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Category: Business

Business

You CAN Become a Homeowner—Taking Fear and Anxiety Out of Homeownership

Are your dreams of owning a home overshadowed by fear—fear of not qualifying for a loan – fear of not having a sufficient down payment, or fear you’ll be house-poor once you purchase the home? If you allow your fears to run wild, you could think of a gazillion reasons to be afraid of home ownership, but none of them would be valid. The truth of the matter is with the right guidance, tools, and

Business

Impact of Fed’s Rate Increase on Mortgage Rates

Impact Of Fed’s Rates Increase On Mortgage Rates So you want to know what happens to mortgage rates when the Feds increase rates? Since mortgage rates respond to market forces, you need to know that the Federal Reserve influence mortgage rates indirectly. Sometimes, mortgage rates increase when the Fed increases short-term rates. This happens because the central bank’s operation set the tone for most other interest rates in the economy. However, mortgage rates don’t always

Business

Buying A Home In A Higher Trending Interest Rate Market

There is still good news despite currently being in a higher interest rate market. And that is that we’re still at levels that are historically low overall. Therefore, if you’re not buying a home with cash, you probably want to know if you can afford a home when interest rates are rising. Without a doubt, there is a lot more than interest rates to factor in when buying a home – location, structural condition, and

a pair of miniature people with a model house.
Business

What You Need To Know About Dealing With A Homeowner’s Association In Orange County  

If you’re shopping for a home in Orange County, there’s a good chance you find yourself in an area with a Homeowner’s Association (HOA). Essentially, an HOA is the governing body for a local residential area – whether that includes one building or 100. The HOA will be responsible for making and enforcing rules on everything from exterior paint colors to what you can keep on your front lawn. An HOA helps protect the feel

How To Get Cash Out Of Your Home – 1 of 4 part series on getting cash out of your home

If you’re in need of extra cash, why wouldn’t you look to your biggest asset, your home, to access some? A cash-out refinance loan allows you to replace your current mortgage with a new loan that is higher than the amount you currently owe on your home. That extra money becomes cash that you can use any way you like. Because a cash-out loan is different from a traditional refinance, you’ll have different application requirements

5 Quick Renovations That Will Improve Your Home’s Value

Everyone has something they wish they could have as part of their home. An indoor pool? Yes, please. A bat cave? Well – maybe. For most people, renovating a property will come down to need. When something doesn’t work anymore or is too outdated, it’s time to spruce it up. In these cases, renovations are adding value to your property because anyone else who lived there would need the same work. However, when you start

How To Save Money For A Down Payment

If you’re shopping for a home, then you know just how big of an obstacle the down payment can be. With conventional loans requiring down payments typically in the 10-20% range, in a high-priced market like Southern California, just securing enough money to guarantee funding can seem insurmountable. That’s why it’s crucial that you start saving for a down payment well in advance of your home search. Whether you’re starting to shop right now or

Common Home Buying Mistakes You Want To Avoid

Buying a home, whether your first or your fifth, is always an exciting process. There are new areas to be explored, new chances to design spaces the way you want them, and of course, the comfort that comes with knowing you are in your home. Unfortunately, this excitement can often lead to errors in judgment or oversights that aren’t in your favor. These pitfalls are common to the home buying process and can end up

6 Tips For Staging A Home For Buyers  

When you’re selling your home, it’s crucial to make it as presentable to buyers as possible. Your goal is to allow buyers to see themselves in your home, so you don’t want to overdo your staging, and instead, keep it minimal and neutral. If you hope to sell your home faster and at your asking price, try these six tips when staging your home for buyers. Clean Everything If you don’t or can’t spend too

Should You Make An Offer Above Asking Price?

It’s no secret that the Southern California real estate remains hot. The median sales price in Orange County in October 2017 was $786,000 – so why would anyone ever offer more than an already high price? Particularly in active markets, bidding wars can get heated, and in order to win without compromising contingencies or other protections, buyers often make offers above ask. But it’s important to tread carefully when considering how much you should offer