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Purchase Your First Home with Confidence
If you are making the transition from renter to homeowner, you're not alone. In 2004, 40 percent of homebuyers were purchasing for the first time, according to "The 2004 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers." With interest rates at all-time lows and a booming real estate market, now's a good time to purchase real estate. However with the prospect of making one of the largest investments you'll ever make in your life, you can easily become overwhelmed. Some of the questions you may be asking are: Will I be able to afford the home of my dreams? Do I have enough money for a down payment? Will I make smart home buying decisions? If you go into the process prepared, your first purchase can be a good experience. Resources--Before starting out, educate yourself on the process. Check your library or local newspaper to find a homebuyer seminar that you can attend. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has an entire section on its website (www.hud.gov) devoted to homebuyers. It has a list of common questions of first-time homebuyers, information on mortgage and home-buying programs, access to housing counselors, downloadable tools such as a wish list and home-shopping checklist, tips on selecting a real estate professional, etc. Other informative sites to check out are www.ginniemae.gov, www.realtor.com and prudential.com. Your real estate professional is also a great resource. Don't hesitate to let him or her know that you are new to the process. They will expect you to have questions at each step-from house hunting, to making an offer to the closing. The costs involved in the purchase of a home can be overwhelming to first-time homebuyers. There are mortgage costs, the down payment, and closing costs to think about. Affordability--By looking at your income and debt ratio, your sales professional can help you calculate how much you can afford each month in mortgage payments. But before determining your price range, you should also take into consideration other factors that will affect your monthly budget once you are a homeowner, such as property taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance. And if your down payment is less than 20 percent of the cost of the home, you will be responsible for private mortgage insurance, more commonly referred to as PMI. Mortgage payment--Fear of being rejected for a home loan is one of the main concerns for first-time homebuyers. To lessen the stress, you may want to get pre-approved for a loan before looking at prospective homes. This will not only help you feel more confident, it will also give you an advantage where there are multiple offers for a specific property. In addition, the fact that your loan has already been approved is of great value to the seller because it shortens the purchase process, and there is less of a chance that the buyer will back out of the sale. If you don't have a specific mortgage lender in mind, ask your sales professional for a recommendation. Down payment--The down payment amount varies depending on the value of the home you choose and your mortgage lender. And in some cases, first-time homebuyers can purchase a home with no money down. Although it varies from state to state, most offer government-funded programs for first-time buyers that help people buy a home with no down payment. Your real estate professional will be able to explain the different options available to you. Making offers--Don't feel pressured into making an offer on the first home you see. This is a common mistake of many first-time homebuyers. Make sure you view different homes to get a feel for the marketplace. When you decide on a home to make a bid on, work with your real estate professional to get all of your questions answered before making an offer. But don't wait too long to make an offer. The longer you wait, the greater the chance other prospective buyers may place offers, making it harder for you to negotiate a good deal. Above all, remember there are no silly questions. Make sure you understand and are comfortable with every aspect of the transaction. Your real estate professional can be an invaluable asset in helping you make educated decisions so that your first home purchase is a rewarding experience. Neda Dabestani-Ryba is a licensed Realtor in Maryland. She is a member of the President's Circle of Top Real Estate Professionals. She can be reached at (800) 536-3806 or visit her website for more information: http://neda.dabestani.pcragent.com/ Prudential Carruthers REALTORS is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Equal Housing Opportunity.
MORE RESOURCES: London Ontario Real Estate Information Can I Sell My Private Mortgage Notes? TORONTO , May 17, 2012 /CNW/ - The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) applauds proposed legislation introduced today at Queen's Park that, if passed, would facilitate the use of electronic agreements ... BTB Real Estate Investment Trust announces the acquisition of an office building in Ottawa, Ontario TORONTO, ONTARIO-- - Allied Properties REIT announced today that the Trustees of the REIT have declared a distribution of $0.11 per unit for the month of May, 2012, representing $1.32 per unit on an annualized basis. The distribution will be payable on June 15, 2012, to unitholders of record as at May ... Pure Industrial Real Estate Trust Announces Agreement to Acquire Two Fully Leased Industrial Properties for $19.5 Million and Closing of Previously Announced $7.28 Million Transaction TORONTO, ONTARIO-- - Allied Properties REIT announced today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the following property for $61.75 million:  Address                               Total    Office   Retail   Parking                                            GLA       GLA      GLA    Spaces  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  Lang Tannery ... TORONTO, ONTARIO-- - Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust today announced its May 2012 monthly distribution in the amount of 12.42 cents per unit . The May distribution will be payable on June 14, 2012 to Unitholders of record May 31, 2012.CREIT is a real estate investment trust focused on accumulating ... TORONTO, ONTARIO-- - Calloway Real Estate Investment Trust is pleased to report strong results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012.Highlights:--  Maintained portfolio occupancy rate at the 99.0% level for the ninth    sequential quarter. --  Funds from operations  increased by 14.4% to $54.6 million and    5.1% to $0.434 on a per unit basis compared to the same period in 2011 ... TORONTO, ONTARIO-- - RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust today announced a distribution of 11.5 cents per unit for the month of May. The distribution will be payable on June 7, 2012 to unitholders of record ... Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust Increases Its Investment in Dartmouth Crossing Shopping Centre TORONTO, ONTARIO-- - Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust announced it has acquired an additional 25% interest in certain components of Dartmouth Crossing Shopping Centre located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, ... TORONTO, ONTARIO-- - InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust announced today that a distribution of $0.0333 per stapled unit, payable on June 15, 2012, has been declared to the holders of record as at the close of business May 31, 2012. The distribution is $0.0333 per unit of InnVest Real Estate Investment ... |
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REAL ESTATE ARTICLES
Investing in Real Estate Like a Stock A REAL ESTATE STOCK PLANGetting out of the bleachers and into the game!This report is going to explain or attempt to give the stock market investors a basic one-on-one interview with a real estate portfolio manager who has consistently made a profit on 100% of the investment products that were actively chosen and managed. Never a loss, always tax advantaged and sheltered. Much Ado About Mansionization? Is there a perpetual shadow hovering over your house? Do you feel as though you live in a Batman movie? You may be the victim of a neighboring McMansion or a new development trend called mansionization, the housing industry's equivalent to bigger portions and fast food.These mansionizers-who are frequently "spec" builders--buy small or dilapidated homes, raze them and erect massive structures, often resembling sterile apartment buildings. Buy FHA HUD Homes FHA HUD homes are those dwellings that have been acquired by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The HUD oversees the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which offers federal insurance on home mortgages. Should You Accept A Full Purchase Offer For Your Note or Not? You could be facing a dilemma when considering payout options on selling your mortgage note! To accept a full purchase offer or a partial purchase offer is not always an easy decision.Sure, to take the full purchase option is an easy decision to make if you're holding a second position note on a property that doesn't have any equity after you add the first and second mortgages, but what if that's not your situation? Full purchase payouts can be good if your primary concern is to just get out of the note and be done with it. Investment Property - Leveraging Rental Property Equity Owning investment property is a tremendous wealth building strategy. Thousands upon thousands of individuals have amassed great wealth by investing in rental properties. Sell Houses Fast & Top Dollar: Design Psychology How would you like to start a bidding war for your home, ending with a sales price greater than the asking price -- all within your home's first three hours on the market? That's the kind of results you can expect when you prepare your home for marketing, using Design Psychology methods! Design Psychology's innovative interior design strategies go well beyond normal cleaning, painting, and repairs, and have been proven to increase homeowner profit while shortening a home's market time. And best of all, you don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy the benefits Design Psychology can provide! Here are a few tips for maximizing your sales price, while minimizing the out-of-pocket cost of selling your home: First, you must emotionally detach yourself from your home and begin to think of it as simply a piece of property that needs to be sold. Realtors: Forget Your Address? It's a large real estate agency, and the company depends on a steady stream of leads. The website is classy, with delightful graphic elements and layout. How to Buy Fixers for Profit Do you dream of becoming a multi-millionaire real estate investor? Here's how to get started: find a bargain "fixer-upper" owned by a worried seller. The hardest house for a homeowner to sell is a "doghouse," "dump," or "fixer-upper. Buying Beach Houses in New Zealand: Real Estate and Investment Opportunities Buying a beach house in New Zealand offers many possibilities.New Zealand is made up of two main islands, North Island and South Island, giving it miles of coastal lands and perfect beaches to live by. What's Your Style? A Guide to America's Most Common Home Styles Styles of houses vary across the country. From the New England Cape Cod to the Victorians of San Francisco, the choices are almost endless. Buying a Vacation Home You'd like to buy a vacation home, but you're not sure where to begin. Perhaps the single most important point to determine up front is why you are buying a vacation home. Make Money As A Slumlord Be a slumlord? Okay, I got your attention, now the truth. I really don't recommend that anyone endanger their renters with unsafe housing. Buying Land For Development Requires Careful Planning and Execution From the desk of Colm Dillon .. Selling by Owner = Saving by Owner? According to the National Association of Realtors, For Sale By Owner (FSBO) home sellers comprised nearly 14% of all home sales in the United States in 2003. The Boston Globe reported that nearly 25% of homes sold in that area during that same time period were FSBOs. Working With Your Real Estate Attorney Purchasing or selling a home will probably be one of your largest and most important financial transactions. Before signing a contract to purchase or sell a home, both buyer and seller should consult an attorney to assure that the real estate transaction will be handled legally and professionally. Content Ideas for Ads and Brochures When Selling Your Home Even in this hot real estate market, selling your home requires a bit of marketing effort. Ads and brochures are important and powerful tools. Home Buying Checklist - Windows If you are in the market to purchase a home, it can be easy to fall in love at first sight. Do so at your own risk. Grab Your Dream UK Home On The Cheap - Property Auctions Did you know that every year thousands of UK properties are sold at significantly below market value? The majority of these properties are released through property auctions where regular savings of between 10% to 40% are available to market value. Even so, property auctions continue to be used only by the elite and for the astute buyer/investor this generates a fantastic opportunity to secure a dream home/good investment at bargain basement prices. Appraisal vs. Market Value: How to Avoid Pitfalls in the Sale of Your Home When you sell your home, appraisers use comps (comparable market sales) of local properties sold within the last six months to value your home. With today's rapidly rising seller's market, six-month-old information is ancient history. Buying a Home - Dealing With Lender Letters Most people who set out to buy a home, be it house, townhouse, condo, apartment, or mansion on a hill, know they need to have a lender letter in hand saying they are qualified for a loan. What most "civilians" (people not in the real estate business) don't realize is how much the value of a lender letter varies.
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