It’s frustrating to have a decent-paying job, a bright earnings future and acceptable credit and still not be able to buy a home because you lack the thousands of dollars in cash needed for a down payment and closing costs. The dreaded down payment stops more potential homeowners cold than any other aspect of the loan process. To read articles about down payment headaches one would think it’s only millennials…

Sure, it’s a slogan on a t-shirt, and nobody has yet to take credit for it, but it sums up how we feel. And, since Veteran’s Day – the day we celebrate our heroes in dog tags — is November 11, we’d like to take this opportunity to remind our current and former service members about the amazing VA home loan that is part of their benefits. It’s curious that…

When you’re shopping for homes you’ll be introduced to an entirely new vocabulary and I’ll be the first to agree with you that some of it seems downright boring. Take encroachments and easements, for instance. Though they sound ho-hum, they are both important concepts so today I thought I’d try to put them in plain English for you. What’s an encroachment? Encroachment describes the violation of a homeowner’s property rights.…

It’s a toss-up whether the home inspection or the appraisal induces more nail-biting. Homebuyers, sellers and the agents involved await the results of both with a mixture of anticipation and fear. The latter, at least statistically, is unfounded. “Nationally, [only] 3.9 percent of sales failed in 2016,” according to Forbes staff writer Samantha Sharf. She doesn’t mention the reason for the failures, although it’s a safe bet that not all…

Whether it’s your first time buying or selling a home, one of the most confusing aspects of either process is learning the lingo. Fixtures, encumbrances, contingencies – real estate jargon starts flying fast and furiously. The various players in the process, their roles and responsibilities, seem to confuse consumers the most and the title company sits at numero uno. In property law, Black’s Law Dictionary defines title as “. .…

That moment when you just can’t stand writing one more check to your landlord so that he can pay his mortgage payment. That is the moment you are emotionally ready to buy your own home, at least according to investment experts. We’d like to extend that list of moments to include the longing to get the kids a dog, drooling over the weird paint color you’d love to use to…

If you’re digging through sweatshirts and turtlenecks to reach your tank tops and shorts, it’s time for a closet makeover. It’s like eating an elephant The job is much easier, especially for those of us who tend to procrastinate, by taking one bite at a time. Schedule an hour every week to put a dent in the mess that you call a closet and, before you know it, the job…

The real estate industry has done a bang-up job on letting consumers know they’ll need some cash when they purchase a home. Typically, it’s the down payment that’s mentioned. Seldom are closing costs brought up so they end up a major surprise for homebuyers. Between the two of those huge chunks of money are other cash outlays you’ll need to consider. Earnest Money Deposit You found the home you want to…

In all the excitement of choosing your lot, your appliance package and all the other extras that go into buying a new home, something important may fall through the cracks: your new home’s future resale value. Sure, it seems a bit early to be thinking of selling when you haven’t even moved into the home, but you should be thinking about just that. Someday you will sell this home. If…