PRICE IT RIGHT – Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range. PREPARE FOR VISITORS – Get your house market ready at least two weeks before you begin showing it. BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT SHOWINGS – It’s often disruptive to have a house ready to show at the spur of the moment. But the more amenable you can be about letting people see your home – the sooner you’ll find a buyer, ANTICIPATE THE OFFERS – Decide in advance what price and terms you’ll find acceptable. DON’T REFUSE TO DROP THE PRICE – If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer you should be prepared to at least consider lowering your asking price. … [Read more...]
Help for More Home Buyers
Help for more home buyers to achieve their home ownership dreams have been initiated by First Home Mortgage by loosening the credit guidelines. The decision was made after a review of borrowers that may have been held out from buying due to higher ratios or lower credit scores. Most of these buyers do not necessarily represent a substantial increased lending risk. First Home Mortgage made these changes to help more buyers achieve the goal of home ownership. First Home Mortgage is lowering the minimum credit score to 581 for FHA and VA loans. The loan will have to receive an automated underwriting approval and follow investor guidelines. A credit score of 581-599 does require two compensating factors. USDA loans can now go to 581 with an automated approval from Rural Housing Authority. A credit score between 581 - 599 does require two compensating factors. First Home Mortgage have expanded ratio guidelines on FHA, … [Read more...]
Senior Living
Senior living can be a rewarding and fascinating time in the life of an older individual . We know because we have found the senior living experience very rewarding and engaging to say the least. Over the years we have helped a number of seniors relocate to senior living communities in the State of Maryland and beyond. We decided to share some interesting facts and resources from the July/August Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) newsletter that maybe helpful to you and inspire you to enjoy senior living. We hope you will enjoy the facts and articles included in this blog. EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE The Senior Community Service Employment Program helps 55+ low-income, unemployed individuals find part-time jobs with community service organizations. www.ncoa.org/economic-security/matureworkers/scsep/ SENIORS GIVING BACK ENCORE – The encore movement aims to solve social problems by harnessing the experience of people in midlife and beyond. … [Read more...]
A True Grant of $1,500 to Help Buyers
A true grant of $1,500 to help buyers with their closing costs is now available from the State of Maryland. This grant adds a little more sizzle to your loan options and purchasing power. The grant assistance runs from June 28th to September 30th 2017 in EVERY county throughout the State of Maryland. A buyer wishing to use the grant must have their loan registered during this time period. The grant funds can only be used for closing costs and cannot be used for the down payment. It can be combined with the other State of Maryland down payment programs. It also must be used in conjunction with conventional loans only which require a minimum 640 credit score. Scenario #1: A buyer wants to purchase a home for $200,000. The minimum the buyer has to contribute is 3% for the down payment. The Grant Assist program will cover the BALANCE of down payment. Let's say the closing costs is approximately $9,000 and the seller has agreed to give 2.5% or … [Read more...]
Ask the Expert – Is this a good time to list my home?
Ask the Experts - Is this a good time to list my home? Real estate is very cyclical and studies have shown that the current housing market is well below last year’s inventory level. Some studies even show that the current market inventory is well below a six month average. This low inventory creates a seller’s market because there are more buyers in the market than sellers. Therefore, I would say Yes - this is a definitely a perfect time to list your home for sale! When you are ready to list your home make sure your home shows like a model home with curb appeal and price it correctly. You want buyers to be excited about the home! Pricing your home correctly will generate the most traffic and may produce multiple offers during the first 30 days. After 30 days, most brokers will usually ask for a price reduction to stimulate interest. As the seller you do not want your home to sit for long period without a contract. Now, sellers have the option to present your home to the world … [Read more...]
The State of Maryland Supersized their Grant Assist Program
The State of Maryland supersized their Grant Assist Program - This new program will help many buyers throughout the State of Maryland. Initially the program was rolled out to help with ONLY the closing costs. But, they have just changed it so that the 4% can be used towards down payment and/or closing costs. This is HUGE news - if you are a buyer with a minimum 640 credit score. You could have your entire down payment covered by using this program, instead of the flat $5,000 the State offers through the CDA program. Example: If you are a buyer who wants to purchase a home for $300,000. The minimum you as a buyer have to contribute is 3% for the down payment. The Grant Assist program will cover that ENTIRE down payment. The seller agrees to give 3% for closing costs. The program will also cover another 1% towards closing costs for a total contribution of $12,000. And viola, you are in with no money out of your pocket! Grant Assist Funds - The Grant … [Read more...]
First time home buyers purchasing in Montgomery County
First time homebuyers purchasing in Montgomery County could be eligible for a new home ownership program. Here are the details of the Montgomery County Homeownership Program: Down payment assistance will be 40% of the total household income with a maximum total of $40,000 per home. These funds can be used toward down payment and/or closing costs. Example: A buyer has total household income of $85,000 so they would be eligible to receive $34,000 in assistance. The down payment assistance is in the form of a loan at zero percent and will appear as a 2nd lien on title. Funds will have to be repaid back if the buyer ever sells their home. First time homebuyers program is available to all first time homebuyers in Montgomery County. First time home buyer is defined as someone who has not owned a home in the last 3 years or more. First time home buyer requirement will be waived if property is in a targeted area or if buyer is an honorably discharged veteran who has not used … [Read more...]
Is Staging Worth the Investment?
Is staging worth the Investment? Many home sellers are told they should stage their home before having it shown to potential buyers. But, professional staging can get expensive, and recent research found that it may not have a significant impact on sale price. So, is it worth the cost? Industry experts say yes – it probably is. The cost of hiring a stager varies considerably, based on the level of staging you want, the furniture you use, and where you live. Services range anywhere from $300 for a consultation to thousands of dollars for staging and monthly furniture rental. The goal of staging is: Allowing buyers to imagine themselves living in your home; Showing off your home’s best features, while drawing attention away from its flaws; Creating a mood; and Making the home look better in listing photos. All of the above gives buyers a more favorable impression of your home’s livability, which can help the home to sell faster. And, the faster it … [Read more...]
Buy HUD Home for $100 Down Payment
Buy HUD Home for $100 Down Payment The HUD incentive program is designed to attract home buyers in the buying market to move excess housing inventory. Do not wait - this incentive program will only run for a short time! If you are looking to purchase a home with minimum cash requirements this program could be the answer! To find a list of the available homes for this program, go to hudhomestore.com, select the State of Maryland and Buyer Type as All. Buy HUD Home for $100 Down payment Requirements: Home buyer must offer the full asking price for the home Home buyer must live in the property for a minimum of 1 year (investors are not qualified for this HUD incentive program) Home buyer should use a FHA loan for the purchase of the home, e.g. (FHA 203b, 203k loans are acceptable) The home must be a HUD owned home The home buyer must use a HUD registered real estate agent or broker to qualify for this incentive … [Read more...]
First Time Home Buyers
First Time Home Buyers can now take advantage of the MY HOME II and Maryland Preferred Rate Loan - effective immediately. This is a special partnership with Prince George’s County. The collaboration pairs the Maryland Preferred Rate loan which offers the lowest rate available through the Maryland Mortgage program (MMP). Now, you take advantage of a generous down payment assistance provided by the Prince George’s County MY HOME II program. The two programs require separate applications. Maryland Preferred: A Maryland Mortgage loan at a very attractive interest rate (shown on our website and effective as of time of reservation). Application is made through an approved MMP lender. For more information, please see the fact sheet available on mmp.maryland.gov/PrinceGeorges. MY HOME II: A home buyer assistance program administered by the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County. Only lenders approved by both MMP and MY HOME II can offer both programs. MY HOME II … [Read more...]
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