Blog - Page 65 of 125 - Lori Blank & Associates

17

Mar

Real Estate

How to Get Along With Your Homeowners Association

Rules and covenants of a homeowners association can be a bit overwhelming, especially for a first time homeowner. Understanding that the regulations are designed to protect the value of your home helps make some restrictions easier to live with. Homeowners Association CC&Rs, which stands for "covenants, conditions and restrictions," can be intimidating. But, with the growing number of communities and subdivisions that have existing HOAs, it's important to know what you're getting into before you buy a home. Associations Come In All Forms An association's goal is to maintain the ambience of the community and assure that home values are upheld.…

16

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

Manage These 3 Items Before Applying For A Mortgage

Mortgage lenders weigh the risk of getting their principal and interest paid back by looking at the qualities of the prospective borrower. And due to the amount of money being requested and lent to purchase homes, those requirements can become daunting. Working with a trusted and qualified mortgage professional makes this sometimes confusing process a little clearer. To this end, there are three things that a potential homebuyer can do to prepare for the mortgage approval process: Manage Debt And Credit Levels For many homebuyers, managing their credit score is the biggest challenge. Mortgage lenders like buyers with strong credit.…

15

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

Short-Term Vacation Rentals: What To Know

If you are interested in purchasing a rental property, you might want a short-term rental that you can use as a vacation home. This can be a great way to generate some additional income, and you might be able to make thousands of dollars every week if you purchase a property in the right location. On the other hand, there are several important factors you need to consider before you purchase a rental property. The Marketing Process You are only going to make money on your rental property if you can convince people to stay there. Why would someone decide…

14

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

What To Know About Property Lines

If you are in the process of buying a new home, you know that there are a lot of moving parts involved. You need to know everything you can about a potential house before you decide to purchase it, and that includes the property lines. What do you need to know about property lines, and why are they so important? How Are Property Lines Drawn? While property lines are the borders that separate one property from another, they are also legal boundaries. Essentially, property lines determine what you do and do not own. There is a chance that someone may…

13

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Financial Reports

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 13, 2023

Last week’s economic reporting included Fed chair Jerome Powell’s testimony to the House of Representatives, data on job growth, and weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims. Fed: Chairman Powell says no decision on March rate hike Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that no decision has been made about raising the Fed’s target interest rate range in March. Mr. Powell said, “We have not made any decision about the March meeting. We’re not going to do that until we see the additional data.” Mr. Powell said that the Fed is not on a “pre-set path. We will be…

10

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

The Top Benefits Of A Single Close Construction Loan

If you are thinking about building your own home, you might be wondering how construction loans work. There are plenty of options available, but one of the most popular choices is a single-close construction loan. This type of loan allows you to close on not only the construction expenses but also your financing costs at the same time. Essentially, a single-close construction loan will convert into your mortgage after the construction on your home is finished. What are some of the top benefits of this type of loan? Save Time One of the first benefits of a single-close construction loan…

09

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

Navigating A Market With Higher Interest Rate

Even though interest rates have gone up significantly during the past few months, there are still opportunities for you to find a home at a great price. The high interest rate can be discouraging for some people, but as long as you know how to navigate the market, you can still put yourself in a position to be successful. Put More Money Down The easiest way to combat a high interest rate is to reduce the amount of money you borrow. That means that you might need to put more money down. Of course, this means that you might need…

08

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Around The Home

Tired of Waiting for Summer? 3 DIY Projects That Will Keep You Busy Until the Weather Warms Up

Do you find yourself staring out the window, longing for an early sunrise, hot days and late evenings? With spring just around the corner, it might feel like summer is a lifetime away. However, the good news is that you can be productive around the home while you wait for summer to arrive. Let's take a quick look at three easy do-it-yourself projects that will keep you busy until the summer sun is shining. Add A Splash Of Spring-y Color As long as you are willing to do the prep work, painting is one of the most straightforward home improvement…

07

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

Understand Your Options When You Refinance A Home Loan

Are you interested in refinancing your mortgage? There are a variety of reasons why you might want to refinance your home loan. For example, you might want to secure a lower interest rate, or you may want to reduce your monthly payment. You might even want to tap into the equity you have in your home for some quick cash. There are different loan options available, so you need to think carefully about which one is best for your needs. The Conventional Mortgage Refinance One of the first options you will consider is a conventional mortgage refinance. This could be…

06

Mar

By lizlaurenb

Financial Reports

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 6, 2023

Last week’s economic reporting included readings from S&P Case-Shiller home price indices, data on pending home sales, and weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims. S&P Case-Shiller: December Home Price Growth Slows in 20-City Index Home price growth slowed in December according to S&P Case-Shiller’s 20-City Home Price Index. Home prices rose by 4.60 percent year-over-year as compared to November’s year-over-year home price growth rate of 6.80 percent. The top three cities for home price growth in the 20-City Index were Miami, Florida, Tampa, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. Former leading cities for home price growth have fallen to the…