Featured Articles
My Web Exclusive Listings
I list properties here that won’t necessarily be in the MLS. These are properties offered for sale by owners who prefer not to be in the listing, or would like [...]
The Effect of Changing Jobs
For most people, changing employers will not really affect your ability to qualify for a mortgage loan, especially if you are going to be earning more money. For some homebuyers, [...]
Do Not Move Money Around
When a lender reviews your loan package for approval, one of the things they are concerned about is the source of funds for your down payment and closing costs. Most [...]
More Space
Both indoors and outdoors, you will probably have more space if you own your own home. Even moving to a condominium from an apartment, you are likely to find you [...]
Freedom and Individuality
When you rent, you are normally limited on what you can do to improve your home. You have to get permission to make certain types of improvements. Nor does it [...]
Forced Savings
Some people are just lousy at saving money, and a house is an automatic savings account. You accumulate savings in two ways. Every month, a portion of your payment goes [...]
Stable Monthly Housing Costs
When you rent a place to live, you can certainly expect your rent to increase each year – or even more often. If you get a fixed rate mortgage when [...]
Income Tax Savings
Because of income tax deductions, the government is basically subsidizing your purchase of a home. All of the interest and property taxes you pay in a given year can be [...]
Latest Blog Entries
Buying A Home
Buying a home can be one of your most significant investments in life. Not only are you choosing your dwelling place, and the place in which you will bring up [...]
December 2009 Bryan College Station Residential Closings Numbers
Sales Closed 133
Average sales price $176,831
Sold dollar volume $23,518,518
Average days on market (DOM) 125
Total number of active residential listings 1114
Total number of new listings 179
Sales Closed [...]
Credit Score Myths
Eileen Ambrose of The Baltimore Sun has some good advice on credit scores. Things may not always be what they seem…
I often have new home buyers express concern about their [...]
Contingencies in a Purchase Offer
In most purchase transactions there may be a slight challenge or two, but most things will go quite smoothly. However, you want to anticipate potential problems so that if something [...]
Earnest Money Deposit
After you have come up with an offer price, the next step is to determine how large a deposit you want to make with your offer. You want the “earnest [...]
The Closing Date
It is absolutely essential that you include a closing date as part of your offer. This way both you and the seller can make plans for moving, and the seller [...]
Transfer of Possession
A transaction is considered “closed” once the deeds have been recorded. Then you own the home. However, it is not always possible for you to occupy it immediately. This can [...]
Disclosures From The Seller
Although you have toured the property, looked at the walls and ceiling, turned on the faucets and played with the light switches, you have not lived in it. The seller [...]
Condition of the Property Upon Transfer
The last thing you want when you assume possession of your new home is to find it in a total mess. Therefore, you should make it clear in your offer [...]
Final Walk Through Inspection
Before closing, you will want to revisit the property to ensure it is in the condition you have required in your offer, and to inspect that any required repairs have [...]
Down Payment
Most buyers do not have enough cash available to buy a home, so they need to obtain a mortgage to finance the purchase. Since you will probably make your purchase [...]
Interest Rates
Another reason for including financing information in your offer is to protect yourself. If interest rates suddenly become volatile and rise quickly, as sometimes happens, you may be looking at [...]
Closing Costs and Financing Incentives
There may be times when, as part of your offer, you request the seller to pay all or a portion of your closing costs, or provide some other financial incentive. [...]
Seller Financing
Another occasional request is to have the seller “carry back” a second mortgage to help facilitate your purchase of their home. In cases when the seller does not need all [...]
Cash Offers
If you are one of those rare individuals making a cash offer to buy a home, it makes sense to provide some documentation with your offer that shows you have [...]
Extra Costs For The Seller
If you are obtaining a VA or FHA loan in order to finance your purchase, you must include that information in your offer. This is because government loans place additional [...]
VA and FHA Appraisals
Home appraisal inspections on FHA and VA loans are a little more detailed than on conventional loans (and more expensive). The appraisers are required to perform certain minimum inspections as [...]
You and the Seller Must Agree
Buying a home does not occur in a vacuum involving only you and the seller. There are all kinds of people and services involved behind the scenes to make it [...]
Escrow and Settlement
For example, you are going to need an escrow or settlement company to act as an “independent third party” between you and the seller. Without having a third party involved, [...]
Title Insurance
Title insurance is important because, by providing you with an Owners Policy, they insure that you have clear title to the property. If there are any problems later, you can [...]
Termite and Pest Inspections
As part of your offer, you may require a termite and pest inspection. This company not only inspects for termite damage and pest infestations, but also inspects for dry rot [...]
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