Finance

Finance What are Closing Costs? The closing process in a real estate transaction finalizes the terms of an agreement between the buyer and seller, leading to the transfer of the property’s title. This step of the buying/selling process comes with its own set of costs. Before a buyer can hold the keys to their new home, and before a seller […]
Blog The Importance of Pre-Approval To set yourself up for a smooth and successful home purchase, getting pre-approved is perhaps the most productive first step you can take. It strengthens your buying credibility, informs your home search, and speeds up the closing process. The Pre-Approval Process  There is an important distinction to made between two important steps of your mortgage application process: pre-qualification […]
Blog Top 3 Reasons Short Sales Fail Posted in Selling by Richard Eastern    Short sales are complicated. With all the variables that need to be juggled, it’s easy to make mistakes that end up derailing a transaction. Here are the most common reasons that short sales fail. 1) Failure to understand and justify market value. Setting a price for a short sale is the delicate […]
Blog Doing taxes as a new homeowner The April 15th deadline to file your taxes is less than two weeks away. Worrying that things would be complicated for me as a first-time homebuyer, I had my taxes done this year by a CPA. Here are a few quick tips for fellow new homeowners that I learned from the experience. Claim the 2009-10 […]
Blog How to Cover Unexpected Costs with a Personal Loan Posted in Buying and Living by Guest Author  By Jennifer Calonia Owning a home comes with its rewards — it’s an investment, a cozy haven to kick-up your feet after a long day of work, and a welcoming place to bring family and friends together. Although all of this makes homeownership fulfilling, owning a home also opens the door for […]
Blog Simple Ways To Conserve Energy In Your Home Posted in Living by Shelley Rossi  With the increased emphasis on global warming in recent years, combined with rising energy costs, more and more people are asking what they can do to make their homes more energy efficient. Energy conservation can be as simple as closing your curtains at night, changing a light bulb, turning down your thermostat, or […]
Finance Interest Rates Rise… So What? The Federal Reserve raised their benchmark interest rate 0.25% this week. So what does this mean for real estate? Some perspective is in order… First, mortgage rates are not directly tied to the Fed Funds rate. They are, however, closely tied to the 10-year Treasury. While the Fed was raising their rates this week, mortgage […]
Blog The Trump Tantrum Since the election interest rates have jumped from 3.77% to 3.95% according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. “This week’s increase in mortgage rates, being dubbed the ‘Trump Tantrum,’ is the biggest one week increase since the ‘Taper Tantrum’ in June 2013,” said Bankrate’s chief financial analyst Greg McBride. Economists say the anticipation of Trump’s pledged […]
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