Lori Blank & Associates

10

Aug

Home Buyer Tips

The Pros and Cons of Buying a New Home Versus Buying Pre-owned

Are you thinking about buying a new home? Congratulations! Buying a house, condo or townhouse is an exciting and rewarding time which tends to be a lot of fun. However, along the way you'll need to make a number of decisions – including whether you want to buy a pre-owned home or one that has been built recently and is brand new. Let's take a quick look at some of the pros and cons of buying a new home versus buying pre-owned. New Homes Tend To Have Fewer Problems One of the major upsides of buying new is that newly-built…

09

Aug

By Lori Blank

Home Buyer Tips

Feeling Squeezed by Higher Rents? It Might Be Time to Consider Buying Your First Home

With the cost of rent going up across the board and becoming even less affordable in metropolitan centers, it's never been a better time to seriously consider home ownership. While the price of a home and all the associated costs can certainly seem like a tight squeeze after years of renting, here are some reasons you may want to consider giving up your rental and springing for a home instead. It's An Automatic Savings It's a sure bet that the money you spend on rent is going down the drain as soon as the month is over, but investing your…

08

Aug

By Lori Blank

Financial Reports

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 8, 2022

Last week’s economic reports included readings on construction spending, government reports on jobs, and the national unemployment rate. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. Commerce Department Reports Construction Spending Rose in May The U.S. Commerce Department initially reported less construction spending in May but revised its reading of $1.780 trillion to show that spending rose by 0.10 percent in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.782 trillion. Analysts expected construction spending to rise by 0.40 percent month-to-month as compared to April’s reading of 0.10 percent growth. Construction spending grew by 8.30 percent year-over-year.…

05

Aug

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

The Top Reasons To Downsize When You Retire

If you plan on retiring in the near future, you might be thinking about moving. The kids might be grown, and you might not want to take care of such a large house. If that is the case, you should consider downsizing. When you downsize your home, you trade in your larger home for a smaller one. What are some of the top reasons why you should do so? 1. Bulk Up Your Retirement Account The first reason why you should downsize is that you will free up more resources you can contribute to your retirement accounts. If you have…

04

Aug

By Lori Blank

Home Seller Tips

Selling Your Home? 3 Secrets to Getting the Best Price

Are you ready to sell your home? Whether you're just starting to make your plans or you're ready to list now, you likely want to know how you can get top dollar. It's going to take more than just throwing up a high price on the listing and waiting for a buyer to show up with a check. With that in mind, here are three secrets to ensuring that when you sell your house or condo, you get the best possible price. Great Staging Is Critical To Your Success The first secret is that you'll really need to consider how…

03

Aug

By Lori Blank

Home Seller Tips

The 3 Golden Rules of Staging – Follow These and Sell Your Home Faster

When it comes to staging your home to sell, it can sometimes seem like there are so many things to do that it's hard to know what will make a real difference. Since staging is such an important aspect of successfully selling your home, here are the three golden rules for how you can make it work for you! Don't Forego The Front Homeowners often spend so much time inside of their home that it's the first thing they think about when it comes to staging, but the first thing a potential buyer is going to notice is the exterior…

02

Aug

By Lori Blank

Home Buyer Tips

3 Key Reasons Why Buying Your First Home Is Like Planning a Wedding

You may not see the connection right away, but buying a home and planning a wedding are two experiences that require certain skills and challenge you in similar ways. Check out the three key similarities below! 1. Budget Whether you're buying your first home or planning a wedding, you are likely facing one of the biggest financial obligations of your life. That's why, in both cases, it is essential that you pick a realistic budget and stay within it. Sounds simple, but in either case it can be difficult! Unexpected obstacles may force you to spend more than you planned,…

01

Aug

By Lori Blank

Financial Reports

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 1, 2022

Last week’s economic news included readings on home price growth, new and pending home sales, and inflation. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. S&P Case-Shiller: Home Price Growth Slows in May Home prices rose at a slower pace in May according to the S&P Case-Shiller National Home Price Index. Year-over-year home prices rose by 19.70 percent in May as compared to April’s year-over-year reading of 20.60 percent in home price appreciation. Tampa, Florida led S&P Case-Shiller’s 20-City Home Price Index with 36.10 percent year-over-year home price growth. Miami, Florida followed with 34.00 percent home price…

29

Jul

By Lori Blank

Home Buyer Tips

Buying for Retirement: 3 Reasons Why You’ll Want to Buy Your Retirement Home Before You Retire

Many people dream of buying their ideal retirement home after their career has come to a conclusion - with all that extra free time it seems like it'd be the most logical time to shop around. However, many real estate professionals strongly recommend that their clients find a retirement property before they're off the payroll. While it may seem like a big time commitment to find a new home while you're still busy with your work there are several significant financial benefits to purchasing your retirement home before you actually do retire. Here are our top reasons why. It Makes…

27

Jul

By Lori Blank

Real Estate Tips

The Top Tips To Remember When Moving

If you have recently purchased a home, you are probably excited to move into your new house; however, the moving process can be stressful. There are a few important tips you need to keep in mind if you are moving soon. Make sure to plan ahead, as there are several ways to save time and money. Get Quotes From A Few Moving Companies First, you need to get multiple quotes from multiple moving companies. If you have heavy furniture, it is better to hire a moving company to reduce the chances of your furniture getting damaged. When you talk to…