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Interest
Rates |
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Still around
6% with brief windows of opportunity for lower rates.
Credit scores are now very important when it comes to the
rate you are charged. If you're shopping for
a mortgage and your credit is an issue, you might
put off buying a new car, getting a new credit card, or
opening a new charge account before you get loan
approval.
Be
suspicious of any mortgage rates that sound unbelievable,
because they probably are. Hidden costs from shady
lenders can make that low rate vanish in a
heartbeat.
Shop around
and ask a lot of questions that will help you get to the
real bottom line. |
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Get A
Free Home Warranty!
Sellers, and
Buyers, when you are my exclusive client, at completion of a
successful act of sale, get a free, one
year home warranty. Homes with a warranty sell faster,
and buyers have peace of mind. |
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Offer Expires:
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Got A Question? |
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Call for a polite
and accurate response.
504-579-4717
Or e-mail me
at:
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Remodeling? How
Much to Spend? |
Recently, two
of my clients called to ask the same question:
"We're going to re-model the house but how much should
we spend?"
This is very
smart thinking because it is easy to go beyond what a
home is worth regardless of how much granite, tile, new
bathrooms, new windows, or stainless appliances you put into
the project.
In
both of the above cases I provided my clients with an
in depth CMA, (Comparative Market Analysis).
Result: Both wanted to spend a considerable
amount more than what could actually be realized if
their homes were sold in the current market.
Buying or
remodeling a home is not always about the money. It is
also about pleasure, pride in ownership, and the absolutely
immeasurable benefit of having a personally rewarding
sanctuary. So, one school of thought says, "We don't
care how much it's going to cost, we love our
house, we love our neighborhood, the kids have good friends
and love their school, we're not going anywhere, and we now
have everything we have ever wanted". This is pure and
simple joy, the value of which is not to be
underestimated.
The
other school of thought says, "We are going to move in a
couple of years and we'd better mind our budget or we will
loose a lot of money if we over-spend on our project."
This makes good sense as well.
Both schools
of thought have real value, but it is always important to
know exactly where you stand when contemplating a remodeling
project. Are you going to remodel your home
soon? If so, call me, I'll be happy to discuss
options, choices, and the ramifications of your
decisions.
I
am at your service, and devoted to excellence in real estate
transactions.
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Is Your Contractor
Insured? |
There are
numerous qualified and licensed contractors in
town, but are they adequately insured? For your protection,
your contractor must have general liability and
workman's comp insurance. Insist that each
contractor provide you with the name and phone number of
their agent. Then ask that agent to send you a
certificate of insurance for each policy. Do not
accept any paperwork showing proof of insurance directly
from any contractor, they are far too easy to
falsify. So, before hiring any contractor, make
sure they are properly insured because your homeowners
policy ususally does not provide this type of
coverage. If the job goes south, or there is an injury
on the job, an adequately insured contractor will help
prevent real
problems. |
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Now
Is A Great Time To Buy! |
Now
is the time to buy the house you really want because in the
not too distant future you will reflect on these times and
say one of two things, "Boy, am I glad I bought my house
then", or, "Darn, I missed the boat."
Think about
this: Interest rates are low and home values are at
their lowest in years. But then what
happens? Inevitably, the market comes back and
home prices will rise to new levels that will once again
boggle the mind.
If
you are renting and in a position to buy, do it now.
If you have the financial strength to sell your current
residence and buy that more expensive home of your dreams,
don't wait. In many cases, the more expensive the
home, the greater the devaluation; thus the current math
will work in your favor. Now is the time to
buy!
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