to make your home sale a reality.

With tax time rolling around, it’s time to revisit one of the great benefits of home ownership that most first-time buyers don’t know about: tax benefits! That’s right; when you buy a home, you’re eligible to take certain deductions and exemptions as a homeowner. These deductions can save you a ton in taxes, so if you’ve been thinking about pulling the trigger on a new home purchase, 2012 might be the year for you to do it!

Sellers sometimes have to get creative in order to sell their homes in a slow market. If you can’t afford to budge on price, but you’re still looking to attract buyers, consider offering concessions, closing credits or even furniture or attractive center pieces in your home sale. What can you do to make your home sale stand out in a slow market without dropping your price?

If you watched this year’s Super Bowl, you saw a real estate ad for the first time in 21 years! A large nationwide real estate firm has decided that it wants to celebrate its 40th birthday with a big event, and it doesn’t get much bigger than advertising in the Super Bowl! The cost of the 30 second ad placement alone is around $3.5 million – not counting what is spent to make the ad itself. Why would a real estate company spend this kind of money to advertise in the Super Bowl?

When you decide to buy a home, the home shopping experience can be an exciting time. You may find that you really enjoy browsing listings and visiting homes; you can imagine what life would be like to live in a new home. But you may also feel overwhelmed by the choices or the commitment of buying a home, or decide you hate home shopping. The easiest way to ensure things go smoothly is to thoroughly prepare for your home shopping experience.

Real estate can be a great long-term investment. But not all real estate appreciates at the same rate, and adjusted for inflation, it might not offer the returns you’re looking for. That being said, you do have to live somewhere, and there are some definite arguments in favor of your housing payment making you money as an investment instead of making your landlord money in a rental property. If you’ve ever wondered about the truth of real estate as an investment, this is what you need to know: