Carol D. Curtis, Associate Broker, Realtor

It's true for buying real estate too, whether it is your home or rental property.

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It's your money; you earned it; you paid taxes on it; now, do something good with it.

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Ask your real estate professional for recommendations of several trusted lenders for you to shop a rate, terms, and fees.

Shopping Mortgage Rates Research shows consumers generally search too little, get confused while evaluating complex alternatives, and are slow to switch from past choices, even if it costs them.

The demand for housing is high; let's connect and I can bring you up-to-date with your neighborhood and why you're considering a move now.

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Your agent will be glad to explain these and the critical things you must do when selling your home.

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Most homeowners don't worry about the gain because the exclusion has been so high but with prices having skyrocketed, more people could be facing gains above the exclusion and proper paperwork may help.

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Your real estate professional can advise you if it is worth the effort to make repairs before embarking on an "as is" scenario.

Who Benefits from Selling a Home "As Is"? From a seller's standpoint, "as is" means the buyer will purchase the home in its current condition without asking for any repairs but it may result in not realizing the highest proceeds from the sale.

Ask your agent to help you find some of these opportunities that could save you hundreds on your payments and thousands in interest over the years.

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Most of these suggestions can be done without investing in new fixtures or appliances.

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Calculate the recapture of the additional fee based on the savings; after that, you'll save money every month you're in the home.

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Let's connect to run a projection on what your situation would look like now and down the road in seven years.

A Lesson on Housing from the 80's Buyers could take a lesson from the 80's when interest rates were 18% and yet, their counterparts still purchased and refinanced when rates came down. By the end of the decade prices had continued to increase so that buyers had a significant equity in their home.

This can take some effort to find a home with an assumable mortgage and the right features, so have this discussion with your agent.

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During the pandemic, Americans acquired pets and the prices increased based on demand like housing in the same period.

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It becomes an issue if the seller is not willing to lower the price or the buyer is not willing to pay the difference in cash.

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Your real estate agent will be able to give you an estimate of closing costs that should prepare you to purchase a home. The lender is required by law to supply you with a Loan Estimate within three days of receiving your loan application.

Tell Me More About Closing Costs There are fees and expenses associated with mortgages that must be paid by the closing date for closing costs, and pre-paid items, in addition to the down payment and they can vary according to the type of loan, the lender, customary practices of the area, and the terms of the contract.

Determining what you want in each of these three categories can simplify finding a home in today's market.

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Tax professionals advise to compare itemized deductions to the allowed standard deduction and use the greater.

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Get your tax return done early and file electronically to get ahead of the crowds filing at the last moment.

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Working with an experienced agent with seasoned negotiation skills is key to your success in buying a home in a competitive environment.

Make Your Home Offer the Most Appealing With increased competition in the market because of low inventory, you as a buyer and your offer to purchase need to be seen as the solution to the seller's situation in price, terms, and reliability to close.

Ask your agent if they work with buyers using FHA loans.

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Interestingly, the FHA and VA may have a lower mortgage rate than conventional loans with more down payment.

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Get advice from your trusted mortgage officer and your agent but ultimately, it will be up to you to decide.

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Every experienced agent knows that all real estate is local and while you can look at trends on a national basis, it takes a knowledgeable professional to assess the local market, even on a neighborhood basis, to determine what a property will reasonably sell for currently.

A New Perspective on the Housing Market The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage for the last 50 years is 7.76% which is less than the current rates and Home prices have experienced 7.16% appreciation for the last fifty-five years compared to 4.3% average inflation for the same period.

Find a YouTube video to watch to see if it may be a job you feel comfortable handling.

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