Home Buying

Escalation Clause: Love It or Hate It, Here’s What Homebuyers Need to Know

With buyer competition reaching new heights, it’s no wonder homebuyers feel they need to pull out all the stops to ensure their offer rises to the top. There’s nothing like the frustration of losing out on a house that checked all your boxes—especially if it turns out to be a matter of a few thousand dollars you would be willing to throw into the deal, if given the chance. Pursuit of the top...

What it Takes: Preparing to Make a Winning Offer on Your Next Home

It’s never fun to lose out on the house you had your heart set on. Unfortunately, when inventories are tight, that scenario can play again and again. The result of not being able to move when you want to can make the whole scenario very challenging. So, how do you get the edge over other buyers and land the home of your dreams?  As your real estate agent, there are a number of strategies and...

Numbers Game: What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a House in Today’s Real Estate Market?

When it comes to credit scores and applying for a home mortgage, your first thought may fall to whether or not you qualify. But, your credit score not only plays a critical role in your ability to qualify for a home loan, its influence continues when it comes to your down payment requirements, interest rates and other mortgage terms. Here’s what you need to know: Minimum score to qualify The four...

Buyer Disappointment: Here are the Worst Reasons Not to Make an Offer on a Home

Yes, it’s a competitive world out there if you’re a homebuyer. But you can’t win if you don’t get in the game.  That’s not to say every house you look at is going to be worth making an offer. There are plenty of very legitimate reasons for not making an offer, such as serious structural issues or a price that is way over budget, to name but a few. But, let’s face it. Sometimes,...

Before You Shop for Houses, Ask Yourself These Six Questions

A home purchase is a major commitment–likely the largest purchase you’ll make in your lifetime. Before you get too far down the road to homeownership, you need to be sure you’re prepared for the home-buying process. To get started, ask yourself the following six questions: 1. Do you have verifiable income and employment? While it’s true that your mortgage lender will want to be able to verify your...

Here’s What Buyers Say Are the Biggest Challenges to New Home Ownership

Buying a home is an exciting endeavor. But, it isn’t without its challenges. If you’re thinking about making a new home purchase, whether this is your first home or your fifth, you may be wondering what buyers are saying about the process. What are the obstacles they found most difficult to get through?  According to the National Association of REALTORS®  2021 Home Buyer and Seller...

Keeping it Simple: Five Steps to Home Ownership for First-time Homebuyers

The real estate process can seem complicated, especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer. The thought of dealing with tight inventories, financial requirements and complex negotiations can seem almost an insurmountable challenge. It’s enough to make your head spin and leave you wondering where do you start? Where do you turn next? Wouldn’t it be great if the whole process could just somehow be...

Buying a House in a Low-Inventory Market

Tight supply of available homes for sale has been the story across the country for a number of years now and nowhere is that more evident than here in the Valley. The simple laws of supply and demand have left many buyers disappointed and frustrated. After the crash of 2008, first-time homebuyers in particular were less able, or at least less willing, to take on the large debt of a mortgage. With fewer...

Here’s What to Do Now if There is a Move on the Horizon

Making a residential move is a huge undertaking. When that move involves more people in the household than just yourself, it becomes even more complicated. There are plenty of checklists for moving day, but what about the months leading up to your intended moving day? Even if you are just getting started on your home search, there are a number of steps you can take now to make moving day easier on you...

Busting the Myth of the 20 Percent Down Payment

Homeownership brings with it a number of benefits. But, many homeowners believe the required down payment is well beyond reach.  If that sounds familiar, you’ve probably been told you need to put 20% down to purchase a home. On a $300,000 home, that’s $60,000. Add costs for closing, inspection, appraisal and other fees and it’s no wonder a lot of people don’t think they will ever own a...

Compare listings

Compare