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4 Tips To Ensure A Successful Closing

July 10, 2019 by James Scott

4 Tips To Ensure A Successful ClosingAs you come up to the date of your closing, there’s time to reflect on everything that led to this step. Your real estate agent, mortgage broker, title company and others all work hard to ensure a successful closing for you. They’re all in your corner, hoping for the same outcome as you. They’ve had to do a lot of work behind the scenes that you may not even be aware of. Their diligence and professionalism has already benefited you.

But did you know that it’s not all riding on your team of real estate professionals? There are things you can do to ensure a successful closing, too. 

1. Bring Your Checkbook

In other words, have extra funds available to cover unexpected costs. Anything could happen at the closing table. If there was an error in calculations, or the seller all of a sudden asks for some kind of additional compensation, you could all go home empty-handed. If you bring your checkbook, all those problems could go away and you end up with a successful closing. 

2. Don’t Forget Your ID

You probably don’t need to be reminded to bring your driver’s license with you when you drive. But did you know you’ll probably need to present your ID at the closing table? Funnily enough, people do forget, especially if you’re a woman and you’ve changed purses recently. Before you head to the closing table, double check that you have two forms of ID on you to be on the safe side.

3. Preview The Paperwork

Although everyone’s a professional, human error does occur. If possible, ask to preview the paperwork associated with the closing. Your real estate agent can help you with this step. Read through everything with a fine-toothed comb. Look for spelling errors, mistakes in addresses, and even transposed numbers. The earlier you can review paperwork, the longer the available time to get any errors corrected before the closing.

4. Bring Extra Documents With You

You don’t have to carry your filing cabinet to the closing. But it’s wise to bring relevant financial documents with you and leave them in your car. Lenders may ask for things last minute like old bank statements, a certain cancelled check or something else. 

With the help of your trusted real estate agent and home mortgage professional, your closing will likely go off without a hitch. But, just in case, keep these tips in mind.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: Closing, Financing, Real Estate

Home Staging Tip – Urban Gardening in Small Spaces

July 9, 2019 by James Scott

Home Staging Tip - Urban Gardening in Small SpacesHome staging means getting a home ready for sale with the goal to maximize the sale price and close a sale as fast as possible. Some home staging tasks are very dreary, like having to get the place sparkling clean. That is really not fun work. It may be better, if it is affordable, for the homeowner to hire professionals to do that grunt work.

Another part of home staging is really fun and even can start long before putting a home on the market for sale. Children like to participate in this as well. It is creating an urban garden.

Urban Garden

An urban garden fits in anywhere. The idea is to create space for plants to thrive even if there is no backyard or in-ground growing opportunities. Here are some easy ways to achieve this:

  • Window Planter Boxes: Any window that gets sunlight can have a window box. Install these boxes on the inside or on the outside of the window depending on the climate. These are perfect places to have flowers add color that is attractive. Transplant low-cost flowering plants into window boxes. Using this strategy, window boxes stay full of flowers, which are constantly in bloom.
  • Big Pots: Decorative large pots are a great thing to use to create a garden space. Strawberry pots made of clay are popular things to put on a balcony or a porch. Flower pots that line the walkway to the front door add to a home’s curb appeal.
  • Roof Gardens: For townhouses without a backyard, balcony, or a patio, there may only be an urban garden space available on a roof. If there is a good view as well, this is a real plus. Be sure to have a nice picnic table to sit around and enjoy the area.
  • Herbs: Herb gardens are very easy to start. Herbs of many kinds can grow in simple planters. One added advantage is, if growing aromatic herbs, they put a pleasant smell in the air.

Summary

Besides growing flowers, urban gardens may also provide fresh herbs and vegetables to eat. Many things are really easy to grow, such as the herb basil, and they add a nice flavor to a meal.

Start with a small herb garden. If you have children, get them involved. Soon, it will be so much fun growing plants that your house will fill with color, nice smells, and good things to eat.

If you are in the market for a new home or interested in selling your current property, be sure to contact your trusted real estate professional.

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: Green Living, Home Decor, Real Estate

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 8th, 2019

July 8, 2019 by James Scott

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 8th, 2019Last week’s scheduled economic news included readings on construction spending and reports on public and private sector  jobs. Monthly readings for public and private sector jobs and the national unemployment rate were released along with weekly reports on mortgage rates and initial jobless claims.

Construction Spending Dips in May

May construction spending fell to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 0.80 percent growth at a pace of $1.3 trillion as compared to April’s reading, which was adjusted to 0.40 percent growth after reports of a flat reading. Year-over-year construction spending  was 2.30 percent lower in May.  

High materials costs and shortages of workers continued to dampen builder sentiment as shortages of available homes added to buyer concerns. Slower home price growth and shortages of affordable homes also impacted housing markets, but low mortgage rates encouraged qualified home buyers to lock in low rates.

Recent news reports suggest that economic growth may be slowing along with home price growth, but public and private-sector jobs grew in June after low readings in May. The Commerce Department’s Non-Farm Payrolls report showed 224,000 public and private sector jobs added in June; ADP reported 102,000 private-sector jobs added in June after May’s lean reading of 41,000 jobs added. The national unemployment rate ticked up to 3.70percent in June as compared to May’s reading of 3.60 percent.

Mortgage Rates Rise, New Jobless Claims Fall

Average mortgage rates rose last week according to Freddie Mac. Rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged  two basis points higher at 3.78 percent. 15-year fixed mortgage rates averaged two basis points higher at 3.18 percent. The average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages rose six basis points to 3.45 percent.

Discount points averaged 0.60 percent for 30-year fixed rate mortgages and 0.50 percent for 15-year fixed rate mortgages. Discount points for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages averaged 0.40 percent.

Initial jobless claims fell to 221,000 new claims filed last week as compared to the prior week’s reading of 229,000  initial jobless claims.

What‘s Ahead

This week’s economic reports include testimony by Jerome Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve and release of minutes of the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting held in June. Reports on inflation and weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims will also be released.

Filed Under: Financial Reports Tagged With: Financial Reports, Interest Rates, Mortgage Rates

7 New Home Upgrades that Could Save Your Life

July 5, 2019 by James Scott

7 New Home Upgrades that Could Save Your LifeOne of the best things about moving into a new home is personalizing it and really making it yours. From hanging wall art to arranging furniture to finding the perfect spot for your grandmother’s hand crocheted afghan, it’s a real joy to decorate.

But are you forgetting about the big investment you just made? Consider the following important home upgrades that will protect your home and your family.

1. Smoke Alarm

Take an afternoon and upgrade all your new home’s smoke alarms. Smoke alarms save lives and it’s not worth it to assume that just because it’s there it’s working. 

2. Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Do the same upgrade with your carbon monoxide alarm. If your new home doesn’t yet have one, go ahead and pick up the latest model. Even if your home has all electric appliances, it’s worth it to have this added protection.

3. Trim Bushes

It’s lovely to have a home that’s nestled behind evergreens, but you should know that this gives intruders easy cover around the perimeter of your home. Trim bushes so they are no more than four feet high so intruders have nowhere to hide.

4. Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting adds to the curb appeal of your home and also deters intruders. Install solar lighting to highlight attractive areas and motion sensor lighting around windows and doors. 

5. Security System

Consider enrolling in a security alarm system for your new home. Several companies offer this option. These systems come with cameras that you can have in/or around your home. The mere presence of cameras is often enough to ward off unwanted persons. 

6. Fire Extinguishers

Stock every room with a fire extinguisher. Many times people only put these in the kitchen, but a candle or electrical fire can break out anywhere, including the garage. This isn’t technically an upgrade, but this could save your live and your property.

7. Door Alarm

If you have children, consider installing a door alarm on your sliding patio doors. This is especially helpful if you have a backyard swimming pool. A door alarm can be picked up at the local hardware store and installed within minutes if you’re even a little bit handy.

These seven tips will help to ensure that both you and your home are well-protected. After this, you can get back to decorating comforted by the knowledge that you’ve taken care of the important points first.

If you are in the market for a new home or interested in listing your current property, be sure to contact your trusted real estate professional.

 

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: Home Improvement, Home Security, Real Estate

3D Printing Used For Home Renovations And Construction

July 3, 2019 by James Scott

3D Printing Used For Home Renovations And Construction3D printing technology is a game-changer in the home construction business. Not only is the technology capable of printing a home, but it can also be used to print one at a much lower cost when compared to traditional home construction.

All3DP reports on homes printed using 3D technology that costs as little as $4,000 to $10,000. Some are ready for occupancy within 24 hours.

The $4,000 Home

A company in Texas, called ICON, is working with NewStoryCharity.org to create 3D-printed homes at an extremely low cost. New Story Charity builds simple homes in other countries, like Haiti and El Salvador. They give these homes to very poor people who live in shacks built out of plastic and cardboard.

These homes are small (around 500 square feet) and yet fully self-contained with a kitchen area, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a living space area.

Weather-Resistant Homes

A Russian company, called Apis Cor, used 3D printing to build a ready-to-use home for just over US$10,000 that can withstand the severe climate during winters in Russia. The 410-square-foot home is completely finished, painted inside and out, and wired for electricity. It was printed and built completely on site. It is small, yet quite attractive.

Ten Homes In One Day

A company in Shanghai, China, called Winsun, achieved the break-through of 3D printing ten homes out of a foamy, lightweight concrete material in a single day. The prospects of factory-produced extremely low-cost homes are extremely appealing in China where many millions are looking to have a new home.

Architectural Firsts

Many of the applications of 3D-printing technology in home construction focus on small homes built quickly for a really cheap price. That was what Winsun first started doing. However, 3D-printing technology is not limited to these cheap homes.

In fact, using 3D-printing technology, Winsun produced a beautiful, architecturally-stunning, office building that went up in Dubai for the price of $140,000. The project only took 17 days to complete. The cost was about one-half of regular construction costs for a building of the same type.

The office building has beautifully-curved walls and a style that would be very difficult to replicate by using other construction methods.

Summary

Expect that 3-D printing technology will increase in use for the construction of homes. Using 3D-printing technology also means that the homes can be very stylish. They can have nicely curved walls and are not limited to simple, rectangular-angled styles.

This means that, right now, they are perfect for a cottage home, an in-law apartment, or home office built in the back yards of larger homes in America. If you are thinking about a backyard cottage you can already get one 3D printed for a great price.

If you’re in the market for a new home or interested in listing your current property, be sure to contact your trusted real estate agent.

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: Housing Innovation, Market Trends, Real Estate

Why Do People Stage Homes To Sell?

July 2, 2019 by James Scott

Why Do People Stage Homes To SellIf you’re selling your home, your real estate agent has likely advised you to stage your home to sell. But why exactly do people stage homes to sell? Some people go to great lengths to stage their home too, even going so far as moving possessions into storage units or renting furnishings!

If your home is already nicely decorated, why should you go to the added trouble of “staging” it? There are many good reasons to stage your home to sell.

1. Staging Makes Your Home Appear More Spacious

Having lived in your home for a number of years, you probably haven’t noticed how many things you’ve accumulated. When you stage your home to sell, these things get put away out of sight. This tends to clear tabletops, open up floor space and generally make your home look larger. Homebuyers will see the spaciousness as a huge asset.

2. Staging Gives Every Area A Purpose

Part of the staging process is to give every area of the home a purposeful identity. A space by the front door becomes a true foyer, a bay window becomes a reading nook and a short hallway becomes a mail organization station. This lets homebuyers imagine how organized and productive their new lives will be in your home.

3. Buyer’s Agents Will Be Proud To Show Your Home

It may seem odd, but the homes that a buyer’s agent shows can reflect on the agent. When your home is beautifully staged, seller’s agents will be delighted to bring their buyers to see it. This can result in more traffic, which can lead to increased offers on your home for sale.

4. Staging Helps Buyers Envision Living There

Another process of staging is the removal of personal items from your home. This would include trophies, family portraits and similar memorabilia. This enables homebuyers to more easily envision themselves living in your home, which is more likely to lead to them making an offer.

5. Staging Takes The Burden Off The Seller

As the homeowner, you need to make sure all your possessions are in tip top shape for showings. Your favorite “sloppy” couch would have to be refreshed and steam cleaned to pass muster with discriminating buyers. Instead of going though all that, you can rent temporary staging furniture that’s already in pristine condition. 

As you can see, there are benefits to home sellers to stage the home. For help with the staging process, consult with your trusted real estate agent.

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: Home Selling Tips, Home Staging, Real Estate

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