Buying

Learn more about the home buying process from start to finish, including how to save money to buy a house, how to make an offer, and more.

Buying Your Beginner’s Guide to Home Appraisals Appraisals are used as a reliable, independent valuation of a tract of land and the structure on it, whether it’s a house or a skyscraper. Designed to protect buyers, sellers, and lending institutions, appraisals are an important part of the buying/selling process.
Buying 5 Deal Breakers That Can Blindside Home Buyers Purchasing a home can be a complex endeavor for even the most well-prepared home buyer. You’ve diligently saved for your down payment, followed the market, researched agents and now you are ready to make an offer on your dream home. Don’t let these 5 “Deal Breakers” come between you and your new home.
Buying Mistakes to Avoid When Buying and Selling a Home Buying and selling a home is a complex transaction, and there are a number of steps along the path that can confuse, betwixt, and befuddle even the most seasoned buyers and sellers.
Buying You’ve Moved into Your New Home. Now What? Congratulations on your new home! You made it through the arduous process that is buying a new home. Now it’s time to take on the task of moving in. Here are some things to do as you move in to protect your newest investment, and yourself, from the unknown variables in and around your home.
Buying Five Things to Consider When Downsizing Downsizing is on the minds of many homeowners today. Some are ready to retire, others want to live more simply, and many want to save money and say goodbye to home maintenance. If you can relate to any of those sentiments, ask yourself these five questions:
Buying Are You Better Off Paying Your Mortgage Earlier or Investing Your Money? Few topics cause more division among economists than the age-old debate of whether you’re better off paying off your mortgage earlier, or investing that money instead. And there’s a good reason why that debate continues; both sides make compelling arguments. On the one hand, your mortgage is quite likely the largest expense you will ever incur in your life. So if given the chance, it only...
Buying More Than a Yard: Finding the Right Home for Your Pooch For many house hunters, a dream home isn’t complete without being a good fit for the family dog. Some might see the fenced in yard, and consider the box checked. However, if you are looking for your next home, you may want to look a little deeper to be sure the fit is right before signing on the dotted line. It’s worth taking a little extra time to consider your pooch in a little more depth...
Buying Don’t Get Spooked! These Are a Buyer’s Warning Signs of a Haunted House While you hear a lot about ghosts in October, they’re actually a year-round phenomenon (and they’re not all as friendly as Casper). Specters come in all shapes and sizes in real estate, and they can be spookiest to prospective buyers. So, if you’re in the market for a home right now, you might want to consider your threshold for the paranormal. Here are some ways to identify...
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Buying Building Character – Balancing a Home’s Personality and Amenities It's sometimes said that the limitations of a house are what help make it a home. For many, however, it is a point of pride to accept only the finest in their new residence. How can you find the balance between cultivating a lived-in home with personality and quirks versus a house with cutting-edge amenities that improve quality of life? To get to the bottom of that, we gathered a list of six...
Buying Generational Trends in Home-Buying When making an important decision like buying a new home, personal circumstances are often a driving force. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer, need more space for your growing family, downsizing to fit an empty nest, or looking for a retirement property, finding the right information, the right real estate agent, and the right properties that fit your needs are all important parts of that...
Buying When Buying a Short Sale Home is the Right Fit Purchasing a home can feel overwhelming at times, but a short sale home offers a unique opportunity for a prospective buyer. A short sale occurs when a homeowner owes a lender more than their home is worth, and the lender agrees to let the owner sell the home and accept less than what is owed. Lenders may agree to a short sale because they believe it will net them more money than going forward...
Buying The Risks and Rewards of Purchasing a Bank-Owned Home The process of purchasing a home directly from a lender can be long and arduous, but could very well be worth it in the end. If you have your sights on a particular home or are looking to find a deal on your first, working directly with the lender may be your only option. Purchasing a bank-owned home is not for the faint of heart, here are some tips for negotiating the REO process:
Buying What’s in a Condo? The In-Between Style of Home That Might Be the Right Fit for You Condominium homes are a great, low-maintenance choice for a primary residence, second home, or investment property. This alternative to the traditional single-family home has unique issues to consider before buying, as well as unique benefits. Here’s some background information to help you decide whether purchasing a condo is a good match for you.
Buying A Beginner’s Guide to Securing a Mortgage Loan Entering into debt is a concept I grew up diametrically opposed to. I was raised, like many with frugal family members, to understand that anything you couldn’t pay for on the spot was something you couldn’t afford. But as we age we learn the pathway to financial growth requires a commitment beyond what many of us can deliver up front. Building and stabilizing wealth is, for many families...
Buying How to Get Started in Real Estate Investing Investing in real estate is one of the world’s most venerable pathways to building wealth. When properly managed, income from renting or real estate investment trusts can provide you with the financial security to plan out the rest of your life. The conclusion is easy to envision, but knowing where to begin can be overwhelming, particularly for anyone who has never previously owned a home.
Buying 10 Key Qualities to Look for When Selecting an Agent Buying a home is one of the most significant financial and emotional purchases of a person’s life. That’s why it is so important to find an agent that can not only help you navigate the home search process but one who can also answer your questions and represent your needs from start to finish.
Buying Homeowners Insurance: Protecting Your Home In addition to providing shelter and comfort, our home is often our single greatest asset. And it’s important that we protect that precious investment. Most homeowners realize the importance of homeowners insurance in safeguarding the value of a home. However, what they may not know is that about two-thirds of all homeowners are under-insured.
Buying Myths and Truths About Millennial Home Buyers In recent years there has been a lot written about millennial's and their impact on the housing market. Because of this there are also a lot of misconceptions about what this generation wants from a home. To start, it’s important to know that there are more than 71 millennial's, which are defined as those aged 22-37.
Buying Matthew Gardner’s 2018 Housing Forecast Windermere is fortunate to have Chief Economist Matthew Gardner on staff to provide valuable analysis of the economy and housing market. Matthew recently completed his national forecast which details his predictions for the 2018 housing market.
Buying What Can We Expect From The 2018 Housing Market? It’s the time of the year when I look deep into my crystal ball to see what’s on the horizon for the upcoming year. As we are all aware, 2017 has been a stellar year for housing across the country, but can we expect that to continue in 2018?