Buying A Home

What First-Time Buyer Help is Available?

If you are a first-time home buyer you may be finding it difficult to purchase a home right now. If you are, you are not alone. This could be due to the fact that home prices have increased greatly and interest rates are expected to rise. It could be due to the very difficult competition of buyers who have larger sums of cash from the sale of a previous home, or that they are investors.

But there is a way to get into a home right now as a first-time buyer. Of course, you want an expert agent working on your behalf, but beyond that, there are several programs out there designed to help first-time buyers get into homes.

What First-Time Buyer Programs are Available Right Now?What First-Time Home Buyer Help is Available

Down payment assistance...

Buying a Home with Future Plans for a Family

Buying a Home with Future Plans for a Family

It is a great idea that before you start home shopping you sit down and list out what you would like to have, what you need to have, and what you dream of having in this home with every person that will be living there. But beyond that, it should be taken into consideration how long you plan to be in the home and what life changes you hope will happen during that time.

No life plan is ever completely 100% perfectly laid out and comes to fruition, but if you plan to start your family in this home, there are many things that you will want to consider in your next home purchase.

Here are some great features that you may want to look for in a home while raising a young...

Tips for Purchasing Townhomes in 2022

Tips for Purchasing Townhomes in 2022

Second to the purchase of a single-family detached home, is the popularity of a townhouse. The National Association of Realtors finds that townhomes are second in demand amongst buyers across the country and are very popular with homebuyers under the age of 30.

Purchasing a townhome can be similar to the purchase of a traditional single-family home, but it can also be different. There are some differences between the property types that you will want to be knowledgeable of when shopping for a townhome.

Here are some good things to know when you are shopping for a townhouse

The definition of a townhouse

There are several types of properties that can be mistaken for a townhouse but when it comes down to it the definition...

Dropping Private Mortgage Insurance

If you plan to purchase a house with less than a 20% down payment for a mortgage your mortgage lender will most likely tack on the extra cost of requiring you to carry private mortgage insurance as a standard precaution.

As your home grows in value it could be possible to drop this required private mortgage insurance. But when does private mortgage insurance go away? Exactly when can you drop it?Dropping Private Mortgage Insurance

Whether the mortgage qualifies for this insurance removal will depend upon factors like how much is still owed on your current mortgage balance and how dependable your payment history has been.

Home equity is rising at a very rapid pace. In the third quarter of 2021 reports from CoreLogic show that homeowners with mortgages averaged an equity...

What Young Professionals Want in a House

Born between 1980 and 2000, millennials are thought to be a group driven by the technology revolution and fed by avocado toast. Certain characteristics and manners have influenced society’s overall viewpoint of this generation, such as the increase in single-parent families, the higher likelihood of college enrollment — and student loan debt — and many observations on their work ethic.

Because millennials are so dominant to the housing market, it is critical that sellers adapt to the increasing demand. Understanding what is important to Gen Yers will help the process for both parties. Learn more from the accompanying infographic and be prepared with our tips on how to appeal to millennial homebuyers.

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Is Cleveland a Good City to Invest in Real Estate?

Are you ready for your first or even second investment property? Are you interested in investing in Ohio? With the current climate of the United States, there are several investment opportunities and Ohio is one of them. Is Cleveland a good city to invest in? Yes! Here is why. The Ohio housing market is hot. Ohio is the seventh-most populous state in the country.

Ohio is BoomingIs Cleveland a Good City to Invest in Real Estate?

It is also rated as one of the best states for business with a low cost of living, great schools, and a lot of recreational activities. The housing market has taken off because of population growth, job market growth, and affordable housing. These are some of the top indicators you want to see when you are looking to...

Why Does the Listing Say the Sale is “Contingent?”

Why Does the Listing Say the Sale is “Contingent?”

Browsing online Real Estate listings and house hunting is easily one of the more stressful experiences that you may face throughout life. While working with the right agent can indeed help eliminate a large majority of the stress associated with both selling or buying a home, it is important to ensure you fully understand listings as well as the contingencies that they may hold prior to placing an offer.

While it may not be overly common, in some cases you may find a house you love, however within the listing it states that the sale of the property is “contingent.” This could be for a handful of different...

5 Things Buyers Should Know When Making an Offer on a Home

When it comes to buying a house in Ohio it is no secret that you are looking for the perfect place to call home to fit your lifestyle and needs. Problem is that today’s seller’s market leaves very little inventory to choose from, even around Central Ohio. Right now the housing inventory is hovering near record lows and the buyer demand is not decreasing. This has made multiple offer scenarios much more normal on every home that hits the market all across the nation.

Here are five things that buyers in Central Ohio should keep in mind when they are ready to make an offer on a home.

Know the numbers5 Things Buyers Should Know When Making an Offer on a Home

Having a complete and thorough understanding of your budget and exactly...

3 Questions to Ask Before Buying Your Dream Home

3 Questions to Ask Before Buying Your Dream Home

If you are debating purchasing a home right now, you are probably getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family will have your best interest at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in the real estate market.

Ask yourself the following 3 questions to help determine if now is actually a good time for you to buy in today’s market.

1. Why am I buying a home in the first place?

This truly is the most important question to answer. Forget the finances for a minute. Why did you even begin to consider purchasing a home? For most, the reason has nothing to do with money.

For example, a recent survey by Braun showed that over 75% of parents say “their...

Is Getting a Home Mortgage Still Too Difficult?

Getting a Home Mortgage

There is no doubt that mortgage credit availability is expanding, meaning it is easier to finance a home today than it was last year. However, the mortgage market is still much tighter than it was prior to the housing boom and bust experienced between 2003 - 2006.

The Housing Financing Policy Center at the Urban Institute just released data revealing two reasons for the current exceptionally high credit standards:

  1. Additional restrictions lenders put on borrowing because of concerns that they will be forced to repurchase failed loans from the government-sponsored enterprises or Federal Housing Administration (FHA).
  2. The concern about potential litigation for imperfect loans.
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