Halloween is right around the corner, around the next corner is Thanksgiving, and I am sure you can guess what is a hop, skip, and a jump away from that. Before you know it we are going to be in 2020 and if you are like me, you are already planning what the next year is going to hold.
It is around this time of year that Realtors receive a lot of inquiries and questions about buying or selling a home, but most don’t want to start planning or researching until the New Year. If your Goals for 2020 involve Real Estate, there are few items you can start doing now so you are prepared come January 1st….or January 3rd.
“I Want to Buy a New Home!”
Whether you are downsizing, upgrading, purchasing your first home, or investing 2020 is forecasting to be a great year due to low interest rates. Before you jump on Zillow or our MLS site to start Saving homes and scheduling tours, there are a few items to address beforehand and you don’t have to wait until 2020 to get them started.
- Look at your Budget! Take the time to sit down and discuss your monthly budget. What are you paying in bills each month? What subscriptions are you paying for and not using? What could you cut back on? By taking the time to look at your budget you are gaining a further understanding of what your expenses are and how much your monthly mortgage should be so you can live comfortably.
- Check Your Credit! There a many credit checking websites out there that can pull up your report at no cost to you. Take the time to go through the report and look for items that could possibly be paid off or incorrect information that needs to be reported or corrected before it hurts you. This process can take sometime to reflect on your credit report so the sooner you get started the better.
- Gather your Documents! When you meet with a Lender they are going to ask for certain documents, its always better to be prepared. Gather your previous years Tax Documents, Paystubs, and additional financial documents.
- Find a Lender! Don’t go to your bank….oh I can’t stress that enough! Banks do offer Mortgage Loans, but many of the programs, low interest rates, and personalization are not offered at the Big Banks. Instead work with a Mortgage Lender. They are better equipped and know more about mortgage loans and programs and can find the right deal for you. I work with fantastic Lenders that I would be happy to refer to you. Research them and find out who you feel you can work better with and go with them. Lenders play a huge role in the process of Buying a home and you want to work with one who you feel safe with.
- Research! Once you have met with a Lender and have a Pre-qualification Letter and an Idea of how much you can spend, its time to start looking into where you want to live. Research subdivisions, school districts, future developments, etc. Dial into where you want to live and what you are looking for in your new home.
- CALL ME! You can Call Me at Step One and I will happily help you through this process. Buying a home is the biggest investment you can make and I want to make sure that you make the right decisions, you understand what is going on, and you feel confident in the process. Once you are ready to start looking we can sit down and discuss your options, play with a search map, and start scheduling showings.
“I Need to Sell My Home!”
The Home Selling Market is so convoluted these days with Investor Phone Calls, I-Buyers offering to “Buy Your Home and Close When You Want to Close”, that sometimes it feels overwhelming to think about Selling Your Home. No Worries I am here to help! Here are a quick easy steps that will lead you down the right path of selling your home.
- Tour Your Home as a Buyer! Once you put yourselves in the shoes of a Buyer a whole new perspective is given to your home. Take the time to see what stands out you in a positive way and what could be worked on. You would be surprised what you find or what little things can be tweaked to make your home “Show Ready”
- Pull Out the Honey Do List! Before putting your home on the market it is best to knock out all of those repairs, tune ups, service calls before someone else requests them.
- Call Your Home Warranty! If there are repairs or service calls that can be handled by your Home Warranty Company give them a call to see what they can help out with at little cost to you.
- De-Clutter! Selling Your Home is a Great time to get rid of the items you dont need. Donate to a charity, have a yard sale, start boxing items up that clutter up bookshelves, counter tops, and closets.
- Let’s Get Together! To find out what your home is worth you need to meet with a professional. I would be happy to meet with you and discuss what your home is worth at no cost. IF you are even thinking of selling to an I-Buyer to avoid some of the hassle, please give me a call then too. I can talk to the 3 leading I-Buyers and get you an offer from all three at no risk. You are more to me than a sign in the yard, I want to make sure that as you move out you aren’t leaving money on the table or regretting a contract that contained “fine writing”.
Whether you are looking to Buy or Sell in 2020, don’t hesitate to get started! If getting started calls for lunch and a chat about Real Estate I am here to help you out! Please give me a call and lets get working on your New Years Resolution Today!!!
