Blog

26
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

First Time Home Buyers: 3 Essential Tips That You Won’t Hear from Your Friends

When it comes to diving into home ownership for the first time, it can seem like there are so many things you just don't know. Whether you're getting advice from your real estate agent, your friends or your family, there are so many things that seem like common sense that they might be lost in the mix of details. Instead of having to squeeze it out of them, here are three tips that are easily forgotten but still essential. Be Patient And Take Your Time It's certainly not the most popular advice, but one of the most important things when…
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25
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Buy Your Home Today: Understanding Why It’s a Bad Idea to Try and Time the Mortgage Market

It's often the case that people will opt to postpone home ownership until the best rates are available or it's a more stable investment, but in an ever-shifting market it may not be the best decision to put such a sizeable investment off. If you're wondering whether or not you should put off investing in a home, here are some reasons you may want to start putting your time into searching for a home. Interest Rates Always Fluctuate While interest rates are constantly changing and have certainly risen since the economic recession of 2008, they still remain relatively low and…
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24
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage Rates

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 24, 2016

Last week's economic releases included the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index along with reports on housing starts, building permits and sales of previously owned homes. Weekly reports on new jobless claims and mortgage rates were also released. NAHB: Builder Sentiment Dips amid High Demand for Homes Home builder confidence in current housing market conditions dipped from September's index reading of 65 to 63. September's reading was the highest since the peak of the housing bubble. Any reading above 50 indicates a majority of builders surveyed are confident about housing market conditions. Building new homes is essential to…
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21
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Seller Tips, ,

Did You Know?: How You Arrange Your Furniture Can Turn Off Potential Buyers. Here’s Why

Most sellers focus on finding the right furniture to stage their home, but they never consider how the placement of that furniture can undo all their hard work. It's a subconscious thing, but the arrangement of items in the home can really make a difference with buyers. Be sure to not make some of these common mistakes when arranging furniture to sell a house. Keep The Traffic Flowing A proper furniture layout should serve to guide the flow of traffic from room to room and make it easy to move freely. When furniture is placed without foot traffic in mind…
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20
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Forget Mortgage Apps: 5 Reasons Why You’ll Want to Use a Human Mortgage Broker

A mortgage broker can be a helpful tool in finding the right opportunity for you, but it can be tempting to deal with mortgage apps that may be able to consolidate all the information you need in one place. While many modern apps can be quite convenient, there are a few reasons you may want to use a knowledgeable mortgage professional to ensure the credibility of your most important purchase. Up-To-Date On Credible Lenders A mortgage app can certainly provide many mortgage insights, but it's not necessarily an able replacement for a broker who has dealt with many different lenders…
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19
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Housing Market

NAHB Housing Market Index Dips 2 Points

According to the National Association of Home Builders, overall builder confidence in housing markets dropped two points in October to an index reading of 63. September's reading of 65 was the highest posted since the housing bubble peak. Component readings for October's housing market index were mixed; the reading for builder confidence in market conditions over the next six months rose one point to 72. Builder confidence in current housing market conditions fell two points to 69. Builder outlook for buyer traffic in new home developments over the next six months fell by one point to an index reading of…
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