home buying: The Monopoly Technique – Build Value By Acquiring Adjacent Properties - 07/25/19 11:09 AM
Have you ever played the classic board game called Monopoly? The object of the game is to collect all the properties until one winner bankrupts all the other players. The other part of the game is that accumulating properties adjacent to each other increases the value of the individual properties. When a player acquires all the properties of the same color (two or three), then the rents go up and property development can begin.
The Monopoly Game In Real Life
The same basic principles sometimes work in real life. Owning a property and then buying the one next door creates a value-added possibility of … (0 comments)

home buying: 5 Important Benefits Of Downsizing Your Home - 07/19/19 06:40 AM
After the children are all grown and moved out, the family home often feels excessively large and empty. If you’re in this stage of life, you may be wondering if you should downsize like so many others, or stay put. Downsizing may be the best option, depending on your lifestyle.
Here are five benefits of downsizing for you to consider.
1. Less Clutter
When you move into a smaller home, you’ll have the opportunity to get rid of many possessions that you no longer need. Whether it’s sporting goods or knick knacks, you’ll be able to either sell the items, give them away to … (0 comments)

home buying: 4 Times When Laminate Flooring Is Better Than Hardwood - 07/12/19 09:28 AM
Hardwood flooring is considered a premium flooring material. It’s natural, long-lasting, durable and comes in a wide assortment of colors, wood, stains and plank widths. But hardwood flooring isn’t always the best choice. If you’re looking at homes to buy and eliminating the ones with laminate flooring, you could be overlooking some important considerations.
Following are four times when laminate flooring is a better option than hardwood.
1. You Live In A Very Humid Climate
Excess humidity isn’t kind to hardwood floors. Wood is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture from the surroundings. Too much moisture in the air can make hardwood floor planks … (0 comments)

home buying: Rent-To-Own Opportunities For Those With Bad Credit - 07/09/19 12:54 PM
For those who have less than a stellar credit history; yet, who still want to have their own home, a rent-to-own option is worth considering. A rent-to-own (RTO) agreement is a hybrid between buying a home and renting a home.
Usually, RTO deals require a significant down payment that applies towards the home purchase. An RTO tenant/buyer gets the option to buy the home for a certain price at some date in the future. The down payment is lost if a tenant/buyer does not go forward with the home purchase.
Another common characteristic of RTO deals is that a portion of the rent … (1 comments)

home buying: 4 Tips To Ensure A Successful Closing - 07/02/19 02:47 PM
As you come up to the date of your closing, there’s time to reflect on everything that led to this step. Your real estate agent, mortgage broker, title company and others all work hard to ensure a successful closing for you. They’re all in your corner, hoping for the same outcome as you. They’ve had to do a lot of work behind the scenes that you may not even be aware of. Their diligence and professionalism has already benefited you.
But did you know that it’s not all riding on your team of real estate professionals? There are things you can do … (1 comments)

home buying: The Benefits Of Adding An In-Law Apartment To A Home - 06/18/19 01:36 PM
One renovation that may add value to a home is an in-law apartment. Even if a homeowner does not have any relatives, an in-law apartment makes wonderful guest accommodations. It is possible to rent it when unoccupied to earn some money.
Homeowners who rent out part of a home need to check with their insurance agent to upgrade insurance to accommodate commercial use of a part of the home.
Additionally, a person staying in an in-law apartment, who is not a member of the owner’s household, may need to get renter’s insurance to cover any personal property kept in the in-law apartment.
Renovation Plans
An … (0 comments)

home buying: What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 17th, 2019 - 06/17/19 06:47 AM
Last week’s economic reports included readings on inflation, retail sales and consumer sentiment. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released.
Consumer Price Index Lower in May as Retail Sales Hold Steady
Last month’s Consumer Price Index, which is a widely-used gauge of inflation, dropped to 0.10 percent in May and matched expectations. April posted month-to-month growth of 0.30 percent. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and fuel sectors, rose 0.10 percent in May and fell short of expectations of 0.20 percent growth.
April’s Core Consumer Price Index grew by 0.10 percent. Analysts reported a likely slowdown in economic expansion … (0 comments)

home buying: How To Buy A Bargain Home As A Short Sale - 06/13/19 01:00 PM
A short sale is when the mortgage lender(s) agrees to sell the property for a lower amount than the loan-balance remaining.
During the worst moments of the 2006 to 2008 real estate crisis, homes sold as short sales for a fraction of their value. Lenders had so many properties with loans in default that they could not manage the ones that they had in foreclosure.
Foreclosure is an expensive legal process that causes a lender to lose more money on a property. This is one of the motivators that encourages lenders to accept a short sale because sometimes through a short sale the … (0 comments)

home buying: What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 10th, 2019 - 06/10/19 06:40 AM
Last week’s economic releases included readings on construction spending, public and private sector jobs and national unemployment. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and first-time unemployment claims were also released.
Construction Spending Little Changed in April
Census Bureau readings for April showed a minor dip in construction spending as compared to revised figures for March. $1,295.5 billion was spent on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis and missed the expected reading of $1,314.7 billion.
March construction spending was revised to $1,299.2 billion. Falling mortgage rates were good news for home buyers, but concerns over global economic disputes and higher materials prices concerned home builders.
Mortgage Rates Fall as … (0 comments)

home buying: Buying A Second Home And How To Pay For It - 05/31/19 11:16 AM
How does an average homeowner become a real estate investor? Certainly, owning a home is an investment in real estate. However, this guide discusses the next step for many to become a real estate investor. This is to buy another property and use it for a commercial purpose. Owning another home is less of a burden when an investor finds a way to make the home pay for itself.
Here are some tips on how to help a property generate cash flow:
Renting Out A Home
Renting the home to others may be an effective way to pay for it. To do this well, … (0 comments)

home buying: Case-Shiller: Home Price Growth Slows in March - 05/29/19 01:09 PM
Case-Shiller Indices reported slower home price growth in March with a 3.70 percent gain year-over-year as compared to 3.90 percent home price growth for the year-over-year period in 2018. This was the slowest pace of home price growth in seven years.
The 20-City Home Price Index showed Las Vegas, Nevada as having the top year-over-year home price growth rate of 8.20 percent; Phoenix, Arizona had year-over-year home price growth of 6.10 percent. Tampa, Florida had the third highest growth rate for home prices at 5.30 percent. Analysts said that all three cities continue their recoveries from deep home price declines during the … (1 comments)

home buying: What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – May 28th, 2019 - 05/28/19 03:10 PM
Last week’s economic news included readings on sales of new and pre-owned homes; weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released.
Sales of New and Pre-Owned Homes Lower in April
Sales of brand-new homes fell nearly seven percent in April according to Commerce Department reports. Analysts noted that March sales of new homes were revised upward, which contributed to the difference between March and April readings. 673,000 new homes were sold in April on a seasonally adjusted annual basis. Analysts expected a reading of 670,000 sale of new homes; this reading was based on the initial March reading which was later revised … (0 comments)

home buying: Bold Wallpaper Makes A Statement In 2019 - 05/24/19 09:09 AM
From a sophisticated couch to a stunning art print, there are plenty of ways that you can dress up your living room and instantly change its vibe. You may not realize it, but wallpaper is back in fashion and becoming another popular way to instantly revamp a room.
If you’re contemplating ways that wallpaper can benefit your space, here are some options you may want to try out.
Add An Accent
A brightly colored accent wall may still be a popular trend, but a way to bring your wall into current fashion can be to add wallpaper. In addition to a fun print, wallpaper … (0 comments)

home buying: What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – May 20th, 2019 - 05/20/19 12:38 PM
Last week’s economic reports included readings from the National Association of Home Builders on housing market conditions, housing starts and building permits issued. Consumer sentiment was reported along with weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims.
NAHB: Builder Confidence Rises in May, Housing Starts Increase in April
The National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index posted its highest reading in seven months in May as headwinds facing home construction waned. Lower mortgage rates were a positive sign. May’s reading rose three points to 66; component readings also rose.
The index of builder confidence in current housing market conditions rose three points to … (0 comments)

home buying: What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – May 13th, 2019 - 05/13/19 06:42 AM
Last week’s economic news included readings on job openings and inflation. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released.
April Inflation Falls Short of Expectations
The Consumer Price Index for April fell by 0.10 percent to 0.30 percent. Analysts expected a reading of 0.40 percent, which hatched the March reading. The Core Consumer Price Index excludes volatile food and fuel sectors; core inflation grew by 0.10 percent in April, which matched the March reading and fell short of the expected growth rate of 0.20 percent.
The Federal Reserve has set an annual inflation rate of 2.00 percent as a benchmark … (0 comments)

home buying: The Benefits Of Developing A Multi-Use Property - 05/10/19 07:06 AM
Renovations that create a multi-use property or the development of a new multi-use project can be a very attractive investment especially in urban areas that are undergoing redevelopment. The concept of multi-use is to make the most of the site that is revitalized or developed.
Multi-Use Projects
Typical multi-use projects have a mixture of retail space, restaurants, offices, and/or living spaces. They may include parking areas. Large multi-use projects can also become destination locations that are core improvements, which create a momentum for the gentrification of an entire area. Waterfronts, boardwalks, and walking promenades are successful as multi-use projects in many cities.
The advantages … (0 comments)

home buying: Can I Qualify For A Mortgage Without W-2 Income? - 05/07/19 09:44 AM
It’s more common these days to have non-traditional income that doesn’t fall into the W-2 category. Many people work in what is referred to as the “gig economy,” where income might come from a variety of freelance sources.
Other times, people don’t have W-2 income because they are retired or have an independent source of wealth that generates interest income. Still other times, an individual may own their own business and take draws instead of a paycheck. In all these cases, it might seem impossible to qualify for a mortgage, since there’s no W-2 income. 
Lenders Are Understanding
Thankfully, many lenders understand when a … (1 comments)

home buying: What To Look For In A Real Estate Agent - 05/01/19 02:10 PM
You have lots of choices when it comes to choosing a real estate agent. Aside from deciding if you’d prefer to work with a man or woman, and what age range you’d like them to be, here are some tips to help ensure that you pick one that is best suited for your needs.
Signs In Their Bio
The first thing to do is read the bios of any real estate agents you’re considering. Bios tell a lot about an agent, including what certifications they hold and how long they’ve been an agent. Some bios even have some personal information such as charitable … (0 comments)

home buying: What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – April 29th, 2019 - 04/29/19 06:23 AM
Last week’s economic reporting included readings on sales of new and pre-owned homes; weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released along with a report on consumer sentiment.
Sales of New Homes Hit 16-Month High
The Commerce Department reported that deep discounts offered by home builders boosted sales of new single-family homes to 692,000 sales on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis.
March sales exceeded February’s reading by 4.50 percent and exceeded the expected sales pace of 656,000 sales. The average price of new single family homes fell to $302,700 in March; this was 9.70 percent lower year-over-year.
Real estate pros reported higher … (0 comments)

home buying: Finding ‘Hard Money’ Lenders Is Easier Than You Think - 04/23/19 04:14 PM
Are you the type of real estate investor that has an interest in a treasure hunt? A real estate investment strategy based on hard money is, at its core, a treasure hunt. There must be an underlying value, the “treasure,” for a hard money opportunity to exist.
Collateral For A Hard Money Loan Is Only The Property
Hard money loans rely only on the value of the real estate property for collateral. The credit history of the borrower is not important. Usually, the limit for a hard money loan is a 60% loan-to-value. The hard money loan must be in the first position, … (0 comments)

 
Joe Gonzalez, NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563 (CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029)

Joe Gonzalez

NMLS# 126036 (610) 739-6563

King of Prussia, PA

More about me…

CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029

Address: 625 W. Ridge Pike, Building C, Suite 100, Conshohocken, PA, 19428

Office: 610.355.8039

Mobile: 610.739.6563

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