If you're moving to a new city with children, one of your likely considerations is finding a family-friendly community where you can settle in and call home. In this post we'll share a handful of tips that you may find helpful if you're searching for a family-friendly neighborhood in a new city. Check Out The Quality Of Local Schools Schools are one of the cornerstones of a community and high-quality schools are a sign that a community is suitable for your family. When you've made your short list of communities that you are considering, take some time to research the local elementary or high … [Read more...]
Juggling Priorities: How to Manage Buying a New Home and Selling Your Old One at the Same Time
Are you a homeowner who is thinking about selling their current home and making an upgrade to a newer, larger home? If you're facing the prospect of having to manage a home purchase and a home sale at the same time you'll find that there are numerous priorities that are begging for your attention. In today's blog post we'll share a few tips for how to manage a buying and selling transaction simultaneously without being overwhelmed by them. Start By Getting Your Finances In Order Before you start the hunt for a new home you'll want to ensure that your finances are in order and that you're … [Read more...]
Closing Costs: Understanding What It Costs to Close on a Home and What You Can Expect to Pay
If you're in the process of buying a new home, you've likely heard the term "closing costs" in regards to the many different fees and taxes that you'll be required to pay during the purchase process. In this post we'll look at a number of these closing costs and what you will be expected to pay when you buy that next dream home. Taking out a Mortgage? There Will Be Fees Attached If you're taking out a mortgage to finance the cost of buying your home you'll end up incurring a variety of fees. Nearly all lenders will charge a mortgage application fee, which covers the cost of processing your … [Read more...]
The Pros and Cons of Buying a New Home Versus Buying Pre-owned
Are you thinking about buying a new home? Congratulations! Buying a house, condo or townhouse is an exciting and rewarding time which tends to be a lot of fun. However, along the way you'll need to make a number of decisions – including whether you want to buy a pre-owned home or one that has been built recently and is brand new. Let's take a quick look at some of the pros and cons of buying a new home versus buying pre-owned. New Homes Tend To Have Fewer Problems One of the major upsides of buying new is that newly-built homes tend to have very few problems within the first few years of … [Read more...]
Turned Down for a Mortgage? What to Do if You are Declined – and How to Get Second Opinion
If you have been declined for a mortgage, you may think that buying that new home is out of reach. However, there are ways to turn a rejection into an approval and to find a more accessible loan. Here are just a few steps you can take to learn about your loan options and get the mortgage that works for you. Find Out Why The Mortgage Application Was Denied The first step to getting a second opinion is to find out why your mortgage application was denied. Banks commonly deny mortgages for reasons like a low credit score, a high debt-to-income ratio, or concerns about the applicant's past and … [Read more...]