Heroes Home Advantage

How to Choose the Right Lender

 

 

When buying a home, choosing the right lender is very important. You'll be committing to paying off a home loan for the next 15 or 30 years, so make sure you have a lender that is the best one you can find.

Numbers, numbers everywhere: Obviously, there are going to be lots of numbers as you compare lender to lender. Taxes and insurance will remain the same, more or less, so focus on the rates, points and fees. These are the three sectors that will vary greatly from lender to lender. Calculate carefully when considering because they all affect each other.

Conduct some background research: Do some research before filling out an application. Feel free to ask questions as well. If you are given the runaround simply because you haven't applied yet, that's usually a bad sign. Feel the lender out. If you can't even get preliminary questions answered, that's usually a sign to flee running to the next potential lender.

Play the part of an interviewee and interviewer: The lender will want to interview you after you fill out an application. After all, hundreds of thousands of dollars are on the line for them. But just as they want to learn about you, you should also learn about them. Don't hesitate to ask a few questions of your own during your interview. Find out who will service your loan, or what happens if your rate lock expires before you close? These are all things you need to know before signing.

Always remember: choosing the right lender is just as important as choosing the right home.

Get Your House in Tip-Top Shape: Tips for Hiring a House Cleaner

When it comes to cleaning house, it’s easy to make excuses that keep you from putting in the time necessary to ensure there are no dust bunnies lurking under the couch or cobwebs hanging from the corners. While hauling out the vacuum cleaner, dust rags, mops and sponges isn’t at the top of any homeowner’s list, it is a necessary evil in order to maintain a healthy home. If cleaning your home is getting in the way of spending time with your family or eating up all of your free time, it might be worth investing in a house cleaner. I found the following information about hiring a house-cleaning service helpful, and thought you would too.  

The following tips from Angie’s List, the online community of consumer service reviews, will help you make the right hire. Your home will thank you!  

Arrange a time to meet face to face. If you’re serious about hiring a cleaning service, it’s crucial to set up a meeting with the house cleaner before making a decision. By meeting face to face, you’ll put your mind at ease by making sure you’re comfortable having the person in your home. It’s also important to check their references.  

Get the necessary info. Some cleaning companies charge per hour, others per visit or based on square footage, so be sure to ask how much a full service will cost, not just the hourly rate. Other important things that should be discussed before hiring a cleaning person: is there a fee if you have to cancel an appointment? Can the cleaner be hired for a one-time service, or is an ongoing service contract required? 

Satisfaction guaranteed. Find out if the cleaning service offers a guarantee should you not be happy with their work. In addition, establish how far in advance you need to make an appointment.  

Ground rules. It’s important to establish—from the beginning—how the cleaning service will enter your home. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving a key out, you may want to ask a neighbor to let them in.  

Ask about insurance. Be sure to ask if the company maintains proper liability insurance and whether or not they are bonded. Ask if they perform background checks on their employees as well.

 Cleaning supplies. Will the company supply its own cleaning agents? Talk to the cleaning service about the supplies they use and whether eco-friendly options are available.

Set expectations. Make any concerns or expectations clear. Let the company know what you expect and what you like/dislike. 

Once you’ve made a decision and hired a cleaning service, be sure to keep the lines of communication open and provide feedback regarding their work. Not only will this ensure an optimal cleaning experience, it will give you peace of mind, knowing that your investment is worth it.

http://newshub.rismedia.com/article/667/77923/page:3

1015 N. School Street

1015 N School St, Santa Maria-Orcutt, CA 93454

$224,900 3 bedroom 2 bath

Terrific value in Rancho Estates. True pride of ownership in this well-maintained home. Newer flooring and interior paint throughout. Dual-pane windows and recent bathroom upgrades. Quiet Northeast setting. Move-in ready gem priced to sell!!

Century 21 Hometown Realty Market up-date

 

 

 

Home Repairs to Do Before You Refinance

Real Estate News   

Jun 14, 2013   

By: Credit.com 

Property values have come roaring back. Many can now refinance their loans by virtue of having additional home equity. And increased property values can also put homeowners in a better financial position to sell their home without entering short sale territory. But the fact remains: Everyone wants to attain maximum value for their real estate and home repairs can help. 

So what’s the best barometer of a home’s true worth? Simple: the amount a ready, willing and able buyer is willing to pay at any given point in time. Unfortunately, appraisal estimates can be skewed, especially when not all the home repairs and improvements are taken into consideration. This is why you should weigh all home improvement decisions carefully before you commit. 

When You’re Refinancing 

Unlike in years past, the weight of an appraisal to determine the home value for the purposes of refinancing a mortgage is based upon the facts (which are primarily based on other homes that have sold) and what the property description is. 

Improvements that may help a refinance valuation:

◾Additional bedroom or bathroom

◾Addition to the lot size

◾Addition to the garage

◾Improvement that expands the “use” of the home 

When it comes to improvements such as landscaping, painting, any home improvement more “cosmetic” in nature, realize that the primary benefit is for the enjoyment of the property, not for trying to influence value. 

When Selling 

A home buyer is going to take into consideration all of the facts associated with the property, location, lot size, square footage, bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as additional cosmetic improvements that have been done that add to the look and feel of the home. 

Improvements that may help a sale price:

◾New paint job

◾Freshly maintained landscaping

◾Remodeled and/or upgraded interior

◾Deck and/or patio addition

◾Additional bedroom or bathroom

◾Addition to the lot size

◾Addition to the garage 

What’s the Biggest Bang for Your Buck? 

These include the high-ticket items that increase square footage. An additional bedroom or an additional bathroom increases the square footage, which in turn allows an appraiser to make higher adjustments when determining valuation against other comparable homes around the subject property. 

Refinancing

 Let’s say you have funds ready for possibly improving your home for long-term enjoyment. Instead of using the funds to make home improvements in an attempt to enjoy your home more, you might actually see a greater benefit if you used that money toward a refinance. Over time, the money you save from refinancing could then be put toward those home improvements down the road. 

Selling in the Near Future

 

Typically, you won’t get a dollar-for-dollar recapture on the home improvement cost, even when selling. Because the weight is given to improvements that expand the use of the house (i.e. bedroom, bathrooms, etc.), it’s more common to expect 20 cents on the dollar, or maybe 30 cents on the dollar, depending on the improvement in such a scenario. Because the market is the strongest indicator of price, the market will dictate sales price followed by additional improvements and subsequent marketing of the home.