Real estate is a well known to be competitive. We try to help you be a step ahead of everyone else in selling your home, and investing in another.

One of the first (and very important) steps in qualifying for a mortgage is to have your bank run your credit report. Your credit report has a major impact on what type of mortgage loan you qualify for.

What is on my credit report?

 Your credit report will consist of three separate scores from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Transunion and Experian. The scores from each bureau are usually different of varying degrees. The report also consists of all your monthly payment obligations and your payment history on each one. What banks do with your credit report is to make sure you have a history of making your payments and making them on time. If you are behind on any of your payments, the bank will see this on your credit report. They…

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People fail to realize that a real estate agent is an experienced, trained, licensed and often seasoned professional. Yes, you have to 'interview' and hand pick your real estate agent, but it is important to have one to guide you and work for you when you are selling your home.

Providing you find a reputable agent that you feel comfortable with - there is no better way to sell your home.

Aside from having all the necessary tools, contacts and needed internet access, a realtor knows how to properly market your home to get you, the seller, the best possible price.

Realtors are also savvy negotiators. Strong negotiators usually bring much more in the way of final agreed sale price to substantially cover a seller commission and beyond to put more…

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Selling a home is not an easy thing to do. Many steps have to be taken to assure your home sells quickly and for a seller friendly price. Preparation of the home's condition and marketing the home are two very key early steps in the process.  

Some people feel they can sell their home on their own, they fail to realize a professional will advertise the home using the realtor's state of the art marketing, negotiate the best price, and make the process as stress free as possible for the seller.

Photos, Photos And More Photos!

Buyers want to see photos. They lure people and get their curiosity up. Consider hiring a professional photographer and include a virtual tour of your beautiful home! If you are selling your home in the winter, you should…

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Things are moving in the right direction, regarding real estate, because the economy has gotten much stronger! If you are already a homeowner and you are looking to make a sound investment don't look any further. Real estate investment property is your answer providing you have good credit and income as well as a substantial down payment.

Buying a two family or multi-family home is one of the best investments you can make. There is no better time because prices of homes are down and mortgage rates have bargain opportunities. With a minimual monetary investment you can own a home and your tenants can pay your mortgage, repairs and improvements in many cases.

Second homes that are tenant occupied are allowed to be depreciated or written off for a…

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Buying a home can be long drawn out and stressful process. It is important to surround yourself with true professionals. Among these professionals are a real estate broker, an attorney, a home inspector and a mortgage broker.

Your first stop aside from maybe sitting with a real estate broker to make sure you feel comfortable and "hit it off" is to contact a mortgage broker to learn or verify your true buying power. Many naive buyers look at homes first and then worry about buying power. Wrong! Aside from not wasting your time, seller's time and real estate agents time - a buyer needs to pre qual from a reputable banking institution for various reasons:

  • You need to know true buying power
  • You need to know the monthly cost or expected budget
  • …

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It's never too early to think about or plan to buy real estate. Aside from saving as much as possible, it is vital to establish good credit and make sure to keep your credit blemish free.

Here are some suggestions to establishing good credit:

  1. For the college students - if your parents have good credit and pay bills on time ask to piggy bank onto their charge account to gain positive credit ratings.
  2. Get your own minimal charge card or two. Usually a gas card or department store card is an easy one for a new applicant to secure.
  3. Don't pay your new charge card off entirely each month. Pay the minimum for a few months then pay it off. Repeat this process. Credit bureaus like to see this.
  4. College loans help establish credit. Pay them on time…

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There are many common mistakes renters make while apartment hunting. We broke down a checklist for potential rents into two parts. In case you missed it, here is Part 1 from last week.

  1. Are there carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms? Are they hard wired or battery operated? Is there a working burglar alarm?
  2. How about further security? Do you have your own exterior door and key or is it a common for all the tenants? Is it a buzz in set up? Are there security cameras or possibly security guard or doorman? 
  3. Is there ample shopping nearby - even walking distance? Are these any nice restaurants close by?
  4. Is there a pet policy? You might not have a pet now but you may want one another day. Or you may not want to hear a neighbors dog barks…

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There are many common mistakes renters make while apartment hunting. We broke down a checklist for potential rents into two parts.

  1. Potential renter should check past recent utility bills. Inquire about how will home is insulated. Remember heat rises. Are you on the first floor and helping heat the second floor? Are windows new or are you losing heat?
  2. Did you buy a cup of coffee and stake out the block and area? Did you do this on different days and different times? Is parking an issue? Try to get away with leaving a small depost to stall for some time and stand watch.
  3. DId you meet yout neighbors? Don't be afraid to ring a few doorbells. Introduce yourself. Ask questions. Make a list of questions that are important to you.
  4. Do you have easy…

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Holiday season is here and sellers have numerous real estate questions on their minds. Should I keep my property on the market? Should I list now or after the holidays? When is the best time to list?

It was originally thought that listing your property during the holidays was not the wise decision. However, with the Internet and potential buyers constantly on their phones, this forces the old logic to hold off until after the holidays out the window. Zillow said it best, "As a result of the Internet, our hectic schedules and mobile lifestyles, the fall months are no longer a real estate dead zone...There’s plenty of action happening after Labor Day through Christmas. The reality is, the home buying season is now year-round."

Today's serious buyers…

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You are paying for house insurance, assuming your property is covered for any natural disaster that can possibly occur. However, not all homeowners are aware that home insurance policies don't necessarily cover damage related to a flood, as the risks are too great. As a result, homeowners must purchase flood insurance through a private company.

What Is Flood Insurance?

Most insurance policies cover some form of water damage, ranging from leaking faucets to bursting plumbing pipes. Fun fact you may not realize is - some policies don't cover water damage because of flooding of rivers or backed up sewers that pump into your home. Standard flood insurance policies cover "direct physical damage" to a property resulting from floods.

A separate policies…

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