April 4, 2013
It’s a great time of year to get a jump on the home buying competition by checking out open houses in DC Maryland and Virginia. Before getting in the car to run to the nearest “Open Sunday” sign, take note of these tips. The first tip is to do your research with your Realtor or online to find the properties in the neighborhoods that interest you. There are great mobile apps that can guide your search as well. Realtor.com, Trulia and other big sites have great mobile apps which let you search for open houses by list or map and […]
April 8, 2013
Mortgage insurance is great for helping you purchase a home when having less than 20% to put down, and once you achieve a pre-determined equity level, your lender must cancel coverage – reducing your total monthly mortgage payment! Under the Federal Homeowners Protection Act, coverage must be cancelled once your balance is scheduled to drop to 78% of the original value of your property. Under the provision, the cancellation occurs automatically – freeing up money that is sure to come in handy every month. Have more questions? Need help buying or selling your home? Talk to us: we can help! […]
April 22, 2013
Making your home more sustainable is easier than you might think. Here are 10 easy tips to help you along the way: 1. Use a low-flow or high efficiency Shower-head Using a better showerhead can save you thousands of gallons of water a year. Not only is it better for the environment, it’s better for your water bill. Shower heads are designed for conservation while still providing good water pressure, a marked improvement over Seinfeld-era low-flows. 2. Use a device to recycle water in your bathroom You will be able to take used sink water and inject it into your […]
April 25, 2013
For most would-be homebuyers, making a run at homeownership is going to mean getting approved for a home loan. It’s a process that, at best, can be stressful and confusing. Borrowers can be better prepared by taking steps to study their options and learn what to expect from a lender. “It’s surprising to me that people tend to spend more time in pre-purchase research for a car than they do for a home mortgage,” says Chris George, president of home mortgage lender CMG Financial. Keeping up to date on changes in the mortgage market is necessary, because the government, which essentially […]
June 20, 2013
As the housing market continues to recover, many borrowers are finding there are more hoops to jump through to qualify for a loan. But according to lenders it’s not necessarily harder to get a loan today, you’re just required to submit more documentation, and to keep it updated through closing. The added paperwork is in response to the many bad loans and fraud during the crisis years. According to an article in Forbes, most failed loan applications fail because they don’t meet the rigorous documentation requirements, not for lack of pre-qualifying (Forbes, “The Perfect Loan File,” 3/9/12). The reasoning behind […]
January 6, 2014
If you’re interested in starting your real estate career in the DC area, first you should decide which jurisdictions you want to be licensed in. Many agents in the area find it’s beneficial to get licensed in more than one state so they can serve buyers and sellers as they move about the region. Wherever you chose to start, first you’ll need to hit the books. Here is the step-by-step process to get your license in DC, MD or VA: Have more questions? Need help buying or selling your home? Talk to us: we can help! 1 Step 1 […]