Inadequate Financial Knowledge Delays Many Home Buyers, Study Says. I’ve worked with countless mortgage lenders over the years and have come to depend on just a handful, to provide me with timely, accurate information, with no drama. I’ve always believed that the home buying process should not be stressful or confusing. But I’ve seen that… Read More
2017 Sees Changes in Regulations for Title Companies. I’m very fortunate to have solid, dependable contacts in the Title industry. The folks at Pioneer Title are always willing and quick to resolve any issues I have. On the few occasions when I couldn’t get an answer immediately, they’ve researched and returned my call within a… Read More
5 Things to Review Before You Choose an Agent to List Your Home. My first and most important piece of advice… don’t just hire and agent to sell your home, interview them, and interview more than one. Let me give you a brief example. I recently spoke with a potential home seller almost by accident…. Read More
20 Percent Down is Nice, but NOT Mandatory Due to misunderstood government regulations instituted in the past two or three years that were meant to stabilize the housing market, many folks are under the impression that they must have 20% down to buy a home. This is categorically untrue. Not only do 3.5% down FHA… Read More
Trulia Report: Homes in the First Time Buyer Range in Short Supply. As a rule I’m not impressed with Trulia. Their home values are skewed by incomplete and vague information, and often the availability of a specific property is inaccurate i.e. not corresponding to the MLS data from which it is borrowed. Having said that,… Read More
Interest rates on IRAs plummeted during the economic downturn but for the most part, they’re back. I’ve never been sure whether or not it’s a good idea to pull funds out of an IRA for the purpose of investing elsewhere. Having said that, you’ve got to live somewhere and I’ve always been opposed to paying… Read More
Video: Simple Steps for Buying a Home. I don’t really get the mindset that buying a home is complicated, overwhelming or stressful. As with anything you do, if you’re well informed and updated along the way, the process is no more problematic for either buyers or sellers, than a day at work might be. Yes,… Read More
HUD Reports Promising Decline in Veteran Homelessness We’ve talked a bit lately about the push to end Veteran homelessness, and in a recent Thank You Thursday we recognized Tucson for their massive efforts and in fact their success. Prescott, Arizona has also made great inroads into stopping Veteran homelessness in its tracks with Stagger Straight… Read More
Are you ‘Unscorable’? Doesn’t Make You Unreliable. Home Buyers might feel that if they have no bad credit, they are automatically a good credit risk. This isn’t always the case. Some potential home buyers may have no credit at all and mortgage lenders frown on that. All may not be lost if you have no… Read More
A Triumph for Both Home Sellers & Buyers – FHA Eases Condo Regulations Condominiums have been a tough sell in the years following the Real Estate crunch. Strict mortgage regulations, as applied to condominium purchases, were getting in the way of many home buyers looking to purchase a condo. The immediate result was falling condominium… Read More
