As you know, there are a lot of decisions to make when you’re moving.  Once you have determined the right city, the right community, the right builder, the right home, and the right price…it’s time to secure the right financing.  When you decide to buy a home, it is very likely that the builder will have some form of partnership with a lender.  There are a number of reasons that builders have done this.

Their primary reason is to control the quality of the transaction and to ensure that you close when you are supposed to close.  I certainly cannot blame the builders, because many “lenders” are incompetent and they fail to meet crucial deadlines.  There has been a great demand for loan originators and many rookies have rushed to fill the void.  This…

1461 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

After years in the Real Estate business as an owner and broker, I have spent many hours looking for the best way to educate people before they enter a model (new) home.  I have seen far too many people be taken advantage of.  Please read the following and see what you can learn from “Tom and Cindy’s” experience.

Most buyers are operating on a very uneven playing field.  Think about it for a minute…the sales rep for the builder may sell 15-20 homes per month.  But, this may be your 1st, 2nd, or 3rd home.  That means you are vulnerable when compared to the builder’s rep.  Great sales reps are excellent at maximizing their employer’s (builder) profit centers, often to your disadvantage as a new home buyer. 

Understanding this information will help you to…

2326 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

“Buying a bank-owned home gives you the opportunity to enter the market at a very low price level,” says Dorcas Helfant, a past president of the National Association of REALTORS®. “You can find terrific values among foreclosures, especially if they're not in too bad shape. But, remember, these houses are discounted for a reason.”

Today, many folks are considering jumping into the "investor" game for the first time because of all of the news about a glut of foreclosures on the market.  However, it is important to consider the following.

1.  Foreclosures are usually sold as-is.  Most of the time the lender will not be making an upgrades, etc in order to correct any deficiencies.  Ensure you plan for this in your budget. 

2.  A home that has been…

1302 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post