If you’re like most people who are buying a home for sale in Lake City or a nearby community, you know that you’ll need to come up with a down payment. But just how much cash do you need to buy a home? Is it really 20 percent of the home’s listing price? What’s a […]
3 Things You Need to Know Before You Apply for a Mortgage
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or you’re purchasing your 100th home (wow, right?!), here are three things you need to know before you apply for a mortgage loan. 3 Things You Need to Know Before You Apply for a Mortgage Before you start exploring lenders, you need to know: What makes a good credit score […]
Should You Get a Mortgage Online or In Person?
There are dozens of lenders waiting to talk to you right now – some of them are online and some of them are sitting in the bank waiting for the phone to ring. So if you’re buying a home for sale in Lake City, what’s right for you? Should you dive into the online world […]
How to Find the Right Lender
When you’re buying a home or property for sale in Lake City and you need to take out a mortgage loan to do it, here’s what you need to ask yourself to zero in on the right lender. How to Find the Right Lender You definitely want a mortgage loan with the lowest possible interest […]
Should You Buy a Home With a Guest House?
If you’re thinking about buying a home that comes with a guest house, it might sound like a great idea – but it’s not for everyone. Just know that a guest house can be a wonderful investment as long as you know the pros and cons up-front. Should You Buy a Home With a Guest […]
How to Calculate Your Debt-to-Income Ratio
When you buy a home with a mortgage loan, lenders want to see that you have a debt-to-income ratio of 36 percent or less. There are some exceptions, but this is the “gold standard.” That means you spend 36 percent or less of your monthly cash on debts and obligations. The lower your debt-to-income ratio […]
Contingencies You Can’t Afford to Waive When You Buy a Home
When you buy a home for sale in Lake City or another North Florida community, your real estate agent will build contingencies into your contract. Some of them you just can’t afford to waive. Related: Contingencies: What You Need to Know Contingencies You Can’t Afford to Waive When You Buy a Home Financing Appraisal Home […]
Making an Offer 101
When you find “the one” – the Lake City home for sale that you really have to have – you’ll make an offer and hope the seller accepts it. But where do you even start? Making an Offer 101 Your Realtor(R) will fill out the right forms for you to make an offer on your […]
Buyers: How to Negotiate Repairs After an Inspection
When you buy a home, you’re going to hire a home inspector to have a look at it and make sure everything is up to snuff. So what happens if there are issues you want the seller to fix before you sign the dotted line? Buyers: How to Negotiate Repairs After an Inspection First things […]
How to Get Your Credit Report Before You Apply for a Mortgage Loan
If you’re going to apply for a mortgage loan, you’ll need to know what your credit looks like first – that way, you can take steps to clean it up or dive right into the application process. Either way, you have to start somewhere. Here’s how to get your credit report before you apply for […]