Having a high credit score is important all the time, whether you are buying a home anytime soon or not.  Your FICO score and credit report are so vital to getting any type of loan, and this series will give you the financial strategies you need to get your credit score as high as possible. […]

You love hanging out with certain friends or have the perfect roommate in your current rental.  You’ve got a great relationship with one of your siblings who lives nearby. You and your partner have been together for years and want something more permanent. Should you buy a home with them? It’s not uncommon for family […]

No home sale is every final until you get to settlement. That is a fact and explains why real estate signs say “Contract Pending” before being replaced with “Sold.” There’s a lot that goes on after a buyer’s offer is accepted by the seller. And a key factor in getting to closing day is the […]

Where you live affects everything about your lifestyle. Every. Single. Day. Read the above statement again and let it sink in. Why? Because finding a location that matches your wants and needs is so critical to your happiness in your home and in your daily life. Think about this … you can always change or […]

You’ve probably seen listings stating a home is being sold “as is.” Does that mean it’s a dump and not worth seeing? It can be hard to tell since there can be vast differences in the conditions of “as is” homes. These homes can sometimes be a good deal budget-wise, especially if it gets you […]

If you’re a buyer on a tight budget, your family may be able or willing to help you with your downpayment. If that’s the case, lucky you!  I know financial support from family is not an option for every buyer and I have many articles about other options on my website, but if you do […]

In this 8-part series, How to Find the Perfect Home for You and Your Budget, you’ll learn how to find a home that is the right fit for your lifestyle, needs and, most importantly, your budget. We take you through every single step and show you how to avoid buyer’s remorse.  Your first home is […]

So far in this series, you’ve decided on a monthly budget, narrowed down a location, and decided on your criteria for a new home … but you haven’t been able to go house hunting just yet! You may think that’s crazy, but it isn’t. It’s important to first figure out your answers to each of […]

When it comes to getting a mortgage to buy your first home, many buyers decide on the price point of the house they want to buy before talking to a lender.  They’ll say something like — “We are going to buy a home for $500,000” — and then they head out to open houses in […]

There’s a very specific formula and step-by-step approach that buyers – like you — should take to make sure they end up with the home that best fits their needs and budget.  It requires some initial patience on your part so that each step is done right (and then you are prepared to quickly put […]