Sunday, December 7, 2014

Buying Luxury Home Foreclosures

Buying Luxury Home Foreclosures

Foreclosure homes present buyers with amazing opportunities for purchase properties that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford, and none more so than luxury homes foreclosures. Homes that would ordinarily be out of reach for the average person can be bought at a fraction of the listing price, but beware the pitfalls that could turn a potentially sweet deal sour. When dealing with foreclosure homes, particularly luxury homes, the deals tend to be a bit more complicated than an ordinary real estate transaction, but there are some tips that can help smooth the way.

Hire a real estate agent who has experience in distressed properties. Working with a reputable agent who is knowledgeable in this area is one of the best things that a potential buyer can do. Interview two or three prospects and inquire about their history in dealing with foreclosure sales.

Do some research of your own. Search around and find out what similar properties are selling for in order to determine whether or not you are really getting a bargain price. Real estate agents can also help by providing reports that allow you to view comparable home sales for the previous year or two. If you want to start your research before you contact an agent, searching real estate sites online can give you a good idea of pricing.

Patience is a virtue that you will need in plenty. When dealing with luxury homes foreclosures, be prepared for a lengthy waiting time. It takes time for the offer to be accepted (sometimes months), as well as to sort out the various entanglements that the previous owners may have left. Things such as unpaid loans or other debts that the previous owners have can delay things even further.

Get A Home Inspection. Before you purchase any home, an inspection is wise (if not required by the bank). Don’t assume that just because a house is high priced that it has been well cared for. Go through the home with a home inspector or a knowledgeable contractor and make a list of any repairs that will need done and how much they will cost. This will give you a better idea of whether or not it is worth even a bargain price.

Have your Financing in Order. Getting financing for any foreclosure can be difficult, but luxury homes foreclosures can be even trickier. If you don’t have your financing planned ahead, it could take months for the approval to come through. While you can view other homes during this time, another buyer could come in and buy the home during the interim.

There are many things that make purchasing a luxury foreclosure home different than your run of the mill real estate deal, but the bargain may make it well worth the effort. Competition is stiff for these properties and many investors will work out a deal with the banks before the foreclosure is even final. Knowing what you want and how to get it, along with having everything in order ahead of time can help to ensure that you get the home that you want at the price that you want.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Tips On Buying New Construction Homes

New construction homes offer buyers many advantages, the first being that you start off with a blank canvas. You needn’t worry about inheriting the previous owner’s tastes in paint, carpeting, or appliances. Likewise, you already know that everything in the home is new so you don’t have to worry about making repairs. All of these things are reasons why new construction homes are so popular. When buying a newly constructed home however, there are some things that can help ensure that your new home is everything that you dreamed it would be.

Hire an Agent of Your Own – Regardless of what may be said, builder’s sales agents are paid by the builder to represent their best interests. Hiring a buyer’s agent to work on your behalf will negate any of the high pressure tactics used by many builder’s agents in order to get you to sign the contract. Since they are being paid by the builder, a representative who is working for your best interests can save you money.

The Builder’s Lender Isn’t Always The Best Option – Many builders prefer that you use their lender because they can then be kept fully aware of your progress, but their lender may not offer the best deal. Consider other sources when seeking out a lender, such as your personal credit union or bank. In many cases they will offer attractive rates and terms based on your history with them. Your agent may also be able to provide you with a list of lenders.


Get Verification for Extra Options and Upgrades – Builders usually offer various upgrades and options, but bear in mind that these extras often make up the highest profit margin for builders. Some builders are able to sell their homes at nearly a bare construction cost due to the fact that the bulk of their profit is made in upgrades. Once you’ve decided what you want, find out whether your lender will finance all of your selections. If you know a handyman, it may save money to purchase the upgrades and install them yourself. Also ask the builder if you are held liable for items that cannot be returned to the supplier.

Look Into The Builder’s Reputation – Word of mouth spreads rapidly and talking to neighbors and previous clients can tell you a lot about how the builder operates. You can also check with the BBB to see if there have been previous complaints about workmanship, etc. Lastly, look at the construction yourself. If the workmanship looks sloppy or haphazard, think twice before signing anything.
Hire a Reputable Home Inspector – This is a must whether you are purchasing a new construction home or a centuries old farm house. Having an inspector go over all the details can save time, money, and headaches in the long run.

New construction homes are wonderful and purchasing one is exciting, but they aren’t without their pitfalls. Going into the transaction with your eyes open to potential problems will ensure that your new home is just the way you want it.

Friday, November 28, 2014

How to Buy a Home

How to Buy a Home

Purchasing your first home can be quite an adventure. As with any adventure, it also comes with pitfalls and confusion. Not only do you have to find the perfect house for your family, you also want to insure it fits your budget. Even a low priced fixer-upper can be too expensive when the repairs you need to do are major. You may be able to afford the house payment, but the constant expense of repairs could break your budget.

How Much House Can You Afford?

Before you open the first magazine with all the homes in your area or embark on any home buying venture, you need to decide what you can afford. Your mortgage will be part of your total debt, which should be no more than 36 percent of your income. In order to get the best rate, you should have at least a 20 percent downpayment. Not only do the rates increase the lower your downpayment, but you may have to pay PMI---private mortgage insurance. Don't forget to factor in all unusual payments you have to make monthly, such as child support or child care. While these aren't debts, they do greatly affect your spendable income.

Get a Friendly Lender

Before you consider looking for a home, first see how much you can borrow. If you've done your homework, you already know what your monthly budget can afford, but you also need to combine that information with your credit worthiness to see how much a financial institution will lend you. If your credit score is at 740 or above and you have 20 percent for a downpayment, you're most likely eligible for the best interest rate available. Those with a lower credit scores may still get traditional financing or look to alternative ones such as government backed programs like FHA or VA.

The amount of downpayment you have also affects your rate and the amount you'll be able to afford. When your downpayment is less than 20 percent, you may be subject to PMI payments, which add to the amount you pay out every month, but don't reduce the balance you owe. These can greatly affect the price of the home you can afford. Since purchasing a home and a mortgage often has additional costs, make sure you understand these before you choose a lender. Closing costs can vary greatly from lender to lender.

Finding a Realtor

Some people have no problem estimating what they can afford or are unsure whether they qualify for a loan, but they still need guidance when it comes to finding the best house. Choosing the right realtor can be one of the most important decisions you make. Realtors not only help you navigate through all the paperwork involved in home buying, they also help you find the best home for your needs at the best price.

If you've started the home buying process without doing any of the preliminaries, such as securing financing or even estimating how much home you can afford, many realtors can guide you through the process. They work with many different lenders and vendors involved in the process. Most realtors know the reputation of different lenders and can guide you to several who may be perfect for your situation. They also have a list of people who play an important role in the process, such as those who do inspections or estimates. They also know the individuals at the title company.

A good realtor knows the approximate cost of homes in your area and can help you get the best deal. They do all the negotiations for you and can show you price comparisons of recently sold homes. Real estate agents will also keep you informed of changes to a neighborhood or other factors that could affect the value of your home.

Before You Make an Offer, Ask for Help

If you know a contractor who you trust, or have a good friend who's knowledgeable about construction, a second opinion doesn't hurt. Many younger people ask parents to see the home before they make an offer or have a contractor inspect the home, looking for problems that may exist. While your lender will require a home inspection, septic and a termite inspection in many states, getting an opinion before you make an offer can save you time and money. If you don't know anyone, ask your realtor for the name of a contractor she trusts. This type of service normally comes with a cost, but it's well worth it.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

5 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

5 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

In the housing boom that occurred during the early years of the 21st century, easy loans for those with a poor credit history weren’t uncommon, these days they are quite rare. If you want to buy a home in today’s market, lenders will check your credit carefully and rarely will they approve a loan for someone who has a poor credit score. Your credit history not only affects your ability to get loans and credit cards, but the interest rates that you pay on them as well. A poor credit score can even cause a raise in your insurance premiums and in some cases it can tip the balance one way or another when applying for certain jobs.

Fortunately, a less than perfect credit score is repairable, but it will take some time, discipline, and diligence on your part. When it comes to your credit score, some things make more of a difference than others and there are some things that you can do to help raise your credit score so that you can get a loan for that house you’ve been dreaming of.

1.Be Prompt When Paying Bills- Your history of bill payment makes up just around 35% of your total credit score. It includes payment of utility bills, auto loans, credit cards, and mortgages. Late payments made in recent history will impact your credit score the most so if you’ve had late payments in the past, be sure to avoid any new instances of this costly occurrence. One way to avoid this is to inquire with credit card companies and banks about email reminders about payment due dates.

2.Review Your Credit Report on A Regular Basis- Credit companies make mistakes too. Since these can severely damage your credit score, be sure to quickly identify and correct any mistakes that have been made.

3.Don’t Close Your Old Lines of Credit- It is commonly believed that closing old credit lines can improve your score. It may actually be of more benefit to keep these lines open because even if you have late payments in the past, a long credit history is to your benefit. This is particularly true if your have a large amount of available credit. Using older cards occasionally and paying them promptly can actually improve your score.

4.Open New Lines of Credit With Care- Considering that the higher your credit line, the better, many people think that opening new lines of credit is beneficial to their score. The exact opposite is true because having several recently opened lines of credit may negatively affect your score. New credit lines don’t clean the slate and fixing problems with established credit lines is always preferable to opening new ones.
5.Mix Your Credit Lines (carefully)- The mixture of different lines of credit can account for around 10% of your total credit score. For example, a mixture of loans, credit cards, and other types of credit can impact your credit score positively if you use them wisely and don’t overextend yourself.

While these things can help you to repair a bad credit score, the easiest way to avoid these problems is to prevent them. Do whatever you can to ensure that bills are paid in a timely manner and it will go a long way toward improving and maintaining a good credit score. Having a payment that is a few days late may not seem important at the time, but when it’s time to go to the bank for that home loan, it can make all the difference in the world.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

7 Reason to Buy a Home

7 Reasons to Buy a Home


Considering buying a home? Following are 7 practical reasons to do so, especially if you're currently renting, want to invest in something viable and more.

1. Purchasing a Home is an Investment

When you rent an apartment or a home, every time you pay the rent it’s money that you'll never see again for something you don't own; talk about throwing money away. Most people are surprised to discover that the money they shell out for rent ends up being about the same if not more than a monthly mortgage payment would be (you will need to add in maintenance costs). This reason alone makes buying a home a great idea from a financial standpoint. In addition, as your home's value increases, it becomes an even more worthwhile investment.

2. Low Interest rates

It's a great time to buy a home with the current low interest rates, rental rates going through the roof, home prices below their peaks, employment on the rise. Bottom line, if you're considering buying, now is the time to move forward.

3. Tax Benefits

When you own a home and make monthly mortgage payments, you'll benefit from tax deductions. For instance, you'll be able to deduct the interest from your home loan on federal and in most cases, State taxes. Property taxes also come into play can make a good annual deduction for you. The tax benefits of owning a home will add up over time.

4. Home Equity

Home equity is your share of the home's value. As you repay your mortgage home loan, your home equity increases and over time, more and more goes towards your loan balance, which increases your home equity interest. Basically, owning a home gives you the ability to build equity in the home, turning it into a financially savvy savings plan, especially if you hang onto it for the long term. With home equity, your home will be an important asset when used as collateral for a home equity loan should you need one.

5. Home Equity - Line of Credit

If you own a home and have good credit, you can also apply for a line of credit. A home equity line of credit involves a lender agreeing to lend a maximal amount inside of an agreed period, and the borrower's home is the collateral (similar to a second mortgage). Since a home is usually a person's most valuable asset, most homeowners only use their home equity credit lines for major purchases, including home improvements, medical bills and education. While home equity lines of credit present you with the flexibility to use it at any time (up to 10 years) for any kind of expense, this flexibility typically includes a variable interest rate.

6. Predictability

In contrast to rent, fixed mortgage payments don't go up over the years and in fact, housing costs, in many cases, have the potential of going down. Insurance costs and property taxes will increase, but you'll still be in a better position financially if you own vs. rent your home.

7. Freedom and Stability

When you own a home, it can become a creative expression of you and/or your family's personality and you'll benefit from your investment for as long as you own the home. You'll also experience more peace in your personal space. If you live in your community for several years, you and/or your family will have the opportunity to establish friendships and enjoy community activities.

Visit www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes.com

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Smoke Rise Subdivision in Stone Mountain, Georgia 30087

Smoke Rise Subdivision in Stone Mountain, Georgia 30087

When the word subdivision is mentioned, most people think of overpriced homes that are situated so closely together that privacy is out of the question and with a yard of any size nowhere to be seen. While these types of subdivisions are perfect for some people, others don’t prefer to have their neighbors quite so close by. For anyone who thinks that subdivision life is not for them, one look at Smoke Rise, Stone Mountain, Georgia, 30087 will quickly show that not all subdivisions are created equal. To list all the things that make Smoke Rise the perfect place to live would be nearly impossible, but there are five reasons that are mentioned more than others when residents are asked why they chose to move to Smoke Rise, Stone Mountain, Georgia, 30087.

Unique Homes – The homes in many subdivisions resemble each other closely in design and while that presents a uniform look, it also doesn’t leave much room for individual tastes. Smoke Rise has homes in a variety of different styles from colonial to ranch so that while they blend well with the surroundings, the bland uniformity that gives many subdivisions a “sterile” look is noticeably absent in Smoke Rise.

Spacious Lots – While most subdivisions offer a minimal amount of space along with your home, Smoke Rise lots are at least one acre in area. These spacious, private lots give you the space and privacy of a rural home while still being a part of a closely knit community.

Reasonably Priced Homes - Smoke Rise Subdivision offers not only homes in a wide variety of styles, but in varying price ranges as well. Whether you are looking for opulence and luxury or something a bit smaller and less extravagant, Smoke Rise has a beautiful home within your price range.

Peaceful Atmosphere – Not only does Smoke Rise boast lush, spacious lots with its homes, there is also more than 40 acres of scenic, public land which the residents are free to enjoy at their leisure. Included in the public lands are scenic Smoke Rise Park, as well as a community garden. Residents can rent square foot beds in which they may grow their own fresh herbs or vegetables. For the relaxed, peaceful atmosphere of rural living with all the benefits of suburban life, Smoke Rise has no equal.

Location, Location, Location! – You hear those words quite often in association with real estate, but in the case of Smoke Rise, Stone Mountain, Georgia, 30087, they aren’t just a catch-phrase. The community is made up of around 2000 homes in some 10 different neighborhoods that are nestled snugly in the foothills of Stone Mountain. What makes this location so incredibly sought after is that this forested, scenic community is a mere 15 miles from all the lights and flash of the downtown metropolitan area of Atlanta. You truly can have the best of both worlds when you make your home in Smoke Rise. Before you rule out living in a subdivision all together, take a brief look at the many beautiful homes that are available in Smoke Rise, Stone Mountain, Georgia, 30087. You may even find that it deserves a visit in person because while a picture is worth a thousand words, pictures truly don’t do justice to the beauty and tranquility of Smoke Rise.

Visit: www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes.com

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Tips On Buying A Home

Tips On Buying A Home

In many cases, buying a home is the largest single investment that you will make in your lifetime. It’s a very exciting time, especially if it’s your first home, but it can also be somewhat daunting.

The internet is a very useful tool when searching for your perfect home and using it to your advantage takes away much of the legwork that used to be involved in the search. Websites like Stone Mountain Georgia Homes allow you to view a vast number of properties without leaving the house. Of course looking at properties is just the tip of the iceberg, but there are a few things that can help the process along considerably.

Get a good agent. Don’t rely on the listing agent of the home because he or she is responsible to the seller first. An agent working for you has your best interests in mind and will work with the selling agent on your behalf.

Get preapproval for your loan. Having a letter of preapproval can not only give you an edge over other interested parties, but it can help keep you on track when it comes to pricing. Don’t view a large number of homes. This can make the process even more confusing than it already is. Let your agent do some of the work. Make a list of features that your home must have and are not negotiable and another list of those things that you’d like to have. Your agent can help you narrow the field and show you only the houses that are suitable. When you choose a home, learn about the neighborhood.

Talking to neighbors is a great way to not only learn about your new neighborhood, but to introduce yourself as well. Other residents can tell you about things such as the school district and the overall atmosphere you will be living in. Never buy without having a home inspection done. What you can see during a showing isn’t enough to know that your new investment is sound. Problems are easily hidden under carpeting and in walls and attics.

Only a certified home inspector can tell you what is wrong right now and what to look for down the road. A few extra dollars spent now can save you thousands in the long run. While there is certainly more to buying a home than just these few tips, the first step, getting an agent is probably the most important. A reputable real estate agent can often point out potential mistakes and give you great advice as you go along.

Visit www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes.com