real estate: 5 Financial Terms Every Real Estate Investor Should Know
- 03/25/19 07:02 AM
The success of your real estate ventures depends on your ability to navigate the financial world. Learn these terms to make it easier to understand what's going on with your real estate investments. Cash Flow Contrary to popular belief, cash flow isn't just the amount of liquid assets you have available. Your cash and unused lines of credit are an essential indicator of your ability to complete projects and pay the cost of ongoing operations. However, these factors don't tell the whole financial story. Your actual cash flow is the difference between your gross income and your financial obligations. You can have a large … (3 comments)
real estate: 3 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Your First Home
- 03/25/19 06:42 AM
Hunting for your new home can be a confusing process. There are countless factors you need to take into account to ensure your new location fits your family's lifestyle and preferences. In their excitement, first-time home buyers can easily overlook some essential points about their potential property. When you're searching for your new residence, ask these questions to get exactly what you're looking for. Am I Financially Ready For A New Home Purchase? It takes more than money to find the right home. Your credit rating is an important factor in your ability to secure enough funding to finance your dream. Check out your … (4 comments)
real estate: 14 Remodeling Projects That Increase the Value of Your Home
- 03/25/19 06:36 AM
Your home is likely your largest investment. Beyond repairs and regular maintenance to keep it clean, comfortable, and safe, there are a number of projects that can increase the resale value of your property. These renovations top the list of changes you can make that positively impact your home's value. Kitchen With the right strategy, your kitchen remodel could return up to 92.9% of your construction investment. The trick is to not overdo it. You don't need to gut and rebuild the entire room. Instead, make strategic upgrades that increase the comfort and usability of the room. Paint wooden cabinets or install new … (8 comments)
Having an excellent credit score is very useful. The following are some tips on how to maintain a superb credit score. Open Credit Accounts When You Do Not Need Them If you don't have any credit accounts, you will have a low score. The best time to open them is when you do not need them. Keep a small balance on them and pay it all off at the end of each month to avoid paying interest. Charge Up To Half The Credit Limit Then Pay It All Back Within A Few Months If you must use a credit line, only use half of it … (2 comments)
The real estate market and all the things involved in selling a home can seem complicated, and it can be very hard to know which tips to trust. While there's plenty of great advice to go around from many knowledgeable sources, here are some of the best tips from home sellers who have made a successful sale. Research Your Local Agents When considering an agent that will meet your home-selling needs, it can be tempting to go with someone familiar or recommended through a friend who seems like a safe bet. However, it's important to do some of your own research. Create a … (5 comments)
Yikes! You are set on buying the home that you picked out and the appraisal comes back at a lower amount than the amount needed for the home loan to be approved. What do you do? After you calm down your significant other and then take three deep breaths, here are some options to consider. Request A New Appraisal Appraisals are only one person's professional opinion. There are rules that must be followed when making an appraisal; however, there is still some flexibility in how to apply the rules. Check the comparables (also called "comps") that the appraiser used as the basis for … (1 comments)
real estate: What Makes Up A PITI Mortgage Payment?
- 03/18/19 08:07 AM
Many mortgage payments are made up of four parts, called PITI. PITI is an acronym that stands for principal, interest, tax, and insurance. It's important to understand PITI because it is the real number you need to use in order to find out how much mortgage you can afford to pay each month. One of the biggest mistakes first-time homebuyers make is using only the principal plus interest figure to calculate how much they'll be paying every month for their mortgage. Then, when the lender comes back and denies them, the prospective buyer is confused. Knowing and understanding PITI will put you … (2 comments)
real estate: Surprising Things That Can Derail A Closing
- 07/26/18 11:26 AM
Once you and the seller have negotiated an offer and you've been pre-approved for a mortgage, you might think that you are in the clear as far as your closing goes. However, that is not always the case. Many surprising things can put a halt to closing. Some may ultimately stop the closing altogether while others could simply cause a delay. Here are a few unexpected things that can derail a real estate closing: A Job Promotion While you might know that changing employers is one way to interfere with the closing, another deal-breaker can be switching positions with your current employer. If you … (3 comments)
real estate: Home Buying: Repair Requests After A Home Inspection
- 07/26/18 11:22 AM
The perfect home has been found, the one in the right neighborhood with the right amount of bedrooms and bathrooms. The home inspection is complete, but a few issues have been found. At this point, a home buyer has decisions to make. What Repair Requests Can Be Made After a Home Inspection? Structural defects found during a home inspection are the responsibility of the seller and must be fixed. In addition, Realtor.com states that the following must also be repaired by the seller: Water penetration such as mold or wet basement/crawlspace Any code and safety violations like unstable decking or missing handrails Cosmetic … (1 comments)
real estate: 3 Generations Top Housing Market Trends
- 07/26/18 11:18 AM
Historians like to say that those who do not learn the lessons of the past are doomed to repeat them. In the real estate industry, the chances of that happening are slim because agents and other professionals follow market trends closely. That being said, a careful examination of 2017 market trends and other factors can help highlight where the housing market is headed. Consider these top trends when deciding about whether to buy or sell a property. Millennials Scooping Up Homes According to resources such as Zillow, the low inventory and emergence of Millennials in the home-buying market helped break records last year. … (3 comments)
real estate: 4 Ways To Put Your Home's Equity To Work For You
- 07/09/18 10:36 AM
Homeowners who have equity built up in their homes can tap into that equity using a home equity line of credit, or HELOC. This financial tool can be a great way to accomplish a number of financial goals. Here are four excellent uses of a HELOC for homeowners to consider. Consolidating Costly Debts Credit card debt and other types of consumer loans are costly, unless a debtor is lucky enough to have a no-interest card. Borrowers can consolidate that debt into a HELOC, which is much more affordable because it is a secured debt. This advantage only works if the borrower stops adding to … (1 comments)
real estate: What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week - July 9th, 2018
- 07/09/18 09:51 AM
Last week's economic releases included monthly readings on construction spending, public and private sector job growth and June's national unemployment rate. Weekly readings included Freddie Mac mortgage rates and new jobless claims. Construction Spending Rises in May According to the Commerce, construction spending rose 0.40 percent in May; public sector construction spending rose 0.70 percent and private sector spending rose by 0.30 percent. Residential construction rose by o.80 percent, which analysts regarded as a good sign for the economy. Building more homes has long been identified as the only solution for persistent housing shortages that cause high demand for homes and rapidly rising … (0 comments)
real estate: Understanding the Factors That Impact Your Credit Score
- 06/28/18 07:55 AM
Most consumers believe if they pay their bills on time, they need not worry about their credit score. Oftentimes, it is a rude awakening when they apply for a mortgage loan, car loan, or any revolving credit to learn they are not going to get the lowest rates available due to their credit score. This is because paying bills on time only accounts for 35 percent of your credit score. The remaining 65 percent is spread out among other factors that impact your credit score. Credit Usage and Impact on Score Nearly one-third, 30 percent, of your credit score is based on … (4 comments)
real estate: Smart Technology or Home Automation: What's the Difference?
- 06/06/18 09:51 AM
Is it worth it to add smart appliances or automated features if you're selling a home? Just how much connectivity do buyers want? And what exactly do the terms refer to in terms of home updates. Although smart homes and home automation are sometimes used interchangeably, they actually refer to two basically different concepts about how appliances and home systems can operate. Then there is the need for "connectivity," adding another dimension to any discussion of futuristic home features. Home Automation According to a Texas-based Direct Energy blog, home automation has a long history, beginning with the first labor-saving devices that operated with … (2 comments)
real estate: Home Updates That Make Good Multi-Generational Sense
- 06/06/18 09:36 AM
Multi-generational households and the growing preference on the part of many retirees toward "aging in place"have altered home design in recent years. Interiors are more open, more functional and more adaptable that they were even a decade ago. Spaces tend to be less formal; living space is better integrated with work space like the kitchen, and rooms tend to serve more than once purpose, both for quiet pursuits and for family gatherings. Universal Design Home design has gained a new dimension -- planning for the future and for a changing lifestyle. Universal design features and amenities that were once off the radar are now very much … (2 comments)
real estate: Understanding Your Debt To Income Ratio
- 06/06/18 09:12 AM
When you are filling out a mortgage application, the lender will be asking you for specific financial information. One of the reasons they ask for this information is to enable the underwriter to calculate your debt to income ratio. The debt to income ratio is what most mortgage lenders use to determine the level of risk they are taking when they agree to provide you a mortgage. Most mortgage lenders will use your debt to income ratio to determine your interest rate, down payment requirements, and in some instances, escrow requirements. How Lenders Calculate Debt to Income Ratio When your loan is being … (1 comments)
real estate: 5 Ways Millennial Buyers Can Snag Their Dream Home In This Sellers Market
- 05/02/18 11:05 AM
According to the 2017 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, Millennials bought 34% of the homes sold; the largest of any generation last year. Millennials looking to buy their first or second home need to ready themselves for a surprisingly competitive market. Lack of supply causes attractive homes to garner multiple offers in just a few hours! What can a Millennial buyer do to appeal to sellers and be the one who ends up with the home? Here are 5 ways they can snag their dream home in this seller's market. Get Pre-Approved Figuring out what a home buyer can afford is a crucial step … (3 comments)
real estate: Five Reasons Why Spring Is The Perfect Time To Sell
- 05/01/18 01:53 PM
Spring is many people's favorite season of the year. Obviously, there are many valid reasons why this is so. One of the best things about spring is that it is an ideal time to sell your home. If you have considered putting your home on the market any time in the next year or so, check out these five reasons which make spring the ideal time. Buyers are searching - A huge majority of home buyers want to move during summer. Many families have school or work vacations that make the moving process a little easier during this time. If you … (2 comments)
real estate: 5 Key Factors That Affect Your Mortgage Rate
- 05/01/18 01:48 PM
Many first time home buyers often wonder what factors determine their mortgage rate. Is it their credit score? Is it the type of loan chosen? Is it the size of the loan? The truth is, there are many factors at play. Mortgage interest rates are not standardized across the board, so they vary from lender to lender and from borrower to borrower. Here are 5 common factors that determine or affect your mortgage interest rate: 1. Default Risk Risk is a key consideration when determining mortgage interest rates. Banks and other lenders are in a risky business because there is always a chance of … (2 comments)
real estate: 6 Money Making Tips For The First Time Home Seller
- 04/10/18 08:17 AM
Today's homebuyers can have specific ideas and personal preferences that influence their decision on what attracts them to a particular property. While some prefer a fixer-upper, many desire a home that’s as close to turn-key as possible. First time home sellers may help expedite the process with these six home selling tips. Determine Right Listing Price A home priced competitively in its market typically sells faster. Professional REALTORS® know the area and look at comparative listings to help determine the right listing price. First time home sellers often think their home should list higher, and this can turn away buyers. Trust a real estate … (4 comments)
NMLS ID: 247026
Colorado Mortgage License: 100019059
Benchmark Mortgage, Ark-La-Tex Financial Services, LLC NMLS ID 2143. Equal Housing Opportunity. This advertisement is for general information purposes only. Some products may not be available in all licensed locations. Information, rates, and pricing are subject to change without prior notice at the sole discretion of Ark-La-Tex Financial Services, LLC. All loan programs subject to borrowers meeting appropriate underwriting conditions. This is not a commitment to lend. Other restrictions may apply. Colorado Mortgage Company Registrant – Regulated by The Division of Real Estate #2143
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