Real Estate Decoded

Ready to put your house on the market for this summer's house buying season? Odds are your home has probably appreciated since you purchased it and you stand to make a profit on your home's sale, unless you're planning on trading up . When it comes to selling a house , most sellers focus on how much they stand to make on the transaction and forget about the fact that selling a house also has hidden expenses associated with it. Here is a breakdown of where your money might end up going on hidden seller's costs many people forget to budget for when selling their home. PreSale Home Repairs You'll want to make sure your home is in tip-top shape before you put it on the market.  Window leaks, sticky door handles or dated cabinetry can have a huge impact the final asking price of your house.   Before you put it on the market take a hard look around and identify all the things that might cause a potential homebuyer to lower their asking price. Then secure a

For both shopper and sellers alike, today's home market suddenly offers a lot to cheer about!  Interest rates are still super low, mortgage lenders are relaxing and becoming more flexible, and first-time homebuyers now have options allowing them to put as little as 3 percent down versus the standard of 20 percent. The biggest risks new homebuyers face currently are with overextending themselves -- getting more home than you need and can afford.  Establishing a cohesive budget and knowing your limits can remove this risk, leaving you with a strong sense of confidence and many new reasons to be excited, once again, about you ability to obtain a mortgage and move-in to the home of your dreams. 1. Online Mortgage Shopping As with many of us, simply finding the time to tackle a new project, such as finding a home and getting a home loan, is a task in and of itself. Luckily, as with most other retail industries, mortgage lending and home buying has now moved online, making it ea