by Patricia Roos | Oct 29, 2024 | Uncategorized
Pre-approval is a comprehensive process where the lender verifies the buyer’s financial information, including credit history, income, and assets. Pre-approval provides a conditional commitment from the mortgage company to lend a specific amount, pending...
by Patricia Roos | Oct 22, 2024 | Uncategorized
Traditionally in the U.S. housing market, the seller has offered the buyer’s broker and agent a share in the commission specified in the listing agreement between the seller and the listing broker and agent. In a settlement between the National Association of...
by Patricia Roos | Oct 15, 2024 | Uncategorized
Last year, U.S. homeowners faced an average property tax bill exceeding $4,000, marking the highest increase in five years, according to data from Attom Data Solutions, a real estate data firm. Property taxes nationwide amounted to over $363 billion in 2023,...
by Patricia Roos | Oct 1, 2024 | Uncategorized
There is a technique that has been attributed to Benjamin Franklin and used when faced with a decision. As the lore goes, whenever Ben was faced with a decision, like you are now, he’d take a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle of it. On the left side,...
by Patricia Roos | Sep 24, 2024 | Uncategorized
Beginning August 17, 2024, many agents will be required to enter into a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home either in-person or through a live virtual tour and buyers should be familiar with what it entails. There have been buyer agreements for...
by Patricia Roos | Sep 17, 2024 | Uncategorized
Home insurance rates have increased by almost 20% nationally between 2021 and 2023 and even more in some states like Arizona where rates have jumped 62% in some cases. The appreciation that homeowners have enjoyed, especially in the past four years, has caused...
by Patricia Roos | Sep 10, 2024 | Uncategorized
In the 1980s, home buyers faced significantly higher mortgage rates compared to today’s market. Despite this challenge, many people successfully purchased homes and made them worthwhile investments. They employed a range of strategies to manage costs and ensure...
by Patricia Roos | Sep 3, 2024 | Uncategorized
Online estimates like Zillow, realtor.com, Redfin, & Homes.com are convenient, but typically lack accuracy and may have a significant margin of error. They are constructed using a computer-generated algorithm that utilizes historical public sales data and trends...
by Patricia Roos | Aug 27, 2024 | Uncategorized
You are encouraged by the Federal Trade Commission to be sure the information on your credit reports is accurate, complete, and up to date at least once a year. It is an important part of your financial life that can determine whether you get credit, the terms of the...
by Patricia Roos | Aug 20, 2024 | Uncategorized
Homeowners should verify their home’s equity at least once a year because the two factors that affect it change regularly. Market value changes and the unpaid balance of the home decreases with each monthly payment made on an amortizing loan. Amortization and...
