Real Estate Investing: 3 Secrets That You Can Use Today

While making a real estate purchase can be filled with many questions, buying to invest in a long-term property can be even more confusing. If you're looking into investing in real estate and wondering what variables to consider, here are a few tips that you'll want to keep in mind before deciding on an investment property. Be Aware Of The Market You're Buying Into Since you'll need to be aware of what other people are looking for in a property if you're diving into real estate to invest, you'll want to carefully consider the neighborhood and city that you're buying…
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Find Something Wrong During a Home Inspection? How to Discuss Repairs or Defects with a Seller

When it comes to selling a home, it is a common belief that once the offer is accepted, there is nothing else to be negotiated. However, issues and obstacles that can arise during the home inspection can be a cause for discussion with the seller. Whether you're currently searching for houses or your offer has already been accepted and you're preparing for the next step, here are some tips in the event that the home inspection isn't up to par. Be Cautious About What You Say Without a doubt, anything that you discuss with the real estate agent regarding the…
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Expecting Children: How to Quickly Move into a Larger Home Before a Baby Arrives

Starter homes are incredibly popular for young couples who plan to have a family in the future but don't need a large place yet. Life moves pretty fast sometimes and many couples find themselves expecting children before they have begun to look for the next home. This shouldn't be a problem, as moving into a larger home before the baby arrives can be a lot easier than it appears. Always Move Before The Baby Is Born There is a choice when upgrading a home for children: moving beforehand and settling down in advance of having kids or waiting until after…
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Thinking About Buying A Waterfront Home? Check Out These Important Tips!

The idea of an idyllic beachfront home is appealing for many people, but there are a number of factors involved in this type of home purchase that should be considered before getting serious. Whether it's a home to live in full time, or a vacation property with investment potential, there are a number of issues to take note of. So, if you're on the fence regarding waterfront property, here are some things you should keep in mind if beach life might be right for you. The Ever-Shifting Shoreline It goes without saying that the times are changing, and erosion of…
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Should You Take Photos When Viewing A Home For Sale?

When you are looking for a new property, you might find yourself booked into looking at 5-6 properties in one day. In these situations, it can be difficult to remember all of the features that each property had. You will be left wondering which one had the balcony with the great view, or the extra-large closet space in the bedroom. If you want to be able to look back on the homes you visited and remember their features more easily, it can be very helpful to bring a camera with you to the showing and to take photos of the…
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Three Ways That Your Credit Score Affects Your Mortgage (and Your Chance of Obtaining One!)

If you're thinking of buying a home, you've probably been thinking a lot about your credit score as well. Credit scores control so much of what we do in the world of finances, but what does your credit score really have to do with your mortgage? Here are three ways that your credit score could impact your mortgage application. Your Credit Score Affects Your Ability To Get A Mortgage The first thing your credit score tells a lender is whether they should lend to you at all. In some cases, if you have a very low credit score, you may…
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The ‘Must Have’ List: Why Deciding Your Must-Haves Before Viewing Homes is a Great Idea

Knowing what you want before you start looking is a big help when house-hunting. Giving the list of 'must-have' items to your real estate professional a few days before you begin touring listings is a great idea because they can find homes that meet as many of your criteria as possible. It also helps on a more personal level, since being organized and knowing what you want will help you quickly identify whether or not homes meet those standards. Is it a 'Must-Have' or a 'Nice-to-Have'? The debate between "I need it" and "I want it" is as old as…
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Buying a House or Condo? Why the Home Inspection Process is One You Won’t Want to Skimp On

Once you have found that perfect home with the right price and every little feature you were hoping for, it's important to keep in mind that the home has been presented in a way that accentuates its highlights and shadows any flaws. For this reason, it is crucial that you get a home inspection before completing a purchase. Many sellers also have inspectors investigate the home in order to determine its sale value. As such, they should be aware that a prospective buyer will want to request an independent inspection to verify the findings. Reasons For Home Inspections If you…
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3 Common First Time Home Buyer Mistakes That Can Cost Thousands

Buying real estate for the first time is a very exciting step in life. It is likely to be one of the biggest financial commitments that you make, so it's very important to navigate the purchasing process wisely. Many first-time home buyers make rookie mistakes that bring on negative consequences and a lot of frustration. Outlined below are common errors home buyers make, so you can learn from their missteps and avoid them yourself. 1. Buying More Than What You Can Truly Afford Just because the bank says that you qualify a certain amount for a mortgage doesn't mean that…
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5 Great Questions To Ask At An Open House

An open house gives you a great opportunity to look more closely at real estate you might be interested in buying. It also affords you the chance to chat with the owner or real estate agent so you can bring up any issues or hesitations you have with the home. Knowing what to ask can be difficult, so below are examples of questions to ask at the next open house you attend. Why Has The Seller Decided To Sell Now? If you ask why the seller is moving, you could learn valuable information to help determine your offer or possibly…
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